Technology

You know how security experts always tell you to be careful about posting your private (and especially private financial) data online? Yeah, what do they know. Elon Musk knows better.

Over the weekend, whilst explaining to X users how the company's AI helper Grok can do the shopping for them, Musk suggested that they should simply feed the AI a photo of their credit card.

"To buy stuff, you can just take a picture of your credit card, drop it in the chat and Grok @Bot will scour the Internet for the best deal on the item you want and order it," Musk wrote.

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The X community soon reacted with a community note that says what most people already know.

"xAI explicitly warns users not to include personal information in prompts, yet credit card photos may contain such information. Grok Bot's terms state that user data and credentials may be stored in its cloud environment and require human review for financial transactions," the note said.

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When asked by a users whether this was "totally safe or stupid and dangerous," Grok itself called it "neither," but did warn people they should "not drop an actual credit card photo."

SEE ALSO: Elon Musk to rename SpaceXAI as SpaceXSI

The replies ranged from memes (so many memes) and people asking Grok for Musk's credit card to folks taking it a step further and (ironically) recommending sharing your entire DNA sequence with the bot.

Anyways, it's all fun and games until you really start trusting a trillionaire's advice and post photos of your credit card online. Don't do that, folks.

Today's Connections: Sports Edition will be easier for who watch football.

As we've shared in previous hints stories, this is a version of the popular New York Times word game that seeks to test the knowledge of sports fans.

Like the original Connections, the game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight, and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier — so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.

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

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

The NYT's latest daily word game has launched in association with The Athletic, the New York Times property that provides the publication's sports coverage. The sports Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.

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

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

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

SEE ALSO: Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL. Here's a hint for today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

Want a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:

• Yellow: Capitol sports

• Green: Famous Georges

• Blue: Nicknames

• Purple: Dribbling

Here are today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

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

• Yellow: DC Sports Teams

• Green: Georges

• Blue: Nicknames of NFL Cornerbacks

• Purple: ___Dribble

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 #749 is...

What is the answer to Connections: Sports Edition today?

• DC Sports Teams: CAPITALS, COMMANDERS, SPIRIT, WIZARDS

• Georges: FOREMAN, GERVIN, KITTLE, SPRINGER

• Nicknames of NFL Cornerbacks: KOOL-AID, PS2, SAUCE, SPOON

• ___Dribble: CROSSOVER, DOUBLE, SEAL, SPEED

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

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

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

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

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

Released in August 2025, Pips puts a unique spin on dominoes, creating a fun single-player experience that could become your next daily gaming habit.

Currently, if you're stuck, the game only offers to reveal the entire puzzle, forcing you to move on to the next difficulty level and start over. However, we have you covered! Below are piecemeal answers that will serve as hints so that you can find your way through each difficulty level.

How to play Pips

If you've ever played dominoes, you'll have a passing familiarity with how Pips is played. As we've shared in our previous hints stories for Pips, the tiles, like dominoes, are placed vertically or horizontally and connect with each other. The main difference between a traditional game of dominoes and Pips is the color-coded conditions you have to address. The touching tiles don't necessarily have to match.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for October 12, 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 October 12, 2026 Easy difficulty hints, answers for October 12 Pips

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

Greater Than (8): Everything in this space must be greater than 8. The answer is 5-5, placed horizontally.

Equal (2): Everything in this space must be equal to 2. The answer is 3-2, placed horizontally; 2-4, placed horizontally.

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

Equal (2): Everything in this space must be equal to 2. The answer is 6-2, placed horizontally; 2-0, placed horizontally.

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

Medium difficulty hints, answers for October 12 Pips

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

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

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

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

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

Number (7): Everything in this space must add up to 7. The answer is 3-0, placed vertically; 4-5, placed horizontally.

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

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

Hard difficulty hints, answers for October 12 Pips

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

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

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

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

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

Number (10): Everything in this space must add up to 10. The answer is 2-4, placed vertically; 3-6, placed vertically.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Provider.

