What is the answer to the easy NYT Pips for October 20, 2026?

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

What is the answer to the medium NYT Pips for October 20, 2026?

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

What is the answer to the hard NYT Pips for October 20, 2026?

Solution grid (rows top to bottom, · = no cell): 3 4 5 · 6 · · 2 · / 5 · · · 5 · · 6 · / 4 0 · · 5 · · 1 · / 4 · · · 5 0 1 1 · / 1 · · · · · · · · / · · 2 · · · 5 · · / · · 1 · · · 2 · · / · · 3 · · · 3 · · / · · 3 4 3 · 0 2 3. Dominoes: 5–3 at row 2, column 1 to row 1, column 1; 4–1 at row 4, column 1 to row 5, column 1; 6–2 at row 2, column 8 to row 1, column 8; 0–4 at row 3, column 2 to row 3, column 1; 6–5 at row 1, column 5 to row 2, column 5; 0–3 at row 9, column 7 to row 8, column 7; 2–1 at row 6, column 3 to row 7, column 3; 3–4 at row 9, column 5 to row 9, column 4; 2–5 at row 7, column 7 to row 6, column 7; 5–5 at row 3, column 5 to row 4, column 5; 4–5 at row 1, column 2 to row 1, column 3; 3–3 at row 8, column 3 to row 9, column 3; 2–3 at row 9, column 8 to row 9, column 9; 1–1 at row 3, column 8 to row 4, column 8; 1–0 at row 4, column 7 to row 4, column 6.

NYT Pips answers — Tuesday, October 20, 2026

The NYT Pips answers for Tuesday, October 20, 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

5×4 · 5 dominoes · by Ian Livengood

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

· · · 0
· · 4 3
1 3 3 ·
· 1 1 ·
· · 1 4

Each domino and its squares

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

Medium Pips answer

4×4 · 7 dominoes · by Rodolfo Kurchan

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

Each domino and its squares

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

Hard Pips answer

9×9 · 15 dominoes · by Rodolfo Kurchan

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

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

Each domino and its squares

5–3 — 5 at row 2, column 1, 3 at row 1, column 1
4–1 — 4 at row 4, column 1, 1 at row 5, column 1
6–2 — 6 at row 2, column 8, 2 at row 1, column 8
0–4 — 0 at row 3, column 2, 4 at row 3, column 1
6–5 — 6 at row 1, column 5, 5 at row 2, column 5
0–3 — 0 at row 9, column 7, 3 at row 8, column 7
2–1 — 2 at row 6, column 3, 1 at row 7, column 3
3–4 — 3 at row 9, column 5, 4 at row 9, column 4
2–5 — 2 at row 7, column 7, 5 at row 6, column 7
5–5 — 5 at row 3, column 5, 5 at row 4, column 5
4–5 — 4 at row 1, column 2, 5 at row 1, column 3
3–3 — 3 at row 8, column 3, 3 at row 9, column 3
2–3 — 2 at row 9, column 8, 3 at row 9, column 9
1–1 — 1 at row 3, column 8, 1 at row 4, column 8
1–0 — 1 at row 4, column 7, 0 at row 4, column 6

Rather solve it yourself?

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

Easy

Easy today is a 5×4 board with 5 dominoes and 6 regions. The mix is 1 sum region, 2 "all equal", 2 "less than", 1 free region. Besides the opening move in Hint 1, the "<2" region at row 1, column 4 leaves almost no room: only 0s and a single 1 fit. Keep in mind that the "=" pair at row 3, column 2 needs two identical pips. Rack check: 1 double, 1 blank half.

Hint 1: where to start

The long "all equal" region at row 4, column 2 (3 cells) takes one number throughout. Every half with that number on the rack is a candidate for it.

Hint 2: first domino

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

Hint 3: second domino

Next, the 0–3 goes at row 1, column 4 → row 2, column 4. That leaves 3 dominoes, each with far fewer homes.

Medium

Medium is 9 regions on a 4×4 grid, filled by 7 dominoes. By rule type: 5 sum regions, 1 "all equal", 1 "greater than", 2 free regions. The single cell at row 1, column 3 is marked 0, so it can only hold a 0. Rack check: 1 double, 4 blank halves, 1 six.

Hint 1: where to start

Row 1, column 2 is a region of its own with target 6: that cell is a 6. Find the domino with a 6 that fits there.

Hint 2: first domino

Place the 2–6 domino with its 2 at row 1, column 1 and its 6 at row 1, column 2.

Hint 3: second domino

Then put the 2–0 across row 1, column 4 and row 1, column 3; 5 dominoes to go.

Hard

The hard Pips has 30 cells to cover with 15 dominoes, split into 21 regions. Rules on the board: 10 sum regions, 2 "all equal", 1 "less than", 5 "greater than", 3 free regions. A one-cell region at row 2, column 1 asks for 5, which fixes that cell outright. Keep in mind that a one-cell region at row 3, column 2 asks for 0, which fixes that cell outright. The rack holds 3 doubles, 3 blank halves, 2 sixes.

Hint 1: where to start

The single cell at row 1, column 1 is marked 3, so it can only hold a 3. Only dominoes carrying a 3 can reach it.

Hint 2: first domino

Place the 5–3 domino with its 5 at row 2, column 1 and its 3 at row 1, column 1.

Hint 3: second domino

Then put the 0–4 across row 3, column 2 and row 3, column 1; 13 dominoes to go.