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Pips hints — Wednesday, March 25, 2026

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

Wednesday, March 25, 2026Archived board

Today's Easy board has 6 dominoes across 7 regions, mixing all-equal and target-sum rules. 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 purple region — its one cell must be exactly 5. 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 5–2: across row 1, columns 3–4. It is the only tile that works there, because purple must add up to exactly 5. The 5 half sits in the purple region, which must be exactly 5.
Reveal the full Easy answer

Easy solution — March 25, 2026

44
52
22
55
40
36

blue (=): 2 · 2 · 2 | purple (=5): 5 | green (=6): 6 | amber: 0 | orange: 3 | slate (=): 4 · 4 | teal (=14): 5 · 5 · 4

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
Purple5 — Be exactly 51
Green6 — Be exactly 61
AmberTake any value it likes1
OrangeTake any value it likes1
Slate= — Show the same number on every cell2
Teal14 — Add up to exactly 143

Today's Medium board has 8 dominoes across 8 regions, mixing target-sum and all-equal rules. 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 2. 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 2–6: across row 1, columns 2–3. It is the only tile that works there, because blue must add up to exactly 2. The 2 half sits in the blue region, which must be exactly 2.

Hint 3

Medium
Lay the 5–0 down column 1, rows 2–3 — no guesswork needed. It is the only tile that works there, because orange must add up to exactly 0. The 5 half sits in the green region, which must show the same number on every cell.
Reveal the full Medium answer

Medium solution — March 25, 2026

33
65
13
53
16
01
26
50

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

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

What each region asks for

RegionRuleCells
Blue2 — Be exactly 21
Purple= — Show the same number on every cell3
Green= — Show the same number on every cell3
Amber= — Show the same number on every cell2
Orange0 — Be exactly 01
Slate= — Show the same number on every cell4
Teal1 — Be exactly 11
PinkTake any value it likes1

Today's Hard board has 12 dominoes across 12 regions, mixing target-sum, all-equal, less-than and greater-than rules. 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 brown region — its one cell must be exactly 5. 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 6–5: down column 1, rows 5–6. It is the only tile that works there, because brown must add up to exactly 5. The 6 half sits in the teal region, which must show the same number on every cell.

Hint 3

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

Hint 4

Hard
Place the 2–0 domino across row 3, columns 2–3. It is the only tile that works there, because orange must add up to less than 3. The 2 half sits in the orange region, which must be less than 3.
Reveal the full Hard answer

Hard solution — March 25, 2026

13
66
42
60
21
04
55
03
65
20
46
05

blue (=5): 4 · 1 | purple (=8): 2 · 6 | green (=7): 6 · 1 | amber (=): 0 · 0 · 0 | orange (<3): 2 | slate (=6): 3 · 3 | teal (=): 6 · 6 · 6 | pink (>3): 4 | lime (=6): 0 · 4 · 2 | brown (=5): 5 | blue (=0): 0 | purple (=): 5 · 5 · 5

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

What each region asks for

RegionRuleCells
Blue5 — Add up to exactly 52
Purple8 — Add up to exactly 82
Green7 — Add up to exactly 72
Amber= — Show the same number on every cell3
Orange<3 — Be less than 31
Slate6 — Add up to exactly 62
Teal= — Show the same number on every cell3
Pink>3 — Be more than 31
Lime6 — Add up to exactly 63
Brown5 — Be exactly 51
Blue0 — Be exactly 01
Purple= — Show the same number on every cell3
All hintsFull answers for this dayJun 28 →