The New York Times has once again expanded its digital puzzle portfolio with a fresh release: Pips. Debuting in August 2025, this new logic game takes the familiar look of dominoes and transforms it into a sleek, daily brainteaser. Just like Wordle or Connections, Pips delivers quick, focused play sessions that reward reasoning skills over rote memorization.
Officially, the Times offers only three puzzles per day—an Easy, Medium, and Hard board. But players who want unlimited practice and variety often turn to a community-built option, Pips Unlimited, which provides endless puzzles outside the Times’ daily limit.
How Pips Works
The rules of Pips are straightforward, though mastering them takes practice. Each board is divided into color-coded zones. You receive a set of dominoes, each half marked with zero to six dots—“pips,” in domino terminology. The objective is to arrange all dominoes on the board so every zone meets its rule. For example, one region might require a sum greater than 10, another may require identical halves, while a third could limit the total number of pips allowed.
The clever part is how these constraints overlap. Placing one domino locks two numbers into two different zones, meaning every move affects the puzzle in multiple ways. The result is a layered challenge that feels fresh even if you’ve solved a hundred Sudoku grids or KenKen puzzles before.
The Appeal of Daily Play
One of the Times’ key strategies in the games market is habit-building. With Wordle, the “one puzzle a day” model turned checking the game into a ritual for millions of players. Pips tweaks that model by offering three boards per day—giving you a little more playtime while still preserving scarcity. The puzzles don’t take hours, but they also can’t be mindlessly speed-run. Each one is designed to provide a neat five-to-fifteen-minute challenge.
This daily cadence is deliberate. The New York Times has said its goal is to create puzzles that feel like “a satisfying break, not an all-night binge.” That approach not only encourages consistency but also aligns with the subscription model: you’re more likely to keep paying for access when the puzzles become part of your everyday rhythm (Fast Company).
A Nod to Dominoes
Dominoes have been played in some form for hundreds of years, originating in China before spreading across Europe and the Americas. By basing its newest puzzle on this timeless format, the Times taps into a universally recognizable object. Even if you’ve never solved a crossword, chances are you’ve seen domino tiles and instinctively understand what those dots mean.
The name “Pips” itself comes from the small dots on the dominoes. It’s simple, memorable, and directly tied to the game’s visual identity. This grounding in tradition makes Pips feel instantly accessible while still offering something distinctly modern in execution.
How It Compares to Other NYT Games
It’s impossible to discuss a new NYT puzzle without comparing it to Wordle. Wordle’s magic was partly in its viral shareability—the green and yellow squares filled social media feeds daily. Pips doesn’t lend itself to that same kind of cultural spread. A solved board of dominoes isn’t as elegant or instantly recognizable on Twitter or in a group chat.
That said, Pips shines in areas where Wordle doesn’t. For one, it’s language-independent. Players don’t need to know English, or even words, to succeed. It’s all numbers, shapes, and logic. That makes it inherently more universal than many of the Times’ other hits. Pips also has more replay depth, since each board requires a unique logical approach rather than simple deduction of a five-letter word.
Community Response
When Pips launched, puzzle enthusiasts wasted no time dissecting it. On Reddit and other puzzle forums, reactions have ranged from enthusiastic praise to constructive critique. Some praised the concept as “refreshingly different,” while others noted that the difficulty jump between Easy, Medium, and Hard isn’t as sharp as it could be.
“The beta testing was a couple months ago… I definitely enjoy the game and happy it’s back now for everyone to play!” — Reddit user Blaze
“Yeah, I just tried Easy/Medium/Hard, and the difficulty was basically the same for all of them. The ‘harder’ ones just took longer to drag all the pieces around.” — Reddit user elevengu
These early discussions mirror what happened when Connections first appeared in 2023. Over time, the Times adjusted the puzzle mechanics based on feedback, smoothing out difficulty and improving play balance. It’s likely Pips will receive similar refinements in the months ahead.
Getting Started with Pips
If you’re new to Pips, the first few puzzles may feel challenging. Here are a few starter strategies:
- Look for zones with strict rules first. If a region only allows a total of 6 or less, your options narrow quickly—making it a smart place to start.
- Use process of elimination. Even if you don’t know the right domino immediately, removing impossible options simplifies the puzzle.
- Pay attention to overlaps. Each domino placement touches two zones. Think ahead about how each move impacts both.
- Embrace mistakes. The interface highlights incorrect placements without penalty, making trial-and-error a useful learning tool.
With a little practice, players begin to recognize patterns and shortcuts. That’s when the puzzle transforms from confusing to rewarding—much like the moment Wordle players start spotting hidden word structures at a glance.
