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

Pips hints — Tuesday, November 18, 2025

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

Tuesday, November 18, 2025Archived board

Today's Easy board has 4 dominoes across 4 regions, mixing 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

Easy
Ignore the open areas for now and go straight to the amber region, where two cells must add up to exactly 8. Only 5 pip combinations fit it at all, which is why it gives way first.

Hint 2

Easy
Lay the 0–6 across row 1, columns 2–3 — no guesswork needed. It is the only tile that works there, because purple must show the same number on every cell.
Reveal the full Easy answer

Easy solution — November 18, 2025

00
44
26
06

blue (=): 6 · 6 | purple (=): 0 · 0 · 0 | green: 2 | amber (=8): 4 · 4

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 cell2
Purple= — Show the same number on every cell3
GreenTake any value it likes1
Amber8 — Add up to exactly 82

Today's Medium board has 8 dominoes across 9 regions, mixing target-sum 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.

Hint 1 — where to start

Medium
Ignore the open areas for now and go straight to the purple region, where one cell must be exactly 1. Only 1 pip combination fits it at all, which is why it gives way first.

Hint 2

Medium
Lay the 0–1 down column 5, rows 1–2 — no guesswork needed. It is the only tile that works there, because purple must add up to exactly 1. The 0 half sits in the amber region, which must show the same number on every cell.

Hint 3

Medium
Place the 4–3 domino across row 4, columns 3–4. It is the only tile that works there, because lime must add up to exactly 4. The 4 half sits in the lime region, which must be exactly 4.
Reveal the full Medium answer

Medium solution — November 18, 2025

63
25
14
01
43
22
61
20

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

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

What each region asks for

RegionRuleCells
Blue5 — Add up to exactly 52
Purple1 — Be exactly 11
Green= — Show the same number on every cell4
Amber= — Show the same number on every cell2
OrangeTake any value it likes1
Slate= — Show the same number on every cell2
TealTake any value it likes1
Pink11 — Add up to exactly 112
Lime4 — Be exactly 41

Today's Hard board has 9 dominoes across 8 regions, mixing target-sum 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
Ignore the open areas for now and go straight to the purple region, where one cell must be exactly 3. Only 1 pip combination fits it at all, which is why it gives way first.

Hint 2

Hard
Lay the 3–3 across row 1, columns 1–2 — no guesswork needed. It is the only tile that works there, because purple must add up to exactly 3. The 3 half sits in the blue region, which must add up to exactly 9.

Hint 3

Hard
Place the 5–6 domino down column 1, rows 2–3. It is the only tile that works there, because amber must add up to exactly 9.

Hint 4

Hard
The 4–2 belongs across row 4, columns 1–2. It is the only tile that works there, because amber must add up to exactly 9.
Reveal the full Hard answer

Hard solution — November 18, 2025

21
56
22
55
42
43
62
33
52

blue (=9): 3 · 6 | purple (=3): 3 | green (=9): 5 · 2 · 2 | amber (=9): 5 · 4 | orange (=9): 1 · 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 | slate (=9): 6 · 3 | teal (=): 5 · 5 | pink: 4

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

What each region asks for

RegionRuleCells
Blue9 — Add up to exactly 92
Purple3 — Be exactly 31
Green9 — Add up to exactly 93
Amber9 — Add up to exactly 92
Orange9 — Add up to exactly 95
Slate9 — Add up to exactly 92
Teal= — Show the same number on every cell2
PinkTake any value it likes1
All hintsFull answers for this dayJun 28 →