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Pips hints — Wednesday, August 5, 2026

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

Wednesday, August 5, 2026Archived board

Today's Easy board has 5 dominoes across 7 regions, mixing greater-than, 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 purple region — its one cell must be more than 4. Only 2 pip combinations fit it at all, which is why it gives way first.

Hint 2

Easy
There is exactly one home for the 6–5: down column 6, rows 1–2. It is the only tile that works there, because purple must add up to more than 4. The 6 half sits in the purple region, which must be more than 4.
Reveal the full Easy answer

Easy solution — August 5, 2026

66
65
36
31
21

blue: 3 | purple (>4): 6 | green (=8): 6 · 2 | amber (=): 6 · 6 | orange (=8): 5 · 3 | slate (<2): 1 | teal (<2): 1

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>4 — Be more than 41
Green8 — Add up to exactly 82
Amber= — Show the same number on every cell2
Orange8 — Add up to exactly 82
Slate<2 — Be less than 21
Teal<2 — Be less than 21

Today's Medium board has 7 dominoes across 7 regions, mixing all-equal, target-sum, greater-than 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
Start with the purple region — its one cell must be exactly 1. Only 1 pip combination fits it at all, which is why it gives way first.

Hint 2

Medium
There is exactly one home for the 2–1: across row 4, columns 4–5. It is the only tile that works there, because slate must show the same number on every cell.

Hint 3

Medium
Lay the 1–1 down column 2, rows 4–5 — no guesswork needed. It is the only tile that works there, because teal must show the same number on every cell.
Reveal the full Medium answer

Medium solution — August 5, 2026

52
11
06
51
10
22
21

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

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
Purple1 — Be exactly 11
Green>4 — Add up to more than 42
Amber>2 — Be more than 21
Orange<4 — Add up to less than 42
Slate= — Show the same number on every cell2
Teal= — Show the same number on every cell4

Today's Hard board has 15 dominoes across 16 regions, mixing all-equal, greater-than, 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.

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 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

Hard
There is exactly one home for the 3–1: down column 3, rows 1–2. It is the only tile that works there, because orange must add up to exactly 3. The 3 half sits in the orange region, which must be exactly 3.

Hint 3

Hard
Lay the 3–4 down column 2, rows 2–3 — no guesswork needed. It is the only tile that works there, because pink must add up to exactly 3. The 3 half sits in the pink region, which must be exactly 3.

Hint 4

Hard
Place the 6–4 domino down column 1, rows 6–7. It is the only tile that works there, because blue must add up to exactly 12.
Reveal the full Hard answer

Hard solution — August 5, 2026

34
11
22
45
31
64
25
60
24
56
12
05
16
44
15

blue (=): 1 · 1 · 1 · 1 | purple (=): 5 · 5 | green (>4): 5 | amber (>3): 4 | orange (=3): 3 | slate (>3): 4 | teal (=): 0 · 0 | pink (=3): 3 | lime (=): 2 · 2 · 2 · 2 | brown (=): 1 · 1 | blue (=12): 6 · 6 | purple (<3): 2 | green (=12): 6 · 6 | amber (>3): 5 | orange (=): 4 · 4 · 4 · 4 | slate (>3): 5

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 cell4
Purple= — Show the same number on every cell2
Green>4 — Be more than 41
Amber>3 — Be more than 31
Orange3 — Be exactly 31
Slate>3 — Be more than 31
Teal= — Show the same number on every cell2
Pink3 — Be exactly 31
Lime= — Show the same number on every cell4
Brown= — Show the same number on every cell2
Blue12 — Add up to exactly 122
Purple<3 — Be less than 31
Green12 — Add up to exactly 122
Amber>3 — Be more than 31
Orange= — Show the same number on every cell4
Slate>3 — Be more than 31
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