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NYT Pips answers — Thursday, September 25, 2025

Pips #39 · Edited by Ian Livengood · Easy by Heidi Erwin · Medium by Rodolfo Kurchan · 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 25, 2025

5×2 board · 4 dominoes · 5 regions · by Heidi Erwin

4 dominoes, 5 regions, a 5×2 grid — that's the easy puzzle for September 25, 2025. You're working with 2 sum regions, 1 "all equal", 1 "greater than", 1 free region. The single cell at row 4, column 2 is marked 5, so it can only hold a 5. After that, the "=" pair at row 5, column 1 needs two identical pips — a double, or matching halves from two dominoes..

Hints

Hint 1 — where to start

The single cell at row 4, column 2 is marked 5, so it can only hold a 5. Find the domino with a 5 that fits there.

Hint 2 — first domino

Place the 1–5 domino with its 1 at row 5, column 2 and its 5 at row 4, column 2.

Hint 3 — second domino

Next, the 3–1 goes at row 4, column 1 → row 5, 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: 10 must add up to 10; >2 must add up to more than 2; 5 must add up to 5; = must all be the same number.

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

Medium Pips answer — September 25, 2025

5×6 board · 10 dominoes · 9 regions · by Rodolfo Kurchan

Medium today is a 5×6 board with 10 dominoes and 9 regions. Rules on the board: 5 sum regions, 3 "all equal", 1 free region. Best foothold — the single cell at row 5, column 1 is marked 1, so it can only hold a 1. After that, the two-cell region at row 3, column 1 adds to 1: the only split is 0 + 1.. Rack check: 2 doubles, 4 blank halves, 1 six.

Hints

Hint 1 — where to start

The single cell at row 5, 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 1–0 domino with its 1 at row 5, column 1 and its 0 at row 4, column 1.

Hint 3 — second domino

Next, the 3–1 goes at row 3, column 2 → row 3, 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: = must all be the same number; 3 must add up to 3; 1 must add up to 1; 11 must add up to 11; 10 must add up to 10.

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

Hard Pips answer — September 25, 2025

6×4 board · 10 dominoes · 10 regions · by Rodolfo Kurchan

Hard today is a 6×4 board with 10 dominoes and 10 regions. Rules on the board: 5 sum regions, 1 "all equal", 1 "greater than", 3 free regions. Best foothold — the "=" region starting at row 1, column 2 has 5 cells that must all match — every 3 in the puzzle should come here.. After that, the pair at row 1, column 4 adds to 10; list the ways to make 10 with the rack you have.. Rack check: 3 doubles, 5 blank halves, 3 sixes.

Hints

Hint 1 — where to start

The "=" region starting at row 1, column 2 has 5 cells that must all match — every 3 in the puzzle should come here.

Hint 2 — first domino

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

Hint 3 — second domino

Next, the 5–0 goes at row 1, column 4 → 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: >1 must add up to more than 1; = must all be the same number; 10 must add up to 10; 8 must add up to 8; 2 must add up to 2.

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

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