NYT Mini · 4-Down · 3 letters
Winning line in tic-tac-toe NYT Mini crossword clue
Editorially reviewed August 25, 2026
Decode the turn
Reveal the answer now—or spot the trick first.
What to notice
Write the same mark three times—the mark used by the player who moves first in the usual version of the game.
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Answer
How the trick resolves
XXX fits because three X marks in a row form one possible winning line; the entry represents the marks themselves rather than naming the game.
Continue this puzzleCohort born between 1965 and 1980, for short →The turn in the clue
“Line” is literal here: the answer visually shows the three identical marks that can win the game.
The answer in plain English
In tic-tac-toe, a player wins by placing three matching marks in a horizontal, vertical, or diagonal line.
Where this clue appeared
4-Down in NYT Mini puzzle for August 25, 2026.
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