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NYT Pips answers — Monday, March 2, 2026

Pips #197 · 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 — March 2, 2026

3×4 board · 5 dominoes · 6 regions · by Ian Livengood

Easy today is a 3×4 board with 5 dominoes and 6 regions. Rules on the board: 4 sum regions, 2 "all equal". The way in: the single cell at row 1, column 4 is marked 4, so it can only hold a 4. After that, the single cell at row 3, column 3 is marked 6, so it can only hold a 6. Rack check: 1 double, 1 blank half, 3 sixes.

Hints

Hint 1 — where to start

The single cell at row 1, column 4 is marked 4, so it can only hold a 4. Find the domino with a 4 that fits there.

Hint 2 — first domino

Place the 4–6 domino with its 4 at row 1, column 4 and its 6 at row 1, column 3.

Hint 3 — second domino

Next, the 6–0 goes at row 3, column 3 → 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: 4 must add up to 4; = must all be the same number; 5 must add up to 5; 6 must add up to 6.

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

Medium Pips answer — March 2, 2026

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

The medium board runs 4 rows by 4 columns: 7 dominoes to place across 9 regions. The mix is 3 sum regions, 2 "greater than", 4 free regions. Best foothold — two cells adding to more than 10 at row 3, column 4: that's 5+6 or 6+6 territory.. After that, the pair at row 1, column 2 adds to 10; list the ways to make 10 with the rack you have.. Rack check: 2 doubles, 4 blank halves, 2 sixes.

Hints

Hint 1 — where to start

Two cells adding to more than 10 at row 3, column 4: that's 5+6 or 6+6 territory.

Hint 2 — first domino

Place the 6–5 domino with its 6 at row 3, column 4 and its 5 at row 2, column 4.

Hint 3 — second domino

Next, the 5–4 goes at row 1, column 2 → row 2, 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: 10 must add up to 10; >0 must add up to more than 0; >10 must add up to more than 10.

10
10
10
>0
>10
Solution as text
  1. 5–4 — 5 at row 1, column 2, 4 at row 2, column 2
  2. 0–4 — 0 at row 3, column 1, 4 at row 2, column 1
  3. 0–6 — 0 at row 4, column 3, 6 at row 4, column 4
  4. 2–3 — 2 at row 3, column 2, 3 at row 3, column 3
  5. 6–5 — 6 at row 3, column 4, 5 at row 2, column 4
  6. 0–0 — 0 at row 4, column 1, 0 at row 4, column 2
  7. 5–5 — 5 at row 1, column 3, 5 at row 1, column 4

Hard Pips answer — March 2, 2026

6×9 board · 13 dominoes · 14 regions · by Rodolfo Kurchan

The hard board runs 6 rows by 9 columns: 13 dominoes to place across 14 regions. The mix is 8 sum regions, 3 "all equal", 1 "less than", 1 "greater than", 1 free region. The single cell at row 1, column 2 is marked 1, so it can only hold a 1. After that, the single cell at row 2, column 1 is marked 2, so it can only hold a 2. Rack check: 2 doubles, 1 blank half, 3 sixes.

Hints

Hint 1 — where to start

The single cell at row 1, column 2 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 1–4 domino with its 1 at row 1, column 2 and its 4 at row 1, column 3.

Hint 3 — second domino

Next, the 2–4 goes at row 2, column 1 → row 2, 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: 1 must add up to 1; = must all be the same number; 2 must add up to 2; 4 must add up to 4; <2 must add up to less than 2.

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

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