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NYT Pips answers — Sunday, November 9, 2025

Pips #84 · Edited by Ian Livengood · Easy by Ian Livengood · Medium by Ian Livengood · 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 — November 9, 2025

9×1 board · 4 dominoes · 6 regions · by Ian Livengood

Easy today is a 9×1 board with 4 dominoes and 6 regions. You're working with 2 sum regions, 1 "all equal", 1 "less than", 2 free regions. The single cell at row 1, column 1 is marked 5, so it can only hold a 5. After that, the single cell at row 9, column 1 is marked 1, so it can only hold a 1. Rack check: 1 double, 2 blank halves.

Hints

Hint 1 — where to start

The single cell at row 1, column 1 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 5–0 domino with its 5 at row 1, column 1 and its 0 at row 2, column 1.

Hint 3 — second domino

Next, the 1–0 goes at row 9, column 1 → row 8, 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: 5 must add up to 5; = must all be the same number; <5 must add up to less than 5; 1 must add up to 1.

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

Medium Pips answer — November 9, 2025

6×6 board · 9 dominoes · 9 regions · by Ian Livengood

The medium board runs 6 rows by 6 columns: 9 dominoes to place across 9 regions. The mix is 6 sum regions, 2 "all equal". The single cell at row 1, column 3 is marked 1, so it can only hold a 1. After that, the single cell at row 1, column 4 is marked 5, so it can only hold a 5. Rack check: 2 doubles, 1 blank half, 1 six.

Hints

Hint 1 — where to start

The single cell at row 1, column 3 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 5–1 domino with its 5 at row 1, column 4 and its 1 at row 1, column 3.

Hint 3 — second domino

Next, the 5–4 goes at row 4, column 4 → row 4, column 5. 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 1; 5 must add up to 5; = must all be the same number; ≠ must all be different; 4 must add up to 4.

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

Hard Pips answer — November 9, 2025

7×4 board · 12 dominoes · 13 regions · by Rodolfo Kurchan

Hard today is a 7×4 board with 12 dominoes and 13 regions. You're working with 2 sum regions, 3 "all equal", 2 "less than", 1 "greater than", 5 free regions. The "=" region starting at row 3, column 3 has 4 cells that must all match — every 2 in the puzzle should come here.. After that, the "=" region starting at row 6, column 1 has 4 cells that must all match — every 6 in the puzzle should come here.. Rack check: 2 doubles, 4 blank halves, 4 sixes.

Hints

Hint 1 — where to start

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

Hint 2 — first domino

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

Hint 3 — second domino

Next, the 5–6 goes at row 5, column 1 → row 6, 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; 0 must add up to 0; 2 must add up to 2; <3 must add up to less than 3; <4 must add up to less than 4.

=
0
2
=
=
<3
<4
>4
Solution as text
  1. 6–2 — 6 at row 6, column 2, 2 at row 5, column 2
  2. 5–0 — 5 at row 1, column 3, 0 at row 1, column 4
  3. 3–1 — 3 at row 7, column 2, 1 at row 7, column 1
  4. 5–6 — 5 at row 5, column 1, 6 at row 6, column 1
  5. 3–2 — 3 at row 4, column 1, 2 at row 4, column 2
  6. 2–1 — 2 at row 3, column 3, 1 at row 2, column 3
  7. 3–4 — 3 at row 1, column 2, 4 at row 1, column 1
  8. 1–5 — 1 at row 7, column 4, 5 at row 7, column 3
  9. 2–0 — 2 at row 4, column 3, 0 at row 4, column 4
  10. 4–1 — 4 at row 2, column 1, 1 at row 2, column 2
  11. 0–0 — 0 at row 2, column 4, 0 at row 3, column 4
  12. 6–6 — 6 at row 6, column 3, 6 at row 6, column 4

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