🚨 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
Ian Livengood shapes today's NYT Pips easy like a setting for a single stone: two identical sum-10 pairs, one along the top and one along the bottom, act as the mounting, and the rest of the grid exists only to hold them in place. His signature here is the placement of the tightest clue on the board — a lone cell that can accept only the smallest pip — tucked into the top-left corner, which forces the tray's double to be committed to the centre before the outline of the solve is even visible. It is a four-by-four lesson in how much weight one single-cell constraint can carry.
The medium keeps the same constructor but changes the trick. Livengood uses symmetry as a decoy: two greater-than-nine pairs face each other from opposite ends of the board, while two equals pairs sit shoulder to shoulder in the row beneath the top edge. The tray pointedly offers two doubles, and the real design question is which equals region deserves one outright and which must be assembled from two separate tiles carrying a matching pip — that decision is the spine of the solve.
Rodolfo Kurchan's hard is a different species. Every region is a single cell with its own sum target, so there are no fat multi-cell totals to lean on — just a field of thirty-two numbers waiting to be satisfied by sixteen tiles. The deck gives away the intent: fifteen tiles cover every non-double pairing of 0–5, and a single 3/6 is imported from outside that range, which turns the puzzle into a matching problem wearing arithmetic as a disguise.
💡 Progressive Hints
Try these hints one at a time. Each hint becomes more specific to help you solve it yourself!
💡 Two clues that leave no room
Two kinds of constraint on this little grid do far more work than the others: a single-cell sum that is as small as a sum can get, and the equals pair down the left-hand side. Read those two before you look at anything else — each of them dictates a pip outright once you check the tray.
💡 The corner cell and the teal equals pair
The purple cell tucked into the top-left corner carries a sum of 1, so only the smallest positive pip can live there — and exactly one tile in the tray contains that pip, which forces its partner value straight down into the pink sum-10 pair below. Over on the left, the teal equals pair needs two identical pips, and the tray's only two tiles carrying a zero are the ones that can supply them.
💡 Complete easy layout
The purple sum-1 cell at the top-left takes the 1 from the 6/1 tile, which stands vertically with its 6 dropping into the left cell of the pink sum-10 pair below. That pair then needs a 4 beside it, so the 4/4 double stands vertically beneath it — 4 as the upper half in the pink region's right cell, 4 as the lower half in the orange greater-2 cell at the centre of the board. On the left, the teal equals pair is built from two zeros: the 0/2 tile stands vertically with 0 as the lower half in the teal pair's left cell and 2 as the upper half in the uncoloured free square above; the 0/5 tile stands vertically with 0 as the upper half in the teal pair's right cell and 5 as the lower half in the left cell of the blue sum-10 pair. That bottom pair needs 5 + 5, so the 6/5 tile lies flat along the bottom row — 5 on the left in the blue pair's right cell, 6 on the right in the green greater-1 cell at the bottom-right corner.
💡 Start with sameness, not arithmetic
The equals regions are the most generous clues on this board, and you have two of them sitting side by side in the same row. One can be settled by a single tile; the other has to be assembled from two separate tiles that happen to carry the same pip. Sort the tray by value before you place anything.
💡 The two equals pairs in the second row
The pink equals pair at the top-left is two cells wide, so a double fills it in one move and nothing else has to agree. The teal equals pair on the top-right has to be built: the tray holds exactly two tiles containing a 1 — the 1/4 and the 1/2 — so both must be spent there, one pip landing in each cell of the teal pair. That leaves the second double free for the bottom edge of the board.
💡 Complete medium layout
The 3/3 double lies flat in the pink equals pair at the top-left, 3 on the left and 3 on the right. The teal equals pair is made of two 1s from different tiles: the 1/4 tile stands vertically with its 1 as the lower half in the teal pair's left cell and its 4 as the upper half in the right cell of the top purple greater-9 pair; the 1/2 tile stands vertically at the right, its 1 as the upper half in the teal pair's right cell and its 2 as the lower half in the upper cell of the green sum-6 pair. Down on the left, the orange less-3 cell takes the 5/2 tile lying flat: 2 in the orange cell and 5 to its right in the upper cell of the blue sum-9 pair. Blue then needs a 4 in its lower cell and green needs a 4 in its lower cell, so the 4/4 double lies flat along the bottom row, one 4 in each. The bottom-left purple greater-9 pair is filled by the 6/4 tile lying flat — 4 on the left, 6 on the right — and the top greater-9 pair is completed by the 6/5 tile lying flat, 6 on the right in the purple pair and 5 on the left in the uncoloured free square at the top-left corner.
💡 Read the grid as a field of targets
Every region here is a single cell, so there are no multi-cell sums to weigh — only a field of individual sum targets. Begin at the two extremes: the cells asking for nothing at all, which is the strongest clue a square can carry, and the one cell asking for the largest number the tray can supply.
