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NYT Pips answers — Monday, December 1, 2025

Pips #106 · 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 — December 1, 2025

4×4 board · 5 dominoes · 6 regions · by Ian Livengood

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

Hints

Hint 1 — where to start

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

Hint 3 — second domino

Next, the 3–2 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: 15 must add up to 15; 3 must add up to 3; = must all be the same number; <3 must add up to less than 3.

15
3
=
<3
3
Solution as text
  1. 5–3 — 5 at row 1, column 3, 3 at row 1, column 4
  2. 3–2 — 3 at row 4, column 1, 2 at row 3, column 1
  3. 5–5 — 5 at row 1, column 1, 5 at row 1, column 2
  4. 1–1 — 1 at row 2, column 3, 1 at row 3, column 3
  5. 2–0 — 2 at row 2, column 1, 0 at row 2, column 2

Medium Pips answer — December 1, 2025

6×5 board · 8 dominoes · 10 regions · by Ian Livengood

8 dominoes, 10 regions, a 6×5 grid — that's the medium puzzle for December 1, 2025. You're working with 2 sum regions, 3 "all equal", 1 "less than", 2 "greater than", 2 free regions. The way in: the single cell at row 1, column 3 is marked 4, so it can only hold a 4. After that, the single cell at row 5, column 2 is marked 0, so it can only hold a 0. Rack check: 2 doubles, 1 blank half, 2 sixes.

Hints

Hint 1 — where to start

The single cell at row 1, column 3 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 3–4 domino with its 3 at row 2, column 3 and its 4 at row 1, column 3.

Hint 3 — second domino

Next, the 4–0 goes at row 4, column 2 → row 5, 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: 4 must add up to 4; >4 must add up to more than 4; <11 must add up to less than 11; = must all be the same number; 0 must add up to 0.

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

Hard Pips answer — December 1, 2025

6×6 board · 14 dominoes · 15 regions · by Rodolfo Kurchan

The hard board runs 6 rows by 6 columns: 14 dominoes to place across 15 regions. The mix is 7 sum regions, 1 "less than", 3 "greater than", 4 free regions. The two-cell region at row 2, column 6 adds to 12: both cells must be 6. After that, the two-cell region at row 4, column 1 adds to 12: both cells must be 6. Rack check: 2 doubles, 3 blank halves, 6 sixes.

Hints

Hint 1 — where to start

The two-cell region at row 2, column 6 adds to 12: both cells must be 6. That's the 6–6 domino, or two 6s from different dominoes.

Hint 2 — first domino

Place the 6–6 domino with its 6 at row 2, column 6 and its 6 at row 3, column 6.

Hint 3 — second domino

Next, the 0–6 goes at row 4, column 2 → row 4, 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: 3 must add up to 3; <4 must add up to less than 4; 12 must add up to 12; >3 must add up to more than 3; >4 must add up to more than 4.

3
<4
12
>3
12
>4
12
0
>2
12
10
Solution as text
  1. 6–2 — 6 at row 5, column 6, 2 at row 5, column 5
  2. 4–1 — 4 at row 3, column 2, 1 at row 2, column 2
  3. 6–5 — 6 at row 6, column 6, 5 at row 6, column 5
  4. 2–0 — 2 at row 5, column 4, 0 at row 5, column 3
  5. 1–3 — 1 at row 1, column 1, 3 at row 1, column 2
  6. 0–6 — 0 at row 4, column 2, 6 at row 4, column 1
  7. 2–2 — 2 at row 2, column 5, 2 at row 3, column 5
  8. 0–3 — 0 at row 5, column 2, 3 at row 6, column 2
  9. 4–2 — 4 at row 1, column 6, 2 at row 1, column 5
  10. 1–5 — 1 at row 2, column 1, 5 at row 3, column 1
  11. 3–2 — 3 at row 4, column 6, 2 at row 4, column 5
  12. 6–6 — 6 at row 2, column 6, 6 at row 3, column 6
  13. 5–4 — 5 at row 6, column 4, 4 at row 6, column 3
  14. 6–3 — 6 at row 5, column 1, 3 at row 6, column 1

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