August 2025
How to Play (and Win) Pips
The NYT’s domino-based game, Pips, disappeared from beta a short while ago and made a grand entrance on the Games page and app this week. We’ve already told you what Pips is, but now I’d like to discuss gameplay and strategy.
Where to play Pips
Pips is available for free on the NYT Games page, as well as in the Games app for subscribers.
Tips for playing
Every day there are three Pips games: easy, medium, and hard. The first time you play, you’re greeted with a little tutorial. Tap a domino to rotate it, then either drag or tap to move it to a place on the game board. The board gives you some rules that you’ll need to follow; the game doesn’t end until you’ve placed all the dominoes and satisfied all the rules.
After solving, the main metric you’re greeted with is the time it took you to solve it. You can choose to display a timer while you’re playing, if you like.
When you start, avoid these things that might trip you up:
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The rules of traditional dominoes do not apply. Adjacent tiles don’t need to be the same number, and you can’t place the end of one tile in a way where it’s touching the middle of another.
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The numbers for each region are a sum, not the value of each square. So if there are two squares with a label that says “2,” that means you can fill each square with a one-dot domino end. Not two two-dot ends.
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All areas where you can place a domino are colored in, even if they don’t have a label. You can’t place a domino where it doesn’t have a spot to sit in, and all such spots will be filled by the time you solve the puzzle.
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Tap “Reference” for a key to the labels if you forget what the symbols mean. This is just a cheat sheet; it doesn’t send you through the whole tutorial.
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Remember the difference between greater than (>) and lesser than (. As my elementary school math teacher told me, the symbol is an alligator mouth that is in the middle of two numbers, and it wants to eat the bigger one. So if the label says “> 3” that means my number, call it X, could go in the sentence “X > 3” and it must be greater than 3 because the alligator wants to eat my number.
How to win (quickly)
I’m still a newcomer to Pips myself, but I made sure to play several games before I wrote this guide. The fan-created pips.io allows unlimited play, so it’s a great way to practice. The NYT has a habit of shutting down fan versions of their games, so fingers crossed this one stays up a little longer. (I learned about it from the r/nytgames subreddit.)
For the tips below, I’m going to refer to each end of a domino (or the space it sits in) as a “square.” Here are the strategies that seem to help me so far:
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Look at the one-square regions first. Sometimes they’ll only have one possible solution, or they’ll narrow down your options.
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Look for shapes that can only work in one position. For example, four squares in a block could mean two dominoes placed vertically or two placed horizontally. But if there is a vertical line with many squares, and just one square outside that line, you know the square outside the line indicates a horizontal domino. This gets you started on getting the right arrangement of dominoes, even if you don’t know exactly what goes where.
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Count the number of identical numbers. For example, if there’s a region labeled with an equals sign, and there are four squares in that region, there needs to be a number that is repeated at least four times in your set of dominoes. So if you have four six-pip squares, that’s a possibility. But if you only have three five-pip squares, you know the number that gets repeated in the equals region isn’t going to be five.
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If there’s a region that sums to a relatively large number, save that for later. There are lots of ways to make 13, but fewer ways to make 2. Work on the smaller parts first.
So far, I’m not finding that I need much clever strategy to solve each day’s puzzles in a minute or two; even the hard ones don’t seem that hard. Yet. If I’ve learned anything from the rollout of new NYT games, it’s that they draw you in with simple puzzles, and then spring the tough ones on you when you let your guard down. If you found any strategies I’ve missed, let me know below.
Former Heat security officer admits in court to stealing jerseys worth millions, feds say
A former Miami Heat security officer has pleaded guilty in federal court to a charge in connection to stealing team memorabilia worth millions of dollars and selling the items to online brokers.
Retired Miami police officer Marcos Tomas Perez appeared Tuesday at U.S. Superior Court for the Southern District of Florida and issued a guilty plea to transporting and transferring stolen goods in interstate commerce, after pleading not guilty to the felony count at an initial hearing earlier this month.
Perez’s attorney, Robert Buschel, told NBC6 in Florida after Tuesday’s hearing that Perez is “depressed, naturally, but he accepts responsibility for his behavior and we’re gonna work through this issue in his life.”
Perez, 62, faces up to 10 years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000. He is scheduled to be sentenced on Oct. 31.
