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NYT Pips answers — Wednesday, November 12, 2025

Pips #87 · 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.

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Easy Pips answer — November 12, 2025

2×5 board · 5 dominoes · 5 regions · by Ian Livengood

5 dominoes, 5 regions, a 2×5 grid — that's the easy puzzle for November 12, 2025. You're working with 3 sum regions, 1 "less than", 1 free region. The way in: the single cell at row 1, column 1 is marked 3, so it can only hold a 3. After that, the single cell at row 1, column 5 is marked 0, so it can only hold a 0. Rack check: 1 double, 1 blank half.

Hints

Hint 1 — where to start

The single cell at row 1, column 1 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 1, column 1 and its 5 at row 1, column 2.

Hint 3 — second domino

Next, the 0–5 goes at row 1, column 5 → row 1, 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: 3 must add up to 3; 30 must add up to 30; 0 must add up to 0; <2 must add up to less than 2.

3
30
0
<2
Solution as text
  1. 2–5 — 2 at row 2, column 5, 5 at row 2, column 4
  2. 5–5 — 5 at row 1, column 3, 5 at row 2, column 3
  3. 0–5 — 0 at row 1, column 5, 5 at row 1, column 4
  4. 3–5 — 3 at row 1, column 1, 5 at row 1, column 2
  5. 5–1 — 5 at row 2, column 2, 1 at row 2, column 1

Medium Pips answer — November 12, 2025

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

7 dominoes, 7 regions, a 4×5 grid — that's the medium puzzle for November 12, 2025. Rules on the board: 3 sum regions, 2 "all equal", 2 free regions. Best foothold — the "=" region starting at row 3, column 2 has 3 cells that must all match — every 5 in the puzzle should come here.. After that, the "=" pair at row 1, column 3 needs two identical pips — a double, or matching halves from two dominoes.. Rack check: 2 doubles, 3 blank halves, 2 sixes.

Hints

Hint 1 — where to start

The "=" region starting at row 3, column 2 has 3 cells that must all match — every 5 in the puzzle should come here.

Hint 2 — first domino

Place the 5–5 domino with its 5 at row 3, column 2 and its 5 at row 4, column 2.

Hint 3 — second domino

Next, the 6–4 goes at row 1, column 3 → row 1, 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: 6 must add up to 6; = must all be the same number; 8 must add up to 8; 4 must add up to 4.

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

Hard Pips answer — November 12, 2025

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

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

Hints

Hint 1 — where to start

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

Hint 2 — first domino

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

Hint 3 — second domino

Next, the 1–2 goes at row 1, column 3 → row 1, 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; >2 must add up to more than 2.

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

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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.