IT General

Over 1,000 Meta employees started off 2026 on a bleak note — they were laid off in mid-January from Reality Labs, the company's Virtual Reality (VR)-focused division.

The public's unenthusiastic response to the Metaverse may have ultimately doomed these positions, but the threat of job loss feels acute to many in the tech industry due to U.S.-imposed tariffs and the widespread adoption of artificial intelligence.

AI was responsible for nearly 55,000 layoffs in the U.S. in 2025, according to CNBC, citing consulting firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas. Last year marked the highest number of layoffs since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Last year, the tech industry saw over 140,000 layoffs, more than any other industry except the government sector.

SEE ALSO: Pinterest to lay off staff and shift resources to AI, company says

Now that we have that out of the way, the good news is that the tech job market isn't all hopeless. AI is currently a net positive for jobs, generating more positions than it eliminates, according to investment company Vanguard.

Mashable spoke to seven professionals in the tech and employment sectors, and they all saw reasons for optimism, offering their own advice for getting hired or moving up. Some of their biggest takeaways:

• Explore courses and training, especially on utilizing AI.
• AI is changing every day. Learning and experience culled from a few months ago may already be outdated.
• Tech jobs don't just happen at tech companies; all organizations need people fluent in AI, data security, and machine learning.
• Companies are looking for people who can help their peers integrate AI into daily workflows and use the technology more effectively.
• If you're currently employed, ask your supervisor how AI might change your role and what you can do to be proactive about that change.
• Old-fashioned networking is still valued, as are communication skills like writing and speaking.

Read more about getting hired or promoted in the testimonials below.

Cristina Mancini, Chief Executive Officer of Black Girls CodeWhat would you say to someone looking for work in the tech industry?

If I had to choose a word for 2026 it's 'adaptive'; that’s the critical skill. One of my favorite titles for jobs I’ve seen is the human in the loop jobs; that’s making sure there’s a human in the loop before products ship or before you make strategy decisions; [a person] still using their discernment and lived experience.

There's a big shift in the C-suite of some tech companies, with many leaving or shifting roles. How could that filter down to those in entry- and mid-level jobs?

I think it’s interesting because Apple doesn’t usually go through these swings; they’re one of the stable ones. I think it’s interesting; they’re saying they’re all in on AI and, 'We’re going to win on AI.' What does winning on AI mean? Eventually, as happened with Klarna and other organizations, people are going to understand that AI cannot run your company for you. You still need people; they’re going to hire back people who understand how to use the tools. So, making sure you acquire these tools now is critical. That means you’re starting to experiment with the tools.

One of the things we’re proud of that we do [at Black Girls Code] is live training; our virtual training always has teachers. As of last year, you have a 5 percent chance of completing an online course by yourself, but it ratchets up to 95 percent if you’re part of a cohort. Trying to tell people, "just learn it," doesn’t help when people don’t understand the technology. We’re at this interesting juncture where there’s an opportunity to leapfrog some of these legacy systems and programs by learning a new skill that you don’t necessarily have to get a four-year degree for. People should take advantage of it.

SEE ALSO: How Black Girls Code is preparing underrepresented kids for the AI revolution

Getting a major in some of these technologies is also challenging in a four-year college because the technologies are shifting. By the time you publish [a thesis], it’ll probably be dated.

Also, senior-level executives often don’t have to understand that they’re making everyone else use. We need to be aware of these tools. When you don’t, you could inadvertently be leading an organization that’s shipping harmful products.

I was talking to a friend of mine, he’s a career pivoter, switching out of sports and wants to get into tech. He was confused because everyone was sending him links to online courses, and he was wondering, Where do all these pathways lead? Which are the ones I should take? One of his friends took a cybersecurity course and dropped off because it was too hard. [These new skills] can feel like a foreign language.

I speak a couple of different languages. Once you start learning a new language, other languages become less complicated because you start understanding a different way of thinking. People have been talking about being a lifelong learner forever, but now that’s not a nice-to-have. Sitting on your degree from 20 years ago is not going to help you today.

Every industry is becoming a technology industry. People look at the mass layoffs happening across the tech industry, but there are other industries using technology to drive their business, and they need people who understand how to use it.

What are those opportunities that people aren’t seeing? If you’re a small business owner, suddenly becoming the CTO of your organization is not as complicated as it used to be. You don’t need 12 engineers to think about how to build certain CRMs or your marketing stacks. But you can hire someone who can use the AI tools to build them.

Is this really a pivotal moment in the industry?

I think we’re definitely in an incredible [AI] hype cycle, and all hype cycles burst eventually. But this technology is not going anywhere; some version of it will remain. So, when the companies have to hire back people, they’re going to hire people who understand the technology. A lot of startups, ourselves included, are moving into more place-based opportunities. There are jobs for real-life growth developers; people want to connect in person in the tech industry. People are understanding that people matter and help drive business forward.

Credit: Ian Moore/Mashable/Adobe Stock Hetu Kamichetty, Chief Technology Officer of Xaira, a company utilizing AI to advance drug discoveryWhat tech positions are going to be in demand in 2026?

Let me quickly introduce myself and Xaira a little bit. I'm a computer scientist by training. My PhD was in AI. I spent a decade in tech. I was at Facebook. I was at Amazon. I was part of the agentic AI efforts at Facebook before I quit, and now I'm a cofounder and CTO of this company called Xaira. We are using AI to change how drugs and medicines are made, and ultimately how health is managed using AI.

And that relates to the question that you asked, because if you think about the space we're operating, five years ago, I was building AI models to improve search or improve chatbots, and now I'm using AI models to improve how we make medicine.

I just came back from [a conference and] a big theme across the board was AI is changing how tech is done, how we code — but that's so 2025. AI is changing how science might be done, how health might be managed, how drug discovery is done, and a bunch of other fields. AI through robotics is changing manufacturing. So, a big theme [of 2026] is how AI could play a role in other disciplines outside of what we might have considered tech, right?

I mean, tech is, I don't know, 10, 20 percent of the GDP. Health is 20 percent of the GDP, so tech is a smaller fraction of the GDP than everything else [that makes up the GDP], and through AI, we might be able to change and improve not just what we might consider traditional tech.

What would you say to someone trying to get into tech or trying to advance in their career? How can they prepare themselves for a world shifting so quickly?

I think AI is going to improve and change how other disciplines and other industries are done. So if you're a tech person and you're trying to learn AI, very good news, it's fairly easy to learn that these days. I have 20 years of experience in AI, but unfortunately, only the last six months count. Because the field is moving so rapidly, anybody wanting to learn more about AI just needs to learn about what happened this year, and they're kind of caught up on everything.

