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Pips hints — Friday, May 1, 2026

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

Friday, May 1, 2026Archived board

Easy today: 5 dominoes, 5 regions and 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.

Hint 1 — where to start

Easy
Look at the green region first. Across two cells it has to add up to exactly 10. Only 3 pip combinations fit it at all, which is why it gives way first.

Hint 2

Easy
There is exactly one home for the 0–4: across row 3, columns 1–2. It is the only tile that works there, because green must add up to exactly 10. The 0 half sits in the orange region, which must add up to less than 6.
Reveal the full Easy answer

Easy solution — May 1, 2026

04
25
11
21
66

blue: 6 | purple (=): 1 · 1 · 1 | green (=10): 6 · 4 | amber (=): 2 · 2 | orange (<6): 0 · 5

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

What each region asks for

RegionRuleCells
BlueTake any value it likes1
Purple= — Show the same number on every cell3
Green10 — Add up to exactly 102
Amber= — Show the same number on every cell2
Orange<6 — Add up to less than 62

Medium today: 8 dominoes, 9 regions and greater-than, target-sum, all-equal, no-repeats 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

Medium
Look at the orange region first. Across one cell it has to be exactly 5. 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 5–5: down column 5, rows 1–2. It is the only tile that works there, because green must add up to exactly 10.

Hint 3

Medium
Lay the 4–4 across row 5, columns 1–2 — no guesswork needed. It is the only tile that works there, because pink must add up to exactly 7.
Reveal the full Medium answer

Medium solution — May 1, 2026

61
55
22
25
65
44
33
00

blue (>1): 2 | purple (>1): 2 | green (=10): 5 · 5 | amber (=): 0 · 0 | orange (=5): 5 | slate (≠): 2 · 3 · 6 · 4 | teal (>8): 5 · 6 | pink (=7): 3 · 4 | lime (<6): 1

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

What each region asks for

RegionRuleCells
Blue>1 — Be more than 11
Purple>1 — Be more than 11
Green10 — Add up to exactly 102
Amber= — Show the same number on every cell2
Orange5 — Be exactly 51
Slate≠ — Have no two cells showing the same number4
Teal>8 — Add up to more than 82
Pink7 — Add up to exactly 72
Lime<6 — Be less than 61

Hard today: 15 dominoes, 28 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
Look at the blue region first. Across one cell it has to be exactly 0. 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 0–4: across row 1, columns 1–2. 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 3

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

Hint 4

Hard
Place the 0–5 domino down column 6, rows 4–5. It is the only tile that works there, because pink must add up to exactly 0. The 0 half sits in the pink region, which must be exactly 0.
Reveal the full Hard answer

Hard solution — May 1, 2026

01
02
03
04
05
12
13
14
15
23
24
25
34
35
45

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

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

What each region asks for

RegionRuleCells
Blue0 — Be exactly 01
Purple4 — Be exactly 41
Green5 — Be exactly 51
AmberTake any value it likes1
Orange1 — Be exactly 11
Slate2 — Be exactly 21
Teal3 — Be exactly 31
Pink3 — Be exactly 31
Lime= — Show the same number on every cell2
BrownTake any value it likes1
Blue1 — Be exactly 11
Purple1 — Be exactly 11
Green2 — Be exactly 21
Amber2 — Be exactly 21
Orange9 — Add up to exactly 92
Slate4 — Be exactly 41
Teal0 — Be exactly 01
Pink2 — Be exactly 21
Lime4 — Be exactly 41
Brown3 — Be exactly 31
Blue1 — Be exactly 11
Purple5 — Be exactly 51
Green3 — Be exactly 31
Amber1 — Be exactly 11
Orange5 — Be exactly 51
Slate5 — Be exactly 51
Teal2 — Be exactly 21
Pink0 — Be exactly 01
All hintsFull answers for this dayJun 28 →