Difficulty: Easy–Medium
Players: 1–6
Age: 8+
Time: About 15–30 minutes
Scoring: No
Style: Cooperative pattern-building / shared puzzle
Before playing
Make sure everyone understands TIC card Commonness:
- Tic: two cards have two properties in common.
- Single: two cards have one property in common.
- Nic: two cards have nothing in common.
In TIC Together, everyone plays as one team. Players work together to complete a series of shared missions before too many Nics are created.
There is no individual winner. Either everyone wins together, or everyone loses together.
Objective
Complete all of the cooperative missions before the team reaches its Nic limit or runs out of grid space.
Players build one shared card layout inside a fixed grid.
Tics help complete missions.
Singles are safe.
Nics are allowed, but they bring the team closer to losing.
What You Need
- 1 TIC deck
- several small tokens, coins, counters or other markers to keep track of Nics
For the standard game, the team may create up to 7 Nics.
The standard playing area is limited to an imaginary 6 × 6 grid.
These numbers may be adjusted to change the difficulty.
Setup
Shuffle the TIC deck.
Deal 5 cards to each player. Players may look at their own cards but not their teammates.
Place the remaining cards face-down beside the playing area as the draw deck.
Turn over the top card of the deck and place it face-up near the centre of the playing area.
This is the starting card of the shared layout.
Place the Nic counters nearby.
Choose the cooperative missions for the game. For the first game, use the five Standard Missions listed later in these instructions.
Choose a starting player by any agreed method. Play continues clockwise.
Building the Shared Layout
All players contribute cards to one shared layout.
The layout must always fit inside an imaginary 6-card-wide by 6-card-tall grid.
The grid is only a boundary.
Players do not need to fill all 36 spaces. Empty spaces and gaps are allowed.
A newly played card must touch at least one card already in the layout edge-to-edge. Diagonal or corner-to-corner contact does not count.
Players may build outward in any direction as long as the entire layout remains within the 6 × 6 boundary. Once the layout has reached a span of 6 cards from left to right, it cannot expand farther horizontally. Likewise, once it reaches a span of 6 cards from top to bottom, it cannot expand farther vertically.
Taking a Turn
On your turn, you must play exactly 1 card from your hand.
You may not:
- pass,
- discard instead of playing,
- draw before playing,
- or exchange a card in hopes of getting something better.
Choose one card from your hand and place it in any legal empty position in the shared layout.
The card must:
- remain within the 6 × 6 boundary, and
- touch at least one existing card edge-to-edge.
After placing the card, compare it with every card it now touches edge-to-edge.
Each new edge creates either:
- a Tic,
- a Single,
- or a Nic.
After resolving the play, draw 1 card from the deck so that your hand returns to 5 cards.
Then play passes to the next player.
Tics
Whenever the newly played card Tics with a card beside it, that Tic may help the team complete one or more missions.
A card may create more than one Tic on the same play. For example, a card placed between several existing cards might Tic with two or three of them at once. These multiple-Tic plays may be required by some missions.
Singles
Singles are safe. A Single does not cause a penalty.
However, unless a particular mission says otherwise, Singles do not help complete the team’s missions.
Players may therefore use Singles to make safe plays, preserve useful spaces, or prepare the layout for future Tics.
Nics
Nics are legal.
Sometimes a player may have no way to avoid creating one.
Whenever the newly played card Nics with a card it touches edge-to-edge, add 1 Nic to the team’s total. Or, place one of the 7 Nic counters (token) on the edge where the Nic was created.
If a card creates more than one Nic on the same play, count/mark each Nic separately.
For example:
If a newly played card touches three neighbouring cards and creates:
- 1 Tic,
- 1 Single,
- and 1 Nic,
the team adds or marks 1 Nic.
If it creates:
- 1 Tic,
- and 2 Nics,
the team adds or marks 2 Nics.
The standard game allows a maximum of 7 Nics.
If the team reaches the Nic limit before completing all missions, the game ends immediately and the team loses.
Forced Plays
Every player must play a card on their turn.
A poor play is still a legal play. This means players may sometimes be forced to create a Nic.
The challenge is not always to avoid Nics completely. It is to decide when accepting a Nic is worthwhile and how to avoid wasting the team’s limited Nic allowance.
Because every newly played card only needs to touch one existing card, there should normally be at least one possible place to play as long as there is an empty space available within the grid.
Cooperative Missions
The team wins by completing a group of shared missions.
A mission is completed as soon as the required pattern or play appears during the game.
Once a mission has been completed, it stays completed even if later cards are added around it.
Unless a mission specifically says otherwise, the cards used to complete one mission may also be used in another mission.
Use the following five Standard Missions.
Mission 1: 3-card Tic Group
Mission 2: different 3-card Tic Group
Mission 3: Double Tic
Mission 4: 4-card Tic group
Mission 5: Triple Tic
Mission 1 — Make a 3-Card Tic Group
Create a connected group of 3 cards that all Tic in the same way.
