2026-01-05
Puzzle guide
Full breakdown using the Analytical breakdown format — patch placements, tiling analysis, and strategy notes.
Overview
Patches Level 5 is part of our exclusive Patches level track. Patches is LinkedIn's tiling puzzle: partition a 6×6 grid into non-overlapping rectangles — one per clue — matching area and shape hints until every cell is covered. This page includes the live board, a solved-board view, and a step-by-step Solution walkthrough. Difficulty: Easy. Estimated solve time: 3–5 min.
Answer
This board has 11 clues on a 6×6 grid — each maps to one non-overlapping patch.
11 rectangles tile the 6×6 grid (36 cells): clue 1 → 2×2, clue 2 → 4×1, clue 3 → 2×3, clue 4 → 4×2, clue 5 → 4×1, clue 6 → 4×1, clue 7 → 2×1, clue 8 → 1×1, clue 9 → 1×1, clue 10 → 1×1, clue 11 → 1×1. No overlap, every clue covered exactly once.
Analysis
Patches Level 5 is a 6×6 Patches board with 11 clues (11 specify area, shapes: 5 square, 5 tall, 1 wide). The solution tiles all 36 cells with non-overlapping rectangles — one per clue. Recommended order: clue 1 (2×2) → clue 2 (4×1) → clue 3 (2×3) → clue 4 (4×2) → clue 5 (4×1) → clue 6 (4×1) → clue 7 (2×1) → clue 8 (1×1) → clue 9 (1×1) → clue 10 (1×1) → clue 11 (1×1). Each rectangle must contain exactly one clue cell and match area and shape constraints when given.
Board spotlight: One or more clues demand large rectangles — lock those anchors first because they consume the most territory and constrain where every smaller patch can fit. With 11 of 11 clues showing a numbered area, dimension math often pins down rectangle size before you choose a position on the grid.
General Patches strategy on 6×6: rectangles cannot overlap, every cell must belong to exactly one patch, and each patch must contain precisely one clue at its anchor cell. When a clue shows area 12 and a tall icon, only a few height×width pairs are legal — list them before drawing. After each placement, mentally partition the leftover white space: if any region cannot host its remaining clues, back up and try the next candidate.
Patch 1 (clue 1 at Row 2, column 2): 2×2 at Row 1, column 1. The clue shows area 4, so this patch must cover exactly 4 cells (2×2 = 4). The shape icon requires a square. After placing this 4-cell rectangle, 32 cells remain for 10 clues. Each leftover region must still tile without overlap.
Patch 2 (clue 2 at Row 1, column 3): 4×1 at Row 1, column 3. The clue shows area 4, so this patch must cover exactly 4 cells (4×1 = 4). The shape icon requires a tall rectangle (taller than wide). After placing this 4-cell rectangle, 28 cells remain for 9 clues. Each leftover region must still tile without overlap.
Patch 3 (clue 3 at Row 1, column 4): 2×3 at Row 1, column 4. The clue shows area 6, so this patch must cover exactly 6 cells (2×3 = 6). The shape icon requires a wide rectangle (wider than tall). After placing this 6-cell rectangle, 22 cells remain for 8 clues. Each leftover region must still tile without overlap.
Patch 4 (clue 4 at Row 3, column 1): 4×2 at Row 3, column 1. The clue shows area 8, so this patch must cover exactly 8 cells (4×2 = 8). The shape icon requires a tall rectangle (taller than wide). After placing this 8-cell rectangle, 14 cells remain for 7 clues. Each leftover region must still tile without overlap.
Patch 5 (clue 5 at Row 6, column 4): 4×1 at Row 3, column 4. The clue shows area 4, so this patch must cover exactly 4 cells (4×1 = 4). The shape icon requires a tall rectangle (taller than wide). After placing this 4-cell rectangle, 10 cells remain for 6 clues. Each leftover region must still tile without overlap.
Patch 6 (clue 6 at Row 5, column 5): 4×1 at Row 3, column 5. The clue shows area 4, so this patch must cover exactly 4 cells (4×1 = 4). The shape icon requires a tall rectangle (taller than wide). After placing this 4-cell rectangle, 6 cells remain for 5 clues. Each leftover region must still tile without overlap.
Patch 7 (clue 7 at Row 4, column 6): 2×1 at Row 3, column 6. The clue shows area 2, so this patch must cover exactly 2 cells (2×1 = 2). The shape icon requires a tall rectangle (taller than wide). After placing this 2-cell rectangle, 4 cells remain for 4 clues. Each leftover region must still tile without overlap.
Patch 8 (clue 8 at Row 5, column 3): 1×1 at Row 5, column 3. The clue shows area 1, so this patch must cover exactly 1 cells (1×1 = 1). The shape icon requires a square. After placing this 1-cell rectangle, 3 cells remain for 3 clues. Each leftover region must still tile without overlap.
