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Another solar eclipse is coming. If you're ready to look up to the sky for the special event, don't forget to protect your eyes. As Europe gears up to witness a total eclipse, parts of North America will enjoy a partial eclipse.

The solar eclipse is taking place on Wednesday, Aug. 12. According to NASA, a total solar eclipse will be seen in Greenland, Iceland, northern Russia, the Atlantic Ocean, Spain, and a small corner of Portugal. However, partial eclipses can be seen in the northern U.S. (from Alaska to North Carolina), most of Canada, much of Europe, and northwestern Africa.

SEE ALSO: T-Mobile is giving away the Apple iPhone 17 for free — how to qualify

If you're planning on watching the eclipse, you'll need a pair of solar eclipse glasses. Be wary, there are plenty of solar eclipse glasses available, especially on Amazon, but you must make sure they're ISO 12312-2 Certified for the safest eye protection. The American Astronomical Society has a list of approved manufacturers you can verify too.

Since the glasses are delicate, check them before use to ensure there are no punctures or tears. To test them, wear them inside your home, and you shouldn't be able to see any light fixtures besides a small filament.

To prepare for the upcoming solar eclipse, here's a list of all the options available at Amazon. All the options on this list are CE-, ISO-, or AAS-certified to protect your eyes during the eclipse. Plus, they all arrive before Wednesday, Aug. 12.

Solar Eclipse Glasses in the UK

• Absolute Eclipse Solar Eclipse Glasses — £4.79

• Soluna Solar Eclipse Glasses — £5.99

• Solar Optics Solar Eclipse Glasses 5-pack with Phone Filters — £14.99

• Lunt Solar Eclipse Glasses 5-pack — £15.99

• Kesseph Solar Eclipse Glasses — £17.99

Solar Eclipse Glasses in the U.S. and North America

• PNJ Solar Eclipse Glasses — $9.85

• Lunt Solar Eclipse Glasses — $9.95

• Soluna Solar Eclipse Glasses — $14.99

• AAA Eclipse Solar Glasses — $17.95

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

Medical wrapping.

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

GAUZE

Hurdle Word 2 hint

A collection (of songs, photos, etc).

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for August 10, 2026 Hurdle Word 2 Answer

ALBUM

Mashable 101 Fan Fave: Nominate your favorite creators today

Hurdle Word 3 hint

To brush past.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for August 10 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for August 10, 2026 Hurdle Word 3 answer

GRAZE

Hurdle Word 4 hint

Giver.

Hurdle Word 4 answer

DONOR

Final Hurdle hint

Short.

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

BLUNT

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

If you thought the Moon looked small last night, it'll be even thinner this evening as it continues to wane ahead of the New Moon in a few night's time.

What is today’s Moon phase?

As of Monday, Aug. 10, NASA's Daily Moon Guide tracker tells us the Moon phase is in Waning Crescent phase, with 16% of its surface visible.

To see anything on the Moon's surface tonight, you'll need either binoculars or a telescope. With these, you'll be able to see the Grimaldi Basin, a huge ancient crater on the Moon, formed by a massive asteroid collision. Its center was later flooded with dark basalt rock, creating the distinctive shadowy area surrounded by a brighter rim.

When is the next Full Moon?

The next Full Moon will take place on August 28.

What are Moon phases?

The Moon's appearance changes throughout the month as it orbits Earth, completing one full lunar cycle approximately every 29.5 days, according to NASA. During that journey, the positions of the Sun, Earth, and Moon are constantly shifting, altering how much of the Moon's illuminated surface is visible from our perspective. That's why we see the familiar sequence of phases, from a slim crescent to a half Moon, then a Full Moon, before the pattern begins again.

The eight phases are:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ever since Ormund Hightower (James Norton) took over the town of Tumbleton in House of the Dragon Season 3, episode 3, fans knew the Battle of Tumbleton was imminent.

SEE ALSO: 'House of the Dragon' gives Alys Rivers a tragic backstory that isn't in the book

One of the most infamous battles in George R.R. Martin's Fire and Blood, the Battle of Tumbleton is a resounding defeat for Rhaenyra's forces, made all the worse by the betrayal of some of her dragonriders. House of the Dragon's Season 3 finale gets these broad strokes right, but just like with the Battle of the Gullet, several key details are different from the source material. From missing traitors to new participants, here are the biggest differences between House of the Dragon's Battle of Tumbleton and Fire and Blood's.

House of the Dragon reverses who's laying siege to who in the Battle of Tumbleton. Tommy Flanagan in "House of the Dragon." Credit: Theo Whiteman / HBO

When the Battle of Tumbleton breaks out in Fire and Blood, Rhaenyra's forces hold the town, while Ormund's armies attack. House of the Dragon reverses this. By the time the battle happens, Ormund has a long-established presence in Tumbleton, and it's Rhaenyra who's had to weigh whether to attack or not.

SEE ALSO: When is 'House of the Dragon' Season 4 coming out?

The switcheroo offers up several opportunities for House of the Dragon. On one side of the war, it amplifies Rhaenyra's moral dilemma: Should she attack Tumbleton and risk harming her subjects, or should she take a peaceful approach and be labeled as weak? On the other end of the battlefield, it allows House of the Dragon to explore Ormund's sadistic side, first with his poor treatment of dissenting Tumbleton residents, then with his wartime strategy of using children as human shields. That plan is a show-only creation, as is much of Ormund's personality. Martin only provided a sketch of Ormund, just as he does for most of Fire and Blood's characters and events. House of the Dragon is simply filling in the lines.

Corlys and Gwayne's plan for peace is completely new. Freddie Fox in "House of the Dragon." Credit: Ollie Upton / HBO

Before the Battle of Tumbleton breaks out in House of the Dragon, Gwayne Hightower (Freddie Fox) and Daeron Targaryen (Benjamin Evan Ainsworth) try to use Corlys Velaryon (Steve Toussaint) as a bargaining chip to sue for peace.

