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NYT Pips answers — Monday, February 2, 2026

Pips #169 · Edited by Ian Livengood · Easy by Ian Livengood · Medium by Rodolfo Kurchan · Hard by Rodolfo Kurchan

Stuck on today's New York Times Pips? Below are three progressive hints for each difficulty, then the full solution as a tap-to-reveal board. Hints first — the answer only when you want it.

Jump to: Easy · Medium · Hard

Easy Pips answer — February 2, 2026

3×6 board · 5 dominoes · 7 regions · by Ian Livengood

5 dominoes, 7 regions, a 3×6 grid — that's the easy puzzle for February 2, 2026. The mix is 3 sum regions, 1 "all equal", 1 "greater than", 2 free regions. Best foothold — the single cell at row 1, column 6 is marked 0, so it can only hold a 0. After that, the single cell at row 3, column 1 is marked 3, so it can only hold a 3. Rack check: 1 double, 2 blank halves.

Hints

Hint 1 — where to start

The single cell at row 1, column 6 is marked 0, so it can only hold a 0. Find the domino with a 0 that fits there.

Hint 2 — first domino

Place the 0–2 domino with its 0 at row 1, column 6 and its 2 at row 1, column 5.

Hint 3 — second domino

Next, the 3–0 goes at row 3, column 1 → row 3, column 2. From there the rest should fall into place.

Solution

Tap any cell to reveal its pips, or reveal the whole board. Region rules: 3 must add up to 3; >4 must add up to more than 4; = must all be the same number; 0 must add up to 0.

3
>4
=
0
3
Solution as text
  1. 4–2 — 4 at row 2, column 3, 2 at row 2, column 2
  2. 3–0 — 3 at row 3, column 1, 0 at row 3, column 2
  3. 3–3 — 3 at row 1, column 4, 3 at row 2, column 4
  4. 0–2 — 0 at row 1, column 6, 2 at row 1, column 5
  5. 1–5 — 1 at row 1, column 2, 5 at row 1, column 3

Medium Pips answer — February 2, 2026

4×5 board · 7 dominoes · 9 regions · by Rodolfo Kurchan

7 dominoes, 9 regions, a 4×5 grid — that's the medium puzzle for February 2, 2026. You're working with 1 sum region, 3 "all equal", 3 "greater than", 2 free regions. The "=" pair at row 1, column 1 needs two identical pips — a double, or matching halves from two dominoes.. After that, the "=" pair at row 2, column 1 needs two identical pips — a double, or matching halves from two dominoes.. Rack check: 1 double, 3 blank halves, 1 six.

Hints

Hint 1 — where to start

The "=" pair at row 1, column 1 needs two identical pips — a double, or matching halves from two dominoes.

Hint 2 — first domino

Place the 2–2 domino with its 2 at row 1, column 1 and its 2 at row 1, column 2.

Hint 3 — second domino

Next, the 0–1 goes at row 3, column 1 → row 2, column 1. From there the rest should fall into place.

Solution

Tap any cell to reveal its pips, or reveal the whole board. Region rules: = must all be the same number; >8 must add up to more than 8; >0 must add up to more than 0; 8 must add up to 8.

=
=
>8
=
>0
8
>0
Solution as text
  1. 0–6 — 0 at row 2, column 3, 6 at row 2, column 4
  2. 2–5 — 2 at row 4, column 4, 5 at row 4, column 3
  3. 2–4 — 2 at row 3, column 5, 4 at row 3, column 4
  4. 0–3 — 0 at row 4, column 1, 3 at row 4, column 2
  5. 2–2 — 2 at row 1, column 1, 2 at row 1, column 2
  6. 1–2 — 1 at row 2, column 2, 2 at row 3, column 2
  7. 0–1 — 0 at row 3, column 1, 1 at row 2, column 1

Hard Pips answer — February 2, 2026

7×7 board · 14 dominoes · 15 regions · by Rodolfo Kurchan

14 dominoes, 15 regions, a 7×7 grid — that's the hard puzzle for February 2, 2026. Rules on the board: 9 sum regions, 1 "all equal", 3 "less than", 1 "greater than", 1 free region. Best foothold — the single cell at row 5, column 3 is marked 1, so it can only hold a 1. After that, the single cell at row 7, column 1 is marked 3, so it can only hold a 3. Rack check: 4 doubles, 5 blank halves, 2 sixes.

Hints

Hint 1 — where to start

The single cell at row 5, column 3 is marked 1, so it can only hold a 1. Find the domino with a 1 that fits there.

Hint 2 — first domino

Place the 3–1 domino with its 3 at row 5, column 4 and its 1 at row 5, column 3.

Hint 3 — second domino

Next, the 3–4 goes at row 7, column 1 → row 7, column 2. From there the rest should fall into place.

Solution

Tap any cell to reveal its pips, or reveal the whole board. Region rules: = must all be the same number; >4 must add up to more than 4; 9 must add up to 9; 8 must add up to 8; <2 must add up to less than 2.

=
>4
9
9
9
8
<2
1
<2
3
9
<2
9
1
Solution as text
  1. 4–4 — 4 at row 3, column 5, 4 at row 4, column 5
  2. 3–1 — 3 at row 5, column 4, 1 at row 5, column 3
  3. 5–2 — 5 at row 3, column 1, 2 at row 4, column 1
  4. 3–3 — 3 at row 1, column 1, 3 at row 2, column 1
  5. 1–2 — 1 at row 6, column 1, 2 at row 5, column 1
  6. 3–5 — 3 at row 1, column 3, 5 at row 1, column 2
  7. 0–0 — 0 at row 4, column 7, 0 at row 5, column 7
  8. 6–2 — 6 at row 1, column 7, 2 at row 1, column 6
  9. 3–0 — 3 at row 2, column 7, 0 at row 3, column 7
  10. 2–2 — 2 at row 1, column 4, 2 at row 1, column 5
  11. 5–0 — 5 at row 7, column 3, 0 at row 7, column 4
  12. 3–6 — 3 at row 7, column 5, 6 at row 7, column 6
  13. 1–0 — 1 at row 7, column 7, 0 at row 6, column 7
  14. 3–4 — 3 at row 7, column 1, 4 at row 7, column 2

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