Conundrum: Pic Tac Toe in 3D, Part IV

We haven’t had one of these in a while…

In a normal “Pic Tac Toe” puzzle, there are nine pictures in a 3×3 grid, like Tic-Tac-Toe. In each of the three rows, three columns, and two diagonals, there is a common theme that unites the three pictures. The challenge is to find the eight themes.

In this “Pic Tac Toe” puzzle, however, there are twenty-seven pictures in a 3x3x3 grid, like a Rubik’s Cube. In each of the nine rows, nine columns, nine pillars, eighteen lateral diagonals, and four cross-cube diagonals, there is a common theme that unites the three pictures. The challenge is to find the forty-nine themes.

Imagine stacking the three levels below on top of one another. For reference, and notation guidelines, check out my last 3D Pic Tac Toe, including the comments. The rules here are identical to that puzzle.

You can click on each image to see a larger version:

Top Level – Level A



Middle Level – Level B



Bottom Level – Level C



Please post whatever you come up with in the comments section.

Enjoy!

UPDATE: Correct themes provided by Benjamin Baxter (3), Billie (24), and Neel Mehta (16). Alternate themes suggested by Benjamin Baxter (1), Billie (2), and Neel Mehta (5). See comments for discussion, or click here to skip right to the answers.

71 Responses to “Conundrum: Pic Tac Toe in 3D, Part IV”

  1. Benjamin Baxter Says:

    Level B, Top Row: Virgin Birth, Mayor Mugshot, Smoking Doctors. The theme is irony, in the sense that it’s the opposite of what you’d expect. This one’s a bit of a stretch.

    Level C, Middle Column: Great Britain, as seen by tourists.

    Level C, Middle Row: Travel guides. This one made me laugh.

  2. Benjamin Baxter Says:

    I have a theory about these 3D Pic-Tac Toes. I think you just haphazardly search Google for about nine key terms, putting together these pictures strategically if you can. Then you just see what people come up with.

    I say this only because coming up with a common trait 49 ways is a Herculean task I can’t even conceive of. If, indeed, you have a solution in mind for each of the nine rows, nine columns, nine pillars, eighteen lateral diagonals, and four cross-cube diagonals, then you are far smarter than I could ever hope to be.

  3. billie Says:

    c1c2c3 animals
    c3c6c9 alcohol

  4. billie Says:

    a6b6c6 sea travel
    a5b5c5 islands (Manhattan, Galapagos, Britain)
    a1b1c1 Joes (Stalin, Quimby, Camel)

  5. billie Says:

    b1b5b9 cartoon characters
    a9b5c1 advertising mascots

  6. Bill Says:

    Benjamin, I’m glad you found this. I was hoping you might be someone who would enjoy it. I do indeed have a theme in mind for each of the 49 sets of three, and yes, it was a lot of work. And welcome back, Billie!

    B1-B2-B3: I like the irony angle, so I’ll give Benjamin an alternate answer credit. My answer isn’t nearly as interesting, but possibly less open to debate.

    C2-C5-C8: My answer was GREAT BRITAIN, but I like the “as seen by tourists” angle. Perhaps we will avoid an angry note from one of our friends across the pond. Point for Benjamin.

    C4-C5-C6: TRAVEL GUIDES is correct, and I’m glad you liked it. Another point for Ben.

    C1-C2-C3: I’ll accept animals, though I was actually going for BEASTS OF BURDEN (camel, horse, dog). Point for Billie.

    C3-C6-C9: BOTTLES/ALCHOLIC BEVERAGES, yes. Point for Billie.

    A6-B6-C6: SEA TRAVEL/SHIPS is correct. Point for Billie.

    A5-B5-C5: Islands works, and is certainly worthy of an alternate answer credit for Billie, but I have something better here.

    A1-B1-C1: JOES, yes. Point for Billie.

    B1-B5-B9: CHARACTERS FROM ANIMATED SHOWS, yes. Point for Billie.

