Technology

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.

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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

Squishy

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

MUSHY

Hurdle Word 2 hint

How orange juice might be described.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for July 20, 2026 Hurdle Word 2 Answer

PULPY

Mashable 101 Fan Fave: Nominate your favorite creators today

Hurdle Word 3 hint

Inundate.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for July 20 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for July 20, 2026 Hurdle Word 3 answer

FLOOD

Hurdle Word 4 hint

Go above and beyond.

Hurdle Word 4 answer

EXCEL

Final Hurdle hint

Grocery store lanes.

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

AISLE

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 is International Moon Day, a day dedicated to celebrating the role the Moon has played in our understanding of space. Held each year on July 20, the event commemorates the historic Apollo 11 mission and the first time humans set foot on the Moon.

Keep reading to see what you can spot on the Moon's surface tonight.

What is today’s Moon phase?

As of Monday, July 20, NASA's Daily Moon Guide tracker tells us the Moon phase is in Waxing Crescent phase, with 38% of its surface visible.

You won't need any visual aids to be able to spot the Mares Crisium and Fecunditatis. Binoculars will also help you to see the Endymion Crater, Posidonius Crater, and the Mare Nectaris.

A telescope will of course widen your visibility, with areas like the Apollo 17 and 11 landing spot, the perfect way to celebrate International Moon Day.

When is the next Full Moon?

The next Full Moon will take place on July 29.

What are Moon phases?

The Moon completes one full cycle around Earth in about 29.5 days, moving through eight different phases along the way, NASA explains. Although the same side of the Moon always faces our planet, the amount of sunlight reflecting off its surface changes as it travels around Earth. This changing angle of illumination is what makes the Moon appear to transform throughout the month, from a thin crescent to a half-lit Moon and eventually a fully illuminated Full Moon, before starting the cycle again.

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.

Today's Connections: Sports Edition will be easier if you watch American 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: Type of playoff

• Green: Wear this

• Blue: Former Browns

• Purple: Kinds of QBs

Here are today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

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

• Yellow: Terms for Competitions

• Green: Types of Gloves

• Blue: Players Browns Have Drafted No. 1 Overall

• Purple: ___Quarterback

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 #665 is...

What is the answer to Connections: Sports Edition today?

• Terms for Competitions: CUP, INVITATIONAL, SERIES, TOURNAMENT

• Types of Gloves: BASEBALL, BATTING, BOXING, GOALKEEPER

• Players Browns Have Drafted No. 1 Overall: BROWN, COUCH, GARRETT, MAYFIELD

• ___Quarterback: ARMCHAIR, FRANCHISE, MONDAY MORNING, STARTING

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

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

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

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

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

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 July 20, 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 July 20, 2026 Easy difficulty hints, answers for July 20 Pips

Greater Than (5): Everything in this space must be greater than 10. The answer is 6-2, placed horizontally.

Less Than (1): Everything in this space must be less than 1. The answer is 0-5, placed horizontally.

Greater Than (1): Everything in this space must be greater than 1. The answer is 2-5, placed horizontally.

Equal (2): Everything in this space must be equal to 2. The answer is 6-2, placed horizontally; 2-4, placed vertically.

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

Medium difficulty hints, answers for July 20 Pips

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

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

Greater Than (3): Everything in this space must be greater than 3. The answer is 0-5, placed horizontally.

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

Greater Than (3): Everything in this space must be greater than 3. The answer is 0-5, placed horizontally.

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

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

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

Hard difficulty hints, answers for July 20 Pips

Equal (5): Everything in this space must be equal to 5. The answer is 5-1, placed vertically; 5-2, placed horizontally.

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

Equal (2): Everything in this space must be equal to 2. The answer is 5-2, placed horizontally; 2-2, placed horizontally.

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

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

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

Equal (6): Everything in this space must be equal to 6. The answer is 0-6, placed vertically; 5-6, placed horizontally; 6-1, placed horizontally; 6-3, placed vertically.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Number (2): Everything in this space must add up to 2. The answer is 6-2, 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.

As promised from the first glimpse of the aspiring rock star Brat Prince, The Vampire Lestat has been a wild ride.

The third season of Rolin Jones' Interview with the Vampire was a chaotic odyssey led by Lestat de Lioncourt (Sam Reid), as he reconnected with his long-lost love Louis de Pointe du Lac (Jacob Anderson), antagonized his documentarian Daniel Molloy (Eric Bogosian), faced the wrath of his departed daughter Claudia (Delainey Hayles), taunted his ex Armand (Assad Zaman), hooked up with his fledgling/mom Sofia/Gabriella (Jennifer Ehle), and awakened Akasha, aka the Queen of the Damned (Sheila Atim). 

