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NYT Pips Answers for September 9, 2026

NYT Pips answers for September 9, 2026, a Wednesday: hints first, then the full solution for the easy, medium and hard boards. Take the hints in order and stop when you have enough — nothing below is revealed until you open it.

Today's set runs from a 10-square easy board to a 28-square hard one, a gap of 18 squares, with the hard board carrying 5 doubles against easy's 1 and 4 loose regions against 2. Constructed by Ian Livengood.

Sukie, Puzzle editor at EnergyPips

By Sukie · Puzzle editor

Easy — 10 squares, 5 dominoes

A 10-square board across 5 regions, with 2 exact sums to anchor it and 2 looser regions to work around.

At 10 squares this is a typical easy board — the average is 9.9 — so nothing about its size explains an unusually long or short solve.

The rule mix is 2 exact sums, 1 all-equal, 2 comparison across 5 regions. Every region on this board constrains something, so there are no free squares to park an awkward tile in.

Nothing here is far enough from the easy norm to explain an unusually fast or slow solve, which makes it a good board to practise the standard opening on: bound the exact sums first, work out where the doubles cannot go, then check for an orphan square before you touch a comparison region.

Where the information is on this board

Ordered from most constrained to least — which is the order worth working them in. No values are given away here, only how much each region can tell you.

  • = 9 (the top left column of 2) — the pips in this region must add up to exactly 9. 2 combinations of values would satisfy it in isolation.
  • > 4 (the top right single square) — the pips in this region must add up to more than 4. 2 combinations of values would satisfy it in isolation.
  • > 1 (the top centre single square) — the pips in this region must add up to more than 1. 5 combinations of values would satisfy it in isolation.
  • = 4 (the top centre 4-square block) — the pips in this region must add up to exactly 4. 5 combinations of values would satisfy it in isolation.
  • = (the bottom left row of 2) — every pip value in this region must be the same. 7 combinations of values would satisfy it in isolation.
Hint 1 — where to start

Start with the > 4 region — the top right single square — where the pips in this region must add up to more than 4. Work there first because only 2 combinations of values can fill it.

Hint 2 — what your tray forces

The tray carries 1 double: 1-1. A double is the only tile that fits wholly inside an all-equal region, and there is one here.

Hint 3 — the opening region's values

The > 4 region resolves to 5. Which half of which domino supplies each is still yours to work out.

Full answer — easy board, September 9, 2026
How each region resolves.
RegionWhereValues
= 9the top left column of 23, 6
> 1the top centre single square2
= 4the top centre 4-square block1, 1, 1, 1
> 4the top right single square5
=the bottom left row of 20, 0

Every tile and the squares it covers

  • 1-1 → row 2 col 3 and row 2 col 4
  • 3-2 → row 1 col 1 and row 1 col 2
  • 1-0 → row 3 col 3 and row 3 col 2
  • 0-6 → row 3 col 1 and row 2 col 1
  • 1-5 → row 1 col 3 and row 1 col 4

Rows and columns are counted from the top-left of the board, starting at 1.

Medium — 14 squares, 7 dominoes

The = 0 region is the giveaway: a target that low forces blanks and ones, and almost nothing else fits.

At 14 squares this is a typical medium board — the average is 14.8 — so nothing about its size explains an unusually long or short solve.

33% of its regions are loose against a norm of 42%, so this board is tighter than usual — more regions hand you a number outright, which is why it may have felt unusually tractable.

Its tightest sum target is 0, against a median of 5 across every board published. A target that low forces blanks and low values, and is usually the fastest way in.

Where the information is on this board

Ordered from most constrained to least — which is the order worth working them in. No values are given away here, only how much each region can tell you.

