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, June 1, 2026

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

Monday, June 1, 2026Archived board

Today's Easy board has 5 dominoes across 6 regions, mixing target-sum, less-than and all-equal rules. 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 purple region first. Across one cell it has to be less than 5. Only 5 pip combinations fit it at all, which is why it gives way first.

Hint 2

Easy
There is exactly one home for the 3–4: down column 4, rows 1–2. It is the only tile that works there, because purple must add up to less than 5. The 3 half sits in the green region, which must show the same number on every cell.
Reveal the full Easy answer

Easy solution — June 1, 2026

53
12
11
34
62

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

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

What each region asks for

RegionRuleCells
Blue3 — Add up to exactly 33
Purple<5 — Be less than 51
Green= — Show the same number on every cell2
Amber= — Show the same number on every cell2
OrangeTake any value it likes1
SlateTake any value it likes1

Today's Medium board has 8 dominoes across 7 regions, mixing no-repeats and target-sum rules. 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 orange region first. Across two cells it has to add up to exactly 12. 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 1–6: across row 5, columns 3–4. It is the only tile that works there, because orange must add up to exactly 12. The 1 half sits in the teal region, which must add up to exactly 2.

Hint 3

Medium
Lay the 6–6 down column 4, rows 3–4 — no guesswork needed. It is the only tile that works there, because orange must add up to exactly 12. The 6 half sits in the purple region, which must have no two cells showing the same number.
Reveal the full Medium answer

Medium solution — June 1, 2026

40
16
15
33
11
55
10
66

blue: 3 | purple (≠): 3 · 1 · 5 · 4 · 0 · 6 | green (=2): 1 · 1 | amber (=10): 5 · 5 | orange (=12): 6 · 6 | slate: 0 | teal (=2): 1 · 1

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

What each region asks for

RegionRuleCells
BlueTake any value it likes1
Purple≠ — Have no two cells showing the same number6
Green2 — Add up to exactly 22
Amber10 — Add up to exactly 102
Orange12 — Add up to exactly 122
SlateTake any value it likes1
Teal2 — Add up to exactly 22

Today's Hard board has 15 dominoes across 14 regions, mixing target-sum, no-repeats and all-equal rules. 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 orange 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
There is exactly one home for the 4–0: down column 4, rows 2–3. It is the only tile that works there, because slate must add up to exactly 0. The 4 half sits in the green region, which must show the same number on every cell.

Hint 3

Hard
Lay the 1–3 down column 1, rows 4–5 — no guesswork needed. It is the only tile that works there, because pink must add up to exactly 3. The 1 half sits in the brown region, which must add up to exactly 2.

Hint 4

Hard
Place the 1–6 domino down column 3, rows 3–4. It is the only tile that works there, because lime must add up to exactly 6. The 1 half sits in the purple region, which must have no two cells showing the same number.
Reveal the full Hard answer

Hard solution — June 1, 2026

50
22
40
16
44
03
25
13
00
12
35
20
54
14
42

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

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

What each region asks for

RegionRuleCells
Blue0 — Add up to exactly 02
Purple≠ — Have no two cells showing the same number4
Green= — Show the same number on every cell4
Amber10 — Add up to exactly 102
Orange1 — Be exactly 11
Slate0 — Be exactly 01
Teal10 — Add up to exactly 102
Pink3 — Be exactly 31
Lime6 — Be exactly 61
Brown2 — Add up to exactly 22
Blue= — Show the same number on every cell5
Purple3 — Be exactly 31
Green0 — Add up to exactly 03
Amber4 — Be exactly 41
All hintsFull answers for this dayJun 28 →