NYT Pips Hints and Answers for Sep 17, 2025

NYT Pips represents a bold new direction for The New York Times Games, debuting in August 2025 as their first original logic puzzle. The game taps into the universal familiarity of dominoes while adding sophisticated puzzle mechanics that test both math skills and spatial thinking.

Available in Easy, Medium, and Hard difficulties, Pips delivers three fresh puzzles daily. The game's drag-and-drop interface makes it the most interactive experience in the NYT puzzle lineup, with an engaging tutorial system that gets players solving within minutes.

Easy Difficulty Pips Hints and Answers for Sep 17, 2025

Pips Hints

Start with empty cells to eliminate placement options

Pips Answers

Medium Difficulty Pips Hints and Answers for Sep 17, 2025

Pips Hints

Zero sum regions can only use the 0-0 domino

Pips Answers

Hard Difficulty Pips Hints and Answers for Sep 17, 2025

Pips Hints

Multiple zero sum regions force specific domino placements immediately

Unequal regions eliminate many placement combinations

Pips Answers

Playing NYT Pips

Success means placing every domino correctly according to each region's specific requirements.

Game Components

You'll see a grid divided into colored regions, each marked with its own rule in the bottom-right corner. Blank sections have no special requirements. A set of dominoes waits in your tray.

Basic Mechanics

• Drag dominoes onto the board from your tray
• Tap any placed or unplaced domino to switch between horizontal and vertical orientation
• Dominoes always occupy exactly two adjacent cells

Rule Types

Target Number: The sum of all pips in this region must equal the shown number

Equal Symbol (=): Every domino half must contain the same number of pips

Unequal Symbol (≠): Every domino half must contain different pip counts

Greater Symbol (>): Each domino half must exceed the target number

Less Symbol (<): Each domino half must fall below the target number

Cross-Region Rule

Dominoes spanning multiple regions apply their respective region's rule to each half separately. This creates interesting logical constraints that are key to solving harder puzzles.

Expert Tactics

Prioritize Restricted Areas

Start with regions that have the tightest constraints. Exact sum requirements and equality rules significantly narrow your options, making them ideal entry points.

Iterate Without Fear

The game encourages exploration—no penalties mean you can place and remove dominoes as much as needed. Don't be afraid to test hypotheses.

Maximize Blank Tiles

Zero-pip sides are surprisingly versatile. They're essential for satisfying "less than" conditions and achieving precise totals in sum-based regions.

Analyze Multi-Region Dominoes

Pay special attention to dominoes that cross regional boundaries. Each side must work within its own region's constraints, and these placements often unlock the solution path.