Blogroll

Where to buy Pokémon Evolution Stone replicas: Fire Stone Pokémon Trainer Essentials: Fire Stone Replica Figure $89.99 at Pokémon Center Shop Now Water Stone Pokémon Trainer Essentials: Water Stone Replica Figure $89.99 at Pokémon Center Shop Now Thunder Stone Pokémon Trainer Essentials: Thunder Stone Replica Figure $89.99 at Pokémon Center Shop Now

If you have ever wanted to own an actual Evolution Stone from the Pokémon games, Pokémon Center just made that possible. Although they can be scarce in some regions, these peculiar stones are essential items for Trainers looking to evolve certain species of Pokémon whenever they choose. Now, the official storefront has released faceted glass replicas of three classic stones from its Pokémon Trainer Essentials collection: the Fire Stone, Water Stone, and Thunder Stone.

These Pokémon Center Original collectibles are crafted from solid, faceted glass crystal built to sit on a shelf or complete a Pokémon Trainer cosplay. Each stone features its elemental icon suspended inside the glass — a flame inside the Fire Stone, a barrage of bubbles inside the Water Stone, and a bolt of lightning inside the Thunder Stone.

SEE ALSO: PlayStation's early Black Friday sale takes up to 75% off PS5 and PS4 games — shop our 15 favorites

Inside the box, you get the replica figure nested inside a protective display case with a clear, transparent lid to keep dust off the glass. Each package also includes a certificate of authenticity and an adhesive plaque featuring the stone's name and its exact description from the Pokémon video games, matching the text printed on the display box:

• Fire Stone — "A peculiar stone that can make certain species of Pokémon evolve. It has a fiery orange heart."

• Water Stone — "A peculiar stone that can make certain species of Pokémon evolve. It is the clear blue of a deep pool."

• Thunder Stone — "A peculiar stone that can make certain species of Pokémon evolve. It has a distinct thunderbolt pattern."

Because the plaque has an adhesive back, you can stick it onto the display case, a shelf, or your wall to build your own exhibit. Whether you pick up a single favorite or collect all three, Pokémon Center notes that, because they are made of real glass, these are adult display pieces rather than toys and should be kept out of children's reach.

All three Pokémon Trainer Essentials Evolution Stone replicas are available to order now on the Pokémon Center website.

TL;DR: Live stream San Francisco 49ers vs. Dallas Cowboys for free on Channel 5. Access this free livestream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

Now past the halfway point, the NFL season is heating up. The San Francisco 49ers have only lost one game so far — an upset loss to the Atlanta Falcons — but have otherwise looked in dominant form. That elusive sixth Super Bowl win could finally become a reality.

Today's road game against the Dallas Cowboys will be a test, though. The Cowboys, currently at 4-5, have gone back and forth on wins and losses all season. But coming off a win over the Indianapolis Colts. they're looking to make it two wins in a row.

If you want to watch 49ers vs. Cowboys in the NFL for free from anywhere in the world, here's all the information you need.

When is 49ers vs. Cowboys?

San Francisco 49ers vs. Dallas Cowboys starts at 4.25 p.m. ET on Nov. 15. This fixture takes place at AT&T Stadium.

How to watch 49ers vs. Cowboys for free

49ers vs. Cowboys in the NFL is available to live stream for free on Channel 5.

Channel 5 is geo-restricted to the UK only, but anyone can secure access with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in the UK, meaning you can live stream 49ers vs. Cowboys for free from anywhere in the world.

Access free live streams of the NFL by following these simple steps:

1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (we recommend ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in the UK

4. Visit Channel 5

5. Watch 49ers vs. Cowboys for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.99 at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but they do tend to offer generous money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch 49ers vs. Cowboys without committing your cash. This is obviously not a long-term strategy, but it gives you enough time to stream this fixture (plus more NFL action) before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for the NFL?

ExpressVPN is the best service for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream the NFL, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries, including the UK

• Easy-to-use app available on all major devices, including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is always secure

• Fast connection speeds free from throttling

• Up to 10 simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and usually offers a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99.

