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, April 5, 2026

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

Sunday, April 5, 2026Archived board

Easy today: 6 dominoes, 9 regions and 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.

Hint 1 — where to start

Easy
Start with the blue region — its one cell must be exactly 4. Only 1 pip combination fits it at all, which is why it gives way first.

Hint 2

Easy
There is exactly one home for the 4–6: down column 1, rows 1–2. It is the only tile that works there, because blue must add up to exactly 4. The 4 half sits in the blue region, which must be exactly 4.
Reveal the full Easy answer

Easy solution — April 5, 2026

51
32
46
10
06
34

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

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

What each region asks for

RegionRuleCells
Blue4 — Be exactly 41
Purple4 — Be exactly 41
Green= — Show the same number on every cell2
Amber= — Show the same number on every cell2
Orange2 — Be exactly 21
Slate0 — Be exactly 01
Teal0 — Be exactly 01
Pink5 — Be exactly 51
Lime= — Show the same number on every cell2

Medium today: 7 dominoes, 8 regions and all-equal, target-sum 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
Start with the amber 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
There is exactly one home for the 4–3: across row 2, columns 1–2. It is the only tile that works there, because amber must add up to exactly 3. The 4 half sits in the orange region, which must show the same number on every cell.

Hint 3

Medium
Lay the 3–2 down column 6, rows 1–2 — no guesswork needed. It is the only tile that works there, because slate must add up to exactly 3. The 3 half sits in the slate region, which must be exactly 3.
Reveal the full Medium answer

Medium solution — April 5, 2026

22
41
60
32
21
43
46

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

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 cell2
Purple4 — Add up to exactly 42
Green3 — Add up to exactly 32
Amber3 — Be exactly 31
Orange= — Show the same number on every cell2
Slate3 — Be exactly 31
Teal= — Show the same number on every cell2
Pink<4 — Add up to less than 42

Hard today: 12 dominoes, 11 regions and 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
Start with the brown 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

Hard
There is exactly one home for the 3–5: down column 1, rows 4–5. It is the only tile that works there, because brown must add up to exactly 3. The 3 half sits in the brown region, which must be exactly 3.

Hint 3

Hard
Lay the 6–2 down column 5, rows 2–3 — no guesswork needed. It is the only tile that works there, because amber must add up to exactly 12.

Hint 4

Hard
Place the 0–6 domino across row 1, columns 4–5. It is the only tile that works there, because amber must add up to exactly 12. The 0 half sits in the green region, which must show the same number on every cell.
Reveal the full Hard answer

Hard solution — April 5, 2026

50
42
13
62
11
35
16
33
12
55
06
51

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

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

What each region asks for

RegionRuleCells
Blue9 — Add up to exactly 92
Purple4 — Add up to exactly 42
Green= — Show the same number on every cell2
Amber12 — Add up to exactly 122
Orange2 — Add up to exactly 22
Slate6 — Add up to exactly 62
Teal= — Show the same number on every cell3
Pink5 — Add up to exactly 52
Lime11 — Add up to exactly 112
Brown3 — Be exactly 31
Blue4 — Add up to exactly 44
All hintsFull answers for this dayJun 28 →