IT General

Welcome to your guide to Pips, the latest game in the New York Times catalogue.

Released in August 2025, the 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 onto 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 for 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 December 15, 2025

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 December 15, 2025 Easy difficulty hints, answers for Dec. 15 Pips

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

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

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

Medium difficulty hints, answers for Dec. 15 Pips

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

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

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

Not Equal: Everything in this space must be different. The answer is 3-3, placed horizontally; 4-4, placed horizontally; 0-0, placed vertically; 2-2, placed vertically; 5-5, placed vertically; 1-6, placed horizontally.

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

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

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

Hard difficulty hints, answers for Dec. 15 Pips

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

Number (11): Everything in this red space must add up to 11. The answer is 4-5, placed horizontally; 6-5, placed horizontally.

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

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

Not Equal: Everything in this space must be different. The answer is 3-3, placed horizontally; 4-4, placed horizontally; 5-5, placed horizontally; 0-0, placed vertically; 6-1, placed horizontally.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Greater Than (5): Everything in this green space must be greater than 5. The answer is 6-3, placed vertically.

Greater Than (4): Everything in this purple space must be greater than 4. The answer is 5-3, placed vertically.

Less Than (3): Everything in this red space must be less than 3. The answer is 0-3, placed vertically.

Equal (5): Everything in this space must be equal to 5. The answer is 4-3, placed vertically; 6-3, placed vertically; 5-3, placed vertically; 0-3, 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.

SAVE OVER $100: As of Dec. 15, the Bose Ultra Open-Ear Earbuds are on sale for $189 at Best Buy. This is $110 off their list price of $299.

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Looking for deals on last-minute gift ideas before the holidays? Best Buy's Deal of the Day is a great place to find some stellar offers. As of Dec. 15, Best Buy is offering a discount on Bose Ultra open-ear earbuds, an excellent pick-up for someone in need of new earbuds or replacements.

The Bose Ultra open-ear earbuds are currently on sale for $189 at Best Buy, $110 off their list price of $299. This deal only applies to the lunar blue models, but if they've caught your eye, you have through the rest of Dec. 15 to scoop them up at this price. It's even lower than their $199 price during Cyber Monday, so why not?

SEE ALSO: The 60+ best Christmas gifts for 2025: Find unique gift ideas you'd never think of on your own

Thanks to their open, clip-on design, the Bose Ultra Open-Ear earbuds are a great pick for those who use earbuds during workouts or like to be aware of their surroundings while listening. Our review from writer RJ Andersen said they, "have a unique design that prioritizes awareness over noise cancellation. Though we were skeptical at first, these buds are extremely comfortable and score top marks for battery life, spatial audio, and sound quality."

They even rank as a top pick for working out with in our roundup of the best Bose headphones and earbuds. Mashable's Samantha Mangino notes that, "These earbuds clip onto your ear like a cuff and don't block your ear canal. They provide the right balance of high-quality audio while keeping you connected to the world around you."

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Don't miss out on this one-day-only deal on the Bose Ultra open-ear earbuds at Best Buy. And if you're looking for even more items to pick up as last-minute gifts this year, check out our breakdown of the best tech gifts of the year.

SAVE $140: As of Dec. 15, the Kindle Scribe is on sale for $279.99 at Amazon. That's a saving of 33% on the list price.

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The Kindle Scribe is just one of many in the Kindle lineup, but it's definitely a favorite. Combining reading and writing, this model is ideal for anyone who loves to put notes in book margins, doodle, or even create sketches. And as of Dec. 15, you can get it on sale for its lowest-ever price, now down to just $279.99. This price is for the 32GB model and the tungsten color only. It's the perfect gift (or treat) for Christmas.

The Scribe is more than just an e-reader, it's a notebook too. It even has AI tools that can convert handwritten notes into readable text, summarize content, and adjust the length or tone. It comes with the Premium Pen, a stylus that is designed to make writing feel like pen on paper. The pen doesn't need charging either, just pick it up and start writing.

