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NYT Pips answers — Thursday, October 1, 2026

Pips #410 · Edited by Ian Livengood · Easy by Ian Livengood · Medium by Rodolfo Kurchan · Hard by Rodolfo Kurchan

Written by the Grid Puzzles solver, spot-checked by hand · Updated October 1, 2026, 05:00 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 — October 1, 2026

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

The easy board runs 4 rows by 4 columns: 5 dominoes to place across 5 regions. Rules on the board: 2 sum regions, 1 "all equal", 1 "less than", 1 "greater than". Besides the opening move in Hint 1, two cells at row 2, column 2 total 10. Keep in mind that two cells at row 3, column 3 total 10. The rack holds 1 double, 4 blank halves, 2 sixes.

Hints

Hint 1: where to start

4 cells from row 2, column 1 must show the same number, and it turns out to be 0. Count how many halves of that number the rack has.

Hint 2: first domino

First domino: 1–0, covering row 1, column 1 (1) and row 2, column 1 (0).

Hint 3: second domino

Second: 4–6 on row 2, column 3 and row 2, column 2. Check the other 3 against the regions they could still fill.

Solution

Tap any cell to reveal its pips, or reveal the whole board. Region rules: <4 must add up to less than 4; = must all be the same number; 10 must add up to 10; >4 must add up to more than 4.

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

Medium Pips answer — October 1, 2026

4×5 board · 7 dominoes · 9 regions · by Rodolfo Kurchan

Medium today is a 4×5 board with 7 dominoes and 9 regions. By rule type: 1 sum region, 1 "all equal", 3 "less than", 1 "greater than", 3 free regions. At row 1, column 2 two cells must match. On the rack you have 1 double, 1 blank half, 2 sixes; extremes like these usually have only one home.

Hints

Hint 1: where to start

The single cell at row 3, column 1 is marked 4, so it can only hold a 4. Find the domino with a 4 that fits there.

Hint 2: first domino

The 4–5 goes there: 4 on row 3, column 1, 5 on row 3, column 2.

Hint 3: second domino

Next, the 1–1 goes at row 1, column 2 → row 2, 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: = must all be the same number; >9 must add up to more than 9; <7 must add up to less than 7; 4 must add up to 4; <4 must add up to less than 4.

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

Hard Pips answer — October 1, 2026

6×6 board · 16 dominoes · 32 regions · by Rodolfo Kurchan

The hard Pips has 32 cells to cover with 16 dominoes, split into 32 regions. By rule type: 29 sum regions, 3 free regions. Row 1, column 3 is a region of its own with target 1: that cell is a 1. Rack check: 2 doubles, 4 blank halves, 7 sixes.

Hints

Hint 1: where to start

A one-cell region at row 1, column 2 asks for 1, which fixes that cell outright. Find the domino with a 1 that fits there.

Hint 2: first domino

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

Hint 3: second domino

Then put the 1–3 across row 1, column 3 and row 2, column 3; 14 dominoes to go.

Solution

Tap any cell to reveal its pips, or reveal the whole board. Region rules: 1 must add up to 1; 2 must add up to 2; 5 must add up to 5; 3 must add up to 3; 6 must add up to 6.

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