NYT Pips Hints & Answers for September 6, 2026

Sep 6, 2026

🚨 SPOILER WARNING

This page contains the final **answer** and the complete **solution** to today's NYT Pips puzzle. If you haven't attempted the puzzle yet and want to try solving it yourself first, now's your chance!

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Want hints instead? Scroll down for progressive clues that won't spoil the fun.

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🎲 Today's Puzzle Overview

Ian Livengood designs today’s easy as a compact chain of sum regions. A pair of single-cell anchors on the top row sets a tight frame, then a small three-cell sum on the right side becomes the key domino-splitting problem. The arrangement feels less like a search and more like a short proof.

Rodolfo Kurchan’s medium balances a broad top-left sum against adjacent equals and single-cell constraints, creating a natural left-to-right sweep. The domino set is tuned so that a value placed in the top row sends a clear pulse down into the lower region — an elegant study in pairing.

Kurchan’s hard is more sculptural: long equals blocks, isolated single-cell inequalities, and paired sum strips interlock across the width of the grid. In this NYT Pips hard, the challenge is not just finding a value but keeping every domino’s orientation straight as the lateral deductions stack up.

💡 Progressive Hints

Try these hints one at a time. Each hint becomes more specific to help you solve it yourself!

💡 Look at the sums
Scan the grid for the most restrictive sum regions. The top row has two single-cell targets, and the upper right has a small three-cell sum that severely limits what can go there.
💡 The tight tri-cell
That three-cell region at [0,2], [0,3], and [1,3] has almost no room; check which domino can cover [0,2]-[0,3] before deciding [1,3].
💡 Complete easy answer
Place the 6-6 domino at [0,0]-[0,1] for the two top single 6s. Then the sum-1 region forces 0-0 at [0,2]-[0,3] and 3-1 at [1,2]-[1,3] with [1,3]=1. Finish with 2-2 at [2,1]-[2,2] and 4-6 at [2,0]-[1,0] to satisfy the 5- and 6-sums.
💡 Top-row restrictions
Focus on the top row’s equals and single-cell regions. They are more restrictive than the large sums and will set the left-to-right domino order.
💡 The right-side chain
The equals pair at [0,2]-[0,3] is the cleanest start. After that, the single cell at [0,4] and the equals column at [1,4]-[2,4] together force a vertical chain.
💡 Complete medium answer
Place 0-0 at [0,2]-[0,3]. Place 2-6 at [0,4]-[1,4] with [0,4]=2; then 6-5 at [2,4]-[2,3] and 5-3 at [1,3]-[1,2]. Top-left uses 2-2 at [0,0]-[0,1] and 3-6 at [2,1]-[1,1], leaving 4-3 at [2,2]-[3,2].
💡 Survey the tight singles
Begin with the single-cell constraints and the long equals strips. They are the most restrictive parts of the grid and will anchor the rest.
💡 Follow the left column and bottom row
The single sums at [3,0], [3,7], and [8,3] each dictate one endpoint of a domino. Pair them with the adjacent equals and sum regions to determine their neighbors.
💡 Break the long equals blocks
The vertical equals at [5,3]-[6,3]-[7,3] and horizontal equals at [5,5]-[5,6]-[5,7] are not independent. The sum-6 pair at [6,5]-[7,5] links them and will split two matching dominos.
💡 Chain the right-side sums
The right edge has a large vertical sum at [0,7]-[1,7]-[2,7], a single low sum at [3,7], and a small bottom sum at [7,7]-[8,7]. Solve these as one column after the left side is stable.
💡 Complete hard answer
Place 3-4 at [3,0]-[2,0] to satisfy the sum-3 cell and the equals pair [1,0]-[2,0]; place 4-0 at [1,0]-[0,0]. Place 2-5 at [7,3]-[8,3] and 2-2 at [5,3]-[6,3] for the vertical equals; place 6-3 at [5,5]-[6,5] and 6-6 at [5,6]-[5,7] for the horizontal equals, leaving [6,5]=3. Use 5-3 at [7,5]-[8,5] and 6-2 at [8,6]-[8,7], plus 2-3 at [7,7]-[6,7]. Place 6-1 at [2,7]-[3,7] and 3-3 at [0,7]-[1,7] for the sum-12. Put 1-4 at [1,2]-[0,2] and 4-6 at [2,2]-[3,2]. Fill 6-5 at [1,4]-[1,5], 4-2 at [6,0]-[6,1], and 1-1 at [8,0]-[8,1].

🎨 Pips Solver

Sep 6, 2026

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✅ Final Answer & Complete Solution For Hard Level

The key to solving today's hard puzzle was identifying the placement for the critical dominoes highlighted in the starting grid. Once those were in place, the rest of the puzzle could be solved logically. See the final grid below to compare your solution.

Starting Position & Key First Steps

Pips hint for Sept 6, 2026 – hard level puzzle grid with critical first placements and strategy

This image shows the initial puzzle grid for the hard level, with a few critical first placements highlighted.

Final Answer: The Solved Grid for Hard Mode

NYT Pips Sept 6, 2026 hard puzzle full solution grid showing final answer with hints

Compare this final grid with your own solution to see the correct placement of all dominoes.

