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Pips hints — Thursday, September 17, 2026

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

Thursday, September 17, 2026Archived board

The Easy grid runs to 6 regions and 5 tiles, with target-sum, 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
Your way in today is the green region: one cell that must be exactly 0. 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 4–0: down column 4, rows 2–3. It is the only tile that works there, because green must be exactly 0. The 4 half sits in the slate region, which must be less than 5.
Reveal the full Easy answer

Easy solution — September 17, 2026

05
43
32
40
11

blue (=2): 0 · 1 · 1 | purple (=7): 2 · 5 | green (=0): 0 | amber (=7): 3 · 4 | orange (>2): 3 | slate (<5): 4

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

What each region asks for

RegionRuleCells
Blue2 — Add up to exactly 23
Purple7 — Add up to exactly 72
Green0 — Be exactly 01
Amber7 — Add up to exactly 72
Orange>2 — Be more than 21
Slate<5 — Be less than 51

The Medium grid runs to 7 regions and 7 tiles, with all-equal, less-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: two cells that must add up to exactly 1. Only 2 pip combinations fit it at all, which is why it gives way first.

Hint 2

Medium
There is exactly one home for the 1–1: down column 3, rows 3–4. It is the only tile that works there, because teal must add up to exactly 1. The 1 half sits in the green region, which must add up to less than 4.

Hint 3

Medium
Lay the 0–2 down column 4, rows 3–4 — no guesswork needed. It is the only tile that works there, because teal must add up to exactly 1.
Reveal the full Medium answer

Medium solution — September 17, 2026

54
11
25
13
02
33
22

blue: 4 | purple (=): 3 · 3 | green (<4): 2 · 1 | amber (=): 5 · 5 | orange (=): 2 · 2 · 2 | slate (=4): 1 · 3 | teal (=1): 1 · 0

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
Green<4 — Add up to less than 42
Amber= — Show the same number on every cell2
Orange= — Show the same number on every cell3
Slate4 — Add up to exactly 42
Teal1 — Add up to exactly 12

The Hard grid runs to 16 regions and 16 tiles, with all-equal, greater-than, target-sum and no-repeats 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 brown 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

Hard
There is exactly one home for the 1–4: across row 4, columns 2–3. It is the only tile that works there, because brown must be exactly 4. The 1 half sits in the orange region, which must add up to exactly 5.

Hint 3

Hard
Lay the 0–6 down column 4, rows 5–6 — no guesswork needed. It is the only tile that works there, because blue must be exactly 0.

Hint 4

Hard
Place the 3–5 domino across row 7, columns 1–2. It is the only tile that works there, because orange must be exactly 3.
Reveal the full Hard answer

Hard solution — September 17, 2026

02
03
04
06
11
12
14
15
16
25
35
36
45
46
55
66

blue (=): 5 · 5 · 5 | purple (=): 2 · 2 | green (>1): 5 | amber: 6 | orange (=5): 1 · 1 · 1 · 1 · 1 | slate (=9): 3 · 6 | teal: 6 | pink (=0): 0 · 0 | lime (>3): 4 | brown (=4): 4 | blue (=0): 0 | purple (≠): 1 · 2 · 0 · 3 · 4 · 6 | green (=11): 6 · 5 | amber (=11): 6 · 5 | orange (=3): 3 | slate (=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= — Show the same number on every cell2
Green>1 — Be more than 11
AmberTake any value it likes1
Orange5 — Add up to exactly 55
Slate9 — Add up to exactly 92
TealTake any value it likes1
Pink0 — Add up to exactly 02
Lime>3 — Be more than 31
Brown4 — Be exactly 41
Blue0 — Be exactly 01
Purple≠ — Have no two cells showing the same number6
Green11 — Add up to exactly 112
Amber11 — Add up to exactly 112
Orange3 — Be exactly 31
Slate4 — Be exactly 41
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