NYT Pips Hint, Answer & Solution for February 28, 2026

Feb 28, 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

On Saturday, February 28, 2026, our puzzle community comes together for another layered and rewarding NYT Pips challenge — the kind of weekend grid that invites deeper strategy and thoughtful discussion.

Edited by Ian Livengood, today’s set features:

• Easy ID 579, crafted by Ian Livengood

• Medium ID 581, constructed by Rodolfo Kurchan

• Hard ID 608, also by Rodolfo Kurchan

Each puzzle carries its own personality. Easy 579 may look compact, but its equals chains and carefully positioned sum clues reward solvers who slow down and track domino distribution early. If you’re searching for a reliable Pips hint today, start by mapping the forced equal regions before committing high-value tiles.

Medium 581 increases the tension with layered sum targets — including a large 15-sum region — and multiple greater-than constraints that quietly restrict placement flexibility. A smart strategy here is to analyze tile scarcity before touching the biggest region. Many players overlook how quickly options collapse once a single domino is misallocated.

Hard 608 is where Saturday truly earns its reputation. Expansive equals zones interact with zero-sum requirements and tight numerical balances, meaning every placement carries ripple effects across the grid. This is less about speed and more about structural awareness. If you’re stuck, revisit region relationships instead of brute-forcing placements — the solution emerges from constraint harmony, not guesswork.

Weekend puzzles often reward patience, and February 28, 2026 is no exception. Whether you’re comparing approaches with fellow solvers, sharing your NYT Pips hints, or reviewing the full solution after completion, this is a day built for collaborative insight.

If today’s grid taught us anything, it’s this: great domino solving isn’t about filling space — it’s about understanding how every rule speaks to the others.

Happy solving, and see you in the comments with your breakthrough moment.

Written by July

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 - A piece of cake

Just do it.

💡 Hint #1 - Pre-Assign Key Totals Before Placing

Begin by determining the only viable combinations for the largest fixed sums. Green 15 must be 6+4+5 and Purple 9 must be 5+4 based on the domino pool. Identifying these mandatory structures early allows you to mentally reserve critical 5s and 4s before committing to placements.

💡 Hint #2 - Lock a Completed Sum to Trigger Adjacent Regions

Resolve Purple 9 first since its 5+4 pairing is already known. Placing that pair simultaneously feeds neighboring regions, including Yellow 0 and the top inequality region. Using a confirmed total to satisfy multiple boundaries reduces branching possibilities.

💡 Hint #3 - Anchor the Largest Remaining Total

With Purple 9 fixed, complete Green 15 using the reserved 6, 4, and 5. These placements naturally distribute supporting values into Bottom Red >1 and Purple >0. Solving the largest remaining sum simplifies surrounding inequality regions by eliminating alternative pip flows.

💡 Hint #4 - Finish with Matching and Small-Sum Logic

Only small-value dominoes remain, making Blue Equal and Light Blue 3 straightforward. Blue Equal must take the double 2, and Light Blue 3 is forced into a 0+1+1+1 structure. With inventory nearly exhausted, simple matching and sum verification complete the puzzle.

💡 Hint #1 - Reserve the Critical 4s Early

Start by counting all 4-pip halves. Six are required for Yellow Equal and one more for Light Blue 4, consuming every available 4. This means no 4 can be wasted elsewhere. Identifying this total commitment immediately shapes all future placements.

💡 Hint #2 - Place the Only Zero Immediately

There is just one domino containing a 0, so Blue 0 must use it. Placing 4-0 vertically both satisfies Blue 0 and feeds a necessary 4 into Yellow Equal, reinforcing the earlier reservation of all 4s.

💡 Hint #3 - Resolve 1s and 4s Through Cross-Constraints

With zeros fixed, examine Light Blue 2, Purple 5, and Yellow Equal together. Limited 1-pip dominoes force Light Blue 2 to be 1+1, which in turn determines how remaining 1s and 4s are distributed. Purple 5 locks into 3+2, while Yellow Equal continues absorbing 4s as planned.

💡 Hint #4 - Anchor the Exact 6 Before Handling Inequality

Green 6 must be satisfied by a precise combination from the remaining pool. Once that total is fixed, Blue 1 and Red <6 can be determined by elimination. Locking in the exact 6 simplifies the surrounding inequality placement.

💡 Hint #5 - Use Equal and Greater-Than to Filter the Last Mid Values

For Red Equal and Purple >3, compare the remaining dominoes. Red Equal must take matching 2s, which forces the adjacent higher pip into Purple >3. Matching-value regions become straightforward once the inventory narrows.

💡 Hint #6 - Finish with the Last 4 and Remaining 6s

With only two dominoes left, their placements are dictated by the reserved 4 requirement and the remaining sum for Green 3. Light Blue 4 absorbs the final 4, and the last domino completes Green 3 by elimination, closing the grid cleanly.

🎨 Pips Solver

Feb 28, 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 28, 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 28, 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: [6-4], [6-2], [5-0], [4-4], [4-0].

