Winning line in tic-tac-toe

Editorially verified for the Aug 25, 2026

4 Down

Scroll down for rest of crossword answers

A tic-tac-toe board showing three Xs aligned in a winning row.

Clue explained

XXX represents three X marks in a row, the winning line made by a player using Xs in tic-tac-toe. The answer is a visual rendering of that completed line rather than a conventional word.

Clue type:
Pun or wordplay

NYT Mini Crossword

This clue's Tuesday, August 25, 2026 appearance

Tap a square to reveal a letter.

Or reveal one clue at a time with the Hint and Answer buttons below.

Across

  1. 1Cohort born between 1965 and 1980, for short
  2. 5Shipping giant with a purple-and-orange logo
  3. 6Section at the end of a textbook
  4. 7Dry, as the desert
  5. 8"___ it high and let it fly" (golfer's mantra)

Down

  1. 1Pop, rock or jazz
  2. 2Comedian Murphy
  3. 3Requirement
  4. 4Winning line in tic-tac-toe
  5. 5Italy's largest automaker

The answer to “Winning line in tic-tac-toe” in the New York Times Mini crossword is XXX — a 3-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times Mini crossword on August 25, 2026 at 4-Down. Below you'll find why that fill fits, every other answer we've recorded for this clue, and links into the puzzle it came from.

“Winning line in tic-tac-toe” answer

XXX (3 letters)

Use the reveal tiles above to uncover the solution one letter at a time if you'd rather nudge yourself toward it than see the whole word at once. Prefer the full answer straight away? It's XXX.

When else has “Winning line in tic-tac-toe” appeared?

New York Times Mini reuses clues across dates, sometimes with a different answer depending on the grid. Here's where this exact clue has shown up, and what the answer was each time — handy when you're checking whether today's fill is the only one.

August 25, 2026 (most recent) → XXX. We haven't indexed another appearance of this exact clue yet.

Frequently asked questions

What is the answer to “Winning line in tic-tac-toe”?

The answer is XXX, a 3-letter word. It most recently appeared in the New York Times Mini crossword on August 25, 2026.

How many letters is the answer to “Winning line in tic-tac-toe”?

3 letters: XXX.

When did this clue appear?

Most recently in the New York Times Mini crossword on August 25, 2026, at 4-Down.

Can “Winning line in tic-tac-toe” have a different answer?

Yes — New York Times Mini sometimes reuses a clue with a different solution to fit the grid. The answers we've recorded for each date it appeared are listed above when available.

Where can I find the rest of today's NYT Mini answers?

Every clue and answer from that day's puzzle is linked above, and the full grid is on the NYT Mini answers page.

New York Times Mini Crossword is published by The New York Times; WordHint is an independent site and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the publisher.

Crossword Clues

Looking up a clue? Jump into today's answers and clue help from top puzzles.