Blogroll

Welcome to your guide to Pips, the latest game in the New York Times catalogue.

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 May 29, 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 May 29, 2026 Easy difficulty hints, answers for May 29 Pips

Less Than (2): Everything in this space must be less than 2. The answer is 0-6, placed horizontally; 0-5, placed vertically.

Equal (6): Everything in this space must be equal to 6. The answer is 0-6, placed horizontally; 6-2, placed horizontally.

Greater Than (2): Everything in this space must be greater than 2. The answer is 6-2, placed horizontally; 1-5, placed vertically.

Number (20): Everything in this space must add up to 20. The answer is 0-5, placed vertically; 5-5, placed horizontally; 1-5, placed vertically.

Medium difficulty hints, answers for May 29 Pips

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

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

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

Number (3): Everything in this space must add up to 3. The answer is 6-1, placed horizontally; 2-0, placed vertically.

Number (4): Everything in this space must add up to 4. The answer is 0-1, placed vertically; 3-2, placed vertically.

Greater Than (0): Everything in this space must be greater than 0. The answer is 3-2, placed vertically.

Hard difficulty hints, answers for May 29 Pips

Less Than (6): Everything in this space must be less than 6. The answer is 0-1, palced horizontally.

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

Less Than (2): Everything in this space must be less than 2. The answer is 2-0, placed horizontally; 0-5, placed vertically.

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

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

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

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

Equal (3): Everything in this space must be equal to 3. The answer is 1-3, placed horizontally; 3-3, placed vertically; 3-0, placed vertically; 5-3, placed vertically.

Number (6): Everything in this space must add up to 6. The answer is 3-0, placed vertically; 6-2, placed vertically.

Number (2): Everything in this space must add up to 2. The answer is 3-2, placed vertically; 0-4, placed vertically.

Equal (4): Everything in this space must be equal to 4. The answer is 0-4, placed vertically; 1-4, placed vertically; 4-2, placed horizontally.

Equal (2): Everything in this space must be equal to 2. The answer is 4-2, placed horizontally; 2-2, placed horizontally; 6-2, placed vertically.

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

You won't have to wait much longer to buy Slate Auto's first EV. The Jeff Bezos-backed startup is telling customers via email that it will begin taking orders for the low-priced, modular truck on June 24th ahead of deliveries later in the year.

For All Mankind season 5 might be coming to a close, but the new spin-off show, Star City, is just getting started. Star City premieres with two episodes on Apple TV on May 29 at 12 a.m. PT/3 a.m. ET.

The Nissan Pathfinder has been hauling people and their stuff around since 1986, when it arrived as a compact pickup-based off-roader before eventually growing into the three-row SUV it is today.

TL;DR: Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows is available for $29.97 (reg. $219.99) through May 31 at 11:59 p.m. PT.

Opens in a new window Credit: Microsoft Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows: Lifetime License $29.97
$219.99 Save $190.02   Get Deal

If you’re shopping for Microsoft Office and don’t necessarily need Microsoft’s latest release, this right here could save you quite a bit of money. Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows is price-dropped to $29.97 (reg. $219.99) through May 31 at 11:59 p.m. PT.

Instead of paying an ongoing subscription fee for Microsoft 365, this package provides access to Microsoft’s classic productivity apps with a one-time purchase.

Mashable Deals Be the first to know! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Loading... Sign Me Up By signing up, you agree to receive recurring automated SMS marketing messages from Mashable Deals at the number provided. Msg and data rates may apply. Up to 2 messages/day. Reply STOP to opt out, HELP for help. Consent is not a condition of purchase. See our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Thanks for signing up!

One advantage of Office Professional 2021 is the inclusiveness of software included. While newer Office editions often focus on the core essentials, this package comes with eight applications: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams, OneNote, Publisher, and Access.

That means users can handle everything from document creation and email management to database projects and business presentations without piecing together multiple software solutions. Excel remains a go-to tool for budgeting, reporting, and data analysis, while Word and PowerPoint continue to be primary programs for professional communication.

