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For years, spotting a scam was supposed to be a cinch. The email came from a suspicious address, the spelling was primary school level, the promise was hilariously unlikely, and somewhere in the middle sat a link that was an alphanumeric stew. Ignore it, delete that, and carry on. Right?

That advice still has some value, but it no longer tells the whole story. Modern scams are increasingly designed to look like something you'd expect to receive, whether that's a delivery notification, a message from your bank, an account alert, or a conversation with someone you know.

The trick isn't necessarily convincing you that a canon life event is happening. It's convincing you that something completely ordinary is occurring, then getting you to react before you stop to question it.

The most dangerous scams are the ones that fit in

A fake parcel notification doesn't need to promise you a billion dollars; it only needs to arrive on the same afternoon you're actually waiting for a delivery. A fraudulent banking message doesn't need an elaborate story when it can simply claim there's been a dodgy transaction and ask you to investigate.

Scammers create a familiar situation, introduce a small problem or opportunity, then give you a straightforward way to resolve it.

Scammers aren't necessarily trying to beat you at a game of intelligence. They're trying to control the circumstances in which you make a decision.

Urgency is the scammer's favourite tool

One of the most useful warning signs is also one of the oldest: pressure.

Messages telling you to act immediately, warning that an account will be kiboshed, claiming that a payment has bounced, or suggesting an opportunity will disappear are designed to short-circuit the bit of your brain that would normally ask whether the message makes sense.

The warning sign is being pushed towards a decision before you've had time to verify what's happening.

If a message claims to be from your bank, don't use the phone number or link supplied in it. Open the bank's official app or website yourself. If someone appears to be contacting you on behalf of a company, find that company's contact details independently.

It might take another minute. That's precisely the point.

Your eyes aren't the security system they used to be

Rubbish spelling, strange formatting and laughably suspicious URLs remain useful clues, but they're no longer a complete defence.

Generative AI has made it easier to produce polished, convincing text, while scammers can combine legitimate branding, copied websites and familiar language to make fraudulent communications look considerably more professional than the phishing attempts many of us grew up recognising.

A message can look exactly like something sent by a company you use regularly and still have nothing to do with that company. The more convincingly something imitates the familiar, the more important it becomes to verify the request itself rather than judging its appearance.

Pay attention to what you're being asked to do

Sometimes the most revealing part of a scam isn't the message itself but the action it wants you to take.

Be particularly cautious when an unexpected communication asks for passwords, financial information or authentication codes. The same goes for requests to install software, grant remote access, scan an unfamiliar QR code, move a conversation elsewhere, or make a payment using an unusual method.

The warning sign is an unexpected request combined with pressure, secrecy or a story that makes it difficult to verify.

If you normally log into your bank through its app, but someone suddenly asks you to follow a link in a text message instead, stop. If a supplier suddenly wants payment sent to a new account, don't simply reply to the email to check. Contact the supplier using details you already trust.

The safest response to an unusual request is often not to solve it faster, but to step outside the conversation and verify it independently.

Don't assume a familiar person is actually contacting you

Impersonation scams add another layer because familiarity itself can become part of the attack.

A message appearing to come from a friend, relative, colleague or manager carries an advantage that a random phishing email doesn't. You already have a reason to trust the person, so your brain doesn't have to start from zero.

That doesn't mean interrogating every text from your family as though you're conducting a cybercrime investigation. It means unusual requests should remain unusual, even when they come from someone you recognise.

If a family member suddenly needs money, a colleague asks for sensitive information, or someone you know wants an unexpected action, verify it through another channel. A quick phone call can be considerably more reliable than analysing whether a message sounds like something that person would write.

Security tools can provide another set of eyes

That's where another layer of protection can help. Bitdefender Scam Protection is designed to detect and block scams across email, browsers, messages and other apps, with features including Web Scam Protection, SMS and chat protection, and Scam Radar.

For those moments when you're staring at a message and aren't sure, Bitdefender Scamio provides another option. The free AI-powered scam detector lets you submit a suspicious message, email, link, QR code, image or screenshot for analysis.

