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I miss the days of binging one show over the course of several months. It’s how I completed shows like The Wire and Friday Night Lights. I must admit that I streamed the shows in college when I had significantly more free time on my hands. Since I write about entertainment for a living, I have less spare time to watch long-running shows that take weeks. Occasionally, I just need a show that I can finish on a Saturday night or Sunday afternoon.

Before I made the jump to a unified mesh Wi-Fi network, I was confronted with the conundrum of moving into a bigger house, and suddenly having no Wi-Fi signal in my office or in our bedroom.

Google Play Store might be the default app store on Android, but the good thing about Android is that it gives you a choice. That includes the choice of the software store. Here are some alternatives to the Google Play Store worth checking out.

Sometimes you can spend hours creating a Home Assistant automation that saves you about 30 seconds. On rare occasions, however, it's the other way round. I set up an automation in just a few minutes that saves me far more time each day.

Switching on "private DNS" feels like flipping the privacy switch. The name alone makes it sound like a one-click solution to keep your browsing habits to yourself, hidden from your ISP, your network admin, and anyone else who might be peeking at your traffic.

Before smartphones, most people’s experience with operating systems was from computers. Naturally, many of those desktop habits carried over, and malicious Android developers were more than happy to take advantage.

Not so long ago, running a Windows PC without some kind of special antivirus would have all but ensured that your PC got infected with malware. Now, however, the situation is different. Microsoft has made huge improvements to the operating system, and you probably don't need to pay up for antivirus.

While it can be subtle, Windows 11 is filled with lots of little animations and details that give the OS an overall impression of being shiny and modern. Of course, this is only skin-deep, but setting aside whether Windows 11 actually is shiny and modern under the hood, these aesthetic effects aren't free.

Saturday Night Live had its Season 51 finale over the weekend as former cast member Will Ferrell hosted the show for his sixth time.

However, before Ferrell could come out and perform his hosting duties, Chad Smith of the Red Hot Chili Peppers attempted a coup. Smith came out first to open the show, hitting the stage and acting as if he were Ferrell. There's been a long-running joke that Ferrell and Smith, the drummer of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, bear a striking resemblance to each other, and SNL continued the gag on its final show of the season.

Shortly after Smith thanked the audience, Ferrell came out dressed exactly like Smith, claiming the drummer had attacked him backstage as part of his takeover attempt.

Ferrell convinces Smith to get off the stage but the former SNL cast member acts as if the whole ordeal has thrown for a loop and has trouble getting back to his duties as host. Ferrell decides to take questions from the audience, and the first question is from a very casual audience member – Sir Paul McCartney.

The legendary musician believes that Ferrell is actually the imposter Smith and demands Ferrell leave the stage and get back to his drum set, where he belongs.

Welcome to your guide to Pips, the latest game in the New York Times catalogue.

Released in August 2025, Pips puts a unique spin on dominoes, creating a fun single-player experience that could become your next daily gaming habit.

Currently, if you're stuck, the game only offers to reveal the entire puzzle, forcing you to move on to the next difficulty level and start over. However, we have you covered! Below are piecemeal answers that will serve as hints so that you can find your way through each difficulty level.

How to play Pips

If you've ever played dominoes, you'll have a passing familiarity with how Pips is played. As we've shared in our previous hints stories for Pips, the tiles, like dominoes, are placed vertically or horizontally and connect with each other. The main difference between a traditional game of dominoes and Pips is the color-coded conditions you have to address. The touching tiles don't necessarily have to match.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for May 17, 2026

The conditions you have to meet are specific to the color-coded spaces. For example, if it provides a single number, every side of a tile in that space must add up to the number provided. It is possible — and common — for only half a tile to be within a color-coded space.

Here are common examples you'll run into across the difficulty levels:

• Number: All the pips in this space must add up to the number.

• Equal: Every domino half in this space must be the same number of pips.

• Not Equal: Every domino half in this space must have a completely different number of pips.

