Gooby
Domino: lay every domino so each region keeps its rule
A domino logic puzzle in the style of the NYT's Pips. Place the dominoes from the tray so every coloured region adds up, stays under or over its number, matches or differs. 1,600 puzzles from 4 to 14 dominoes — play as many as you like, no ads, no sign-up.
How to play Domino
You get a board of squares and a tray of dominoes — every domino from a double-six set at most once. Lay all of them so they cover the board, each domino on two neighbouring squares, and every coloured region keeps the rule on its badge:
- A number: the region's pips add up to exactly that number.
- < N or > N: the pips add up to less than, or more than, N.
- =: every pip count in the region is the same.
- ≠: every pip count in the region is different.
Grey squares belong to no region and can hold anything. Every puzzle has exactly one solution, and every one can be solved by logic alone — no guessing.
Controls
- Drag a domino from the tray onto the board: its first half lands on the square under your finger, lying across if there's room.
- Or tap a domino in the tray, then tap the square for its first half.
- Tap a laid domino to turn it a quarter, about the half you tapped. Drag it to move it, or hold it (or drag it off the board) to put it back in the tray.
- A badge turns green with a tick when its region is full and keeps its rule, and red when it breaks it. While a sum region fills up, its badge shows the total so far — 3/8 means 3 of 8.
Domino strategy
These are the steps the hints use, from easiest to hardest.
1. Only spot, only fit
When a domino has only one place left on the board, or a square has only one domino that can still cover it, it goes there. Doubles and the 0 and 6 halves usually run out of places first.
2. Only partner
A square in a dead-end corner can only share a domino with its one open neighbour — so that neighbour is taken too, and no domino can cover it from anywhere else.
3. Dead end
Before laying a domino, check its neighbours: if it would leave a square with no way to be covered, it can't go there.
4. Region rules
Single squares with a number are the place to start: only dominoes with that many pips on a half can cover them. Then work the regions: a 2-square = region lying under one domino needs a double; a <3 region of two squares only takes 0s and 1s; a big sum is easiest with 5s and 6s. Cross off every domino that would break a region, and the board narrows quickly.
5. What if
On the largest boards, take a domino with two or three places left, try one, and follow the steps above. If a square, a domino or a region runs out of options, that place was wrong.
Difficulty that adapts to you
There are no levels to unlock. Every finished puzzle updates your rating — quick, hint-free wins count most — and the next puzzle is chosen around it, with the odd easier breather and harder stretch.
| Tier | Dominoes | What it takes |
|---|---|---|
| Easy | 4 | Region rules and only spots |
| Medium | 6 | Region rules and dead ends |
| Hard | 8 | Longer chains of region rules |
| Expert | 10 | Now and then a what-if |
| Master | 12 | A few what-ifs |
| Extreme | 14 | Chains of what-ifs |
Domino questions
Is Domino like NYT Pips?
Yes, it uses the same idea: place a set of dominoes on a board so the pips in each coloured region keep that region's rule. Pips is a New York Times game with three puzzles a day; Domino is Gooby's free version with 1,600 puzzles and no daily limit.
What do the region rules mean?
A number means the pips in the region add up to exactly that number. <N means they add up to less than N, >N to more than N. = means every pip count in the region is the same, and ≠ means they are all different. Squares outside any region can hold anything.
Is there a daily limit?
No. There are 1,600 puzzles and you can play as many as you like, whenever you like, for free.
Can I play Domino offline?
Yes. After the first visit all puzzles are stored on your device, so it works with no connection. Add it to your home screen to use it like an app — here's how.
How does the difficulty work?
Domino adapts to you. Each finished puzzle updates a skill rating and the next puzzle is picked around it, from Easy boards with 4 dominoes up to Extreme boards with 14 that need what-if reasoning.
Pips is a game by The New York Times Company. Gooby is not affiliated with or endorsed by The New York Times.