NYT Pips hints and answers, Sunday, August 9, 2026

Start with the cell that must be less than 1 at row 3, column 4. It has the fewest ways to be satisfied.

That cell is a 0, and only one domino has a 0: the 2–0.

Place the 2–0 domino with the 2 at row 3, column 3 and the 0 at row 3, column 4.

Full solution (domino: first half → second half): 6–6: R1C4→R2C4; 4–1: R2C1→R1C1; 2–0: R3C3→R3C4; 2–4: R3C2→R3C1; 5–1: R1C3→R1C2.

Start with the cell that must be greater than 2 at row 3, column 6. It has the fewest ways to be satisfied.

That cell is a 5. Only 3 dominoes have a 5: 5–5, 5–2, 5–1.

Place the 5–1 domino with the 5 at row 3, column 6 and the 1 at row 2, column 6.

Full solution (domino: first half → second half): 3–6: R3C1→R2C1; 2–2: R1C1→R1C2; 4–6: R1C3→R1C4; 5–5: R4C2→R4C3; 5–2: R4C4→R4C5; 5–1: R3C6→R2C6; 6–1: R1C5→R1C6.

Start with the cell that must be greater than 5 at row 1, column 8. It has the fewest ways to be satisfied.

That cell is a 6. Only 6 dominoes have a 6: 6–0, 1–6, 3–6, 6–4, 6–2, 5–6.

Place the 6–2 domino with the 6 at row 1, column 8 and the 2 at row 1, column 7.

Full solution (domino: first half → second half): 6–0: R4C2→R3C2; 0–1: R3C1→R2C1; 3–4: R4C1→R5C1; 1–6: R8C7→R7C7; 2–4: R3C7→R3C6; 3–6: R5C3→R4C3; 1–2: R9C6→R8C6; 6–4: R1C6→R2C6; 2–2: R8C4→R9C4; 1–3: R8C3→R7C3; 4–4: R2C4→R3C4; 1–5: R8C5→R7C5; 6–2: R1C8→R1C7; 5–4: R5C6→R4C6; 1–1: R4C4→R5C4; 5–6: R5C7→R5C8.