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Today's Connections: Sports Edition will be a lot easier if you're a football fan. And if you're not, then good luck!

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: Draft day

• Green: First half

• Blue: A player in very high demand

• Purple: Famous firsts

Here are today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

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

• Yellow: Draft Pick Information

• Green: Can Precede "Draft"

• Blue: Associated with Fernando Mendoza

• Purple: Non-QBs Picked First in NFL Draft

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 #577 is...

What is the answer to Connections: Sports Edition today?

• Draft Pick Information — ALMA MATER, PICK, POSITION, ROUND

• Can Precede "Draft" — FANTASY, MOCK, NFL, SUPPLEMENTAL

• Associated With Fernando Mendoza — CAL, HEISMAN, INDIANA, QB

• Non-QBs Picked First in NFL Draft — FISHER, LONG, MARYLAND, PACE

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 April 23, 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 April 23, 2026 Easy difficulty hints, answers for April 23 Pips

Equal (3): Every domino half in this purple space must have 3 pips. The answer is 6-3, placed horizontally; 3-4, placed vertically.

Less Than (5): The domino half in this red space must have less than 5 pips. The answer is 3-4, placed vertically.

Equal (3): Every domino half in this light blue space must have 3 pips. The answer is 3-3, placed vertically.

Greater Than (3): The domino half in this yellow space must have more than 3 pips. The answer is 5-1, placed vertically.

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

Medium difficulty hints, answers for April 23 Pips

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

Equal (3): Every domino half in this red space must have 3 pips. The answer is 4-3, placed horizontally; 3-3, placed vertically; and 5-3, placed horizontally.

Greater Than (3): The domino half in this light blue space must have more than 3 pips. The answer is 6-4, placed vertically.

Greater Than (4): The domino half in this yellow space must have more than 4 pips. The answer is 5-3, placed horizontally.

Equal (4): Every domino half in this dark blue space must have 4 pips. The answer is 2-4, placed horizontally; 4-4, placed vertically.

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

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

Hard difficulty hints, answers for April 23 Pips

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

Less Than (5): The domino half in this red space must have less than 5 pips. The answer is 3-5, placed horizontally.

Number (10): Everything in this light blue space must add up to 10. The answer is 3-5, placed horizontally; 5-4, placed vertically.

Equal (1): Every domino half in this yellow space must have 1 pip. The answer is 5-1, placed horizontally; 1-1, placed horizontally.

Number (4): The domino half in this dark blue space must have 4 pips. The answer is 5-4, placed vertically.

Greater Than (2): The domino half in this green space must have more than 2 pips. The answer is 0-5, placed vertically.

Greater Than (3): The domino half in this purple space must have more than 3 pips. The answer is 6-4, placed horizontally.

Does Not Equal: Every domino half in this red space must have a different number of pips. The answer is 6-4, placed horizontally; 6-6, placed horizontally.

Number (5): The domino half in this light blue space must have 5 pips. The answer is 5-6, placed vertically.

Less Than (4): The domino half in this yellow space must have less than 4 pips. The answer is 3-6, placed vertically.

Greater Than (3): The domino half in this ark blue space must have more than 3 pips. The answer is 6-6, placed horizontally.

Number (17): Everything in this green space must add up to 17. The answer is 5-6, placed vertically; 5-2, placed vertically; and 3-6, placed vertically.

Less Than (3): The domino half in this purple space must have less than 3 pips. The answer is 2-3, placed horizontally.

Less Than (3): The domino half in this red space must have less than 3 pips. The answer is 5-2, placed vertically.

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

The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult if you're into astronomy.

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.

Mashable 101 Fan Fave: Nominate your favorite creators today

SEE ALSO: NYT Pips hints, answers for April 23, 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: The edge

• Green: Make-believe

• Blue: Solar system

• Purple: Rock groups

Here are today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Border

• Green: Kinds of fiction

• Blue: Words in a planetary mnemonic

• Purple: Starting with four-letter '80s bands

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 #1047 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Border: FLANK, NEIGHBOR, SKIRT, TOUCH

• Kinds of fiction: HISTORICAL, LITERARY, PULP, SCIENCE

• Words in a planetary mnemonic: EDUCATED, MOTHER, MY, VERY

• Starting with four-letter '80s bands: ASIAGO, DEVOTE, TOTORO, WHAMMY

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be new Connections for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for April 23, 2026

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

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 history buff.

