NYT Pips Hint, Answer & Solution for October 9, 2025

Oct 9, 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

Take on the October 9 2025 Puzzle Set, where logic meets precision.

Editor Ian Livengood presents Rodolfo Kurchan’s finely-tuned challenges: Easy (#67) with 6 domino pairs, Medium (#110) stacking 10, and Hard (#197) featuring 16.

Each grid evolves in structure and complexity, pushing you to test your skills and master every solution.

Track your progress, compare results, and prove your puzzle-solving efficiency today!

💡 Progressive Hints

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

💡 Hint #1 - Purple Equal
The domino halves in this space must be 6 (If the value were 4, we would need 6+2=8. However, since 2 is not available, we must choose 6).
💡 Hint #1 - Red Equal
The domino halves in this space must be 4. Only 8 domino halves that contain 4 pips. The answer is 4-4, placed horizontally (relative position reasoning can be obtained);
💡 Hint #1 - Observe
The domino halves in the Light Blue Equal area must be 1. The domino halves in the Number (12) area must be 6.
💡 Hint #2 - Blue Equal
The domino halves in this space must be 2.
💡 Hint #3 - Yellow Equal
The domino halves in this space must be 3.
💡 Hint #4 - Red Equal
The domino halves in this space must be 5.

🎨 Pips Solver

Oct 9, 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 9, 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 9, 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:Purple Equal
The domino halves in this space must be 6 (If the value were 4, we would need 6+2=8. However, since 2 is not available, we must choose 6). The answer is 6-6, placed vertically; 6-4, placed vertically.
3
Step 3:Yellow Equal
The domino halves in this space must be 2. The answer is 4-1, placed horizontally; 1-5, 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. Only 8 domino halves that contain 4 pips.
2
Step 2:Red Equal
The domino halves in this space must be 4. The answer is 4-4, placed horizontally (relative position reasoning can be obtained); 0-4, placed horizontally; 1-4, placed horizontally; 2-4, placed horizontally; 5-4 (If pick 6-4, we would need 10-6=4. However, not enough 4 pips left, we must choose 5-4), placed horizontally; 6-4, placed horizontally; 3-4, placed horizontally.
3
Step 3
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 Light Blue Equal area must be 1. The domino halves in the Number (12) area must be 6.
2
Step 2:Four Number (0)
The domino halves in this space must be 0. The answer is 0-6, placed vertically; 0-0, placed horizontally; 0-1, placed vertically.
3
Step 3:Light Blue Equal
The domino halves in this space must be 1. Only 8 domino halves that contain 1 pips. The answer is 1-1, placed vertically; 6-1, placed vertically.
4
Step 4:Blue Equal
Only 3 domino halves left that contain 2 pips. The domino halves in this space must be 2. The answer is 1-2, placed vertically.
5
Step 5:One Number (0)
The domino halves in this space must be 0. The answer is 4-0, placed vertically (relative position reasoning can be obtained).
6
Step 6:Yellow Equal
Only 1 domino showing 3-6 (6 pips can't put in any color area). The domino halves in this space must be 3. The answer is 6-3, placed vertically; 3-3, placed vertically; 3-2, placed horizontally.
7
Step 7:Red Equal
The domino halves in this space must be 5. The answer is 2-5, placed horizontally; 1-5, placed vertically; 5-5, placed horizontally; 4-5, placed vertically.
8
Step 8
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

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🎮 How to Play

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