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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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🎲 Today's Puzzle Overview
Ian Livengood's easy board is a compact two-anchor deduction graph. The teal equals block in the bottom-left corner demands one pip repeated four times, so it swallows the tray's only double immediately and pins the block's value; from there the pink equals pair in the centre and the purple sum-5 pair above it lock into a coupled chain, because the two tiles touching the pink pair each offer a half that the purple pair either accepts or rejects. A single high outlier that can be spent in exactly one place on the bottom edge closes the loop.
The medium grid shifts the load from sums to inequality signposts. Ian Livengood plants two less-1 singletons, one in the top-right corner and one in the bottom-right corner, each of which collapses to the same low pip, plus a sum-1 vertical pair against the left edge that splits into that pip and its companion. The hinge is the pair of greater-9 regions across the middle rows: only the heaviest pips satisfy them, so the tray's high tiles cluster along the centre while the light tiles drain into the two uncoloured squares and the pink sum-3 pair near the top.
Rodolfo Kurchan's hard grid is the densest constraint web of the three. Two equals regions, the three-cell pink column at the top and the four-cell blue block at the bottom-right, each propagate a single pip across their cells, while a teal greater-8 column and an orange greater-9 column force heavy pips into vertical runs down the right and centre. The singletons do the surgical work: the sum-0, sum-1, sum-2, sum-4 and sum-6 cells along the left and bottom edges pin individual pips outright, and this NYT Pips hard leaves almost no slack anywhere.
💡 Progressive Hints
Try these hints one at a time. Each hint becomes more specific to help you solve it yourself!
💡 Count the repeats first
Two regions on this board want the same pip in every cell they hold. One of them is a four-cell block tucked into the bottom-left corner. Before anything else, find the tile in the tray that is the only one able to repeat a value on two touching cells, because that tile has to live inside that block.
💡 The teal block takes the double
The teal equals block in the bottom-left corner needs four matching pips, and only the 4/4 double can hand it two at once. It stands vertically down the block's left column. Once that value is fixed, every tile crossing into the block has to agree with it, and one of those neighbours is the orange greater-1 cell along the bottom.
💡 Full easy solution
The 4/4 double stands vertically down the teal block's left column, 4 top-left and 4 bottom-left, so all four block cells read 4. The 5/4 tile stands vertically at the left of the pink equals pair, 5 falling into the pair's left cell and 4 into the block's top-right cell. The 6/4 tile lies flat along the bottom edge, 6 on the right in the orange greater-1 cell and 4 on the left in the block's bottom-right cell. That confirms the pink pair at 5 and 5, since the 3/5 tile stands vertically above the pair's right cell, 5 falling into it and 3 rising into the purple sum-5 pair's left cell. The purple pair's other cell must then be 2, so the 2/1 tile stands vertically in the top-right column, 2 in the purple pair and 1 above it in the uncoloured square.
💡 Start with the strictest words
The tightest constraints here are the two cells that must hold a pip below 1, and the one region that must sum to 1. Those three constraints do not tolerate guesswork, so read them before you touch the greater-than regions, which are far more permissive.
💡 Where the zeros land
The purple less-1 cell in the top-right corner touches only the pink sum-3 pair beneath it, so its tile stands vertically, and the 1/0 tile supplies it with 0 up and 1 down in the pink pair's right cell. The pink less-1 cell down at the bottom-right pairs with the uncoloured square to its left: the 0/3 tile lies horizontally there, 0 on the right, 3 on the left. The orange sum-1 vertical pair on the left edge then splits into a 1 above and a 0 below.
💡 Full medium solution
The 1/5 tile lies horizontally across the left edge, 1 in the upper cell of the orange sum-1 pair and 5 to its right in the left cell of the centre blue greater-9 pair. The 5/5 double lies horizontally along the middle row, 5 on the left in the blue pair's right cell and 5 on the right in the left cell of the green greater-9 pair. The 5/4 tile stands vertically at the far right, 5 below in the green pair's right cell and 4 above in the teal greater-2 cell. The 4/0 tile lies horizontally at the bottom-left, 0 on the left in the orange sum-1 pair's lower cell and 4 on the right in the purple greater-3 cell. The 0/3 tile lies horizontally at the bottom-right, 0 on the right in the pink less-1 cell and 3 on the left in the uncoloured square beside it. The 1/0 tile stands vertically in the top-right, 0 above in the purple less-1 cell and 1 below in the pink sum-3 pair's right cell. The 4/2 tile lies horizontally near the top, 4 on the left in the uncoloured square and 2 on the right in the pink sum-3 pair's left cell.
💡 Follow the exact numbers
Begin wherever a constraint names a single number: the sum-0 cell, the two sum-1 cells, and the sum-6 cell all name a value outright. After that, the board's two equals regions and its greater-8 and greater-9 columns are the next tightest chains, because they demand repeats or heavy pips.
