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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.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for February 1, 2026

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.

SEE ALSO: NYT Strands hints, answers for February 1, 2026 Easy difficulty hints, answers for Feb. 1 Pips

Number (0): Everything in this space must add up to 0. The answer is 0-5, placed horizontally.

Greater Than (4): Everything in this space must be greater than 4. The answer is 0-5, placed horizontally.

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

Number (6): Everything in this space must add up to 6. The answer is 6-4, placed vertically.

Number (6): Everything in this space must add up to 6. The answer is 6-0, placed vertically.

Equal (0): Everything in this purple space must be equal to 0. The answer is 0-4, placed horizontally.

Equal (4): Everything in this green space must be equal to 4. The answer is 6-4, placed vertically; 0-4, placed horizontally.

Medium difficulty hints, answers for Feb. 1 Pips

Greater Than (3): Everything in this space must be greater than 3. The answer is 5-3, placed horizontally.

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

Number (4): Everything in this space must add up to 4. The answer is 6-4, placed horizontally.

Less Than (2): Everything in this space must be less than 2. The answer is 0-0, placed horizontally.

Not Equal: Everything in this space must be different. The answer is 2-3, placed horizontally; 6-4, placed horizontally; 5-5, placed horizontally.

Number (5): Everything in this space must add up to 5. The answer is 5-5, placed horizontally.

Hard difficulty hints, answers for Feb. 1 Pips

Less Than (9): Everything in this space must be less than 9. The answer is 4-4, placed horizontally; 1-0, placed horizontally.

Less Than (4): Everything in this space must be less than 4. The answer is 1-1, placed horizontally; 1-0, placed horizontally.

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

Number (12): Everything in this space must add up to 12. The answer is 6-6, placed horizontally.

Less Than (5): Everything in this space must be less than 5. The answer is 4-5, placed horizontally.

Less Than (20): Everything in this space must be less than 20. The answer is 4-3, placed horizontally; 4-5, placed horizontally; 5-5, placed vertically.

Less Than (7): Everything in this space must be less than 7. The answer is 4-3, placed horizontally; 3-6, placed vertically.

Less Than (3): Everything in this space must be less than 3. The answer is 2-5, placed horizontally.

Number (6): Everything in this space must add up to 6. The answer is 2-5, placed horizontally; 6-1, placed horizontally; 0-0, placed horizontally.

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Today's Connections: Sports Edition will be easier if you know aquaticsports.

As we've shared in previous hints stories, this is a version of the popular New York Times word game that seeks to test the knowledge of sports fans.

Like the original Connections, the game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier — so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.

If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for the latest Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable What is Connections: Sports Edition?

The NYT's latest daily word game has launched in association with The Athletic, the New York Times property that provides the publication's sports coverage. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.

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Each puzzle features 16 words and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise of anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there's only one correct answer.

If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake — players get up to four mistakes until the game ends.

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Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.

SEE ALSO: Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL. Here's a hint for today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

Want a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:

• Yellow: Water sports

• Green: Fast

• Blue: Collect them all

• Purple: Might be a Grand Slam champion

Here are today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

Need a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:

• Yellow: Aquatic Sports Verbs

• Green: Speed

• Blue: Sports Card Brands

• Purple: Tennis Grand Slam Winners, Minus A Letter

Looking for Wordle today? Here's the answer to today's Wordle.

Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today's puzzle before we reveal the solutions.

Drumroll, please!

The solution to today's Connections: Sports Edition #496 is...

What is the answer to Connections: Sports Edition today?

• Aquatic Sports Verbs - KAYAK, ROW, SAIL, SWIM

• Speed - MUSTARD, POP, VELOCITY, ZIP

• Sports Card Brands - LEAF, PANINI, TOPPS, UPPER DECK

• Tennis Grand Slam Winners, Minus A Letter - ASH, KIN, NADA, WILLIAM

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be new sports Connections for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.

Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Connections.

The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult to solve if you're fashionable.

Connections is the one of the most popular New York Times word games that's captured the public's attention. The game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.

If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for today's Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable What is Connections?

The NYT's latest daily word game has become a social media hit. The Times credits associate puzzle editor Wyna Liu with helping to create the new word game and bringing it to the publications' Games section. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

Each puzzle features 16 words and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise of anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there's only one correct answer.