    A9-B5-C1: ADVERTISING MASCOTS, indeed! Nice work, Billie.

    So that’s 8 down, and 41 to go!

  7. billie Says:

    a1b5c9 Big (Three, Bird, Lebowski)

    Damn you, Bill, I have things to do! :-)

  8. billie Says:

    a1b4c7 Church (-hill, Charlotte, actual church)

    I’m REALLY going to take a break now – no, really!

  9. billie Says:

    I’m such a liar

    c3c5c7 Bernard

  10. Neel Mehta Says:

    Well, over at the Ken Jennings forum I said “there goes my weekend,” but maybe not. I must be in the wrong frame of mind, because I’m not seeing most of these.

    B1-B4-B7: PRISON (mug shot, death row article, Oz?)
    C3-C5-C7: BERNARD (St. Bernard(?), Bernard Darwin, botoxed Crystal Bernard)

  11. billie Says:

    a8b5c2 explorer (internet, Dora, map)

  12. billie Says:

    a3b2c1 smoking? (I can’t see the details in a3 very well, I’m assuming based on one of the poeple depicted)

  13. billie Says:

    a7b5c3 Poker (“up the ante”, float, obvious)

  14. Bill Says:

    I have work to do, too. That’s why I did this.

    A1-B5-C9: BIG is correct. Point for Billie.

    A1-B4-C7: CHURCH is correct. Point for Billie.

    C3-C5-C7: BERNARD is correct. Point for Billie. Sorry, Neel.

    B1-B4-B7: PRISON is correct. Point for Neel.

    A8-B5-C2: EXPLORER is correct. Point for Billie.

    A3-B2-C1: Smoking is close, but I can’t verify that anyone in A3 is actually smoking.

    There’s 5 more. Only 36 left to go!

  15. Bill Says:

    A7-B5-C3 POKER is correct. I was thinking about Broadway for the center square, but float works too. Also, if you think about it, there’s also an Ace high.

    35 left.

  16. Neel Mehta Says:

    Here are a couple more:

    A9-B9-C9: JOHN GOODMAN (M&M’s voice, The Flintstones, The Big Lebowski

    A3-B3-C3: PAINTINGS

  17. Neel Mehta Says:

    Here are a couple more:

    A9-B9-C9: JOHN GOODMAN (M&M’s voice, The Flintstones, The Big Lebowski)

    A3-B3-C3: PAINTINGS

  18. Neel Mehta Says:

    Ack! Beaten to the punch again. That damn Neel Mehta. (Feel free to get rid of the double post.)

    A2-B5-C8: STREETS or PAVEMENT?
    A5-B5-C5: SHIPS

  19. billie Says:

    a7b7c7 Romeo + Juliet stars (DiCaprio, Perrineau, Dennehy)
    a4b4c4 not sure how to describe this one – complimentary adjectives? (beautiful, fab, divine)

  20. Neel Mehta Says:

    Now we’re talking.

    A3-B5-C7: GREEN DAY SONGS (Boulevard of Broken Dreams, Holiday, Welcome to Paradise)

  21. billie Says:

    Thanks, Neel! I was trying to figure out how John Goodman fit into a9!

  22. Neel Mehta Says:

    Good find on R+J, Billie.

    A9-B5-C1: NON-HUMANS WEARING HUMAN CLOTHING? (blue shoes, scarf, tuxedo)

    I’m still off my game here. I keep finding things that are 2/3 right. Like seeing a bowler in B6 and C9, but not A3.

  23. billie Says:

    a2a5a8 Time(s) (Stopping, NY, Real-)

  24. Bill Says:

    A9-B9-C9: JOHN GOODMAN is correct. Nice find, Neel!

    A3-B3-C3: PAINTINGS, yes. Another point for Neel.

    A2-B5-C8: STREETS, yes. Three for Neel.