Hurdle Word 1 answer

GIVER

Hurdle Word 2 hint

Greek letter.

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

GAMMA

Hurdle Word 3 hint

Relish.

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

SAVOR

Hurdle Word 4 hint

Celtic priest.

Hurdle Word 4 answer

DRUID

Final Hurdle hint

Overturn.

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

UPEND

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 Moon is slowly starting to make its way back into the sky. Just a small crescent is visible for now, but it will continue to grow over the coming nights.

What is today's Moon phase?

As of Monday, Oct. 12, NASA's Daily Moon Guide tracker tells us the Moon is in the Waxing Crescent phase, with 3% of its surface visible.

When is the next Full Moon?

The next Full Moon will take place on October 25 or 26, depending on your timezone.

What are Moon phases?

The Moon completes an orbit around Earth in roughly 29.5 days. During that time, its position changes relative to the Earth and Sun, altering how much of the Moon's illuminated surface is visible to us. This produces the familiar lunar phases, beginning with a thin crescent and progressing through the quarter phases before reaching a Full Moon. The sequence then repeats as the Moon continues its orbit. According to NASA, the phase visible from Earth is determined by the Moon's changing position in relation to both Earth and the Sun.

The eight phases are:

New Moon - The Moon is between Earth and the sun, so the side we see is dark (in other words, it's invisible to the eye).

Waxing Crescent - A small sliver of light appears on the right side (Northern Hemisphere).

First Quarter - Half of the Moon is lit on the right side. It looks like a half-Moon.

Waxing Gibbous - More than half is lit up, but it's not quite full yet.

Full Moon - The whole face of the Moon is illuminated and fully visible.

Waning Gibbous - The Moon starts losing light on the right side. (Northern Hemisphere)

Third Quarter (or Last Quarter) - Another half-Moon, but now the left side is lit.

Waning Crescent - A thin sliver of light remains on the left side before going dark again.

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

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

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

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for October 12, 2026 Condition meaning

The physical state or situation that a person, animal or object is in.

Shape meaning

The external boundary, outline or surface form of an object, distinct from color, texture or material.

Situation meaning

A combination of circumstances, conditions or events happening at a particular time and place.

State meaning

A condition or way of being that exists at a particular time

Bear meaning

To accept or put up with something painful, difficult or unpleasant

Handle meaning

To put up with or tolerate stress or pressure.

Stand meaning

To endure something difficult, unpleasant or painful.

Weather meaning

The short-term state of the Earth's atmosphere at a specific place and time, measured by factors like temperature, humidity, wind and precipitation.

Abbreviation meaning

A shortened or contracted form of a word or phrase used to represent the full version.

Contraction meaning

The act or result of becoming smaller, shorter or reduced

Elision meaning

The omission of a sound, syllable or word in speech or writing, often to make pronunciation faster, easier or to fit a poetic meter.

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

Nickname meaning

An informal name used instead of a person's, place's or thing's real name

Alkylamide meaning

An organic compound made by combining a fatty acid chain with an amine group.

Calamari meaning

The culinary term for squid.

Mandarin meaning

The most widely spoken form of the Chinese language.

Melamine meaning

A white, crystalline organic compound with the chemical formula C₃H₆N₆ that is widely used to manufacture durable plastics.

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

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

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

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

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

The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult if you can handle anything.

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 October 12, 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: Position

• Green: Put up with

• Blue: Cut it short

• Purple: State shortenings

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

Here are today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Status

• Green: Tolerate

• Blue: Word shortenings, often

• Purple: Words made using U.S. postal abbreviations

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 #1218 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Status: CONDITION, SHAPE, SITUATION, STATE

• Tolerate: BEAR, HANDLE, STAND, WEATHER

• Word shortenings, often: ABBREVIATION, CONTRACTION, ELISION, NICKNAME

• Words made using U.S. postal abbreviations: ALKYLAMIDE, CALAMARI, MANDARIN, MELAMINE

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

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

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

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

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

Today's NYT Strands hints will be easy if you're talkative.

