NYT Pips Hints & Answers for June 5, 2026

Jun 5, 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!

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Want hints instead? Scroll down for progressive clues that won't spoil the fun.

🎲 Today's Puzzle Overview

Today's NYT Pips easy, constructed by Ian Livengood, hands you a friendly opening: a three-cell equals region that screams for a domino with matching pips. Once you slot that double into its only possible home, the grid’s other equals pairs and single-cell sums fall into line with minimal sweat.

For the medium puzzle, Rodolfo Kurchan weaves a net of sum-6 constraints. You’ll find several cells that must be a 6 all on their own, serving as fixed anchors. From there, two-cell sum-6 regions and equals-duos guide you to the right domino fits, making the solve feel like a tight, logical progression.

Kurchan’s hard ramps up the difficulty with a dense lattice of sum-4 targets, less-than and greater-than fences, and sprawling equals chains. You’ll need to carefully peel back layers: the single-cell sum-4 spots give you immediate entries, while a massive four-cell equals region on the left side ultimately dictates the placement of several dominos and unlocks the entire lower half.

💡 Progressive Hints

Try these hints one at a time. Each hint becomes more specific to help you solve it yourself!

💡 Hint 1: Seek the equals
Your first move is to find a region where all cells must match. That screams for a domino with identical pips.
💡 Hint 2: The triple cluster
That matching region is a three-cell cluster in the lower right (cells [1,3], [1,4], [2,3]). Only a double-1 domino can cover two of them vertically.
💡 Hint 3: The full solve
Place the 1-1 domino in [1,3] and [1,4] (vertical). That forces [2,3] to be 1. The sum-3 at [0,1] takes the 3 from the 2-3 domino, with the 2 going to [1,1] (matching its equals partner [2,1]). The sum-4 at [2,0] gets the 4 from the 2-4 domino, placing 2 at [2,1]. Finally, the 4-1 domino completes the equals region [1,2]-[2,2] with 4 at [2,2] and 1 at [2,3].
💡 Hint 1: Fixed by sum-6
Several cells are single-cell sum-6 regions — they must be a 6, no questions asked. Hunt for those.
💡 Hint 2: Cornerstones
The top-right cell [0,3] and bottom-left cell [4,0] are both sum-6. You'll need the 6 from the 1-6 domino in [0,3] and the 6 from the 6-4 domino in [4,0].
💡 Hint 3: The full unraveling
Place 1-6 with 6 in [0,3], 1 in [1,3]; 6-4 with 6 in [4,0], 4 in [3,0]. The sum-6 at [3,0]-[3,1] now needs a 2 in [3,1] — use the 2-3 domino (2 in [3,1], 3 in [4,1]). The equals [4,1]-[4,2] forces [4,2] to 3; then the sum-6 at [4,3] takes the 6 from the 3-6 domino placed there. The remaining sum-6 at [1,1]-[2,1] is solved by putting 3-5 horizontally (3 in [1,2], 5 in [1,1]), then 3-1 goes in [2,2]-[2,1] (3 in [2,2], 1 in [2,1]) to match the equals and hit the sum. Finally, 5-5 locks the equals pair [2,3]-[3,3].
💡 Hint 1: Sum-4 overload
Today's hard grid is packed with single-cell sum-4 targets and 'less than 4' / 'greater than 4' qualifiers. Start by marking every cell that must be a 4.
💡 Hint 2: The top-left cluster
The cells [0,0], [0,1], and [1,0] are all single-cell sum-4, while [0,2] is greater-than-4. You'll need a double-4 domino to cover [0,0] and [1,0], and a 6-4 domino to place a 4 in [0,1] and 6 in [0,2].
💡 Hint 3: The zero chain
The massive equals region stretching from [5,2] down to [7,3] must share one pip. The only double that can cover [6,2]-[7,2] is 0-0, so that whole chain becomes zero, and the 4-0 domino then fills [4,2] (sum-4) and [5,2].
💡 Hint 4: Bottom-right tightening
With zeros locked, the sum-4 at [5,8] and the less-than-4 at [5,7] and [6,7] force a 4-1 domino in [5,8]-[5,7] (4 in [5,8], 1 in [5,7]) and a 2-4 domino in [6,7]-[7,7] (2 in [6,7], 4 in [7,7]).
💡 Hint 5: The complete map
Fill top: 4-4 at [0,0]-[1,0]; 6-4 at [0,1]-[0,2]; 2-2 at [2,0]-[2,1]; 3-4 with 4 in [3,0], 3 in [4,0]. The big equals: 0-0 at [6,2]-[7,2]; 4-0 at [4,2]-[5,2]. Bottom right: 4-1 at [5,8]-[5,7]; 2-4 at [6,7]-[7,7]; 0-3 at [7,3]-[7,4] (3 in [7,4] for greater-0). Middle: 1-1 at [2,4]-[2,5]; 6-6 at [0,5]-[0,6]; 2-6 at [2,6]-[1,6] (6 in [1,6] for equals). Equals chain column 5: 5-5 at [6,5]-[7,5]; 5-4 at [5,5]-[4,5] (4 in [4,5] for sum-4). Finally, 3-3 at [0,4]-[1,4].