  • = 0 (the middle right single square) — the pips in this region must add up to exactly 0 — and exactly one combination of values satisfies it, so it is forced.
  • = 6 (the middle centre column of 2) — the pips in this region must add up to exactly 6. 4 combinations of values would satisfy it in isolation.
  • = 6 (the middle centre row of 2) — the pips in this region must add up to exactly 6. 4 combinations of values would satisfy it in isolation.
  • > 1 (the top centre single square) — the pips in this region must add up to more than 1. 5 combinations of values would satisfy it in isolation.
  • < 6 (the middle centre single square) — the pips in this region must add up to less than 6. 6 combinations of values would satisfy it in isolation.
  • no rule (the middle centre single square) — No rule. A single free square — useful as somewhere to park a value the constrained regions cannot take.
  • = (the middle left column of 2) — every pip value in this region must be the same. 7 combinations of values would satisfy it in isolation.
  • = (the middle centre column of 2) — every pip value in this region must be the same. 7 combinations of values would satisfy it in isolation.
  • = (the middle centre column of 2) — every pip value in this region must be the same. 7 combinations of values would satisfy it in isolation.
Hint 1 — where to start

Start with the = 0 region — the middle right single square — where the pips in this region must add up to exactly 0. Work there first because exactly one combination of values can fill it, so it is fully forced before you place anything.

Hint 2 — what your tray forces

The tray carries 1 double: 5-5. A double is the only tile that fits wholly inside an all-equal region, and there are 3 here.

Hint 3 — the opening region's values

The = 0 region resolves to 0. Which half of which domino supplies each is still yours to work out.

Full answer — medium board, September 9, 2026
How each region resolves.
RegionWhereValues
> 1the top centre single square2
no rulethe middle centre single square6
= 6the middle centre column of 23, 3
= 6the middle centre row of 21, 5
= 0the middle right single square0
=the middle left column of 25, 5
=the middle centre column of 23, 3
=the middle centre column of 25, 5
< 6the middle centre single square4

Every tile and the squares it covers

  • 3-1 → row 4 col 2 and row 3 col 2
  • 5-5 → row 4 col 1 and row 5 col 1
  • 2-3 → row 1 col 4 and row 2 col 4
  • 5-6 → row 3 col 3 and row 2 col 3
  • 0-3 → row 3 col 5 and row 3 col 4
  • 5-3 → row 5 col 3 and row 5 col 2
  • 5-4 → row 4 col 3 and row 4 col 4

Rows and columns are counted from the top-left of the board, starting at 1.

Hard — 28 squares, 14 dominoes

5 doubles in a 14-tile tray is a lot, and doubles are the most constrained tiles you can be dealt. Placing them first is not a preference today, it is the route through.

At 28 squares this is a typical hard board — the average is 26.2 — so nothing about its size explains an unusually long or short solve.

The tray holds 5 doubles against a typical 3.11. Doubles are the most constrained tiles you can be dealt, so this board hands you more forced placements than usual — an advantage, if you look for them first.

Its tightest sum target is 1, against a median of 4 across every board published. A target that low forces blanks and low values, and is usually the fastest way in.

Where the information is on this board

Ordered from most constrained to least — which is the order worth working them in. No values are given away here, only how much each region can tell you.

  • = 11 (the top centre row of 2) — the pips in this region must add up to exactly 11 — and exactly one combination of values satisfies it, so it is forced.
  • = 3 (the top right single square) — the pips in this region must add up to exactly 3 — and exactly one combination of values satisfies it, so it is forced.
  • = 11 (the middle centre column of 2) — the pips in this region must add up to exactly 11 — and exactly one combination of values satisfies it, so it is forced.
  • = 1 (the bottom centre single square) — the pips in this region must add up to exactly 1 — and exactly one combination of values satisfies it, so it is forced.
  • = 2 (the middle centre 4-square block) — the pips in this region must add up to exactly 2. 2 combinations of values would satisfy it in isolation.
  • > 3 (the middle left single square) — the pips in this region must add up to more than 3. 3 combinations of values would satisfy it in isolation.
  • > 3 (the middle centre single square) — the pips in this region must add up to more than 3. 3 combinations of values would satisfy it in isolation.
  • > 3 (the middle centre single square) — the pips in this region must add up to more than 3. 3 combinations of values would satisfy it in isolation.
  • = 13 (the middle centre column of 3) — the pips in this region must add up to exactly 13. 5 combinations of values would satisfy it in isolation.
  • no rule (the top left single square) — No rule. A single free square — useful as somewhere to park a value the constrained regions cannot take.
  • = (the top centre row of 4) — every pip value in this region must be the same. 7 combinations of values would satisfy it in isolation.
  • = (the middle left column of 3) — every pip value in this region must be the same. 7 combinations of values would satisfy it in isolation.
  • = (the middle centre column of 2) — every pip value in this region must be the same. 7 combinations of values would satisfy it in isolation.
  • = (the middle centre column of 2) — every pip value in this region must be the same. 7 combinations of values would satisfy it in isolation.
Hint 1 — where to start