Live stream San Francisco 49ers vs. Dallas Cowboys for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

New Lego Botanicals sets launching in 2027: Lego Botanicals Cherry Blossom Branches $29.99 Learn More Lego Botanicals Wild Orchid $59.99 Learn More Lego Botanicals Peony Bouquet $59.99 Learn More Lego Botanicals Perfectly Pastel Flower Bouquet $59.99 Learn More

If you want a tabletop centerpiece that never wilts or asks for water, the Lego Botanicals line just revealed its next wave of builds. The toy giant unveiled four fresh sets arriving in early 2027, expanding its collection of plastic greenery with a mix of standalone potted arrangements and multi-stem bouquets.

The new drop covers a wide range of styles, from rare blue orchids and blush peonies to delicate sakura branches and a pastel mix designed to fill your own vases. True to the collection's signature design quirks, the builds repurpose familiar Lego elements in clever ways, such as bright green dinosaur eggs posing as budding peonies and minifigure crowns serving as cherry blossom centers.

Three of the sets arrive on New Year's Day, while the pastel bouquet lands just in time for Valentine's Day. Here's a closer look at each new build coming to the garden:

Cherry Blossom Branches Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Cherry Blossom Branches $29.99 at Lego
  Learn More at Lego

Unlike most flower builds that require you to find a spare jar or vase around the house, the Lego Botanicals Cherry Blossom Branches comes as an all-in-one display unit. The 405-piece build features realistic branches packed with white sakura petals and pale pink buds, all seated directly inside an ocean-blue brick-built vase. It also carries Lego’s signature design quirks, repurposing minifigure crowns in new colorways to build the buds and flower centers.

Measuring over 8 inches tall, 7 inches wide, and 5.5 inches deep, it hits a rare sweet spot for home decor: compact enough to fit neatly on a crowded bookshelf or work desk without dominating the whole surface.

Wild Orchid Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Wild Orchid $59.99
  Learn More

Most Lego botanical sets recreate garden-variety stems, but the Lego Botanicals Wild Orchid tackles one of the most distinctive, hard-to-grow plants in nature: the rare blue Vanda coerulea. The 606-piece build stands over 11.5 inches tall, 13 inches wide, and 4.5 inches deep, functioning as a complete self-contained forest ecosystem rather than just loose flowers.

Instead of sitting in a traditional pot, the vibrant blue blossoms and aerial roots sprout directly from a textured, mossy branch accented with miniature wildlife. Lego introduced new printed petal elements specifically for this release to mirror the natural veining and delicate look of real orchid petals. You can reposition the stems and flowers to customize the shape, giving you an eye-catching tabletop centerpiece that captures the detail of a live botanical display.

Peony Bouquet Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Peony Bouquet $59.99
  Learn More

Peonies are notorious for shedding petals and drooping within a few days of bringing them home, but the Lego Botanicals Peony Bouquet gives you the full, layered look without the short lifespan. The 633-piece set features a mix of single blooms, semi-double flowers, and buds at different stages of opening, blending shades of ombré peach, pale pink, and deep pink with bright yellow stamens.

In classic Lego fashion, the designer's use of parts steals the show: bright green dinosaur eggs are repurposed along the branches to recreate rounded peony buds about to open. With the longest stem measuring over 16.5 inches, the entire arrangement fits in standard household vases without extra props.

Perfectly Pastel Flower Bouquet Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Perfectly Pastel Flower Bouquet $59.99
  Learn More

If you already own a vase and want a wide variety of stems to arrange yourself, the Lego Botanicals Perfectly Pastel Flower Bouquet delivers the most diverse floral mix in the entire 2027 drop. The 650-piece set includes 16 individual stems spanning eight different varieties: three hybrid tea roses, three coneflowers, two columbines, two anemones, two pincushion flowers, a stock flower, phlox, and sword ferns.

Lego kept the color palette soft with muted pastel tones, but hid a neat Easter egg inside: a tiny Lego beehive element tucked directly into the cone of one of the flowers. Measuring over 15 inches tall, the stems are fully adjustable, so you can lengthen, shorten, or reposition each blossom to suit different vase heights or mix them with earlier Lego bouquets for an even fuller display.

Between New Year's Day shelf refreshes and early Valentine's Day shopping, you can shop all four upcoming arrangements on Lego.