2

Step 2: Light Blue 6 + Purple Equal + Red Equal + Yellow >4 --(Arrows ①②③④)

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

3

Step 3: Blue 6 --(Arrows ⑤)

The answer is 6-2 (6 into Blue 6 region, 2 down into blank), placed vertically.

🔧 Step-by-Step Answer Walkthrough For Medium Level

1

Step 1

Dominoes Include: [6-2], [5-2], [5-0], [4-1], [4-0], [2-2], [2-1], [1-1]. The domino halves in Green 15 region must be 6+4+5. The domino halves in Purple 9 region must be 5+4.

2

Step 2: Top Red >1 + Purple 9 + Yellow 0 --(Arrows ①②)

Confirmed by neighboring region and step 1 and relative position. The domino halves in Purple 9 region must be 5+4. The answer is 2-4 (2 into Top Red 1 region), placed horizontally; 4-0 (0 into Yellow 0 region), placed vertically.

3

Step 3: Green 15 + Bottom Red >1 + Purple >0 --(Arrows ③④⑤)

Confirmed by neighboring region and remaining dominoes (6-2, 5-0, 4-1, 2-2, 2-1, 1-1). The domino halves in Green 15 region must be 6+4+5. The answer is 6-2 (6 into Bottom Red >1 region), placed horizontally; 4-1 (1 into Purple >0 region), placed horizontally; 5-0 (0 into Light Blue 3 region), placed vertically.

4

Step 4: Blue Equal + Light Blue 3 --(Arrows ⑥⑦⑧)

Confirmed by neighboring region and remaining dominoes (2-2, 2-1, 1-1). The domino halves in Blue Equal region must be 2. The domino halves in Light Blue 3 region must be 0+1+1+1 (0s already come from (Arrows ⑤). The answer is 2-2, placed vertically; 2-1, placed horizontally; 1-1, placed vertically.

🔧 Step-by-Step Answer Walkthrough For Hard Level

1

Step 1

Dominoes Include: [6-4], [6-3], [6-1], [5-4], [5-2], [4-4], [4-2], [4-1], [4-0], [3-3], [3-2], [3-1]. The domino halves in Yellow Equal region must be 4. Only 7 domino halves that contain 4 pips ,need six for Yellow Equal region, need one for Light Blue 4 region.

2

Step 2: Blue 0 --(Arrows ①)

Confirmed by neighboring region and step 1 and relative position. Only one domino with 0 pips (4-0). Therefore, the answer is 0-4 (0 into Blue 0 region, 4 into Yellow Equal region), placed vertically.

3

Step 3: Light Blue 2 + Purple 5 + Yellow Equal --(Arrows ②③④⑤)

Confirmed by neighboring region and remaining dominoes. The domino halves in Light Blue 2 region must be 1+1. Only 3 dominoes left that contain 1 pips (6-1, 4-1, 3-1), therefore, the domino halves in Purple 5 region must be 3+2. The domino halves in Yellow Equal region must be 4. The answer is 1-4, placed horizontally; 1-3, placed vertically; 2-4, placed horizontally; 4-4, placed horizontally.

4

Step 4: Blue 1 + Green 6 + Red <6 --(Arrows ⑥⑦⑧)

Confirmed by neighboring region and remaining dominoes (6-4, 6-3, 6-1, 5-4, 5-2, 3-3, 3-2). Need one domino sum to be 6 placed in Green 6 region. The answer is 1-6 (6 left into blank), placed horizontally; 3-3, placed vertically; 5-4 (5 into Red <6 region), placed horizontally.

5

Step 5: Red Equal + Purple >3 --(Arrows ⑨⑩)

Confirmed by all left regions and remaining dominoes (6-4, 6-3, 5-2, 3-2). The domino halves in Red Equal region must be 2. The answer is 2-5 (5 into Purple >3 region), placed vertically; 2-3 (3 up into blank), placed vertically.

6

Step 6: Light Blue 4 + Green 3 --(Arrows ⑪⑫)

Confirmed by all left regions and remaining dominoes (6-4, 6-3). The answer is 4-6 (4 into Light Blue 4 region), placed vertically; 3-6 (3 into Green 3 region), placed horizontally.

🎥 NYT Pips February 28, 2026 (Saturday) — Full Solve & Smart Strategy Guide | IDs 579, 581, 608 Breakdown

In this full solve walkthrough, we go beyond simply placing dominoes.

💡 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.

🎓 Keep Learning & Improve

🧠 Strategy Guide

Master the core techniques to solve any Pips puzzle, no matter the difficulty.

🎮 How to Play

New to Pips? Learn all the rules and conditional regions in minutes.

📖 More to Read

NYT Pips Hints & Answers for February 27, 2026

View Answer →

NYT Pips Hints & Answers for February 26, 2026

View Answer →

NYT Pips Hints & Answers for February 25, 2026

View Answer →

💬 Community Discussion

Leave your comment