NYT Pips HelperFriday, September 18, 2026

Pips answers — Friday, September 18, 2026

The finished Easy, Medium and Hard boards for this day, with every region rule satisfied.

Easy #1,274

Easy

blue (=): 2 · 2 | purple (=6): 6 | green (=): 5 · 5 | amber (=0): 0 · 0 | orange (=4): 4 | slate (=): 1 · 1

Medium #1,279

Medium

blue (=8): 0 · 4 · 4 | purple: 5 | green (=8): 6 · 2 | amber (=8): 6 · 2 | orange (=3): 3 | slate (<2): 1 | teal (=8): 2 · 6 | pink (=8): 5 · 3 | lime (=8): 4 · 4

Hard #1,286

Hard

blue (=): 1 · 1 · 1 | purple (<4): 3 | green (<3): 2 | amber (<2): 1 | orange (=): 0 · 0 · 0 · 0 · 0 | slate (<6): 5 | teal (<5): 4 | pink: 2 | lime: 1 | brown: 3 | blue (=): 3 · 3 · 3 · 3 | purple (>10): 6 · 6 | green (<3): 2 | amber (>3): 6 | orange (>3): 4 | slate (<2): 0

Spoiler note: this page shows the finished boards. Want only a nudge instead? Open the hints for September 18, where the answer stays behind one extra click.

Easy board — region rules

RegionRuleCells
Blue= — Show the same number on every cell2
Purple6 — Be exactly 61
Green= — Show the same number on every cell2
Amber0 — Add up to exactly 02
Orange4 — Be exactly 41
Slate= — Show the same number on every cell2

Medium board — region rules

RegionRuleCells
Blue8 — Add up to exactly 83
PurpleTake any value it likes1
Green8 — Add up to exactly 82
Amber8 — Add up to exactly 82
Orange3 — Be exactly 31
Slate<2 — Be less than 21
Teal8 — Add up to exactly 82
Pink8 — Add up to exactly 82
Lime8 — Add up to exactly 82

Hard board — region rules

RegionRuleCells
Blue= — Show the same number on every cell3
Purple<4 — Be less than 41
Green<3 — Be less than 31
Amber<2 — Be less than 21
Orange= — Show the same number on every cell5
Slate<6 — Be less than 61
Teal<5 — Be less than 51
PinkTake any value it likes1
LimeTake any value it likes1
BrownTake any value it likes1
Blue= — Show the same number on every cell4
Purple>10 — Add up to more than 102
Green<3 — Be less than 31
Amber>3 — Be more than 31
Orange>3 — Be more than 31
Slate<2 — Be less than 21
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