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 April 23, 2026 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Provinces of the pantheon

The words are related to history.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe ancient Roman values.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is horizontal.

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is Domain.

Mashable 101 Fan Fave: Nominate your favorite creators today

NYT Strands word list for April 23

• Thunder

• Harvest

• Wisdom

• Domain

• Love

• Marriage

• Underworld

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 on Twitter.

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 April 23, 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 April 23, 2026 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

A bird's sound.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

The letter E appears twice.

Mashable 101 Fan Fave: Nominate your favorite creators 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...

TWEET

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.

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.

To be human is to love a good life hack. I like the part of Google's definition that refers to a life hack as a technique to "reduce chaos," because that's precisely how I find myself chronicling the mental benefits of keeping my household as low-waste as possible.

That psychological boost doesn't solely stem from feeling good about helping the environment — being more eco-friendly at home is one of the only habits that consistently helps me feel less overwhelmed about life. Like many other adults, my mood, emotional state, and ability to sleep have become heavily intertwined with the length of my to-do list. Living more low-waste minimizes the number of household tasks I need to worry about, making me feel a little more put together.

SEE ALSO: How to recycle Amazon packaging (yes, all of it)

So yes, while I find deep comfort in minimizing my plastic and food waste footprint for the planet's sake, I also find comfort in less trash to take out, fewer nasty smells, and less clutter overall. Those are all tangible results of the easy, eco-friendly changes that actively de-stress my daily routine. If the internet's traditional stress and anxiety hacks haven't worked for you, let me explain how creating less waste has helped me to protect my peace.

The psychology of a clean, de-cluttered space, but applied to trash

I firmly believe that my household's trash production and my anxiety level are positively correlated. The physical chaos of an overflowing bag, the tedious walk to the trash room, the wastefulness of it all — it's overwhelming. So I've implemented a few easy routine changes over the years that have seriously limited my garbage output by a long shot, and that control has done wonders to keep me sane when I'm spiraling.

You've probably heard of the connection between physical clutter and mental clutter. Maybe you read an article (or watched a TikTok) about it or found out that you are, in fact, more productive when your desk is tidy. Though most references to this connection are talking about your mind's subconscious reaction to visible clutter, my mind definitely counts concealed trash as clutter, despite the trash can living behind a cabinet door.

The mere thought of gallons of gross, sticky, smelly trash piling up in my kitchen feels just as disorderly and dirty as crusty dishes stacked in the sink.

Imagine how rarely you'd have to take out the trash if you weren't throwing food away

My Mill food recycling bin has put the biggest dent in the amount of waste my apartment makes, and I can't imagine living without it. It's basically the size of a traditional step-on kitchen trash can, and even has the presser foot.

Instead of putting plate scrapings, food prep scraps, or old leftovers directly into the trash, just about any food can be dumped into the Mill instead. Every night, before any of the meat or dairy or soggy spinach would start to stink up the place, Mill dehydrates and churns food into a soil-like consistency, which I then mail back to Mill to be repurposed into chicken feed.

Mill's massive filter traps nasty smells way better than any expensive scented bag could. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable That's around 246 pounds of food per year — think of how many garbage bags we've saved. Credit: Screenshot / Mill

Without food in the equation, my three-person household barely goes through one garbage bag per week. Trash duty is needed so infrequently that no one dreads it, especially because it's not that gross of a chore, either — no food means no mystery juice dripping from the bag onto your sock.

Pre-Mill, I was first introduced to the concept of compacting home food waste through Lomi. Most of those electric countertop composters aren't actually creating real "compost," but they're still drying and grinding your food scraps to a fraction of their original size. The result is a small bucket of "dirt" that won't reek if it then sits in your trash for a few days, and won't release as much methane at the landfill. Any of these countertop gadgets is a game-changer if you don't have a garbage disposal.

Plastic waste has been another leading source of the permanent pit in my stomach since 2018, when I learned that most plastic doesn't actually get recycled.

SEE ALSO: Texas resident used Apple AirTags to track her recycling. It ended up in the middle of nowhere.

All of the empty cleaning bottles and laundry detergent jugs that hogged so much space in my bin were basically destined to rot for 500 years. Awesome! For the majority of us who don't have curbside recycling, taking the recycling out involves extra walking or driving. For me, it's a dreaded elevator ride down to my apartment's sketchy basement — so I'm always trying to strategically stretch my recycling bin's life before I have to go down there again. The switch from plastic to paper packaging that can be folded or flattened creates more room to shove stuff in.

