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Pips hints — Thursday, January 1, 2026

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

Thursday, January 1, 2026Archived board

The Easy grid runs to 5 regions and 4 tiles, with all-equal, target-sum and less-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.

Hint 1 — where to start

Easy
Look at the orange region first. Across one cell it has to be exactly 3. 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 0–3: down column 3, rows 2–3. It is the only tile that works there, because orange must add up to exactly 3. The 0 half sits in the green region, which must add up to exactly 3.
Reveal the full Easy answer

Easy solution — January 1, 2026

51
03
01
52

blue: 0 | purple (=): 5 · 5 | green (=3): 2 · 0 · 1 | amber (<2): 1 | orange (=3): 3

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

What each region asks for

RegionRuleCells
BlueTake any value it likes1
Purple= — Show the same number on every cell2
Green3 — Add up to exactly 33
Amber<2 — Be less than 21
Orange3 — Be exactly 31

The Medium grid runs to 8 regions and 7 tiles, with target-sum and less-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.

Hint 1 — where to start

Medium
Look at the slate region first. Across one cell it has to be exactly 6. 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 2–4: across row 3, columns 1–2. It is the only tile that works there, because purple must add up to exactly 10. The 2 half sits in the amber region, which must add up to exactly 6.

Hint 3

Medium
Lay the 5–5 across row 2, columns 4–5 — no guesswork needed. It is the only tile that works there, because orange must add up to exactly 10.
Reveal the full Medium answer

Medium solution — January 1, 2026

26
04
55
36
24
06
20

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

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

What each region asks for

RegionRuleCells
BlueTake any value it likes1
Purple10 — Add up to exactly 102
GreenTake any value it likes1
Amber6 — Add up to exactly 63
Orange10 — Add up to exactly 102
Slate6 — Be exactly 61
Teal<3 — Add up to less than 32
Pink10 — Add up to exactly 102

The Hard grid runs to 12 regions and 12 tiles, with all-equal and 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.

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
Look at the lime region first. Across one cell it has to be exactly 1. 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 0–1: across row 5, columns 3–4. It is the only tile that works there, because lime must add up to exactly 1. The 0 half sits in the teal region, which must show the same number on every cell.

Hint 3

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

Hint 4

Hard
Place the 6–2 domino down column 7, rows 4–5. It is the only tile that works there, because purple must add up to exactly 6. The 6 half sits in the purple region, which must be exactly 6.
Reveal the full Hard answer

Hard solution — January 1, 2026

64
01
22
40
55
62
44
50
21
00
61
25

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

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

What each region asks for

RegionRuleCells
BlueTake any value it likes1
Purple= — Show the same number on every cell2
Green= — Show the same number on every cell3
Amber= — Show the same number on every cell4
OrangeTake any value it likes1
Slate= — Show the same number on every cell4
Teal= — Show the same number on every cell4
PinkTake any value it likes1
Lime1 — Be exactly 11
Brown1 — Be exactly 11
Blue2 — Be exactly 21
Purple6 — Be exactly 61
All hintsFull answers for this dayJun 28 →