NYT Pips HelperWednesday, September 30, 2026

Pips hints — Tuesday, September 29, 2026

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

Tuesday, September 29, 2026Archived board

The Easy grid runs to 8 regions and 5 tiles, with less-than, greater-than and all-equal 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
The blue region is the anchor: one cell, and it must be less than 2. Only 2 pip combinations fit it at all, which is why it gives way first.

Hint 2

Easy
There is exactly one home for the 5–0: down column 3, rows 1–2. It is the only tile that works there, because green must be more than 4.
Reveal the full Easy answer

Easy solution — September 29, 2026

50
25
43
02
30

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

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<2 — Be less than 21
Green>4 — Be more than 41
Amber<2 — Be less than 21
Orange= — Show the same number on every cell2
Slate= — Show the same number on every cell2
Teal>4 — Be more than 41
PinkTake any value it likes1

The Medium grid runs to 7 regions and 7 tiles, with all-equal, less-than, no-repeats, greater-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
The slate region is the anchor: one cell, and it must be exactly 1. 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 1–2: across row 3, columns 1–2. It is the only tile that works there, because slate must be exactly 1.

Hint 3

Medium
Lay the 4–4 across row 2, columns 1–2 — no guesswork needed. It is the only tile that works there, because blue must show the same number on every cell.
Reveal the full Medium answer

Medium solution — September 29, 2026

45
26
12
44
66
33
05

blue (=): 4 · 4 · 4 | purple (<7): 5 · 0 | green (≠): 6 · 2 | amber (<12): 5 · 3 · 3 | orange (>8): 6 · 6 | slate (=1): 1 | teal: 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
Purple<7 — Add up to less than 72
Green≠ — Have no two cells showing the same number2
Amber<12 — Add up to less than 123
Orange>8 — Add up to more than 82
Slate1 — Be exactly 11
TealTake any value it likes1

The Hard grid runs to 17 regions and 14 tiles, with all-equal, target-sum, less-than 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
The green region is the anchor: one cell, and it must be exactly 4. 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 3–4: down column 5, rows 1–2. It is the only tile that works there, because green must be exactly 4. The 3 half sits in the purple region, which must show the same number on every cell.

Hint 3

Hard
Lay the 6–3 across row 3, columns 1–2 — no guesswork needed. It is the only tile that works there, because slate must be more than 5.

Hint 4

Hard
Place the 4–2 domino across row 7, columns 2–3. It is the only tile that works there, because slate must be exactly 4.
Reveal the full Hard answer

Hard solution — September 29, 2026

63
33
32
11
55
53
25
16
03
44
34
42
14
20

blue: 2 | purple (=): 3 · 3 · 3 · 3 | green (=4): 4 | amber (<1): 0 | orange (=3): 0 · 3 | slate (>5): 6 | teal (>1): 3 | pink (=): 5 · 5 · 5 | lime (>3): 4 | brown (<2): 1 | blue (=9): 1 · 1 · 5 · 2 | purple (=7): 1 · 6 | green (=3): 3 | amber (=): 4 · 4 | orange: 2 | slate (=4): 4 | teal (=2): 2

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 cell4
Green4 — Be exactly 41
Amber<1 — Be less than 11
Orange3 — Add up to exactly 32
Slate>5 — Be more than 51
Teal>1 — Be more than 11
Pink= — Show the same number on every cell3
Lime>3 — Be more than 31
Brown<2 — Be less than 21
Blue9 — Add up to exactly 94
Purple7 — Add up to exactly 72
Green3 — Be exactly 31
Amber= — Show the same number on every cell2
OrangeTake any value it likes1
Slate4 — Be exactly 41
Teal2 — Be exactly 21
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