NYT Pips Hint, Answer & Solution for February 22, 2026

Feb 22, 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.

🎲 Today's Puzzle Overview

February 22, 2026 (Sunday) delivers a clean, well-paced NYT Pips lineup — perfect for a focused weekend solve. If you're looking for sharp logic and practical Pips Hint today, this set offers a steady climb in difficulty without feeling repetitive.

🟢 Easy — ID 591

Just 5 dominoes, but tight greater-than and sum constraints force careful early placements.

Pips hint: Resolve the inequality first — it unlocks the rest of the grid quickly.

🟡 Medium — ID 623

With 8 dominoes, the key pressure point is the 22-sum region.

Pips hint today: Watch domino distribution — mid-range numbers become decisive.

🔴 Hard — ID 650

A 13-domino challenge by Rodolfo Kurchan featuring multiple sum targets and equals regions.

Pips hint: Anchor equals zones early to control sequencing.

No major holiday distractions — just pure Sunday logic.

Whether you're reviewing the full solution or refining your deduction speed, February 22, 2026 offers a smooth progression from compact reasoning to dense constraint solving — ideal for improving your NYT Pips strategy.

Written by Joe

Puzzle Analyst – Lucas

💡 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 - Survey the Domino Pool Before Placing

Start by reviewing the full domino set and identifying standout values such as double 6 and multiple 5s. Recognizing which high or repeated pips are available prepares you to anticipate large-sum regions and detect where strong constraints will appear first.

💡 Hint #2 - Anchor the Largest Total Early

Tackle the Green 22 region immediately since it demands a very high total. Only a specific combination of 6s and a 4 can satisfy 22 with the given pool. Locking in this large sum stabilizes the grid and removes several high-value halves from circulation.

💡 Hint #3 - Use Inequality to Direct Placement

With the largest total fixed, evaluate Red >4 alongside Light Blue 2. Limited remaining low-value halves force the 2-region to use matching 1s, while the inequality region must absorb a higher pip. Combining sum logic with inequality constraints sharply narrows choices.

💡 Hint #4 - Let Remaining Options Define Exact Totals

For Purple 4, check which combinations are still feasible after earlier placements. With high pips mostly allocated, only one pairing can cleanly satisfy the total while respecting adjacency. Reduced inventory naturally reveals the correct fit.

💡 Hint #5 - Close with Equal and Threshold Constraints

In the final stage, coordinate Yellow Equal, Blue 10, and Purple <3 together. Remaining dominoes make the equal region value fixed, the 10-region require double 5s, and the inequality region accept the only viable low half. When few pieces remain, cross-referencing all region rules leads to forced placements.

💡 Hint #1 - Count Scarce Halves First

Begin by inventorying the rare pip values. There are only three halves containing 1 and four halves containing 6, yet multiple regions depend on them. Assigning these limited resources early—especially to the 1-regions and the 11, 12, and 9 totals—greatly reduces ambiguity and constrains later placements.

💡 Hint #2 - Secure the High-Sum 9 Regions

Next, resolve both 9-sum regions by checking which combinations remain possible after accounting for scarce pips. The Red 9 and Purple 9 regions each require very specific pairings once neighboring needs are considered. Locking in these high totals stabilizes the center of the grid and clarifies surrounding domino orientations.

💡 Hint #3 - Link Adjacent Totals to Force 12 and 4

Evaluate interconnected regions together—Green 1, Yellow 4, and Light Blue 12. With limited remaining combinations, the 4-region and 12-region become forced through elimination. Use adjacency and remaining domino supply to confirm both value pairings and vertical placements.

💡 Hint #4 - Resolve Exact and Equal Regions in Sequence

With major sums fixed, turn to smaller exact totals and equal constraints. Red 1, Blue 11, Green 4, and the Light Blue Equal region can now be determined by cross-checking remaining dominoes. Equal regions often become solvable only after neighboring totals are settled.

💡 Hint #5 - Place Remaining High Values Carefully

As the domino pool shrinks, remaining high pips (especially 6s and 5s) have very few valid destinations. Track not just the sum requirement but also which half enters the target region versus a blank. Forced vertical placements emerge naturally once options narrow.

💡 Hint #6 - Finish with Constraints and Leftovers

In the final stage, only a few dominoes remain, making inequality and equal regions fully determined by elimination. Use process of elimination and orientation logic to complete Purple <2, Yellow Equal, and the final blank area. When inventory is nearly exhausted, placements become uniquely forced.

🎨 Pips Solver

Feb 22, 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

Pips hint for February 22, 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 February 22, 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

Dominoes Include: [6-6], [5-3], [4-0], [2-1], [2-0].

2

Step 2: Light Blue 0 + Purple >9 + Red 9 --(Arrows ①②③)

Confirmed by neighboring region and step 1 and relative position.The domino halves in Purple >9 region must be 4+6. The domino halves in Red 9 must be 6+3. The answer is 0-4, placed vertically; 6-6, placed horizontally; 3-5 (5 down into blank), placed vertically.

