Pips Answer for Friday, March 20, 2026
Complete NYT Pips puzzle solution with interactive board and expert analysis.
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Warming Up With Our Morning Coffee
Nyt Pips easy answer for 2026-03-20
Answer for 2026-03-20
I started today with a cozy cup of coffee and the easy grid, which felt like a nice gentle stretch for the brain. The first thing that jumped out at me was the cell at [3,0] which had to be greater than 5. Looking at our pile of dominoes, the only one that could possibly work was the [6,0]. I placed the 6 at [3,0] and its partner, the 0, at [2,0]. Since [2,0] was marked as an empty region, it felt like a perfect fit right off the bat.
Next, I turned my attention to the top right corner where three cells needed to sum up to 10. With the [5,5] domino available, it seemed like a natural choice to use those big numbers there. I put one 5 at [0,4] and the other at [1,4]. That left just 0 more needed for the sum of 10 at [2,4]. Since [2,4] is paired with [2,3] in the solution, I used the [0,0] domino to fill that spot. After that, the equals region at [1,0], [1,1], and [1,2] was easy to finish using the [3,3] and [3,5] sets.
Stepping Up the Pace with Some Equals Signs
Nyt Pips medium answer for 2026-03-20
Answer for 2026-03-20
The medium puzzle today was a bit more of a challenge, but I found my rhythm by looking for the single-cell regions first. Specifically, the cell at [2,3] had to sum to 6 and the cell at [5,3] had to sum to 4. This is a great trick because it tells you exactly what number needs to be in those spots. I used the [0,6] domino to put the 6 at [2,3] and paired it with the 0 at [3,3] because that cell was part of an equals constraint.
Working through the middle was the trickiest part. I had to balance the equals region at [3,2] and [3,3] while also making sure the sum of 3 at [2,1] and [2,2] worked out. I ended up using the [2,2] domino across [3,2] and [2,2], which then helped me place the [3,4] domino to satisfy the sum of 6. By the time I got to the bottom rows, using the [6,6] domino for the equals constraint at [6,2] and [6,3] made everything else fall right into place.
Conquering the Hard Grid Mountain
Nyt Pips hard answer for 2026-03-20
Answer for 2026-03-20
This hard puzzle really tested my patience! There were so many regions needing a sum of 6 that I felt like I was seeing double. I started by looking at the isolated sum regions at [0,1], [6,1], [6,5], and [7,5]. Each of these needed to be a 6. I carefully sorted through the dominoes that had a 6, like [0,6], [2,6], [6,1], and [5,6]. It was like a logic puzzle within a logic puzzle to see which 6 went where without blocking the equals regions.
The real breakthrough happened when I looked at the top left corner. The equals region at [0,0], [1,0], and [1,1] required three identical numbers. I tried using the [0,0] domino at [0,0] and [1,0], which left [1,1] needing to be 0 as well. This worked perfectly with the [6,0] domino placed nearby. Once that corner was settled, the rest of the dominoes like [5,4] and [2,5] started to find their homes in the remaining sum regions. It was a long road, but seeing that final checkmark was so satisfying!
Pro Tips for Today's Puzzle
Try to look for regions that consist of only a single cell first because they give you a definite value to work with.
Also, always check your available dominoes before placing a number to make sure you actually have a pair that fits the two cells you are looking at. If you get stuck, look for the largest numbers like 5 or 6 since they usually have fewer placement options in sum regions.
What I Learned
Today I really learned the value of working from the edges inward, especially when there are multiple sum constraints with the same target number.
It’s easy to get overwhelmed by all the 6s on the hard map, but focusing on how the dominoes bridge between regions is the key to unlocking the whole board.