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Turns out the Iron Throne isn't all it's cracked up to be.

It's only be a few episodes now since Rhaenyra (Emma D'Arcy) made her big return to King's Landing, but things only seem to be getting worse and worse for her. In the trailer above for House of the Dragon Season 3, episode 6 the walls are closing in, with the Small Council floundering in the wake of all those Gold Cloaks being murdered and Lord Ormund Hightower (James Norton) saying ominous things like "The patient hunter gets the kill."

It's not looking good for Team Black.

House of the Dragon Season 3 is now streaming on HBO Max, with new episodes premiering Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on HBO and HBO Max.

For all things House of the Dragon, Mashable has you covered.

SAVE $70: As of July 20, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Lite is on sale for $329.99 at Amazon. That's a 18% discount on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Lite $329.99 at Amazon
$399.99 Save $70   Get Deal

If you’re looking for a tablet that can handle everything from streaming and browsing to getting work done on the go, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Lite is a great all-rounder. It has a large display (big enough for watching Netflix), smooth performance, and many of the features you’d expect from a premium tablet. And right now, it’s on sale on Amazon for $70 off, bringing the price down to $329.99.

The quality of this tablet is seriously impressive, boasting a 10.9-inch display with Vision Booster technology that adjusts brightness based on your surroundings. It's also impressive on the inside, powered by the Exynos 1380 processor, so it handles streaming, browsing, and app switching smoothly.

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You'll be set for all-day use thanks to its 16-hour battery life. And when it runs out of juice, the Super Fast Charging feature will help it reach a full charge in about two hours.

This tablet also comes with an S Pen stylus. This is handy for writing or drawing, and it uses intelligent AI tools like Circle to Search, note clean-up, and translation features to help make daily tasks easier.

This Samsung tablet deal is available at Amazon now, but only for a limited time.

SAVE $50: As of July 20, the Motorola Moto G Play is on sale for $99.99 at Amazon. That's a 33% discount on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Motorola Motorola Moto G Play $99.99
$149.99 Save $50.00   Get Deal

If your smartphone is on its last legs, you don't have to spend hundreds of dollars to replace it. These days, there are plenty of budget-friendly smartphone deals at Amazon to keep you going. Like this latest deal on the Motorola Moto G Play, which is currently on sale for less than $100 ($99.99). And it still has all the qualities you'd want in a phone, including a fast performance and great battery life.

This phone is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 processor, paired with 4GB of RAM, helping keep performance running smoothly for everyday tasks, including streaming and browsing. It features a 6.5-inch HD+ display with a 90Hz refresh rate, as well as stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos and Hi-Res Audio.

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For photography, the phone has a 50MP Quad Pixel camera that combines four pixels into one to improve your image quality. Plus, it includes 64GB of built-in storage and support for microSD cards up to 1TB, so there is plenty of room for photos, apps, games, and more.

Find this budget smartphone deal at Amazon right now.

TL;DR: Voibe uses OpenAI’s Whisper model to turn speech into text up to three times faster than typing, all while processing everything locally on Apple Silicon Macs. Get lifetime access for $79.99 (reg. $199).

Opens in a new window Credit: Essence AI Voibe Lifetime Subscription $79.99
$199 Save $119.01   Get Deal

Your keyboard is great until you’re trying to keep up with your own brain. Voibe lets you yap your life away instead. Dictate emails, documents, notes, and AI prompts up to three times faster than typing, with everything processed locally on your Mac. For a limited time, you can grab a lifetime subscription for $79.99 (reg. $199).

Powered by OpenAI’s latest Whisper speech recognition model, Voibe is designed to keep up with natural conversation instead of forcing you to dictate one word at a time. That means you can speak naturally without constantly stopping to correct yourself or worrying whether the software is keeping up.

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It recognizes accents, technical terminology, and conversational speech, making it just as useful for brainstorming an article as it is for documenting a meeting, replying to emails, or dictating comments.

Because everything runs locally on your device, your voice recordings stay private instead of being routed through the cloud. That also means you can keep using Voibe even without an internet connection, making it handy on flights, during commutes, or anywhere Wi-Fi is unreliable.

The biggest advantage, though, is the time savings. Whether you’re a writer trying to capture ideas before they disappear, a student taking notes, a developer talking through code, or a professional answering emails, dictation can dramatically speed up everyday computer work. If typing has always been the bottleneck in your workflow, Voibe offers a simple way to get your thoughts from your head onto the page.

Formerly $199, you can grab a lifetime Voibe subscription for only $79.99.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: Get lifetime access to Transfr Pro for $69.99 (reg. $499) with code SAVE30 and send unlimited files with built-in analytics and end-to-end encryption.

