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

Pips hints — Monday, October 27, 2025

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

Monday, October 27, 2025Archived board

Easy today: 4 dominoes, 5 regions and target-sum and all-equal constraints. 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 blue region: one cell that must be exactly 3. Only 1 pip combination fits it at all, which is why it gives way first.

Hint 2

Easy
Place the 1–3 domino down column 1, rows 1–2. It is the only tile that works there, because blue must add up to exactly 3. The 1 half sits in the purple region, which must add up to exactly 3.
Reveal the full Easy answer

Easy solution — October 27, 2025

42
03
13
23

blue (=3): 3 | purple (=3): 1 · 2 · 0 | green: 4 | amber (=2): 2 | orange (=): 3 · 3

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

What each region asks for

RegionRuleCells
Blue3 — Be exactly 31
Purple3 — Add up to exactly 33
GreenTake any value it likes1
Amber2 — Be exactly 21
Orange= — Show the same number on every cell2

Medium today: 7 dominoes, 8 regions and less-than, all-equal and target-sum constraints. 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 teal region: one cell that must be exactly 2. Only 1 pip combination fits it at all, which is why it gives way first.

Hint 2

Medium
Place the 5–2 domino down column 4, rows 3–4. It is the only tile that works there, because teal must add up to exactly 2. The 5 half sits in the slate region, which must add up to exactly 9.

Hint 3

Medium
The 1–3 belongs across row 1, columns 2–3. It is the only tile that works there, because blue must add up to less than 2. The 1 half sits in the blue region, which must be less than 2.
Reveal the full Medium answer

Medium solution — October 27, 2025

44
34
52
35
13
32
20

blue (<2): 1 | purple (=): 3 · 3 | green (=): 4 · 4 | amber (=5): 0 · 5 | orange (=): 2 · 2 | slate (=9): 5 · 4 | teal (=2): 2 | pink (=): 3 · 3

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

What each region asks for

RegionRuleCells
Blue<2 — Be less than 21
Purple= — Show the same number on every cell2
Green= — Show the same number on every cell2
Amber5 — Add up to exactly 52
Orange= — Show the same number on every cell2
Slate9 — Add up to exactly 92
Teal2 — Be exactly 21
Pink= — Show the same number on every cell2

Hard today: 11 dominoes, 9 regions and all-equal, target-sum and greater-than constraints. 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 purple region: one cell that must be exactly 4. Only 1 pip combination fits it at all, which is why it gives way first.

Hint 2

Hard
Place the 1–4 domino down column 1, rows 2–3. It is the only tile that works there, because purple must add up to exactly 4. The 1 half sits in the blue region, which must show the same number on every cell.

Hint 3

Hard
The 0–2 belongs across row 4, columns 1–2. It is the only tile that works there, because slate must add up to exactly 1.

Hint 4

Hard
There is exactly one home for the 1–3: down column 1, rows 5–6. It is the only tile that works there, because slate must add up to exactly 1.
Reveal the full Hard answer

Hard solution — October 27, 2025

00
01
02
03
04
11
12
13
14
22
23

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

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

What each region asks for

RegionRuleCells
Blue= — Show the same number on every cell4
Purple4 — Be exactly 41
Green= — Show the same number on every cell3
Amber4 — Add up to exactly 42
Orange1 — Add up to exactly 12
Slate1 — Add up to exactly 12
Teal= — Show the same number on every cell4
Pink>5 — Add up to more than 52
Lime= — Show the same number on every cell2
All hintsFull answers for this dayJun 28 →