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Pips hints — Saturday, February 28, 2026

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

Saturday, February 28, 2026Archived board

Easy today: 5 dominoes, 6 regions and all-equal, 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
Ignore the open areas for now and go straight to the green region, where one cell must be exactly 6. Only 1 pip combination fits it at all, which is why it gives way first.

Hint 2

Easy
The 4–6 belongs across row 2, columns 1–2. It is the only tile that works there, because green must add up to exactly 6. The 4 half sits in the blue region, which must show the same number on every cell.
Reveal the full Easy answer

Easy solution — February 28, 2026

04
05
26
44
46

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

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 cell4
Purple= — Show the same number on every cell2
Green6 — Be exactly 61
Amber>4 — Be more than 41
Orange6 — Be exactly 61
SlateTake any value it likes1

Medium today: 8 dominoes, 8 regions and target-sum, 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.

Hint 1 — where to start

Medium
Ignore the open areas for now and go straight to the amber region, where one cell must be exactly 0. Only 1 pip combination fits it at all, which is why it gives way first.

Hint 2

Medium
The 0–4 belongs down column 2, rows 2–3. It is the only tile that works there, because amber must add up to exactly 0. The 0 half sits in the amber region, which must be exactly 0.

Hint 3

Medium
There is exactly one home for the 2–5: across row 1, columns 2–3. It is the only tile that works there, because blue must add up to exactly 9. The 2 half sits in the purple region, which must be more than 1.
Reveal the full Medium answer

Medium solution — February 28, 2026

05
62
04
11
25
14
22
21

blue (=9): 5 · 4 | purple (>1): 2 | green (=3): 1 · 1 · 1 · 0 | amber (=0): 0 | orange (=): 2 · 2 · 2 | slate (=15): 5 · 4 · 6 | teal (>0): 1 | pink (>1): 2

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

What each region asks for

RegionRuleCells
Blue9 — Add up to exactly 92
Purple>1 — Be more than 11
Green3 — Add up to exactly 34
Amber0 — Be exactly 01
Orange= — Show the same number on every cell3
Slate15 — Add up to exactly 153
Teal>0 — Be more than 01
Pink>1 — Be more than 11

Hard today: 12 dominoes, 15 regions and greater-than, all-equal, target-sum 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.

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
Ignore the open areas for now and go straight to the teal region, where one cell must be exactly 1. Only 1 pip combination fits it at all, which is why it gives way first.

Hint 2

Hard
The 4–0 belongs down column 2, rows 6–7. It is the only tile that works there, because green must add up to exactly 0. The 4 half sits in the orange region, which must show the same number on every cell.

Hint 3

Hard
There is exactly one home for the 4–1: down column 2, rows 3–4. It is the only tile that works there, because amber must add up to exactly 2. The 4 half sits in the orange region, which must show the same number on every cell.

Hint 4

Hard
Lay the 1–3 down column 1, rows 3–4 — no guesswork needed. It is the only tile that works there, because amber must add up to exactly 2.
Reveal the full Hard answer

Hard solution — February 28, 2026

64
52
40
33
41
32
45
13
44
36
42
61

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

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

What each region asks for

RegionRuleCells
Blue>3 — Be more than 31
PurpleTake any value it likes1
Green= — Show the same number on every cell2
Amber2 — Add up to exactly 22
Orange= — Show the same number on every cell6
SlateTake any value it likes1
Teal1 — Be exactly 11
Pink6 — Add up to exactly 62
Lime5 — Add up to exactly 52
Brown<6 — Be less than 61
Blue4 — Be exactly 41
PurpleTake any value it likes1
Green0 — Be exactly 01
AmberTake any value it likes1
Orange3 — Be exactly 31
All hintsFull answers for this dayJun 28 →