Start with the = 3 region — the top right single square — where the pips in this region must add up to exactly 3. Work there first because exactly one combination of values can fill it, so it is fully forced before you place anything.

Hint 2 — what your tray forces

The tray carries 5 doubles: 1-1, 0-0, 4-4, 2-2, 3-3. A double is the only tile that fits wholly inside an all-equal region, and there are 4 here.

Hint 3 — the opening region's values

The = 3 region resolves to 3. Which half of which domino supplies each is still yours to work out.

Full answer — hard board, September 9, 2026
How each region resolves.
RegionWhereValues
no rulethe top left single square2
= 11the top centre row of 26, 5
=the top centre row of 41, 1, 1, 1
= 3the top right single square3
=the middle left column of 33, 3, 3
= 2the middle centre 4-square block0, 0, 0, 2
=the middle centre column of 20, 0
= 11the middle centre column of 26, 5
> 3the middle left single square4
> 3the middle centre single square4
=the middle centre column of 22, 2
> 3the middle centre single square6
= 13the middle centre column of 34, 4, 5
= 1the bottom centre single square1

Every tile and the squares it covers

  • 6-2 → row 1 col 2 and row 1 col 1
  • 5-0 → row 1 col 3 and row 2 col 3
  • 1-1 → row 1 col 5 and row 1 col 6
  • 0-0 → row 3 col 2 and row 3 col 3
  • 4-4 → row 7 col 5 and row 8 col 5
  • 3-1 → row 1 col 9 and row 1 col 8
  • 0-6 → row 3 col 7 and row 4 col 7
  • 4-2 → row 5 col 3 and row 4 col 3
  • 0-1 → row 2 col 7 and row 1 col 7
  • 5-6 → row 5 col 7 and row 6 col 7
  • 2-2 → row 5 col 5 and row 6 col 5
  • 3-3 → row 2 col 1 and row 3 col 1
  • 1-5 → row 9 col 6 and row 9 col 5
  • 3-4 → row 4 col 1 and row 5 col 1

Rows and columns are counted from the top-left of the board, starting at 1.

Questions about this day

What is the answer to NYT Pips on September 9, 2026?
The full solution for all three boards is on this page, below the hints. 5 doubles in a 14-tile tray is a lot, and doubles are the most constrained tiles you can be dealt. Placing them first is not a preference today, it is the route through.
Can I see a hint without seeing the whole answer?
Yes. Each difficulty has three hints in order — where to start, what your tray forces, then the values in the opening region — each behind its own disclosure, with the full solution last. Nothing is revealed until you open it.
Are these the official New York Times boards?
The puzzle data is the Times’ own, and this page reports and explains the solution. EnergyPips is not affiliated with The New York Times, and the boards are not reproduced here to play — to play, go to the Times. To play a free daily domino puzzle of our own, the rest of this site is that.
Why is the hard board harder than the easy one?
On September 9, 2026 the hard board runs 28 squares across 14 regions against the easy board’s 10 and 5, and carries 4 regions that give you no exact number to work from.

About these answers

EnergyPips is an independent site and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to The New York Times. This page reports and explains the solution to a published puzzle, constructed by Ian Livengood — the board itself is not reproduced here to play. To play it, go to the official NYT Pips puzzle. To play a free daily domino puzzle of our own making, with a full archive, start here.

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