Welcome to your daily guide for the New York Times Pips puzzle! Whether you’re playing the easy, medium, or hard level, this page gives you structured hints and step-by-step answers so you can solve each section without needing to reveal the entire puzzle.

Answers

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Easy Difficulty Hints, Answers for Dec. 14 Pips

  • Equal (3) → Place 3-3 (vertical) and 3-6 (horizontal).

  • Number (6) → Complete using 4-6 (vertical).

  • Greater Than (5) → Solved with 4-6 (vertical).

  • Greater Than (1) → Fill using 2-0 (horizontal).

Medium Difficulty Hints and Answers for December 14 Pips

  • Number (11) → Use 4-3 (horizontal), 3-2 (vertical), and 4-1 (horizontal).

  • Equal (3) – Red → Place 4-3 (horizontal) and 3-1 (horizontal).

  • Equal (1) – Light Blue → Completed with 3-1 (horizontal), 4-1 (horizontal), and 1-2 (vertical).

  • Number (6) → Solve using 3-2 (vertical) and 2-2 (horizontal).

  • Number (3) → Fill with 1-2 (vertical) and 1-0 (horizontal).

Hard Difficulty Hints and Answers for December 14 Pips

  • Less Than (2) – Purple → Use 1-3 (vertical).
  • Less Than (2) – Red → Place 0-6 (horizontal).
  • Number (10) → Completed with 0-6 (horizontal) and 4-3 (vertical).
  • Number (12) – Red → Use 6-4 (vertical) and 6-3 (horizontal).
  • Number (6) – Yellow → Fill using 6-3 (horizontal) and 1-3 (vertical).
  • Number (2) – Dark Blue → Place 1-2 (horizontal) and 1-6 (vertical).
  • Number (2) – Green → Solved with 4-3 (vertical).
  • Greater Than (2) – Purple → Use 4-3 (vertical).
  • Greater Than (4) – Purple → Completed with 5-3 (horizontal).
  • Number (4) – Light Blue → Fill using 0-4 (horizontal), 5-3 (horizontal), and 1-0 (vertical).
  • Number (4) – Yellow → Use 0-4 (horizontal).
  • Equal (4) – Dark Blue → Place 6-4 (vertical), 4-4 (horizontal), and 4-2 (vertical).
  • Number (12) – Green → Completed with 1-6 (vertical) and 6-2 (vertical).
  • Number (2) – Red → Use 4-2 (vertical).
  • Equal (3) – Yellow → Solved with 3-3 (vertical).
  • Number (6) – Light Blue → Fill using 6-2 (vertical) and 2-2 (vertical).

Easy Difficulty Hints, Answers for Dec. 13 Pips

    • Number (0) → Complete using 0-6 (vertical).

    • Number (7) – Red → Solve with 0-6 (vertical) and 1-1 (vertical).

    • Number (7) – Light Blue → Use 1-1 (vertical), 4-3 (vertical), and 5-2 (horizontal).

    • Number (11) – Orange → Fill using 5-2 (horizontal) and 6-6 (horizontal).

Medium Difficulty Hints and Answers for December 13 Pips

    • Number (1) – Orange → Completed with 1-3 (vertical).

    • Number (3) → Use 1-3 (vertical) and 0-4 (horizontal).

    • Equal (4) → Place 0-4 (horizontal) and 4-3 (horizontal).

    • Number (8) → Solve with 4-3 (horizontal) and 5-1 (horizontal).

    • Number (1) → Completed using 5-1 (horizontal).

    • Number (2) → Fill with 2-4 (vertical) and 6-0 (vertical).

    • Number (9) → Use 6-0 (vertical) and 2-3 (horizontal).

    • Number (2) → Solve using 1-1 (vertical).

    • Equal (3) – Purple → Completed with 3-3 (horizontal).

Hard Difficulty Hints and Answers for December 13 Pips

    • Equal (5) – Orange → Use 5-5 (horizontal) and 5-2 (vertical).

    • Less Than (6) → Solve with 1-3 (horizontal).

    • Number (6) → Completed using 1-3 (horizontal) and 3-6 (vertical).

    • Equal (2) – Orange → Fill with 5-2 (vertical) and 2-1 (vertical).

    • Greater Than (3) → Use 4-1 (vertical).

    • Equal (1) – Green → Place 2-1 (vertical), 4-1 (vertical), and 1-1 (horizontal).

    • Equal (4) – Purple → Completed with 4-4 (horizontal) and 4-6 (horizontal).

