NYT Pips Hints & Answers for August 9, 2026

Aug 9, 2026

🚨 SPOILER WARNING

This page contains the final **answer** and the complete **solution** to today's NYT Pips puzzle. If you haven't attempted the puzzle yet and want to try solving it yourself first, now's your chance!

Click here to play today's official NYT Pips game first.

Want hints instead? Scroll down for progressive clues that won't spoil the fun.

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🎲 Today's Puzzle Overview

Today's NYT Pips easy puzzle from Ian Livengood greets you with a compact grid dominated by equals constraints. You'll quickly spot a tiny single-cell region with a 'less 1' rule, forcing a pip value of zero. That zero then unlocks a chain of equals pairs, and the remaining dominos snap into place almost automatically. It's a warm, satisfying solve that feels like a gentle on-ramp.

Livengood's medium grid raises the stakes with sum and equals regions weaving across rows. A sum-8 constraint in the left column immediately narrows the possibilities, while a row of equals clues at the top creates a tight cascade. You'll find yourself toggling between the empty cell and a 'greater 2' region that demand careful pip assignment. The puzzle flows smoothly once you anchor the first few dominos.

Rodolfo Kurchan's hard puzzle is a sprawling 9-column beast with an intricate web of sum, equals, less, and greater constraints. A sum-0 region made of two cells is the knockout punch — only specific dominos can satisfy it, and that discovery ignites a chain reaction through a sum-15 triplet and a nest of equals. The puzzle layers constraints elegantly, and you'll feel a rush as each deduction cascades into the next. It's a masterclass in pip logic.

💡 Progressive Hints

Try these hints one at a time. Each hint becomes more specific to help you solve it yourself!

💡 A single-cell anchor
Look for a region that contains only one cell with a constraint requiring it to be less than a certain number. That's your starting point.
💡 The zero cell
That tiny region at row 2, column 3 must be 0. To get a 0, you'll need the only domino that contains a zero pip. Figure out how to place it while also satisfying the adjacent equals region.
💡 Full easy layout
Place domino [2,0] horizontally at [2,2]=2, [2,3]=0. Then domino [6,6] vertically at [0,3]=6, [1,3]=6. Next, [4,1] vertically: [1,0]=4, [0,0]=1, making [0,1]=1 via [5,1] horizontally ([0,2]=5, [0,1]=1). Last, [2,4] horizontal: [2,1]=2, [2,0]=4.
💡 Sum constraints at the edges
Focus on the leftmost column's sum-8 region and the top row's sum-6 bracket — these will force the first big deductions.
💡 Filling the top row
The sum-8 region must use the 6 from [3,6] and the 2 from [2,2]. That gives you [0,0]=2, and forces the sum-6 region to take a 4 at [0,2] from [4,6], which then chains into the equals pair.
💡 Complete medium solve
Place [3,6] vertically ([2,0]=3, [1,0]=6) and [2,2] horizontally ([0,0]=2, [0,1]=2). Then [4,6] horizontal: [0,2]=4, [0,3]=6; [6,1] horizontal: [0,4]=6, [0,5]=1; [5,1] vertical: [2,5]=5, [1,5]=1. In row 3, [5,5] covers [3,1]=5, [3,2]=5, and [5,2] covers [3,3]=5, [3,4]=2. All constraints snap into place.
💡 A zero-sum start
Find the region with the most restrictive sum requirement — it totals 0, meaning both cells must be 0.
💡 The zero domino duo
The sum-0 pair at [2,0] and [2,1] can only be satisfied by the two dominos that carry a 0: [6,0] and [0,1]. Placing them will feed into the empty cell and the sum-15 beast above.
💡 Sum-15 arithmetic
With [3,1]=6 from [6,0], the sum-15 region must combine 6+6+3. So [3,2] gets 6 from [3,6] and [3,0] gets 3 from [3,4]. This cascades into the fourth row's constraints.
💡 Equals chains awaken
The equals pair [1,3]=[2,3] locks in with [4,4] horizontally (4 and 4). Then the triple equals [1,5]=[2,5]=[3,5] all become 4, fed by [6,4] and [2,4], and later [5,4] for the third.
💡 Complete hard grid
Start: [6,0] vertical ([3,1]=6, [2,1]=0); [0,1] vertical ([2,0]=0, [1,0]=1). Sum-15: [3,6] vertical ([3,2]=6, [4,2]=3); [3,4] vertical ([3,0]=3, [4,0]=4). Equals: [4,4] horizontal ([1,3]=4, [2,3]=4); [6,4] vertical ([0,5]=6, [1,5]=4); [2,4] horizontal ([2,6]=2, [2,5]=4); [5,4] vertical ([4,5]=5, [3,5]=4). Top row: [6,2] horizontal ([0,7]=6, [0,6]=2). Row 7 sum-7: [1,6] vertical ([7,6]=1, [6,6]=6); [1,3] vertical ([7,2]=1, [6,2]=3); [2,2] horizontal ([7,3]=2, [8,3]=2); [1,5] horizontal ([7,4]=1, [6,4]=5); [1,2] horizontal ([7,5]=2, [8,5]=1). Then [5,6] horizontal ([4,6]=5, [4,7]=6); [1,1] vertical ([3,3]=1, [4,3]=1).

🎨 Pips Solver

Aug 9, 2026

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✅ Final Answer & Complete Solution For Hard Level

The key to solving today's hard puzzle was identifying the placement for the critical dominoes highlighted in the starting grid. Once those were in place, the rest of the puzzle could be solved logically. See the final grid below to compare your solution.