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Jun 5, 2026

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✅ 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 June 5, 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 June 5, 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: Lock in the triple equals
The three-cell equals region [1,3], [1,4], [2,3] must all show the same number. The only domino with matching pips is the 1-1. Place it vertically covering [1,3] and [1,4]; that forces cell [2,3] to be 1.
2
Step 2: Feed the sum-3
Cell [0,1] is a single-cell sum-3, so it must be 3. The domino covering [0,1] also must occupy [1,1] (no other free neighbor). Use the 2-3 domino with 3 in [0,1] and 2 in [1,1]. Because [1,1] is paired in an equals region with [2,1], cell [2,1] now becomes 2.
3
Step 3: Satisfy the sum-4
Cell [2,0] is a sum-4 single, so it needs a 4. The domino covering [2,0] must also cover [2,1] (already forced to 2). The 2-4 domino fits perfectly: 4 in [2,0], 2 in [2,1].
4
Step 4: Finish with the final equals
The equals region [1,2]-[2,2] must have equal values. The last unused domino is 4-1. Place it vertically with 4 in [2,2] and 1 in [2,3] (which is already 1, matching the triple equals). All constraints are now satisfied.

🔧 Step-by-Step Answer Walkthrough For Medium Level

1
Step 1: Pluck the low-hanging sum-6 cells
Cells [0,3] and [4,0] are both single-cell sum-6 regions, so each must be a 6. Domino 1-6 goes to [0,3] (6) and [1,3] (1); domino 6-4 goes to [4,0] (6) and [3,0] (4).
2
Step 2: Pair up the two-cell sum-6
The two-cell sum-6 region [3,0]-[3,1] now has [3,0]=4, so [3,1] must be 2. The 2-3 domino provides the 2, with 3 at [4,1] — covering that pair vertically.
3
Step 3: Propagate through the equals
The equals region [4,1]-[4,2] forces [4,2] to match the just-placed 3. The single-cell sum-6 at [4,3] then demands a 6. Domino 3-6 fits horizontally: 3 in [4,2] (equals), 6 in [4,3].
4
Step 4: Solve the upper sum-6 pair
Look at the sum-6 region [1,1]-[2,1] and the equals [1,2]-[2,2]. Domino 3-5 goes to [1,2] (3) and [1,1] (5). Then [2,1] must be 1 to reach sum 6, and [2,2] takes 3 from the equals. Domino 3-1 covers [2,2]-[2,1] with 3 in [2,2] and 1 in [2,1].
5
Step 5: Seal the last equals
The equals pair [2,3]-[3,3] remains. Cell [1,3] is already 1 from step 1 and is empty-constrained, so it doesn't interfere. Use the 5-5 domino vertically at [2,3] and [3,3] to lock both cells at 5. The puzzle is complete.

🔧 Step-by-Step Answer Walkthrough For Hard Level

1
Step 1: Anchor the top-left with sum-4s
Single-cell sum-4 regions [0,0], [0,1], and [1,0] demand 4s. Domino 4-4 fills [0,0] and [1,0] vertically. The sum-4 at [0,1] and the greater-4 at [0,2] force a cell >4 next to a 4. Domino 6-4 does the job: 4 in [0,1], 6 in [0,2].
2
Step 2: Force the 2-2 and activate the less-than
The two-cell sum-4 region [2,0]-[2,1] must sum to 4 with equal contributions — the only double that fits is 2-2 (domino 2-2). Place it there. Now [3,0] is a sum-4 single; domino 3-4 gives 4 in [3,0] and 3 in [4,0], satisfying the less-4 on [4,0] (which must be <4).
3
Step 3: Unlock the massive zero-equals chain
The equals region covering [5,2], [6,2], [7,2], [7,3] ties those cells together. The only double that fits the vertical pair [6,2]-[7,2] is 0-0, so all four cells become 0. To satisfy the sum-4 at [4,2], use the 4-0 domino: 4 in [4,2], 0 in [5,2].
4
Step 4: Conquer the bottom-right corner
The sum-4 at [5,8] forces a 4 there, and the less-than-4 region on [5,7] must be less than 4. Domino 4-1 goes horizontally: 4 in [5,8], 1 in [5,7]. The sum-4 at [7,7] and less-4 at [6,7] then call for domino 2-4: 2 in [6,7], 4 in [7,7].
5
Step 5: Settle the top-right equals and sum
The three-cell sum-4 region [2,4]-[2,5]-[2,6] and the triple equals [0,5]-[0,6]-[1,6] require careful pairing. Place 1-1 in [2,4]-[2,5] (sum 2 so far). Then 6-6 at [0,5]-[0,6] sets up the equals, and 2-6 at [2,6]-[1,6] completes the sum (1+1+2=4) and feeds a 6 to [1,6] for the equals.
6
Step 6: Tie up the remaining chains
The equals [0,4]-[1,4] takes the 3-3 domino. The column-5 equals [5,5]-[6,5]-[7,5] gets 5-5 at [6,5]-[7,5]; then the sum-4 at [4,5] demands a 4, so domino 5-4 goes to [5,5]-[4,5] (5 in [5,5], 4 in [4,5]). Finally, greater-0 at [7,4] needs a value >0, and [7,3] is already 0 from the equals chain. Domino 0-3 fits: 0 in [7,3], 3 in [7,4].

💡 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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