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NYT Pips answers — Friday, October 2, 2026
Pips #411 · 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.
Also today: LinkedIn games answers — Zip, Pinpoint, Crossclimb, Mini Sudoku, Patches and Wend.
Easy Pips answer — October 2, 2026
6×3 board · 5 dominoes · 5 regions · by Ian Livengood
Easy is 5 regions on a 6×3 grid, filled by 5 dominoes. Rules on the board: 1 sum region, 3 "all equal", 1 "less than". Besides the opening move in Hint 1, the "<2" region at row 1, column 2 leaves almost no room: only 0s and a single 1 fit. Keep in mind that at row 1, column 1 two cells must match. The rack holds 2 doubles, 2 sixes.
Hints
Hint 1: where to start
3 cells from row 4, column 2 must show the same number, and it turns out to be 1. Every half with that number on the rack is a candidate for it.
Hint 2: first domino
Place the 1–2 domino with its 1 at row 4, column 2 and its 2 at row 3, column 2.
Hint 3: second domino
Then put the 6–1 across row 1, column 1 and row 1, column 2; 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; <2 must add up to less than 2; 5 must add up to 5.
Solution as text
6 1 · 6 · · 3 2 · · 1 1 · · 1 · 5 5
- 1–1 — 1 at row 4, column 3, 1 at row 5, column 3
- 1–2 — 1 at row 4, column 2, 2 at row 3, column 2
- 6–3 — 6 at row 2, column 1, 3 at row 3, column 1
- 6–1 — 6 at row 1, column 1, 1 at row 1, column 2
- 5–5 — 5 at row 6, column 2, 5 at row 6, column 3
Medium Pips answer — October 2, 2026
5×5 board · 7 dominoes · 9 regions · by Rodolfo Kurchan
Medium is 9 regions on a 5×5 grid, filled by 7 dominoes. Rules on the board: 4 sum regions, 1 "all equal", 2 "greater than", 2 free regions. The "=" pair at row 2, column 2 needs two identical pips. Keep in mind that the pair at row 2, column 4 adds to 8. The rack holds 2 doubles, 1 blank half.
Hints
Hint 1: where to start
The single cell at row 3, column 5 is marked 0, so it can only hold a 0. Only dominoes carrying a 0 can reach it.
Hint 2: first domino
The 0–5 goes there: 0 on row 3, column 5, 5 on row 2, column 5.
Hint 3: second domino
Next, the 2–2 goes at row 2, column 2 → row 2, column 3. 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; 8 must add up to 8; >2 must add up to more than 2; 11 must add up to 11; 0 must add up to 0.
Solution as text
· · · 3 · · 2 2 3 5 4 1 5 5 0 · 1 3 2 · · 2 · · ·
- 2–1 — 2 at row 5, column 2, 1 at row 4, column 2
- 3–3 — 3 at row 1, column 4, 3 at row 2, column 4
- 5–2 — 5 at row 3, column 4, 2 at row 4, column 4
- 0–5 — 0 at row 3, column 5, 5 at row 2, column 5
- 1–4 — 1 at row 3, column 2, 4 at row 3, column 1
- 5–3 — 5 at row 3, column 3, 3 at row 4, column 3
- 2–2 — 2 at row 2, column 2, 2 at row 2, column 3
Hard Pips answer — October 2, 2026
6×6 board · 15 dominoes · 18 regions · by Rodolfo Kurchan
The hard Pips has 30 cells to cover with 15 dominoes, split into 18 regions. By rule type: 14 sum regions, 2 "all equal", 1 "less than", 1 "greater than". Another early foothold: row 2, column 1 is a region of its own with target 5: that cell is a 5. Rack check: 3 doubles, 3 blank halves, 3 sixes.
Hints
Hint 1: where to start
A one-cell region at row 1, column 6 asks for 1, which fixes that cell outright. Find the domino with a 1 that fits there.
Hint 2: first domino
First domino: 1–5, covering row 1, column 6 (1) and row 1, column 5 (5).
Hint 3: second domino
Second: 2–5 on row 1, column 1 and row 2, column 1. Check the other 13 against the regions they could still fill.
Solution
Tap any cell to reveal its pips, or reveal the whole board. Region rules: = must all be the same number; 1 must add up to 1; 5 must add up to 5; 9 must add up to 9; 7 must add up to 7.
Solution as text
2 2 2 5 5 1 5 2 · 5 5 6 5 0 · · · 3 4 3 · 2 3 6 3 3 · 4 5 4 1 1 0 6 0 2
- 4–6 — 4 at row 5, column 4, 6 at row 6, column 4
- 3–3 — 3 at row 4, column 2, 3 at row 5, column 2
- 2–3 — 2 at row 4, column 4, 3 at row 4, column 5
- 1–3 — 1 at row 6, column 1, 3 at row 5, column 1
- 1–0 — 1 at row 6, column 2, 0 at row 6, column 3
- 2–0 — 2 at row 2, column 2, 0 at row 3, column 2
- 1–5 — 1 at row 1, column 6, 5 at row 1, column 5
- 4–2 — 4 at row 5, column 6, 2 at row 6, column 6
- 3–6 — 3 at row 3, column 6, 6 at row 4, column 6
- 5–5 — 5 at row 1, column 4, 5 at row 2, column 4
- 5–6 — 5 at row 2, column 5, 6 at row 2, column 6
- 4–5 — 4 at row 4, column 1, 5 at row 3, column 1
- 2–5 — 2 at row 1, column 1, 5 at row 2, column 1
- 2–2 — 2 at row 1, column 2, 2 at row 1, column 3
- 5–0 — 5 at row 5, column 5, 0 at row 6, column 5
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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.