NYT Pips #397 Answers
Easy solution
4×3 grid · 5 dominoes · 6 regions · set by Ian Livengood
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=
0
6=
4=
Medium solution
6×4 grid · 8 dominoes · 9 regions · set by Ian Livengood
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8
8
3
<28
88
8
Hard solution
7×9 grid · 13 dominoes · 16 regions · set by Rodolfo Kurchan
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<2
>3
<3>3
<6
>10
<4=
=
<5
=
<3
<2
About Pips #397
Pips #397 ran on Friday, September 18, 2026. Each board shows every domino in its solved position: the colour of a half is the region it belongs to, and the small badge marks that region's rule — a target sum, “=” for all-equal, or a “<”/“>” limit. This Hard board used 13 dominoes against 5 on Easy, which is the usual way Pips scales difficulty: more pieces, more regions, fewer forced moves.
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Unofficial guide — not affiliated with or endorsed by The New York Times. Boards are rebuilt from the official puzzle data.