NYT Pips Hints & Answers for November 4, 2026

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🎲 Today's Puzzle Overview

Today's NYT Pips easy grid, by Ian Livengood, is a five-tile deduction graph with two independent footholds. The orange single-cell sum on the right resolves to the tray's only top pip, and that placement immediately settles the greater-than cell stacked above it. From there the chain turns inward: the teal sum-6 pair along the top admits exactly one split of the remaining pips, and one half of that split has to land in the free square, while the three-cell equals block in the lower middle is pinned by the pip the same split drags down into it. The pink equals pair on the bottom-left edge is the one cleanly self-contained region — a single double that needs no cross-checking. There is no lookahead anywhere; every step is elimination from a five-tile tray.

Rodolfo Kurchan's medium board shifts the weight onto threshold regions. Two single-cell constraints sit side by side at the top — a sum-1 that only one tile can pay and a sum-6 — and between them they resolve the short unequal pair, the one region that cannot settle from its own arithmetic. The right-hand side is a different problem: the four-cell greater-10 block and the three-cell greater-12 block are both running-total regions, so the solve becomes bookkeeping, tracking how much each block still needs while the remaining tiles are spent. The blue less-9 pair and the greater-4 cell work as settling valves, absorbing whatever pips the thresholds leave behind.

The hard grid is a 6×6 with 28 regions and, unusually, almost no arithmetic: 24 of those regions are single-cell sums with a printed target, which means the board hands you the pip value of nearly every cell and asks only that you pair adjacent values with the right tile. The real constraints are scarcity constraints. The tray holds one 6, five 0s and five 5s, and not a single double in sixteen tiles — so all three equals regions (a three-cell block, a vertical pair and a horizontal pair) must be assembled from separate tiles, and the one uncoloured square is the only cell with no target at all. Read it as a matching problem, not a summing one.

💡 Progressive Hints

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

💡 Start with exact sums

The constraint type that gives everything away here is the single-cell sum. Two lone sum cells sit right beside a greater-than cell, and one of those sums can only be met by a single tile in the whole tray. Find that tile and the corner untangles itself.

💡 The teal pair has one split

Once the 6 has been spent, the teal sum-6 pair along the top has a single possible pip split left, and the tray's only 2s ride together on one double. That double must stand upright across the boundary — one 2 in the teal pair, one in the free square directly beneath it.

💡 Full solution

The 5/6 tile stands vertically on the right: 5 up in the blue greater-2 cell, 6 down in the orange sum-6 cell. The 4/0 tile stands vertically through the middle rows — 4 up in the left cell of the teal pair, 0 down in the top-left cell of the purple block. The 2/2 double stands vertically, 2 up completing the teal pair (4+2=6) and 2 down in the uncoloured square. The 0/0 double lies flat across the purple block's two bottom cells, and the 4/4 double stands vertically inside the pink equals pair on the bottom-left edge, 4 above 4.

💡 Two singles, one tile each

Open at the top of the board with the two single-cell constraints sitting side by side: one exact sum and one very small sum. The small one is the sharper of the two — only a single tile in the tray carries the pip it needs — and it pushes a pip sideways into the unequal pair next door.

💡 Feed the unequal pair

The teal sum-1 cell takes its 1 from the 4/1 tile lying flat, which plants a 4 in the lower cell of the purple unequal pair. The pink sum-6 cell then demands the tray's only 6, and its partner 2 drops into the upper cell of that same pair — conveniently different from the 4, which is exactly what the unequal region wants.

💡 Full solution

The 4/1 tile lies flat across the middle, 4 left in the lower cell of the purple unequal pair, 1 right in the teal sum-1 cell. The 6/2 tile lies flat along the top, 2 left in the upper cell of the unequal pair, 6 right in the pink sum-6 cell. The 5/3 tile stands vertically, 5 up in the orange greater-4 cell and 3 down in the top-centre cell of the green greater-10 block. The 3/3 double lies flat along the bottom of that green block, and the 4/3 tile stands vertically, 3 up in the block's remaining top-left cell and 4 down in the purple greater-12 block's top-right cell. The 5/4 tile stands vertically in the greater-12 block, 4 up and 5 down, and the 4/0 tile lies flat along the blue less-9 row, 4 left and 0 right.

💡 Treat the grid as givens

Almost every region on this board is a single-cell sum, so the grid practically reads out its own pip values and the real work is matching value to value. Begin with the highest target anywhere on the board: it accepts only one pip, and only one tile in the tray carries that pip.

💡 The lone 6 at the bottom

The green sum-6 cell on the bottom row must hold a 6, and the 3/6 tile is the tray's only carrier of one. It has to stand upright, leaving a 3 in the pink sum-3 cell in the middle of the board directly above it. No other tile can occupy that green cell.