If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake—players get up to four mistakes until the game ends.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.

SEE ALSO: NYT Pips hints, answers for February 1, 2026 Here's a hint for today's Connections categories

Want a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:

• Yellow: To highlight

• Green: Worn on the feet

• Blue: A hit

• Purple: Played by musicians

Here are today's Connections categories

Need a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:

• Yellow: Publicize

• Green: Kinds of shoes

• Blue: Anthem

• Purple: Musical instruments plus starting letter

Looking for Wordle today? Here's the answer to today's Wordle.

Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today's puzzle before we reveal the solutions.

Drumroll, please!

The solution to today's Connections #966 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Publicize: BOOST, HYPE, PITCH, PLUG

• Kinds of shoes: CLOG, FLAT, MULE, WEDGE

• Anthem: BANGER, BOP, HEATER, JAM

• Musical instruments plus starting letter: GLUTE, MORGAN, SHARP, THORN

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be new Connections for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for February 1, 2026

Are you also playing NYT Strands? Get all the Strands hints you need for today's puzzle.

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Connections.

Today's NYT Strands hints are easy if you're a giver.

Strands, the New York Times' elevated word-search game, requires the player to perform a twist on the classic word search. Words can be made from linked letters — up, down, left, right, or diagonal, but words can also change direction, resulting in quirky shapes and patterns. Every single letter in the grid will be part of an answer. There's always a theme linking every solution, along with the "spangram," a special, word or phrase that sums up that day's theme, and spans the entire grid horizontally or vertically.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable

By providing an opaque hint and not providing the word list, Strands creates a brain-teasing game that takes a little longer to play than its other games, like Wordle and Connections.

If you're feeling stuck or just don't have 10 or more minutes to figure out today's puzzle, we've got all the NYT Strands hints for today's puzzle you need to progress at your preferred pace.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for February 1, 2026 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for February 1, 2026 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: It's a gift

The words are related to giving.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe ways to give.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is vertical.

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is Generosity

NYT Strands word list for February 1

• Bonus

• Grant

• Present

• Generosity

• Donation

• Award

• Offering

Looking for other daily online games? Mashable's Games page has more hints, and if you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now!

Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Strands.

Today's Wordle answer should be easy to solve if you like textured things.

If you just want to be told today's word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for today's Wordle solution revealed. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for February 1, 2026 Where did Wordle come from?

Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once. 

Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing.

What's the best Wordle starting word?

The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be strategic in your approach, we have a few ideas to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N.

What happened to the Wordle archive?

The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles was originally available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it, but it was later taken down, with the website's creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times. However, the New York Times then rolled out its own Wordle Archive, available only to NYT Games subscribers.

Is Wordle getting harder?

It might feel like Wordle is getting harder, but it actually isn't any more difficult than when it first began. You can turn on Wordle's Hard Mode if you're after more of a challenge, though.

SEE ALSO: NYT Pips hints, answers for February 1, 2026 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

Prickly.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

There are no recurring letters.

Today's Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with...

Today's Wordle starts with the letter S.

SEE ALSO: Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL. The Wordle answer today is...

Get your last guesses in now, because it's your final chance to solve today's Wordle before we reveal the solution.

Drumroll please!

The solution to today's Wordle is...

SPINY

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be a new Wordle for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.

Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for February 1, 2026

Reporting by Chance Townsend, Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Wordle.

When you first gain access to a 3D printer, you might be tempted to print everything and anything you can. This urge can be amplified by the number of models available online and the passion of the 3D printing community.

TL;DR: Give your Mac a tune-up with this lifetime license to Microsoft Office Home & Business for Mac 2021, now only $49.97 (reg. $219) through Feb. 22.

Opens in a new window Credit: Microsoft Microsoft Office Home & Business for Mac 2021: Lifetime License $49.97
$219 Save $169.03   Get Deal

Your Mac is already powerful, but if you’re looking to take it to the next level, it may be time to tap Microsoft’s finest. This Microsoft Office Home and Business for Mac 2021 lifetime license equips your Apple device with six helpful apps, and right now you can snag them all for just $49.97 (reg. $219) through Feb. 22.