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 October 12, 2026 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: In a manner of speaking

The words are related to language.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe how people talk.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is horizontal.

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NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is Turn of Phrase.

NYT Strands word list for October 12

• Dialect

• Lingo

• Turn of Phrase

• Vernacular

• Jargon

• Parlance

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

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

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

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

Today's Wordle answer should be easy to solve if you love to sing.

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 October 12, 2026 Where did Wordle come from?

Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once. 

Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing.

What's the best Wordle starting word?

The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be strategic in your approach, we have a few ideas to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N.

What happened to the Wordle archive?

The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles was originally available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it, but it was later taken down, with the website's creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times. However, the New York Times then rolled out its own Wordle Archive, available only to NYT Games subscribers.

Is Wordle getting harder?

It might feel like Wordle is getting harder, but it actually isn't any more difficult than when it first began. You can turn on Wordle's Hard Mode if you're after more of a challenge, though.

Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

Carol.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

There are no recurring letters.

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

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

Today's Wordle starts with the letter Y.

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...

YODEL

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

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

Reporting by Chance Townsend, Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.

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

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

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

Wi-Fi 7 is ridiculously fast. So much so that most households have no use for it, not to mention actually having the gear to support it. Just having a router with Wi-Fi 7 doesn't mean that your entire home and your ISP can support those wild speeds.

Once a manufacturer stops supporting a device, you might assume it's headed for the e-waste bin. When online services and updates disappear, many devices become effectively useless. But thanks to enthusiast communities, that isn't always the case; many products become even more useful after official support ends.

Last weekend marked the arrival of one of Netflix's newest movies, Animals, starring Ben Affleck and Kerry Washington. It's a political thriller about a mayoral candidate who fights to save his kidnapped son. With an enticing premise and an A-list cast, I'd expect Animals to become a popular movie with subscribers this week.

I've been a fan of Dygma's keyboards since their very first Raise keyboard. I have used a Dygma Raise or Raise 2 for the better part of five years now, so when the opportunity came about to try out the Sonsei, I jumped at it. This uniquely portable columnar keyboard surprised me in quite a few ways. But, at the end of the day, I really love this little keyboard, even though there's a big learning curve.

Once, it was relatively inexpensive to buy another hard drive and throw it in your server when you ran out of space. These days, "just add another drive" is an expensive proposition.

Waze gets me where I need to go, but that doesn’t always make the drive pleasant. Sometimes, it talks over my Spotify playlist, and other times, its suggested routes make me wonder what it’s thinking. I’ve used the app enough to know its basic features, but I rarely bother exploring beyond the usual directions and traffic alerts.

A polished Linux terminal rarely arrives preconfigured. TheLinux terminal fits most people, but the setups people admire are assembled piece by piece around stuff like Zsh and Oh My Zsh. Here is what those tools are, why they make a strong foundation, and whether the effort pays off.

For most of my life, owning a PC meant having a tower case so big it made more sense to keep it on the floor. But with all the hardware stuffed in that box, it actually needed to be that size.

I'd never imagined that I would be using a task manager from the Linux terminal. Using commands to create to-do lists instead of using a cool-looking GUI with color customization options. That's until I came across Taskwarrior. It's a free, open-source task manager that's also simple to use. But that's the point. It can replace other bloated desktop apps.

From the creator lounge at New York Comic Con, the view is hard to beat. Below, thousands of fans stream through the Javits Center's main entrance, a colorful procession of elaborate cosplays, oversized props, and familiar characters brought to life. Towering banners celebrating everything from Tamagotchi and The Apothecary Diaries to YAGA and NYCC's 20th anniversary hang overhead. It's a spectacle in its own right, and an even better backdrop for a TikTok.

