Technology

Welcome to your guide to Pips, the latest game in 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're stuck, the game only offers to reveal the entire puzzle, forcing you to move on to 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 with 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 September 27, 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 September 27, 2026 Easy difficulty hints, answers for September 27 Pips

Equal (3): Everything in this space must be equal to 3. The answer is 3-3, placed horizontally; 3-4, placed vertically.

Number (10): Everything in this purple space must add up to 10. The answer is 3-4, placed vertically; 6-5, placed horizontally.

Greater Than (4): Everything in this space must be greater than 4. The answer is 6-5, placed horizontally.

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

Medium difficulty hints, answers for September 27 Pips

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

Greater Than (4): Everything in this light blue space must be greater than 4. The answer is 6-5, placed horizontally.

Greater Than (4): Everything in this orange space must be greater than 4. The answer is 6-6, placed horizontally.

Equal (6): Everything in this space must be equal to 6. The answer is 6-6, placed horizontally; 6-5, placed horizontally; 6-1, placed horizontally.

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

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

Number (1): Everything in this space must add up to 1. The answer is 6-1, placed horizontally; 0-5, placed horizontally; 4-0, placed horizontally.

Hard difficulty hints, answers for September 27 Pips

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

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

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

Number (3): Everything in this space must add up to 3. The answer is 0-0, placed horizontally; 2-3, placed vertically.

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

Number (8): Everything in this space must add up to 8. The answer is 4-4, placed vertically; 2-2, placed horizontally.

Number (9): Everything in this space must add up to 9. The answer is 4-4, placed vertically; 5-0, placed vertically.

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

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

Looking for spoiler-free NYT Connections hints or just wondering why Connections is trending today? We've got what you need to understand the clues for today's puzzle without spoiling any of the answers.

Of course, Mashable has also provided daily hints and answers for Connections, Wordle, and Strands for years, so we can help you if that's also what you need.

While we are focused more on meanings than hints in this story, sometimes learning that many of the words have completely unrelated meanings is a clue in and of itself. Connections frequently includes clues that involve words within words and other visual clues.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for September 27, 2026 Carrier meaning

A person, company or thing that transports or transmits something from one place to another.

Network meaning

A system of interconnected parts, people or devices that communicate and work together.

Operator meaning

A person who runs a machine.

Provider meaning

A person, company or organization that supplies a product or service.

Bronze meaning

A man-made metal alloy comprised of tin, copper and other elements.

Clay meaning

A heavy, sticky type of natural earth that is soft and moldable when wet.

Marble meaning

A hard, smooth metamorphic rock formed from limestone.

Plaster meaning

A wet building paste that dries into a hard, smooth surface.

Banquette meaning

A long, upholstered bench that's built into a wall or custom-fitted to a specific space.

Booth meaning

A small enclosed space, temporary stand or private seating area.

Chair meaning

A piece of furniture made for one person to sit on, featuring a backrest and four legs.

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Stool meaning

A simple, backless seat or footrest.

BBQing meaning

A slow-cooking method that uses low, indirect heat and wood smoke to tenderize meat.

Homing meaning

The ability of to navigate, return, or guide oneself accurately toward a home location.

Lohan meaning

A traditional Irish last name, meaning "light."

Wu-Tang meaning

An iconic New York rap group.

Have you learned the meanings and still want the things? Check out the hints and answers for today's NYT Connections puzzle.

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

Meet The Mashable 101: Our list of the content creators shaping the internet today

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 today's Connections.

The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult if you're a foodie.

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.

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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: NYT Pips hints, answers for September 27, 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: A work of art

• Green: Dining out

• Blue: Tech system

• Purple: World rulers

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Here are today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Sculpture media

• Green: Restaurant seating options

• Blue: Telecom

• Purple: Ending in Chinese dynasties

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 #1203 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Sculpture media: BRONZE, CLAY, MARBLE, PLASTER

• Restaurant seating options: BANQUETTE, BOOTH, CHAIR, STOOL

• Telecom: CARRIER, NETWORK, OPERATOR, PROVIDER

• Ending in Chinese dynasties: BBQING, HOMING, LOHAN, WU-TANG

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

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

Meet The Mashable 101: Our list of the content creators shaping the internet today

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 today's Connections.

Today's NYT Strands hints will be easy if you're forever young.

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 September 27, 2026 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: It's skin deep

The words are related to skin.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe skin products.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is horizontal.

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NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is Beauty Care

NYT Strands word list for September 27

• Sunscreen

• Beauty Care

• Serum

• Toner

• Cleanser

• Moisturizer

Meet The Mashable 101: Our list of the content creators shaping the internet today

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 today's Strands.

Today's Wordle answer should be easy to solve if you love to set sail.

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 September 27, 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 September 27, 2026 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

A boat with only one mast.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

Yes, the letter O appears twice.

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

Today's Wordle starts with the letter S.

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...

SLOOP

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.

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

Meet The Mashable 101: Our list of the content creators shaping the internet today

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 today's Wordle.