So for the tech folk trying to learn more AI, there's plenty of online resources, there's plenty of communities; it's fairly easy to write AI code because of coding agents, so you just need to formulate your question.

For the larger sector, there's plenty of people who are tech-adjacent, and I think that's the big push I see; there's going to be a lot more desire and need for people who are bilingual or at least can speak AI, who can understand how AI might change things, understand how to use AI, understand scenarios where AI would be great, scenarios where AI would need some help.

Let's say you're a product designer, a product designer who speaks AI, a data scientist, a data scientist who understands how AI models are used to how AI models are evaluated — all of these things have a way for you to build on your experience and add that AI layer on top of it.

There's a huge need for people able to keep up with what's changing, especially as a startup. We want people to think big, we want them to be bold, we want them to be willing to pivot when things evolve, when things change under the ground.

If you only said, well, 'I'm a tech person and I do [Quality Assurance].' Because of AI, quality assurance of software is very, very different than what it was three years ago, what it was five years ago, what it was maybe even at the beginning of 2025. There's still a huge value for QA skills. But those QA skills need to be bought in with [knowledge of] how agents work. What are the kinds of failure modes that agents currently face that you should be increasing your emphasis on? Folks who are willing to learn and look at this as an opportunity are going to succeed.

Jasmine Escalera, career expert at Zety, a resume template builderWhat tech positions are emerging?

AI is really just taking over the career space. AI and machine learning engineers, data scientists who use AI, prompt engineers, AI product managers; all are for sure going to be hot. Any kind of position that’s unique in integrating AI in everyday living.

Everyone is thinking of their jobs and their longevity. The use of AI in organizations opens up the possibility for AI to almost become an organizational team sport. What I mean is, people building AI from a technical perspective are going to be really important, but also the people who can help integrate it into the organization and its everyday workflows are going to be very important. We’re seeing the emergence of AI operations specialists, people who look at day-to-day operations and try to optimize them using AI workflow management. We’re seeing people like AI governance and AI compliance professionals; these kinds of positions are also coming up. We’re seeing AI used in HR more, so we’re looking at individuals who know how to use AI in the HR space from an ethical standpoint, and those in HR who can [use AI to help] with up-skilling.

We think about these technical roles in AI, but there’s a big open space for positions where a specific skillset can be transferred. If you’re in operations management, for example, you can get complementary AI skills that will help you stay in operations management, but also help you assist an organization in building workflows that can support AI optimization.

SEE ALSO: Which jobs are AI-proof? How can candidates make themselves more viable in this economy?

I read OpenAI is starting its own courses on how to use ChatGPT better and how to prompt it better. Google was starting courses. Many of these companies are saying, 'We want to get X number of people trained in AI utilization to balance what may happen in the workforce.'

Go to conferences, tap in with people in your field, ask leaders in your organization, ‘How do you see AI being implemented across the organization, but also within my team and role? And what are some of the things I can do to keep myself viable?’

You can also ask if, for instance, you're an HR manager or representative, 'What are some of the things I can do to learn how to better integrate AI to support my company?' Even if you have a specific role, there could be an AI twist to it and then could make you incredibly valuable.

We know AI is going to shift a lot of positions, but we’re focusing so much on what positions AI is going to take away. But what’s going to thrive? What unique things could come out of this?

Asking how AI is going to change your role...is the number one strategy for you now. Is networking still important?

It’s always been really important to establish a network, but if you are in the position now of asking how AI is going to change your role, then this is the number one strategy for you now. You have to become inquisitive and curious, not shut down. Sometimes when fear comes up — hey, this is people’s livelihoods — we can shut down. This is the time to be proactive and inquisitive. Talking to people is so incredibly important.

Credit: Ian Moore/Mashable/Getty Images AJ Balance, Chief Product Officer of GrindrWhat trends for tech jobs do you see in 2026?

We really believe AI, similar to Grindr’s founding, is one of these paradigm-shifting technologies, like the smartphone was in 2009, that really allows us to build amazing product experiences that make those different types of connections happen. Our approach to AI is really about helping users make more, better, deeper connections more easily.

Earlier this year, we had a vision of AI at Grindr — which we call GAYI — to build Grindr into an AI-native company, incorporating that intelligence that AI brings at all layers of the product and technical architecture, either in operations or internally. So, we think of [AI] as this paradigm shift, both in product and the way we work. It is impacting how we’re building out our team and how we work in the future.

Similar to other big leaps in technology, we’re seeing a lot of jobs augmented by AI to different degrees of functionality and scope, rather than being fully replaced by AI. We see it as a big opportunity in our product to accelerate the ability for users to make connections more easily, to help us be incredibly productive and augment the types of jobs folks are doing, and perform even more impactful work.

What are you looking for from someone who wants to be part of Grindr’s further adoption of AI?

As AI continues to evolve, I think there’s a lot of demand for folks proficient in leveraging these new tools, like generative AI, across the product and software development lifecycle. So, [we're looking for] folks already using these tools for product management and software engineering work, those who have experience trying them out and applying them in those roles, as well as folks working in design, data, security, and platform teams.

One of the things we see coming is increased demand for applied AI engineers, designers, [and] data scientists who are proficient in building products using these [AI] tools and incorporating them into their day-to-day work, whether it’s in their primary job at the company they're at or even side projects they build. Those are particularly exciting skills and valuable for building products and technology at Grindr.

There are certain degrees or disciplines folks study — like computer science to become a software engineer, designers having gone through a design curriculum — some of those skills are very relevant for roles like product design, engineering, data science. Real experience working in those fields and using AI tools in that work is what really sets [candidates] apart.

Alberto Silveira, Chief Technology Officer at HireVue, an AI and HR management company The most in-demand tech jobs won’t just build AI; they’ll secure it, govern it, and make it usable at scale. On the most in-demand tech jobs in 2026:

It almost goes without saying that roles like data scientists and machine learning engineers will remain in high demand in 2026. What’s accelerating, though, is hiring for cybersecurity and AI governance roles as organizations grapple with new AI-driven security threats, data privacy risks, and regulatory requirements. We’re also seeing growing demand for cloud engineers, AI product managers, and applied AI specialists who can translate advanced technology into real business outcomes. In short, the most in-demand tech jobs won’t just build AI; they’ll secure it, govern it, and make it usable at scale.

