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

Pips hints — Sunday, February 22, 2026

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

Sunday, February 22, 2026Archived board

Easy today: 5 dominoes, 8 regions and greater-than 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

Easy
Your way in today is the green region: one cell that must be exactly 0. Only 1 pip combination fits it at all, which is why it gives way first.

Hint 2

Easy
Lay the 4–0 down column 1, rows 1–2 — no guesswork needed. It is the only tile that works there, because green must add up to exactly 0. The 4 half sits in the blue region, which must add up to more than 9.
Reveal the full Easy answer

Easy solution — February 22, 2026

40
02
66
35
21

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

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

What each region asks for

RegionRuleCells
Blue>9 — Add up to more than 92
Purple9 — Add up to exactly 92
Green0 — Be exactly 01
AmberTake any value it likes1
Orange>1 — Be more than 11
SlateTake any value it likes1
Teal0 — Be exactly 01
PinkTake any value it likes1

Medium today: 8 dominoes, 10 regions and target-sum, greater-than, all-equal 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

Medium
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

Medium
Lay the 5–1 across row 1, columns 5–6 — no guesswork needed. It is the only tile that works there, because green must add up to more than 4. The 5 half sits in the green region, which must be more than 4.

Hint 3

Medium
Place the 3–5 domino down column 2, rows 2–3. It is the only tile that works there, because pink must add up to exactly 10. The 3 half sits in the orange region, which must show the same number on every cell.
Reveal the full Medium answer

Medium solution — February 22, 2026

32
46
51
13
35
54
05
66

blue: 5 | purple (=4): 4 | green (>4): 5 | amber (=2): 1 · 1 | orange (=): 3 · 3 | slate: 3 | teal: 2 | pink (=10): 5 · 5 | lime (=22): 6 · 6 · 4 · 6 | brown (<3): 0

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

What each region asks for

RegionRuleCells
BlueTake any value it likes1
Purple4 — Be exactly 41
Green>4 — Be more than 41
Amber2 — Add up to exactly 22
Orange= — Show the same number on every cell2
SlateTake any value it likes1
TealTake any value it likes1
Pink10 — Add up to exactly 102
Lime22 — Add up to exactly 224
Brown<3 — Be less than 31

Hard today: 13 dominoes, 17 regions and less-than, 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.

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 slate region: one cell that must be exactly 1. Only 1 pip combination fits it at all, which is why it gives way first.

Hint 2

Hard
Lay the 1–6 down column 3, rows 7–8 — no guesswork needed. It is the only tile that works there, because slate must add up to exactly 1. The 1 half sits in the slate region, which must be exactly 1.

Hint 3

Hard
Place the 1–0 domino down column 6, rows 7–8. It is the only tile that works there, because teal must add up to exactly 1. The 1 half sits in the teal region, which must be exactly 1.

Hint 4

Hard
The 4–6 belongs down column 5, rows 6–7. It is the only tile that works there, because amber must add up to exactly 12. The 4 half sits in the orange region, which must add up to exactly 4.
Reveal the full Hard answer

Hard solution — February 22, 2026

46
32
10
34
05
30
16
22
65
02
36
25
31

blue (<2): 0 | purple (=1): 1 · 0 | green (=): 3 · 3 | amber (=): 3 · 3 | orange: 2 | slate (=11): 6 · 5 | teal: 2 | pink: 2 | lime (=4): 2 · 2 | brown (=9): 4 · 5 | blue: 5 | purple (=9): 3 · 6 | green: 0 | amber (=12): 6 · 6 | orange (=4): 4 · 0 | slate (=1): 1 | teal (=1): 1

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
Purple1 — Add up to exactly 12
Green= — Show the same number on every cell2
Amber= — Show the same number on every cell2
OrangeTake any value it likes1
Slate11 — Add up to exactly 112
TealTake any value it likes1
PinkTake any value it likes1
Lime4 — Add up to exactly 42
Brown9 — Add up to exactly 92
BlueTake any value it likes1
Purple9 — Add up to exactly 92
GreenTake any value it likes1
Amber12 — Add up to exactly 122
Orange4 — Add up to exactly 42
Slate1 — Be exactly 11
Teal1 — Be exactly 11
All hintsFull answers for this dayJun 28 →