A low-waste lifestyle requires less chaotic storage at home

Pretty much my entire cleaning routine has been low-waste-ified, which plays just as big of a role in the organization of storage spaces as it does in downsizing my trash. And organization at home plays a critical role in my daily stress level.

There aren't a million plastic spray bottles clanking around in the cabinet under my sink. Multi-surface cleaning spray refills come in the form of a small Blueland tablet dissolved in the same glass bottle. My dissolvable laundry detergent strips come in a thin cardboard envelope, which is much easier to tuck away than a huge, crusty jug of laundry detergent. Stretchy dishwasher-safe silicone lids have fully replaced plastic wrap, and Swedish dishcloths (reusable paper towels that can go in the dishwasher) have freed my closet from a never-ending tower of paper towel rolls.

Laundry sheets, dishwasher pods, and carton of dish soap are easy to store in an apartment with limited space. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable Don't let me catch you using a Ziploc bag as Tupperware after this. Credit: Stasher

My parents have also had a positive downsizing experience on their lower-waste journey. My dad hasn't had to step around an industrial case of bottled water in the garage since they simply switched to a nice faucet filter. My mom took my robot vacuum and mop advice and got to free up precious shelf space that had previously been home to boxes of Swiffer WetJet refill pads. Seriously, don't underestimate the calming power of structure within your home's storage setup.

The low-waste route shrinks my recurring shopping list

I don't think enough people realize that switching to lower-waste home habits would mean that they won't have to restock so many household supplies all the time. There's serious freedom in severing your reliance on disposable items, plus shorter (cheaper) grocery store lists.

Replacement paper towels or Ziploc bags aren't permanent fixtures on the grocery list now that we've stopped relying on the disposable versions of either. When you don't burn through multiple garbage bags on a weekly basis, you rarely experience the rage of realizing you're out of fresh bags. Yes, some low-waste swaps do cost a little more up front, but their reusability pays for itself within a few months.

I'm a maximalist when decorating, but a minimalist when holding onto junk

The mental weight of stuff is real. Not "stuff" in a maximalist chic decor way, but "stuff" as in all the crap that's living in your home and your mind rent-free. You don't know what to do with it, so you just keep it (and then feel its dark presence hovering every time you're in that room). That overstimulating stress loop made it impossible for me to fully relax at home for quite some time. But after being in low-waste mode in my kitchen for a few years, the pipeline to all-over home decluttering came naturally.

Suddenly, I was inspired to clean out the drawers, shelves, and under-bed bins that had accumulated anxiety-inducing levels of junk — and then sit down and research how to sustainably get rid of that junk. It turns out that there are comically easy ways to recycle broken phone chargers, dried-out pens, dead batteries, old glasses, and so many other random knick-knacks that I held on to just because I'd feel just as anxious about sending them to a dumpster.

For unwanted items with a little more value, like clothes or old AirPods or decor that isn't my taste anymore, online resale apps have become core to mitigating my messy home restlessness. You'd be shocked at the range of niche items that shoppers are willing to take off your hands. If there was any level of sentimental attachment, I can breathe a little easier knowing the item is getting a second life instead of collecting dust on an overflowing Goodwill shelf.

SEE ALSO: The Suri recyclable electric toothbrush is my favorite eco-friendly self-care swap

I've realized that maintaining an uncluttered space isn't a challenge when you have clear-cut methods to properly discard unwanted stuff. I now have a pretty solid idea of what can be recycled where, even the really-hard-to-recycle stuff, and what might sell on eBay.

If I'm not sure, my reflex is now to research what to do with it instead of cramming it into a procrasti-clutter drawer. Similarly, I've been able to keep up with a weekly fridge clean-out schedule because I can casually throw anything in my Mill bin. I no longer put expired stuff back in just because it'll stink in the trash, and old leftovers are no longer piling up to the point that no new groceries can fit.

Now that my brain is rewired to take the path of least waste in most situations, I've gotten really good at acquiring less stuff in the first place. If I'm on the fence about a purchase, the first question I ask myself is, "Will this be a pain in the ass to deal with a year from now?" Am I really going to be excited about this item for longer than a few months? Is it high-quality enough to last for a long time? Can I find it secondhand on Depop? While I'll never deny the importance of getting yourself a little treat just because, intentional shopping is such an underrated method of stabilizing a swirling mind.