However, the finale episode — titled "The Failures," after Lestat's recorded telling of his life and times — didn't put to rest all of the many, juicy threads unearthed.

So, here's what we expect to see more of in Season 2. 

How did Nicki die? 

In interviews with Mashable, Reid teased that this season was largely about Lestat running from his past trauma rather than confronting it.

In episode 3, Lestat told Daniel — via a telepathy trick — about how Armand threw Nicki into a fire, and the horrid "O" sound his lover made as he perished. But in the finale, that same moan returns as Lestat remembers seeing the alleged witches burned when he was just a boy. Reid told Mashable, "And then you see [Lestat] reprocess that memory as his own memory, watching these women die, and understanding for the first time: Yes, Gabriella has abused him, and has assaulted him throughout his whole life." 

This means Nicki's death — which was notably not shown in the series — didn't go down exactly as Lestat said. So, could we see what really happened in Season 4 of Interview with the Vampire (aka Season 2 of The Vampire Lestat)?

What really happened between Claudia and Lestat on the train? 

The train scene has been the center of much contention this season. Lestat raged against the version told in Daniel's book, which suggests he threatened Claudia with rape should she run away again. However, when Claudia's spirit comes back in episode 6, she scoffs at that depiction, admitting she lied about it to manipulate Louis. 

SEE ALSO: Sam Reid on what Claudia and The Vampire Lestat have in common

Notably, when Lestat is forced to face his failures in episode 7, Claudia is the only fledgling not at the long table. So, how Lestat remembers this scene has not been revealed. Yet. 

Where's Baby Jenks? 

She was introduced in episode 1 as a mortal party girl who hooks up with Lestat and delivers some cryptic messages. Then in episode 3, Baby Jenks (Ella Ballentine) was last seen crying over the ashes of her murdered vampire husband, Killer (aka Bruce). 

SEE ALSO: 'The Vampire Lestat': Meet the new vamps, bandmates, and Baby Jenks

As part of the Fang Gang, she could be one of the minions that Armand mentioned in the finale. Or she could be seeking vengeance on Louis for torching her groom. But readers of the book The Queen of the Damned know nothing good is coming Baby Jenks' way. 

Why does Louis have a limp? Why does Armand have an eyepatch? 

The Vampire Lestat began with an auction that dumped a lot of exposition, while also kicking off a slew of questions, including the two above. What we know is coming is Akasha, along with "consequential global catastrophes." So presumably, that's where these two powerful vamps take on some lasting damage. 

SEE ALSO: 'The Vampire Lestat': Let’s talk about that auction When will Akasha rise? 

Probably that concert that the finale episode skips around. Hell, we know Lestat's alluring pronunciation of "scoop" was enough to rouse her and get her ranting all those decades ago. It seems his unleashing of his vampire music will bring her back in a very major and malevolent way.

What will happen at the vampire concert? 

Presumably lots of death. 

When will Alex learn that Armand killed his brother Larry? 

Hard to say. But Armand likely has another non-apology monologue ready for when he does. 

How will Daniel die? 

At the beginning of the season, Baby Jenks predicted Daniel "dies bad." But despite his part in Loustat's double decapitation, he's not been killed yet. Or at least not onscreen. 

He was not at the auction. So, will Daniel be cut down in the rise of Akasha? Or will Lestat get his revenge for that bowling bag business? 

Notably, in Anne Rice's novels, Daniel survives across several books. However, this series has taken a lot of liberties with his story. So, don't be so sure that Rice's path for Daniel is what showrunner Rolin Jones is following. 

When will Interview with the Vampire Season 4 / The Vampire Lestat Season 2 come out? 

AMC has not yet announced whether or not the next season has been greenlit. But Mashable's interview with Reid — in which he hinted what Jones has coming next — suggest more is coming. 

We'd only be speculating at when this supernatural series will return. But be warned, the turnaround seems to be about two years. Interview with the Vampire Part 1 debuted October 2, 2022. Part II premiered on May 12, 2024. And The Vampire Lestat came out June 7, 2026. 

What will the next season be called? 

Could it be The Vampire Lestat Part II? Or will Jones move to Rice's next novel, calling Season 4 The Queen of the Damned? No title has yet been announced. 

Mashable will update as this story develops. 

The Vampire Lestat is now streaming on AMC and AMC+.

With The Vampire Lestat, Interview with a Vampire fans witnessed Lestat de Lioncourt (Sam Reid) pursue his rock star ambitions in a bloody and wild tour across North America. In real life, Reid got a taste of the attention his character craves with The Vampire Lestat: One Night Only - LIVE. 

As advertised, Reid performed songs from The Vampire Lestat — written by Daniel Hart — before a live audience for one night only. Mashable was there. In my review of the event, I wrote, "Reid's onstage persona evoked David Bowie, Mick Jagger, and Steven Tyler, as he crooned, strutted, flipped his hair, flung a scarf, and generally oozed sex appeal with a crooked grin." 

