IT General

Based on my extensive hands-on testing and expert input, I’ve picked the best sexting apps and online sites to keep your flirtiest, dirtiest chats truly private — whether you're messaging a partner, a hookup, or a verified creator.

Because sometimes the anticipation of a hookup is even hotter than the main event. In my experience, sexting is the ultimate form of digital foreplay. It’s the glue that keeps long-distance relationships from falling apart, the spark that stops long-term couples from feeling like roommates, and — for all you singles out there — the safest way to test sexual chemistry before you ever meet up in person.

SEE ALSO: A beginner's guide to sexting

If it feels like everyone is sending spicy texts these days, you're not wrong. Some studies show that up to 88 percent of American adults have engaged in sexting at some point in their lives. For many, it's become an essential means of connection, and research shows that sharing intimate pictures can evoke, demonstrate, and reinforce trust.

You can use just about any mainstream dating app, like Tinder, Hinge, and even Hily, to find a potential sexting partner (though I think Pure is probably the best dating app for this). If you're a woman, finding a willing digital playmate is usually as easy as existing. If you're a man, it requires a little more finesse and charm, but it's definitely still possible.

But once you've actually found someone who matches your freak, moving that conversation off the dating grid and into a secure app like Signal is the best way to go.

You've heard of safe sex. But what about safe sexting?

As fun as the buildup is, the sad truth is that no one ever knows for sure if their private photos will stay private once they hit send on standard messaging platforms. Sliding into the DMs on a standard social media app might feel like spontaneous fun, but in 2026, your digital footprint is forever. Plus, with Meta cracking down hard this April (wiping out Instagram accounts and posts just for hinting at sexual expression), it's obvious that mainstream platforms are becoming hostile territory for your spicy chats. If you're going to share that side of yourself, you need to know it stays between you and the recipient.

As one of Mashable's dating app experts, I've spent the last three years testing dozens of platforms to find the best sexting apps for the job. My highest priority is always user safety. I also spoke with security expert Gary Orenstein with Bitwarden, who stressed that for sharing intimate content, "privacy features cannot be optional — they’re essential." He recommends looking for apps with three key features: end-to-end encryption, disappearing messages, and screenshot detection.

For years, our number-one recommendation that hit all three of those marks was Confide. But with the app officially shutting down, Signal has become my new gold standard for secure messaging. While its "Screen Security" setting prevents screenshots on your own device, it doesn't prevent someone else from taking a screenshot of your chat on their device. However, its open-source encryption and foolproof disappearing messages still make it one of the safest options for sending nudes.

SEE ALSO: Gen Z has a new dating app profile rule, apparently

Whether you're looking for an encrypted vault to text your long-term partner, a sex-positive platform to explore new kinks, or a secure space to find someone entirely new, there's a platform out there that won't compromise your privacy. If you believe in safe sex, you should practice safe sexting, too. Here are the apps I trust to get the job done.

Recent updates to this guide:

• Signal (July 2026): Promoted to our No. 1 overall recommendation following the official closure of Confide. Its open-source encryption makes it the gold standard for secure, free sexting.

• Lovense Remote: Added as our top choice for "Group Sexting." It remains the best interactive option for couples and polyamorous groups to sync Bluetooth toys across long distances.

• FetLife: Expanded our analysis of its custom community groups, cementing its spot as the best social network for exploring niche kinks safely.

Why some popular sexting apps didn't make the cut

You've probably seen other "best of" lists recommending apps and platforms that I've intentionally left off. My goal is to recommend secure spaces where you can build genuine, mutual connections without burning through cash or risking your digital privacy.

Here's why a few common names didn't make the cut this month:

• "Paid Operator" platforms (InstaBang, Arousr, SextLocal): Many web-based platforms marketed for fast sexting don't connect you with real local users. Instead, they hire paid "chat operators" who use fantasy scripts specifically designed to keep you replying and draining your wallet per message. While there is a market for paid fantasy, I don't consider it mutual sexting. This guide prioritizes authentic, user-to-user interaction (with the explicit exception of SextPanther, which uses clearly verified, real adult performers).

• Basic Couples Messengers (Between, Paid Vaults): While apps like Between offer private spaces for long-distance couples, they lack the specific, sex-positive interactive features (like integrated toy controls, screenshot blocks, or custom timer countdowns) that make digital foreplay fun. If you want to level up your intimacy, highly interactive platforms like We-Vibe and Lovense are much better options.

I think I have just seen my favorite animated movie of 2026. And it's Julián, based on Jessica Love's bestselling children’s book, Julián Is a Mermaid.