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You can even import and mark up documents and PDFs via Send to Kindle, perfect if you need to take work on the go. And like you'd expect from any Kindle device, it has a 10.2-inch, glare-free, 300 ppi front-lit display, so it's suitable for reading and writing in all different kinds of lighting conditions. And don't worry about the battery life either, a single charge is designed to last up to three months.

Get this Kindle deal at Amazon before Christmas.

Today's Connections: Sports Edition will be easier if you know your baseball slang.

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. 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: 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: Group of competitors

• Green: Fielding

• Blue: Player history

• Purple: Same first word

Here are today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

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

• Yellow: Big 12 teams

• Green: Descriptors for baseball catches

• Blue: Teams Skylar Diggins has played for

• Purple: Sand ___

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 #448 is...

What is the answer to Connections: Sports Edition today?

• Big 12 teams - COWBOYS, MOUNTAINEERS, RED RAIDERS, WILDCATS

• Descriptors for baseball catches - BASKET, CIRCUS, SHOESTRING, SNOW CONE

• Teams Skylar Diggins has played for - FIGHTING IRISH, MERCURY, STORM, WINGS

• Sand ____ - BAGGING, LOT, TRAP, WEDGE

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.

The Mini is a bite-sized version of The New York Times' revered daily crossword. While the crossword is a lengthier experience that requires both knowledge and patience to complete, The Mini is an entirely different vibe.

With only a handful of clues to answer, the daily puzzle doubles as a speed-running test for many who play it.

So, when a tricky clue disrupts a player's flow, it can be frustrating! If you find yourself stumped playing The Mini — much like with Wordle and Connections — we have you covered.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable SEE ALSO: How to play Pips, the newest NYT game

Here are the clues and answers to NYT's The Mini for Monday, Dec. 15, 2025:

AcrossCold winter blanket

• The answer is Snow.

Number of candles in a full menorah

• The answer is Nine.

"Point taken"

• The answer is Noted.

Rude sound at the dinner table

• The answer is Burp.

Kind of bomb developed by Oppenheimer

• The answer is Atom.

DownDog's nose and mouth

• The answer is Snout

___ cold brew

• The answer is Nitro.

An hour after noon

• The answer is One PM.

Get married to

• The answer is Wed.

Org. infiltrated by aliens in "Space Jam"

• The answer is NBA.

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

Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.

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

TL;DR: The Sellful White Label Website Builder and Software ERP Agency Plan is on sale for $349.97 (reg. $1,497) through Dec. 21 at 11:59 p.m. PT.

Opens in a new window Credit: Sellful Sellful - White Label Website Builder & Software: ERP Agency Plan (Lifetime) $349.97
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If you want to manage websites, client communication, online sales, and business automation without using multiple tools, Sellful’s ERP Agency Plan streamlines these tasks under one roof. The lifetime subscription is $349.97 (reg. $1,497) through Dec. 21 at 11:59 p.m. PT, making it a one-time purchase for a sizable stack of software.

Instead of using separate tools for newsletters, forms, scheduling, and payments, this package consolidates many tasks into a single dashboard.

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You get an AI-powered website and funnel builder, e-commerce tools, a CRM for client tracking, and automation for outreach. Agencies can create up to ten white-label sites under their branding. This means less time spent switching platforms, making it simple and convenient.

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The ERP Agency Plan costs $349.97, which is 77% off the MSRP. It’s a one-time payment that appeals to users seeking predictable costs or fewer recurring subscriptions.

Agencies, small businesses, and freelancers managing multiple client projects or digital services can benefit from this kind of all-in-one platform. If you’ve been considering consolidating tools like your website builder, CRM, and marketing software, this offer presents a chance to do so at a notable discount and without adding another recurring bill to your budget.

Sellful’s ERP Agency Plan is available for $349.97 (reg. $1,497) through Dec. 21 at 11:59 p.m. PT.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: These earbuds were made for bedtime, and now you can get the SleepEEZ Mini Noise-Blocking True Wireless Earbuds for Sleeping for just $19.97 (reg. $34.99) for a limited time.

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Have you ever tried to sleep with your normal earbuds in? It may seem like a great idea, but the first time you roll over, you know you’ve made a big mistake. That’s where the SleepEEZ Mini Noise-Blocking True Wireless Earbuds for Sleeping can help, offering earbuds designed for slumbertime.

