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Pips hints — Thursday, May 7, 2026

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

Thursday, May 7, 2026Archived board

Easy today: 6 dominoes, 7 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
Your way in today is the green region: one cell that must be exactly 4. Only 1 pip combination fits it at all, which is why it gives way first.

Hint 2

Easy
Place the 1–4 domino across row 2, columns 2–3. It is the only tile that works there, because green must add up to exactly 4. The 1 half sits in the amber region, which must add up to exactly 2.
Reveal the full Easy answer

Easy solution — May 7, 2026

55
46
14
61
66
31

blue: 4 | purple (=): 6 · 6 · 6 · 6 | green (=4): 4 | amber (=2): 1 · 1 | orange: 3 | slate (<2): 1 | teal (=): 5 · 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 cell4
Green4 — Be exactly 41
Amber2 — Add up to exactly 22
OrangeTake any value it likes1
Slate<2 — Be less than 21
Teal= — Show the same number on every cell2

Medium today: 8 dominoes, 12 regions and target-sum, less-than 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
Your way in today is the blue region: one cell that must be exactly 0. Only 1 pip combination fits it at all, which is why it gives way first.

Hint 2

Medium
Place the 3–0 domino down column 3, rows 1–2. It is the only tile that works there, because blue must add up to exactly 0. The 3 half sits in the amber region, which must add up to exactly 3.

Hint 3

Medium
The 1–0 belongs across row 3, columns 3–4. It is the only tile that works there, because pink must add up to exactly 3.
Reveal the full Medium answer

Medium solution — May 7, 2026

10
56
31
33
24
30
12
14

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

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

What each region asks for

RegionRuleCells
Blue0 — Be exactly 01
PurpleTake any value it likes1
Green3 — Be exactly 31
Amber3 — Add up to exactly 32
OrangeTake any value it likes1
SlateTake any value it likes1
Teal<3 — Be less than 31
Pink3 — Add up to exactly 32
Lime3 — Be exactly 31
Brown= — Show the same number on every cell2
Blue<3 — Be less than 31
Purple<3 — Add up to less than 32

Hard today: 12 dominoes, 12 regions and all-equal, 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.

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 purple region: two cells that must add up to exactly 2. Only 3 pip combinations fit it at all, which is why it gives way first.

Hint 2

Hard
Place the 4–0 domino across row 1, columns 1–2. It is the only tile that works there, because purple must add up to exactly 2. The 4 half sits in the blue region, which must show the same number on every cell.

Hint 3

Hard
The 1–2 belongs down column 2, rows 2–3. It is the only tile that works there, because purple must add up to exactly 2. The 1 half sits in the slate region, which must show the same number on every cell.

Hint 4

Hard
There is exactly one home for the 6–4: down column 1, rows 2–3. It is the only tile that works there, because orange must add up to more than 10.
Reveal the full Hard answer

Hard solution — May 7, 2026

52
40
12
64
11
55
16
30
51
26
41
05

blue (=): 4 · 4 | purple (=2): 0 · 2 | green (=10): 5 · 5 | amber (=7): 1 · 6 | orange (>10): 6 · 6 | slate (=): 1 · 1 · 1 · 1 · 1 | teal: 0 | pink (=10): 5 · 5 | lime (=4): 2 · 2 | brown (=9): 4 · 5 | blue: 0 | purple (>0): 3

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
Purple2 — Add up to exactly 22
Green10 — Add up to exactly 102
Amber7 — Add up to exactly 72
Orange>10 — Add up to more than 102
Slate= — Show the same number on every cell5
TealTake any value it likes1
Pink10 — Add up to exactly 102
Lime4 — Add up to exactly 42
Brown9 — Add up to exactly 92
BlueTake any value it likes1
Purple>0 — Be more than 01
All hintsFull answers for this dayJun 28 →