NYT Games unveils Pips, a domino-inspired puzzle with drag-and-drop play and daily difficulty levels
The New York Times is expanding its puzzle lineup with Pips, a fresh take on a familiar classic. Drawing on the nostalgia many players have for dominoes, the game blends that comforting feel with a modern, human-crafted twist from NYT Games.
“With Pips, we wanted to create something that felt fresh yet familiar. Dominoes evoke nostalgia for many people, and we leaned into that comfort while adding our signature NYT Games human-crafted twist,” said Jonathan Knight, head of Games at The New York Times. “It’s also the first game in our collection to include drag-and-drop gameplay and an interactive ‘How to Play’ experience, making it our most tactile and approachable game yet. We’ve also introduced difficulty levels, with easy, medium, and hard daily puzzles so that solvers can find the challenge that’s right for them.”
Key features highlighted by the team include drag-and-drop gameplay and an interactive How to Play experience, marking Pips as the most tactile and approachable NYT Games release to date. The addition of three daily difficulty levels—easy, medium, and hard—aims to welcome casual players while offering a steady challenge for seasoned solvers.
This launch signals NYT Games’ ongoing effort to diversify its puzzle ecosystem beyond traditional formats, inviting a broader audience to engage with daily puzzles that can scale in difficulty. For players, Pips promises a nostalgic yet contemporary puzzle experience that’s easy to pick up but rewarding to master.
Summary: Pips brings a familiar dominoes-inspired vibe into a modern, interactive puzzle, featuring drag-and-drop play, an interactive How to Play guide, and daily puzzles across three difficulty levels, underscoring NYT Games’ commitment to accessible, engaging puzzles for a wide audience.
Additional comments: The focus on tactile interaction and guided onboarding could help new puzzle enthusiasts feel confident quickly, while daily challenges encourage regular engagement. If the game proves popular, there may be opportunities to highlight user-created strategies or best-play tips in future updates. Overall, this move strengthens NYT Games’ position as a diverse home for interactive puzzles with broad appeal.