    A5-B5-C5: SHIPS… Did you mean A6-B6-C6? That’s SHIPS and solved already by Billie.

    A7-B7-C7: ROMEO + JULIET ACTORS, yes! Way to go, Billie!

    A4-B4-C4: You are correct, Billie, and I don’t know what to call it either. My notes say “approval slang” but COMPLIMENTARY ADJECTIVES works just as well.

    A3-B5-C7: GREEN DAY SONGS…yes! Way to go, Neel! Actually, the middle picture is meant to indicate the song “Macy’s Day Parade” but “Holiday” works too. All four songs in question were released as singles.

    A9-B5-C1: This was solved already by Billie. It’s ADVERTISING MASCOTS (Doublemint Twins et. al., Energizer Bunny, Joe Camel)

    So there’s 6 more solved. 29 to go. Nice work!

  25. Bill Says:

    Billie, yes to TIME as well.

  26. Neel Mehta Says:

    Like I said, I’m way too rusty right now, and it shows. (I haven’t even looked at my own feeble attempts at a new Pic-Tac-Toe for at least 2 months.)

    A2-B2-C2: SURVEY (rephotographic survey, nationwide survey, Ordinance Survey brand maps)

    A7-B8-C9: YELLOW? (moon, road, glasses) – I keep trying to find something better. There’s an Arthur and a Conan, so I was looking for a Doyle in C9.

    Could we do a recap at the halfway point? I keep trying to solve the same ones over again. (A1-B1-C1: Winston, Camel, oh wait…)

  27. billie Says:

    c1c5c9 pastimes (casino gambling, golf, bowling)

    hee hee , I keep trying to do the Winston-Camel- thing , too.

  28. Neel Mehta Says:

    A1-A2-A3: WINDOWS/GLASS PANES?

    A7-A8-A9: ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER? (Conan, Terminator, California)

  29. Bill Says:

    SURVEY is correct. Yellow is not. C1-C5-C9 is RECREATIONAL PLACES (casino, golf course, bowling alley). One more point each.

    Winston is not used as a cigarette brand in this puzzle.

    The following 26 themes remain unsolved:

    A1-A2-A3
    A4-A5-A6
    A7-A8-A9
    A1-A4-A7
    A3-A6-A9
    A1-A5-A9
    A3-A5-A7
    B1-B2-B3
    B4-B5-B6
    B7-B8-B9
    B2-B5-B8
    B3-B6-B9
    B3-B5-B7
    C7-C8-C9
    C1-C4-C7
    A5-B5-C5
    A8-B8-C8
    A7-B4-C1
    A3-B6-C9
    A9-B6-C3
    A1-B2-C3
    A3-B2-C1
    A4-B5-C6
    A6-B5-C4
    A7-B8-C9
    A9-B8-C7

  30. Neel Mehta Says:

    A3-A6-A9: BASEBALL TEAMS (Phillies, Pirates, Twins)

  31. Bill Says:

    Alternate answer for WINDOWS.

    A7-A8-A9 is 80’S SCHWARZENEGGER MOVIES (Conan, Terminator, Twins) Point for Neel.

  32. Bill Says:

    A3-A6-A9: BASEBALL TEAMS…Correct! Another point for Neel.

  33. Neel Mehta Says:

    Winston is not used as a cigarette brand in this puzzle.

    Thanks for the hint.

    A1-A4-A7: CHARACTERS IN THE NOVEL 1984 (Winston, Julia, O’Brien)

    I was already in that frame of mind, working on a Vonnegut theme.

  34. Bill Says:

    Nicely done.

  35. Neel Mehta Says:

    Ah.

    A5-B5-C5: EVOLUTION (Galapagos Islands, HMS Beagle, Darwin)

    I can’t think of a good way to label this theme, as SURVEY was already taken.

  36. Bill Says:

    I named it VOYAGE OF THE BEAGLE, but it doesn’t matter. You are correct!

