NYT Pips Hints & Answers for March 24, 2026

Mar 24, 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

Tuesday's Pips is edited by Ian Livengood, who also constructs the easy puzzle. The grid is a compact 3×4 layout where two single-cell sum constraints — one requiring exactly zero and one requiring exactly four — immediately identify two specific dominoes. Once those anchors are in place, the remaining three fall into line through a short chain of sum regions along the bottom row and middle section.

The medium and hard puzzles are by Rodolfo Kurchan, whose style favors interconnected constraints where resolving one region unlocks the next. Today's medium is a 4×4 board with both a less-than and a greater-than constraint alongside two equals regions. The greater-than at the bottom right is the sharpest lever: it limits the pip values sharply and triggers a cascade through the row-1 sum regions all the way to the top.

The hard puzzle sprawls across a 7×5 grid and is anchored by a single-cell sum constraint that sets off a remarkable chain reaction. A five-cell equals region spanning the left-center of the board all resolves to zero, and a four-cell equals region through column 2 all resolves to two. Following those two chains methodically clears most of the board before you even need to touch the top cluster or the right-side column.

💡 Progressive Hints

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

💡 Two cells tell you exactly what pip goes there
This puzzle has two single-cell sum constraints. Each one gives you a specific number directly — no arithmetic needed. Those two cells are your starting points.
💡 One cell requires zero, another requires four
The constraint [1,3]=0 means only a blank pip can go there. The constraint [1,0]=4 means only a 4-pip goes there. Only one domino in the set contains a blank, and only one contains a 4 — find them and place them first.
💡 Full solution
[1,3]=0 pins the 0-3 domino vertically: [1,3]=0, [2,3]=3. [1,0]=4 pins the 4-5 domino vertically: [1,0]=4, [2,0]=5. Sum [2,0]+[2,1]=6 with [2,0]=5 gives [2,1]=1 — the 2-1 domino runs horizontally right to left: [2,2]=2, [2,1]=1. Sum [1,1]+[1,2]+[2,2]=6 with [2,2]=2 leaves [1,1]+[1,2]=4 — the 2-2 double fits perfectly: [1,1]=2, [1,2]=2. The 3-3 double fills the top row: [0,1]=3, [0,2]=3.
💡 Look for the constraint that cuts your options the most
One region requires a sum greater than 10. That's a high bar for just two cells — think carefully about which pip values are even capable of satisfying it.
💡 The greater-than region forces large pips, and column 3 connects it upward
The sum [2,3]+[3,3] must exceed 10, which means both cells need high pip values. One domino bridges column 3 vertically between rows 1 and 2. Finding it unlocks the sum constraint [1,2]+[1,3]=10 as well.
💡 Full solution
Start at column 3: the 5-4 domino sits vertical with [2,3]=5 and [1,3]=4. Sum [1,2]+[1,3]=10 with [1,3]=4 gives [1,2]=6 — the 4-6 domino: [1,1]=4, [1,2]=6. Sum [1,0]+[1,1]=7 with [1,1]=4 gives [1,0]=3 — the 3-4 domino goes vertical: [1,0]=3, [2,0]=4. Sum [2,0]+[3,0]=7 with [2,0]=4 gives [3,0]=3 — the 1-3 domino: [3,1]=1, [3,0]=3. Equals region [3,1]=[3,2]=1 — the 1-6 domino: [3,2]=1, [3,3]=6. Check: [2,3]+[3,3]=5+6=11>10 ✓. Top row: the 5-5 double fills [0,2]=5, [0,3]=5. The 0-5 domino: [0,0]=0, [0,1]=5. Equals: 5=5 ✓. Less-than: 0<5 ✓.
💡 There's one cell whose value is given directly — find it and follow the chain
A single-cell sum constraint pins one pip value exactly. That single placement ripples into a long equals region spanning five cells. Once you see the chain, the left side of the board unlocks quickly.
💡 Cell [4,0]=4 triggers a cascade through two equals regions
[4,0] must equal 4. The domino there reaches into column 0 and feeds the equals constraint [5,0]=[6,0]. That in turn locks in the five-cell equals chain [3,1]=[3,2]=[4,1]=[5,1]=[6,1]. Figure out which value all five cells must share.
💡 The five-cell chain is all zeros — here's how it unfolds
[4,0]=4 → 3-4 domino vertical: [5,0]=3, [4,0]=4. Equals: [6,0]=3 → 3-0 domino: [6,0]=3, [6,1]=0. Five-cell chain all equal 0: the 0-0 double covers [4,1]=0 and [5,1]=0. The 5-0 domino: [3,0]=5, [3,1]=0. Sum [2,0]+[3,0]=11 with [3,0]=5: [2,0]=6 → 6-5 domino vertical: [2,0]=6, [1,0]=5.
💡 Now follow the column-2 equals region
[3,2]=0 (from the five-cell chain). The 2-0 domino vertical: [4,2]=2, [3,2]=0. Four-cell equals [4,2]=[5,2]=[6,2]=[6,3] all equal 2. The 2-2 double: [5,2]=2, [6,2]=2. The 2-3 domino: [6,3]=2, [6,4]=3. Sum [5,4]+[6,4]=7 with [6,4]=3: [5,4]=4 → 1-4 domino: [4,4]=1, [5,4]=4.
💡 Full solution — column 4 and top cluster
Column 4 sum [1,4]+[2,4]+[3,4]+[4,4]=3 with [4,4]=1: remaining cells sum to 2. The 1-6 domino: [1,4]=1, [0,4]=6. The 0-1 domino: [3,4]=0, [2,4]=1. Verify: 1+1+0+1=3 ✓. Top cluster: [0,0]+[1,0]=9 with [1,0]=5: [0,0]=4. The 2-4 domino horizontal: [0,1]=2, [0,0]=4. Sum [0,1]+[0,2]=5 with [0,1]=2: [0,2]=3. The 6-3 domino: [0,3]=6, [0,2]=3. Equals [2,1]=[2,2]: the 4-4 double: [2,1]=4, [2,2]=4. All 14 dominoes placed.

