🚨 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
Today's NYT Pips puzzles span a satisfying difficulty curve. The easy grid, by Ian Livengood, welcomes you with a modest layout. Your eye goes straight to the lone sum-2 cell in the bottom left; it's an immediate anchor that sets off a chain of equalities without any guesswork. The handful of regions guide you step by step, leaving you with a crisp, quick solve.
The medium, also from Livengood, tightens the screws with a three-cell sum-1 region that spans two rows. That restrictive sum pins down low numbers and spreads into the surrounding greater and equals constraints, making the board feel like a compact logic knot. You'll shift your focus from row 1's top edge down to the bottom rows, where another set of equals and less regions interlock neatly.
Rodolfo Kurchan's hard puzzle turns up the volume. A six-cell equals region sprawls across the heart of the grid, demanding the same pip across all those squares. You'll wrestle with that monolithic demand while juggling sum targets of 12, 5, and 10, plus a tight top-left equals block. Each deduction ripples outward, and the bottom-right corner adds a final satisfying flourish with its less-than and greater-than constraints. It's a rewarding, full-board dance.
💡 Progressive Hints
Try these hints one at a time. Each hint becomes more specific to help you solve it yourself!
💡 Hint 1: The Tightest Constraint
Scan the grid for single-cell regions with sum or less/greater targets. One tiny cell forces an exact pip value immediately.
💡 Hint 2: The Anchor Cell
The sum-2 cell at [3,0] is your key. It forces that cell to be 2 and dictates which domino must cover it — look for the 2-2 domino and consider its only viable neighbor.
💡 Hint 3: Full Solve
Place domino 0 (2-2) horizontally at [3,0][3,1] to satisfy the sum-2. That sets [3,1]=2; the equals pair at [2,1][3,1] forces [2,1]=2, so domino 2 (3-2) goes vertically at [2,0][2,1] (3 above, 2 below). The equals pair at [1,0][2,0] then demands [1,0]=3; domino 4 (0-3) placed vertically at [0,0][1,0] takes care of the less-2 cell (0) and the 3. The empty cell [1,1] is 0 from domino 3 (4-0) placed horizontally at [1,1][1,2] (0,4), forcing [2,2]=4 via the [1,2][2,2] equals pair. Finally, domino 1 (4-4) sits horizontally at [2,2][2,3], satisfying greater-2 with 4.
💡 Hint 1: Sum Region as Springboard
A multi-cell sum region with a very low target is your entry point. Study the three-cell region at the right edge—it can only be satisfied by a specific tiny set of pips.
💡 Hint 2: The Sum-1 Row
The sum-1 region at [1,4], [1,5], [2,5] must use a 1 and two 0s. The greater-3 cell at [0,5] sits right above [1,5]; the only way to satisfy both forces a vertical 4-0 domino there, and a companion vertical domino below to complete the sum.
💡 Hint 3: Unlocking the Chain
Domino 0 (4-0) goes vertically at [0,5][1,5] (4 top, 0 bottom) to satisfy greater-3. Domino 2 (1-0) goes vertically at [3,5][2,5] (1 top, 0 bottom), finishing the sum-1 with [2,5]=0, [1,5]=0, and [1,4] needing the 1. Domino 3 (1-5) is placed horizontally at [1,4][1,3] (1 left, 5 right) to deliver that 1 and kick off the greater-9 region; domino 6 (6-4) then goes horizontally at [1,2][1,1] (6,4) to break 9, with equals [1,0][1,1] forcing [1,0]=4. Domino 5 (1-4) vertically at [2,0][1,0] (1,4) fills the empty [2,0]. The lower half proceeds: less-3 pair [3,4][3,5] has [3,5]=1, so [3,4] must be 0; domino 7 (3-0) horizontally at [3,3][3,4] (3,0) sets equals [3,2][3,3] both 3. Domino 4 (4-3) horizontally at [3,1][3,2] gives [3,1]=4, [3,2]=3, forcing equals [3,0][3,1] to 4; domino 1 (2-4) vertically at [4,0][3,0] finishes with empty 2.
💡 Hint 1: The Dominant Equals
The puzzle revolves around a huge equals region. Identifying that multi-cell block and the value it forces is your first goal.
💡 Hint 2: Locating the Hub
The equals region spans [2,2], [2,4], [3,2], [3,3], [3,4], [4,3]. This block must share a single pip value. Note the adjacent sum-5 and sum-12 pairs above it—these will lock in the surrounding numbers and eventually fix the equals value.
