Pips October 30, 2026: Hints & Answers
Recap
The easy board requires strategic placement of 5 dominoes across 5 regions. The medium board involves 7 dominoes and 10 regions with various constraints. The hard board challenges with 13 dominoes and 19 regions, requiring careful planning.
The three boards that day
The tray and each region's rule — board data, no solutions.
Easy board · 5 dominoes · 5 regions
Dominoes: 0–05–03–10–15–5
- three cells: all matching.
- two cells: all matching.
- three cells: under 1.
- one cell: under 1.
- one cell: left uncovered.
Small number of dominoes and regions makes it manageable.
Medium board · 7 dominoes · 10 regions
Dominoes: 2–34–05–32–22–03–32–1
- one cell: exactly 1.
- one cell: more than 2.
- two cells: under 3.
- two cells: all matching.
- two cells: exactly 7.
- two cells: exactly 4.
- one cell: more than 3.
- 3 ×one cell: left uncovered.
More regions and dominoes increase the complexity.
Hard board · 13 dominoes · 19 regions
Dominoes: 4–54–36–10–53–04–13–34–46–66–43–52–12–6
- 2 ×one cell: exactly 6.
- one cell: under 2.
- 2 ×one cell: exactly 0.
- one cell: exactly 5.
- 2 ×one cell: exactly 3.
- 3 ×one cell: exactly 4.
- three cells: all matching.
- 2 ×two cells: exactly 6.
- two cells: exactly 9.
- one cell: exactly 2.
- two cells: under 7.
- two cells: exactly 5.
- one cell: left uncovered.
Large number of dominoes and regions, complex constraints.
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, 5 regions (2 equals, 2 less, 1 empty)
- Medium board
- 7 dominoes, 10 regions (3 empty, 3 sum, 2 greater, 1 equals, 1 less)
- Hard board
- 13 dominoes, 19 regions (15 sum, 2 less, 1 empty, 1 equals)
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Hint 2: Easy board: how to approach it
Method only.
Start by identifying regions with unique constraints, focusing on those that can be solved with a single domino.
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Hint 3: Easy board: where to start
One region named by its constraint.
The region with the equals over 3 cell(s) constraint.
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Hint 4: Medium board: approach and first region
The same two steps, one difficulty up.
Look for regions with simple constraints like sum or equals, and try to satisfy them first.
The region with the sum 1 over 1 cell(s) constraint.
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Hint 5: Hard board: how to approach it
Where the hard board differed in kind, not just size.
Begin with regions that have specific sum constraints, and try to use dominoes that can satisfy multiple regions.
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Hint 6: Hard board: where to start
The last rung before the full walkthroughs.
The region with the sum 6 over 1 cell(s) constraint.
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 0/0 domino in the empty region. Use the 5/0 domino to satisfy the equals over 3 cell(s) region. Place the 3/1 domino to satisfy the less 1 over 3 cell(s) region. The 0/1 domino goes in the less 1 over 1 cell(s) region. Finally, place the 5/5 domino.
Medium board · 7 dominoes
Medium board walkthrough
Start with the sum 1 over 1 cell(s) region using the 2/3 domino. Satisfy the greater 2 over 1 cell(s) region with the 4/0 domino. Use the 2/1 domino for the less 3 over 2 cell(s) region. Continue with the 2/2 domino in the equals over 2 cell(s) region, and the 3/3 domino for the sum 7 over 2 cell(s) region. Place the 5/3 domino, then the remaining dominoes to satisfy all regions.
Hard board · 13 dominoes
Hard board walkthrough
Start by satisfying the sum 6 over 1 cell(s) region with the 6/0 domino, but it's not available, so use 4/5 and 2/1 dominoes in other regions first. Place the 4/5 domino. Use the 6/1 domino for the sum 5 over 1 cell(s) region. Continue with the 3/0 domino for the sum 3 over 1 cell(s) region. The 4/1 domino satisfies another region. Use the 3/3 domino, then place the 4/4 domino. Satisfy the sum 9 over 2 cell(s) region with the 6/6 and 3/5 dominoes. Place the 6/4 domino, then the 2/6 domino. Finally, arrange the remaining dominoes to satisfy all regions.
Those boards by the numbers
- Date
- Friday, October 30, 2026
- Boards
- 3 — easy, medium, hard
- Dominoes in play
- 25 across the three boards
- Easy board
- 5 dominoes · 5 regions
- Medium board
- 7 dominoes · 10 regions
- Hard board
- 13 dominoes · 19 regions
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