NYT Pips HelperThursday, September 24, 2026

Pips hints — Wednesday, September 23, 2026

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

Wednesday, September 23, 2026Archived board

The Easy grid runs to 7 regions and 5 tiles, with 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
Ignore the open areas for now and go straight to the blue region, where one cell must be exactly 0. Only 1 pip combination fits it at all, which is why it gives way first.

Hint 2

Easy
Place the 5–0 domino down column 3, rows 1–2. It is the only tile that works there, because blue must be exactly 0. The 5 half sits in the amber region, which must add up to exactly 8.
Reveal the full Easy answer

Easy solution — September 23, 2026

63
60
50
40
30

blue (=0): 0 | purple (=0): 0 | green (=12): 6 · 6 | amber (=8): 5 · 3 | orange (=7): 4 · 3 | slate (=0): 0 | teal (=0): 0

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

What each region asks for

RegionRuleCells
Blue0 — Be exactly 01
Purple0 — Be exactly 01
Green12 — Add up to exactly 122
Amber8 — Add up to exactly 82
Orange7 — Add up to exactly 72
Slate0 — Be exactly 01
Teal0 — Be exactly 01

The Medium grid runs to 8 regions and 7 tiles, with all-equal, less-than 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

Medium
Ignore the open areas for now and go straight to the pink region, where one cell must be exactly 5. Only 1 pip combination fits it at all, which is why it gives way first.

Hint 2

Medium
Place the 3–5 domino across row 2, columns 2–3. It is the only tile that works there, because amber must add up to exactly 3.

Hint 3

Medium
The 6–0 belongs down column 1, rows 1–2. It is the only tile that works there, because amber must add up to exactly 3. The 6 half sits in the blue region, which must show the same number on every cell.
Reveal the full Medium answer

Medium solution — September 23, 2026

35
65
50
60
51
30
52

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

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
Purple= — Show the same number on every cell2
Green<3 — Add up to less than 32
Amber3 — Add up to exactly 32
Orange= — Show the same number on every cell2
Slate<6 — Add up to less than 62
TealTake any value it likes1
Pink5 — Be exactly 51

The Hard grid runs to 19 regions and 15 tiles, with target-sum, less-than, all-equal 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.

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
Ignore the open areas for now and go straight to the purple region, where one cell must be exactly 2. Only 1 pip combination fits it at all, which is why it gives way first.

Hint 2

Hard
Place the 5–2 domino across row 1, columns 1–2. It is the only tile that works there, because purple must be exactly 2. The 5 half sits in the blue region, which must add up to exactly 11.

Hint 3

Hard
The 6–4 belongs down column 3, rows 2–3. It is the only tile that works there, because green must be exactly 4. The 6 half sits in the teal region, which must show the same number on every cell.

Hint 4

Hard
There is exactly one home for the 4–5: across row 4, columns 5–6. It is the only tile that works there, because lime must be exactly 5. The 4 half sits in the pink region, which must show the same number on every cell.
Reveal the full Hard answer

Hard solution — September 23, 2026

11
64
30
16
45
00
52
60
51
62
53
66
31
04
63

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

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

What each region asks for

RegionRuleCells
Blue11 — Add up to exactly 112
Purple2 — Be exactly 21
Green4 — Be exactly 41
Amber0 — Add up to exactly 02
Orange<4 — Be less than 41
Slate8 — Add up to exactly 82
Teal= — Show the same number on every cell3
Pink= — Show the same number on every cell2
Lime5 — Be exactly 51
Brown= — Show the same number on every cell2
Blue= — Show the same number on every cell2
Purple1 — Be exactly 11
Green<2 — Add up to less than 22
AmberTake any value it likes1
Orange<3 — Be less than 31
Slate= — Show the same number on every cell3
Teal>3 — Be more than 31
Pink>0 — Be more than 01
Lime>1 — Be more than 11
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