It’s also worth remembering that in the era of AI, it’s not just about particular hard skills like coding languages or platform experience — people with critical thinking skills will be more in demand than ever before.

Where job seekers should be looking for work:

Who gets the job should always be about who is the most qualified, but the fact is that a referral goes a long way in a crowded field. One of the best ways to streamline a job search is to start by reaching out to your network for referrals and focus on applying to those roles. It’s important to not just network from behind a screen — attend local meetups and events when you can.

When tapping into your network, don’t just think about the people you’re closest to; research shows that connections with "weak ties" can yield the most significant results. Set a personal goal to reach out to five people daily and ask them for referrals.

SEE ALSO: LinkedIn and Adobe announce partnership to help creators protect their work against AI Credit: Ian Moore/Mashable/Adobe Stock Kathleen Kramer, 2026 Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Past President.On the top trends jobseekers should be aware of in 2026:

My general advice is to be zigging instead of zagging. Since it's AI everywhere, you want to be looking for contributing the non-AI expertise to where AI is going, which is not the general hop-on-the-bandwagon approach.

The second [trend] would be [that] semiconductors are back big and software-only is very sad, which is also the opposite of what's happened, say, in the last four years. So coding is an and...it's not the pathway to success. In fact, the opposite of a coding-only approach is robotics. I see much more opportunity [in robotics] for a career-interested person.

On the value of being able to write and ideate without AI:

You think about the most brilliant, most admired people in tech. How many of them have no communication skills? How many of them are asking ChatGPT to write their speech? It's just not happening.

I always value those skills that make you the complete technologist. There's job function, but there's also just personal value, personal enrichment, personal power to advance yourself, and to be able to rely on yourself. But if I was hiring someone who can't get any work done without consulting an outside AI, it's just not really a significant added value.

— As told to Rebecca Ruiz

Marcie Foy, Director of Career Consultants, Carnegie Mellon UniversityOn the current state of the tech job market:

I think one thing that we're seeing with the tech job market, broadly speaking, is that there's a lot of changes going on, especially with...AI coming more to the forefront within the tech industry. What companies are looking for, the skill sets they need, [and] the experiences that they need are kind of in this state of flux and change.

So it's really, really important for all potential candidates, whether they be undergraduate students through PhDs or experienced individuals, to be able to demonstrate that they are at the top of their game as well with these new changes. They [need to] come to the table with the skill sets that the companies are looking for, and clearly communicate that in their application materials and throughout the interview process, especially in those technical interviews.

Being able to really demonstrate what you can do, how you can do it, and showcase those skills throughout that process is even more important. [That's] not to say it wasn't important before, but it's even more important now with the change of technical skill set that's needed, with the emphasis of AI continuing to grow.

On the skills tech employers are looking for right now:

For a lot of the fields that I support, more specifically in the engineering and computer science spaces, [employers are looking for] the individuals that are able to actually kind of create in the AI space. They're skilled with machine learning and working with language models and natural language processing and areas related to where the work is happening within AI.

That's where we're starting to see things pick up within the tech industry. Moving beyond [programming] to be able to develop the AI agents and things that can do some of that baseline work, as well as more data analysis and machine learning side of things [is important].

On the importance of clear communication:

The emphasis is changing on what we commonly referred to as soft or transferable skills, [such as] the ability to communicate really effectively in the workplace environment, both written and verbally, the ability to explain your thought process, to problem solve and to use all of the information that's at your disposal, including AI, to be able to generate new ideas, [and] to be able to solve the more challenging problems at hand.

The ability to communicate those softer, transferable skills in an interview and on your resume is even more important, regardless of how technical the goal is.

Something that I'm also hearing and seeing is in the interview process — really being able to articulate how you did something, not just what you did, but actually how you did it, the choices that you made, why you made those choices, to show that you have command over your subject matter. That's a way for both candidates to stand out, but also for employers to validate the level of individual that they're considering, given that those individuals also have access to AI to help them prepare for those interviews. — As told to Rebecca Ruiz

These interviews have been edited for length and clarity. Rebecca Ruiz contributed to this story.

NASA has postponed the pivotal fueling test for Artemis II because of a near-freezing chill in Florida, making a February space launch far less likely. 

The so-called "wet dress rehearsal" will load the Space Launch System with 700,000 gallons of ultra‑cold propellants at the rocket's Kennedy Space Center launchpad in Cape Canaveral, Florida. The trial run, now targeted for Monday, Feb. 2, takes the countdown all the way to 29 seconds before liftoff, then stops. 

How the test goes will determine when NASA actually lights those engines. 

"We need to get through wet dress, we need to see what lessons we learn as a result of that, and that will ultimately lay out our path toward launch," Artemis launch director Charlie Blackwell‑Thompson said. "With a wet dress that is without significant issues, if everything goes to plan, then certainly there are opportunities within February that could be achievable."

SEE ALSO: No guarantees: Inside the biggest risks facing NASA's Artemis 2 crew

Artemis II will be the agency's first flight to the moon with a crew in over 50 years. Three U.S. astronauts, Commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, and one Canadian astronaut, Jeremy Hansen, will ride in the Orion spacecraft, which they named Integrity. The 10-day journey, which could launch as early as Feb. 8, is a necessary flight test before NASA attempts to land astronauts on the lunar surface.

Here's how to watch NASA fill up the 322-foot mega moon rocket in this crucial test. 

Artemis II launch director Charlie Blackwell-Thompson watches the mega moon rocket roll by the windows of the firing room. Credit: NASA / Aubrey Gemignani When is the wet dress rehearsal? 

NASA has announced the wet dress rehearsal is now scheduled for Monday, Feb. 2 at 9 p.m. ET, two days later than officials had said earlier in the week, though the date and time could continue to change as the agency monitors weather and temperature conditions. 

During the test, teams will fill the rocket with liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen and rehearse every major step of launch‑day fueling. Controllers will run through all countdown procedures, including the final "terminal count," stopping at T‑29 seconds. 

Will NASA broadcast the test? 

Yes, although the agency has not released the link to the specific feed, NASA plans to stream the wet dress rehearsal live on its YouTube channel. 

The individual stream links will be available on that page, "closer to activities," according to NASA. It's unclear how much forewarning the agency will provide. It's also likely NASA will broadcast the event on NASA+, its own free on-demand streaming service, though a placeholder link for it was not available as of midday Friday on the service's "scheduled events" page. Check NASA's Facebook page and X channel for coverage as well. 