The best scam defence is a pause

The more useful habit is to notice when something is trying to rush you into doing something outside your normal routine.

Stop before clicking. Check through a separate channel. Don't use contact details supplied by the suspicious message. And if you're still unsure, ask someone you trust rather than letting the person on the other end make the decision for you.

During Scam Awareness Week, that's probably the most useful thing to remember: when something online suddenly makes you feel that you need to act right now, take a moment and ask yourself why.

That pause could be the difference between closing a suspicious message and spending the next several weeks trying to undo what happened.

For another layer of protection across your devices, explore Bitdefender's Scam Protection products, including Scamio and Scam Radar.

TL;DR: Live stream select Premier League fixtures for free on CazéTV (Manchester City vs. Bournemouth on Aug. 23). Access these free live streams from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

We've been treated to some truly special sporting moments this summer, but nothing really came close to the 2026 World Cup. This tournament delivered in so many ways: we saw huge performances from big names like Haaland, we got shock results like Cape Verde stealing a draw from eventual champions Spain, and there was heaps of controversy, as usual.

Now that domestic seasons are back, are we fatigued from a summer of sport? Absolutely not. We're impatient for rivalries to be renewed in some of the most competitive leagues in the world. And if we're talking truly unpredictable action from elite clubs in incredibly passionate stadiums, it's tough to beat the Premier League.

How will Arsenal cope with the pressure of being champions? Will Manchester City bounce back from the loss of iconic manager Pep Guardiola? Can Manchester United finally recapture some of their former glories? There are so many questions to be answered as the Premier League returns.

If you want to watch the 2026-27 Premier League for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

What is the Premier League?

The Premier League is the highest level of the English football league system. The league is contested by 20 clubs, with each team playing 38 fixtures: two against each other, one home and one away.

The defending champions are Arsenal.

When is the Premier League?

The opening match round of the 2026/27 Premier League season will start on Aug. 21. The season runs until the final round of fixtures on May 30.

How to watch the Premier League for free

CazéTV will be showing select Premier League fixtures for free on their YouTube channel.

These free live streams are geo-restricted to Brazil, but anyone can bypass these restrictions with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Brazil, meaning you can unblock free live streams of the Premier League from anywhere in the world.

Access free live streams of the 2026-27 Premier League 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 Brazil

4. Visit CazéTV

5. Watch Premier League fixtures 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 leading VPNs do tend to offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can gain access to free live streams of the Premier League without committing your cash. This is obviously not a long-term solution, but it does give you time to watch select fixtures (plus coverage of Ligue 1 and La Liga) before recovering your investment.

If you want to retain permanent access to free live streams all season, you will need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for live sport is on sale for a limited time.

What is the best VPN for CazeTV?

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

• Servers in 105 countries, including Brazil

• 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 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 — 80% 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 a money-back guarantee).

Live stream the Premier League for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

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 August 28, 2026 Night meaning

The time between sunset and sunrise.

Rest easy meaning

A reassuring phrase to calm someone.

Sleep tight meaning

A phrase used to wish someone a good night's rest.

Sweet dreams meaning

A phrase used to wish someone a peaceful sleep.

Bro meaning

A nickname, short for "brother."

Coded meaning

Written in secret.

Era meaning

A specific time period.

Maxxing meaning

To go all in.

Hour meaning

A unit of time, measured in 60 minutes.

Line meaning

A straight path.

Morning meaning

The earliest part of the day.

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.

Pops meaning

A nickname for a father.

Mom meaning

A maternal parent.

Noon meaning

Midday.

Sis meaning

A nickname for one's sister.

Top spot meaning

The number one (of something).

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.

Today's Connections: Sports Edition will be easier if you're a fan of baseball.

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.

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 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.

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: 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: Slugging

• Green: Schools in the heart of dixie country

• Blue: The Terminator

• Purple: Legendary #8

Here are today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

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

• Yellow: Stats for a Hitter

• Green: Alabama Schools

• Blue: Associated with Erling Haaland

• Purple: Famous Number 8s

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 #704 is...

