Pips answers for Tuesday, January 20, 2026

Start with the 3 region at the top-left: the only way to make it with these dominoes is 1 + 2.

• the 3 region at the top-left: 1, 2
• the 7 region at the top: 1, 6
• the 9 region at the right: 4, 5
• the “=” region at the bottom: 6, 6

1. The “=” region at the bottom needs every pip to match — 2 placements fit here for now, but every other one leaves some region impossible a few moves later. Place the 6–6 domino vertically on row 3, column 3 and row 4, column 3.
2. The 3 region at the top-left needs a total of exactly 3 — 4 placements fit here for now, but every other one leaves some region impossible a few moves later. Place the 1–1 domino horizontally on row 1, column 2 and row 1, column 3.
3. The 3 region at the top-left needs a total of exactly 3 (1 of its 2 cells is already filled) — nothing else fits. Place the 2–3 domino horizontally on row 2, column 1 and row 2, column 2.
4. Row 2, column 3 has only one open neighbor, so its domino must run to row 2, column 4; the 7 region at the top needs a total of exactly 7 (1 of its 2 cells is already filled) — nothing else fits. Place the 4–6 domino horizontally on row 2, column 3 and row 2, column 4.
5. Row 3, column 4 has only one open neighbor, so its domino must run to row 3, column 5; the 9 region at the right needs a total of exactly 9 (1 of its 2 cells is already filled) — nothing else fits. Place the 1–5 domino horizontally on row 3, column 4 and row 3, column 5.

Start with the 10 region at the top-left: only 4 + 6, or 5 + 5 can make it with these dominoes.

• the 10 region at the top-left: 4, 6
• the single-cell “<3” region at the top: 1
• the single-cell “>3” region at the top-right: 6
• the 10 region at the bottom: 5, 5
• the single-cell “>1” region at the right: 2
• the 10 region at the bottom-left: 5, 5
• the “=” region at the bottom-right: 2, 2

1. The 10 region at the bottom-left needs a total of exactly 10 — 2 placements fit here for now, but every other one leaves some region impossible a few moves later. Place the 5–5 domino horizontally on row 3, column 1 and row 3, column 2.
2. The 10 region at the top-left needs a total of exactly 10 — 3 placements fit here for now, but every other one leaves some region impossible a few moves later. Place the 1–6 domino horizontally on row 1, column 2 and row 1, column 3.
3. Row 1, column 1 has only one open neighbor, so its domino must run to row 2, column 1; the 10 region at the top-left needs a total of exactly 10 (1 of its 2 cells is already filled) — nothing else fits. Place the 3–4 domino vertically on row 1, column 1 and row 2, column 1.
4. The 10 region at the bottom needs a total of exactly 10 — 3 placements fit here for now, but every other one leaves some region impossible a few moves later. Place the 3–5 domino horizontally on row 2, column 3 and row 2, column 4.
5. Row 3, column 3 has only one open neighbor, so its domino must run to row 3, column 4; the 10 region at the bottom needs a total of exactly 10 (1 of its 2 cells is already filled) — nothing else fits. Place the 2–5 domino horizontally on row 3, column 3 and row 3, column 4.
6. Row 1, column 6 has only one open neighbor, so its domino must run to row 2, column 6; the single-cell “>3” region at the top-right must total more than 3 — nothing else fits. Place the 2–6 domino vertically on row 1, column 6 and row 2, column 6.
7. Row 3, column 5 has only one open neighbor, so its domino must run to row 3, column 6; the “=” region at the bottom-right needs every pip to match (1 of its 2 cells is already filled) — nothing else fits. Place the 0–2 domino horizontally on row 3, column 5 and row 3, column 6.

Start with the “=” region at the left: all 6 cells must show the same number, and only 2s appear on enough dominoes to fill it.

