Pips Answer for Saturday, October 18, 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 2025-10-18
Answer for 2025-10-18
I started by tackling the Easy puzzle, which felt like a great warm-up. I noticed right away that the sum region at [1,0] and [1,1] needed to hit 9, and looking at the available dominoes, the [3,6] pair was the only natural fit to reach that total quickly.
From there, I filled in the 'less than' and 'greater than' constraints by process of elimination. Moving on to the
Nyt Pips medium answer for 2025-10-18
Answer for 2025-10-18
Medium puzzle by Rodolfo Kurchan, things got way more interesting.
I focused on the large 'equals' region spanning four cells in the second column; it’s always a huge help when you find a long chain like that because it limits your options for the entire section. The sum of 12 for the [3,0] and [4,0] spots was a clear giveaway that I needed to use the [6,6] domino or something similar to hit that high number.
Nyt Pips hard answer for 2025-10-18
Answer for 2025-10-18
For the Hard puzzle, I took a very systematic approach. The 'unequal' region across six cells was the biggest challenge, as it requires a lot of mental tracking to ensure no numbers repeat.
I focused on the sum of 29 in the middle-right area first—since 29 is quite high for five cells, I knew I had to use mostly high-value pips like 6s and 5s. Once those 'heavy' numbers were placed, the smaller sum regions like the one equaling 3 or 0 fell into place much faster. It was all about balancing the big numbers first and then letting the logic flow to the restricted empty spots.
What I Learned
This set really highlighted how much the 'sum' regions dictate the flow of the game. In the Hard puzzle, the target of 29 acted as an anchor for the right side of the board.
I also learned that 'empty' cells are actually gifts because they narrow down the physical placement of dominoes more than you'd think. A tricky move I found was in the Medium puzzle where the sum of 0 was required; it’s easy to forget that a 0-0 domino exists, and once I placed that, the rest of the bottom half of the grid cleared up almost instantly.