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Past puzzleAugust 4, 2026Three levels

Pips hints: August 4, 2026

Revisit the Pips puzzle from August 4, 2026 (2026-08-04) with hints and answers for every level.

August 4, 2026

Pips hints and answers

Use the board and domino inventory as your reference. Each level has separate area clues, an optional placement from the recorded answer, and its complete solution.

Easy · 5 pieces

Easy board

4 × 4

Scroll sideways if you cannot see every column.

A1Sum < 5
A2Sum = 6
A3Sum = 4
A3Sum = 4
A4Sum > 5
A2Sum = 6
A3Sum = 4
A3Sum = 4
A5All equal
A5All equal
Area 1: Sum < 5Area 2: Sum = 6Area 3: Sum = 4Area 4: Sum > 5Area 5: All equal

Available dominoes: Piece 1: 1-3; Piece 2: 1-1; Piece 3: 3-6; Piece 4: 5-5; Piece 5: 1-0.

Where to look

Area 1 has 1 cell: Sum < 5. Look at row 1, column 4.

A local clue for Area 2

The two cells in Area 2 must total 6. Using values from 0 to 6, the possible pairs are 0 + 6; 1 + 5; 2 + 4; 3 + 3.

Other areas and the available dominoes may rule out some of these pairs.

Show one placement from the recorded answer

Piece 5 (1 | 0), vertical: row 2, column 4 has 1, paired with row 1, column 4 containing 0.

Show the complete solution and piece list

Easy board

4 × 4

Scroll sideways if you cannot see every column.

A10Sum < 5
A23Sum = 6
A31Sum = 4
A31Sum = 4
A46Sum > 5
A23Sum = 6
A31Sum = 4
A31Sum = 4
A55All equal
A55All equal
Area 1: Sum < 5Area 2: Sum = 6Area 3: Sum = 4Area 4: Sum > 5Area 5: All equal

Each outlined pair is one piece. Piece numbers identify the same domino in the list below, including when two pieces have the same values.

  1. Piece 1 (1 | 3): horizontal; row 2, column 3 = 1, paired with row 2, column 2 = 3.
  2. Piece 2 (1 | 1): horizontal; row 3, column 3 = 1, paired with row 3, column 4 = 1.
  3. Piece 3 (3 | 6): horizontal; row 3, column 2 = 3, paired with row 3, column 1 = 6.
  4. Piece 4 (5 | 5): horizontal; row 4, column 2 = 5, paired with row 4, column 3 = 5.
  5. Piece 5 (1 | 0): vertical; row 2, column 4 = 1, paired with row 1, column 4 = 0.
Why these area rules are satisfied
  1. Area 1: Sum < 5. 0 = 0 < 5.
  2. Area 2: Sum = 6. 3 + 3 = 6; target 6.
  3. Area 3: Sum = 4. 1 + 1 + 1 + 1 = 4; target 4.
  4. Area 4: Sum > 5. 6 = 6 > 5.
  5. Area 5: All equal. 5 = 5: all cells have the same value.

Medium · 8 pieces

Medium board

5 × 6

Scroll sideways if you cannot see every column.

A1Sum = 6
A2Sum = 7
A2Sum = 7
A1Sum = 6
A3Sum = 4
A4Sum = 5
A4Sum = 5
A3Sum = 4
A5Sum = 0
A6Sum = 3
A5Sum = 0
A5Sum = 0
A7Sum = 1
A7Sum = 1
A8Sum = 2
A9No rule
Area 1: Sum = 6Area 2: Sum = 7Area 3: Sum = 4Area 4: Sum = 5Area 5: Sum = 0Area 6: Sum = 3Area 7: Sum = 1Area 8: Sum = 2Area 9: No rule

Available dominoes: Piece 1: 1-1; Piece 2: 2-3; Piece 3: 0-0; Piece 4: 5-6; Piece 5: 1-0; Piece 6: 0-4; Piece 7: 0-3; Piece 8: 2-0.

Where to look

Area 6 has 1 cell: Sum = 3. Look at row 4, column 6.

A local clue for Area 1

The two cells in Area 1 must total 6. Using values from 0 to 6, the possible pairs are 0 + 6; 1 + 5; 2 + 4; 3 + 3.

Other areas and the available dominoes may rule out some of these pairs.

Show one placement from the recorded answer

Piece 7 (0 | 3), vertical: row 5, column 6 has 0, paired with row 4, column 6 containing 3.

Show the complete solution and piece list

Medium board

5 × 6

Scroll sideways if you cannot see every column.

A16Sum = 6
A25Sum = 7
A22Sum = 7
A10Sum = 6
A33Sum = 4
A44Sum = 5
A41Sum = 5
A31Sum = 4
A50Sum = 0
A63Sum = 3
A50Sum = 0
A50Sum = 0
A71Sum = 1
A70Sum = 1
A82Sum = 2
A90No rule
Area 1: Sum = 6Area 2: Sum = 7Area 3: Sum = 4Area 4: Sum = 5Area 5: Sum = 0Area 6: Sum = 3Area 7: Sum = 1Area 8: Sum = 2Area 9: No rule

Each outlined pair is one piece. Piece numbers identify the same domino in the list below, including when two pieces have the same values.

