Pips Answer
Today's AnswerArchiveStats
Today's Puzzle
Home Archive 2026-02-23

Pips Answer for Monday, February 23, 2026

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

Today's Answer Back to Archive
Progress 0/5 dominoes
6
6
6
4
6
=

Click a domino or a cell to reveal the answer

Solution & Analysis

Complete answers and solving insights for 2026-02-23

🟢

NYT Pips easy answer for 2026-02-23

NYT Pips easy answer for 2026-02-23

6
6
6
4
6
=

Complete answer for 2026-02-23 (Easy)

When I first sat down with the Easy puzzle by Ian Livengood, I immediately looked for the 'empty' region at [0,2], which is a classic starting point.

Since the solution uses dominoes like [0,1] and [0,2], I focused on the sum regions. I noticed that the region at [0,1] and [1,1] needed to sum to 6, and by looking at the available dominoes like [1,1] and [0,2], I could start pieceing together the grid.

🟡

NYT Pips medium answer for 2026-02-23

NYT Pips medium answer for 2026-02-23

7
>2
7
7

Complete answer for 2026-02-23 (Medium)

For the Medium puzzle by Rodolfo Kurchan, the difficulty ramped up with more empty squares.

I used the sum of 7 constraints at [0,2][0,3] and [1,3][2,3] to narrow down which dominoes could bridge those gaps. The 'greater than 2' constraint at [2,2] was a huge hint; it forced a specific orientation for the [3,2][2,2] domino.

🔴

NYT Pips hard answer for 2026-02-23

NYT Pips hard answer for 2026-02-23

4
11
4
4
17
4
4
12
9

Complete answer for 2026-02-23 (Hard)

Finally, the Hard puzzle was a real marathon. With 14 dominoes and several empty cells acting as blockers, I had to be very careful.

I started with the high-sum region (sum of 17) at [3,5],[3,6], and [4,5] because there are fewer combinations of pips that can reach such a high number. Once I locked in the [6,6] and [5,0] type values there, the rest of the bottom-right corner began to fall into place. I spent a lot of time double-checking the sum of 4 regions, as those are surprisingly easy to mess up when you have multiple options like [0,4], [1,3], or [2,2].

💡

What I Learned

This set really highlighted how 'empty' cells are just as important as the numbers themselves. In the Hard puzzle, the empty cells at [3,0] and [5,1] acted as natural barriers that dictated how the dominoes had to curve around the grid.

I also learned that looking for the highest sum regions first (like that 17) is usually a better strategy than starting with the small sums, because the high sums have far fewer mathematical possibilities. Another tricky move was managing the [1,1] and [0,0] dominoes; because they are doubles, they don't change the sum logic when flipped, but their placement is restricted by the grid shape.

❓

Frequently Asked Questions

What should I do when I get stuck on a large sum region?
Look at your remaining dominoes and find the ones with the highest pip counts, like [6,6] or [6,5]. Usually, these are required to reach those double-digit targets, which limits your choices significantly.
Do the 'empty' squares ever contain pips?
No, empty squares are basically holes in the board. No part of any domino can be placed on those coordinates, so they function as walls that you have to work around.
Is it better to start from the edges or the middle?
In Pips, it is almost always better to start where the constraints are tightest. This is often in the middle where multiple regions meet, or at a region with a very high or very low target sum.

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