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Pips hints — Friday, January 16, 2026

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

Friday, January 16, 2026Archived board

The Easy grid runs to 7 regions and 6 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.

Hint 1 — where to start

Easy
Look at the purple 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
The 3–2 belongs across row 1, columns 3–4. It is the only tile that works there, because purple must add up to exactly 3. The 3 half sits in the purple region, which must be exactly 3.
Reveal the full Easy answer

Easy solution — January 16, 2026

32
22
43
05
46
00

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

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 cell3
Purple3 — Be exactly 31
Green= — Show the same number on every cell3
Amber3 — Be exactly 31
Orange= — Show the same number on every cell2
SlateTake any value it likes1
TealTake any value it likes1

The Medium grid runs to 8 regions and 7 tiles, with no-repeats, less-than, target-sum 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
Look at the pink region first. Across one cell it has to be more than 4. Only 2 pip combinations fit it at all, which is why it gives way first.

Hint 2

Medium
The 2–6 belongs down column 3, rows 5–6. It is the only tile that works there, because pink must add up to more than 4. The 2 half sits in the slate region, which must add up to exactly 7.

Hint 3

Medium
There is exactly one home for the 3–3: down column 3, rows 3–4. It is the only tile that works there, because slate must add up to exactly 7. The 3 half sits in the green region, which must have no two cells showing the same number.
Reveal the full Medium answer

Medium solution — January 16, 2026

42
33
26
55
66
46
56

blue: 6 | purple: 6 | green (≠): 4 · 6 · 5 · 3 | amber: 6 | orange (<11): 5 · 5 | slate (=7): 3 · 2 · 2 | teal: 4 | pink (>4): 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
PurpleTake any value it likes1
Green≠ — Have no two cells showing the same number4
AmberTake any value it likes1
Orange<11 — Add up to less than 112
Slate7 — Add up to exactly 73
TealTake any value it likes1
Pink>4 — Be more than 41

The Hard grid runs to 10 regions and 15 tiles, with target-sum, all-equal and no-repeats 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 purple 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
The 6–1 belongs down column 6, rows 1–2. It is the only tile that works there, because green must add up to exactly 24.

Hint 3

Hard
There is exactly one home for the 1–4: across row 4, columns 3–4. It is the only tile that works there, because orange must add up to exactly 1. The 1 half sits in the orange region, which must be exactly 1.

Hint 4

Hard
Lay the 5–0 across row 7, columns 1–2 — no guesswork needed. It is the only tile that works there, because pink must add up to exactly 0. The 5 half sits in the teal region, which must add up to exactly 20.
Reveal the full Hard answer

Hard solution — January 16, 2026

46
32
50
33
45
14
55
40
31
66
25
61
44
30
42

blue (=10): 4 · 3 · 3 | purple (=1): 1 | green (=24): 6 · 6 · 6 · 6 | amber (=): 4 · 4 · 4 · 4 · 4 | orange (=1): 1 | slate (≠): 2 · 5 · 3 · 1 · 4 · 0 | teal (=20): 5 · 5 · 5 · 5 | pink (=0): 0 · 0 | lime (=5): 2 · 3 | brown (=5): 3 · 2

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

What each region asks for

RegionRuleCells
Blue10 — Add up to exactly 103
Purple1 — Be exactly 11
Green24 — Add up to exactly 244
Amber= — Show the same number on every cell5
Orange1 — Be exactly 11
Slate≠ — Have no two cells showing the same number6
Teal20 — Add up to exactly 204
Pink0 — Add up to exactly 02
Lime5 — Add up to exactly 52
Brown5 — Add up to exactly 52
All hintsFull answers for this dayJun 28 →