The New York Times released a new set of hints and answers for its puzzle game “Pips” on February 16, 2026. The guidance is intended for players who have encountered difficulties with the day’s challenges across its three difficulty levels. This information is provided directly by the publication’s games division, which operates the title.
About the Pips game
Pips is a digital puzzle game based on domino mechanics, developed and published by The New York Times Company. It was added to the publisher’s portfolio of games in August 2025. The game is designed as a single-player experience and is positioned as a potential daily activity for its users, similar to other puzzles in the Times’ collection.
The core gameplay involves a unique interpretation of traditional domino rules, translated into a puzzle format. Players interact with digital domino tiles to solve logic-based challenges. The game presents puzzles categorized by difficulty: Easy, Medium, and Hard.
Availability of Player Assistance
As of February 16, 2026, the game’s built-in assistance features for players who are stuck on a puzzle are limited. When users encounter a difficult puzzle, the in-game system does not provide comprehensive hints or solutions. This has led third-party websites and community forums to become primary sources for external guidance, such as step-by-step answers and strategic advice.
The hints and answers published for February 16, 2026, cover solutions for all three difficulty tiers. This external support material typically details the sequence of moves or the logical approach required to complete the specific puzzles of that date.
Context Within NYT Games
Pips joins an established suite of games offered by The New York Times, which includes the flagship Crossword, Spelling Bee, and Wordle. The introduction of Pips represents the company’s ongoing strategy to expand its digital gaming offerings and engage users with diverse puzzle types. The games are accessible through a dedicated section of the New York Times website and its mobile applications, often under a subscription model.
The development and release of new games like Pips are part of a broader trend where traditional media companies diversify their digital content to build reader loyalty and create additional revenue streams. Puzzle and word games have proven to be particularly effective at driving daily user engagement.
Future Developments
Based on the standard update schedule for New York Times games, new Pips puzzles are expected to be released daily. Corresponding hints and answers from unofficial community sources will likely continue to be published on a daily basis following each new puzzle release. The New York Times has not announced any immediate plans to integrate a more robust hint system directly into the Pips game interface, but such features are common in the broader puzzle game genre and could be considered for future updates.
Source: Mashable
