Technology

Shark vacuums shine at spot cleaning, but have a big blind spot

Scheduled full-room cleanings are a huge part of the convenience of a robot vacuum. The other half has to do with unexpected messes that need to be dealt with right now with as little clicking around in an app as possible.

In my at-home testing, Shark robot vacuums are extremely straightforward and reliable spot cleaners. Setting a zone for a one-time clean in the Shark app is as black and white as dragging a square in the designated spot cleaning tab. The Shark knows to shift itself into Matrix cleaning mode for any spot cleaning situations, and automatically goes over the spot multiple times from multiple angles. Many other budget robot vacuums won't take a second look unless you remember to toggle the number of cleaning passes from one to two. Matrix cleaning automatically covers one of my tips for making your robot vacuum work better.

Is dependable spot cleaning a Shark-only skill? Of course not. But Shark robot vacuums still get credit for do it while staying firmly in the budget robot vacuum category, and they're on sale frequently.

SEE ALSO: Roborock dropped 3 new robot vacuums at CES 2026. Of course they set a new suction power record.

On the other hand, Shark's one big blind spot (literally) is small obstacle avoidance technology. Shark is forever being upstaged by frequent new releases from iRobot, Roborock, Eufy, and Dreame, who all have models at Shark prices that can steer clear of obstacles like cords and pet waste. Based on my experience, Shark hasn't mastered this skill yet. But Shark is due for a major update to its lineup, and has been due for a while — Shark takes forever to release new robot vacuums. A highly-agile Shark robot vacuum has to be on the way in 2026... right?

New robot vacuums announced at CES 2026

Shark didn't participate in CES 2026. But several other top robot vacuum brands did, and their new flagship robot vacuum and mop combos are going to create major room for improvement for Shark's flagship PowerDetect robot vacuums, which desperately need a successor. The top robovacs to look out for are the Roborock Saros 20 Sonic and Qrevo Curv 2 Flow, the Dreame X60 Max Ultra Complete, and the Narwal Flow 2. I will be testing these at home as soon as possible and will update this guide accordingly once all are officially available for purchase.

Ubisoft has cancelled the Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time remake, as well as axed five other games. Announced on Wednesday, the cancellations come as part of a major company restructure aimed at improving its growth and its finances — with some cost cutting having already been done via layoffs.

SEE ALSO: Ubisoft takes 'Rainbow Six Siege' offline after significant hack

The Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time remake was initially scheduled for launch on Jan. 21, 2021 when it was first announced in 2020. That date came and went, with Ubisoft announcing multiple delays before moving the game's development from its Mumbai and Pune studios to Montreal in 2022. Unfortunately, the delays continued even after the change in studio, and by 2024 Ubisoft was claiming Sands of Time would arrive in 2026.

Now there will be no release at all, with Ubisoft shutting down production on the game six years after it was announced. 

"While the project had real potential, we weren't able to reach the level of quality you deserve, and continuing would have required more time and investment than we could responsibly commit," read a statement posted to the official Prince of Persia X account on Wednesday. 

"Prince of Persia as a universe and a legacy continues to matter deeply to us, and this decision does not mean we're stepping away from the franchise."

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Fans have reacted with disappointment, taking to social media to vent their frustration. Wednesday's announcement left many feeling bitter, as they'd been anticipating the Sands of Time remake since its announcement half a decade ago.

Reddit Reddit Reddit Ubisoft announces massive restructure

The Sands of Time's cancellation comes as part of a significant structural shakeup at Ubisoft. Revising its three-year roadmap, the company is refocusing on open-world and live service games, and plans to make "accelerated investments behind player-facing Generative AI."

A pivotal part of Ubisoft's restructure is its new operating model, which is focused on five specialised "Creative Houses." These new units within the company will each focus on a different game genre, and take care of a title's production and publication themselves. Ubisoft is also establishing two new internal organisations, the Creative Network and Core Services, which will provide production support to all five Houses.

"Each [Creative House] is built around a clear genre and brand focus, with full responsibility and financial ownership, led by dedicated leadership teams," said Ubisoft founder and CEO Yves Guillemot. "It is a radical move, relying on a more decentralised creative organisation with faster decision making and best-in-class cross functional core services supporting and serving each Creative House."

