Dominoes Puzzles for One Player

Dominoes is best-known as a game involving a range of tiles that must be placed end to end with matching numbers.

But did you know that dominoes is also the name of a single-player logic game? If not, then you do now!

The rules of the dominoes puzzle are simple - 28 dominoes from 0:0 through to 6:6 have been placed into a grid like the one to the right. Each domino is there exactly once. You must work out where each domino is by drawing thick lines around it in the grid. Keep track of each domino as you place it - when published, this puzzle includes a grid where you can mark off each of the 28 dominoes as you find them.

So, what strategy tips will help you solve dominoes? Well there are several nice pieces of logic you can use to help you, and it's important to note you never need to guess to solve any of our domino puzzles - you can reach the single solution through logic alone.

First off, look through the grid to see if there is only one way in which each domino can be placed in the grid. In this puzzle, you will note that 0 only neighbours itself once, so you can draw that in straight away as the location of the 0:0 tile (top row).

Often there will be multiple places a tile can be placed, but as you gradually make progress you will reduce the options.

It's as important to log where a connection cannot go as it is to log where a connection can go. For instance, if you decide that the 1:1 domino contains the two squares at the bottom-left of the grid, then you should place a small 'x' between the two 1s near the bottom-right corner of the grid, as you would know that they could not then connect.

Furthermore, note that the corners and edges are more restricted than elsewhere in the grid. Thus, if you had already placed the 2:4 elsewhere in the grid, then the 4 at the bottom-right of the grid could no longer pair with the 2 above it, meaning it would have to pair with the 1 alongside it.

A range of other bits of logic will occur to you as you start solving puzzles: for instance, sometimes you will know that a tile has to use a certain square in the grid, but it could link to multiple neighbours. For an example, ask yourself where 6:6 can go in the grid. You'll see that it must involve the final square in row three, but you can't tell whether it goes upwards or horizontally. However, you do know that it MUST involve the 6 at the end of row three linking to one of those other two sixes, so you can put a small 'x' between the 6 and the 5 below it, as you know that it cannot link to that 5.

Like dominoes puzzles and want more to play? Our book of 150 dominoes puzzles could be just what you're looking for!

Date written: 23 Mar 2020

Category: logic | Keywords: domino puzzles

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