Friday brings a fresh set of NYT Pips puzzles. Today's set features a balanced progression from straightforward zone logic to complex multi-zone constraints. We've got hints, step-by-step walkthroughs, and full solutions for Easy, Medium, and Hard difficulty levels.
How to Play Pips
Pips is a domino placement puzzle where you fill a grid of color-coded zones. Each zone has a condition you must satisfy using the pip values on your dominoes. The twist: you must use every domino and meet every condition to win.
Zone Conditions:
- = All pips in this zone must equal the same number
- Not Equal All pips must be different numbers
- > Pips must be greater than the listed number
- < Pips must be less than the listed number
- Exact Number Pips must total that exact value
- No Color Free space, any domino value works
Click or tap dominoes to rotate them. Each puzzle has one or more valid solutions.
Today's Easy Pips
Quick Hints (No Spoilers)
Starting Point: Begin with the Equal zone - it is the most restrictive and will dictate your early placements.
Key Insight: The 0/6 domino is your only option for the Greater Than (5) zone.
Easy Pips Solution
Scroll past if you want to keep trying
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- 1.Place 3/3 horizontally in pink (=) zone
- 2.Place 3/5 vertically in pink (=) zone
- 3.Place 0/6 vertically in teal (>5) zone
- 4.Place 5/5 vertically in purple (10) zone
- 5.Place 5/0 horizontally in purple (10) zone
Today's Medium Pips
Quick Hints (No Spoilers)
Starting Point: Focus on the Equal zones first - they're your most constrained placements.
Key Insight: The Number zones require exact number placements, which means it should be a little easier to place these after completing the equal zones.
Medium Pips Solution
Scroll past if you want to keep trying
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- 1.Place 5/5 vertically in purple (=) zone
- 2.Place 5/2 vertically in purple (=) zone
- 3.Place 1/6 horizontally in pink (3) zone
- 4.Place 0/0 horizontally in navy (=) zone
- 5.Place 2/2 vertically in orange (=) zone
- 6.Place 2/0 vertically in orange (=) zone
- 7.Place 3/4 horizontally in green (3) zone
- 8.Place 6/6 horizontally in pink (=) zone
Today's Hard Pips
Quick Hints (No Spoilers)
Starting Point: Tackle the Number zones first - they have exact requirements that limit your options.
Key Insight: The Equal zones create cascading constraints - solving one often forces specific placements in adjacent zones.
Hard Pips Solution
Last chance to solve independently
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- 1.Place 0/6 horizontally in pink (6) zone
- 2.Place 0/0 horizontally in purple (=) zone
- 3.Place 5/1 horizontally in teal (6) zone
- 4.Place 3/3 horizontally in orange (6) zone
- 5.Place 2/5 horizontally in navy (6) zone
- 6.Place 4/5 vertically in green (=) zone
- 7.Place 1/3 horizontally in purple (6) zone
- 8.Place 1/1 horizontally in purple (6) zone
- 9.Place 2/6 horizontally in teal (6) zone
- 10.Place 2/2 horizontally in pink (6) zone
- 11.Place 1/5 vertically in orange (6) zone
- 12.Place 1/6 horizontally in navy (6) zone
- 13.Place 5/6 horizontally in green (6) zone
Puzzle Debrief
Overall Difficulty: Moderate challenge with clear progression from simple to complex constraints.
Trickiest Puzzle: Hard - The Less Than (2) zone creates a bottleneck that forces the 1/5 domino placement, which then cascades through the red Equal (5) zone.
Our Take: Today's puzzles demonstrate excellent zone interaction design. The Easy puzzle teaches basic zone constraints, Medium introduces the Not Equal mechanic effectively, and Hard combines multiple constraint types in a satisfying cascade. The progression feels natural and each puzzle builds on concepts from the previous one.
Tomorrow's Pips drops at midnight. See you then.