Notably, neither Gwayne nor Corlys are present at the Battle of Tumbleton in Fire and Blood. Corlys never becomes a prisoner, and Gwayne is long dead by this point, slain when Rhaenyra took over King's Landing. Their plan, then, is a show-only creation, although it's in keeping with the show's repeated storylines of of people trying their best to stop inevitable bloodshed.

SEE ALSO: 'House of the Dragon's Steve Toussaint breaks down Corlys's quest for peace at Tumbleton Daemon is not at Tumbleton in Fire and Blood. Matt Smith in "House of the Dragon." Credit: Theo Whiteman / HBO

Speaking of people who aren't at Tumbleton in Fire and Blood, everyone give a warm welcome to Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith)! The King Consort is nowhere near the Battle of Tumbleton when it goes down in the book. However, his presence here makes sense, since most of the key players on Team Black in the book, aside from Roddy the Ruin (Tommy Flanagan), have been cut from the show. The show has consistently cut bit parts from the book and shuffled lead characters into their place, and here is no exception. Because let's be honest, who are viewers more likely to be invested in: Daemon, whom they've followed since Season 1, or someone they barely know, like Ser Garibald Grey?

Daeron and Tessarion get in on the action in Fire and Blood. Benjamin Evan Ainsworth in "House of the Dragon." Credit: Ollie Upton / HBO

Instead of trying to sue for peace like he does in the show, Fire and Blood's Daeron Targaryen actually joins in on the fight on his dragon, Tessarion. The show's take on Daeron is less battle-tested, and even though he wants to take to the skies, Gwayne winds up dissuading him. While House of the Dragon leaves his fate uncertain, here's hoping the young Targaryen prince can get some airtime next season.

SEE ALSO: 'House of the Dragon' Season 3 finale: Is Daeron Targaryen dead? The search for Ulf the White is not in Fire and Blood. Tom Bennett in "House of the Dragon." Credit: Theo Whiteman / HBO

In an entirely new subplot, Ormund spends a good chunk of the Season 3 finale looking for Ulf the White (Tom Bennett), his final piece on the board for the battle. Ulf being Ulf, though, he had one too many pints with the lads and has wound up passed out in the privy. Fire and Blood may label him a vile turncoat, but at least it lets him keep his dignity!

After Ormund slaps Ulf around for his lateness, Ulf realizes that no matter which ruler he serves, they'll always see him as inferior. From there, he betrays yet another ally, scorching Ormund in a fiery "screw you."

Hugh Hammer also betrays Rhaenyra in Fire and Blood. Kieran Bew and Ellora Torchia in "House of the Dragon." Credit: Ollie Upton / HBO

On the subject of vile turncoats, let's talk about Hugh Hammer (Kieran Bew). In Fire and Blood, he joins Ulf in turning on Rhaenyra, and he and Vermithor help burn Tumbleton to a crisp. Fire and Blood states that history may never truly know why the Two Betrayers switched sides, although it floats both greed and cowardice as options.

House of the Dragon keeps the greed the motivation for Ulf, but it's changed Hugh and his motivations completely from the book. A brute in the source material, Hugh is a family man in the show, who's been trying to make amends with his estranged wife, Kat (Ellora Torchia). That's why he winds up in Tumbleton. He's not betraying Rhaenyra or razing armies on dragon back. Instead, he's fighting to find Kat. When he does find her, it's too late. As he grieves her loss, could this mark the start of his own turncoat arc? We're far from the book when it comes to Hugh, so we'll have to wait until Season 4 to see if he'll join Ulf in the traitor club.

House of the Dragon Season 3 is now streaming on HBO Max.

Corlys Velaryon (Steve Toussaint) is a legendary warrior and a key player in Rhaenyra Targaryen's (Emma D'Arcy) war efforts. But in House of the Dragon's Season 3 finale, the formidable Sea Snake is all about peace.

SEE ALSO: 'House of the Dragon' Season 3 family tree: How Targaryens, Hightowers, and Velaryons connect

The episode sees him attempting to broker a truce between Gwayne Hightower (Freddie Fox) and Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith) before the Battle of Tumbleton. While the move is unsuccessful, it marks the culmination of Corlys' increasing disillusionment with Rhaenyra's war and its cost, both for his family and the realm as a whole.

In a conversation with Mashable, Toussaint broke down Corlys' hopes for peace, his reaction to the carnage at Tumbleton, and the Corlys scenes that didn't make the final cut.

We start the season by seeing Corlys in full battle mode at the Battle of the Gullet, but by the end of the season, he's trying his best to sue for peace. Walk me through the way he's changed and the way his thoughts on the war have changed from the Battle of the Gullet to the Battle of Tumbleton.

Steve Toussaint: I think that arc began even before this season, towards the end of Season 2. In fact, it could be argued that it started even before that. Basically, one of the things about Corlys is that he is one of the few men in the realm, outside of Daemon, who has experienced an awful lot of war and a lot of battle. Where we meet him, obviously still grieving his wife, I think he's wondering about the futility of war.

There's that famous saying that in war there's no winners. Only war itself is the winner. Corlys is coming to that conclusion, and he's also trying to obviously reconcile with his boys and set them up in some way. The last thing you want for your newly recognized children is to launch them into a world of turmoil and chaos. All of those things are playing a part, so that when we have that scene towards the end of the finale between Corlys, Gwayne, and Daemon, Corlys says, "Look, this isn't worth it. [Rhaenyra] will still be on the throne."

SEE ALSO: 'House of the Dragon' just united three generations of House Velaryon in one shot

Around episodes 2, 3, 4, and 5, there's also a sense of righteous indignation, a sense that he's been betrayed, that he's given up so much in the cause of his queen and received little, if anything, in return. A lot of that is playing into where he is at at the moment.

I like that you mention that quote about war, because we see that devastation in the final sequence at Tumbleton, where Daemon is struggling through the burning city, and Corlys winds up being the grounding presence who gets him out of there. Tell me about playing that moment, and what it means for their relationship.

