NYT Pips hints, answers for January 8, 2026

Welcome to your guide to Pips, the newest game from the New York Times catalog.

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.

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:

• Number: All pips in this position must be added to the number.

• Equal: Each domino half in this space must have the same number of pips.

• not even: Each domino half of this space must have a completely different number of pips.

• fewer: The sum of each domino half must be less than the number in this space.

• 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.

Easy Difficulty Signals, Answers for January 8th Pips

equal(3): Everything in this space must be equal to 3. The answer is 3-0, placed vertically; 3-5, placed horizontally.

Number (8): The sum of everything in this space should be 8. The answer is 3-5, placed horizontally; 3-6, placed vertically.

Number (6): The sum of everything in this space should be 6. The answer is 3-0, which is placed vertically; 2-6, placed horizontally.

(3) Less than: Everything in this space must be less than 3. The answer is 2-6, placed horizontally.

Number (6): The sum of everything in this space should be 6. The answer is 3-6, which are placed vertically.

Medium Difficulty Signals, Answers for January 8 Pips

equal(2): Everything in this space must be equal to 2. The answer is 2-2, placed vertically; 2-5, placed horizontally.

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Number 5): Everything in this space must sum to 5. The answer is 6-5, which is placed vertically.

number 1): Everything in this space must sum to 1. The answer is 1-5, which are placed vertically.

less than 5): Everything in this space must be less than 5. The answer is 0-5, placed horizontally.

equal(5): Everything in this light blue space should be equal to 5. The answer is 2-5, placed horizontally; 0-5, placed horizontally; 5-4, placed vertically.

Number 5): Everything in this space must sum to 5. The answer is 1-5, placed vertically; 0-3, placed horizontally.

number 3): The sum of everything in this space should be 3. The answer is 0-3, placed horizontally.

Number four): The sum of everything in this space must be 4. The answer is 5-4, which is placed vertically.

Difficult Difficulty Signal, Answers for January 8th Pips

Number four): The sum of everything in this space must be 4. The answer is 4-4, which is placed vertically.

Not even: Everything should be different in this place. The answer is 4-4, placed vertically; 2-1, placed horizontally; 2-6, placed vertically; 5-5, placed horizontally.

Number four): The sum of everything in this space must be 4. The answer is 2-1, placed horizontally; 2-4, placed vertically.

Number 5): The sum of everything in this space should be 5. The answer is 5-5, placed horizontally.

number 9): Everything in this space should sum to 9. The answer is 2-6, placed vertically; 3-6, placed vertically.

Number (8): The sum of everything in this space should be 8. The answer is 2-4, placed vertically; 4-5, placed horizontally.

(less than 1: Everything in this space must be less than 1. The answer is 4-0, which is placed vertically.

Number (11): Everything in this space should add up to 11. The answer is 4-5, placed horizontally; 3-6, placed vertically.

Number four): The sum of everything in this space should be 4. The answer is 4-1, placed horizontally.

(4) Less than: Everything in this space must be less than 4. The answer is 4-1, placed horizontally.

Number 5): Everything in this space must sum to 5. The answer is 2-3, 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.