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Pips hints — Friday, May 8, 2026

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

Friday, May 8, 2026Archived board

Today's Easy board has 6 dominoes across 6 regions, mixing all-equal, greater-than and target-sum 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
Ignore the open areas for now and go straight to the green region, where one cell must be more than 5. Only 1 pip combination fits it at all, which is why it gives way first.

Hint 2

Easy
The 6–2 belongs down column 1, rows 3–4. It is the only tile that works there, because green must add up to more than 5. The 6 half sits in the green region, which must be more than 5.
Reveal the full Easy answer

Easy solution — May 8, 2026

04
15
46
11
62
22

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

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 cell3
PurpleTake any value it likes1
Green>5 — Be more than 51
Amber>5 — Be more than 51
Orange= — Show the same number on every cell3
Slate8 — Add up to exactly 83

Today's Medium board has 6 dominoes across 9 regions, mixing all-equal, less-than and target-sum 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
Ignore the open areas for now and go straight to the lime region, where one cell must be exactly 5. Only 1 pip combination fits it at all, which is why it gives way first.

Hint 2

Medium
The 2–0 belongs across row 1, columns 4–5. It is the only tile that works there, because purple must add up to less than 4. The 2 half sits in the purple region, which must be less than 4.

Hint 3

Medium
There is exactly one home for the 5–0: down column 3, rows 1–2. It is the only tile that works there, because amber must show the same number on every cell.
Reveal the full Medium answer

Medium solution — May 8, 2026

20
51
23
50
66
54

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

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
Purple<4 — Be less than 41
GreenTake any value it likes1
Amber= — Show the same number on every cell2
OrangeTake any value it likes1
SlateTake any value it likes1
Teal<4 — Be less than 41
Pink5 — Add up to exactly 52
Lime5 — Be exactly 51

Today's Hard board has 14 dominoes across 20 regions, mixing target-sum, greater-than, all-equal 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.

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 4. Only 1 pip combination fits it at all, which is why it gives way first.

Hint 2

Hard
The 4–3 belongs across row 1, columns 3–4. It is the only tile that works there, because blue must add up to exactly 4. The 4 half sits in the blue region, which must be exactly 4.

Hint 3

Hard
There is exactly one home for the 2–4: across row 3, columns 4–5. It is the only tile that works there, because pink must add up to exactly 4. The 2 half sits in the teal region, which must be less than 3.

Hint 4

Hard
Lay the 4–5 down column 2, rows 7–8 — no guesswork needed. It is the only tile that works there, because orange must add up to exactly 4. The 4 half sits in the orange region, which must be exactly 4.
Reveal the full Hard answer

Hard solution — May 8, 2026

65
33
24
51
02
45
00
53
63
22
44
43
10
66

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

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

What each region asks for

RegionRuleCells
Blue4 — Be exactly 41
Purple3 — Add up to exactly 33
GreenTake any value it likes1
Amber>4 — Be more than 41
Orange4 — Be exactly 41
Slate= — Show the same number on every cell3
Teal<3 — Be less than 31
Pink4 — Be exactly 41
Lime3 — Be exactly 31
Brown3 — Be exactly 31
BlueTake any value it likes1
Purple>4 — Be more than 41
Green= — Show the same number on every cell2
Amber= — Show the same number on every cell3
Orange4 — Be exactly 41
Slate3 — Be exactly 31
Teal<3 — Add up to less than 32
Pink<3 — Be less than 31
Lime>4 — Be more than 41
Brown<4 — Be less than 41
All hintsFull answers for this dayJun 28 →