New York Times Pips puzzle game

The New York Times released Pips, a single-player logic puzzle game based on domino tiles, in August 2025. The game utilizes color-coded regions that impose specific mathematical or logical conditions on the tiles placed within them.

Gameplay mechanics include various rule types, such as requiring pips to sum to a specific value, or requiring tiles to be equal, not equal, less than, or greater than a designated value. If a space lacks color coding, no specific conditions are applied to the tiles in that area. The game offers different difficulty levels, including Easy, Medium, and Hard boards.

Players place tiles either vertically or horizontally to satisfy the requirements of the color-coded areas. If a space contains a specific number, the pips on the tile sides within that space must sum to that exact value. Currently, the game’s hint system is limited; if a player becomes stuck, the only available option is to reveal an entire puzzle, which necessitates starting over at a different difficulty level.