Opens in a new window Credit: Drime Transfr Pro Fast & Secure File Transfer Subscriptions: Lifetime Subscription $69.99
$499 Save $429.01   Get Deal

Whether you’re sending a client a finished video, sharing a folder of high-resolution photos, or delivering project files to a coworker, file sharing is often the last step before your real work begins. Transfr Pro is designed to make that process faster and more professional, with support for unlimited file sizes, secure transfers, and built-in tracking. Save 30% with the code SAVE30 at checkout and get lifetime access for $69.99 (reg. $499) through July 26 at 11:59 p.m. PT.

Unlike basic file-sharing services, Transfr lets you see what happens after you hit send. Built-in Send & Track analytics show when files have been viewed or downloaded, along with transfer activity and visitor locations. That extra visibility can be useful for freelancers, agencies, and other professionals who frequently share work with clients.

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Instead of sending generic download links, Transfr lets you create branded transfer pages that give files a more cohesive, professional appearance. Address book integration also helps speed up repeat transfers by keeping your contacts nice and organized.

Security is built into the platform as well. Files are protected with end-to-end encryption during transfers, and the service runs on GDPR-compliant European infrastructure developed by the team behind Drime. Browser-based access means there’s nothing to install before sending or receiving files.

Another benefit of this software is that there’s no transfer size limits, so shared files remain available for up to 60 days, and recipients can preview supported images, videos, and documents before downloading them. Whether you’re sharing marketing assets, design files, or lengthy videos, Transfr is designed to handle them without forcing you to split uploads into smaller parts.

If you regularly go over the limits of traditional file-sharing services, Transfr Pro offers a more capable alternative with unlimited transfers, security features, and built-in analytics. Save 30% with the code SAVE30 at checkout and get lifetime access for $69.99 (reg. $499) through July 26 at 11:59 p.m. PT.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: If you’re looking for a new laptop that won’t break the bank, this Apple MacBook Air is only $199.97 (reg. $1,199) while supplies last.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple MacBook Air 2018 (Refurbished) $199.97
$1,199 Save $999.03   Get Deal

Spending less doesn’t mean you need to settle for less, and this MacBook Air is proof. It’s equipped with all the bells and whistles you’ve come to love from Apple, at a fraction of the usual price. If you act fast, you can bring home this powerful and portable Apple laptop for just $199.97 — $1,000 off the usual price — while supplies last.

If you’re in the market for a laptop that can keep up with your workflow without weighing you down, you can’t beat the MacBook Air. It’s Apple’s lightest option — weighing just over 2.5 pounds — but it’s still packed with power thanks to an Intel Core i5 processor.

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This MacBook Air has a 13.3-inch Retina display that delivers vibrant visuals and a crisp 2560×1600 pixel resolution. It also has an impressive 12-hour battery life, so you can finish a full workday and then get in a good binge-watching session, too.

This model supports updates up to macOS Sonoma, one of the latest macOS versions, so you can take advantage of newer features. You’re saving big on this model thanks to its Grade A refurbished rating, which means it arrives in near-mint condition with minimal to no scuffing on the case.

Save big on this Apple MacBook Air, now for just $199.97 while supplies last.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: The Magic: The Gathering Avatar: The Last Airbender Beginner Box is on sale for $22.94 at Amazon, down from its $34.99 list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Magic: The Gathering Magic: The Gathering Avatar The Last Airbender Beginner Box $22.94 at Amazon
$34.99 Save $12.05 Get Deal

The Avatar: The Last Airbender series’ dedicated MTG starter box has seen price drops before, but Amazon has now knocked this fun entry kit down to below-market value.

As of July 20, the Magic: The Gathering Avatar The Last Airbender Beginner Box is available at Amazon for $22.94. With $12.05 taken off its $34.99 list price, that's a 34% discount on the complete two-player set.

This listing is shipped and sold directly by Amazon, with free delivery currently showing for July 25 on qualifying orders, while Prime members can have it arrive as early as July 22 at the time of writing. One important detail is that Amazon marks the item as a final sale, meaning it cannot be returned after purchase. 

Amazon’s price even sits below the latest TCGplayer figures. The dedicated trading card marketplace lists the Beginner Box at a $24.87 market price, while its cheapest unopened listing is $25.80, including shipping. That makes Amazon $1.93 cheaper than the market value and $2.86 below the lowest readily available TCGplayer offer. 

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As for the box itself, the Beginner Box is designed to teach two people Magic together rather than to hand new players a stack of cards and leave them to decipher the rules. It opens with a guided Aang-versus-Zuko game using two 20-card tutorial decks, with separate step-by-step guides taking both players through the first match.