💡 The anchor cell and the five zeros
The teal sum-6 cell on the right of the board, in the fourth row down, is the loudest clue here: only one tile in the tray carries a 6, so that tile must go there and its partner lands in the orange sum-3 cell immediately to its right. In the other direction, count the sum-0 cells — there are five of them, and the tray holds exactly five tiles containing a 0, so every zero in the deck is spoken for before you place anything else.
💡 The top row and the left column lock first
In the top row, the pink sum-3 cell and the teal sum-0 next to it are neighbours, and the 0/3 tile fits them exactly — 3 on the left in the pink cell, 0 on the right in the teal one. One column further right, the 0/4 tile stands vertically, 4 up in the orange sum-4 and 0 down in the teal sum-0 beneath it. On the left of the second row, the blue sum-4 cell and the green sum-4 beside it both demand a 4, and since this tray owns no doubles at all that horizontal pairing is dead — so the blue cell takes its 4 vertically, the 2/4 tile standing with 4 up and 2 down in the blue sum-2 below. The 3/4 tile then stands in the next column to the right, 3 up in the purple sum-3 on the top row and 4 down in the green sum-4.
💡 The middle band falls in pairs
Still in the second row, the purple sum-2 cell and the pink sum-1 beside it take the 1/2 tile lying flat, 2 on the left and 1 on the right, while the 0/2 tile stands at the right edge with 0 up in the orange sum-0 and 2 down in the orange sum-2 of the row below. In the third row, the 0/1 tile lies flat across the middle — 0 on the left in the green sum-0 and 1 on the right in the purple sum-1 — and the 1/3 tile lies flat further along, 1 on the left in the pink sum-1 and 3 on the right in the teal sum-3.
💡 Complete hard layout
Top row: the 0/3 tile lies flat with 3 on the left in the pink sum-3 and 0 on the right in the teal sum-0; the 0/4 tile stands vertically in the next column, 4 up in the orange sum-4 and 0 down in the teal sum-0 of the row below. Second row: the 2/4 tile stands vertically on the left, 4 up in the blue sum-4 and 2 down in the blue sum-2; the 3/4 tile stands vertically one column to its right, 3 up in the purple sum-3 of the top row and 4 down in the green sum-4; the 1/2 tile lies flat further along, 2 on the left in the purple sum-2 and 1 on the right in the pink sum-1; the 0/2 tile stands vertically at the right edge, 0 up in the orange sum-0 and 2 down in the orange sum-2 below. Third row: the 0/1 tile lies flat, 0 on the left in the green sum-0 and 1 on the right in the purple sum-1; the 1/3 tile lies flat, 1 on the left in the pink sum-1 and 3 on the right in the teal sum-3. Fourth row: the 4/5 tile stands vertically at the far left, 5 up in the blue sum-5 and 4 down in the blue sum-4 beneath; the 3/5 tile lies flat, 5 on the left in the green sum-5 and 3 on the right in the purple sum-3; the 2/3 tile stands vertically, 3 up in the pink sum-3 and 2 down in the pink sum-2 below; the 3/6 tile lies flat on the right, 6 on the left in the teal sum-6 and 3 on the right in the orange sum-3. Fifth row: the 0/5 tile stands vertically in the middle, 0 up in the purple sum-0 and 5 down in the green sum-5 at the bottom; the 1/4 tile stands vertically on the left, 1 up in the green sum-1 and 4 down in the blue sum-4 of the bottom row; the 2/5 tile lies flat, 2 on the left in the teal sum-2 and 5 on the right in the orange sum-5. Bottom row: the 1/5 tile lies flat, 1 on the left in the purple sum-1 and 5 on the right in the pink sum-5.
🎨 Pips Solver
Oct 10, 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
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-1 cell claims the 6/1
The purple cell in the top-left corner must sum to 1, and a single cell can only reach 1 by holding a 1. Only the 6/1 tile carries a 1, so it stands vertically there: the 1 sits in the purple cell and the 6 is pushed down into the pink cell beside the centre, which belongs to a sum-10 pair.
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Step 2: The pink sum-10 pair completes
With a 6 already inside the pink pair, its right-hand cell must be a 4. The 4/4 double is the obvious candidate, and it fits perfectly — standing vertically so its upper 4 lands in the pink pair while its lower 4 drops into the orange greater-2 cell directly beneath, clearing that constraint in the same move.
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Step 3: The teal equals pair takes both zeros
The teal pair down the left side needs two identical pips. With the 4/4 and the 6/1 spent, the tray's remaining tiles are 0/2, 0/5 and 6/5, and only the two zero-carrying tiles can make an equals pair. So the 0/2 tile stands vertically with 0 in the teal pair's left cell and 2 up in the uncoloured free square, and the 0/5 tile stands vertically with 0 in the teal pair's right cell and 5 down in the blue sum-10 pair beneath.
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Step 4: The bottom row falls into place
The blue sum-10 pair already holds a 5, so its other cell needs another 5 — and the only tile left carrying a 5 is 6/5. It lies flat along the bottom row: 5 on the left in the blue pair's right cell, 6 on the right in the green greater-1 corner, which the 6 clears comfortably.
