Pips is the newest entry in the New York Times gaming lineup. Introduced in August 2025, this game presents a novel twist on dominoes, offering an enjoyable solo gameplay experience that may just become your go-to daily entertainment.

Presently, if you find yourself in a bind, the game only permits you to uncover the complete puzzle, necessitating a shift to a higher difficulty level to start again. But fret not, we have your back! Below are clues that will assist you in maneuvering through every difficulty tier.

How to play Pips

<pIf you’re well-acquainted with dominoes, you’ll grasp the mechanics of Pips. Much like dominoes, tiles are arranged either vertically or horizontally and interconnect. The primary distinction lies in the color-coded conditions you need to fulfill. The adjacent tiles don’t always have to correlate.

The conditions pertain specifically to the color-coded areas. For example, if a singular number is indicated, every side of a tile in that region must total that number. It is feasible – and typical – for only half of a tile to reside within a color-coded area.

Here are standard examples you’ll come across throughout the difficulty levels:

• Number: All the pips in this area must sum up to the given number.

• Equal: Each domino half in this area must feature an identical number of pips.

• Not Equal: Every domino half in this area must display a different number of pips.

• Less than: Each domino half in this area must total less than the indicated number.

• Greater than: Every domino half in this area must tally more than the specified number.

If an area is devoid of color coding, it indicates there are no stipulations on the domino portions within those regions.

Easy difficulty hints, answers for Sept. 17 Pips

Equal (5): Everything in this area must equal 5. The solution is 6-3, positioned vertically; 5-1, arranged horizontally.

Number (9): Everything in this space must add to 9. The answer is