NYT Pips HelperWednesday, September 2, 2026

Pips hints — Tuesday, September 1, 2026

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

Tuesday, September 1, 2026Archived board

Today's Easy board has 6 dominoes across 8 regions, mixing target-sum, all-equal and less-than 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 blue region first. Across one cell it has to 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 6–4: down column 3, rows 1–2. It is the only tile that works there, because blue must be exactly 4. The 6 half sits in the purple region, which must add up to exactly 11.
Reveal the full Easy answer

Easy solution — September 1, 2026

64
25
31
23
63
01

blue (=4): 4 | purple (=11): 6 · 5 | green (=): 2 · 2 | amber: 0 | orange (=): 3 · 3 | slate (=7): 1 · 6 | teal (<2): 1 | pink (=3): 3

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

What each region asks for

RegionRuleCells
Blue4 — Be exactly 41
Purple11 — Add up to exactly 112
Green= — Show the same number on every cell2
AmberTake any value it likes1
Orange= — Show the same number on every cell2
Slate7 — Add up to exactly 72
Teal<2 — Be less than 21
Pink3 — Be exactly 31

Today's Medium board has 7 dominoes across 9 regions, mixing target-sum and greater-than 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 one cell it has to be exactly 2. 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 2–6: across row 4, columns 1–2. It is the only tile that works there, because orange must be exactly 2.

Hint 3

Medium
Lay the 2–2 across row 5, columns 3–4 — no guesswork needed. It is the only tile that works there, because lime must add up to exactly 4.
Reveal the full Medium answer

Medium solution — September 1, 2026

52
22
05
26
11
20
34

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

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

What each region asks for

RegionRuleCells
Blue6 — Add up to exactly 63
Purple>4 — Be more than 41
Green8 — Add up to exactly 82
Amber5 — Add up to exactly 52
Orange2 — Be exactly 21
SlateTake any value it likes1
TealTake any value it likes1
Pink>4 — Be more than 41
Lime4 — Add up to exactly 42

Today's Hard board has 14 dominoes across 14 regions, mixing all-equal, greater-than, target-sum and no-repeats 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 brown region first. Across one cell it has to be exactly 4. 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: across row 3, columns 5–6. It is the only tile that works there, because brown must be exactly 4.

Hint 3

Hard
Lay the 3–6 across row 2, columns 5–6 — no guesswork needed. It is the only tile that works there, because amber must add up to exactly 12. The 3 half sits in the slate region, which must show the same number on every cell.

Hint 4

Hard
Place the 4–6 domino across row 1, columns 6–7. It is the only tile that works there, because amber must add up to exactly 12. The 4 half sits in the orange region, which must be more than 3.
Reveal the full Hard answer

Hard solution — September 1, 2026

40
13
42
36
00
35
44
52
11
20
51
32
46
21

blue (=): 1 · 1 · 1 · 1 · 1 | purple (=): 2 · 2 | green (>4): 5 | amber (=12): 6 · 6 | orange (>3): 4 | slate (=): 3 · 3 | teal (=): 0 · 0 · 0 · 0 | pink (=): 4 · 4 · 4 | lime: 5 | brown (=4): 4 | blue (≠): 2 · 3 | purple: 2 | green: 3 | amber (=7): 5 · 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 cell5
Purple= — Show the same number on every cell2
Green>4 — Be more than 41
Amber12 — Add up to exactly 122
Orange>3 — Be more than 31
Slate= — Show the same number on every cell2
Teal= — Show the same number on every cell4
Pink= — Show the same number on every cell3
LimeTake any value it likes1
Brown4 — Be exactly 41
Blue — Have no two cells showing the same number2
PurpleTake any value it likes1
GreenTake any value it likes1
Amber7 — Add up to exactly 72
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