NYT Pips answers — Thursday, October 15, 2026
The NYT Pips answers for Thursday, October 15, 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
Pips row by row, top to bottom (· is a gap in the board)
0 · · 1 4 6 5 5 2 4 6 · · · 3 ·
Each domino and its squares
- 5–1 — 5 at row 2, column 4, 1 at row 1, column 4
- 5–6 — 5 at row 2, column 3, 6 at row 2, column 2
- 4–2 — 4 at row 3, column 2, 2 at row 3, column 1
- 3–6 — 3 at row 4, column 3, 6 at row 3, column 3
- 4–0 — 4 at row 2, column 1, 0 at row 1, column 1
Medium Pips answer
Pips row by row, top to bottom (· is a gap in the board)
· · 3 · 3 3 4 4 4 4 0 5 2 · 5 5 4 1 2 5
Each domino and its squares
- 4–2 — 4 at row 3, column 1, 2 at row 4, column 1
- 3–3 — 3 at row 2, column 1, 3 at row 2, column 2
- 5–2 — 5 at row 5, column 4, 2 at row 5, column 3
- 3–4 — 3 at row 1, column 3, 4 at row 2, column 3
- 1–4 — 1 at row 5, column 2, 4 at row 5, column 1
- 5–4 — 5 at row 3, column 4, 4 at row 2, column 4
- 5–5 — 5 at row 4, column 3, 5 at row 4, column 4
- 4–0 — 4 at row 3, column 2, 0 at row 3, column 3
Hard Pips answer
Pips row by row, top to bottom (· is a gap in the board)
1 4 3 · 4 · · 4 2 · 5 · 2 2 · 6 0 · 1 · 4 2 3 5 3 3 3 · 4 · 4 0
Each domino and its squares
- 4–6 — 4 at row 1, column 8, 6 at row 2, column 8
- 4–3 — 4 at row 4, column 7, 3 at row 3, column 7
- 2–2 — 2 at row 2, column 6, 2 at row 3, column 6
- 0–5 — 0 at row 4, column 8, 5 at row 3, column 8
- 4–4 — 4 at row 3, column 5, 4 at row 4, column 5
- 3–3 — 3 at row 4, column 1, 3 at row 4, column 2
- 1–4 — 1 at row 1, column 1, 4 at row 1, column 2
- 2–0 — 2 at row 2, column 1, 0 at row 3, column 1
- 1–3 — 1 at row 3, column 3, 3 at row 4, column 3
- 2–4 — 2 at row 2, column 5, 4 at row 1, column 5
- 3–5 — 3 at row 1, column 3, 5 at row 2, column 3
Rather solve it yourself?
Three hints per level, the last one placing the second domino.
Easy
The easy Pips has 10 cells to cover with 5 dominoes, split into 7 regions. Rules on the board: 4 sum regions, 2 "greater than", 1 free region. The pair at row 2, column 1 adds to 10. Keep in mind that the pair at row 2, column 3 adds to 10. The rack holds 1 blank half, 2 sixes.
Hint 1: where to start
A one-cell region at row 1, column 4 asks for 1, which fixes that cell outright. Only dominoes carrying a 1 can reach it.
Hint 2: first domino
The 5–1 goes there: 5 on row 2, column 4, 1 on row 1, column 4.
Hint 3: second domino
Next, the 4–0 goes at row 2, column 1 → row 1, column 1. That leaves 3 dominoes, each with far fewer homes.
Medium
8 dominoes, 8 regions, a 5×4 grid: that's the medium puzzle for October 15, 2026. You're working with 3 sum regions, 3 "all equal", 2 "less than". Another early foothold: the "=" pair at row 2, column 1 needs two identical pips. The rack holds 2 doubles, 1 blank half.
Hint 1: where to start
Under 1 in total at row 3, column 3? That is all zeros.
Hint 2: first domino
The 4–0 goes there: 4 on row 3, column 2, 0 on row 3, column 3.
Hint 3: second domino
Next, the 3–3 goes at row 2, column 1 → row 2, column 2. That leaves 6 dominoes, each with far fewer homes.
Hard
The hard Pips has 22 cells to cover with 11 dominoes, split into 13 regions. You're working with 4 sum regions, 1 "all equal", 6 "greater than", 2 free regions. The single cell at row 3, column 3 is marked 1, so it can only hold a 1. The rack holds 3 doubles, 2 blank halves, 1 six.
Hint 1: where to start
A one-cell region at row 2, column 3 asks for 5, which fixes that cell outright. Find the domino with a 5 that fits there.
Hint 2: first domino
Place the 3–5 domino with its 3 at row 1, column 3 and its 5 at row 2, column 3.
Hint 3: second domino
Then put the 1–3 across row 3, column 3 and row 4, column 3; 9 dominoes to go.