As we wrap up May, a new challenge arrives with today’s NYT Pips puzzle. Time has flown, and June is just around the corner. So, let’s roll up our sleeves and get those dominoes ready!
Understanding Pips
Pips presents players with a grid of colored squares, each representing different conditions that must be met. You have a limited selection of dominoes to fill the grid accurately. Success means employing all your dominoes while adhering to every specified condition, with varying levels of difficulty: Easy, Medium, and Hard.
Here’s a preview of a challenging grid configuration:
The grid contains a mix of symbols and numbers across its various colors. For instance, three purple squares should not have matching values. Conversely, the adjacent pink squares must total zero. The blue squares need to match each other, adding an extra layer of strategy. The dominoes must often be rotated to fit properly, so keep an eye on their orientation.
Additional conditions like “greater than” or “less than” might be present, affecting how you strategize your moves. Here’s a breakdown of the conditions:
- = All pips must match within this group.
- ≠ All pips should not be the same.
- > The pip in this tile must exceed the designated number.
- < The pip must be lower than the indicated number.
- An exact number (like 6) applies to this specific tile.
- Tiles without conditions can adopt any value.
Winning implies utilizing all dominoes to fill every square while satisfying the required conditions. Some puzzles offer a single solution, while others may have multiple ways to complete them.
Solutions and Strategy for Today’s Pips
Easy Tier Solutions
Medium Tier Solutions
In-Depth Look at the Hard Puzzle
Today’s Hard Pips centers around the number SIX. Interestingly, there are only two tiles that actually require a 6, while many options for the number populate your domino collection. This adds to your strategy as you compose your grid. Let’s break it down:
Step 1
Begin by placing the 6/3 domino from Pink 6 into Purple =. Followed by adding a 3/3 domino in the next two Purple = tiles. Next, insert the 3/2 domino from the Purple = into Pink > 1, and then use the 6/5 domino for Blue 6 leading down to Orange 6. Finally, the 1/0 domino should fit into Green =, along with the 0/0 domino in the remaining Green = tiles.
Step 2
Next, transition to placing the 3/1 domino from Purple 3 into Dark Blue =. The 1/6 domino fits from Dark Blue = into Green =, and the 1/1 domino wraps up Dark Blue =. Finally, complete the two Green = tiles with a 6/6 domino.
Final Solution Steps
The 6/4 domino connects from Green = into Dark Blue > 3, while the 6/0 slots into Green = to Orange < 3. The sequence can conclude with the 6/2, 4/1, and 3/0 dominoes in any configuration in the “I” Blue ≠ group, leading you to victory!
Initially, I had to iterate on the lower end of the “S” a couple of times to accomplish this. I opted for moving 6/2 from Blue 6 into Orange 6, but it left me with an excess of 1’s for Blue ≠, forcing me to reevaluate my strategy a few times. Eventually, I found the correct path!
How did you fare with today’s Pips puzzle?