After that introduction, there are eight more 20-card half-decks built around Firebending, Earthbending, Waterbending, Allies, Big Creatures, Counters, Spells, and Attacking. Pair any two together, and you have a 40-card deck, letting you switch themes and try different combinations without needing to build from scratch.

The box also includes two playboards, two Spindown life counters, five double-sided tokens, two learn-to-play guides, and a rules reference booklet. In total, that gives you everything needed to start playing straight away, while the mix-and-match decks offer more staying power than a single-use tutorial kit.

TL;DR: The Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution — Pitch Black 3-Booster Pack Blister is available to preorder for $24.98 at Amazon, including shipping, down from its $33.95 typical price.

Opens in a new window Credit: The Pokémon Company Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Pitch Black 3-Booster Pack Blister $24.98 at Amazon
$33.95 Save $8.97   Pre-order Here

If you haven’t had the chance to grab any packs from the Pokémon TCG’s new Pitch Black expansion just yet, you can score a new low price on preorders for its hotly anticipated blister pack. 

As of July 20, the Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Pitch Black 3-Booster Pack Blister is available to preorder at Amazon for $19.99 through third-party seller Glaceon Island. Shipping adds $4.99, bringing the order to $24.98 before tax. This is the lowest price we’ve seen, confirmed with price tracker camelcamelcamel.

The blister is releasing on July 24, though the actual delivery date at the time of writing is between July 30 and Aug. 13. 

At $24.98, each of the three Pitch Black booster packs effectively costs about $8.33, with the included Binacle foil promo card adding a little more value than buying loose packs, which you can currently buy on Amazon for $12.99. 

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Amazon is not the absolute cheapest option, however. As has been the case in the trading card game lately, TCGplayer has been the cheapest, with unopened listings starting at $21.89, including shipping, narrowly above its $21.65 market price. Walmart is also under $25 at $23.99, down from $34.99 — which is a nice backup if you’re open to shopping beyond Amazon, but aren’t keen on a dedicated trading card platform like TCGplayer. 

As for what you can pull from these three packs in the blister, Pitch Black has plenty of high-priced chase cards you can find (or buy individually on TCGplayer) — including SIR Mega Darkrai ex, MHR Mega Darkrai ex, SIR Morpeko ex, SIR Mega Zeraora ex, SIR Mega Chandelure ex. 

For even more boosters, the six-pack Pitch Black Booster Bundle is also on sale at Amazon for around $50. You can also get an even lower cost-per-pack with the 36-pack Pitch Black Display Booster Display Box on sale for $50 off. 

TL;DR: The Pokémon TCG Pitch Black Sleeved Booster Pack is on sale for $12.99 at Amazon, down from its $14.99 typical price. 

Opens in a new window Credit: The Pokémon Company Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Pitch Black Sleeved Booster Pack $12.99 at Amazon
$14.99 Save $2   Get Deal

Pitch Black has only just joined the Pokémon TCG’s Mega Evolution lineup, but Amazon has already made opening a single pack a little cheaper for anyone who doesn’t want to commit to a full box. 

As of July 20, the Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Pitch Black Sleeved Booster Pack is available at Amazon for $12.99. That takes $2 off its typical $14.99 price, representing a 13% discount on these single boosters for the highly sought-after new expansion. 

Although it is shipped by third-party seller “MEGACARDS!!!”, this still comes with Amazon’s 30-day refund or replacement window, and free delivery is showing for July 27 at the time of writing.

If you want to save as much as possible, however, TCGplayer is the cheapest option for readily available Pitch Black Booster Packs by a mile — from $7.89 with shipping included. That price is $1.49 below the product’s $9.38 market value and about $5.10 below Amazon's price. Standard unsleeved Pitch Black Booster Packs are cheaper again, with listings from $6.19 delivered, compared to a $6.29 market price.

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As usual with these sorts of packs, each sleeved booster includes one sealed Pitch Black pack containing 10 random trading cards, along with the cardboard outer packaging designed to give it extra protection. 

The Pitch Black expansion contains more than 115 cards, including over 20 Trainer cards and more than 35 Pokémon and Trainer cards with special illustrations. 

This collection also has some expensive chase cards waiting inside (which you can also buy individually on TCGplayer), including Special Illustration Rare and Mega Hyper Rare versions of Mega Darkrai ex, alongside SIR cards for Mega Zeraora ex and Morpeko ex.

For an even lower cost per pack, you can grab the Pokémon TCG’s six-pack Pitch Black Booster Bundle on sale for around $50. Meanwhile, you can also score up to $50 off the 36-pack Pitch Black Booster Display Box. 

Apple has increased the subscription price of Apple Music in the U.S., but that's not where the price hikes end.

