The New York Times has released a new game called Pips. Launched in August 2025, it offers players a unique twist on traditional dominoes. This single-player game could quickly become a daily favorite for many. In tough situations, players may be tempted to reveal the entire puzzle. However, there are strategies to get through each level of the game without starting over.
How to Play Pips
Pips shares familiar rules with dominoes. Players place tiles either vertically or horizontally, connecting them strategically. Unlike traditional dominoes, players must follow color-coded conditions that dictate how tiles can be arranged. Here’s a brief overview of the color-coded conditions:
- Number: The total pips must equal the specified number.
- Equal: All halves in the space must show the same number of pips.
- Not Equal: Each half must display different numbers of pips.
- Less than: The total must be less than the given number.
- Greater than: The total must exceed the specified number.
Spaces without color coding have no restrictions on the domino portions present.
Pips Difficulty Levels
Players can face different challenges in Pips. Below are hints and solutions for each difficulty level for January 10, 2026.
Easy Difficulty Hints and Answers
- Number (6): 6-2, placed horizontally.
- Greater Than (1): 6-2, placed horizontally.
- Equal (1): 1-1 (horizontal), 1-5 (vertical).
- Number (1): 1-6, placed horizontally.
- Number (9): 1-5 (vertical), 0-4 (horizontal).
Medium Difficulty Hints and Answers
- Number (7): 6-1, placed horizontally.
- Greater Than (2): 1-2, placed horizontally.
- Greater Than (9): 1-5 (vertical), 6-0 (horizontal).
- Number (4): 6-0 (horizontal), 4-3 (horizontal).
- Number (5): 4-3 (horizontal), 2-0 (horizontal).
Hard Difficulty Hints and Answers
- Less Than (5): 0-0, placed vertically.
- Number (1): 1-3, placed horizontally.
- Greater Than (9): 4-6 (horizontal), 4-0 (vertical).
- Number (11): 6-5, placed vertically.
- Number (2): 3-2 (vertical).
Players looking for more challenging puzzles can explore more games on El-Balad, including Mahjong, Sudoku, and crosswords.
