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Pips August 14, 2026: Hints & Answers

Constructed by Ian Livengood, Rodolfo Kurchan, Rodolfo Kurchan, edited by Ian Livengood.

Recap

The easy board requires logical deductions from simple constraints. The medium board adds complexity with more regions and dominoes. The hard board demands strategic placement and elimination.

The three boards that day

The tray and each region's rule — board data, no solutions.

Easy board · 5 dominoes · 6 regions

3–32–21–26–52–6

  • three cells: exactly 6.
  • 2 ×one cell: exactly 6.
  • 2 ×two cells: exactly 6.
  • one cell: exactly 2.

Small number of dominoes and simple constraints make this easy.

Medium board · 7 dominoes · 8 regions

0–41–32–63–43–53–65–6

  • 3 ×one cell: left uncovered.
  • 2 ×two cells: exactly 9.
  • four cells: all matching.
  • one cell: more than 0.
  • two cells: exactly 3.

More regions and dominoes add complexity compared to easy.

Hard board · 16 dominoes · 16 regions

2–31–14–65–12–25–06–20–36–60–45–32–41–32–53–65–4

  • three cells: all matching.
  • three cells: exactly 16.
  • one cell: exactly 1.
  • three cells: under 3.
  • 2 ×one cell: left uncovered.
  • 2 ×two cells: exactly 7.
  • three cells: exactly 6.
  • 2 ×two cells: exactly 8.
  • two cells: exactly 11.
  • three cells: exactly 15.
  • one cell: exactly 3.
  • one cell: exactly 0.
  • two cells: exactly 10.

Large number of dominoes and complex constraints make this challenging.

Pips hints, one rung at a time

Six rungs, easy board first. The recap above already named the walkthroughs, so this ladder is here for anyone replaying the boards fresh rather than as a spoiler shield.

  1. How the three boards compared

    Sizes and constraint mixes, counted off the boards.

    Easy board
    5 dominoes, 6 regions (6 sum)
    Medium board
    7 dominoes, 8 regions (3 empty, 3 sum, 1 equals, 1 greater)
    Hard board
    16 dominoes, 16 regions (12 sum, 2 empty, 1 equals, 1 less)
    Back to the board inventories
  2. Easy board: how to approach it

    Method only.

    Focus on regions with limited cell counts to deduce domino placements.

  3. Easy board: where to start

    One region named by its constraint.

    Start with the region that requires a sum of 2 over 1 cell.

  4. Medium board: approach and first region

    The same two steps, one difficulty up.

    Identify regions with strict constraints like equality or emptiness to start.

    Begin with the region that must be empty.

  5. Hard board: how to approach it

    Where the hard board differed in kind, not just size.

    Look for regions with unique constraints or small cell counts to make initial placements.

  6. Hard board: where to start

    The last rung before the full walkthroughs.

    Start with a region that requires a specific sum over a small number of cells.

    Open the full walkthroughs

Every Pips walkthrough from that day

All three walkthroughs, folded: each one places every domino on its board, one after another.

  • Easy board · 5 dominoes

    Easy board walkthrough

    Place the 1/2 domino in the sum 2 region. Then, use the 3/3 domino in a sum 6 over 3 cells region. Next, place the 2/2 domino. The 6/5 and 2/6 dominoes will fit in the remaining regions.

  • Medium board · 7 dominoes

    Medium board walkthrough

    Place dominoes to satisfy equality and emptiness constraints first. Use the 3/4 and 3/5 dominoes to satisfy sum 9 constraints. Then, arrange the remaining dominoes to meet the other constraints.

  • Hard board · 16 dominoes

    Hard board walkthrough

    Begin by placing dominoes in regions with strict constraints like equals over 3 cells or sum 1 over 1 cell. Use the 6/6 and 0/0 dominoes early. Then, focus on satisfying sum constraints over 2 or 3 cells. Arrange dominoes to meet comparison constraints like less 3. Continue this process, using elimination and deduction to place all dominoes. The equals over 3 cells and sum 16 over 3 cells regions are key.

Those boards by the numbers

Date
Friday, August 14, 2026
Boards
3 — easy, medium, hard
Dominoes in play
28 across the three boards
Easy board
5 dominoes · 6 regions
Medium board
7 dominoes · 8 regions
Hard board
16 dominoes · 16 regions

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