All three cards must share the same two properties.
For example:
- three orange-star cards,
- three 4-triangle cards,
- or three 2-red cards.
The three cards must be connected edge-to-edge as part of the shared layout.
Mission 2 — Make a Different 3-Card Tic Group
Create another connected 3-card Tic group.
It must use a different pair of shared properties from the first mission.
For example, if the first completed group consisted of cards sharing:
orange + star
the second group cannot also be another orange-star group.
It must be a different Tic combination.
Mission 3 — Double Tic
Play one card that creates 2 Tics at the same time.
Both Tics must be created by the newly played card.
The two neighbouring cards do not need to Tic with each other.
Mission 4 — Make a 4-Card Tic Group
Create a connected group of 4 cards that all Tic in the same way.
All four cards must share the same two properties.
The cards may form any edge-connected shape, such as:
- a line,
- an L,
- a T,
- a square-like cluster,
- or another connected formation.
Diagonal contact alone does not connect a group.
Mission 5 — Strong Connection
Play one card that creates at least 3 new edge-to-edge relationships, including at least 2 Tics.
For example, the newly played card might create:
- 3 Tics,
- or 2 Tics and 1 Single,
- or 2 Tics and 1 Nic.
Any Nics created still count toward the team’s Nic total.
Completing Missions
Players may discuss which missions they are trying to complete and may plan several turns ahead.
A mission may be completed accidentally. If a legal play creates the required pattern, the mission counts even if the team had not planned it.
Several missions may be completed by the same play.
For example, a card that completes a 4-card Tic group and also creates 2 Tics at once would complete both Mission 3 and Mission 4.
Ending the Game
The game ends immediately if any one of the following happens:
The Team Completes All Missions
If all required missions are completed before any loss condition occurs, the team wins immediately.
The grid does not need to be full.
The Team Reaches the Nic Limit
If the team’s Nic total reaches the agreed limit before all missions are completed, the game ends immediately and the team loses.
For the standard game:
7 Nics = game over.
The Grid Is Completely Filled
If the missions are still incomplete and the Nic limit has not been reached, players must continue taking turns and filling available spaces in the grid.
Players may not stop early simply because the remaining plays look difficult.
As long as at least one empty space remains in the grid, play continues.
If all spaces in the grid become filled and the team has still not completed all required missions, the game ends and the team loses.
For the standard 6 × 6 game, this means the layout can contain a maximum of 36 cards.
The team therefore wins only by completing all missions before either:
- reaching the Nic limit, or
- filling the entire grid without completing the missions.
Draw Deck Runs Out
If the draw deck runs out but there are still cards in players’ hands and empty spaces remain in the grid, continue playing. Players simply stop drawing replacement cards.
Play continues until:
- all missions are completed,
- the Nic limit is reached,
- or the grid becomes completely filled.
If a player eventually has no cards left while other players still have cards, the players with cards keep playing.
If no player has any cards remaining and the missions are still incomplete, the team loses.
Table Talk
For the standard game, players may discuss these things freely:
- where cards should be played,
- which missions to pursue,
- dangerous areas of the grid,
- useful empty spaces,
- and what types of cards might be helpful.
But they may not say:
“I have the 4-square card” and “I have a perfect 3-yellow card for that spot.”
This keeps useful information hidden and prevents one player from completely directing everyone else’s turns.
Difficulty Levels
TIC Together can be adjusted in several ways.
Easier Game
Use:
- 7 × 7 grid,
- 5-card hands,
- and a Nic limit of 9.
Use the Standard Missions.
A larger grid gives players more open spaces and makes it easier to avoid crowded areas.
Standard Game
Use:
- a 6 × 6 grid,
- 5-card hands,
- and a Nic limit of 6.
Use the five Standard Missions.
Hard Game
Use:
- a 5 × 5 grid,
- 5-card hands,
- and a Nic limit of 5.
Use the Standard Missions or replace one or more with harder missions.
With only four cards in hand, players have fewer choices and are more likely to face difficult forced plays.
Measuring How Well You Won
After winning, players can note how few Nics were made in the game.
For example:
0–2 Nics: Outstanding
3–5 Nics: Strong win
6–7 Nics: Narrow win
Nic limit reached: Loss
Players can replay the same mission set and try to improve their result.
Additional Missions
Once players get good at successfully completing the 5 missions above, they can add some of these below or invent new cooperative missions.
Possible ideas include:
- Create 4 Tics on one play.
- Create two different 4-card Tic groups.
- Create a 5-card Tic group.
- Make two different 3-card Tic groups that share one card.
- Make two different 4-card Tic groups that share one card.
- Complete a 4-card Tic group in the centre of the grid in the shape of a square
- Create a 3-card Tic group in an L shape in the corner of the grid
- Make a 4-card Tic group that is a straight line.
