Pips Answer
Today's AnswerArchiveStats
Today's Puzzle
Home Archive 2026-01-18

Pips Answer for Sunday, January 18, 2026

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

Today's Answer Back to Archive
Progress 0/5 dominoes
3
=
<2
10
>4

Click a domino or a cell to reveal the answer

Solution & Analysis

Complete answers and solving insights for 2026-01-18

🟢

NYT Pips easy answer for 2026-01-18

NYT Pips easy answer for 2026-01-18

3
=
<2
10
>4

Complete answer for 2026-01-18 (Easy)

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

NYT Pips medium answer for 2026-01-18

3
>4
4
4
=
2
=
<2
8

Complete answer for 2026-01-18 (Medium)

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

NYT Pips hard answer for 2026-01-18

5
6
2
6
10
3
=
27
4
1
12
7
6

Complete answer for 2026-01-18 (Hard)

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.

❓

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best way to start a Pips puzzle?
Always look for the regions with very high or very low sum targets. These usually have the fewest possible domino combinations, making them the best place to start your foundation.
How do the 'empty' cells work?
Empty cells don't have a specific math rule, but they are still part of a domino. You have to figure out which domino is 'crossing' into that empty space by solving the surrounding regions first.
I have one domino left but it doesn't fit the last two spots. What went wrong?
You likely swapped two dominoes that had similar values earlier in the solve. Go back to your 'equals' or 'sum' regions and see if a different domino with the same total could work there instead.
Are all dominoes from a standard set used?
Not necessarily. The puzzle provides a specific list of dominoes for each difficulty level, so you should only use the ones shown in the tray for that specific game.

How to Use This Board

1

Select a Domino

Tap any domino from the tray below the board to select it

2

Place on Board

Tap a cell on the board where you think it belongs. If correct, both cells reveal!

3

Rotate if Needed

Tap a selected domino again to rotate it, or use the rotate button

4

Use Hints

Stuck? Use the Hint button to reveal one domino, or Solve All to see everything