Patch 9 (clue 9 at Row 5, column 6): 1×1 at Row 5, column 6. The clue shows area 1, so this patch must cover exactly 1 cells (1×1 = 1). The shape icon requires a square. After placing this 1-cell rectangle, 2 cells remain for 2 clues. Each leftover region must still tile without overlap.
Patch 10 (clue 10 at Row 6, column 3): 1×1 at Row 6, column 3. The clue shows area 1, so this patch must cover exactly 1 cells (1×1 = 1). The shape icon requires a square. After placing this 1-cell rectangle, 1 cells remain for 1 clue. Each leftover region must still tile without overlap.
Patch 11 (clue 11 at Row 6, column 6): 1×1 at Row 6, column 6. The clue shows area 1, so this patch must cover exactly 1 cells (1×1 = 1). The shape icon requires a square. This 1-cell patch completes the grid — all 36 cells are now assigned to exactly one clue.
Final verification: 11 rectangles tile the 6×6 grid (36 cells): clue 1 → 2×2, clue 2 → 4×1, clue 3 → 2×3, clue 4 → 4×2, clue 5 → 4×1, clue 6 → 4×1, clue 7 → 2×1, clue 8 → 1×1, clue 9 → 1×1, clue 10 → 1×1, clue 11 → 1×1. No overlap, every clue covered exactly once. Pattern tag: large-anchor tiling. One or more clues demand large rectangles — lock those anchors first because they consume the most territory and constrain where every smaller patch can fit.
Patches
Shape & area
The clue shows area 4, so this patch must cover exactly 4 cells (2×2 = 4). The shape icon requires a square.
After placing this 4-cell rectangle, 32 cells remain for 10 clues. Each leftover region must still tile without overlap.
Solving note
Draw 2×2 at Row 1, column 1 around the clue at Row 2, column 2.
Shape & area
The clue shows area 4, so this patch must cover exactly 4 cells (4×1 = 4). The shape icon requires a tall rectangle (taller than wide).
After placing this 4-cell rectangle, 28 cells remain for 9 clues. Each leftover region must still tile without overlap.
Solving note
Draw 4×1 at Row 1, column 3 around the clue at Row 1, column 3.
Shape & area
The clue shows area 6, so this patch must cover exactly 6 cells (2×3 = 6). The shape icon requires a wide rectangle (wider than tall).
After placing this 6-cell rectangle, 22 cells remain for 8 clues. Each leftover region must still tile without overlap.
Solving note
Draw 2×3 at Row 1, column 4 around the clue at Row 1, column 4.
Shape & area
The clue shows area 8, so this patch must cover exactly 8 cells (4×2 = 8). The shape icon requires a tall rectangle (taller than wide).
After placing this 8-cell rectangle, 14 cells remain for 7 clues. Each leftover region must still tile without overlap.
Solving note
Draw 4×2 at Row 3, column 1 around the clue at Row 3, column 1.
Shape & area
The clue shows area 4, so this patch must cover exactly 4 cells (4×1 = 4). The shape icon requires a tall rectangle (taller than wide).
After placing this 4-cell rectangle, 10 cells remain for 6 clues. Each leftover region must still tile without overlap.
Solving note
Draw 4×1 at Row 3, column 4 around the clue at Row 6, column 4.
Shape & area
The clue shows area 4, so this patch must cover exactly 4 cells (4×1 = 4). The shape icon requires a tall rectangle (taller than wide).
After placing this 4-cell rectangle, 6 cells remain for 5 clues. Each leftover region must still tile without overlap.
Solving note
Draw 4×1 at Row 3, column 5 around the clue at Row 5, column 5.
Shape & area
The clue shows area 2, so this patch must cover exactly 2 cells (2×1 = 2). The shape icon requires a tall rectangle (taller than wide).
After placing this 2-cell rectangle, 4 cells remain for 4 clues. Each leftover region must still tile without overlap.
Solving note
Draw 2×1 at Row 3, column 6 around the clue at Row 4, column 6.
Shape & area
The clue shows area 1, so this patch must cover exactly 1 cells (1×1 = 1). The shape icon requires a square.
After placing this 1-cell rectangle, 3 cells remain for 3 clues. Each leftover region must still tile without overlap.
Solving note
Draw 1×1 at Row 5, column 3 around the clue at Row 5, column 3.
Shape & area
The clue shows area 1, so this patch must cover exactly 1 cells (1×1 = 1). The shape icon requires a square.
After placing this 1-cell rectangle, 2 cells remain for 2 clues. Each leftover region must still tile without overlap.
Solving note
Draw 1×1 at Row 5, column 6 around the clue at Row 5, column 6.
