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

Pips hints — Wednesday, December 10, 2025

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

Wednesday, December 10, 2025Archived board

Easy today: 5 dominoes, 5 regions and target-sum, greater-than and less-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.

Hint 1 — where to start

Easy
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

Easy
Lay the 1–5 across row 1, columns 1–2 — no guesswork needed. It is the only tile that works there, because blue must add up to exactly 1. The 1 half sits in the blue region, which must be exactly 1.
Reveal the full Easy answer

Easy solution — December 10, 2025

15
25
35
45
55

blue (=1): 1 | purple (=30): 5 · 5 · 5 · 5 · 5 · 5 | green (>3): 4 | amber (<3): 2 | orange: 3

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

What each region asks for

RegionRuleCells
Blue1 — Be exactly 11
Purple30 — Add up to exactly 306
Green>3 — Be more than 31
Amber<3 — Be less than 31
OrangeTake any value it likes1

Medium today: 9 dominoes, 8 regions and target-sum, greater-than 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

Medium
Start with the blue region — its one cell must be exactly 3. Only 1 pip combination fits it at all, which is why it gives way first.

Hint 2

Medium
Lay the 4–3 down column 5, rows 1–2 — no guesswork needed. It is the only tile that works there, because blue must add up to exactly 3. The 4 half sits in the green region, which must show the same number on every cell.

Hint 3

Medium
Place the 5–0 domino across row 3, columns 4–5. It is the only tile that works there, because orange must add up to exactly 0. The 5 half sits in the amber region, which must add up to exactly 30.
Reveal the full Medium answer

Medium solution — December 10, 2025

55
44
03
65
45
43
50
01
35

blue (=3): 3 | purple (>3): 4 | green (=): 4 · 4 · 4 | amber (=30): 5 · 5 · 5 · 5 · 5 · 5 | orange (=0): 0 | slate (=7): 6 · 1 | teal (=): 3 · 3 | pink (=): 0 · 0

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

What each region asks for

RegionRuleCells
Blue3 — Be exactly 31
Purple>3 — Be more than 31
Green= — Show the same number on every cell3
Amber30 — Add up to exactly 306
Orange0 — Be exactly 01
Slate7 — Add up to exactly 72
Teal= — Show the same number on every cell2
Pink= — Show the same number on every cell2

Hard today: 10 dominoes, 9 regions and less-than, 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
Start with the lime region — its one cell must be more than 4. Only 2 pip combinations fit it at all, which is why it gives way first.

Hint 2

Hard
Lay the 5–0 down column 2, rows 6–7 — no guesswork needed. It is the only tile that works there, because lime must add up to more than 4. The 5 half sits in the lime region, which must be more than 4.

Hint 3

Hard
Place the 1–3 domino across row 2, columns 3–4. It is the only tile that works there, because green must add up to exactly 9. The 1 half sits in the amber region, which must take any value it likes.

Hint 4

Hard
The 4–6 belongs across row 1, columns 3–4. It is the only tile that works there, because green must add up to exactly 9. The 4 half sits in the purple region, which must show the same number on every cell.
Reveal the full Hard answer

Hard solution — December 10, 2025

12
66
50
13
20
41
04
46
24
01

blue (<4): 1 · 1 | purple (=): 4 · 4 · 4 | green (=9): 6 · 3 | amber: 1 | orange (=): 2 · 2 · 2 | slate (=16): 4 · 6 · 6 | teal (=): 0 · 0 · 0 · 0 | pink: 1 | lime (>4): 5

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
Green9 — Add up to exactly 92
AmberTake any value it likes1
Orange= — Show the same number on every cell3
Slate16 — Add up to exactly 163
Teal= — Show the same number on every cell4
PinkTake any value it likes1
Lime>4 — Be more than 41
All hintsFull answers for this dayJun 28 →