Since SLS rolled out to the pad on Jan. 17, NASA has maintained a steady 24-7 view of the rocket. But that feed won't be the one capturing the fueling test with commentary, according to officials. 

From left, the Artemis II crew: Christina Hammock Koch, Jeremy Hansen, Victor Glover, and Reid Wiseman. Credit: NASA / James Blair What's the likelihood of success? 

It's hard to predict the outcome of NASA's wet dress rehearsal, but how smoothly it goes will drive the launch timeline. 

During Artemis I, NASA needed four fueling rehearsals because teams had trouble keeping the liquid oxygen cold enough, found hydrogen leaks where the ground pipes connect to the rocket, and ran into a problem with a valve that lets hydrogen flow back into the tank. From SLS's rollout in March 2022, it was an eight-month campaign before the rocket left Earth.

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But mission leaders say this time will be different. For Artemis II, they have changed how they pump the fuel, upgraded the connections between the rocket and the ground equipment, and redesigned and tested that troublesome valve with real super‑cold fuel.

"Why do we think that we'll be successful in Artemis II?" Blackwell-Thompson said. "It's the lessons that we learned."

When will Artemis 2 launch? 

A launch window is the span of time when a rocket can lift off and still reach its planned destination in space. NASA has released the launch windows for February, March, and April. Mashable has provided an extensive explainer on launch opportunities for the upcoming crewed mission. 

Because of the latest delays, that leaves only Feb. 8, 10, and 11 for this month before NASA starts looking into March. Despite having only publicized the launch dates through April, mission leaders said they actually have a handful of days available "in just about every month," Blackwell-Thompson said.

SAVE $70: As of Feb. 2, Beats Solo 4 are on sale for $129.95 at Amazon. That's a 35% discount on the list price.

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If you're looking for great quality headphones, you can never go wrong with Beats. From earbuds to speakers, the brand is synonymous with punchy bass and quality sound.

As of Feb. 2, Beats Solo 4 are on sale at Amazon, down from $199.95 to $129.95. All colors are discounted too, so you can choose from matte black, black and gold, cloud pink, metallic pink, and slate blue.

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There are so many great things about with these headphones, including support for Personalized Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking. These give you a far more immersive listening experience. The design is also incredibly lightweight and comfortable, and have been designed for all-day wear. They also have a flex-grip headband and adjustable, angled ear cups for a secure fit.

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Billie Eilish picked up the award for Song of the Year alongside her brother Finneas at the 2026 Grammy Awards, and she used the opportunity to send a clear message to ICE.

"No one is illegal on stolen land," says Eilish in the clip above. "It's just really hard to know what to say and what to do right now. I feel really hopeful in this room, and I feel like we just need to keep fighting, and speaking up, and protesting, and our voices really do matter, and the people matter, and f*** ICE is all I want to say, sorry."

ICE has come under increasing criticism in recent weeks following the deadly shootings of Renée Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis by federal immigration agents.

Check out the full list of winners at the 2026 Grammys.

SAVE $100: As of Feb. 2, the Apple Watch Series 11 is on sale for $299 at Amazon. That's a 25% discount on the list price.

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Having only been released late last year, we're very excited about Amazon's new discount on the Apple Watch Series 11. This latest in the lineup of Apple Watches is a stellar option for just about anything, whether it's lifestyle support or fitness tracking you need. And as of Feb. 2, it's on sale for its best-ever price. Get the Apple Watch Series 11 on sale for $299 at Amazon.

The Apple Watch Series 11 has advanced tracking tools designed for everyday life. The health features are clever enough that they can detect potential signs of chronic high blood pressure and send you hypertension notifications. The stats also include advanced sleep tracking. With this, you'll get a nightly sleep score to help monitor how well you slept and how often you woke up.

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Additional features include ECG readings, heart rate alerts, blood oxygen monitoring, and overnight health metrics through the Vitals app. And it doesn't end there. This Apple Watch offers features like advanced workout metrics, heart rate zones, training load tracking, and Apple Fitness+ integration.

The battery life is a real selling point, promising to last up to 24 hours with normal use. Fast charging gives you up to eight hours of use in 15 minutes.

Get this great deal on the Apple Watch Series 11 now.

SAVE $500: The DJI Mini 5 Pro Fly More Combo is on sale at Amazon for $1,099, down from the normal price of $1,599. That's a 31% discount that matches the record-low price at Amazon.

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Despite the FCC ban on foreign drones, you can still get yourself a DJI drone. The fine print of the ban explains that any drone already in the country are excluded from the new legislation, which means they're fair game for ownership and operation. However, that means stock is dwindling, so if you're searching for a DJI drone, check out this latest deal.

The DJI Mini 5 Pro Fly More Combo is on sale for $1,099 at Amazon, marked down from the standard price of $1,599. That's a 31% discount that takes a hefty $500 off the price. It also matches the record-low price at Amazon.

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The DJI Mini 5 Pro is a premium drone and the Fly More Combo makes it just that much more appealing. The bundle includes the DJI Mini 5 Pro drone itself, the DJI RC 2 camera-drone remote controller, a set of filters, three DJI Mini 5 Pro Intelligent Flight batteries, three propeller sets, a shoulder bag, and more. Boiled down, this is everything you'd want for an epic drone set-up.

In terms of performance, the DJI Mini 5 Pro is a stellar model. It has a one-inch CMOS camera with 4K HDR filming at 60fps. You can also go with 4K 120fps for slow-motion filming. DJI also made this model especially appealing for night flying thanks to the 360 degree Nightscape Omnidirectional Sensing and Nighttime return-to-home function. DJI's ActiveTrack 360° technology is a must-have feature if you'll be filming moving subjects like a cyclist, skier, or surfer.

While it's still in stock and on sale for a record-low price, snag the DJI Mini 5 Pro Fly More Combo. The bundle is packed with advanced accessories while still being a perfect model for beginners.

SAVE $14: As of Feb. 2, the Roku Streaming Stick HD is on sale for $15.99 at Amazon. That's a 47% discount on the list price.

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If you want to make your streaming setup seamless, a streaming stick is the answer. And if you want a seamless streaming setup that won't break the bank, the Roku Streaming Stick HD is exactly what you need.

As of Feb. 2, this handy little device is on sale for $15.99 at Amazon. Yes, for $15.99 you can upgrade your TV to Roku, giving you easy access to platforms like Netflix and Prime Video, with a home screen that puts all your favorite TV shows in one place.

