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Pips hints — Sunday, November 9, 2025

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

Sunday, November 9, 2025Archived board

Today's Easy board has 4 dominoes across 6 regions, mixing target-sum, all-equal and less-than rules. 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 blue 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

Easy
There is exactly one home for the 5–0: down column 1, rows 1–2. It is the only tile that works there, because blue must add up to exactly 5. The 5 half sits in the blue region, which must be exactly 5.
Reveal the full Easy answer

Easy solution — November 9, 2025

22
50
10
42

blue (=5): 5 | purple: 0 | green (=): 2 · 2 · 2 | amber (<5): 4 | orange: 0 | slate (=1): 1

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

What each region asks for

RegionRuleCells
Blue5 — Be exactly 51
PurpleTake any value it likes1
Green= — Show the same number on every cell3
Amber<5 — Be less than 51
OrangeTake any value it likes1
Slate1 — Be exactly 11

Today's Medium board has 9 dominoes across 9 regions, mixing target-sum, all-equal and no-repeats rules. 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 exactly 1. 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 5–1: across row 1, columns 3–4. It is the only tile that works there, because purple must add up to exactly 5. The 5 half sits in the purple region, which must be exactly 5.

Hint 3

Medium
Lay the 6–4 down column 1, rows 4–5 — no guesswork needed. It is the only tile that works there, because teal must add up to exactly 6. The 6 half sits in the teal region, which must be exactly 6.
Reveal the full Medium answer

Medium solution — November 9, 2025

04
14
24
34
44
54
51
64
55

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

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

What each region asks for

RegionRuleCells
Blue1 — Be exactly 11
Purple5 — Be exactly 51
Green= — Show the same number on every cell2
Amber — Have no two cells showing the same number5
Orange= — Show the same number on every cell4
Slate4 — Be exactly 41
Teal6 — Be exactly 61
Pink10 — Add up to exactly 102
Lime4 — Be exactly 41

Today's Hard board has 12 dominoes across 13 regions, mixing all-equal, target-sum, less-than and greater-than rules. 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 amber region is the anchor: four cells, and they must add up to 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 2–0: across row 4, columns 3–4. It is the only tile that works there, because amber must add up to exactly 0. The 2 half sits in the slate region, which must show the same number on every cell.

Hint 3

Hard
Lay the 0–0 down column 4, rows 2–3 — no guesswork needed. It is the only tile that works there, because amber must add up to exactly 0.

Hint 4

Hard
Place the 2–1 domino down column 3, rows 2–3. It is the only tile that works there, because orange must add up to exactly 2. The 2 half sits in the slate region, which must show the same number on every cell.
Reveal the full Hard answer

Hard solution — November 9, 2025

62
50
31
56
32
21
34
15
20
41
00
66

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

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 cell2
PurpleTake any value it likes1
GreenTake any value it likes1
Amber0 — Add up to exactly 04
Orange2 — Add up to exactly 22
Slate= — Show the same number on every cell4
TealTake any value it likes1
PinkTake any value it likes1
Lime= — Show the same number on every cell4
Brown<3 — Be less than 31
Blue<4 — Be less than 41
Purple>4 — Be more than 41
GreenTake any value it likes1
All hintsFull answers for this dayJun 28 →