Pips answers for Monday, March 16, 2026

Start with the 18 region at the top: only 0 + 6 + 6 + 6, or 2 + 5 + 5 + 6 can make it with these dominoes.

• the 18 region at the top: 0, 6, 6, 6
• the single-cell 2 region at the top-right: 2
• the 8 region at the bottom-left: 3, 5
• the “=” region at the bottom-right: 0, 0

1. The single-cell 2 region at the top-right needs a total of exactly 2 — 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 vertically on row 1, column 4 and row 2, column 4.
2. The “=” region at the bottom-right needs every pip to match — 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 3, column 3 and row 3, column 4.
3. The 18 region at the top needs a total of exactly 18 — 3 placements fit here for now; this one matches the official answer (this board has more than one valid layout). Place the 6–6 domino horizontally on row 1, column 2 and row 1, column 3.
4. The 18 region at the top needs a total of exactly 18 (2 of its 4 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 0–5 domino vertically on row 2, column 1 and row 3, column 1.
5. Row 2, column 2 has only one open neighbor, so its domino must run to row 3, column 2; the 18 region at the top needs a total of exactly 18 (3 of its 4 cells are already filled) — nothing else fits. Place the 3–6 domino vertically on row 2, column 2 and row 3, column 2.

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

Start with the 6 region at the right — it has the fewest pip combinations on the board, so the dominoes around it are the easiest to pin down.

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

1. The “=” region at the 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 1–3 domino horizontally on row 3, column 1 and row 3, column 2.
2. Row 4, column 1 has only one open neighbor, so its domino must run to row 5, column 1; the “=” region at the left needs every pip to match (1 of its 2 cells is already filled) — nothing else fits. Place the 3–6 domino vertically on row 4, column 1 and row 5, column 1.
3. Row 5, column 2 has only one open neighbor, so its domino must run to row 5, column 3; the “=” region at the bottom-left needs every pip to match (1 of its 2 cells is already filled) — nothing else fits. Place the 0–6 domino horizontally on row 5, column 2 and row 5, column 3.
4. Row 5, column 4 has only one open neighbor, so its domino must run to row 5, column 5; the “=” region at the bottom needs every pip to match (1 of its 2 cells is already filled) — nothing else fits. Place the 0–2 domino horizontally on row 5, column 4 and row 5, column 5.
5. The 6 region at the right needs a total of exactly 6 — nothing else fits. Place the 2–2 domino vertically on row 4, column 6 and row 5, column 6.
6. 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 5–5 domino horizontally on row 1, column 3 and row 1, column 4.
7. Row 1, column 5 has only one open neighbor, so its domino must run to row 1, column 6; the “=” region at the top-right needs every pip to match (1 of its 2 cells is already filled) — nothing else fits. Place the 4–5 domino horizontally on row 1, column 5 and row 1, column 6.
8. 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 2 cells is already filled) — nothing else fits. Place the 4–4 domino vertically on row 2, column 6 and row 3, column 6.

Start with the “≠” region at the left: the only way to make it with these dominoes is 0 + 1 + 2 + 3 + 4 + 5 + 6.

• the 9 region at the top-right: 3, 6
• the “=” region at the right: 1, 1, 1, 1, 1
• the single-cell 0 region at the top-right: 0
• the single-cell 3 region at the top-right: 3
• the single-cell 2 region at the left: 2
• the “≠” region at the left: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
• the “=” region at the right: 2, 2, 2
• the single-cell 0 region at the center: 0
• the single-cell 4 region at the center: 4
• the 15 region at the bottom-right: 5, 5, 5
• the single-cell 4 region at the bottom-left: 4
• the single-cell 3 region at the bottom: 3
• the 8 region at the bottom-right: 4, 4
• the 6 region at the bottom: 0, 6
• the single-cell 6 region at the bottom-right: 6

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

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