Give yourself the gift of drifting off to sleep comfortably while listening to your favorite content for just $19.97 (reg. $34.99), on sale for a limited time.

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Whether you prefer to fall asleep to classical music or your favorite true crime podcast (to each their own), it can be tough to listen to your content if you’re sleeping with a loved one. The SleepEEZ Mini Noise-Blocking True Wireless Earbuds are equipped with Bluetooth 5.4 technology, so you can listen lying down and everyone can fall asleep peacefully.

The SleepEEZ Mini Noise-Blocking True Wireless Earbuds feature a flat design that remains comfortable no matter how you sleep — on your stomach, back, or side. They weigh just 3g each, so there’s no pressure on your ears, and you won’t even realize you’re wearing them. Comfy ErgoLoops also keep them in place all night long, so you don’t need to worry about losing one mid-slumber.

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StackSocial prices subject to change.

SAVE $70: As of Dec. 15, Beats Solo 4 are on sale for $129.95 at Amazon. That's a 35% discount on the list price.

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Looking for a new headphones deal before Christmas? Look no further than this latest Amazon deal on Beats Solo 4. As of Dec. 15, you can save $70 on these headphones, with a new price of $129.95.

Beats are famed for their incredible sound quality, and these headphones are no different. They use updated drivers and custom acoustic architecture to deliver clear, balanced sound, and have support for Personalized Spatial Audio and dynamic head tracking. They're even designed for long listening periods, with a lightweight shape, flexible headband, angled adjustable ear cups, and UltraPlush cushions.

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Battery life is another strong point, with up to 50 hours on a single charge. When you do need a top-up, a 10-minute Fast Fuel charge provides around five hours of playback. There’s also a built-in microphone for calls and voice assistant use, so they're not just great for music and podcasts, but phone calls, voice notes, and work calls as well.

You can find this great Beats deal on Amazon right now. But don't wait too long, this deal has a "limited-time" stamp.

SAVE $170: As of Dec. 15, the Dyson Airstrait is on sale for $379.99 at Amazon. That's a 31% discount on the list price.

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The Christmas countdown is on, and if you're still hunting for the perfect gift, check out this latest Amazon deal on the Dyson Airstrait. The Airstrait has seen several discounts over recent months, but this is the biggest yet, bringing it down to its lowest-ever price. As of Dec. 15, take it home for just $379.99 and save $170 on the list price.

The Dyson Airstrait does what the name suggests; it dries and straightens hair at the same time. And it does so with no hot plates or extreme heat. It uses a high-pressure, precisely heated airflow projected evenly through the hair. It's created to work with multiple hair types too, helping prevent heat damage and protect strength and shine.

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The airflow is directed downwards at a 45° angle to create the tension needed to smooth your hair, while intelligent heat control measures temperature up to 30 times per second for consistent results. It features wet and dry modes, with preset temperature options ranging from 175°F to 285°F, plus an optional Boost mode for extra styling impact. It even has sensors that can detect when hair is between the arms to automatically adjust airflow for quieter, more efficient styling.

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SAVE $25: As of Dec. 15, the Kindle Paperwhite is on sale for $134.99 at Amazon. That's a saving of 16% on the list price.

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The big day is just around the corner, and if you're still scrambling for some last minute Christmas gift ideas, don't worry — you've got some time. And if you have a book lover in your life, you've also got a discount. As of Dec. 15, the Kindle Paperwhite just got a $25 discount, bringing the price down to $134.99.

The Kindle Paperwhite is a great yet affordable Kindle for the book lover in your life. It features a 7-inch display with higher contrast and 25% faster page turns, so reading feels natural, and there's no lag between pages. It's designed in an ultra-thin, travel-ready design with a larger glare-free screen that stays sharp wherever you read, no matter the lighting conditions. You can even adjust the screen from white to warm amber to read comfortably in bright sunlight or complete darkness.