But, what was it like for the man behind the mic? Trickier than you might have dreamed. 

In my latest interview with Reid, he dug into The Vampire Lestat's finale, where the series might go next, and what it was like for him to take to the stage in character as Lestat. 

"It's funny," Reid said, "These things — it's very work for me, you know what I mean? I am not a touring musician. I'm an actor, and so I'm playing a character. I'm going out there, promoting a show. It was wonderful to be able  to play that music with those musicians, namely Daniel Hart. I'm really proud of his music, and I think he worked his ass off in this season. So I'm really proud to share it." 

Reid went on: "It's quite easy to play Lestat for me, you know. So there was a level of ease about it, because I'm not having to go out and share my own personal music and bear my soul." 

This distance allowed Reid to focus on his character over any nerves about performing live. "There was a joyful thing about just operating in this meat puppet that I know how to play around with, and perform it." 

Reid also revealed an obstacle that many fans might not have considered as they watched him strut and sing. "I had contact lenses in [for Lestat's vampire eyes]," Reid explained. "I had in-ear monitors, so I couldn't really hear much or see much." 

However, as AMC prepares the live show for its on-app launch, Reid has finally seen his performance with his own eyes. "I've just been watching the recordings of it recently, which are going to get released soon," he said. "I was like, 'Wow, look at that. We did that!' Because I don't really remember it. It's hard for me to put it into words how it was, because I was partially blind and deaf most of the time." 

The Vampire Lestat: One Night Only - LIVE debuts on AMC+ on Aug. 23. 

Well, when it came to predicting how Season 1 of The Vampire Lestat would end, I was way, way off.

Show creator Rolin Jones went way off-book from Anne Rice's source material, crafting a fascinating, mind-bending finale. While the decapitated Louis de Pointe du Lac (Jacob Anderson) had to face his ex-lover Armand (Assad Zaman), Lestat de Lioncourt (Sam Reid) had to face the long table and its Failure Finders.

Thankfully, both survived their brushes with death. But in the finale's final scene, Lestat reveals the ravaged world sparked by the concert that the episode skipped over. 

We've got burning questions. But in an interview with Mashable, Reid dropped some hints on what's next for the Interview with the Vampire series. 

What's coming up in The Vampire Lestat Season 2?

Over a video call with me, Mashable Entertainment Editor Kristy Puchko, Reid noted that the next season of Interview with a Vampire will move beyond Anne Rice's second novel, for which this season was named, The Vampire Lestat. 

"The way that [the show's writers] pull from the books," Reid explained, "we're not necessarily just doing The Vampire Lestat. We're looking at multiple books here in the overall arc — particularly those next three books." 

Those would be The Queen of the Damned, The Tale of the Body Thief, and Memnoch the Devil. In the first of these, the central narrator conceit is abandoned, as Rice took on the perspective of a variety of characters, including Baby Jenks. The focus of the overall story is the rise of Akasha (Sheila Atim) and the devastation she wreaks upon the world of mortals and immortals alike. 

The Body Thief is a body-swap narrative, in which Lestat exchanges his immortal form with that of a mortal named Raglan James — who has been a part of this TV series since Interview with a Vampire Season 2. In the next book, Lestat is back in his vampire form and meets the titular character from Memnoch the Devil. 

While Reid didn't get into details of what would come next, he did say, "The overall arc is [Lestat] understanding that even though he keeps rising from the ashes, he's actually a failure and should accept failure." 

The Vampire Lestat star also noted, "There's a lot left unresolved with Gabriella." 

Indeed. At the end of The Vampire Lestat Season 1, we witness the Brat Prince push back at the long table, recognizing the abuse his mortal mother put him through. Then, once his head is back on his shoulders and he's again with the living, Lestat yells at his mother — in her Sofia mode — refusing to play the concert, and even calling her a "monster." 

It seems a potential point of change. But as Lestat says in his narration, he failed to stop what was coming. 

Reid said of this moment, "He's still fundamentally failed because even though he's woken up, and he's like, 'I'm going to start again. I'm not going to go on stage. I'm not going to do these things. I'm not going to be your puppet, Gabriella.' But, you know, as we cut to at the end, he still has failed because the world has been destroyed, which we just haven't seen yet." 

When can we expect more from the Vampire Lestat? That's a question we're waiting for AMC to answer. 

The Vampire Lestat is now streaming on AMC and AMC+.

Early on in The Vampire Lestat's first season, the eponymous anti-hero mentions a formatively traumatic moment that we finally see in full in the finale, titled "The Failures." 

