What is the goal of Pip Cross?

Select dice on the grid so that the sum of the selected dice in every row equals that row’s target number, and the sum of the selected dice in every column equals that column’s target number, all at the same time.

Do I need to select every die on the board?

No. Pip Cross is about choosing a subset of dice. Unselected dice do not count toward any row or column total, so leaving a die out is just as important as picking one.

Is Pip Cross the same as Kakuro?

They share a family resemblance — both use row and column sums — but Pip Cross uses physical dice values (1-6) on a free grid instead of fixed number cells, so the deduction technique is different.

What do the difficulty levels change?

Easy, Normal, Hard and Super change the grid size and the density of dice on the board, which changes how many valid combinations you need to test before the targets line up.

Pip Cross Rules: How to Play (Complete Beginner Guide)

Pip Cross is one of the flagship modes in Super Pips, and it is the closest thing in the collection to a classic logic-grid puzzle. If you have ever enjoyed Kakuro, Sudoku, or any puzzle where numbers have to add up perfectly, Pip Cross will feel instantly familiar — with a twist, because every number on the board is the pip value of a die.

The goal

Every Pip Cross board is a grid of dice. Above each column and to the left of each row you will see a target number. Your job is simple to state and satisfying to solve: tap dice to select them so that the sum of the selected dice in every row matches that row’s target, and the sum of the selected dice in every column matches that column’s target — all at once.

You are not forced to use every die. A die you leave unselected contributes zero to its row and column. That single rule is what makes Pip Cross a genuine logic puzzle instead of simple addition: you are choosing a subset of the grid, not just adding everything together.

Step-by-step: your first move

Read the targets first. Before tapping anything, scan every row and column target. Look for the smallest numbers on the board — they constrain the puzzle the most and are the easiest place to start.
Find forced dice. If a row target is very low (say, a target of 1 or 2) and the row only has one die that can reach it alone, that die is almost certainly part of the solution.
Tap to select, tap again to deselect. Selected dice are visually highlighted. Your current row and column totals update live, so you always know how far you are from each target.
Watch the live totals turn dark. In Super Pips, a row or column number changes color the moment your current selection matches its target exactly. Use that feedback to check your work row by row.
Solve the last constraint, not the first one. Leave the row or column with the most possible combinations for last — by then, the intersecting rows/columns you have already solved will have eliminated most of the guesswork.

Reading the grid like a puzzle solver

Because dice only show values from 1 to 6, every row and column target has a limited number of ways it can be built. A row of four dice with a target of 20 needs mostly 5s and 6es; a row with a target of 3 needs a single die worth 3, or a 1 and a 2. Once you start thinking in terms of “which small set of dice can add up to this number,” the puzzle becomes about elimination rather than trial and error.

The intersections are the real key. A die that sits in both a row and a column gives you two constraints for the price of one guess. When you select or deselect it, check the effect on both totals immediately — that is how experienced players solve Pip Cross boards in under a minute.

Difficulty levels explained

Super Pips offers four Pip Cross difficulties: Easy, Normal, Hard and Super. Higher difficulties increase the grid size and the density of dice on the board, which multiplies the number of combinations you need to consider. Start on Easy to learn the pattern-recognition skills described above, then move up once solving a row on sight feels natural.

There is also a Daily Pip Cross puzzle that resets every 24 hours and is identical for every player — a great way to compare your solve time with friends.

Ready to play?

Now that you know the rules, jump into a board and put the theory to the test. If you want to shave seconds off your solve time, continue with our Pip Cross tips and tricks guide next.