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Pips hints — Monday, July 27, 2026

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

Monday, July 27, 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
Your way in today is the slate region: two cells that must add up to exactly 11. Only 2 pip combinations fit it at all, which is why it gives way first.

Hint 2

Easy
Place the 6–3 domino across row 3, columns 3–4. It is the only tile that works there, because slate must add up to exactly 11.
Reveal the full Easy answer

Easy solution — July 27, 2026

64
24
63
55
33

blue (=6): 3 · 3 | purple: 4 | green (<3): 2 | amber (=9): 4 · 5 | orange: 6 | slate (=11): 5 · 6 | teal (<4): 3

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

What each region asks for

RegionRuleCells
Blue6 — Add up to exactly 62
PurpleTake any value it likes1
Green<3 — Be less than 31
Amber9 — Add up to exactly 92
OrangeTake any value it likes1
Slate11 — Add up to exactly 112
Teal<4 — Be less than 41

Today's Medium board has 7 dominoes across 8 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
Your way in today is the green region: one cell that must be less than 3. Only 3 pip combinations fit it at all, which is why it gives way first.

Hint 2

Medium
Place the 6–2 domino down column 4, rows 1–2. It is the only tile that works there, because orange must add up to exactly 10.

Hint 3

Medium
The 4–0 belongs across row 3, columns 3–4. It is the only tile that works there, because orange must add up to exactly 10.
Reveal the full Medium answer

Medium solution — July 27, 2026

65
03
62
40
25
36
02

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

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= — Show the same number on every cell2
Green<3 — Be less than 31
Amber= — Show the same number on every cell3
Orange10 — Add up to exactly 102
Slate10 — Add up to exactly 102
TealTake any value it likes1
PinkTake any value it likes1

Today's Hard board has 16 dominoes across 17 regions, mixing target-sum, all-equal and greater-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
Your way in today is the purple 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

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

Hint 3

Hard
The 4–5 belongs down column 9, rows 1–2. It is the only tile that works there, because green must add up to exactly 4. The 4 half sits in the green region, which must be exactly 4.

Hint 4

Hard
There is exactly one home for the 0–2: down column 4, rows 2–3. It is the only tile that works there, because slate must add up to exactly 0. The 0 half sits in the slate region, which must be exactly 0.
Reveal the full Hard answer

Hard solution — July 27, 2026

24
00
15
03
62
50
61
04
25
01
23
45
02
31
60
53

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

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

What each region asks for

RegionRuleCells
Blue3 — Add up to exactly 32
Purple4 — Be exactly 41
Green4 — Be exactly 41
Amber0 — Add up to exactly 03
Orange= — Show the same number on every cell3
Slate0 — Be exactly 01
Teal= — Show the same number on every cell3
Pink= — Show the same number on every cell4
Lime2 — Add up to exactly 22
Brown>4 — Be more than 41
Blue= — Show the same number on every cell3
Purple0 — Add up to exactly 02
Green4 — Add up to exactly 42
Amber>4 — Be more than 41
Orange0 — Be exactly 01
SlateTake any value it likes1
Teal4 — Be exactly 41
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