Released in August 2025, Pips puts a unique spin on dominoes, creating a fun single-player experience that could become your next daily gaming habit.
Currently, if you get stuck, the game only offers to unravel the entire puzzle, forcing you to move to the next difficulty level and start again. However, we’ve got you covered! Below are the answers in pieces that will serve as hints so you can find your way through each difficulty level.
how to play pips
If you have ever played dominoes, you will be well aware of how pips are played. As we’ve shared in our previous hint stories for pips, tiles, like dominoes, are placed vertically or horizontally and connect to each other. The main difference between the traditional game of dominoes and pips are the color-coded situations you must address. Touching tiles do not have to match.
Wordle Today: Hint for the answer, 18 February 2026
The conditions you must meet are specific to the color-coded locations. For example, if it provides a single number, each side of the tile in that space must add to the number provided. It is possible – and common – for only half the tiles to be within the color-coded space.
Here are common examples of what you’ll encounter across difficulty levels:
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Number: All pips in this position must be added to the number.
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Equal: Each domino half in this space must have the same number of pips.
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not even: Each domino half of this space must have a completely different number of pips.
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fewer: The sum of each domino half must be less than the number in this space.
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More than: Each domino half must add up to the number in this space.
If there is no color coding in an area, it means there are no bets on the parts of the domino within those areas.
Answers to NYT Strand’s prompt, February 17, 2026
Easy Difficulty Signals, Answers for February 18 Pips
Even bigger (3): Everything in this purple space must be greater than 3. The answer is 4-1, placed horizontally.
equal(1): Everything in this space must be equal to 1. The answer is 4-1, placed horizontally; 1-1, placed horizontally.
Even bigger (5): Everything in this orange space must be greater than 5. The answer is 5-5, placed horizontally; 5-1, placed vertically.
equal(5): Everything in this light blue space should be equal to 5. The answer is 6-3, placed horizontally.
number 1): The sum of everything in this space must be 1. The answer is 5-1, which is placed vertically.
Medium difficulty signals, answers for February 18 pips
(3) Less than: Everything in this purple space must be less than 3. The answer is 2-2, placed horizontally.
Number (11): Everything in this space should add up to 11. The answer is 2-2, placed horizontally; 4-3, placed vertically; 5-5, placed horizontally.
Even bigger (4): Everything in this light blue space must be greater than 4. The answer is 5-5, placed horizontally.
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Number (8): The sum of everything in this space should be 8. The answer is 4-3, which is placed vertically; 5-1, placed vertically.
Greater than (1): Everything in this dark blue space must be greater than 1. The answer is 6-1, placed horizontally.
equal(1): Everything in this space must be equal to 1. The answer is 5-1, placed vertically; 1-0, placed horizontally.
Hard Difficulty Signal, Answer for February 18 Pips
equal(1): Everything in this space must be equal to 1. The answer is 1-4, placed vertically; 1-0, placed vertically.
(2) Less than: Everything in this orange space must be less than 2. The answer is 1-0, placed vertically.
equal(4): Everything in this space must be equal to 4. The answer is 1-4, placed vertically; 4-3, placed vertically.
Even bigger (2): Everything in this green space must be bigger than 2. The answer is 4-3, which is placed vertically.
Number (2): The sum of everything in this space must be 2. The answer is 2-6, which are placed vertically.
Number (12): Everything in this space must sum to 12. The answer is 2-6, placed vertically; 6-1, placed vertically.
Number (2): Everything in this purple space must sum to 2. The answer is 6-1, which is placed vertically; 1-2, placed horizontally.
Number (2): Everything in this red space must sum to 2. The answer is 1-2, placed horizontally.
Number 5): Everything in this space must sum to 5. The answer is 1-3, placed vertically; 4-5, placed horizontally.
equal(3): Everything in this space must be equal to 3. The answer is 1-3, placed vertically; 3-5, placed horizontally.
equal(5): Everything in this orange space must be equal to 5. The answer is 4-5, placed horizontally; 5-5, placed vertically; 3-5, placed horizontally; 5-6, placed vertically.
Number 5): Everything in this space must sum to 5. The answer is 5-0, which is placed vertically.
Even bigger (5): Everything in this red space must be greater than 5. The answer is 5-6, placed vertically.
(3) Less than: Everything in this dark blue space must be less than 3. The answer is 0-2, placed vertically.
Number 5): Everything in this space must sum to 5. The answer is 0-2, placed vertically; 2-4, placed vertically; 5-1, placed vertically.
Number 5): Everything in this space must sum to 5. The answer is 5-1, which is placed vertically.
equal(4): Everything in this space must be equal to 4. The answer is 2-4, placed vertically; 4-4, placed vertically.
If you’re looking for more puzzles, Mashable now has games! Check out our Games Hub For mahjong, sudoku, free crosswords and more.
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