CH1 aka Vantage Studios will be dedicated to scaling Ubisoft's biggest franchises such as Assassin's Creed, Far Cry, and Rainbow Six. CH2 will focus on competitive and cooperative shooters such as The Division, Ghost Recon, and Splinter Cell. CH3 will be in charge of live games like For Honor, The Crew, and Skull & Bones. CH4 will take care of games that are narrative-driven or take place in fantasy worlds, including Anno, Rayman, Beyond Good & Evil, and yes, Prince of Persia. Finally, CH5 will work on casual and family-friendly brands Just Dance, Uno, and Hasbro.

However, not all of Ubisoft's games will get to move into one of these Houses as Sands of Time and five other titles have been cancelled — a "strategic decision to refocus its portfolio" after reviewing its content pipeline. Four of the cancelled titles had not yet been announced, three of which had been brand new IPs. According to Ubisoft, the six games were axed because they did not "meet the new enhanced quality as well as more selective portfolio prioritisation criteria." 

Guillemot stated that though Ubisoft's restructure will have a significant impact on its finances over the next two years, he expects it to come out the other side stronger. Unfortunately, not all its employees will be around to appreciate it. The company has conducted ongoing layoffs in an effort to reduce costs over the last few years, shrinking its headcount from almost 21,000 in 2022 to 17,097 by its earnings call last November.

Further layoffs are expected as Ubisoft continues its cost-cutting program in earnest, with its studios in Halifax and Stockholm having already closed. The company laid off a further 29 workers after restructuring its Abu Dhabi studio earlier this month, and confirmed that it expects to cut 55 jobs from its Massive and Stockholm studios.

Today's Wordle answer should be easy to solve if you have a good sense of hearing.

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 January 22, 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 January 22, 2026 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

A sharp ring.

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...

CLINK

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 January 22, 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 yesterday's Wordle.

FREE BOOKS: The latest Stuff Your Kindle Day takes place on Jan. 22. The winter edition of the Cozy Mystery Book Blast offers free cozy mystery books for your e-reader.

We know that we literally only just made an announcement that Stuff Your Kindle Day was back for 2026, but we're back to tell you that there are two free giveaways running concurrently right now. Is this too much or are new events always welcome? We'll let you be the judge.

As the name suggests, the winter edition of the Cozy Mystery Book Blast is offering cozy mystery books for free. And better yet, the books that you download for free are yours to keep forever. We can't think of a better way to spend these winter months. So get comfortable, shut out all the noise, and stock up without spending anything.

SEE ALSO: I tested the best Kindles to help you find the perfect e-reader

Looking to make the most of the latest Stuff Your Kindle Day? We've lined up everything you need to know about this popular event.

When is Stuff Your Kindle Day?

The winter edition of the Cozy Mystery Book Blast takes place on Jan. 22. Unlike the Play Game giveaway running from Jan. 21-24, this book blast is only live for 24 hours. That means participants need to act fast to secure all the free books on their wishlists. Consider yourself warned.

Anyone can participate in Stuff Your Kindle Day. Kindle, Kobo, and Nook readers can download these books for free. You can even download these books on your preferred app and read them straight from your phone.

Which ebooks are free?

The Cozy Mystery Book Blast has a helpful hub page with everything organized into sub-genres. You can find free books grouped into these categories:

• Contemporary cozies

• Historical cozies

• Paranormal cozies

You can find links to the Kindle Store and other popular retailers.

Is Stuff Your Kindle Day the same as Amazon Kindle Unlimited?

Everything you download on Stuff Your Kindle Day is yours to keep, and there's no limit on the number of books you can download. Stuff Your Kindle Day downloads don't count towards the 20 books that Amazon Kindle Unlimited subscribers can borrow at the same time.

The best Stuff Your Kindle Day deal Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Kindle (16GB) + Kindle Unlimited (3 Months) $109.99 at Amazon
  Get Deal Why we like it

These popular e-readers help you take your entire library on the go. With weeks of battery life and an anti-glare display, you can read anywhere and anytime with the Kindle. Plus, you can get three months of Kindle Unlimited for free with your purchase.

