NYT Pips HelperSaturday, September 26, 2026

Pips hints — Friday, September 25, 2026

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

Friday, September 25, 2026Archived board

Today's Easy board has 5 dominoes across 5 regions, mixing 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.

Hint 1 — where to start

Easy
Start with the green region — its one cell must be more than 5. 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 6–1: down column 1, rows 1–2. It is the only tile that works there, because green must be more than 5.
Reveal the full Easy answer

Easy solution — September 25, 2026

66
44
15
61
46

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

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<6 — Be less than 61
Green>5 — Be more than 51
Amber= — Show the same number on every cell3
Orange= — Show the same number on every cell3

Today's Medium board has 7 dominoes across 6 regions, mixing target-sum 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
Start with the blue region — its one cell must be exactly 2. Only 1 pip combination fits it at all, which is why it gives way first.

Hint 2

Medium
There is exactly one home for the 4–2: down column 1, rows 1–2. It is the only tile that works there, because blue must be exactly 2. The 4 half sits in the amber region, which must add up to exactly 7.

Hint 3

Medium
Lay the 2–3 across row 3, columns 2–3 — no guesswork needed. It is the only tile that works there, because slate must be exactly 3. The 2 half sits in the orange region, which must add up to exactly 7.
Reveal the full Medium answer

Medium solution — September 25, 2026

23
11
26
31
60
42
20

blue (=2): 2 | purple (=7): 1 · 6 | green (=7): 1 · 6 | amber (=7): 4 · 0 · 2 · 1 | orange (=7): 2 · 0 · 2 · 3 | slate (=3): 3

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

What each region asks for

RegionRuleCells
Blue2 — Be exactly 21
Purple7 — Add up to exactly 72
Green7 — Add up to exactly 72
Amber7 — Add up to exactly 74
Orange7 — Add up to exactly 74
Slate3 — Be exactly 31

Today's Hard board has 16 dominoes across 17 regions, mixing target-sum, less-than, greater-than 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.

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 blue region — its one cell must be exactly 0. 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 2–0: across row 1, columns 1–2. It is the only tile that works there, because blue must be exactly 0. The 2 half sits in the purple region, which must add up to exactly 14.

Hint 3

Hard
Lay the 1–6 across row 2, columns 7–8 — no guesswork needed. It is the only tile that works there, because orange must be exactly 1.

Hint 4

Hard
Place the 0–3 domino down column 4, rows 7–8. It is the only tile that works there, because pink must be exactly 0.
Reveal the full Hard answer

Hard solution — September 25, 2026

40
52
20
53
00
16
33
46
22
01
66
50
44
03
55
26

blue (=0): 0 | purple (=14): 2 · 2 · 5 · 5 | green (=18): 6 · 6 · 6 | amber (=14): 6 · 4 · 4 | orange (=1): 1 | slate (=12): 6 · 3 · 3 | teal (<3): 2 | pink (=0): 0 | lime (=4): 4 | brown (=9): 5 · 4 | blue (=6): 3 · 3 | purple (=0): 0 · 0 | green (>0): 1 | amber (=0): 0 · 0 | orange (=10): 5 · 5 | slate (=0): 0 | teal (=): 2 · 2

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

What each region asks for

RegionRuleCells
Blue0 — Be exactly 01
Purple14 — Add up to exactly 144
Green18 — Add up to exactly 183
Amber14 — Add up to exactly 143
Orange1 — Be exactly 11
Slate12 — Add up to exactly 123
Teal<3 — Be less than 31
Pink0 — Be exactly 01
Lime4 — Be exactly 41
Brown9 — Add up to exactly 92
Blue6 — Add up to exactly 62
Purple0 — Add up to exactly 02
Green>0 — Be more than 01
Amber0 — Add up to exactly 02
Orange10 — Add up to exactly 102
Slate0 — Be exactly 01
Teal= — Show the same number on every cell2
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