  37. Neel Mehta Says:

    C1-C4-C7: PARADISE (pair o’ dice, Hell/Purgatory/Paradise, Welcome to Paradise)

    At some point I’m going to need some clues on what image B6 is.

  38. billie Says:

    b4b5b6 80 (best-ever, anniversary, Around the World in 80 Days)

  39. Bill Says:

    PARADISE is correct. Point for Neel.

    80 is correct for B4-B5-B6. Point for Billie, and the clue that Neel was looking for.

  40. billie Says:

    a3a5a7 night (work based on painting Nighthawks, nightclub, late night)

  41. Bill Says:

    NIGHT is correct. Point for Billie.

    The following 19 themes remain unsolved:

    A1-A2-A3
    A4-A5-A6
    A1-A5-A9
    B1-B2-B3
    B7-B8-B9
    B2-B5-B8
    B3-B6-B9
    B3-B5-B7
    C7-C8-C9
    A8-B8-C8
    A7-B4-C1
    A3-B6-C9
    A9-B6-C3
    A1-B2-C3
    A3-B2-C1
    A4-B5-C6
    A6-B5-C4
    A7-B8-C9
    A9-B8-C7

  42. Benjamin Baxter Says:

    A9-B8-C7 — Groups of three?
    A7-B8-C9 — Chairs.

    Flippant answer:
    A6-B5-C4 — Hellish experiences.

  43. Benjamin Baxter Says:

    By the way: You’re incredible. I can’t imagine the effort this takes.

  44. Neel Mehta Says:

    A few guesses.

    A4-A5-A6: SUPERSIZED (special double issue, “ever-growing cultural oasis,” 2-disc collector’s edition)

    B2-B5-B8: MD? (More Doctors, Mos Def… Macy’s Day?) — B2 might be Norman Rockwell, and B8 has Sam Rockwell, but it’s 2/3 again.

    How is it that all 5 themes for B8 are still unsolved? And not for lack of trying! Consider B7-B8-B9. I never saw Oz, but Harold Perrineau played a character named “Augustus Hill,” so I start thinking Caesarean. Second Triumvirate? Nope. Augustus Gloop? Okay, but no Charlie or Mike in that row. What about Harold?

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harold_(improvisation)

    On the way home in a Volkswagen Bus they were discussing the performance when one of them asked what they should call it. Someone called out “Harold.” It was a joking reference to a line from A Hard Days Night where a reporter asked George Harrison what he called his haircut; he answered “Arthur.”

    As in Arthur Dent. So that’s 2 out of 3. My RANDOM NAME INSIDE JOKE theme is complete when my mind lands on actor Chris Noth’s idea that he’d like his Sex and the City character Mr. Big to have the first name “Freddy.” Perfect! And totally not what you’re going for.

    Mos Def’s real first name is Dante, which goes well with C4, but doesn’t help me at all.

    One sign of a good puzzle maker is the awe and admiration of others. But a better sign, in my opinion, is the unique ability to drive a person insane. I’m sure Mr. Thomas “Buddy” Sudoku enjoys that pleasure on a daily basis.

    I’ve failed you as a reader and solver. Better luck tomorrow.

  45. Bill Says:

    Hey, thanks to all for the compliments!

    Neel, you have not failed as a solver. If you’ve solved fewer themes than usual, it’s only because there are other solvers this time, and they’ve found themes you would have found if you were working alone. Alternate answer credit for SUPERSIZED.

    Benjamin, WOOD-BACKED CHAIRS is correct for A7-B8-C9. I can kind of see the group of three in B8, but not really in A9.

    Now that you know the title for B6, you can figure out the actors in the picture, and can start to work on B3-B6-B9. That might help you find out who painted B3, which will help you in B3-B5-B7.

    Two of the remaining themes have to do with three actors who share a common co-star, including one who is the person’s most well-known co-star. These two themes meet in one of the pictures, but each uses a different actor from the picture.

