Looking for help with Easy, Medium and Hard NYT Pips puzzles? Whether you’re following the trend or just want to compare notes, below you’ll find everything you need to solve each of today’s Pips and a full walkthrough of today’s Hard Pips.
It’s nice and cool in British Columbia, but back in my hometown, it’s hot and windy and fires are burning everywhere. Evacuations have begun, and some neighborhoods are being informed. Pray for rain, Pipsqueaks. Or send us some of your own. For now, let’s get these Pips puzzles out.
He wants Sunday‘Pips? Read our guide right here.
How to play Pips
In Pips, you have a grid of colorful boxes. Each colored area represents a different “state” you must reach. You have a selected number of dominoes to use to fill the grid. You have to use every domino and win every situation correctly to win. There are Easy, Medium and Hard Tiers.
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Here is an example of Pips for a heavy tier:
Example of Pips
Screenshot: Erik Kain
As you can see, the grid has a lot of symbols and numbers in each color. On the far left, the three purple squares are not equal (so the equal sign is crossed out). The two pink squares next to those must equal a total of 0. The jagged blue squares should all fit. You click on the dominoes to flip them, and you will need to rotate them to fit where they are.
What can be shown in this grid are other conditions, such as “less than” or “greater than.” If there are multiple tiles with > or < symbols, the sum of those tiles must be greater than or less than the number listed. It varies by grid. Empty spaces can contain anything. The various possible scenarios are:
- = All pipes must fit in this group.
- ≠ All pips must not be equal in this group.
- > The pipe in this tile (or tiles) must be larger than the number listed.
- < The pipe in this tile should be less than the number listed.
- An exact number (like 6) The pipe must fit this exact number.
- Shapeless tiles can be anything.
To win, you must use all your dominoes by filling all the squares, making sure you fit each position. Sometimes there is only one way to solve a puzzle. Sometimes, there can be two or more different solutions. Play today’s Pips puzzle here.
Today’s Solutions for Pips and Moves
Below are solutions for Easy and Medium tier Pips. After that, I’ll go with you on a Hard puzzle. Spoilers ahead.
Today Easy Pips
Pips are easy
Screenshot: Erik Kain
Today Medium Pips
Central pipes
Screenshot: Erik Kain
Hard Pips Walkthrough and Solution
Here are today’s Hard Pips:
Solid Pipes
Screenshot: Erik Kain
Today’s Hard Pips is a miniature French Bulldog, or at least that’s what he looks like to me. There’s only one way to start this puzzle, and that’s with a nubby sleeper. Let’s get started.
Step 1
Place the 6/1 domino from Purple 6 to Pink 3 and the 2/5 domino from Pink 3 to Orange 16. The 5/6 domino goes over the remaining 16 Orange tiles. A 3/0 domino goes from Dark Blue 3 to Green 1 and a 4/4 domino below that with Blue =.
Solid Pipes
Screenshot: Erik Kain
Step 2
Next you place a 1/4 domino from Green 1 down to Blue = and a 4/6 domino from Blue = up to Purple 16. A 5/5 domino fills the remaining 16 Purple tiles and a 0/0 domino goes into the corresponding Pink 3 tiles.
Solid Pipes
Screenshot: Erik Kain
The solution
Place 3/4 domino from Pink 3 to Blue 4 and 3/3 domino to Dark Blue =. A 6/6 domino fills Orange > 9 and a 2/4 domino fills 6 green tiles. Not too shabby!
Solid Pipes
Screenshot: Erik Kain
How did you do in today’s Pips?
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