Kia is finally ready to reveal full details of its Vision Meta Turismo concept car after a brief glimpse in December. It's clear the sports car is built to preview the brand's long-term approach to performance EVs, including more to do while you're not moving at all.

It might feel like a curveball to compare a Toyota to the likes of BMW or Mercedes-Benz. Usually, these brands exist in different worlds. However, the 2026 Toyota Crown Signia is not a typical SUV. It replaces the traditional (and dare we say boring) mainstream feel with a luxurious cabin, a quiet ride, and a standard feature list that rivals the best from legacy European brands.

TL:DR: Visual Studio 2026 combines AI-powered coding, cross-platform tools, and real-time collaboration — now just $42.97 for a limited time.

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Modern development doesn’t have to feel like a grind, especially when your tools are built to keep up with how you actually work. Visual Studio Professional 2026 is Microsoft’s latest take on a full-featured IDE, now with deeper AI integration and performance upgrades that actually make a difference when you’re working on real-life projects.

Built as a 64-bit environment, Microsoft’s latest handles large codebases and complex solutions more comfortably, which is especially useful if you’re juggling multiple services or working across teams.

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But the real shift here is how much easier it is to stay in flow. AI-assisted coding tools like IntelliCode help predict and complete lines of code, while built-in refactoring suggestions reduce repetitive work and help catch issues earlier.

Cross-platform development is also front and center. You can build mobile and desktop apps with .NET MAUI, create modern web interfaces using Blazor, and test across environments including Windows, Linux, and containers — all from the same place.

Hot reload features let you see changes instantly, reducing back-and-forth during development.

Collaboration feels more natural, too. With Live Share, teammates can jump into your session to edit, debug, or review code in real time.

This version of Visual Studio makes it easier to access a professional-grade toolset without overthinking the investment.

Get Microsoft Visual Studio Professional 2026 for just $42.97 (reg. $499.99).

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Tesla has reported its earnings for the first quarter of 2026. The automaker is reporting $22.4 billion in total revenue, a 16 percent year-over-year increase, and $0.41 earnings per share (non-GAAP).

Google's landing page for an Earth Day-related search brings up some relatable frequently asked questions: What should we do on Earth Day? If you'd like to do more than go outside and post a pretty tree on your Instagram story for Earth Day this year, consider making some eco-friendly swaps at home.

A quick look at the best Earth Day 2026 deals Best kitchen deal Reencle Prime Electric Composter $429.00 at Amazon (save $70) Get Deal Best cleaning deal Blueland Laundry Detergent Tablets (60 count) $23.99 at Amazon (save $6) Get Deal Best tech deal Pela biodegradable compostable phone cases buy one, get one free Get Deal Best entertainment deal "Planet Earth II" (4K UHD) $34.65 at Amazon (save $25.34) Get Deal

Like Prime Day, Earth Day sales are a great opportunity to stock up on home products that you already use every day — these versions just create way less waste. Swap plastic cleaning spray bottles for dissolvable cleaning tablets, swap tree-destroying toilet paper for bamboo toilet paper, or splurge on a countertop composter to shrink your household's food waste. We'll be keeping track of the best Earth Day deals through the end of Earth Week:

SEE ALSO: How to actually recycle electronics, beauty empties, toys, and more tricky items in 2026 Best home deal Opens in a new window Credit: Reel Reel Bamboo Toilet Paper save 30% with code EARTHLOVE30 Get Deal Why we like it

I've tried a lot of sustainable swaps for my home in the past five years, and Reel's bamboo toilet paper is easily one that's been repurchased the most. Not only is it three-ply and super soft — to the point where multiple guests in my apartment have inquired about the brand — but no trees were harmed in the making of this TP. Bamboo is considered the fastest-growing plant on earth, and making toilet paper out of it requires significantly less water and energy than your typical tree toilet paper. When it feels like there's news about new cuts to national parks and forests on a daily basis, I'll take my bamboo toilet paper usage as a W.

Countertop composters and food waste condensers

• Dreame Electric Composter — $199.99 $399.99 (save $200)

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Eco-friendly storage

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SEE ALSO: The Mill food recycling bin is the easiest indoor composter alternative, and my all-time favorite appliance Cleaning product deals

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In 2025, content creator Gigi Bello (@okaycoolgigi) took her audience on a journey. She was determined to fix the “landlord special” — a peephole on the door of her New York City apartment that had long been painted shut. The video (and its subsequent follow-ups) went viral, landing the 28-year-old CPA a feature in People and a slew of new followers.

