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NYT Pips answers — Saturday, August 23, 2025

Pips #6 · Edited by Ian Livengood · Easy by Heidi Erwin · 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 23, 2025

3×3 board · 4 dominoes · 4 regions · by Heidi Erwin

Easy today is a 3×3 board with 4 dominoes and 4 regions. Rules on the board: 2 sum regions, 1 "all equal", 1 free region. Best foothold — the two-cell region at row 1, column 2 adds to 1: the only split is 0 + 1.. After that, the "=" region starting at row 2, column 1 has 3 cells that must all match — every 3 in the puzzle should come here.. Rack check: 2 doubles, 3 blank halves.

Hints

Hint 1 — where to start

The two-cell region at row 1, column 2 adds to 1: the only split is 0 + 1.

Hint 2 — first domino

Place the 0–0 domino with its 0 at row 1, column 1 and its 0 at row 1, column 2.

Hint 3 — second domino

Next, the 3–3 goes at row 2, column 1 → row 2, column 2. From there the rest should fall into place.

Solution

Tap any cell to reveal its pips, or reveal the whole board. Region rules: 1 must add up to 1; = must all be the same number; 4 must add up to 4.

1
=
4
Solution as text
  1. 0–0 — 0 at row 1, column 1, 0 at row 1, column 2
  2. 3–1 — 3 at row 2, column 3, 1 at row 1, column 3
  3. 3–3 — 3 at row 2, column 1, 3 at row 2, column 2
  4. 4–0 — 4 at row 3, column 1, 0 at row 3, column 2

Medium Pips answer — August 23, 2025

5×3 board · 6 dominoes · 7 regions · by Heidi Erwin

6 dominoes, 7 regions, a 5×3 grid — that's the medium puzzle for August 23, 2025. You're working with 1 sum region, 2 "all equal", 1 "less than", 3 free regions. The two-cell region at row 3, column 1 adds to 12: both cells must be 6. After that, the "=" region starting at row 1, column 3 has 3 cells that must all match — every 5 in the puzzle should come here.. Rack check: 1 double, 2 sixes.

Hints

Hint 1 — where to start

The two-cell region at row 3, column 1 adds to 12: both cells must be 6. That's the 6–6 domino, or two 6s from different dominoes.

Hint 2 — first domino

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

Hint 3 — second domino

Next, the 1–5 goes at row 1, column 2 → row 1, 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: <2 must add up to less than 2; = must all be the same number; 12 must add up to 12.

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

Hard Pips answer — August 23, 2025

5×8 board · 10 dominoes · 11 regions · by Heidi Erwin

The hard board runs 5 rows by 8 columns: 10 dominoes to place across 11 regions. The mix is 6 sum regions, 1 "all equal", 1 "less than", 1 "greater than", 2 free regions. The single cell at row 2, column 8 is marked 3, so it can only hold a 3. After that, the single cell at row 3, column 5 is marked 6, so it can only hold a 6. Rack check: 2 doubles, 4 blank halves, 4 sixes.

Hints

Hint 1 — where to start

The single cell at row 2, column 8 is marked 3, so it can only hold a 3. Find the domino with a 3 that fits there.

Hint 2 — first domino

Place the 1–3 domino with its 1 at row 2, column 7 and its 3 at row 2, column 8.

Hint 3 — second domino

Next, the 6–2 goes at row 3, column 5 → row 2, column 5. From there the rest should fall into place.

Solution

Tap any cell to reveal its pips, or reveal the whole board. Region rules: <6 must add up to less than 6; 4 must add up to 4; 3 must add up to 3; = must all be the same number; 6 must add up to 6.

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

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