One of the things I think about Daemon in that sequence, up until Corlys turns up, is that he has got to a point where he wants to be chopped down. If he's going to die, he wants to die with his sword in his hand and in battle. So I think he goes seeking that, and I think Corlys recognizes that in him. So I grab him, and in other words [say], "No, you have to live and fight another day." Basically, what he's saying is, "This is pointless. What's the point of you dying here?"

SEE ALSO: When is 'House of the Dragon' Season 4 coming out?

What does it mean for their relationship? I'm not entirely sure, because their relationship has always been one of uneasy respect for each other. I think Corlys see Daemon as clearly a formidable warrior, but sometimes something of a lone wolf. Although in this season and part of last season, Daemon is now thinking about himself and Rhaenyra, so that's a good thing. But I think Corlys recognizes where Daemon is at and steps in to save him from himself, and also the fact is he will be useful in the war that they will have to continue to fight.

That was a powerful moment. Another moment I found very effective is when we see Ulf's first attack on the army through Corlys' eyes. I'd love to hear about shooting that run across the battlefield and mustering up the fear of a dragon attack.

There are two aspects of it. There's what you go through mentally as a performer, which is first of all like, "Oh, here's one of our dragons. I know that's one of ours," and then you see what he's doing, which is like, "Oh my God, all is lost." So, that thing was — I mean, they cut my heroic dive. I did a dive, but you don't see it, unfortunately.

Oh, no!

After all that work I put in!

Having a conversation with Andrij [Parekh], our director, about what's going through his mind, it does become a scramble for survival. You don't have time at that stage to be thinking about recrimination, about how we're going to get Ulf back. At that stage, look, I just have to survive like everybody else, and so that's the impetus, the motivation to that run.

There is a shot, briefly, of Corlys as he looks and sees the devastation, and realizes again that so much of the work they put in has now gone by the wayside.

Steve Toussaint in "House of the Dragon." Credit: Ollie Upton / HBO

We're so used to seeing Corlys in positions of power: as a lord, a commander, or a trusted voice on the Small Council. In these last two episodes, he's become a hostage. That's new to the show, and a new position for him to be in. What was your reaction when you first found out you'd be playing this new material?

I was excited. Look, you always want to try and explore different facets of the character you're playing, so it was interesting to have him, as you say, for once not be in charge of his own fate because he's in chains. Of course, he doesn't show any fear sitting at the table. [Laughs] I was disappointed that they decided to, you know, cut his finger off. I was like, "Can they just not take his ring?" But it's Westeros, so we've gotta shed blood where we can.

SEE ALSO: 'House of the Dragon' gives Alys Rivers a tragic backstory that isn't in the book

Ideally, you just want to see your character put in different environments and see how he copes with them. We could have continued with him being in charge and being ambitious and angry and so forth. But no, I think it makes him much more interesting, much more compelling, which is how I felt with Season 2 and him grieving for his wife. Anything that shows you another side to the character is a good thing.

For sure. I also think that there is still quite a bit of power to him in these scenes, even though he's in chains. He's still able to command attention. Walk me through finding that kind of power in the hostage scenes, even though Corlys has physically got the short end of the stick.

Even though, as you said, he has the short end of the stick, he still sees respect in the eyes of his captors. Right from the the scene where he's having dinner with Ormund, there is a way that Ormund still tries to speak to him as an equal, and Ormond still tries to almost persuade him onto his side.

Then later on in the cell, [Corlys says] something like, "All I've got left is my honor. Do you think I would just give that away cheaply?" And I think Gwayne recognizes that in him, and I think Corlys recognizes that Gwayne recognizes that. Because often we, as human beings, we receive our values in the eyes of the people that we interact with, and I think the great thing about those performances is that they had to portray a certain amount of respect for this man. Even if they do have him in chains, he's still valuable and he's still a high-worth individual, and Corlys knows that too.

I found that uneasy alliance with Gwayne so interesting, especially in that failed peace treaty negotiation. Tell me about Corlys' mindset there, and what he is willing to do in order to treat for peace.

At that point, despite the fact that Gwayne actually is a decent soldier, I don't know that Corlys has thought that much of him. So, from the minute that they're in the cell, and then [Gwayne] says "the hard way," and then — well, we did shoot it, but we imagine the walk to where where Daemon and his guys are. During that walk, I think Corlys is just like, "Oh, there's a fool. He has no idea what he's doing."

Then, when they meet Daemon, and Gwayne starts to go and relay his plan, some of it makes sense. It actually is surprisingly sensible as far as Corlys is concerned. Not all of it, clearly, which is why he then interjects and says, "Shut up." But he's right. We can't continue with this.

SEE ALSO: 'House of the Dragon' Season 3 finale: Is Daeron Targaryen dead?

The moment that's key for me is when Daemon says, "What has he given you? What have they bribed you with?" And Corlys says, "Peace." That encapsulates everything about Corlys at that moment. Again, it's that whole thing we were talking about earlier in this conversation about war being futile. I think that's what he wants. Peace, not at any cost, but at a high cost. That's where Corlys is coming from in that moment. He thinks he has a plan, but the minute when I read the script and he said something like, "What you have to decide is how you want to get to Rhaenyra being queen, whether you want to have her be queen or you want a mountain of dead Hightowers," even as I was reading, I was like, "Oh, I know which way Daemon is going. Why am I even asking?"

Exactly. You mentioned that they cut the walk to Daemon, and they also cut your heroic dive. What was another Corlys moment that didn't make it into the season that you were excited about?

It's probably me maiming somebody in the Battle of the Gullet, because you do all these setups where you cut somebody's arm off. In fact, there is one sequence in the midst of the battle, where somebody comes up from behind and I swing my arakh and I get in between the legs. I just thought that was such a cool move, but that didn't make the final cut.

Oh bummer, that would have been awesome.

I know, right? There you go.

Steve Toussaint in "House of the Dragon." Credit: Ollie Upton / HBO

Corlys' descendants also get some big moments this episode. We have Baela (Bethany Antonia) standing up to Rhaenyra, and Alyn (Abubakar Salim) carrying out Rhaenyra's orders and killing the High Septon. How do you think Corlys would react to both of their actions?

