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

Pips hints — Wednesday, July 29, 2026

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

Wednesday, July 29, 2026Archived board

Easy today: 5 dominoes, 7 regions and target-sum, greater-than 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
The teal region is the anchor: one cell, and it must be more than 5. 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 6–2: across row 5, columns 1–2. It is the only tile that works there, because teal must add up to more than 5. The 6 half sits in the teal region, which must be more than 5.
Reveal the full Easy answer

Easy solution — July 29, 2026

22
30
25
62
43

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

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

What each region asks for

RegionRuleCells
Blue4 — Add up to exactly 42
PurpleTake any value it likes1
Green>1 — Be more than 11
Amber= — Show the same number on every cell2
OrangeTake any value it likes1
Slate= — Show the same number on every cell2
Teal>5 — Be more than 51

Medium today: 8 dominoes, 9 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

Medium
The purple region is the anchor: one cell, and it must be exactly 1. 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 1–1: across row 1, columns 5–6. 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

Medium
Lay the 4–4 down column 1, rows 4–5 — no guesswork needed. It is the only tile that works there, because orange must add up to exactly 10.
Reveal the full Medium answer

Medium solution — July 29, 2026

44
50
63
51
32
55
11
00

blue: 5 | purple (=1): 1 | green (=1): 1 · 0 · 0 | amber (=1): 1 | orange (=10): 6 · 4 | slate: 3 | teal (=12): 2 · 5 · 5 | pink (=3): 3 · 0 | lime (=9): 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
Purple1 — Be exactly 11
Green1 — Add up to exactly 13
Amber1 — Be exactly 11
Orange10 — Add up to exactly 102
SlateTake any value it likes1
Teal12 — Add up to exactly 123
Pink3 — Add up to exactly 32
Lime9 — Add up to exactly 92

Hard today: 14 dominoes, 13 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.

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
The purple region is the anchor: one cell, and it 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 3–3: down column 4, rows 7–8. It is the only tile that works there, because purple must add up to exactly 3. The 3 half sits in the lime region, which must add up to exactly 3.

Hint 3

Hard
Lay the 3–6 across row 1, columns 2–3 — no guesswork needed. It is the only tile that works there, because blue must add up to exactly 12. The 3 half sits in the purple region, which must add up to exactly 11.

Hint 4

Hard
Place the 4–6 domino down column 8, rows 7–8. It is the only tile that works there, because green must add up to exactly 24. The 4 half sits in the pink region, which must add up to exactly 8.
Reveal the full Hard answer

Hard solution — July 29, 2026

01
11
12
14
22
26
33
34
36
44
46
55
56
66

blue (=12): 6 · 6 | purple (=11): 3 · 4 · 4 | green: 2 | amber (=3): 1 · 1 · 1 | orange (=3): 1 · 2 | slate (=3): 2 · 1 | teal (=5): 2 · 3 | pink (=8): 4 · 4 | lime (=3): 0 · 3 | brown (=9): 4 · 5 | blue (=10): 5 · 5 | purple (=3): 3 | green (=24): 6 · 6 · 6 · 6

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

What each region asks for

RegionRuleCells
Blue12 — Add up to exactly 122
Purple11 — Add up to exactly 113
GreenTake any value it likes1
Amber3 — Add up to exactly 33
Orange3 — Add up to exactly 32
Slate3 — Add up to exactly 32
Teal5 — Add up to exactly 52
Pink8 — Add up to exactly 82
Lime3 — Add up to exactly 32
Brown9 — Add up to exactly 92
Blue10 — Add up to exactly 102
Purple3 — Be exactly 31
Green24 — Add up to exactly 244
← Jul 28 All hintsFull answers for this dayJul 30 →