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Pips hints — Sunday, October 5, 2025

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

Sunday, October 5, 2025Archived board

The Easy grid runs to 5 regions and 4 tiles, with target-sum, less-than and all-equal rules in play. 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
Start with the amber region — its one cell must be less than 5. Only 5 pip combinations fit it at all, which is why it gives way first.

Hint 2

Easy
There is exactly one home for the 1–4: down column 1, rows 2–3. It is the only tile that works there, because blue must add up to exactly 8. The 1 half sits in the orange region, which must show the same number on every cell.
Reveal the full Easy answer

Easy solution — October 5, 2025

51
14
42
13

blue (=8): 4 · 4 | purple: 2 | green: 5 | amber (<5): 3 | orange (=): 1 · 1 · 1

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

What each region asks for

RegionRuleCells
Blue8 — Add up to exactly 82
PurpleTake any value it likes1
GreenTake any value it likes1
Amber<5 — Be less than 51
Orange= — Show the same number on every cell3

The Medium grid runs to 5 regions and 5 tiles, with target-sum rules in play. 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
Start with the blue region — its two cells must add up to exactly 8. Only 5 pip combinations fit it at all, which is why it gives way first.

Hint 2

Medium
There is exactly one home for the 1–3: down column 1, rows 2–3. It is the only tile that works there, because blue must add up to exactly 8. The 1 half sits in the amber region, which must take any value it likes.

Hint 3

Medium
Lay the 6–5 across row 1, columns 1–2 — no guesswork needed. It is the only tile that works there, because blue must add up to exactly 8. The 6 half sits in the purple region, which must add up to exactly 13.
Reveal the full Medium answer

Medium solution — October 5, 2025

13
41
62
65
16

blue (=8): 5 · 3 | purple (=13): 6 · 1 · 6 | green (=7): 4 · 2 · 1 | amber: 1 | orange: 6

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

What each region asks for

RegionRuleCells
Blue8 — Add up to exactly 82
Purple13 — Add up to exactly 133
Green7 — Add up to exactly 73
AmberTake any value it likes1
OrangeTake any value it likes1

The Hard grid runs to 9 regions and 9 tiles, with all-equal, target-sum, less-than and greater-than rules in play. 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
Start with the teal region — its one cell must be more than 2. Only 4 pip combinations fit it at all, which is why it gives way first.

Hint 2

Hard
There is exactly one home for the 5–3: down column 5, rows 4–5. It is the only tile that works there, because slate must add up to exactly 8.

Hint 3

Hard
Lay the 5–4 across row 1, columns 3–4 — no guesswork needed. It is the only tile that works there, because blue must show the same number on every cell. The 5 half sits in the purple region, which must add up to exactly 9.

Hint 4

Hard
Place the 4–4 domino down column 2, rows 1–2. It is the only tile that works there, because blue must show the same number on every cell.
Reveal the full Hard answer

Hard solution — October 5, 2025

36
34
23
40
54
33
25
44
53

blue (=): 4 · 4 · 4 · 4 | purple (=9): 5 · 4 · 0 | green: 3 | amber: 3 | orange (<7): 3 · 2 | slate (=8): 3 · 5 | teal (>2): 6 | pink (<6): 5 | lime (=8): 2 · 3 · 3

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 cell4
Purple9 — Add up to exactly 93
GreenTake any value it likes1
AmberTake any value it likes1
Orange<7 — Add up to less than 72
Slate8 — Add up to exactly 82
Teal>2 — Be more than 21
Pink<6 — Be less than 61
Lime8 — Add up to exactly 83
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