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Pips hints — Wednesday, July 15, 2026

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

Wednesday, July 15, 2026Archived board

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

Easy
Start with the blue region — its one cell must be exactly 3. Only 1 pip combination fits it at all, which is why it gives way first.

Hint 2

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

Easy solution — July 15, 2026

20
14
43
35
30

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

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

What each region asks for

RegionRuleCells
Blue3 — Be exactly 31
Purple4 — Add up to exactly 42
Green4 — Be exactly 41
AmberTake any value it likes1
Orange5 — Add up to exactly 52
Slate8 — Add up to exactly 82
Teal<1 — Be less than 11

Today's Medium board has 7 dominoes across 7 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

Medium
Start with the orange region — its one cell must be exactly 3. Only 1 pip combination fits it at all, which is why it gives way first.

Hint 2

Medium
Place the 3–6 domino across row 4, columns 3–4. It is the only tile that works there, because teal must add up to exactly 3. The 3 half sits in the teal region, which must be exactly 3.

Hint 3

Medium
The 5–5 belongs across row 2, columns 1–2. It is the only tile that works there, because purple must add up to more than 9.
Reveal the full Medium answer

Medium solution — July 15, 2026

22
36
33
32
25
51
55

blue (=): 2 · 2 · 2 | purple (>9): 5 · 5 | green (>9): 2 · 3 · 5 | amber (=9): 3 · 5 · 1 | orange (=3): 3 | slate (>3): 6 | teal (=3): 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 cell3
Purple>9 — Add up to more than 92
Green>9 — Add up to more than 93
Amber9 — Add up to exactly 93
Orange3 — Be exactly 31
Slate>3 — Be more than 31
Teal3 — Be exactly 31

Today's Hard board has 13 dominoes across 15 regions, mixing target-sum, 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
Start with the purple region — its one cell must be exactly 4. Only 1 pip combination fits it at all, which is why it gives way first.

Hint 2

Hard
Place the 0–4 domino down column 6, rows 1–2. It is the only tile that works there, because purple must add up to exactly 4. The 0 half sits in the slate region, which must be less than 4.

Hint 3

Hard
The 4–4 belongs down column 8, rows 2–3. It is the only tile that works there, because teal must add up to exactly 4. The 4 half sits in the teal region, which must be exactly 4.

Hint 4

Hard
There is exactly one home for the 0–2: down column 2, rows 1–2. It is the only tile that works there, because orange must add up to exactly 0.
Reveal the full Hard answer

Hard solution — July 15, 2026

51
13
44
02
54
01
55
00
53
22
04
52
63

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

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

What each region asks for

RegionRuleCells
Blue5 — Add up to exactly 52
Purple4 — Be exactly 41
Green= — Show the same number on every cell2
Amber9 — Add up to exactly 92
Orange0 — Add up to exactly 02
Slate<4 — Be less than 41
Teal4 — Be exactly 41
Pink10 — Add up to exactly 102
Lime10 — Add up to exactly 102
Brown10 — Add up to exactly 102
Blue2 — Add up to exactly 22
Purple0 — Add up to exactly 02
Green4 — Add up to exactly 42
Amber7 — Add up to exactly 72
Orange<4 — Be less than 41
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