Pips November 10, 2026: Hints & Answers
Recap
The easy board requires careful placement of 5 dominoes in 6 regions. The medium board involves 7 dominoes in 7 regions, with a focus on greater constraints. The hard board features 16 dominoes in 21 regions, with a variety of constraints and limited domino options.
The three boards that day
The tray and each region's rule — board data, no solutions.
Easy board · 5 dominoes · 6 regions
Dominoes: 5–60–15–46–11–3
- 2 ×two cells: all matching.
- two cells: exactly 5.
- one cell: more than 4.
- one cell: under 3.
- two cells: exactly 8.
Small number of dominoes and regions makes this board manageable.
Medium board · 7 dominoes · 7 regions
Dominoes: 3–43–31–05–15–41–33–5
- two cells: exactly 10.
- three cells: more than 7.
- two cells: more than 7.
- three cells: under 3.
- two cells: more than 6.
- 2 ×one cell: exactly 3.
More dominoes and regions than easy board, but still manageable with careful planning.
Hard board · 16 dominoes · 21 regions
Dominoes: 0–00–10–20–30–51–11–21–31–41–52–22–42–53–33–44–5
- 4 ×one cell: exactly 5.
- 4 ×one cell: exactly 4.
- 3 ×two cells: all matching.
- 3 ×one cell: exactly 0.
- 2 ×two cells: exactly 4.
- three cells: under 4.
- three cells: all matching.
- three cells: exactly 0.
- one cell: under 4.
- one cell: left uncovered.
Large number of dominoes and regions, with complex constraints, makes this board 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.
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Hint 1: How the three boards compared
Sizes and constraint mixes, counted off the boards.
- Easy board
- 5 dominoes, 6 regions (2 equals, 2 sum, 1 greater, 1 less)
- Medium board
- 7 dominoes, 7 regions (3 greater, 3 sum, 1 less)
- Hard board
- 16 dominoes, 21 regions (14 sum, 4 equals, 2 less, 1 empty)
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Hint 2: Easy board: how to approach it
Method only.
Start by identifying regions with the fewest possible domino combinations. Look for regions with a sum or equals constraint.
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Hint 3: Easy board: where to start
One region named by its constraint.
The region with a sum of 8 over 2 cells, as it has limited domino combinations.
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Hint 4: Medium board: approach and first region
The same two steps, one difficulty up.
Focus on regions with a greater constraint, as they often have limited domino options. Look for dominoes that can satisfy multiple constraints.
The region with a sum of 10 over 2 cells, as it has a limited set of domino combinations.
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Hint 5: Hard board: how to approach it
Where the hard board differed in kind, not just size.
Begin by identifying regions with the most restrictive constraints, such as the sum 0 over 1 cell or equals over 3 cells. Look for dominoes that can be placed in multiple regions.
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Hint 6: Hard board: where to start
The last rung before the full walkthroughs.
The region with a sum of 0 over 1 cell, as it has only one possible domino option.
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 5/6 domino in the greater 4 over 1 cell region. Then, place the 1/3 domino in the less 3 over 1 cell region. Next, place the 5/4 domino in the sum 5 over 2 cells region. The 0/1 domino goes in the equals over 2 cells region. Finally, place the 6/1 domino in the remaining region.
Medium board · 7 dominoes
Medium board walkthrough
Place the 5/1 domino in the greater 7 over 3 cells region. Then, place the 3/4 domino in the sum 10 over 2 cells region. Next, place the 3/5 domino in the greater 7 over 2 cells region. The 1/0 domino goes in the sum 3 over 1 cell region. Continue with the 1/3 domino in the less 3 over 3 cells region, and the 3/3 domino in the greater 6 over 2 cells region. Finally, place the 5/4 domino in the remaining region.
Hard board · 16 dominoes
Hard board walkthrough
Place the 0/0 domino in the sum 0 over 1 cell region. Then, place the 0/1, 0/2, 0/3, and 0/5 dominoes in the corresponding sum regions. Continue with the 1/1, 1/2, 1/3, 1/4, and 1/5 dominoes in the greater and equals regions. Next, place the 2/2, 2/4, and 2/5 dominoes in the remaining regions. The 3/3, 3/4, and 4/5 dominoes go in the equals and greater regions. Finally, place the remaining dominoes in the less 4 over 1 cell and empty regions.
Those boards by the numbers
- Date
- Tuesday, November 10, 2026
- Boards
- 3 — easy, medium, hard
- Dominoes in play
- 28 across the three boards
- Easy board
- 5 dominoes · 6 regions
- Medium board
- 7 dominoes · 7 regions
- Hard board
- 16 dominoes · 21 regions
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