The Forbes article by Erik Kain provides a detailed guide and solutions for The New York Times’ Pips puzzles published on Saturday, September 26, 2026. It begins by explaining the gameplay mechanics of Pips, where players fill a grid with domino-like tiles to meet specific numerical and relational conditions indicated by colored sections on the board. Each tile placement must satisfy the puzzle’s rules, which can include equality, inequality, and exact value requirements among groupings of pips.
Kain walks readers through the solutions for the Easy and Medium puzzles first, illustrating how to place tiles according to the puzzle’s rules. He highlights the variety of conditions used, such as ensuring certain tiles have identical pip values while others must differ or be greater or less than specified numbers. These puzzles offer different challenges and help players build the logical reasoning needed for the harder levels.
The article then dives into a step-by-step walkthrough of the Hard Pips puzzle, breaking down the placement of domino pieces based on the unique constraints of the grid. Kain discusses strategic moves like starting with dominoes bearing particular numbers, avoiding doubles where the pile doesn’t contain repeats, and carefully fitting tiles into corners and colored zones while adhering to the puzzle’s conditions. The solution unfolds logically to ensure all dominoes are used and all conditions met without conflict.
This guide serves as both a helpful resource for daily Pips players and an engaging look at the intricate puzzle mechanics introduced by the NYT. It invites players to test their reasoning skills with the featured puzzles, encouraging them to enjoy the challenge while providing clear answers and tips to enhance their puzzle-solving experience. Readers seeking solutions for the previous day’s puzzles are also directed to further resources by the author.
Start the discussion with a take, question, or market read.