NYT Pips hints and answers, Monday, August 31, 2026

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

That cell is a 1, and only one domino has a 1: the 4–1.

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

Full solution (domino: first half → second half): 5–6: R2C2→R2C3; 3–5: R1C1→R1C2; 4–4: R3C2→R3C3; 4–1: R4C3→R4C4; 4–6: R3C4→R2C4.

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

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

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

Full solution (domino: first half → second half): 0–3: R2C5→R1C5; 1–2: R3C2→R3C1; 1–4: R2C2→R1C2; 2–3: R4C1→R5C1; 4–4: R1C3→R1C4; 5–5: R4C2→R5C2; 5–6: R2C3→R3C3.

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

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

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

Full solution (domino: first half → second half): 2–3: R3C1→R4C1; 3–0: R2C2→R2C1; 6–2: R1C3→R1C2; 6–6: R3C6→R3C7; 5–5: R1C5→R1C6; 2–4: R5C4→R5C3; 3–4: R2C4→R1C4; 6–3: R3C3→R2C3; 4–5: R5C2→R5C1; 1–1: R5C5→R5C6; 2–2: R1C7→R2C7; 4–6: R3C5→R3C4; 5–1: R4C7→R5C7; 3–3: R2C5→R2C6.