Pips Answer for Sunday, January 18, 2026
Complete NYT Pips puzzle solution with interactive board and expert analysis.
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Expert Puzzle Analysis
Deep insights from puzzle experts
Nyt Pips easy answer for 2026-01-18
Answer for 2026-01-18
I started with the Easy grid by looking for the most restrictive clue. The sum target of 10 for cells (1,3) and (2,3) was a huge giveaway since I only had one domino that could make that total: the 4-6.
Once I placed that, I noticed the 'less than 2' constraint at (2,2). This meant that cell had to be a 0 or a 1. Looking at my remaining dominoes, the 1-6 fit perfectly there when paired with (2,1).
Nyt Pips medium answer for 2026-01-18
Answer for 2026-01-18
For the Medium puzzle, I focused on the sum of 3 across three cells.
That is a very low number for three spots, so I knew I needed mostly zeros and ones. I saved the
Nyt Pips hard answer for 2026-01-18
Answer for 2026-01-18
Hard puzzle for last, and boy, that sum of 27 across five cells was the key. To get a total that high, I had to use almost all my 5s and 6s in that specific corner.
I placed the 5-6 and 3-6 dominoes there first, which helped clear up the rest of the board. My main strategy is always to find the 'anchor' clues—the ones that can only be solved one way—and then let the rest of the pieces fall into place like a jigsaw puzzle.
What I Learned
This set really taught me that high-sum regions are often easier to solve than medium-sum ones because there are fewer combinations of high numbers (like 5s and 6s) than middle numbers. I also found a tricky pattern in the Medium puzzle where an 'equals' region was right next to a 'less than' clue.
It forced me to realize that the value in the equals region couldn't be just anything; it had to be small enough to accommodate the neighbor. It's like a chain reaction where one placement dictates the next three moves.