Stones, in the context of the game mancala, refer to small circular objects used as game pieces. In mancala, players move these stones around a board with hollows or pits. Each pit typically contains an initial number of stones, and the objective of the game is to capture or collect as many stones as possible.
Note: The provided meaning of the answer is for the latest New York Times crossword puzzle clue: They're the pits. Explanations are generated by AI and may be inaccurate.