An Apple Music Individual plan now costs $11.99 per month, up from $10.99. Student plans now cost $6.99, up from $5.99. And if you want to get a Family plan, that'll be $19.99, up from $16.99.

Europeans get the exact same numbers, only in euros: Individual plans are now €11.99, Student plans are €6.99, and a Family plan is €19.99. In the UK, the Individual plan now costs £11.99, while the Family plan is £19.99.

New subscribers will have to pay the new prices right away; existing subscribers will get a notification soon and will be billed the new prices at their next billing cycle.

In a statement to Music Business Worldwide, Apple said the price hikes are a result of "rising licensing costs."

SEE ALSO: Apple price increases arrive: How much MacBooks and iPads will cost you now

Apple One plans have also gotten pricier. While the basic plan still has the same price, the Family plan now costs $27.95 (up from $25.95), while the Premier plan costs $39.95 (up from $37.95).

There's more bad news for consumers, although it's scattered throughout different markets. As MacRumors noticed, iPhone prices have gone up roughly 8-10 percent in Japan, and iCloud+ prices have gone up quite a bit (from 11 to 55 percent) in 8 countries: Nigeria, Turkey, Vietnam, Japan, Egypt, New Zealand, the Philippines, and Indonesia.

The news comes about a month after Apple increased the prices of numerous products in its lineup, mostly due to the memory chip supply crunch.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup final kicked off on Sunday evening at MetLife Stadium, New Jersey, with Argentina and Spain battling it out for the championship title. This year's tournament was a little different though, with FIFA staging its first halftime show in the competition's 96-year history.

SEE ALSO: The internet reacts to the first-ever World Cup Halftime show

Curated by Coldplay's Chris Martin, the FIFA World Cup halftime show was an 11-minute gauntlet of musicians from across the globe, including Shakira, BTS, Justin Bieber, and Burna Boy. The Muppets also played an instrumental rendition of The White Stripes' "Seven Nation Army" with the New York Philharmonic orchestra.

Madonna opened the show with a mashup of "Music" and "Danceteria," with Brazilian soccer greats Ronaldo and Ronaldinho appearing alongside her, while K-pop phenomenon BTS performed a truncated version of their English-language hit "Dynamite." Ted Lasso actors Jason Sudeikis and Brendan Hunt then made cameos, respectively playing the title character and Coach Beard from the feel-good football series, and giving Justin Bieber a pep talk before he slowed things down with an acoustic performance of "Everything Hallelujah." 

Shakira and Burna Boy followed with the 2026 FIFA World Cup's official anthem "Dai Dai," delivering a jarring change of mood, before before Coldplay, the Muppets, and the PS22 Chorus children's choir closed out the halftime show by debuting the band's new song "We Dance."

The full performance is available now on FIFA's official YouTube channel.

Unfortunately, despite the star-studded lineup, online reactions to the FIFA World Cup's first ever halftime show were largely underwhelmed. On the bright side, it's substantial feedback for organisers to consider when putting together the next World Cup tournament in 2030.

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.

Mashable 101 Fan Fave: Nominate your favorite creators 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

Squishy

SEE ALSO: Apple’s new M3 MacBook Air is $300 off at Amazon. And yes, I’m tempted. Hurdle Word 1 answer

MUSHY

Hurdle Word 2 hint

How orange juice might be described.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for July 20, 2026 Hurdle Word 2 Answer

PULPY

Mashable 101 Fan Fave: Nominate your favorite creators today

Hurdle Word 3 hint

Inundate.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for July 20 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for July 20, 2026 Hurdle Word 3 answer

FLOOD

Hurdle Word 4 hint

Go above and beyond.

Hurdle Word 4 answer

EXCEL

Final Hurdle hint

Grocery store lanes.

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

AISLE

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

Today is International Moon Day, a day dedicated to celebrating the role the Moon has played in our understanding of space. Held each year on July 20, the event commemorates the historic Apollo 11 mission and the first time humans set foot on the Moon.

Keep reading to see what you can spot on the Moon's surface tonight.

What is today’s Moon phase?

As of Monday, July 20, NASA's Daily Moon Guide tracker tells us the Moon phase is in Waxing Crescent phase, with 38% of its surface visible.

You won't need any visual aids to be able to spot the Mares Crisium and Fecunditatis. Binoculars will also help you to see the Endymion Crater, Posidonius Crater, and the Mare Nectaris.

A telescope will of course widen your visibility, with areas like the Apollo 17 and 11 landing spot, the perfect way to celebrate International Moon Day.

When is the next Full Moon?

The next Full Moon will take place on July 29.

What are Moon phases?

