Technology

Pips is the newest game in the New York Times catalogue. Released in August 2025, the new game 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. Like dominoes, the tiles 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.

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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 September 14, 2025 Easy difficulty hints, answers for Sept. 14 Pips

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

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

Equal (3): Everything in this space must be equal to 3. The answer is 6-3, placed horizontally; 5-3, placed vertically.

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

Medium difficulty hints, answers for Sept. 14 Pips

Number (1): Everything in this space must add to 1. The answer is 1-1, placed vertically.

Equal (3): Everything in this space must be equal to 3. The answer is 3-3, placed horizontally; 3-1, placed vertically.

Equal (5): Everything in this space must be equal to 5. The answer is 5-5, placed horizontally; 4-5, placed vertically; 5-6, placed vertically; 5-0, placed vertically.

Number (2): Everything in this yellow space must add to 2. The answer is 3-1, placed vertically; 1-2, placed horizontally.

Number (2): Everything in this dark blue space must add to 2. The answer is 1-2, placed horizontally.

Greater than (5): Everything in this space must be greater than 5. The answer is 5-6, placed vertically.

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

Hard difficulty hints, answers for Sept. 14 Pips

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

Number (11): Everything in this space must add to 11. The answer is 1-5, placed horizontally; 4-6, placed vertically.

Number (9): Everything in this space must add to 9. The answer is 4-5, placed vertically; 4-1, placed vertically.

Number (0): Everything in this space must add to 0. The answer is 0-1, placed vertically.

Equal (2): Everything in this space must be equal to 2. The answer is 2-2, placed horizontally; 2-3, placed vertically.

Number (3): Everything in this space must add to 3. The answer is 4-1, placed vertically; 2-6, placed vertically.

Number (12): Everything in this space must add to 12. The answer is 6-5, placed vertically; 2-6, placed vertically.

Number (4): Everything in this space must add to 4. The answer is 4-0, placed vertically.

Number (8): Everything in this space must add to 8. The answer is 2-3, placed vertically; 6-5, placed vertically.

Number (2): Everything in this space must add to 2. The answer is 1-2, placed vertically.

Number (0): Everything in this space must add to 0. The answer is 4-0, placed vertically; 0-5, placed vertically.

Number (1): Everything in this space must add to 1. The answer is 1-1, placed vertically.

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

Number (2): Everything in this space must add to 2. The answer is 2-0, placed vertically.

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

Number (10): Everything in this space must add to 10. The answer is 0-5, placed vertically; 5-3, 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.

TL;DR: For $189.97 (reg. $999), grab a Grade A/B refurbished Apple MacBook Air 13.3-inch with 128GB storage, Core i5 power, 12-hour battery, and free shipping.

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$999 Save $809.03 Get Deal

If you’ve been thinking about grabbing a backup computer — or just want to stay in the Apple ecosystem without spending a fortune — this deal is worth a solid look. For $189.97 (reg. $999), you can pick up a refurbished 2017 Apple MacBook Air, cleaned, inspected, and shipped free to your door.

This isn’t some random off-brand machine; it’s a genuine Apple MacBook Air, designed to handle your everyday essentials. With its 1.8GHz Intel Core i5 processor, 128GB SSD, and Intel HD Graphics 6000, you’ll have no problem streaming, browsing, handling work tasks, or keeping up with personal projects.

SEE ALSO: The 15-inch MacBook Air M4 is still down to its best-ever price at Amazon

The 13.3-inch widescreen Retina display gives you crisp visuals at 1440×900 resolution, while the 12-hour battery means you can go all day without plugging in — whether you’re working from a café, binging shows, or just getting through your emails.

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And since this unit is Grade A/B refurbished, it arrives in near-mint condition with only minimal cosmetic signs of use. In other words, you get Apple quality at a fraction of the price.

If you’ve been hesitant about picking up an extra laptop because you don’t trust those rando cheap brands, this MacBook Air is the perfect middle ground — affordable, dependable, and designed to last. Get this refurb MacBook Air while it’s just $189.97 (reg. $999) with free shipping.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

In the BSD world, it seems that FreeBSD gets the most attention, along with OpenBSD and NetBSD. There's an offshoot of FreeBSD, DragonFly BSD, that claims to be optimized for modern multicore hardware. How does it stack up in reality?

Did you hear how many times Apple said “optical-quality” at its iPhone 17, 17 Pro, and Air launch event? I lost count. This new buzzword seems to be confusing a lot of people, though. What exactly is “optical-quality,” and is it any different from digital zoom?

