Pips answers for Wednesday, May 13, 2026

Hints first, answers last — open only what you need. Puzzles edited by Ian Livengood.

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Easy Pips answer — May 13, 2026

5 dominoes · 3×5 board · by Ian Livengood

Hint 1: where to start

Start with the 25 region at the bottom: the only way to make it with these dominoes is 5 + 5 + 5 + 5 + 5.

Hint 2: the pips in each region
  • the “=” region at the bottom-left: 2, 2
  • the 25 region at the bottom: 5, 5, 5, 5, 5
  • the single-cell “<3” region at the right: 0
Hint 3: step-by-step solution
  1. The 25 region at the bottom needs a total of exactly 25 — 3 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 2, column 4 and row 2, column 5.
  2. The 25 region at the bottom needs a total of exactly 25 (1 of its 5 cells is already filled) — 3 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 3 and row 3, column 4.
  3. The 25 region at the bottom needs a total of exactly 25 (3 of its 5 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 1, column 3 and row 2, column 3.
  4. The “=” region at the bottom-left needs every pip to match — nothing else fits. Place the 2–5 domino horizontally on row 2, column 1 and row 2, column 2.
  5. Row 3, column 1 has only one open neighbor, so its domino must run to row 3, column 2; the “=” region at the bottom-left needs every pip to match (1 of its 2 cells is already filled) — nothing else fits. Place the 2–3 domino horizontally on row 3, column 1 and row 3, column 2.
Full answer board
=25<3

Medium Pips answer — May 13, 2026

7 dominoes · 4×5 board · by Ian Livengood

Hint 1: where to start

Start with the “<4” region at the center: the only way to make it with these dominoes is 0 + 1 + 1 + 1.

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

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

Full answer board
<2<4>413==

Hard Pips answer — May 13, 2026

15 dominoes · 5×6 board · by Rodolfo Kurchan

Hint 1: where to start

Start with the single-cell 2 region at the top-left: the only way to make it with these dominoes is 2.

Hint 2: the pips in each region
  • the single-cell 2 region at the top-left: 2
  • the single-cell 4 region at the top-left: 4
  • the single-cell 4 region at the top: 4
  • the single-cell 0 region at the top: 0
  • the single-cell 3 region at the top-right: 3
  • the single-cell 3 region at the top-right: 3
  • the single-cell 3 region at the top-left: 3
  • the single-cell 0 region at the top-left: 0
  • the single-cell 1 region at the top: 1
  • the single-cell 5 region at the top: 5
  • the single-cell 5 region at the top-right: 5
  • the single-cell 0 region at the top-right: 0
  • the single-cell 1 region at the left: 1
  • the single-cell 4 region at the left: 4
  • the single-cell 3 region at the center: 3
  • the single-cell 1 region at the center: 1
  • the single-cell 2 region at the right: 2
  • the single-cell 0 region at the right: 0
  • the single-cell 4 region at the bottom-left: 4
  • the single-cell 3 region at the bottom-left: 3
  • the single-cell 5 region at the bottom: 5
  • the single-cell 2 region at the bottom: 2
  • the single-cell 2 region at the bottom-right: 2
  • the single-cell 4 region at the bottom-right: 4
  • the single-cell 1 region at the bottom-left: 1
  • the single-cell 2 region at the bottom-left: 2
  • the single-cell 5 region at the bottom: 5
  • the single-cell 0 region at the bottom: 0
  • the single-cell 1 region at the bottom-right: 1
  • the single-cell 5 region at the bottom-right: 5
Hint 3: step-by-step solution
  1. The single-cell 3 region at the top-right needs a total of exactly 3 — nothing else fits. Place the 0–3 domino vertically on row 1, column 6 and row 2, column 6.
  2. The single-cell 3 region at the top-right needs a total of exactly 3 — nothing else fits. Place the 3–5 domino vertically on row 1, column 5 and row 2, column 5.
  3. The single-cell 5 region at the bottom needs a total of exactly 5 — nothing else fits. Place the 2–5 domino horizontally on row 4, column 3 and row 4, column 4.
  4. The single-cell 5 region at the bottom needs a total of exactly 5 — nothing else fits. Place the 0–5 domino horizontally on row 5, column 3 and row 5, column 4.
  5. The single-cell 0 region at the top needs a total of exactly 0 — nothing else fits. Place the 0–4 domino horizontally on row 1, column 3 and row 1, column 4.
  6. The single-cell 4 region at the top-left needs a total of exactly 4 — nothing else fits. Place the 2–4 domino horizontally on row 1, column 1 and row 1, column 2.
  7. The single-cell 3 region at the top-left needs a total of exactly 3 — nothing else fits. Place the 1–3 domino vertically on row 2, column 1 and row 3, column 1.
  8. The single-cell 0 region at the top-left needs a total of exactly 0 — nothing else fits. Place the 0–1 domino horizontally on row 2, column 2 and row 2, column 3.
  9. Row 2, column 4 has only one open neighbor, so its domino must run to row 3, column 4; the single-cell 5 region at the top needs a total of exactly 5 — nothing else fits. Place the 1–5 domino vertically on row 2, column 4 and row 3, column 4.
  10. The single-cell 4 region at the left needs a total of exactly 4 — nothing else fits. Place the 3–4 domino horizontally on row 3, column 2 and row 3, column 3.
  11. The single-cell 2 region at the right needs a total of exactly 2 — nothing else fits. Place the 0–2 domino horizontally on row 3, column 5 and row 3, column 6.
  12. The single-cell 4 region at the bottom-left needs a total of exactly 4 — nothing else fits. Place the 1–4 domino vertically on row 4, column 1 and row 5, column 1.
  13. Row 4, column 2 has only one open neighbor, so its domino must run to row 5, column 2; the single-cell 3 region at the bottom-left needs a total of exactly 3 — nothing else fits. Place the 2–3 domino vertically on row 4, column 2 and row 5, column 2.
  14. The single-cell 2 region at the bottom-right needs a total of exactly 2 — nothing else fits. Place the 1–2 domino vertically on row 4, column 5 and row 5, column 5.
  15. Row 4, column 6 has only one open neighbor, so its domino must run to row 5, column 6; the single-cell 4 region at the bottom-right needs a total of exactly 4 — nothing else fits. Place the 4–5 domino vertically on row 4, column 6 and row 5, column 6.
Full answer board
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