Although Office 2021 isn’t Microsoft’s newest version, that may not be a pitfall for many buyers. If your main goal is reliable access to familiar Office applications rather than the newest feature releases or bundled cloud storage, Office 2021 can be a more cost-effective option. In fact, this deal includes more applications than Office 2024 Home & Business, making it a smart choice for users who want the broadest set of desktop tools.

Before purchasing, it’s worth noting that Office Professional 2021 requires Windows 10 or Windows 11 and installs on one Windows PC.

For anyone looking to equip a home office, small business, or personal workstation without stretching their software budget, Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows is available for $29.97 through May 31 at 11:59 p.m. PT.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: The GoCable 8-in-1 EDC 100W Cable is on sale for $21.99 (reg. $49.99) and combines fast charging, multiple connectors, cable management, and everyday tools in one compact gadget.

Opens in a new window Credit: GoCable GoCable 8-in-1 EDC 100W Cable $21.99
$49.99 Save $28.00   Get Deal

Is your bag, desk drawer, or carry-on overflowing with charging cables, adapters, and random accessories? The GoCable 8-in-1 EDC Cable is here to turn all of that disarray into convenience, consolidating all that clutter into one clever, pocket-sized tool, and it’s on sale for $21.99 (reg. $49.99).

We’ve seen multi-purpose charging accessories before, but GoCable stands out by packing an impressive range of features into something small enough to clip onto your keychain or backpack.

Mashable Deals Be the first to know! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Loading... Sign Me Up By signing up, you agree to receive recurring automated SMS marketing messages from Mashable Deals at the number provided. Msg and data rates may apply. Up to 2 messages/day. Reply STOP to opt out, HELP for help. Consent is not a condition of purchase. See our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Thanks for signing up!

The GoCable supports up to 100W charging speeds when paired with a compatible power source. That means it’s ready for everything from smartphones and tablets to laptops and other USB-C devices. Plus, with both USB-C and Apple Lightning compatibility, it’s great for those who always have a mix of devices.

It’s built-in LED display shows charging info in real time. Instead of not knowing whether your device is charging efficiently, you can see the status right on the cable itself.

GoCable also features magnetic cable management, keeping cords neatly wrapped and tangle-free. It’s great for travelers, commuters, photographers, drone users, and content creators alike (basically anyone carrying multiple gadgets).

It also comes loaded with extras: a built-in bottle opener, a safe cutter for opening packages, a carabiner clip for attaching to bags or gear, and support for high-speed data transfers between devices.

Plus, rather than carrying separate charging accessories and small utility tools, users get several everyday functions bundled into one compact gadget that’s less than six inches long.

If you want to travel lighter with your tech, the GoCable 8-in-1 EDC 100W Cable can do that for you for just $21.99 (reg. $49.99).

StackSocial prices subject to change.

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

Luxury used to be all about aspiration. People paid extra for nicer materials, smoother performance, quieter cabins, and the badge on the hood that signaled you’d “made it.”

We've reached the last weekend in May, meaning all the shows that premiere on June 1 or later will compete at the 2027 Emmys rather than the 2026 ceremony in the fall. Keep in mind that the high-profile shows of June, including Cape Fear on Apple TV and House of the Dragon on HBO Max, are ones to keep an eye on.

Anthropic isn't ready to let regular users look at its supposedly super-powerful Claude Mythos AI model just yet. But the AI company has just released an upgrade to its flagship product, Claude Opus — now in its 4.8 version.

"It builds on Opus 4.7 with improvements across benchmarks, and is a more effective collaborator," Anthropic promised in a press release Thursday. Indeed, the benchmark numbers, below, show very minor improvements across the board.

One major improvement, allegedly, is in the area of hallucinations. Claude Opus 4.8 won't lie to users as much. "Early testers report that Opus 4.8 is more likely to flag uncertainties about its work and less likely to make unsupported claims," Anthropic said, touting the model's "honesty."