TL;DR: Live stream Rybakina vs. Gracheva in the 2026 Australian Open for free on 9Now. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

Elena Rybakina has her eyes on winning the 2026 Australian Open. The No. 5 seed reached the final of the Melbourne-hosted tournament in 2023 but she's yet to win it. And she showed how much she wants it in a tough but decisive first-round victory.

While other top seeds Sabalenka and Gauff have advanced to the third round already, Rybakina has to get past her second-round opponent, France's Varvara Gracheva, before she can join them. Will the Kazakstani superstar find Gracheva a tricky draw? Or is this round merely a formality on her way to winning that elusive Australian Open title?

If you want to watch Rybakina vs. Gracheva in the 2026 Australian Open for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

How to watch Rybakina vs. Gracheva for free

Rybakina vs. Gracheva in the 2026 Australian Open is available to live stream for free on 9Now.

9Now is geo-restricted to Australia, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These handy tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Australia, meaning you can unblock 9Now from anywhere in the world.

Access free live streams of the 2026 Australian Open by following these simple steps:

1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in Australia

4. Visit 9Now

5. Watch the 2026 Australian Open for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.99 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but leading services do tend to offer deals such as free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these deals, you can live stream Rybakina vs. Gracheva without actually spending anything. This isn't a long-term solution, but it gives you enough time to watch the Australian Open before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for 9Now?

ExpressVPN is the best service for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live tennis on 9Now, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including Australia

• Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is always secure

• Fast connection speeds

• Up to 10 simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $59.88 and includes an extra three months for free — 69% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99 (with money-back guarantee).

Live stream Rybakina vs. Gracheva in the 2026 Australian Open for free with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: Live stream Sinner vs. Duckworth in the 2026 Australian Open for free on 9Now. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The 2026 Australian Open rumbles on with more games between the best players in the world. Fans will be keeping a keen eye on the progress of second seed Jannik Sinner. The Italian won this Grand Slam in 2024 and 2025 — can he make it three in a row?

The likes of Alcaraz and Djokovic will probably stand in his way in the latter rounds, but for now, he faces off against unseeded James Duckworth. The Australian beat Sinner is straight sets back in 2021, with some tension rising between the two players in that fiery matchup. Will we see more of the same when they come together in Melbourne? You can find out without spending anything.

If you want to watch Sinner vs. Duckworth in the 2026 Australian Open for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

How to watch Sinner vs. Duckworth for free

Sinner vs. Duckworth in the 2026 Australian Open is available to live stream for free on 9Now.

9Now is geo-restricted to Australia, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These handy tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Australia, meaning you can unblock 9Now from anywhere in the world.

Access free live streams of the 2026 Australian Open by following these simple steps:

1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in Australia

4. Visit 9Now

5. Watch the 2026 Australian Open for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.99 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but leading services do tend to offer deals such as free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these deals, you can live stream Sinner vs. Duckworth without actually spending anything. This isn't a long-term solution, but it gives you enough time to watch the Australian Open before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for 9Now?

ExpressVPN is the best service for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live tennis on 9Now, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including Australia

• Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is always secure

• Fast connection speeds

• Up to 10 simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $59.88 and includes an extra three months for free — 69% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99 (with money-back guarantee).

Live stream Sinner vs. Duckworth in the 2026 Australian Open for free with ExpressVPN.

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 sealant

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

CAULK

Hurdle Word 2 hint

A thin, folded dessert.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for January 22, 2026 Hurdle Word 2 Answer

CREPE

Hurdle Word 3 hint

May.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for January 22 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for January 22, 2026 Hurdle Word 3 answer

WOULD

Hurdle Word 4 hint

A popular fall/winter drink.

Hurdle Word 4 answer

CIDER

Final Hurdle hint

Likeness.

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

GUISE

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 AI upgrade to Siri, Apple's creaky old voice assistant, has been brewing for some time. Now we have more details, courtesy of a report from Apple super-scooper Mark Gurman.

As expected, the new version of Siri — codenamed Campos — will use a fine-tuned version of Google Gemini for its on-board intelligence. But the bigger claim is how embedded it will be throughout the iPhone experience — and the features it is adding in common with Gemini and its OpenAI rival, ChatGPT.

