Home > Archive > 2025-11-10

Pips Answer for Monday, November 10, 2025

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

Progress 0/4 dominoes
5
=
18

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 2025-11-10

5
=
18

Answer for 2025-11-10

I started with the Easy puzzle, which was a quick warm-up. The key was the sum region of 18 in the bottom right. Looking at the dominoes available, I knew the [6,6] and [6,4] were the heavy hitters.

Placing the [6,6] and half of the [6,4] into that sum region of three cells made the math work perfectly. From there, the [4,4] domino fit right into the equals region since both cells needed to be the same value. The last domino, [5,6], slid into the remaining spot with the 5 filling the target sum of 5. Moving to the

🟡

Nyt Pips medium answer for 2025-11-10

0
0
4
2
=
=
>2
=
5

Answer for 2025-11-10

Medium puzzle, I focused on the 'equals' regions first. These long strips are great because they restrict which dominoes can span across them. I noticed the sum target of 0 at [0,0] and [0,4], which acted as anchors.

I carefully mapped out the dominoes like [4,4], [1,1], and [3,3] to satisfy the equal value constraints in the columns. The 'greater' region was a bit tricky, but once I realized it needed a total value above 2 using parts of the [1,2] or [5,3] dominoes, the board cleared up. The

🔴

Nyt Pips hard answer for 2025-11-10

12
0
8
11
4
=
0
6
3
10
6

Answer for 2025-11-10

Hard puzzle was a real brain teaser by Rodolfo Kurchan. I looked for the 'empty' cell first at [0,2] to see what I couldn't use. Then I jumped to the sum of 12 at [0,0] and [0,1].

Only a few combinations work for that, but I had to see which dominoes were left. The sum of 0 at [0,3] and [4,2]/[5,2] meant those cells had to be the 0-side of dominoes like [5,0] or [1,0]. I spent most of my time balancing the [1,1] and [3,3] dominoes across the 'equals' region in row 3. Once those were locked in, the remaining sums like the 11 and 10 fell into place through simple subtraction.

💡

What I Learned

I learned that when you have multiple 'equals' regions, it's often more about the dominoes you don't use than the ones you do. In the Hard puzzle, the way the 0-value cells were scattered really forced me to save the [5,0] and [1,0] dominoes for specific spots rather than using them early.

I also noticed a pattern where placing a double domino (like 6-6) into a sum region often resolves the surrounding cells much faster because it uses up so many points at once. The Medium puzzle taught me to watch out for 'empty' cells that break up long runs, as they often dictate the orientation of the dominoes next to them.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best way to start a Pips puzzle?
Always look for the 'sum' regions with very high or very low targets first. A sum of 0 or a very high sum like 18 using only three cells usually only has one or two possible domino combinations.
How do 'equals' regions work with dominoes?
In an equals region, every cell within that marked area must contain the same number of pips. This means if a domino spans into an equals region, the part inside the region must match all other cells in that same region.
What should I do if I get stuck on the Hard puzzle?
Check your remaining dominoes list. Usually, you'll find that you only have one domino left that contains a specific number (like a 0 or a 6) that is required to satisfy a remaining sum or equals constraint.
Can a domino be placed diagonally?
No, dominoes must be placed either horizontally or vertically to cover two adjacent cells on the grid.