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It couldn't be easier to set up either. Just plug the streaming stick into your TV and you're good to go. This model doesn't even need to be plugged into an outlet, it can be powered by your TV, making it a great option if you want to reduce cable clutter. You can also take it on vacation, so there's no need to log in to every platform on a new TV (and no issue with remembering to log out, either).

You'll also be able to control everything with a single remote that comes with the device. This includes powering the TV and adjusting the volume. It also has a voice control function.

Nice and easy, right? Get this Roku streaming deal from Amazon now.

The gang is back together again, but it seems as though Miranda (Meryl Streep) barely remembers who anybody is.

The trailer above for The Devil Wears Prada 2 teases Andy (Anne Hathaway) entering the office of her former boss, only to be met with confusion and plenty of trademark dismissiveness. Fortunately when Andy's former rival Emily (Emily Blunt) pops up later, she gets exactly the same treatment.

Coming out two decades after the original adaption of Lauren Weisberger's, the sequel reunites the core original casts while adding in the likes of Sydney Sweeney and Simone Ashley.

The Devil Wears Prada 2 opens in theaters May 1.

The 68th Annual Grammy Awards were on this Sunday night, celebrating some of the tunes and bangers that helped get us through the past year.

Returning to Los Angeles' Crypto.com Arena and hosted by comedian Trevor Noah for the sixth year in a row, the 2026 Grammy Awards' main ceremony featured performances by nominees such as Sabrina Carpenter, Lady Gaga, Rosé, and Bruno Mars.

As usual, the vast majority of the Grammy Awards' 95 categories were presented during the Premiere Ceremony prior to the main telecast. However, the biggest awards are announced during the main broadcast ceremony, which always includes Record of the Year, Album of the Year, Song of the Year, and Best New Artist. The Dr. Dre Global Impact Award was also awarded during this year's main ceremony, going to Pharrell Williams.

The Grammy Awards main ceremony was broadcast from 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT on CBS, as well as for Paramount+ Premium subscribers.

Here is the full list of nominees and winners at the 68th Annual Grammy Awards' main ceremony. This article is being updated live, with winners bolded as they are announced. 

Best Rap Album

• Let God Sort Em Out by Clipse, Pusha T & Malice

• GLORIOUS by GloRilla

• God Does Like Ugly by JID

• GNX by Kendrick Lamar (WINNER)

• CHROMAKOPIA by Tyler, the Creator

Best New Artist

• Olivia Dean (WINNER)

• KATSEYE

• The Marias

• Addison Rae

• sombr

• Leon Thomas

• Alex Warren

• Lola Young

Best Música Urbana Album

• DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS by Bad Bunny (WINNER)

• Mixteip by J Balvin

• FERXXO VOL X: Sagrado by Feid

• NAIKI by Nicki Nicole

• EUB DELUXE by Trueno

• SINFÓNICO (En Vivo) by Yandel

Best Contemporary Country Album

• Patterns by Kelsea Ballerini

• Snipe Hunter by Tyler Childers

• Evangeline Vs. The Machine by Eric Church

• Beautifully Broken by Jelly Roll (WINNER)

• Postcards From Texas by Miranda Lambert

Best Pop Vocal Album

• SWAG by Justin Bieber

• Man's Best Friend by Sabrina Carpenter

• Something Beautiful by Miley Cyrus

• MAYHEM by Lady Gaga (WINNER)

• I've Tried Everything But Therapy (Part 2) by Teddy Swims

Best Pop Solo Performance

• "DAISIES" by Justin Bieber

• "Manchild" by Sabrina Carpenter

• "Disease" by Lady Gaga

• "The Subway" by Chappell Roan 

• "Messy" by Lola Young (WINNER)

Song of the Year

• "Abracadabra" by Lady Gaga

• "Anxiety" by Doechii

• "APT." by Rosé and Bruno Mars

• "DtMF" by Bad Bunny

• "Golden" by HUNTR/X

• "luther" by Kendrick Lamar with SZA

• "Manchild" by Sabrina Carpenter

• "WILDFLOWER" by Billie Eilish (WINNER)

Record of the Year

• "DtMF" by Bad Bunny

• "Manchild" by Sabrina Carpenter

• "Anxiety" by Doechii

• "WILDFLOWER" by Billie Eilish

• "Abracadabra" by Lady Gaga

• "luther" by Kendrick Lamar with SZA (WINNER)

• "The Subway" by Chappell Roan 

• "APT." by Rosé and Bruno Mars

Album of the Year

• DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS by Bad Bunny (WINNER)

• SWAG by Justin Bieber

• Man's Best Friend by Sabrina Carpenter

• Let God Sort Em Out by Clipse, Pusha T & Malice

• MAYHEM by Lady Gaga

• GNX by Kendrick Lamar

• MUTT by Leon Thomas

• CHROMAKOPIA by Tyler, the Creator

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

Huge.

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

JUMBO

Hurdle Word 2 hint

Consumption.

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

USAGE

Hurdle Word 3 hint

A fairy.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for February 2 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for February 2, 2026 Hurdle Word 3 answer

DRYAD

Hurdle Word 4 hint

A fragrant resin.

Hurdle Word 4 answer

MYRRH

Final Hurdle hint

Faithful.

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

LOYAL

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 Full Moon has passed, so now the Moon will be getting smaller each night as we move towards the New Moon.

What is today’s Moon phase?

As of Monday, Feb. 2, the Moon phase is Waning Gibbous. According to NASA's Daily Moon Guide, 99% of the Moon will be lit up tonight.

It's a day after the Full Moon, and there's still a whole lot of moon in the sky tonight. This means there's lots to see, eithout or without visual aids. Without, the Mare Imbrium, Aristarchus Plateau, and the Mare Serenitatis all come into view. With binoculars, you'll also see the Posidonius Crater, Clavius Crater, and Apennine Mountains too. Finally, with a telescope, you'll see all this and the Caucasus Mountains, Rima Ariadaeus, and the Rupes Altai.

When is the next Full Moon?

The next Full Moon will be on March 3.

What are Moon phases?

According to NASA, the lunar cycle lasts around 29.5 days. This is how long the Moon takes to travel once around Earth. Over that period, it passes through eight recognised phases. The same side of the Moon always faces our planet, however the portion that appears lit changes as the Moon moves along its orbit. The amount of sunlight reaching the Moon is what makes it appear full, partially illuminated, or almost invisible at different points in the cycle. The eight lunar 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.