  1. Piece 1 (1 | 1): horizontal; row 3, column 3 = 1, paired with row 3, column 4 = 1.
  2. Piece 2 (2 | 3): vertical; row 1, column 4 = 2, paired with row 2, column 4 = 3.
  3. Piece 3 (0 | 0): vertical; row 4, column 1 = 0, paired with row 5, column 1 = 0.
  4. Piece 4 (5 | 6): horizontal; row 1, column 3 = 5, paired with row 1, column 2 = 6.
  5. Piece 5 (1 | 0): horizontal; row 5, column 3 = 1, paired with row 5, column 2 = 0.
  6. Piece 6 (0 | 4): vertical; row 2, column 2 = 0, paired with row 3, column 2 = 4.
  7. Piece 7 (0 | 3): vertical; row 5, column 6 = 0, paired with row 4, column 6 = 3.
  8. Piece 8 (2 | 0): horizontal; row 5, column 5 = 2, paired with row 5, column 4 = 0.
Why these area rules are satisfied
  1. Area 1: Sum = 6. 6 + 0 = 6; target 6.
  2. Area 2: Sum = 7. 5 + 2 = 7; target 7.
  3. Area 3: Sum = 4. 3 + 1 = 4; target 4.
  4. Area 4: Sum = 5. 4 + 1 = 5; target 5.
  5. Area 5: Sum = 0. 0 + 0 + 0 = 0; target 0.
  6. Area 6: Sum = 3. 3 = 3; target 3.
  7. Area 7: Sum = 1. 1 + 0 = 1; target 1.
  8. Area 8: Sum = 2. 2 = 2; target 2.
  9. Area 9: No rule. This area has no additional rule.

Hard · 10 pieces

Hard board

5 × 8

Scroll sideways if you cannot see every column.

A1Sum < 3
A2Sum < 2
A3Sum = 7
A4Sum = 9
A5Sum = 3
A3Sum = 7
A6Sum = 4
A6Sum = 4
A4Sum = 9
A7All equal
A7All equal
A8Sum = 5
A3Sum = 7
A4Sum = 9
A9Sum > 5
A8Sum = 5
A10Sum > 4
A11Sum > 4
A9Sum > 5
A8Sum = 5
Area 1: Sum < 3Area 2: Sum < 2Area 3: Sum = 7Area 4: Sum = 9Area 5: Sum = 3Area 6: Sum = 4Area 7: All equalArea 8: Sum = 5Area 9: Sum > 5Area 10: Sum > 4Area 11: Sum > 4

Available dominoes: Piece 1: 4-1; Piece 2: 0-5; Piece 3: 1-1; Piece 4: 6-3; Piece 5: 5-1; Piece 6: 4-4; Piece 7: 1-3; Piece 8: 0-0; Piece 9: 3-5; Piece 10: 2-1.

Where to look

Area 1 has 1 cell: Sum < 3. Look at row 1, column 1.

A local clue for Area 6

The two cells in Area 6 must total 4. Using values from 0 to 6, the possible pairs are 0 + 4; 1 + 3; 2 + 2.

Other areas and the available dominoes may rule out some of these pairs.

Show one placement from the recorded answer

Piece 3 (1 | 1), vertical: row 1, column 1 has 1, paired with row 2, column 1 containing 1.

Show the complete solution and piece list

Hard board

5 × 8

Scroll sideways if you cannot see every column.

A11Sum < 3
A21Sum < 2
A31Sum = 7
A44Sum = 9
A53Sum = 3
A36Sum = 7
A63Sum = 4
A61Sum = 4
A42Sum = 9
A71All equal
A71All equal
A85Sum = 5
A30Sum = 7
A43Sum = 9
A94Sum > 5
A80Sum = 5
A105Sum > 4
A115Sum > 4
A94Sum > 5
A80Sum = 5
Area 1: Sum < 3Area 2: Sum < 2Area 3: Sum = 7Area 4: Sum = 9Area 5: Sum = 3Area 6: Sum = 4Area 7: All equalArea 8: Sum = 5Area 9: Sum > 5Area 10: Sum > 4Area 11: Sum > 4

Each outlined pair is one piece. Piece numbers identify the same domino in the list below, including when two pieces have the same values.

  1. Piece 1 (4 | 1): vertical; row 2, column 4 = 4, paired with row 1, column 4 = 1.
  2. Piece 2 (0 | 5): vertical; row 4, column 1 = 0, paired with row 5, column 1 = 5.
  3. Piece 3 (1 | 1): vertical; row 1, column 1 = 1, paired with row 2, column 1 = 1.
  4. Piece 4 (6 | 3): horizontal; row 3, column 1 = 6, paired with row 3, column 2 = 3.
  5. Piece 5 (5 | 1): horizontal; row 3, column 8 = 5, paired with row 3, column 7 = 1.
  6. Piece 6 (4 | 4): vertical; row 4, column 6 = 4, paired with row 5, column 6 = 4.
  7. Piece 7 (1 | 3): vertical; row 3, column 6 = 1, paired with row 2, column 6 = 3.
  8. Piece 8 (0 | 0): vertical; row 4, column 8 = 0, paired with row 5, column 8 = 0.
  9. Piece 9 (3 | 5): vertical; row 4, column 4 = 3, paired with row 5, column 4 = 5.
  10. Piece 10 (2 | 1): horizontal; row 3, column 4 = 2, paired with row 3, column 3 = 1.
Why these area rules are satisfied
  1. Area 1: Sum < 3. 1 = 1 < 3.
  2. Area 2: Sum < 2. 1 = 1 < 2.
  3. Area 3: Sum = 7. 1 + 6 + 0 = 7; target 7.
  4. Area 4: Sum = 9. 4 + 2 + 3 = 9; target 9.
  5. Area 5: Sum = 3. 3 = 3; target 3.
  6. Area 6: Sum = 4. 3 + 1 = 4; target 4.
  7. Area 7: All equal. 1 = 1: all cells have the same value.
  8. Area 8: Sum = 5. 5 + 0 + 0 = 5; target 5.
  9. Area 9: Sum > 5. 4 + 4 = 8 > 5.
  10. Area 10: Sum > 4. 5 = 5 > 4.
  11. Area 11: Sum > 4. 5 = 5 > 4.

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