NYT Pips Hint, Answer & Solution for February 6, 2026

Feb 6, 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

Saturday, February 6, 2026 brings a crisp NYT Pips lineup that feels built for clean deductions, quick pattern recognition, and shareable “aha” moments.

Edited by Ian Livengood, today’s three-puzzle set has a strong rhythm: easy confirms early, medium tightens the logic, and hard rewards disciplined tracking instead of guesswork. It’s the kind of day where a good pips hint today can instantly unlock the next region.

The easy puzzle (ID 603) by Ian Livengood is a fast and satisfying warm-up, using a small domino pool that makes elimination feel almost automatic. With equals zones and clear number pressure, it’s ideal for solvers who like quick confirmations and clean openings.

The medium puzzle (ID 635), also by Ian Livengood, steps up with heavier totals and structured constraints that force careful domino counting. This is where most players will pause, re-check remaining halves, and start looking for the next strong NYT Pips hint before committing placements.

The hard puzzle (ID 661) by Rodolfo Kurchan is the real logic workout—packed with layered sum regions, stacked equals, and high-value constraints that punish sloppy assumptions. One correct placement can trigger a chain reaction, making it perfect for a full walkthrough-style solution video.

If you’re searching for NYT Pips hints, a reliable solution path, or the best Pips hint today guide for February 6, 2026, this set delivers a sharp mix of speed, structure, and satisfying logic flow.

Written by Joy

Puzzle Analyst – Nikki

💡 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 - Track the 1-Pip Bottleneck Early

Before placing anything, count the 1-pip halves. With only three 1s available but multiple regions demanding them, the Light Blue 4 region and Blue 1 region immediately become priority constraints. This is a classic NYT Pips hint: scarcity tells you where the grid must lock first.

💡 Hint #2 - Force the Light Blue 4 Combination

Treat Light Blue 4 as a math lock instead of a guess. The only workable breakdown is 1+1+2, which instantly forces the use of the 2-2 domino and consumes two of the precious 1s. Once this is set, Purple >3 and the 5 placement become much easier to control.

💡 Hint #3 - Convert Yellow 16 Into a Single Domino Target

After the 5 is committed, Yellow 16 stops being a big number and becomes a simple subtraction problem: 16−5=11. That narrows the search to the only domino that can produce 11, making the next placement a clean deduction rather than trial-and-error.

💡 Hint #4 - Solve Green 21 by Pairing High Dominoes

For large total regions like Green 21, stop thinking cell-by-cell and instead search for full-domino combinations that can reach the target. With remaining pieces, the only way to hit 21 is forcing 4+5+6+6, which immediately locks both the 4-5 and 6-6 placements.

💡 Hint #5 - Close the Puzzle With Remaining Doubles

In the endgame, let the leftovers solve themselves. Once the high-sum regions are finished, the only valid equal domino becomes obvious, so Red Equal must take 5-5. That leaves the final 1-pip half to satisfy Blue 1, completing the grid with zero ambiguity.

💡 Hint #1 - Count the 10-Pair Pressure First

Start by scanning how many domino halves can form sum-10 pairs (6+4, 5+5, etc.). Since at least four 10-sum pairs are required, the double-six becomes a forced anchor candidate and must sit on the Purple 10 / Light Blue >9 boundary to satisfy both high-sum demand and limited resources.

💡 Hint #2 - Lock the Purple 10 With the Only Valid Split

Once the boundary anchor is identified, treat Purple 10 as a forced equation. The only realistic breakdown is 6+4, so place the 6-6 to feed the >9 region while using a 4-half to complete the Purple 10 requirement, simultaneously narrowing Red Equal options.

💡 Hint #3 - Use Rare 1-Pips to Force the Red 10

Track the 1-pip inventory immediately: only 5-1 and 1-1 exist. If Light Blue requires a 1, it instantly consumes one of them. That forces Red 10 to become 5+5, which makes 5-domino allocation predictable and confirms Green 4 using the only remaining 4-half placement.

💡 Hint #4 - Solve Multi-Region Blocks by Pip Scarcity

When several regions connect (Purple 8, Blue 4, Yellow Equal, Green 10), stop thinking piece-by-piece and instead solve by scarcity. With only two 2-pip dominoes left, Blue 4 must be 2+2. That immediately forces Purple 8 to be 4+4, Yellow Equal to be 0, and Green 10 to be 5+5—creating a clean chain placement.

💡 Hint #5 - Drop the Only Safe Equal Domino

After the big forced chain, the remaining pool becomes small enough that the Purple Equal region has only one stable option. When you see an Equal region with limited candidates, prioritize placing the only non-conflicting double (here, 1-1) to eliminate branching possibilities.

💡 Hint #6 - Finish by Resolving the Last Equal + Zero Requirement

In endgame cleanup, combine two rules: Red Equal must complete the missing 3-pip set, and the Bottom Yellow Equal must be 0. With those locked, the leftover >9 region becomes automatic (6+6), and the remaining dominoes snap into place without needing trial placements.

🎨 Pips Solver

Feb 6, 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 6, 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 6, 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], [6-5], [5-3], [5-2], [2-2], [1-0].

2

Step 2: Red 5 + Purple Equal --(Arrows ①②)

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

3

Step 3: Light Blue <1 --(Arrows ③)

Confirmed by neighboring region and remaining dominoes (6-6, 6-5, 5-3, 1-0). The answer is 0-1 (0 into Light Blue <1 region, 1 up into blank), placed vertically.

