NYT Pips Hint, Answer & Solution for February 4, 2026

Feb 4, 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 Wednesday, February 4, 2026, NYT Pips rolls out a thoughtfully balanced three-puzzle lineup—ideal for a midweek reset and a focused logic workout. No holiday hype here, just a clean Wednesday challenge that rewards patience, structure, and smart counting.

Edited by Ian Livengood, today’s progression feels intentional from the very first move.

The easy puzzle (ID 587) keeps things tight with a compact domino set and low target sums, making it perfect for warming up your grid awareness and spotting early Pips Hint opportunities without overthinking. It’s the kind of start that builds confidence while quietly training discipline.

The medium puzzle (ID 614), designed by Rodolfo Kurchan, opens the grid and raises the stakes. Multiple sum regions paired with equals constraints force you to slow down, track domino distributions carefully, and think two steps ahead—exactly where a well-timed pips hint today can save momentum.

The hard puzzle (ID 642) is where structure truly matters. Repeated sum-7 regions and strict greater-than rules leave little room for guessing. Every placement has consequences, and success comes from recognizing patterns early and committing to a clear logical framework.

Whether you’re measuring progress, analyzing domino frequency, or searching for dependable NYT Pips solutions and hints for February 4, 2026, this set stands as a strong benchmark—cleanly designed, mentally demanding, and deeply satisfying when the logic finally clicks.

Written by Nikki

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 - Observe

Only 2 dominoes with 5 pips (5-2, 5-1) for Number 5 regions.

💡 Hint #1 - Spot unique high pips early

Start by identifying pip values that appear only once or twice in the domino set. Rare high numbers like a single 5 or limited 4s often dictate which sum regions they must serve, narrowing the grid immediately.

💡 Hint #2 - Solve equals and exact sums together

When equal regions sit near fixed-sum regions, resolve them as a group. Locking an exact total first can force specific values into equal regions, cascading clarity across multiple areas at once.

💡 Hint #3 - Break remaining sums by elimination

With most high-impact values placed, list all remaining combinations for unresolved sums. Use greater-than rules and leftover domino constraints to eliminate impossible pairs until only one configuration fits.

💡 Hint #1 - Count the rare values first

Begin by scanning the domino pool for scarce pip values. When only a few halves can supply a specific number, those pieces usually define key boundaries between sum regions and sharply limit where high-impact dominoes can go.

💡 Hint #2 - Use single-option pips to lock sums

When a pip value appears on only one remaining domino, treat it as an anchor. Combine that certainty with a fixed-sum region to narrow the composition of the entire region before worrying about exact placements.

💡 Hint #3 - Resolve fixed-sum regions as pairs

For target sums like 7, list all valid pip pairs using the remaining dominoes. Eliminate pairs that conflict with nearby greater-than or less-than rules to force a single viable combination.

💡 Hint #4 - Chain deductions across adjacent regions

Once one sum region is resolved, immediately propagate the consequences to its neighbors. Shared boundaries often convert a solved sum into a forced greater-than or exact-value decision elsewhere.

💡 Hint #5 - Finish by exhausting the last sum

With most constraints satisfied, the final sum region usually collapses by elimination. Confirm that the remaining domino is the only one that completes the target without violating surrounding conditions.

🎨 Pips Solver

Feb 4, 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 4, 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 4, 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: [5-2], [5-1], [3-2], [1-1], [0-0]. Only 2 dominoes with 5 pips (5-2, 5-1) for Number 5 regions.

2

Step 2: Purple 1 --(Arrows ①②)

Confirmed by neighboring region and step 1 and relative position. The domino halves in this region must be 0+0+1. The answer is 0-0, placed horizontally; 1-1 (one 1s into Purpe 1 region, one 1s right into blank), placed horizontally.

3

Step 3: Yellow 5 + Light Blue Equal + Red 5 --(Arrows ③④⑤)

Confirmed by neighboring region and remaining dominoes (5-2, 5-1, 3-2). The domino halves in Light Blue Equal region must be 2. The answer is 5-2 (5 into Yellow 5 region), placed horizontally; 2-3 (3 up into blank), placed vertically; 5-1 (5 into Red 5 region, 1 up into blank), placed vertically.

🔧 Step-by-Step Answer Walkthrough For Medium Level

1

Step 1

Dominoes Include: [5-4], [4-2], [3-3], [3-2], [3-1], [2-1], [2-0]. Only one domino with 5 pips (5-4). Only 2 domino halves that contain 4 pips (5-4, 4-2).

2

Step 2: Purple 8 + Yellow Equal + Green Equal --(Arrows ①②③④)

Confirmed by all regions and step 1 and relative position. The domino halves in Purple 8 region must be 5+3. The domino halves in Yellow Equal region must be 1. The domino halves in Green Equal region must be 2. The answer is 4-5 (4 into blank), placed horizontally; 3-1, placed vertically; 1-2, placed horizontally; 2-0 (0 up into blank), placed vertically.

3

Step 3: Red >2 + Light Blue 4 + Blue 7 --(Arrows ⑤⑥⑦)

Confirmed by neighboring region and remaining dominoes (4-2, 3-3, 3-2). The domino halves in Light Blue 4 region must be 2+2. The domino halves in Blue 7 region must be 4+3. The answer is 3-2 (3 into Red >2 region), placed horizontally; 2-4, placed vertically; 3-3 (one 3s left into blank), placed horizontally.

🔧 Step-by-Step Answer Walkthrough For Hard Level

1

Step 1

Dominoes Include: [6-3], [5-1], [4-3], [4-1], [4-0], [2-1], [1-0]. Only 2 dominoes with 3 pips (6-3, 4-3). [6-3] must placed in the boundary between Red 7 region and Blue 7 region. Therefore, the domino halves in Red 7 region and Blue 7 region must be 6+1 or 3+4, the domino halves in Yellow 7 region must be 3+4.

2

Step 2: Green >1 + Light Blue 7 --(Arrows ①②)

Confirmed by all regions and step 1 and relative position. Only one domino with 2 pips (2-1), only one domino with 5 pips (5-1). Therefore, the domino halves in Light Blue 7 region must be 1+6 (one domino sum to be 6=1+5). The answer is 2-1 (2 into Green >1 region ), placed horizontally; 1-5 (whole domino), placed vertically.

3

Step 3: Purple >2 + Yellow 7 --(Arrows ③)

Confirmed by neighboring region and step 1 and remaining dominoes (6-3, 4-3, 4-1, 4-0, 1-0). The domino halves in Yellow 7 region must be 3+4. The answer is 4-3 (4 into Purple >2 region, 3 into Yellow 7 region), placed vertically.

4

Step 4: Purple >0 + Blue 7 + Red 7 --(Arrows ④⑤⑥)

Confirmed by neighboring region and step 1 and remaining dominoes (6-3, 4-1, 4-0, 1-0). The domino halves in Blue 7 region must be 4+3, then the domino halves in Red 7 must be 6+1. The answer is 1-4 (1 into Purple >0 region), placed vertically; 3-6, placed vertically; 1-0 (0 up into blank), placed vertically.

5

Step 5: Yellow 7 --(Arrows ⑦)

The answer is 4-0 (4 into Yellow 7 region, 0 right into blank), placed horizontally.

🎥 NYT Pips February 4, 2026 — Clean Logic, Smart Sums & Midweek Pips Hints Explained

This video is built to help you think cleaner—not just finish faster.

💡 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

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