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NYT Pips answers — Saturday, October 4, 2025

Pips #48 · Edited by Ian Livengood · Easy by Rodolfo Kurchan · Medium by Rodolfo Kurchan · 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.

Jump to: Easy · Medium · Hard

Easy Pips answer — October 4, 2025

5×4 board · 4 dominoes · 5 regions · by Rodolfo Kurchan

Easy today is a 5×4 board with 4 dominoes and 5 regions. The mix is 3 sum regions, 2 free regions. The way in: the pair at row 2, column 1 adds to 8; list the ways to make 8 with the rack you have.. After that, the pair at row 4, column 1 adds to 9; list the ways to make 9 with the rack you have.. Rack check: 1 double, 2 sixes.

Hints

Hint 1 — where to start

The pair at row 2, column 1 adds to 8; list the ways to make 8 with the rack you have.

Hint 2 — first domino

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

Hint 3 — second domino

Next, the 3–4 goes at row 4, column 1 → 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: 8 must add up to 8; 9 must add up to 9; 7 must add up to 7.

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

Medium Pips answer — October 4, 2025

4×6 board · 8 dominoes · 8 regions · by Rodolfo Kurchan

The medium board runs 4 rows by 6 columns: 8 dominoes to place across 8 regions. The mix is 1 sum region, 4 "all equal", 3 free regions. Best foothold — the single cell at row 2, column 1 is marked 4, so it can only hold a 4. After that, the "=" region starting at row 1, column 1 has 5 cells that must all match — every 0 in the puzzle should come here.. Rack check: 2 doubles, 5 blank halves, 2 sixes.

Hints

Hint 1 — where to start

The single cell at row 2, column 1 is marked 4, so it can only hold a 4. Find the domino with a 4 that fits there.

Hint 2 — first domino

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

Hint 3 — second domino

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

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

Hard Pips answer — October 4, 2025

5×4 board · 8 dominoes · 10 regions · by Heidi Erwin

Hard today is a 5×4 board with 8 dominoes and 10 regions. Rules on the board: 6 sum regions, 1 "all equal", 1 "less than", 2 free regions. Best foothold — the single cell at row 1, column 2 is marked 0, so it can only hold a 0. After that, the single cell at row 2, column 2 is marked 3, so it can only hold a 3. Rack check: 3 doubles, 4 blank halves.

Hints

Hint 1 — where to start

The single cell at row 1, column 2 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 0–0 domino with its 0 at row 1, column 2 and its 0 at row 1, column 3.

Hint 3 — second domino

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

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

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Pips is a game by The New York Times. This page is an independent solving guide and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by The New York Times Company. Puzzle layouts are described here for the purpose of commentary and help.