Where to check for Zelda Switch 2 stock: Nintendo Nintendo Switch 2 — The Legend of Zelda — 40th Anniversary Edition $519.99 at Nintendo Shop Now Amazon Nintendo Switch 2 — The Legend of Zelda — 40th Anniversary Edition $519.99 at Amazon Shop Now Walmart Nintendo Switch 2 — The Legend of Zelda — 40th Anniversary Edition $519.99 at Walmart Shop Now Target Nintendo Switch 2 — The Legend of Zelda — 40th Anniversary Edition $519.99 at Target Shop Now Best Buy Nintendo Switch 2 — The Legend of Zelda — 40th Anniversary Edition $519.99 at Best Buy Shop Now GameStop Nintendo Switch 2 — The Legend of Zelda — 40th Anniversary Edition $519.99 at GameStop Shop Now

If your current morning ritual involves violently hitting refresh on a dozen retail tabs, you already know the vibe: finding the Nintendo Switch 2: The Legend of Zelda 40th Anniversary Edition is turning into an Olympic sport.

Between automated bot armies scooping digital drops, surprise order cancellations at Walmart, and inventory vanishing in seconds on Amazon, this custom black-and-gold console feels like a myth. But while digital storefronts look completely barren, stock is actively circulating behind the scenes.

Where to check for Zelda Switch 2 stock right now

Before getting into the restock details, bookmark these retailer pages to check for surprise drops:

• Nintendo Store — Out of stock right now, but you can add it to your wishlist to get pinged the second a restock hits.

• Amazon — Dropping tiny batches of consoles randomly throughout the day.

• Walmart — Stock exists but only for third-party listings selling at way over market price, so make sure your in-stock email alerts are turned on.

• Target — Sold out online, but periodic drops have taken place in-store.

• Best Buy — Sold out online, but select stores ran midnight openings on Nov. 5 with walk-in stock.

• GameStop — Online orders are off; you will have to walk into a store to find one.

Why is the console selling out so fast?

The feeding frenzy is being supercharged by Nintendo’s staggered release calendar. While the custom Zelda 40th Anniversary hardware dropped first on Oct. 29, the flagship game driving demand — The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time for Nintendo Switch 2 — arrived on Thursday, Nov. 5.

The remake rebuilds the 1998 classic from the ground up with modernized controls, a fully orchestrated soundtrack, reworked dungeon puzzles, and expanded Hyrule environments. Since the $520 console doesn’t include the game, everyone is rushing to lock down a system before launch day.

Opens in a new window Credit: Nintendo The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time for Nintendo Switch 2 $59.99 at Amazon
  Shop Now at Amazon What comes with the Zelda 40th anniversary Switch 2?

The package includes the special-edition Switch 2 system sporting a custom black-and-gold finish, themed Joy-Con 2 controllers, and a matching dock decorated with the gold Triforce emblem. It retains the platform's signature flexibility, letting you switch between TV, Tabletop, and Handheld modes whenever you want.

Inside the themed chassis, you get 256GB of built-in storage (expandable with microSD Express cards), a vivid display in handheld mode, faster load times, and support for up to 4K resolution on compatible TVs when the console sits in the dock.

The magnetic Joy-Con 2 controllers add mouse-style tracking in supported games, while the new GameChat hub lets you voice chat and share your screen directly as you play. It also plays your older Switch games and supports standard multiplayer options.

How can you improve your chances of finding stock?

Landing limited-edition Nintendo hardware takes a little prep work, but these battle-tested habits will give you a real edge over the bots:

• Save your checkout details everywhere — Log in to Target, Best Buy, Walmart, and the Nintendo Store to save your shipping address and default card. Stopping to type a card number or billing zip code during a live drop is how you lose an order.

• Hands off the refresh button in Best Buy's queue — When an online drop goes live, Best Buy puts shoppers into a randomized waiting line to filter out scrapers. Touching the reload button resets your spot and boots you straight to the back.

• Watch for Walmart+ early-access paywalls — Walmart frequently locks headline console drops behind paid Walmart+ subscriptions for the first 30 to 60 minutes. If you have a membership, keep that tab signed in; if not, wait for the general public window to unlock.

• Dodge third-party sellers — Double-check the seller before buying. Marketplace scalpers frequently list units for jacked-up prices; make sure it says "Sold and shipped by [Retailer]" at the standard price.

