NYT Pips HelperMonday, September 28, 2026

Pips hints — Sunday, September 27, 2026

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

Sunday, September 27, 2026Archived board

Easy today: 5 dominoes, 5 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
Your way in today is the amber region: one cell that must be more than 4. Only 2 pip combinations fit it at all, which is why it gives way first.

Hint 2

Easy
Place the 6–5 domino across row 3, columns 3–4. It is the only tile that works there, because amber must be more than 4. The 6 half sits in the green region, which must add up to exactly 10.
Reveal the full Easy answer

Easy solution — September 27, 2026

11
43
65
02
33

blue (=): 3 · 3 · 3 | purple (=2): 1 · 1 · 0 | green (=10): 4 · 6 | amber (>4): 5 | orange: 2

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
Purple2 — Add up to exactly 23
Green10 — Add up to exactly 102
Amber>4 — Be more than 41
OrangeTake any value it likes1

Medium today: 8 dominoes, 8 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
Your way in today is the amber region: one cell that must be more than 4. Only 2 pip combinations fit it at all, which is why it gives way first.

Hint 2

Medium
Place the 0–5 domino across row 3, columns 5–6. It is the only tile that works there, because teal must be more than 4. The 0 half sits in the slate region, which must add up to exactly 1.

Hint 3

Medium
The 4–0 belongs across row 4, columns 4–5. It is the only tile that works there, because slate must add up to exactly 1. The 4 half sits in the pink region, which must show the same number on every cell.
Reveal the full Medium answer

Medium solution — September 27, 2026

66
40
56
44
30
00
16
05

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

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 cell3
Green= — Show the same number on every cell3
Amber>4 — Be more than 41
Orange>4 — Be more than 41
Slate1 — Add up to exactly 13
Teal>4 — Be more than 41
Pink= — Show the same number on every cell3

Hard today: 12 dominoes, 9 regions and all-equal, target-sum and no-repeats 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
Your way in today is the lime region: three cells that must add up to exactly 1. Only 3 pip combinations fit it at all, which is why it gives way first.

Hint 2

Hard
Place the 5–0 domino down column 3, rows 8–9. It is the only tile that works there, because lime must add up to exactly 1. The 5 half sits in the teal region, which must add up to exactly 9.

Hint 3

Hard
The 6–2 belongs down column 3, rows 1–2. It is the only tile that works there, because purple must add up to exactly 3. The 6 half sits in the green region, which must add up to exactly 8.

Hint 4

Hard
There is exactly one home for the 3–1: across row 1, columns 1–2. It is the only tile that works there, because purple must add up to exactly 3. The 3 half sits in the blue region, which must show the same number on every cell.
Reveal the full Hard answer

Hard solution — September 27, 2026

50
43
62
31
44
33
22
00
42
56
23
10

blue (=): 3 · 3 · 3 | purple (=3): 1 · 2 | green (=8): 6 · 2 | amber (≠): 6 · 5 · 3 · 4 | orange (=3): 0 · 0 · 3 | slate (=8): 4 · 2 · 2 | teal (=9): 4 · 5 | pink (=6): 4 · 2 | lime (=1): 0 · 1 · 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 cell3
Purple3 — Add up to exactly 32
Green8 — Add up to exactly 82
Amber≠ — Have no two cells showing the same number4
Orange3 — Add up to exactly 33
Slate8 — Add up to exactly 83
Teal9 — Add up to exactly 92
Pink6 — Add up to exactly 62
Lime1 — Add up to exactly 13
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