NYT Pips hints and answers, Monday, September 28, 2026

Start with the cell that must equal 2 at row 5, column 4. It has the fewest ways to be satisfied.

That cell is a 2, and only one domino has a 2: the 2–5.

Place the 2–5 domino with the 2 at row 5, column 4 and the 5 at row 4, column 4.

Full solution (domino: first half → second half): 0–0: R3C5→R4C5; 4–4: R2C2→R3C2; 1–4: R1C1→R2C1; 2–5: R5C4→R4C4; 6–3: R3C3→R4C3.

Start with the cell that must equal 4 at row 1, column 3. It has the fewest ways to be satisfied.

That cell is a 4. Only 4 dominoes have a 4: 4–5, 4–3, 0–4, 4–1.

Place the 4–3 domino with the 4 at row 1, column 3 and the 3 at row 2, column 3.

Full solution (domino: first half → second half): 4–5: R3C3→R4C3; 4–3: R1C3→R2C3; 0–4: R2C4→R3C4; 1–3: R4C5→R4C4; 5–3: R2C2→R3C2; 4–1: R1C1→R1C2; 3–6: R5C4→R5C3.

Start with the cell that must equal 4 at row 4, column 2. It has the fewest ways to be satisfied.

That cell is a 4. Only 5 dominoes have a 4: 4–5, 0–4, 4–6, 2–4, 4–4.

Place the 4–4 domino with the 4 at row 4, column 2 and the 4 at row 5, column 2.

Full solution (domino: first half → second half): 3–0: R5C5→R4C5; 1–1: R1C4→R1C5; 1–5: R3C5→R2C5; 3–3: R5C4→R6C4; 4–5: R7C4→R7C3; 0–4: R3C1→R2C1; 1–2: R1C3→R2C3; 2–2: R6C1→R6C2; 6–3: R7C5→R6C5; 4–6: R7C1→R7C2; 0–5: R5C1→R4C1; 1–3: R1C2→R2C2; 2–4: R3C2→R3C3; 4–4: R4C2→R5C2.