• Skip the web wars and head to physical stores — Online checkout bots grab website stock in under 15 seconds. Showing up in person is easily your most reliable path to securing one without paying scalper markups.

Will the Zelda Switch 2 be restocked on Black Friday?

Most likely, yes.

Stores like Walmart, Amazon, and Best Buy often hold onto popular gaming hardware to use as headline deals during Black Friday and Cyber Monday week.

With that said, Black Friday restocks are usually the hardest ones to catch. You will be fighting website crashes, gift shoppers, and automated bots all at once. If you can grab a console whenever stock appears, take it. Think of Black Friday as a backup plan, not your main bet.

Console hunting sucks right now, period. But between the surprise micro-drops and physical store restocks, you still have real shots at retail price — just be ready to move the second that stock goes live.

TL;DR: Watch Australia vs. New Zealand in the 2026 Rugby League World Cup final for free on 7plus. Access this free livestream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The Rugby League World Cup final is here, and it's the biggest possible matchup.

Australia are set to take on rivals New Zealand at a packed Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane. These sides met in the opening game of the tournament, and it was absolutely electric. We're expecting more of the same when these talented squads battle it out for the trophy. It really doesn't get any bigger than this.

If you want to watch the 2026 Rugby League World Cup final for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Australia vs. New Zealand?

Australia vs. New Zealand in the 2026 Rugby League World Cup final starts at 3:35 a.m. ET on Nov. 15. This fixture takes place at the Suncorp Stadium.

How to watch Australia vs. New Zealand for free

Australia vs. New Zealand in the 2026 Rugby League World Cup final is available to live stream for free on 7plus.

7plus is geo-restricted to Australia, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Australia, meaning you can unblock free live streams of the Rugby League World Cup from anywhere in the world.

Access free live streams of the 2026 Rugby League World Cup by following these simple steps:

1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (we recommend ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in Australia

4. Visit 7plus

5. Watch the 2026 Rugby League World Cup final for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but leading VPNs do tend to offer free trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can gain access to free live streams of the 2026 Rugby League World Cup without committing with your cash. This is obviously not a long-term solution, but it does give you time to watch the final before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for 7plus?

ExpressVPN is the best service for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on 7plus, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries, including Australia

• Easy-to-use app available on all major devices, including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is always secure

• Fast connection speeds

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99 (with money-back guarantee).

Live stream Australia vs. New Zealand in the 2026 Rugby League World Cup final for free with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: Watch Spain vs. England in the Nations League for free on ITVX. Access this free livestream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The UEFA Nations League is all about huge matchups between top-quality opponents, and that's exactly what we're getting with Spain vs. England. It's a battle between the World Cup winners and semi-finalists. Spain won the last meeting in dramatic fashion, but England will believe that they can produce a shock victory at the Metropolitano Stadium.

If you're interested in watching Spain vs. England in the Nations League from anywhere in the world, we've got all the information you need.

When is Spain vs. England?

Spain vs. England in the Nations League kicks off at 2:45 p.m. ET on Nov. 15. This fixture takes place at the Metropolitano Stadium.

How to watch Spain vs. England for free

Spain vs. England in the Nations League is available to live stream for free on ITVX.

ITVX is geo-restricted to the UK, but anyone can secure access with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in the UK, meaning you can live stream Spain vs. England for free from anywhere in the world.

Live stream Spain vs. England for free by following these simple steps:

1. Sign up for a streaming-friendly VPN (we recommend ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in the UK

4. Visit ITVX

5. Watch Spain vs. England for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.99 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but they do tend to offer generous money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch Spain vs. England without committing your cash. This is obviously not a long-term strategy, but it gives you enough time to stream this fixture before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for ITVX?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on ITVX, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries, including the UK

• Easy-to-use app available on all major devices, including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection speeds free from throttling

• Up to 10 simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and usually offers a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99.

Live stream Spain vs. England for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

If you like playing daily word games like Wordle, then Hurdle is a great game to add to your routine.