    • Greater Than (2) → Solve using 4-6 (horizontal).

Easy Difficulty Hints, Answers for Dec. 12 Pips

    • Less Than (2) → Place 6-1 (horizontal) (still valid because only the half inside the zone must be <2).

    • Number (10) → Solve using 5-5 (horizontal) and 0-4 (vertical).

    • Number (6) → Completed with 6-6 (horizontal).

    • Equal (0) → Fill using 0-0 (horizontal).

    • Number (10) → Use 5-4 (vertical) and 5-6 (horizontal).

Medium Difficulty Hints and Answers for December 12 Pips

    • Number (2) → Use 1-3 (vertical) and 1-4 (horizontal).

    • Number (10) → Completed with 1-4 (horizontal) and 6-4 (vertical).

    • Number (8) → Solve using 1-3 (vertical) and 5-6 (vertical).

    • Number (6) → Fill with 6-4 (vertical) and 2-4 (vertical).

    • Less Than (3) → Use 0-3 (horizontal).

    • Number (9) – Green → Completed with 0-3 (horizontal) and 5-6 (vertical).

    • Number (7) → Use 2-4 (vertical) and 3-6 (horizontal).

    • Greater Than (3) → Place 3-6 (horizontal).

Hard Difficulty Hints and Answers for December 12 Pips

    • Not Equal → Fill with 0-4 (vertical) and 2-6 (horizontal).

    • Number (4) → Solve using 0-4 (vertical).

    • Number (5) → Completed with 2-5 (horizontal).

    • Equal (2) – Purple → Use 2-6 (horizontal), 2-5 (horizontal), 2-2 (vertical), 0-2 (horizontal), 2-1 (horizontal).

    • Not Equal – Light Blue → Fill with 6-4 (vertical) and 6-0 (vertical).

    • Equal (0) → Completed with 6-0 (vertical), 0-2 (horizontal), 0-5 (vertical).

    • Number (10) → Use 5-1 (horizontal).

    • Equal (1) – Purple → Fill with 2-1 (horizontal), 5-1 (horizontal), 1-1 (vertical).

Easy difficulty hints, answers for Dec. 11 Pips

    • Number (1) → Complete using 5-3 (horizontal).

    • Greater Than (3) → Place 4-2 (horizontal) to exceed the required value.

    • Number (9) → Use 0-1 (horizontal), 6-6 (horizontal), 4-2 (horizontal).

    • Greater Than (3) → Fill this area with 2-2 (horizontal).

Medium Difficulty Hints and Answers for December 11 Pips

    • Number (2) → Solved using 1-1 (horizontal).

    • Number (10) → Use 5-4 (vertical) and 5-6 (horizontal).

    • Number (6) → Completed with 5-6 (horizontal).

    • Number (4) → Filled using 5-4 (vertical).

    • Greater Than (2) → Use 1-3 (horizontal).

    • Number (2) – Green → Solved with 2-2 (horizontal).

    • Equal (2) – Purple → Place 2-2 (horizontal) and 2-5 (horizontal).

    • Number (6) – Red → Completed with 4-6 (horizontal).

    • Equal (5) – Light Blue → Use 5-5 (horizontal).

Hard Difficulty Hints and Answers for December 11 Pips

    • Equal (2) – Purple → Fill using 2-2 (horizontal) and 2-5 (horizontal).

    • Greater Than (1) → Use 2-5 (horizontal).

    • Equal (1) – Purple → Completed with 3-1 (vertical) and 1-5 (horizontal).

    • Number (10) → Use 1-5 (horizontal) and 5-6 (horizontal).

    • Number (9) → Fill with 5-6 (horizontal) and 3-4 (vertical).

    • Number (9) – Green → Use 3-4 (vertical), 2-1 (vertical), 0-3 (horizontal).

    • Number (0) → Completed using 0-3 (horizontal) and 4-0 (horizontal).

    • Number (10) – Purple → Place 4-0 (horizontal) and 6-1 (horizontal).

    • Equal (1) – Purple → Solve with 6-1 (horizontal), 1-1 (horizontal), 2-1 (vertical).

Easy difficulty hints, answers for Dec. 10 Pips

Number (1) → Use 1-5 (horizontal) to complete the zone.

Number (30) → Combine 1-5 (horizontal), 5-5 (horizontal), 5-4 (horizontal), 5-2 (vertical), 5-3 (vertical) for the total of 30.

Greater Than (3) → Solve using 4-5 (vertical) and 5-6 (horizontal).

