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Pips hints — Tuesday, August 4, 2026

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

Tuesday, August 4, 2026Archived board

Easy today: 5 dominoes, 5 regions and less-than, target-sum, greater-than and all-equal constraints. 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 amber region is the anchor: one cell, and it must be more than 5. Only 1 pip combination fits it at all, which is why it gives way first.

Hint 2

Easy
The 3–6 belongs across row 3, columns 1–2. It is the only tile that works there, because amber must add up to more than 5. The 3 half sits in the purple region, which must add up to exactly 6.
Reveal the full Easy answer

Easy solution — August 4, 2026

13
11
36
55
10

blue (<5): 0 | purple (=6): 3 · 3 | green (=4): 1 · 1 · 1 · 1 | amber (>5): 6 | orange (=): 5 · 5

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

What each region asks for

RegionRuleCells
Blue<5 — Be less than 51
Purple6 — Add up to exactly 62
Green4 — Add up to exactly 44
Amber>5 — Be more than 51
Orange= — Show the same number on every cell2

Medium today: 8 dominoes, 9 regions and target-sum constraints. 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
The 2–0 belongs across row 5, columns 4–5. It is the only tile that works there, because pink must add up to exactly 2. The 2 half sits in the pink region, which must be exactly 2.

Hint 3

Medium
There is exactly one home for the 0–0: down column 1, rows 4–5. It is the only tile that works there, because orange must add up to exactly 0.
Reveal the full Medium answer

Medium solution — August 4, 2026

11
23
00
56
10
04
03
20

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

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
Purple7 — Add up to exactly 72
Green4 — Add up to exactly 42
Amber5 — Add up to exactly 52
Orange0 — Add up to exactly 03
Slate3 — Be exactly 31
Teal1 — Add up to exactly 12
Pink2 — Be exactly 21
LimeTake any value it likes1

Hard today: 10 dominoes, 11 regions and less-than, target-sum, all-equal and greater-than constraints. 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 orange 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

Hard
The 1–3 belongs down column 6, rows 2–3. It is the only tile that works there, because orange must add up to exactly 3. The 1 half sits in the teal region, which must show the same number on every cell.

Hint 3

Hard
There is exactly one home for the 4–1: down column 4, rows 1–2. It is the only tile that works there, because purple must add up to less than 2. The 4 half sits in the amber region, which must add up to exactly 9.

Hint 4

Hard
Lay the 0–5 down column 1, rows 4–5 — no guesswork needed. It is the only tile that works there, because brown must add up to more than 4. The 0 half sits in the green region, which must add up to exactly 7.
Reveal the full Hard answer

Hard solution — August 4, 2026

41
05
11
63
51
44
13
00
35
21

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

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
Purple<2 — Be less than 21
Green7 — Add up to exactly 73
Amber9 — Add up to exactly 93
Orange3 — Be exactly 31
Slate4 — Add up to exactly 42
Teal= — Show the same number on every cell2
Pink5 — Add up to exactly 53
Lime>5 — Add up to more than 52
Brown>4 — Be more than 41
Blue>4 — Be more than 41
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