The Moon completes one full cycle around Earth in about 29.5 days, moving through eight different phases along the way, NASA explains. Although the same side of the Moon always faces our planet, the amount of sunlight reflecting off its surface changes as it travels around Earth. This changing angle of illumination is what makes the Moon appear to transform throughout the month, from a thin crescent to a half-lit Moon and eventually a fully illuminated Full Moon, before starting the cycle again.

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.

Today's Connections: Sports Edition will be easier if you watch American football.

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: Type of playoff

• Green: Wear this

• Blue: Former Browns

• Purple: Kinds of QBs

Here are today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

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

• Yellow: Terms for Competitions

• Green: Types of Gloves

• Blue: Players Browns Have Drafted No. 1 Overall

• Purple: ___Quarterback

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 #665 is...

What is the answer to Connections: Sports Edition today?

• Terms for Competitions: CUP, INVITATIONAL, SERIES, TOURNAMENT

• Types of Gloves: BASEBALL, BATTING, BOXING, GOALKEEPER

• Players Browns Have Drafted No. 1 Overall: BROWN, COUCH, GARRETT, MAYFIELD

• ___Quarterback: ARMCHAIR, FRANCHISE, MONDAY MORNING, STARTING

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.

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 July 20, 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 July 20, 2026 Easy difficulty hints, answers for July 20 Pips

Greater Than (5): Everything in this space must be greater than 10. The answer is 6-2, placed horizontally.

Less Than (1): Everything in this space must be less than 1. The answer is 0-5, placed horizontally.

Greater Than (1): Everything in this space must be greater than 1. The answer is 2-5, placed horizontally.

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

Number (4): Everything in this space must add up to 4. The answer is 2-4, placed vertically; 3-0, placed horizontally.

Medium difficulty hints, answers for July 20 Pips

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

Number (5): Everything in this space must add up to 5. The answer is 1-2, placed vertically; 3-4, placed horizontally.

Greater Than (3): Everything in this space must be greater than 3. The answer is 0-5, placed horizontally.

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

Greater Than (3): Everything in this space must be greater than 3. The answer is 0-5, placed horizontally.

Number (5): Everything in this space must add up to 5. The answer is 0-2, placed vertically; 3-1, placed horizontally.

Equal (0): Everything in this space must be equal to 0. The answer is 0-0, placed vertically.

Equal (1): Everything in this space must be equal to 1. The answer is 3-1, placed horizontally; 0-1, placed horizontally.

Hard difficulty hints, answers for July 20 Pips

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

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

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

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

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

Greater Than (3): Everything in this space must be greater than 3. The answer is 5-6, placed horizontally.

Equal (6): Everything in this space must be equal to 6. The answer is 0-6, placed vertically; 5-6, placed horizontally; 6-1, placed horizontally; 6-3, placed vertically.

Number (0): Everything in this space must add up to 0. The answer is 1-0, placed horizontally.

Number (8): Everything in this space must add up to 8. The answer is 4-4, placed vertically.

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

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

Equal (1): Everything in this space must be equal to 1. The answer is 6-1, placed horizontally; 1-0, placed horizontally; 1-1, placed vertically.

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

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

As promised from the first glimpse of the aspiring rock star Brat Prince, The Vampire Lestat has been a wild ride.

The third season of Rolin Jones' Interview with the Vampire was a chaotic odyssey led by Lestat de Lioncourt (Sam Reid), as he reconnected with his long-lost love Louis de Pointe du Lac (Jacob Anderson), antagonized his documentarian Daniel Molloy (Eric Bogosian), faced the wrath of his departed daughter Claudia (Delainey Hayles), taunted his ex Armand (Assad Zaman), hooked up with his fledgling/mom Sofia/Gabriella (Jennifer Ehle), and awakened Akasha, aka the Queen of the Damned (Sheila Atim). 

However, the finale episode — titled "The Failures," after Lestat's recorded telling of his life and times — didn't put to rest all of the many, juicy threads unearthed.

So, here's what we expect to see more of in Season 2. 

How did Nicki die? 

In interviews with Mashable, Reid teased that this season was largely about Lestat running from his past trauma rather than confronting it.

In episode 3, Lestat told Daniel — via a telepathy trick — about how Armand threw Nicki into a fire, and the horrid "O" sound his lover made as he perished. But in the finale, that same moan returns as Lestat remembers seeing the alleged witches burned when he was just a boy. Reid told Mashable, "And then you see [Lestat] reprocess that memory as his own memory, watching these women die, and understanding for the first time: Yes, Gabriella has abused him, and has assaulted him throughout his whole life." 

This means Nicki's death — which was notably not shown in the series — didn't go down exactly as Lestat said. So, could we see what really happened in Season 4 of Interview with the Vampire (aka Season 2 of The Vampire Lestat)?