The Design Philosophy
Like many NYT Games, Pips wasn’t created overnight. The Times’ puzzle team is known for prototyping dozens of concepts every year, only a handful of which make it to release. With Pips, the guiding principle was clarity. The interface had to feel intuitive even for someone who had never played a puzzle app before. Bright colors, smooth drag-and-drop mechanics, and instant feedback were all chosen to make the experience approachable without dumbing it down.
This design-first approach is part of why the NYT Games platform has been so successful. From the Crossword to Spelling Bee to Connections, each game has a consistent polish that sets it apart from copycat puzzle apps. Pips extends that tradition by blending familiarity (domino dots) with novelty (logic-based constraints).
Why Pips Matters
For casual gamers, Pips is simply a fun way to spend a few minutes a day. But in the bigger picture, it shows how the Times is positioning itself as the digital home for smart puzzles. By diversifying its catalog, the company appeals not just to word lovers or trivia fans, but to anyone who enjoys problem-solving. This is important strategically: the more types of puzzles the Times offers, the more reasons subscribers have to stick around.
It also reflects a broader cultural appetite. In an era dominated by fast-moving social media and short-form video, the popularity of puzzles shows people still crave slow, thoughtful engagement. Wordle proved it. Connections reinforced it. Now Pips joins that lineage.
Educational Potential
Interestingly, Pips has potential applications beyond entertainment. Teachers and tutors have already noted how naturally the game lends itself to math practice. The logic of inequalities, the skill of adding small numbers quickly, and the ability to visualize overlapping rules all make Pips a stealthy math exercise.
Because the rules don’t depend on language, Pips could also work well in classrooms around the world. Whether in the U.S., Europe, or Asia, the puzzle looks and feels the same. This universality gives it an edge over word-based games, which can struggle with translation or cultural differences.
Areas for Improvement
That doesn’t mean the game is flawless. Early adopters have pointed out several ways Pips could improve. Chief among them: difficulty scaling. Right now, “Hard” puzzles often feel more like “Long” puzzles rather than more logically complex. A tighter calibration of difficulty could give experts a stronger sense of accomplishment.
Another challenge is shareability. Wordle’s ingenious colored grid gave players an easy way to broadcast results without spoiling answers. Pips lacks an equivalent system, which may limit its viral spread. Screenshots don’t quite capture the elegance of the solution. Unless the Times develops a new share mechanic, Pips may remain a more personal, less social puzzle.
Potential Directions for the Future
The Times has options for where to take Pips next. A premium expansion could offer archive access, special puzzle modes, or themed challenges. Multiplayer could also add excitement—imagine a head-to-head race to complete the same board, or a collaborative mode where friends solve together. Given the success of cooperative Wordle spinoffs and competitive Sudoku apps, these ideas aren’t far-fetched.
There’s also room for more variety in puzzle rules. Currently, most zones focus on sums and limits. Adding new types of conditions—like requiring prime totals or symmetrical placements—could keep the game feeling fresh for years.
A Part of the Puzzle Renaissance
Pips doesn’t exist in isolation. It’s part of a renaissance in logic and word puzzles that’s been underway for the past few years. From Wordle to Connections to Sudoku’s resurgence, the appetite for structured, screen-based puzzles has grown dramatically. Pips adds a new flavor to that ecosystem—less about words, more about numbers and logic.
It’s also a nod to history. Dominoes have entertained people for centuries. By drawing inspiration from them, the Times connects a classic tabletop pastime to a modern digital habit. In a way, Pips is both old and new at the same time—a blend that makes it stand out in the crowded puzzle app space.
Looking Ahead
The real test for Pips will be staying power. Wordle’s viral boom was unprecedented, but even after the hype cooled, millions still play daily. If Pips can build a smaller but dedicated audience that logs in every day, it will have succeeded in its mission. And judging by the enthusiasm of early adopters, that seems likely.
For now, the best way to experience Pips is simply to try it yourself. Whether you’re a longtime fan of NYT puzzles or just someone who enjoys a quick brain workout, it offers something unique. It’s simple to learn, satisfying to solve, and different enough from everything else in the Times catalog to feel fresh.
Conclusion
Pips may not take over your Twitter feed the way Wordle once did, but it doesn’t need to. Its strength lies in its subtlety: a quiet, thoughtful puzzle that slots neatly into your daily routine. By drawing inspiration from dominoes and layering in smart logic design, the New York Times has added another gem to its growing games platform.
If you’ve been looking for a new ritual to sharpen your mind, Pips could be it. And with only three puzzles per day, it strikes the right balance between satisfaction and restraint. Sometimes, less really is more—and that’s the secret to its charm.
