TwixT

TwixT is a two-player abstract strategy connection game invented by Alex Randolph, who devised it as a paper-and-pencil game in 1957 before 3M published it as a board game in 1962, making it one of the first titles in the 3M bookshelf game series. Play takes place on a 24-by-24 pegboard, where each player in turn places a peg of their own color and may link two of their pegs with a bridge-like connector, but only when the two pegs are a knight's move apart on the grid and the link does not cross another player's existing link. A player wins by using their pegs and links to build a continuous chain connecting their own two opposite border rows, while the game ends in a draw if neither side completes such a connection. To offset the advantage of moving first, TwixT uses the pie rule, letting the second player choose to swap sides after seeing the opening move. Its combination of a simple ruleset with real strategic depth has kept it popular with both casual and serious abstract-game players since its release.