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NYT Pips Answers for September 19, 2026

NYT Pips answers for September 19, 2026, a Saturday: 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 30-square hard one, a gap of 20 squares, with the hard board carrying 2 doubles against easy's 1 and 1 loose region against 3. Constructed by Ian Livengood.

Sukie, Puzzle editor at EnergyPips

By Sukie · Puzzle editor

Easy — 10 squares, 5 dominoes

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

Start with the = 1 region — the middle centre single square — 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 1 double: 3-3. A double is the only tile that fits wholly inside an all-equal region, and there are 2 here.

Hint 3 — the opening region's values

The = 1 region resolves to 1. Which half of which domino supplies each is still yours to work out.

Full answer — easy board, September 19, 2026
How each region resolves.
RegionWhereValues
=the top left row of 22, 2
=the top centre row of 21, 1
> 4the middle left single square5
< 4the middle right single square0
= 6the middle centre column of 23, 3
= 1the middle centre single square1
no rulethe bottom centre single square3

Every tile and the squares it covers

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

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

Medium — 16 squares, 8 dominoes

3 doubles in a 8-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 16 squares this is a typical medium board — the average is 14.8 — so nothing about its size explains an unusually long or short solve.

0% 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 middle centre 3-square block) — the pips in this region must add up to exactly 1 — and exactly one combination of values satisfies it, so it is forced.
  • = 10 (the top centre row of 2) — the pips in this region must add up to exactly 10. 2 combinations of values would satisfy it in isolation.
  • = 10 (the bottom centre row of 2) — the pips in this region must add up to exactly 10. 2 combinations of values would satisfy it in isolation.
  • = 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.
  • = (the top 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 left 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 3-square block) — 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 middle centre 3-square block — 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: 5-5, 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, 0, 1. Which half of which domino supplies each is still yours to work out.

Full answer — medium board, September 19, 2026
How each region resolves.
RegionWhereValues
=the top left column of 23, 3
= 10the top centre row of 26, 4
= 1the middle centre 3-square block0, 0, 1
=the middle left row of 21, 1
=the middle centre 3-square block2, 2, 2
= 6the middle centre column of 23, 3
= 10the bottom centre row of 25, 5

Every tile and the squares it covers

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

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

Hard — 30 squares, 15 dominoes

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

At 30 squares this is 14% larger than the average hard board, which runs 26.3. 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.

7% of its regions are loose against a norm of 29%, 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 2 doubles against a typical 3.12. Doubles are the most constrained tiles you can be dealt, so you get fewer of the free constraints doubles normally provide, and have to find your footholds elsewhere.

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.

  • = 6 (the top centre single square) — the pips in this region must add up to exactly 6 — 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.
  • = 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.
  • = 3 (the middle left 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.
  • = 1 (the middle 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.
  • = 12 (the middle centre row of 2) — the pips in this region must add up to exactly 12 — and exactly one combination of values satisfies it, so it is forced.
  • = 9 (the middle centre row of 2) — the pips in this region must add up to exactly 9. 2 combinations of values would satisfy it in isolation.
  • = 14 (the middle centre 3-square block) — the pips in this region must add up to exactly 14. 4 combinations of values would satisfy it in isolation.
  • = (the middle centre 4-square block) — 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 5-square block) — 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.
  • = 6 (the bottom centre row of 3) — the pips in this region must add up to exactly 6. 7 combinations of values would satisfy it in isolation.
  • < 8 (the middle left row of 2) — the pips in this region must add up to less than 8. 19 combinations of values would satisfy it in isolation.
Hint 1 — where to start

Start with the = 6 region — the top centre single square — where the pips in this region must add up to exactly 6. 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 2 doubles: 2-2, 1-1. 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 = 6 region resolves to 6. Which half of which domino supplies each is still yours to work out.

Full answer — hard board, September 19, 2026
How each region resolves.
RegionWhereValues
= 6the top centre single square6
= 0the middle centre single square0
=the middle centre 4-square block1, 1, 1, 1
= 9the middle centre row of 25, 4
< 8the middle left row of 20, 0
=the middle centre column of 24, 4
=the middle centre 5-square block2, 2, 2, 2, 2
= 0the middle right single square0
= 3the middle left single square3
=the middle centre column of 23, 3
= 1the middle centre single square1
= 12the middle centre row of 26, 6
= 14the middle centre 3-square block4, 5, 5
= 6the bottom centre row of 33, 2, 1

Every tile and the squares it covers

  • 6-1 → row 1 col 7 and row 2 col 7
  • 0-4 → row 4 col 2 and row 4 col 3
  • 2-2 → row 5 col 7 and row 6 col 7
  • 3-0 → row 5 col 1 and row 4 col 1
  • 4-2 → row 3 col 7 and row 4 col 7
  • 5-3 → row 9 col 5 and row 10 col 5
  • 6-2 → row 7 col 6 and row 6 col 6
  • 1-1 → row 2 col 8 and row 3 col 8
  • 6-5 → row 7 col 5 and row 8 col 5
  • 1-0 → row 4 col 8 and row 4 col 9
  • 3-2 → row 6 col 4 and row 6 col 5
  • 4-1 → row 8 col 4 and row 7 col 4
  • 0-5 → row 2 col 6 and row 3 col 6
  • 1-2 → row 10 col 7 and row 10 col 6
  • 3-4 → row 5 col 4 and row 5 col 3

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 19, 2026?
The full solution for all three boards is on this page, below the hints. The = 0 region is the giveaway: a target that low forces blanks and ones, and almost nothing else fits.
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 19, 2026 the hard board runs 30 squares across 14 regions against the easy board’s 10 and 7, and carries 1 region 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 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.

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