This year, cinemas have seen sequels for beloved IP like The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, Toy Story 5, Minions & Monsters, Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender, and PAW Patrol: The Dino Movie. There have also been original animal-centered adventures like GOAT, Hoppers, and Swapped. Plus, coming up are Shaun The Sheep: The Beast of Mossy Bottom, Forgotten Island, Wildwood, The Cat in the Hat, Steps, Ray Gunn, and Hexed.

So, what makes me so certain that Julián will be my favorite of the year? Well, for starters, it's a deeply charming story about a child fighting for his individuality, a message that speaks to me. Created by Cartoon Saloon, which produced The Secret of Kells, Wolfwalkers, and The Breadwinner, it is absolutely beautiful. But most of all, over the course of 85 minutes, this magical movie's style reminded me of some of my favorite animated movies and shows, including Steven Universe, Spirited Away, Craig of the Creek, and Luca. Yet at no point did Julián have me wishing I was watching those instead.

SEE ALSO: Fall movie preview: All the 2026 films you need to know about

Julián thrives on comparison, not by being better than these rightly beloved films and series, but by being a solid stone in the path of the cathedral they collectively build to the glory of animation as an art form.

Julián is a summer-set story of LGBTQ+ youth and identity.

Named for its protagonist, Julián follows a little boy over a summer spent with his Dominican American abuela (Milcania Diaz-Rojas) in Brooklyn. He (Knyght Darius Jack) is a cheerful child with a vivid imagination, a love of the ocean, and little awareness of the mess he makes while playing. In the opening scene, his dad Javi (Anthony Sardinha) shows an appreciation for all of this, as Julián excitedly colors a picture, and splashes about glitter on the drive to New York. But his abuela hasn't seen the boy in a while, and her parenting style is very "my way or the highway." So, getting used to her rules will be an adjustment.

In the first act, Julián pulls a move from Paddington, trying hard to respect his host while making an absolute disaster of their bathroom. It's the kind of childish shenanigans that are both adorable and deeply annoying. Director Louise Bagnall expertly shows Julián's missteps as both, allowing the audience to understand him and his grandmother.

In the book (which is just 40 pages with illustrations), Julián's abuela is almost instantly accepting of his desire to be a mermaid and what that entails. Expanding the story, Julián takes time to develop their relationship, working in new characters and obstacles for both to explore. For his part, Julián is giddy to meet a trio of local girls, who are plotting their "mersonas" in sidewalk chalk drawings and readying for Coney Island's annual Mermaid Parade, where revelers dress in all sorts of nautical costumes for a day of festivities and community.

However, Abeula and her friends see Julián with the girls and heteronormatively assume he's a "lady killer." So, when Julián asks her to do his hair to show off to girls, he's thinking of long braids, like one of the girls has. When he sees the short-cropped cut she's done to "show off [his] handsome face," the boy is reduced to tears.

There's no point in this movie where Julián will come out as queer or discuss such labels with his loved ones. He's just a kid, loving the things he loves and being told that's wrong. After the tears over the haircut, after his insistence that the mermaid costume be colorful and covered in shimmer, Abuela understands who her grandson is. She decides she'll sew him the costume he dreams of, but she also fears how others will react. In a moment of pique, she warns him about being "too much." And so Julián is subjected to the stifling gender norms that are meant to protect him, but make him feel alone and ashamed.

However, like Julián Is a Mermaid (or Luca), this eponymous hero will find his happy ending, embraced by love, community, and family just as he is.

Julián is gorgeous and moving.

Bagnall creates a distinctive visual language for Julián that sets the film apart from Love's book. Thankfully, she rejects the three-dimensional CGI animation that has become almost mandatory for theatrical release across the medium.

Where Julián Is a Mermaid had a painterly look of watercolors, Julián reflects its hero's love of drawing by imitating the texture of markers and crayons. The colors are vibrant, showing the characters' Afro-Latino neighborhood in Brooklyn as a place of life and warmth. The soft edges of the characters and their round, bouncy designs reflect Julián's energy, which is like a Super Ball, high-soaring and playful. In sequences where the world transforms to reflect his imagination, watery fish fly, an aquatic goddess rises, and a whale shark with a belly made of stars soars with the boy mermaid. It's in these moments of embracing play that I thought of Craig and his Creek friends. In the movement of the sea creatures, I thought of Spirited Away's sprites or Ponyo's fishy wonders.