What is the answer to Connections: Sports Edition today?

• Stats for a Hitter: BATTING AVERAGE, HOME RUNS, RBIS, RUNS

• Alabama Schools: ALABAMA, AUBURN, TROY, UAB

• Associated with Erling Haaland: GOALS, MANCHESTER CITY, NORWAY, ZEN POSE

• Famous Number 8s: AIKMAN, BERRA, JACKSON, OVECHKIN

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 catalog.

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 August 28, 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 August 28, 2026 Easy difficulty hints, answers for August 28 Pips

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

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

Greater Than (2): Everything in this space must be greater than 2. The answer is 0-5, placed horizontally.

Less Than (1): Everything in this space must be less than 1. The answer is 0-2, placed horizontally; 0-0, placed vertically; 0-5, placed horizontally.

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

Medium difficulty hints, answers for August 28 Pips

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

Less Than (5): Everything in this space must be less than 5. The answer is 4-0, placed horizontally.

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

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

Less Than (3): Everything in this space must be less than 3. The answer is 1-6, placed horizontally.

Number (11): Everything in this space must add up to 11. The answer is 1-6, placed horizontally; 3-5, placed vertically.

Equal (4): Everything in this space must be equal to 4. The answer is 4-0, placed horizontally; 4-6, palced horizontally; 4-5, placed vertically.

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

Less Than (6): Everything in this space must be less than 6. The answer is 4-5, placed vertically.

Hard difficulty hints, answers for August 28 Pips

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

Greater Than (10): Everything in this space must be greater than 10. The answer is 5-2, placed vertically; 6-1, placed horizontally.

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

Number (7): Everything in this space must add up to 7. The answer is 3-5, placed vertically; 4-0, placed vertically.

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

Number (5): Everything in this space must add up to 5. The answer is 5-6, placed horizontally.

Number (10): Everything in this space must add up to 10. The answer is 1-4, placed horizontally; 5-6, placed horizontally.

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

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

Number (11): Everything in this space must add up to 11. The answer is 0-6, placed horizontally; 3-5, placed vertically.

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

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

Equal (1): Everything in this space must be equal to 1. The answer is 3-1, placed vertically; 1-2, placed horizontally.

Number (7): Everything in this space must add up to 7. The answer is 1-2, placed horizontally; 5-0, placed horizontally.

Less Than (2): Everything in this space must be less than 2. The answer is 5-0, placed horizontally; 1-0, placed horizontally; 2-0, 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.

The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult if you're Gen Z.

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 August 28, 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: "Don't let the bed bugs bite!"

• Green: Front to back

• Blue: Gen Z slang

• Purple: At the peak

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: Bedtime parting words

• Green: Palindromes

• Blue: Modern add-ons/combining forms

• Purple: Top of the ___

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 #1174 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Bedtime parting words: NIGHT, REST EASY, SLEEP TIGHT, SWEET DREAMS

• Palindromes: MOM, NOON, SIS, TOP SPOT

• Modern add-ons/combining forms: BRO, CODED, ERA, MAXXING

• Top of the ___: HOUR, LINE, MORNING, POPS

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 are easy if you're a historian.

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 August 28, 2026 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: On this day in 1963

The words are adjectives related to history.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe a historical speech.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is horizontal.

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NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is I Have a Dream.

NYT Strands word list for August 28

• Freedom

• Justice

• I Have a Dream

• Brotherhood

• Together

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 in development.

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 August 28, 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.

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.

SEE ALSO: NYT Pips hints, answers for August 28, 2026 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

Adolescent.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

The letter E appears 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 T.

SEE ALSO: Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL. 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...

TWEEN

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.

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

To frighten.

Hurdle Word 1 answer

SCARE

Hurdle Word 2 hint

A celebration.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for August 28, 2026 Hurdle Word 2 Answer

PARTY

Hurdle Word 3 hint

Additional.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for August 28, 2026 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Meanings for each word for Aug. 28, 2026 Hurdle Word 3 answer

OTHER

Hurdle Word 4 hint

A dwelling.

