NYT Pips Answers for September 17, 2026
NYT Pips answers for September 17, 2026, a Thursday: 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 32-square hard one, a gap of 22 squares, with the hard board carrying 3 doubles against easy's 1 and 5 loose regions against 2. Constructed by Ian Livengood.
By Sukie · Puzzle editor
Easy — 10 squares, 5 dominoes
The = 0 region is the giveaway: a target that low forces blanks and ones, and almost nothing else fits.
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.
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.
- = 2 (the top centre row of 3) — the pips in this region must add up to exactly 2. 2 combinations of values would satisfy it in isolation.
- = 7 (the middle left row of 2) — the pips in this region must add up to exactly 7. 3 combinations of values would satisfy it in isolation.
- = 7 (the bottom left row of 2) — the pips in this region must add up to exactly 7. 3 combinations of values would satisfy it in isolation.
- > 2 (the bottom centre single square) — the pips in this region must add up to more than 2. 4 combinations of values would satisfy it in isolation.
- < 5 (the bottom right single square) — the pips in this region must add up to less than 5. 5 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: 1-1. Neither all-equal nor all-different regions appear today, so the doubles are unusually free — place them last.
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 — easy board, September 17, 2026
| Region | Where | Values |
|---|---|---|
| = 2 | the top centre row of 3 | 0, 1, 1 |
| = 7 | the middle left row of 2 | 2, 5 |
| = 0 | the middle right single square | 0 |
| = 7 | the bottom left row of 2 | 3, 4 |
| > 2 | the bottom centre single square | 3 |
| < 5 | the bottom right single square | 4 |
Every tile and the squares it covers
- 0-5 → row 1 col 2 and row 2 col 2
- 4-3 → row 3 col 2 and row 3 col 3
- 3-2 → row 3 col 1 and row 2 col 1
- 4-0 → row 3 col 4 and row 2 col 4
- 1-1 → 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
3 doubles in a 7-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 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.
29% of its regions are loose against a norm of 41%, so this board is tighter than usual — more regions hand you a number outright, which is why it may have felt unusually tractable.
The tray holds 3 doubles against a typical 1.79. 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 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.
- = 1 (the bottom centre row of 2) — the pips in this region must add up to exactly 1 — and exactly one combination of values satisfies it, so it is forced.
- = 4 (the bottom left row of 2) — the pips in this region must add up to exactly 4. 3 combinations of values would satisfy it in isolation.
- < 4 (the middle centre column of 2) — the pips in this region must add up to less than 4. 6 combinations of values would satisfy it in isolation.
- no rule (the top centre single square) — No rule. A single free square — useful as somewhere to park a value the constrained regions cannot take.
- = (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 row of 2) — every pip value in this region must be the same. 7 combinations of values would satisfy it in isolation.
- = (the middle centre row of 3) — 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 = 1 region — the bottom centre row of 2 — where the pips in this region must add up to exactly 1. 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 3 doubles: 1-1, 3-3, 2-2. 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 = 1 region resolves to 0, 1. Which half of which domino supplies each is still yours to work out.
Full answer — medium board, September 17, 2026
| Region | Where | Values |
|---|---|---|
| no rule | the top centre single square | 4 |
| = | the middle centre column of 2 | 3, 3 |
| < 4 | the middle centre column of 2 | 2, 1 |
| = | the middle centre row of 2 | 5, 5 |
| = | the middle centre row of 3 | 2, 2, 2 |
| = 4 | the bottom left row of 2 | 1, 3 |
| = 1 | the bottom centre row of 2 | 1, 0 |
Every tile and the squares it covers
- 5-4 → row 2 col 5 and row 1 col 5
- 1-1 → row 3 col 3 and row 4 col 3
- 2-5 → row 2 col 3 and row 2 col 4
- 1-3 → row 4 col 1 and row 4 col 2
- 0-2 → row 4 col 4 and row 3 col 4
- 3-3 → row 2 col 2 and row 3 col 2
- 2-2 → row 3 col 5 and row 3 col 6
Rows and columns are counted from the top-left of the board, starting at 1.
Hard — 32 squares, 16 dominoes
Two or more regions carry no rule at all today, which sounds generous and is not: unconstrained squares give you nothing to reason from, so the 9 sum regions have to carry the whole board.
At 32 squares this is 22% larger than the average hard board, which runs 26.2. More squares means more placements to keep straight at once, and a mistake made early sits underneath more correct-looking work before you find it.
Its tightest sum target is 0, 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.
- = 0 (the middle centre row of 2) — the pips in this region must add up to exactly 0 — and exactly one combination of values satisfies it, so it is forced.
