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Pips hints — Sunday, January 4, 2026

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

Sunday, January 4, 2026Archived board

The Easy grid runs to 7 regions and 5 tiles, with less-than, 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.

Hint 1 — where to start

Easy
The blue region is the anchor: one cell, and it must be less than 1. Only 1 pip combination fits it at all, which is why it gives way first.

Hint 2

Easy
The 6–0 belongs across row 1, columns 1–2. It is the only tile that works there, because blue must add up to less than 1. The 6 half sits in the purple region, which must show the same number on every cell.
Reveal the full Easy answer

Easy solution — January 4, 2026

61
34
55
60
24

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

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

What each region asks for

RegionRuleCells
Blue<1 — Be less than 11
Purple= — Show the same number on every cell2
GreenTake any value it likes1
Amber= — Show the same number on every cell2
OrangeTake any value it likes1
Slate= — Show the same number on every cell2
Teal>2 — Be more than 21

The Medium grid runs to 10 regions and 8 tiles, with all-equal, less-than 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.

Hint 1 — where to start

Medium
The purple region is the anchor: one cell, and it must be less than 1. Only 1 pip combination fits it at all, which is why it gives way first.

Hint 2

Medium
The 0–0 belongs down column 5, rows 4–5. It is the only tile that works there, because teal must add up to less than 1.

Hint 3

Medium
There is exactly one home for the 0–3: down column 5, rows 2–3. It is the only tile that works there, because teal must add up to less than 1.
Reveal the full Medium answer

Medium solution — January 4, 2026

13
12
10
22
11
02
00
03

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

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
Purple<1 — Be less than 11
Green= — Show the same number on every cell3
Amber>3 — Add up to more than 32
Orange>2 — Be more than 21
SlateTake any value it likes1
Teal<1 — Add up to less than 13
Pink<2 — Be less than 21
Lime>2 — Be more than 21
Brown<1 — Be less than 11

The Hard grid runs to 14 regions and 15 tiles, with greater-than, 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.

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 brown 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
The 1–4 belongs across row 5, columns 5–6. It is the only tile that works there, because brown must add up to exactly 4. The 1 half sits in the lime region, which must add up to exactly 4.

Hint 3

Hard
There is exactly one home for the 2–4: down column 4, rows 7–8. It is the only tile that works there, because amber must add up to exactly 4. The 2 half sits in the purple region, which must add up to exactly 4.

Hint 4

Hard
Lay the 6–6 across row 2, columns 4–5 — no guesswork needed. It is the only tile that works there, because orange must add up to exactly 12.
Reveal the full Hard answer

Hard solution — January 4, 2026

34
66
23
26
55
31
50
61
33
65
14
53
11
24
15

blue: 0 | purple (>4): 6 | green (=): 3 · 3 · 3 · 3 | amber (=): 5 · 5 · 5 · 5 · 5 · 5 | orange (=12): 6 · 6 | slate: 4 | teal (<4): 3 | pink (=): 1 · 1 · 1 · 1 · 1 | lime (=4): 3 · 1 | brown (=4): 4 | blue (<4): 2 | purple (=4): 2 · 2 | green (=12): 6 · 6 | amber (=4): 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
Purple>4 — Be more than 41
Green= — Show the same number on every cell4
Amber= — Show the same number on every cell6
Orange12 — Add up to exactly 122
SlateTake any value it likes1
Teal<4 — Be less than 41
Pink= — Show the same number on every cell5
Lime4 — Add up to exactly 42
Brown4 — Be exactly 41
Blue<4 — Be less than 41
Purple4 — Add up to exactly 42
Green12 — Add up to exactly 122
Amber4 — Be exactly 41
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