NYT Pips HelperWednesday, September 23, 2026

Pips hints — Tuesday, September 22, 2026

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

Tuesday, September 22, 2026Archived board

Today's Easy board has 5 dominoes across 6 regions, mixing target-sum, less-than, all-equal and greater-than rules. 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 orange region: one cell that must be more than 5. Only 1 pip combination fits it at all, which is why it gives way first.

Hint 2

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

Easy solution — September 22, 2026

53
56
55
21
00

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

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

What each region asks for

RegionRuleCells
Blue1 — Add up to exactly 13
PurpleTake any value it likes1
Green<3 — Be less than 31
Amber= — Show the same number on every cell3
Orange>5 — Be more than 51
Slate>4 — Be more than 41

Today's Medium board has 7 dominoes across 8 regions, mixing greater-than, target-sum and all-equal rules. 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 green region: two cells that must add up to exactly 11. Only 2 pip combinations fit it at all, which is why it gives way first.

Hint 2

Medium
Lay the 6–6 across row 2, columns 2–3 — no guesswork needed. It is the only tile that works there, because green must add up to exactly 11. The 6 half sits in the purple region, which must add up to exactly 6.

Hint 3

Medium
Place the 4–5 domino down column 4, rows 1–2. It is the only tile that works there, because green must add up to exactly 11. The 4 half sits in the blue region, which must be more than 3.
Reveal the full Medium answer

Medium solution — September 22, 2026

16
66
12
05
45
35
10

blue (>3): 4 | purple (=6): 0 · 6 | green (=11): 6 · 5 | amber (=7): 1 · 6 | orange (=): 1 · 1 | slate (=2): 2 · 0 | teal: 3 | pink (=): 5 · 5

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
Purple6 — Add up to exactly 62
Green11 — Add up to exactly 112
Amber7 — Add up to exactly 72
Orange= — Show the same number on every cell2
Slate2 — Add up to exactly 22
TealTake any value it likes1
Pink= — Show the same number on every cell2

Today's Hard board has 15 dominoes across 17 regions, mixing target-sum, all-equal, less-than and greater-than rules. 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 teal region: one cell that must be exactly 2. Only 1 pip combination fits it at all, which is why it gives way first.

Hint 2

Hard
Lay the 1–2 across row 5, columns 6–7 — no guesswork needed. It is the only tile that works there, because teal must be exactly 2. The 1 half sits in the slate region, which must add up to exactly 2.

Hint 3

Hard
Place the 0–6 domino across row 10, columns 2–3. It is the only tile that works there, because orange must be exactly 6. The 0 half sits in the amber region, which must add up to exactly 1.

Hint 4

Hard
The 6–4 belongs across row 10, columns 5–6. It is the only tile that works there, because slate must be exactly 6.
Reveal the full Hard answer

Hard solution — September 22, 2026

13
45
32
65
12
34
33
14
06
11
36
15
64
35
42

blue (=6): 5 · 1 | purple: 3 | green (=): 4 · 4 | amber (=): 1 · 1 | orange (<3): 2 | slate (=2): 1 · 1 | teal (=2): 2 | pink (=): 3 · 3 · 3 · 3 · 3 | lime: 2 | brown (=7): 4 · 3 | blue (=11): 5 · 6 | purple (>4): 6 | green (=10): 5 · 5 | amber (=1): 1 · 0 | orange (=6): 6 | slate (=6): 6 | teal (=8): 4 · 4

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

What each region asks for

RegionRuleCells
Blue6 — Add up to exactly 62
PurpleTake any value it likes1
Green= — Show the same number on every cell2
Amber= — Show the same number on every cell2
Orange<3 — Be less than 31
Slate2 — Add up to exactly 22
Teal2 — Be exactly 21
Pink= — Show the same number on every cell5
LimeTake any value it likes1
Brown7 — Add up to exactly 72
Blue11 — Add up to exactly 112
Purple>4 — Be more than 41
Green10 — Add up to exactly 102
Amber1 — Add up to exactly 12
Orange6 — Be exactly 61
Slate6 — Be exactly 61
Teal8 — Add up to exactly 82
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