When Lestat de Lioncourt (Sam Reid) was just a boy, his mother, Gabriella (Jennifer Ehle), took him to see their neighbors burn alleged witches alive. In the final episode of this season, Lestat finally stops deflecting about what this moment meant. At the long table, before the Failure Finders, he confronts his resentment at his mother for how this execution impacted him for the next 200-plus years. 

In a post-mortem interview, Sam Reid told Mashable Entertainment Editor Kristy Puchko what that scene means for The Vampire Lestat and how it connects to the final moments of Nicolas de Lenfent (Joseph Potter). 

What did the witches burning mean to Lestat? Featured Video For You 'The Vampire Lestat's Sam Reid on Magnus, Claudia, Sofia, and more

In episode 7 of The Vampire Lestat, the version of Gabriella at the long table argues that she took the young child Lestat to witness the witches burn so that he would see his neighbors for the vicious and ignorant "cabbages" they are. She wanted him to be motivated to leave this terrible place for something better. 

Asked about this sequence, Reid told Mashable, "That was one of the main conversations I had with [showrunner] Rolin [Jones] about the whole Lestat journey this season, was getting to the core of him, [which] was this existential crisis that he had when he was a child." 

"You know, he [initially] puts it on Nicki, because he cannot deal with that," Reid explained, "so he gives Nicki that existential crisis in episode three." 

Reid referred to the flashback in episode 3, where vampire Nicki goes mad, cuts off his own hand, and longs for death. At the time, Lestat told Daniel Molloy (Eric Bogosian) that Armand (Assad Zaman) killed Nicki with fire. And as he died, Nicki let out a long, low moan, an "O." In episode 7, recalling the witches at the long table, Lestat echoes this exact sound. 

Lestat looks upset. Credit: AMC

"Nicki saw that in death there was a nothingness," Reid said, "That all of this means absolutely nothing, which is a very complex feeling as an immortal being. And his mouth formed a perfect circle, and all that came out was, 'O.' And then you see [Lestat] reprocess that memory as his own memory, watching these women die, and understanding for the first time: Yes, Gabriella has abused him, and has assaulted him throughout his whole life." 

He continued, "[By taking him to see the witches burned], she's weirdly saying to him, 'Get out. Go do [or] be something else, be something more [than these cabbages].'  But unfortunately, it came out of a place of trauma. So his whole sense of direction has been running — running so far from the idea that he might become nothing and he might be dead. So it's very messy." 

"There's a lot left unresolved with Gabriella," Reid said, "But, we always knew that we were going to return to this 'O,' to this sound, the purity of existential crisis." 

Noting how the show's take on Nicki and Lestat differs from Anne Rice's novel The Vampire Lestat, Reid explained, "There is such a beautiful chapter in the book that he has with Nicki. The way that [Rolin and his team] do the the adaption is that they will look at it, and go, 'Well, maybe Lestat here in the book is deflecting.' So, [the writers] knew they were always going to return to that, and how fundamental the witches were going to be in Lestat's life." 

The Vampire Lestat is now streaming on AMC and AMC+.

When Sam Reid first sat down with Mashable Entertainment Editor Kristy Puchko, they dug into the first three episodes of The Vampire Lestat, focusing on the Brat Prince's perspective on his makers and female fledglings. 

Now, in a post-mortem interview, he's dug into the season's mind-snapping finale, the Failure Finders, what's next for Lestat, and why Paul de Pointe du Lac (Steven G. Norfleet) makes a surprise appearance. 

In episode 7, titled "The Failures," Lestat faces the long table. There, after facing down those he loves and loathes most, he turns it into a stage, where he performs for his long line of victims. But as his time is running out, and it seems his death is coming, it's Louis' long-gone brother Paul — who died by his own volition and not by Lestat's fangs — who comes to share a quiet moment with him. 

Reid reflected on what this scene means to Lestat. 

Why does Paul show up at the long table?  Featured Video For You 'The Vampire Lestat's Sam Reid on Magnus, Claudia, Sofia, and more

Reid says of this sequence, "These people at the concert are the ones who he has traumatized in their life, or he has killed. But Paul represents the reason why Louis can't say 'I love you' to him." 

In the scene, Paul seems to come from the afterlife — as Claudia did, but with no wrath — to meet Lestat, and offer a word about what he's realized about his brother. In death (or near it), the religious zealot and the Brat Prince are able to empathize with Louis in a way they couldn't before. 

"The reason why [Lestat] can't get the validation that he needs from the person he wants it from the most in the world," Reid explained, "is because the last time Louis said 'I love you' to somebody, they killed themselves. And Paul is there, saying, 'He does love you,' you know?"

How does that impact the Brat Prince? Reid continued, "Lestat finally understands, 'I've got to stop asking for this. I've got to stop being this person, like railing and needing to get validation from Louis'… Because Louis does love him. He's just got a lot of his own issues, and [Lestat] finally understands."

