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Pips hints — Wednesday, August 12, 2026

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

Wednesday, August 12, 2026Archived board

The Easy grid runs to 6 regions and 5 tiles, with target-sum 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
Your way in today is the orange region: one cell that must be less than 2. Only 2 pip combinations fit it at all, which is why it gives way first.

Hint 2

Easy
The 0–3 belongs down column 1, rows 2–3. It is the only tile that works there, because orange must add up to less than 2. The 0 half sits in the orange region, which must be less than 2.
Reveal the full Easy answer

Easy solution — August 12, 2026

33
26
03
22
45

blue (=11): 6 · 5 | purple (=5): 2 · 3 | green: 3 | amber (=5): 3 · 2 | orange (<2): 0 | slate (=6): 4 · 2

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

What each region asks for

RegionRuleCells
Blue11 — Add up to exactly 112
Purple5 — Add up to exactly 52
GreenTake any value it likes1
Amber5 — Add up to exactly 52
Orange<2 — Be less than 21
Slate6 — Add up to exactly 62

The Medium grid runs to 7 regions and 7 tiles, with all-equal, greater-than and target-sum 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
Your way in today is the teal 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

Medium
The 4–2 belongs across row 3, columns 2–3. It is the only tile that works there, because teal must add up to exactly 4. The 4 half sits in the teal region, which must be exactly 4.

Hint 3

Medium
There is exactly one home for the 1–4: across row 1, columns 3–4. It is the only tile that works there, because blue must show the same number on every cell.
Reveal the full Medium answer

Medium solution — August 12, 2026

42
14
36
21
54
52
31

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

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 cell3
Purple>6 — Add up to more than 62
GreenTake any value it likes1
Amber= — Show the same number on every cell3
Orange>8 — Add up to more than 82
Slate>8 — Add up to more than 82
Teal4 — Be exactly 41

The Hard grid runs to 17 regions and 16 tiles, with target-sum, 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.

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 blue region: one cell that must be exactly 3. Only 1 pip combination fits it at all, which is why it gives way first.

Hint 2

Hard
The 0–3 belongs down column 2, rows 1–2. It is the only tile that works there, because blue must add up to exactly 3. The 0 half sits in the purple region, which must show the same number on every cell.

Hint 3

Hard
There is exactly one home for the 0–5: across row 3, columns 4–5. It is the only tile that works there, because slate must add up to exactly 5. The 0 half sits in the orange region, which must show the same number on every cell.

Hint 4

Hard
Lay the 5–5 down column 7, rows 2–3 — no guesswork needed. It is the only tile that works there, because green must add up to exactly 16.
Reveal the full Hard answer

Hard solution — August 12, 2026

00
01
02
03
05
06
12
14
16
33
34
35
44
55
56
66

blue (=3): 3 | purple (=): 0 · 0 · 0 | green (=16): 5 · 5 · 6 | amber (>3): 6 | orange (=): 0 · 0 · 0 | slate (=5): 5 | teal (<3): 1 | pink (>0): 1 | lime (<3): 1 | brown (>3): 4 | blue (=): 3 · 3 · 3 · 3 | purple (>0): 2 | green (=14): 6 · 6 · 2 | amber (=12): 1 · 5 · 6 | orange (=): 4 · 4 · 4 | slate (>3): 5 | teal: 0

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

What each region asks for

RegionRuleCells
Blue3 — Be exactly 31
Purple= — Show the same number on every cell3
Green16 — Add up to exactly 163
Amber>3 — Be more than 31
Orange= — Show the same number on every cell3
Slate5 — Be exactly 51
Teal<3 — Be less than 31
Pink>0 — Be more than 01
Lime<3 — Be less than 31
Brown>3 — Be more than 31
Blue= — Show the same number on every cell4
Purple>0 — Be more than 01
Green14 — Add up to exactly 143
Amber12 — Add up to exactly 123
Orange= — Show the same number on every cell3
Slate>3 — Be more than 31
TealTake any value it likes1
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