P90 · Packing and covering · Classic · Hard

Dominoes in a square · n = 14

Pack n 1 × 2 dominoes into a square. Contact is allowed; interiors cannot overlap. Minimise the container square side.

Instancen = 14
ObjectiveMinimize container square side
Best known, unproven5.82842Source-precision interval: 5.82842–5.82843 (values inside match)exhibited site certificate 5.828427236Compiled by Erich Friedman; Found by Maurizio Morandi in June 2026. Source expression: s = 3+2√2 = 5.82842+.

Formal definition

  • ContainerThe editor and certificate normalize to the unit square [0,1]². This is a coordinate convention only; scores use the literature's unit-piece scale. Boundary contact is allowed.
  • SubmissionSubmit {radius, placements:[{x,y,turn,quarter},…]}, with x, y and turn as decimal strings of at most nine places. radius is the piece's short side (the leg, the domino's short side, the cell side); the container side is 1/radius. x,y is the centre of the piece's bounding box; quarter is an integer 0–3, an exact number of right angles applied about the centre before the rational turn = tan(θ/2). Coordinates and turn lie in ±4; 0 < radius ≤ 4.
  • ConstraintsExactly n congruent shapes lie wholly in the container with pairwise disjoint interiors. Polygon rotations are independent, not limited to quarter turns.
  • PrecisionInput decimals are exact rationals; regular-polygon vertices are algebraic, not rounded templates. Feasibility has no floating-point tolerance. A finite-decimal certificate is not a continuous optimality proof.
  • Objectivecontainer square side = 1/r (r is the piece's short side inside the unit square), smaller is better. Pages, leaderboards and literature records share this unit; nothing is converted by hand.
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VERIFIED CONSTRUCTIONVERIFIED CONSTRUCTION

Getting a feel for it

Source and certificate

External targets are converted with their printed precision; decimal coordinate certificates are separate. Reconstruction loss never lowers the literature target, and a source construction is not automatically an optimality proof.

Source
The record-holding arrangement for Dominoes in a square n = 14, 5.828427236
Current leader

5.828427236

container square side

Matches the best known
Answer sourceMaurizio Morandi
Solution methodPublished reference construction
Challenge this record Submit a proof / idea Share a proof or idea in the discussion. Accepted contributions can earn proof points.
Record holder's solver noteNo solver note yet (expand)

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ANSWER FORMAT

How to write your answer

the unit square [0,1]²

Submit {radius, placements:[{x,y,turn,quarter},…]}, with x, y and turn as decimal strings of at most nine places. radius is the piece's short side (the leg, the domino's short side, the cell side); the container side is 1/radius. x,y is the centre of the piece's bounding box; quarter is an integer 0–3, an exact number of right angles applied about the centre before the rational turn = tan(θ/2). Coordinates and turn lie in ±4; 0 < radius ≤ 4.

The current leader's answer

{
  "placements": [
    {
      "quarter": 1,
      "turn": "0.000000006",
      "x": "0.914213559",
      "y": "0.656854248"
    },
    {
      "quarter": 1,
      "turn": "0.000000000",
      "x": "0.085786439",
      "y": "0.828427125"
    },
    {
      "quarter": 1,
      "turn": "0.000000000",
      "x": "0.085786439",
      "y": "0.343145751"
    },
    {
      "quarter": 1,
      "turn": "0.000000000",
      "x": "0.914213561",
      "y": "0.171572875"
    },
    {
      "turn": "0.000000000",
      "x": "0.171572875",
      "y": "0.085786439"
    },
    {
      "turn": "0.000000000",
      "x": "0.656854247",
      "y": "0.085786439"
    },
    {
      "quarter": 1,
      "turn": "0.414213545",
      "x": "0.560660171",
      "y": "0.560660172"
    },
    {
      "turn": "0.000000000",
      "x": "0.343145754",
      "y": "0.914213561"
    },
    {
      "turn": "0.000000000",
      "x": "0.828427125",
      "y": "0.914213561"
    },
    {
      "quarter": 1,
      "turn": "0.414213546",
      "x": "0.353553391",
      "y": "0.282485580"
    },
    {
      "quarter": 1,
      "turn": "0.414213546",
      "x": "0.439339829",
      "y": "0.439339829"
    },
    {
      "turn": "0.414213562",
      "x": "0.717514422",
      "y": "0.353553391"
    },
    {
      "quarter": 1,
      "turn": "0.414213545",
      "x": "0.646446609",
      "y": "0.717514419"
    },
    {
      "quarter": 1,
      "turn": "-0.414213557",
      "x": "0.282485577",
      "y": "0.646446609"
    }
  ],
  "radius": "0.171572872"
}
Submission format and technical detailsOpen this when you are ready to prepare a JSON answer

Instance parameters

{
  "n": 14,
  "sides": 5
}

The current leader's answer

{
  "placements": [
    {
      "quarter": 1,
      "turn": "0.000000006",
      "x": "0.914213559",
      "y": "0.656854248"
    },
    {
      "quarter": 1,
      "turn": "0.000000000",
      "x": "0.085786439",
      "y": "0.828427125"
    },
    {
      "quarter": 1,
      "turn": "0.000000000",
      "x": "0.085786439",
      "y": "0.343145751"
    },
    {
      "quarter": 1,
      "turn": "0.000000000",
      "x": "0.914213561",
      "y": "0.171572875"
    },
    {
      "turn": "0.000000000",
      "x": "0.171572875",
      "y": "0.085786439"
    },
    {
      "turn": "0.000000000",
      "x": "0.656854247",
      "y": "0.085786439"
    },
    {
      "quarter": 1,
      "turn": "0.414213545",
      "x": "0.560660171",
      "y": "0.560660172"
    },
    {
      "turn": "0.000000000",
      "x": "0.343145754",
      "y": "0.914213561"
    },
    {
      "turn": "0.000000000",
      "x": "0.828427125",
      "y": "0.914213561"
    },
    {
      "quarter": 1,
      "turn": "0.414213546",
      "x": "0.353553391",
      "y": "0.282485580"
    },
    {
      "quarter": 1,
      "turn": "0.414213546",
      "x": "0.439339829",
      "y": "0.439339829"
    },
    {
      "turn": "0.414213562",
      "x": "0.717514422",
      "y": "0.353553391"
    },
    {
      "quarter": 1,
      "turn": "0.414213545",
      "x": "0.646446609",
      "y": "0.717514419"
    },
    {
      "quarter": 1,
      "turn": "-0.414213557",
      "x": "0.282485577",
      "y": "0.646446609"
    }
  ],
  "radius": "0.171572872"
}

Submit {radius, placements:[{x,y,turn,quarter},…]}, with x, y and turn as decimal strings of at most nine places. radius is the piece's short side (the leg, the domino's short side, the cell side); the container side is 1/radius. x,y is the centre of the piece's bounding box; quarter is an integer 0–3, an exact number of right angles applied about the centre before the rational turn = tan(θ/2). Coordinates and turn lie in ±4; 0 < radius ≤ 4. · Verifier v1.0.0

DISCUSSION

Discussion

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