Hello, Pipsqueaks! The weekend has arrived, bringing unusually warm weather to the mountains. It’s certainly too nice outside to spend the day indoors glued to a computer screen solving puzzles. Let’s tackle today’s Pips quickly, shall we?
If you’re searching for Friday’s Pips solutions, you can find our detailed guide here.
How To Play Pips
The game of Pips involves a grid composed of multicolored boxes. Each colored section represents a specific “condition” you need to satisfy. Armed with a set number of dominoes, your task is to fill the grid completely. To win, you must strategically use every domino and meet all the conditions. The game is divided into Easy, Medium, and Difficult levels.
Take a look at a sample from a challenging tier in Pips:
Enjoy Puzzles & Games on Forbes
As illustrated, the grid features various symbols and numbers within each color zone. On the left, the three purple squares must differ from one another, as indicated by the crossed-out equal sign. The adjacent pink squares should sum up to zero. Meanwhile, the zig-zagging blue squares must all be equal. You’ll need to click on the dominoes to rotate them, ensuring they fit perfectly into their designated spots.
As you can see, the grid has a bunch of symbols and numbers with each color. On the far left, the three purple squares must not equal one another (hence the equal sign crossed out). The two pink squares next to that must equal a total of 0. The zig-zagging blue squares all must equal one another. You click on dominoes to rotate them, and will need to since they have to be rotated to fit where they belong.
Not shown on this grid are other conditions, such as “less than” or “greater than.” If there are multiple tiles with > or < signs, the total of those tiles must be greater or less than the listed number. It varies by grid. Blank spaces can have anything. The various possible conditions are:
- = All pips must equal one another in this group.
- ≠ All pips must not equal one another in this group.
- > The pip in this tile (or tiles) must be greater than the listed number.
- < The pip in this tile must be less than the listed number.
- An exact number (like 6) The pip must equal this exact number.
- Tiles with no conditions can be anything.
In order to win, you have to use up all your dominoes by filling in all the squares, making sure to fit each condition. Sometimes there’s only one way to solve the puzzle. Other times, there can be two or more different solutions. Play today’s Pips puzzle here.
Today’s Pips Solutions And Walkthrough
Below are the solutions for the Easy and Medium tier Pips. After that, I’ll walk you through the Hard puzzle. Spoilers ahead.
Today’s Easy Pips
Easy Pips
Screenshot: Erik Kain
Today’s Medium Pips
Medium Pips
Screenshot: Erik Kain
Hard Pips Walkthrough And Solution
Here’s today’s Hard Pips:
Hard Pips
Screenshot: Erik Kain
Today’s Hard Pips is brought to you by the letter “I” as in “ice cream cone” and “Ichabod Crane.” It’s a bit tricky thanks to the protrusions to the left and right at both the top and bottom. You have to be careful where you spend your doubles today. I had to take a couple stabs at this before getting it right.
Step 1
Only 4’s or 3’s will work in the Green = group, but 4’s will leave you short when it comes to the Dark Blue > 3 tile. Instead, start with 4’s in Purple =, placing the 4/4 domino in the left two tiles and the 4/6 domino from Purple = into Pink > 2. Then place the 1/1 domino in the lower two tiles of Green = and the 1/4 domino from Green = into the Dark Blue > 3 tile.
Hard Pips
Screenshot: Erik Kain
Step 2
We need to make Pink 6 somehow, and our options are very limited. A 5/1 combo could work, but then we’d be short 5’s for the top left Purple =. Instead, place the 3/1 domino from Pink 6 into Blue < 6 and the 3/6 domino from Pink 6 down into the lone free tile.
Hard Pips
Screenshot: Erik Kain
Solution
Next, place the 1/2 domino from Green = into Orange = and the 2/5 domino from Orange = into Purple =. Finally, place the 5/5 donino in the final two tiles and you’re done! Huge sigh of relief and all that jazz . . . .
Hard Pips
Screenshot: Erik Kain
I doubt anyone came up with an alternative solution to this one, but as always, I’m very curious . . . .
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