Don’t count out Microsoft just because you have a Mac. You can take advantage of some of their most powerful tools with the Microsoft Office Home and Business for Mac 2021. This license gives you permanent access to six powerful apps — making them less than $9 each.

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Curious what you can do with this license? These tools are great for both personal and professional tasks — like Word for document creation, Excel for budgeting and other spreadsheet needs, and PowerPoint for creating eye-catching, impactful presentations.

This suite also includes Outlook to help manage your email correspondence, Teams to stay connected with friends, family, and coworkers, and OneNote to upgrade the way you take notes.

Note that your Mac needs to be running macOS 14 or later. You’ll receive instant delivery and download after purchase, so you can access the apps immediately and permanently, with no subscription fees and no cloud connectivity required.

Get this lifetime license to Microsoft Office Home & Business for Mac 2021 for just $49.97 now through Feb. 22.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Kia arrived in the US in 1993 with the Sephia and Sportage 4x4. Back then, it was all budget-friendly cars with few bells and whistles, but that’s no longer the case.

It's safe to say that the ongoing component shortage has well and truly hit SSDs now, too. Many models are sold out entirely, but there's still plenty of options if you want to shop—provided you don't mind spending way more than you should, that is.

It’s summer here in Australia, and in the sub-tropics where I live, that means high temperatures, harsh sun, and punishing humidity. This prompted a pricey investment that we’ve been putting off for years: a whole-house ducted air conditioning system.

With the command-line shell, Linux provides countless tools and programs to wield power over your system. But many of these features are hidden below the surface, waiting for you to discover them.

Windows 11, especially in the latest versions, has become a big, bloated mess. It's slow, cluttered, and feels like a billboard to advertise Microsoft services more than an operating system. I tried a version of Windows that strips all of that away and makes your computer feel like yours again.

Save $5: As of Jan. 31, Amazon has the Etekcity smart scale on sale for $19.98, which is 17% off its list price of $23.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Etekcity Etekcity Smart Scale for Body Weight $19.98 at Amazon
$23.99 Save $4.01   Get Deal

Fewer things have worse vibes than that dusty analog scale at your parents' or grandparents' house that squishes when you step on it, with a dial that isn’t always accurate. Maybe you’ve moved on from that, but the digital scale you inherited from a roommate a million years ago is perpetually low on batteries because it eats AAs like it's its job instead of measuring your weight. Well, the smart scale that holds the #1 spot in the Body Composition Monitors on Amazon is currently on sale this weekend, and it is a lot better than those aforementioned scales of yore.

For just under $20, the Etekcity Smart Scale comes replete with app syncing features and Body Fat/Muscle Mass assessment technology that can supposedly tell you more about your body and health. The scale also comes with 3 AAA batteries that last for quite some time, according to satisfied reviewers.

The compatible app for this scale has really helpful features, including listing muscle mass, BMI, skeletal mass, and more. It also visualizes weigh-in data over time in a helpful linear graph, so you can see trends in your health. Multiple user profiles can be created and connected to the app, so weigh-ins can be private and logged to each user.

SAVE $170: As of Jan. 31, Amazon has the TCL 75-inch UHD Smart TV on sale for $479, 26% off its list price of $649.

Opens in a new window Credit: TCL TCL 75-inch UHD Smart TV $479 at Amazon
$649 Save $170   Get Deal

If you spring for this discounted TCL 75-inch UHD Smart TV this weekend, you could be watching the Super Bowl in truly giant and crisp resolution. The model features 4K Ultra HD resolution, which TCL claims is 4 times the resolution of 1080p full-HD TVs. The TV comes replete with enhanced color, multiple motion enhancement technologies to see fast-paced games as clearly as possible, and a built-in Fire TV streaming OS. As for hardware, the TV has built-in Dolby Atmos speakers, a bezel-less design, two TV stand feet, and a remote (with batteries, which is always nice). 

Reviewers who purchased the 75-inch TCL Smart TV at this size praise the audio quality and power, which match the colossal screen size. A TV this size could end up feeling clunky or overwhelming in one’s space, customers credit its sleek profile and bezel-less design for preventing said crowding.

The price point of this TCL 75-inch UHD Smart TV, given its size and features, is quite hard to beat. Honestly, it will feel so cool to fire up the Super Bowl next weekend and watch Bad Bunny’s half-time show in all its 75-inch UHD glory. 