Certainly with Alyn killing the High Septon, I think I would be incredibly disappointed. I don't know that Alyn had a choice, frankly, but I think that would be something else that Corlys would count as a cost to his family in their cause. I don't think he'd be happy about that.

With Baela and Rhaenyra, I think as long as Baela remains safe, I think he'd be quite pleased. It's funny, I get this stuff on social media where people are like, "Oh look, he just wants his sons to be to be his heirs," and I'm like, "Don't forget, he actually offered Driftmark to Baela." He sees her as somebody who is capable, and I think her standing up to the queen, he would approve of as long as she stayed safe.

Corlys wasn't around for the big Targaryen dragon showdown in episode 7. But if he was, how do you think he would have handled things? Because I think he would have been a good presence to have around.

Knowing Corlys, he probably would have tried to usher the others to somewhere safe. He doesn't have the love of dragons like a lot of the other characters do. Actually, he's like me with horses. I quite like horses, but I remember the first time I was on a horse, I was like, "Oh my God, I'm on a vehicle that has a mind of its own. That's kind of weird," and I think that's kind of how Corlys looks at dragons. So I think he would have been the one saying, "Quick, quick, get in the cave," or whatever it is. I don't think he should be out in the open with that.

The interview above was edited for length and clarity.

House of the Dragon Season 3 is now streaming on HBO Max.

House of the Dragon foreshadows character fates aplenty throughout the series, and the Season 3 finale is no exception.

In the final episode, the death of Helaena (Phia Saban) is a tragic, devastating moment, with the princess leaving behind an embroidered tapestry of prophecies for Queen Rhaenyra (Emma D'Arcy) to reflect on. Elsewhere, Helaena's mother, Alicent (Olivia Cooke), is in a camp in the woods, having fled from Harrenhal. Her expression shows she's aware something is wrong, as the queen dowager considers a butterfly, then two, then hundreds rising up into the sky.

This sombre moment in House of the Dragon sees a mother connected with her fallen daughter, without having to deliver the news. And these beautiful butterflies were foreshadowed earlier in the season in scenes that make it even more shattering.

SEE ALSO: 'House of the Dragon' Season 3 family tree: How Targaryens, Hightowers, and Velaryons connect

In Season 3, episode 2, right before Rhaenyra takes King's Landing, then-Queen Helaena sits in a palace garden examining a caterpillar. "This is strange," she says to her mother. "It isn't the season." Alicent hastily closes her daughter's journal, but not before seeing Helaena's studious sketch of a butterfly within it.

Credit: Ollie Upton / HBO

It's not the only moment of foreshadowing, either. In Season 3, episode 5, Helaena and Alicent are now captives in the Red Keep, under Rhaenyra's orders. They're sitting in the same garden for their allotted outdoor time, with Helaena's daughter Jaehaera (Pearl Clark), who tries to touch a caterpillar on a flowering plant. But her mother stops her. “You can’t touch that. Do you know why? They eat the leaves of the nightshade, but that would be death for you or me."

Helaena, a Dreamer who has the gift of foresight, has always found signs in nature, including insects. In Season 1, episodes 6 and 7, she studies a millipede and a spider, which grant her prophetic visions of the Dance of the Dragons itself. The caterpillar could be considered one such vessel for her own fate — cocooned in captivity and unable to fly or transform until death.

Featured Video For You 'House of the Dragon's Fabien Frankel reveals a detail from Criston Cole's death that was years in the making

For keen-eyed fans, the butterfly moment could also be a major troll toward House of the Dragon writer George R. R. Martin. In a now-deleted blog post titled "Beware the Butterflies," Martin openly criticised House of the Dragon showrunner Ryan Condal's adaptation of his book, Fire & Blood, especially the Blood and Cheese sequence (in which Helaena's son Jaehaerys was murdered).

The author notably argued that Helaena's death could not be properly captured by the show as the production had cut the character of Maelor, another of Helaena's sons who is killed during the bloody Sack of Bitterbridge during the Dance of the Dragons (the Sack of Bitterbridge was also cut from the show). Martin claimed that without Maelor and his horrific death, the show created a "butterfly effect" that "undercut the motivation for Helaena’s suicide." In his work, the author wrote, "The horrific psychological torture and eventual gruesome death of little Maelor are precisely what drive Helaena to her breaking point."

We'll have to wait and see what Martin thinks of the Season 3 finale. However, personally, I think the scene is beautiful and tragic.

New episodes of House of the Dragon air Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on HBO and HBO Max.

This story mentions suicide. If you're feeling suicidal or experiencing a mental health crisis, please talk to somebody. You can call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988, or chat at 988lifeline.org. You can reach the Trans Lifeline by calling 877-565-8860 or the Trevor Project at 866-488-7386. Text "START" to Crisis Text Line at 741-741. Contact the NAMI HelpLine at 1-800-950-NAMI, Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m. ET, or email info@nami.org. If you don't like the phone, consider using the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline Chat. Here is a list of international resources.

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House of the Dragon's Season 3 finale knocked several key characters off the board, including Lord Ormund Hightower (James Norton). (Rest in peace, you odor-hating icon.) However, one Team Green member's fate is still up in the air: What's happened to Prince Daeron Targaryen (Benjamin Evan Ainsworth)?

SEE ALSO: 'House of the Dragon' gives Alys Rivers a tragic backstory that isn't in the book

Ormund's reluctant king-to-be was last seen fleeing through the burning streets of Tumbleton with his uncle, Gwayne Hightower (Freddie Fox). However, in the battle's aftermath, Gwayne finds himself alone in the rubble, calling out for Daeron. Could the prince still be alive, or did he join Ormund in death?

