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NYT Pips Answers for September 21, 2026

NYT Pips answers for September 21, 2026, a Monday: 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 4 doubles against easy's 2 and 1 loose region against 2. 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 left 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.
  • > 5 (the middle right single square) — the pips in this region must add up to more than 5 — and exactly one combination of values satisfies it, so it is forced.
  • = (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.
  • = (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.
  • = (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.
  • 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 left 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 2 doubles: 1-1, 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 = 1 region resolves to 1. Which half of which domino supplies each is still yours to work out.

Full answer — easy board, September 21, 2026
How each region resolves.
RegionWhereValues
=the top centre row of 21, 1
= 1the middle left single square1
=the middle centre 3-square block5, 5, 5
=the middle centre column of 21, 1
> 5the middle right single square6
no rulethe bottom centre single square0

Every tile and the squares it covers

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

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

Medium — 14 squares, 7 dominoes

56% of the regions on this board are loose — comparisons or unconstrained — so there is little to calculate from and most of the work is deciding where tiles cannot go.

At 14 squares this is a typical medium board — the average is 14.7 — so nothing about its size explains an unusually long or short solve.

56% of its regions are loose against a norm of 41%, so this board is vaguer than usual — there is less exact arithmetic to anchor on and more reasoning by elimination.

The tray holds 4 doubles against a typical 1.78. 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.

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.

  • > 4 (the top centre single square) — the pips in this region must add up to more than 4. 2 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.
  • = 6 (the top centre column of 2) — the pips in this region must add up to exactly 6. 4 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 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 right column of 2) — every pip value in this region must be the same. 7 combinations of values would satisfy it in isolation.
  • > 7 (the middle centre column of 2) — the pips in this region must add up to more than 7. 9 combinations of values would satisfy it in isolation.
Hint 1 — where to start

Start with the > 4 region — the top centre 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 4 doubles: 0-0, 4-4, 5-5, 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 > 4 region resolves to 6. Which half of which domino supplies each is still yours to work out.

Full answer — medium board, September 21, 2026
How each region resolves.
RegionWhereValues
no rulethe top left single square0
=the top centre column of 20, 0
> 4the top centre single square6
= 6the top centre column of 22, 4
=the middle centre column of 21, 1
> 3the middle centre single square4
=the middle right column of 22, 2
> 3the middle centre single square4
> 7the middle centre column of 25, 5

Every tile and the squares it covers

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

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

Hard — 28 squares, 14 dominoes

4 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 26.4 — so nothing about its size explains an unusually long or short solve.

6% of its regions are loose against a norm of 28%, 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 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 left 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.
  • = 1 (the top 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 top 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 top 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 top 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.
  • = 6 (the middle 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.
  • = 12 (the middle right column 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.
  • = 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.
  • = 10 (the middle left column of 2) — the pips in this region must add up to exactly 10. 2 combinations of values would satisfy it in isolation.
  • < 3 (the middle centre single square) — the pips in this region must add up to less than 3. 3 combinations of values would satisfy it in isolation.
  • = 6 (the top centre row of 2) — the pips in this region must add up to exactly 6. 4 combinations of values would satisfy it in isolation.
  • = (the top centre 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 bottom centre row of 3) — every pip value in this region must be the same. 7 combinations of values would satisfy it in isolation.
  • = (the bottom centre row of 3) — every pip value in this region must be the same. 7 combinations of values would satisfy it in isolation.
  • = 9 (the middle centre column of 3) — the pips in this region must add up to exactly 9. 8 combinations of values would satisfy it in isolation.
Hint 1 — where to start

Start with the = 6 region — the top left 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 4 doubles: 3-3, 4-4, 5-5, 6-6. 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 21, 2026
How each region resolves.
RegionWhereValues
= 6the top left single square6
= 1the top centre single square1
=the top centre column of 35, 5, 5
= 4the top centre single square4
= 0the top centre single square0
= 0the top centre single square0
= 6the top centre row of 25, 1
= 10the middle left column of 25, 5
= 9the middle centre column of 33, 3, 3
=the middle centre column of 20, 0
= 6the middle centre single square6
= 12the middle right column of 26, 6
< 3the middle centre single square2
= 1the middle centre single square1
=the bottom centre row of 36, 6, 6
=the bottom centre row of 34, 4, 4

Every tile and the squares it covers

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

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 21, 2026?
The full solution for all three boards is on this page, below the hints. 4 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 21, 2026 the hard board runs 28 squares across 16 regions against the easy board’s 10 and 6, 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 (easy, medium), Rodolfo Kurchan (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.

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