There are five rounds to the game. The first round sees you trying to guess the word, with correct, misplaced, and incorrect letters shown in each guess. If you guess the correct answer, it'll take you to the next hurdle, providing the answer to the last hurdle as your first guess. This can give you several clues or none, depending on the words. For the final hurdle, every correct answer from previous hurdles is shown, with correct and misplaced letters clearly shown.

An important note is that the number of times a letter is highlighted from previous guesses does necessarily indicate the number of times that letter appears in the final hurdle.

Want more tech and digital culture news delivered to your inbox daily or sent straight to your device? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories newsletter or get Mashable push alerts today.

If you find yourself stuck at any step of today's Hurdle, don't worry! We have you covered.

SEE ALSO: Hurdle: Everything you need to know to find the answers Hurdle Word 1 hint

A young pigeon.

Hurdle Word 1 answer

SQUAB

Hurdle Word 2 hint

Tan.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for November 15, 2026 Hurdle Word 2 Answer

BEIGE

Hurdle Word 3 hint

To demolish.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Meanings for each word for Nov. 15, 2026 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Meanings for each word for Nov. 15, 2026 Hurdle Word 3 answer

CRUSH

Hurdle Word 4 hint

It is what it is.

Hurdle Word 4 answer

SHRUG

Final Hurdle hint

Cuban dance.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Games available on Mashable Hurdle Word 5 answer

RUMBA

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

There's a little more to see on the Moon tonight as the crescent continues to fill out, so if you're into Moon gazing, grab your viewing gear and head outside.

What is today's Moon phase?

As of Sunday, Nov. 15, the NASA's Daily Moon Guide tracker tells us the Moon is in the Waxing Crescent phase, with 30% of its surface visible.

If you don't have any visual aids, you can still see the Mare Crisium and the Mare Fecunditatis. With binoculars or a telescope, you'll also see the Endymion Crater, Posidonius Crater, and the Mare Nectaris. And for keen Moon gazers with a telescope, you'll get to see all this plus the Apollo 11 and 17 landing spots.

When is the next Full Moon?

The next Full Moon will take place on November 24.

What are Moon phases?

The Moon takes approximately 29.5 days to complete one full cycle. As it orbits Earth, the amount of sunlight reflecting off its surface that we can see changes, creating the different phases. This takes us from the New Moon to the Full Moon and back again, before the cycle begins once more, according to NASA.

The eight phases are:

New Moon - The Moon is between Earth and the sun, so the side we see is dark (in other words, it's invisible to the eye).

Waxing Crescent - A small sliver of light appears on the right side (Northern Hemisphere).

First Quarter - Half of the Moon is lit on the right side. It looks like a half-Moon.

Waxing Gibbous - More than half is lit up, but it's not quite full yet.

Full Moon - The whole face of the Moon is illuminated and fully visible.

Waning Gibbous - The Moon starts losing light on the right side. (Northern Hemisphere)

Third Quarter (or Last Quarter) - Another half-Moon, but now the left side is lit.

Waning Crescent - A thin sliver of light remains on the left side before going dark again.

Looking for spoiler-free NYT Connections hints or just wondering why Connections is trending today? We've got what you need to understand the clues for today's puzzle without spoiling any of the answers.

Of course, Mashable has also provided daily hints and answers for Connections, Wordle, and Strands for years, so we can help you if that's also what you need.

While we are focused more on meanings than hints in this story, sometimes learning that many of the words have completely unrelated meanings is a clue in and of itself. Connections frequently includes clues that involve words within words and other visual clues.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for November 15, 2026 All-time meaning

A peak or record that has never been done before.

Historic meaning

Momentous or significant.

Record meaning

A log of information.

Unprecedented meaning

Never seen or done before.

Dress code meaning

Rules for what can be worn to a place or event.

Registry meaning

An official record.

RSVP meaning

To make a reservation.

Travel meaning

To move from place to place.

Archive meaning

A record.

Octonion meaning

An 8-dimensional number system.

Rapscallion meaning

A mischievous person.

Want more tech and digital culture news delivered to your inbox daily or sent straight to your device? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories newsletter or get Mashable push alerts today.

Sleek meaning

Smooth and shiny.

Astral meaning

Related to the stars.

Cartesian meaning

Related to the scientist Descartes.

Inclined meaning

Willing to do something.

Jet meaning

A type of plane.