House of the Dragon has always played by the rule that if you haven't seen a corpse, the character isn't dead yet. Take this season's multiple Corlys Velaryon (Steve Toussaint) fake-outs, or the return of Tyland Lannister (Jefferson Hall). Just like with them, we haven't seen Daeron's dead body, so we can assume he's likely survived the Battle of Tumbleton. Notably, House of the Dragon also hasn't revealed the fate of his dragon, Tessarion. Could he have escaped on dragonback and chosen to regroup?

What happens to Daeron in Fire and Blood?

While House of the Dragon does differ substantially from its source material, George R.R. Martin's Fire and Blood, we can still look to the book for a blueprint of what's next for Daeron.

In the book, Daeron actually fights during the Battle of Tumbleton, flying on Tessarion to take out Rhaenyra Targaryen's (Emma D'Arcy) armies. He winds up surviving the battle and remaining in Tumbleton, where he butts heads with Ulf the White (Tom Bennett) and Hugh Hammer (Kieran Bew). While we may not see that book dynamic in its entirety, especially since Hugh didn't turn against Rhaenyra's armies like Ulf did, we could still see Daeron taking on more of a leadership role as the Dance of the Dragons moves into its next phase.

House of the Dragon Season 3 is now streaming on HBO Max.

Burning bridges with the most connected person in King's Landing could have consequences for Queen Rhaenyra (Emma D'Arcy).

In the House of the Dragon Season 3 finale, the Westeros monarch makes a sudden decision to dismiss her Mistress of Whispers, Mysaria (Sonoya Mizuno). Even lady's maid Elinda (Jordon Stevens) seems shocked to the deliver the news, as guards pack up Mysaria's things.

But why does Rhaenyra make such an abrupt move to spurn her lover and confidante, an OG of her Small Council, and the most informed person in the capital?

SEE ALSO: 'House of the Dragon' Season 3 family tree: How Targaryens, Hightowers, and Velaryons connect Rhaenyra chooses Daemon over Mysaria, as war over peace. Season 2 saw Rhaenyra (Emma D'Arcy) and Mysaria (Sonoya Mizuno) inseparable. Credit: Theo Whiteman / HBO

First things first: The timing isn't great, as the dismissal happens right after Rhaenyra and Mysaria sleep together in the Red Keep in Season 3, episode 7. Without getting into the King's Landing HR weeds (Westeros' rulers would all be jailed if we went down this road), this is a clear abuse of power on Rhaenyra's part. But importantly, Mysaria seems genuinely hurt by the queen's action.

While Mysaria was using diabolical power moves like empathy and understanding (so rude!) to get in Rhaenyra's good books, she found deep respect for her queen. Mysaria saved Rhaenyra's life by shattering the Fake Twin Gambit. With Daemon's (Matt Smith) absence in Harrenhal in Season 2, Mysaria and Rhaenyra grew close, with the former eventually championing Rhaenyra and pledging her service, saying, "You have seen me as worthy, as an equal, even." Their increasingly romantic bond in Season 3, episode 7, saw Rhaenyra asking Mysaria the same question of her reign: "Do you think I am worthy?"

Mysaria and Daemon each see different reigns for Rhaenyra — one where peace or war is power, respectively. The queen has struggled throughout the series to decide which of these monarchs she should be, longing to match her father's peaceful rule but facing divided public opinion for it.

Three seasons has seen Daemon (Matt Smith) versus Mysaria (Sonoya Mizuno). Credit: Ollie Upton / HBO

In the season finale, however, Rhaenyra chooses. Her furious reaction to Aegon and Sunfyre's "resurrection" is swift, as she tasks Daemon with launching the attack on Tumbleton. The prince consort has been waiting for this signal, and the pair seem more connected than ever. It seems clear: Rhaenyra has chosen Daemon, the path of war.

Notably, Alicent (Olivia Cooke) warned Mysaria that this would happen. In Season 3, episode 5, Mysaria is weighing up whether to tell Rhaenyra that Helaena (Phia Saban) is pregnant with Aegon's heir, when Alicent makes a plea.

"I simply urge you to think of yourself," she says. "There is good in Rhaenyra, but the crown is a weight that crushes. Rhaenyra will do, in the end, what she has to do, and what she has to do will be dire. There is only one who can walk that path with her, and she chose him long ago."

Mysaria knows too much (and has worked too hard) to be dismissed like this. Mysaria has worked in Targaryen shadows for three seasons. Credit: Ollie Upton / HBO

Mysaria has spent House of the Dragon working her way to a position of self-made power, with grit, smarts, and unfathomable strength. We find out in Season 2 she was sexually abused by her own father (resulting in pregnancy and a hysterectomy), and she was an enslaved person in Essos before arriving in Westeros.

There, she built her network in Flea Bottom through sex work and brothel management, and she became unrivalled as an information broker, informing on the royals as the White Worm. She was Daemon's paramour in Season 1, though he now speaks to her with contempt, having interrogated Mysaria as a prisoner on Dragonstone when she tried to flee King's Landing. And now, he despises her strong connection with his niece-wife-queen.

Give Mysaria a break! Credit: Ollie Upton / HBO

Despite all that, Mysaria's finally established her place on the Small Council, advising the queen on her reign and catching "don't forget who you are" strays from her Flea Bottom friends like brothel madam Sylvi (Michelle Bonnard). Give her a break!

Importantly, Mysaria knows every last secret of Rhaenyra's (and her court), and the queen thinks kicking her to the curb is a smart idea? Who reported a young Rhaenyra getting frisky in Flea Bottom with her future uncle-husband Daemon in Season 1, leading to Daemon's exile by his brother Viserys (Paddy Considine)? Who snuck Rhaenyra into King's Landing to see Alicent, which changed the whole game? Who's got a Hightower IOU? Be wise, Rhaenyra!

New episodes of House of the Dragon air Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on HBO and Max.

Ulf the White (Tom Bennett) starts and ends House of the Dragon Season 3 the way he means to go on: taking a crap whenever he bloody well likes.

The turncoat dragonseed began his journey this season joining the illustrious Westeros tradition of pooping on camera, and in the final episode, he's once again found on the bog in the middle of the action.

