Pips October 31, 2026: Hints & Answers
Recap
The easy board requires strategic placement of 5 dominoes across 6 regions with basic constraints. The medium board involves 7 dominoes and 7 regions with more complex constraints. The hard board features 14 dominoes and 16 regions with a wide variety of challenging constraints.
The three boards that day
The tray and each region's rule — board data, no solutions.
Easy board · 5 dominoes · 6 regions
Dominoes: 2–63–23–51–63–6
- two cells: exactly 12.
- three cells: all matching.
- one cell: exactly 2.
- one cell: under 3.
- two cells: more than 5.
- one cell: more than 5.
This board is relatively straightforward due to the small number of dominoes and restrictive constraints.
Medium board · 7 dominoes · 7 regions
Dominoes: 2–62–05–42–31–04–32–2
- three cells: all different.
- two cells: more than 3.
- three cells: all matching.
- one cell: more than 4.
- two cells: exactly 5.
- one cell: exactly 6.
- two cells: more than 5.
This board requires more strategic thinking due to the increased number of dominoes and constraints.
Hard board · 14 dominoes · 16 regions
Dominoes: 5–54–45–21–42–00–01–32–33–64–61–24–53–42–2
- two cells: exactly 3.
- two cells: exactly 5.
- 3 ×one cell: left uncovered.
- two cells: exactly 0.
- two cells: all different.
- 2 ×one cell: exactly 3.
- four cells: all matching.
- two cells: more than 8.
- one cell: more than 4.
- two cells: exactly 7.
- one cell: exactly 1.
- two cells: all matching.
- three cells: exactly 3.
This board is challenging due to the large number of dominoes and 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, 6 regions (2 greater, 2 sum, 1 equals, 1 less)
- Medium board
- 7 dominoes, 7 regions (3 greater, 2 sum, 1 equals, 1 unequal)
- Hard board
- 14 dominoes, 16 regions (8 sum, 3 empty, 2 equals, 2 greater, 1 unequal)
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Hint 2: Easy board: how to approach it
Method only.
Start by identifying regions with the most restrictive constraints, such as the sum 2 over 1 cell or less 3 over 1 cell, to narrow down domino placement options.
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Hint 3: Easy board: where to start
One region named by its constraint.
Begin with the region that requires a sum of 2 over 1 cell, as it has the fewest possible 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 specific numerical constraints, such as sum 6 over 1 cell or greater 4 over 1 cell, to start placing dominoes.
Start with the region that requires a sum of 6 over 1 cell, as it has limited domino options.
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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 and focusing on regions with the most restrictive or unique constraints, such as the empty over 1 cell or sum 0 over 2 cells.
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Hint 6: Hard board: where to start
The last rung before the full walkthroughs.
Start with a region that has a unique constraint, such as requiring an empty cell or a specific small sum.
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 1/6 domino in the sum 2 over 1 cell region. Then, use the equals over 3 cells constraint to place the 3/6 domino. Next, place the 2/6 domino in the greater 5 over 2 cells region. The 3/5 domino fits in the remaining region with a sum of 12 over 2 cells. Finally, place the 3/2 domino.
Medium board · 7 dominoes
Medium board walkthrough
Place the 2/0 domino in the sum 6 over 1 cell region. Use the greater 3 over 2 cells constraint to place the 4/3 domino. Then, place the 2/3 domino in the unequal over 3 cells region. The 5/4 domino fits in the sum 5 over 2 cells region. Next, place the 2/2 domino. Finally, use the equals over 3 cells constraint to place the remaining dominoes.
Hard board · 14 dominoes
Hard board walkthrough
Begin by placing dominoes in regions with the most restrictive constraints. Place the 0/0 domino in the sum 0 over 2 cells region. Use the sum 3 over 2 cells constraint to place the 1/2 domino. Then, place the 2/0 domino in the empty over 1 cell region. Continue placing dominoes in regions with specific constraints, such as the greater 8 over 2 cells region with the 5/5 and 4/4 dominoes. Use the equals over 4 cells constraint to place several dominoes. The 3/6 and 4/6 dominoes fit in regions requiring larger numbers. As the board progresses, use the sum 7 over 2 cells and sum 5 over 2 cells constraints to place the remaining dominoes. Finally, fill in the remaining regions with the leftover dominoes, ensuring all constraints are satisfied.
Those boards by the numbers
- Date
- Saturday, October 31, 2026
- Boards
- 3 — easy, medium, hard
- Dominoes in play
- 26 across the three boards
- Easy board
- 5 dominoes · 6 regions
- Medium board
- 7 dominoes · 7 regions
- Hard board
- 14 dominoes · 16 regions
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