Here's how Gurman describes what Apple insiders consider the "central feature" of its all-new Siri, apparently set to be unveiled by Tim Cook at WWDC 2026: "A chat-like feel and the back-and-forth conversational abilities of OpenAI’s ChatGPT or Google’s Gemini."

If unveiled in June and released in September as reported, all iPhone, iPad, and Mac users will be able to upgrade to ChatGPT-like chatter, courtesy of pressing a button or saying the magic word "Siri." Everything they could formerly do on the ChatGPT app would be directly accessible anytime they're holding their phone.

And oh yes, word to OpenAI (and Google, for that matter) — Apple almost certainly won't include ads, as the free model of ChatGPT is about to add. Apple's business model has long revolved around selling luxury hardware with the least software friction.

What would a ChatGPT-like Siri mean?

If this all turns out to be the case, the result could be earthshaking for the AI business. Here's why:

The iPhone is in the lead, breaking away from Samsung for the first time as of this year. Increasingly, it's the world's bestselling smartphone. If the entire iOS gets a chatbot upgrade baked in, and if ChatGPT doesn't give you anything you can't get via Siri, including the friendly chatty l'il know-all chatbot experience, the question becomes: How many out of the estimated 67 million daily active users of ChatGPT would still want the friction of opening an app?

SEE ALSO: Apple is reportedly working on an AI pin wearable that is AirTag-sized

A mass migration on iOS would come at the worst possible time for Sam Altman, who is reportedly burning through a billion dollars of OpenAI's war chest a month.

And Altman's problems may pale in comparison to Nvidia's if another part of Gurman's report pans out. Google and Apple are discussing hosting those millions of iPhone-based Siri chats on Google servers, using the company's specialized TPU chips — a direct rival to Nvidia's line of GPU chips that have made it, for the moment, the most valuable company in the world.

Apple, currently the third most valuable company in the world, in concert with Google, now the second-most valuable, may be about to turn that around — even before the arrival of a new CEO.

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 January 22, 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 January 22, 2026 Easy difficulty hints, answers for Jan. 22 Pips

Equal (6): Everything in this space must be equal to 6. The answer is 6-1, placed vertically; 6-2, placed horizontally.

Equal (1): Everything in this red space must be equal to 1. The answer is 6-1, placed vertically; 1-1, placed horizontally.

Less Than (3): Everything in this space must be less than 3. The answer is 4-2, placed horizontally.

Medium difficulty hints, answers for Jan. 22 Pips

Equal (0): Everything in this purple space must be equal to 0. The answer is 6-0, placed vertically; 0-1, placed vertically.

Equal (1): Everything in this red space must be equal to 1. The answer is 0-1, placed vertically; 2-1, placed horizontally; 1-3, placed vertically.

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

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

Hard difficulty hints, answers for Jan. 22 Pips

Number (10): Everything in this space must add up to 10. The answer is 2-6, placed vertically; 4-0, placed vertically.

Less Than (2): Everything in this space must be less than 2. The answer is 4-0, placed vertically; 0-3, placed horizontally.

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

Number (9): Everything in this space must add up to 9. The answer is 0-3, placed horizontally; 5-6, placed vertically.

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

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

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

Greater Than (16): Everything in this space must be greater than 16. The answer is 3-6, placed vertically; 6-6, 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 remember your childhood games.

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.

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

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

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

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

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

SEE ALSO: 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: Manic

• Green: Championship winners

• Blue: Not on TV anymore

• Purple: Reads like an NBA team

Here are today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

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

• Yellow: An Energetic Person

• Green: Head Coaches Who Won A Super Bowl

• Blue: Former ESPN Shows

• Purple: Ends in an NBA Team, In Singular Form

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 #486 is...

What is the answer to Connections: Sports Edition today?