Of the 17 different types of charts in Excel, I'd confidently speculate that only a few are used frequently. Actually, they all have their benefits in different circumstances and allow you to display your data in diverse ways.

We all have at least one TV collecting dust after an upgrade. If you’re like me, you probably have a few older sets tucked away around your home.

If you're someone who works from home like our editorial staff, there are no doubt times when you'll be wondering if there are ways to make your workspace better. Perhaps there are too many distractions around, or sitting around your home workspace is making you antsy.

Another new batch of Epstein files was released by the DOJ on Friday, and this was a huge one. More than three million documents were included in the release related to the deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Among the revelations hidden in the latest trove of Epstein files? Emails showed that Epstein was banned from Xbox Live by Microsoft.

On Thursday, December 19, 2013, Epstein received an official email from Microsoft to his jeevacation@gmail.com personal email address with the title "Xbox LIVE - Notification of Enforcement Action." Being barred from Xbox Live basically means Epstein's account would have been unable to play games online via his Xbox console.

The Microsoft email notified Epstein that his "Xbox Live account privileges have been permanently suspended." The email lists the reasons for suspension as "harassment, threats, and/or abuse of other players" and describes them as "determined to be severe, repeated, and/or excessive."

SEE ALSO: Xbox is preparing to bring ads to cloud gaming

The email from Microsoft about Epstein's Xbox Live ban appears to be a default email that's sent to all users banned under this policy. It does not describe the actions of a specific user. However, the latest Epstein files release includes another follow-up email from Xbox Live sent later that same day, which provides more details about the ban. Microsoft banned Jeffrey Epstein from Xbox Live because Epstein was a registered sex offender. 

In 2012, Microsoft joined an initiative from the New York Attorney General to ban sex offenders from online platforms. According to the follow-up email from Xbox Live, this is the reason why it removed Epstein from the online gaming platform.

"This message is to notify you that Xbox LIVE has permanently suspended the Xbox LIVE account associated with this email address," reads the 2013 email. "This action is based on the New York Attorney General's partnership with Microsoft and other online gaming companies to remove New York-registered sex offenders from online gaming services to minimize the risk to others, particularly children."

Epstein became a registered sex offender in 2009 after serving a 13-month jail term for solicitation of prostitution and solicitation of prostitution with a minor under the age of 18. Another email released in the Epstein files appears to show that Epstein created his Xbox Live account in 2012, meaning it took roughly one year for Microsoft to take action to ban his account.

As The Verge points out, there are other emails from Epstein referring to Xbox, which make it unclear if Epstein was actively using the service or simply had an account in his name for another individual to use.

Google is known for a lot of things, and one of those things is killing its own products. The graveyard is filled with Google apps and services you may have heard about, but there are interesting, lesser-known hardware projects, too. Some were ahead of their time, others were just not good.

SAVE $50: As of Jan. 31, Amazon has Apple AirPods Pro 3 on sale for 20% off their list price of $250, which comes down to $50 in savings. 

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple AirPods Pro 3 $199 at Amazon
$249 Save $50   Get Deal

Apple’s third iteration of their AirPods Pro was released in September 2025 to some rave reviews, including Mashable's own product reviewer, Adam Doud. "It's not that the AirPods Pro 3 do anything remarkably innovative compared to other wireless earbuds, which are often less expensive — you have your quality sound, active noise cancellation (ANC), transparency mode, and more. They exceeded expectations at every turn," said Doud in his review.

One unique feature of the Apple AirPods Pro 3 is heart rate monitoring. However, it’s not a constant HRM capability like that of an Apple watch. Instead, you can utilize the HRM feature of the AirPods Pro 3 when you are actively working out. 

Doud also raved about the classic features of this new AirPods model. "The ANC on these AirPods Pro 3 is seriously impressive. The purpose of ANC is to reduce outside noise… Apple goes further by reducing all sound around you to a near whisper." If you’re looking for a new pair of headphones with wireless capability and excellent noise cancellation, you really can’t go wrong with the Apple AirPods Pro 3.

This weekend on Amazon is a 20% sale on this model, which has happened a few times since its release, but it isn’t super common.