Pips Answer for Friday, September 26, 2025
Complete NYT Pips puzzle solution with interactive board and expert analysis.
Click a domino below or a cell on the board to reveal
Expert Puzzle Analysis
Deep insights from puzzle experts
Nyt Pips easy answer for 2025-09-26
Answer for 2025-09-26
I started by looking at the Easy puzzle, which is a great warm-up. With only four dominoes—[0,6], [3,6], [4,6], and [6,6]—the logic focused on the 'equals' region and the 'greater than 3' target.
I noticed that since almost all dominoes had a 6, the 'equals' region needed to accommodate that high value. By placing the [6,6] and [3,6] strategically, the constraints for the 'less than 3' spot became clear, leading to the [0,6] and [4,6] placements. Moving to the
Nyt Pips medium answer for 2025-09-26
Answer for 2025-09-26
Medium puzzle, the sum constraints were the key. I targeted the sum of 15 and the sum of 0 first.
A sum of 0 is a dead giveaway for the [0,0] domino. For the sum of 15, I looked at high-value pairs like [5,5] and [5,6]. By calculating how the [3,4], [2,4], and [1,6] fit into the remaining sum regions like 10 and 9, the board practically filled itself.
Nyt Pips hard answer for 2025-09-26
Answer for 2025-09-26
Finally, the Hard puzzle required a much more disciplined approach. I focused on the large sum region of 22, which narrowed down the possible dominoes to the highest values available, specifically [5,5] and [6,2] or [4,3] combinations.
I used the 'empty' regions as anchors to eliminate placement possibilities for the [0,0] and [0,1] tiles. The 'equals' region involving four cells was the toughest part; I had to test which domino ends would result in the same value across all four spots. Once I realized the value had to be relatively low to satisfy the 'less than 2' constraints nearby, the rest of the 11 dominoes fell into place through a process of elimination and checking the 'unequal' constraint at the bottom.
What I Learned
This set really highlighted how 'empty' regions and 'equals' constraints work together to limit your options. In the Hard puzzle, I learned that a large 'equals' region (four cells) is often the most restrictive part of the board, even more than a large sum.
I also noticed a pattern where the constructor, Rodolfo Kurchan, likes to use low-value 'less than' constraints near high-value 'sum' regions to create a tension that forces specific domino orientations. It's a clever way to ensure there is only one valid path to the solution.