Have you learned the meanings and still want the things? Check out the hints and answers for today's NYT Connections puzzle.

Are you also playing NYT Strands? Get all the Strands hints you need for today's puzzle.

Meet The Mashable 101: Our list of the content creators shaping the internet today

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.

The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult if you're one of a kind.

Connections is the one of the most popular New York Times word games that's captured the public's attention. 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 today's 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?

The NYT's latest daily word game has become a social media hit. The Times credits associate puzzle editor Wyna Liu with helping to create the new word game and bringing it to the publications' Games section. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

Each puzzle features 16 words and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise of 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 until the game ends.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

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: NYT Pips hints, answers for November 15, 2026 Here's a hint for today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Groundbreaking

• Green: Tie the knot

• Blue: In the air

• Purple: Greens

Want more tech and digital culture news delivered to your inbox daily or sent straight to your device? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories newsletter or get Mashable push alerts today.

Here are today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Unmatched

• Green: Wedding website sections

• Blue: ___ Plane

• Purple: Ending in vegetables in the allium family

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 #1253 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Unmatched: ALL-TIME, HISTORIC, RECORD, UNPRECEDENTED

• Wedding website sections: DRESS CODE, REGISTRY, RSVP, TRAVEL

• ___ Plane: ASTRAL, CARTESIAN, INCLINED, JET

• Ending in vegetables in the allium family: ARCHIVE, OCTONION, RAPSCALLION, SLEEK

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

Are you also playing NYT Strands? Get all the Strands hints you need for today's puzzle.

Meet The Mashable 101: Our list of the content creators shaping the internet today

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.

Today's NYT Strands hints will be easy if you're a comics fan.

Strands, the New York Times' elevated word-search game, requires the player to perform a twist on the classic word search. Words can be made from linked letters — up, down, left, right, or diagonal, but words can also change direction, resulting in quirky shapes and patterns. Every single letter in the grid will be part of an answer. There's always a theme linking every solution, along with the "spangram," a special, word or phrase that sums up that day's theme, and spans the entire grid horizontally or vertically.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable

By providing an opaque hint and not providing the word list, Strands creates a brain-teasing game that takes a little longer to play than its other games, like Wordle and Connections.

If you're feeling stuck or just don't have 10 or more minutes to figure out today's puzzle, we've got all the NYT Strands hints for today's puzzle you need to progress at your preferred pace.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for November 15, 2026 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Foiled again!

The words are related to superheroes.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words involve a classic comic hero.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is horizontal.

Want more tech and digital culture news delivered to your inbox daily or sent straight to your device? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories newsletter or get Mashable push alerts today.

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is Batman Villain.

NYT Strands word list for November 15

• Joker

• Riddler

• Batman Villain

• Scarecrow

• Firefly

• Penguin

Meet The Mashable 101: Our list of the content creators shaping the internet today

Looking for other daily online games? Mashable's Games page has more hints, and 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 Strands.

Today's Wordle answer should be easy to solve if you're sarcastic.

If you just want to be told today's word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for today's Wordle solution revealed. 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 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for November 15, 2026 Where did Wordle come from?

Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once. 

Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing.

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

What's the best Wordle starting word?

The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be strategic in your approach, we have a few ideas to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N.

What happened to the Wordle archive?

The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles was originally available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it, but it was later taken down, with the website's creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times. However, the New York Times then rolled out its own Wordle Archive, available only to NYT Games subscribers.

Is Wordle getting harder?

It might feel like Wordle is getting harder, but it actually isn't any more difficult than when it first began. You can turn on Wordle's Hard Mode if you're after more of a challenge, though.

Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

Condescending.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

No letters appear twice.

Want more tech and digital culture news delivered to your inbox daily or sent straight to your device? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories newsletter or get Mashable push alerts today.

Today's Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with...

Today's Wordle starts with the letter S.

The Wordle answer today is...

Get your last guesses in now, because it's your final chance to solve today's Wordle before we reveal the solution.

Drumroll please!

The solution to today's Wordle is...

SNARK

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be a new Wordle 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.

Reporting by Chance Townsend, Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.

Meet The Mashable 101: Our list of the content creators shaping the internet today

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 Wordle.

