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NYT Pips answers — Saturday, December 20, 2025

Pips #125 · 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 20, 2025

4×4 board · 5 dominoes · 7 regions · by Ian Livengood

5 dominoes, 7 regions, a 4×4 grid — that's the easy puzzle for December 20, 2025. Rules on the board: 3 sum regions, 2 "all equal", 2 free regions. Best foothold — the single cell at row 2, column 2 is marked 0, so it can only hold a 0. After that, the single cell at row 4, column 3 is marked 0, so it can only hold a 0. Rack check: 2 doubles, 2 blank halves.

Hints

Hint 1 — where to start

The single cell at row 2, column 2 is marked 0, so it can only hold a 0. Find the domino with a 0 that fits there.

Hint 2 — first domino

Place the 0–1 domino with its 0 at row 2, column 2 and its 1 at row 2, column 1.

Hint 3 — second domino

Next, the 2–0 goes at row 3, column 3 → row 4, column 3. 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; 0 must add up to 0; = must all be the same number.

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

Medium Pips answer — December 20, 2025

5×4 board · 7 dominoes · 8 regions · by Ian Livengood

Medium today is a 5×4 board with 7 dominoes and 8 regions. Rules on the board: 4 sum regions, 2 "less than", 2 free regions. Best foothold — the single cell at row 4, column 1 is marked 0, so it can only hold a 0. After that, the pair at row 1, column 2 adds to 7; list the ways to make 7 with the rack you have.. Rack check: 2 doubles, 4 blank halves, 2 sixes.

Hints

Hint 1 — where to start

The single cell at row 4, column 1 is marked 0, so it can only hold a 0. Find the domino with a 0 that fits there.

Hint 2 — first domino

Place the 0–5 domino with its 0 at row 4, column 1 and its 5 at row 3, column 1.

Hint 3 — second domino

Next, the 6–1 goes at row 1, column 2 → row 1, column 3. From there the rest should fall into place.

Solution

Tap any cell to reveal its pips, or reveal the whole board. Region rules: 7 must add up to 7; 2 must add up to 2; <4 must add up to less than 4; 5 must add up to 5; 0 must add up to 0.

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

Hard Pips answer — December 20, 2025

8×6 board · 14 dominoes · 9 regions · by Rodolfo Kurchan

14 dominoes, 9 regions, a 8×6 grid — that's the hard puzzle for December 20, 2025. You're working with 4 sum regions, 4 "all equal", 1 free region. The "=" region starting at row 1, column 3 has 4 cells that must all match — every 5 in the puzzle should come here.. After that, the "=" region starting at row 2, column 5 has 3 cells that must all match — every 4 in the puzzle should come here.. Rack check: 5 doubles, 3 blank halves, 3 sixes.

Hints

Hint 1 — where to start

The "=" region starting at row 1, column 3 has 4 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 1, column 3 and its 5 at row 1, column 4.

Hint 3 — second domino

Next, the 4–4 goes at row 2, column 5 → row 2, 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; 8 must add up to 8; 0 must add up to 0; 2 must add up to 2; 4 must add up to 4.

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

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