That's intentional. For this year's convention, organizers designed the lower portions of the banners in the venue's Crystal Palace with photo and video opportunities in mind, anticipating how attendees might capture their experiences and share them online.

SEE ALSO: The Mashable 101: The creators defining the internet in 2026

The creator lounge offers a particularly good vantage point. The open space overlooks the crowds below, with dedicated Wi-Fi, room to film and edit, and a place to recharge throughout the day. It's one of the ways NYCC is accommodating a growing contingent of content creators who arrive at the convention with cameras, microphones, and their own audiences.

On the show floor, cosplayers pose for photos, fans capture moments for their feeds, and creators stop attendees for interviews. The convention is as much a place to make content as it is to experience the fandoms that brought everyone together. For some, that means sharing their excitement with an online audience. For others, it's work. Increasingly, it's both.

Conventions have always been places where fans gather to celebrate the things they love. As fandom continues to flourish on TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, and beyond, events like NYCC are evolving alongside it, becoming sprawling content studios where nearly every corner offers something worth capturing. Organizers are beginning to design their spaces accordingly.

From convention floor to content feed

For NYCC, that shift began in earnest in 2021, when live events returned after the pandemic and short-form video was transforming the way people discovered and engaged with pop culture. That year, NYCC hired two creators to take over its TikTok account during the convention. According to marketing director Fallon Prinzivalli, the experiment reached more than 8 million people in four days.

"We started engaging with them very intentionally following the pandemic when live events were coming back," Prinzivalli told Mashable.

What followed was a more formal approach to working with creators, including dedicated badges and, eventually, a lounge designed around their needs. Previously, influencers had been applying for press credentials despite not necessarily qualifying as editorial media. NYCC recognized that these creators offered something different, but no less valuable, to the convention and its exhibitors.

SEE ALSO: TikTok has more ways than ever for creators to make money

Today, NYCC offers a limited number of complimentary creator badges. Although its guidelines specify at least 200,000 followers across platforms, Prinzivalli said the convention also considers smaller creators based on their communities, originality, and impact. The demand is significant. NYCC received thousands of applications this year and closed submissions in August after reaching capacity. Prinzivalli declined to disclose how many badges were issued.

The lounge itself grew out of the practical realization that creators needed more than a table and an internet connection. "We wanted to give them dedicated Wi-Fi. We wanted it to be in the middle of the energy," Prinzivalli explained. "We wanted it to be a space where they can film videos, or they can connect with other creators."

And perhaps most importantly, somewhere to catch their breath before heading back into the chaos.

When fandom becomes a production schedule

For Kallen Zborovsky-Fenster, a New York City-based creator who posts as @king_kallen on TikTok, NYCC is one of the biggest events on his content calendar. He spends weeks preparing, developing interview topics, gathering equipment, and transforming his usual at-home recording setup into something portable. This year, he's interviewing fellow creators and attendees about everything from Avengers: Doomsday to the state of the DC Universe.

"This is one of my highest priority events," he told Mashable.

The creator lounge gives him a quieter place to conduct interviews, charge his equipment, and connect with others in the entertainment industry. Still, he doesn't want to spend the entire convention upstairs. "I want to go where the people are," he said.

For Caroline Martini, who shares cosplay and convention content as @newyorkcaroline, preparation looks a little different. Before arriving, she keeps a running list of TikToks and shots she wants to capture in her iPhone Notes app. She also makes some of her own costumes, including an Éowyn cosplay from The Lord of the Rings that she wore to NYCC.

Between cosplay videos and convention vlogs for TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts, there's plenty to keep her busy. Convention days can be so overwhelming that her daily vlogs sometimes don't make it online until the following day. When you're making content about something you love, it can be hard to separate the enjoyment of the moment from the urge to capture it.