Claude Opus 4.8 has 'better judgment'

"Claude Opus 4.8 has noticeably better judgment," an engineer at Shopify, Tom Pritchard, told Anthropic. The coding version of the model "asks the right questions, catches its own mistakes, and pushes back when a plan isn't sound."

Given the increasing number of horror stories about AI agents deleting entire corporate databases, that promise may be music to the ears of vibe coders everywhere.

To please power users, Anthropic is offering a significant discount on "fast mode," where Claude will work at 2.5 times regular speed. Fast mode "is now three times cheaper than it was for previous models," the company said.

Users on Reddit weren't buying it, however. Many feared a loss of access to a more popular model, Claude Opus 4.6. "Nobody trusts the benchmark charts," wrote one redditor in summary, noting that Opus 4.7 also seemed to have some pretty good numbers when it was released.

Whether or not we can trust the benchmarks — and to be clear, Mashable hasn't independently verified these numbers — here's what Anthropic is claiming.

Credit: Anthropic How to try Claude Opus 4.8

Claude Opus 4.8 is available now via Anthropic's website, Claude.AI, as well as via the Claude API, plus Anthropic partners like Microsoft Foundry.

The new model is priced exactly the same as its predecessors, which is to say models going all the way back to Claude Opus 4.5. All of them will cost you $5 per million input tokens and $25 per million output tokens.

Given that Anthropic is promising Claude Mythos within a matter of weeks, however, you may want to hang back and wait to see whether that model can be even more "honest" about its hallucinations.

Toyota has spent decades building a reputation for making some of the most dependable SUVs on the road. For many buyers, that reputation alone is enough to put the brand at the top of their shopping list. However, the company is currently going through a major transition period, with many of its most important SUVs either entering new generations or adopting hybrid powertrains for the first time.

The modern smartphone landscape is a creative desert. Samsung's Galaxy S26 Ultra is technically outstanding, but held back by an uninspired design and generic software. Google's Pixel 10 Pro? It's better-looking, but won't thrill you unless you prize camera quality and AI. Even foldables have settled into a groove, with the Galaxy Z Fold 7 pulling bolder ideas like the S Pen in the name of thinness.

Luxury sedans used to sit right at the top of the automotive world. Before SUVs took over and giant screens became the main event, they were the cars automakers threw everything at—comfort, silence, performance, and tech all in one package.

After months of teases, Waymo is ready to offer public rides in its first purpose-built, widely available robotaxi, and it's billed as a "living room on wheels" with the technology upgrade to match.

Autonomous robotaxi company Waymo just announced a fleet of new vehicles — the Ojai — that it describes as roomier and more accessible than its typical Jaguar I-PACE cars.

The self-driving Ojai offers “elevator-like doors,” low steps, flat floors, and a seat-integrated handle, features the Google-owned company says make it easier for riders to get in and out of the vehicle. Waymo describes the space inside the Ojai as a "living room on wheels." The Ojai interior shares some similarities with Waymo competitor Zoox, which operates a fleet of carriage-style autonomous cars.

The Ojai has three large LED screens that display routes, temperature controls, and music options, with embedded braille and screen-reader compatibility (low-vision riders have expressed an affinity for self-driving cars in a recent New York Times report).

The Ojai will feature the 6th-generation Waymo Driver tech, which the company says will enable the cars to operate more effectively in snowy conditions. Don’t look for the cars in New York or Boston, though; they will first roll out as free rides for select riders in the temperate cities of Los Angeles, Phoenix, and San Francisco, before moving to Denver, Las Vegas, and San Diego.

SEE ALSO: Robot, take the wheel: What you need to know about autonomous vehicles rolling out across the U.S.

Speaking of weather, Waymo recently suspended rides in San Antonio, Houston, Dallas, and Atlanta after some of its cars drove into floods. Still, Waymo proudly touts its safety record, recently releasing data showing that its Waymo Driver tech was involved in 92 percent fewer serious crashes than human drivers under the same conditions. Additionally, Waymo stated that its cars have a 13x lower rate of serious injury or fatal crashes than human drivers.