“Content creation kind of happened by accident after a few videos went viral, but I fell in love with it,” Bello says.

Please use these two blurbs in the weeks ahead, thank you!

Mashable 101 Fan Fave: Nominate your favorite creators today

Bello's account has otherwise been dedicated to her adventures in sourdough breadmaking and her beloved starter, Eloise. But Bello says the peephole video made her realize that "no matter what I post, if I actually care about it, other people will too."

Bello adds, "Sometimes I feel like I don't want to be stuck making sourdough all the time (so sorry Eloise, I love you), but it made me feel better about posting other things I’m interested in and trusting that people will still care."

When it comes to capturing content, Bello uses a relatively low-tech setup in her apartment kitchen. We caught up with the creator about her favorite gear, her love of sourdough, and what it took to remove all those layers of paint.

Credit: Zooey Liao / Mashable / Gigi Bello / Getty Images / Google Images What are your content creation essentials?

iPhone 17 Pro

Bello uses her iPhone to capture both video and audio. "I need something convenient, since it's basically a one-woman show and I'm filming everything myself in my kitchen, so my phone just does it all," she says.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple / AT&T iPhone 17 Pro $1,099.99 at AT&T
  Shop Now

TikTok 

This is Bello's platform of choice and her editing software all rolled up into one. Bello says she uses TikTok for both the recording and editing of her videos.

"I find that editing in TikTok is just super convenient for me. It makes my life easier than having a bunch of random small clips in my camera roll, because I get to pause and resume recording in the same clip," she says. "And editing in TikTok is so user-friendly that I don't feel the need to use anything else if I don't have to."

Opens in a new window Credit: TikTok TikTok   Learn More

CapCut 

For the times that she needs an editing program with a little more oomph, she turns to CapCut.

"I mainly use CapCut when I have to edit a video for a brand, since it makes me feel 'safer' that my video won't randomly be deleted. (Yes, TikTok has done this to me before)."

Opens in a new window Credit: CapCut CapCut   Learn More

LED portable selfie light

"Sometimes (especially in the winter months) my kitchen doesn't have the greatest lighting, so the portable lights help a ton," Bello says. "I find that having the LED lights directly on me looks a little unnatural, so bouncing it feels more real."

LED portable selfie light $13.89 at Amazon
$24.99 Save $11.10   Shop Now at Amazon

iPad 

Bello says she uses her iPad for doing research and taking notes.

"I'll use my iPad to search for inspiration for recipes or just go down random rabbit holes when I'm trying to think of ideas," she says.

Apple iPad $299 at Amazon
$349 Save $50   Shop Now at Amazon Shop Now at Walmart Shop Now at Best Buy
What was the magic goop that got all the paint off the peephole?

Bello: CitriStrip! It's a paint and varnish stripping gel that I noticed a lot of restoration people using when trying to scrape old paint off door frames. I probably should've used a mask though; I had a headache for days after using it and accidentally breathing it in.

CitriStrip $16.85 at Amazon
$23.99 Save $7.14   Shop Now at Amazon Safe to say you're in your sourdough era?

Mashable: Talk to us about the journey there and any tools someone might need.

Bello: Honestly, the whole "in my sourdough era" thing makes me cringe (I'm sorry!!!). I've just always been someone who loves carbs. In 2024, I was scrolling and saw a lot of people talking about how hard it was to make sourdough bread; they also mentioned how much better it was for you. I decided [that] if I can successfully make sourdough, then I must be a genius. It was honestly just a test [of] my own capabilities and a way for me to have a hobby at home.

I don't think you need much to get started with making sourdough, and you probably already have the ingredients at home. Maybe the biggest thing you'd need to get started is patience.

What is your favorite loaf pan? 

Bello: My current favorite loaf pan is made by Nordic Ware. It’s super light, unlike a Dutch oven, and my recent loaves have been made using it, and they’ve come out really good.

Nordic Ware Pan $100 at Amazon
  Shop Now at Amazon What do you love about what you do? 

Bello: I love that I'm able to do whatever passion project I want at the moment (Eloise being a big part of that) and share my experience with it, whether it fails or succeeds. My favorite thing is creating something from an idea, even if it seems kind of silly, and being able to make something and show it off is really gratifying.

