Pips Answer for Thursday, April 23, 2026
Complete NYT Pips puzzle solution with interactive board and expert analysis.
Click a domino below or a cell on the board to reveal
Expert Puzzle Analysis
Deep insights from puzzle experts
Kicking Things Off With A Smile
Nyt Pips easy answer for 2026-04-23
Answer for 2026-04-23
Starting today's easy puzzle was like catching up with an old friend. I immediately looked at the bottom left where there was a sum constraint of 2 for cells (5,0) and (5,1). Since I only had a few dominoes to choose from, like [0,1] and [5,1], it narrowed things down fast. I realized that the domino at (4,0) and (5,0) had to be the [0,1] piece, while the [5,1] piece fit vertically at (5,2) and (5,1). This put two 1s in that sum box, which worked perfectly!
After that, the middle of the board was a breeze. I had an equals constraint between (2,2) and (3,2), and the [3,3] domino was just sitting there waiting to be used. Once that double was placed, the remaining pieces like the [4,3] and [6,3] fell right into their spots at the top. It is always so satisfying when the last domino just slides in to finish the grid.
Tackling The Middle Of The Road
Nyt Pips medium answer for 2026-04-23
Answer for 2026-04-23
The medium puzzle today felt a bit more like a jigsaw. The big standout for me was the sum of 10 at the top in cells (0,3) and (0,4). Looking at the domino list, the [6,4] piece was the obvious choice to reach that high number. I placed the 6 at (0,3) and the 4 at (0,4), which gave me a great starting point to look at the neighboring cells.
Things got a little tricky around the equals region that connected four different cells. I had to be careful with how I placed the [1,1] and [4,4] doubles. The greater than hints at (1,3) and (2,3) were the real heroes here, helping me decide to put the [5,3] domino near the top. Once I settled the bottom sum of 3 using the [3,1] and [2,4] dominoes, the whole right side of the board cleared up. It took a minute to see it, but once the middle was done, the rest was easy sailing.
Taking On The Final Boss
Nyt Pips hard answer for 2026-04-23
Answer for 2026-04-23
Wow, the hard puzzle today really put my brain to the test! My breakthrough moment came from looking at the sum of 17 at the bottom for cells (5,1), (5,2), and (5,3). To get a number that high, I knew I had to use my biggest dominoes, the [6,6] and [5,6]. It was like a little math riddle trying to figure out which ends would add up just right without blocking the other constraints.
I hit a small dead end near the top left with the sum of 2, but I realized that using the [1,1] domino for cells (1,1) and (1,2) would help satisfy the less than 5 rule. The hardest part was definitely the center where (2,1), (3,1), and (3,2) all had to be equal. I had to swap my [3,2] and [5,2] dominoes back and forth a couple of times before it clicked. When the last piece, the [2,0] domino, finally fit into its spot at (2,1) and (2,0), I actually let out a little cheer!
Pro Tips for Today's Puzzle
Always look for the regions with the smallest or largest sums first because they have the fewest possible domino combinations.
Don't forget to check which dominoes you have left in your tray regularly, as it often helps you rule out certain numbers for the equals or greater than boxes. If you get stuck, try looking at the empty cells, since they act like walls that force your dominoes into specific directions.
What I Learned
I learned today that equals regions with more than two cells are way more restrictive than they look at first glance. In the hard puzzle, that three-cell equals area basically dictated the entire left side of the board.
I also noticed how helpful it is to pair up a greater than constraint with a high-value domino like [6,6] early on. It clears out the big numbers and makes the smaller sum regions much easier to manage later in the game.