Pips is the newest entry in the New York Times gaming lineup, debuted in August 2025. This innovative game gives a unique spin on dominoes, offering an enjoyable solo gaming experience that could become your next daily gaming routine.

At present, if you find yourself in a bind, the game only discloses the complete puzzle, prompting you to advance to the next difficulty tier and restart. But don’t fret, we’re here to assist! Below are clues that will guide you through each difficulty tier.

How to play Pips

If you’re familiar with dominoes, you’ll grasp the fundamentals of Pips quite easily. Similar to dominoes, tiles are positioned either vertically or horizontally and interconnect. The key distinction lies in the color-coded conditions you must fulfill. The adjacent tiles are not always required to correspond.

The criteria you need to satisfy are tailored to the color-coded areas. For instance, if it shows a single digit, all sides of a tile in that zone must total the indicated number. It’s common for just half of a tile to fall within a color-coded area.

Here are typical scenarios you’ll face across the difficulty tiers:

– Number: All the pips in this area must sum up to the number.
– Equal: Each domino half in this region must display an identical number of pips.
– Not Equal: Each domino half in this area must show entirely different numbers of pips.
– Less than: Each domino half in this section must total less than the number.
– Greater than: Each domino half in this region must total more than the number.

If a section lacks any color coding, there are no requirements for the pieces of dominoes within those areas.

Easy difficulty hints, answers for Sept. 1 Pips

– Equal (5): Everything in this zone must equal 5. The answer is 4-5, oriented vertically; 5-5, oriented horizontally.
– Greater than (4): Everything in this zone must be greater than 4. The answer is 0-6, oriented horizontally.
– Less than (4): Everything in this zone must be less than 4. The answer is 1-4, oriented horizontally.

Medium difficulty hints, answers for Sept. 1 Pips

– Equal (4): Everything in this purple zone must equal 4. The answer is 4-4, positioned vertically; 4-3, positioned vertically; 4-2, oriented horizontally.
– Equal (3): Everything in this light blue zone must equal 3. The answer is 4-3, positioned vertically; 1-2, oriented horizontally.
– Number (5): Everything in this zone must total 5. The answer is 5-2, oriented horizontally.
– Equal (2): Everything in this red zone must equal 2. The answer is 4-2, oriented horizontally; 5-2, oriented horizontally; 2-1, positioned vertically; 2-2, oriented horizontally.

Hard difficulty hints, answers for Sept. 1 Pips

– Number (0): Everything in this purple zone must total 0. The answer is 0-1, positioned vertically.
– Number (0): Everything in this red zone must total 0. The answer is 0-3, oriented horizontally.
– Number (8): Everything in this light blue zone must total 8. The answer is 0-3, oriented horizontally; 5-2, positioned vertically.
– Number (8): Everything in this yellow zone must total 8. The answer is 4-3, oriented horizontally; 4-6, positioned vertically.
– Number (8): Everything in this dark blue zone must total 8. The answer is 4-3, oriented horizontally; 5-6, oriented horizontally.
– Number (8): Everything in this green zone must total 8. The answer is 5-2, positioned vertically; 5-6, oriented horizontally.
– Number (8): Everything in this purple zone must total 8. The answer is 4-6, positioned vertically; 2-0, oriented horizontally.
– Number (0): Everything in this red zone must total 0. The answer is 2-0, oriented horizontally.
– Number (0): Everything in this zone must total 0. The answer is 4-0, positioned vertically.

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