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Mar 24, 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 March 24, 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 March 24, 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: Read the two single-cell constraints directly
Cell [1,3] has sum=0, so it must hold a blank pip. Cell [1,0] has sum=4, so it must hold pip 4. These values are given outright — no deduction needed. Both cells are the inner ends of vertical dominoes.
2
Step 2: Place the only domino with a blank and the only domino with a 4
The blank pip belongs to the 0-3 domino. With pip 0 at [1,3], the partner pip 3 must go at the adjacent cell [2,3] (the only unconstrained neighbor). The pip-4 belongs to the 4-5 domino. With pip 4 at [1,0], the partner pip 5 must go at [2,0] — the cell below.
3
Step 3: Use the bottom-row sum to find [2,1]
The region [2,0]+[2,1] must sum to 6. Since [2,0]=5, cell [2,1] must equal 1. The 2-1 domino covers [2,2] and [2,1] horizontally, placing pip 2 at [2,2] and pip 1 at [2,1].
4
Step 4: Resolve the three-cell sum
The region [1,1]+[1,2]+[2,2] must sum to 6. With [2,2]=2 already placed, the two remaining cells must sum to 4. The 2-2 double gives exactly that: [1,1]=2, [1,2]=2, placed horizontally.
5
Step 5: Place the last domino in the top row
The region [0,1]+[0,2] must sum to 6. The only remaining domino is the 3-3 double, and 3+3=6. It fills the top row: [0,1]=3, [0,2]=3. All five dominoes placed, all constraints satisfied.