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This model is built for reading and reading alone. It's not a tablet, so you won't have social media or other apps complicating things. That's a reason the battery lasts so long; a single USB-C charge can last up to 12 weeks, perfect for taking on vacation. And the waterproof design means it’s safe by the pool, in the bath, or on the go.

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Roomba maker iRobot has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the District of Delaware, capping off several difficult years of financial woes for the U.S. robot vacuum company. Announced on Sunday, iRobot will now be acquired by Chinese robotics company Picea, which has been acting as its secured lender and primary contract manufacturer.

Under the deal, Picea will enable iRobot to continue operations, as well as develop products and maintain its global presence. Picea will also cancel the substantial multimillion dollar debt iRobot owes it. In exchange, Picea will receive complete ownership of iRobot, which will become a private company no longer listed on the stock exchange.

SEE ALSO: iRobot could be facing bankruptcy. But as a vacuum tester, I saw the Roomba flop era coming from a mile away.

"Today's announcement marks a pivotal milestone in securing iRobot's long-term future," iRobot CEO Gary Cohen said in a statement. "The transaction will strengthen our financial position and will help deliver continuity for our consumers, customers, and partners."

Fortunately, this agreement with Picea means that iRobot customers who already own a Roomba shouldn't experience any disruption to app functionality, customer programs, or product support. iRobot further said that it will continue to "operate in the ordinary course, including to meet its commitments to employees and make timely payments to vendors."

Unfortunately, iRobot's stockholders won't receive such a positive outcome. As a result of Picea's acquisition, all existing equity in iRobot will be wiped out. iRobot states that its stockholders "will experience a total loss and not receive recovery on their investment."

The writing has been on the wall for iRobot for a while. Last January, iRobot's $1.4 billion acquisition deal with Amazon collapsed due to antitrust concerns from the European Union. This prompted the struggling company to announce a significant restructure, decreasing its spending on marketing and ultimately cutting over half its staff.

Even so, it wasn't enough to reverse iRobot's fortunes. This March, iRobot stated that there was "substantial doubt" it would be able to continue after its Q4 2024 financial results revealed that revenue had fallen 44 percent compared to the same time the previous year. Annual revenue also dropped from $890.6 million in 2023 to $681.8 million in 2024, a reduction of over 23 percent.

The company had hoped that its 2025 product lineup would reverse its fortunes, Cohen stating at the time that it was the "largest product launch in iRobot's history." Sadly, this last ditch effort failed to spark the turnaround that iRobot was hoping for. Talks with iRobot's another potential buyer subsequently fell through in October, sending its already low stock falling by 33 percent and leaving the robot vacuum company with few places to turn. 

Founded in 1990, iRobot's Roomba was once synonymous with robot vacuums. Those days are now long gone, and it will be a difficult battle if iRobot hopes to bring them back.

In the smart homes of the future, we were promised that everything would be automated. Today, there are robot vacuums to clean your floors and smart locks that secure your residence without a key—so why should you still be manually operating your blinds?

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.

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

A sweet breakfast topping.

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

SYRUP

Hurdle Word 2 hint

To confuse.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for December 15, 2025 Hurdle Word 2 Answer

STUMP

Hurdle Word 3 hint

To come together.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for December 15 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for December 15, 2025 Hurdle Word 3 answer

UNIFY

Hurdle Word 4 hint

A slope.

SEE ALSO: NYT Strands hints, answers for December 15 Hurdle Word 4 answer

BEVEL

Final Hurdle hint

More kind.

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

NICER

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

There's not a whole lot to spot on the surface of the moon tonight, but if you look hard enough you'll see one or two interesting features. And as we approach the New Moon, this will be one of the last chances to see anything for a few nights.

What is today’s moon phase?

As of Monday, Dec. 15, the moon phase is Waning Crescent. This means 18% of the moon is lit up tonight, according to NASA's Daily Moon Observation.

Tonight, without any visual aids, you'll only be able to see the Aristarchus Plateau. However, if you have binoculars, you'll also be able to see the Grimaldi Basin and the Gassendi Crater. With a telescope, the Reiner Gamma also comes into view.

When is the next full moon?

The next full moon will be on Jan. 3. The last full moon was on Dec. 4.

