NYT Pips HelperMonday, September 21, 2026

Pips hints — Sunday, September 20, 2026

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

Sunday, September 20, 2026Archived board

The Easy grid runs to 6 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 purple 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

Easy
The 4–1 belongs down column 2, rows 2–3. It is the only tile that works there, because purple must be exactly 1. The 4 half sits in the green region, which must add up to exactly 8.
Reveal the full Easy answer

Easy solution — September 20, 2026

00
60
31
41
24

blue (=): 0 · 0 · 0 | purple (=1): 1 | green (=8): 4 · 4 | amber (=9): 6 · 3 | orange: 2 | slate (=1): 1

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 cell3
Purple1 — Be exactly 11
Green8 — Add up to exactly 82
Amber9 — Add up to exactly 92
OrangeTake any value it likes1
Slate1 — Be exactly 11

The Medium grid runs to 8 regions and 7 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 blue region — its one cell must be more than 3. Only 3 pip combinations fit it at all, which is why it gives way first.

Hint 2

Medium
The 1–6 belongs across row 3, columns 3–4. It is the only tile that works there, because slate must be less than 3.

Hint 3

Medium
There is exactly one home for the 2–3: across row 2, columns 3–4. It is the only tile that works there, because amber must add up to exactly 9. The 2 half sits in the green region, which must show the same number on every cell.
Reveal the full Medium answer

Medium solution — September 20, 2026

54
16
42
25
56
44
23

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

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>3 — Be more than 31
Green= — Show the same number on every cell3
Amber9 — Add up to exactly 92
Orange9 — Add up to exactly 92
Slate<3 — Be less than 31
Teal9 — Add up to exactly 92
Pink9 — Add up to exactly 92

The Hard grid runs to 15 regions and 14 tiles, with less-than, greater-than, 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.

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 less than 2. Only 2 pip combinations fit it at all, which is why it gives way first.

Hint 2

Hard
The 5–1 belongs across row 6, columns 2–3. It is the only tile that works there, because purple must be more than 4.

Hint 3

Hard
There is exactly one home for the 2–0: across row 6, columns 5–6. It is the only tile that works there, because amber must be less than 2. The 2 half sits in the green region, which must add up to exactly 9.

Hint 4

Hard
Lay the 5–5 across row 4, columns 3–4 — no guesswork needed. It is the only tile that works there, because brown must add up to exactly 10.
Reveal the full Hard answer

Hard solution — September 20, 2026

50
22
10
55
20
51
26
41
52
00
32
06
11
04

blue (<3): 1 | purple (>3): 5 | green (<2): 0 | amber (=): 1 · 1 · 1 | orange (=): 0 · 0 · 0 · 0 · 0 | slate (=8): 2 · 6 | teal (>4): 5 | pink (>3): 4 | lime (>3): 4 | brown (=10): 5 · 5 | blue (=5): 3 · 2 | purple (>4): 5 | green (=9): 1 · 6 · 2 | amber (<2): 0 | orange (=): 2 · 2 · 2

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

What each region asks for

RegionRuleCells
Blue<3 — Be less than 31
Purple>3 — Be more than 31
Green<2 — Be less than 21
Amber= — Show the same number on every cell3
Orange= — Show the same number on every cell5
Slate8 — Add up to exactly 82
Teal>4 — Be more than 41
Pink>3 — Be more than 31
Lime>3 — Be more than 31
Brown10 — Add up to exactly 102
Blue5 — Add up to exactly 52
Purple>4 — Be more than 41
Green9 — Add up to exactly 93
Amber<2 — Be less than 21
Orange= — Show the same number on every cell3
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