I feel like I have a bit of a double life — my day job is more analytical and composed, but my natural personality comes out in my videos, where I get to be more creative.

Who is your ideal audience? 

Bello: My ideal audience is people who are just normal about things in the best way. Like, kind, a little nosy, and actually invested. People who enjoy the process, not just the final result, and who are okay with things not being perfect. Also, people who get my humor and aren't taking everything too seriously. I like when it feels more like we're all just hanging out versus me "posting content."

Any noteworthy achievements over the past year?

Bello: Being in People magazine for my peephole was definitely up there and something I never expected. Also, Eloise's second birthday — I can't believe I've been making sourdough for two years; it really puts it into perspective. And going to FoodiCon was something I feel really grateful for. I got to meet so many people I interact with online, and hearing that people went there to see me felt really wholesome, unreal, and a little crazy. I usually film by myself in my kitchen convincing myself none of this is real, so seeing it in real life was really fulfilling.

Does Eloise have anything she'd like to add? 

Eloise: I confess, I shoved Ophelia in the junk drawer.

From YouTubers and TikTok stars to streamers and podcasters, Mashable talks to creators about how they built their platforms, the gear they swear by, and the trends they see coming next. Read more of our creator coverage, meet The Mashable 101 to discover the internet’s most exciting voices, and tell us about your favorite creators today.

UPDATE: Apr. 22, 2026, 3:02 p.m. EDT Editor's Note: An earlier version of this story misidenified the NordicWare pan that Bello uses. This has since been corrected.

Netflix is cleaning house this year and making some sweeping cuts to its library of content. The streaming giant has confirmed numerous shows that are either canceled altogether or are concluding with their final seasons.

If you're primed to fear AI-driven robots replacing human workers at complex physical tasks, consider this your trigger warning.

A robot arm built by Sony, and named Ace, has just been dubbed "the first autonomous system to be competitive with elite human table tennis players." That's a quote from the study splashed across the front page of Nature, the world's most venerable peer-reviewed science journal.

SEE ALSO: A robot runner just beat a half-marathon record

The Ace researchers brought receipts. As you can see in the video above, the eight-jointed robot arm is able to make split-second decisions via an AI that's being fed real-time data from nine cameras. It scored a lot of points and won a few games against some of the world's top ping-pong players at Sony HQ in Tokyo.

But here's the good news buried in all the data. Yes, within the confines of this study, Ace was competitive. That doesn't mean Ace could figure out how to win every time; it's nothing like the half marathon-running robot that simply has to master one speed. And, crucially, the human players started to spot flaws in Ace's ping-pong strategy.

Ace isn't the first ping-pong playing robot. Researchers have long been interested in the sport because of its speed and real-time decision-making, which is a major frontier in robotics. In this respect, Ace marks a milestone for the AI system and for the highly reliable arm.

That arm was able to track a ping pong ball with 10 milliseconds of latency — more than 10 times faster than the human brain can manage.

"Ace’s striking skills are trained entirely in simulation using reinforcement learning, then transferred directly to the real robot," Sony explained in a blog post. "This is analogous to a player who practices endlessly in a virtual training hall and then walks onto a real court without needing to relearn anything."

The human players fight back

But that's just the thing — ping-pong players learn on the go, and they're looking at more than just the ball.

Mayuka Taira, who lost a match to Ace last December, told Sony the robot effectively intimidated her at first. "Because you can't read its reactions, it's impossible to sense what kind of shots it dislikes or struggles with, and that makes it even more difficult to play against," she said.

SEE ALSO: 23 of the best AI courses you can take for free this month

But then Rui Takenaka, who has both lost and won against Ace, went that crucial human step further. Here's what he told the company, emphasis ours:

If I used a serve with complex spin, Ace also returned the ball with complex spin, which made ​it difficult for me. But ⁠when I used a simple serve, what we call a knuckle serve, Ace returned a simpler ball. That made it easier for me to attack on the third shot, and I think that was the key reason why I was able to win.

Got that? Ace, a profoundly smart system, was suckered by a knuckle serve.

"Professional human athletes are very good at adapting to their opponent and finding weaknesses, which is an area that we are working on," Ace project leader Peter Dürr told Reuters.

So we shouldn't exactly hang up our ping pong rackets just yet. But we should certainly be very concerned about the mentions of security applications through the various reports and blogs about Ace.