Shape & area
The clue shows area 1, so this patch must cover exactly 1 cells (1×1 = 1). The shape icon requires a square.
After placing this 1-cell rectangle, 1 cells remain for 1 clue. Each leftover region must still tile without overlap.
Solving note
Draw 1×1 at Row 6, column 3 around the clue at Row 6, column 3.
Shape & area
The clue shows area 1, so this patch must cover exactly 1 cells (1×1 = 1). The shape icon requires a square.
This 1-cell patch completes the grid — all 36 cells are now assigned to exactly one clue.
Solving note
Draw 1×1 at Row 6, column 6 around the clue at Row 6, column 6.
Verification
The tiling clue 1 (2×2) → clue 2 (4×1) → clue 3 (2×3) → clue 4 (4×2) → clue 5 (4×1) → clue 6 (4×1) → clue 7 (2×1) → clue 8 (1×1) → clue 9 (1×1) → clue 10 (1×1) → clue 11 (1×1) is the valid partition on this archive board. Each rectangle satisfies its clue's area and shape, contains exactly one clue cell, and together they cover all 36 cells with zero overlap. Reveal order follows forced placements from constraint propagation — equivalent to solving tightest clues first.
Solve path
Phase 1: Partition the 6×6 grid into 11 non-overlapping rectangles — one per clue, matching area and shape hints. Patch 1: draw 2×2 at Row 1, column 1 for the clue at Row 2, column 2. The clue shows area 4, so this patch must cover exactly 4 cells (2×2 = 4). Patch 2: draw 4×1 at Row 1, column 3 for the clue at Row 1, column 3. The clue shows area 4, so this patch must cover exactly 4 cells (4×1 = 4). Patch 3: draw 2×3 at Row 1, column 4 for the clue at Row 1, column 4. The clue shows area 6, so this patch must cover exactly 6 cells (2×3 = 6). Patch 4: draw 4×2 at Row 3, column 1 for the clue at Row 3, column 1. The clue shows area 8, so this patch must cover exactly 8 cells (4×2 = 8). Patch 5: draw 4×1 at Row 3, column 4 for the clue at Row 6, column 4. The clue shows area 4, so this patch must cover exactly 4 cells (4×1 = 4). Patch 6: draw 4×1 at Row 3, column 5 for the clue at Row 5, column 5. The clue shows area 4, so this patch must cover exactly 4 cells (4×1 = 4). Patch 7: draw 2×1 at Row 3, column 6 for the clue at Row 4, column 6. The clue shows area 2, so this patch must cover exactly 2 cells (2×1 = 2). Patch 8: draw 1×1 at Row 5, column 3 for the clue at Row 5, column 3. The clue shows area 1, so this patch must cover exactly 1 cells (1×1 = 1). Patch 9: draw 1×1 at Row 5, column 6 for the clue at Row 5, column 6. The clue shows area 1, so this patch must cover exactly 1 cells (1×1 = 1). Patch 10: draw 1×1 at Row 6, column 3 for the clue at Row 6, column 3. The clue shows area 1, so this patch must cover exactly 1 cells (1×1 = 1). Patch 11: draw 1×1 at Row 6, column 6 for the clue at Row 6, column 6. The clue shows area 1, so this patch must cover exactly 1 cells (1×1 = 1). Complete: 36 cells covered, 11 valid patches — full tiling verified.
Pattern
One or more clues demand large rectangles — lock those anchors first because they consume the most territory and constrain where every smaller patch can fit.
Learn more in Patches Puzzle Strategies →Takeaways
On Patches Level 5, tackle clues with both area and shape before flexible ones. One or more clues demand large rectangles — lock those anchors first because they consume the most territory and constrain where every smaller patch can fit.
Before locking a rectangle, ask whether the rest of the grid can still tile. A patch that fits one clue but blocks another is wrong even if its area and shape look correct.
One or more clues demand large rectangles — lock those anchors first because they consume the most territory and constrain where every smaller patch can fit.
Solution
This 6×6 board has 11 clues, 11 of which specify a required area. Shape hints include square, tall, wide proportions. 11 rectangles tile the 6×6 grid (36 cells): clue 1 → 2×2, clue 2 → 4×1, clue 3 → 2×3, clue 4 → 4×2, clue 5 → 4×1, clue 6 → 4×1, clue 7 → 2×1, clue 8 → 1×1, clue 9 → 1×1, clue 10 → 1×1, clue 11 → 1×1. No overlap, every clue covered exactly once. One or more clues demand large rectangles — lock those anchors first because they consume the most territory and constrain where every smaller patch can fit. Use the Solution tab for a patch-by-patch reveal with live board updates, or the Solved board tab for the complete tiling.