💡 Hint 3: Pinning the 6s and 1s
The sum-12 pair [2,0][3,0] must be 6 and 6. The sum-5 pair [2,1][3,1] then becomes 3+2. The top-left 2x2 equals region then demands four 1s. This forces dominoes 13 (1-6) vertically at [1,0][2,0] (1,6), 9 (6-2) horizontally at [3,0][3,1] (6,2), and 6 (1-1) horizontally at [0,0][0,1].
💡 Hint 4: The Equals Value Emerges
With 1s and 6s placed, the equals block’s value is forced to 4 by the available dominos and the sum-4 pair [4,2][5,2]. You’ll place domino 12 (4-2) vertically at [3,2][4,2] (4,2) to tie that in, and domino 1 (4-0) horizontally at [2,2][2,3] to set the empty cell to 0 and start the 4-cascade.
💡 Hint 5: Full Placement
Final placement: Domino 0 (3-5) horizontal [1,5][2,5] (3,5) to satisfy sum-6 pair with [1,4]=3 and sum-10 pair (5+5). Domino 14 (3-4) horizontal [1,4][2,4] gives [1,4]=3, [2,4]=4 (equals). Domino 4 (5-4) horizontal [3,5][3,4] gives [3,5]=5, [3,4]=4. Domino 8 (4-4) vertical [3,3][4,3] puts 4 in equals; domino 10 (2-5) horizontal [5,2][5,3] (2,5) completes sum-4 pair and sum-5 single. Bottom-right: domino 5 (3-0) vertical [8,2][7,2] (3,0) for less-3 and sum-6; domino 11 (3-6) vertical [8,3][9,3] (3,6) finishes sum-6 pairs; domino 7 (6-6) horizontal [7,4][8,4] satisfies greater-8.
🎨 Pips Solver
May 9, 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
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
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: The Sum-2 Lock
The single-cell region at [3,0] has a sum target of 2, so the cell must contain a 2. The only domino with a 2-2 pair is domino 0 (2-2). To place it, [3,0] must be paired with an adjacent cell. The cell to its right, [3,1], is available and not otherwise constrained; placing the domino horizontally at [3,0][3,1] satisfies the requirement immediately.
2
Step 2: Vertical Double 2s
With [3,1] now 2, the equals region linking [2,1] and [3,1] forces [2,1] to also be 2. Domino 2 (3-2) is the only remaining domino that offers a 2 alongside a 3. Placing it vertically at [2,0][2,1] puts the 2 at [2,1] and the 3 at [2,0]. This also satisfies the equals region between [1,0] and [2,0]—so [1,0] must now be 3.
3
Step 3: The Top-Left Anchor
The cell [0,0] is in a less-2 region, so it can only be 0 or 1. Since [1,0] needs a 3, the only way to cover both cells is with a vertical domino. Domino 4 (0-3) fits perfectly: placed vertically at [0,0][1,0], it gives [0,0]=0 (satisfying less-2) and [1,0]=3, locking in the equals requirement.
4
Step 4: Finishing the Right Side
The remaining cells are [1,1] (empty), [1,2] and [2,2] (equals pair), [2,3] (greater-2), and the dominoes 1 (4-4) and 3 (4-0). Domino 3 (4-0) must cover [1,1] and [1,2]; placing it horizontally with 0 at [1,1] (empty) and 4 at [1,2] sets [1,2]=4, which forces [2,2]=4 via the equals pair. Then domino 1 (4-4) slides horizontally into [2,2][2,3], giving [2,3]=4 which easily beats the greater-2 target.
🔧 Step-by-Step Answer Walkthrough For Medium Level
1
Step 1: Taming the Sum-1 Triplet
The sum-1 region covering [1,4], [1,5], and [2,5] must sum to exactly 1, so the only possible values among those three cells are two 0s and one 1. The lone greater-3 cell at [0,5] sits directly above [1,5] and must be at least 4. Domino 0 (4-0) can satisfy both by running vertically at [0,5][1,5]: 4 above (greater-3) and 0 below. That gives [1,5]=0. Next, [2,5] also needs a 0, and the domino covering it will also have to reach [3,5]. Domino 2 (1-0) placed vertically at [3,5][2,5] puts 0 at [2,5] and 1 at [3,5]. Now the sum-1 region still needs the 1, so [1,4] must be 1.
2
Step 2: Row 1’s Rising Numbers
Domino 3 (1-5) is placed horizontally at [1,4][1,3] with 1 at [1,4] and 5 at [1,3]. The greater-9 region covering [1,2] and [1,3] now has [1,3]=5, so [1,2] must be 6 to exceed 9. Domino 6 (6-4) bridges [1,2] and [1,1] horizontally, yielding 6 at [1,2] and 4 at [1,1]. The equals region [1,0][1,1] then forces [1,0]=4. Domino 5 (1-4) completes the column by dropping vertically at [2,0][1,0] with 1 below (the empty cell [2,0]) and 4 above.
