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NYT Pips answers — Friday, September 25, 2026

Pips #404 · Edited by Ian Livengood · Easy by Ian Livengood · Medium by Ian Livengood · Hard by Rodolfo Kurchan

Written by the Grid Puzzles solver, spot-checked by hand · Updated September 25, 2026, 16:00 UTC · How these pages are made

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

Also today: LinkedIn games answers — Zip, Pinpoint, Crossclimb, Mini Sudoku, Patches and Wend.

Easy Pips answer — September 25, 2026

4×3 board · 5 dominoes · 5 regions · by Ian Livengood

Easy today is a 4×3 board with 5 dominoes and 5 regions. Rules on the board: 3 "all equal", 1 "less than", 1 "greater than". 3 cells from row 2, column 3 must show the same number, and it turns out to be 4. Keep in mind that the long "all equal" region at row 3, column 1 (3 cells) takes one number throughout. The rack holds 2 doubles, 4 sixes.

Hints

Hint 1: where to start

Only a 6 beats 5, so the lone cell at row 2, column 1 is a 6.

Hint 2: first domino

Place the 6–1 domino with its 6 at row 2, column 1 and its 1 at row 1, column 1.

Hint 3: second domino

Then put the 4–4 across row 2, column 3 and row 3, column 3; 3 dominoes to go.

Solution

Tap any cell to reveal its pips, or reveal the whole board. Region rules: = must all be the same number; <6 must add up to less than 6; >5 must add up to more than 5.

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

Medium Pips answer — September 25, 2026

4×4 board · 7 dominoes · 6 regions · by Ian Livengood

7 dominoes, 6 regions, a 4×4 grid: that's the medium puzzle for September 25, 2026. By rule type: 6 sum regions. Besides the opening move in Hint 1, the single cell at row 3, column 2 is marked 3, so it can only hold a 3. Rack check: 1 double, 2 blank halves, 2 sixes.

Hints

Hint 1: where to start

The single cell at row 1, column 1 is marked 2, so it can only hold a 2. Find the domino with a 2 that fits there.

Hint 2: first domino

The 4–2 goes there: 4 on row 2, column 1, 2 on row 1, column 1.

Hint 3: second domino

Next, the 2–3 goes at row 3, column 3 → row 3, column 2. That leaves 5 dominoes, each with far fewer homes.

Solution

Tap any cell to reveal its pips, or reveal the whole board. Region rules: 2 must add up to 2; 7 must add up to 7; 3 must add up to 3.

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

Hard Pips answer — September 25, 2026

10×8 board · 16 dominoes · 17 regions · by Rodolfo Kurchan

The hard Pips has 32 cells to cover with 16 dominoes, split into 17 regions. By rule type: 14 sum regions, 1 "all equal", 1 "less than", 1 "greater than". A one-cell region at row 2, column 8 asks for 1, which fixes that cell outright. Rack check: 6 doubles, 7 blank halves, 5 sixes.

Hints

Hint 1: where to start

A one-cell region at row 1, column 1 asks for 0, which fixes that cell outright. Find the domino with a 0 that fits there.

Hint 2: first domino

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

Hint 3: second domino

Then put the 1–6 across row 2, column 8 and row 2, column 7; 14 dominoes to go.

Solution

Tap any cell to reveal its pips, or reveal the whole board. Region rules: 0 must add up to 0; 14 must add up to 14; 18 must add up to 18; 1 must add up to 1; 12 must add up to 12.

0
14
18
14
1
12
<3
0
4
9
6
0
>0
0
10
0
=
Solution as text
  1. 4–0 — 4 at row 9, column 1, 0 at row 10, column 1
  2. 5–2 — 5 at row 8, column 1, 2 at row 7, column 1
  3. 2–0 — 2 at row 1, column 2, 0 at row 1, column 1
  4. 5–3 — 5 at row 10, column 4, 3 at row 9, column 4
  5. 0–0 — 0 at row 9, column 6, 0 at row 10, column 6
  6. 1–6 — 1 at row 2, column 8, 6 at row 2, column 7
  7. 3–3 — 3 at row 6, column 7, 3 at row 6, column 8
  8. 4–6 — 4 at row 7, column 6, 6 at row 6, column 6
  9. 2–2 — 2 at row 10, column 7, 2 at row 10, column 8
  10. 0–1 — 0 at row 8, column 6, 1 at row 8, column 7
  11. 6–6 — 6 at row 3, column 3, 6 at row 4, column 3
  12. 5–0 — 5 at row 10, column 3, 0 at row 10, column 2
  13. 4–4 — 4 at row 3, column 7, 4 at row 4, column 7
  14. 0–3 — 0 at row 7, column 4, 3 at row 8, column 4
  15. 5–5 — 5 at row 1, column 4, 5 at row 1, column 5
  16. 2–6 — 2 at row 1, column 3, 6 at row 2, 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.