NYT Pips HelperWednesday, September 9, 2026

Pips hints — Tuesday, September 8, 2026

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

Tuesday, September 8, 2026Archived board

The Easy grid runs to 6 regions and 5 tiles, with target-sum, all-equal 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

Easy
Ignore the open areas for now and go straight to the blue region, where one cell must be exactly 2. Only 1 pip combination fits it at all, which is why it gives way first.

Hint 2

Easy
The 6–2 belongs down column 2, rows 1–2. It is the only tile that works there, because amber must add up to exactly 12.
Reveal the full Easy answer

Easy solution — September 8, 2026

53
63
00
44
62

blue (=2): 2 | purple (=): 4 · 4 | green (<2): 0 · 0 | amber (=12): 6 · 6 | orange: 5 | slate (=): 3 · 3

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

What each region asks for

RegionRuleCells
Blue2 — Be exactly 21
Purple= — Show the same number on every cell2
Green<2 — Add up to less than 22
Amber12 — Add up to exactly 122
OrangeTake any value it likes1
Slate= — Show the same number on every cell2

The Medium grid runs to 7 regions and 7 tiles, with all-equal 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
Ignore the open areas for now and go straight to the blue region, where one cell must take any value it likes. Only 7 pip combinations fit it at all, which is why it gives way first.

Hint 2

Medium
The 0–2 belongs down column 1, rows 2–3. It is the only tile that works there, because teal must show the same number on every cell.

Hint 3

Medium
There is exactly one home for the 0–4: across row 3, columns 2–3. It is the only tile that works there, because teal must show the same number on every cell.
Reveal the full Medium answer

Medium solution — September 8, 2026

02
66
44
11
04
26
14

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

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

What each region asks for

RegionRuleCells
BlueTake any value it likes1
PurpleTake any value it likes1
GreenTake any value it likes1
Amber= — Show the same number on every cell3
Orange= — Show the same number on every cell2
Slate= — Show the same number on every cell4
Teal= — Show the same number on every cell2

The Hard grid runs to 14 regions and 15 tiles, with target-sum, all-equal 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
Ignore the open areas for now and go straight to the blue region, where one cell must be exactly 1. Only 1 pip combination fits it at all, which is why it gives way first.

Hint 2

Hard
The 1–0 belongs down column 3, rows 1–2. It is the only tile that works there, because blue must be exactly 1.

Hint 3

Hard
There is exactly one home for the 2–0: across row 2, columns 1–2. It is the only tile that works there, because purple must be exactly 2.

Hint 4

Hard
Lay the 1–2 down column 3, rows 5–6 — no guesswork needed. It is the only tile that works there, because slate must be exactly 1.
Reveal the full Hard answer

Hard solution — September 8, 2026

42
00
34
30
41
20
64
22
10
32
45
62
51
33
12

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

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

What each region asks for

RegionRuleCells
Blue1 — Be exactly 11
Purple2 — Be exactly 21
Green= — Show the same number on every cell3
Amber= — Show the same number on every cell2
Orange10 — Add up to exactly 102
Slate1 — Be exactly 11
Teal= — Show the same number on every cell6
Pink= — Show the same number on every cell3
Lime= — Show the same number on every cell2
Brown>3 — Be more than 31
Blue11 — Add up to exactly 112
Purple= — Show the same number on every cell4
Green1 — Be exactly 11
Amber1 — Be exactly 11
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