Julián's scenes of joy make moments where he is sad hit all the harder. This brilliant boy, whose nature is to sparkle, is (however briefly) urged to hide his light. The young voice actor's choked-up performance had me spilling tears of my own. The animation, shifting from fluid, spirited dances to stilted shoving, as this kid literally locks his imaginary friend up in a jewelry box, had my heart aching.

But even if you haven't read the book (I hadn't), the love that infuses every frame of Julián assured me that it would get better for him. The world around him is too bright and full of pleasure to keep him locked up in shame or confusion. So, rather than a simple but beautiful tale of a little boy and his abuela who go to the Mermaid Parade together (as Love's wonderful book is), Julián expands to be a thorough and thoughtful story of what it means to be different, misunderstood but still loved.

In the final act, rather than a gentle walk hand-in-hand to the Coney Island beach, Julián offers a rousing action sequence, as he runs away from home to join his friends at the parade. A race against time ratchets up tension, while his pursuing abuela is on a determined mission of her own, to mend what she fears she's broken.

In this race, Bagnall showcases the wonder of the Mermaid Parade, with a cast of characters that could all be Crystal Gems. They have big, colorful hair in pinks, greens, blues, and magentas. Their bodies are varied, none from the same cookie cutter. And when the boy and his friends call upon strangers at the parade for help, it's a trio of queer-coded mermaids (some with facial hair) who aid them kindly and easily. And here, I cried again — tears of joy for the recognition of what it means to find your community.

Where there are moments in Julián where the boy is faced with homophobia, the film overwhelmingly blooms with love. And I loved it right back.

Julián was reviewed out of its North American premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival.

TL;DR: The new Apple iPhone 18 Pro is available for free right now with T-Mobile. To claim, trade in a qualifying device and activate a new line on T-Mobile’s Experience Beyond plan. New customers who switch to T-Mobile and keep their existing number will also qualify.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple T-Mobile: Free iPhone 18 Pro   Get Deal

We've been treated to some major smartphone drops in recent months. We got the new Motorola Razr lineup, new Google Pixels, and foldable phones from Samsung. All the major players had their moment in the spotlight, but now it's time for the main event: Apple's annual iPhone launch.

After months of speculation, rumors, and leaks, Apple has finally announced the new iPhone 18 Pro, and pre-orders open today, with the phone set to release on Sept. 18.

Any new smartphone announcement causes a stir, but none more than the iPhone. Nothing gets the people going quite like a shiny new iPhone, especially if it folds. And mobile carriers like T-Mobile know that, so they tend to drop seriously tempting iPhone pre-order deals to persuade you into upgrading. And this launch is no different.

The Apple iPhone 18 Pro is available for free right now with T-Mobile. There are two ways to take advantage of this pre-order deal:

• Switch to T-Mobile and bring your existing phone number

• Trade in a qualifying phone (in any condition) on an Experience Beyond plan

The full savings are distributed as monthly credits over a 36-month payment plan. As long as you intend to stay locked into T-Mobile’s top data tier for three years, it's easily one of the best ways to score Apple's premier hardware without a major hit to your budget.

SEE ALSO: Apple announces iPhone Duo, its first foldable iPhone

T-Mobile requires you to pay local sales tax on the phone's full retail value upfront, plus a standard $35 device connection fee per line at checkout. But come on, that's a small price to pay for the latest iPhone.

Score the iPhone 18 Pro for free from T-Mobile.

It may be one of the most popular dating sites out there, but eharmony imposes some seriously inconvenient limits on what non-paying members can do on the site. If you sign up with a free account, you'll be able to create a profile and answer their proprietary personality questionnaire, browse through the profiles of local singles, and even read profiles, but you won't be able to match with others or even view all of their profile photos. 

Opens in a new window Credit: eharmony eharmony   Learn More

If you like how the site operates and want to unlock its full potential, it's worth upgrading to one of their three paid membership tiers. Here's what those membership levels unlock and what they will cost you:

Premium Light

The most basic membership tier, Premium Light, will allow you to send Likes to hopefully match with other singles, view a single, high-resolution profile photo from other accounts, and apply more sophisticated search filters to eharmony members, in case you're looking for something very specific. With this membership, you'll also be allowed to send an unlimited number of messages to up to 15 of your matches each month. The Light membership will also unlock access to an AI-based assessment of your profile, with personalized tips to help you stand out more.

SEE ALSO: How to delete your eharmony account

The cost of a Light plan varies significantly by your location, the duration of your commitment, and the promotional offers currently on the site, but expect to pay around $15 per month for a Light-tier membership.