Less Than (3) → Use 0-2 (vertical) to stay under the allowed value.

Medium Difficulty Hints and Answers for December 10 Pips

Greater Than (3) → Filled using 4-5 (vertical).

Number (30) → Use 4-5 (vertical), 5-3 (vertical), 5-5 (horizontal), 5-6 (horizontal), 5-0 (horizontal).

Equal (3) – Purple → Fill with 5-3 (vertical) and 3-0 (horizontal).

Equal (0) – Purple → Solved using 3-0 (horizontal) and 0-1 (horizontal).

Number (3) → Completed with 3-4 (vertical).

Equal (4) – Light Blue → Use 4-4 (horizontal) and 3-4 (vertical).

Number (0) → Filled with 5-0 (horizontal).

Number (7) → Use 5-6 (horizontal) and 0-1 (horizontal).

Hard Difficulty Hints and Answers for December 10 Pips

Less Than (4) → Solved using 1-4 (horizontal) and 1-2 (vertical).

Equal (4) – Red → Use 1-4 (horizontal), 4-6 (horizontal), 4-2 (vertical).

Number (9) → Fill with 4-6 (horizontal) and 1-3 (horizontal).

Equal (2) – Red → Use 1-2 (vertical), 4-1 (vertical), 2-0 (vertical).

Number (16) → Complete with 4-0 (vertical) and 6-6 (horizontal).

Equal (0) – Green → Place 2-0 (vertical), 0-1 (vertical), 4-0 (vertical), 0-5 (vertical).

Greater Than (4) → Solved using 0-5 (vertical).

Easy difficulty hints, answers for Dec. 9 Pips

    • Number (3): All pips in this zone must total 3.

    • Solution: Place 2-2 horizontally, then use 1-3 horizontally to complete the requirement.

    • Equal (3): Every domino half inside this space must show a 3.

    • Solution: Use 1-3 horizontally, followed by 3-2 vertically to satisfy the equal-pip rule.

    • Number (2): The pieces placed here must add up to exactly 2.

    • Solution: Position 3-2 vertically, then lay 6-0 horizontally to land on the correct sum.

Medium Difficulty Hints and Answers for December 9 Pips

    • Number (7): The pips in this area should total 7.

    • Solution: Play 1-1 horizontally, then drop 5-3 vertically to hit the mark.

    • Number (9): Everything inside this zone must add up to 9.

    • Solution: Use 5-1 vertically and finish with 4-0 horizontally.

    • Number (4): The space must total exactly 4.

    • Solution: Place 4-0 horizontally and pair it with 4-3 vertically.

    • Number (2): Total value here must be 2.

    • Solution: Insert 5-1 vertically, then use 1-0 horizontally for the final count.

    • Number (0): All tile halves here must total zero.

    • Solution: A single 1-0 horizontal placement completes this area.

    • Number (5): Your pieces must add up to 5 in this zone.

    • Solution: Use 1-2 horizontally, followed by 4-3 vertically.

Hard Difficulty Hints and Answers for December 9 Pips

    • Number (14): All pips within this space must total 14.

    • Solution: Place 5-5 horizontally, then set 4-0 vertically to reach the exact amount.

    • Less Than (3): Every half-tile must show fewer than 3 pips.

    • Solution: Use 0-2 vertically for a clean, safe result.

    • Equal (0): All halves in this purple zone must be 0 pips.

    • Solution: Stack 1-0 vertically, 0-5 vertically, and 4-0 vertically to meet the requirement.

    • Equal (2): Every tile half within this red area must show exactly 2 pips.

    • Solution: Place 0-2 vertically, 3-2 vertically, 2-2 horizontally, and 2-6 vertically.

    • Number (17): The tiles must total 17.

    • Solution: Use 0-5 vertically, then add 6-4 horizontally, and finish with 6-3 vertically.

    • Equal (4): All halves in this light-blue zone must read 4.

    • Solution: Place 6-4 horizontally, followed by 4-5 vertically.

    • Less Than (4): Tile halves must all be under 4 pips.

    • Solution: Drop 6-3 vertically into the space.

    • Greater Than (8): All pieces here must total more than 8.

    • Solution: Use 4-5 vertically, then 5-6 horizontally.

    • Number (12): Everything here must add up to 12.

    • Solution: Set 2-6 vertically, then complete it with 5-6 horizontally.

What is Pips?

