How to play pips
Pips takes about a minute to learn. You place dominoes on a grid so that every coloured region ends up satisfying its rule. This page walks through the steps, then explains every symbol you will see on a grid.
How to play
Study the grid
Each puzzle has a grid divided into coloured regions. Every region has a rule constraining the pip values of the cells inside it: a required sum, all values equal, all values different, or a comparison like 'greater than' or 'less than'. The shape of the grid varies: some puzzles are rectangular, others have irregular shapes with gaps.
Place dominoes
Drag dominoes from the drawer at the bottom of the screen onto the grid. Each domino has two halves with pip values from 0 to 6, and covers exactly two adjacent cells. You can rotate a domino to change which pip value lands on which cell. This matters because each half often sits in a different coloured region.
Satisfy every rule
Rules constrain the pip values within each coloured region. 'Equals 10' means all the pips in that region must sum to 10. 'All equal' means every pip value in the region must be the same number. 'All different' means no two pip values can match. 'Greater than' and 'less than' set bounds on the total. You need to satisfy all of them simultaneously.
Solve through logic
Every puzzle has exactly one solution that can be found through logic alone. Start with the most constrained regions, where only one domino can possibly fit, and work outward. Each placement narrows the remaining possibilities, creating a chain reaction of forced moves. If you get stuck, there's always a deduction you haven't spotted yet.
The region rules
Every coloured region on the grid has one of five rule types. Understanding them is the first step to solving any pips puzzle.
= (equal sign): all pips in the region are the same
Every cell in an equals region must hold the same pip value. The region doesn't tell you which value, just that they all match.
The most useful case is an equals region of exactly two cells covered by one domino: only a double (0-0, 1-1, up to 6-6) can fill it. On bigger equals regions, one known cell locks every other cell in the region to the same value.
≠ (equal sign with a line through it): all pips are different
The not-equal symbol means every cell in the region must hold a different pip value. Two cells in the region can never match.
Pip values only run 0 to 6, so a not-equal region can never have more than seven cells, and larger ones get tight fast. Each placement removes a value from what the remaining cells may use. If a 3 is already in the region, no other cell there can take a 3, which often rules out whole dominoes.
> (greater than): the region's total must be more than the number
A greater-than rule like >9 means the pips in that region must add up to more than 9, so at least 10.
Check the extremes. With two cells the maximum possible is 12 (6+6), so >10 forces 6-6 exactly, and >9 needs a pair totalling at least 10, such as 4-6, 5-5 or 5-6. Thinking in minimums and maximums turns these regions into strong filters on which dominoes can fit.
< (less than): the region's total must be less than the number
A less-than rule like <4 means the region's pips must total 3 or less.
Small targets are extremely restrictive: <2 on two cells allows only 0-0 or 0-1. Low less-than regions are usually the best place to start a puzzle, because so few dominoes fit them.
A number on its own: the region must total exactly that
A plain number like 12 means the pips in the region must sum to exactly that value.
Exact sums at the extremes are forced outright: 12 on two cells can only be 6-6, and 0 on two cells only 0-0. Mid-range sums depend on the dominoes actually available. If the puzzle's set has no 6, a 10 across two cells must be 5-5.
Regions with no symbol at all
Some cells sit in no region, or in a region with no rule. Any pip value is legal there.
These free cells are where leftover domino halves end up, and they often provide the wiggle room that lets an awkward domino serve a constrained region next door.
Difficulty levels explained
dotio has four difficulty tiers. Every puzzle at every level is solvable through pure logic. The difference is how many steps of reasoning you need to find the next move.
Easy
Small grids with straightforward rules. Every move is directly forced. You can always find a cell where only one domino fits, or a rule that only one domino satisfies. Great for learning the mechanics and building confidence.
Medium
Larger grids and more overlapping rules. You need to eliminate impossible placements by checking constraints across multiple regions. Moves are still logically forced, but finding them requires scanning the full grid rather than spotting them immediately.
Hard
Complex grids where simple elimination isn't enough. You'll need to trace chains of implications. 'If this domino goes here, then that one must go there, which contradicts this rule, so the first placement is wrong.' These puzzles reward patience and systematic thinking.
Expert
The largest grids and deepest logic. Expert puzzles demand multi-step implication chains and careful tracking of which pip values remain available. Unlocked after completing Hard puzzles, Expert is for solvers who want the full challenge.
Now try one
Three fresh puzzles go up every day, at Easy, Medium and Hard. They run free in your browser with no download and no account, and your time goes on the global leaderboard.
Play today's puzzleFrequently Asked Questions
Do I need to guess to solve pips puzzles?
Never. Every pips puzzle in dotio is designed so the solution can be found through logic alone. If you are stuck, there is always a deduction you have not spotted yet. The three-stage hint system can nudge you in the right direction without spoiling the solution.
What does the equal sign mean in pips?
All cells in that region must contain the same pip value. On a two-cell region covered by one domino, that forces a double like 3-3 or 6-6.
What does the equal sign with a line through it mean in pips?
That's the not-equal symbol (≠): every cell in the region must contain a different pip value. No two cells in the region can match.
What does a number on its own mean in pips?
The pip values in that region must add up to exactly that number. A 12 across two cells can only be 6-6; a 0 can only be 0-0.
What do > and < mean in pips?
They constrain the region's total: >9 means the pips must sum to more than 9, and <4 means they must sum to less than 4. Checking the minimum and maximum possible sums tells you which dominoes can fit.
Are the symbols the same in NYT Pips and dotio?
Yes. Both use the same five rule types: equal, not equal, exact sum, greater than, and less than. Learn them once and you can play either.
Download dotio
The best way to play pips puzzles. Download dotio and start solving today.