Monday brings a fresh set of NYT Pips puzzles to kick off the week. This Monday's lineup is a balanced start -- the Easy puzzle is a warm-up, Medium adds some constraint juggling, and Hard demands careful zone tracking across a denser layout. 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: The equal-sign zones (purple, orange, navy, pink) are your most constrained. Find the double dominoes that anchor each one.
Key Insight: The green (not-equal) zone is the most flexible but also the most punishing if you miscount. Every cell must hold a different pip value. Track which values you have already placed there to avoid duplicates.
Watch Out For: The purple (3) zone requires a total of exactly 3 across three cells. That means three 1s and nothing else. Any domino with a 1 on one end and a non-1 on the other must be oriented so the 1 lands inside purple (3) and the other value lands outside.
Step-by-Step Walkthrough
- 1.Start with the purple (=) zone. It has two cells and requires all values to match. The 3/3 double is the only option. Place it vertically in purple.
- 2.The pink (2) zone needs exactly 2 total. Place the 1/3 vertically so the 1 lands in pink (satisfying the total of 2) and the 3 lands in purple (=), matching the existing 3s.
- 3.The teal (2) zone also needs exactly 2. Place the 1/2 horizontally. The 2 lands in teal, satisfying its condition. The 1 goes into pink, which is already locked.
- 4.Place the 3/6 horizontally across purple (=) and the uncolored zone. The 3 keeps purple consistent. The uncolored zone has no restrictions.
- 5.Bridge purple (=) and orange (=) with the 3/4 placed vertically. The 3 continues purple's chain. The 4 enters orange, setting its equal value.
- 6.Lock orange (=) with the 4/4 double placed vertically. Both ends are 4, matching the existing orange value.
- 7.Establish navy (=) with the 5/5 double placed horizontally.
- 8.Bridge navy (=) and orange (=) with the 5/4 placed horizontally. The 5 matches navy. The 4 matches orange.
- 9.Connect navy (=) to purple (3) with the 5/1 placed horizontally. The 5 matches navy. The 1 enters the purple (3) zone, which needs three 1s total.
- 10.Add the 1/4 horizontally across purple (3) and orange (=). The 1 brings purple (3) to 2 out of 3 needed. The 4 matches orange.
- 11.Place the 6/1 horizontally across pink (=) and purple (3). The 6 sets pink's equal value. The 1 completes purple (3)'s total of exactly 3.
- 12.Place the 6/2 horizontally across pink (=) and teal (2). The 6 matches pink's equal condition. The 2 satisfies teal's total of 2.
- 13.Now the green (not-equal) zone. Place the 5/3 horizontally. These are two distinct values, keeping the condition valid.
- 14.Place the 4/2 vertically in green. Ensure neither 4 nor 2 duplicates any existing value in this zone. Check your placed values.
- 15.Finish with the 6/0 vertically in green. Confirm 6 and 0 are both unique within this zone. All values in green are now distinct.
Hard Pips Solution
Last chance to solve independently
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- 1.Place the 3/3 vertically in the purple (=) zone
- 2.Place the 1/3 vertically in the pink (2) zone and purple (=) zone
- 3.Place the 1/2 horizontally in the pink (2) zone and teal (2) zone
- 4.Place the 3/6 horizontally in the purple (=) zone and uncolored (no condition) zone
- 5.Place the 3/4 vertically in the purple (=) zone and orange (=) zone
- 6.Place the 4/4 vertically in the orange (=) zone
- 7.Place the 5/5 horizontally in the navy (=) zone
- 8.Place the 5/4 horizontally in the navy (=) zone and orange (=) zone
- 9.Place the 5/1 horizontally in the navy (=) zone and purple (3) zone
- 10.Place the 1/4 horizontally in the purple (3) zone and orange (=) zone
- 11.Place the 6/1 horizontally in the pink (=) zone and purple (3) zone
- 12.Place the 6/2 horizontally in the pink (=) zone and teal (2) zone
- 13.Place the 5/3 horizontally in the green (not-equal) zone
- 14.Place the 4/2 vertically in the green (not-equal) zone
- 15.Place the 6/0 vertically in the green (not-equal) zone
Puzzle Debrief
Overall Difficulty: Moderate start to the week. The zone conditions are straightforward -- mostly equal-sign constraints and exact-number requirements -- which makes the logic chain predictable once you spot the anchoring doubles.
Trickiest Puzzle: Hard - The green (not-equal) zone requires careful tracking. With three dominoes placed inside, you must ensure all six pip values are distinct. A single duplicate forces a restart. The purple (3) zone also demands precision: exactly three 1s across three cells, leaving zero margin for error.
Our Take: This Monday set rewards methodical thinking over speed. The equal-sign zones create clear domino chains that propagate logically from the doubles outward. The not-equal zone is the only real trap -- it looks forgiving but punishes carelessness. Solid puzzle design for a Monday.
Tomorrow's Pips drops at midnight. See you then.