• An Energetic Person - DYNAMO, FIREBALL, GO-GETTER, SPARK PLUG

• Head Coaches Who Won A Super Bowl - DON SHULA, JOHN MADDEN, MIKE TOMLIN, SEAN PAYTON

• Former ESPN Shows - AROUND THE HORN, DREAM JOB, PLAYMAKERS, STUMP THE SCHWAB

• Ends in an NBA Team, In Singular Form - EMPTY NET, JOE BUCK, THE YANKEE CLIPPER, TONY HAWK

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

SEE ALSO: NYT Pips hints, answers for January 22, 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: Spot-free

• Green: Sweet treats

• Blue: To mess up

• Purple: Classic publications

Here are today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Well-defined, as an image

• Green: Fruit desserts

• Blue: Bungle

• Purple: Magazines 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 #956 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Well-defined, as an image: CLEAR, CRISP, DISTINCT, SHARP

• Fruit desserts: COBBLER, CRUMBLE, STRUDEL, TURNOVER

• Bungle: FLUFF, FUMBLE, MISS, TRIP

• Magazines plus a letter: ELLEN, SPINY, TIMER, USE

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 January 22, 2026

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

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

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

Today's NYT Strands hints are easy if you're always in a good mood.

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 January 22, 2026 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for January 22, 2026 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Ode to joy

The words are related to emotions.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe positive feelings.

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 Seventh Heaven.

NYT Strands word list for January 22

• Bliss

• Rhapsody

• Ecstasy

• Seventh Heaven

• Elation

• Euphoria

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

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

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

Eleven Labs announced today that it worked with artists such as Liza Minnelli for the Eleven Album, a collection of songs created to promote the company's new AI music generator, Eleven Music.

Many of the songs on the album are now streaming on Spotify in a public playlist. Additional tracks, including the new Liza Minnelli song, "Kids Wait Til You Hear This," can be heard on the ElevenLabs website. An ElevenLabs spokesperson told Mashable all of the songs will be available on Spotify soon.

Spoiler alert: The new Liza Minnelli song is... not great!

Introducing the Eleven Album

ElevenLabs is an AI audio company. It recently partnered with celebrities (including Minnelli) to launch the Iconic Voices Marketplace, which lets users license cloned celebrity voices in commercial or editorial work. The company's new AI music generator, Eleven Music, launched in December.

An ElevenLabs blog post describes the album as "a landmark musical release," but the album feels more like an advertisement for Eleven Music than genuine musical expression. Minnelli and Art Garfunkel are the biggest names on the album, which also features producers, songwriters, and musicians from a variety of genres.

"When you see people get involved in [AI projects], I think the first thing you gotta look at is how much money did they pay them?" said Justine Bateman, a filmmaker and author who has been an outspoken critic of generative AI in the arts, in a phone interview with Mashable. "Nobody is making partnerships with these tech companies — nobody legitimate in the business — is making any sort of partnerships with these tech companies for free. So they pay these people a lot of money, whoever it is, to partner with them, as marketing, to try and legalize themselves to their target audience, which is everyone who is not a filmmaker, or a musician.”

SEE ALSO: No, that AI country song didn't go No. 1 on Billboard. Yes, it is terrible.

In a press release provided to Mashable, ElevenLabs described the creative process as a collaboration. "Each contributor produced a fully original track that blends their signature sound with the capabilities of Eleven Music, showcasing new creative possibilities without compromising human artistry." The press release also stated that the artists will maintain "full authorship and commercial rights" to the music.

Minnelli is a beloved EGOT-winning icon, though it's not clear how much involvement she had with the actual production of the track credited to her. The 79-year-old artist has largely stepped away from public life in recent years while dealing with health issues.

A quote from Minnelli is included in the blog post:

I’ve always believed that music is about connection and emotional truth. What interested me here was the idea of using my voice and new tools in service of expression, not instead of it. This project respects the artist’s voice, the artist’s choices, and the artist’s ownership. I grew up watching my parents create wonderful dreams that were owned by other people. ElevenLabs makes it possible for anyone to be a creator and owner. That matters.

What does Eleven Album sound like?

Minnelli is known for her alto singing voice, stage presence, and larger-than-life personality, but the new song "Kids Wait Til You Hear This" sounds absolutely nothing like Minnelli's body of work. I was expecting a Broadway-style showtune, but the track is actually an obnoxiously generic EDM song. It sounds to me like the producers were trying to ape the classic 2010 dance song "Barbra Streisand" by Duck Sauce, but if so, they're way off track.