Martini appreciates the creator lounge's lighting and photo opportunities, but she doesn't spend much time there. Not all her friends have creator badges, and she wants to experience Comic Con with them, too. Because even as conventions increasingly recognize creators as professionals, the people behind the cameras are often fans first.

A new kind of convention community

The benefits of creator access extend beyond having somewhere to film. Zborovsky-Fenster, a Columbia University student interested in entertainment production and law, sees NYCC as an opportunity to build professional relationships. This is his second year receiving a creator badge, and he was determined to return. He sent multiple emails during the application process, sharing examples of last year's videos and explaining what he hoped to create this time.

The complimentary badge makes attendance more affordable, but the connections are just as valuable. "When you meet new people, through them, you meet more people," he said, describing the growing network of creators who collaborate, attend industry events together, and support one another.

For Dominique Little, who shares vlogs and dance videos with her 1.8 million TikTok followers as @nojill, the lounge makes it a little easier to collaborate with other creators. Instead of trying to find each other on a sprawling convention floor, creators have a dedicated place to meet, film together, and make appearances in one another's videos. There are even tripods available for anyone who needs one.

And their needs aren't always glamorous. Between recording, editing, and uploading, reliable Wi-Fi, charging outlets, and somewhere to sit can make all the difference.

For Brandon Bullock, who covers anime news as Anime News Guy on social media, the lounge serves another purpose. His coverage is largely dictated by whatever news comes out of the convention, which means he has to be ready to film, edit, and publish as announcements happen. He shoots his videos on the show floor, then heads upstairs to the creator lounge to edit and get them online while the news is still fresh.

Bullock identifies himself as a reporter, even as he participates in NYCC's creator program. It's a distinction that, these days, feels difficult to draw. Creators are conducting interviews, covering entertainment news, hosting livestreams, and building their own media brands.

Prinzivalli has seen those boundaries blur firsthand. Some creators, she said, are treated like celebrities within the fandoms they cover, getting stopped on the convention floor by fans asking for photos.

At NYCC, someone can be a fan, a reporter, and the person everyone wants a selfie with, sometimes all at once.

Built to be shared

The growing influence of creators is evident in the way conventions are designed, down to the smallest details. "We're very conscious that everything we create now is a shareable moment," Prinzivalli said.

A picture-perfect entrance, by design. Credit: Bryan Bedder/Getty Images

That thinking extends from sponsor activations to signage and the layout of the show floor. For NYCC's 20th anniversary, organizers intentionally designed the lower portions of the entrance banners in the Crystal Palace to serve as photo and video backdrops. Even the convention's physical spaces are being imagined through the lens of a camera, with an eye toward how those moments will travel online.

A creator's-eye view of New York Comic Con. Credit: Photo by Joy Malone/Getty Images

NYCC has also expanded its livestream production, with broadcasts from major stages, roaming segments on the convention floor, and a studio in the River Pavilion interviewing casts and creatives between panels. This year's coverage featured a rotating lineup of hosts, including experienced journalists and personalities with established online followings, such as creator and podcast host Brandon Davis.

Together, these efforts are extending the convention's reach far beyond the Javits Center, giving fans who couldn't attend a way to experience the excitement as it unfolds.

Prinzivalli sees the relationship between online fandom and in-person events as something circular. Digital communities bring fans together at conventions, where their shared enthusiasm becomes the photos, videos, interviews, and conversations that find their way back onto those same feeds.

There's something fitting about that. So much of fandom exists online, in group chats, comment sections, and the endless scroll of a social feed. Conventions offer a rare opportunity to bring those connections into the physical world. The mutuals become friends. The usernames become faces. The characters and stories that brought everyone together become something tangible.

And as those experiences find their way back online, the people documenting them are gaining influence of their own. For Kallen, who's hoping to build a career in entertainment, the growing investment in creators reflects how much their role in shaping pop culture has evolved.

"I think the creator economy is becoming so much larger now, and big entities are really starting to take it seriously," he said. "Because a lot of people get that information from content creators."