Read more:Ex-Miami Heat employee accused of stealing jerseys worth millions — including LeBron James’
“I hope that the judge will consider all factors in his life and his history as a good person,” Buschel said. “He was an exemplary police officer in the city of Miami, he’s been retired for close to 10 years. This was an unfortunate set of decisions that he made and he’s going to accept responsibility for that.”
Buschel declined to comment any further when reached by The Times via email Wednesday.
According to a news release by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida and the Miami field office of the FBI, Perez has admitted to stealing hundreds of game-worn jerseys and other memorabilia worth millions of dollars belonging to the Heat and selling them to online brokers.
One such item was a jersey that LeBron James wore in Game 7 of the 2013 NBA Finals, during which James and the Heat defeated the San Antonio Spurs 95-88 to win their second consecutive championship. After Perez allegedly sold the jersey for around $100,000, it was sold in an online auction for $3.7 million in 2023.
According to court documents, other stolen items included jerseys signed by former Heat stars Dwyane Wade, Jimmy Butler, Chris Bosh, Alonzo Mourning and Shaquille O’Neal, as well as team jackets, game-worn sneakers and more.
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Kyle Tucker gets benched, Shane Bieber to return from UCL tear & Brian Anderson joins the show
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Kyle Tucker was in Atlanta, Georgia, on July 15, playing in an unforgettable MLB All-Star Game. Just over a month later, Tucker finds himself headed to the bench amidst a cacophony of boos. The All-Star has not been putting up All-Star type numbers. He has been hitting a dismal .160 average in August and has not hit a home run since July 19. Tucker hopes to hit a reset and figure a way out of his slump from the dugout as the Cubs, who currently lead the NL Wild Card race, look to make a push for the postseason. Jake Mintz and Jordan Shusterman discuss the lead-up to this benching and how Tucker and the Cubs can figure out a way forward.
“I’ve never seen anything like this from a Brewers team” is a strong statement, especially coming from Milwaukee Brewers and Turner Sports broadcaster, Brian Anderson. Anderson joins the show and chats with Jake and Jordan about the magical season the Brewers are having thus far. What is it about this team that makes them different from everyone else? Anderson talks about what he is seeing out of Brewers’ manager Pat Murphy and how he has seen him change over time. The three also discuss Brewers’ associate manager Ricky Weeks and how vital he is to the team’s success. Finally, they discuss Christian Yelich and the leadership role he now plays in the clubhouse.
Later on in the show, the guys fill you in on what is happening Around The League. In Toronto, Shane Bieber is preparing to return on Friday from his 2024 UCL tear, and subsequent Tommy John surgery. Plus, Seattle Mariner Victor Robles has been suspended 10 games from his bat-throwing incident. Jake and Jordan fill you in on their thoughts of these situations plus everything else around the league.
Get over that mid-week hump here on Baseball Bar-B-Cast.
Photo by Geoff Stellfox/Getty Images
Photo by Geoff Stellfox/Getty Images
(2:41) – Kyle Tucker gets benched
(18:23) – Brian Anderson talks Milwaukee Brewers
(56:01) – Kansas City Royals playoff push
(1:00:38) – Francisco Lindor’s misreported injury
(1:04:49) – Shane Bieber returns & Victor Robles gets suspended
Follow the show on X at @CespedesBBQ
Follow Jake @Jake_Mintz
Follow Jordan @J_Shusterman_
🖥️ Watch this full episode on YouTube
Check out the rest of the Yahoo Sports podcast family at https://apple.co/3zEuTQj or at Yahoo Sports Podcasts
The Galaxy Fold 7 Just Dropped $340
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If you’ve been eyeing Samsung’s latest foldable, now might be the time to make the jump. Samsung just dropped the price of the 512GB Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7’s price to $1,779.99, a full $340 off its regular $2,119.99 price—maybe to take some attention off Google’s recently revealed Pixel 10 lineup. Oddly enough, Samsung’s discount makes the 512GB model just $70 more than the 256GB version, which means you’re getting double the storage for not much more money.
The deal applies to just the Jet Black color option, but you might need to take a few extra clicks to see the deal: The main product page defaults to the 256GB model. You’ll need to scroll down, select the 512GB storage option, and that’s where you’ll see the sale. It’s worth the extra click or two. Our Associate Tech Editor, Michelle Ehrhardt, called the Galaxy Z Fold 7 “the best foldable you can get” in her review.
