🚨 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!
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🎲 Today's Puzzle Overview
On Saturday, February 21, 2026, NYT Pips delivers a weekend logic party the whole community can rally around.
Edited by Ian Livengood, today’s lineup features Easy ID 599 (constructed by Ian Livengood), Medium ID 626 (constructed by Rodolfo Kurchan), and Hard ID 651 (constructed by Rodolfo Kurchan).
Whether you’re jumping in for quick hints, comparing strategies, or posting your full solution, this set offers plenty to discuss. From tight sum regions in Easy 599 to the layered equals zones in Hard 651, every grid invites collaboration.
Share your solving path, trade insights, and see how others approached the domino placements — because February 21 is the kind of puzzle day that’s better solved together.
Written by Anna
Puzzle Analyst – Sophia
💡 Progressive Hints
Try these hints one at a time. Each hint becomes more specific to help you solve it yourself!
💡 Hint #1 - So easy
Just do it.
💡 Hint #1 - Reserve High Digits for Mandatory Large Sums
Start by identifying regions that require large totals. Green 10 can only be formed by 6+4 given the available dominoes, so immediately reserve those values. At the same time, track all dominoes containing digits greater than 3, since the >3 regions and Green 10 will compete for the same limited supply.
💡 Hint #2 - Bridge Two Greater-Than Regions with One High Pair
When two >3 regions share a boundary, look for a single high-value domino that satisfies both at once. The 6-5 domino uniquely fulfills both Purple >3 and Red >3, making its placement forced and eliminating alternative high-digit conflicts.
💡 Hint #3 - Collapse Small Target Regions into Fixed Pairs
Low-sum regions like 2 and 4 usually have very few valid combinations. Once high digits are committed, Purple 7 narrows to 3+4, while Light Blue 2 and Blue 2 reduce to 1+1, and Yellow 4 becomes 2+2. Locking these compact sums rapidly stabilizes the grid and consumes mid-range digits efficiently.
💡 Hint #4 - Complete the Reserved Large Sum Last
After smaller regions are resolved, return to the pre-reserved large total. With other digits placed, Green 10 cleanly finalizes as 4 and 6 using the remaining compatible dominoes. Saving the structured high-sum region for the end ensures a clean finish without overlap.
💡 Hint #1 - Secure Zero Supply Before Expanding the Grid
Begin by counting all 0-halves in the domino pool. With four Number 0 regions demanding zeros and only five total 0-halves available, nearly every zero becomes reserved immediately. Treat zeros as fixed resources early so later placements don’t create impossible shortages.
💡 Hint #2 - Resolve Equal Zones by Locking Their Shared Digit
Equal regions collapse quickly once you identify the only digit they can support. Yellow Equal must standardize on 5, Blue Equal on 6, and Yellow 7 needs a compatible pair from the heavy 5-dominant pool. Fixing these high-frequency numbers reduces branching across the board.
💡 Hint #3 - Use Complementary Sums to Spend Mid-Range Digits
When a 7-sum region appears, check remaining mid-value digits. Red 7 resolves cleanly as 4+3 once higher combinations are exhausted. At the same time, placing 3-0 feeds the zero-demand structure, advancing two constraints with one move.
💡 Hint #4 - Let the Largest Remaining Digit Force the Blank
After upper digits are partially placed, identify where the highest unused value must go. The remaining 6 forces a blank placement, which determines Green Equal as 4 and sets Bottom Light Blue 7 to 1+6. High digits often dictate structure when space tightens.
💡 Hint #5 - Deploy Doubles to Stabilize Equal Regions
When only one double remains that satisfies an Equal constraint, use it to lock the region. The 1-1 domino stabilizes Purple Equal, and its paired placement channels the 3 into the adjacent 7-region, continuing the constraint chain.
💡 Hint #6 - Finish by Completing Digit Accounting in Multi-Cell Sums
In the final stage, list exactly which digits must total 7 in the remaining Light Blue region. With 3 already committed, the remaining digits resolve as 0, 2, and 2. Carefully distributing the last zero-dominant pieces clears Purple 0 and Red 0 while closing the puzzle without guesswork.
🎨 Pips Solver
Feb 21, 2026
Click a domino to place it on the board. You can also click the board, and the correct domino will appear.
✅ 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
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
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
Dominoes Include: [6-3], [6-0], [5-3], [5-2], [1-0].
2
Step 2: Purple 0 + Light Blue 9 + Blue 5 --(Arrows ①②)
Confirmed by neighboring region and step 1 and relative position.The domino halves in Light Blue 9 region must be 6+3. The answer is 0-6, placed vertically; 3-5, placed vertically
3
Step 3: Red 5 + Green 0 + Yellow 9 --(Arrows ③④⑤)
Confirmed by neighboring region and remaining dominoes (6-3, 5-2, 1-0). The domino halves in Yellow 9 region must be 2+1+6. The answer is 5-2, placed vertically; 0-1, placed vertically; 6-3 (3 up into blank), placed vertically.
