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

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

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

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for November 8, 2026 Clarity meaning

The quality of being clear.

Context meaning

The words, phrases or sentences that come immediately before and after a specific passage.

Insight meaning

Goods, valuables or territory seized by force.

Perspective meaning

A particular point of view.

Carat meaning

A unit of mass used to weigh gemstones and pearls.

Charred meaning

Burnt.

Korn meaning

A popular 90s American rock band.

Leak meaning

An accidental opening.

Blowout meaning

To beat an opponent by a massive margin in a sports game.

Color meaning

The visual perception created when light wavelengths interact with the cone cells in the eye.

Extensions meaning

Additions.

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Trim meaning

To cut just a bit.

Built meaning

Constructed.

Cut meaning

Chopped.

Jacked meaning

Muscular.

Ripped meaning

Torn

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

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

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

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

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

The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult if you're a gym rat.

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.

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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.

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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: NYT Pips hints, answers for November 8, 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: Fit

• Green: New do

• Blue: Aha moment

• Purple: Healthy eats

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Here are today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Muscular

• Green: Hair salon services

• Blue: Things that help make sense of a situation

• Purple: Vegetable homophones

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 #1246 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Muscular: BUILT, CUT, JACKED, RIPPED

• Hair salon services: BLOWOUT, COLOR, EXTENSIONS, TRIM

• Things that help make sense of a situation: CLARITY, CONTEXT, INSIGHT, PERSPECTIVE

• Vegetable homophones: CARAT, CHARRED, KORN, LEAK

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

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

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

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

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

Today's NYT Strands hints will be easy if you can easily defend yourself.

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

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

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

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

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for November 8, 2026 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Disciplined combat

The words are associated with fighting.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words are types of combat sports.

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 Martial Arts.

NYT Strands word list for November 8

• Judo

• Kickboxing

• Martial Arts

• Ninjutsu

• Karate

• Taekwondo

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 competitive.

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

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for November 8, 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.

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

The original.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

No letters appear twice.

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

Today's Wordle starts with the letter F.

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...

FIRST

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.

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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

The globe.

Hurdle Word 1 answer

EARTH

Hurdle Word 2 hint

Foamy.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for November 8, 2026 Hurdle Word 2 Answer

SOAPY

Hurdle Word 3 hint

Crazy.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Meanings for each word for Nov. 8, 2026 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Meanings for each word for Nov. 8, 2026 Hurdle Word 3 answer

MANIC

Hurdle Word 4 hint

Cooktop.

Hurdle Word 4 answer

STOVE

Final Hurdle hint

Dark brown.

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

SABLE

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

I've never really been a guy who spends much time on the command line or terminal on any computer or OS, but these days, as I get into more self-hosting projects and take remote control of devices on my LAN, I find myself SSH-ing from my Mac's terminal at least once or twice a week.

Similar to eyesight, everyone's hearing is unique. Some of us can hear most frequencies audible to the human ear, while others struggle with certain ranges, which can affect their experience when listening to music and watching videos.

Product recalls are just a fact of life, but we're all busy, which means you don't always realize you've bought something dangerous. I only found out my Toyota's airbags had been subject to a recall three years after it happened! Now that could have ended poorly indeed.

With it being the heart of hurricane season in the States, power outages are pretty common right now. When the lights and the internet go out, you've got to have something to do to pass the time, and having your favorite Netflix series downloaded and ready to go can be a lifesaver.

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

The Rugby League World Cup final has only one place left to take. Australia takes on Samoa for the right to play in the showpiece event. We're expecting an absolutely electric contest between two talented and physical sides. There's a lot of sport taking place this weekend, but this might be the highlight.

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

When is Australia vs. Samoa?

Australia vs. Samoa in the 2026 Rugby League World Cup starts at 4:05 a.m. ET on Nov. 8. This fixture takes place at the Allianz Stadium.

How to watch Australia vs. Samoa for free

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

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

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

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

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

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

4. Visit 7plus

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

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

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

What is the best VPN for 7plus?