Pips is one of the newest puzzle additions to the New York Times, launched in August 2025. Inspired by classic dominoes, this game transforms numeric tiles into a daily logic challenge. Just like dominoes, tiles may be placed horizontally or vertically. The twist?
You must follow color-coded conditions including:

  • Number: Tiles inside the colored space must add to a given number.
  • Equal: All tile halves must match the same pip number.
  • Not Equal: Every tile half must be different.
  • Less Than: Every half must be below a target number.
  • Greater Than: Every half must be above a target number.

If a grid area has no color coding, it means no restrictions apply.

Quick Hints of Today’s NYT Pips (December 14, 2025)

Today’s puzzle places strong emphasis on Number-based zones, especially totals like 7, 8, 9, and 11, which require careful tile pairing and partial placements. Across all difficulty levels, several solutions depend on vertical stacking, particularly where tiles overlap multiple colored spaces.

Equal-value zones are more limited today, making number precision more important than repetition. To progress smoothly, focus first on the lowest and highest totals, as they restrict tile options and help unlock surrounding spaces.

Today’s NYT Pips Theme Explained

The December 14 Pips puzzle leans into high-total arithmetic paired with strict equality rules. Unlike previous days that favored incremental sums, today’s boards challenge players to manage double-digit totals (10 and 12) while simultaneously respecting color-coded equality constraints.

Medium difficulty emphasizes controlled repetition, while the Hard puzzle tests your ability to reuse tiles efficiently across multiple zones. Success today depends less on trial-and-error and more on strategic orientation and overlap awareness.

NYT Pips Spangram Hint: Orientation is Key!

Today’s spangram path rewards players who lock down stable totals before branching outward. Tiles such as 6-4, 6-3, and 5-3 act as anchors, especially when placed vertically to satisfy adjacent conditions.

Rather than filling empty space quickly, focus on balancing large-number zones first, then use smaller-value tiles to fine-tune Equal and Less Than sections. Once the purple and yellow zones align, the remaining layout falls into place naturally.

Easy Difficulty Hints, Answers for Dec. 14 Pips

  • Equal (3) → Place 3-3 (vertical) and 3-6 (horizontal).
  • Number (6) → Complete using 4-6 (vertical).
  • Greater Than (5) → Solved with 4-6 (vertical).
  • Greater Than (1) → Fill using 2-0 (horizontal).

Medium Difficulty Hints and Answers for December 14 Pips

  • Number (11) → Use 4-3 (horizontal), 3-2 (vertical), and 4-1 (horizontal).
  • Equal (3) – Red → Place 4-3 (horizontal) and 3-1 (horizontal).
  • Equal (1) – Light Blue → Completed with 3-1 (horizontal), 4-1 (horizontal), and 1-2 (vertical).
  • Number (6) → Solve using 3-2 (vertical) and 2-2 (horizontal).
  • Number (3) → Fill with 1-2 (vertical) and 1-0 (horizontal).

Hard Difficulty Hints and Answers for December 14 Pips

  • Less Than (2) – Purple → Use 1-3 (vertical).
  • Less Than (2) – Red → Place 0-6 (horizontal).
  • Number (10) → Completed with 0-6 (horizontal) and 4-3 (vertical).
  • Number (12) – Red → Use 6-4 (vertical) and 6-3 (horizontal).
  • Number (6) – Yellow → Fill using 6-3 (horizontal) and 1-3 (vertical).
  • Number (2) – Dark Blue → Place 1-2 (horizontal) and 1-6 (vertical).
  • Number (2) – Green → Solved with 4-3 (vertical).
  • Greater Than (2) – Purple → Use 4-3 (vertical).
  • Greater Than (4) – Purple → Completed with 5-3 (horizontal).
  • Number (4) – Light Blue → Fill using 0-4 (horizontal), 5-3 (horizontal), and 1-0 (vertical).
  • Number (4) – Yellow → Use 0-4 (horizontal).
  • Equal (4) – Dark Blue → Place 6-4 (vertical), 4-4 (horizontal), and 4-2 (vertical).
  • Number (12) – Green → Completed with 1-6 (vertical) and 6-2 (vertical).
  • Number (2) – Red → Use 4-2 (vertical).
  • Equal (3) – Yellow → Solved with 3-3 (vertical).
  • Number (6) – Light Blue → Fill using 6-2 (vertical) and 2-2 (vertical).

Final Reveal (Spoilers Ahead!)

If you’ve reached a standstill, the completed December 14 board reveals a puzzle built around layered constraints rather than linear paths. Many dominoes contribute to two or even three zones, making orientation just as important as pip value.