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Pips hints — Friday, December 19, 2025

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

Friday, December 19, 2025Archived board

Easy today: 5 dominoes, 8 regions and target-sum, all-equal and less-than 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 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
Place the 5–3 domino down column 2, 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 — December 19, 2025

03
46
66
53
06

blue (=5): 5 | purple (=0): 0 | green (=): 3 · 3 | amber: 6 | orange (<5): 4 | slate: 6 | teal: 0 | pink (=12): 6 · 6

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

What each region asks for

RegionRuleCells
Blue5 — Be exactly 51
Purple0 — Be exactly 01
Green= — Show the same number on every cell2
AmberTake any value it likes1
Orange<5 — Be less than 51
SlateTake any value it likes1
TealTake any value it likes1
Pink12 — Add up to exactly 122

Medium today: 7 dominoes, 8 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

Medium
The green 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

Medium
Place the 5–0 domino down column 3, rows 1–2. It is the only tile that works there, because green must add up to exactly 5. The 5 half sits in the green region, which must be exactly 5.

Hint 3

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

Medium solution — December 19, 2025

01
11
65
00
34
44
50

blue (=): 1 · 1 | purple: 1 | green (=5): 5 | amber (=): 0 · 0 · 0 · 0 | orange (=): 4 · 4 | slate (=3): 3 | teal: 6 | pink (=9): 5 · 4

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
Green5 — Be exactly 51
Amber= — Show the same number on every cell4
Orange= — Show the same number on every cell2
Slate3 — Be exactly 31
TealTake any value it likes1
Pink9 — Add up to exactly 92

Hard today: 12 dominoes, 14 regions 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.

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 green region is the anchor: one cell, and it must be exactly 4. Only 1 pip combination fits it at all, which is why it gives way first.

Hint 2

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

Hint 3

Hard
The 4–0 belongs down column 6, rows 5–6. It is the only tile that works there, because amber must add up to exactly 1. The 4 half sits in the blue region, which must add up to exactly 9.

Hint 4

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

Hard solution — December 19, 2025

33
40
11
56
22
55
41
32
13
62
54
36

blue: 6 | purple (=3): 2 · 1 | green (=4): 4 | amber: 5 | orange (=6): 6 | slate (=9): 3 · 3 · 3 | teal (=6): 2 · 2 · 2 | pink (=7): 3 · 4 | lime: 6 | brown (=10): 5 · 5 | blue (=9): 5 · 4 | purple: 3 | green (=2): 1 · 1 | amber (=1): 1 · 0

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

What each region asks for

RegionRuleCells
BlueTake any value it likes1
Purple3 — Add up to exactly 32
Green4 — Be exactly 41
AmberTake any value it likes1
Orange6 — Be exactly 61
Slate9 — Add up to exactly 93
Teal6 — Add up to exactly 63
Pink7 — Add up to exactly 72
LimeTake any value it likes1
Brown10 — Add up to exactly 102
Blue9 — Add up to exactly 92
PurpleTake any value it likes1
Green2 — Add up to exactly 22
Amber1 — Add up to exactly 12
All hintsFull answers for this dayJun 28 →