Hey everyone, I’ve been hooked on Pips NYT lately - it looks simple at first, but once you hit the mid-level and larger grids, it starts to feel more like Sudoku meets domino logic. After finishing over a hundred puzzles (and plenty of resets 😅), I thought I’d share a few tricks that helped me solve them faster and avoid dead ends. 🧩 1. Always start with the strictest regions If a region says “Equal” or gives you a low/high number condition, that’s usually the most restrictive. For example, if a blue region says “Equal”, and the only way to fill it is with two halves showing the same number, you can instantly rule out any domino with different numbers. It helps to lock in those early. 🔢 2. Use the math to your advantage In Number regions, always count how many domino halves fit in the zone. Example: if the pink region has “8” and contains 4 halves (2 dominoes), the total pips across those 4 halves must be 8 → average 2 per half. That already limits your options and can eliminate all 5s and 6s from that zone. ⚖️ 3. Think in halves, not dominoes I used to look at the board as whole tiles, but that’s a mistake. Each half of a domino contributes to a different region — sometimes one half fits a “Less Than” region while the other half fits an “Equal” region. Start thinking: “Left side = 2 that fits in pink, right side = 5 that fits in yellow.” That mindset helps find the domino that bridges two constraints. 🔄 4. Rotate early, not late Before you place anything permanently, test orientations. Sometimes a domino looks perfect in one direction but breaks a condition in another region when flipped. Try both horizontal and vertical placements before committing. 🧠 5. Save the “Not Equal” zones for last “Not Equal” conditions are usually flexible, they can fit almost anything as long as you don’t repeat a number. So don’t waste time there at the beginning. Use them to place your leftover dominoes at the end.