What really happened between Claudia and Lestat on the train? 

The train scene has been the center of much contention this season. Lestat raged against the version told in Daniel's book, which suggests he threatened Claudia with rape should she run away again. However, when Claudia's spirit comes back in episode 6, she scoffs at that depiction, admitting she lied about it to manipulate Louis. 

SEE ALSO: Sam Reid on what Claudia and The Vampire Lestat have in common

Notably, when Lestat is forced to face his failures in episode 7, Claudia is the only fledgling not at the long table. So, how Lestat remembers this scene has not been revealed. Yet. 

Where's Baby Jenks? 

She was introduced in episode 1 as a mortal party girl who hooks up with Lestat and delivers some cryptic messages. Then in episode 3, Baby Jenks (Ella Ballentine) was last seen crying over the ashes of her murdered vampire husband, Killer (aka Bruce). 

SEE ALSO: 'The Vampire Lestat': Meet the new vamps, bandmates, and Baby Jenks

As part of the Fang Gang, she could be one of the minions that Armand mentioned in the finale. Or she could be seeking vengeance on Louis for torching her groom. But readers of the book The Queen of the Damned know nothing good is coming Baby Jenks' way. 

Why does Louis have a limp? Why does Armand have an eyepatch? 

The Vampire Lestat began with an auction that dumped a lot of exposition, while also kicking off a slew of questions, including the two above. What we know is coming is Akasha, along with "consequential global catastrophes." So presumably, that's where these two powerful vamps take on some lasting damage. 

SEE ALSO: 'The Vampire Lestat': Let’s talk about that auction When will Akasha rise? 

Probably that concert that the finale episode skips around. Hell, we know Lestat's alluring pronunciation of "scoop" was enough to rouse her and get her ranting all those decades ago. It seems his unleashing of his vampire music will bring her back in a very major and malevolent way.

What will happen at the vampire concert? 

Presumably lots of death. 

When will Alex learn that Armand killed his brother Larry? 

Hard to say. But Armand likely has another non-apology monologue ready for when he does. 

How will Daniel die? 

At the beginning of the season, Baby Jenks predicted Daniel "dies bad." But despite his part in Loustat's double decapitation, he's not been killed yet. Or at least not onscreen. 

He was not at the auction. So, will Daniel be cut down in the rise of Akasha? Or will Lestat get his revenge for that bowling bag business? 

Notably, in Anne Rice's novels, Daniel survives across several books. However, this series has taken a lot of liberties with his story. So, don't be so sure that Rice's path for Daniel is what showrunner Rolin Jones is following. 

When will Interview with the Vampire Season 4 / The Vampire Lestat Season 2 come out? 

AMC has not yet announced whether or not the next season has been greenlit. But Mashable's interview with Reid — in which he hinted what Jones has coming next — suggest more is coming. 

We'd only be speculating at when this supernatural series will return. But be warned, the turnaround seems to be about two years. Interview with the Vampire Part 1 debuted October 2, 2022. Part II premiered on May 12, 2024. And The Vampire Lestat came out June 7, 2026. 

What will the next season be called? 

Could it be The Vampire Lestat Part II? Or will Jones move to Rice's next novel, calling Season 4 The Queen of the Damned? No title has yet been announced. 

Mashable will update as this story develops. 

The Vampire Lestat is now streaming on AMC and AMC+.

With The Vampire Lestat, Interview with a Vampire fans witnessed Lestat de Lioncourt (Sam Reid) pursue his rock star ambitions in a bloody and wild tour across North America. In real life, Reid got a taste of the attention his character craves with The Vampire Lestat: One Night Only - LIVE. 

As advertised, Reid performed songs from The Vampire Lestat — written by Daniel Hart — before a live audience for one night only. Mashable was there. In my review of the event, I wrote, "Reid's onstage persona evoked David Bowie, Mick Jagger, and Steven Tyler, as he crooned, strutted, flipped his hair, flung a scarf, and generally oozed sex appeal with a crooked grin." 

But, what was it like for the man behind the mic? Trickier than you might have dreamed. 

In my latest interview with Reid, he dug into The Vampire Lestat's finale, where the series might go next, and what it was like for him to take to the stage in character as Lestat. 

"It's funny," Reid said, "These things — it's very work for me, you know what I mean? I am not a touring musician. I'm an actor, and so I'm playing a character. I'm going out there, promoting a show. It was wonderful to be able  to play that music with those musicians, namely Daniel Hart. I'm really proud of his music, and I think he worked his ass off in this season. So I'm really proud to share it." 

Reid went on: "It's quite easy to play Lestat for me, you know. So there was a level of ease about it, because I'm not having to go out and share my own personal music and bear my soul." 

