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NYT Pips answers — Monday, September 29, 2025

Pips #43 · Edited by Ian Livengood · Easy by Ian Livengood · 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 29, 2025

4×3 board · 4 dominoes · 4 regions · by Ian Livengood

Easy today is a 4×3 board with 4 dominoes and 4 regions. Rules on the board: 1 sum region, 1 "all equal", 2 "greater than". Best foothold — the two-cell region at row 4, column 1 adds to 0: both cells must be 0. After that, the "=" region starting at row 1, column 1 has 4 cells that must all match — every 1 in the puzzle should come here.. Rack check: 1 double, 2 blank halves.

Hints

Hint 1 — where to start

The two-cell region at row 4, column 1 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 1–0 domino with its 1 at row 3, column 1 and its 0 at row 4, column 1.

Hint 3 — second domino

Next, the 1–1 goes at row 1, column 1 → 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: = must all be the same number; >3 must add up to more than 3; 0 must add up to 0; >2 must add up to more than 2.

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

Medium Pips answer — September 29, 2025

4×8 board · 8 dominoes · 10 regions · by Rodolfo Kurchan

Medium today is a 4×8 board with 8 dominoes and 10 regions. Rules on the board: 2 sum regions, 3 "all equal", 1 "less than", 1 "greater than", 3 free regions. Best foothold — the single cell at row 3, column 4 is marked 3, so it can only hold a 3. After that, three cells adding to 2 at row 2, column 1 means mostly zeros. Rack check: 3 doubles, 3 blank halves, 1 six.

Hints

Hint 1 — where to start

The single cell at row 3, column 4 is marked 3, so it can only hold a 3. Find the domino with a 3 that fits there.

Hint 2 — first domino

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

Hint 3 — second domino

Next, the 0–2 goes at row 2, column 1 → 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: >4 must add up to more than 4; = must all be the same number; <2 must add up to less than 2; 2 must add up to 2; 3 must add up to 3.

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

Hard Pips answer — September 29, 2025

9×7 board · 16 dominoes · 13 regions · by Rodolfo Kurchan

The hard board runs 9 rows by 7 columns: 16 dominoes to place across 13 regions. The mix is 7 sum regions, 3 "all equal", 3 free regions. The single cell at row 3, column 4 is marked 0, so it can only hold a 0. After that, the single cell at row 7, column 5 is marked 2, so it can only hold a 2. Rack check: 6 doubles, 4 blank halves, 4 sixes.

Hints

Hint 1 — where to start

The single cell at row 3, column 4 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 0–1 domino with its 0 at row 3, column 4 and its 1 at row 3, column 3.

Hint 3 — second domino

Next, the 2–5 goes at row 7, column 5 → row 7, 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: = must all be the same number; 6 must add up to 6; 2 must add up to 2; 0 must add up to 0; 3 must add up to 3.

=
6
2
0
=
0
3
=
2
18
Solution as text
  1. 4–4 — 4 at row 1, column 4, 4 at row 2, column 4
  2. 6–1 — 6 at row 5, column 1, 1 at row 6, column 1
  3. 5–5 — 5 at row 7, column 3, 5 at row 8, column 3
  4. 5–3 — 5 at row 6, column 4, 3 at row 5, column 4
  5. 1–4 — 1 at row 2, column 6, 4 at row 2, column 5
  6. 1–1 — 1 at row 6, column 2, 1 at row 6, column 3
  7. 0–0 — 0 at row 5, column 7, 0 at row 6, column 7
  8. 3–1 — 3 at row 4, column 4, 1 at row 4, column 3
  9. 4–3 — 4 at row 3, column 5, 3 at row 4, column 5
  10. 2–5 — 2 at row 7, column 5, 5 at row 7, column 4
  11. 4–5 — 4 at row 9, column 2, 5 at row 9, column 3
  12. 6–6 — 6 at row 9, column 5, 6 at row 9, column 6
  13. 0–1 — 0 at row 3, column 4, 1 at row 3, column 3
  14. 3–3 — 3 at row 2, column 2, 3 at row 2, column 3
  15. 5–0 — 5 at row 6, column 5, 0 at row 6, column 6
  16. 5–6 — 5 at row 8, column 4, 6 at row 8, column 5

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