NYT Pips hints and answers, Thursday, October 1, 2026

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

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

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

Full solution (domino: first half → second half): 4–6: R2C3→R2C2; 0–0: R3C1→R4C1; 5–6: R4C4→R3C4; 1–0: R1C1→R2C1; 0–4: R3C2→R3C3.

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

That cell is a 4. Only 3 dominoes have a 4: 4–6, 4–1, 4–5.

Place the 4–5 domino with the 4 at row 3, column 1 and the 5 at row 3, column 2.

Full solution (domino: first half → second half): 4–6: R2C3→R3C3; 4–1: R2C5→R3C5; 6–0: R1C4→R2C4; 1–1: R1C2→R2C2; 3–5: R4C2→R4C3; 4–5: R3C1→R3C2; 2–1: R4C4→R3C4.

Start with the cell that must equal 1 at row 1, column 2. It has the fewest ways to be satisfied.

That cell is a 1. Only 5 dominoes have a 1: 1–3, 1–5, 1–2, 4–1, 1–6.

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

Full solution (domino: first half → second half): 1–3: R1C3→R2C3; 2–6: R1C5→R2C5; 1–5: R3C6→R2C6; 6–0: R5C6→R4C6; 1–2: R1C2→R2C2; 5–6: R3C5→R4C5; 2–3: R1C4→R2C4; 6–6: R6C2→R6C3; 2–0: R5C3→R4C3; 3–6: R3C4→R4C4; 0–0: R3C2→R3C3; 4–1: R4C1→R5C1; 3–5: R3C1→R2C1; 2–4: R6C4→R6C5; 2–5: R5C4→R5C5; 1–6: R5C2→R4C2.