Because the most lucrative real-world application of speedy systems like this isn't at the Olympics. It's on the battlefield — where being faster than the human eye may mean game over for human soldiers.

Everyone seems to love recaps. Spotify popularized them with Wrapped, and now dozens of apps have their own version. You may not know that Google Maps does, too, and it’s pretty cool to see your travel history every month.

Walking through BookCon was a sort of literary haven. As I approached the exhibition floor, a string ensemble filled the Javits Center as if we'd been dropped into an episode of Bridgerton. The show floor was packed with exhibits from the big five to indie publishers, as attendees hoped to get their hands on a sought-after advanced copy. Before the event even began, as I approached the convention center nearly two hours before its start, the line stretched around several city blocks.

Attendees were ready and waiting for the show floor to open right at 9 a.m. and the lines started early. Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

Yet on the show floor, despite the long lines, there was a sense of camaraderie among attendees. There was an immediate rush to the HarperCollins booth as the publisher was giving away tickets to author signings, but attendees were respectful, asking and answering each other's questions, and excitedly sharing which author's signing they were hoping to score. This is a convention for fans, celebrating the shared passion of reading, and it felt like people came ready to bask in that community.

BookCon's return to New York City comes after a six-year hiatus. From last BookCon, which took place in 2019, to 2026, the book industry has undergone seismic shifts, no doubt due to the effects of BookTok, which has helped revive print book sales. Romance and fantasy, the two most popular genres, have enthusiastic fandoms, and all of it came alive at BookCon.

In the past six months, books have been having a big moment, with the success and excitement around Rachel Reid's Heated Rivalry following its HBO Max adaptation. It's hard not to compare it to the fervor of the Harry Potter fandom. At the opening panel of BookCon, Reid was joined by Jacob Tierney, the creator of the adaptation, for their first public conversation about the show, and the room was packed with 3,000 fans — you could have thought it was for a ComicCon panel for Marvel's Avengers. Reid put it best, saying that this level of fame for an author feels like an anomaly, and that "authors don't get recognized."

BookCon was a place for uninhibited, pure book joy. A place for fans to connect with other fans and be book nerds together — I even spotted authors fanning out over each other. There were hoards in every type of Heated Rivalry hockey jersey or T-shirt. If you weren't familiar with Connor Storie and Hudson Williams's faces before BookCon, you sure would be after. But in equal amounts, people were sporting gear to celebrate all their favorite authors, especially Andy Weir and Sarah J. Maas. Attendees came for the free books, too, rolling up with foldable shopping carts that they toted around with their loot.

The two-day event was a marathon, and even covering the event, I didn't feel like I could get to all of it. But with the first BookCon in six years in the rearview and next year's on the horizon, these are my takeaways.

Amazon noticeably absent

The most popular e-reader is by far Amazon's Kindle. Yet Amazon was mostly absent from the event, which is odd given that it is the largest bookseller in the United States. But at BookCon, other retailers were front and center, including Barnes and Noble and New York-based stores Greenlight Books and The Ripped Bodice. The main stage was presented by Thrift Books, and before each event, a reel of the event's sponsors rolled, including Binc, the Book Industry Charitable Foundation, a non-profit that helps struggling independent bookstores. Having these businesses centered at the event felt like a statement against Amazon, which has a history of working against independent bookstores.

Amazon wasn't totally absent, though; it was represented by its subsidiary Audible, which hosted the "Audible Story House."

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Print books still reign supreme Rakuten Kobo was the only e-reader maker at BookCon 2026, showing of its Kobo Clara and Kobo Remote. Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

As a reporter covering e-readers, I anticipated seeing them in attendees' hands and on display on the show floor. Rakuten Kobo was the only e-reader maker at BookCon 2026.

It turned out, BookCon was a surprisingly analog event. At any convention, you'll find attendees taking breaks along the long hallways, and when people were reading, it was always with a physical book. So while I may have gone into the event planning to ask what e-readers attendees brought, I ended up witnessing the joy of print being celebrated.

Fans have thoughts about the future of BookCon Reviews of BookCon 2026 are mixed across Instagram and Reddit. Credit: Mashable Photo Composite

While attending BookCon 2026 as a member of the press, I had an overwhelmingly positive experience, but as always, fans will let you know where things fell short. In the comments on BookCon's Instagram, fans are sharing disappointment about the long lines and not getting reservations for author signings. Crowds were packed at the event, which was a common complaint, though many noted that the crowds thinned out on Sunday for a more enjoyable experience.