Other songs, such as "Uno, Dos, Tres" by Kai.wav and "She got that fire" by Kondzilla, are painfully derivative, a common problem with AI-generated music. However, some of the tracks could easily be mistaken for music fully created by human beings. Composer Demitri Lerios has an instrumental song on the album, and if you heard the track in a movie score, you'd likely have no idea it was co-created with generative AI.

Personally, I find AI music to be quite soulless, and the album has done nothing to change that impression. As I said, it's really more of an advertisement than anything else, which undercuts any artistic value it's trying to achieve.

Why do so many artists object to artificial intelligence?

AI in music and the arts remains extremely controversial, and many artists take a hard line against the use of AI in any context. Whenever a company uses generative AI in commercials, music, video games, or filmmaking, it faces fierce backlash from AI critics.

SEE ALSO: Coca-Cola created another AI holiday commercial. Expect a lot more like it.

Many musicians criticize the AI industry for training audio models on copyrighted works without permission or payment. The industry's environmental impact is also a sticking point among critics. Other artists worry that AI technology will take jobs from artists, actors, musicians, and other creative professionals. And on a creative level, some people passionately believe that AI-generated art is an oxymoron in and of itself.

"If you took three meals that were made by really great chefs and you smushed your hands up into all this food and you mashed it all together, and then you sort of treated it like clay and molded something that looked like a chicken breast and put it on a plate — did you cook that? And are you a chef? That’s what it is," Bateman told Mashable.

"People need to stop talking about AI like it’s some independent entity," the filmmaker said. "It is an algorithm made wholly of — 99.9 percent of the time — made wholly out of completely stolen work, that some human is using to try to approximate what they think will sell. Is that art?"

Of course, the backlash (and lawsuits) from artists hasn't stopped major Hollywood studios, music labels, and advertising agencies from embracing AI technology in various forms.

There are also promising use cases for AI audio technology, such as the ability to translate podcasts or music into any language on the planet. As stated previously, ElevenLabs said the album showcased "new creative possibilities without compromising human artistry."

Disclosure: Ziff Davis, Mashable’s parent company, in April 2025 filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in training and operating its AI systems.

Samsung's next batch of flagship smartphones is almost here, and leaked details are coming in hot. A pair of reports this week pointed to possible color choices and price points for the still-unannounced Galaxy S26 lineup.

For starters, prominent leaker Evan Blass took to X to post a list of Galaxy S26 color options, allegedly definitive. They are:

• Black

• White

• Silver Shadow

• Sky Blue

• Cobalt Violet

• Pink Gold

SEE ALSO: Samsung will pay you $50 to leave your non-Samsung watch party

Those are fairly standard colors for a smartphone in this day and age, so anyone expecting something really bold like Apple's orange iPhone last year might be disappointed.

Meanwhile, Korean outlet iNews24 had encouraging news, via a Samsung source, about price points for the Galaxy S26 models. The company is "doing their best" to make sure the price of the Galaxy S26 Ultra (the most expensive model) doesn't exceed 2 million won, the source said.

That converts to roughly $1,360, or about $60 more than the price of the Galaxy S25 Ultra.

With a margin that small, Samsung could opt to keep the price of the S26 Ultra the same as last year's equivalent. And that could happen despite rising prices of memory chips amidst a massive RAM shortage.

We still don't know when exactly Samsung will actually show off these phones and put these rumors to rest, but a launch event announcement is expected any day now.

In Jan. 2026, the gap between the haves and the have-nots could hardly be more stark — even in AI world.

On the have-not side, there's OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. Long the hype man for imminent digital superintelligence (aka AGI), Altman backtracked and said we're in an AI bubble last year. He's made odd deals to feed the money hog known as ChatGPT; subscriptions ain't paying the bills. Last week, Altman rolled out what in 2024 he called "the last resort" for the company — selling ads on ChatGPT. A popular LinkedIn post this week used an AI image of Altman out in the cold, begging for change with a self-mocking cardboard sign: "AGI = Ads Generate Income."

And then there are the haves in warm rooms in snowy Davos, Switzerland — where the weather report for the AI economy, from the annual World Economic Forum, is just peachy.