The Fold 7 is a surprisingly refined piece of tech for people who want a phone and tablet in one. Unfold it and you’ve got a massive, almost square display that’s great for multitasking, reading, or watching videos without the black bars you get on a standard phone. Fold it up and you’re back to a more traditional (but still big) cover screen for quick replies, navigation, or taking a call. Samsung’s made the hinge slimmer and sturdier this year, and the phone feels more balanced in-hand than earlier versions. Cameras are solid, too, handling day and night shots well and making video calls look sharp.
That said, if you’re more of a flip phone person, the Galaxy Z Flip 7 is also seeing a no-brainer storage upgrade deal. The 256GB model is $1,099.99, the same as the 512GB model in Jet Black. That’s the same price for twice the space, which is rare in smartphone pricing. With both the Fold 7 and Flip 7 models, you’re getting Samsung’s best displays, strong build quality, and a design that’s still a head-turner in 2025. If you’re already spending over a grand, it makes sense to grab the extra storage, especially when it costs less than the base version.
Our Best Editor-Vetted Tech Deals Right Now
Google Pixel 10 128GB Unlocked Phone With $100 Amazon Gift Card (Obsidian)
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Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge 256GB Unlocked AI Phone (Titanium JetBlack)
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Google Pixel 10 128GB Unlocked Phone With $100 Amazon Gift Card (Obsidian)
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Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge 256GB Unlocked AI Phone (Titanium JetBlack)
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Deals are selected by our commerce team
Here Are Google’s New Magnetic ‘Pixelsnap’ Phone Accessories
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At the Made by Google 2025 event where the Google Pixel 10 series was fully unveiled, the company also announced a new lineup of accessories under the Pixelsnap brand name. This is Google’s answer to Apple’s MagSafe lineup of iPhone accessories, and they work the same way. Google’s lineup uses magnets to attach to Pixel 10 smartphones (and other compatible phones), and it supports the Qi 2 wireless charging standard. You can pre-order these accessories today or find them in stores starting August 28.
Pixelsnap chargers
Credit: Google
The Pixelsnap Charger can be purchased with or without a stand. Interestingly, the Pixelsnap Charger can charge the Pixel 10 Pro XL at 25W, but all other devices at 15W. This means that if you buy the Pixel 10, 10 Pro, or 10 Pro Fold, you’re going to get the same charging speed as that on any other phone that supports Qi2 wireless charging. The charging puck can be detached from the stand, which is a handy feature for travel, because carrying the stand everywhere with you isn’t always practical.
The Pixelsnap Charger can be yours for $40, and if you want it with the stand, the price is $70.
A few cases compatible with the wireless chargers
Credit: Google
The Pixelsnap lineup also includes cases. All of Google’s Pixel 10 cases are Pixelsnap compatible, which means that you don’t have to remove the case when you’re using the wireless charger. There are quite a few color options here, but not all color variants are available for the Pixel 10 Pro XL and Pixel 10 Pro Fold phones. The price of a case starts at $50 and goes all the way up to $70.
Pixelsnap Ring Stand props up your phone
Credit: Google
Google’s also launched a stand, sans charger, to help you prop up your smartphone. You can also use this accessory to turn your Pixel into a desk clock when you’re not using the device. The Pixelsnap Ring Stand costs $30.
A dual-port fast charger
Credit: Google
The Pixel Flex charger is not a Pixelsnap accessory, per se, but you’re going to need it if you want a wall adapter to charge your devices. It’s a dual-port fast charger, with two USB-C ports and support for up to 67W fast charging. Google says it features a proprietary algorithm that “identifies and prioritizes charging Pixel phones, while still powering a second device simultaneously.” This product is priced at $60.
And there’s more
The Pixelsnap lineup doesn’t end with Google’s own products. You’ll also find Pixelsnap-compatible accessories by third-party manufacturers, which includes phone cases, wallets, and other products. Some of these are available right now, so feel free to check them out. If the Pixel 10 succeeds, there’s a chance that more accessories with Pixelsnap support will show up, but for now, there are enough options to get you going.
Chicago Cubs look like they’re rediscovering their swagger vs. Brewers — and just in time
CHICAGO — Storms rolling through the city of Chicago this week felt symbolic of where the Cubs stood as they came into the biggest week of their 2025 season. The Cubs, gearing up for this week’s five-game set against the Milwaukee Brewers, have been weathering major storms throughout the season’s second half.