- Play into a “hole” in the grid that touches all 4 surrounding cards with no Nics.
- Play into a “hole” in the grid that touches all 4 surrounding cards with all Singles.
Harder mission sets can make the game more challenging without changing the basic rules.
Play multiple rounds with increasing difficulty (optional)
Pick a collection of 12 or 15 of your favourite missions and dived them into 3 rounds to complete, starting with the easiest 4 (or 5) for level one, and harder missions for levels 2 and 3. With missions getting harder and to keep the challenge increasing in difficulty, we recommend keeping the grid size and Nic count the same on each round.
Strategy Tips
Do Not Use All the Easy Spaces Too Soon
It may be tempting to keep adding cards around the outside of the layout where they touch only one neighbour. However, later missions may require a card to interact with two or more cards at once. Useful spaces inside the layout can become very valuable.
Singles Can Be Useful
Singles do not complete most missions, but they can help shape the board.
A carefully placed Single may prepare a good position for another player.
A Nic Is Sometimes Worth It
The goal is not necessarily to finish with zero Nics.
Sometimes accepting one Nic may allow the team to complete an important mission or preserve a more valuable part of the grid.
Think of the team’s Nic allowance as a limited shared resource.
Watch the Whole Grid
Do not focus only on the mission you are currently trying to complete.
A card played for one purpose may create opportunities elsewhere.
Plan for Multi-Tic Plays
As the grid becomes more crowded, some empty spaces will touch several existing cards.
These positions are dangerous because they can create multiple Nics, but they are also where the strongest Tic plays can occur.
Saving the right space for the right card can make the difference between winning and losing.
Solo Play
This game may also be played solo.
Use the same rules.
Deal yourself a hand of 5 cards and play one card at a time.
You must still play before drawing and may not discard or pass.
Try to complete all missions before reaching the Nic limit.
For additional challenge, reduce the Nic limit, reduce your hand size, or use a smaller grid.
Sequence Variation
For a different version of TIC Together, use Sequences instead of Commonness.
All normal TIC Together rules still apply unless changed below:
- players share one bounded grid;
- each player must play exactly 1 card on their turn;
- players draw only after playing;
- cards must be placed edge-to-edge with at least one existing card;
- gaps are allowed;
- the grid remains within the chosen boundary;
- players win by completing all missions;
- players lose if the grid fills before the missions are complete.
In this variation, the team is trying to create Monos, Duos and Tripos rather than Tic groups.
Sequence Relationships
TIC cards contain three ordered properties:
Numbers:
1 – 2 – 3 – 4 – 5
Shapes:
circle – crescent – triangle – square – star
Colours:
violet – cyan – yellow – orange – red
A sequence property must change by exactly one step from card to card.
Properties may sequence upward or downward independently.
A Mono has one property progressing in sequence.
A Duo has two properties progressing in sequence.
A Tripo has all three properties progressing in sequence.
Legal Placements
A newly played card must touch at least one existing card edge-to-edge.
Unlike the Commonness game, there is no Nic penalty.
Instead, the team has a limited number of Breaks.
A Break occurs when a newly created edge does not continue or create any valid sequence relationship with the neighbouring card.
Each Break counts against the team’s shared limit.
The standard Sequence game begins with a Break limit of 7.
If the team reaches the Break limit before completing all missions, the team loses.
Sequence Missions
For the first Sequence prototype, use these missions:
Mission 1 — 3-Card Mono
Create a straight sequence of 3 cards in which one property progresses consecutively.
Mission 2 — 3-Card Duo
Create a straight sequence of 3 cards in which two properties progress consecutively.
Mission 3 — 4-Card Mono
Create a straight sequence of 4 cards in which at least one property progresses consecutively.
Mission 4 — 4-Card Duo
Create a straight sequence of 4 cards in which two properties progress consecutively.
Mission 5 — Tripo
Create a 3-card Tripo in which all three properties progress consecutively.
Sequence Direction
A scoring sequence must run in one straight horizontal or vertical line.
Diagonal sequences do not count.
Each sequencing property must continue in the same direction throughout the sequence.
For example:
1 – 2 – 3 – 4
is valid.
But:
1 – 2 – 3 – 2
is not a valid 4-card number sequence.
Different properties may move in different directions.
For example:
- numbers may increase;
- shapes may decrease;
- colours may increase.
Completing Missions
A mission is completed when the required sequence exists anywhere in the shared grid.
The cards used for one mission may also contribute to another mission unless the players choose a harder variation requiring separate sequences.
Winning and Losing
The team wins immediately when all Sequence Missions are complete.
The team loses if:
- the Break limit is reached before all missions are complete; or
- the grid becomes completely filled before all missions are complete.
If the draw deck runs out, continue playing with the cards remaining in players’ hands, just as in the standard game.
