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Pips hints — Sunday, August 9, 2026

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

Sunday, August 9, 2026Archived board

The Easy grid runs to 6 regions and 5 tiles, with all-equal, greater-than and less-than rules in play. 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 slate region is the anchor: one cell, and it must be less than 1. Only 1 pip combination fits it at all, which is why it gives way first.

Hint 2

Easy
There is exactly one home for the 2–0: across row 3, columns 3–4. It is the only tile that works there, because slate must add up to less than 1. The 2 half sits in the orange region, which must show the same number on every cell.
Reveal the full Easy answer

Easy solution — August 9, 2026

66
41
20
24
51

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

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>4 — Be more than 41
Green= — Show the same number on every cell2
Amber= — Show the same number on every cell2
Orange= — Show the same number on every cell2
Slate<1 — Be less than 11

The Medium grid runs to 8 regions and 7 tiles, with target-sum, all-equal, less-than and greater-than rules in play. 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 more than 2. Only 4 pip combinations fit it at all, which is why it gives way first.

Hint 2

Medium
There is exactly one home for the 2–2: across row 1, columns 1–2. It is the only tile that works there, because blue must add up to exactly 8.

Hint 3

Medium
Lay the 4–6 across row 1, columns 3–4 — no guesswork needed. It is the only tile that works there, because purple must add up to exactly 6.
Reveal the full Medium answer

Medium solution — August 9, 2026

36
22
46
55
52
51
61

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

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

What each region asks for

RegionRuleCells
Blue8 — Add up to exactly 82
Purple6 — Add up to exactly 62
Green= — Show the same number on every cell2
Amber<4 — Add up to less than 42
OrangeTake any value it likes1
Slate>2 — Be more than 21
Teal= — Show the same number on every cell3
Pink>1 — Be more than 11

The Hard grid runs to 19 regions and 16 tiles, with target-sum, greater-than, all-equal and less-than rules in play. 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 purple 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

Hard
There is exactly one home for the 6–2: across row 1, columns 7–8. It is the only tile that works there, because purple must add up to more than 5. The 6 half sits in the purple region, which must be more than 5.

Hint 3

Hard
Lay the 2–4 across row 3, columns 6–7 — no guesswork needed. It is the only tile that works there, because teal must add up to exactly 2. The 2 half sits in the teal region, which must be exactly 2.

Hint 4

Hard
Place the 3–4 domino down column 1, rows 4–5. It is the only tile that works there, because brown must add up to exactly 4. The 3 half sits in the pink region, which must add up to exactly 15.
Reveal the full Hard answer

Hard solution — August 9, 2026

60
01
34
16
24
36
12
64
22
13
44
15
62
54
11
56

blue (=8): 6 · 2 | purple (>5): 6 | green: 1 | amber (=): 4 · 4 | orange (=): 4 · 4 · 4 | slate (=0): 0 · 0 | teal (=2): 2 | pink (=15): 3 · 6 · 6 | lime (=2): 1 · 1 | brown (=4): 4 | blue (<4): 3 | purple (=): 5 · 5 | green (>5): 6 | amber (<4): 3 | orange (>4): 5 | slate (>5): 6 | teal (=7): 1 · 2 · 1 · 2 · 1 | pink (<3): 2 | lime (<2): 1

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

What each region asks for

RegionRuleCells
Blue8 — Add up to exactly 82
Purple>5 — Be more than 51
GreenTake any value it likes1
Amber= — Show the same number on every cell2
Orange= — Show the same number on every cell3
Slate0 — Add up to exactly 02
Teal2 — Be exactly 21
Pink15 — Add up to exactly 153
Lime2 — Add up to exactly 22
Brown4 — Be exactly 41
Blue<4 — Be less than 41
Purple= — Show the same number on every cell2
Green>5 — Be more than 51
Amber<4 — Be less than 41
Orange>4 — Be more than 41
Slate>5 — Be more than 51
Teal7 — Add up to exactly 75
Pink<3 — Be less than 31
Lime<2 — Be less than 21
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