And after dropping the first game vs. Milwaukee 7-0 on Monday, Chicago had two options. They could let the Brewers walk into Wrigley Field and snuff out any remaining hope of a division title, or the Cubs could fight back and show the baseball world they aren’t out of it yet.
After weeks of seeming unable to pick themselves up off the ground, through the first three games of this series, the Cubs look like they’ve finally found some fight. They swept Tuesday’s doubleheader by scores of 6-4 and 4-1, taking back some momentum with two games left to play.
“This is a good baseball team that’s earned a very good position and future and excitement for the last seven weeks of the season,” manager Craig Counsell said. “And that means there’s challenges, man. Bring ’em on.”
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It has been a tale of two seasons for the Cubs and a roller coaster when it comes to their place in the pecking order of MLB’s elite. For months, the vibes couldn’t have been better at the corner of Clark and Addison. For the first time since late 2018, the Cubs looked like a team that was not only one of the best in baseball but also capable of reaching the World Series.
The biggest reason for that success was an offense that had a little bit of everything. Whether it was slug, speed, command of the strike zone or on-base ability, the Cubs were putting together the best offense in baseball and sitting atop the NL thanks to that production.
However, in the weeks since the All-Star break, the same offense that made Chicago a threat in October vanished. The team’s elite hitters — Michael Busch, Kyle Tucker, Seiya Suzuki and Pete Crow-Armstrong — went ice cold, and the rest of the lineup cooled off, too. And when the Cubs’ offense began to tank, it looked like some of their confidence and swagger disappeared as well.
What better opportunity to get that swagger back than playing well against a Brewers team that came into the series on a tear, having taken over the division and the top spot in the NL with an incredible run this summer?
For weeks, the Cubs have been looking for a spark to get themselves going again, and they might have found it in the form of top prospect Owen Caissie, who starred in Chicago’s doubleheader sweep. The Canadian-born outfielder, who was called up Thursday, went 3-for-6 with a home run and four RBI against the Brewers.
And the Cubs’ offense followed suit, scoring 10 runs across the two games.
“It’s awesome for him to be able to get his first hit … and his first home run to be able to help us in a big way today is huge,” Busch said. “And then, he had an opportunity [in Game 1] and came up short, as we all do. But he came back that second one and drove in a huge run. Like those at-bats at that age, to be able to do it, it’s a testament to him and the work that he’s put in.”
While the Cubs seem to have found some direction after treading water, there’s still plenty of work to be done in the final two games of this series — and the final two months of the season. The Cubs sit seven games back in the division entering Wednesday but hold the top wild card in the NL. For Chicago to make some noise down the stretch and into October, the offense has to show it can be consistent again, with elite production from the likes of Busch, Suzuki, Crow-Armstrong and Tucker.
While he’s not the only culprit for the offense disappearing, a lot of Chicago’s aura in the first half came from both the presence and production of Tucker, indisputably one of baseball’s top hitters. When things were going well in Chicago, the four-time All-Star was right in the middle of the action, with an OPS around .900 and most of his offensive numbers in line with his career averages.
But with the Cubs preparing for their last stand against the Brewers, their best player was benched Tuesday, with his OPS having cratered since the break, sitting at .572 over his past 26 games. Tucker’s benching felt symbolic of a Cubs season that started off so well but now feels in danger of being wasted because of underperformance from the roster and inactivity at the trade deadline.
At this point in the season, hoping for results from Tucker and the rest of the team’s core isn’t going to get the Cubs where they want to go. With the stakes as high as ever entering the final two games vs. Milwaukee, the Cubs’ stars need to deliver — and quickly — to keep their season on pace for the postseason.
The Cubs could gain some more ground on the Brewers this week, but no matter how this series concludes, they will likely be fighting to secure a wild card over the last 36 games of the season. Regardless of the team ahead of them in the standings, Chicago’s focus has to be on righting the ship and not letting this season go to waste.
“I’m not scared of these challenges, and the guys in there aren’t scared of these challenges,” Counsell said. “This is a Major League Baseball season, and you gotta earn playoff spots.”
Chicago sweeping the five-game series could’ve altered the outlook in the division, but with the gap between the teams so significant coming into the week, the Central might be all but wrapped up already. For a Cubs team that needed to regain its identity, showing up against Milwaukee and not getting run out of their own building probably means just as much down the stretch.