🔧 Step-by-Step Answer Walkthrough For Medium Level
1
Step 1: The pink equals pair takes the 3/3 double
The equals region at the top-left is two cells wide, so a double fills it in one move and nothing else has to agree. The 3/3 is the natural fit: it lies flat across the pair, 3 on the left and 3 on the right, spending one of the tray's two doubles right away.
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Step 2: The teal equals pair is assembled from two 1s
The other equals region, on the top-right, cannot be a double — it has to be built from two separate tiles carrying a matching pip. The tray holds exactly two tiles with a 1 on them, the 1/4 and the 1/2, so both are spent here. The 1/4 stands vertically, its 1 as the lower half in the teal pair's left cell and its 4 as the upper half in the right cell of the top purple greater-9 pair. The 1/2 stands vertically at the right, its 1 as the upper half in the teal pair's right cell and its 2 dropping into the upper cell of the green sum-6 pair.
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Step 3: The orange less-3 cell fixes the 5/2
The orange cell on the left must hold a value below 3. The 5/2 tile's 2 is looking for exactly that home, and its 5 is the perfect partner for the blue sum-9 pair to its right. The tile lies flat: 2 in the orange cell, 5 in the blue pair's upper cell.
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Step 4: The bottom edge closes around the 4/4
Blue's sum-9 pair now needs a 4 in its lower cell, and the green sum-6 pair above has a 2 in its upper cell, so it also needs a 4 below. The 4/4 double lies flat along the bottom row and covers both: its left 4 in the blue pair's lower cell, its right 4 in the lower cell of the green pair.
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Step 5: The two greater-9 pairs take the leftovers
Two tiles remain, 6/4 and 6/5, and both greater-than-9 pairs need to beat nine. The 6/4 lies flat in the bottom-left purple pair — 4 on the left, 6 on the right. The 6/5 lies flat across the top, its 6 on the right in the purple pair's left cell and its 5 on the left in the uncoloured free square at the top-left corner of the board.
🔧 Step-by-Step Answer Walkthrough For Hard Level
1
Step 1: The only 6 picks its cell
The teal sum-6 cell on the right of the board, in the fourth row down, is the single most demanding square on the grid. Exactly one tile in the tray carries a 6 — the 3/6 — so the pair settles immediately: 6 in the teal cell, 3 to its right in the orange sum-3.
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Step 2: Counting the zeros
Five cells on this board demand a sum of zero, which is the strongest clue a single square can carry. Scan the tray and you find exactly five tiles with a 0 on them — 0/1, 0/2, 0/3, 0/4 and 0/5 — and since no tile carries two zeros, each one is committed to a different zero cell. Nothing else can move until you know which zero goes where.
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Step 3: The top row and the left column lock
Start at the top: the pink sum-3 and the teal sum-0 beside it in the top row are neighbours, and the 0/3 tile fits them exactly — 3 on the left in the pink cell, 0 on the right in the teal one. One column further right, the 0/4 tile stands vertically, 4 up in the orange sum-4 and 0 down in the teal sum-0 beneath it. On the left of the second row, the blue sum-4 cell and the green sum-4 next door both need a 4, and since this tray owns no doubles the horizontal pairing is impossible — the blue cell takes its 4 vertically, with the 2/4 tile standing 4 up and 2 down in the blue sum-2 below. The 3/4 tile then stands in the next column to the right, 3 up in the purple sum-3 on the top row and 4 down in the green sum-4.
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Step 4: The middle band falls in pairs
With the second row's 4s placed, the rest of that row sorts itself: the purple sum-2 and the pink sum-1 beside it take the 1/2 tile lying flat, 2 on the left and 1 on the right, and the 0/2 tile stands at the right edge with 0 up in the orange sum-0 and 2 down in the orange sum-2 of the row below. In the third row, the 0/1 tile lies flat across the middle — 0 on the left in the green sum-0, 1 on the right in the purple sum-1 — and the 1/3 tile lies flat further along, 1 on the left in the pink sum-1 and 3 on the right in the teal sum-3.
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Step 5: The lower half lines up
Two more placements follow from the numbers left in the tray. The 2/3 tile stands in the middle of the lower half, 3 up in the pink sum-3 and 2 down in the pink sum-2 beneath it. The 0/5 tile stands below the centre, 0 up in the purple sum-0 and 5 down in the green sum-5 at the bottom of the board.
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Step 6: The last five tiles slot in
What remains is a straight matching exercise. The 4/5 tile stands vertically at the far left, 5 up in the blue sum-5 and 4 down in the blue sum-4. The 3/5 tile lies flat in the fourth row, 5 on the left in the green sum-5 and 3 on the right in the purple sum-3. The 1/4 tile stands vertically on the left, 1 up in the green sum-1 and 4 down in the blue sum-4 of the bottom row. The 2/5 tile lies flat, 2 on the left in the teal sum-2 and 5 on the right in the orange sum-5. Finally the 1/5 tile lies flat along the bottom, 1 on the left in the purple sum-1 and 5 on the right in the pink sum-5.
💡 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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