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Pips Answer for Sunday, October 26, 2025

Complete NYT Pips puzzle solution with interactive board and expert analysis.

Progress 0/4 dominoes
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17
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Click a domino below or a cell on the board to reveal

Expert Puzzle Analysis

Deep insights from puzzle experts

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Nyt Pips easy answer for 2025-10-26

>7
17
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Answer for 2025-10-26

I started today's set with the Easy puzzle to get a feel for the patterns. Right away, I noticed the Sum 17 region.

Since that was for three cells, I knew I needed high numbers like 6, 6, and 5 to hit that target. I placed the double-six domino and part of a five to fill it. After that, the other dominoes like the 6-1 and 5-2 fell into place pretty naturally.

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Nyt Pips medium answer for 2025-10-26

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22

Answer for 2025-10-26

For the Medium puzzle, it was much bigger with 13 dominoes, so I looked for the anchors. The Sum 0 and Sum 1 regions are perfect for this because they tell you exactly where the low-value pips or blanks need to go. The trickiest part was the Sum 22 region near the bottom.

To get 22 out of four cells, you basically have to use 6s and 5s. I had to be careful not to use up all my 5s too early because I needed them for the 'unequal' region nearby. Finally, on the

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Nyt Pips hard answer for 2025-10-26

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5
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5

Answer for 2025-10-26

Hard puzzle, I focused on the 'equals' constraints. When you have a region of three cells that all must be the same value, it limits your domino choices significantly.

I matched up the 4-4 and 1-1 pairs across those boundaries. I actually messed up once near the bottom sum of 5, but I realized I had swapped a 4-1 for a 3-2, and once I fixed that, the whole board cleared up.

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What I Learned

I learned that high-sum targets are actually a blessing in disguise because they narrow down your choices to just a few domino combinations. I also found that 'empty' cells are very useful for framing the board.

They act like walls that guide where your dominoes can and cannot turn. In the Medium puzzle, the 'unequal' rule near a high sum region was a fun challenge because it forced me to use a 6 and a 5 instead of just two 6s, which I initially tried to do. Today really highlighted how important it is to look at the whole board before committing your high-value dominoes.

Frequently Asked Questions

What should I do first when I open a new Pips puzzle?
Look for the most restrictive regions first. This usually means cells with very high sums, very low sums like 0 or 1, or regions labeled 'equals' where multiple cells must match.
How do the 'equals' regions work?
Every cell inside that region must have the exact same number of pips. If one cell is a 4, all others in that specific region must also be 4s.
Are 'empty' cells just wasted space?
Not at all! Empty cells help define the grid and limit where dominoes can be placed. They often help you figure out the orientation of a domino in a tight corner.
What if I have two dominoes that could fit the same sum?
Look at the neighboring regions. Often, one of those dominoes will be needed elsewhere to satisfy a different rule, like an 'unequal' or a specific 'greater than' target.