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

• Servers in 105 countries, including Australia

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

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

• Fast connection speeds

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

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

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

I figured plugging my NAS straight into my PC would be the fastest way to move files. I did not think I really needed a router in the middle to act as an extra hop. I had thought just one cable meant full speed. The idea is common enough that plenty of people try it. I didn't expect the router to be doing so much in the background.

Obsidian is, in my opinion, incredibly powerful because it keeps its core feature set intentionally lean. It’s designed to be customizable, and the community plugins are what fill those gaps. But sometimes, those plugins don't just add cool features—they fix fundamental problems that, honestly, feel like things the app should have out of the box. Here are the three best plugins I've found, in no particular order.

TL;DR: Block ads and trackers on up to nine devices with an AdGuard Family Plan lifetime subscription for $17.97 (reg. $169.99).

Opens in a new window Credit: AdGuard AdGuard Family Plan: Lifetime Subscription $17.97
$169.99 Save $152.02   Get Deal

Most households have several phones, tablets, and laptops, and each one gets hit with ads and trackers. If you want to block them all with one purchase, try a lifetime subscription to the AdGuard Family Plan for $17.97 (reg. $169.99).

Ads clutter pages, but they also slow down loading times, use up mobile data, and sometimes carry malware. AdGuard removes banners, pop-ups, and video ads, so pages load faster and look cleaner. On a phone, that means fewer interruptions while you scroll and less data spent on ads you never wanted to see. AdGuard also blocks trackers, so advertisers can’t follow your activity from site to site.

Kids use the same browsers and apps as everyone else, and one wrong click can take them to a page meant for adults. Parental controls let you filter out inappropriate sites across the family’s devices. AdGuard also blocks phishing links and malicious websites, giving everyone in the house a layer of protection against scams.

AdGuard’s Family Plan covers up to nine devices running Windows, macOS, iOS, or Android. Each person can install AdGuard on their own phone or computer under the same plan. That’s three times the device count of AdGuard’s Personal Plan, enough for a couple of laptops plus everyone’s phones and tablets. At $17.97 for nine devices, you pay less than $2 per device.

Because this is a lifetime subscription, you pay once and get updates and new features as they come out. You won’t have a renewal date to track or a yearly charge to cancel. You have 30 days after purchase to redeem your code, and the deal is open to new AdGuard users only.

Block ads and trackers on the whole family’s devices with one payment.

A lifetime subscription to the AdGuard Family Plan is $17.97 through Nov. 8.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

After a long day, you probably plop your smartwatch onto its charging puck on your nightstand and leave it there overnight. Or, if you wear it to bed to track your sleep, you might leave it charging all afternoon after getting home so you can put it back on right before bedtime.

Where do screenshots go on Windows 10 and Windows 11? The answer depends entirely on how you capture the image. There is no single central folder for all screenshots, but every method has a specific default location.

Most people start by simply installing a Linux distribution and then spend weeks tweaking it. When you build your own fork, though, and get a distro working for your personal use, the whole thing flips around: you bake your choices into the system from the ground up. It's probably the only way to have a true frictionless zero-setup install.

Learning to code can feel intimidating when you are starting from scratch, especially if you have never worked with electronics. You might have written a few scripts or followed programming tutorials, but making software interact with physical hardware introduces an entirely different set of challenges.

I hate having to unlock my phone just to find one little detail before driving. It could be an appointment time in Google Calendar, a hotel address buried in Gmail, or a place I saved in Google Maps after seeing it on an influencer’s page. I usually end up opening three different apps before I find what I’m looking for.

Overclocking used to be a hobby reserved for enthusiasts willing to sink hours into tweaking voltages and clock speeds before testing stability to squeeze every last bit of performance out of their hardware.

A recent YouTube video by Gamers Nexus exposed the fact that LG TVs are sending huge amounts of data from your home to LG's servers. This can include information about what you're watching, even if you're watching a DVD or Blu-ray through a connected device. A lot of people have started rooting their TVs to try to stop this from happening, so I decided to give it a try.