    It would also be useful to know the names of the characters pictured in C7.

    Sam Rockwell and Mos Def are both used in two themes each. The fifth B8 theme is related to Marvin. Arthur Dent is mostly harmless.

    Happy solving!

  46. billie Says:

    Don’t Panic! I think I have one:

    b7b8b9 Ernie Hudson (Oz, Lackawanna Blues w/ Mos Def, Ghostbusters w/ Rick Moranis)

  47. Bill Says:

    That’s not what I was looking for, but it holds up, so an alternate answer credit.

    B7-B8-B9 is not one of the two common co-star themes.

  48. billie Says:

    For the chairs one, do you really mean a1b2c3? I hope so, because I have another theme for a7b8c9

    George Clooney (Oceans movies w/ Matt Damon, Confessions of a Dangerous Mind w/ Sam Rockwell and Roseanne w/ John Goodman)

  49. Bill Says:

    Sorry, we did mean A1-B2-C3.

    A7-B8-C9 is a common co-star theme, but the answer involves significant roles in movies, not recurring roles on a TV show. Also (with both co-star themes) the actor that the person is most known for co-starring with is one of the three, which – for me – is what makes it fair play.

  50. billie Says:

    b3b6b9 Die Another Day (theme song by “Madonna”, Pierce Brosnan, Halle Berry) – sneaky!

  51. Bill Says:

    Very nice, Billie! Madonna also happens to be in the film. She’s in a minor role, but I thought it would be okay since she did the theme song and is strongly identified with the title. And if that’s how you got it, I was right!

  52. billie Says:

    OK, let’s try this again:

    a7b8c9 Ben Affleck (Good Will Hunting w/ Matt Damon, Glory Daze w/ Sam Rockwell, and Armageddon w/ Steve Buscemi)

  53. billie Says:

    a3b6c9 Lauren Bacall (To Have and Have Not w/ Humphrey Bogart and The Mirror Has Two Faces w/ Pierce Brosnan and Jeff Bridges)

  54. Bill Says:

    Damn! Double play on the common co-star themes. Nice sleuthing, Billie!

    The following 15 themes remain unsolved:

    A1-A2-A3
    A4-A5-A6
    A1-A5-A9
    B1-B2-B3
    B7-B8-B9
    B2-B5-B8
    B3-B5-B7
    C7-C8-C9
    A8-B8-C8
    A7-B4-C1
    A9-B6-C3
    A3-B2-C1
    A4-B5-C6
    A6-B5-C4
    A9-B8-C7

  55. Benjamin Baxter Says:

    Three guesses I had held back that might just pan out, though I doubt it.

    A1-A2-A3 — Shot in the Dark: Churchill is a college, Stopping Time was edited by a professor from the University of Nevada, and Dean is position within a university. ITEMS RELATED TO HIGHER EDUCATION.

    A9-B8-(C7) — Guess: The first two are both THINGS FROM MARS (Marvin and Mars, Inc.), but I really have no clue whether or not the the Dennehy movie. Still, a tenuous connection almost might pan out.

    A3-B2-C1 — Unsure: These are all FAMOUS POSTERS, easily, but I’m not sure this is what you’re looking for. Not quite enough depth in that answer.

  56. Bill Says:

    Sorry, but none of these are correct.

    A1-A2-A3: I like the flexible thinking, but I’m looking for something very simple. It’s not an item in the picture, but the general nature of the pictures themselves.

    A9-B8-C7: Marvin is not from Mars, though there is a Marvin the Martian character from the Bugs Bunny cartoons, and that would probably fly here. But yeah, there’s nothing Martian in C7. Check C7 character names.

    A3-B2-C1: An earlier guess came close, but I’m looking for something more specific.

  57. Neel Mehta Says:

    Oh, I don’t mind solving fewer themes than usual. (It would be presumptuous of me to think that Pic-Tac-Toe is a 2 player game.) I just don’t happen to like it when my brain is broken. So I took the day off.

