NYT Pips hints and answers, Thursday, August 20, 2026

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

That cell is a 0, and only one domino has a 0: the 4–0.

Place the 4–0 domino with the 4 at row 1, column 2 and the 0 at row 1, column 1.

Full solution (domino: first half → second half): 4–0: R1C2→R1C1; 6–5: R2C2→R3C2; 4–1: R2C4→R3C4; 5–1: R3C3→R4C3; 3–3: R1C4→R1C5.

Start with the cell that must be less than 2 at row 1, column 4. It has the fewest ways to be satisfied.

That cell is a 1. Only 2 dominoes have a 1: 4–1, 1–2.

Place the 4–1 domino with the 4 at row 1, column 3 and the 1 at row 1, column 4.

Full solution (domino: first half → second half): 4–1: R1C3→R1C4; 0–2: R3C1→R2C1; 4–4: R1C1→R1C2; 2–5: R2C2→R2C3; 1–2: R3C3→R3C2; 3–4: R3C5→R3C4; 5–6: R2C4→R2C5.

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

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

Place the 6–5 domino with the 6 at row 3, column 4 and the 5 at row 4, column 4.

Full solution (domino: first half → second half): 3–6: R6C1→R5C1; 4–4: R4C6→R5C6; 0–1: R1C3→R1C2; 6–5: R3C4→R4C4; 3–3: R7C1→R8C1; 2–1: R1C1→R2C1; 6–4: R7C6→R8C6; 0–0: R5C8→R6C8; 5–5: R3C1→R4C1; 3–4: R4C8→R4C7; 2–5: R6C7→R6C6; 6–6: R1C4→R2C4; 4–5: R4C3→R4C2.