"It's a heartbreaking realization for Lestat and beautiful and [a] kind of closure," Reid mused, "for him to realize that he is loved." 

Reid noted this epiphany brings Lestat back from the brink of death. "That's the thing that leads him out," he said. "Then he wakes up, and [he says,] 'Where's Louis?'" 

From there, this episode has darkly romantic moments, like Lestat and Louis reuniting — with each other and their bodies — on the tour bus. But as the final reveal of a ravaged world suggests, there's a lot more to endure for Loustat and their shippers. 

What's next for The Vampire Lestat? Reid gave Mashable a few hints.

The Vampire Lestat is now streaming on AMC and AMC+.

After much fucking about, Lestat hit his find out era. In episode 7, titled "The Failures," while a decapitated Louis de Pointe du Lac (Jacob Anderson) is tortured by a bitter Armand (Assad Zaman), Lestat is forced to face his past. We finally see the long table teased all season long in the opening credits.

Earlier this year, Reid came by Mashable's studio for a Say More interview, where he talked Claudia, Magnus, and much more. Now, he and Mashable Entertainment Editor Kristy Puchko reconnected for a postmortem of the Brat Prince's finale. 

Who are the Failure Finders at the long table? 

At the head of the table sits Lestat's maker, Magnus (Damien Atkins). Then around the table, his fledglings, Nicolas "Nicki" de Lenfent (Joseph Potter), Louis, Gabriella (Jennifer Ehle), Antoinette (Maura Grace), and his bandmate TC (Sarah Swire). But no Claudia (Bailey Bass).

As Lestat's severed head is dying, who are these figures? Are they ghosts of those he's loved? But how so, when some are still alive? Are they the voices in his head? Something supernatural from the savage garden?

"I don't think [Lestat] knows." Reid told Mashable, "But he knows that they are coming. The whole season's been set up for this sequence. [In episode 1] Baby Jenks says, 'You know, they're coming for you.' Who are they? And then Magnus in the car [in episode 3] is like, 'At the long table, we eat your soul.' So, he knows that they are coming — the long table is coming."

He went on, "I think when Lestat arrives there [at the long table], because [he is] a supernatural being, there's a lot of space to accept a lot of unknowns very quickly. So that's what Lestat's going through." 

"For me, as the actor trying to understand these kinds of things," Reid continued, "the whole framing device of this season is Lestat accepting and acknowledging failure. This is a character who continually brushes off every kind of trauma that he has experienced and refuses to fully engage with them. You can see that he's cracking under the pressure and the weight of them all." 

Reid then referred to the season's narration, Lestat's story told by him across a series of recordings he calls "The Failures." He explained, "[Lestat] is making this recording for a very specific person, or whoever wins it at the auction. But you know, I think he thinks it's a specific person. And he is explaining to them this is how it felt at the time." 

Lestat performs on the long table in "The Vampire Lestat." Credit: AMC

Compared to Interview With a Vampire's first two seasons, The Vampire Lestat has felt chaotic, leaping around in time and tone, with Lestat raging, laughing, provoking, and even contradicting himself. Reid said this reflects Lestat's choosing to deflect over confronting his past and his psychological pain. "That's why the episodes feel like an assault," he said, "and why certain things don't feel like they're fully investigated, because at the time he was not investigating [them]."

"Even at the long table he fights them, the Failure Finders," Reid said. "These key figures of his life, those who he loved the most or were so defining in his life, continually and persistently tell him that he is a failure." 

Reid continued: "So, what are they? I mean, it's open up to so much interpretation. I think the key thing about the season, though, is really setting up the concept of the soul. The soul does exist in our world. So are these [Failure Finders] the souls of the people who are there? I don't know. I think the long table version of these characters are more heightened. I mean, long table Louis is such a heightened, angry figure. So I don't know if they are the real people. They might be the figures of Lestat's guilt and shame that he carries, [showing] how he feels they feel about him. [That] is probably the most accurate."

"Take it as you will," Reid offered. "But I would say that it's more likely this is what it feels like inside the physical head [of Lestat]. That this is what he's fighting on a daily basis — is that everybody thinks he is a failure. He thinks he is a failure in the eyes of the people whom he should have helped and loved the most." 

Reid went on to connect Lestat facing his failures (and Failure Finders) to the final reveal of the season: the ravaged world, from which he records his album "The Failures." Reid said, "That leads him to acknowledging that he is responsible for the destruction of the world." Then he teased, "And then the subsequent decisions that he makes after that, which, you know, are for a later time." 

What's next for Lestat? Reid teased a few clues.

The Vampire Lestat is now streaming on AMC and AMC+.

Just two episodes after Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D'Arcy) threw a nauseating rat banquet, House of the Dragon upped its gross food game with another disgusting feast.

