NYT Pips hints and answers, Saturday, October 3, 2026

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

That cell is a 0, and only one domino has a 0: the 2–0.

Place the 2–0 domino with the 2 at row 4, column 2 and the 0 at row 4, column 1.

Full solution (domino: first half → second half): 2–1: R2C3→R2C2; 1–5: R1C2→R1C1; 2–0: R4C2→R4C1; 6–4: R3C3→R4C3; 6–6: R2C4→R3C4.

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

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

Place the 5–6 domino with the 5 at row 3, column 2 and the 6 at row 2, column 2.

Full solution (domino: first half → second half): 6–3: R2C3→R1C3; 1–0: R1C2→R1C1; 0–2: R4C2→R4C3; 5–4: R4C4→R4C5; 0–0: R2C1→R3C1; 4–2: R3C3→R3C4; 5–6: R3C2→R2C2.

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 4 dominoes have a 1: 1–3, 2–1, 1–0, 4–1.

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

Full solution (domino: first half → second half): 5–5: R2C7→R3C7; 3–5: R1C6→R1C7; 5–2: R4C7→R5C7; 1–3: R3C2→R2C2; 2–0: R5C6→R5C5; 4–5: R2C1→R1C1; 3–4: R5C1→R5C2; 2–4: R5C3→R5C4; 2–1: R4C4→R3C4; 1–0: R1C2→R1C3; 0–5: R3C5→R4C5; 4–1: R1C5→R1C4; 3–3: R3C1→R4C1; 3–6: R4C6→R3C6.