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, March 15, 2026

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

Sunday, March 15, 2026Archived board

Easy today: 5 dominoes, 5 regions and 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

Easy
Start with the green region — its two cells must add up to exactly 10. Only 3 pip combinations fit it at all, which is why it gives way first.

Hint 2

Easy
Place the 3–6 domino across row 4, columns 1–2. It is the only tile that works there, because green must add up to exactly 10. The 3 half sits in the orange region, which must take any value it likes.
Reveal the full Easy answer

Easy solution — March 15, 2026

36
55
54
03
00

blue (=): 0 · 0 · 0 | purple: 3 | green (=10): 4 · 6 | amber (=): 5 · 5 · 5 | orange: 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 cell3
PurpleTake any value it likes1
Green10 — Add up to exactly 102
Amber= — Show the same number on every cell3
OrangeTake any value it likes1

Medium today: 7 dominoes, 9 regions and target-sum, less-than, all-equal 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.

Hint 1 — where to start

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

Hint 2

Medium
Place the 0–2 domino down column 4, rows 2–3. It is the only tile that works there, because amber must add up to less than 1. The 0 half sits in the amber region, which must be less than 1.

Hint 3

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

Medium solution — March 15, 2026

13
51
02
25
63
21
43

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

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

What each region asks for

RegionRuleCells
BlueTake any value it likes1
PurpleTake any value it likes1
Green2 — Add up to exactly 22
Amber<1 — Be less than 11
Orange= — Show the same number on every cell2
Slate5 — Add up to exactly 52
TealTake any value it likes1
Pink= — Show the same number on every cell2
Lime>10 — Add up to more than 102

Hard today: 15 dominoes, 18 regions and greater-than, target-sum, all-equal, less-than and no-repeats 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 purple region — its one cell must be exactly 2. Only 1 pip combination fits it at all, which is why it gives way first.

Hint 2

Hard
Place the 2–4 domino down column 4, rows 1–2. It is the only tile that works there, because purple must add up to exactly 2. The 2 half sits in the purple region, which must be exactly 2.

Hint 3

Hard
The 6–1 belongs down column 9, rows 3–4. It is the only tile that works there, because brown must add up to exactly 12.

Hint 4

Hard
There is exactly one home for the 4–6: across row 4, columns 5–6. It is the only tile that works there, because pink must add up to exactly 4. The 4 half sits in the pink region, which must be exactly 4.
Reveal the full Hard answer

Hard solution — March 15, 2026

20
33
04
56
22
43
61
00
46
35
66
24
11
06
55

blue (>2): 3 | purple (=2): 2 | green (=10): 5 · 5 | amber (=): 4 · 4 · 4 | orange (=12): 6 · 6 | slate (=1): 1 | teal (<2): 0 | pink (=4): 4 | lime (=11): 6 · 5 | brown (=12): 6 · 6 | blue (=): 2 · 2 | purple (=): 3 · 3 · 3 | green (>2): 5 | amber: 0 | orange (≠): 2 · 1 · 0 | slate (<2): 0 · 0 | teal (=1): 1 | pink (>2): 6

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

What each region asks for

RegionRuleCells
Blue>2 — Be more than 21
Purple2 — Be exactly 21
Green10 — Add up to exactly 102
Amber= — Show the same number on every cell3
Orange12 — Add up to exactly 122
Slate1 — Be exactly 11
Teal<2 — Be less than 21
Pink4 — Be exactly 41
Lime11 — Add up to exactly 112
Brown12 — Add up to exactly 122
Blue= — Show the same number on every cell2
Purple= — Show the same number on every cell3
Green>2 — Be more than 21
AmberTake any value it likes1
Orange≠ — Have no two cells showing the same number3
Slate<2 — Add up to less than 22
Teal1 — Be exactly 11
Pink>2 — Be more than 21
All hintsFull answers for this dayJun 28 →