Starting Position & Key First Steps

Pips hint for August 9, 2026 – hard level puzzle grid with critical first placements and strategy

This image shows the initial puzzle grid for the hard level, with a few critical first placements highlighted.

Final Answer: The Solved Grid for Hard Mode

NYT Pips August 9, 2026 hard puzzle full solution grid showing final answer with hints

Compare this final grid with your own solution to see the correct placement of all dominoes.

🔧 Step-by-Step Answer Walkthrough For Easy Level

1
Step 1: Lock the zero
The 'less 1' region at [2,3] forces a pip of 0. Only domino [2,0] includes a 0, so that domino must occupy this cell.
2
Step 2: Place the zero domino
Place [2,0] horizontally to satisfy the adjacent equals region [2,1]=[2,2]. That puts 2 at [2,2] and 0 at [2,3], leaving [2,1] to later become 2.
3
Step 3: Right and left equals
The right-side equals pair [0,3]=[1,3] demands identical pips. The only domino with identical values is [6,6]; place it vertically to give both cells a 6. Also, the left equals [1,0]=[2,0] now forces 4 at [1,0] and [2,0]; use [4,1] vertical: [1,0]=4, [0,0]=1.
4
Step 4: Tie the top row and finish
Now [0,1] must equal 1 to match [0,0]. The [5,1] domino placed horizontally gives [0,1]=1 and [0,2]=5, satisfying the greater-4 region. Finally, [2,4] horizontally seals it: [2,1]=2, [2,0]=4.

🔧 Step-by-Step Answer Walkthrough For Medium Level

1
Step 1: Sum-8 at left
The region [0,0]/[1,0] must sum to 8. The only feasible split is 2 and 6. Place [2,2] horizontally to give [0,0]=2, [0,1]=2, and [3,6] vertically to give [1,0]=6, [2,0]=3.
2
Step 2: Sum-6 on top
With [0,1]=2, the sum-6 region [0,1]/[0,2] needs [0,2]=4. Use [4,6] horizontally: [0,2]=4, [0,3]=6.
3
Step 3: Top-right equals and less-4
The equals region [0,3]/[0,4] forces both to 6. Domino [6,1] horizontally gives [0,4]=6, [0,5]=1. The less-4 region below takes [1,5]=1 from [5,1] vertical ([2,5]=5, [1,5]=1).
4
Step 4: Triple equals in row 3
The three cells [3,1],[3,2],[3,3] all must be equal. With pips available, 5 is the only repeatable value. Place [5,5] for [3,1]=5,[3,2]=5, then [5,2] for [3,3]=5 and the greater-1 cell [3,4]=2.
5
Step 5: Check remaining constraints
The empty cell [2,0]=3, greater-2 cell [2,5]=5 are all set. The grid completes seamlessly.

🔧 Step-by-Step Answer Walkthrough For Hard Level

1
Step 1: Sum-0 anchors
The region at [2,0] and [2,1] sums to 0, so both must be 0. Use [6,0] vertically: [3,1]=6, [2,1]=0. Use [0,1] vertically: [2,0]=0, [1,0]=1. The empty cell [1,0] now holds 1.
2
Step 2: Sum-15 in row 3
With [3,1]=6, the three-cell sum-15 needs 6+6+3. Place [3,6] vertical at [3,2]=6, [4,2]=3 (less 4 satisfied), and [3,4] vertical at [3,0]=3, [4,0]=4 (sum-4 region at [4,0] done).
3
Step 3: Equals in column 3 and the triple-4 chain
The pair [1,3]=[2,3] must match. Domino [4,4] horizontally provides 4 for both. Then the triple equals [1,5]=[2,5]=[3,5] all become 4: use [6,4] vertical ([0,5]=6, [1,5]=4), [2,4] horizontal ([2,6]=2, [2,5]=4 — satisfying sum-2 at [2,6]), and [5,4] vertical ([4,5]=5, [3,5]=4).
4
Step 4: Top row sum-8 and equals in row 4
Top row sum-8: [0,5]=6 and [0,6] need sum 2. Use [6,2] horizontal: [0,7]=6 (greater 5), [0,6]=2. Also, equals pair [4,5]=[4,6] gets [5,6] horizontal: [4,6]=5, [4,7]=6 (greater 5).
5
Step 5: Far right and row 7 sum-7
Place [1,6] vertical ([7,6]=1, [6,6]=6, greater 5). Row 7 sum-7 needs 1+2+1+2+1: use [1,3] vertical ([7,2]=1, [6,2]=3 less 4); [2,2] horizontal ([7,3]=2, [8,3]=2 less 3); [1,5] horizontal ([7,4]=1, [6,4]=5 greater 4); [1,2] horizontal ([7,5]=2, [8,5]=1 less 2). Check: 1+2+1+2+1=7.
6
Step 6: Final sum-2 pair
The sum-2 pair [3,3]=1, [4,3]=1 via [1,1] vertical. The grid is fully resolved.

💡 Pro Tips for Similar Puzzles

Start with Constraints
Always begin with the most constrained regions - sum regions with small numbers or tight spaces.
Use Equal Regions
Use "equal" regions as anchors - they eliminate many possibilities quickly.
Work Systematically
Let the rules guide your placement rather than guessing randomly.
Double-Check
Verify each region's rules are satisfied before moving to the next.

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