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NYT Pips answers — Thursday, August 28, 2025

Pips #11 · 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.

Jump to: Easy · Medium · Hard

Easy Pips answer — August 28, 2025

5×4 board · 4 dominoes · 3 regions · by Heidi Erwin

The easy board runs 5 rows by 4 columns: 4 dominoes to place across 3 regions. The mix is 1 sum region, 1 "all equal", 1 free region. Best foothold — the "=" region starting at row 1, column 1 has 3 cells that must all match — every 4 in the puzzle should come here.. Rack check: 2 doubles.

Hints

Hint 1 — where to start

The "=" region starting at row 1, column 1 has 3 cells that must all match — every 4 in the puzzle should come here.

Hint 2 — first domino

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

Hint 3 — second domino

Next, the 5–5 goes at row 5, column 1 → row 5, 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: = must all be the same number; 17 must add up to 17.

=
17
Solution as text
  1. 5–5 — 5 at row 5, column 1, 5 at row 5, column 2
  2. 5–1 — 5 at row 5, column 3, 1 at row 5, column 4
  3. 2–4 — 2 at row 4, column 1, 4 at row 3, column 1
  4. 4–4 — 4 at row 1, column 1, 4 at row 2, column 1

Medium Pips answer — August 28, 2025

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

Medium today is a 5×3 board with 6 dominoes and 5 regions. Rules on the board: 2 sum regions, 1 "all equal", 2 free regions. Best foothold — the two-cell region at row 1, column 2 adds to 12: both cells must be 6. After that, the "=" region starting at row 2, column 3 has 4 cells that must all match — every 1 in the puzzle should come here.. Rack check: 1 double, 2 sixes.

Hints

Hint 1 — where to start

The two-cell region at row 1, column 2 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 6–4 domino with its 6 at row 1, column 2 and its 4 at row 1, column 1.

Hint 3 — second domino

Next, the 1–6 goes at row 2, column 3 → 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: 12 must add up to 12; = must all be the same number; 17 must add up to 17.

12
=
17
Solution as text
  1. 1–6 — 1 at row 2, column 3, 6 at row 1, column 3
  2. 1–1 — 1 at row 3, column 3, 1 at row 4, column 3
  3. 5–4 — 5 at row 4, column 1, 4 at row 5, column 1
  4. 6–4 — 6 at row 1, column 2, 4 at row 1, column 1
  5. 2–4 — 2 at row 2, column 1, 4 at row 3, column 1
  6. 4–1 — 4 at row 5, column 2, 1 at row 5, column 3

Hard Pips answer — August 28, 2025

5×9 board · 10 dominoes · 11 regions · by Heidi Erwin

Hard today is a 5×9 board with 10 dominoes and 11 regions. Rules on the board: 7 sum regions, 1 "all equal", 1 "less than", 1 "greater than", 1 free region. Best foothold — the single cell at row 3, column 8 is marked 0, so it can only hold a 0. After that, the single cell at row 5, column 3 is marked 1, so it can only hold a 1. Rack check: 3 doubles, 5 blank halves, 3 sixes.

Hints

Hint 1 — where to start

The single cell at row 3, column 8 is marked 0, so it can only hold a 0. Find the domino with a 0 that fits there.

Hint 2 — first domino

Place the 0–3 domino with its 0 at row 3, column 8 and its 3 at row 3, column 7.

Hint 3 — second domino

Next, the 5–1 goes at row 4, column 3 → row 5, 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; >1 must add up to more than 1; 7 must add up to 7; <2 must add up to less than 2; 17 must add up to 17.

=
>1
7
<2
17
9
0
1
6
0
Solution as text
  1. 6–6 — 6 at row 3, column 2, 6 at row 4, column 2
  2. 4–5 — 4 at row 4, column 4, 5 at row 3, column 4
  3. 1–0 — 1 at row 1, column 8, 0 at row 1, column 9
  4. 5–1 — 5 at row 4, column 3, 1 at row 5, column 3
  5. 1–1 — 1 at row 1, column 1, 1 at row 2, column 1
  6. 6–2 — 6 at row 5, column 7, 2 at row 4, column 7
  7. 0–3 — 0 at row 3, column 8, 3 at row 3, column 7
  8. 0–2 — 0 at row 2, column 7, 2 at row 1, column 7
  9. 2–3 — 2 at row 2, column 5, 3 at row 1, column 5
  10. 0–0 — 0 at row 5, column 8, 0 at row 5, column 9

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