NYT Pips HelperTuesday, October 13, 2026
Today's hintHint archiveAll answers

Pips hints — Monday, October 12, 2026

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

Monday, October 12, 2026Archived board

Today's Easy board has 5 dominoes across 7 regions, mixing target-sum, all-equal, greater-than 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

Easy
Your way in today is the blue region: one cell that must be exactly 3. Only 1 pip combination fits it at all, which is why it gives way first.

Hint 2

Easy
The 3–2 belongs across row 1, columns 1–2. It is the only tile that works there, because blue must be exactly 3.
Reveal the full Easy answer

Easy solution — October 12, 2026

24
55
20
62
32

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

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

What each region asks for

RegionRuleCells
Blue3 — Be exactly 31
Purple= — Show the same number on every cell2
Green>8 — Add up to more than 82
AmberTake any value it likes1
Orange>4 — Be more than 41
Slate= — Show the same number on every cell2
Teal<3 — Be less than 31

Today's Medium board has 8 dominoes across 9 regions, mixing greater-than, less-than, target-sum 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.

Hint 1 — where to start

Medium
Your way in today is the purple 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
The 2–1 belongs across row 2, columns 1–2. It is the only tile that works there, because green must be less than 2. The 2 half sits in the amber region, which must add up to exactly 2.

Hint 3

Medium
There is exactly one home for the 5–4: across row 3, columns 5–6. It is the only tile that works there, because pink must be more than 4.
Reveal the full Medium answer

Medium solution — October 12, 2026

54
21
30
04
24
35
44
32

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

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

What each region asks for

RegionRuleCells
BlueTake any values it likes2
Purple>4 — Be more than 41
Green<2 — Be less than 21
Amber2 — Add up to exactly 22
Orange= — Show the same number on every cell3
Slate5 — Add up to exactly 52
Teal7 — Add up to exactly 72
Pink>4 — Be more than 41
Lime2 — Add up to exactly 22

Today's Hard board has 16 dominoes across 30 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.

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 blue region: one cell that must be exactly 2. Only 1 pip combination fits it at all, which is why it gives way first.

Hint 2

Hard
The 2–4 belongs down column 2, rows 1–2. It is the only tile that works there, because blue must be exactly 2.

Hint 3

Hard
There is exactly one home for the 3–5: down column 2, rows 5–6. It is the only tile that works there, because teal must be exactly 3.

Hint 4

Hard
Lay the 3–6 down column 3, rows 1–2 — no guesswork needed. It is the only tile that works there, because purple must be exactly 3.
Reveal the full Hard answer

Hard solution — October 12, 2026

01
02
03
04
05
12
13
14
15
23
24
25
34
35
45
36

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

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

What each region asks for

RegionRuleCells
Blue2 — Be exactly 21
Purple3 — Be exactly 31
Green2 — Be exactly 21
Amber3 — Be exactly 31
Orange1 — Be exactly 11
Slate10 — Add up to exactly 102
Teal5 — Be exactly 51
Pink4 — Be exactly 41
Lime3 — Be exactly 31
Brown4 — Be exactly 41
Blue2 — Be exactly 21
Purple4 — Be exactly 41
Green1 — Be exactly 11
Amber2 — Be exactly 21
Orange0 — Be exactly 01
Slate1 — Be exactly 11
Teal1 — Be exactly 11
Pink0 — Be exactly 01
Lime5 — Be exactly 51
Brown9 — Add up to exactly 92
Blue0 — Be exactly 01
Purple3 — Be exactly 31
Green5 — Be exactly 51
Amber0 — Be exactly 01
Orange1 — Be exactly 11
Slate3 — Be exactly 31
Teal3 — Be exactly 31
Pink5 — Be exactly 51
Lime2 — Be exactly 21
Brown0 — Be exactly 01
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