Premium Plus

If you decide to step up from a Light membership, the next available tier is Plus, which offers the same features as Light but increases the aforementioned messaging cap from 15 users to 30 and allows you to browse an unlimited number of high-resolution profile photos from matches and potential matches. Another cool feature of the Plus-tier membership: you'll be able to see who has visited your profile, even before they've interacted with you.

The cost of a Plus plan varies significantly by your location, the duration of your commitment, and the promotional offers currently on the site, but expect to pay around $17 per month for a Plus-tier membership.

Premium Unlimited

If you're really enjoying eharmony and perhaps especially if you foresee yourself using the service over a longer period of time, the Unlimited membership offers some undeniably great perks, beginning with removing the messaging cap entirely (hence "unlimited"), allowing you to gab away to your heart's content with as many people as you match with. But one of the Unlimited membership's best features is also its most exclusive: you'll be the first to see new eharmony member profiles, so you have the opportunity to match with and message them first. 

The cost of an Unlimited plan varies significantly by your location, the duration of your commitment, and the promotional offers currently on the site, but expect to pay around $19 per month for a Plus-tier membership.

SEE ALSO: Is eharmony still the gold standard for daters over 40?

Which membership tier is right for you? That's entirely down to your budget and dating needs, but we would wager most people would be perfectly happy with the Light membership tier, so we advise you to start there and step up if or when you desire.

If you like playing daily word games like Wordle, then Hurdle is a great game to add to your routine.

There are five rounds to the game. The first round sees you trying to guess the word, with correct, misplaced, and incorrect letters shown in each guess. If you guess the correct answer, it'll take you to the next hurdle, providing the answer to the last hurdle as your first guess. This can give you several clues or none, depending on the words. For the final hurdle, every correct answer from previous hurdles is shown, with correct and misplaced letters clearly shown.

An important note is that the number of times a letter is highlighted from previous guesses does necessarily indicate the number of times that letter appears in the final hurdle.

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

If you find yourself stuck at any step of today's Hurdle, don't worry! We have you covered.

SEE ALSO: Hurdle: Everything you need to know to find the answers Hurdle Word 1 hint

Each one.

Hurdle Word 1 answer

EVERY

Hurdle Word 2 hint

A safe.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for September 12, 2026 Hurdle Word 2 Answer

VAULT

Hurdle Word 3 hint

Moving images.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for September 12, 2026 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Meanings for each word for Sept. 12, 2026 Hurdle Word 3 answer

VIDEO

Hurdle Word 4 hint

Taking legal action.

Hurdle Word 4 answer

SUING

Final Hurdle hint

Rumbled.

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

SHOOK

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

It's the start of a new lunar cycle, which can only mean one thing: the Moon is working towards being full again. Over the next few nights, we'll notice it getting bigger in the sky.

What is today’s Moon phase?

As of Saturday, Sept. 12, NASA's Daily Moon Guide tracker tells us the Moon is in the Waxing Crescent phase, with 2% of its surface visible.

When is the next Full Moon?

The next Full Moon will take place on September 26.

What are Moon phases?

As the Moon orbits Earth, its appearance changes over the course of roughly 29.5 days, creating what we know as the lunar cycle, according to NASA. The phase we see depends on where the Moon is in relation to Earth and the Sun, and how much of its sunlit side is facing us. Throughout the cycle, it moves from a slender crescent to a half Moon and eventually 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.

The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult if you love cars.

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.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.

SEE ALSO: NYT Pips hints, answers for September 11, 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: Automotive enhancers

• Green: Online communicators

• Blue: These do different actions but share the same word

• Purple: Same second word

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Here are today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Ways to personalize a car

• Green: People in an online forum

• Blue: Things that blink

• Purple: __ alert

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 #1189 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Ways to personalize a car: BUMPER STICKER, FUZZY DICE, HOOD ORNAMENT, VANITY PLATE

• People in an online forum: LURKER, POSTER, SPAMMER, TROLL

• Things that blink: CURSOR, EYELIDS, SMOKE DETECTOR, TURN SIGNAL

• __ alert: NERD, RED, SPOILER, WEATHER

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for September 12, 2026 Turn signal meaning

Used to indicate a change of direction in a motor vehicle.

Weather meaning

The conditions outside at a particular space and time.

Poster meaning

A document featuring art or details, frequently displayed in clear view.

Bumper sticker meaning

A sticker commonly found on vehicles.

Vanity plate meaning

A license plate with custom wording or numbers.

Cursor meaning

An indicator of a mouse's location on a computer screen.