The feast shows up in Season 3, episode 5, which reveals that Ormund Hightower (James Norton) has been bankrolling the murders of Gold Cloaks across King's Landing. By the episode's end, Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith) and Ser Luthor Largent (Tom Cullen) have killed one man who was involved in the killings, and who claims he was acting alone. However, that turns out not to the case, because by the episode's end, nine other Gold Cloaks are dead, including Luthor.

SEE ALSO: 'House of the Dragon' Season 3 family tree: How the Targaryens, Hightowers, and Velaryons connect

Daemon discovers these corpses posed in a horrifying tableau. The deceased Gold Cloaks sit around a long table, their innards splayed out among tankards and candles. Above them, someone has painted the words "a feast for traitors" in blood.

It's a disgusting sequence, a cross between "The Last Supper" and body horror. It's also not in House of the Dragon's source material, George R.R. Martin's Fire and Blood — at least, not in this exact way.

For starters, the Gold Cloak killing spree is a show-only addition, as are all of Ormund's plans to crown Daeron Targaryen (Benjamin Evan Ainsworth). However, the corpse feast does take place, just in a very different setting.

In Fire and Blood, as Ser Criston Cole (Fabien Frankel) and his men march south through the riverlands, his scouts come across a similar corpse feast. Pro-Rhaenyra forces staged a "grotesque mockery of a feast," using the rotting bodies of fallen soldiers to strike fear into the hearts of their opponents. Later on the march, Criston's men find another corpse banquet, but this one is a trick: The corpses are actually living soldiers in disguise, and they manage to kill a dozen of the scouts.

Based on the fact that their insides have now become their outsides, it's clear that the dead Gold Cloaks in House of the Dragon are not pulling a similar trick. However, that feast, like the book's, is waging some serious psychological warfare. Notably, though, House of the Dragon switched which side of the war is creating this nasty corpse art, shifting it from Team Black to Team Green. The change means that Criston's biggest opponents in the show, Roddy the Ruin (Tommy Flanagan) and Ser Oscar Tully (Archie Barnes), aren't painted as total monsters. It's also in keeping with Ormund's more sadistic side in the show, although there's no way he would ever disembowel a man himself. Think of the smells!

House of the Dragon Season 3 is now streaming on HBO Max, with new episodes premiering Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on HBO and HBO Max.

The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult if you like a good drink.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

SEE ALSO: NYT Pips hints, answers for July 20, 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: To shout out

• Green: Use the mouse

• Blue: The ocean's jewel

• Purple: A good drink

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Here are today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Announce

• Green: Things to click

• Blue: Associated with pearls

• Purple: Starting with alcoholic beverages

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 #1135 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Announce: BLARE, HERALD, SOUND, TRUMPET

• Things to click: BUTTON, ICON, LINK, MENU

• Associated with pearls: BUBBLE TEA, OYSTER, SWINE, WISDOM

• Starting with alcoholic beverages: ALEXA, MEADOW, PORTOBELLO, SAKES

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for July 20, 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 come in a small package.

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 July 20, 2026 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Small talk

The words are related to size.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe small things.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is horizontal.

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

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is Itsy Bitsy.

NYT Strands word list for July 20

• Microscopic

• Little

• Tiny

• Itsy Bitsy

• Minuscule

• Miniature

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 the water.

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 July 20, 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 July 20, 2026 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

Scuba.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

There are no recurring letters.

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

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

Today's Wordle starts with the letter D.

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...

DIVER

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.

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.

Rhaenyra's Small Council in House of the Dragon is growing larger by the day.

The latest addition? Lady Sabitha Frey (Sarah Woodward), who appears to have been given a position mostly to compensate for Rhaenyra not giving her the already-promised Harrenhal.

"I had hoped a seat on the Small Council would suffice as recompense for House Frey's loyalty," Rhaenyra says, power-walking her way through the halls of the Red Keep.

"But Harrenhal was to be our recompense, payment for giving your Winter Wolves passage across the twins, promised by your own son!" snaps back Lady Sabitha.

She's eventually silenced by a withering look from Rhaenyra, and reluctantly accepts her seat. But hang on a minute, who is Lady Sabitha Frey again? And what exactly was the deal Team Black made with the Freys? Let's recap.

SEE ALSO: 'House of the Dragon' Season 3 family tree: How the Targaryens, Hightowers, and Velaryons connect Who is Lady Sabitha Frey?

Lady Sabitha Frey is the head of House Frey. It's a while back now, but we have met her before. In Season 2, episode 5, Jace (Harry Collett) meets with her and her husband, Lord Forrest Frey (Kenneth Collard), to cut a deal with them.

Credit: Ollie Upton / HBO

During the meeting, Lady Sabitha Frey brings up the possibility of Harrenhal, to which Jace (RIP) says, "For that, Mother will want more than your crossing."

