Does Anybody Play Pips? (my puzzles are apps)

[sengsational]

I don't really play games on my phone, but a breakfast time ritual has emerged where my wife shares NYT Connections and NYT Pips screen shots with me and she plays and I make suggestions. What like to do is figure out ways to help with the puzzles, but not use hints.

I found Pips just tedious, for the most part, and have tried, unsuccessfully, to bow out of participating. The way I use my puzzle brain in retirement is to write mobile apps, so the one below is one is not released to the public. It's a quick one that removes some of the tedium from solving the Pips puzzle. Currently I only read the tiles. I tried to get AI to help me read the puzzle board, but it took me in giant circles without progress, so maybe that's a future puzzle for me to solve.

 

[stepford]

Everybody's different, but I kinda like Pips (and Strands and Connections and Spelling Bee). All part of my early morning ritual before I drift into a 2nd sleep before dawn.

 

[sengsational]

For puzzle people that haven't tried Pips, today is a good day to start.

Today, all three levels have solid footing. If I realize it's going to be too much trial and error, I don't bother with the hard level. My wife is dismayed, but when it looks too tedious (nowhere to really get a foot hold), I move on.

 

[Aerides]

I have a membership for Puzzmo. They have a bunch of games, every day. It's designed to be like newspapers of old (lol) where they would have daily puzzles. It's from the maker of Spelltower.

I don't play all their games, but a handful each day is fun.

 

[latexman]

For puzzle people that haven't tried Pips, today is a good day to start.

I tried. How is 5:35 for an easy one for a first timer?

Pips #298 Easy
5:35

 

[sengsational]

Not bad for the learning phase. After some experience, the easy is usually under a minute, the medium under 10 minutes, and a hard that isn't overly tedious under 20. This is for us, DW and I, with some distractions.

 

[tutan]

I mostly play the easy and medium as there usually is a key to solve them. I do find the hard level tedious. There are too many tiles.. it becomes a trial and error exercise.

 

[stepford]

I like Pips because it makes me use a non-verbal part of my brain that the other puzzles don't. I agree that the Hard level can sometimes be tedious and I still give up and don't finish this level on occasion (maybe once every month or two).

I don't worry much about times, but do usually try to get the easy level in under a minute. The Medium level varies a lot for me, sometimes almost as quick as Easy, sometimes almost as tricky as Hard, but typically 2-4 minutes. Hard is usually 10-15 minutes and I'll give up after 20 or so. I agree with Sengsational that today was pretty straightforward - my times were 0:26, 1:08, 2:59.

 

[latexman]

Not bad for the learning phase. After some experience, the easy is usually under a minute, the medium under 10 minutes, and a hard that isn't overly tedious under 20. This is for us, DW and I, with some distractions.

Yes, initially I wasn’t thinking about starting the first tile so at the end there is one space left or one space overlapped. So I had to start over once I saw my mistake. Next time I should remember that. It should cut time in half.

 

[stepford]

Yes, initially I wasn’t thinking about starting the first tile so at the end there is one space left or one space overlapped. So I had to start over once I saw my mistake. Next time I should remember that. It should cut time in half.

I'm sure you'll be killing it shortly. You, NO2L84ER and CincyDave - the ER.org Connections triumvirate - are still vastly better at that game than I even after two years of play.

 

[NancyH]

I really like PIPs, but I think it would be a nice enhancement if you could move the dominoes around in the boneyard, to help you solve the puzzle.