NYT Pips HelperWednesday, August 26, 2026
Hints, answers & a solver for the New York Times Pips puzzle
Today's hintHint archiveAll answers

Pips hints — Monday, August 25, 2025

An archived puzzle. Pick your difficulty for a spoiler-safe nudge, then reveal the full board if you want it.

Monday, August 25, 2025Archived board

The Easy grid runs to 4 regions and 4 tiles, with target-sum rules in play. We give you a light nudge first — enough to get unstuck without spoiling the fun — and the full answer only when you ask for it.

Hint 1 — where to start

Easy
Start with the blue region — its one cell must be exactly 2. Only 1 pip combination fits it at all, which is why it gives way first.

Hint 2

Easy
There is exactly one home for the 5–2: down column 1, rows 1–2. It is the only tile that works there, because blue must add up to exactly 2. The 5 half sits in the purple region, which must add up to exactly 15.
Reveal the full Easy answer

Easy solution — August 25, 2025

35
52
51
11

blue (=2): 2 | purple (=15): 5 · 5 · 5 | green: 3 | amber (=3): 1 · 1 · 1

Prefer to watch it worked out step by step? Try the Pips Solver.

What each region asks for

RegionRuleCells
Blue2 — Be exactly 21
Purple15 — Add up to exactly 153
GreenTake any value it likes1
Amber3 — Add up to exactly 33

The Medium grid runs to 8 regions and 6 tiles, with no-repeats, less-than, all-equal and target-sum rules in play. We give you a light nudge first — enough to get unstuck without spoiling the fun — and the full answer only when you ask for it.

Hint 1 — where to start

Medium
Start with the orange region — its two cells must add up to exactly 0. Only 1 pip combination fits it at all, which is why it gives way first.

Hint 2

Medium
There is exactly one home for the 5–0: down column 3, rows 3–4. It is the only tile that works there, because orange must add up to exactly 0. The 5 half sits in the teal region, which must show the same number on every cell.

Hint 3

Medium
Lay the 5–5 down column 1, rows 3–4 — no guesswork needed. It is the only tile that works there, because amber must show the same number on every cell.
Reveal the full Medium answer

Medium solution — August 25, 2025

60
41
55
52
34
50

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

Prefer to watch it worked out step by step? Try the Pips Solver.

What each region asks for

RegionRuleCells
BlueTake any value it likes1
Purple≠ — Have no two cells showing the same number2
Green<2 — Be less than 21
Amber= — Show the same number on every cell2
Orange0 — Add up to exactly 02
SlateTake any value it likes1
Teal= — Show the same number on every cell2
PinkTake any value it likes1

The Hard grid runs to 10 regions and 10 tiles, with target-sum and all-equal rules in play. We give you a light nudge first — enough to get unstuck without spoiling the fun — and the full answer only when you ask for it.

Hard is where most players get stuck.We break it into small, spoiler-safe nudges so you can stop the moment you’re unstuck.

Hint 1 — where to start

Hard
Start with the blue region — its one cell must be exactly 1. Only 1 pip combination fits it at all, which is why it gives way first.

Hint 2

Hard
There is exactly one home for the 3–1: down column 3, rows 1–2. It is the only tile that works there, because blue must add up to exactly 1. The 3 half sits in the green region, which must show the same number on every cell.

Hint 3

Hard
Lay the 6–4 down column 4, rows 7–8 — no guesswork needed. It is the only tile that works there, because brown must add up to exactly 11.

Hint 4

Hard
Place the 0–3 domino across row 3, columns 2–3. It is the only tile that works there, because amber must show the same number on every cell.
Reveal the full Hard answer

Hard solution — August 25, 2025

31
20
23
15
00
44
03
43
50
64

blue (=1): 1 | purple: 2 | green (=): 3 · 3 · 3 · 3 | amber (=): 0 · 0 · 0 · 0 | orange: 2 | slate (=): 4 · 4 · 4 · 4 | teal: 5 | pink (=1): 1 | lime: 0 | brown (=11): 5 · 6

Prefer to watch it worked out step by step? Try the Pips Solver.

What each region asks for

RegionRuleCells
Blue1 — Be exactly 11
PurpleTake any value it likes1
Green= — Show the same number on every cell4
Amber= — Show the same number on every cell4
OrangeTake any value it likes1
Slate= — Show the same number on every cell4
TealTake any value it likes1
Pink1 — Be exactly 11
LimeTake any value it likes1
Brown11 — Add up to exactly 112
All hintsFull answers for this dayJun 28 →