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Pips hints — Thursday, December 25, 2025

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

Thursday, December 25, 2025Archived board

Easy today: 5 dominoes, 8 regions and target-sum, greater-than 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
Start with the blue region — its one cell must be exactly 2. 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 4–2: down column 1, rows 1–2. It is the only tile that works there, because blue must add up to exactly 2. The 4 half sits in the purple region, which must take any value it likes.
Reveal the full Easy answer

Easy solution — December 25, 2025

51
31
66
42
50

blue (=2): 2 | purple: 4 | green (=12): 6 · 6 | amber: 1 | orange (=10): 5 · 5 | slate: 1 | teal (>1): 3 | pink (<1): 0

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

What each region asks for

RegionRuleCells
Blue2 — Be exactly 21
PurpleTake any value it likes1
Green12 — Add up to exactly 122
AmberTake any value it likes1
Orange10 — Add up to exactly 102
SlateTake any value it likes1
Teal>1 — Be more than 11
Pink<1 — Be less than 11

Medium today: 9 dominoes, 10 regions and less-than, greater-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.

Hint 1 — where to start

Medium
Start with the lime region — its one cell must be exactly 5. 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 0–5: across row 5, columns 3–4. It is the only tile that works there, because lime must add up to exactly 5. The 0 half sits in the brown region, which must show the same number on every cell.

Hint 3

Medium
Lay the 4–3 across row 1, columns 4–5 — no guesswork needed. It is the only tile that works there, because green must add up to exactly 10.
Reveal the full Medium answer

Medium solution — December 25, 2025

02
21
01
41
43
30
05
11
66

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

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

What each region asks for

RegionRuleCells
Blue<3 — Add up to less than 32
Purple>3 — Add up to more than 32
Green10 — Add up to exactly 102
Amber5 — Add up to exactly 52
Orange10 — Add up to exactly 102
SlateTake any value it likes1
Teal<3 — Add up to less than 32
Pink= — Show the same number on every cell2
Lime5 — Be exactly 51
Brown= — Show the same number on every cell2

Hard today: 15 dominoes, 12 regions and target-sum, all-equal and no-repeats 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
Start with the blue region — its one cell must be exactly 6. 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 2–6: down column 4, rows 1–2. It is the only tile that works there, because blue must add up to exactly 6. The 2 half sits in the purple region, which must show the same number on every cell.

Hint 3

Hard
Lay the 1–0 across row 6, columns 3–4 — no guesswork needed. It is the only tile that works there, because teal must add up to exactly 1. The 1 half sits in the teal region, which must be exactly 1.

Hint 4

Hard
Place the 6–6 domino down column 5, rows 4–5. It is the only tile that works there, because amber must add up to exactly 12.
Reveal the full Hard answer

Hard solution — December 25, 2025

33
26
10
42
03
66
53
44
15
22
54
11
43
55
41

blue (=6): 6 | purple (=): 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 | green (=): 4 · 4 · 4 · 4 | amber (=12): 6 · 6 | orange (=15): 5 · 5 · 5 | slate (=4): 1 · 1 · 1 · 1 | teal (=1): 1 | pink (=0): 0 · 0 | lime (=12): 3 · 3 · 3 · 3 | brown (=10): 5 · 5 | blue (≠): 4 · 3 | purple: 4

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

What each region asks for

RegionRuleCells
Blue6 — Be exactly 61
Purple= — Show the same number on every cell4
Green= — Show the same number on every cell4
Amber12 — Add up to exactly 122
Orange15 — Add up to exactly 153
Slate4 — Add up to exactly 44
Teal1 — Be exactly 11
Pink0 — Add up to exactly 02
Lime12 — Add up to exactly 124
Brown10 — Add up to exactly 102
Blue≠ — Have no two cells showing the same number2
PurpleTake any value it likes1
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