NYT Pips Hints & Answers: Thursday, 12 March 2026
Hints and full solutions for Easy, Medium and Hard.
Yesterday in dotioEasy hints and answer for Thursday, 12 March 2026
12 cells (6 × 2) · 6 dominoes · 31 pips · 6 ruled regions and 2 free cells · =2, all equal, =4, <5Constructed by Ian Livengood
Where to start: the order the regions give way
- all equalbottom right
- all equaltop right
- =2top left
- =2top right
Medium hints and answer for Thursday, 12 March 2026
14 cells (5 × 4) · 7 dominoes · 47 pips · 6 ruled regions and 2 free cells · =7, all equal, =10, =8Constructed by Rodolfo Kurchan
Where to start: the order the regions give way
- =8bottom right
- =7top left
- =10left
- all equaltop left
Hard hints and answer for Thursday, 12 March 2026
30 cells (9 × 7) · 15 dominoes · 97 pips · 15 ruled regions and 2 free cells · =17, =6, =9, =8, =1, all equal, =5Constructed by Rodolfo Kurchan
Where to start: the order the regions give way
- =17top left
- =9left
- all equalleft
- =6bottom left
How did you find today's puzzles?
Love Pips? Try dotio.
4,800+ domino logic puzzles across four difficulty levels, with daily challenges, global leaderboards, and a smart hint system. Buy once, play forever.
New to Pips? Here's how it works.
The grid. Each puzzle is a grid of cells. Some grids are rectangular; others have irregular shapes with gaps. Every playable cell must be covered by a domino.
Placing dominoes. A domino covers exactly two adjacent cells (horizontally or vertically). Each domino has a pip value on each half. These are the dots you see. You're given a set of dominoes and must place all of them on the grid.
Constraints. Coloured regions on the grid have rules that the pip values must satisfy:
- Sum (=N): the pip values of all cells in the region must add up to exactly N.
- All equal (=): every cell in the region must have the same pip value.
- All different (≠): every cell in the region must have a different pip value.
- Less than (<N): the sum of pip values must be less than N.
- Greater than (>N): the sum of pip values must be greater than N.
The goal. Place every domino so that all constraints are satisfied simultaneously. Every puzzle has exactly one solution, so nothing has to be guessed.
Tips. Start with the most constrained cells: corners, edges, and small regions with tight rules. Work outward from what you know. If you're stuck, our hints above walk you through the logic step by step.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How do I solve NYT Pips puzzles?
Start with the most constrained regions: those with tight rules like exact sums or equality constraints. Identify which dominoes can physically fit each region, then eliminate impossible placements. Every puzzle has exactly one solution discoverable through pure logic. For a full walkthrough of solving techniques, see our Pips tutorial.
What do the coloured regions mean in Pips?
Each coloured region has a constraint that the pip values must satisfy. =N means the values must sum to N. = means all values must be equal. ≠ means all values must be different. <N and >N mean the sum must be less than or greater than N.
Can one domino cover two different coloured regions?
Yes. A domino covers exactly two adjacent cells, and each half satisfies the constraint of whichever region it falls in. This is a key part of solving harder puzzles. A single domino can help satisfy two different rules at once.
How are the hints on this page structured?
We use progressive hints for each difficulty level. Hint 1 gives you a gentle nudge about where to start. Hint 2 narrows things down further. Hint 3 gives you specific placement guidance. The full solution reveals the complete walkthrough. This way you get exactly as much help as you need without spoiling the whole puzzle.
Where can I play more puzzles like Pips?
dotio has over 4,800 domino logic puzzles using the same rules as NYT Pips, with four difficulty levels, daily challenges, and global leaderboards. Buy once and there is no subscription. There is also a free daily puzzle to play in your browser, and an honest rundown of the other games like Pips if you want to compare.
What strategies help with harder Pips puzzles?
For medium and hard puzzles, try elimination: if a domino can only physically fit in one position, place it first. Then look for chain implications: "if this domino goes here, that forces another domino there." For more detailed strategies, see our tips and strategy guide.