- = 4 (the middle centre single square) — the pips in this region must add up to exactly 4 — and exactly one combination of values satisfies it, so it is forced.
- = 0 (the middle centre 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.
- = 11 (the middle left 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.
- = 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.
- = 3 (the middle centre 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.
- = 4 (the middle centre single square) — the pips in this region must add up to exactly 4 — and exactly one combination of values satisfies it, so it is forced.
- = 9 (the middle centre column of 2) — the pips in this region must add up to exactly 9. 2 combinations of values would satisfy it in isolation.
- > 3 (the middle right single square) — the pips in this region must add up to more than 3. 3 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.
- = (the top left row of 3) — every pip value in this region must be the same. 7 combinations of values would satisfy it in isolation.
- = (the top centre column of 2) — every pip value in this region must be the same. 7 combinations of values would satisfy it in isolation.
- no rule (the top right single square) — No rule. A single free square — useful as somewhere to park a value the constrained regions cannot take.
- = 5 (the middle left 5-square block) — the pips in this region must add up to exactly 5. 7 combinations of values would satisfy it in isolation.
- no rule (the middle right single square) — No rule. A single free square — useful as somewhere to park a value the constrained regions cannot take.
- ≠ (the middle centre 6-square block) — no two pip values in this region may be the same. 7 combinations of values would satisfy it in isolation.
Hint 1 — where to start
Start with the = 4 region — the middle centre single square — where the pips in this region must add up to exactly 4. 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 3 doubles: 1-1, 5-5, 6-6. With 1 all-different and 2 all-equal regions on the board, those doubles are barred from the former and are the only tiles that fit wholly inside the latter — which usually pins two of them before you make a real decision.
Hint 3 — the opening region's values
The = 4 region resolves to 4. Which half of which domino supplies each is still yours to work out.
Full answer — hard board, September 17, 2026
| Region | Where | Values |
|---|---|---|
| = | the top left row of 3 | 5, 5, 5 |
| = | the top centre column of 2 | 2, 2 |
| > 1 | the top centre single square | 5 |
| no rule | the top right single square | 6 |
| = 5 | the middle left 5-square block | 1, 1, 1, 1, 1 |
| = 9 | the middle centre column of 2 | 3, 6 |
| no rule | the middle right single square | 6 |
| = 0 | the middle centre row of 2 | 0, 0 |
| > 3 | the middle right single square | 4 |
| = 4 | the middle centre single square | 4 |
| = 0 | the middle centre single square | 0 |
| ≠ | the middle centre 6-square block | 1, 2, 0, 3, 4, 6 |
| = 11 | the middle left column of 2 | 6, 5 |
| = 11 | the middle centre column of 2 | 6, 5 |
| = 3 | the middle centre single square | 3 |
| = 4 | the middle centre single square | 4 |
Every tile and the squares it covers
- 0-2 → row 3 col 6 and row 2 col 6
- 0-3 → row 6 col 7 and row 7 col 7
- 0-4 → row 3 col 7 and row 3 col 8
- 0-6 → row 5 col 4 and row 6 col 4
- 1-1 → row 3 col 1 and row 4 col 1
- 1-2 → row 5 col 7 and row 5 col 8
- 1-4 → row 4 col 2 and row 4 col 3
- 1-5 → row 2 col 1 and row 1 col 1
- 1-6 → row 5 col 1 and row 6 col 1
- 2-5 → row 1 col 6 and row 1 col 7
- 3-5 → row 7 col 2 and row 7 col 1
- 3-6 → row 2 col 4 and row 3 col 4
- 4-5 → row 7 col 3 and row 7 col 4
- 4-6 → row 8 col 6 and row 8 col 7
- 5-5 → row 1 col 2 and row 1 col 3
- 6-6 → row 1 col 8 and row 2 col 8
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 17, 2026?
- The full solution for all three boards is on this page, below the hints. Two or more regions carry no rule at all today, which sounds generous and is not: unconstrained squares give you nothing to reason from, so the 9 sum regions have to carry the whole board.
- 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 17, 2026 the hard board runs 32 squares across 16 regions against the easy board’s 10 and 6, and carries 5 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 (easy), Rodolfo Kurchan (medium, hard) and edited 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.
Keep reading
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- What are pipsThe word itself: pips on dominoes, dice and playing cards, and how to count them.
- Pips unlimitedPlaying past the one-a-day limit, and what "unlimited" actually costs a puzzle.
- The = ruleWhat the equal sign means in pips, and how it differs from a sum badge.
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