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Pips hints — Friday, September 19, 2025

An archived puzzle. Pick your difficulty for a spoiler-safe nudge, then reveal the full board if you want it.

Friday, September 19, 2025Archived board

Easy today: 5 dominoes, 5 regions and all-equal and target-sum constraints. We give you a light nudge first — enough to get unstuck without spoiling the fun — and the full answer only when you ask for it.

Hint 1 — where to start

Easy
The green region is the anchor: two cells, and they must add up to exactly 9. Only 4 pip combinations fit it at all, which is why it gives way first.

Hint 2

Easy
Place the 6–5 domino down column 4, rows 4–5. It is the only tile that works there, because green must add up to exactly 9. The 6 half sits in the orange region, which must take any value it likes.
Reveal the full Easy answer

Easy solution — September 19, 2025

11
32
65
33
24

blue (=): 3 · 3 · 3 | purple (=): 2 · 2 | green (=9): 4 · 5 | amber (=): 1 · 1 | orange: 6

Prefer to watch it worked out step by step? Try the Pips Solver.

What each region asks for

RegionRuleCells
Blue= — Show the same number on every cell3
Purple= — Show the same number on every cell2
Green9 — Add up to exactly 92
Amber= — Show the same number on every cell2
OrangeTake any value it likes1

Medium today: 5 dominoes, 7 regions and greater-than and target-sum constraints. We give you a light nudge first — enough to get unstuck without spoiling the fun — and the full answer only when you ask for it.

Hint 1 — where to start

Medium
The blue region is the anchor: one cell, and it must be more than 3. Only 3 pip combinations fit it at all, which is why it gives way first.

Hint 2

Medium
Place the 1–4 domino across row 1, columns 1–2. It is the only tile that works there, because blue must add up to more than 3. The 1 half sits in the purple region, which must add up to exactly 3.

Hint 3

Medium
The 2–4 belongs down column 3, rows 4–5. It is the only tile that works there, because orange must add up to more than 3. The 2 half sits in the teal region, which must add up to exactly 3.
Reveal the full Medium answer

Medium solution — September 19, 2025

03
11
23
14
24

blue (>3): 4 | purple (=3): 1 · 2 | green (=3): 3 · 0 | amber: 3 | orange (>3): 4 | slate: 1 | teal (=3): 1 · 2

Prefer to watch it worked out step by step? Try the Pips Solver.

What each region asks for

RegionRuleCells
Blue>3 — Be more than 31
Purple3 — Add up to exactly 32
Green3 — Add up to exactly 32
AmberTake any value it likes1
Orange>3 — Be more than 31
SlateTake any value it likes1
Teal3 — Add up to exactly 32

Hard today: 10 dominoes, 8 regions and less-than, target-sum and all-equal constraints. We give you a light nudge first — enough to get unstuck without spoiling the fun — and the full answer only when you ask for it.

Hard is where most players get stuck.We break it into small, spoiler-safe nudges so you can stop the moment you’re unstuck.

Hint 1 — where to start

Hard
The pink region is the anchor: one cell, and it must be exactly 5. Only 1 pip combination fits it at all, which is why it gives way first.

Hint 2

Hard
Place the 5–4 domino across row 8, columns 3–4. It is the only tile that works there, because pink must add up to exactly 5. The 5 half sits in the pink region, which must be exactly 5.

Hint 3

Hard
The 4–1 belongs down column 1, rows 1–2. It is the only tile that works there, because blue must add up to less than 3. The 4 half sits in the purple region, which must add up to exactly 17.

Hint 4

Hard
There is exactly one home for the 1–6: across row 5, columns 2–3. It is the only tile that works there, because amber must add up to exactly 10. The 1 half sits in the slate region, which must add up to exactly 4.
Reveal the full Hard answer

Hard solution — September 19, 2025

41
33
31
44
16
35
54
11
43
32

blue (<3): 1 | purple (=17): 4 · 4 · 4 · 5 | green (=): 3 · 3 · 3 · 3 · 3 | amber (=10): 4 · 6 | orange (<3): 2 | slate (=4): 1 · 1 · 1 · 1 | teal (=7): 3 · 4 | pink (=5): 5

Prefer to watch it worked out step by step? Try the Pips Solver.

What each region asks for

RegionRuleCells
Blue<3 — Be less than 31
Purple17 — Add up to exactly 174
Green= — Show the same number on every cell5
Amber10 — Add up to exactly 102
Orange<3 — Be less than 31
Slate4 — Add up to exactly 44
Teal7 — Add up to exactly 72
Pink5 — Be exactly 51
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