SEE ALSO: 'House of the Dragon' Season 3 family tree: How Targaryens, Hightowers, and Velaryons connect

During the Battle of Tumbleton, Ulf and his dragon Silverwing are nowhere to be found, despite both sides looking for them. We learned in the penultimate episode of Season 3 that Ulf had done a deal with the Hightower devil, after Queen Rhaenyra (Emma D'Arcy) had banned Ulf's beloved pub trips and delayed his foray into castle real estate.

Searching high and low for Ulf around Tumbleton, soldiers finally locate the man, whom we last saw drinking himself into a stupor on the eve of battle and trash-talking Team Black. Passed out on the toilet, Ulf is dragged pants-down out onto the street by his new boss, Ormund Hightower (James Norton), and given a what-for that deeply pisses him off.

It's all-too-familiar treatment that makes Ulf furious, deciding he's no one's errand boy — not Ormund's nor Daemon's (Matt Smith). He's a dragonrider, one of the rarest roles in Westeros, and he and Silverwing dracarys their way through both armies.

"You know what? That did go through my head. Part of me went, OK, who's had a poo in 'House of the Dragon' or 'Game of Thrones'?" - Tom Bennett (Ulf the White)

Earlier in the season, when asked what it was like to join the Westeros Hall of Fame for Characters Who Hath Shat on Camera, Bennett told Mashable he relished the opportunity.

"You know what? That did go through my head. Part of me went, OK, who's had a poo in House of the Dragon or Game of Thrones?" Bennett said.

"He's actually also in a league of his own, because he's at least — to my knowledge — he's the only person that has a dragon and has pooed," added Clinton Liberty, who plays fellow dragonseed Addam of Hull / Addam Velaryon. "So, you're [in] very rarefied air."

Tom Bennett as Ulf the White in "House of the Dragon." Credit: Ollie Upton / HBO

To Mashable, Bennett also foreshadowed his finale moment, in a diabolical hint.

"Yeah, I get to poo on camera, and uh... Maybe you'll see me poo on camera again," he said. "Spoiler alert!"

House of the Dragon Season 3 is streaming now on HBO Max.

Featured Video For You 'House of the Dragon' cast unpack Season 3, episode 2's biggest moments

Season 3 of House of the Dragon has been bookended with quite a lot of death, hasn't it?

First, we had the Battle of the Gullet, which saw the demise of Jace (Harry Collett) and Admiral Lohar (Abigail Thorn), and now we've got the Battle of Tumbleton.

So, who dies in (and out) of battle in the Season 3 finale? There are a lot of bodies, but these are the key players.

SEE ALSO: 'House of the Dragon' Season 3 family tree: How Targaryens, Hightowers, and Velaryons connect The High Septon

Religious leaders in King's Landing have had historically tricky relationships with the crown (See: Cersei in Game of Thrones), and the High Septon (Simon Chandler) is no exception. He doesn't want to anoint Rhaenyra because he clearly doesn't believe she's the rightful ruler, and he pays the price for his stubbornness with a sword to the belly, courtesy of Alyn (Abubakar Salim).

Kat

Kat (Ellora Torchia), wife of dragonseed Hugh the Hammer (Kieran Bew), has had a miserable time since her husband made the misguided decision to go and get himself a dragon. Her end is as tragic as her final year of life, with Hugh finding her dead in the midst of battle as he searches the sacked town of Tumbleton.

Featured Video For You 'House of the Dragon's Fabien Frankel reveals a detail from Criston Cole's death that was years in the making Roddy the Ruin

When Prince Daemon (Matt Smith) asks Lord Roderick Dustin (Tommy Flanagan) if he's still ready to die for his queen, Roddy the Ruin says he "can't fuckin' wait" — and he certainly lives up to his word.

After storming the walls of Tumbleton and killing multiple Hightower men, Roddy goes looking for the grand prize: Lord Ormund Hightower (James Norton) himself. He gets his prize in the end, but he loses his arm — and then his life — in the process.

Lord Ormund Hightower

Ormund puts up a good fight, but it's a spurt of Roddy's blood that foils him in the end. The Hightower Lord, who is famously squeamish, starts heaving midway through their clash, and Roddy gets the best of him with a knife in the kidney. The cherry on the cake? A burst of fire from Ulf the White's (Tom Bennett) dragon Silverwing, which cooks them both where they stand.

Helaena Targaryen

The most tragic death of the show so far? Quite possibly. Princess Helaena (Phia Saban) has had a pretty terrible run throughout House of the Dragon, and her end is no better. After weaving her mysterious tapestry, she jumps from a window of the Red Keep and is impaled on the spikes below.

RIP, Helaena. You were too good for this world.

House of the Dragon Season 3 is streaming now on HBO Max.

There are many tragic story arcs in House of the Dragon, but perhaps none more so than that of Helaena (Phia Saban).

The princess has been in a downward spiral in Season 3, held prisoner in King's Landing by Rhaenyra (Emma D'Arcy) with less and less access to the outdoors and basically no family left.

Not idly spending her time imprisoned in King's Landing, she was, in fact, weaving a lengthy, detailed tapestry. But given we already know Helaena has the ability to see glimpses of the future, what clues might be hiding in it?

SEE ALSO: 'House of the Dragon' Season 3 family tree: How Targaryens, Hightowers, and Velaryons connect What happens to Helaena in the Season 3 finale?

Things go from bad to worse. Passing recently-sacked Mistress of Whispers Lady Mysaria (Sonoya Mizuno) in the courtyard, Helaena learns that her brother-husband Aegon (Tom Glynn-Carney) is still alive.

"Your unborn child is a hostage," hisses Mysaria. "She will never release you."

Earlier in the season, we (and Rhaenyra) learned that Helaena is pregnant with Aegon's child, a boy and another direct threat to Rhaenyra's claim to the throne. Following a tense exchange with Rhaenyra in the season finale about the "ugliness" of the queen's rule and her refusal to eat, Helaena is restrained by the guards and force fed. At the end of the episode, with her tapestry finally finished, Helaena walks towards her room's open window. In the final shots of the season we see Rhaenyra discovering the tapestry trailing out of the window and see Helaena dead at the base of the tower, impaled on spikes.

