The diagram is deceptive. There are several of the pipes which are blocked.
#9
Article says no.
Dammit. Just realized #9 is also blocked.
This puzzel is really a puzzle by mis-direction. You start thinking about the level of the pipes, and how water flows, missing the tiny blockages set in place in the diagram.
9 is blocked.
9 is blocked at the very end. I missed that, too.