"What does her grace desire?" asks Sabitha.

"Bent knees," is Jace's response.

Flash back to Season 3, and you can kind of see why Lady Frey isn't too happy. As she reminds Rhaenyra, the Freys allowed the Starks to use their crossing. But instead of gifting them Harrenhal in return, Rhaenyra has offered it as a bounty for the head of Aemond (Ewan Mitchell).

If she's not going to keep up her end of deals like that, she'll likely risk losing allies to Team Green — Small Council seat or not.

House of the Dragon Season 3 is now streaming on HBO Max, with new episodes premiering Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on HBO and HBO Max.

There's a rich tradition of characters coming back from the dead in the House of the Dragon universe.

We've already seen it happen with Lord Corlys (Steve Toussaint), but now it appears that the Battle of the Gullet has unclaimed yet another victim.

So, who else didn't die, and how did they make it out alive?

SEE ALSO: 'House of the Dragon' Season 3 family tree: How the Targaryens, Hightowers, and Velaryons connect What happens with Tyland Lannister in Season 3, episode 5?

After giving Aegon (Tom Glynn-Carney) a well-deserved tongue-lashing, Larys Strong (Matthew Needham) finally manages to convince him to board a ship to Essos and give up on the foolish idea of tracking down his brother Aemond (Ewan Mitchell).

But just as they've come to this agreement, they hear a voice: "What ship might that be?"

"Seven hells," responds Larys when he realises that the cloaked man in front of them is Tyland Lannister (Jefferson Hall), who was last seen being yeeted over the side of a different ship by Admiral Lohar (Abigail Thorn).

So, how did he survive, and what's he doing there?

Featured Video For You 'House of the Dragon' cast unpack Season 3, episode 2's biggest moments How did Tyland Lannister survive?

We only get one more brief scene with Aegon, Larys, and Tyland in episode 5, but it does give us a little more information to work with. We don't know how Tyland managed to swim to safety wearing all that armour, or how he's managed to trek however many miles it is from where he washed ashore to where Larys and Aegon have ended up — but we do know that he's probably managed to use the Lannister's reputation to buy some safe passage

"I have men riding with me—," Tyland tells Larys.

"Sellswords," responds Larys. "Cheaply bought, by the look of them."

Tyland, it seems, has managed to pay for just enough protection to get himself this far. His end goal is clearly the Lannister seat of Casterly Rock – he wants Larys and Aegon to travel with him – but it doesn't look like he'll get that far. The scene ends with Aegon stabbing a man to death after he discovers his crown, which likely means the trio will be running for their lives in episode 6.

House of the Dragon Season 3 is now streaming on HBO Max, with new episodes premiering Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on HBO and HBO Max.

All men must die, but apparently that goes double if you're wearing a gold cloak.

House of the Dragon Season 3, episode 5 sees an already-embattled Rhaenyra (Emma D'Arcy) contending with a new threat from inside King's Landing: The systematic murder of her City Watch, who are having their throats and bowels slashed open at an alarming rate.

So, who is doing it, and why? Let's unpack.

SEE ALSO: 'House of the Dragon' Season 3 family tree: How the Targaryens, Hightowers, and Velaryons connect What happens to the Gold Cloaks in Season 3, episode 5?

"Two of our Gold Cloaks were found dead in the streets this morning," says Daemon (Matt Smith) during a Small Council meeting. "Put to the blade by an unknown hand."

He's keen to get to the bottom of the problem himself, but while meeting with Ser Luthor (Tom Cullen), who heads up the Gold Cloaks, he finds two more of their number dead. This time it's happened in broad daylight, and they can't seem to find witnesses.

Later, just as Daemon has finished giving a speech to try and rouse the surviving Gold Cloaks, he gets word that someone has been apprehended. Under torture, the man confesses — but he says he acted alone, and never saw the face of the man who paid him.

"He said it was the king's work I was to be about," the man rasps. "Compliments of King Daeron Targaryen, he said. For killing traitors to his throne."

The assassin is killed, but Daemon's problems are only just starting. At the very end of the episode, he finds a large number of Gold Cloaks, including Ser Luthor, arranged dead around a dining table. "A FEAST FOR TRAITORS" has been daubed in blood on the wall.

Featured Video For You 'House of the Dragon' cast unpack Season 3, episode 2's biggest moments Who is killing the Gold Cloaks, and why?

Even though we don't know how many assassins in Flea Bottom are doing the killing, we know who's behind it. Midway through the episode, after two Gold Cloaks have been murdered, we see a shot of a little girl walking up some steps and whispering into the ear of a man we haven't seen before. The man writes a note that he sends via raven, and which we then see being read by Ormund Hightower (James Norton).

