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

Pips hints — Monday, May 25, 2026

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

Monday, May 25, 2026Archived board

Easy today: 5 dominoes, 5 regions 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 3. Only 4 pip combinations fit it at all, which is why it gives way first.

Hint 2

Easy
There is exactly one home for the 3–3: across row 4, columns 3–4. It is the only tile that works there, because green must add up to exactly 3.
Reveal the full Easy answer

Easy solution — May 25, 2026

33
00
06
44
22

blue (=8): 0 · 4 · 4 · 0 | purple: 6 | green (=3): 0 · 3 | amber (=5): 2 · 3 | orange: 2

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

What each region asks for

RegionRuleCells
Blue8 — Add up to exactly 84
PurpleTake any value it likes1
Green3 — Add up to exactly 32
Amber5 — Add up to exactly 52
OrangeTake any value it likes1

Medium today: 8 dominoes, 9 regions and all-equal, greater-than 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 more than 5. 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 6–5: down column 6, rows 2–3. It is the only tile that works there, because amber must add up to more than 5. The 6 half sits in the amber region, which must be more than 5.

Hint 3

Medium
Lay the 6–1 down column 1, rows 4–5 — no guesswork needed. It is the only tile that works there, because pink must add up to less than 2. The 6 half sits in the slate region, which must show the same number on every cell.
Reveal the full Medium answer

Medium solution — May 25, 2026

61
25
33
65
23
36
24
34

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

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
PurpleTake any value it likes1
Green= — Show the same number on every cell2
Amber>5 — Be more than 51
Orange= — Show the same number on every cell2
Slate= — Show the same number on every cell2
Teal= — Show the same number on every cell4
Pink<2 — Be less than 21
LimeTake any value it likes1

Hard today: 15 dominoes, 19 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.

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 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 6–3: across row 1, columns 2–3. It is the only tile that works there, because purple must add up to exactly 3. The 6 half sits in the blue region, which must add up to exactly 11.

Hint 3

Hard
Lay the 2–4 across row 6, columns 5–6 — no guesswork needed. It is the only tile that works there, because brown must add up to exactly 4. The 2 half sits in the lime region, which must show the same number on every cell.

Hint 4

Hard
Place the 1–2 domino down column 4, rows 6–7. 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.
Reveal the full Hard answer

Hard solution — May 25, 2026

05
63
14
60
55
12
34
62
44
13
54
10
53
24
11

blue (=11): 5 · 6 | purple (=3): 3 | green: 3 | amber (=4): 4 · 0 | orange (=8): 3 · 5 | slate (=1): 1 · 0 | teal (=11): 1 · 5 · 5 | pink (>3): 5 | lime (=): 2 · 2 | brown (=4): 4 | blue (=): 1 · 1 | purple (=1): 1 | green (=): 4 · 4 · 4 | amber (=2): 2 | orange (>4): 6 | slate (=3): 3 | teal (=1): 1 | pink (<5): 4 · 0 | lime (=6): 6

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

What each region asks for

RegionRuleCells
Blue11 — Add up to exactly 112
Purple3 — Be exactly 31
GreenTake any value it likes1
Amber4 — Add up to exactly 42
Orange8 — Add up to exactly 82
Slate1 — Add up to exactly 12
Teal11 — Add up to exactly 113
Pink>3 — Be more than 31
Lime= — Show the same number on every cell2
Brown4 — Be exactly 41
Blue= — Show the same number on every cell2
Purple1 — Be exactly 11
Green= — Show the same number on every cell3
Amber2 — Be exactly 21
Orange>4 — Be more than 41
Slate3 — Be exactly 31
Teal1 — Be exactly 11
Pink<5 — Add up to less than 52
Lime6 — Be exactly 61
All hintsFull answers for this dayJun 28 →