Negative voices are often the loudest, and there has still been positive feedback about the event, which I spotted on the BookCon subreddit. It's unrealistic to expect a perfect event after a near-seven-year hiatus, and with next year's dates already on the books for April 10 and 11, 2027, BookCon's organizers, ReedPop, have a year to listen to attendees' feedback for an improved event.

Netflix is home to a large library of exclusive content: from Netflix Original shows and movies to documentaries, this catalog is available to stream only on this platform. You can find many genres, tropes, and styles within this exclusive library, but how good are the titles?

Your next favorite rock star isn't an indie heartthrob or a heavy metal thrasher. He's a centuries-old French vampire with some serious baggage to unpack.

SEE ALSO: 'The Vampire Lestat' clip sees him find out about Louis' interview

That vampire is none other than Lestat de Lioncourt (Sam Reid), who's been a reliable scene-stealer throughout the first two seasons of AMC's rapturous Interview with the Vampire adaptation. However, we've never actually been seeing him, only his former lover Louis de Pointe du Lac's (Jacob Anderson) retelling of their turbulent relationship.

That's all about to change in The Vampire Lestat. Based on the second novel in Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles, The Vampire Lestat lets the Brat Prince take center stage — literally. He's moved out of the shadows and into the spotlight as a rock god. (Need proof? You can listen to his singles "Long Face" and "All Fall Down" now.)

Lestat has taken his newfound stardom as an opportunity to tell his side of the story Louis told journalist Daniel Molloy (Eric Bogosian). As he brings his act from city to city, he's haunted by "muses" from his troubled past. Here's hoping they don't ruin the tour.

SEE ALSO: The Vampire Lestat's fang-tastic single 'Long Face' is now streaming on major music platforms

While The Vampire Lestat is, naturally, focused on Lestat, that doesn't mean the series is turning away from Louis. He is highly present in The Vampire Lestat's trailer, alongside Daniel and Armand (Assad Zaman).

Also spotted in the trailer? Lestat bringing the house down at his rock shows, drenching himself in blood, and even sharing a passionate kiss with his mother Gabriella (Jennifer Ehle). It's a lot, but when has Lestat ever been anything less?

The Vampire Lestat premieres June 7 at 9 p.m. ET/PT on AMC and AMC+.

Thunderbolt and USB4 have an equally capable alternative, Oculink. Although it can ensure external peripherals work as if they were installed on the motherboard, adoption has remained a challenge. After announcing the first ever modular laptop with a touchscreen, Framework has confirmed it will support Oculink. This will allow laptop users to connect eGPUs, NVMe drives, and other high-speed peripherals at speeds exceeding 120Gbps.

An anonymous group of Discord users says it hacked its way into accessing Claude Mythos Preview, the new AI model Anthropic claims is too powerful for a public release.

Anthropic says Claude Mythos "is capable of identifying and then exploiting zero-day vulnerabilities in every major operating system and every major web browser," and has granted access to the model to a select group of partners via an initiative called Project Glasswing.

The AI company said this invite-only approach would let tech leaders "secure the world's most critical software." But it might need to pay more attention to its own software security.

As Bloomberg reports, the Discord users didn't gain access through a sophisticated hack, but by guessing the online location for the model based on past Anthropic naming conventions — as found in the recent data breach at Mercor, an AI startup, earlier this month.

SEE ALSO: Is Anthropic's Claude Mythos a big stunt, or a real security threat? What the experts say.

Once they identified where to access Claude Mythos, the group had to employ additional tactics. One member of the group already had privileged access as a worker at a third-party contractor for Anthropic, Bloomberg reports.

The group was part of a private Discord channel that focuses on hunting information about unreleased models.

A member of the group told Bloomberg that they were not using Claude Mythos for nefarious purposes, but for tasks like building simple websites. However, they also claimed to have access to even more unreleased Anthropic models.

The group provided enough evidence to convince Bloomberg they had indeed breached Anthropic's security. Anthropic confirmed in a statement to Bloomberg it was aware of the claim and investigating.

At this time, there is no indication that Claude Mythos has been breached by other unauthorized parties. Still, given that Anthropic described Claude Mythos as a paradigm-shifting security threat that could "reshape cybersecurity" as we know it, any unauthorized access is —to say the least — concerning.

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