Introducing your resource for Pips, the latest inclusion in the New York Times gaming lineup.

Released in August 2025, Pips provides a novel interpretation of dominoes, delivering an enjoyable single-player adventure that may become your new go-to gaming habit.

At present, if you find yourself in a bind, the game permits you to expose the entire puzzle, compelling you to progress to a higher difficulty level and start over. But fret not, we have assistance ready for you! Below are tips to aid you in maneuvering through each difficulty tier.

Playing Pips

If you’re familiar with dominoes, you’ll have a fundamental grasp of how Pips operates. As noted in our earlier hint articles for Pips, the tiles, much like those in dominoes, can be arranged vertically or horizontally and connect with one another. The primary distinction between classic dominoes and Pips lies in the color-coded requirements you need to meet. The adjacent tiles do not necessarily need to correspond.

The requirements you must fulfill are tied to the color-coded sections. For example, if a single digit is given, all sides of a tile in that area must total that digit. It is possible – and frequent – for only a part of a tile to fall within a color-coded area.

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

• Number: All the pips in this section must total the specified number.

• Equal: Each half of the domino in this area must contain the same amount of pips.

• Not Equal: Each half of the domino in this section must feature a different quantity of pips.

• Less than: Each half of the domino in this area must sum to less than the given number.

• Greater than: Each half of the domino in this section must sum to more than the specified number.

If an area is devoid of color coding, it indicates that there are no restrictions on the domino segments within those sections.

Hints and answers for Easy difficulty, Nov. 16 Pips

Number (2): Everything in this purple section must equal 2. The solution is 2-0, arranged horizontally.