Pips is the newest entrant in the New York Times gaming lineup, introduced in August 2025. This innovative game presents a distinct variation on dominoes, offering an immersive single-player experience that could easily turn into your daily gaming habit.
At the moment, if you find yourself at an impasse, the game permits you to unveil the entire puzzle, prompting you to progress to the subsequent difficulty level and restart. But fear not, we have your back! Below are some hints to assist you in maneuvering through each difficulty tier.
How to engage with Pips
If you’re familiar with dominoes, Pips will feel somewhat recognizable. Similar to dominoes, tiles can be positioned either vertically or horizontally, interlinking with each other. The primary distinction lies in the color-coded requirements you must fulfill. The adjacent tiles do not necessarily need to correspond.
The requirements are tailored to the color-coded areas. For example, if a singular number is indicated, every side of a tile in that area must total that number. Often, just a portion of a tile will be within a color-coded area.
Here are typical scenarios across difficulty levels:
– **Number**: All pips within this area must sum to the indicated number.
– **Equal**: Each domino half in this area must have an identical number of pips.
– **Not Equal**: Each domino half in this area must display a distinct number of pips.
– **Less than**: Each domino half in this area must total less than the specified number.
– **Greater than**: Each domino half in this area must sum to more than the indicated number.
In regions devoid of color coding, there are no stipulations for the dominoes situated within those zones.
Hints and solutions for Easy difficulty, Aug. 29 Pips
– **Number (3):** Everything in this area must sum to 3. The solution is 1-3, placed vertically.
– **Equal (5):** The domino halves in this area must be 5. The solution is 5-5, placed horizontally; 0-5, positioned vertically; 5-4, laid horizontally.
– **Number (4):** Everything in this area must add up to 4. The solution is 5-4, positioned horizontally.
Hints and solutions for Medium difficulty, Aug. 29 Pips
– **Number (12):** Everything in this area must total 12. The solution is 6-2, laid horizontally; 6-0, positioned horizontally.
– **Number (8):** Everything in this area must add up to 8. The solution is 5-4, laid horizontally; 4-0, laid horizontally.
– **Number (4):** Everything in this area must total 4. The solution is 6-0, placed horizontally; 2-2, positioned horizontally.
– **Number (4):** Everything in this yellow area must sum to 4. The solution is 6-2, positioned vertically; 2-0, positioned vertically.
– **Number (0):** Everything in this dark blue area must equal 0. The solution is 4-0, laid horizontally; 2-0, positioned vertically.
Hints and solutions for Hard difficulty, Aug. 29 Pips
– **Number (9):** Everything in this area must sum to 9. The solution is 4-3, laid horizontally; 5-1, positioned vertically.
– **Equal (1):** The domino halves in this space must be 1. The solution is 5-1, positioned vertically; 2-1, positioned vertically.
– **Equal (2):** The domino halves in this area must be 2. The solution is 2-6, placed horizontally; 2-0, positioned vertically.
– **Number (12):** Everything in this area must total 12. The solution is 2-6, laid horizontally; 6-0, positioned vertically.
– **Number (2):** Everything in this space must sum to 2. The solution is 2-0, positioned vertically; 6-0, positioned vertically; 1-1, laid horizontally.
– **Number (10):** Everything in this area must add up to 10. The solution is 5-3, positioned vertically; 5-6, positioned vertically.
– **Number (3):** Everything in this area must add up to 3. The solution is 5-3, positioned vertically.
– **Number (18):** Everything in this area must total 18. The solution is 5-6, positioned vertically; 6-6, laid horizontally.
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