Pips answers for Thursday, January 29, 2026

Start with the 2 region at the bottom-left: only 0 + 0 + 2, or 0 + 1 + 1 can make it with these dominoes.

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

1. The 8 region at the center needs a total of exactly 8 — nothing else fits. Place the 0–6 domino horizontally on row 1, column 3 and row 1, column 4.
2. The 2 region at the bottom-left needs a total of exactly 2 — 2 placements fit here for now, but every other one leaves some region impossible a few moves later. Place the 1–1 domino vertically on row 2, column 1 and row 3, column 1.
3. The 8 region at the center needs a total of exactly 8 (1 of its 3 cells is already filled) — nothing else fits. Place the 0–5 domino horizontally on row 3, column 2 and row 3, column 3.
4. Row 1, column 1 has only one open neighbor, so its domino must run to row 1, column 2; the single-cell “>3” region at the top-left must total more than 3 — nothing else fits. Place the 2–4 domino horizontally on row 1, column 1 and row 1, column 2.
5. Row 2, column 3 has only one open neighbor, so its domino must run to row 2, column 2; the 8 region at the center needs a total of exactly 8 (2 of its 3 cells are already filled) — nothing else fits. Place the 3–3 domino horizontally on row 2, column 2 and row 2, column 3.

Start with the 8 region at the top-left: only 2 + 6, or 3 + 5, or 4 + 4 can make it with these dominoes.

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

1. Row 1, column 1 has only one open neighbor, so its domino must run to row 2, column 1; the 8 region at the top-left needs a total of exactly 8 — 2 placements fit here for now; this one matches the official answer (this board has more than one valid layout). Place the 2–6 domino vertically on row 1, column 1 and row 2, column 1.
2. The 8 region at the top needs a total of exactly 8 — 4 placements fit here for now; this one matches the official answer (this board has more than one valid layout). Place the 3–6 domino horizontally on row 1, column 4 and row 1, column 5.
3. Row 1, column 3 has only one open neighbor, so its domino must run to row 2, column 3; the 8 region at the top needs a total of exactly 8 (1 of its 2 cells is already filled) — nothing else fits. Place the 4–5 domino vertically on row 1, column 3 and row 2, column 3.
4. Row 2, column 5 has only one open neighbor, so its domino must run to row 3, column 5; the 8 region at the top-right needs a total of exactly 8 (1 of its 2 cells is already filled) — nothing else fits. Place the 0–2 domino vertically on row 2, column 5 and row 3, column 5.
5. The 8 region at the bottom needs a total of exactly 8 — nothing else fits. Place the 0–4 domino horizontally on row 3, column 3 and row 3, column 4.
6. The 8 region at the bottom-left needs a total of exactly 8 — nothing else fits. Place the 1–4 domino horizontally on row 4, column 2 and row 4, column 3.
7. Row 3, column 1 has only one open neighbor, so its domino must run to row 4, column 1; the 8 region at the bottom-left needs a total of exactly 8 (1 of its 3 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 1–6 domino vertically on row 3, column 1 and row 4, column 1.

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

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

• the “=” region at the top-left: 4, 4, 4
• the single-cell 3 region at the top-left: 3
• the “=” region at the top-right: 2, 2, 2, 2
• the “=” region at the top-left: 5, 5, 5, 5
• the 10 region at the top: 4, 6
• the “=” region at the right: 1, 1, 1, 1
• the single-cell 3 region at the left: 3
• the single-cell 3 region at the left: 3
• the single-cell 1 region at the center: 1
• the single-cell 5 region at the left: 5
• the “=” region at the center: 0, 0, 0, 0
• the “=” region at the bottom: 4, 4
• the single-cell 5 region at the bottom: 5

1. The 10 region at the top needs a total of exactly 10 — nothing else fits. Place the 1–4 domino vertically on row 4, column 5 and row 5, column 5.
2. The “=” region at the top-left needs every pip to match — 3 placements fit here for now, but every other one leaves some region impossible a few moves later. Place the 3–5 domino vertically on row 4, column 1 and row 5, column 1.
3. The “=” region at the top-left needs every pip to match (1 of its 4 cells is already filled) — nothing else fits. Place the 5–5 domino horizontally on row 3, column 2 and row 3, column 3.
4. The “=” region at the top-left 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 3–4 domino vertically on row 1, column 3 and row 2, column 3.
5. The “=” region at the top-left needs every pip to match (1 of its 3 cells is already filled) — nothing else fits. Place the 4–4 domino horizontally on row 1, column 1 and row 1, column 2.
6. Row 4, column 3 has only one open neighbor, so its domino must run to row 5, column 3; the single-cell 3 region at the left needs a total of exactly 3 — nothing else fits. Place the 2–3 domino vertically on row 4, column 3 and row 5, column 3.
7. Row 3, column 1 has only one open neighbor, so its domino must run to row 2, column 1; the “=” region at the top-left needs every pip to match (3 of its 4 cells are already filled) — 3 placements fit here for now, but every other one leaves some region impossible a few moves later. Place the 5–6 domino vertically on row 2, column 1 and row 3, column 1.
8. The “=” region at the center 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 0–5 domino horizontally on row 7, column 3 and row 7, column 4.
9. The “=” region at the center needs every pip to match (1 of its 4 cells is already filled) — nothing else fits. Place the 0–0 domino horizontally on row 7, column 6 and row 7, column 7.
10. The “=” region at the bottom needs every pip to match — nothing else fits. Place the 4–5 domino vertically on row 9, column 5 and row 10, column 5.
11. Row 7, column 5 has only one open neighbor, so its domino must run to row 8, column 5; the “=” region at the center needs every pip to match (3 of its 4 cells are already filled) — nothing else fits. Place the 0–4 domino vertically on row 7, column 5 and row 8, column 5.
12. The “=” region at the right 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 1–1 domino vertically on row 4, column 8 and row 5, column 8.
13. The “=” region at the top-right 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 2–6 domino vertically on row 2, column 5 and row 3, column 5.
14. Row 2, column 6 has only one open neighbor, so its domino must run to row 3, column 6; the “=” region at the top-right needs every pip to match (1 of its 4 cells is already filled) — nothing else fits. Place the 2–2 domino vertically on row 2, column 6 and row 3, column 6.
15. The “=” region at the top-right needs every pip to match (3 of its 4 cells are already filled) — nothing else fits. Place the 1–2 domino vertically on row 3, column 7 and row 4, column 7.
16. Row 3, column 8 has only one open neighbor, so its domino must run to row 2, column 8; the “=” region at the right needs every pip to match (3 of its 4 cells are already filled) — nothing else fits. Place the 0–1 domino vertically on row 2, column 8 and row 3, column 8.