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Pips hints — Friday, October 17, 2025

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

Friday, October 17, 2025Archived board

The Easy grid runs to 6 regions and 5 tiles, with target-sum 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
Your way in today is the amber region: one cell that must be exactly 6. Only 1 pip combination fits it at all, which is why it gives way first.

Hint 2

Easy
There is exactly one home for the 6–6: down column 4, rows 2–3. It is the only tile that works there, because amber must add up to exactly 6. The 6 half sits in the amber region, which must be exactly 6.
Reveal the full Easy answer

Easy solution — October 17, 2025

40
46
26
66
45

blue (=12): 6 · 6 | purple (=2): 2 · 0 | green: 5 | amber (=6): 6 | orange (=): 4 · 4 | slate (=10): 4 · 6

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

What each region asks for

RegionRuleCells
Blue12 — Add up to exactly 122
Purple2 — Add up to exactly 22
GreenTake any value it likes1
Amber6 — Be exactly 61
Orange= — Show the same number on every cell2
Slate10 — Add up to exactly 102

The Medium grid runs to 10 regions and 10 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

Medium
Your way in today is the amber region: two cells that must add up to exactly 0. Only 1 pip combination fits it at all, which is why it gives way first.

Hint 2

Medium
There is exactly one home for the 0–4: across row 4, columns 3–4. It is the only tile that works there, because amber must add up to exactly 0.

Hint 3

Medium
Lay the 0–5 across row 5, columns 3–4 — no guesswork needed. It is the only tile that works there, because amber must add up to exactly 0.
Reveal the full Medium answer

Medium solution — October 17, 2025

56
31
11
45
04
24
05
25
30
62

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

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

What each region asks for

RegionRuleCells
Blue5 — Add up to exactly 52
Purple<2 — Be less than 21
GreenTake any value it likes1
Amber0 — Add up to exactly 02
Orange= — Show the same number on every cell3
Slate= — Show the same number on every cell4
TealTake any value it likes1
PinkTake any value it likes1
LimeTake any value it likes1
Brown<5 — Add up to less than 54

The Hard grid runs to 15 regions and 16 tiles, with target-sum, all-equal 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
Your way in today is the blue region: one cell that must be exactly 0. Only 1 pip combination fits it at all, which is why it gives way first.

Hint 2

Hard
There is exactly one home for the 4–0: down column 6, rows 1–2. It is the only tile that works there, because blue must add up to exactly 0. The 4 half sits in the purple region, which must show the same number on every cell.

Hint 3

Hard
Lay the 0–2 across row 3, columns 8–9 — no guesswork needed. It is the only tile that works there, because orange must add up to exactly 0. The 0 half sits in the orange region, which must be exactly 0.

Hint 4

Hard
Place the 2–1 domino down column 3, rows 6–7. It is the only tile that works there, because purple must add up to exactly 2. The 2 half sits in the purple region, which must be exactly 2.
Reveal the full Hard answer

Hard solution — October 17, 2025

30
22
40
23
66
21
16
02
01
35
64
52
44
34
65
41

blue (=0): 0 | purple (=): 4 · 4 · 4 · 4 · 4 | green (=10): 5 · 5 | amber (=4): 2 · 2 | orange (=0): 0 | slate (>4): 5 | teal (=): 3 · 3 · 3 | pink (=30): 6 · 6 · 6 · 6 · 6 | lime (=3): 1 · 1 · 1 | brown (=0): 0 · 0 | blue: 3 | purple (=2): 2 | green: 1 | amber (=): 2 · 2 · 2 | orange: 4

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

What each region asks for

RegionRuleCells
Blue0 — Be exactly 01
Purple= — Show the same number on every cell5
Green10 — Add up to exactly 102
Amber4 — Add up to exactly 42
Orange0 — Be exactly 01
Slate>4 — Be more than 41
Teal= — Show the same number on every cell3
Pink30 — Add up to exactly 305
Lime3 — Add up to exactly 33
Brown0 — Add up to exactly 02
BlueTake any value it likes1
Purple2 — Be exactly 21
GreenTake any value it likes1
Amber= — Show the same number on every cell3
OrangeTake any value it likes1
All hintsFull answers for this dayJun 28 →