🔧 Step-by-Step Answer Walkthrough For Medium Level

1
Step 1: Anchor column 3 with the greater-than constraint
The region [2,3]+[3,3] must exceed 10, so those two cells need large pip values. The 5-4 domino placed vertically covers [2,3]=5 and [1,3]=4, satisfying both that region (with later help from [3,3]) and setting up the row-1 sum.
2
Step 2: Use the row-1 sum constraints to fill the middle rows
Sum [1,2]+[1,3]=10 with [1,3]=4 requires [1,2]=6. The 4-6 domino runs horizontally: [1,1]=4, [1,2]=6. Sum [1,0]+[1,1]=7 with [1,1]=4 requires [1,0]=3. The 3-4 domino runs vertically: [1,0]=3, [2,0]=4.
3
Step 3: Resolve column 0 and row 3
Sum [2,0]+[3,0]=7 with [2,0]=4 requires [3,0]=3. The 1-3 domino runs horizontally: [3,1]=1, [3,0]=3 (pip 1 at right, pip 3 at left).
4
Step 4: Use the row-3 equals region and confirm the greater-than
Equals region [3,1]=[3,2] with [3,1]=1 requires [3,2]=1. The 1-6 domino: [3,2]=1, [3,3]=6. Now verify: [2,3]+[3,3]=5+6=11, which is greater than 10 ✓.
5
Step 5: Complete the top row
Equals region [0,1]=[0,2]. The 5-5 double occupies [0,2]=5 and [0,3]=5 (the empty-constraint cell). The 0-5 domino completes the top: [0,0]=0, [0,1]=5. Equals: 5=5 ✓. Less-than: 0<5 ✓. All seven dominoes placed.

🔧 Step-by-Step Answer Walkthrough For Hard Level

1
Step 1: Start at the single-cell anchor
Cell [4,0] has sum=4, so it holds pip 4 directly. The domino extends vertically. The equals constraint [5,0]=[6,0] tells us the pip at [5,0] must be matched below. The 3-4 domino fits: [4,0]=4, [5,0]=3.
2
Step 2: Unlock the five-cell equals chain
Equals [5,0]=[6,0] with [5,0]=3: [6,0]=3. The 3-0 domino runs horizontally: [6,0]=3, [6,1]=0. The five-cell equals chain [3,1]=[3,2]=[4,1]=[5,1]=[6,1] is now pinned at 0. The 0-0 double fills [4,1]=0 and [5,1]=0. The 5-0 domino fills [3,0]=5 and [3,1]=0.
3
Step 3: Work up column 0 to the top cluster
Sum [2,0]+[3,0]=11 with [3,0]=5: [2,0]=6. The 6-5 domino runs vertically: [2,0]=6, [1,0]=5. Sum [0,0]+[1,0]=9 with [1,0]=5: [0,0]=4. The 2-4 domino runs horizontally: [0,1]=2, [0,0]=4.
4
Step 4: Follow the four-cell column-2 equals chain
[3,2]=0 (part of the five-cell chain). The 2-0 domino runs vertically: [4,2]=2, [3,2]=0. Four-cell equals [4,2]=[5,2]=[6,2]=[6,3]=2. The 2-2 double: [5,2]=2, [6,2]=2. The 2-3 domino: [6,3]=2, [6,4]=3. Sum [5,4]+[6,4]=7 with [6,4]=3: [5,4]=4. The 1-4 domino: [4,4]=1, [5,4]=4.
5
Step 5: Finish the top cluster and column 4
Sum [0,1]+[0,2]=5 with [0,1]=2: [0,2]=3. The 6-3 domino: [0,3]=6, [0,2]=3. Equals [2,1]=[2,2]: the 4-4 double: [2,1]=4, [2,2]=4. Column 4 sum [1,4]+[2,4]+[3,4]+[4,4]=3 with [4,4]=1: remaining three cells sum to 2. The 1-6 domino: [1,4]=1, [0,4]=6. The 0-1 domino: [3,4]=0, [2,4]=1. Verify: 1+1+0+1=3 ✓. All 14 dominoes placed.

💡 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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