# NYT Pips hints and answers for July 13, 2026 Guide and strategies for the Pips puzzle game - **Source:** [Mashable](https://brifing.si/source/3cd6d1d0-9c29-4750-8bc9-f2afefb52505) - **Published:** 2026-07-13 - **Topic:** [Business](https://brifing.si/c/business) - **Original article:** - **On Brifing:** https://brifing.si/s/1a0312ef-9491-4079-a218-40bdb7887683 ## Introduction to Pips Launched by The New York Times in August 2025, Pips offers a unique single-player puzzle experience based on dominoes. Unlike traditional dominoes, it features color-coded areas with special mathematical conditions to fulfill. Currently, the game only provides full solutions rather than gradual hints. ## Game mechanics In Pips, tiles are placed vertically or horizontally like dominoes but matching numbers isn't required. The key is satisfying conditions in colored areas: sum equality, inequality, greater/less than rules. Blank areas allow free placement. Only partial tiles may fall within colored zones. ## Core rules Number conditions require tile sides in the area to sum to specified value. Equality means all halves show same pip count. Inequality demands different numbers, while greater/less than conditions compare sums to thresholds. Understanding these rules is crucial for solving daily puzzles. ## Easy level solutions For July 13's easy level: Sum 6 requires 3-5 vertical + 2-1 horizontal. Equal 2 needs 2-1 + 2-0 horizontal. Less than 1 solution is 2-0 horizontal + 0-3 vertical + 0-5 horizontal. Greater than 3 is solved by 30-5 horizontal. Sum 3 requires 0-3 vertical placement. ## Medium/hard level hints Medium puzzles include sum 4 solved by 1-3 horizontal, equal 5 by 5-5 vertical. Hard level challenges feature sum 8 via 6-2 vertical, equal 4 with 4-4 vertical + 5-4 horizontal, equal 5 with 5-4 + 5-2 horizontal placements. These require careful calculation of multiple conditions. ## Daily puzzle culture Following Wordle and Strands, Pips becomes part of NYT's daily puzzle lineup. Such strategy and math-based games gain popularity for mental exercise. Platforms like Mashable offer alternatives including mahjong and sudoku, creating diverse puzzle ecosystems for enthusiasts. ## Sources covering this story - https://mashable.com/entertainment/pips-nyt-games-hints-answers-easy-medium-hard-july-13-2026 — --- _Summary written by Brifing from the original reporting. Copyright in the original article belongs to its publisher; read the full piece at the link above._