3

Step 3: Blue 0 + Yellow >1 --(Arrows ④⑤)

Confirmed by neighboring region and remaining dominoes (2-1, 2-0). The answer is 2-0 (0 into Blue 0 region), placed horizontally; 1-2 (2 into Yellow >1 region), placed vertically.

🔧 Step-by-Step Answer Walkthrough For Medium Level

1

Step 1

Dominoes Include: [6-6], [6-4], [5-4], [5-3], [5-1], [5-0], [3-2], [3-1].

2

Step 2: Green 22 --(Arrows ①②)

Confirmed by neighboring region and step 1 and relative position.The domino halves in Green 22 region must be 6+6+6+4. The answer is 4-6, placed horizontally; 6-6, placed horizontally.

3

Step 3: Red >4 + Light Blue 2 --(Arrows ③④)

Confirmed by neighboring region and remaining dominoes (5-4, 5-3, 5-1, 5-0, 3-2, 3-1). The domino halves in Light Blue 2 region must be 1+1. The answer is 5-1 (5 into Red >4 region), placed horizontally; 1-3 (3 right into blank), placed horizontally.

4

Step 4: Purple 4 --(Arrows ⑤)

Confirmed by neighboring region and remaining dominoes (5-4, 5-3, 5-0, 3-2). The answer is 4-5 (4 into Purple 4 region, 5 into blank), placed horizontally.

5

Step 5: Yellow Equal + Blue 10 + Purple <3 --(Arrows ⑥⑦⑧)

Confirmed by neighboring region and remaining dominoes (5-3, 5-0, 3-2). The domino halves in Yellow Equal must be 3. The domino halves in Blue 10 region must be 5+5. The answer is 3-2 (2 down into blank), placed vertically; 3-5, placed vertically; 5-0 (0 into Purple <3 region), placed horizontally.

🔧 Step-by-Step Answer Walkthrough For Hard Level

1

Step 1

Dominoes Include: [6-5], [6-4], [6-3], [6-1], [5-2], [5-0], [4-3], [3-2], [3-1], [3-0], [2-2], [2-0], [1-0]. Only 3 domino halves that contain 1 pips (6-1, 3-1, 1-0) for Number 1 regions. Only 4 domino halves that contain 6 pips (6-5, 6-4, 6-3, 6-1), need one for Blue 11 region, need two for Light Blue 12 region, need one for Red 9 region.

2

Step 2: Blue 1 + Red 9 + Purple 9 --(Arrows ①②)

Confirmed by all regions and step 1 and relative position. The domino halves in Red 9 region must be 6+3. The domino halves in Purple 9 must be 4+5 (5s come from step 5). The answer is 1-6, placed vertically; 3-4, placed vertically.

3

Step 3: Green 1 + Yellow 4 + Light Blue 12 --(Arrows ③④)

Confirmed by neighboring region and remaining dominoes. The domino halves in Yellow 4 region must be 0+4. The domino halves in Light Blue 12 region must be 6+6 (one 6s come from step 5). The answer is 1-0, placed vertically; 4-6, placed vertically.

4

Step 4: Red 1 + Light Blue Equal + Blue 11 + Green 4 --(Arrows ⑤⑥⑦⑧)

Confirmed by neighboring region and remaining dominoes (6-5, 6-3, 5-2, 5-0, 3-2, 3-1, 3-0, 2-2, 2-0). The domino halves in Red 1 region must be 0+1. The domino halves in Light Blue Equal region must be 3. The domino halves in Blue 11 region must be 6+5. The domino halves in Green 4 region must be 2+2. The answer is 1-3, placed horizontally; 3-6, placed vertically; 5-2, placed horizontally; 2-0, placed vertically.

5

Step 5: Light Blue 12 + Purple 9 --(Arrows ⑨⑩)

Confirmed by neighboring region and remaining dominoes (6-5, 5-0, 3-2, 3-0, 2-2). The answer is 6-5 (6 into Light Blue 12 region, 5 up into blank), placed vertically; 5-0 (5 into Purple 9 region, 0 down into blank), placed vertically.

6

Step 6: Purple <2 + Yellow Equal + Top Blank--(Arrows ⑪⑫⑬)

Confirmed by neighboring region and remaining dominoes (3-2, 3-0, 2-2). The domino halves in Yellow Equal region must be 3. The answer is 0-3 (0 into Purple <2 region), placed vertically; 3-2 (2 right into blank), placed horizontally; 2-2 (whole domino into Top Blank), placed vertically

🎥 NYT Pips February 22, 2026 (Sunday) — Full Walkthrough & Smart Pips Hints for Easy 591, Medium 623, Hard 650

This video walks through each grid clearly and efficiently.

💡 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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