💡 Five zeros, five tiles

Count the zeros before committing. Four cells demand a sum of 0 — the purple and pink ones in the second row, the green one just below them, and the blue one on the left of the fifth row — with the uncoloured square taking a fifth. Exactly five tiles carry a 0, so each one spends its zero in one of those cells and its partner pip on a neighbouring cell.

💡 No doubles means equals pairs up

There is not a single double in the sixteen-tile tray, which is what makes the three equals regions the genuine puzzle here. The purple block in the bottom-right corner needs three matching pips and has to draw them from three separate tiles — the 1/4, 2/4 and 4/5 each contribute a 4 — while the orange vertical pair to the right of it settles on a pair of 5s from the 3/5 and 4/5 tiles.

💡 Full solution

Top row: the 3/4 tile lies flat, 4 left in the purple sum-4 corner and 3 right in the pink sum-3 beside it; the 0/3 tile stands upright, 3 up in the teal sum-3 at the top and 0 down in the pink sum-0 below; the 2/5 tile lies flat, 2 left in the orange sum-2 and 5 right in the blue sum-5 at the top-right. Second row: the 0/5 tile lies flat, 5 left in the green sum-5 and 0 right in the purple sum-0; the 1/2 tile stands upright, 1 up in the teal sum-1 and 2 down in the pink sum-2; the 1/3 tile stands upright, 1 up in the orange sum-1 and 3 down in the teal sum-3 on the right edge. Third row: the 0/2 tile lies flat, 2 left in the upper blue sum-2 on the left edge and 0 right in the green sum-0; the 1/5 tile stands upright, 1 up in the purple sum-1 at the centre and 5 down in the purple sum-5; the 3/5 tile stands upright on the right edge, 3 up in the orange sum-3 and 5 down in the upper cell of the orange equals pair. Fourth row: the 2/3 tile lies flat, 2 left in the lower blue sum-2 on the left edge and 3 right in the green sum-3; the 3/6 tile stands upright, 3 up in the pink sum-3 in the middle of the board and 6 down in the green sum-6; the 2/4 tile stands upright, 2 up in the teal sum-2 and 4 down in the top-left cell of the purple equals block. Fifth row: the 0/4 tile stands upright, 0 up in the blue sum-0 and 4 down in the pink sum-4; the 0/1 tile stands upright, 0 up in the uncoloured square and 1 down in the left cell of the teal equals pair; the 4/5 tile stands upright, 5 up in the lower cell of the orange equals pair and 4 down in the bottom-right cell of the purple equals block. Bottom row: the 1/4 tile lies flat, 1 left in the right cell of the teal equals pair and 4 right in the bottom-left cell of the purple equals block.

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Nov 4, 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 November 4, 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 November 4, 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

Step 1: The single 6

The orange region on the right is a lone sum-6 cell, so it must hold a 6 — and only the 5/6 tile in the tray carries one. That tile stands upright: 5 in the blue greater-2 cell above, 6 in the orange cell. The greater-than constraint is perfectly happy with a 5, and the top-right corner is finished in one move.

Step 2: Splitting the teal pair

Only 4/4, 0/0, 2/2 and 4/0 are left, so the teal sum-6 pair along the top can only be 4 + 2 — every other combination has lost a pip. The tray's only 2s belong to the 2/2 double, which means it must stand vertically with one 2 in the right-hand cell of the teal pair and the other 2 in the uncoloured square below it.

Step 3: The 4 and the 0

The 4 that completes the teal pair comes from the 4/0 tile, standing vertically: 4 up in the teal pair's left cell, 0 down in the top-left cell of the purple equals block. Since all three purple cells must match, that 0 is decisive — the 0/0 double lies flat across the block's two bottom cells, both zeros.

Step 4: The left-edge pair

One tile remains. The 4/4 double slots into the pink equals pair on the bottom-left edge, standing vertically with 4 in the upper cell and 4 in the lower cell. Every region on the board now agrees, and the layout is complete.

🔧 Step-by-Step Answer Walkthrough For Medium Level

Step 1: The tightest cell

The teal region at the top is a single-cell sum of 1, and only one tile in the tray carries a 1: the 4/1. It lies flat, so 4 goes left into the lower cell of the purple unequal pair and 1 goes right into the teal cell. The unequal pair already knows one of its two pips.

Step 2: The 6 falls into place

The pink single-cell sum of 6 beside it must hold a 6, and the 6/2 tile is the only carrier. Lying flat, its 2 lands in the upper cell of the purple unequal pair and its 6 in the pink cell. The pair now reads 2 and 4 — different values, so the unequal constraint is satisfied without any further work.