🔧 Step-by-Step Answer Walkthrough For Easy Level

1
Step 1: Lock the top single 6s
The regions at [0,0] and [0,1] each demand a 6. Since they are adjacent in the top row, the only way to satisfy both is to place the 6-6 domino horizontally at [0,0]-[0,1].
2
Step 2: Zero the two-cell pair
The sum-1 region at [0,2], [0,3], and [1,3] needs three pips that add to 1. The 0-0 domino covers [0,2]-[0,3], leaving [1,3] to take a 1.
3
Step 3: Split the 3-1 domino
With [1,3] required to be 1, the 3-1 domino must extend upward from [1,3] to [1,2], placing 3 at [1,2]. That also locks the left side of the sum-5 region.
4
Step 4: Finish the remaining sums
The sum-5 region at [1,2]-[2,2] still needs a 2 at [2,2], so place 2-2 at [2,1]-[2,2]. Then the final sum-6 pair at [2,0]-[2,1] and the single [1,0] resolve with 4-6 at [2,0]-[1,0].

🔧 Step-by-Step Answer Walkthrough For Medium Level

1
Step 1: Fill the equal zero pair
The cleanest opening is the equals region at [0,2]-[0,3]. The available 0-0 domino is the natural fit, so place it there horizontally.
2
Step 2: Resolve the lone sum-2 cell
The single-cell region at [0,4] must be 2. The 2-6 domino can sit vertically at [0,4]-[1,4], putting 2 in the top row and 6 at [1,4].
3
Step 3: Ride the right-side equals
The equals region at [1,4]-[2,4] requires [2,4] to match [1,4], so [2,4] becomes 6. That forces 6-5 at [2,4]-[2,3], and the sum-10 pair at [1,3]-[2,3] then sets [1,3] to 5, using 5-3 at [1,3]-[1,2].
4
Step 4: Settle the top-left sum
The top-left sum at [0,0]-[0,1]-[1,1] still needs 10. Use 2-2 at [0,0]-[0,1] and let 3-6 at [2,1]-[1,1] supply [1,1] with 6 and [2,1] with 3.
5
Step 5: Close the lower sum
The sum-10 region at [1,2]-[2,1]-[2,2] now has 3 and 3, so [2,2] must be 4. Place 4-3 at [2,2]-[3,2], which also satisfies the greater-2 cell at [3,2].

🔧 Step-by-Step Answer Walkthrough For Hard Level

1
Step 1: Anchor the left column
The single-cell sum at [3,0] forces a 3 there. The only clean way to supply it is the 3-4 domino at [3,0]-[2,0], making [2,0]=4. The equals pair [1,0]-[2,0] then makes [1,0]=4, and the less-2 cell at [0,0] forces 0-0, so use 4-0 at [1,0]-[0,0].
2
Step 2: Use the vertical equals
The single-cell sum at [8,3] must be 5, so place 2-5 at [7,3]-[8,3] with [8,3]=5 and [7,3]=2. The vertical equals block [5,3]-[6,3]-[7,3] must now be all 2s, so place 2-2 at [5,3]-[6,3].
3
Step 3: Resolve the horizontal equals and central sum
The horizontal equals run [5,5]-[5,6]-[5,7] needs matching values. Use 6-3 at [5,5]-[6,5] and 6-6 at [5,6]-[5,7], making them all 6. Then [6,5]=3 pairs with the sum-6 region at [6,5]-[7,5], forcing [7,5]=3, supplied by 5-3 at [7,5]-[8,5].
4
Step 4: Clear the right-side sums
The single sum at [3,7] must be 1, so place 6-1 at [2,7]-[3,7]. The upper-right sum-12 region [0,7]-[1,7]-[2,7] then needs 3+3+6, so place 3-3 at [0,7]-[1,7]. Below, [6,7] must be 3 and [7,7]-[8,7] sum to 4, so use 2-3 at [7,7]-[6,7] and 6-2 at [8,6]-[8,7].
5
Step 5: Fill the upper-middle constraints
The greater-3 cell at [0,2], the sum-5 pair [1,2]-[2,2], and the greater-5 cell at [3,2] are linked. Place 1-4 at [1,2]-[0,2] and 4-6 at [2,2]-[3,2], giving 4, 1+4, and 6 respectively. Then the sum-11 pair [1,4]-[1,5] resolves with 6-5 at [1,4]-[1,5].
6
Step 6: Close the bottom side
The bottom equals pair [8,0]-[8,1] is forced to be 1-1. The sum-11 pair [8,5]-[8,6] is already satisfied by the earlier 5 and 6 placements. Finally, the greater-3 cell at [6,0] and less-3 cell at [6,1] pair as 4 and 2, so place 4-2 at [6,0]-[6,1].

💡 Pro Tips for Similar Puzzles

Start with Constraints
Always begin with the most constrained regions - sum regions with small numbers or tight spaces.
Use Equal Regions
Use "equal" regions as anchors - they eliminate many possibilities quickly.
Work Systematically
Let the rules guide your placement rather than guessing randomly.
Double-Check
Verify each region's rules are satisfied before moving to the next.

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