NYT Pips HelperSaturday, September 12, 2026

Pips hints — Friday, September 11, 2026

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

Friday, September 11, 2026Archived board

The Easy grid runs to 7 regions and 5 tiles, with target-sum, greater-than, 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
Look at the blue region first. Across one cell it has to be exactly 3. Only 1 pip combination fits it at all, which is why it gives way first.

Hint 2

Easy
Place the 4–5 domino across row 2, columns 1–2. It is the only tile that works there, because green must be more than 3.
Reveal the full Easy answer

Easy solution — September 11, 2026

52
33
45
12
34

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

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

What each region asks for

RegionRuleCells
Blue3 — Be exactly 31
PurpleTake any value it likes1
Green>3 — Be more than 31
Amber= — Show the same number on every cell2
Orange6 — Add up to exactly 62
Slate<3 — Be less than 31
Teal= — Show the same number on every cell2

The Medium grid runs to 8 regions and 7 tiles, with all-equal, target-sum 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.

Hint 1 — where to start

Medium
Look at the purple region first. Across two cells it has to add up to exactly 10. Only 3 pip combinations fit it at all, which is why it gives way first.

Hint 2

Medium
Place the 5–2 domino across row 2, columns 4–5. It is the only tile that works there, because purple must add up to exactly 10.

Hint 3

Medium
The 1–5 belongs across row 1, columns 3–4. It is the only tile that works there, because purple must add up to exactly 10. The 1 half sits in the blue region, which must show the same number on every cell.
Reveal the full Medium answer

Medium solution — September 11, 2026

21
63
52
61
24
15
34

blue (=): 1 · 1 | purple (=10): 5 · 5 | green: 3 | amber (>1): 2 | orange (=8): 2 · 6 | slate (=8): 6 · 2 | teal (=4): 1 · 3 | pink (=): 4 · 4

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
Purple10 — Add up to exactly 102
GreenTake any value it likes1
Amber>1 — Be more than 11
Orange8 — Add up to exactly 82
Slate8 — Add up to exactly 82
Teal4 — Add up to exactly 42
Pink= — Show the same number on every cell2

The Hard grid runs to 11 regions and 14 tiles, with target-sum, all-equal, less-than, greater-than and no-repeats 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
Look at the purple region first. Across one cell it has to be exactly 3. Only 1 pip combination fits it at all, which is why it gives way first.

Hint 2

Hard
Place the 3–1 domino across row 1, columns 1–2. It is the only tile that works there, because purple must be exactly 3.

Hint 3

Hard
The 3–3 belongs down column 5, rows 1–2. It is the only tile that works there, because green must be exactly 3.

Hint 4

Hard
There is exactly one home for the 1–1: down column 6, rows 1–2. It is the only tile that works there, because amber must be exactly 1.
Reveal the full Hard answer

Hard solution — September 11, 2026

50
31
60
33
00
11
40
22
51
03
26
01
34
20

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

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
Purple3 — Be exactly 31
Green3 — Be exactly 31
Amber1 — Be exactly 11
Orange3 — Add up to exactly 32
Slate9 — Add up to exactly 92
Teal5 — Add up to exactly 52
Pink= — Show the same number on every cell8
Lime<3 — Be less than 31
Brown>3 — Be more than 31
Blue — Have no two cells showing the same number6
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