  We study kink or domain wall solutions in O(10) Higgs models in the context
of the ``clash of symmetries'' mechanism developed by Davidson, Toner, Volkas
and Wali and, independently, by Pogosian and Vachaspati. We show that kink
configurations employing Higgs fields in the 45 (the adjoint representation) of
O(10) break up into three classes: those that at finite distances from the wall
respect a U(5) subgroup of SO(10), and two others that respect the smaller
subgroups U(3) x U(2) and U(4) x U(1). These smaller subgroups arise from the
clash of symmetries mechanism: they are the intersections of two differently
embedded U(5) subgroups of SO(10), the latter being the symmetries respected in
asymptotia on opposite sides of the domain wall. The existence of the SO(10) ->
U(3) x U(2) = SU(3) x SU(2) x U(1) x U(1)' = G_{SM} x U(1)' class advances the
search for a realistic brane world model wherein some of the required symmetry
breaking is achieved via the clash of symmetries rather than the conventional
mechanism. At the centres of the walls, the unbroken symmetries are enhanced.
In the U(3) x U(2) case, the symmetry is O(6) x U(2), which is closely related
to the Pati-Salam-like SU(4) x SU(2) x U(1) group. If our universe is a brane
located at the centre of such a wall, then we see the O(10) symmetry as being
strongly broken to SU(4) x SU(2) x U(1). Interestingly, if the brane-world
degrees of freedom enjoy a slight leakage off the wall, then an additional
symmetry breakdown to U(3) x U(2) = G_{SM} x U(1)' is effectively induced on
the brane. This provides a possible framework within which to address at least
part of a gauge hierarchy problem: O(10) is strongly broken to SU(4) x SU(2) x
U(1), then more weakly to G_{SM} x U(1)' depending on the amount of leakage off
the brane. We also comment on kinks employing the 10 and 54 of O(10).
