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NYT Pips answers — Saturday, August 15, 2026

Pips #363 · 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.

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Easy Pips answer — August 15, 2026

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

Easy today is a 3×4 board with 5 dominoes and 4 regions. Rules on the board: 2 sum regions, 2 "all equal". Best foothold — the single cell at row 3, column 3 is marked 5, so it can only hold a 5. After that, the "=" region starting at row 1, column 3 has 4 cells that must all match — every 6 in the puzzle should come here.. Rack check: 3 doubles, 1 blank half, 4 sixes.

Hints

Hint 1 — where to start

The single cell at row 3, column 3 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 6–5 domino with its 6 at row 2, column 3 and its 5 at row 3, column 3.

Hint 3 — second domino

Next, the 6–6 goes at row 1, column 3 → row 1, 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; = must all be the same number; 5 must add up to 5.

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

Medium Pips answer — August 15, 2026

5×4 board · 7 dominoes · 9 regions · by Ian Livengood

7 dominoes, 9 regions, a 5×4 grid — that's the medium puzzle for August 15, 2026. You're working with 1 sum region, 1 "all equal", 2 "less than", 3 "greater than", 2 free regions. The way in: the "=" pair at row 2, column 3 needs two identical pips — a double, or matching halves from two dominoes.. After that, the pair at row 2, column 2 adds to 6; list the ways to make 6 with the rack you have.. Rack check: 1 blank half, 4 sixes.

Hints

Hint 1 — where to start

The "=" pair at row 2, column 3 needs two identical pips — a double, or matching halves from two dominoes.

Hint 2 — first domino

Place the 4–2 domino with its 4 at row 1, column 3 and its 2 at row 2, column 3.

Hint 3 — second domino

Next, the 3–6 goes at row 2, column 2 → 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: >8 must add up to more than 8; >4 must add up to more than 4; 6 must add up to 6; = must all be the same number; <3 must add up to less than 3.

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

Hard Pips answer — August 15, 2026

10×7 board · 15 dominoes · 17 regions · by Rodolfo Kurchan

15 dominoes, 17 regions, a 10×7 grid — that's the hard puzzle for August 15, 2026. You're working with 3 sum regions, 3 "all equal", 1 "less than", 6 "greater than", 4 free regions. The way in: the two-cell region at row 9, column 6 adds to 0: both cells must be 0. After that, the "=" region starting at row 2, column 2 has 4 cells that must all match — every 1 in the puzzle should come here.. Rack check: 4 doubles, 7 blank halves, 5 sixes.

Hints

Hint 1 — where to start

The two-cell region at row 9, column 6 adds to 0: both cells must be 0. That's the 0–0 domino, or two 0s from different dominoes.

Hint 2 — first domino

Place the 3–0 domino with its 3 at row 9, column 5 and its 0 at row 9, column 6.

Hint 3 — second domino

Next, the 1–1 goes at row 2, column 2 → 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 more than 4; >0 must add up to more than 0; >16 must add up to more than 16; >3 must add up to more than 3; = must all be the same number.

>4
>0
>16
>3
=
0
<3
=
=
8
0
>3
>3
Solution as text
  1. 0–1 — 0 at row 5, column 2, 1 at row 4, column 2
  2. 4–4 — 4 at row 7, column 3, 4 at row 8, column 3
  3. 0–5 — 0 at row 2, column 1, 5 at row 1, column 1
  4. 2–1 — 2 at row 1, column 3, 1 at row 2, column 3
  5. 0–0 — 0 at row 3, column 5, 0 at row 3, column 6
  6. 6–4 — 6 at row 1, column 6, 4 at row 1, column 7
  7. 3–0 — 3 at row 9, column 5, 0 at row 9, column 6
  8. 6–2 — 6 at row 7, column 6, 2 at row 8, column 6
  9. 4–5 — 4 at row 9, column 3, 5 at row 10, column 3
  10. 1–1 — 1 at row 2, column 2, 1 at row 3, column 2
  11. 4–3 — 4 at row 8, column 4, 3 at row 9, column 4
  12. 6–5 — 6 at row 1, column 5, 5 at row 2, column 5
  13. 2–0 — 2 at row 5, column 5, 0 at row 4, column 5
  14. 6–6 — 6 at row 5, column 6, 6 at row 5, column 7
  15. 0–4 — 0 at row 10, column 6, 4 at row 10, column 5

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