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Pips hints — Thursday, August 13, 2026

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

Thursday, August 13, 2026Archived board

Easy today: 5 dominoes, 6 regions and less-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
Ignore the open areas for now and go straight to the blue region, where one cell must be less than 2. 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 6–0: down column 3, rows 1–2. It is the only tile that works there, because blue must add up to less than 2. The 6 half sits in the amber region, which must show the same number on every cell.
Reveal the full Easy answer

Easy solution — August 13, 2026

51
60
00
36
11

blue (<2): 0 | purple: 5 | green (<2): 0 · 0 | amber (=): 6 · 6 | orange: 3 | slate (=): 1 · 1 · 1

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

What each region asks for

RegionRuleCells
Blue<2 — Be less than 21
PurpleTake any value it likes1
Green<2 — Add up to less than 22
Amber= — Show the same number on every cell2
OrangeTake any value it likes1
Slate= — Show the same number on every cell3

Medium today: 7 dominoes, 8 regions and all-equal 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
Ignore the open areas for now and go straight to the orange region, where two cells must add up to exactly 10. Only 3 pip combinations fit it at all, which is why it gives way first.

Hint 2

Medium
There is exactly one home for the 6–6: down column 5, rows 3–4. It is the only tile that works there, because orange must add up to exactly 10.

Hint 3

Medium
Lay the 4–4 across row 2, columns 4–5 — no guesswork needed. It is the only tile that works there, because orange must add up to exactly 10. The 4 half sits in the green region, which must add up to exactly 10.
Reveal the full Medium answer

Medium solution — August 13, 2026

66
03
12
33
44
20
54

blue: 1 | purple (=): 2 · 2 | green (=10): 3 · 3 · 4 | amber (=): 0 · 0 | orange (=10): 4 · 6 | slate (=7): 3 · 4 | teal: 5 | pink: 6

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= — Show the same number on every cell2
Green10 — Add up to exactly 103
Amber= — Show the same number on every cell2
Orange10 — Add up to exactly 102
Slate7 — Add up to exactly 72
TealTake any value it likes1
PinkTake any value it likes1

Hard today: 14 dominoes, 16 regions and greater-than, target-sum, less-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.

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
Ignore the open areas for now and go straight to the green region, where one cell must be exactly 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 5–3: down column 9, rows 7–8. It is the only tile that works there, because green must add up to exactly 5. The 5 half sits in the green region, which must be exactly 5.

Hint 3

Hard
Lay the 6–3 down column 1, rows 7–8 — no guesswork needed. It is the only tile that works there, because amber must add up to exactly 3. The 6 half sits in the pink region, which must add up to exactly 15.

Hint 4

Hard
Place the 4–2 domino across row 1, columns 5–6. It is the only tile that works there, because green must add up to less than 3. The 4 half sits in the purple region, which must add up to exactly 15.
Reveal the full Hard answer

Hard solution — August 13, 2026

66
22
60
13
52
03
16
23
00
46
53
42
63
45

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

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

What each region asks for

RegionRuleCells
Blue>3 — Be more than 31
Purple15 — Add up to exactly 153
Green<3 — Be less than 31
Amber<3 — Add up to less than 32
OrangeTake any value it likes1
SlateTake any value it likes1
Teal= — Show the same number on every cell2
Pink15 — Add up to exactly 153
Lime5 — Add up to exactly 52
Brown<3 — Be less than 31
Blue15 — Add up to exactly 153
Purple5 — Add up to exactly 53
Green5 — Be exactly 51
Amber3 — Be exactly 31
Orange<3 — Be less than 31
Slate5 — Add up to exactly 52
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