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NYT Pips answers — Friday, September 12, 2025

Pips #26 · Edited by Ian Livengood · Easy by Heidi Erwin · Medium by Heidi Erwin · Hard by Rodolfo Kurchan

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 — September 12, 2025

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

Easy today is a 3×4 board with 4 dominoes and 5 regions. Rules on the board: 3 sum regions, 2 free regions. Best foothold — the two-cell region at row 2, column 3 adds to 0: both cells must be 0. After that, the two-cell region at row 1, column 2 adds to 11: the only split is 5 + 6.. Rack check: 2 blank halves, 2 sixes.

Hints

Hint 1 — where to start

The two-cell region at row 2, column 3 adds to 0: both cells must be 0. That's the 0–0 domino, or two 0s from different dominoes.

Hint 2 — first domino

Place the 0–5 domino with its 0 at row 2, column 3 and its 5 at row 2, column 2.

Hint 3 — second domino

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

Solution

Tap any cell to reveal its pips, or reveal the whole board. Region rules: 8 must add up to 8; 11 must add up to 11; 0 must add up to 0.

8
11
0
Solution as text
  1. 5–6 — 5 at row 3, column 1, 6 at row 2, column 1
  2. 0–3 — 0 at row 3, column 3, 3 at row 3, column 4
  3. 0–5 — 0 at row 2, column 3, 5 at row 2, column 2
  4. 6–2 — 6 at row 1, column 2, 2 at row 1, column 1

Medium Pips answer — September 12, 2025

6×5 board · 7 dominoes · 9 regions · by Heidi Erwin

The medium board runs 6 rows by 5 columns: 7 dominoes to place across 9 regions. The mix is 4 sum regions, 1 "all equal", 3 "less than", 1 free region. The single cell at row 4, column 2 is marked 1, so it can only hold a 1. After that, the two-cell region at row 2, column 4 adds to 0: both cells must be 0. Rack check: 1 double, 3 blank halves, 1 six.

Hints

Hint 1 — where to start

The single cell at row 4, column 2 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 1–1 domino with its 1 at row 4, column 2 and its 1 at row 5, column 2.

Hint 3 — second domino

Next, the 5–0 goes at row 3, column 4 → 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: <3 must add up to less than 3; 1 must add up to 1; 0 must add up to 0; = must all be the same number; 8 must add up to 8.

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

Hard Pips answer — September 12, 2025

9×7 board · 12 dominoes · 13 regions · by Rodolfo Kurchan

Hard today is a 9×7 board with 12 dominoes and 13 regions. Rules on the board: 7 sum regions, 1 "all equal", 1 "less than", 3 free regions. The way in: the single cell at row 1, column 5 is marked 1, so it can only hold a 1. After that, the single cell at row 2, column 7 is marked 4, so it can only hold a 4. Rack check: 2 doubles, 3 blank halves, 5 sixes.

Hints

Hint 1 — where to start

The single cell at row 1, column 5 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 4–1 domino with its 4 at row 2, column 5 and its 1 at row 1, column 5.

Hint 3 — second domino

Next, the 5–4 goes at row 2, column 6 → row 2, column 7. 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 different; 4 must add up to 4; 0 must add up to 0; 20 must add up to 20.

1
≠
4
0
20
30
=
0
0
<3
Solution as text
  1. 6–6 — 6 at row 5, column 4, 6 at row 6, column 4
  2. 5–2 — 5 at row 4, column 4, 2 at row 3, column 4
  3. 3–2 — 3 at row 8, column 5, 2 at row 9, column 5
  4. 3–0 — 3 at row 3, column 5, 0 at row 3, column 6
  5. 5–4 — 5 at row 2, column 6, 4 at row 2, column 7
  6. 0–4 — 0 at row 7, column 1, 4 at row 6, column 1
  7. 0–5 — 0 at row 9, column 3, 5 at row 8, column 3
  8. 6–5 — 6 at row 7, column 5, 5 at row 6, column 5
  9. 6–4 — 6 at row 6, column 3, 4 at row 6, column 2
  10. 3–6 — 3 at row 7, column 3, 6 at row 7, column 4
  11. 5–5 — 5 at row 4, column 5, 5 at row 5, column 5
  12. 4–1 — 4 at row 2, column 5, 1 at row 1, column 5

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