Jensen Huang, Nvidia CEO, who rode the company to a $4 trillion valuation on the back of powerful GPU chip sales growth that hasn't quite slowed yet, flipped the script when asked about the AI bubble. "This is the largest infrastructure build-out in human history," Huang said of active and promised data center projects. "And so the AI bubble is, comes about because the investments are large. And the investments are large, because we have to build the infrastructure necessary for all of the layers of AI above it."

Huang wasn't denying the existence of a bubble, exactly — he just suggested it was a misreading of our current economic outlook. Just look at all that infrastructure coming down the pipe! Left unsaid was whether those massive projects would dry up if AI itself continues to not show returns on investment for regular businesses (especially if AI models like DeepSeek can be built with minimal data center usage, the opposite of what made Nvidia successful).

In Nvidia's telling, the tail is now wagging the dog. And the rest of Davos, a popular confab for billionaires, pretty much wagged along in agreement.

"I think there will be big failures, but I don't think we are in a bubble," said Larry Fink, CEO of Blackrock, a top tech investment firm. (Blackrock holds more than $200 billion in Nvidia stock.)

Also at Davos, one Nobel Prize-winning economist described what was currently happening in AI as a "rational bubble", comparing it favorably to the infamous tulip bulb panic of the 17th century. Why? Because with AI, insisted Peter Howitt, economics professor at Brown University, "there's something real out there."

Howitt didn't suggest what that real thing was, but insisted there would be a winner — and their arrival would herald the bursting of the bubble. "At some point, when it becomes a little clearer who the winners are going to be, the values of the other firms are going to start to fall, and that's when the crash will take place."

So who is that winner, other than Nvidia and its circular OpenAI deals? Microsoft, with its own favorable OpenAI deal, might be in a position to "win" the AI economy. Microsoft currently owns a 27 percent stake in the ChatGPT maker. If Altman can't keep the lights on long-term, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella could well ride in to the rescue and snap up OpenAI itself.

Nadella, on the surface, seemed just as optimistic about AI's future as the rest of the titans. And yet in his appearance, the Microsoft CEO also sounded a note of alarm. If the AI economy doesn't root itself in non-tech sectors, it will be a bubble — and soon.

"The real question in front of all of us is how do you ensure that the diffusion of AI happens, and happens fast," Nadella said. "For this not to be a bubble by definition, it requires that the benefits of this are much more evenly spread." (Nadella has been criticized by investors for too much AI infrastructure spending.)

So to summarize the view from the Davos bubble: We're not in an AI bubble, we're in a massive infrastructure investment that will benefit workers. Well, maybe we're in a rational bubble. But we will be in an irrational bubble if everyone doesn't get on board with the AI economy real soon, presumably by sending poor Sam Altman some ad dollars. Got that?

TL;DR: Secure a lifetime subscription to Skoove Premium Piano Lessons and master an instrument in your free time for just $99.97 (reg. $299.99) through Feb. 1.

Opens in a new window Credit: Skoove Skoove Premium Piano Lessons: Lifetime Subscription $99.97
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Looking to give yourself an upgrade in 2026? How about learning to play the piano? You can now add the impressive skill to your bag of party tricks without ever leaving your house, thanks to Skoove Premium Piano Lessons. This app lets you learn from home — all you need is a piano or keyboard and your smartphone, tablet, or laptop.

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If you want to really make a splash at your next dinner party, imagine how cool it would be to sit down at a piano and impress the room with a song or two. Skoove Premium Piano Lessons can make it happen, allowing you to pick up piano in your spare time with help from this AI-powered app.

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Apple is getting into the AI wearable space with its very own AI pin, according to a new report from The Information.

According to the report, Apple's AI pin could be released as soon as 2027 and would be around the size of a slightly thicker AirTag. The report describes Apple's work-in-progress AI pin as being a "thin, flat, circular disc with an aluminum-and-glass shell." The Apple AI pin will have a single physical button along its edge and a charging interface on the back of the device, much like the Apple Watch.

Crucially, the Apple AI pin will reportedly have two cameras as well, one being a standard lens and the other being a wide-angle lens, on the front of the device. The cameras are designed to capture photos and videos of the user's surroundings. On the audio end of things, the Apple AI pin has a speaker along with three microphones to pick up sound.

