NYT Pips hints, answers for November 25, 2025
**Discovering “Pips”: The New Single-Player Puzzle Game from The New York Times**
Launched in August 2025, “Pips” is the latest addition to The New York Times’ gaming repertoire, offering a fresh twist on the classic game of dominoes. Designed as a single-player experience, “Pips” invites players to engage in a fun and challenging puzzle format that could quickly become a daily ritual for enthusiasts of brain teasers. Unlike traditional dominoes, where players match tiles, “Pips” introduces color-coded spaces that impose specific conditions on how tiles are arranged. This innovative approach not only enhances the gameplay but also requires players to think critically about their moves.
The mechanics of “Pips” are straightforward for those familiar with dominoes. Players place tiles either vertically or horizontally, but the challenge lies in meeting the unique requirements of each color-coded space. For instance, a purple space labeled with a number demands that all pips in that area sum up to the specified value, while an “Equal” condition requires all tile halves within that space to display the same number. Other conditions include “Not Equal,” “Less Than,” and “Greater Than,” each adding layers of complexity to the puzzle. If players find themselves stuck, the game offers a rather abrupt solution by revealing the entire puzzle, prompting them to advance to a higher difficulty level. However, for those seeking guidance, the article provides piecemeal hints for various difficulty levels, helping players navigate through the challenges without losing momentum.
As players progress through “Pips,” they will encounter a range of puzzles categorized by difficulty, from easy to hard. For example, in the easy category, players might need to arrange tiles so that they total seven in a purple space, while the medium difficulty introduces equal conditions that require strategic thinking. The hard level ramps up the challenge, demanding players to meet complex criteria such as achieving a total greater than a specific number. With these diverse challenges, “Pips” promises to engage puzzle lovers and provide a satisfying mental workout. Whether you’re a seasoned gamer or a newcomer looking for a fun way to pass the time, “Pips” is poised to become your next favorite pastime, blending classic gameplay with innovative twists.
Welcome to your guide to Pips, the latest game in the
New York Times
catalogue.
Released in August 2025, the
Pips
puts a unique spin on dominoes, creating a fun single-player experience that could become your next daily gaming habit.
Currently, if you’re stuck, the game only offers to reveal the entire puzzle, forcing you to move onto the next difficulty level and start over. However, we have you covered! Below are piecemeal answers that will serve as hints so that you can find your way through each difficulty level.
How to play Pips
If you’ve ever played dominoes, you’ll have a passing familiarity for how
Pips
is played. As we’ve shared in our previous hints stories for Pips, the tiles, like dominoes, are placed vertically or horizontally and connect with each other. The main difference between a traditional game of dominoes and Pips is the color-coded conditions you have to address. The touching tiles don’t necessarily have to match.
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The conditions you have to meet are specific to the color-coded spaces. For example, if it provides a single number, every side of a tile in that space must add up to the number provided. It is possible – and common – for only half a tile to be within a color-coded space.
Here are common examples you’ll run into across the difficulty levels:
Number
: All the pips in this space must add up to the number.
Equal
: Every domino half in this space must be the same number of pips.
Not Equal
: Every domino half in this space must have a completely different number of pips.
Less than
: Every domino half in this space must add up to less than the number.
Greater than:
Every domino half in this space must add up to more than the number.
If an area does not have any color coding, it means there are no conditions on the portions of dominoes within those spaces.
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Easy difficulty hints, answers for Nov. 25 Pips
Number (7):
Everything in this purple space must add to 7. The answer is 2-5, placed vertically; 2-1, placed vertically.
Number (1):
Everything in this space must add to 1. The answer is 2-1, placed vertically.
Number (7):
Everything in this orange space must add to 7. The answer is 4-3, placed horizontally.
Number (16):
Everything in this purple space must add to 16. The answer is 3-6, placed vertically; 5-5, placed vertically.
Medium difficulty hints, answers for Nov. 25 Pips
Equal (2):
Everything in this purple space must be equal to 2. The answer is 2-1, placed horizontally; 2-2, placed horizontally; 2-5, placed vertically.
Equal (1):
Everything in this red space must be equal to 1. The answer is 2-1, placed horizontally; 1-3, placed horizontally.
Equal (5):
Everything in this orange space must be equal to 5. The answer is 6-5, placed horizontally; 2-5, placed vertically; 5-3, placed horizontally.
Number (7):
Everything in this purple space must add to 7. The answer is 1-3, placed horizontally; 1-4, placed horizontally; 5-3, placed horizontally.
Hard difficulty hints, answers for Nov. 25 Pips
Greater Than (2):
Everything in this space must be greater than 2. The answer is 4-5, placed vertically.
Number (10):
Everything in this space must add to 10. The answer is 4-5, placed vertically; 5-2, placed vertically.
Number (10):
Everything in this space must add to 10. The answer is 4-2, placed horizontally; 6-0, placed vertically.
Equal (0):
Everything in this space must be equal to 0. The answer is 6-0, placed vertically; 0-0, placed horizontally.
Equal (1):
Everything in this space must be equal to 1. The answer is 1-1, placed vertically; 1-2, placed vertically.
Number (17):
Everything in this space must add to 17. The answer is 4-0, placed horizontally; 5-5, placed vertically; 3-6, placed horizontally.
Number (0):
Everything in this space must add to 0. The answer is 4-0, placed horizontally; 0-3, placed vertically.
Number (5):
Everything in this space must add to 5. The answer is 0-3, placed vertically; 2-6, placed vertically.
Number (12):
Everything in this space must add to 12. The answer is 3-6, placed horizontally; 2-6, placed vertically.
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