NYT Pips Hint, Answer & Solution for January 20, 2026

Jan 20, 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 Tuesday, January 20, 2026, NYT Pips lines up a three-grid logic challenge that’s ready to test your skills from start to finish.

If you’re kicking off your Tuesday with a fresh brain workout, this puzzle set is a perfect way to sharpen focus and settle into a productive solving rhythm.

Edited by Ian Livengood, today’s lineup delivers a clean, well-paced difficulty curve designed for solvers who love measurable progress, sharp deductions, and that satisfying “everything clicks” moment.

Whether you’re hunting for a clean solution path or just need a quick Pips Hint to get unstuck, this is one of those days where logic feels fair, structured, and deeply rewarding.

The Easy grid (ID 530) keeps things efficient with just five dominoes and tightly scoped sum regions.

It works beautifully as a fast logic checkpoint and a confidence builder—ideal for warming up your pattern recognition and validating your solving rhythm.

Many players will clear this one quickly, then jump straight into comparing notes or sharing a quick pips hint today with friends.

Medium (ID 554), constructed by Rodolfo Kurchan, raises the bar with a smart mix of greater-than, less-than, and equals constraints.

Here, careful domino accounting really matters, and small placement choices ripple across the grid.

It’s a great test of whether you can track remaining pips cleanly while keeping multiple regional rules in your head at once.

At the top end, the Hard puzzle (ID 576), also by Rodolfo Kurchan, delivers a dense network of equals regions and strict totals that leave little margin for error.

This is where disciplined logic and precise pip management take center stage, and where most solvers will slow down, sketch possibilities, and actively search for a strong Pips Hint before committing.

If you’re reviewing a solution, logging a personal best, building out a Pips Hint archive, or simply enjoying a deep logical workout, January 20, 2026 stands out as a data-driven NYT Pips session built to challenge your logic and reward accuracy.

It’s a strong midweek puzzle day—clean, demanding, and highly shareable for anyone who loves serious domino logic.

Written by July

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 - A piece of cake

Enjoy it

💡 Hint #1 - Count scarce high pips

Start by tracking rare values. There are only three dominoes containing 5 pips and only one domino containing a 4 pip. Since three regions require a total of 10, this immediately forces the use of 5-heavy and 4-heavy pieces.

💡 Hint #2 - Force the only perfect 10

Use the unique 5-5 domino to satisfy one Number 10 region. No other single domino can make 10 alone, so 5-5 is locked into Green 10, fixing its position and orientation.

💡 Hint #3 - Chain forced sums and equals

Resolve all remaining regions together: Yellow 10 must be 5+5, Purple Equal must be 2s, and Purple 10 must be 4+6. Then fit the leftover halves into Red <3, Light Blue >3, and Blue >1, using elimination to place each domino in the only compatible region.

💡 Hint #1 - Count scarce pips first

Start by tracking the rare values. There are only seven 2-pip halves and only three 0-pip halves. These must satisfy Yellow Equal, Red 2, Green 0, and Green <2, so their distribution already limits all future placements.

💡 Hint #2 - Force the only zero option

Use Green 0 together with Green <2. Since one 0 is required in Green <2 and another must go to Green 0, the 0-0 domino is forced into Green <2, fixing that region immediately.

💡 Hint #3 - Lock all 2s into equals and small sums

Fill Yellow Equal entirely with 2s. Then pair each remaining 2 with neighbors that complete Light Blue 3 and Purple 5, using up the 2-pip halves in the only valid ways.

💡 Hint #4 - Spend the last 0 and 5 early

With only one 0 and one 5 left, place them first. This forces Green 0 and determines which equal regions must be 5 or 6, while Purple >8 can only be formed by 6+4 or 6+6.

💡 Hint #5 - Resolve equals by leftover counts

Recount remaining pips: Yellow Equal still needs 2s, and Bottom Blue Equal can only be 1s. These fixed values eliminate alternatives and confirm orientations.

💡 Hint #6 - Satisfy paired constraints

Handle Purple 5 and Red <5 together. Only one remaining domino can split into exactly 5 for Purple and a value under 5 for Red, forcing that placement.

💡 Hint #7 - Finish with equals and small totals

Assign all remaining 3s into Red Equal. Then place the only domino with a total under 6 into Light Blue <6, which cascades into the final forced placements.

🎨 Pips Solver

Jan 20, 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 January 20, 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 January 20, 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], [6-4], [5-1], [3-2], [1-1].

2

Step 2: Yellow Equal --(Arrows ①)

Confirmed by neighboring region and step 1 and relative position. Need one domino with the same number placed in this region. The answer is 6-6, placed vertically.

3

Step 3: Purple 3 + Red 7 + Light Blue 9 --(Arrows ②③④⑤)

Confirmed by all left regions and remaining dominoes (6-4, 5-1, 3-2, 1-1). The domino halves in Purple 3 region must be 2+1. The domino halves in Red 7 region must be 1+6. The domino halves in Light Blue 9 region must be 4+5. The answer is 3-2 (3 into blank), placed horizontally; 1-1 (one 1s into Purple 3 region, one 1s into Red 7 region), placed horizontally; 6-4, placed horizontally; 5-1 (1 right into blank), placed horizontally.

