Pips is the newest member of the New York Times game lineup. Released in August 2025, this innovative game presents a unique take on dominoes, offering an engaging single-player experience that could become your next favorite daily challenge.
At present, if you find yourself at a standstill, the game permits you to uncover the entire puzzle, prompting you to move on to a higher difficulty level and restart. But fear not, we have assistance for you! Below are segmented answers that will provide hints to guide you through each difficulty tier.
How to play Pips
If you’re familiar with dominoes, you’ll grasp the fundamentals of Pips with ease. Like dominoes, the tiles can be arranged vertically or horizontally and connect with one another. The main distinction between a classic domino game and Pips lies in the color-coded criteria you must fulfill. The adjacent tiles don’t necessarily need to match.
The stipulations you have to satisfy are particular to the color-coded areas. For example, if a solitary number is indicated, all sides of a tile in that area must equal that number. It’s possible—and common—for only a part of a tile to be situated within a color-coded area.
Here are some typical scenarios you’ll face throughout the difficulty levels:
– Number: The total of the pips in this area must equal the specified number.
– Equal: Each domino half in this area must have the same number of pips.
– Not Equal: Each domino half in this area must have entirely different numbers of pips.
– Less than: Each domino half in this area must total less than the number.
– Greater than: Each domino half in this area must total more than the number.
If a region is devoid of color coding, it signifies that there are no criteria for the segments of dominoes within those areas.
Easy difficulty hints, answers for Sept. 19 Pips
– Equal (3): All in this area must equal 3. The answer is 3-3, arranged vertically; 3-2, arranged horizontally.
– Equal (2): All in this area must equal 2. The answer is 3-2, arranged horizontally; 2-4, arranged horizontally.
– Number (9): All in this area must sum to 9. The answer is 2-4, arranged horizontally; 5-6, arranged vertically.
– Equal (1): All in this area must equal 1. The answer is 1-1, arranged vertically.
Medium difficulty hints, answers for Sept. 19 Pips
– Greater Than (4): All in this area must exceed 4. The answer is 4-2, arranged horizontally.
– Number (3): All in this area must sum to 3. The answer is 4-1, arranged horizontally; 2-3, arranged vertically.
– Number (3): All in this area must sum to 3. The answer is 2-3, arranged vertically; 3-0, arranged horizontally.
– Greater Than (4): All in this area must exceed 4. The answer is 4-2, arranged vertically.
– Number (3): All in this area must sum to 3. The answer is 1-1, arranged horizontally; 4-2, arranged vertically.
Hard difficulty hints, answers for Sept. 19 Pips
– Less than (3): All in this area must be less than 3. The answer is 1-4, arranged vertically.
– Number (17): All in this area must sum to 17. The answer is 1-4, arranged vertically; 4-4, arranged horizontally; 5-3, arranged horizontally.
– Equal (3): All in this area must equal 3. The answer is 5-3, arranged horizontally; 3-3, arranged horizontally; 4-3, arranged horizontally; 3-2, arranged horizontally.
– Number (10): All in this area must sum to 10. The answer is 4-3, arranged horizontally; 6-1, arranged horizontally.
– Less than (3): All in this area must be less than 3. The answer is 3-2, arranged horizontally.
– Number (4): All in this area must sum to 4. The answer is 6-1, arranged horizontally; 1-1, arranged vertically; 1-3, arranged vertically.
– Number (7): All in this area must sum to 7. The answer is 1-3, arranged vertically; 4-5, arranged horizontally.
– Number (5): All in this area must sum to 5. The answer is 4-5, arranged horizontally.
If you’re on the lookout for more puzzles, Mashable has games on offer! Visit our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku.