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NYT Pips answers — Saturday, March 21, 2026

Pips #216 · 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 21, 2026

4×5 board · 6 dominoes · 8 regions · by Ian Livengood

Easy today is a 4×5 board with 6 dominoes and 8 regions. Rules on the board: 3 sum regions, 2 "all equal", 3 free regions. Best foothold — the single cell at row 4, column 1 is marked 0, so it can only hold a 0. After that, the single cell at row 4, column 5 is marked 0, so it can only hold a 0. Rack check: 2 doubles, 3 blank halves.

Hints

Hint 1 — where to start

The single cell at row 4, column 1 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 1–0 domino with its 1 at row 4, column 2 and its 0 at row 4, column 1.

Hint 3 — second domino

Next, the 0–2 goes at row 4, column 5 → row 4, column 4. 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; 12 must add up to 12; 0 must add up to 0.

=
12
=
0
0
Solution as text
  1. 4–4 — 4 at row 1, column 4, 4 at row 1, column 5
  2. 2–2 — 2 at row 1, column 1, 2 at row 1, column 2
  3. 1–0 — 1 at row 4, column 2, 0 at row 4, column 1
  4. 4–0 — 4 at row 2, column 4, 0 at row 3, column 4
  5. 0–2 — 0 at row 4, column 5, 2 at row 4, column 4
  6. 1–3 — 1 at row 3, column 2, 3 at row 2, column 2

Medium Pips answer — March 21, 2026

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

The medium board runs 5 rows by 4 columns: 7 dominoes to place across 7 regions. The mix is 3 sum regions, 1 "all equal", 1 "less than", 2 "greater than". Best foothold — the two-cell region at row 3, column 3 adds to 1: the only split is 0 + 1.. After that, the "=" region starting at row 2, column 1 has 4 cells that must all match — every 0 in the puzzle should come here.. Rack check: 3 doubles, 5 blank halves.

Hints

Hint 1 — where to start

The two-cell region at row 3, column 3 adds to 1: the only split is 0 + 1.

Hint 2 — first domino

Place the 0–1 domino with its 0 at row 4, column 3 and its 1 at row 3, column 3.

Hint 3 — second domino

Next, the 0–4 goes at row 2, column 1 → row 3, 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: >0 must add up to more than 0; = must all be the same number; 5 must add up to 5; <3 must add up to less than 3; 1 must add up to 1.

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

Hard Pips answer — March 21, 2026

5×9 board · 13 dominoes · 17 regions · by Rodolfo Kurchan

Hard today is a 5×9 board with 13 dominoes and 17 regions. The mix is 10 sum regions, 1 "all equal", 2 "greater than", 4 free regions. The single cell at row 4, column 5 is marked 5, so it can only hold a 5. After that, the single cell at row 5, column 1 is marked 5, so it can only hold a 5. Rack check: 3 doubles, 4 blank halves, 2 sixes.

Hints

Hint 1 — where to start

The single cell at row 4, column 5 is marked 5, so it can only hold a 5. Find the domino with a 5 that fits there.

Hint 2 — first domino

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

Hint 3 — second domino

Next, the 5–5 goes at row 5, column 1 → row 5, 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: 5 must add up to 5; >5 must add up to more than 5; = must all be the same number.

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

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