The queen picks up the tapestry and studies the images. So, what do they mean?

Featured Video For You 'House of the Dragon's Fabien Frankel reveals a detail from Criston Cole's death that was years in the making What does Helaena's tapestry mean?

Rhaenyra sees two images, side-by-side, on Helaena's tapestry. The first depicts a crying woman in a royal court gown with blonde hair, falling from a tower that resembles the Red Keep of King's Landing. It doesn't need too much explanation: the woman appears to be Helaena herself, who was tragically weaving a depiction of her own death.

The other image shows a crowned Rhaenyra sitting on the Iron Throne holding a sword. There are flames, dragons, and reaching hands in the background, with lines of red thread running down Rhaneyra's body, pouring from her fingers down the thrown to pool at its base like blood.

Looks pretty ominous, doesn't it? Clearly Helaena was no fan of Rhaenyra — she made that pretty explicit in their final conversation. So one reading of this image could be that it's symbolic of the bloodshed Helaena views Rhaenyra as having brought with her ascension to the throne. Or, like the depiction of her falling from the tower, it could be more literal.

Could it be an image of Rhaenyra's death? Is she destined to die sword in hand, in fire and blood, for the prophesied title she's longed for since it was stolen from her?

We'll have to wait for Season 4 to find out.

House of the Dragon Season 3 is streaming now on HBO Max.

For two seasons now, Alys Rivers (Gayle Rankin) has been House of the Dragon's most mysterious ensemble character. As the de facto keeper of Harrenhal, she's guided troubled Targaryen men through vision quests, guarded dragon eggs, and even proclaimed herself to be a witch.

Through it all, her own history has remained largely nebulous. Yes, she wants Harrenhal, as well as dragons to protect it. But why? Why is she so attached to this wretched stronghold?

House of the Dragon's Season 3 finale lays it all bare, revealing a tragic backstory for Alys that is nowhere to be found in George R.R. Martin's Fire and Blood.

SEE ALSO: 'House of the Dragon' Season 3 family tree: How Targaryens, Hightowers, and Velaryons connect What is Alys Rivers' backstory?

In a vulnerable scene with Aemond Targaryen (Ewan Mitchell), Alys tells him a story that dates all the way back to the time of Aegon the Conqueror. During his conquest of Westeros, Aegon faced opposition from the tyrannical Harren Hoare, King of the Isles and the Rivers. Also known as Harren the Black, he holed himself up in his castle of Harrenhal, believing he could withstand any attacks from Aegon. However, he didn't account for dragonfire, which he realized too late when Aegon's dragon Balerion the Black Dread laid waste to Harrenhal, barbecuing Harren and his sons inside.

The burning of Harrenhal is thought to mark the end of Harren's line, but as Alys tells Aemond, one boy survived. He was badly burned, and his mother did everything she could to save him. First, she called on maesters from across the realm. When that didn't work, she turned to "older cures." Magic, incantations, treating him with things that lived in the forest. (Perhaps even the Green Men?)

These cures proved to be no help, and when Harren's last son died, his mother realized she couldn't join him in death. Instead, her dabbling in magic had left her cursed to live on for centuries within the bounds of the territory of the old River Kings. That mother is none other than Alys, now centuries old, unable to leave Harrenhal, and doomed to serve those who now rule its decrepit halls.

While Alys never explicitly says she was Harren the Black's wife, she does say she was stripped of a title, name, and castle, which suggests she was a member of the nobility. That explains why she asks Daemon (Matt Smith) for Harrenhal itself. After all these years, she could return to the status she once knew.

Alys's tragic story also explains her fascination with the Targaryens and Dreamfyre's eggs. Her entire life was shattered by the actions of Aegon I Targaryen. His conquest took her sons from her and sent her to seek out magic that eventually cursed her. Perhaps, in getting an opportunity to join forces with a Targaryen and maybe rear some dragons of her own, she could find a way to break free from the spell that has bound her for centuries.

Alys Rivers's backstory is a show-only invention.

You won't find any of Alys's tale in Fire and Blood. Martin's fictional Targaryen history simply refers to her as a "wet nurse," one with witchy abilities who's believed to be a bastard of Lord Lyonel Strong (Gavin Spokes). Beyond that, we don't get any further hints at her backstory, nor do we truly listen in on any of her heart-to-hearts with Aemond.

Fire and Blood also doesn't give Harren the Black a named wife or a son who survives the initial dragon blast. However, it does introduce a rebel who calls himself Harren the Red and claims to be Harren the Black's grandson, suggesting his line might not have entirely ended in the fire. Martin does leave Harren the Red's legitimacy ambiguous, though.

By tying Alys into the dark history of Harrenhal, House of the Dragon is playing within the empty spaces of Fire and Blood. While Martin doesn't write about Harren the Black's wife, that doesn't mean he wouldn't have had one. It just means that hers may not have been a story the historians of Westeros had truly studied, or at least deemed fit to include in this Targaryen history. Like the reveal that Dreamfyre laid five eggs at Harrenhal, it's a plausible story that fits somewhat within the bounds of lore Martin has established, even if it's not outright canon in the book.

House of the Dragon Season 3 is now streaming on HBO Max.

The dust is still settling after the Battle of Tumbleton in House of the Dragon's Season 3 finale, and if you're anything like me, you're wondering, When are we going to see what happens next?

SEE ALSO: 'House of the Dragon' Season 3 family tree: How Targaryens, Hightowers, and Velaryons connect

The good news is that House of the Dragon Season 4 is already on the way. HBO announced the Season 4 renewal in Nov. 2025, along with a Season 2 renewal for the yet-unreleased A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.

As part of that announcement, HBO confirmed it had plans to release these seasons through 2028. A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms Season 2 will come first, in 2027, while House of the Dragon Season 4 is slated for 2028.

