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Pips hints — Thursday, May 14, 2026

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

Thursday, May 14, 2026Archived board

Today's Easy board has 5 dominoes across 5 regions, mixing 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.

Hint 1 — where to start

Easy
The green region is the anchor: one cell, and it must be less than 2. Only 2 pip combinations fit it at all, which is why it gives way first.

Hint 2

Easy
Lay the 1–6 across row 3, columns 1–2 — no guesswork needed. It is the only tile that works there, because amber must add up to less than 2. The 1 half sits in the amber region, which must be less than 2.
Reveal the full Easy answer

Easy solution — May 14, 2026

66
22
56
15
16

blue (>7): 5 · 5 | purple (=): 6 · 6 · 6 · 6 | green (<2): 1 | amber (<2): 1 | orange (=): 2 · 2

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

What each region asks for

RegionRuleCells
Blue>7 — Add up to more than 72
Purple= — Show the same number on every cell4
Green<2 — Be less than 21
Amber<2 — Be less than 21
Orange= — Show the same number on every cell2

Today's Medium board has 8 dominoes across 8 regions, mixing all-equal, target-sum 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
The slate region is the anchor: one cell, and it must be exactly 3. Only 1 pip combination fits it at all, which is why it gives way first.

Hint 2

Medium
Lay the 0–3 down column 6, rows 1–2 — no guesswork needed. It is the only tile that works there, because slate must add up to exactly 3. The 0 half sits in the purple region, which must show the same number on every cell.

Hint 3

Medium
Place the 6–4 domino across row 4, columns 4–5. It is the only tile that works there, because pink must add up to less than 5. The 6 half sits in the teal region, which must show the same number on every cell.
Reveal the full Medium answer

Medium solution — May 14, 2026

64
04
55
22
11
03
56
66

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

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 cell2
Green10 — Add up to exactly 103
Amber<5 — Add up to less than 52
Orange= — Show the same number on every cell3
Slate3 — Be exactly 31
Teal= — Show the same number on every cell3
Pink<5 — Be less than 51

Today's Hard board has 14 dominoes across 17 regions, mixing less-than, target-sum, greater-than 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.

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
The green region is the anchor: one cell, and it must be exactly 1. Only 1 pip combination fits it at all, which is why it gives way first.

Hint 2

Hard
Lay the 5–1 down column 7, rows 1–2 — no guesswork needed. It is the only tile that works there, because green must add up to exactly 1. The 5 half sits in the amber region, which must add up to exactly 10.

Hint 3

Hard
Place the 6–1 domino down column 2, rows 4–5. It is the only tile that works there, because pink must add up to exactly 1. The 6 half sits in the orange region, which must add up to more than 10.

Hint 4

Hard
The 3–6 belongs across row 10, columns 6–7. It is the only tile that works there, because teal must add up to exactly 6. The 3 half sits in the slate region, which must show the same number on every cell.
Reveal the full Hard answer

Hard solution — May 14, 2026

51
36
05
22
13
54
20
65
43
61
55
26
35
44

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

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

What each region asks for

RegionRuleCells
Blue<3 — Be less than 31
Purple7 — Add up to exactly 72
Green1 — Be exactly 11
Amber10 — Add up to exactly 102
Orange>10 — Add up to more than 102
Slate= — Show the same number on every cell2
TealTake any value it likes1
Pink1 — Be exactly 11
Lime= — Show the same number on every cell3
Brown6 — Be exactly 61
Blue<3 — Be less than 31
Purple= — Show the same number on every cell2
Green10 — Add up to exactly 102
Amber7 — Add up to exactly 72
Orange10 — Add up to exactly 102
Slate= — Show the same number on every cell2
Teal6 — Be exactly 61
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