TL;DR: Give your PC an affordable refresh with this lifetime license to Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for just $39.97 (reg. $219.99) — on sale through Sept. 14.

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$219.99 Save $180.02 Get Deal

Could your dusty old PC use a little upgrade? Right now, you could give it one for just $40. That’s how much it costs to outfit your device with a suite of Microsoft Office apps with this lifetime license to Microsoft Office Professional 2021. But you’ll need to act fast — this deal only lasts until Sept. 14 at 11:59 p.m. PT.

You’ve got 24 hours to secure a lifetime license to Microsoft Office Professional 2021. This edition of Microsoft’s classic tools comes packed with eight helpful apps ready to help you tackle both personal and professional tasks with ease.

SEE ALSO: Make your computer feel new again for under $50 with this Microsoft bundle

Need to create a presentation that really pops? Looking to create a budget that keeps you on track financially? Or maybe you just want to make answering emails a little easier. PowerPoint, Excel, Outlook, Word, Teams, Access, OneNote, and Publisher are all included in this suite to help you out.

This lifetime license gives you permanent access to all eight apps, with no monthly subscription fees or renewals. And there’s no need to be concerned about this being an older version — it has unique advantages like the ability to work offline and no need to depend on the cloud. It also comes with redesigned features — just make sure your computer is running Windows 10 or 11 before you buy.

Take advantage of this deal on a lifetime license to Microsoft Office Professional 2021 on sale for just $39.97 (reg. $219.99) until Sept. 14 at 11:59 p.m. PT.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

I’ve barely touched desktop Linux in the past year, but that has little to do with Linux and more to do with Linux hardware—or the lack thereof. I’ve fallen in love with foldable phones, and I wish there were a Linux device shaped like my Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6.

Save $50: As of Sept. 13, the Samsung’s 37" 4k curved gaming monitor is 17% off, coming in at $749.99, down from its original price of $899.99 on Amazon.

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$899.99 Save $150 Get Deal

If you have been wanting to invest in a new monitor for your gaming setup or start building a monitor-based gaming setup, this Samsung 37" Odyssey 4K Curved Gaming Monitor is $150 off this weekend.

At 37", this monitor is huge, but the curved screen keeps the picture more in your direct field of vision for better, more immersive gameplay. On top of that, the 4K UHD resolution renders in 165 Hz refresh rate and 1ms response time for an immaculate picture at a granular level. This monitor also features VESA DisplayHDR, which is designed to deepen darker colors and create richer lighter colors. This screen is LED, so it doesn’t offer the level of visual richness that a QLED would, but this model comes nearly as close as LED can.

Additionally, the monitor comes with HDMI cords, and reviews praise the heavy, well-made base of the monitor that limits shaking and wobbling. If you have a different stand that you’d like to use, it does come with a VESA mounting pattern for your choice of stand.

Immerse yourself in your favorite RPG, FPS, or classic platformer with the Samsung 37" Odyssey 4K Curved Gaming Monitor, and if you spring for one this weekend, you can save $150.

Lately, I’ve noticed that the Ryzen 9800X3D is being recommended left and right, even for mid-range gaming PC builds that really don’t need a flagship-level CPU. Guess what, you don’t need the 9800X3D to get a great PC gaming experience, especially if you’re working with a limited budget.

When it comes to tech fashions and trends, icons are at the forefront. From skeuomorphism to flat, icons have come a long way since Windows 3.1 and Susan Kare’s celebrated designs for the Apple Macintosh. But some trends persist, and the following icons have long outlived their real-life counterparts.

We live in an era of water-resistant smartphones, so it should come as no surprise that Apple’s latest iPhone models are all capable of surviving in liquid to some degree. Here’s how far you can push it, and what to do if your iPhone actually gets wet.

Unsatisfied with inelegant terms like “lens bump,” Apple has seen fit to rebrand the iPhone 17 and Air’s thickest section as the “camera plateau.”

Apple is losing one of its top AI minds, according to Bloomberg.

Robby Walker, who had been the senior director of Apple's Answers, Information, and Knowledge team since earlier this year, is reportedly set to leave the tech giant next month. Walker had previously been in charge of Siri prior to moving over to AI development. This is on top of Apple losing other high-level AI employees to Meta back in July, also reported by Bloomberg.

