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Pips answers — Thursday, January 8, 2026

The finished Easy, Medium and Hard boards for this day, with every region rule satisfied.

Easy #497

Easy

blue (=): 3 · 3 | purple (=8): 5 · 3 | green (=6): 0 · 6 | amber (<3): 2 | orange (=6): 6

Medium #498

Medium

blue: 6 | purple (=): 2 · 2 · 2 | green (=5): 5 | amber (=): 5 · 5 · 5 | orange (=1): 1 | slate (<5): 0 | teal (=5): 5 · 0 | pink (=3): 3 | lime (=4): 4

Hard #499

Hard

blue (=4): 4 | purple (≠): 4 · 1 · 2 · 5 | green (=4): 2 · 2 | amber (=5): 5 | orange (=9): 6 · 3 | slate: 4 | teal (=8): 4 · 4 | pink (<1): 0 | lime (=11): 5 · 6 | brown (=4): 4 | blue (<4): 1 | purple (=5): 2 · 3

Spoiler note: this page shows the finished boards. Want only a nudge instead? Open thehints for January 8, where the answer stays behind one extra click.

Easy board — region rules

RegionRuleCells
Blue= — Show the same number on every cell2
Purple8 — Add up to exactly 82
Green6 — Add up to exactly 62
Amber<3 — Be less than 31
Orange6 — Be exactly 61

Medium board — region rules

RegionRuleCells
BlueTake any value it likes1
Purple= — Show the same number on every cell3
Green5 — Be exactly 51
Amber= — Show the same number on every cell3
Orange1 — Be exactly 11
Slate<5 — Be less than 51
Teal5 — Add up to exactly 52
Pink3 — Be exactly 31
Lime4 — Be exactly 41

Hard board — region rules

RegionRuleCells
Blue4 — Be exactly 41
Purple — Have no two cells showing the same number4
Green4 — Add up to exactly 42
Amber5 — Be exactly 51
Orange9 — Add up to exactly 92
SlateTake any value it likes1
Teal8 — Add up to exactly 82
Pink<1 — Be less than 11
Lime11 — Add up to exactly 112
Brown4 — Be exactly 41
Blue<4 — Be less than 41
Purple5 — Add up to exactly 52
All of 2026Hints for this dayJun 28 →