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NYT Pips answers — Tuesday, October 6, 2026
Easy Pips answer
Pips row by row, top to bottom (· is a gap in the board)
· 2 0 0 6 4 2 · 6 · 3 5 · · · 3
Each domino and its squares
- 0–0 — 0 at row 1, column 3, 0 at row 1, column 4
- 6–6 — 6 at row 2, column 1, 6 at row 3, column 1
- 5–3 — 5 at row 3, column 4, 3 at row 4, column 4
- 4–2 — 4 at row 2, column 2, 2 at row 1, column 2
- 3–2 — 3 at row 3, column 3, 2 at row 2, column 3
Medium Pips answer
Pips row by row, top to bottom (· is a gap in the board)
· · 5 0 4 4 5 2 6 1 1 5 6 2 3 5
Each domino and its squares
- 4–4 — 4 at row 2, column 1, 4 at row 2, column 2
- 6–1 — 6 at row 3, column 1, 1 at row 3, column 2
- 5–0 — 5 at row 1, column 3, 0 at row 1, column 4
- 1–3 — 1 at row 3, column 3, 3 at row 4, column 3
- 5–5 — 5 at row 3, column 4, 5 at row 4, column 4
- 6–2 — 6 at row 4, column 1, 2 at row 4, column 2
- 2–5 — 2 at row 2, column 4, 5 at row 2, column 3
Hard Pips answer
Pips row by row, top to bottom (· is a gap in the board)
3 3 2 · 1 2 2 5 3 · 6 · 4 · · · 4 3 6 · 5 · 4 4 4 · 6 · 0 · · 4 6 · 6 · 4 2 2 2
Each domino and its squares
- 2–4 — 2 at row 5, column 8, 4 at row 4, column 8
- 4–0 — 4 at row 5, column 5, 0 at row 4, column 5
- 6–6 — 6 at row 4, column 3, 6 at row 5, column 3
- 3–3 — 3 at row 1, column 1, 3 at row 1, column 2
- 4–4 — 4 at row 3, column 7, 4 at row 3, column 8
- 1–2 — 1 at row 1, column 5, 2 at row 1, column 6
- 2–5 — 2 at row 1, column 7, 5 at row 1, column 8
- 3–4 — 3 at row 2, column 1, 4 at row 3, column 1
- 4–5 — 4 at row 2, column 5, 5 at row 3, column 5
- 4–6 — 4 at row 4, column 1, 6 at row 5, column 1
- 3–6 — 3 at row 3, column 2, 6 at row 3, column 3
- 2–6 — 2 at row 1, column 3, 6 at row 2, column 3
- 2–2 — 2 at row 5, column 6, 2 at row 5, column 7
Rather solve it yourself?
Three hints per level, the last one placing the second domino.
Easy
The easy board runs 4 rows by 4 columns: 5 dominoes to place across 6 regions. You're working with 3 sum regions, 1 "greater than", 2 free regions. Another early foothold: the pair at row 2, column 1 adds to 10. The rack holds 2 doubles, 2 blank halves, 2 sixes.
Hint 1: where to start
Three cells adding to 2 at row 1, column 2 means mostly zeros. Check the rack for blank halves first.
Hint 2: first domino
The 4–2 goes there: 4 on row 2, column 2, 2 on row 1, column 2.
Hint 3: second domino
Next, the 6–6 goes at row 2, column 1 → row 3, column 1. That leaves 3 dominoes, each with far fewer homes.
Medium
The medium board runs 4 rows by 4 columns: 7 dominoes to place across 8 regions. You're working with 3 sum regions, 3 "all equal", 2 "less than". Under 2 in total at row 1, column 4? Zeros, plus at most one 1. The rack holds 2 doubles, 1 blank half, 2 sixes.
Hint 1: where to start
The pair at row 3, column 1 must total 12; the only way is 6 + 6. That is the 6–6 double, or two 6s from different dominoes.
Hint 2: first domino
Place the 6–1 domino with its 6 at row 3, column 1 and its 1 at row 3, column 2.
Hint 3: second domino
Then put the 5–0 across row 1, column 3 and row 1, column 4; 5 dominoes to go.
Hard
The hard board runs 5 rows by 8 columns: 13 dominoes to place across 14 regions. Rules on the board: 5 sum regions, 2 "all equal", 3 "less than", 2 "greater than", 2 free regions. The single cell at row 4, column 5 is marked 0, so it can only hold a 0. Keep in mind that the long "all equal" region at row 3, column 7 (3 cells) takes one number throughout. The rack holds 4 doubles, 1 blank half, 5 sixes.
Hint 1: where to start
A one-cell region at row 3, column 5 asks for 5, which fixes that cell outright. Find the domino with a 5 that fits there.
Hint 2: first domino
The 4–5 goes there: 4 on row 2, column 5, 5 on row 3, column 5.
Hint 3: second domino
Next, the 4–0 goes at row 5, column 5 → row 4, column 5. That leaves 11 dominoes, each with far fewer homes.
Pips #415 · Edited by Ian Livengood · Easy by Ian Livengood · Medium by Ian Livengood · Hard by Rodolfo Kurchan
Stuck on today's New York Times Pips? All three solved boards are at the top of this page.
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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.