🔧 Step-by-Step Answer Walkthrough For Medium Level
1
Step 1
Dominoes Include: [6-5], [6-0], [4-1], [4-0], [3-1], [2-1], [2-0], [1-0]. The domino halves in Green 10 region must be 6+4. Only 4 dominoes that contain more than 3 pips (6-5, 6-0, 4-1, 4-0), need two domino halves for Number >3 regions, need two domino halves for Green 10 egion.
2
Step 2: Purple >3 + Red >3 --(Arrows ①)
Confirmed by neighboring region and step 1 and relative position. [6-5] must placed in the boundary between Purple >3 region and Red >3 region. The answer is 6-5, placed horizontally.
3
Step 3: Purple 7 + Light Blue 2 + Yellow 4 + Blue 2 --(Arrows ②③④⑤⑥)
Confirmed by neighboring region and remaining dominoes. The domino halves in Purple 7 region must be 3+4. The domino halves in Light Blue 2 region must be 1+1. The domino halves in Yellow 4 region must be 2+2. The domino halves in Blue 2 region must be 1+1. The answer is 3-1 (1 into Blue 2 region), placed horizontally; 4-1 (1 into Light Blue 2 region), placed vertically; 1-2 (1 into Light Blue 2 region), placed horizontally; 2-0 (0 down into blank), placed vertically; 1-0 (1 into Blue 2 region, 0 up into blank), placed vertically.
4
Step 4: Green 10 --(Arrows ⑦⑧)
The answer is 0-4 (4 into Green 10 region), placed horizontally; 6-0 (6 into Green 10 region), placed vertically.
🔧 Step-by-Step Answer Walkthrough For Hard Level
1
Step 1
Dominoes Include: [6-6], [6-5], [6-4], [5-5], [5-4], [5-2], [5-1], [5-0], [4-1], [3-2], [3-1], [3-0], [2-0], [1-1], [0-0]. Only 5 domino halves that contain 0 pips (5-0, 3-0, 2-0, 0-0), need four for Number 0 regions.
2
Step 2: Yellow Equal + Blue Equal + Yellow 7 --(Arrows ①②③④)
Confirmed by neighboring region and step 1 and relative position.The domino halves in Yellow Equal region must be 5. The domino halves in Blue Equal region must be 6. Need one domino sum to be 7 placed in Yellow 7 region. The dominoes with 5 pips (6-5, 5-5, 5-4, 5-2, 5-1, 5-0). The answer is 5-5, placed horizontally; 5-6, placed vertically; 6-6, placed vertically; 2-5, placed horizontally
3
Step 3: Red 7 + Blue 0 --(Arrows ⑤⑥)
Confirmed by neighboring region and remaining dominoes. The domino halves in Red 7 region must be 4+3. The answer is 5-4 (5 into Yellow Equal region), placed vertically; 3-0, placed vertically.
4
Step 4: Green Equal + Bottom Light Blue 7 --(Arrows ⑦⑧⑨)
Confirmed by all left regions and remaining dominoes (6-4, 5-1, 5-0, 4-1, 3-2, 3-1, 2-0, 1-1, 0-0). 6 pips must placed in blank, therefore, the domino halves in Green Equal region must be 4. The domino halves in Bottom Light Blue 7 region must be 1+6 (need one domino sum to be 6). The answer is 6-4 (6 into blank), placed vertically; 4-1, placed vertically; 5-1, placed horizontally.
5
Step 5: Purple Equal --(Arrows ⑩⑪)
Confirmed by neighboring region and remaining dominoes (5-0, 3-2, 3-1, 2-0, 1-1, 0-0). Need one domino with the same number placed in this region. The answer is 1-1, placed vertically; 1-3 (3 into Top Light Blue 7 region), placed vertically.
6
Step 6: Purple 0 + Red 0 + Top Light Blue 7 --(Arrows ⑫⑬⑭⑮)
Confirmed by neighboring region and remaining dominoes (5-0, 3-2, 2-0, 0-0). The domino halves in Top Light Blue 7 region must be 0+2+3+2 (3 already come from Arrows ⑪). The answer is 0-0, placed horizontally; 0-2, placed vertically; 0-5 (0 into Top Light Blue 7 region, 5 into Yellow Equal region), placed horizontally; 2-3 (3 down into blank), placed vertically.
🎥 NYT Pips February 21, 2026 (Saturday) — Complete Solve for Easy 599, Medium 626 & Hard 651
Perfect for players who want to improve solving efficiency
💡 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.
💬 Community Discussion
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