The art of binge-watching comes in many forms. It's fun to embark on a multi-week journey to stream a long-running show that you always wanted to watch. Other times, I can sit down for dinner and finish an entire series before it's time to go to bed.

Full-size pickup trucks have become the default choice for a lot of buyers, despite the fact that most people rarely use even half of the capability they offer. Massive towing figures and oversized dimensions may look impressive on paper, but they also come with higher prices, worse fuel economy, and a more cumbersome driving experience. For the average driver, a modern mid-size truck often makes far more sense.

I've come to realize that the problem with PC storage isn't capacity, it's scalability. After all, while even a small 250GB drive has its uses, no one is stopping you from buying an 8TB SSD. Sure, it'll cost a fortune, but you do you.

In many ways, Google Messages is a big step forward for texting on Android, but in other ways, it's a trap. Just like how using Google Messages makes it exceedingly difficult to transfer your number back to any other texting app, enabling backups in Google Messages comes with inadvertent downsides as well.

Google should be celebrating the release of the Fitbit Air this month. The new screen-less fitness tracker gives competitors like Whoop and even aspects of the Apple Watch a run for their money with a number of unique features.

Instead, Google is now dealing with backlash from some fo Fitbit's existing user base after the company retired the Fitbit app and replaced it with a new AI-focused Google Health app.

On Reddit, not all Fitbit users are happy with the change, to say the least.

"Thanks, Google, for ruining Fitbit," reads one post, which has received nearly 2,000 upvotes on the r/fitbit subreddit. "I’ve been using Fitbit for over 10 years and I canceled my premium membership today. The Google Health [app] is awful. No one asked for this. Google owes us all a refund on these watches."

Are you an Apple superfan? Enter Mashable’s Big Guessing Game to win prizes.

SEE ALSO: Google Fitbit Air: 6 unique features that could tempt us to switch

On social media platforms like Reddit, some long-time Fitbit users have shared their dislike for the new Google Health user interface, which they say is less intuitive and customizable than the old Fitbit app. Others are upset that Google appears to have removed data that was previously available, like certain sleep tracking stats and in-app challenges.

And then, of course, there are complaints about the AI features. The AI coach wasn't a surprise. In fact, Google rolled out trials of these AI features in the Fitbit app prior to the migration. However, within the old Fitbit app, users had control over the AI features and could turn them off. That's not the case with the new Google Health app.

The Google Fitbit Air is a screenless fitness tracker. Credit: Google SEE ALSO: I tested the top fitness trackers for running a marathon (by running the NYC marathon)

"Beyond frustrated with the forced 'Google Health' update," reads another Reddit post with more than 1,200 upvotes. "I participated in the public preview for the new version of this app, and turned it off after a week. It was clear that Gemini was extremely poorly implemented, and the new version was not ready for public use. It appears that they have launched in exactly the same state as it was." 

"Why must I now scroll through paragraphs of AI slop on every tab before I can actually see my activities and data?" the Reddit user continued.

Since Google Health's release, Fitbit users have also been bombing the app with negative reviews on Google Play.

"The overhaul of the original Fitbit app is absolutely terrible," reads one review on the Google Play store. "It forces AI on you at every turn, all the information in the app is AI-based, besides from the raw data collected by your Fitbit device. Awful app, 0/10 CANNOT recommend. Give me back the Fitbit app over this trash any day."

"Lacks most of the information that was available on Fitbit, can't track just daily activity, no stress component," reads another. "I guess I will get an Apple Watch."

For Google's part, the company does appear to realize the severity of the situation and has already responded with a roadmap to address users' issues with the app.

According to Google, it's currently working on a series of improvements and bug fixes for the Google Health app. A list of those changes can be found at the Google support site and will roll out starting this week.

Want to learn more about getting the best out of your tech? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories and Deals newsletters today.

If you’re in the market for a new speaker system and are on a limited budget, you should seriously consider getting a quality stereo (2.0 or 2.1) system instead of a cheap, but compromised, surround setup. A high-end stereo setup has always been, and likely always will be, a better choice than a cheap and poor-sounding surround sound system for reasons that go beyond superior sound quality.