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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 12, 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 12, 2026 Easy difficulty hints, answers for Feb. 12 Pips

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

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

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

Equal (3): Everything in this green space must be equal to 3. The answer is 2-3, placed horizontally; 5-3, placed vertically.

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

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

Medium difficulty hints, answers for Feb. 12 Pips

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

Greater Than (0): Everything in this space must be greater than 0. The answer is 0-6, placed horizontally.

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

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

Equal (3): Everything in this orange space must be equal to 3. The answer is 2-3, placed vertically; 3-4, placed horizontally.

Number (8): Everything in this green space must add up to 8. The answer is 3-4, placed horizontally; 2-4, placed horizontally.

Hard difficulty hints, answers for Feb. 12 Pips

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

Equal (3): Everything in this red space must be equal to 3. The answer is 5-3, placed vertically; 3-3, placed vertically; 3-4, placed horizontally.

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

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

Equal (6): Everything in this light blue space must be equal to 6. The answer is 5-6, placed vertically; 6-6, placed horizontally; 6-0, placed horizontally; 6-1, placed horizontally.

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

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

Equal (4): Everything in this purple space must be equal to 4. The answer is 3-4, placed horizontally; 0-4, placed horizontally; 4-1, placed vertically.

Equal (1): Everything in this space must be equal to 1. The answer is 0-1, placed vertically; 4-1, placed vertically.

Less Than (4): Everything in this space must be less than 4. The answer is 1-2, placed vertically.

Equal (2): Everything in this dark blue space must be equal to 2. The answer is 1-2, placed vertically; 2-4, placed horizontally; 2-5, placed vertically.

Greater Than (4): Everything in this space must be greater than 4. The answer is 12-4, 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 is easy if you have a lot of athletic wear.

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: Plays in Vice City

• Green: Athletic wear

• Blue: Accomplished NBA family

• Purple: Last name Green

Here are today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

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

• Yellow: Miami Teams

• Green: Logos of Athletic Brands

• Blue: Curry Family Members

• Purple: ___Green

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 #507 is...

What is the answer to Connections: Sports Edition today?

• Miami Teams - DOLPHINS, HEAT, HURRICANES, MARLINS

• Logos of Athletic Brands - JUMPMAN, PUMA, SWOOSH, THREE STRIPES

• Curry Family Members - AYESHA, DELL, SETH, STEPH

• ___Green - A.C., DRAYMOND, MEAN, PUTTING

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 today's Connections.

TL;DR: Live stream Sri Lanka vs. Oman in the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 for free on ICC.TV. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The 2026 T20 World Cup action continues this week with a string of interesting matchups, including Sri Lanka vs. Oman. The co-hosts will be looking to build on their opening-round victory over Ireland with a confident win here. Sri Lanka and Australia are favorites to progress from Group B, but you can't ignore Zimbabwe.

If you want to watch Sri Lanka vs. Oman in the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Sri Lanka vs. Oman?

Sri Lanka vs. Oman in the 2026 T20 World Cup starts at 12:30 a.m. ET on Feb. 12. This game takes place at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium.

How to watch Sri Lanka vs. Oman for free

Sri Lanka vs. Oman in the 2026 T20 Cricket World Cup is available to live stream for free on ICC.TV.

This free live stream on ICC.TV is only available in select regions (see full list of territories here), but anyone can live stream the T20 Cricket World Cup for free with a VPN. These helpful tools can hide your IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in a location with free access. This simple process bypasses geo-restrictions so you can live stream on ICC.TV from anywhere in the world.

Live stream Sri Lanka vs. Oman in the 2026 T20 Cricket World Cup for free by following these simple steps:

1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in a location with access

4. Visit ICC.TV

5. Watch the 2026 T20 Cricket World Cup for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.99 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but leading VPNs do tend to offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can gain access to free live streams without committing with your cash. This is obviously not a long-term solution, but it does give you time to watch every game from the 2026 T20 Cricket World Cup (plus the Winter Olympics) before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for ICC.TV?

ExpressVPN is the best service for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on ICC.TV, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries

• Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is always secure

• Fast connection speeds

• Up to 10 simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99 (with money-back guarantee).

Watch the ICC T20 Cricket World Cup 2026 for free with ExpressVPN.

If you like playing daily word games like Wordle, then Hurdle is a great game to add to your routine.

There are five rounds to the game. The first round sees you trying to guess the word, with correct, misplaced, and incorrect letters shown in each guess. If you guess the correct answer, it'll take you to the next hurdle, providing the answer to the last hurdle as your first guess. This can give you several clues or none, depending on the words. For the final hurdle, every correct answer from previous hurdles is shown, with correct and misplaced letters clearly shown.

An important note is that the number of times a letter is highlighted from previous guesses does necessarily indicate the number of times that letter appears in the final hurdle.

If you find yourself stuck at any step of today's Hurdle, don't worry! We have you covered.

SEE ALSO: Hurdle: Everything you need to know to find the answers Hurdle Word 1 hint

The sound a chicken makes.

SEE ALSO: Apple’s new M3 MacBook Air is $300 off at Amazon. And yes, I’m tempted. Hurdle Word 1 answer

CLUCK

Hurdle Word 2 hint

Fortunate.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for February 12, 2026 Hurdle Word 2 Answer

LUCKY

Hurdle Word 3 hint

Sharp edge.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for February 12 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for February 12, 2026 Hurdle Word 3 answer

BLADE

Hurdle Word 4 hint

A primary color.

Hurdle Word 4 answer

GREEN

Final Hurdle hint

To stroll.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Games available on Mashable Hurdle Word 5 answer

AMBLE

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: Live stream the 2026 winter sports skeleton for free on streaming platforms like 9Now, CBC Gem, and BBC iPlayer. Access these free streaming services from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.99 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

We've been truly blessed by all the winter sports on offer right now. We've been making time to watch the ice hockey, snowboarding, freestyle skiing, and everything else on the schedule, but there's more to come.

Looking for something exhilarating? We can't think of any other sports that really come close to skeleton. Athletes throw themselves down narrow ice tracks at high speeds. Luge is feet first. Skeleton is hardcore in comparison, with athletes assuming a head-first position. We know it sounds wild, but they really do seem to have no sense of self preservation.

If you want to watch the 2026 winter sports skeleton for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is the 2026 winter sports skeleton?

The international skeleton schedule takes place from Feb. 12-15.

How to watch 2026 winter sports skeleton for free

The 2026 winter sports skeleton is available to live stream for free on a number of services:

• Australia — 9Now

• Austria — ORF

• Canada — CBC Gem

• France — France TV

• Germany — ARD

• Ireland — RTÉ Player

• Italy — RAI

• Spain — RTVE

• UK — BBC iPlayer

These free live streams are geo-restricted, but anyone can bypass these restrictions with a VPN. These handy tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in another location, meaning you can access free live streams of the 2026 winter sports skeleton from anywhere in the world.

Live stream the 2026 winter sports skeleton by following these simple steps:

1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in a location with free access

4. Watch the 2026 winter sports skeleton for free from anywhere in the world

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but leading VPNs do tend to offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can gain access to free live streams without committing with your cash. This is obviously not a long-term solution, but it does give you time to watch the skeleton before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for live sport?

ExpressVPN is the best service for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries

• Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is always secure

• Fast connection speeds

• Up to 10 simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99 (with money-back guarantee).

Live stream the 2026 winter sports skeleton for free with ExpressVPN.