NYT Pips answers — Thursday, November 5, 2026
The NYT Pips answers for Thursday, November 5, 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)
6 5 1 0 · · 4 4 · 6 · · 6 5 2
Each domino and its squares
- 6–0 — 6 at row 1, column 1, 0 at row 2, column 1
- 6–6 — 6 at row 4, column 1, 6 at row 5, column 1
- 5–2 — 5 at row 5, column 2, 2 at row 5, column 3
- 4–4 — 4 at row 3, column 1, 4 at row 3, column 2
- 5–1 — 5 at row 1, column 2, 1 at row 1, column 3
Medium Pips answer
Pips row by row, top to bottom (· is a gap in the board)
· 1 2 3 · 5 3 4 3 · · 2 0 5 1 · 3 1 4 ·
Each domino and its squares
- 5–3 — 5 at row 2, column 1, 3 at row 2, column 2
- 4–0 — 4 at row 2, column 3, 0 at row 3, column 3
- 5–1 — 5 at row 3, column 4, 1 at row 3, column 5
- 2–3 — 2 at row 3, column 2, 3 at row 4, column 2
- 1–2 — 1 at row 1, column 2, 2 at row 1, column 3
- 4–1 — 4 at row 4, column 4, 1 at row 4, column 3
- 3–3 — 3 at row 1, column 4, 3 at row 2, column 4
Hard Pips answer
Pips row by row, top to bottom (· is a gap in the board)
· · · · · · 5 · · 6 · · · · · 4 1 1 6 6 · · · · 4 5 0 4 5 4 5 3 3 1 · · 6 6 0 2 3 3 2 · · · 3 · · · · 1 · · · 3 4 · · · 2 6 ·
Each domino and its squares
- 2–1 — 2 at row 5, column 7, 1 at row 6, column 7
- 4–0 — 4 at row 4, column 3, 0 at row 5, column 3
- 6–2 — 6 at row 7, column 8, 2 at row 7, column 7
- 5–3 — 5 at row 4, column 4, 3 at row 4, column 5
- 6–4 — 6 at row 5, column 1, 4 at row 4, column 1
- 6–5 — 6 at row 3, column 2, 5 at row 4, column 2
- 3–6 — 3 at row 6, column 2, 6 at row 5, column 2
- 3–3 — 3 at row 4, column 6, 3 at row 5, column 6
- 0–5 — 0 at row 3, column 9, 5 at row 3, column 8
- 1–4 — 1 at row 4, column 7, 4 at row 3, column 7
- 6–6 — 6 at row 2, column 1, 6 at row 3, column 1
- 4–5 — 4 at row 2, column 7, 5 at row 1, column 7
- 3–4 — 3 at row 7, column 2, 4 at row 7, column 3
- 1–1 — 1 at row 2, column 8, 1 at row 2, column 9
- 2–3 — 2 at row 5, column 4, 3 at row 5, column 5
Rather solve it yourself?
Three hints per level, the last one placing the second domino.
Easy
Easy is 5 regions on a 5×3 grid, filled by 5 dominoes. The mix is 3 sum regions, 2 "less than". The two-cell region at row 1, column 1 adds to 11: the only split is 5 + 6. Keep in mind that under 2 in total at row 1, column 3? Zeros, plus at most one 1. Rack check: 2 doubles, 1 blank half, 3 sixes.
Hint 1: where to start
A pair summing to 11 at row 5, column 1 can only be a 5 and a 6.
Hint 2: first domino
First domino: 6–6, covering row 4, column 1 (6) and row 5, column 1 (6).
Hint 3: second domino
Second: 6–0 on row 1, column 1 and row 2, column 1. Check the other 3 against the regions they could still fill.
Medium
Medium is 8 regions on a 4×5 grid, filled by 7 dominoes. The mix is 4 sum regions, 1 "all equal", 2 "greater than". Besides the opening move in Hint 1, row 3, column 5 is a region of its own with target 1: that cell is a 1. Keep in mind that the "=" pair at row 1, column 4 needs two identical pips. Rack check: 1 double, 1 blank half.
Hint 1: where to start
A one-cell region at row 3, column 2 asks for 2, which fixes that cell outright. Only dominoes carrying a 2 can reach it.
Hint 2: first domino
Place the 2–3 domino with its 2 at row 3, column 2 and its 3 at row 4, column 2.
Hint 3: second domino
Then put the 5–1 across row 3, column 4 and row 3, column 5; 5 dominoes to go.
Hard
The hard Pips has 30 cells to cover with 15 dominoes, split into 16 regions. By rule type: 6 sum regions, 1 "all equal", 2 "less than", 3 "greater than", 3 free regions. Besides the opening move in Hint 1, three cells adding to 16 at row 4, column 1 need big pips, at least one 6. Rack check: 3 doubles, 2 blank halves, 6 sixes.
Hint 1: where to start
The single cell at row 7, column 7 is marked 2, so it can only hold a 2. Find the domino with a 2 that fits there.
Hint 2: first domino
The 6–2 goes there: 6 on row 7, column 8, 2 on row 7, column 7.
Hint 3: second domino
Next, the 6–4 goes at row 5, column 1 → row 4, column 1. That leaves 13 dominoes, each with far fewer homes.