The exact release date for House of the Dragon Season 4 has yet to be announced, as Season 4 hasn't even started filming. However, given that every season of House of the Dragon has premiered in the summer (Season 1 in August, Seasons 2 and 3 in June), it's highly likely Season 4 will follow this trend and continue being HBO's summer tentpole release. So get ready for yet another two-year wait between seasons, an unfortunate norm in today's streaming age. (Remember when the wait between Game of Thrones seasons was just a year?)

Is House of the Dragon Season 4 the show's final season?

However, this two-year wait for more House of the Dragon may be the last one fans will have to endure, as it's highly likely that Season 4 will be the show's last.

At a 2024 press conference following the Season 2 finale, showrunner Ryan Condal confirmed that House of the Dragon would last four seasons. He has reiterated that sentiment throughout the press run for Season 3, telling Entertainment Weekly, "I can't speak for everybody else involved with the show and HBO and all that, but, yes, [four seasons] is very much my plan."

That means we'll only have one more hiatus until we find out how things will end for Rhaenyra (Emma D'Arcy) and the rest of her dysfunctional family. Given the ending of Season 3, we're surely in for House of the Dragon's darkest, bloodiest outing yet.

House of the Dragon Season 3 is now streaming on HBO Max.

Today's Connections: Sports Edition will be easier if you've ever watched 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: Tennis

• Green: Got a piece of that

• Blue: Here we gooooo

• Purple: Types of guards in sports

Here are today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

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

• Yellow: Tennis Stat

• Green: Make Good Contact (In Baseball)

• Blue: Associated with Dak Prescott

• Purple: ___Guard

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 #686 is...

What is the answer to Connections: Sports Edition today?

• Tennis Stat: ACE, DOUBLE FAULT, UNFORCED ERROR, WINNER

• Make Good Contact (In Baseball): BARREL, CRUSH, LACE, SMOKE

• Associated with Dak Prescott: 4, COWBOYS, MISSISSIPPI STATE, QUARTERBACK

• ___Guard: COMBO, MOUTH, NOE, OFFENSIVE

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 August 10, 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 10, 2026 Easy difficulty hints, answers for August 10 Pips

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

Greater Than (2): Everything in this space must be greater than 2. The answer is 4-0, placed horizontally.

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

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

Medium difficulty hints, answers for August 10 Pips

Greater Than (0): Everything in this space must be greater than 0. The answer is 1-6 placed vertically.

Number (7): Everything in this space must add up to 7. The answer is 1-6, placed vertically; 1-4, placed vertically.

Greater Than (10): Everything in this space must be greater than 10. The answer is 5-1, placed horizontally; 6-4, placed vertically.

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

Greater Than (3): Everything in this space must be greater than 3. The answer is 1-4, placed vertically.

Number (9): Everything in this space must add up to 9. The answer is 0-1, placed vertically; 6-4, placed vertically; 2-4, placed vertically.

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

Hard difficulty hints, answers for August 10 Pips

Number (4): Everything in this space must add up to 4. The answer is 1-5, placed vertically; 6-3, placed horizontally.

Number (12): Everything in this space must add up to 12. The answer is 6-3, placed horizontally; 6-5, placed vertically.

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

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

Number (9): Everything in this space must add up to 9. The answer is 1-5, placed vertically; 4-0, placed vertically.

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

Greater Than (3): Everything in this space must be greater than 3. The answer is 4-4, placed vertically.

Greater Than (3): Everything in this space must be greater than 3. The answer is 4-4, placed vertically.

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

Number (7): Everything in this space must add up to 7. The answer is 3-5, placed vertically; 2-0, placed horizontally.

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

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

Number (6): Everything in this space must add up to 6. The answer is 0-3, placed horizontally; 3-4, placed vertically.

Number (8): Everything in this space must add up to 8. The answer is 6-2, placed vertically.

Number (10): Everything in this space must add up to 10. The answer is 3-4, placed vertically; 6-0, placed horizontally.

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

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's Wordle answer should be easy to solve if you play Call of Duty.

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 7, 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 7, 2026 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

Take a shot at someone from a concealed position.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

There are no recurring letters.

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

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

Today's Wordle starts with the letter S.

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...

SNIPE

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.

Today's NYT Strands hints are easy if you like to support statements with facts.

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 7, 2026 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Back it up

The words are related to having proof.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe aspects of ideas that require some form of proof.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is vertical.

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NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is Proof Positive.

NYT Strands word list for August 10

• Statistics

• Specifics

• Figures

• Data

• Facts

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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.

The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult if you have a good sense of smell.

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 August 7, 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: Lack of plan

• Green: Get a ticket

• Blue: Get a bill

• Purple: Facial hair

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Here are today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Haphazardly

• Green: Ways to Receive Event Tickets

• Blue: Sections on an Invoice

• Purple: Famous Goatees

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 #1156 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Haphazardly: ANY OLD HOW, AT RANDOM, HELTER-SKELTER, WILLY-NILLY

• Ways to Receive Event Tickets: MAIL DELIVERY, MOBILE TICKET, PRINT-AT-HOME, WILL CALL

• Sections on an Invoice: BALANCE DUE, BILL TO, ORDER NUMBER, UNIT PRICE

• Famous Goatees: BILLY GOAT, COLONEL SANDERS, DOCTOR STRANGE, THE DEVIL

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for August 7, 2026

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

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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.

We all love catching up on award-winning shows and movies from time to time. Netflix’s large catalog has several Emmy-winning shows that don’t require you to invest significant time. These shows and limited series tell complete stories in one go that can be comfortably finished in a long day on the couch. You could even save it for Sunday and finish before Monday rolls around.

Dabbling with different Linux distributions is a fun hobby and something I've been doing for a while. Unfortunately, Linux enthusiasts like me have sort of a bad reputation when it comes to being welcoming to the hobby. Whenever someone asks me about trying Linux, I always have one distro in mind I can definitely recommend to beginners and enthusiasts alike.