Monday brings a fresh set of NYT Pips puzzles. Today's set features consistent zone patterns across all difficulty levels, with multiple exact number requirements that create clear starting points. 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
Today's Medium Pips
Today's Hard Pips
Quick Hints (No Spoilers)
Starting Point: Attack the exact number zones systematically - purple (1), teal (0), orange (2), and navy (12) create a mathematical framework.
Key Insight: The pink (≠) zones dominate the puzzle - you need to maintain unique values across all pink zones while satisfying other conditions.
Watch Out For: The navy (12) zones require careful pip distribution - you need exactly 12 total pips across all connected zones, which forces specific domino combinations.
Step-by-Step Walkthrough
- 1.Start with the most constrained zone: purple (1) requires exactly one pip total. Place 1/2 domino vertically with the 1-pip in purple zone.
- 2.The navy (=) zone connected to purple (1) needs equal pips. The 2-pip side of 1/2 satisfies this condition.
- 3.Complete purple (1) zone with 0/3 domino placed horizontally - 0+1=1 total pips, perfect.
- 4.The pink (>1) zone now has 3 pips from 0/3 domino, satisfying >1 condition.
- 5.Place 1/3 domino vertically in purple (>1) zone - both 1 and 3 are greater than 1, condition met.
- 6.Address teal (0) zone with 0/1 domino placed horizontally - zero pips in teal zone satisfies exact 0 requirement.
- 7.The orange (2) zone gets 1 pip from 0/1 domino - needs exactly 2 total, will be completed later.
- 8.Place 2/2 domino horizontally in navy (=) zone and pink (≠) zone - equal 2s satisfy navy, different values satisfy pink.
- 9.Position 3/3 domino vertically in green (>1) zone and pink (≠) zone - all pips >1, different from neighbors.
- 10.Place 6/2 domino horizontally connecting pink (≠) and teal (2) zones - different values for pink, contributes to teal's total.
- 11.Use 1/4 domino horizontally to address orange (2) zone completion and navy (12) zone accumulation.
- 12.Place 2/4 domino vertically in navy (=) zone and purple (7) zone - maintains equal pips for navy, adds to purple total.
- 13.Position 0/0 domino horizontally in green (0) zone and pink (≠) zone - satisfies green's zero requirement, different values for pink.
- 14.Place 4/4 domino horizontally in pink (≠) zone and navy (12) zone - different values for pink, adds to navy total.
- 15.Use 4/0 domino vertically to connect navy (12) and pink (0) zones - strategic placement for both totals.
- 16.Place 3/4 domino horizontally to complete purple (7) zone total and satisfy teal (>3) zone condition.
- 17.Position 5/5 domino vertically in pink (≠) zone and orange (>4) zone - different values for pink, both >4 for orange.
- 18.Place 1/6 domino vertically in pink (≠) zone and navy (12) zone - final contribution to navy total.
- 19.Finish with 6/0 domino horizontally in navy (12) zone and pink (0) zone - completes all conditions.
Hard Pips Solution
Last chance to solve independently
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- 1.Place the 1/2 domino vertically in the purple (1) zone and navy (=) zone
- 2.Place the 0/3 domino horizontally in the purple (1) zone and pink (>1) zone
- 3.Place the 1/3 domino vertically in the purple (>1) zone
- 4.Place the 0/1 domino horizontally in the teal (0) zone and orange (2) zone
- 5.Place the 2/2 domino horizontally in the navy (=) zone and pink (≠) zone
- 6.Place the 3/3 domino vertically in the green (>1) zone and pink (≠) zone
- 7.Place the 6/2 domino horizontally in the pink (≠) zone and teal (2) zone
- 8.Place the 1/4 domino horizontally in the orange (2) zone and navy (12) zone
- 9.Place the 2/4 domino vertically in the navy (=) zone and purple (7) zone
- 10.Place the 0/0 domino horizontally in the green (0) zone and pink (≠) zone
- 11.Place the 4/4 domino horizontally in the pink (≠) zone and navy (12) zone
- 12.Place the 4/0 domino vertically in the navy (12) zone and pink (0) zone
- 13.Place the 3/4 domino horizontally in the purple (7) zone and teal (>3) zone
- 14.Place the 5/5 domino vertically in the pink (≠) zone and orange (>4) zone
- 15.Place the 1/6 domino vertically in the pink (≠) zone and navy (12) zone
- 16.Place the 6/0 domino horizontally in the navy (12) zone and pink (0) zone
Puzzle Debrief
Overall Difficulty: Moderate challenge with consistent patterns across all levels
Trickiest Puzzle: Hard - managing the pink (≠) zones while satisfying exact number requirements creates complex interdependencies
Our Take: Today's puzzles demonstrate how exact number constraints create solvable frameworks. The identical zone layouts across difficulties is unusual but provides a clear progression in strategic thinking required. The navy (12) zones force careful pip distribution mathematics, while pink (≠) zones test your ability to maintain unique values across multiple connections.
Tomorrow's Pips drops at midnight. See you then.
