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Pips hints — Monday, January 5, 2026

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

Monday, January 5, 2026Archived board

Easy today: 5 dominoes, 7 regions and target-sum, all-equal and greater-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 6. 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 6–2: across row 1, columns 1–2. It is the only tile that works there, because blue must add up to exactly 6. The 6 half sits in the blue region, which must be exactly 6.
Reveal the full Easy answer

Easy solution — January 5, 2026

66
15
64
62
20

blue (=6): 6 | purple (=): 2 · 2 | green (>3): 4 | amber: 0 | orange (=12): 6 · 6 | slate: 1 | teal (=11): 5 · 6

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 cell2
Green>3 — Be more than 31
AmberTake any value it likes1
Orange12 — Add up to exactly 122
SlateTake any value it likes1
Teal11 — Add up to exactly 112

Medium today: 8 dominoes, 9 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

Medium
Start with the blue region — its one cell 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 1–6: down column 4, rows 1–2. It is the only tile that works there, because blue must add up to exactly 1. The 1 half sits in the blue region, which must be exactly 1.

Hint 3

Medium
Lay the 0–6 across row 2, columns 5–6 — no guesswork needed. It is the only tile that works there, because amber must add up to exactly 6. The 0 half sits in the orange region, which must show the same number on every cell.
Reveal the full Medium answer

Medium solution — January 5, 2026

04
66
12
16
00
06
03
44

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

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

What each region asks for

RegionRuleCells
Blue1 — Be exactly 11
PurpleTake any value it likes1
Green6 — Add up to exactly 62
Amber6 — Be exactly 61
Orange= — Show the same number on every cell4
Slate1 — Be exactly 11
Teal10 — Add up to exactly 103
Pink= — Show the same number on every cell2
Lime<4 — Be less than 41

Hard today: 11 dominoes, 13 regions and target-sum, less-than, greater-than 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.

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 purple region — its one cell must be less than 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 5–1: across row 5, columns 3–4. It is the only tile that works there, because green must add up to exactly 1. The 5 half sits in the purple region, which must add up to exactly 11.

Hint 3

Hard
Lay the 0–6 across row 5, columns 1–2 — no guesswork needed. It is the only tile that works there, because brown must add up to exactly 1.

Hint 4

Hard
Place the 3–1 domino down column 1, rows 3–4. It is the only tile that works there, because brown must add up to exactly 1. The 3 half sits in the blue region, which must add up to exactly 11.
Reveal the full Hard answer

Hard solution — January 5, 2026

11
52
10
33
06
44
51
55
31
22
16

blue (=11): 4 · 4 · 3 | purple (<1): 0 | green (=11): 5 · 6 | amber: 1 | orange: 1 | slate (>1): 5 | teal (=): 2 · 2 · 2 | pink: 1 | lime (=11): 5 · 3 · 3 | brown (=1): 1 · 0 | blue: 1 | purple (=11): 6 · 5 | green (=1): 1

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

What each region asks for

RegionRuleCells
Blue11 — Add up to exactly 113
Purple<1 — Be less than 11
Green11 — Add up to exactly 112
AmberTake any value it likes1
OrangeTake any value it likes1
Slate>1 — Be more than 11
Teal= — Show the same number on every cell3
PinkTake any value it likes1
Lime11 — Add up to exactly 113
Brown1 — Add up to exactly 12
BlueTake any value it likes1
Purple11 — Add up to exactly 112
Green1 — Be exactly 11
All hintsFull answers for this dayJun 28 →