You're staring at a screen full of colored boxes and little white dots. It’s Sunday. Your coffee is getting cold. You've placed the 4-6 tile three different times and it still feels wrong.
Honestly, the pips medium answer today is a bit of a headache compared to yesterday’s straightforward grid. If you’re here, you’re likely stuck on that one specific region that refuses to balance.
Today’s Pips Medium Answer (January 18, 2026)
Don't panic. Solving the Medium puzzle today requires a very specific sequence, mostly because of how the "Equal" and "Less Than" zones overlap.
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Here is the breakdown of the exact placements for the Medium grid today:
- Number (4) Region: This one is a vertical squeeze. You need to place the 4-6 tile vertically here. It feels counterintuitive to use a high number like 6, but the math doesn't lie.
- Equal (0) Region: This is the easiest win on the board. You’re looking for the 0-0 tile placed vertically, paired with a 0-1 tile placed horizontally.
- Less Than (2) Region: Since you already used that 0-1 for the Equal zone, it doubles up here. It satisfies the "less than 2" condition perfectly.
- Number (8) Region: Grab your 3-3 and lay it horizontally. Then, tuck the 0-2 in there vertically.
- Number (2) Region: This area is tight. You'll need that 0-2 (which you just used) and the 4-2 tile, both placed vertically.
- Greater Than (4) Region: This is where people usually trip up. The answer is the 0-5 tile, placed horizontally.
- Equal (3) Region: To wrap it up, you need a trio. Place the 3-4 horizontally, the 3-3 vertically, and the 3-2 horizontally.
Why today’s puzzle is trickier than usual
The NYT Pips team chose violence this morning. Usually, the Medium level gives you a "path of least resistance" where one tile placement makes the next five obvious. Not today.
Today, the Number (4) and Number (2) regions share real estate in a way that forces you to use the 0-2 tile as a bridge. If you try to use the 1-1 or the 2-2 elsewhere, you’ll find yourself short on "low-value" pips by the time you reach the bottom of the grid.
The Pips Strategy: Thinking in Half-Tiles
Most players look at the domino as a single unit. That's mistake number one.
Expert solvers—the ones who clear the Hard grid in under five minutes—view every domino as two independent numbers that happen to be stuck together. In today’s Medium puzzle, the 0-5 tile is a perfect example. The "0" side is basically trash; it’s a space-filler. But that "5" side is the only thing that makes the Greater Than (4) condition work without burning a 6-6 tile you might need later.
Common Symbols and What They Actually Mean
If you're new to the 2026 Pips craze, the symbols can be a bit much. Here's the quick and dirty version:
- The Equals Sign (=): Every single half-tile in this colored zone must show the exact same number of dots. If it's a green zone with an "=" and you put a 3 there, every other square in that green zone better be a 3.
- The Sum (A plain number): All the dots in this zone must add up to this number.
- **Greater/Less Than (> / <):** This applies to individual squares. If a zone says ">4," every square inside it must be a 5 or a 6.
Why Pips is Taking Over the NYT Games App
It's weird to think that a year ago, we were all just obsessed with Wordle. Pips launched in August 2025 and basically filled the "Sudoku-shaped hole" in our hearts, but with a tactile, domino-based twist.
It's a logic puzzle, but it’s also a resource management game. You only have a set number of tiles. You can't just wish a 0-0 into existence if you've already used it.
Actionable Tips for Tomorrow's Grid
- Start with the "Equal" zones. They are the most restrictive. If you see an Equal (6) zone, you know exactly which tiles are going there.
- Count your doubles. You only get one 0-0, one 1-1, and so on. If a puzzle has three different "Equal" zones, you need to map out which doubles are still available before you commit.
- Work the edges. Just like a jigsaw puzzle, the corners and edges of the Pips grid limit how a domino can be rotated. If a tile is in a corner, it only has two possible orientations. Start there to reduce the "math noise" in your head.
Solving the pips medium answer today is all about that 4-6 vertical placement. Once you get that anchor in, the rest of the dominoes should fall into place.
If you're still staring at a "Puzzle Incomplete" message, double-check your Number (8) region. It's the most common spot for a mental math error today because of how the 3-3 tile overlaps with the Equal zone.
Stay sharp. Tomorrow's grid looks even bigger.
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Next Steps:
If you've finished the Medium, go ahead and tackle the Hard grid. Just remember that the Hard puzzle today features a Number (27) region—you're going to need to save almost all of your 5s and 6s for that massive sum. Look for the L-shaped Equal zones first to lock down your 2s and 3s.