A new Mondo-Lotto Lottery Game is a scratch-off ticket with a three-by-three grid. Each section has an X or an O – just like Tic-Tac-Toe. If you scratch off the same three symbols in any row, column, or diagonal, you win a prize.

What is the fewest number of sections you might have to scratch off to know your ticket is not a winner? (Place X’s and O’s in a way to make the ticket a non-winner with as few sections as possible.)

What if you had a four-by-four grid or a five-by-five grid?