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NYT Pips answers — Sunday, October 5, 2025

Pips #49 · Edited by Ian Livengood · Easy by Rodolfo Kurchan · 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.

Jump to: Easy · Medium · Hard

Easy Pips answer — October 5, 2025

3×3 board · 4 dominoes · 5 regions · by Rodolfo Kurchan

Easy today is a 3×3 board with 4 dominoes and 5 regions. Rules on the board: 1 sum region, 1 "all equal", 1 "less than", 2 free regions. The way in: the "=" region starting at row 3, column 1 has 3 cells that must all match — every 1 in the puzzle should come here.. After that, the pair at row 1, column 1 adds to 8; list the ways to make 8 with the rack you have..

Hints

Hint 1 — where to start

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

Hint 2 — first domino

Place the 1–4 domino with its 1 at row 3, column 1 and its 4 at row 2, column 1.

Hint 3 — second domino

Next, the 4–2 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: 8 must add up to 8; <5 must add up to less than 5; = must all be the same number.

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

Medium Pips answer — October 5, 2025

3×4 board · 5 dominoes · 5 regions · by Heidi Erwin

5 dominoes, 5 regions, a 3×4 grid — that's the medium puzzle for October 5, 2025. You're working with 3 sum regions, 2 free regions. The way in: the pair at row 1, column 1 adds to 8; list the ways to make 8 with the rack you have.. Rack check: 3 sixes.

Hints

Hint 1 — where to start

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

Hint 2 — first domino

Place the 6–5 domino with its 6 at row 1, column 2 and its 5 at row 1, column 1.

Hint 3 — second domino

Next, the 1–6 goes at row 2, column 4 → row 3, 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: 8 must add up to 8; 13 must add up to 13; 7 must add up to 7.

8
13
7
Solution as text
  1. 1–3 — 1 at row 3, column 1, 3 at row 2, column 1
  2. 4–1 — 4 at row 1, column 4, 1 at row 1, column 3
  3. 6–2 — 6 at row 2, column 2, 2 at row 2, column 3
  4. 6–5 — 6 at row 1, column 2, 5 at row 1, column 1
  5. 1–6 — 1 at row 2, column 4, 6 at row 3, column 4

Hard Pips answer — October 5, 2025

5×6 board · 9 dominoes · 9 regions · by Heidi Erwin

The hard board runs 5 rows by 6 columns: 9 dominoes to place across 9 regions. The mix is 3 sum regions, 1 "all equal", 2 "less than", 1 "greater than", 2 free regions. The "=" region starting at row 1, column 2 has 4 cells that must all match — every 4 in the puzzle should come here.. After that, the pair at row 3, column 5 adds to 8; list the ways to make 8 with the rack you have.. Rack check: 2 doubles, 1 blank half, 1 six.

Hints

Hint 1 — where to start

The "=" region starting at row 1, column 2 has 4 cells that must all match — every 4 in the puzzle should come here.

Hint 2 — first domino

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

Hint 3 — second domino

Next, the 3–6 goes at row 3, column 5 → row 3, 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: = must all be the same number; 9 must add up to 9; <7 must add up to less than 7; 8 must add up to 8; >2 must add up to more than 2.

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

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