What are moon phases?

According to NASA, the Moon completes a cycle in about 29.5 days, and during that time we see it go through different phases. We always see the same side, but as it orbits Earth, the sunlight on it changes. That’s why sometimes it looks full, sometimes half-lit, and sometimes you can’t see it at all. There are eight main phases in the cycle:

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.

Well, that was a lot, wasn't it? The near feature-length finale of IT: Welcome to Derry casts the whole of Derry in grim fog, with the military working to try and let Pennywise loose on America while the kids, Dick Hallorann (Chris Chalk), and Major Hanlon (Jovan Adepo) try and recage IT.

There are flash forwards, hints of time travel, and some ties to Stephen King's novels and the IT movies that you may have missed. We've broken down all the major questions below.

SEE ALSO: Is Derry in 'IT: Welcome to Derry' a real town? What happens to Pennywise?

At the end of episode 7, Pennywise's cycle of killing came to an end with the fire at the Black Spot, and the creature was ready to return to the sewers to sleep for another 27 years — until the army got involved. General Shaw (James Remar) and the gang decided it would be a great idea to let the clown loose, and they ended up destroying one of the pillars that forms a circle around Derry and acts as a cage for the creature.

In the finale of episode 8, Pennywise makes a break for the far bank of a river surrounding Derry, which is apparently the point at which it'll be totally free of the other pillars acting as its cage. Fortunately, it doesn't get that far. Using their own fragment of the meteor that IT crashed to Earth in years before, the kids are able to reform the cage moments before the creature tears them to pieces. It's dragged away from them into the distance, presumably to return to hibernation until the 1988 cycle starts.

IT: Welcome to Derry's finale introduces the possibility of time travel.

Before the kids capture Pennywise, the clown drags Marge (Matilda Lawler) away and reveals to her that she'll one day have a son: Richie Tozier, a key character and member of the Losers' Club in the book and movies.

"The seed of your stinking loins and his filthy friends bring me my death! Or is it birth?" growls Pennywise. "I get confused. Tomorrow? Yesterday? It's all the same for little Pennywise."

Credit: Brooke Palmer / HBO

Later, back at the safety of the stand pipe, Marge talks to Lilly (Clara Stack) about what Pennywise said.

"He said, to him, the past, present, and future are all the same. And that his death was actually his birth," Marge says. "I know it sounds crazy, but what if he tries to go back and kill someone from the time before we were born, like our parents?"

Lilly's response? "I guess it'll be someone else's fight."

This conversation seems to be a set up for future seasons of IT: Welcome to Derry. We already know that co-creator Andy Muschietti wants there to be three seasons, with Season 2 and Season 3 jumping back in time to Pennywise's previous killing cycles. Marge and Lilly's exchange is the perfect lead-in to this.

What's next for Major Hanlon and Dick Hallorann?

The final scenes with Hanlon and Hallorann are nods to both Stephen King's wider work and the IT movies. Hallorann, who is best known as a key character in The Shining, tells Hanlon that he's going to work in a friend's hotel in London as a chef — the start of a career that we know will eventually take him to The Overlook Hotel.

"How much trouble can a hotel be?" he says. Of course, readers of the book will know exactly how much trouble.

Hanlon, meanwhile, decides to stay in Derry with his family and start work on a farm. As readers of the book know, his grandson will be Mike Hanlon, another key member of the Losers' Club.

What's with the flash forward in the final scene?

The final scene in the series has an unexpected flash forward to 1988, where we meet yet another Losers' Club member, Beverly Marsh (Sophia Lillis, reprising her role from the movies), witnessing her mother's suicide at Juniper Hill.

Ingrid Kersh (Madeleine Stowe), now an old lady who has presumably been in the asylum since the events of the 1960s cycle, appears behind her, smiling, and tells her that nobody in Derry ever really dies.

This scene essentially brings things back full circle to the movies, linking to a scene in IT: Chapter Two when an older Beverly (Jessica Chastain) is terrorised by the creature in Mrs. Kersh's form.

IT: Welcome to Derry is streaming on HBO Max.

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