    Trying to bring more to the table…

    A8-B8-C8: BRITISH SONGS? (“Changes”, “Paranoid Android”, “God Save the Queen”)

    A9-B8-C7: HIP-HOP / R&B MUSIC? (California Raisin, Mos Def, Dennehy’s character Bobby Brown)

    B1-B2-B3: SIDE PROFILES? (I tried my hardest to find a “chowda” theme.)

    The fact that I don’t feel confident about any of these themes tells me that I came back too soon.

  58. Neel Mehta Says:

    For whatever reason, the image in B3 was not easy to find. I limited my Google image search to extra large images and took a guess on it being from Wikimedia Commons, and it still was buried in there. The artist was Don Lorenzo Monaco.

    B3-B5-B7: TYPEFACES/FONTS? (Monaco, Broadway, Augustus)

  59. Bill Says:

    A8-B8-C8: ENGLISH SONGS, yes. (God Save the Queen is the British national anthem, but I believe it is also the English national anthem as well. The English use it in sporting events when competing against the other British countries.) Point for Neel.

    A9-B8-C7: Close enough. The answer is HIP-HOP ARTISTS (Eminem, Mos Def, Bobby Brown) Point for Neel.

    B1-B2-B3: I can’t really see a side profile in B3. This theme is purely visual.

    B3-B5-B7: You got the right artist, but not the right theme. Monaco fits another theme much more obviously, though the other two pictures in the set may require some flexible thinking to fit that theme.

    Good work!

  60. Neel Mehta Says:

    See, off my game. I wasn’t even thinking about Eminem.

    In B3, the servant on the right hand side is mostly in side profile. But were you looking for BLUE OUTERWEAR?

  61. Bill Says:

    Quite right. Another point for Neel.

    The following 12 themes remain unsolved:

    A1-A2-A3
    A4-A5-A6
    A1-A5-A9
    B7-B8-B9
    B2-B5-B8
    B3-B5-B7
    C7-C8-C9
    A7-B4-C1
    A9-B6-C3
    A3-B2-C1
    A4-B5-C6
    A6-B5-C4

    It might seem that we’re almost done, but actually we still have 50% more themes left than you’d find in a regular Pic Tac Toe challenge!

    And speaking of Eminem, did you know that the M&M mascots have names? Also, Great Britain has a mascot, similar to our Uncle Sam.

  62. Neel Mehta Says:

    I thought the guy in C8 was some random dude in a parade.

    C7-C8-C9: JOHN (character John Sullivan, John Bull, John Goodman)

    The M&M mascots are just called Red and Yellow, right?

    A9-B6-C3: RED (Red M&M, red wine, red lamp)

    A7-B4-C1: FULL PAGES OF MAGAZINES?

  63. billie Says:

    a1a2a3 Is it that the pictures are immediately identifyable with a particular period in time?

    b7b8b9 stones? (around pic, large pillars in background, Flint-)

  64. billie Says:

    b2b5b8 hats/headgear? (fedora, aviator helmut, weird space helmut)

    a4b5c6 200X year? (2000, 2006, 2001)

    Yeah, I’m really scraping now.

  65. Bill Says:

    We’re making good progress now!

    C7-C8-C9: JOHN – correct! Point for Neel.

    A9-B6-C3: RED – Alternate answer credit. I’ve got RED elsewhere.

    A7-B4-C1: FULL PAGES OF MAGAZINES – Yes! Point for Neel.

    A1-A2-A3: NOSTALGIC PICTURES, yes. Point for Billie.

    B7-B8-B9: ROCK/STONE (Stone walls, Sam Rockwell, Fred Flintstone)… Point for Billie.

    B2-B5-B8: HEADGEAR – that works, and too close to mine for an alternate answer credit. I was going for scarves, counting Ford’s towel draped around his neck, but I’m switching it to yours. Point for Billie.

