NYT Pips HelperWednesday, August 26, 2026
Hints, answers & a solver for the New York Times Pips puzzle

Pips hints — Tuesday, October 7, 2025

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

Tuesday, October 7, 2025Archived board

Today's Easy board has 6 dominoes across 4 regions, mixing target-sum rules. 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
Your way in today is the amber region: three cells that must add up to exactly 15. Only 10 pip combinations fit it at all, which is why it gives way first.

Hint 2

Easy
Place the 5–5 domino across row 5, columns 1–2. It is the only tile that works there, because amber must add up to exactly 15.
Reveal the full Easy answer

Easy solution — October 7, 2025

33
04
55
44
23
54

blue (=9): 3 · 3 · 3 | purple: 2 · 0 | green (=16): 4 · 4 · 4 · 4 | amber (=15): 5 · 5 · 5

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

What each region asks for

RegionRuleCells
Blue9 — Add up to exactly 93
PurpleTake any values it likes2
Green16 — Add up to exactly 164
Amber15 — Add up to exactly 153

Today's Medium board has 9 dominoes across 8 regions, mixing less-than, all-equal and target-sum rules. 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
Your way in today is the green region: one cell that must take any value it likes. Only 7 pip combinations fit it at all, which is why it gives way first.

Hint 2

Medium
Place the 2–6 domino across row 2, columns 2–3. It is the only tile that works there, because amber must show the same number on every cell.

Hint 3

Medium
The 3–3 belongs down column 1, rows 4–5. It is the only tile that works there, because slate must show the same number on every cell.
Reveal the full Medium answer

Medium solution — October 7, 2025

10
06
12
42
36
33
26
52
35

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

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

What each region asks for

RegionRuleCells
Blue<4 — Add up to less than 42
Purple= — Show the same number on every cell3
GreenTake any value it likes1
Amber= — Show the same number on every cell4
OrangeTake any value it likes1
Slate= — Show the same number on every cell3
Teal11 — Add up to exactly 113
PinkTake any value it likes1

Today's Hard board has 10 dominoes across 9 regions, mixing target-sum, less-than and all-equal rules. 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
Your way in today is the blue region: two cells that must add up to exactly 0. Only 1 pip combination fits it at all, which is why it gives way first.

Hint 2

Hard
Place the 0–0 domino across row 1, columns 1–2. It is the only tile that works there, because blue must add up to exactly 0.

Hint 3

Hard
The 6–1 belongs across row 2, columns 7–8. It is the only tile that works there, because green must add up to less than 2. The 6 half sits in the amber region, which must show the same number on every cell.

Hint 4

Hard
There is exactly one home for the 3–0: across row 5, columns 3–4. It is the only tile that works there, because slate must add up to exactly 7.
Reveal the full Hard answer

Hard solution — October 7, 2025

61
30
24
02
66
44
25
00
32
56

blue (=0): 0 · 0 | purple (=11): 4 · 4 · 3 | green (<2): 1 | amber (=): 6 · 6 · 6 | orange (=): 2 · 2 | slate (=7): 4 · 3 | teal (=): 2 · 2 | pink (=5): 5 · 0 | lime (=11): 0 · 5 · 6

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

What each region asks for

RegionRuleCells
Blue0 — Add up to exactly 02
Purple11 — Add up to exactly 113
Green<2 — Be less than 21
Amber= — Show the same number on every cell3
Orange= — Show the same number on every cell2
Slate7 — Add up to exactly 72
Teal= — Show the same number on every cell2
Pink5 — Add up to exactly 52
Lime11 — Add up to exactly 113
All hintsFull answers for this dayJun 28 →