NYT Pips HelperSunday, September 13, 2026
Today's hintHint archiveAll answers

Pips hints — Saturday, September 12, 2026

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

Saturday, September 12, 2026Archived board

Easy today: 5 dominoes, 5 regions and less-than, no-repeats, all-equal 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

Easy
Your way in today is the purple region: one cell that must be less than 1. Only 1 pip combination fits it at all, which is why it gives way first.

Hint 2

Easy
The 0–5 belongs across row 1, columns 2–3. It is the only tile that works there, because purple must be less than 1.
Reveal the full Easy answer

Easy solution — September 12, 2026

31
66
14
42
05

blue (<4): 3 | purple (<1): 0 | green (≠): 5 · 4 · 2 · 6 | amber (=): 1 · 1 | orange (=10): 4 · 6

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

What each region asks for

RegionRuleCells
Blue<4 — Be less than 41
Purple<1 — Be less than 11
Green≠ — Have no two cells showing the same number4
Amber= — Show the same number on every cell2
Orange10 — Add up to exactly 102

Medium today: 7 dominoes, 7 regions and all-equal, target-sum and less-than 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
Your way in today is the slate region: one cell that must be exactly 3. Only 1 pip combination fits it at all, which is why it gives way first.

Hint 2

Medium
The 6–3 belongs across row 3, columns 4–5. It is the only tile that works there, because slate must be exactly 3. The 6 half sits in the orange region, which must show the same number on every cell.

Hint 3

Medium
There is exactly one home for the 0–6: across row 4, columns 3–4. It is the only tile that works there, because teal must be less than 2.
Reveal the full Medium answer

Medium solution — September 12, 2026

11
02
00
63
33
30
06

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

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
Purple4 — Add up to exactly 43
Green= — Show the same number on every cell2
Amber= — Show the same number on every cell3
Orange= — Show the same number on every cell2
Slate3 — Be exactly 31
Teal<2 — Be less than 21

Hard today: 16 dominoes, 19 regions and greater-than, target-sum, all-equal and less-than 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
Your way in today is the green region: one cell that must be exactly 4. Only 1 pip combination fits it at all, which is why it gives way first.

Hint 2

Hard
The 3–2 belongs down column 9, rows 7–8. It is the only tile that works there, because purple must be exactly 2. The 3 half sits in the teal region, which must add up to exactly 15.

Hint 3

Hard
There is exactly one home for the 1–6: down column 3, rows 1–2. It is the only tile that works there, because purple must be more than 4. The 1 half sits in the amber region, which must show the same number on every cell.

Hint 4

Hard
Lay the 1–1 across row 3, columns 1–2 — no guesswork needed. It is the only tile that works there, because amber must show the same number on every cell.
Reveal the full Hard answer

Hard solution — September 12, 2026

04
56
33
16
03
11
43
25
36
41
32
64
13
66
24
35

blue (>3): 4 | purple (>4): 6 | green (=4): 4 | amber (=): 1 · 1 · 1 · 1 · 1 | orange: 0 | slate (=6): 2 · 4 | teal (=): 3 · 3 | pink (>1): 3 | lime (<4): 2 | brown (>4): 5 | blue (<2): 0 | purple (=2): 2 | green (>3): 4 | amber (=): 3 · 3 | orange (>9): 6 · 4 | slate (=12): 3 · 3 · 6 | teal (=15): 3 · 6 · 6 | pink (>4): 5 | lime (>10): 5 · 6

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

What each region asks for

RegionRuleCells
Blue>3 — Be more than 31
Purple>4 — Be more than 41
Green4 — Be exactly 41
Amber= — Show the same number on every cell5
OrangeTake any value it likes1
Slate6 — Add up to exactly 62
Teal= — Show the same number on every cell2
Pink>1 — Be more than 11
Lime<4 — Be less than 41
Brown>4 — Be more than 41
Blue<2 — Be less than 21
Purple2 — Be exactly 21
Green>3 — Be more than 31
Amber= — Show the same number on every cell2
Orange>9 — Add up to more than 92
Slate12 — Add up to exactly 123
Teal15 — Add up to exactly 153
Pink>4 — Be more than 41
Lime>10 — Add up to more than 102
← Sep 11 All hintsFull answers for this day Sep 13 →