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Pips hints — Monday, April 27, 2026

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

Monday, April 27, 2026Archived board

Today's Easy board has 5 dominoes across 7 regions, mixing greater-than, 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

Easy
Your way in today is the blue region: one cell that must be more than 5. Only 1 pip combination fits it at all, which is why it gives way first.

Hint 2

Easy
Place the 1–6 domino down column 1, rows 1–2. It is the only tile that works there, because blue must add up to more than 5. The 1 half sits in the green region, which must add up to exactly 5.
Reveal the full Easy answer

Easy solution — April 27, 2026

14
44
65
33
16

blue (>5): 6 | purple (>5): 6 | green (=5): 1 · 4 | amber (=): 3 · 3 | orange: 5 | slate (=): 4 · 4 | teal: 1

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

What each region asks for

RegionRuleCells
Blue>5 — Be more than 51
Purple>5 — Be more than 51
Green5 — Add up to exactly 52
Amber= — Show the same number on every cell2
OrangeTake any value it likes1
Slate= — Show the same number on every cell2
TealTake any value it likes1

Today's Medium board has 8 dominoes across 8 regions, mixing all-equal, target-sum, greater-than and less-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.

Hint 1 — where to start

Medium
Your way in today is the pink region: one cell that must be less than 1. Only 1 pip combination fits it at all, which is why it gives way first.

Hint 2

Medium
Place the 0–1 domino down column 5, rows 3–4. It is the only tile that works there, because pink must add up to less than 1. The 0 half sits in the pink region, which must be less than 1.

Hint 3

Medium
The 5–6 belongs down column 1, rows 3–4. It is the only tile that works there, because teal must add up to more than 11. The 5 half sits in the orange region, which must be more than 4.
Reveal the full Medium answer

Medium solution — April 27, 2026

56
61
01
33
00
51
42
46

blue (=): 0 · 0 | purple (=3): 2 · 1 | green (=): 4 · 4 | amber (=11): 5 · 6 | orange (>4): 5 | slate (=8): 3 · 3 · 1 · 1 | teal (>11): 6 · 6 | pink (<1): 0

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 cell2
Purple3 — Add up to exactly 32
Green= — Show the same number on every cell2
Amber11 — Add up to exactly 112
Orange>4 — Be more than 41
Slate8 — Add up to exactly 84
Teal>11 — Add up to more than 112
Pink<1 — Be less than 11

Today's Hard board has 12 dominoes across 16 regions, mixing target-sum, all-equal 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
Your way in today is the blue 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

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

Hint 3

Hard
The 3–1 belongs across row 1, columns 8–9. It is the only tile that works there, because amber must add up to exactly 3. The 3 half sits in the amber region, which must be exactly 3.

Hint 4

Hard
There is exactly one home for the 0–3: across row 3, columns 1–2. It is the only tile that works there, because brown must add up to exactly 3. The 0 half sits in the teal region, which must show the same number on every cell.
Reveal the full Hard answer

Hard solution — April 27, 2026

22
65
04
23
15
00
31
55
43
54
03
66

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

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

What each region asks for

RegionRuleCells
Blue3 — Be exactly 31
Purple10 — Add up to exactly 102
Green4 — Be exactly 41
Amber3 — Be exactly 31
Orange4 — Add up to exactly 42
Slate4 — Be exactly 41
Teal= — Show the same number on every cell3
Pink>4 — Be more than 41
LimeTake any value it likes1
Brown3 — Be exactly 31
Blue>3 — Be more than 31
Purple10 — Add up to exactly 102
Green3 — Add up to exactly 32
Amber= — Show the same number on every cell2
Orange>10 — Add up to more than 102
Slate>4 — Be more than 41
All hintsFull answers for this dayJun 28 →