From "The Bear and the Maiden Fair" to "The Rains of Castamere," the world of Westeros is no stranger to catchy, in-universe songs. In its third episode, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms gets in on the musical action itself, incorporating two songs into its storyline, including one sung by Egg (Dexter Sol Ansell).

SEE ALSO: 'A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms' Targaryen family tree: How everyone connects

At first glance, the song is a bawdy, jokey number, one that consistently builds up to curse words only to substitute them with words that sound alike. (Think "ass" and "grass," or "whore" and "horses.") It also doubles as a Westerosi history lesson about a key recent event: the Battle of the Redgrass Field, which is the conclusion of the Blackfyre Rebellion. Let's break it down, starting with the song's lyrics:

Prince Baelor was the firstborn. Prince Maekar sprang out last.

Daemon was the bastard, so they kicked his bastard —

Grass is green in summer, green grass I adore.

But grass is red all over when you kill a rebel —

Horses die in battle, this battle was the front,

Blackfyre's not a trueborn, he came from the wrong —

Country was in peril, the anvil was a rock,

The hammer smashed the bastard with his giant veiny 

Host of Dornish spearmen.

To understand the meaning of the song, you first have to understand the Blackfyre Rebellion. That rebellion has roots in the relationship between the Seven Kingdoms' current ruler, King Daeron II Targaryen, and his late father, King Aegon IV Targaryen.

Aegon IV and Daeron II had a rough relationship, especially when it came to the subject of Dorne. By Aegon IV's reign, Dorne had yet to become a part of the Seven Kingdoms. However, the Seven Kingdoms and Dorne still shared a peaceful relationship, with Daeron II even marrying Dornish Princess Myriah Martell. However, that wasn't enough for Aegon IV, who planned to attack Dorne unprovoked, despite Daeron II's protests. Because of Daeron II's opposition, Aegon IV often threatened that he would make one of his many bastards his new heir. He also spread rumors that Daeron II was a bastard, opting for maximum messiness.

SEE ALSO: 'A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms' doesn't have an elaborate title sequence. Here's why.

Aegon IV never did name a new heir, but on his deathbed, he chose chaos and legitimized all of his bastards. One of them, Daemon Waters, took the name of Daemon Blackfyre, after the sword of Aegon the Conqueror. Daemon had actually received the sword from his father after winning a tournament at age 12, stoking the idea that he was Aegon IV's rightful heir instead of Daeron II.

Two camps emerged during the first years of Daeron II's reign: those who supported him, and those who supported Daemon Blackfyre's claim to the Iron Throne. Strikes against Daeron included his alliance with and supposed deference to Dorne, which he managed to bring into the Seven Kingdoms without any bloodshed, as well as Aegon IV's rumors about his legitimacy.

In 196 AC (after Aegon's conquest), official rebellion broke out as Daemon tried to take the Iron Throne for himself. The resulting conflict, lasting less than a year, was a bloody affair that culminated in the Battle of Redgrass Field. Redgrass Field isn't the actual name of a place in Westeros: The field just became known by that name due to all of the blood spilled during battle.

These are the events summarized in Egg's song, which calls out Daemon's parentage ("Daemon was the bastard") and Redgrass Field ("grass is red all over when you kill a rebel").

The song also highlights the hammer and the anvil, a tactic used by Daeron II's sons, Prince Baelor (Bertie Carvel) and Prince Maekar (Sam Spruell). Baelor and a host of Dornish spearmen slammed into Daemon's forces and smashed them up against Maekar and his men's shield wall. That makes Baelor the hammer and Maekar the anvil. (And it made Daemon and his supporters very, very dead.)

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms has already hinted at the Battle of Redgrass field, when Dunk mentions how Ser Arlan of Pennytree (Danny Webb) fought in it in episode 2. Egg's song simply provides further context.

Egg's song may also canonically exist in George R.R. Martin's Dunk and Egg novellas. In The Sworn Sword, the second of the novellas, Dunk speaks to Ser Eustace Osgrey, whose sons died in the Battle of Redgrass Field. He says that "the singers can go on about their hammer and their anvil," but also reveals that there's a lot that's missing from the actual songs.

What's missing is a story for another season, but you can imagine the singers Eustace is talking about performing the same number Egg does. It's a fun case of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms extrapolating from a minor detail in a later book.

The song is also an intriguing look at how historical events would be memorialized for Westeros's smallfolk, who are A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms' primary focus. Given a likely lack of literacy and education access, the smallfolk wouldn't remember Redgrass Field through lessons or history tomes. Instead, these tales would be passed down through song.

New episodes of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms air Sundays at 10 p.m. ET on HBO and HBO Max.

Well, the cat's out of the bag. Or, should we say, the Egg's out of the... chicken? Whatever idiom you go with, one thing is clear: A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms has revealed Egg's (Dexter Sol Ansell) true identity.

Up until episode 3, Egg has been the sassy yet worldly squire to hedge knight Ser Duncan "Dunk" the Tall (Peter Claffey). But he isn't a member of the Westerosi smallfolk. Instead, he's none other than Aegon Targaryen, son of Maekar Targaryen (Sam Spruell), and grandson of King Daeron II Targaryen.

SEE ALSO: 'A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms' Targaryen family tree: How everyone connects

The reveal comes at the end of episode 3, when Dunk attacks Prince Aerion Targaryen (Finn Bennett) as retribution for harming Dornish puppeteer Tanselle (Tanzyn Crawford). As Aerion prepares to stomp all of Duncan's teeth out, Egg storms in and demands the guards — whom he addresses by name — not to injure Dunk any further.

"If they do, they'll answer to my father," he says.

Aerion isn't outraged by Egg's intrusion the way he would have been had another member of the smallfolk interfered with his torture of Dunk. Instead, he's annoyed and addresses Egg informally, wondering what happened to his hair.

"I cut it off, brother," Egg replies. "I didn't want to look like you."

The exchange confirms Egg's Targaryen nature, but there have been plenty of other hints at his true identity. Whether you already knew the truth as a book reader, called it as a new audience member, or you were totally caught off guard and want to catch any clues you might have missed, we've got you covered. Here are the five biggest clues from A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms that Egg is really Aegon.

The Targaryen sigil coin at the pub

In A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms' first episode, Dunk crosses paths with a drunk man at a pub who pays with a coin that bears the Targaryen sigil of the three-headed dragon. Moments later, he runs into Egg.

