NYT Pips Hint, Answer & Solution for October 16, 2025

Oct 16, 2025

🚨 SPOILER WARNING

This page contains the final **answer** and the complete **solution** to today's NYT Pips puzzle. If you haven't attempted the puzzle yet and want to try solving it yourself first, now's your chance!

Click here to play today's official NYT Pips game first.

Want hints instead? Scroll down for progressive clues that won't spoil the fun.

🎲 Today's Puzzle Overview

This Thursday, October 16, 2025, celebrates the brilliance of puzzle artistry.

Edited by Ian Livengood, today’s collection showcases three unique works crafted by Rodolfo Kurchan, a true genius of logical design.

From the smooth structure of Easy Puzzle #65, to the balanced strategy of Medium #28, and the intricate architecture of Hard #239, each grid stands as a masterpiece of thought and creativity.

Every region, every domino placement, reflects an editor’s care and a designer’s imagination.

Step into this world of logic and uncover the art behind each solution.

💡 Progressive Hints

Try these hints one at a time. Each hint becomes more specific to help you solve it yourself!

💡 Hint #1 - Equal
The domino halves in this space must be 5.
💡 Hint #2 - Number (7)
Everything in this space must add up to 7. The answer is 1-6, placed vertically; 6-2, placed horizontally.
💡 Hint #1 - Purple Equal
The domino halves in this space must be 1.
💡 Hint #2 - Number (21)
Everything in this space must add up to 21. Confirmed by step 2, the other domino halves in this space must be 6 (3+6+6+6=21).
💡 Hint #1 - Observe
The domino halves in the Red Equal area must be 4 and 5.
💡 Hint #2 - Number (5)
The two smallest dominoes must put in this place (0-0 and 0-2).
💡 Hint #3 - Number (2)
The domino halves in this space must be 1.
💡 Hint #4 - Light Blue Equal
The domino halves in this space must be 6.
💡 Hint #5 - Up Red Equal
The domino halves in this space must be 5.
💡 Hint #6 - Down Red Equal
The domino halves in this space must be 4.

🎨 Pips Solver

Oct 16, 2025

Click a domino to place it on the board. You can also click the board, and the correct domino will appear.

✅ Final Answer & Complete Solution For Hard Level

The key to solving today's hard puzzle was identifying the placement for the critical dominoes highlighted in the starting grid. Once those were in place, the rest of the puzzle could be solved logically. See the final grid below to compare your solution.

Starting Position & Key First Steps

Pips hint for October 16, 2025 – hard level puzzle grid with critical first placements and strategy

This image shows the initial puzzle grid for the hard level, with a few critical first placements highlighted.

Final Answer: The Solved Grid for Hard Mode

NYT Pips October 16, 2025 hard puzzle full solution grid showing final answer with hints

Compare this final grid with your own solution to see the correct placement of all dominoes.

🔧 Step-by-Step Answer Walkthrough For Easy Level

1
Step 1
Based on the image, observe the shapes and domino pip counts.
2
Step 2: Equal
The domino halves in this space must be 5. The answer is 6-5 (confirmed by neighboring area), placed horizontally; 5-5, placed vertically; 4-5, placed horizontally.
3
Step 3: Number (7)
Everything in this space must add up to 7. The answer is 1-6 (no domino halves left that contain 5 pips, can't choose 2-6), placed vertically; 6-2, placed horizontally.
4
Step 4
Based on the last image, finished.

🔧 Step-by-Step Answer Walkthrough For Medium Level

1
Step 1
Based on the image, observe the shapes and domino pip counts.
2
Step 2: Purple Equal
The domino halves in this space must be 1 (only 4 domino halves that contain 1 pips). The answer is 1-3 (confirmed by neighboring area), placed horizontally; 1-1, placed horizontally; 1-2, placed vertically.
3
Step 3: Number (21)
Everything in this space must add up to 21. Confirmed by step 2, the other domino halves in this space must be 6 (3+6+6+6=21). The answer is 6-6, placed horizontally; 6-5, placed vertically.
4
Step 4
Based on the last image, finished.

🔧 Step-by-Step Answer Walkthrough For Hard Level

1
Step 1
Based on the image, observe the shapes and domino pip counts. The domino halves in the Red Equal area must be 4 and 5 (only two dominoes with the same number 4-4 and 5-5).
2
Step 2: Number (5)
Everything in this space must add up to 5. The two smallest dominoes must put in this place (0-0 and 0-2). The other domino halves in this place must be 3. The answer is 0-0, placed horizontally; 0-2, placed vertically.
3
Step 3: Number (2)
The domino halves in this space must be 1 (confirmed by step 2). Only two dominoes left that contain 1 pips (1-5 and 6-1).
4
Step 4: Light Blue Equal
The domino halves in this space must be 6 (confirmed by step 1). The answer is 6-2 (confirmed by step 3, can't choose 6-1), placed horizontally; 6-1, placed vertically; 5-6, placed vertically.
5
Step 5: Up Red Equal
The domino halves in this space must be 5 (confirmed by step 4). The answer is 5-5, placed horizontally.
6
Step 6: Down Red Equal
The domino halves in this space must be 4 (confirmed by step 5). The answer is 4-4, placed vertically; 3-4, placed horizontally.
7
Step 7
Based on the last image, finished.

💡 Pro Tips for Similar Puzzles

Start with Constraints
Always begin with the most constrained regions - sum regions with small numbers or tight spaces.
Use Equal Regions
Use "equal" regions as anchors - they eliminate many possibilities quickly.
Work Systematically
Let the rules guide your placement rather than guessing randomly.
Double-Check
Verify each region's rules are satisfied before moving to the next.

🎓 Keep Learning & Improve

🧠 Strategy Guide

Master the core techniques to solve any Pips puzzle, no matter the difficulty.

🎮 How to Play

New to Pips? Learn all the rules and conditional regions in minutes.

📖 More to Read

Oct 19, 2025

NYT Pips Hints & Answers for October 19, 2025

View Answer →
Oct 18, 2025

NYT Pips Hints & Answers for October 18, 2025

View Answer →
Oct 17, 2025

NYT Pips Hints & Answers for October 17, 2025

View Answer →

💬 Community Discussion

Leave your comment