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Pips hints — Thursday, July 30, 2026

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

Thursday, July 30, 2026Archived board

Today's Easy board has 5 dominoes across 7 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.

Hint 1 — where to start

Easy
Start with the blue region — its one cell must be exactly 5. Only 1 pip combination fits it at all, which is why it gives way first.

Hint 2

Easy
Lay the 5–6 down column 3, rows 1–2 — no guesswork needed. It is the only tile that works there, because blue must add up to exactly 5. The 5 half sits in the blue region, which must be exactly 5.
Reveal the full Easy answer

Easy solution — July 30, 2026

55
16
56
51
41

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

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

What each region asks for

RegionRuleCells
Blue5 — Be exactly 51
PurpleTake any value it likes1
Green= — Show the same number on every cell2
Amber= — Show the same number on every cell2
Orange<4 — Be less than 41
Slate10 — Add up to exactly 102
Teal5 — Be exactly 51

Today's Medium board has 7 dominoes across 7 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.

Hint 1 — where to start

Medium
Start with the teal region — its one cell must be more than 2. Only 4 pip combinations fit it at all, which is why it gives way first.

Hint 2

Medium
Lay the 6–3 down column 4, rows 2–3 — no guesswork needed. It is the only tile that works there, because amber must show the same number on every cell. The 6 half sits in the purple region, which must add up to exactly 15.

Hint 3

Medium
Try the 5–3 domino across row 4, columns 3–4. Only 2 tiles can go there at all, so test them and the wrong ones break a neighbouring region straight away. The 5 half sits in the teal region, which must be more than 2.
Reveal the full Medium answer

Medium solution — July 30, 2026

14
63
45
23
05
46
53

blue (=5): 1 · 4 | purple (=15): 5 · 6 · 4 | green: 2 | amber (=): 3 · 3 · 3 | orange: 0 | slate (=15): 5 · 4 · 6 | teal (>2): 5

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
Purple15 — Add up to exactly 153
GreenTake any value it likes1
Amber= — Show the same number on every cell3
OrangeTake any value it likes1
Slate15 — Add up to exactly 153
Teal>2 — Be more than 21

Today's Hard board has 16 dominoes across 24 regions, mixing target-sum 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
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

Hard
Lay the 1–3 down column 1, rows 1–2 — no guesswork needed. It is the only tile that works there, because orange must add up to exactly 1. The 1 half sits in the orange region, which must be exactly 1.

Hint 3

Hard
Place the 0–4 domino down column 2, 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 show the same number on every cell.

Hint 4

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

Hard solution — July 30, 2026

01
02
03
04
05
12
13
14
15
23
24
25
34
35
45
36

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

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

What each region asks for

RegionRuleCells
Blue3 — Be exactly 31
Purple4 — Be exactly 41
Green3 — Be exactly 31
Amber4 — Be exactly 41
Orange1 — Be exactly 11
Slate= — Show the same number on every cell3
Teal10 — Add up to exactly 102
Pink4 — Be exactly 41
Lime2 — Be exactly 21
Brown5 — Be exactly 51
Blue4 — Be exactly 41
Purple2 — Be exactly 21
Green1 — Be exactly 11
Amber2 — Be exactly 21
Orange2 — Be exactly 21
Slate0 — Be exactly 01
Teal10 — Add up to exactly 102
Pink= — Show the same number on every cell3
Lime5 — Be exactly 51
Brown0 — Be exactly 01
Blue= — Show the same number on every cell3
Purple3 — Be exactly 31
Green2 — Be exactly 21
Amber5 — Be exactly 51
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