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The report doesn't give an explicit reason for why Walker or the other employees have left the company, but it certainly doesn't paint an entirely positive picture of Apple's AI development from the outside looking in. The company's Apple Intelligence suite of AI features has notably lagged behind competitors like Google. One very noteworthy example is that Google's Gemini Live naturalistic chatbot has been up and running for a while, even as Apple's long-awaited AI-powered Siri upgrade has been reportedly delayed into next year.

It remains to be seen whether or not all of this AI business is a bubble just waiting to burst or something that's truly here to stay, but at the pace Apple is moving, one might get the impression that the company is betting on the former.

I’m an avid photography hobbyist as well as an experienced smartphone user. The problem? My smartphone can never replace my real camera. While smartphone cameras have become absolutely fantastic, there are still several reasons why I choose to carry my real camera when I go on photography outings.

Save $350: As of Sept. 13, the Roborock Qrevo S5V Robot Vacuum and Mop is 40% off, ringing in at $549.99 down from its list price of $899.99 on Amazon.

Opens in a new window Credit: Roborock Roborock Qrevo S5V Robot Vacuum and Mop $549 at Amazon
$899 Save $350 Get Deal

Vacuuming and mopping aren't super neutral chores, it seems. You either love them or you hate them. And, if you're the latter, there's excellent news for you this weekend. The Roborock Qrevo S5V Robot Vacuum and Mop is a steal right now, coming in on Amazon at 40% off. It's an excellent first foray into the world of vacuum-mop-robots, and the price is super low this weekend. Let's get into why this particular model from Roborock… rocks.

The Roborock Qrevo S5V Robot Vacuum and Mop is more than just a bland attempt at combining vacuum and mopping features. Numerous robot cleaning devices on the market appear to be working, yet often leave your floor as dusty as when you began (or even dirtier). This model from Roborock features an all-in-one smart dock with warm air drying, which is designed to vacuum, empty itself, and then mop and dry the floor after completion.

What's even better is that you don't have to approach the dock of the Roborock Qrevo S5V Robot Vacuum and Mop in a hazmat suit because it just transfers the mess on your floor to a mess in its tank. Instead, this model is made to efficiently empty dust into a 7-week storage bin, wash its own mops, and use specially engineered hot air drying to prevent odor buildup.

You get all of this plus the baseline benefits of a robot vacuum, like customizable paths, schedules, app connectivity, and smart-home compatibility.

Have you ever taken apart a piece of tech, only to break it, and then you have to figure out how to fix it? I’ve been there more times than I can count—and I absolutely love it.

Switching on a PalmPilot today is like opening a time capsule. Its beeps, gray, stylus-driven screen, and simple app grid are pure nostalgia. Yet this little organizer captured the essence of mobile computing long before iPhones and Androids existed.

If you're like me, your computer desk is one of the most important places, so you're always looking for ways to tweak and improve your workstation. While many desk upgrades can cost hundreds of dollars, there are plenty of small gadgets that can do a lot for your setup without breaking the bank.

I don't know about you, but I'm one of those people who will watch their favorite movies multiple times. Some movies I watch every year, perhaps on special occasions, others I'll dust off every few years, or whenever I'm in the mood.

If you used Facebook at any time during a 15-year period, keep an eye on your bank account.

Settlement payments related to the several-years-old Cambridge Analytica data breach scandal are starting to roll out this month, per CBS News. A court filing cited by CBS News says the average payment amount will come out to around $29 per person, with the maximum going all the way to $38.36. The first payments will be sent in September, with the rest going out over the course of 10 weeks. Anyone who is getting a payment should get an email a few days ahead of time. The total settlement amount came out to $725 million.

SEE ALSO: Facebook is bringing back the poke (again) for the youths

Those who are eligible for these payments are people who used Facebook between 2007 and 2022 and remembered to file a claim before the deadline in Aug. 2023. Apologies to those who forgot or never heard about it until now.

This money is related to a court settlement Facebook reached regarding the Cambridge Analytica scandal, in which a British data firm of that name was accused of scraping data from more than 50 million Facebook users without their knowledge or consent. Cambridge Analytica was employed by the 2016 Donald Trump presidential campaign, and took some credit for Trump's victory in that election due to its recognition of demographic shifts that the campaign took advantage of.

Approximately $30 per person may not feel like enough to compensate for...all of that, but hey, it's something.

Do you have a backup battery in your homelab? I didn’t for a few years, and it was a risky move. While I didn’t suffer any data loss (thankfully), things could have turned out much different. Now? I have a backup battery deployed in my homelab to make sure I have enough time to shut things down if the power goes out.