NYT Pips HelperTuesday, September 22, 2026

Pips hints — Monday, September 21, 2026

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

Monday, September 21, 2026Archived board

Easy today: 5 dominoes, 6 regions and all-equal, target-sum and greater-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

Easy
Look at the purple region first. Across one cell it has to be exactly 1. 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 1–5: across row 2, columns 1–2. It is the only tile that works there, because purple must be exactly 1.
Reveal the full Easy answer

Easy solution — September 21, 2026

11
15
61
10
55

blue (=): 1 · 1 | purple (=1): 1 | green (=): 5 · 5 · 5 | amber (=): 1 · 1 | orange (>5): 6 | slate: 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
Purple1 — Be exactly 11
Green= — Show the same number on every cell3
Amber= — Show the same number on every cell2
Orange>5 — Be more than 51
SlateTake any value it likes1

Medium today: 7 dominoes, 9 regions and all-equal, greater-than 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

Medium
Look at the green region first. Across one cell it has to be more than 4. Only 2 pip combinations fit it at all, which is why it gives way first.

Hint 2

Medium
There is exactly one home for the 6–2: across row 1, columns 3–4. It is the only tile that works there, because green must be more than 4.

Hint 3

Medium
Lay the 4–4 across row 2, columns 4–5 — no guesswork needed. It is the only tile that works there, because slate must be more than 3. The 4 half sits in the amber region, which must add up to exactly 6.
Reveal the full Medium answer

Medium solution — September 21, 2026

41
00
62
44
10
55
22

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

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

What each region asks for

RegionRuleCells
BlueTake any value it likes1
Purple= — Show the same number on every cell2
Green>4 — Be more than 41
Amber6 — Add up to exactly 62
Orange= — Show the same number on every cell2
Slate>3 — Be more than 31
Teal= — Show the same number on every cell2
Pink>3 — Be more than 31
Lime>7 — Add up to more than 72

Hard today: 14 dominoes, 16 regions and 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
Look at the blue region first. Across one cell it has to be exactly 6. 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 5–6: down column 1, rows 1–2. It is the only tile that works there, because blue must be exactly 6. The 5 half sits in the pink region, which must add up to exactly 10.

Hint 3

Hard
Lay the 1–5 across row 1, columns 3–4 — no guesswork needed. It is the only tile that works there, because purple must be exactly 1.

Hint 4

Hard
Place the 0–4 domino across row 1, columns 5–6. It is the only tile that works there, because orange must be exactly 0.
Reveal the full Hard answer

Hard solution — September 21, 2026

01
04
05
06
15
16
25
33
36
44
46
55
56
66

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

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

What each region asks for

RegionRuleCells
Blue6 — Be exactly 61
Purple1 — Be exactly 11
Green= — Show the same number on every cell3
Amber4 — Be exactly 41
Orange0 — Be exactly 01
Slate0 — Be exactly 01
Teal6 — Add up to exactly 62
Pink10 — Add up to exactly 102
Lime9 — Add up to exactly 93
Brown= — Show the same number on every cell2
Blue6 — Be exactly 61
Purple12 — Add up to exactly 122
Green<3 — Be less than 31
Amber1 — Be exactly 11
Orange= — Show the same number on every cell3
Slate= — Show the same number on every cell3
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