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NYT Pips answers — Monday, October 13, 2025

Pips #57 · Edited by Ian Livengood · Easy by Rodolfo Kurchan · Medium by Heidi Erwin · 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.

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Easy Pips answer — October 13, 2025

5×4 board · 6 dominoes · 6 regions · by Rodolfo Kurchan

Easy today is a 5×4 board with 6 dominoes and 6 regions. Rules on the board: 1 sum region, 2 "all equal", 1 "greater than", 1 free region. The way in: the "=" region starting at row 3, column 4 has 3 cells that must all match — every 2 in the puzzle should come here.. After that, the "=" pair at row 3, column 2 needs two identical pips — a double, or matching halves from two dominoes.. Rack check: 2 doubles, 3 blank halves.

Hints

Hint 1 — where to start

The "=" region starting at row 3, column 4 has 3 cells that must all match — every 2 in the puzzle should come here.

Hint 2 — first domino

Place the 0–2 domino with its 0 at row 3, column 3 and its 2 at row 3, column 4.

Hint 3 — second domino

Next, the 0–4 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: 2 must add up to 2; ≠ must all be different; = must all be the same number; >4 must add up to more than 4.

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

Medium Pips answer — October 13, 2025

5×3 board · 6 dominoes · 7 regions · by Heidi Erwin

The medium board runs 5 rows by 3 columns: 6 dominoes to place across 7 regions. You're working with 3 sum regions, 1 "all equal", 2 "greater than", 1 free region. The way in: the single cell at row 3, column 3 is marked 3, so it can only hold a 3. After that, the "=" pair at row 5, column 2 needs two identical pips — a double, or matching halves from two dominoes.. Rack check: 2 sixes.

Hints

Hint 1 — where to start

The single cell at row 3, column 3 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 3–5 domino with its 3 at row 3, column 3 and its 5 at row 2, column 3.

Hint 3 — second domino

Next, the 2–6 goes at row 5, column 2 → row 4, 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: >1 must add up to more than 1; 15 must add up to 15; >2 must add up to more than 2; 3 must add up to 3; = must all be the same number.

>1
15
>2
3
15
=
Solution as text
  1. 1–5 — 1 at row 1, column 1, 5 at row 2, column 1
  2. 2–5 — 2 at row 1, column 2, 5 at row 2, column 2
  3. 3–5 — 3 at row 3, column 3, 5 at row 2, column 3
  4. 3–6 — 3 at row 3, column 1, 6 at row 4, column 1
  5. 2–6 — 2 at row 5, column 2, 6 at row 4, column 2
  6. 2–3 — 2 at row 5, column 3, 3 at row 4, column 3

Hard Pips answer — October 13, 2025

4×5 board · 7 dominoes · 9 regions · by Rodolfo Kurchan

The hard board runs 4 rows by 5 columns: 7 dominoes to place across 9 regions. The mix is 1 sum region, 3 "all equal", 2 "greater than", 3 free regions. The "=" region starting at row 2, column 4 has 3 cells that must all match — every 1 in the puzzle should come here.. After that, the "=" pair at row 3, column 1 needs two identical pips — a double, or matching halves from two dominoes.. Rack check: 2 blank halves, 3 sixes.

Hints

Hint 1 — where to start

The "=" region starting at row 2, column 4 has 3 cells that must all match — every 1 in the puzzle should come here.

Hint 2 — first domino

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

Hint 3 — second domino

Next, the 0–5 goes at row 3, column 1 → 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: >1 must add up to more than 1; 10 must add up to 10; = must all be the same number; >4 must add up to more than 4.

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

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