Pips Answer for Thursday, March 26, 2026
Complete NYT Pips puzzle solution with interactive board and expert analysis.
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Expert Puzzle Analysis
Deep insights from puzzle experts
Warming Up With Some Quick Pips
Nyt Pips easy answer for 2026-03-26
Answer for 2026-03-26
I started today's session with the easy grid, and it was a lovely way to wake up the brain. The first thing I noticed were those two empty circles at [0,1] and [1,1]. Since these are single-cell regions with no specific value, they can be a bit mysterious, but they actually help narrow down which dominoes can fit around them. I looked at the greater than 11 region at the bottom involving [2,1] and [2,2]. To get a sum higher than 11 with the dominoes we had, I knew I needed some heavy hitters. By placing the [2,5] and [2,6] dominoes vertically, I managed to get a 5 and a 6 right next to each other, which hit that target perfectly.
The rest of the board fell into place pretty quickly after that. I had the [3,2] domino left for the top right, and it fit the less than 4 constraint at [0,3] since the 3 is just under the limit. The equals sign between [0,2] and [1,2] was the final piece of the puzzle. Once I saw that both of those cells could hold a 2, the whole grid was finished. It is always so satisfying when the last domino just clicks into place like that!
Double Trouble and Equal Signs
Nyt Pips medium answer for 2026-03-26
Answer for 2026-03-26
The medium puzzle today really liked to play with equality! I saw a whole string of equals constraints that linked different parts of the board. My strategy was to find a starting point that was restricted by a sum. I looked at the region covering [0,4], [1,3], and [1,4] which needed to add up to 12. That is a pretty high number for three cells, so I knew I had to use some of my larger dominoes like [5,6]. Placing that [5,6] domino across [1,4] and [1,3] meant the third cell at [0,4] only needed a 1 to reach 12.
The trickiest part was navigating the middle where [1,2] equals [2,2], [2,3] equals [3,3], and [3,2] equals [4,2]. It felt like a game of musical chairs! I used the [3,1] domino at [1,1] and [1,2] to satisfy the sum of 3 constraint at the top left. This set off a chain reaction through all those equals signs. I also had to make sure the [3,3] domino went in a spot where it could satisfy the greater than 4 constraint at [4,3]. It took a minute of swapping pieces back and forth, but once the 3s and 2s were in their right spots, the board was clear.
The Big Sum Breakthrough
Nyt Pips hard answer for 2026-03-26
Answer for 2026-03-26
Wow, the hard puzzle today was a real test of patience! I immediately zoomed in on that sum 18 constraint for the cells at [3,8], [4,8], and [5,8]. Since the highest number on any domino is a 6, the only way to get 18 from three cells is if every single one of them is a 6. That was a huge gift! It allowed me to place the [6,6] domino at the bottom and work my way upward. I also spotted the sum 15 constraint nearby at [4,3], [5,3], and [6,3], which required some high-value tiles as well.
There was a moment where I got stuck near the center. The region covering [2,4], [3,2], [3,3], and [3,4] required all those cells to be equal. That is a lot of cells to match up! I had to look at my remaining dominoes and realized the only way to make it work was to use parts of the [3,3] and [3,4] dominoes. The final breakthrough came when I realized the cell at [6,6] had to be less than 2. Since I had already used a lot of my 1s and 0s elsewhere, I had to be very careful with the [0,1] and [0,0] dominoes. Putting the [7,6] and [6,6] cells together with a small value finally wrapped up this marathon of a puzzle.
Pro Tips for Today's Puzzle
Always look for the largest sum constraints first because they usually have very few possible combinations.
If you see an equals sign, remember that it links two different dominoes, which can help you figure out the orientation of both pieces at once. Also, keep an eye on the domino list and cross them off as you go so you do not accidentally try to use the same double twice!
What I Learned
Today I learned that long chains of equals constraints can be used to move a value from one side of the board to the other, almost like a conveyor belt.
It was also interesting to see how a single cell constraint, like the sum of 3 at [4,4], can act as an anchor for several surrounding dominoes.