What is the answer to the easy NYT Pips for October 9, 2026?

Solution grid (rows top to bottom, · = no cell): 1 1 2 2 / 3 1 6 2 / · 3 6 ·. Dominoes: 1–1 at row 1, column 2 to row 2, column 2; 2–2 at row 1, column 4 to row 2, column 4; 1–3 at row 1, column 1 to row 2, column 1; 6–2 at row 2, column 3 to row 1, column 3; 6–3 at row 3, column 3 to row 3, column 2.

What is the answer to the medium NYT Pips for October 9, 2026?

Solution grid (rows top to bottom, · = no cell): 0 0 1 3 / 6 6 0 5 / 2 0 5 5 / · 3 3 ·. Dominoes: 5–5 at row 2, column 4 to row 3, column 4; 0–0 at row 1, column 1 to row 1, column 2; 3–1 at row 1, column 4 to row 1, column 3; 2–6 at row 3, column 1 to row 2, column 1; 0–3 at row 3, column 2 to row 4, column 2; 5–3 at row 3, column 3 to row 4, column 3; 6–0 at row 2, column 2 to row 2, column 3.

What is the answer to the hard NYT Pips for October 9, 2026?

Solution grid (rows top to bottom, · = no cell): 3 4 3 · 6 · · 4 / 4 · 1 · 6 · · 2 / 0 3 3 · 6 · · 0 / 2 · 3 · 1 · · 3 / 0 · 2 · 5 2 2 2. Dominoes: 4–3 at row 1, column 2 to row 1, column 1; 4–2 at row 1, column 8 to row 2, column 8; 6–1 at row 3, column 5 to row 4, column 5; 0–3 at row 3, column 8 to row 4, column 8; 6–6 at row 1, column 5 to row 2, column 5; 5–2 at row 5, column 5 to row 5, column 6; 2–2 at row 5, column 7 to row 5, column 8; 0–4 at row 3, column 1 to row 2, column 1; 3–3 at row 3, column 2 to row 3, column 3; 2–3 at row 5, column 3 to row 4, column 3; 0–2 at row 5, column 1 to row 4, column 1; 3–1 at row 1, column 3 to row 2, column 3.

NYT Pips answers — Friday, October 9, 2026

The NYT Pips answers for Friday, October 9, 2026: the solved easy, medium and hard boards are below, with the squares of every domino listed and three hints per level if you would rather solve it yourself.

Easy Pips answer

3×4 · 5 dominoes · by Ian Livengood

Pips row by row, top to bottom (· is a gap in the board)

1 1 2 2
3 1 6 2
· 3 6 ·

Each domino and its squares

1–1 — 1 at row 1, column 2, 1 at row 2, column 2
2–2 — 2 at row 1, column 4, 2 at row 2, column 4
1–3 — 1 at row 1, column 1, 3 at row 2, column 1
6–2 — 6 at row 2, column 3, 2 at row 1, column 3
6–3 — 6 at row 3, column 3, 3 at row 3, column 2

Medium Pips answer

4×4 · 7 dominoes · by Ian Livengood

>10

Pips row by row, top to bottom (· is a gap in the board)

Each domino and its squares

5–5 — 5 at row 2, column 4, 5 at row 3, column 4
0–0 — 0 at row 1, column 1, 0 at row 1, column 2
3–1 — 3 at row 1, column 4, 1 at row 1, column 3
2–6 — 2 at row 3, column 1, 6 at row 2, column 1
0–3 — 0 at row 3, column 2, 3 at row 4, column 2
5–3 — 5 at row 3, column 3, 3 at row 4, column 3
6–0 — 6 at row 2, column 2, 0 at row 2, column 3

Hard Pips answer

5×8 · 12 dominoes · by Rodolfo Kurchan

≠

Pips row by row, top to bottom (· is a gap in the board)

3 4 3 · 6 · · 4
4 · 1 · 6 · · 2
0 3 3 · 6 · · 0
2 · 3 · 1 · · 3
0 · 2 · 5 2 2 2

Each domino and its squares

4–3 — 4 at row 1, column 2, 3 at row 1, column 1
4–2 — 4 at row 1, column 8, 2 at row 2, column 8
6–1 — 6 at row 3, column 5, 1 at row 4, column 5
0–3 — 0 at row 3, column 8, 3 at row 4, column 8
6–6 — 6 at row 1, column 5, 6 at row 2, column 5
5–2 — 5 at row 5, column 5, 2 at row 5, column 6
2–2 — 2 at row 5, column 7, 2 at row 5, column 8
0–4 — 0 at row 3, column 1, 4 at row 2, column 1
3–3 — 3 at row 3, column 2, 3 at row 3, column 3
2–3 — 2 at row 5, column 3, 3 at row 4, column 3
0–2 — 0 at row 5, column 1, 2 at row 4, column 1
3–1 — 3 at row 1, column 3, 1 at row 2, column 3

Rather solve it yourself?

Three hints per level, the last one placing the second domino.

Easy

5 dominoes, 5 regions, a 3×4 grid: that's the easy puzzle for October 9, 2026. The mix is 1 sum region, 3 "all equal", 1 free region. Besides the opening move in Hint 1, 3 cells from row 1, column 1 must show the same number, and it turns out to be 1. Keep in mind that the long "all equal" region at row 1, column 3 (3 cells) takes one number throughout. Rack check: 2 doubles, 2 sixes.

Hint 1: where to start

The single cell at row 2, column 1 is marked 3, so it can only hold a 3. Find the domino with a 3 that fits there.

Hint 2: first domino

Place the 1–3 domino with its 1 at row 1, column 1 and its 3 at row 2, column 1.

Hint 3: second domino

Then put the 6–2 across row 2, column 3 and row 1, column 3; 3 dominoes to go.

Medium

7 dominoes, 6 regions, a 4×4 grid: that's the medium puzzle for October 9, 2026. Rules on the board: 2 sum regions, 1 "all equal", 1 "less than", 1 "greater than", 1 free region. Besides the opening move in Hint 1, two cells adding to more than 10 at row 2, column 1 are 5+6 or 6+6 territory. Keep in mind that the pair at row 3, column 1 adds to 2. The rack holds 2 doubles, 4 blank halves, 2 sixes.

Hint 1: where to start

The "=" region starting at row 2, column 4 has 3 matching cells, all 5s. Every half with that number on the rack is a candidate for it.

Hint 2: first domino

Place the 5–5 domino with its 5 at row 2, column 4 and its 5 at row 3, column 4.

Hint 3: second domino

Then put the 2–6 across row 3, column 1 and row 2, column 1; 5 dominoes to go.

Hard

Hard is 14 regions on a 5×8 grid, filled by 12 dominoes. By rule type: 9 sum regions, 1 "all equal", 2 "less than", 1 "greater than". The single cell at row 1, column 2 is marked 4, so it can only hold a 4. Rack check: 3 doubles, 3 blank halves, 3 sixes.

Hint 1: where to start

Row 1, column 1 is a region of its own with target 3: that cell is a 3. Find the domino with a 3 that fits there.

Hint 2: first domino

First domino: 4–3, covering row 1, column 2 (4) and row 1, column 1 (3).

Hint 3: second domino

Second: 3–1 on row 1, column 3 and row 2, column 3. Check the other 10 against the regions they could still fill.