    A4-B5-C6: YEARS IN THIS DECADE, whatever we’re calling it. Point for Billie.

    Nice work, guys!

    The following 6 themes remain unsolved:

    A4-A5-A6
    A1-A5-A9
    B3-B5-B7
    A9-B6-C3
    A3-B2-C1
    A6-B5-C4

  66. Brian Says:

    This is so beyond my reading level.

  67. Bill Says:

    Here are some final hints. Answers will be posted tomorrow.

    A4-A5-A6: Faith Hill is the key element in A4.

    A1-A5-A9: This is the set that uses the M&M mascot name.

    B3-B5-B7: Oz is a common nickname for something.

    A9-B6-C3: This is the least nutritious theme in the puzzle.

    A3-B2-C1: Look at the “Phillies” sign in A3. It’s not about baseball.

    A6-B5-C4: Look very closely at the artwork in C4. There’s more there than meets the casual glance.

    Happy solving!

  68. Bill Says:

    Well, this was the most active puzzle yet! Thanks to everyone who participated, left comments, or just visited quietly. But the time has come, as it always does, to post the answers. Enjoy!

    Answers

    Rows

    A1-A2-A3: NOSTALGIC PICTURES (Historic event, Historic place, Historic people)

    A4-A5-A6: MUSICAL ACTS (Faith Hill, Oasis, Rush)

    A7-A8-A9: SCHWARZENEGGER MOVIES FROM THE 1980’S (Conan, Terminator, Twins)

    B1-B2-B3: BLUE OUTERGARMENTS (Joe Quimby, Cigarette Doctor, Madonna)

    B4-B5-B6: EIGHTY (80 best-ever beauty buys, 80th anniversary, Around the World in Eighty Days)

    B7-B8-B9: ROCK/STONE (Stone walls, Sam Rockwell, Fred Flintstone)

    C1-C2-C3: BEASTS OF BURDEN (Camel, Horse, Dog)

    C4-C5-C6: TRAVEL GUIDES (Virgil to Dante, Golf Course book, Cruise guide)

    C7-C8-C9: JOHN (John Sullivan, John Bull, John Goodman)

    Columns

    A1-A4-A7: CHARACTERS FROM THE NOVEL 1984 (Winston, Julia, O’Brien)

    A2-A5-A8: TIME (Stopping Time, New York Times, Real-Time)

    A3-A6-A9: BASEBALL TEAMS (Phillies, Pirates, Twins)

    B1-B4-B7: PRISON (Mug shot, Death Row, Prisoner)

    B2-B5-B8: SCARVES (Cigarette Doctor, Snoopy, Ford [actually a towel])

    B3-B6-B9: DIE ANOTHER DAY CAST (Madonna, Pierce Brosnan, Halle Berry)

    C1-C4-C7: PARADISE (Pair o’ Dice, Dante’s Paradise, Welcome to Paradise)

    C2-C5-C8: GREAT BRITAIN (Tourist maps, British Isles, John Bull)

    C3-C6-C9: BOTTLES OF ALCOHOL (Scotch, Champagne, Beer)

    Pillars

    A1-B1-C1: JOE (Joe Stalin, Joe Quimby, Joe Camel)

    A2-B2-C2: SURVEY (Rephotographic Survey, Nationwide Survey, Ordnance Survey Maps)

    A3-B3-C3: PAINTINGS (Boulevard of Broken Dreams, Madonna, Dogs Playing Poker)

    A4-B4-C4: APPROVAL SLANG (Beautiful, Fab, Divine)

    A5-B5-C5: VOYAGE OF THE BEAGLE (Galapagos, Beagle, Darwin)

    A6-B6-C6: SHIPS (Pictured, Pictured, Mentioned)

    A7-B7-C7: ROMEO + JULIET CAST (Leonardo DiCaprio, Harold Perrineau, Brian Dennehy)

