Conundrum: Pic Tac Toe III

In a “Pic Tac Toe” puzzle, there are nine pictures in a three-by-three grid, like Tic-Tac-Toe. In each row, column, and diagonal, there is a common theme that unites the three pictures. The challenge is to find the eight themes.

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



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

Enjoy!

UPDATE: Correct themes provided by Neel Mehta (8). Alternate themes suggested by Neel Mehta (2). See comments for all answers.

15 Responses to “Conundrum: Pic Tac Toe III”

  1. Neel Mehta Says:

    Tricky. And everything related to the pretzel picture has stumped me.

    Left column: George (Washington, friend of Arthur, Curious)
    Middle column: Backs (Running, Bruce’s, Rider)
    Right column: ? (though two of the pictures have water)

    Top row: ? (I know that’s Frank Gore, though)
    Middle row: Red caps
    Bottom row: Bicycles

    159 diagonal: USA/Americana? (dollar, flag, Niagara Falls)
    357 diagonal: White cloth?

  2. Bill Says:

    Nice work, Neel! I think that’s four correct.

    Left column: CORRECT
    Middle column: CORRECT
    Right column: I also noticed the water. But the answer is not water-related. This one’s a little tougher than the others, perhaps.

    Top row: That is Frank Gore. And you do need to know that to solve this row.
    Middle row: CORRECT
    Bottom row: CORRECT

    159 diagonal: That is Niagara Falls, but USA isn’t what I was going for.
    357 diagonal: Ooh, white cloth does work (I hadn’t seen that), but there is a better answer.

  3. Neel Mehta Says:

    Where’s Annalisa when you need her?

    I was thinking the top row had to do with the number 1 ($1, 21, 1 lb.) but if the name Frank Gore is relevant…

    I’m telling you, the pretzel picture is messing with my head. It feels like a mistake. And the DNP Farms, with Frank Gore listed as DNP in the preseason? And what does a dollar bill have to do with it?

    Meanwhile…

    357 diagonal: red and white stripes? (paperboy, Bruce’s background, the oval logo)

    All I got for now. I need some better puzzlers than me to crack this case.

  4. Bill Says:

    Neel, you are correct on red and white stripes. The remaining three are much trickier.

    The number 1 is a nice catch. I can give you another “alternate answer” credit for that. But I had something else in mind.

    DNP is not part of the answer.

    The right column is a single word that can be used to describe something in each of the three pictures, like the other two columns.

    The remaining two are categories, closer to last week’s “breakfast” answer.

  5. Neel Mehta Says:

    Seriously. Annalisa, anybody?

    159 diagonal: wear and tear? (faded dollar bill, holey jeans, erosion from falls)

    Top row: maybe stadium food (frank and pretzel), but I’m not sure what the green single has to do with it.

    Right column: still no clue.

    Please put me out of my misery. Not now, but before Pic-Tac-Toe IV.

  6. Bill Says:

    None of these is correct, but I like the way you reason.

    Based on your previous guesses, you definitely have enough to solve the top row. It’s a fun answer.

    Make sure you view the dollar bill in large size before solving the diagonal. That’s a fun answer, too.

    I’m heading out of town, but should be back over the weekend.

    Good luck!

  7. Neel Mehta Says:

    Ah. Thanks for the tip. My mind is so twisted from the pretzel.

    159 diagonal: seasons (Laurence Summers, Bruce Springsteen, Niagara Falls)

  8. Annalisa Says:

    Hey, gents – looks like I’m late to the party!

    Color me baffled. Bill, you evil man – this will keep me up tonight, not to mention I now cannot work. Must. Solve. MUST.

    Neel, maybe you can make gold out of some dross:

    Row 1: (Legal) Tender / Frank (Gore) / Soft (Pretzel)
    This isn’t right, but something about how we speak to people?
    OR
    Legal (Tender); 21 (legal age); ???

    Arggghhhh!

  9. Annalisa Says:

    Column 3: necessary for life? Bread/Water/Air?

  10. Annalisa Says:

    For that matter, money is “bread” and pretzels are “bread”…darn that Frank…unless it’s a virtual hot dog: frank between bread…

  11. Bill Says:

    “Seasons” is correct, and I’ll give you “twist” for the right column, though I think that was an accident.

    That leaves only the top row. You guys are going to kick yourselves.

    Or me…

  12. Neel Mehta Says:

    Wait, how is “twist” the correct answer for the right column? I don’t see how it applies to Niagara Falls.

    Really, I don’t think your answer for the top row (or anything I could come up with, for that matter) will top Annalisa’s virtual hot dog.

  13. Bill Says:

    The edge of the falls is not straight, it has some twists in it. They are visible even in the smaller picture.

    I also like Annalisa’s virtual hotdog, but I really like the Tender/Frank/Soft connection. That’s really creative, but the real answer is not such a stretch. If nobody solves it, it will be posted here tomorrow evening.

    Now, how much flour did you say was in that bag…?

  14. Neel Mehta Says:

    Ohhh.

    Currency (dollar, franc, pound). Never would’ve gotten it without the clue.

    I’m still quite fond of Annalisa’s wiener.

  15. Bill Says:

    Correct!

    Answers

    Top Row: CURRENCY

    Center Row: RED CAP

    Bottom Row: BICYCLE

    Left Column: GEORGE

    Center Column: BACK

    Right Column: TWIST

    Up Diagonal: RED AND WHITE STRIPES

    Down Diagonal: SEASONS

    Picture Credits

    Picture 1
    Picture 2
    Picture 3
    Picture 4
    Picture 5
    Picture 6
    Picture 7
    Picture 8
    Picture 9

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