Spoiler meaning

A story detail about a show or an automotive design feature to improve aerodynamics.

Troll meaning

Someone who harasses others online, or a mythological creature.

Smoke detector meaning

A device intended to warn people of a potential hazard.

Fuzzy dice meaning

A popular decorative feature in cars.

Spammer meaning

Someone who harasses online via repetitive actions.

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Nerd meaning

An intelligent person who possesses deep knowledge of various topics.

Red meaning

A primary color.

Eyelids meaning

Movable skin folds that protect the eyes.

Hood ornament meaning

A decorative element added to the front of a vehicle.

Lurker meaning

Someone who watches on social media but never posts.

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

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

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

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

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

Today's NYT Strands hints will be easy if you know how to relax.

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 September 12, 2026 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Don't obsess

The words are related to taking it easy,

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe not being bothered.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is horizontal.

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NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is Let it go.

NYT Strands word list for September 12

• Free

• Detach

• Release

• Let it go

• Disengage

• Unloose

• Liberate

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

Looking for other daily online games? Mashable's Games page has more hints, and if you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now!

Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to today's Strands.

Today's Wordle answer should be easy to solve if you think positively.

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 September 12, 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 September 12, 2026 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

Neat.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

There are no recurring letters.

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

Today's Wordle starts with the letter N.

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...

NIFTY

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 today's Wordle.

I’ve been using Linux for many, many years now, but I still keep learning new things all the time. It seems like, no matter what task you’re running, there’s a faster way to do it. So I decided to start focusing on these speed gains to see just how fast my terminal life can be.

Android's NFC reader does more than tap to pay. Held against the right tag or accessory, it can do a ton of stuff. Here are just some things you can do that will immediately improve your experience.

We ask our smart home devices to do a lot for us, and rarely spare a moment to think about what life might be like for them. I decided to give some smart home devices personalities and let them loose in their own Discord chat to see what they would say if they could.

As we wait patiently for more of Netflix's September crop of TV series to make their way to your algorithm, here's this weekend's lineup of bingable shows to settle in with—my top pick is still hoping for Emmy gold on Monday, and two are great shows, regardless of their age.

Buying used enterprise storage is one of those things that makes perfect sense when you look at the price and becomes more complicated once you actually put the hardware into a machine. Enterprise HDDs that originally cost a small fortune can appear on the used market for surprisingly little money. For a homelab, where storage capacity is always useful and budgets are rarely unlimited, it is difficult to ignore those prices.

Social media users on Threads have discovered a fun new way to celebrate Apple event week: the web game "Design the next iPhone."

The game was made by Neal Agarwal for his website Neal.fun, where you can play the game for free. Agarwal's site hosts other short and sweet mini-games like "Draw logos from memory" and "Asteroid launcher."

"Design the next iPhone" is exactly what it sounds like: You can create the iPhone of your dreams, selecting all of the ports, cameras, and buttons you desire. You can even add fun little attachments, from googly eyes to steering wheels. So, if you've ever wanted an iPhone with a built-in joystick or rotary dial, this is your chance.

Credit: Screenshot courtesy of Neal.fun Credit: Neal.fun

I'll admit — design has never been my strong suit. So, while I wasn't trying to create an absolute nightmare of a phone, that's exactly what I ended up with. Something tells me Apple isn't going to be interested in a phone with an antenna and two little feet. (Fun fact: My first cell phone did, in fact, have an antenna, kids.)

My only complaint about the game? I couldn't make a proper flip phone, which is something Apple is rumored to be working on for the future.

Top iPhone preorder deals

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For longer than I care to remember, I've written Excel formulas, dragged them down hundreds of rows, copied calculations across columns, and built running totals one cell at a time. This works, but I always find I'm doing too much work, especially when some of those jobs can be handled by a single formula sitting in a single cell.

Unless you own a Google Pixel phone with the built-in Now Playing feature, you have to use Shazam to recognize songs playing around you, right? Well, actually, no. Many Android phones have access to Google's built-in Song Search feature, which is almost as good as Now Playing and Shazam.

I've been an Arch user for five years, and it's been a love-hate relationship. I love having access to the AUR (Arch User Repository) and the hundreds of thousands of packages it brings with it, along with access to bleeding-edge updates as soon as they drop. But at the same time, I hate it when a buggy update just wrecks my system, not to mention the current malware mess with the AUR and all the headaches that come with it.

I don’t currently have any visible clocks on display in my house. I’m never without my watch or phone, and I decided that if I were to sacrifice some space for a dedicated timepiece, it would need to be something special, different, or interesting.