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Pips hints — Wednesday, April 8, 2026

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

Wednesday, April 8, 2026Archived board

Easy today: 4 dominoes, 4 regions and 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 blue region, where two cells must add up to exactly 3. Only 4 pip combinations fit it at all, which is why it gives way first.

Hint 2

Easy
The 1–4 belongs across row 1, columns 2–3. It is the only tile that works there, because blue must add up to exactly 3.
Reveal the full Easy answer

Easy solution — April 8, 2026

44
14
05
22

blue (=3): 2 · 1 | purple (=4): 4 · 0 | green (=6): 2 · 4 | amber (>8): 4 · 5

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

What each region asks for

RegionRuleCells
Blue3 — Add up to exactly 32
Purple4 — Add up to exactly 42
Green6 — Add up to exactly 62
Amber>8 — Add up to more than 82

Medium today: 8 dominoes, 8 regions and target-sum 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 orange region, where one cell must be exactly 3. Only 1 pip combination fits it at all, which is why it gives way first.

Hint 2

Medium
The 3–4 belongs down column 4, rows 1–2. It is the only tile that works there, because orange must add up to exactly 3. The 3 half sits in the orange region, which must be exactly 3.

Hint 3

Medium
There is exactly one home for the 6–0: down column 1, rows 3–4. It is the only tile that works there, because slate must add up to exactly 1. The 6 half sits in the pink region, which must show the same number on every cell.
Reveal the full Medium answer

Medium solution — April 8, 2026

22
60
52
44
62
34
51
46

blue (=8): 4 · 4 | purple (=8): 6 · 2 | green (=8): 4 · 4 | amber (=10): 5 · 5 | orange (=3): 3 | slate (=1): 0 · 1 | teal (=): 2 · 2 · 2 | pink (=): 6 · 6

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

What each region asks for

RegionRuleCells
Blue8 — Add up to exactly 82
Purple8 — Add up to exactly 82
Green8 — Add up to exactly 82
Amber10 — Add up to exactly 102
Orange3 — Be exactly 31
Slate1 — Add up to exactly 12
Teal= — Show the same number on every cell3
Pink= — Show the same number on every cell2

Hard today: 16 dominoes, 15 regions and target-sum 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
Ignore the open areas for now and go straight to the blue region, where one cell must be exactly 3. Only 1 pip combination fits it at all, which is why it gives way first.

Hint 2

Hard
The 3–6 belongs down column 1, rows 1–2. It is the only tile that works there, because blue must add up to exactly 3. The 3 half sits in the blue region, which must be exactly 3.

Hint 3

Hard
There is exactly one home for the 3–1: down column 7, rows 1–2. It is the only tile that works there, because green must add up to exactly 3. The 3 half sits in the green region, which must be exactly 3.

Hint 4

Hard
Lay the 5–0 down column 3, rows 3–4 — no guesswork needed. It is the only tile that works there, because pink must add up to exactly 5. The 5 half sits in the pink region, which must be exactly 5.
Reveal the full Hard answer

Hard solution — April 8, 2026

10
54
31
55
41
60
35
11
04
36
15
32
44
50
24
52

blue (=3): 3 | purple: 2 | green (=3): 3 | amber (=11): 6 · 5 | orange (=10): 5 · 5 | slate (=): 0 · 0 · 0 · 0 | teal (=): 1 · 1 | pink (=5): 5 | lime (=): 4 · 4 · 4 · 4 · 4 | brown (=11): 6 · 5 | blue (=): 1 · 1 · 1 | purple (=6): 1 · 5 | green (=): 3 · 3 | amber (=9): 5 · 4 | orange (=): 2 · 2

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

What each region asks for

RegionRuleCells
Blue3 — Be exactly 31
PurpleTake any value it likes1
Green3 — Be exactly 31
Amber11 — Add up to exactly 112
Orange10 — Add up to exactly 102
Slate= — Show the same number on every cell4
Teal= — Show the same number on every cell2
Pink5 — Be exactly 51
Lime= — Show the same number on every cell5
Brown11 — Add up to exactly 112
Blue= — Show the same number on every cell3
Purple6 — Add up to exactly 62
Green= — Show the same number on every cell2
Amber9 — Add up to exactly 92
Orange= — Show the same number on every cell2
All hintsFull answers for this dayJun 28 →