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Pips hints — Friday, April 17, 2026

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

Friday, April 17, 2026Archived board

Easy today: 5 dominoes, 8 regions and greater-than, target-sum, all-equal 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.

Hint 1 — where to start

Easy
Your way in today is the green region: one cell that must be exactly 2. 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 2–3: down column 5, rows 1–2. It is the only tile that works there, because green must add up to exactly 2. The 2 half sits in the green region, which must be exactly 2.
Reveal the full Easy answer

Easy solution — April 17, 2026

62
23
35
55
06

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

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

What each region asks for

RegionRuleCells
Blue>4 — Be more than 41
PurpleTake any value it likes1
Green2 — Be exactly 21
AmberTake any value it likes1
Orange= — Show the same number on every cell2
Slate= — Show the same number on every cell2
Teal<4 — Be less than 41
Pink2 — Be exactly 21

Medium today: 7 dominoes, 9 regions and target-sum, all-equal, 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 slate region: one cell that must be exactly 3. 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 3–5: across row 2, columns 5–6. It is the only tile that works there, because slate must add up to exactly 3. The 3 half sits in the slate region, which must be exactly 3.

Hint 3

Medium
Lay the 2–0 down column 2, rows 2–3 — no guesswork needed. It is the only tile that works there, because teal must add up to exactly 0. The 2 half sits in the purple region, which must add up to exactly 7.
Reveal the full Medium answer

Medium solution — April 17, 2026

51
20
33
46
54
00
35

blue: 1 | purple (=7): 5 · 2 | green (=): 3 · 3 | amber (<2): 0 · 0 | orange (=): 5 · 5 | slate (=3): 3 | teal (=0): 0 | pink (=): 4 · 4 | lime (>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
Purple7 — Add up to exactly 72
Green= — Show the same number on every cell2
Amber<2 — Add up to less than 22
Orange= — Show the same number on every cell2
Slate3 — Be exactly 31
Teal0 — Be exactly 01
Pink= — Show the same number on every cell2
Lime>4 — Be more than 41

Hard today: 11 dominoes, 11 regions and target-sum, all-equal, less-than and no-repeats 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 blue region: one cell that 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 5–2: across row 1, columns 1–2. It is the only tile that works there, because blue must add up to exactly 5. The 5 half sits in the blue region, which must be exactly 5.

Hint 3

Hard
Lay the 4–5 across row 4, columns 1–2 — no guesswork needed. It is the only tile that works there, because teal must add up to exactly 4. The 4 half sits in the teal region, which must be exactly 4.

Hint 4

Hard
Place the 5–1 domino down column 7, rows 3–4. It is the only tile that works there, because slate must add up to exactly 10.
Reveal the full Hard answer

Hard solution — April 17, 2026

51
40
65
21
45
33
52
11
42
05
14

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

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

What each region asks for

RegionRuleCells
Blue5 — Be exactly 51
Purple= — Show the same number on every cell2
Green5 — Add up to exactly 52
Amber<3 — Add up to less than 32
Orange≠ — Have no two cells showing the same number4
Slate10 — Add up to exactly 102
Teal4 — Be exactly 41
Pink8 — Add up to exactly 82
Lime2 — Add up to exactly 22
Brown<2 — Add up to less than 22
Blue6 — Add up to exactly 62
All hintsFull answers for this dayJun 28 →