I'm almost certainly going to move into a new place next year, which means that familiar dread of having to pack up everything is starting to creep in. But as I'm staring at my table full of 3D printers and considering how I'm going to transport them, it occurs to me that maybe these machines could actually help make the whole moving process easier.

The average battery capacity of an Android phone has increased from around 3000 mAh in 2015 to 5291 mAh in January 2026, with certain Chinese OEMs now reaching up to 10,000 mAh in mainstream smartphones. While battery capacity and tech are growing at a rapid pace, so is the power consumption of Android apps. In fact, I charge my device about as often as I did in the old days.

Amazon's Kindle ecosystem offers a lot of convenience. You can browse, purchase, borrow, and download books directly from your Kindle eReader, and sync progress across your devices. This convenience relies on Amazon's cloud services, and when Amazon stopped providing them to my Kindle, I decided to replace them with self-hosted services running on my own hardware.

The end of the month is the streaming equivalent of the day before grocery day. September's new arrivals have been picked clean, October's movie refresh is still days away, and you're rummaging through the back of the pantry. And like a golden bag of unopened Oreos, Paramount+ stashes some great thrillers back there, and below are three of the best for U.S. movie lovers.

NVIDIA has built a phenomenal software ecosystem around its consumer graphics cards, with DLSS often at the heart of the argument for buying a GeForce GPU.

Excel has been around for quite some time, from its original debut as Microsoft Multiplan in 1985 for Macintosh to becoming Excel in 1987 for Windows. Since then, it has continued to improve functionality, capabilities, and even the GUI. The number of formulas, VBA scripting, and macros you can customize to your needs make the software worth going back to. I love its huge library of functions, including formulas and references to information from cells, workbooks, and worksheet tabs.

I always thought Android Auto was about to make driving easier. I spend enough time in my car driving around town, picking up my grandparents, running errands, or waiting for my mom to finish her music class that anything promising to make those moments smoother gets my attention. So when I started testing some of Android Auto's most useful features, I expected small wins. Instead, I started missing the '90s method: just doing it myself.

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

Typically, your default file manager on Linux depends on whichever desktop environment you’re using. If you’re using anything GNOME-based like Ubuntu, you get Nautilus. If you’re using anything KDE Plasma-based like Kubuntu, you’re looking at Dolphin. They’re all fine, but I wouldn’t call them “perfect.” For instance, Nautilus looks clean, minimal, and extremely polished, but lacks a lot of useful functions you’ll find in Dolphin, which, in turn, looks somewhat raw and unrefined.

Comfort shows have a unique appeal. Sometimes you don't want to start something new, keep up with a complicated plot, or spend half an hour deciding what to watch. You just want to put on something familiar, settle in, and let a few episodes play in the background. Unfortunately, finding those shows isn't always as easy as it should be.

Having a smart home shouldn’t mean staring at sensors and flashing lights in every room. Some of the best things you can put in a smart home are inconspicuous and sometimes invisible. Best of all, you can go a long way towards hiding them with a few clever tricks.

These days, streaming is the king of movies. But a few of us still enjoy owning a physical Blu-ray disc. You used to need a Blu-ray player for them, but now gaming consoles like the Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 can do that. Even so, it might be worth it to own a dedicated Blu-ray player.

My new NAS does not stream movies, serve files to every device, run containers, or sit there waiting for the next request. Most of the time, it consumes no power at all.

Kalshi lost another round Friday in its fight over whether states can treat prediction markets as gambling. A three-judge panel of the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati ruled that Ohio and Tennessee can apply their gambling laws to Kalshi's event contracts, Reuters reported.

Kalshi's central argument is that its sports contracts are "swaps," financial products that fall under the CFTC's exclusive oversight rather than state gambling rules. The court rejected that.

SEE ALSO: Polymarket and Kalshi face possible regulation as Supreme Court 'monitors the situation'

Writing for the panel, Circuit Judge Julia Smith Gibbons said swaps generally refer to financial instruments used to hedge risk, not gaming-related contracts. She added that regulating gambling is a core part of a state's police power, and that the federal Commodity Exchange Act does not override Ohio's or Tennessee's gambling laws, according to Reuters.

Gibbons also questioned how betting on the number of corner kicks in a soccer match, or on a long-shot parlay, serves the federal law's goal of helping people manage financial risk.

The ruling overturned a preliminary injunction that had barred Tennessee from enforcing its gambling laws against Kalshi. It also upheld a lower court's refusal to grant Kalshi a similar injunction in Ohio. Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti called the decision a "great win" for the state. Kalshi said it expects the ruling to be overturned.

The unanimous decision deepens a split among federal appeals courts over who gets to regulate the fast-growing industry: individual states or the federal Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC). A split among appeals courts often makes Supreme Court review more likely, but there's no guarantee.

SCOTUS receives thousands of petitions a year and agrees to hear very few. Similar cases are pending in Connecticut, New York, Arizona, Minnesota, and other states.

You're showered, shaved, and dressed to impress. The Uber is two minutes out when your group chat starts pinging like Christmas bells—"Not feeling great, have to bail. Sry." "Something came up. Rain check?" Ugh, there goes your night.