Home Archive 2026-01-07

Pips Answer for Wednesday, January 7, 2026

Complete NYT Pips puzzle solution with interactive board and expert analysis.

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Solution & Analysis

Complete answers and solving insights for 2026-01-07

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NYT Pips easy answer for 2026-01-07

Complete answer for 2026-01-07 (Easy)

I tackled the January 7th Pips set starting with Ian Livengood’s Easy puzzle. The first thing I spotted was the 'empty' constraint at (2,0) and (3,3), which in Pips language means those cells have zero dots. I looked at my domino list—[3,5], [2,3], [0,3], [4,1], [2,4]—and immediately knew the [0,3] and [4,1] dominoes were likely candidates for those spots.

The 'sum 7' clue for (0,0) and (1,0) was the next anchor. By testing the [2,4] domino at (0,1) and (0,0), I found that if (0,0) was 4, then (1,0) had to be 3 to hit that sum of 7. This cascaded nicely into the 'equals' constraints.

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NYT Pips medium answer for 2026-01-07

Complete answer for 2026-01-07 (Medium)

For the Medium puzzle by Rodolfo Kurchan, the 'equals' chain at (2,3), (2,4), and (3,3) was the key. Since those three cells all had to have the same value, I scanned the dominoes [5,0], [2,6], [4,5], [3,6], [6,5], [0,3], [5,3] for repeating numbers.

The 'sum 9' at (1,4) and (1,5) limited my choices significantly—it had to be the [4,5] or [3,6] domino. The

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NYT Pips hard answer for 2026-01-07

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Complete answer for 2026-01-07 (Hard)

Hard puzzle was a massive 12-domino grid, but it gave me a 'sum 0' at (1,0) and (2,0). That is the best clue you can get because both cells must be 0.

That placed the [0,0] and [2,0] dominoes right away. From there, I worked through the 'sum 9' at (0,2) and (1,2) and the 'sum 4' at (4,2) to lock in the rest of the board.

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What I Learned

One thing that really clicked today was how the 'empty' clues act as a zero-value anchor. In the Hard puzzle, the sum of 0 was a total giveaway, but the 'greater than' clues were much sneakier.

I learned that when you have a 'greater than 8' constraint like the one at (3,4) and (4,4), you aren't just looking for high numbers; you're looking for the specific dominoes that can actually reach that total. Since the max value is usually 6, a sum over 8 narrows it down to just a few pairs like 4/5, 4/6, or 5/6. Also, seeing Rodolfo Kurchan's name usually means I need to watch out for 'equals' chains that span across multiple dominoes, which was definitely the case in the Medium grid.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What does the 'empty' region type mean in Pips?

An 'empty' region means that the cell contains zero pips or dots. It is essentially a value of 0 for any sum or comparison logic.

How do you solve a 'sum' clue that spans two different dominoes?

You have to look at the available numbers left in your pool. If a sum is 9 and you have a 4 in one cell, the adjacent cell in that region must be a 5, even if it belongs to a completely different domino.

Is there a specific order to solve the regions?

Usually, it is best to start with 'empty' cells or very small/large 'sum' clues (like 0, 1, or 11/12) because they have the fewest possible combinations.

What if a domino could fit in two different places?

This happens often! When it does, I look at the surrounding 'equals' or 'unequal' clues. Usually, one placement will break a nearby constraint, allowing you to rule it out by process of elimination.

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