Hurdle Word 4 answer

HOUSE

Final Hurdle hint

Audibly.

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

ALOUD

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

Finally, a real, authorized look at the most anticipated game of the year, Grand Theft Auto VI!

After more than a decade since its predecessor was released, years of wild speculation, postponed release dates, and a leaker posting over a dozen leaked clips, Rockstar Games teamed up with Netflix to provide fans with an official "extended look" at GTA 6.

Despite the extremely high expectations, most fans agree that the extended look delivered.

'Grand Theft Auto VI' for PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X $79.99 at Amazon
  See It at Amazon See It at Best Buy See It at GameStop Grand Theft Auto VI: The characters

Rockstar Games provided the most detailed peek into the GTA 6 storyline yet, which follows the playable criminal duo Jason Duval and Lucia Caminos. Dazed magazine published an exclusive feature on the game yesterday, which described Duval as "an ex-military drug runner" and Lucia as "a fighter fresh out of prison." So, we know the game will have a "“a Bonnie and Clyde-type narrative," with gamers switching back and forth between the two characters.

The footage shown on Netflix gave us some insight into these characters. Jason seems like a man of few words. At one point, he says he's more comfortable using a gun than using his words. Lucia is shown to be a capable fighter and criminal herself.

Grand Theft Auto VI: The plot Credit: Rockstar Games

Mashable has a deep dive into every plot detail that was revealed, if you don't mind spoilers. But the extended look showed what looks like an early mission, as Jason and Lucia are thrust into the world of crime in Vice City.

We follow them on a botched pickup in an apartment tower, where the pair interacts with several characters in a drug den. Trouble begins when the police show up, and a shootout ensues, which Jason and Lucia escape. Presumably, that's just the beginning of the couple's story as they fall deeper into Vice City's criminal enterprises.

Toward the end of the extended look, we also saw Jason and Lucia on another mission, where they acted as the security detail for a wealthy client, who is eventually ambushed by armed kidnappers during a fancy party.

The whole presentation, including the actual gameplay, is very cinematic, which really lends itself to a focus on the game's plot.

Again, we don't want to go too deep into the plot reveals here, so check out our piece specifically laying out the story we know thus far in detail.

The graphics look incredible

The quality of the graphics in this game looks truly elite. The level of fine detail in character clothing, facial expressions, and even NPCs' hair is almost hard to believe, as is the overall environment. This isn't a surprise, exactly, and fans certainly have high expectations for this game. But the Mashable chat was unanimous: the graphics here are deeply impressive.

GTA 6 music Credit: Rockstar Games

What's a Grand Theft Auto game without a killer soundtrack, right?

Cruising around Vice City in your car while scanning the radio dial is as big a part of the game as doing crime. So, what tunes do we have to look forward to hearing in the game?

Previous GTA 6 trailers included Tom Petty's "Love Is a Long Road" and The Pointer Sisters' "Hot Together." Netflix's extended look showed us a soundtrack that extends from Kodak Black to Def Leppard to Phil Collins.

Other artists heard in the Netflix preview include Depeche Mode, Birdman featuring Lil Wayne, Captain & Tennille, Cliff Richard, Prefab Sprout, B one El Productor De Oro, Chimbala, and Omega, Aluna & Jayda G, Elderbrook & Bob Moses, and The Bellamy Brothers.

For a complete list of every song in Netflix's GTA 6 extended look (and songs that have previously been associated with the game), check out Mashable's coverage specifically on the music of GTA 6.

GTA 6 gameplay

There has already been so much content released by the anonymous leaker known as Cyberleek, yet Rockstar Games was still able to deliver huge elements of gameplay that were previously completely unknown.

For example, Mashable reported earlier today on the suspicious lack of any gameplay footage involving Lucia as a playable character. Well, the Netflix exclusive look delivered what Cyberleeks couldn't (or wouldn't for some reason). We saw plenty of gameplay footage with Lucia.

