NYT Pips HelperTuesday, September 29, 2026

Pips hints — Monday, September 28, 2026

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

Monday, September 28, 2026Archived board

Today's Easy board has 5 dominoes across 6 regions, mixing less-than, all-equal and 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

Easy
Ignore the open areas for now and go straight to the slate 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

Easy
The 2–5 belongs down column 4, rows 4–5. It is the only tile that works there, because slate must be exactly 2.
Reveal the full Easy answer

Easy solution — September 28, 2026

00
44
14
25
63

blue (<2): 1 | purple (=): 4 · 4 | green (=10): 4 · 6 | amber (=): 0 · 0 | orange (=8): 3 · 5 | slate (=2): 2

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

What each region asks for

RegionRuleCells
Blue<2 — Be less than 21
Purple= — Show the same number on every cell2
Green10 — Add up to exactly 102
Amber= — Show the same number on every cell2
Orange8 — Add up to exactly 82
Slate2 — Be exactly 21

Today's Medium board has 7 dominoes across 7 regions, mixing greater-than, target-sum and less-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

Medium
Ignore the open areas for now and go straight to the green region, where one cell must be exactly 4. Only 1 pip combination fits it at all, which is why it gives way first.

Hint 2

Medium
The 0–4 belongs down column 4, rows 2–3. It is the only tile that works there, because orange must be exactly 0.

Hint 3

Medium
There is exactly one home for the 3–6: across row 5, columns 3–4. It is the only tile that works there, because teal must add up to less than 8.
Reveal the full Medium answer

Medium solution — September 28, 2026

45
43
04
13
53
41
36

blue (>1): 4 | purple: 1 | green (=4): 4 | amber (>10): 5 · 3 · 3 | orange (=0): 0 | slate (>18): 4 · 4 · 5 · 6 | teal (<8): 3 · 1 · 3

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

What each region asks for

RegionRuleCells
Blue>1 — Be more than 11
PurpleTake any value it likes1
Green4 — Be exactly 41
Amber>10 — Add up to more than 103
Orange0 — Be exactly 01
Slate>18 — Add up to more than 184
Teal<8 — Add up to less than 83

Today's Hard board has 14 dominoes across 12 regions, mixing all-equal, target-sum 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
Ignore the open areas for now and go straight to the teal region, where one cell must be exactly 4. Only 1 pip combination fits it at all, which is why it gives way first.

Hint 2

Hard
The 4–4 belongs down column 2, rows 4–5. It is the only tile that works there, because teal must be exactly 4.

Hint 3

Hard
There is exactly one home for the 2–2: across row 6, columns 1–2. It is the only tile that works there, because brown must be exactly 2. The 2 half sits in the slate region, which must add up to exactly 7.

Hint 4

Hard
Lay the 1–5 down column 5, rows 2–3 — no guesswork needed. It is the only tile that works there, because orange must add up to exactly 1.
Reveal the full Hard answer

Hard solution — September 28, 2026

30
11
15
33
45
04
12
22
63
46
05
13
24
44

blue (=): 1 · 1 · 1 · 1 | purple (=7): 4 · 3 · 0 | green (=8): 2 · 2 · 4 | amber (>4): 5 | orange (=1): 1 · 0 | slate (=7): 5 · 0 · 2 | teal (=4): 4 | pink (=4): 4 | lime (=): 3 · 3 · 3 · 3 | brown (=2): 2 | blue (>9): 4 · 6 | purple (>14): 5 · 4 · 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 cell4
Purple7 — Add up to exactly 73
Green8 — Add up to exactly 83
Amber>4 — Be more than 41
Orange1 — Add up to exactly 12
Slate7 — Add up to exactly 73
Teal4 — Be exactly 41
Pink4 — Be exactly 41
Lime= — Show the same number on every cell4
Brown2 — Be exactly 21
Blue>9 — Add up to more than 92
Purple>14 — Add up to more than 143
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