This distance allowed Reid to focus on his character over any nerves about performing live. "There was a joyful thing about just operating in this meat puppet that I know how to play around with, and perform it." 

Reid also revealed an obstacle that many fans might not have considered as they watched him strut and sing. "I had contact lenses in [for Lestat's vampire eyes]," Reid explained. "I had in-ear monitors, so I couldn't really hear much or see much." 

However, as AMC prepares the live show for its on-app launch, Reid has finally seen his performance with his own eyes. "I've just been watching the recordings of it recently, which are going to get released soon," he said. "I was like, 'Wow, look at that. We did that!' Because I don't really remember it. It's hard for me to put it into words how it was, because I was partially blind and deaf most of the time." 

The Vampire Lestat: One Night Only - LIVE debuts on AMC+ on Aug. 23. 

Well, when it came to predicting how Season 1 of The Vampire Lestat would end, I was way, way off.

Show creator Rolin Jones went way off-book from Anne Rice's source material, crafting a fascinating, mind-bending finale. While the decapitated Louis de Pointe du Lac (Jacob Anderson) had to face his ex-lover Armand (Assad Zaman), Lestat de Lioncourt (Sam Reid) had to face the long table and its Failure Finders.

Thankfully, both survived their brushes with death. But in the finale's final scene, Lestat reveals the ravaged world sparked by the concert that the episode skipped over. 

We've got burning questions. But in an interview with Mashable, Reid dropped some hints on what's next for the Interview with the Vampire series. 

What's coming up in The Vampire Lestat Season 2?

Over a video call with me, Mashable Entertainment Editor Kristy Puchko, Reid noted that the next season of Interview with a Vampire will move beyond Anne Rice's second novel, for which this season was named, The Vampire Lestat. 

"The way that [the show's writers] pull from the books," Reid explained, "we're not necessarily just doing The Vampire Lestat. We're looking at multiple books here in the overall arc — particularly those next three books." 

Those would be The Queen of the Damned, The Tale of the Body Thief, and Memnoch the Devil. In the first of these, the central narrator conceit is abandoned, as Rice took on the perspective of a variety of characters, including Baby Jenks. The focus of the overall story is the rise of Akasha (Sheila Atim) and the devastation she wreaks upon the world of mortals and immortals alike. 

The Body Thief is a body-swap narrative, in which Lestat exchanges his immortal form with that of a mortal named Raglan James — who has been a part of this TV series since Interview with a Vampire Season 2. In the next book, Lestat is back in his vampire form and meets the titular character from Memnoch the Devil. 

While Reid didn't get into details of what would come next, he did say, "The overall arc is [Lestat] understanding that even though he keeps rising from the ashes, he's actually a failure and should accept failure." 

The Vampire Lestat star also noted, "There's a lot left unresolved with Gabriella." 

Indeed. At the end of The Vampire Lestat Season 1, we witness the Brat Prince push back at the long table, recognizing the abuse his mortal mother put him through. Then, once his head is back on his shoulders and he's again with the living, Lestat yells at his mother — in her Sofia mode — refusing to play the concert, and even calling her a "monster." 

It seems a potential point of change. But as Lestat says in his narration, he failed to stop what was coming. 

Reid said of this moment, "He's still fundamentally failed because even though he's woken up, and he's like, 'I'm going to start again. I'm not going to go on stage. I'm not going to do these things. I'm not going to be your puppet, Gabriella.' But, you know, as we cut to at the end, he still has failed because the world has been destroyed, which we just haven't seen yet." 

When can we expect more from the Vampire Lestat? That's a question we're waiting for AMC to answer. 

The Vampire Lestat is now streaming on AMC and AMC+.

Early on in The Vampire Lestat's first season, the eponymous anti-hero mentions a formatively traumatic moment that we finally see in full in the finale, titled "The Failures." 

When Lestat de Lioncourt (Sam Reid) was just a boy, his mother, Gabriella (Jennifer Ehle), took him to see their neighbors burn alleged witches alive. In the final episode of this season, Lestat finally stops deflecting about what this moment meant. At the long table, before the Failure Finders, he confronts his resentment at his mother for how this execution impacted him for the next 200-plus years. 

In a post-mortem interview, Sam Reid told Mashable Entertainment Editor Kristy Puchko what that scene means for The Vampire Lestat and how it connects to the final moments of Nicolas de Lenfent (Joseph Potter). 

What did the witches burning mean to Lestat? Featured Video For You 'The Vampire Lestat's Sam Reid on Magnus, Claudia, Sofia, and more

In episode 7 of The Vampire Lestat, the version of Gabriella at the long table argues that she took the young child Lestat to witness the witches burn so that he would see his neighbors for the vicious and ignorant "cabbages" they are. She wanted him to be motivated to leave this terrible place for something better. 

