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Spoilers ahead. This guide is for the NYT Pips puzzle from Tuesday, September 16, 2025—not the separate Wednesday, September 16, 2026 puzzle. It explains the rules, offers a way to approach the three difficulty tiers, and walks through the Difficult solution.
How NYT Pips works
In NYT Pips, place every supplied domino across the grid so that the pips in each colored region satisfy its condition. A domino can be rotated to fit. Depending on the region, its pips may need to match, differ, add to an exact total, or satisfy a greater-than or less-than condition; some cells are unrestricted.
For this puzzle, the published guide includes Easy and Medium solutions as images, while its written walkthrough explains the Difficult board. The text does not provide a complete cell-by-cell transcription of the Easy or Medium layouts, so those placements are not reproduced here.
Hints before the solutions
If you are solving the Difficult board, start by counting how many pips the equality groups require. The five-cell blue equals group needs five identical pips, while the three-cell purple equals group needs three. Then use the supply and the region totals to reserve the values that cannot fit elsewhere.
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#1 Best Overall
RoseArt Hobby Haven Bookshelf 1000 Piece Jigsaw Puzzle
- WHIMSICAL COZY LIBRARY SCENE: Immerse yourself in the magic of a leafy, plant-filled library complete with twinkling lights, art supplies, and a cozy reading chair – perfect for puzzle lovers and bookworms alike
- VIBRANT, HIGH-QUALITY ARTWORK: Features stunning, detailed artwork with rich colors, hand-drawn charm, and imaginative details including plants, potions, books, and vintage objects. The finished puzzle measures 19.25" x 26.625" and promises a premium puzzle experience
- PREMIUM QUALITY: Made with recycled paperboard and printed with vegetable-based inks; ensures vivid colors and a precise fit. Each piece is precision-cut for a snug fit; ensures a satisfying and enjoyable puzzling experience
- FULLY INTERLOCKING PIECES: Enjoy the satisfying 'SNAP' as each piece fits perfectly; designed for a seamless assembly process. Each RoseArt jigsaw puzzle comes with a full color bonus poster for easy reference while building your new puzzle
- PROUDLY MADE IN THE USA: Each RoseArt jigsaw puzzle is manufactured in the United States combining quality craftsmanship with responsible production you can trust
- The blue equals group is made entirely of 2s.
- The purple equals group is made entirely of 6s.
- The pink region totals 4 across four tiles; the orange region totals 10.
- Keep the 5s for orange, and use the mixed-value dominoes to complete pink without exceeding its total.
Difficult solution
Work through the placements in this order. “Free” means an unrestricted cell in the board.
- Fill the five-cell blue equals group with 2s. Fill the three-cell purple equals group with 6s. These values are forced by the available pip supply.
- Reserve the 5s for the orange region, whose target is 10. Place the 2/5 domino there and the 5/5 domino in a free tile.
- Place the 2/4 domino from the blue-equals supply in the dark-blue unequal group. Put the 2/1 domino at the bottom of the pink region.
- Place the 6/1 and 6/2 dominoes from the purple-equals supply in pink. With the 2/1 already placed, these pips leave the region needing a total of 2 more; the 2/0 domino completes its total of 4.
- Complete blue equals with 2/3, putting the 3 in a free tile. Complete purple equals with 6/3, placing its 3 in the remaining free tile.
The key is allocation: lock the repeated values into their equality groups first, then fit the remaining dominoes to the exact totals and inequality condition. As Erik Kain put it in the September 15, 2025 guide, “The trick is mostly in the counting.”
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Vintage Book Puzzles for Adults 1000 Pieces, Bookshelf Wildflower Pages Jigsaw Puzzle, Retro Library Aesthetic Puzzle Floral, Challenging Hard Puzzles for Book Lovers
- Vintage bookshelf jigsaw puzzle 1000 pieces: This 1000 piece puzzle for adults book showcases a beautifully arranged bookshelf filled with vintage books, each featuring delicate floral and ornamental patterns
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PICKFORU Natural Library Puzzles for Adults 1000 Pieces, Vintage Forest Bookshelf Jigsaw Puzzles, Challenging Landscape Puzzle for Book Lover
- SIZE: The size of library puzzle is 23.85*23.85 inches/60.6*60.6 cm (after completed). The size of the packaging box is 7.87*7.87*2.36 inches. Sturdy packaging box to keep every puzzle piece intact. And a poster is attached for reference
- MAKE THE PUZZLE EASY: The back of nature puzzle is divided into several parts by letters. If you think the puzzle is too difficult, you can complete the puzzle according to the letter division
- YOU WILL LOVE THIS PUZZLE: Landscape puzzle is made of thickened cardboard, printed with colored ink. Precise fit, no puzzle dust. Sturdy puzzle pieces ensure multiple assembly without bending or deformation
- DIFFICULT PUZZLE: Book puzzles for adults allows you to enjoy the fun of putting together jigsaw puzzles. Once the puzzle is completed, you can proudly display it on your wall and let its bright colors bring charm to your space
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Variety Puzzles/Game Books Assorted
- Variety puzzles/game books assorted
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Owlura 32 Pockets 28.9" *21.1" Puzzle Storage Book for 1000 Piece Jigsaws Dustproof Puzzle Book Holder with HD Film Portable Puzzle Binder for Finished Puzzles Ideal for Adult Kid Puzzle Enthusiasts
- [ Streamlined Storage & Clutter-Free Design ] Tired of loose puzzles, missing pieces, or damaged artwork? The Owlura puzzle storage folder book is a game changer for puzzle lovers. It safely stores up to 32 finished 1000-piece puzzles, protecting them from dust, wear, and accidental damage,while keeping every completed piece just as satisfying as the day you finished it.
- [ Spacious Storage for 1000-Piece Puzzles of Most Sizes ] The Owlura puzzle storage binder is designed to fit most 1000-piece puzzles, including those up to 28.9" *21.1" and the binder puzzle storage organizer book is suitable for 4 common 1000 piece puzzle sizes, which are 27.4*"19.6" ，27.3*"19.4" ，26.8*"18.8" ，26.3*"18.4" . No more clutter, no more guessing.Just perfect, organized storage for your growing collection.
- [ Reinforced with 6 Screw Bindings & 2 Metal Clasps ] 2026 Upgraded screw bindings and dual metal clasps puzzle album make flipping through and accessing your puzzles quick and easy. These reinforced fasteners keep every puzzle securely in place.Whether you're storing puzzle organizers and storage at home or taking them on the go, nothing shifts, slips, or gets damaged.
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- [ No-Mess, No-Stress Solution ] Forget the messy glue bottles and tedious waiting game. We also provide 12pc peel-and-stick puzzle saver sheets(10.2"*7") make preservation simple. Just peel, stick to the back of your puzzle, and you're done. No residue, no dry time,just a perfectly preserved puzzle in minutes.
What the three difficulty tiers offer
| Tier | What is available for this date |
|---|---|
| Easy | Solution shown as an image; the article provides no written placement walkthrough. |
| Medium | Solution shown as an image; the article provides no written placement walkthrough. |
| Difficult | Written step-by-step placement reasoning, including the equality groups and region totals. |
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