💡 The bottom-left corner
The green sum-0 cell at the bottom-left corner has to hold a 0, and the tray has no 0/2 tile, so its partner must be a 1 arriving from the uncoloured square directly above. One column to the right, the purple sum-2 cell works the same way: its partner comes from the second uncoloured square above it, giving 1 up there and 2 down in the purple cell.
💡 The equals regions
The pink equals column at the top repeats one pip across three stacked cells, and the 0/0 double is the tile that fits inside it. The blue equals block at the bottom-right repeats across four cells, and the 5/5 double stands inside its right-hand column. Everything crossing into those two regions has to hand them the same value the region already carries.
💡 Heavy pips and the only 6
The teal greater-8 column at the top-right is fed by the 3/2 tile above and the 4/5 tile below, while the orange greater-9 column in the centre takes the 4/3 tile between two 3s. The tray's only 6 is then forced: the blue sum-6 cell is a single cell, so it takes the 6 of the 2/6 tile, whose 2 drops into the top of the pink unequal pair.
💡 Full hard solution
The 0/0 double stands vertically in the pink equals column at the top, 0 in the top cell and 0 in the middle cell, with the 3/0 tile standing vertically below it, 0 up into the column's bottom cell and 3 down into the top of the orange greater-9 column. The 4/3 tile stands vertically in that column's middle, 4 in the middle cell and 3 in the bottom cell. The 5/5 double stands vertically in the blue equals block's right-hand column, 5 in the middle-right cell and 5 in the bottom-right cell; the 3/5 tile stands vertically above the block's top-left corner, 5 down into it and 3 up in the uncoloured free square; the 4/5 tile stands vertically at the bottom of the teal greater-8 column, 4 in that column's lowest cell and 5 down into the block's top-right cell; the 3/2 tile stands vertically above it, 3 in the teal column's top cell and 2 in the middle cell. The 0/1 tile stands vertically at the bottom-left, 0 in the green sum-0 cell and 1 above in the uncoloured square, and the 1/2 tile stands vertically to its right, 1 in the second uncoloured square and 2 below in the purple sum-2 cell. The 1/1 double stands vertically in the green sum-2 pair, 1 in each cell. The 2/6 tile stands vertically with 6 in the blue sum-6 cell and 2 down in the upper cell of the pink unequal pair. The 1/5 tile stands vertically on the left, 1 in the orange sum-1 cell and 5 down in the purple sum-5 cell, while the 4/1 tile lies horizontally at the left edge, 1 on the left in the teal sum-1 cell and 4 on the right in the lower cell of the pink unequal pair. The 2/4 tile lies horizontally across the top-left, 2 on the left in the uncoloured square and 4 on the right in the purple sum-4 cell.
🎨 Pips Solver
Oct 16, 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 tray's only double goes to the teal block
The teal equals block in the bottom-left corner covers four cells and every one of them must hold the same pip. Only the 4/4 double has two identical halves, so it is the tile that has to sit inside the block. It stands vertically down the block's left column, 4 in the top-left cell and 4 in the bottom-left cell, which settles the block's value as 4. Both tiles crossing into the block now have to contribute a 4 as well.
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Step 2: The 5/4 tile feeds the pink pair
The block's top-right cell is reached from the pink equals pair above it, and the tile that can hand the block a 4 there while also filling a pink cell is the 5/4. It stands vertically with 4 in the block's top-right cell and 5 in the pink pair's left cell, which immediately fixes the pink pair's value at 5.
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Step 3: The lone high pip and the bottom edge
Ask where a 6 could possibly live. The purple sum-5 pair cannot hold it, the pink equals pair is already spoken for at 5, and the teal block runs on 4s, so the only home left is the orange greater-1 cell along the bottom. The 6/4 tile lies horizontally across that edge, 6 on the right in the orange cell and 4 on the left in the block's bottom-right cell, completing the teal block.
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Step 4: The purple pair splits 3 and 2
The purple sum-5 pair in the top-right needs two pips adding to 5, and its left cell belongs to the 3/5 tile while its right cell belongs to the 2/1 tile. If the 3/5 tile pushed its 5 into the purple pair, the other cell would need to be 0, and no remaining tile can supply that. So 3 rises into the purple pair's left cell and 5 drops into the pink pair's right cell, giving the pink pair its second 5. The purple pair's remaining cell is therefore 2, the lower half of the 2/1 tile, and the 1 of that tile fills the uncoloured square at the top-right.