[Get more Chicago news: Cubs team feed]
The Cubs have needed to get right for weeks, so even in a series split, being able to fight and show signs of life on offense is significant. The pressure on this Cubs team remains at a season-high, but it’s starting to feel like momentum is on their side once again.
“Not just against the Brewers, I feel like every win matters for us at this point in the year, and division aside, just worrying about ourselves,” starting pitcher Jameson Taillon said. “Like, it’s nice to get some good wins against a good team. I don’t like to concern ourselves too much with chasing them all the time. They’re playing great baseball. They’ve been on a generational run right now.
“But to win two games in one day against a team that’s that good — that’s big, and hopefully it’s something we can build off and just concern ourselves with ourselves.”
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The Newest Garmin Forerunners Now Have a Smart Wake Alarm, a Calculator, and More
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The latest software update for Garmin Forerunner 570 and 970 watches, and for the Fenix 8, adds a smart wake alarm, previously only available on the Vivoactive 6 and the Index sleep monitor, which I reviewed here. The update brings a few other new features, including automatic rest countdowns for strength activities (even if you aren’t following a structured workout).
How to update
This is a regular update, not a beta. You can update by going to settings and then System, Software Update, and Check for Updates. You want to make sure you’re up to 12.70 to get the smart alarm and other new features.
Here are the release notes for the Forerunner 570 and Forerunner 970 versions of the update. The Fenix 8 also gets a smart alarm and other features in its 17.28 update.
Here are some of the other new features:
How the smart alarm works
Credit: Beth Skwarecki
Once you’ve updated, you’ll see a few new options when you set an alarm. To set alarms, go to your watch’s settings (from long pressing the middle left button) and then select Clocks.
Now, when setting an alarm, you can turn on a toggle for “Smart Wake.” When this is on, the alarm may wake you up at any time in the 30 minutes prior to the set time. (So a 7:30 alarm would wake you up between 7:00 and 7:30). The alarm will wake you early if the watch detects that you’ve gotten enough of a full night’s sleep and if it can detect you being in a lighter sleep stage.
Smart alarms will have a yellow sparkle icon, and will give the time as a window (like “7:00-7:30”) in the list of alarms.
Focus modes
Credit: Beth Skwarecki
You can now adjust your watch’s settings based on a focus. We’ve already had Sleep Mode, but now you can enable Theater Mode, which turns off move alerts (thank you!), mutes all sounds, sets brightness to low, and disables the gesture that turns on the screen when you move your wrist.
For now, my only options are Sleep, Theater, and Activity. I can edit the settings of each mode from the Garmin Connect app, but I can’t add new modes there. Instead, I have to go into settings on the watch and select Focus Modes, scroll to the bottom, and tap Add. This option isn’t available from the shortcut menu on the watch, only the settings.
Automatic rest countdowns for strength workouts
What it looks like after time is up
Credit: Beth Skwarecki
Credit: Beth Skwarecki
I’ve always loved the way I can program a strength workout and get an automatic rest timer when I finish each set, so that it buzzes when I need to get up and do the next set.
Now, you can get that feature even on “free” strength workouts—the ones where you aren’t following a specific workout, but just doing your thing in the gym and hitting the lap button to start and end sets.
Before you begin your strength workout, there’s now a menu item for Rest Countdown. Turn that on, and set it to your desired time—for example, two minutes. (Need help deciding? I’ve written about rest times here. Most of you are not resting long enough.)
Now, when you end a set, a timer appears that starts at 2:00 and counts down. Once it hits zero, the watch alerts you, and it starts counting up, with a plus sign and a red border around the time so you know how long you’ve been slacking.
You can change the rest time during the workout. Just go to the workout settings (long middle press the left button) and change the time. If a rest timer is currently running, it will be updated immediately.
Calculator app
Punch in the cost of your meal and hit “tip,” and you get this handy screen.
Credit: Beth Skwarecki
Credit: Beth Skwarecki
It took me a minute to find the calculator app, but it’s there! Go into your Controls menu (long press the top left button) and then Controls settings (long press the middle left button). Tell it you want to Add a control, and scroll down until you find the calculator.
There’s even a handy Tip button. Enter the cost for your meal, hit Tip, and you’re taken to a screen where you can decide on the percentage you’d like to tip (default 20%). This screen also shows the total, and can automatically split the bill, saying how much each person should pay to cover the final amount.