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

Pips hints — Thursday, March 26, 2026

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

Thursday, March 26, 2026Archived board

The Easy grid runs to 6 regions and 4 tiles, with greater-than, all-equal 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.

Hint 1 — where to start

Easy
Look at the slate region first. Across two cells it has to add up to more than 11. Only 1 pip combination fits it at all, which is why it gives way first.

Hint 2

Easy
Lay the 2–6 down column 3, rows 2–3 — no guesswork needed. It is the only tile that works there, because slate must add up to more than 11. The 2 half sits in the green region, which must show the same number on every cell.
Reveal the full Easy answer

Easy solution — March 26, 2026

32
60
25
26

blue (>4): 5 | purple: 2 | green (=): 2 · 2 | amber (<4): 3 | orange: 0 | slate (>11): 6 · 6

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

What each region asks for

RegionRuleCells
Blue>4 — Be more than 41
PurpleTake any value it likes1
Green= — Show the same number on every cell2
Amber<4 — Be less than 41
OrangeTake any value it likes1
Slate>11 — Add up to more than 112

The Medium grid runs to 8 regions and 7 tiles, with target-sum, greater-than 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

Medium
Look at the amber region first. Across one cell it has to be more than 4. Only 2 pip combinations fit it at all, which is why it gives way first.

Hint 2

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

Hint 3

Medium
Place the 1–5 domino down column 4, rows 4–5. It is the only tile that works there, because pink must add up to more than 4. The 1 half sits in the slate region, which must show the same number on every cell.
Reveal the full Medium answer

Medium solution — March 26, 2026

06
00
31
22
33
56
15

blue: 0 | purple (=3): 0 · 3 | green (=12): 6 · 6 · 0 | amber (>4): 5 | orange (=): 3 · 3 | slate (=): 1 · 1 | teal (=): 2 · 2 | pink (>4): 5

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

What each region asks for

RegionRuleCells
BlueTake any value it likes1
Purple3 — Add up to exactly 32
Green12 — Add up to exactly 123
Amber>4 — Be more than 41
Orange= — Show the same number on every cell2
Slate= — Show the same number on every cell2
Teal= — Show the same number on every cell2
Pink>4 — Be more than 41

The Hard grid runs to 14 regions and 15 tiles, with all-equal, target-sum 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
Look at the purple region first. Across one cell it has to be exactly 1. Only 1 pip combination fits it at all, which is why it gives way first.

Hint 2

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

Hint 3

Hard
Place the 3–4 domino across row 5, columns 4–5. It is the only tile that works there, because lime must add up to exactly 3. The 3 half sits in the lime region, which must be exactly 3.

Hint 4

Hard
The 5–6 belongs down column 4, rows 7–8. It is the only tile that works there, because green must add up to exactly 5. The 5 half sits in the green region, which must be exactly 5.
Reveal the full Hard answer

Hard solution — March 26, 2026

00
01
04
05
11
12
23
24
26
33
34
36
66
25
56

blue (=): 3 · 3 · 3 | purple (=1): 1 | green (=8): 2 · 2 · 4 | amber (=): 0 · 0 · 0 · 0 | orange (=): 1 · 1 · 1 | slate (=8): 6 · 2 | teal (=18): 6 · 6 · 6 | pink (=15): 4 · 5 · 6 | lime (=3): 3 | brown (=7): 3 · 4 | blue (=4): 2 · 2 | purple (<2): 0 | green (=5): 5 | amber (=5): 5

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
Purple1 — Be exactly 11
Green8 — Add up to exactly 83
Amber= — Show the same number on every cell4
Orange= — Show the same number on every cell3
Slate8 — Add up to exactly 82
Teal18 — Add up to exactly 183
Pink15 — Add up to exactly 153
Lime3 — Be exactly 31
Brown7 — Add up to exactly 72
Blue4 — Add up to exactly 42
Purple<2 — Be less than 21
Green5 — Be exactly 51
Amber5 — Be exactly 51
All hintsFull answers for this dayJun 28 →