Cyberleek did post footage of gameplay that included a little demon head icon in the corner of the screen, and we now know a little more about that. It appears this is a game mechanic that monitors the morality or honor your character shows (or the lack thereof). It's not clear exactly what it means for the character, or how the game changes with it, but we do know it's there.

Social media also seems to play a role in GTA 6. The extended look showed Lucia stealing a car, only to find someone in the trunk doing "the trunk challenge." Later, we see the same character riding in the trunk and livestreaming as Lucia evades the police and chat messages appear on the screen. So, just like it exists in the real world, social media exists in the game, too. It's unclear if this is related to the honor system or not, but it's clear that social media plays a larger role throughout the game.

Slow-motion aiming mode

In the mission where Jason and Lucia act as security and fight an armed kidnapping crew, we noticed something interesting. While both Jason and Lucia were seen firing weapons with fairly typical aiming mechanics, at one point, the game entered a slow-motion aiming mode. At that point, enemy weak points glowed red.

NPC interactions similar to Red Dead Redemption 2 Credit: Rockstar Games

There also seems to be a new NPC interaction system, which provides players with the ability to perform certain actions with non-playable characters. For example, you can pet a dog.

It appears GTA 6 will have a similar NPC interaction system as Red Dead Redemption II, another popular game from Rockstar.

Racing seems to be a big element

The game showed Jason and Lucia racing in a variety of environments. Based on the Netflix extended look, there's even a dedicated race track in the game. We also got to see Lucia participate in a dirt bike race on a dirt track. Finally, another clip showed drag racing on city streets. For gamers who love racing and car customization, it seems there will be a lot to love in GTA 6.

You can scuba dive and base jump

One of the coolest clips in the extended look featured Lucia base jumping off a skyscraper, pulling her parachute, and gliding over Vice City. In another scene, we learned that players can even go scuba diving.

Eating and drinking are part of the game

From Dazed magazine, we learned that eating and drinking are part of the game, and that Jason and Lucia can gain or lose weight based on their diet and exercise. In the extended look, we see Jason eating food as a heart meter appears on the screen, and we see Lucia lifting weights.

The extended look also showed character actions such as opening a refrigerator and drinking beer, as well as interactive cigar smoking.

Of course, there are just the biggest elements we noticed. The extended look will be available on YouTube starting at 9 p.m. ET, and the game itself comes out Nov. 19.

'Grand Theft Auto VI' Ultimate Edition: PS5 or Xbox $99.99 at PlayStation Store
  See It at PlayStation Store See It at Xbox See It at Rockstar Games

Domestic goddess Martha Stewart has given her stamp of approval to Waymo's newest autonomous vehicle, the Ojai.

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Stewart partnered with Google-owned Waymo for a spot promoting the Ojai, a roomier alternative to Waymo's increasingly ubiquitous Jaguar I-PACE cars. The Ojai, now available for driverless rides in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Phoenix, features automatic sliding doors, a comfier interior, and three large in-car screens outfitted with (what else?) Gemini AI tech.

Waymo refers to the Ojai as a "living room on wheels." The custom-made Ojai certainly seems like an upgrade from the Jaguars, but it lacks the innovative carriage-style seating offered by Zoox, Amazon's robotaxi company. Zoox allows riders to sit across from each other and the vehicles can drive in either direction seamlessly since they don't have a formal front or rear.

SEE ALSO: 'Are we on fire, dude?' When a Waymo ran over a firework

Zoox, though, is only available to the public in Las Vegas. Besides offering service to nearly a dozen Sun Belt cities (and San Francisco), Waymo plans to launch in places like New York, Chicago, Washington, D.C., and Tokyo, according to its website.

Can any show stop Reacher? The action show continues to sit atop Prime Video's top 10 in the U.S. None of the three shows below will be in the top 10 right now, but they are all popular in their own right. The first show on this list is a Prime Video original with two seasons out and a third one on the way.

TL;DR: Get a Curiosity Stream lifetime subscription for $149.99 (reg. $399.99).

