New Feature! Pips Archive
Replay past NYT Pips puzzles, choose date and difficulty, view answer hints
Pips Game
MOBILE-FRIENDLYGame Disclaimer: This game is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to The New York Times or any other publication. For official puzzle games, visit NYTimes Games.
How to play Pips Game?
Basic Domino Operations
The way to play NYT Pips or Pips Game is almost the same. This guide applies equally to NYT Pips, ensuring you can enjoy the puzzle across both unlimited and NYT versions.:
Click a domino to rotate it - Change its orientation before placing
Drag a domino onto the board to place it - Position it in the correct region
Click a placed domino to remove it - Take it back to the inventory
The meaning of red dot on the rule symbols - If a red dot appears on the rule symbol after you place all the dominoes, that means the sum of dots inside region does not match the rule symbol. This rule is same in both NYT Pips and Pips Game.
Understand Region Rules
Each colored region has specific constraints that must be satisfied:
Gray regions
No constraints, any values allowed
Number
Dots must sum to this number
Not Equal
All dots must be different
Equal
All dots must be the same
Less than
Dots in the region sum must be less than this number
Greater than
Dots in the region sum must be greater than this number
If all regions follow their rules, you win the puzzle in NYT Pips or Pips Game.
Game Example
Here's how a completed puzzle might look (This style is same as the daily NYT pips game.):
All regions satisfy their constraints - puzzle solved! ��
What's Pips Game
Pips is a number and domino puzzle from The New York Times (NYT). It is not a word game. It is a logic and number game. In the NYT Pips game, you use domino pieces with dots (pips). The goal is to place all dominoes so that every region rule is true. It helps you think and plan carefully.
- Pips Game began as a test in Canada. Later it became part of NYT Games.
- On August 18, 2025, the NYT Pips Game was released for all players. Now you can play it online or in the NYT Games app.
- It joins other NYT games like Wordle, Connections, and Strands. But Pips NYT is different. It uses numbers and dominoes, not words.
(1) Difficulty Levels - Easy, Medium, Hard
- When you open the game, you pick a level: Easy, Medium or Hard. The board shows many squares. Some squares are in colored regions. Some have a number or symbol. These tell you what rule that region has. In Pips Game, harder levels have more rule regions.
(2) Domino Game Board - Color Region Rules Explained
- The board is cut into colored regions. Each region has its rule symbol in corner. Some rules: all pips inside must be same number, or sum must match a target, or must be less or greater than a number. Regions without color have no extra rule. You must follow the rule to solve the NYT pips game.
(3) Pips Game Rules - Domino Pip Symbols Meaning
Symbols are small signs in colored parts. Examples: "=", "≠", "<7", ">3", or a number like 5.
| Symbol / Tag | Meaning |
|---|---|
| = | All pips inside region show same number of dots. |
| ≠ | All pips inside region show same number of dots. |
| <7 | The sum of dots inside region is less than seven. |
| >3 | The sum of dots inside region is more than three. |
| A number like 5 | The sum of dots inside region must match that number. |
| Empty Region | Dots in it can be any number. |
You must see the rule symbol before you put down a domino. That helps you not make mistake in pips game.
(4) Domino Game Controls - How to Use and Rotate Dominoes
- You have many domino pieces. Each domino has two ends. Each end has pips from 0 to 6. You can turn dominoes so one end is up/down or left/right. You place them so they fill the board. No gaps, no overlaps.
- Only the half of domino in a region must obey that region rule. The other half can go into blank or another region. Good placement and rotation matter much in pips game.
- Many NYT Games use words. But Pips Game and NYT Pips use numbers and logic. Other games like Wordle and Connections need you to know words or language. NYT pips game needs thinking about numbers and sums.
- Every day there is a new board for NYT Pips players. You can choose Easy or Medium or Hard. That makes game fair for many people. It is not about spelling, it is about counting and fitting. The challenge of pips nyt lies in its unique combination of strategy and arithmetic, setting it apart from traditional word games.
- If you like puzzles with numbers, sums, or logic, you will like it. If you liked domino games or games with dots, you will enjoy NYT Pips too.
- If you are new, start at Easy in NYT Pips. You learn rules little by little. If you like challenge, play Hard level in NYT pips game.
- If you do not like many rules or sums, maybe pips game can feel hard at first. But many kids, grownups, students, and quiet thinkers can enjoy it.