Pips is the newest entry in the New York Times gaming lineup. Released in August 2025, this innovative game delivers a unique spin on dominoes, offering an enjoyable single-player experience that could become your new everyday gaming habit.

At present, if you find yourself at an impasse, the game only permits you to expose the full puzzle, necessitating a move to a higher difficulty level and starting over. However, there’s no need to fret; we have you covered! Below are partial hints that will assist you in navigating through every difficulty tier.

How to engage with Pips

If you’re acquainted with dominoes, you’ll grasp the fundamentals of Pips easily. Similar to dominoes, tiles are arranged either vertically or horizontally and connect with one another. The primary distinction between classic dominoes and Pips lies in the color-coded requirements you must fulfill. The adjacent tiles don’t necessarily need to correspond.

The conditions you need to satisfy are tailored to the color-coded sections. For example, if a single digit is given, every side of a tile in that section must total that digit. It’s quite possible – and frequent – for only a portion of a tile to reside within a color-coded area.

Below are typical scenarios you’ll face throughout the various difficulty tiers:

• Number: All the pips within this area must equal that digit.

• Equal: Each domino half in this area needs to have the same number of pips.

• Not Equal: Each domino half in this space must showcase a different count of pips.

• Less than: Every domino half in this space should total less than the specified number.

• Greater than: Every domino half in this area must total more than the given number.

If an area is devoid of color coding, it indicates that there are no requirements on the segments of dominoes located in those areas.

Hints and answers for Easy difficulty on Aug. 26

Equal (1): The domino halves in this area must total 1. The solution is 1-2, oriented horizontally; 4-1, oriented horizontally.