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Pips hints — Saturday, January 17, 2026

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

Saturday, January 17, 2026Archived board

Easy today: 5 dominoes, 7 regions and less-than, target-sum 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
Your way in today is the slate region: one cell that must be exactly 4. 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 1–2: across row 1, columns 1–2. It is the only tile that works there, because blue must add up to less than 3. The 1 half sits in the purple region, which must add up to exactly 7.
Reveal the full Easy answer

Easy solution — January 17, 2026

44
46
43
40
12

blue (<3): 2 | purple (=7): 1 · 6 | green (=8): 4 · 4 | amber (=8): 4 · 4 | orange: 0 | 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<3 — Be less than 31
Purple7 — Add up to exactly 72
Green8 — Add up to exactly 82
Amber8 — Add up to exactly 82
OrangeTake any value it likes1
Slate4 — Be exactly 41
Teal>2 — Be more than 21

Medium today: 6 dominoes, 7 regions and no-repeats, less-than 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

Medium
Your way in today is the orange region: one cell that must be less than 4. Only 4 pip combinations fit it at all, which is why it gives way first.

Hint 2

Medium
There is exactly one home for the 6–6: across row 3, columns 3–4. It is the only tile that works there, because teal must add up to more than 16.

Hint 3

Medium
Your next move is the 4–6, down column 5, rows 2–3. Only 2 tiles can go there at all, so test them and the wrong ones break a neighbouring region straight away. The 4 half sits in the amber region, which must have no two cells showing the same number.
Reveal the full Medium answer

Medium solution — January 17, 2026

44
66
14
23
46
24

blue: 4 | purple: 4 | green: 4 | amber (≠): 1 · 4 · 2 · 3 | orange (<4): 2 | slate: 4 | teal (>16): 6 · 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
PurpleTake any value it likes1
GreenTake any value it likes1
Amber≠ — Have no two cells showing the same number4
Orange<4 — Be less than 41
SlateTake any value it likes1
Teal>16 — Add up to more than 163

Hard today: 14 dominoes, 14 regions and target-sum, no-repeats, 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.

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
Your way in today is the pink region: one cell that 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 6–2: down column 7, rows 5–6. It is the only tile that works there, because pink must add up to exactly 6. The 6 half sits in the pink region, which must be exactly 6.

Hint 3

Hard
Lay the 4–3 across row 7, columns 5–6 — no guesswork needed. It is the only tile that works there, because green must add up to exactly 4. The 4 half sits in the green region, which must be exactly 4.

Hint 4

Hard
Place the 0–6 domino down column 1, rows 4–5. It is the only tile that works there, because slate must add up to exactly 12. The 0 half sits in the purple region, which must add up to exactly 3.
Reveal the full Hard answer

Hard solution — January 17, 2026

32
51
06
11
36
20
52
16
22
62
13
66
43
33

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

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

What each region asks for

RegionRuleCells
BlueTake any value it likes1
Purple3 — Add up to exactly 33
GreenTake any value it likes1
Amber4 — Add up to exactly 44
Orange≠ — Have no two cells showing the same number2
Slate12 — Add up to exactly 122
TealTake any value it likes1
Pink6 — Be exactly 61
Lime= — Show the same number on every cell4
Brown10 — Add up to exactly 102
BlueTake any value it likes1
Purple= — Show the same number on every cell4
Green4 — Be exactly 41
Amber>1 — Be more than 11
All hintsFull answers for this dayJun 28 →