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NYT Pips answers — Sunday, September 13, 2026

Pips #392 · Edited by Ian Livengood · Easy by Ian Livengood · Medium by Rodolfo Kurchan · Hard by Rodolfo Kurchan

Stuck on today's New York Times Pips? Below are three progressive hints for each difficulty, then the full solution as a tap-to-reveal board. Hints first — the answer only when you want it.

Jump to: Easy · Medium · Hard

Easy Pips answer — September 13, 2026

5×6 board · 5 dominoes · 6 regions · by Ian Livengood

5 dominoes, 6 regions, a 5×6 grid — that's the easy puzzle for September 13, 2026. You're working with 5 sum regions, 1 "all equal". The single cell at row 1, column 6 is marked 3, so it can only hold a 3. After that, the single cell at row 5, column 1 is marked 3, so it can only hold a 3. Rack check: 1 double, 1 blank half.

Hints

Hint 1 — where to start

The single cell at row 1, column 6 is marked 3, so it can only hold a 3. Find the domino with a 3 that fits there.

Hint 2 — first domino

Place the 3–3 domino with its 3 at row 1, column 5 and its 3 at row 1, column 6.

Hint 3 — second domino

Next, the 1–3 goes at row 5, column 2 → row 5, column 1. From there the rest should fall into place.

Solution

Tap any cell to reveal its pips, or reveal the whole board. Region rules: 8 must add up to 8; 3 must add up to 3; 2 must add up to 2; = must all be the same number.

8
3
2
8
=
3
Solution as text
  1. 1–3 — 1 at row 5, column 2, 3 at row 5, column 1
  2. 3–3 — 3 at row 1, column 5, 3 at row 1, column 6
  3. 0–5 — 0 at row 2, column 4, 5 at row 2, column 5
  4. 4–1 — 4 at row 4, column 3, 1 at row 4, column 2
  5. 4–2 — 4 at row 3, column 3, 2 at row 3, column 4

Medium Pips answer — September 13, 2026

4×6 board · 7 dominoes · 9 regions · by Rodolfo Kurchan

7 dominoes, 9 regions, a 4×6 grid — that's the medium puzzle for September 13, 2026. You're working with 2 sum regions, 1 "all equal", 2 "less than", 2 "greater than", 2 free regions. The "=" region starting at row 2, column 4 has 3 cells that must all match — every 5 in the puzzle should come here.. After that, two cells adding to more than 10 at row 3, column 2: that's 5+6 or 6+6 territory.. Rack check: 2 doubles, 5 sixes.

Hints

Hint 1 — where to start

The "=" region starting at row 2, column 4 has 3 cells that must all match — every 5 in the puzzle should come here.

Hint 2 — first domino

Place the 5–5 domino with its 5 at row 2, column 4 and its 5 at row 3, column 4.

Hint 3 — second domino

Next, the 2–6 goes at row 3, column 1 → row 3, column 2. From there the rest should fall into place.

Solution

Tap any cell to reveal its pips, or reveal the whole board. Region rules: >2 must add up to more than 2; <4 must add up to less than 4; = must all be the same number; >10 must add up to more than 10; 10 must add up to 10.

>2
<4
=
<4
>10
10
10
Solution as text
  1. 2–3 — 2 at row 2, column 5, 3 at row 1, column 5
  2. 2–6 — 2 at row 3, column 1, 6 at row 3, column 2
  3. 3–4 — 3 at row 2, column 3, 4 at row 3, column 3
  4. 4–6 — 4 at row 3, column 5, 6 at row 3, column 6
  5. 5–5 — 5 at row 2, column 4, 5 at row 3, column 4
  6. 5–6 — 5 at row 4, column 4, 6 at row 4, column 5
  7. 6–6 — 6 at row 4, column 2, 6 at row 4, column 3

Hard Pips answer — September 13, 2026

10×9 board · 16 dominoes · 13 regions · by Rodolfo Kurchan

Hard today is a 10×9 board with 16 dominoes and 13 regions. Rules on the board: 5 sum regions, 7 "all equal", 1 free region. Best foothold — the single cell at row 5, column 7 is marked 5, so it can only hold a 5. After that, the single cell at row 5, column 9 is marked 1, so it can only hold a 1. Rack check: 5 doubles, 5 blank halves, 7 sixes.

Hints

Hint 1 — where to start

The single cell at row 5, column 7 is marked 5, so it can only hold a 5. Find the domino with a 5 that fits there.

Hint 2 — first domino

Place the 5–0 domino with its 5 at row 5, column 7 and its 0 at row 5, column 6.

Hint 3 — second domino

Next, the 1–3 goes at row 5, column 9 → row 6, column 9. From there the rest should fall into place.

Solution

Tap any cell to reveal its pips, or reveal the whole board. Region rules: 3 must add up to 3; = must all be the same number; 5 must add up to 5; 1 must add up to 1; 2 must add up to 2.

3
=
=
=
5
1
=
=
=
=
3
2
Solution as text
  1. 3–5 — 3 at row 10, column 3, 5 at row 10, column 4
  2. 0–4 — 0 at row 2, column 3, 4 at row 3, column 3
  3. 6–6 — 6 at row 6, column 5, 6 at row 6, column 6
  4. 5–5 — 5 at row 8, column 4, 5 at row 9, column 4
  5. 1–3 — 1 at row 5, column 9, 3 at row 6, column 9
  6. 6–0 — 6 at row 5, column 4, 0 at row 5, column 5
  7. 5–4 — 5 at row 9, column 7, 4 at row 8, column 7
  8. 6–1 — 6 at row 2, column 1, 1 at row 2, column 2
  9. 2–5 — 2 at row 10, column 6, 5 at row 10, column 7
  10. 4–4 — 4 at row 4, column 3, 4 at row 5, column 3
  11. 6–5 — 6 at row 6, column 4, 5 at row 7, column 4
  12. 1–1 — 1 at row 1, column 2, 1 at row 1, column 3
  13. 4–6 — 4 at row 7, column 7, 6 at row 7, column 6
  14. 5–0 — 5 at row 5, column 7, 0 at row 5, column 6
  15. 6–3 — 6 at row 6, column 7, 3 at row 6, column 8
  16. 0–0 — 0 at row 4, column 5, 0 at row 4, column 6

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