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

Pips hints — Wednesday, January 28, 2026

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

Wednesday, January 28, 2026Archived board

The Easy grid runs to 6 regions and 5 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.

Hint 1 — where to start

Easy
Ignore the open areas for now and go straight to the amber region, where one cell must be exactly 4. Only 1 pip combination fits it at all, which is why it gives way first.

Hint 2

Easy
The 4–1 belongs down column 5, rows 2–3. It is the only tile that works there, because amber must add up to exactly 4. The 4 half sits in the amber region, which must be exactly 4.
Reveal the full Easy answer

Easy solution — January 28, 2026

51
41
44
55
02

blue: 2 | purple (=5): 0 · 5 | green (=): 5 · 5 | amber (=4): 4 | orange (=): 1 · 1 | slate (=8): 4 · 4

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

What each region asks for

RegionRuleCells
BlueTake any value it likes1
Purple5 — Add up to exactly 52
Green= — Show the same number on every cell2
Amber4 — Be exactly 41
Orange= — Show the same number on every cell2
Slate8 — Add up to exactly 82

The Medium grid runs to 10 regions and 7 tiles, with target-sum, all-equal and greater-than 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
Ignore the open areas for now and go straight to the blue 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

Medium
The 3–4 belongs down column 1, rows 1–2. It is the only tile that works there, because blue must add up to exactly 3. The 3 half sits in the blue region, which must be exactly 3.

Hint 3

Medium
There is exactly one home for the 5–3: across row 1, columns 5–6. It is the only tile that works there, because amber must add up to exactly 3. The 5 half sits in the green region, which must show the same number on every cell.
Reveal the full Medium answer

Medium solution — January 28, 2026

52
34
53
06
45
66
11

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

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

What each region asks for

RegionRuleCells
Blue3 — Be exactly 31
PurpleTake any value it likes1
Green= — Show the same number on every cell2
Amber3 — Be exactly 31
Orange9 — Add up to exactly 92
Slate>2 — Add up to more than 22
Teal>5 — Be more than 51
Pink4 — Be exactly 41
LimeTake any value it likes1
Brown= — Show the same number on every cell2

The Hard grid runs to 11 regions and 10 tiles, with target-sum, all-equal, greater-than, no-repeats and less-than 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
Ignore the open areas for now and go straight to the blue 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
The 4–3 belongs down column 1, rows 1–2. It is the only tile that works there, because blue must add up to exactly 3. The 4 half sits in the amber region, which must show the same number on every cell.

Hint 3

Hard
There is exactly one home for the 1–1: down column 3, rows 3–4. It is the only tile that works there, because orange must add up to exactly 2.

Hint 4

Hard
Lay the 5–1 down column 3, rows 1–2 — no guesswork needed. It is the only tile that works there, because orange must add up to exactly 2. The 5 half sits in the purple region, which must add up to exactly 5.
Reveal the full Hard answer

Hard solution — January 28, 2026

43
50
42
11
25
30
51
26
55
00

blue (=3): 3 | purple (=5): 5 · 0 | green (=5): 3 · 2 | amber (=): 4 · 4 | orange (=2): 1 · 1 | slate (>10): 6 · 5 | teal: 2 | pink (≠): 1 · 2 · 5 · 0 | lime (<2): 0 · 0 | brown: 5 | blue: 5

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

What each region asks for

RegionRuleCells
Blue3 — Be exactly 31
Purple5 — Add up to exactly 52
Green5 — Add up to exactly 52
Amber= — Show the same number on every cell2
Orange2 — Add up to exactly 22
Slate>10 — Add up to more than 102
TealTake any value it likes1
Pink≠ — Have no two cells showing the same number4
Lime<2 — Add up to less than 22
BrownTake any value it likes1
BlueTake any value it likes1
All hintsFull answers for this dayJun 28 →