🔧 Step-by-Step Answer Walkthrough For Medium Level

1

Step 1

Dominoes Include: [6-2], [6-1], [5-5], [5-3], [5-2], [4-3], [2-0]. Only 3 dominoes with 5 pips for Number 10 regions, [5-5] must placed in one of them. Only one domino with 4 pips (4-3) for Number 10 region.

2

Step 2: Green 10 --(Arrows ①)

Confirmed by neighboring region and step 1 and relative position. [5-5] must placed in this region. The answer is 5-5, placed horizontally.

3

Step 3: Yellow 10 + Purple Equal + Purple 10 + Red <3 + (Light Blue >3 + Blue >1) --(Arrows ②③④⑤⑥⑦)

Confirmed by all left regions and remaining dominoes (6-2, 6-1, 5-3, 5-2, 4-3, 2-0). The domino halves in Yellow 10 region must be 5+5. The domino halves in Purple Equal region must be 2. The domino halves in Purple 10 region must be 4+6. The answer is 5-2, placed horizontally; 5-3 (3 right into blank), placed horizontally; 4-3 (3 down into blank), placed vertically; 6-2 (6 into Light Blue >3 region, 2 into Blue >1 region), placed vertically; 2-0 (2 into Purple Equal region, 0 right into blank), placed horizontally; 6-1 (1 into Red <3 region), placed horizontally.

🔧 Step-by-Step Answer Walkthrough For Hard Level

1

Step 1

Dominoes Include: [6-6], [6-5], [6-3], [6-2], [5-4], [5-2], [5-0], [4-2], [3-3], [3-2], [3-1], [2-2], [2-1], [1-1], [0-0]. Only 7 domino halves that contain 2 pips, need six for Yellow Equal region, need one for Red 2 region. Only 3 domino halves that contain 0 pips (5-0, 0-0), need one for Green 0 region, at least one is required for Green <2 region. There is no single correct placement to this puzzle.

2

Step 2: Green <2 --(Arrows ①)

Confirmed by neighboring region and step 1 and relative position. [0-0] must placed in this region. The answer is 0-0, placed horizontally.

3

Step 3: Yellow Equal + Light Blue 3 + Purple 5 --(Arrows ②③④)

Confirmed by neighboring region and step 1 and remaining dominoes with 2 pips (6-2, 5-2, 4-2, 3-2, 2-2, 2-1). The domino halves in Yellow Equal region must be 2. The answer is 2-3 (3 into Light Blue 3 region), placed vertically; 2-5 (5 into Purple 5 region), placed horizontally; 2-2, placed horizontally.

4

Step 4: Green 0 + Top Blue Equal + Light Blue Equal + Purple >8 + Red 2 --(Arrows ⑤⑥⑦⑧)

Confirmed by neighboring region and step 1 and remaining dominoes. Only one domino left that contain 5 pips (5-0), the domino halves in Top Blue Equal region or Light Blue Equal region must be 5. e.g: The domino halves in Top Blue Equal region must be 5. The domino halves in Light Blue Equal region must be 6. The domino halves in Purple >8 region must be 6+4 or 6+6. The answer is 0-5 (0 into Green 0 region), placed horizontally; 5-6, placed horizontally; 6-6, placed vertically; 4-2 or 6-2 (2 into Red 2 region), placed vertically.

5

Step 5: Yellow Equal + Bottom Blue Equal --(Arrows ⑨⑩⑪)

Confirmed by neighboring region and remaining dominoes (6-3, 6-2, 5-4, 3-3, 3-1, 2-1, 1-1). The domino halves in Yellow Equal region must be 2 (four 2s alread come from step 3). The domino halves in Bottom Blue Equal region must be 1. The answer is 2-6 or 2-4 (6 or 4 left into blank, comfirmed by Arrows ⑧), placed horizontally; 2-1, placed vertically; 1-1, placed horizontally.

6

Step 6: Purple 5 + Red <5 --(Arrows ⑫)

Confirmed by neighboring region and remaining dominoes (6-3, 5-4, 3-3, 3-1). The answer is 5-4 (5 into Purple 5 region, 4 into Red <5 region), placed horizontally.

7

Step 7: Light Blue <6 + Red Equal --(Arrows ⑬⑭⑮)

Confirmed by neighboring region and remaining dominoes (6-3, 3-3, 3-1). Need one domino sum to be less than 6 placed in Light Blue <6 region. The domino halves in Red Equal region must be 3. The answer is 1-3 (whole domino into Light Blue <6 region), placed horizontally; 3-3, placed vertically; 3-6 (6 up into blank), placed vertically.

🎥 NYT Pips January 20, 2026 – Full Solve & Pips Hint Breakdown (Easy 530 · Medium 554 · Hard 576)

Don’t forget to like, share, and drop your own solving insights or favorite Pips Hint in the comments

💡 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 January 19, 2026

View Answer →

NYT Pips Hints & Answers for January 18, 2026

View Answer →

NYT Pips Hints & Answers for January 17, 2026

View Answer →

💬 Community Discussion

Leave your comment