Asked about this sequence, Reid told Mashable, "That was one of the main conversations I had with [showrunner] Rolin [Jones] about the whole Lestat journey this season, was getting to the core of him, [which] was this existential crisis that he had when he was a child." 

"You know, he [initially] puts it on Nicki, because he cannot deal with that," Reid explained, "so he gives Nicki that existential crisis in episode three." 

Reid referred to the flashback in episode 3, where vampire Nicki goes mad, cuts off his own hand, and longs for death. At the time, Lestat told Daniel Molloy (Eric Bogosian) that Armand (Assad Zaman) killed Nicki with fire. And as he died, Nicki let out a long, low moan, an "O." In episode 7, recalling the witches at the long table, Lestat echoes this exact sound. 

Lestat looks upset. Credit: AMC

"Nicki saw that in death there was a nothingness," Reid said, "That all of this means absolutely nothing, which is a very complex feeling as an immortal being. And his mouth formed a perfect circle, and all that came out was, 'O.' And then you see [Lestat] reprocess that memory as his own memory, watching these women die, and understanding for the first time: Yes, Gabriella has abused him, and has assaulted him throughout his whole life." 

He continued, "[By taking him to see the witches burned], she's weirdly saying to him, 'Get out. Go do [or] be something else, be something more [than these cabbages].'  But unfortunately, it came out of a place of trauma. So his whole sense of direction has been running — running so far from the idea that he might become nothing and he might be dead. So it's very messy." 

"There's a lot left unresolved with Gabriella," Reid said, "But, we always knew that we were going to return to this 'O,' to this sound, the purity of existential crisis." 

Noting how the show's take on Nicki and Lestat differs from Anne Rice's novel The Vampire Lestat, Reid explained, "There is such a beautiful chapter in the book that he has with Nicki. The way that [Rolin and his team] do the the adaption is that they will look at it, and go, 'Well, maybe Lestat here in the book is deflecting.' So, [the writers] knew they were always going to return to that, and how fundamental the witches were going to be in Lestat's life." 

The Vampire Lestat is now streaming on AMC and AMC+.

When Sam Reid first sat down with Mashable Entertainment Editor Kristy Puchko, they dug into the first three episodes of The Vampire Lestat, focusing on the Brat Prince's perspective on his makers and female fledglings. 

Now, in a post-mortem interview, he's dug into the season's mind-snapping finale, the Failure Finders, what's next for Lestat, and why Paul de Pointe du Lac (Steven G. Norfleet) makes a surprise appearance. 

In episode 7, titled "The Failures," Lestat faces the long table. There, after facing down those he loves and loathes most, he turns it into a stage, where he performs for his long line of victims. But as his time is running out, and it seems his death is coming, it's Louis' long-gone brother Paul — who died by his own volition and not by Lestat's fangs — who comes to share a quiet moment with him. 

Reid reflected on what this scene means to Lestat. 

Why does Paul show up at the long table?  Featured Video For You 'The Vampire Lestat's Sam Reid on Magnus, Claudia, Sofia, and more

Reid says of this sequence, "These people at the concert are the ones who he has traumatized in their life, or he has killed. But Paul represents the reason why Louis can't say 'I love you' to him." 

In the scene, Paul seems to come from the afterlife — as Claudia did, but with no wrath — to meet Lestat, and offer a word about what he's realized about his brother. In death (or near it), the religious zealot and the Brat Prince are able to empathize with Louis in a way they couldn't before. 

"The reason why [Lestat] can't get the validation that he needs from the person he wants it from the most in the world," Reid explained, "is because the last time Louis said 'I love you' to somebody, they killed themselves. And Paul is there, saying, 'He does love you,' you know?"

How does that impact the Brat Prince? Reid continued, "Lestat finally understands, 'I've got to stop asking for this. I've got to stop being this person, like railing and needing to get validation from Louis'… Because Louis does love him. He's just got a lot of his own issues, and [Lestat] finally understands."

"It's a heartbreaking realization for Lestat and beautiful and [a] kind of closure," Reid mused, "for him to realize that he is loved." 

Reid noted this epiphany brings Lestat back from the brink of death. "That's the thing that leads him out," he said. "Then he wakes up, and [he says,] 'Where's Louis?'" 

From there, this episode has darkly romantic moments, like Lestat and Louis reuniting — with each other and their bodies — on the tour bus. But as the final reveal of a ravaged world suggests, there's a lot more to endure for Loustat and their shippers. 

What's next for The Vampire Lestat? Reid gave Mashable a few hints.

The Vampire Lestat is now streaming on AMC and AMC+.