Opens in a new window Credit: Curiosity Stream Curiosity Stream Standard Plan: Lifetime Subscription $149.99
$399.99 Save $250   Get Deal

Netflix keeps burying its documentaries under three rows of reality shows. Curiosity Stream doesn’t have that problem because documentaries make up the entire catalog.

A Streamer with no subscription

The large library covers science, history, nature, and technology, with thousands of titles and new ones added on an ongoing basis: ancient Rome, deep space, and wildlife, including a solid lineup of David Attenborough programs. Series like Engineering the Future, Deep Time History, and Into the Jungle each dig into a different corner of how the world actually works, rather than another true-crime rehash.

It streams in HD across phones, tablets, and TVs, and the iPhone and iPad apps let you download episodes ahead to watch later. Search handles general topics well, so chasing a rabbit hole about deep-sea creatures or ancient Rome doesn’t take much digging, and the interface itself stays out of your way.

Bookmarking and resume playback mean you can always get back to what you want to watch, even if you switch devices.

It’s also just a good thing to fall asleep to. Swap out reality TV or a movie you have to actually pay attention to for a low-stakes documentary, and it’s a lot easier to drift off without missing anything that matters. Between that and the actual educational value, it’s a natural fit for anyone who’d rather spend an evening learning something than rewatching a show for the fourth time.

Get Curiosity Stream lifetime access for $149.99 (reg. $399.99).

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: The Fitbit Charge 6 tracks workouts, heart rate, sleep, stress, and more for $134.99 (reg. $159.95).

Opens in a new window Credit: Google Fitbit Charge 6 $134.99
$159.95 Save $24.96   Get Deal

A fitness tracker becomes more useful when its data follows you into the workout. The Fitbit Charge 6 can link to compatible exercise machines and display your heart rate in real-time for a more connected workout.

Outside the gym, built-in GPS and GLONASS track pace, distance, routes, and outdoor workouts without relying entirely on a phone. More than 40 exercise modes cover activities such as walking, running, cycling, and swimming, while Active Zone Minutes show workout intensity.

The Charge 6 also tracks heart rate around the clock, daily activity, sleep patterns, and stress responses. Its Sleep Score provides personalized insights, while SpO₂ and skin temperature tracking add additional wellness metrics. Compatible ECG and EDA Scan features are available where supported; these are wellness tools, not medical care.

Google integrations make the device more practical between workouts. Maps provides turn-by-turn directions for walks, runs, and rides. Google Wallet handles contactless payments, YouTube Music controls compatible playback, and smart notifications surface calls, messages, app alerts, alarms, and reminders from a compatible smartphone.

The bright AMOLED touchscreen is designed for indoor and outdoor visibility. Up to seven days of battery life reduces charging interruptions, and 50-meter water resistance supports swimming and everyday wear. Small and large silicone bands are included.

This is a focused alternative for someone who wants fitness and wellness data without moving to a larger, more complex smartwatch.

Don’t miss the Fitbit Charge 6 while it’s on sale for $134.99 (reg. $159.95) for a limited time.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

For 26 minutes on a Thursday, the internet collectively stopped to watch a video game.

That video game was Grand Theft Auto VI, the long-awaited next entry in Rockstar Games' (in)famous open-world crime series. Netflix aired a pretty long video showing official gameplay for the first time, after about a week of rampant leaks.

SEE ALSO: 'GTA 6' Netflix extended look: Everything that happened in the 26-minute reveal

After 13 years of waiting and mounting hype, you'd think social media would be ready to tear the game apart, especially after seeing a bunch of out-of-context clips leaked from an older build of the game. However, it turns out that Rockstar evidently did enough to satisfy its fans, judging by their reactions on social media. Even Major League Baseball weighed in.

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We'll see if that enthusiasm holds up until Nov. 19, when the game finally comes out.

Have you ever wanted the watch face on your smartwatch to change automatically depending on what you’re doing? A minimal watch face when you go to sleep, and then one with lots of health data when you start exercising. If that sounds useful, then you’re in the right place. I’ve configured my Galaxy Watch to automatically change its watch face based on what I’m doing—here’s a detailed overview of how you can do the same.

