NYT Pips Hints & Guide
Pips is a daily NYT domino logic puzzle. Place tiles on a colored grid so every region satisfies its constraint — equal values, sum targets, or greater/less-than rules. We publish spoiler-free hints every day the moment each puzzle is available.
How to play NYT Pips
You see a grid divided into colored regions. Below the board are domino tiles — each tile is split into two halves, each showing 0–6 pips. Drag or click to place tiles onto the grid, orienting them horizontally or vertically.
Unlike classic domino games, adjacent tiles don’t need matching ends. What matters is that every colored region satisfies its constraint rule. A single domino can straddle two regions, with each half satisfying a different rule.
You win when every grid square is covered, all available dominoes are placed, and every region’s rule is satisfied. No timer — undo freely and experiment until the logic clicks.
Constraint symbols
Every colored region has one of these constraint types:
All domino halves in this region must show the same pip number.
Every domino half in this region must be a different pip number — no repeats.
The total pip count across all domino halves in this region must equal the shown number.
Each domino half covering a square in this region must show a value higher than the number.
Each domino half covering a square in this region must show a value lower than the number.
Difficulty levels
Easy
Fewer dominoes, simpler single-constraint regions, more blank spaces for flexible routing.
Medium
Moderate complexity mixing constraint types — some logical deduction and mathematical planning required.
Hard
Maximum dominoes, tighter constraints, and complex interlocking rules demanding careful systematic solving.
Strategy tips
Start with forced placements
Single-square regions, exact sum targets, and tight > / < constraints with few valid pip values tell you exactly which domino must go there. Lock those in first.
Build outward from anchors
Once you've placed dominoes in the most constrained areas, the locked-in values constrain their neighbours — use that propagation to deduce the next placements.
Use cross-region dominoes deliberately
A tile spanning two regions lets each half serve a different rule. When you're stuck, ask whether a single domino could simultaneously satisfy two tricky constraints.
Map equal and not-equal requirements
In = regions count how many copies of each pip value the whole board needs. In ≠ regions immediately eliminate any pip number already placed in that region.
Pre-plan sum targets mathematically
Before placing tiles, work out which two pip values can sum to the target. For odd sums both halves must be different; check whether those values are still available.
Recent puzzles
Frequently asked questions
- What is NYT Pips?
- NYT Pips is a daily domino logic puzzle from The New York Times. You place domino tiles (each half showing 0–6 pips) onto a colored grid so that every region satisfies its mathematical constraint — equal values, sum targets, greater/less-than rules, or no constraint at all.
- How do the symbols in Pips work?
- = means all domino halves in the region must show the same pip count. ≠ means every half must be different. A plain number (e.g. 9) is a sum target — the pip total in the region must equal it. >3 means each half must exceed 3. <4 means each half must be below 4. Blank/white regions have no constraint.
- Can one domino span two different regions?
- Yes. A single domino can bridge two adjacent colored regions, with each half independently satisfying its own region's rule. This cross-region placement is a key tactic on harder puzzles.
- Is there a timer or penalty for wrong placements?
- No timer and no penalty — you can freely undo and redo placements. Pips rewards logical deduction over speed.
- How many difficulty levels does Pips have?
- Each day has three puzzles: Easy, Medium, and Hard. Easy uses fewer dominoes and simpler constraints. Medium mixes constraint types with moderate logical deduction. Hard requires maximum dominoes and tight interlocking constraints.
- When does today's Pips reset?
- A new set of Easy, Medium, and Hard Pips puzzles appears daily. We publish hints and solutions as soon as each puzzle is available.