🔧 Step-by-Step Answer Walkthrough For Medium Level
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Step 1: Two cells want less than 1
The purple less-1 cell in the top-right corner has exactly one neighbour, the right cell of the pink sum-3 pair, so the tile there stands vertically and its pip is a 0. The pink less-1 cell at the bottom-right takes the other zero and lies horizontally with the uncoloured square to its left, which fixes the 0/3 tile as 0 on the right and 3 on the left in the free square.
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Step 2: Both greater-9 pairs run on fives
The blue greater-9 pair in the centre and the green greater-9 pair on the right each need two pips that beat 9 together, so both cells in each pair are heavy. The 5/5 double lies horizontally along the middle row, its left half filling the blue pair's right cell and its right half filling the green pair's left cell, giving 10 on both sides.
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Step 3: The 5/4 and the 1/5 tiles
The 5/4 tile stands vertically at the far right, 5 falling into the green pair's right cell and 4 rising into the teal greater-2 cell, which satisfies the greater-2 constraint. Meanwhile the blue pair still needs a 5 on its left, and the 1/5 tile provides it: it lies horizontally with 5 on the right in the blue pair's left cell and 1 on the left in the upper cell of the orange sum-1 pair.
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Step 4: Closing the sum-1 pair and the greater-3 cell
The orange sum-1 vertical pair is now half solved with a 1 on top, so the lower cell must be 0. The 4/0 tile lies horizontally along the bottom-left, 0 on the left in the orange pair's lower cell and 4 on the right in the purple greater-3 cell, which clears the greater-3 requirement.
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Step 5: The last tiles fall into place
The 1/0 tile stands vertically in the top-right, 0 above in the purple less-1 cell and 1 below in the pink sum-3 pair's right cell. The 4/2 tile lies horizontally near the top, 4 on the left in the uncoloured square and 2 on the right in the pink sum-3 pair's left cell, completing the sum of 3. That accounts for every tile: both greater-9 pairs read 5 and 5, the two less-1 cells hold 0, and the orange pair reads 1 over 0.
🔧 Step-by-Step Answer Walkthrough For Hard Level
1
Step 1: The sum-0 and sum-2 cells at the bottom-left
The green sum-0 cell at the bottom-left corner can only hold a 0. The tray has no 0/2 tile, so a horizontal pairing with the purple sum-2 cell beside it is impossible; the partner has to be a 1 from the uncoloured square directly above, so the 0/1 tile stands vertically there, 0 below in the green cell and 1 above in the free square. One column to the right, the purple sum-2 cell mirrors it: the 1/2 tile stands vertically with 1 in the second uncoloured square and 2 below in the purple cell.
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Step 2: The pink equals column at the top
The pink equals column is three stacked cells that must all match. The 0/0 double is the tile that fits inside it, filling the top and middle cells with 0, so the column's value is 0. The remaining cell at the bottom of the column is supplied by the 3/0 tile, which stands vertically with 0 up into the column and 3 down into the top of the orange greater-9 column.
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Step 3: The blue equals block
The four-cell blue equals block at the bottom-right repeats a single pip. The 5/5 double stands vertically inside it, giving the middle-right and bottom-right cells matching 5s, so the block's value is 5. Its two top cells are fed from above: the 3/5 tile stands vertically over the top-left corner cell, 5 down into the block and 3 up in the uncoloured free square, and the 4/5 tile stands vertically at the bottom of the teal greater-8 column, 4 in that column's lowest cell and 5 down into the block's top-right corner cell.
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Step 4: The two heavy columns
The orange greater-9 column already has a 3 in its top cell. The 4/3 tile stands vertically beneath it, 4 in the middle cell and 3 in the bottom cell, so the column reads 3, 4, 3 and beats 9. The teal greater-8 column is completed by the 3/2 tile, which stands vertically with 3 in the top cell and 2 in the middle cell, joining the 4 already sitting in the column's lowest cell for a total of 9. That leaves the center-right uncoloured square holding the 3 from the 3/5 tile.
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Step 5: The tray's only 6
The blue sum-6 cell is a single cell, so it must hold a 6, and the 2/6 tile is the only tile in the tray carrying one. It stands vertically with 6 in the blue sum-6 cell and 2 below in the upper cell of the pink unequal pair, which is exactly why that pair is labelled unequal: its other cell has to differ, and it does.
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Step 6: The last four tiles
The 1/5 tile stands vertically on the left, 1 in the orange sum-1 cell and 5 down in the purple sum-5 cell. The 4/1 tile lies horizontally at the left edge, 1 on the left in the teal sum-1 cell and 4 on the right in the lower cell of the pink unequal pair, so that pair reads 2 above and 4 below. The 1/1 double stands vertically in the green sum-2 pair, 1 in each cell. Finally the 2/4 tile lies horizontally across the top-left, 2 on the left in the uncoloured square and 4 on the right in the purple sum-4 cell, and every tile in the tray is 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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