Figuring out the right smart home automation routines has been a challenge for me, as I can't nail the perfect ones on my own. To identify the correct routines I need, I decided to enlist the help of AI. Google already has access to all my data, from my Google Home devices to my user history. I also use a Pixel 10 Pro with the Google AI Plus plan, so it only made sense to use Gemini for the job. Privacy isn't a concern for me because Google already knows everything about me, so I figured I might as well make the most of it.

While the Steam Deck is getting a bit long in the tooth and can’t run the majority of recent AAA titles at playable frame rates, Valve’s handheld PC is still capable enough for a good chunk of AAA games released a few years ago and earlier. The biggest downside when playing those games is upscaling, since the handheld’s AMD GPU is limited to older FSR versions that look way worse than DLSS and FSR 4.

Several months ago, I tried using AI to make 3D models and it didn’t end well. When I went to try using AI to make 3D models again, I expected it to end the same way. I was sorely mistaken. AI-generated 3D models have come a long way in a short amount of time, and it’s now an extremely viable way to create something with your 3D printer that doesn’t exist otherwise.

Watching a show can make a long treadmill session easier to get through, especially when enough is happening to keep you from checking the elapsed time. A miniseries also gives you a complete story you can finish over a few workouts, without adding too much to your watch time.

A NAS is basically a box full of hard drives, and there are a lot of ways to set one up without paying $1,000 for a big-name 8-bay box. You probably have parts lying around the house that can be used in the setup, including the one thing those shiny boxes almost never give you: real PCIe slots. Whether you're picking up a used PC for NAS duty or rescuing your own, these are the five cards I'd actually spend money on to close the gap with a premium NAS, and then blow right past it.

Setting up a media server is the easy part. The hard part shows up the first time you try to let your sister or a friend watch something on it. You send what feels like a simple invite, and suddenly you're explaining ports, domains, and why a TV remote can't type a colon. Where your server lives matters less than how a non-technical person gets to it. I've been on both sides of that conversation; there's a reason Plex is a more welcoming platform than Jellyfin.

TL;DR: Curiosity Stream is a documentary streaming service, and a lifetime subscription is $119.99 (reg. $399.99) with code DEAL20.

Opens in a new window Credit: Curiosity Stream Curiosity Stream Standard Plan: Lifetime Subscription $119.99
$399.99 Save $280   Get Deal

Most streaming services bill you monthly, and their documentary sections are usually small compared with their drama and reality shows. If you want a whole service built around nonfiction, try a Curiosity Stream lifetime subscription. Enter code DEAL20 at checkout, and you pay $119.99 (reg. $399.99) once, 70% below the list price.

Thousands of documentaries, one payment

Curiosity Stream comes from John Hendricks, who founded Discovery Communications. His streaming service is all documentaries, with thousands of films, series, and shows on science, technology, history, nature, and art. New titles arrive every week, so the library keeps growing long after you pay. Series include Planet of Treasures, Engineering the Future, Deep Time History, and Into the Jungle. Stephen Hawking’s Favorite Places follows Hawking on a computer-generated trip through the universe, and that trilogy won Curiosity Stream its first Emmy for graphic design and art direction.

Everything streams in 1080p HD on desktop and mobile. You can download episodes before a flight and watch without Wi-Fi, bookmark a show for later, or start on your laptop and finish on your phone. Apps run on Android 5.0 and up, iOS 11 and up, Android TV, and Xbox One, and older Apple TV models can play shows through AirPlay. Built-in search tools sort the catalog by subject, so finding something on ancient history or deep-sea life takes a few seconds.

Parents who homeschool can use it to add to science and history lessons, and anyone who likes learning something new at night gets a steady supply of material. On the App Store, the app has a 4.7/5 rating.

This deal is for new Curiosity Stream users only. Your code needs to be redeemed within 30 days of purchase.

Pay once and keep a documentary library on hand for good. Through Nov. 15 at 11:59 p.m. PT, use code DEAL20 to get a Curiosity Stream lifetime subscription for $119.99.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

It's understandable that anyone creating a product is only incentivized to do the absolute minimum for it to sell. In a monopoly, that bar can be very low indeed, and in a competitive space things are better, but you only have to outperform your rivals, no more.