Step 3: The greater-4 cell

The orange cell on the top-right only accepts a pip above 4, so 5 or 6; the 6 is gone, leaving 5. The 5/3 tile stands vertically, 5 up in the orange cell and 3 down in the top-centre cell of the green greater-10 block — the block's first running total.

Step 4: The four-cell block

The green block needs its total above 10 and already holds a 3. The 3/3 double lies flat along its bottom two cells, lifting the count to 9, and the 4/3 tile stands vertically with 3 up in the block's remaining top-left cell and 4 down in the purple greater-12 block. Green finishes on 12, safely over the line.

Step 5: Closing the thresholds

The purple block already holds that 4, so the 5/4 tile stands vertically beside it: 4 up in the top-left cell, 5 down in the bottom cell, for a total of 13 and a cleared threshold. The last tile, 4/0, lies flat along the blue less-9 row on the left, 4 left and 0 right — well under the ceiling. Every region resolves.

🔧 Step-by-Step Answer Walkthrough For Hard Level

Step 1: The only 6

The green sum-6 cell on the bottom row is a single-cell sum, so it must hold a 6. Scanning all sixteen tiles, exactly one carries a 6: the 3/6. It has to stand upright, placing 3 in the pink sum-3 cell in the middle of the board directly above, and 6 in the green cell. That column is now decided.

Step 2: The free square and the bottom pair

Five cells want a 0 and five tiles carry one, so each zero-tile spends its zero in a zero cell. The uncoloured square takes the 0 of the 0/1 tile, standing upright, which drops a 1 into the left cell of the teal equals pair beneath it. That pair needs matching pips and there are no doubles, so the second 1 arrives on its own tile: the 1/4 lies flat, 1 left in the pair's right cell, 4 right in the bottom-left cell of the purple equals block.

Step 3: The purple block and the orange pair

The purple block in the bottom-right corner wants three identical pips, and one 4 is already in place. The 2/4 tile stands vertically and drops its 4 from the teal sum-2 cell above into the block's top-left cell; the 4/5 tile stands vertically too, 4 down in the block's bottom-right cell and 5 up in the lower cell of the orange equals pair. Those two 5s and the 3/5 tile's 5 complete the orange pair, with the 3/5's other half reading 3 in the orange sum-3 on the right edge.

Step 4: Banking the zeros

The rest of the zero cells fall in a line. The 0/5 tile lies flat, 5 left in the green sum-5 and 0 right in the purple sum-0. The 0/3 tile stands upright, 3 up in the teal sum-3 at the top and 0 down in the pink sum-0. The 0/2 tile lies flat, 2 left in the upper blue sum-2 on the left edge and 0 right in the green sum-0. The 0/4 tile stands upright, 0 up in the blue sum-0 and 4 down in the pink sum-4.

Step 5: The right-hand stacks

Two upright placements fill the top-right of the board: the 1/3 tile, with 1 up in the orange sum-1 and 3 down in the teal sum-3 on the right edge, and the 1/5 tile, with 1 up in the purple sum-1 at the centre and 5 down in the purple sum-5. Both send a pip down into a cell that had no other candidate.

Step 6: The last six tiles

What remains is pure matching along the top and middle. The 3/4 tile lies flat across the top-left corner, 4 in the purple sum-4 and 3 in the pink sum-3 beside it; the 2/5 tile lies flat along the top-right, 2 in the orange sum-2 and 5 in the blue sum-5; the 1/2 tile stands upright, 1 up in the teal sum-1 and 2 down in the pink sum-2; and the 2/3 tile lies flat on the left, 2 in the lower blue sum-2 and 3 in the green sum-3. Every single-cell target is met, all three equals regions agree, and the free square holds a 0.

💡 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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NYT Pips Hints & Answers for November 4, 2026

🚨 SPOILER WARNING

🎲 Today's Puzzle Overview

💡 Progressive Hints

🎨 Pips Solver

✅ Final Answer & Complete Solution For Easy Level

Starting Position & Key First Steps

Final Answer: The Solved Grid for Easy Mode

✅ Final Answer & Complete Solution For Medium Level

Starting Position & Key First Steps

Final Answer: The Solved Grid for Medium Mode

✅ Final Answer & Complete Solution For Hard Level

Starting Position & Key First Steps

Final Answer: The Solved Grid for Hard Mode

🔧 Step-by-Step Answer Walkthrough For Easy Level

🔧 Step-by-Step Answer Walkthrough For Medium Level

🔧 Step-by-Step Answer Walkthrough For Hard Level

💡 Pro Tips for Similar Puzzles

🎓 Keep Learning & Improve

🧠 Strategy Guide

🎮 How to Play

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