Pips July 15, 2026: Hints & Answers
Recap
The easy board requires strategic placement of 5 dominoes across 7 regions. The medium board involves 7 dominoes and varied constraints. The hard board features 13 dominoes and 15 regions with complex constraints, demanding careful planning.
The three boards that day
The tray and each region's rule — board data, no solutions.
Easy board · 5 dominoes · 7 regions
Dominoes: 2–01–44–33–53–0
- one cell: exactly 3.
- two cells: exactly 4.
- one cell: exactly 4.
- one cell: left uncovered.
- two cells: exactly 5.
- two cells: exactly 8.
- one cell: under 1.
Small number of dominoes and regions makes it manageable.
Medium board · 7 dominoes · 7 regions
Dominoes: 2–23–63–33–22–55–15–5
- three cells: all matching.
- two cells: more than 9.
- three cells: more than 9.
- three cells: exactly 9.
- 2 ×one cell: exactly 3.
- one cell: more than 3.
Moderate complexity with varied constraints.
Hard board · 13 dominoes · 15 regions
Dominoes: 5–11–34–40–25–40–15–50–05–32–20–45–26–3
- two cells: exactly 5.
- 2 ×one cell: exactly 4.
- two cells: all matching.
- two cells: exactly 9.
- 2 ×two cells: exactly 0.
- 2 ×one cell: under 4.
- 3 ×two cells: exactly 10.
- two cells: exactly 2.
- two cells: exactly 4.
- two cells: exactly 7.
Large number of dominoes and complex constraints make it challenging.
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, 7 regions (5 sum, 1 empty, 1 less)
- Medium board
- 7 dominoes, 7 regions (3 greater, 3 sum, 1 equals)
- Hard board
- 13 dominoes, 15 regions (12 sum, 2 less, 1 equals)
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Hint 2: Easy board: how to approach it
Method only.
Focus on regions with limited possibilities, such as those with unique sums or comparisons.
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Hint 3: Easy board: where to start
One region named by its constraint.
Begin with the region that must contain a single cell with a sum of 3.
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Hint 4: Medium board: approach and first region
The same two steps, one difficulty up.
Identify regions with fixed sums or equalities to anchor your placements.
Start with the region requiring a sum of 9 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.
Prioritize regions with strict constraints, such as specific sums or equalities, to limit possibilities.
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Hint 6: Hard board: where to start
The last rung before the full walkthroughs.
Begin with the region that requires a sum of 0 over 2 cells.
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 the 2/0 domino, then focus on the sum 3 over 1 cell region. Next, place the 1/4 domino, followed by the 3/0 domino. Continue with the 4/3 and 3/5 dominoes, ensuring all regions meet their constraints.
Medium board · 7 dominoes
Medium board walkthrough
Begin by placing the 3/6 domino. Use the equals over 3 cells region to guide the 3/3 domino placement. Continue with the 2/5 and 5/1 dominoes, focusing on satisfying the greater 9 over 2 cells region. Finish with the remaining dominoes, ensuring all constraints are met.
Hard board · 13 dominoes
Hard board walkthrough
Start by placing the 0/0 domino in the sum 0 over 2 cells region. Next, place the 5/1 and 0/1 dominoes, focusing on the sum 5 over 2 cells and less 4 over 1 cell regions. Continue with the 5/5 and 2/2 dominoes, ensuring the equals over 2 cells region is satisfied. Place the 5/4 domino, then the 0/2 and 1/3 dominoes. Finish with the 4/4, 5/3, 5/2, and 6/3 dominoes, carefully meeting all sum and comparison constraints.
Those boards by the numbers
- Date
- Wednesday, July 15, 2026
- Boards
- 3 — easy, medium, hard
- Dominoes in play
- 25 across the three boards
- Easy board
- 5 dominoes · 7 regions
- Medium board
- 7 dominoes · 7 regions
- Hard board
- 13 dominoes · 15 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.