Question about Leading Hint and outer Joined tables

Hi Tom, I have 5 tables in a query, Tab1, Tab2, Tab3, Tab4 and Tab5 and I have the following query below. Select * From Tab1, Tab2, Tab3, Tab4, Tab5 Where Tab1.x = Tab2.y(+) and Tab1.x = Tab3.y and Tab3.x = Tab4.y(+) and Tab3.x = Tab5.y; Question 1. Can a table who's outer joined (in this case Tab2, Tab4) be a Driving table? Question 2. In the Join Order what happens to tables that are outer joined (in this case Tab2, Tab4). Do we only use tables that are inner joined in the Leading hint? Regards, Ravi