4

Step 4: Green >5 + Blue 10 + Yellow Equal --(Arrows ④⑤⑥)

Confirmed by neighboring region and remaining dominoes (6-6, 6-5, 5-3). The domino halves in Blue 10 region must be 5+5. The domino halves in Yellow Equal must be 6. The answer is 6-5 (6 into Green >5 region), placed horizontally; 5-3 (3 left into blank), placed horizontally; 6-6 (whole domino), placed horizontally.

🔧 Step-by-Step Answer Walkthrough For Medium Level

1

Step 1

Dominoes Include: [6-6], [6-5], [5-5], [5-4], [5-1], [4-1], [3-1], [2-2]. The domino halves in Light Blue 4 region must be 1+1+2. Only 3 domino halves that contain 1 pips (5-1, 4-1, 3-1), need two for Light Blue 4 region, need one for Blue 1 region, 5 pips (come from 5-1) must placed in Yellow 16 region or Green 21 region.

2

Step 2: Light Blue 4 + Purple >3 --(Arrows ①②③)

Confirmed by neighboring region and step 1 and relative position. The domino halves in Light Blue 4 region must be 1+1+2. Only one domino with 2 pips (2-2.) The answer is 2-2 (one 2s into blank), placed vertically; 1-4 (4 into Purple >3 region), placed vertically; 1-5 (5 into Yellow 16 region), placed vertically.

3

Step 3: Yellow 16 --(Arrows ④)

Confirmed by neighboring region and remaining dominoes (6-6, 6-5, 5-5, 5-4, 3-1). Need one domino sum to be 11 (16-5=11, 5s already come from Arrows ③). The answer is 5-6, placed vertically.

4

Step 4: Green 21 --(Arrows ⑤⑥)

Confirmed by neighboring region and remaining dominoes (6-6, 5-5, 5-4, 3-1). Need two whole dominoes sum to be 21, therefore, the domino halves in this region must be 4+5+6+6. The answer is 4-5, placed horizontally; 6-6, placed vertically.

5

Step 5: Red Equal + Blue 1 --(Arrows ⑦⑧)

Confirmed by neighboring region and remaining dominoes (5-5, 3-1). The answer is 5-5 (whole domino into Red Equal), placed vertically; 3-1 (3 into blank, 1 into Blue 1 region), placed vertically.

🔧 Step-by-Step Answer Walkthrough For Hard Level

1

Step 1

Dominoes Include: [6-6], [6-0], [5-4], [5-2], [5-1], [5-0], [4-3], [4-2], [4-0], [3-3], [3-0], [1-1]. Only 4 domino halves that contain 4 pips (5-4, 4-3, 4-2, 4-0), need one for Green 4 region. Only 4 domino halves that contain 5 pips (5-4, 5-2, 5-1, 5-0), at least two is required for Number 10 regions. Only 4 domino halves that contain 3 pips (4-3, 3-3, 3-0) for Red Equal region. At least 4 pairs are needed (each pair consists of two domino halves whose sum to be 10), therefore, [6-6] must placed in the boundary between Purple 10 region and Light Blue >9 region.

2

Step 2: Purple 10 --(Arrows ①②)

Confirmed by neighboring region and step 1 and relative position. The domino halves in this region must be 6+4. The answer is 6-6 (one 6s into Light Blue >9 region), placed vertically; 4-3 (3 into Red Equal region), placed vertically.

3

Step 3: Light Blue 1 + Red 10 + Green 4 --(Arrows ③④)

Confirmed by neighboring region and remaining dominoes. Only 2 dominoes left that with 1 pips (5-1, 1-1). The domino halves in Red 10 region must be 5+5. The answer is 1-5 (1 into Light Blue 1 region), placed horizontally; 5-4 (4 into Green 4 region), placed vertically.

4

Step 4: Purple 8 + Blue 4 + Left Yellow Equal + Green 10 --(Arrows ⑤⑥⑦⑧)

Confirmed by neighboring region and remaining dominoes. Only 2 dominoes left that with 2 pips (5-2, 4-2). The domino halves in Purple 8 region must be 4+4. The domino halves in Blue 4 region must be 2+2. The domino halves in Left Yellow Equal region must be 0. The domino halves in Green 10 region must be 5+5. The answer is 4-2, placed vertically; 4-0, placed vertically; 2-5, placed vertically; 0-5, placed vertically.

5

Step 5: Purple Equal --(Arrows ⑨)

Confirmed by neighboring region and remaining dominoes (6-0, 3-3, 3-0, 1-1). The answer is 1-1 (whole domino), placed horizontally.

6

Step 6: Red Equal + Bottom Yellow Equal --(Arrows ⑩⑪⑫)

Confirmed by neighboring region and remaining dominoes (6-0, 3-3, 3-0). The domino halves in Red Equal must be 3 (one 3s already come from Arrows ②). The domino halves in Bottom Yellow Equal must be 0. The domino halves in Light Blue >9 region must be 6+6 (one 6s already come from Arrows ①). The answer is 3-0, placed horizontally; 3-3, placed horizontally; 0-6, placed vertically.

🎥 NYT Pips February 6, 2026 (Friday) — Easy 603, Medium 635, Hard 661 Full Walkthrough + Pips Hint Today

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💡 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

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