NYT Pips HelperMonday, August 31, 2026

Pips hints — Sunday, August 30, 2026

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

Sunday, August 30, 2026Archived board

The Easy grid runs to 5 regions and 5 tiles, with all-equal and target-sum 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
Start with the amber region — its two cells must add up to exactly 12. Only 1 pip combination fits it at all, which is why it gives way first.

Hint 2

Easy
Lay the 6–2 down column 1, rows 2–3 — no guesswork needed. It is the only tile that works there, because amber must add up to exactly 12.
Reveal the full Easy answer

Easy solution — August 30, 2026

62
12
66
34
51

blue (=): 1 · 1 | purple (=): 2 · 2 | green (=9): 5 · 4 | amber (=12): 6 · 6 | orange (=9): 6 · 3

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
Purple= — Show the same number on every cell2
Green9 — Add up to exactly 92
Amber12 — Add up to exactly 122
Orange9 — Add up to exactly 92

The Medium grid runs to 10 regions and 8 tiles, with greater-than, 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.

Hint 1 — where to start

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

Hint 2

Medium
Lay the 1–4 down column 3, rows 3–4 — no guesswork needed. It is the only tile that works there, because teal must be exactly 1.

Hint 3

Medium
Place the 1–0 domino across row 5, columns 1–2. It is the only tile that works there, because lime must be less than 2. The 1 half sits in the slate region, which must add up to exactly 2.
Reveal the full Medium answer

Medium solution — August 30, 2026

10
12
03
14
54
61
42
20

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

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

What each region asks for

RegionRuleCells
Blue>2 — Be more than 21
Purple= — Show the same number on every cell2
GreenTake any value it likes1
Amber= — Show the same number on every cell2
Orange= — Show the same number on every cell3
Slate2 — Add up to exactly 22
Teal1 — Be exactly 11
Pink>9 — Add up to more than 92
Lime<2 — Be less than 21
BrownTake any value it likes1

The Hard grid runs to 16 regions and 14 tiles, with target-sum, all-equal, less-than and greater-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
Start with the green region — its one cell must be exactly 6. Only 1 pip combination fits it at all, which is why it gives way first.

Hint 2

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

Hint 3

Hard
Place the 6–3 domino across row 4, columns 3–4. It is the only tile that works there, because pink must be exactly 6.

Hint 4

Hard
The 6–2 belongs across row 5, columns 3–4. It is the only tile that works there, because lime must be exactly 6.
Reveal the full Hard answer

Hard solution — August 30, 2026

12
30
24
55
63
44
22
45
14
00
56
10
43
62

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

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
Purple6 — Add up to exactly 62
Green6 — Be exactly 61
Amber= — Show the same number on every cell3
Orange0 — Add up to exactly 04
Slate<3 — Be less than 31
Teal= — Show the same number on every cell2
Pink6 — Be exactly 61
Lime6 — Be exactly 61
Brown6 — Add up to exactly 62
Blue3 — Be exactly 31
Purple>3 — Be more than 31
Green= — Show the same number on every cell2
Amber= — Show the same number on every cell2
Orange= — Show the same number on every cell2
Slate<2 — Be less than 21
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