• the “>8” region at the top: 6, 6
• the single-cell 2 region at the top: 2
• the “=” region at the top: 4, 4
• the “=” region at the left: 2, 2, 2, 2, 2, 2
• the “=” region at the center: 5, 5
• the single-cell 0 region at the center: 0
• the single-cell 5 region at the left: 5
• the “=” region at the bottom-right: 3, 3, 3
• the single-cell 3 region at the bottom-left: 3
• the “=” region at the bottom: 6, 6, 6
• the “<2” region at the bottom-left: 0, 0
• the single-cell 5 region at the bottom: 5
• the single-cell “<5” region at the bottom: 3
• the “<6” region at the bottom-right: 1, 1

1. The “<2” region at the bottom-left must total less than 2 — 2 placements fit here for now; this one matches the official answer (this board has more than one valid layout). Place the 0–0 domino horizontally on row 8, column 1 and row 8, column 2.
2. The single-cell 0 region at the center needs a total of exactly 0 — 2 placements fit here for now; this one matches the official answer (this board has more than one valid layout). Place the 0–5 domino horizontally on row 4, column 3 and row 4, column 4.
3. The “=” region at the bottom-right needs every pip to match — 4 placements fit here for now; this one matches the official answer (this board has more than one valid layout). Place the 3–3 domino vertically on row 6, column 6 and row 7, column 6.
4. Row 6, column 7 has only one open neighbor, so its domino must run to row 5, column 7; the “=” region at the bottom-right needs every pip to match (2 of its 3 cells are already filled) — 3 placements fit here for now; this one matches the official answer (this board has more than one valid layout). Place the 1–3 domino vertically on row 5, column 7 and row 6, column 7.
5. The single-cell 3 region at the bottom-left needs a total of exactly 3 — 4 placements fit here for now; this one matches the official answer (this board has more than one valid layout). Place the 2–3 domino vertically on row 6, column 1 and row 7, column 1.
6. The “=” region at the left needs every pip to match (1 of its 6 cells is already filled) — 2 placements fit here for now; this one matches the official answer (this board has more than one valid layout). Place the 2–5 domino horizontally on row 5, column 1 and row 5, column 2.
7. The “=” region at the left needs every pip to match (2 of its 6 cells are already filled) — 2 placements fit here for now; this one matches the official answer (this board has more than one valid layout). Place the 2–2 domino horizontally on row 4, column 1 and row 4, column 2.
8. The “=” region at the center needs every pip to match (1 of its 2 cells is already filled) — 2 placements fit here for now; this one matches the official answer (this board has more than one valid layout). Place the 4–5 domino horizontally on row 3, column 3 and row 3, column 4.
9. The “=” region at the top needs every pip to match (1 of its 2 cells is already filled) — nothing else fits. Place the 2–4 domino horizontally on row 2, column 3 and row 2, column 4.
10. The single-cell 5 region at the bottom needs a total of exactly 5 — nothing else fits. Place the 5–6 domino vertically on row 7, column 3 and row 8, column 3.
11. Row 6, column 2 has only one open neighbor, so its domino must run to row 7, column 2; the “=” region at the left needs every pip to match (4 of its 6 cells are already filled) — nothing else fits. Place the 2–6 domino vertically on row 6, column 2 and row 7, column 2.
12. Row 3, column 2 has only one open neighbor, so its domino must run to row 3, column 1; the “=” region at the left needs every pip to match (5 of its 6 cells are already filled) — nothing else fits. Place the 1–2 domino horizontally on row 3, column 1 and row 3, column 2.
13. Row 7, column 4 has only one open neighbor, so its domino must run to row 8, column 4; the “=” region at the bottom needs every pip to match (2 of its 3 cells are already filled) — nothing else fits. Place the 3–6 domino vertically on row 7, column 4 and row 8, column 4.
14. Row 1, column 3 has only one open neighbor, so its domino must run to row 1, column 4; the “>8” region at the top must total more than 8 — nothing else fits. Place the 6–6 domino horizontally on row 1, column 3 and row 1, column 4.
15. Row 8, column 6 has only one open neighbor, so its domino must run to row 8, column 7; the “<6” region at the bottom-right must total less than 6 — nothing else fits. Place the 1–1 domino horizontally on row 8, column 6 and row 8, column 7.

This board has more than one valid layout; the steps follow the official answer.