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NYT Pips answers — Sunday, July 26, 2026

Pips #343 · 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 — July 26, 2026

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

Easy today is a 4×4 board with 5 dominoes and 6 regions. Rules on the board: 3 sum regions, 1 "all equal", 1 "less than", 1 free region. Best foothold — the two-cell region at row 1, column 3 adds to 11: the only split is 5 + 6.. After that, the "<2" region at row 4, column 4 leaves almost no room: only 0s and a single 1 can go here.. Rack check: 1 double, 1 blank half, 2 sixes.

Hints

Hint 1 — where to start

The two-cell region at row 1, column 3 adds to 11: the only split is 5 + 6.

Hint 2 — first domino

Place the 6–6 domino with its 6 at row 1, column 2 and its 6 at row 1, column 3.

Hint 3 — second domino

Next, the 0–4 goes at row 4, column 4 → row 3, 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: 8 must add up to 8; 11 must add up to 11; 4 must add up to 4; = must all be the same number; <2 must add up to less than 2.

8
11
4
=
<2
Solution as text
  1. 2–3 — 2 at row 1, column 1, 3 at row 2, column 1
  2. 0–4 — 0 at row 4, column 4, 4 at row 3, column 4
  3. 3–5 — 3 at row 3, column 3, 5 at row 2, column 3
  4. 6–6 — 6 at row 1, column 2, 6 at row 1, column 3
  5. 1–3 — 1 at row 3, column 1, 3 at row 3, column 2

Medium Pips answer — July 26, 2026

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

The medium board runs 5 rows by 5 columns: 7 dominoes to place across 7 regions. You're working with 4 "all equal", 1 "greater than", 2 free regions. The way in: the "=" region starting at row 1, column 2 has 3 cells that must all match — every 4 in the puzzle should come here.. After that, the "=" region starting at row 2, column 3 has 3 cells that must all match — every 5 in the puzzle should come here.. Rack check: 3 doubles, 1 blank half.

Hints

Hint 1 — where to start

The "=" region starting at row 1, column 2 has 3 cells that must all match — every 4 in the puzzle should come here.

Hint 2 — first domino

Place the 4–4 domino with its 4 at row 1, column 2 and its 4 at row 2, column 2.

Hint 3 — second domino

Next, the 5–5 goes at row 2, column 3 → row 3, column 3. 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; >2 must add up to more than 2.

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

Hard Pips answer — July 26, 2026

8×9 board · 15 dominoes · 17 regions · by Rodolfo Kurchan

15 dominoes, 17 regions, a 8×9 grid — that's the hard puzzle for July 26, 2026. Rules on the board: 15 sum regions, 1 "all equal". Best foothold — the single cell at row 1, column 3 is marked 2, so it can only hold a 2. After that, the single cell at row 4, column 3 is marked 5, so it can only hold a 5. Rack check: 2 doubles, 6 blank halves, 2 sixes.

Hints

Hint 1 — where to start

The single cell at row 1, column 3 is marked 2, so it can only hold a 2. Find the domino with a 2 that fits there.

Hint 2 — first domino

Place the 2–3 domino with its 2 at row 1, column 3 and its 3 at row 2, column 3.

Hint 3 — second domino

Next, the 5–2 goes at row 4, column 3 → row 3, column 3. From there the rest should fall into place.

Solution

Tap any cell to reveal its pips, or reveal the whole board. Region rules: 2 must add up to 2; 5 must add up to 5; 9 must add up to 9; = must all be the same number; ≠ must all be different.

2
2
5
5
9
5
=
≠
10
3
3
2
6
7
0
6
5
Solution as text
  1. 5–0 — 5 at row 4, column 7, 0 at row 4, column 6
  2. 2–2 — 2 at row 5, column 5, 2 at row 6, column 5
  3. 6–0 — 6 at row 8, column 4, 0 at row 7, column 4
  4. 5–2 — 5 at row 4, column 3, 2 at row 3, column 3
  5. 0–0 — 0 at row 5, column 4, 0 at row 6, column 4
  6. 1–6 — 1 at row 5, column 6, 6 at row 6, column 6
  7. 0–3 — 0 at row 4, column 4, 3 at row 4, column 5
  8. 4–5 — 4 at row 3, column 5, 5 at row 3, column 6
  9. 3–1 — 3 at row 3, column 2, 1 at row 3, column 1
  10. 0–2 — 0 at row 6, column 9, 2 at row 5, column 9
  11. 3–5 — 3 at row 7, column 7, 5 at row 8, column 7
  12. 2–1 — 2 at row 2, column 2, 1 at row 2, column 1
  13. 3–4 — 3 at row 5, column 7, 4 at row 6, column 7
  14. 5–1 — 5 at row 4, column 8, 1 at row 4, column 9
  15. 2–3 — 2 at row 1, column 3, 3 at row 2, column 3

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