Country music legend Dolly Parton died this week, and doctored images of the icon in the hospital are circulating online.

There are no publicly available photos of Dolly Parton hospitalized or wearing a patient gown, but if you go on social media, you might not know that.

On the morning of Aug. 27, Mashable observed at least three YouTube videos with fake, likely AI-generated images of Parton hospitalized in the thumbnails. The videos were surfaced by the YouTube app in sections labeled "Videos on the rise" and "YouTube featured":

Credit: Screenshot: YouTube Credit: Screenshot: YouTube

One thumbnail features Parton in a gown surrounded by tubes in front of, bizarrely, a city background, as if it was generated using images of both Parton and news anchors:

Credit: Screenshot: YouTube

Another thumbnail surfaced in the "YouTube featured" section and featured singer Jelly Roll with a superimposed image of Parton in the clouds:

Credit: YouTube

According to a description in YouTube’s app, the featured section "promotes YouTube features and programs, often using content that YouTube has chosen based on your viewing habits or through manual selections." Below all these videos is the "hyped," label, meaning that viewers tapped the Hype button on the app to boost the video's discoverability.

As of the afternoon of Aug. 27, all four videos remained live. Three displayed a "Made with AI" label when opened, along with a disclaimer in the description stating, "Sounds or visuals were altered or fully generated."

The video about Dolly Parton’s sister, Stella Parton, did not have this label.

A YouTube spokesperson told Mashable, "We are reviewing and will take action against any content or channels found to be in violation of our policies." Mashable has also reached out to the available YouTube channels.

SAVE $150: The 75-inch TCL QM64L QLED TV is on sale at Amazon for $849.99, down from the list price of $999.99. That's a 15% discount.

Opens in a new window Credit: TCL 75-inch TCL QM64L QLED TV $849.99 at Amazon
$999.99 Save $150   Get Deal

For plenty of rooms, a 65-inch TV is perfect. But if you have a larger living room or a big bedroom, a 75-inch might be better. The problem with a larger TV is that the price tends to jump significantly between 65 and 75 inches. For that reason, it's worth checking out this Amazon deal.

As of Aug. 27, the 75-inch TCL QM64L QLED TV is on sale at Amazon for $849.99, marked down from the list price of $999.99. That's a 15% discount that saves $150 off the price and gives you extra funds to spend on streaming services.

Ideal for watching games during daylight hours, the TCL's QLED display features 3840x2160 4K resolution. It contains up to 500 local dimming zones, ensuring there's less color bloom and deep blacks. Plus, this is the first TCL model that comes with Alexa+.

SEE ALSO: TCL TV deal alert: Get this stunning 65-inch Mini-LED TV for $602 off at Amazon

If you love gaming on a giant TV, TCL's 144Hz refresh rate and 288 VRR will work well together for a lag-free experience. In addition to these specs, it's worth mentioning that Mashable rates TCL as one of the best TV brands, making budget models that don't cut down on quality.

Instead of dropping big money on a 75-inch TV, upgrade to the 75-inch TCL QM64L QLED TV while it's on sale at Amazon for under $850. It'll be a great companion for fall shows and staying cozy indoors come winter.

Vinyl enthusiasm seems to go on unabated, and I certainly could never have predicted when we threw out our last record player that anyone but a few hardcore adherents would ever care about these PVC discs again. Yet here we are.

Seemingly right after the big Grand Theft Auto VI trailer aired on Netflix, the internet's home for video game streaming went down.

The two things are probably entirely unrelated, of course, but Twitch did indeed go down for many users on Thursday afternoon. Down Detector shows that people started reporting the outage around 3:30 p.m. ET, again coincidentally, immediately after the GTA video aired. That's poor timing for anyone who wanted to hop on Twitch and talk about it.

Users reported the outage on X, too.

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Sorry to anyone who wanted to watch some Twitch this afternoon.