SEE ALSO: 'A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms' episode 1: The coin in the inn could be a hidden clue

The coin suggests a Targaryen presence at the pub, and it also gives us a hint at the drunk man's identity. Up until the Egg/Aegon reveal, the chatter around Aegon has been that he was meant to attend the tournament with his brother Daeron, but the two never showed up. Now we know where one brother is, but where is Daeron? It's likely that he's the very man Dunk encountered in the pub, as Daeron's heavy drinking has earned him the nickname Daeron the Drunken.

Egg's shaved head

As we learn in House of the Dragon, Targaryen and Velaryon bastards like Alyn of Hull (Abubakar Salim) shave their heads to avoid drawing attention to their Valyrian blood. Egg's freshly bald head hinted from the start that he was trying something similar. Unlike Alyn, though, Egg is trueborn. Still, he seems reluctant to associate with his family, and who would blame him when he's got a tyrant like Aerion for a brother? Speaking of...

SEE ALSO: 'A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms' episode 3: What does Egg's song mean? Egg's panicked reaction to Aerion at the tourney

Egg has an intense reaction to Aerion's joust against Ser Humfrey Hardyng (Ross Anderson) in episode 3, yelling at Humfrey to "kill him." Screaming for the death of a Targaryen would be considered treasonous — just look at what Aerion does to Tanselle's dragon-killing puppet show! — so a member of the smallfolk likely wouldn't engage in that conduct. But a Targaryen prince who wouldn't face consequences certainly would. Plus, Egg's vehement reaction to Aerion suggests a deeper personal tie, hinting at their tense brotherly history.

SEE ALSO: 'A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms' doesn't have an elaborate title sequence. Here's why. Egg's fortune that he will become king

In episode 3, Dunk and Egg cross paths with a fortune teller. She tells Dunk he'll find great fortune and riches, and she tells Egg that he'll be king... oh, and that he'll die a painful death to the joy of many. Of course, Dunk thinks it's a load of rubbish and laughs good-naturedly at the fortune teller's work. But the words are terrifying to Egg because, as a Targaryen, it's likely that he could one day become king. That fact adds a new layer to his frightened reaction, because those words may very well be his actual future.

Egg calling Dunk "My Lord"

When a disguised Arya Stark (Maisie Williams) becomes Tywin Lannister's (Charles Dance) cupbearer in Game of Thrones Season 2, he teaches her a valuable lesson: She addresses him as "my lord," when in reality, a lowborn girl would refer to him "m'lord." The too-proper language betrays her noble origins. The same goes for Egg in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, who refers to Dunk as "my lord."

That's not all, though. Egg's entire way of speaking is incredibly formal, and it's riddled with knowledge that few people in Westeros would expect a young peasant to have. Case in point: His knowledge of the inner workings of tourneys, which he displays in episode 3. If Arya had made any of these slip-ups during her time disguised as Arry, she would definitely have been caught and killed. But unlike Egg, she was on the run during wartime, and her father had just been executed as a traitor. Egg, by comparison, is disguising himself during a period of peace. There's certainly a dangerous element to his actions, but he's also got more leeway to have a little fun with it.

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is now streaming on HBO Max, with new episodes Sundays at 10 p.m. ET.

If there's one thing the Game of Thrones universe loves, it's a good prophecy.

While A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is refreshingly different from its more serious cousin House of the Dragon, episode 3 showed us that mystical future predictions still have a place in the world of Dunk (Peter Claffey) and Egg (Dexter Sol Ansell).

So what was the prophecy, and what might it tell us? We've unpacked it all below.

SEE ALSO: 'A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms' Targaryen family tree: How everyone connects What is the prophecy in episode 3?

Wandering through the tent village in Ashdown together, Dunk and Egg are suddenly interrupted by a woman wearing a cloak.

"Say your fortune?" she calls out, and Dunk gives her a coin and says, "Oh yeah, go on then." We've copied the resulting exchange below, in full:

Stranger: "You shall know great success and be richer than a Lannister."

Dunk: "Thank you. Do the boy now."

Stranger: "You shall be king...and die in a hot fire, and worms shall feed upon your ashes. And all who know you shall rejoice in your dying."

Egg: "What?"

Dunk [laughing]: "Thank you, that's very good."

While Dunk finds the woman's brutal prediction highly amusing, poor Egg looks troubled. Could what she says be more than just a cheap trick designed to earn some coin?

What does the prophecy mean?

The first thing to note is that prophecies aren't a new concept in the Game of Thrones universe. In House of the Dragon, Helaena (Phia Saban) makes a number of different prophecies, some of which have already been proven to be correct. In short, there are characters in Westeros that do have the ability to see into the future, so we can't immediately discount what the stranger says as nonsense.

Don’t miss out on our latest stories: Add Mashable as a trusted news source in Google.

As we find out at the end of episode 3, Egg is also much more than just stable boy — he's actually a Targaryen and the nephew of Prince Baelor (Bertie Carvel), who is next in line for the Iron Throne. Yes, Egg is quite a long way down the line of succession himself, but him becoming king is not completely out of the realm of possibility.

So, could the stranger have been telling Dunk and Egg the truth? Is the young Targaryen somehow destined for the throne, while Dunk will end up rich, presumably through his association with Egg? Only time will tell.

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is now streaming on HBO Max, with new episodes Sundays at 10 p.m. ET.

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 February 1, 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 February 2, 2026 Easy difficulty hints, answers for Feb. 2 Pips

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

Number (3): Everything in this space must add up to 3. The answer is 3-0, placed horizontally; 2-4, placed horizontally; 1-5, placed horizontally.

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

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

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

Medium difficulty hints, answers for Feb. 2 Pips

Equal (2): Everything in this purple space must be equal to 2. The answer is 2-2, placed horizontally.

Equal (1): Everything in this red space must be equal to 1. The answer is 1-0, placed vertically; 1-2, placed vertically.

Equal (0): Everything in this orange space must be equal to 0. The answer is 1-0, placed vertically; 0-3, placed horizontally.

Number (8): Everything in this space must add up to 8. The answer is 0-3, placed horizontally; 5-2, placed horizontally.

Greater Than (8): Everything in this space must be greater than 8. The answer is 0-6, placed horizontally; 4-2, placed horizontally.

Greater Than (0): Everything in this purple space must be greater than 0. The answer is 5-2, placed horizontally.

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

Hard difficulty hints, answers for Feb. 2 Pips

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

Number (8): Everything in this space must add up to 8. The answer is 4-4, placed horizontally.

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

Number (9): Everything in this space must add up to 9. The answer is 5-2, placed vertically; 2-1, placed vertically.

