NYT Pips hints and answers, Friday, September 18, 2026

Start with the cell that must equal 6 at row 1, column 3. It has the fewest ways to be satisfied.

That cell is a 6, and only one domino has a 6: the 5–6.

Place the 5–6 domino with the 5 at row 1, column 4 and the 6 at row 1, column 3.

Full solution (domino: first half → second half): 2–2: R1C1→R1C2; 0–0: R2C2→R2C3; 5–6: R1C4→R1C3; 1–4: R3C3→R3C2; 1–5: R3C4→R2C4.

Start with the cell that must equal 3 at row 2, column 6. It has the fewest ways to be satisfied.

That cell is a 3. Only 2 dominoes have a 3: 3–4, 3–6.

Place the 3–4 domino with the 3 at row 2, column 6 and the 4 at row 3, column 6.

Full solution (domino: first half → second half): 0–4: R1C2→R2C2; 6–4: R2C4→R2C3; 3–4: R2C6→R3C6; 2–1: R3C3→R3C2; 5–2: R1C5→R2C5; 4–5: R3C5→R3C4; 3–6: R4C4→R4C3; 2–6: R3C1→R2C1.

Start with the cell that must be less than 2 at row 2, column 5. It has the fewest ways to be satisfied.

That cell is a 1. Only 4 dominoes have a 1: 2–1, 1–1, 3–1, 0–1.

Place the 0–1 domino with the 0 at row 3, column 5 and the 1 at row 2, column 5.

Full solution (domino: first half → second half): 0–6: R9C6→R8C6; 4–3: R9C5→R8C5; 6–2: R9C3→R8C3; 5–0: R4C2→R3C2; 3–6: R6C6→R7C6; 2–1: R4C7→R3C7; 0–3: R3C1→R2C1; 1–1: R1C7→R2C7; 4–0: R4C4→R3C4; 3–1: R7C3→R6C3; 0–2: R3C3→R2C3; 3–3: R7C4→R8C4; 0–1: R3C5→R2C5.