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NYT Pips answers — Friday, August 28, 2026

Pips #376 · 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 — August 28, 2026

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

The easy board runs 4 rows by 4 columns: 5 dominoes to place across 6 regions. The mix is 3 sum regions, 1 "less than", 1 "greater than", 1 free region. 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 2, column 1 is marked 2, so it can only hold a 2. Rack check: 2 doubles, 4 blank halves.

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 2–0 domino with its 2 at row 1, column 3 and its 0 at row 1, column 2.

Hint 3 — second domino

Next, the 3–2 goes at row 3, column 1 → 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: <1 must add up to less than 1; 2 must add up to 2; >2 must add up to more than 2.

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

Medium Pips answer — August 28, 2026

4×5 board · 7 dominoes · 9 regions · by Rodolfo Kurchan

The medium board runs 4 rows by 5 columns: 7 dominoes to place across 9 regions. The mix is 3 sum regions, 2 "all equal", 3 "less than", 1 "greater than". Best foothold — the single cell at row 1, column 2 is marked 3, so it can only hold a 3. After that, the single cell marked ">5" at row 2, column 5 must be a 6.. Rack check: 1 double, 1 blank half, 2 sixes.

Hints

Hint 1 — where to start

The single cell at row 1, column 2 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 1, column 2 and its 3 at row 1, column 3.

Hint 3 — second domino

Next, the 6–4 goes at row 2, column 5 → 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: 3 must add up to 3; = must all be the same number; <5 must add up to less than 5; >5 must add up to more than 5; <3 must add up to less than 3.

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

Hard Pips answer — August 28, 2026

4×8 board · 13 dominoes · 15 regions · by Rodolfo Kurchan

13 dominoes, 15 regions, a 4×8 grid — that's the hard puzzle for August 28, 2026. You're working with 12 sum regions, 1 "all equal", 1 "less than", 1 "greater than". The way in: 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 1, column 6 is marked 1, so it can only hold a 1. Rack check: 1 double, 7 blank halves, 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 4–1 domino with its 4 at row 1, column 3 and its 1 at row 1, column 2.

Hint 3 — second domino

Next, the 6–1 goes at row 1, column 5 → row 1, column 6. 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 0; 1 must add up to 1; 10 must add up to 10; >10 must add up to more than 10; 7 must add up to 7.

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

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