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

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

Number (9): Everything in this space must add up to 9. The answer is 3-4, placed horizontally; 5-0, placed horizontally.

Less Than (2): Everything in this green space must be less than 2. The answer is 5-0, placed horizontally.

Number (9): Everything in this space must add up to 9. The answer is 3-6, placed horizontally.

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

Less Than (2): Everything in this space must be less than 2. The answer is 3-0, placed vertically; 0-0, placed vertically; 0-1, placed vertically.

Number (9): Everything in this orange space must add up to 9. The answer is 3-0, placed vertically.

Number (9): Everything in this light blue space must add up to 9. The answer is 2-6, placed horizontally; 2-2, placed horizontally; 5-3, placed horizontally.

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

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

Today's Connections: Sports Edition will be easier if you know aquaticsports.

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: Texas education

• Green: Missouri sports

• Blue: Bowl game

• Purple: Comes in fives

Here are today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

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

• Yellow: Texas College Teams

• Green: St. Louis Teams

• Blue: Can Be Followed By "Bowl"

• Purple: ____Five

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 #497 is...

What is the answer to Connections: Sports Edition today?

• Texas College Teams - AGGIES, COUGARS, HORNED FROGS, LONGHORNS

• St. Louis Teams - BILLIKENS, BLUES, CARDINALS, ST. LOUIS CITY

• Can Be Followed By "Bowl" - PRO, SENIOR, SHRINE, SUPER

• ____Five - FAB, FIERCE, HIGH, STARTING

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 today's Connections.

Just when you thought Industry was done putting Rishi Ramdani (Sagar Radia) through hell, the series keeps finding new ways to make him suffer.

SEE ALSO: 'Industry' Season 4 review: HBO's criminally underrated drama thrills in most ambitious season yet

Season 3 set the bar high with "White Mischief," a heart attack-inducing hour reminiscent of Uncut Gems. It went even further in its finale, when Rishi's debt collector Vinay (Asim Chaudhry) shot his wife Diana (Emily Barber) right in front of him. Season 4 has delved into the ruins of his life since then, hinting at a media circus between seasons that left Rishi as a suspect in Diana's murder. Unable to get a job, he's resorted to doing Harper Stern's (Myha'la) dirty work. He's also forbidden from seeing his young child, now living with Diana's family, for more than a few minutes at a time.

Sounds like rock bottom, right? But somehow, Industry makes things even rockier for Rishi in Season 4, episode 4, titled "1000 Yoots, 1 Marilyn."

The episode sees Rishi cozying up to FinDigest reporter and Harper ally Jim Dycker (Charlie Heaton). They wind up doing drugs together in a seedy apartment, and the night only spirals from there, ending with Jim dead, the police arriving, and a panicked Rishi leaping from the apartment balcony and shattering his legs. It's a shocking moment in a show full of them, not to mention a very involved stunt.

"It was the first time I got to be part of a stunt on that type of level," Radia told Mashable in a video interview. "There's a million things going through your head when you're dangling over a balcony like that."

SEE ALSO: Kit Harington breaks down 'Industry's 'emotionally moving' ghost story

The stunt involved wire work, and Radia remembered splitting the sequence into three sections: running up to the balcony, leaning over and getting his legs over the balcony, and then the jump itself.

Makeup for the aftermath of the fall proved equally involved, with a prosthetics team creating Rishi's bloody, broken legs. It's one of Industry's goriest images yet, along with Diana's murder.

Radia recalled lying on the ground around one o'clock in the morning, preparing to shoot the injury sequence. "I think we had probably 10, 15, 20 minutes to get that last bit done, and [the makeup and prosthetics team] were pouring all the blood on, and the camera is trying to position itself in the right place, and we were running out of time, as you always do in this industry, and we're just trying to get the shot," Radia said.

The final effect is gruesome, injecting more horror into a scene that asks, "What could possibly be next for Rishi?"

For Radia, Rishi's final scene in "1000 Yoots, 1 Marilyn" felt like a synthesis of the character he's been playing for four seasons.

"From a character perspective, it's Rishi doing what he's always done, which is just trying to run away from the problem, trying to get away from the situation that he's gotten himself in," Radia said.

But now that Rishi can quite literally no longer run, he has to confront himself, creating a kind of catharsis for him.

"It's a really poignant moment in the story," Radia said. "He's been struggling with so much guilt and grief from what's happened at the end of Season 3 that it all catches up to him, and he doesn't quite know how to process the emotions that he's carrying. Actually, I think what you see at the end of that episode is a sense of relief. It's a sense of going, 'I think this is the right thing that's happening, albeit not in the greatest of circumstances... Everything that's happened up until this point leads to now, and it's the right thing.' For once, I think his moral compass is in the right direction, and he feels like, 'Yeah, this is what should be happening.'"

New episodes of Industry Season 4 premiere Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on HBO and HBO Max.

The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult to solve if you're a crime fanatic.

Connections is the one of the most popular New York Times word games that's captured the public's attention. The game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.

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

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable What is Connections?

The NYT's latest daily word game has become a social media hit. The Times credits associate puzzle editor Wyna Liu with helping to create the new word game and bringing it to the publications' Games section. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.

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Each puzzle features 16 words and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise of anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there's only one correct answer.

If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake—players get up to four mistakes until the game ends.

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

SEE ALSO: NYT Pips hints, answers for February 2, 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: While

• Green: Access granted

• Blue: Detectives

• Purple: Plants

Here are today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Duration

• Green: Credentials for entry

• Blue: Modern crime series protagonists

• Purple: Trees plus a letter

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 #967 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Duration: INTERVAL, PERIOD, SPAN, STRETCH

• Credentials for entry: LANYARD, PASS, STAMP, WRISTBAND

• Modern crime series protagonists: BOSCH, CROSS, REACHER, RYAN

• Trees plus a letter: FAIR, MARPLE, POPULAR, PSALM

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 February 2, 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 today's Connections.

Today's NYT Strands hints are easy if you're a birdwatcher.

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 February 2, 2026 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for February 2, 2026 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Formidable flock

The words are related to wildlife.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe winged animals.

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 Big Birds

NYT Strands word list for February 2

• Penguin

• Ostrich

• Pelican

• Big Birds

• Cassowary

• Rhea

• Condor

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're a smoker.

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 February 2, 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 February 2, 2026 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

A tobacco stick.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

There are no recurring letters.

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

Today's Wordle starts with the letter C.

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...

CIGAR

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.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for February 2, 2026

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 today's Wordle.