NYT Pips Hints, Solutions and Walkthrough for Sunday, July 5, 2026

Sunday brings a contemporary set of NYT Pips puzzles. At the moment’s set leans towards the approachable aspect, with zone circumstances that reward methodical placement over brute-force trial and error. We have got hints, step-by-step walkthroughs, and full options for Simple, Medium, and Arduous issue ranges.

Learn how to Play Pips

Pips is a domino placement puzzle the place you fill a grid of color-coded zones. Every zone has a situation you could fulfill utilizing the pip values in your dominoes. The twist: you could use each domino and meet each situation to win.

Zone Circumstances:

• = All pips on this zone should equal the identical quantity
• Not Equal All pips should be completely different numbers
• > Pips should be larger than the listed quantity
• < Pips should be lower than the listed quantity
• Precise Quantity Pips should whole that precise worth
• No Coloration Free house, any domino worth works

Click on or faucet dominoes to rotate them. Every puzzle has a number of legitimate options.

At the moment’s Simple Pips

At the moment’s Medium Pips

At the moment’s Arduous Pips

Fast Hints (No Spoilers)

Beginning Level: The navy (=) zone is the structural spine of this puzzle. Resolve its three crossing dominoes first to anchor the remainder of the grid.

Key Perception: The teal (>10) and teal (<2) zones are your hardest constraints. Just one domino suits every, so place them early and construct round them.

Watch Out For: The orange (>3) zone requires each pip to be larger than 3. Don’t place a domino with a 1, 2, or 3 right here or you’ll break the situation and need to backtrack.

Step-by-Step Walkthrough

1. 1.Establish the purple (=) zone. The equals situation means all pips inside should be the identical quantity. Solely the two/2 domino qualifies. Place it vertically to lock on this zone.
2. 2.The purple (=) zone nonetheless has open cells. The two/5 domino suits right here with the two aspect inside purple and the 5 crossing into pink (8). Place it horizontally.
3. 3.Now the teal (>10) zone. The one domino that sums to greater than 10 is 6/6 at 12. Place it horizontally. That is non-negotiable — no different domino works right here.
4. 4.The navy (=) zone is subsequent. It wants precisely three dominoes with matching values that cross into adjoining zones. The three/2, 3/1, and three/0 dominoes all have a 3 on one aspect. Place 3/2 horizontally throughout navy and the uncolored zone. Place 3/1 horizontally throughout navy and purple (1). Place 3/0 horizontally throughout navy and teal (<2).
5. 5.The teal (<2) zone now has the 0 from 3/0. It wants one other domino with each values underneath 2. Solely 0/0 works. Place it horizontally.
6. 6.Transfer to the pink (8) zone. It already comprises a 2 and 5 from the two/5 domino. You want 1 extra pip to achieve 8. The three/4 domino positioned vertically with the three in pink and 4 in orange (>3) does it. Each values are above 3, satisfying orange.
7. 7.Place 5/6 horizontally in inexperienced (11). Sum of 11 is an actual match.
8. 8.Place 5/3 horizontally in inexperienced (8). Precise match at 8.
9. 9.Place 2/6 horizontally throughout purple (<3) and pink (6). The two is underneath 3, and the 6 brings pink to its precise whole.
10. 10.Place 1/6 vertically throughout pink (1) and orange (10). Each precise quantity circumstances are met.
11. 11.Place 4/6 horizontally throughout orange (10) and teal (6). This closes out the remaining orange and teal zones. All circumstances happy.

Arduous Pips Answer

Final likelihood to unravel independently

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1. 1.Place the two/2 domino vertically within the purple (=) zone
2. 2.Place the two/5 domino horizontally within the purple (=) zone and pink (8) zone
3. 3.Place the 6/6 domino horizontally within the teal (>10) zone
4. 4.Place the three/4 domino vertically within the pink (8) zone and orange (>3) zone
5. 5.Place the three/2 domino horizontally within the navy (=) zone and uncolored (no situation) zone
6. 6.Place the three/1 domino horizontally within the navy (=) zone and purple (1) zone
7. 7.Place the three/0 domino horizontally within the navy (=) zone and teal (<2) zone
8. 8.Place the 0/0 domino horizontally within the teal (<2) zone
9. 9.Place the 5/6 domino horizontally within the inexperienced (11) zone
10. 10.Place the two/6 domino horizontally within the purple (<3) zone and pink (6) zone
11. 11.Place the 5/3 domino horizontally within the inexperienced (8) zone
12. 12.Place the 1/6 domino vertically within the pink (1) zone and orange (10) zone
13. 13.Place the 4/6 domino horizontally within the orange (10) zone and teal (6) zone

Puzzle Debrief

Total Problem: Average problem. The zone circumstances are well-balanced with clear constraint anchors within the teal and navy zones, however the format rewards systematic considering over guesswork.

Trickiest Puzzle: Arduous – The navy (=) zone is the actual puzzle right here. Three dominoes should cross it with matching values whereas additionally satisfying the circumstances in three completely different adjoining zones. Misplace one and the entire chain breaks.

Our Take: It is a strong Sunday set that demonstrates good puzzle design. The equals circumstances and precise quantity necessities create clear forcing strikes, whereas the greater-than and less-than zones add simply sufficient friction to maintain it fascinating. The navy zone triple-crossing is the spotlight — satisfying to unravel and simple to confirm.

Tomorrow’s Pips drops at midnight. See you then.