Apple has been looking to ramp up its presence in the AI space after being largely absent while companies like Google and Microsoft have focused on getting into the market. Apple recently announced it was partnering with Google in order to power Apple Intelligence and Siri with the search giant's Gemini AI model. Apple has also been working on a complete AI revamp of its voice assistant Siri.

According to the report, Apple is aiming for a 2027 release for its AI pin in order to compete with OpenAI's own mystery AI wearable, which is slated to launch later this year. However, the report also states that development of the AI pin is in the "very early stages" and Apple could potentially cancel the device if it isn't up to par with the company's standards.

AI pins have been a challenge for companies looking to create physical, standalone wearable AI devices. The Humane Pin was probably the biggest example of a failed AI wearable, with the company having raised hundreds of millions of dollars only to launch and sell less than 10,000 units of its much-criticized device. The company closed less than a year after the Humane Pin launched.

If Apple does indeed launch the long-awaited foldable iPhone in September as rumored and the AI pin months later, we're looking at a very interesting timeframe ahead for brand new Apple products.

Disclosure: Ziff Davis, Mashable’s parent company, in April 2025 filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in training and operating its AI systems.

Automakers have been chasing speed and power for over 100 years. When developing a new sports car, these aspects are the benchmarks for success. Auto engineers try to achieve this feat by increasing power, reducing weight, and using just about every other trick in the book to improve a new model’s performance. Today, cars are reaching performance levels that are at the limits of what most humans can handle.

SAVE $350: As of Jan. 21, get the Shark AV2501AE AI robot vacuum for $299.99 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $649.99. That's a discount of 54%.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Shark AV2501AE AI robot vacuum $299.99 at Amazon
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It's 2025. Who's actually spending time pushing around a vacuum anymore? Let a robot vacuum take care of the dirty work and save some money while you're at it. This deal on a fantastic Shark robot vacuum is one that you won't want to miss.

As of Jan. 21, get the Shark AV2501AE AI robot vacuum for $299.99 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $649.99. That's a discount of 54%.

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This robot vacuum can do just about everything, so you get a truly hands-off cleaning experience. With a 120-minute runtime and powerful suction, it can tackle all your most difficult areas with ease. It has a bagless, self-emptying base that can contain up to 60 days of dirt and debris, so you don't have to do anything with it at all. Just let it run and pick up your dirt and whatnot, and empty it much later.

It can map your home effortlessly using 360-degree LiDAR vision, so it can navigate the space without continuously bumping into things. Plus, it has a Recharge and Resume feature that lets it automatically head back to its dock to recharge and return to where it left off all on its own when charged.

Plus, it has support for voice control and other mapping and scheduling options that you can use to have it put together a routine that lets you continue to stay hands-off. Not a bad way to automate your household.

If you're ready to change the way you clean, be sure to pick up this discounted robot vacuum while it's still up for grabs.

TL;DR: GoCable is a compact 8-in-1 charging cable with 100W power, universal connectors, and built-in tools — and it’s on sale for $21.99 (reg. $49.99).

Opens in a new window Credit: GoCable GoCable 8-in-1 EDC 100W Cable $21.99
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At its core, GoCable is a 100W-capable charging cable, meaning it can power everything from phones and earbuds to tablets and laptops (with a compatible power source). It supports USB-C to USB-C and Apple Lightning connections, making it easy to switch between devices without swapping cables.

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An integrated LED power display shows real-time charging output, so you always know what’s happening.

What sets GoCable apart is everything built around the cable. A magnetic wrap keeps it neatly stored and tangle-free. A carabiner clip makes it easy to attach and grab when needed. There’s even a built-in bottle opener and a safe-proof cutter for quick tasks like opening packages — small features that come in handy more often than you’d expect.

Despite packing eight functions, GoCable stays lightweight at just 40 grams and small enough to disappear into everyday carry. The braided nylon exterior and metal alloy components add durability for daily use.

For travelers, commuters, creators, and anyone tired of juggling cables, GoCable offers a simple idea: carry one smart tool instead of many.

Get the GoCable while it’s on sale for just $21.99 for a limited time.

StackSocial prices subject to change.