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NYT Pips answers — Monday, September 15, 2025

Pips #29 · 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 — September 15, 2025

1×8 board · 4 dominoes · 5 regions · by Heidi Erwin

The easy board runs 1 rows by 8 columns: 4 dominoes to place across 5 regions. The mix is 4 sum regions, 1 free region. The single cell at row 1, column 1 is marked 1, so it can only hold a 1. After that, the pair at row 1, column 2 adds to 9; list the ways to make 9 with the rack you have.. Rack check: 1 double, 2 blank halves.

Hints

Hint 1 — where to start

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

Hint 3 — second domino

Next, the 4–4 goes at row 1, column 3 → row 1, 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: 1 must add up to 1; 9 must add up to 9; 4 must add up to 4; 3 must add up to 3.

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

Medium Pips answer — September 15, 2025

4×6 board · 8 dominoes · 7 regions · by Heidi Erwin

Medium today is a 4×6 board with 8 dominoes and 7 regions. Rules on the board: 3 sum regions, 3 "all equal", 1 free region. Best foothold — the two-cell region at row 2, column 4 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 6 in the puzzle should come here.. Rack check: 3 doubles, 2 blank halves, 3 sixes.

Hints

Hint 1 — where to start

The two-cell region at row 2, column 4 adds to 1: the only split is 0 + 1.

Hint 2 — first domino

Place the 2–0 domino with its 2 at row 2, column 3 and its 0 at row 2, column 4.

Hint 3 — second domino

Next, the 6–3 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: 6 must add up to 6; = must all be the same number; 1 must add up to 1; 2 must add up to 2.

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

Hard Pips answer — September 15, 2025

4×9 board · 12 dominoes · 9 regions · by Heidi Erwin

12 dominoes, 9 regions, a 4×9 grid — that's the hard puzzle for September 15, 2025. You're working with 8 sum regions, 1 free region. 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 3, column 3 is marked 0, so it can only hold a 0. Rack check: 4 doubles, 2 blank halves, 1 six.

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 1–5 domino with its 1 at row 1, column 5 and its 5 at row 2, column 5.

Hint 3 — second domino

Next, the 0–0 goes at row 3, column 3 → row 4, 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: 63 must add up to 63; 1 must add up to 1; 0 must add up to 0; 6 must add up to 6; 4 must add up to 4.

63
1
0
6
0
4
4
1
Solution as text
  1. 6–5 — 6 at row 4, column 1, 5 at row 4, column 2
  2. 1–2 — 1 at row 4, column 9, 2 at row 4, column 8
  3. 4–5 — 4 at row 2, column 6, 5 at row 2, column 7
  4. 1–5 — 1 at row 1, column 5, 5 at row 2, column 5
  5. 5–3 — 5 at row 1, column 3, 3 at row 2, column 3
  6. 2–5 — 2 at row 3, column 2, 5 at row 2, column 2
  7. 4–4 — 4 at row 3, column 5, 4 at row 4, column 5
  8. 0–0 — 0 at row 3, column 3, 0 at row 4, column 3
  9. 4–2 — 4 at row 4, column 6, 2 at row 4, column 7
  10. 3–3 — 3 at row 3, column 6, 3 at row 3, column 7
  11. 3–4 — 3 at row 3, column 4, 4 at row 4, column 4
  12. 5–5 — 5 at row 1, column 4, 5 at row 2, column 4

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