    A8-B8-C8: SONG TITLES FROM ENGLAND (“Changes”, “Paranoid Android”, “God Save the Queen”)

    A9-B9-C9: JOHN GOODMAN ROLES (Voice of Yellow the Peanut M&M mascot, Fred Flintstone, Walter Sobchak)

    Lateral Diagonals

    A1-A5-A9: RED (Stalin, Lighting, Red the Plain M&M mascot)

    A3-A5-A7: NIGHT (Nighthawks homage, Nightclub, Late Night’s King of Cool)

    B1-B5-B9: CHARACTERS FROM ANIMATED SHOWS (The Simpsons, Dora the Explorer, The Flintstones)

    B3-B5-B7: NATIONS (Monaco, Turkey, Australia [Oz])

    C1-C5-C9: RECREATIONAL PLACES (Casino, Golf Courses, Bowling Alley)

    C3-C5-C7: BERNARD (St. Bernard, Bernard Darwin, Crystal Bernard)

    A1-B2-C3: WOOD-BACKED CHAIRS (Pictured)

    A3-B2-C1: TOBACCO ADVERTISEMENTS (Phillies Cigars, Camel Ad, Camel Ad)

    A4-B5-C6: YEARS IN THIS DECADE (2000, 2006, 2001)

    A6-B5-C4: FLOAT (Floating Boats, Floats, Floating Boat)

    A7-B8-C9: BEN AFFLECK CO-STARS (Matt Damon, Sam Rockwell, Steve Buscemi)

    A9-B8-C7: HIP-HOP ARTISTS (Eminem, Mos Def, Bobby Brown)

    A1-B4-C7: CHURCH (Churchill, Charlotte Church, Paradise Church)

    A7-B4-C1: MAGAZINE PAGES (Entertainment Cover, Cosmopolitan Cover, Magazine Ad)

    A2-B5-C8: STREET (Pictured)

    A8-B5-C2: EXPLORER (Internet Explorer, Dora the Explorer, Explorer Maps)

    A3-B6-C9: LAUREN BACALL CO-STARS (Humphrey Bogart, Pierce Brosnan, Jeff Bridges)

    A9-B6-C3: JUNK FOOD (M&Ms, Life Savers, Chips)

    Cross-Cube Diagonals

    A1-B5-C9: BIG (The Big Three, Big Bird, The Big Lebowski)

    A3-B5-C7: GREEN DAY SINGLES (“Boulevard of Broken Dreams”, “Macy’s Day Parade”, “Welcome to Paradise”)

    A7-B5-C3: POKER (Ups the Ante, Broadway or Ace High, Dogs Playing Poker)

    A9-B5-C1: ADVERTISING MASCOTS (Doublemint Twins et. al., Energizer Bunny, Joe Camel)

    Picture Credits

    Picture A1
    Picture A2
    Picture A3
    Picture A4
    Picture A5
    Picture A6
    Picture A7
    Picture A8
    Picture A9
    Picture B1
    Picture B2
    Picture B3
    Picture B4
    Picture B5
    Picture B6
    Picture B7
    Picture B8
    Picture B9
    Picture C1
    Picture C2
    Picture C3
    Picture C4
    Picture C5
    Picture C6
    Picture C7
    Picture C8
    Picture C9

  69. billie Says:

    I was going to guess the junkfood one, but for some reason couldn’t get the comments link to work. Then I forgot to retry later.

    That someone can create these things still boggles my mind. I made one feeble attempt at a regular pic-tac-toe and it drained me so much I swore never to do it again!

  70. Bill Says:

    Thanks for the comments.

    I swore never to do another 3D Pic Tac Toe after the first one, but I keep finding myself drawn back to them…

  71. Shakespeare Teacher » Blog Archive » End of the Year Reflection Says:

    […] June: Pic Tac Toe in 3D, Part IV […]

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