TodayHint

Pips August 19, 2026: Hints & Answers

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

Recap

The easy board requires strategic placement of 5 dominoes. The medium board introduces more complex constraints. The hard board demands careful consideration of 13 dominoes and multiple strict constraints.

The three boards that day

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

Easy board · 5 dominoes · 7 regions

1–36–55–06–13–4

  • 2 ×one cell: exactly 5.
  • 3 ×two cells: all matching.
  • 2 ×one cell: left uncovered.

Small number of dominoes and simple constraints.

Medium board · 7 dominoes · 7 regions

3–04–13–46–44–51–14–0

  • one cell: under 4.
  • 2 ×three cells: all matching.
  • two cells: exactly 3.
  • one cell: more than 4.
  • three cells: exactly 9.
  • one cell: more than 3.

More dominoes and varied constraints increase difficulty.

Hard board · 13 dominoes · 11 regions

5–03–35–62–40–36–43–56–64–56–34–16–12–3

  • two cells: exactly 10.
  • 3 ×one cell: more than 3.
  • 2 ×two cells: all matching.
  • one cell: under 3.
  • six cells: all different.
  • five cells: all matching.
  • two cells: exactly 7.
  • three cells: under 2.

Large number of dominoes and complex constraints make it 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, 7 regions (3 equals, 2 empty, 2 sum)
    Medium board
    7 dominoes, 7 regions (2 equals, 2 greater, 2 sum, 1 less)
    Hard board
    13 dominoes, 11 regions (3 equals, 3 greater, 2 less, 2 sum, 1 unequal)
    Back to the board inventories
  2. Easy board: how to approach it

    Method only.

    Start by finding regions with unique constraints, focus on sum and equals.

  3. Easy board: where to start

    One region named by its constraint.

    Begin with the region that must sum to 5, only one cell.

  4. Medium board: approach and first region

    The same two steps, one difficulty up.

    Look for regions with limited possibilities, use comparisons to narrow down.

    Start with the region that must be less than 4, only one cell.

  5. Hard board: how to approach it

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

    Focus on regions with strict constraints like unequal and sum 10.

  6. Hard board: where to start

    The last rung before the full walkthroughs.

    Begin with the region that must sum to 10 over two 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 1/3 in top left, sum 5 over one cell. Then 6/5 below, equals over two cells. Next 5/0, empty over one cell. Place 6/1, equals over two cells. Finally 3/4, empty over one cell.

  • Medium board · 7 dominoes

    Medium board walkthrough

    Place 3/0, less 4 over one cell. Then 4/1 and 1/1, equals over three cells. Next 3/4 and 6/4, sum 3 over two cells and greater 4 over one cell. Continue with 4/5, sum 9 over three cells. Place 4/0, greater 3 over one cell. Final dominoes fit with equals over three cells.

  • Hard board · 13 dominoes

    Hard board walkthrough

    Start by placing 5/0 and 5/6, sum 10 over two cells. Then 6/4 and 3/5, equals over two cells. Place 6/6, greater 3 over one cell. Continue with 4/5 and 6/3, equals over five cells. Next 2/4 and 0/3, less 3 over one cell. Place 3/3, equals over two cells. Then 4/1 and 6/1, sum 7 over two cells. Continue with 2/3, greater 3 over one cell. Final dominoes 5/0, 3/3, and 6/6 fit with remaining constraints. Unequal over six cells helps place last few dominoes.

Those boards by the numbers

Date
Wednesday, August 19, 2026
Boards
3 — easy, medium, hard
Dominoes in play
25 across the three boards
Easy board
5 dominoes · 7 regions
Medium board
7 dominoes · 7 regions
Hard board
13 dominoes · 11 regions

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