3
Step 3: Activating the Lower Left Equals
We shift to row 3. The less-3 pair [3,4][3,5] already has [3,5]=1 from Step 1, so [3,4] must be 0. Domino 7 (3-0) sits horizontally at [3,3][3,4], putting 3 at [3,3] and 0 at [3,4]. The equals region [3,2][3,3] now makes [3,2] also 3.
4
Step 4: Central Equals Chain
Domino 4 (4-3) stretches horizontally across [3,1][3,2]. That places the 4 at [3,1] and the 3 at [3,2] (matching the 3). The equals pair [3,0][3,1] then demands [3,0]=4.
5
Step 5: The Final Vertical
The only uncovered cell is [4,0] and the remaining domino is 1 (2-4). Placing it vertically at [4,0][3,0] gives [4,0]=2 (the empty cell) and [3,0]=4, perfectly completing the grid.
🔧 Step-by-Step Answer Walkthrough For Hard Level
1
Step 1: The Sum-12 Bombshell
The region [2,0] and [3,0] targets a sum of 12, which with standard pips (0–6) forces both cells to be 6. This immediately draws your attention to the dominoes with 6s: [6,6] (index 7), [6,2] (9), and [1,6] (13). A single 6-6 domino could cover both cells, but that would block [1,0] and [3,1] connections. Instead, the unique path uses domino 13 (1-6) vertically at [1,0][2,0] delivering 6 to [2,0] and 1 to [1,0], and domino 9 (6-2) horizontally at [3,0][3,1] giving 6 to [3,0] and 2 to [3,1].
2
Step 2: Sum-5 and the 1-Equals
With [3,1]=2, the sum-5 region [2,1][3,1] forces [2,1]=3. Domino 2 (3-1) can cover [2,1] and an adjacent cell; placing it vertically at [2,1][1,1] sets [1,1]=1. Now the top-left 2x2 equals region [0,0],[0,1],[1,0],[1,1] already has [1,0]=1 and [1,1]=1, so all four cells must be 1. Domino 6 (1-1) is placed horizontally at [0,0][0,1] to satisfy the top row, locking in the equals block.
3
Step 3: The Equals Value Revealed
The massive equals region spans six cells. Adjacent to it, the sum-4 pair [4,2][5,2] must sum to 4. The only way to achieve this while respecting nearby numbers points to 2+2. Domino 12 (4-2) is placed vertically at [3,2][4,2] with 4 at [3,2] and 2 at [4,2]. This plants the number 4 into the equals block. Simultaneously, domino 1 (4-0) goes horizontally at [2,2][2,3] giving 4 to [2,2] and 0 to the empty cell [2,3]. The equals value 4 now propagates through all six cells.
4
Step 4: Completing the Equals Stronghold
With the equals value fixed at 4, we fill the remaining equals cells. Domino 14 (3-4) runs horizontally at [1,4][2,4] (3,4) to give [2,4]=4 and [1,4]=3. Domino 8 (4-4) vertically at [3,3][4,3] reinforces 4 in those positions. Domino 4 (5-4) sits horizontally at [3,5][3,4]—[3,4]=4, [3,5]=5. Finally, the sum-10 pair [2,5][3,5] demands 5+5, so [2,5]=5. Domino 0 (3-5) horizontally at [1,5][2,5] (3,5) and domino 4 already in place; now the sum-6 pair [1,4][1,5] is satisfied with 3 and 3.
5
Step 5: The Sum-4 Pair and Sum-5 Single
We handle the middle row. Domino 10 (2-5) goes horizontally at [5,2][5,3] with 2 at [5,2] (completing sum-4 with [4,2]=2) and 5 at [5,3] (satisfying the single-cell sum-5). The grid's midsection is now solid.
6
Step 6: Bottom-Right Finale
The bottom-right corner holds a less-3 cell [7,2], a greater-8 pair [7,4][8,4], and sum-6 pairs [8,2][8,3] and [9,3]. Domino 5 (3-0) is placed vertically at [8,2][7,2]—0 below (less-3) and 3 above (part of sum-6). Domino 11 (3-6) shares vertically at [8,3][9,3] with 3 top, 6 bottom, hitting sum-6 for [9,3]=6 and completing the [8,2][8,3] sum-6 as 3+3. Finally, domino 7 (6-6) runs horizontally at [7,4][8,4] to crush the greater-8 target and close the puzzle.
💡 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.
💬 Community Discussion
Leave your comment