Pips July 29, 2026: Hints & Answers
Recap
The easy board requires strategic placement of 5 dominoes across 7 regions. The medium board involves 8 dominoes and 9 regions with various constraints. The hard board features 14 dominoes and 13 regions, demanding careful consideration of sum and empty constraints.
The three boards that day
The tray and each region's rule — board data, no solutions.
Easy board · 5 dominoes · 7 regions
Dominoes: 2–23–02–56–24–3
- two cells: exactly 4.
- 2 ×one cell: left uncovered.
- one cell: more than 1.
- 2 ×two cells: all matching.
- one cell: more than 5.
Small number of dominoes and regions makes it manageable.
Medium board · 8 dominoes · 9 regions
Dominoes: 4–45–06–35–13–25–51–10–0
- 2 ×one cell: left uncovered.
- 2 ×one cell: exactly 1.
- three cells: exactly 1.
- two cells: exactly 10.
- three cells: exactly 12.
- two cells: exactly 3.
- two cells: exactly 9.
More dominoes and regions add complexity.
Hard board · 14 dominoes · 13 regions
Dominoes: 0–11–11–21–42–22–63–33–43–64–44–65–55–66–6
- two cells: exactly 12.
- three cells: exactly 11.
- one cell: left uncovered.
- three cells: exactly 3.
- 3 ×two cells: exactly 3.
- two cells: exactly 5.
- two cells: exactly 8.
- two cells: exactly 9.
- two cells: exactly 10.
- one cell: exactly 3.
- four cells: exactly 24.
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 (2 empty, 2 equals, 2 greater, 1 sum)
- Medium board
- 8 dominoes, 9 regions (7 sum, 2 empty)
- Hard board
- 14 dominoes, 13 regions (12 sum, 1 empty)
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Hint 2: Easy board: how to approach it
Method only.
Start by identifying regions with limited possibilities, such as those with sum or equals constraints.
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Hint 3: Easy board: where to start
One region named by its constraint.
Begin with the region that has a sum constraint over 2 cells.
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Hint 4: Medium board: approach and first region
The same two steps, one difficulty up.
Focus on regions with specific sum constraints to limit domino placement options.
Start with a region that has an empty constraint over 1 cell.
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Hint 5: Hard board: how to approach it
Where the hard board differed in kind, not just size.
Look for regions with high sum constraints to narrow down domino options.
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Hint 6: Hard board: where to start
The last rung before the full walkthroughs.
Begin with a region that has a sum constraint 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 2/2 domino, then the 4/3 domino in a way that satisfies the sum constraint. Next, place the 6/2 domino, followed by the 3/0 domino. Finally, place the 2/5 domino, ensuring all regions meet their constraints.
Medium board · 8 dominoes
Medium board walkthrough
Begin by placing the 0/0 domino. Then, place the 1/1 domino in a region with a sum 1 constraint. Continue with the 4/4 domino, followed by the 5/0 and 3/2 dominoes, ensuring that the sum constraints are met. Place the 5/5 domino, then the 5/1 domino. Finally, place the 6/3 domino, satisfying all region constraints.
Hard board · 14 dominoes
Hard board walkthrough
Start by placing the 6/6 domino. Then, place the 5/5 and 4/4 dominoes in regions with sum constraints. Continue with the 3/3 domino, followed by the 2/2 domino. Place the 1/1 and 0/1 dominoes in regions with low sum constraints. Next, place the 1/2, 1/4 dominoes, ensuring that the sum constraints are met. Place the 2/6 domino, then the 3/4 and 3/6 dominoes. Continue with the 4/6 and 5/6 dominoes, satisfying all region constraints. Finally, place the remaining dominoes, ensuring all regions meet their constraints.
Those boards by the numbers
- Date
- Wednesday, July 29, 2026
- Boards
- 3 — easy, medium, hard
- Dominoes in play
- 27 across the three boards
- Easy board
- 5 dominoes · 7 regions
- Medium board
- 8 dominoes · 9 regions
- Hard board
- 14 dominoes · 13 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.