Pips Answer for Sunday, February 22, 2026
Complete NYT Pips puzzle solution with interactive board and expert analysis.
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Nyt Pips easy answer for 2026-02-22
Answer for 2026-02-22
I started my morning by jumping into the Easy puzzle to get my brain moving. The first thing that caught my eye was that region at (1,0) which had a sum target of 0. That is basically a gift in Pips because it means the pip count there has to be zero.
Looking at my dominoes, the only one that fit was the [4,0] pair, which let me place that vertically at the top left. Then, I looked for the biggest numbers to satisfy that 'greater than 9' region at the top. I saw the [6,6] domino and knew it had to go nearby. The logic flowed pretty naturally from there once the corners were anchored.
Nyt Pips medium answer for 2026-02-22
Answer for 2026-02-22
For the Medium puzzle, things got a bit more interesting. I immediately looked for the 'sum 18' region involving (2,5), (2,6), and (3,5). Since the max pips on any side is 6, getting to 18 with three spots means they all have to be 6s.
This was a huge break because it forced the [6,6] domino into the (2,5) and (2,6) spots. From there, I used the 'equals' constraint at (1,0) and (1,1) to narrow down which dominoes could bridge that gap. The
Nyt Pips hard answer for 2026-02-22
Answer for 2026-02-22
Hard puzzle was a real test of patience today. I noticed several 'empty' regions like (1,3), (2,1), and (5,3). These are sneaky because even though they don't have a math rule, they act as roadblocks for where your dominoes can sit.
I focused on the 'sum 12' region at (5,4) and (5,5). Since 12 is the highest possible sum for two spots, I knew I needed two 6s. I matched that up with the dominoes [4,6] and [1,6], which helped me realize how the rest of the bottom section had to be packed in. The 'equals' constraints at the top left and top right were the final pieces of the puzzle, helping me decide between the [1,0] and [0,2] dominoes.
What I Learned
Today really reinforced how important the 'empty' cells are. In the Hard puzzle, I almost ignored them at first, but they are actually the key to figuring out the layout. If a cell is empty, it just means you don't have a sum or greater-than rule, but it still has to be part of a domino!
I also noticed a cool pattern with the 'equals' regions. When you have two cells that must be equal, and they belong to different dominoes, it creates a chain reaction that usually solves that entire corner of the board. Another trick I picked up was looking for the extreme targets first—targets like 0 or 12 or 18. They have so few combinations that they usually give you the answer immediately, whereas a target like 'sum 5' could be almost anything.