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NYT Pips answers — Wednesday, July 29, 2026

Pips #346 · Edited by Ian Livengood · Easy by Ian Livengood · Medium by Ian Livengood · 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 29, 2026

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

The easy board runs 5 rows by 3 columns: 5 dominoes to place across 7 regions. The mix is 1 sum region, 2 "all equal", 2 "greater than", 2 free regions. The single cell marked ">5" at row 5, column 1 must be a 6.. After that, the "=" pair at row 3, column 2 needs two identical pips — a double, or matching halves from two dominoes.. Rack check: 1 double, 1 blank half, 1 six.

Hints

Hint 1 — where to start

The single cell marked ">5" at row 5, column 1 must be a 6.

Hint 2 — first domino

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

Hint 3 — second domino

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

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

Medium Pips answer — July 29, 2026

5×6 board · 8 dominoes · 9 regions · by Ian Livengood

8 dominoes, 9 regions, a 5×6 grid — that's the medium puzzle for July 29, 2026. You're working with 7 sum regions, 2 free regions. The way in: the single cell at row 1, column 5 is marked 1, so it can only hold a 1. After that, the single cell at row 2, column 4 is marked 1, so it can only hold a 1. Rack check: 4 doubles, 3 blank halves, 1 six.

Hints

Hint 1 — where to start

The single cell at row 1, column 5 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 1–1 domino with its 1 at row 1, column 5 and its 1 at row 1, column 6.

Hint 3 — second domino

Next, the 5–1 goes at row 1, column 4 → row 2, 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: 1 must add up to 1; 10 must add up to 10; 12 must add up to 12; 3 must add up to 3; 9 must add up to 9.

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

Hard Pips answer — July 29, 2026

8×9 board · 14 dominoes · 13 regions · by Rodolfo Kurchan

Hard today is a 8×9 board with 14 dominoes and 13 regions. Rules on the board: 12 sum regions, 1 free region. Best foothold — the single cell at row 8, column 4 is marked 3, so it can only hold a 3. After that, the two-cell region at row 1, column 2 adds to 12: both cells must be 6. Rack check: 6 doubles, 1 blank half, 6 sixes.

Hints

Hint 1 — where to start

The single cell at row 8, column 4 is marked 3, so it can only hold a 3. Find the domino with a 3 that fits there.

Hint 2 — first domino

Place the 3–3 domino with its 3 at row 7, column 4 and its 3 at row 8, column 4.

Hint 3 — second domino

Next, the 3–6 goes at row 1, column 3 → row 1, 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: 12 must add up to 12; 11 must add up to 11; 3 must add up to 3; 5 must add up to 5; 8 must add up to 8.

12
11
3
3
3
5
8
3
9
10
3
24
Solution as text
  1. 0–1 — 0 at row 7, column 3, 1 at row 6, column 3
  2. 1–1 — 1 at row 4, column 3, 1 at row 5, column 3
  3. 1–2 — 1 at row 5, column 6, 2 at row 5, column 7
  4. 1–4 — 1 at row 7, column 5, 4 at row 7, column 6
  5. 2–2 — 2 at row 6, column 5, 2 at row 6, column 6
  6. 2–6 — 2 at row 2, column 1, 6 at row 2, column 2
  7. 3–3 — 3 at row 7, column 4, 3 at row 8, column 4
  8. 3–4 — 3 at row 6, column 7, 4 at row 6, column 8
  9. 3–6 — 3 at row 1, column 3, 6 at row 1, column 2
  10. 4–4 — 4 at row 2, column 3, 4 at row 3, column 3
  11. 4–6 — 4 at row 7, column 8, 6 at row 8, column 8
  12. 5–5 — 5 at row 7, column 9, 5 at row 8, column 9
  13. 5–6 — 5 at row 7, column 7, 6 at row 8, column 7
  14. 6–6 — 6 at row 8, column 5, 6 at row 8, column 6

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