• Less than: Every domino half in this space must add up to less than the number.

• Greater than: Every domino half in this space must add up to more than the number.

If an area does not have any color coding, it means there are no conditions on the portions of dominoes within those spaces.

SEE ALSO: NYT Strands hints, answers for May 17, 2026 Easy difficulty hints, answers for May 17 Pips

Greater Than (5): Everything in this space must be greater than 5. 6-4, placed vertically.

Number (9): Everything in this space must add up to 9. The answer is 4-5, placed horizontally; 4-2, placed vertically.

Greater Than (2): Everything in this space must be greater than 2. 4-3, placed horizontally.

Number (4): Everything in this space must add up to 4. The answer is 4-4, placed horizontally.

Equal (4): Everything in this space must be equal to 4. The answer is 4-5, placed horizontally; 6-4, placed vertically; 4-3, placed horizontally.

Medium difficulty hints, answers for May 17 Pips

Equal (5): Everything in this space must be equal to 5. The answer is 5-2, placed horizontally; 5-1, placed vertically.

Equal (2): Everything in this space must be equal to 2. The answer is 5-2, placed horizontally; 2-4, placed vertically.

Less Than (2): Everything in this space must be less than 2. The answer is 5-1, placed vertically.

Number (10): Everything in this space must add up to 10. The answer is 6-1, placed vertically; 2-4, placed vertically.

Greater Than (4): Everything in this space must be greater than 4. 2-6, placed horizontally.

Greater Than (5): Everything in this space must be greater than 5. 6-0, placed horizontally.

Less Than (2): Everything in this space must be less than 2. The answer is 6-0, placed horizontally.

Number (2): Everything in this space must add up to 2. The answer is 6-1, placed vertically; 3-1, placed vertically.

Hard difficulty hints, answers for May 17 Pips

Number (6): Everything in this space must add up to 6. The answer is 6-2, placed vertically.

Number (4): Everything in this space must add up to 4. The answer is 2-4, placed vertically.

Equal (2): Everything in this space must be equal to 2. The answer is 2-4, placed vertically; 6-2, placed vertically; 2-5, placed vertically.

Equal (6): Everything in this space must be equal to 6. The answer is 6-6, placed vertically; 6-5, placed vertically.

Number (5): Everything in this space must add up to 5. The answer is 4-1, placed vertically.

Number (10): Everything in this space must add up to 10. The answer is 5-0, placed vertically; 2-5, placed vertically.

Number (9): Everything in this space must add up to 9. The answer is 4-0, placed vertically; 6-5, placed vertically.

Number (0): Everything in this space must add up to 0. The answer is 4-0, placed vertically.

Number (10): Everything in this space must add up to 10. The answer is 6-4, placed vertically.

Equal (5): Everything in this space must be equal to 5. The answer is 5-5, placed vertically.

Not Equal: Everything in this space must be different. The answer is 2-3, placed vertically; 1-6, placed vertically; 0-6, placed vertically.

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Car theft in the United States hit a decades-long low in 2025, a 23% drop from 2024, according to the latest data from the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB).

Today's Connections: Sports Edition will require some sports and pop culture knowledge.

As we've shared in previous hints stories, this is a version of the popular New York Times word game that seeks to test the knowledge of sports fans.

Like the original Connections, the game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier — so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.

If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for the latest Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable What is Connections: Sports Edition?

The NYT's latest daily word game has launched in association with The Athletic, the New York Times property that provides the publication's sports coverage. The sports Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.

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Each puzzle features 16 words, and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there's only one correct answer.

If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake — players get up to four mistakes before the game ends.

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Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.

SEE ALSO: Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL. Here's a hint for today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

Want a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:

• Yellow: NFC North

• Green: Allegedly an East Coast-based conference

• Blue: Too many Jalens in the NBA

• Purple: Caps. financial or fashionable

Here are today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

Need a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:

• Yellow: An NFC North Athlete

• Green: An ACC Athlete

• Blue: Ja(y)lens in the NBA

• Purple: ___Cap

Looking for Wordle today? Here's the answer to today's Wordle.

Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today's puzzle before we reveal the solutions.

Drumroll, please!

The solution to today's Connections: Sports Edition #601 is...

What is the answer to Connections: Sports Edition today?

• An NFC North Athlete: BEAR, LION, PACKER, VIKING

• An ACC Athlete: CAVALIER, EAGLE, HOKIE, MUSTANG

• Ja(y)lens in the NBA: BROWN, BRUNSON, DUREN, GREEN

• ___Cap: BASEBALL, GUARDIAN, RALLY, SALARY

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be new sports Connections for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.

Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Connections.

When I first started setting up my smart home, I focused on Wi-Fi devices. They were easy to set up, and I didn't need any equipment other than the router I already owned. If I had my time over again, I'd do things very differently.

Most online Excel tutorials are obsessed with flashy new functions, complex formulas, or clever hacks that solve simple problems in overly complicated ways. But the real upgrade isn't new or exciting at all. Excel tables are old, unglamorous, and one of the most powerful features in the ribbon—and they'll transform how you work.

At this point in time, if your PC still has certain ports, it's officially too old. But that doesn't mean that those ports (and your PC by extension) weren't genius in their own right, or that they weren't (in some ways) better than USB.

TL;DR: T-Mobile has dropped new deals on the latest iPhones. Score the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and more for free right now at T-Mobile.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple iPhone 17 Free when you switch and trade in an eligible phone on an Experience More or Experience Beyond plan. Shop Now Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple iPhone 17 Pro Free when you trade in an eligible phone in any condition on an Experience Beyond plan. Shop Now

There's a battle going on right now to offer you the most competitive mobile deals. The likes of Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile are constantly dropping new deals in an effort to tempt you into switching, and that includes offers on the latest iPhones.

In fact, T-Mobile has just dropped a new batch of live iPhone deals that are particularly tempting:

• Apple iPhone 17e — free when you switch to T-Mobile and bring your number on most plans.

• Apple iPhone 17 — free when you switch and trade in an eligible phone on an Experience More or Experience Beyond plan.

• Apple iPhone 17 Pro — free when you trade in an eligible phone in any condition on an Experience Beyond plan.

The value of these iPhones is applied as 24 monthly credits to your bill, so you're still paying for the phone but you're getting paid back in full over time. We should also note that you do need to pay taxes and a $35 device connection fee with these offers, but that's always the case with this type of limited-time mobile deal.

The latest iPhone lineup is seriously impressive, with something for everyone.

In Mashable's review of the iPhone 17, Stan Schroeder said it's an "excellent phone that matches the iPhone Pro models in many ways that matter." When Schroeder took a close look at the iPhone 17e, he said: "The iPhone 17e is a decent upgrade over its predecessor, and a good choice if you want the cheapest new iPhone you can get."

Upgrade to the iPhone 17 lineup for free with T-Mobile.

When Lexus launched its LS 400 sedan in 1989, it introduced a new car with a new philosophy: deliver levels of refinement normally reserved for European luxury manufacturers, beat them on price, and back it with a level of quality the industry hadn't seen before. That philosophy underscores every Lexus product to this day, including the LX, the brand's full-size flagship SUV.

Most Excel users never look beyond the ribbon, which means they miss some of the app's most powerful workflow tools. From live-updating dashboard snapshots to hidden shortcuts that prevent data-entry mistakes, these four off-ribbon features will completely change how you use Excel.

I have a cloud-synced calendar on my phone and computer, which I use to track work, plans, and reminders. I figured Home Assistant's built-in calendar was surplus to my requirements.

As someone who has watched a lot of television over her twenty-something years, I’ve noticed a trend in the industry: many comedic actors, who were primarily known for sitcoms, sketches, or other hilarious work, have shifted into dramatic roles. While this isn’t necessarily a new thing, it’s still intriguing to see the difference in the actors' style — and just be in complete awe of their talents.