Pips August 4, 2026: Hints & Answers
Recap
The easy board requires logical deductions to fit 5 dominoes into 5 regions. The medium board involves strategic thinking with 8 dominoes and 9 regions. The hard board demands careful analysis of 10 dominoes across 11 regions with varied constraints.
The three boards that day
The tray and each region's rule — board data, no solutions.
Easy board · 5 dominoes · 5 regions
Dominoes: 1–31–13–65–51–0
- one cell: under 5.
- two cells: exactly 6.
- four cells: exactly 4.
- one cell: more than 5.
- two cells: all matching.
Small number of dominoes and regions makes it manageable.
Medium board · 8 dominoes · 9 regions
Dominoes: 1–12–30–05–61–00–40–32–0
- two cells: exactly 6.
- two cells: exactly 7.
- two cells: exactly 4.
- two cells: exactly 5.
- three cells: exactly 0.
- one cell: exactly 3.
- two cells: exactly 1.
- one cell: exactly 2.
- one cell: left uncovered.
More regions and dominoes increase the challenge.
Hard board · 10 dominoes · 11 regions
Dominoes: 4–10–51–16–35–14–41–30–03–52–1
- one cell: under 3.
- one cell: under 2.
- three cells: exactly 7.
- three cells: exactly 9.
- one cell: exactly 3.
- two cells: exactly 4.
- two cells: all matching.
- three cells: exactly 5.
- two cells: more than 5.
- 2 ×one cell: more than 4.
Complex constraints and many dominoes make it tough.
Pips hints, one rung at a time
Six rungs, easy board first. The recap above already named the walkthroughs, so this ladder is here for anyone replaying the boards fresh rather than as a spoiler shield.
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Hint 1: How the three boards compared
Sizes and constraint mixes, counted off the boards.
- Easy board
- 5 dominoes, 5 regions (2 sum, 1 equals, 1 greater, 1 less)
- Medium board
- 8 dominoes, 9 regions (8 sum, 1 empty)
- Hard board
- 10 dominoes, 11 regions (5 sum, 3 greater, 2 less, 1 equals)
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Hint 2: Easy board: how to approach it
Method only.
Start by identifying regions with unique constraints to narrow down domino placements.
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Hint 3: Easy board: where to start
One region named by its constraint.
Begin with the region that must have a sum of 4 over 4 cells.
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Hint 4: Medium board: approach and first region
The same two steps, one difficulty up.
Focus on sum regions with small targets to secure domino placements early.
Start with the region that requires a sum of 0 over 3 cells.
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Hint 5: Hard board: how to approach it
Where the hard board differed in kind, not just size.
Look for dominoes that can only fit in one or two regions due to their values.
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Hint 6: Hard board: where to start
The last rung before the full walkthroughs.
Begin with the region that has a less 3 constraint over 1 cell.
Every Pips walkthrough from that day
All three walkthroughs, folded: each one places every domino on its board, one after another.
Easy board · 5 dominoes
Easy board walkthrough
Place 1/0 in the equals region, then 1/1 and 1/3 in sum regions. Next, 3/6 and 5/5 fit their respective regions.
Medium board · 8 dominoes
Medium board walkthrough
Place 0/0 in the sum 0 region. Then, fit 1/0 and 2/0 into sum regions. Continue with 1/1, 2/3, and other dominoes.
Hard board · 10 dominoes
Hard board walkthrough
Start by placing 0/5 and 4/1 in less and greater regions. Then, 1/1 fits a sum region. Continue with 6/3, 5/1, and 4/4. Next, place 1/3, 3/5, and 2/1, using process of elimination for remaining dominoes and regions. Ensure all constraints are satisfied.
Those boards by the numbers
- Date
- Tuesday, August 4, 2026
- Boards
- 3 — easy, medium, hard
- Dominoes in play
- 23 across the three boards
- Easy board
- 5 dominoes · 5 regions
- Medium board
- 8 dominoes · 9 regions
- Hard board
- 10 dominoes · 11 regions
More Pips
See the live Pips hints and answers page for the current boards, or browse every archived Pips date by month.
Try the other two puzzles
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The live NYT Strands hints, spangram and answers page
Six theme words plus the spangram, with a read-only board that traces each answer.
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The live NYT Connections hints and answers page
Sixteen tiles, four groups, and a graded hint ladder from nudge to full answer.