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NYT Pips answers — Sunday, August 30, 2026

Pips #378 · 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 — August 30, 2026

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

5 dominoes, 5 regions, a 3×4 grid — that's the easy puzzle for August 30, 2026. You're working with 3 sum regions, 2 "all equal". The two-cell region at row 3, column 1 adds to 12: both cells must be 6. After that, the "=" pair at row 1, column 2 needs two identical pips — a double, or matching halves from two dominoes.. Rack check: 1 double, 3 sixes.

Hints

Hint 1 — where to start

The two-cell region at row 3, column 1 adds to 12: both cells must be 6. That's the 6–6 domino, or two 6s from different dominoes.

Hint 2 — first domino

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

Hint 3 — second domino

Next, the 1–2 goes at row 1, 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: = must all be the same number; 9 must add up to 9; 12 must add up to 12.

=
=
9
12
9
Solution as text
  1. 6–2 — 6 at row 3, column 1, 2 at row 2, column 1
  2. 1–2 — 1 at row 1, column 2, 2 at row 2, column 2
  3. 6–6 — 6 at row 3, column 2, 6 at row 3, column 3
  4. 3–4 — 3 at row 3, column 4, 4 at row 2, column 4
  5. 5–1 — 5 at row 2, column 3, 1 at row 1, column 3

Medium Pips answer — August 30, 2026

5×5 board · 8 dominoes · 10 regions · by Ian Livengood

Medium today is a 5×5 board with 8 dominoes and 10 regions. Rules on the board: 2 sum regions, 3 "all equal", 1 "less than", 2 "greater than", 2 free regions. The way in: the single cell at row 4, column 3 is marked 1, so it can only hold a 1. After that, the "=" region starting at row 3, column 3 has 3 cells that must all match — every 4 in the puzzle should come here.. Rack check: 3 blank halves, 1 six.

Hints

Hint 1 — where to start

The single cell at row 4, column 3 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 1–4 domino with its 1 at row 4, column 3 and its 4 at row 3, column 3.

Hint 3 — second domino

Next, the 1–0 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: >2 must add up to more than 2; = must all be the same number; 2 must add up to 2; 1 must add up to 1; >9 must add up to more than 9.

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

Hard Pips answer — August 30, 2026

10×9 board · 14 dominoes · 16 regions · by Rodolfo Kurchan

The hard board runs 10 rows by 9 columns: 14 dominoes to place across 16 regions. You're working with 8 sum regions, 5 "all equal", 2 "less than", 1 "greater than". The way in: the single cell at row 1, column 5 is marked 6, so it can only hold a 6. After that, the single cell at row 4, column 3 is marked 6, so it can only hold a 6. Rack check: 4 doubles, 4 blank halves, 3 sixes.

Hints

Hint 1 — where to start

The single cell at row 1, column 5 is marked 6, so it can only hold a 6. Find the domino with a 6 that fits there.

Hint 2 — first domino

Place the 5–6 domino with its 5 at row 1, column 4 and its 6 at row 1, column 5.

Hint 3 — second domino

Next, the 6–3 goes at row 4, column 3 → 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: 4 must add up to 4; 6 must add up to 6; = must all be the same number; 0 must add up to 0; <3 must add up to less than 3.

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

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