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NYT Pips answers — Saturday, September 20, 2025

Pips #34 · Edited by Ian Livengood · Easy by Ian Livengood · 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 20, 2025

2×6 board · 4 dominoes · 4 regions · by Ian Livengood

Easy today is a 2×6 board with 4 dominoes and 4 regions. Rules on the board: 3 sum regions, 1 free region. The way in: the pair at row 1, column 3 adds to 10; list the ways to make 10 with the rack you have.. After that, the pair at row 1, column 6 adds to 10; list the ways to make 10 with the rack you have.. Rack check: 1 double, 1 six.

Hints

Hint 1 — where to start

The pair at row 1, column 3 adds to 10; list the ways to make 10 with the rack you have.

Hint 2 — first domino

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

Hint 3 — second domino

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

Solution

Tap any cell to reveal its pips, or reveal the whole board. Region rules: 10 must add up to 10.

10
10
10
Solution as text
  1. 5–4 — 5 at row 1, column 4, 4 at row 1, column 5
  2. 5–5 — 5 at row 1, column 6, 5 at row 2, column 6
  3. 5–3 — 5 at row 1, column 3, 3 at row 1, column 2
  4. 1–6 — 1 at row 1, column 1, 6 at row 2, column 1

Medium Pips answer — September 20, 2025

4×5 board · 6 dominoes · 6 regions · by Heidi Erwin

6 dominoes, 6 regions, a 4×5 grid — that's the medium puzzle for September 20, 2025. You're working with 4 sum regions, 2 "all equal". 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 1 is marked 1, so it can only hold a 1. Rack check: 2 doubles, 1 blank half.

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 1–1 domino with its 1 at row 1, column 4 and its 1 at row 1, column 5.

Hint 3 — second domino

Next, the 2–1 goes at row 2, column 2 → row 2, 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: 4 must add up to 4; = must all be the same number; 1 must add up to 1; 7 must add up to 7.

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

Hard Pips answer — September 20, 2025

7×7 board · 12 dominoes · 12 regions · by Heidi Erwin

The hard board runs 7 rows by 7 columns: 12 dominoes to place across 12 regions. The mix is 6 sum regions, 1 "all equal", 4 free regions. Best foothold — the single cell at row 1, column 2 is marked 1, so it can only hold a 1. After that, the two-cell region at row 2, column 3 adds to 12: both cells must be 6. Rack check: 2 doubles, 5 blank halves, 4 sixes.

Hints

Hint 1 — where to start

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

Hint 3 — second domino

Next, the 6–3 goes at row 2, column 3 → 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: 1 must add up to 1; 12 must add up to 12; 9 must add up to 9; ≠ must all be different; 5 must add up to 5.

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

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