NYT Pips HelperFriday, October 9, 2026
Today's hintHint archiveAll answers

Pips hints — Thursday, October 8, 2026

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

Thursday, October 8, 2026Archived board

Easy today: 5 dominoes, 7 regions and greater-than, target-sum and all-equal 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
Ignore the open areas for now and go straight to the purple 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
The 0–1 belongs down column 3, rows 1–2. It is the only tile that works there, because purple must be exactly 0.
Reveal the full Easy answer

Easy solution — October 8, 2026

55
06
15
01
33

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

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

What each region asks for

RegionRuleCells
Blue>4 — Be more than 41
Purple0 — Be exactly 01
Green= — Show the same number on every cell2
Amber= — Show the same number on every cell2
Orange= — Show the same number on every cell2
Slate0 — Be exactly 01
Teal>5 — Be more than 51

Medium today: 8 dominoes, 7 regions and target-sum and all-equal 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
Ignore the open areas for now and go straight to the amber region, where two cells must add up to exactly 9. Only 4 pip combinations fit it at all, which is why it gives way first.

Hint 2

Medium
The 4–2 belongs down column 1, rows 3–4. It is the only tile that works there, because amber must add up to exactly 9.

Hint 3

Medium
There is exactly one home for the 5–0: down column 2, rows 2–3. It is the only tile that works there, because amber must add up to exactly 9.
Reveal the full Medium answer

Medium solution — October 8, 2026

31
56
11
22
35
21
42
50

blue (=2): 1 · 1 · 0 | purple: 5 | green (=7): 6 · 1 | amber (=9): 4 · 5 | orange (=): 3 · 3 | slate (=8): 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 | teal (=6): 5 · 1

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

What each region asks for

RegionRuleCells
Blue2 — Add up to exactly 23
PurpleTake any value it likes1
Green7 — Add up to exactly 72
Amber9 — Add up to exactly 92
Orange= — Show the same number on every cell2
Slate8 — Add up to exactly 84
Teal6 — Add up to exactly 62

Hard today: 16 dominoes, 32 regions 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.

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 blue 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
The 3–2 belongs down column 2, rows 1–2. It is the only tile that works there, because slate must be exactly 3.

Hint 3

Hard
There is exactly one home for the 4–4: across row 5, columns 5–6. It is the only tile that works there, because teal must be exactly 4.

Hint 4

Hard
Lay the 4–0 down column 3, rows 1–2 — no guesswork needed. It is the only tile that works there, because purple must be exactly 4.
Reveal the full Hard answer

Hard solution — October 8, 2026

05
34
00
45
33
40
31
42
63
02
44
10
64
03
14
32

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

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

What each region asks for

RegionRuleCells
Blue2 — Be exactly 21
Purple4 — Be exactly 41
Green4 — Be exactly 41
Amber1 — Be exactly 11
Orange6 — Be exactly 61
Slate3 — Be exactly 31
Teal0 — Be exactly 01
Pink0 — Be exactly 01
Lime0 — Be exactly 01
Brown3 — Be exactly 31
Blue4 — Be exactly 41
Purple3 — Be exactly 31
Green6 — Be exactly 61
Amber1 — Be exactly 11
Orange4 — Be exactly 41
Slate5 — Be exactly 51
Teal0 — Be exactly 01
Pink0 — Be exactly 01
Lime1 — Be exactly 11
Brown3 — Be exactly 31
Blue3 — Be exactly 31
Purple0 — Be exactly 01
Green4 — Be exactly 41
Amber5 — Be exactly 51
Orange2 — Be exactly 21
Slate0 — Be exactly 01
Teal4 — Be exactly 41
Pink4 — Be exactly 41
Lime3 — Be exactly 31
Brown3 — Be exactly 31
Blue2 — Be exactly 21
Purple4 — Be exactly 41
← Oct 7 All hintsFull answers for this day Oct 9 →