The note reads: "Gold blood spilled. Three marked in the tally. The account lies open."

Later, Ormund shows Daeron (Benjamin Evan Ainsworth) a gold coin he's had made with Daeron's face on it. It's the same coin that Daemon later finds in the assassin's boot.

The conclusion? Ormund is paying a network of assassins in Flea Bottom to murder the City Watch as a way of adding to Rhaenyra's problems and weakening her defenses. His hope is probably that without the Gold Cloaks, people in the city are more likely to riot. And if there are problems within the walls of King's Landing, it only serves to strengthen his own position.

House of the Dragon Season 3 is now streaming on HBO Max, with new episodes premiering Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on HBO and HBO Max.

TL;DR: Live stream Spain vs. Argentina in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final for free on BBC iPlayer or ITVX. Access these free streaming platforms from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN, an Official Supporter of the FIFA World Cup 2026.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup has delivered weeks of electric entertainment. We've had controversy, moments of ecstasy, and incredibly displays of talent from the best players in the world. And now we're down to the final, where Spain and Argentina will battle it out for the trophy.

Argentina are defending champions, but have stuttered through the tournament, relying on late goals. Spain also struggled to hit their best form in the group stage, but they've built momentum through the knockout rounds, culminating in an impressive victory over favorites France in the semi-final stage.

We're expecting a fiery battle between two teams laden with stars.

If you want to watch Spain vs. Argentina in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Spain vs. Argentina?

Spain vs. Argentina in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final kicks off at 3 p.m. ET on July 19. This fixture takes place at the New York New Jersey Stadium.

How to watch Spain vs. Argentina for free

Spain vs. Argentina in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final is available to live stream for free on BBC iPlayer or ITVX.

BBC iPlayer and ITVX are geo-restricted to the UK, but anyone can access these free streaming platforms with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in the UK, meaning you can unblock BBC iPlayer and ITVX to live stream the 2026 World Cup final for free from anywhere in the world.

Live stream Spain vs. Argentina for free by following these simple steps:

1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (we recommend 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 the UK

4. Visit BBC iPlayer or ITVX

5. Watch Spain vs. Argentina for free from anywhere in the world

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

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but most do offer free-trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can access free live streams of the 2026 World Cup final without actually spending anything. This obviously isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream Spain vs. Argentina before recovering your investment.

ExpressVPN's regular 30-day money-back guarantee is not available for any subscriptions purchased during the Summer Tech Sweepstakes promotional period (July 11 to Aug. 11), but you do have a chance of winning an iPhone 17 Pro. ExpressVPN remains our top pick for sport, but you will need to pay the monthly rate. Alternatively, Proton VPN still offers that all-important money-back guarantee.

What is the best VPN for the World Cup final?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on BBC iPlayer or ITVX, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including the UK

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

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection speeds free from throttling

• Up to 10 simultaneous connections

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% off for a limited time. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99. That covers you for the duration of the World Cup.

Live stream Spain vs. Argentina in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final for free.

Are you fed up with Microsoft's invasive behavior? They're increasingly inserting themselves into your digital life, collecting your data and outright disrespecting your wishes. It would normally anger me, but there’s no Microsoft on my system, and I'll explain why.

The FIFA World Cup final between Spain and Argentina is living up to the hype. And to add to the festivities was a fun but odd sight in the world of association football: a halftime show.

Soccer is normally a brisk sport, but with this edition of the World Cup being co-hosted in the US (the first World Cup in the US since 1994), it's fallen into the American Sports Entertainment Vortex™. Which isn't a bad thing, minus the universal dislike for the hydration breaks, which many commentators have pointed out are glorified commercial breaks for the Fox network.

But given the lineup — Shakira, Madonna, BTS, and Justin Bieber, with a Sesame Street cameo and a Ted Lasso intro thrown in for good measure — the World Cup's first-ever halftime show was just fine.

The whole thing clocked in at under six minutes, which somehow made it funnier: FIFA spent months hyping a halftime show shorter than the ad break before it. The internet noticed and acted accordingly.

Madonna kicks us off

Madonna's entrance into the World Cup halftime was mostly prerecorded as she sang from her new album Confessions II. She was also seen on an ATV with Ronaldinho and R9, which was a strange sight.

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Probably the most anticipated performance, depending on who you ask, BTS did a quick and dirty set, performing "Dynamite" from their album BE.

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After the hype from the quick BTS appearance, Ted Lasso stars Jason Sudeikis and Brendon Hunt did a quick intro for Justin Bieber, "subbing" him into the half-time show as some much-needed heart to the game. Bieber's song, unfortunately, slowed things down, and viewers were not kind about it.

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Shakira finally made her appearance alongside her FIFA World Cup theme collaborator, Burna Boy, to perform "Dai Dai."

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