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NYT Pips answers — Monday, August 18, 2025

Pips #1 · Edited by Ian Livengood · Easy by Rodolfo Kurchan · Medium by Heidi Erwin · Hard by Heidi Erwin

Stuck on today's New York Times Pips? Below are three progressive hints for each difficulty, then the full solution as a tap-to-reveal board. Hints first — the answer only when you want it.

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Easy Pips answer — August 18, 2025

3×4 board · 4 dominoes · 4 regions · by Rodolfo Kurchan

Easy today is a 3×4 board with 4 dominoes and 4 regions. Rules on the board: 2 sum regions, 1 "all equal", 1 free region. The way in: the single cell at row 1, column 4 is marked 5, so it can only hold a 5. After that, the two-cell region at row 3, column 2 adds to 12: both cells must be 6. Rack check: 2 doubles, 2 sixes.

Hints

Hint 1 — where to start

The single cell at row 1, column 4 is marked 5, so it can only hold a 5. Find the domino with a 5 that fits there.

Hint 2 — first domino

Place the 5–2 domino with its 5 at row 1, column 4 and its 2 at row 1, column 3.

Hint 3 — second domino

Next, the 6–6 goes at row 3, column 2 → row 3, column 3. From there the rest should fall into place.

Solution

Tap any cell to reveal its pips, or reveal the whole board. Region rules: = must all be the same number; 5 must add up to 5; 12 must add up to 12.

=
5
12
Solution as text
  1. 2–2 — 2 at row 2, column 2, 2 at row 2, column 3
  2. 2–3 — 2 at row 1, column 2, 3 at row 1, column 1
  3. 5–2 — 5 at row 1, column 4, 2 at row 1, column 3
  4. 6–6 — 6 at row 3, column 2, 6 at row 3, column 3

Medium Pips answer — August 18, 2025

3×5 board · 5 dominoes · 6 regions · by Heidi Erwin

The medium board runs 3 rows by 5 columns: 5 dominoes to place across 6 regions. The mix is 2 sum regions, 2 "less than", 1 "greater than", 1 free region. Best foothold — the single cell at row 3, column 2 is marked 2, so it can only hold a 2. After that, three cells adding to 18 at row 2, column 4 needs big pips — at least one 6.. Rack check: 1 double, 4 sixes.

Hints

Hint 1 — where to start

The single cell at row 3, column 2 is marked 2, so it can only hold a 2. Find the domino with a 2 that fits there.

Hint 2 — first domino

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

Hint 3 — second domino

Next, the 1–6 goes at row 2, column 5 → row 2, column 4. From there the rest should fall into place.

Solution

Tap any cell to reveal its pips, or reveal the whole board. Region rules: <13 must add up to less than 13; 18 must add up to 18; <3 must add up to less than 3; 2 must add up to 2; >4 must add up to more than 4.

<13
18
<3
2
>4
Solution as text
  1. 1–6 — 1 at row 2, column 5, 6 at row 2, column 4
  2. 4–4 — 4 at row 2, column 1, 4 at row 2, column 2
  3. 6–3 — 6 at row 1, column 2, 3 at row 1, column 1
  4. 2–6 — 2 at row 3, column 2, 6 at row 3, column 3
  5. 5–6 — 5 at row 3, column 5, 6 at row 3, column 4

Hard Pips answer — August 18, 2025

3×9 board · 10 dominoes · 10 regions · by Heidi Erwin

Hard today is a 3×9 board with 10 dominoes and 10 regions. Rules on the board: 5 sum regions, 3 "all equal", 1 "less than", 1 free region. Best foothold — the single cell at row 2, column 3 is marked 1, so it can only hold a 1. After that, the single cell at row 3, column 8 is marked 4, so it can only hold a 4. Rack check: 3 doubles, 4 blank halves, 5 sixes.

Hints

Hint 1 — where to start

The single cell at row 2, column 3 is marked 1, so it can only hold a 1. Find the domino with a 1 that fits there.

Hint 2 — first domino

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

Hint 3 — second domino

Next, the 4–5 goes at row 3, column 8 → row 3, column 9. From there the rest should fall into place.

Solution

Tap any cell to reveal its pips, or reveal the whole board. Region rules: <3 must add up to less than 3; = must all be the same number; 1 must add up to 1; 18 must add up to 18; 10 must add up to 10.

<3
=
=
1
=
18
10
0
4
Solution as text
  1. 0–0 — 0 at row 3, column 2, 0 at row 3, column 3
  2. 6–6 — 6 at row 2, column 7, 6 at row 3, column 7
  3. 1–6 — 1 at row 2, column 3, 6 at row 2, column 2
  4. 1–1 — 1 at row 1, column 2, 1 at row 1, column 3
  5. 2–0 — 2 at row 3, column 5, 0 at row 3, column 4
  6. 0–6 — 0 at row 3, column 1, 6 at row 2, column 1
  7. 2–6 — 2 at row 2, column 5, 6 at row 2, column 6
  8. 3–1 — 3 at row 1, column 8, 1 at row 1, column 7
  9. 3–5 — 3 at row 2, column 8, 5 at row 2, column 9
  10. 4–5 — 4 at row 3, column 8, 5 at row 3, column 9

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