Technology

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 June 17, 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 June 17, 2026 Easy difficulty hints, answers for June 17 Pips

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

Less Than (9): Everything in this space must be less than 9. The answer is 5-6, placed vertically; 4-2, placed horizontally.

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

Equal (3): Everything in this red space must be equal to 3. The answer is 3-4, placed horizontally; 3-3, placed vertically; 3-1, placed horizontally.

Medium difficulty hints, answers for June 17 Pips

Number (9): Everything in this space must add up to 9. The answer is 5-6, placed horizontally; 4-4, placed vertically.

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

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

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

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

Number (9): Everything in this space must add up to 9. The answer is 1-4, placed horizontally; 0-5, placed vertically.

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

Hard difficulty hints, answers for June 17 Pips

Number (6): Everything in this space must add up to 6. The answer is 6-5, placed vertically; 6-2, placed vertically.

Greater Than (9): Everything in this space must be greater than 9. The answer is 6-5, placed vertically; 6-2, placed vertically.

Number (7): Everything in this space must add up to 7. The answer is 6-2, placed vertically; 5-2, placed horizontally.

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

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

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

Greater Than (4): Everything in this space must be greater than 4. The answer is 0-5, placed horizontally.

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

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

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

Number (6): Everything in this dark blue space must add up to 6. The answer is 4-3, placed vertically; 1-1, placed horizontally.

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

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

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

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

Number (6): Everything in this orange space must add up to 6. The answer is 3-5, placed horizontally; 2-1, 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.

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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

Tangy.

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

ZESTY

Hurdle Word 2 hint

A visitor.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for June 17, 2026 Hurdle Word 2 Answer

GUEST

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Hurdle Word 3 hint

To light up.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for June 17 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for June 17, 2026 Hurdle Word 3 answer

TORCH

Hurdle Word 4 hint

A riding horse.

Hurdle Word 4 answer

STEED

Final Hurdle hint

Purpose.

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

POINT

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

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The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult if you're into folklore.

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 June 17, 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: Crevice

• Green: Getting smart

• Blue: Ancient folklore

• Purple: Classification

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Here are today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Alcove

• Green: Bodily words for attitude

• Blue: Figures in Greek myth

• Purple: Starting with synonyms for "Ilk"

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 #1102 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Alcove: CAVITY, NICHE, NOOK, RECESS

• Bodily words for attitude: CHEEK, LIP, MOUTH, NERVE

• Figures in Greek myth: CALLIOPE, ECHO, IRIS, NEMESIS

• Starting with synonyms for "Ilk": CLASSIC, KINDLE, SORTIE, TYPEFACE

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

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for June 17, 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 tend crops.

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 June 17, 2026 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: In the barnyard

The words are related to agriculture.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe a farmer's work.

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 Farming.

NYT Strands word list for June 17

• Pitchfork

• Sawhorse

• Farming

• Tractor

• Wheelbarrow

• Bucket

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're a collector.

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 June 17, 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 June 17, 2026 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

A keepsake.

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 T.

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...

TOKEN

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.

The New Moon has now passed, meaning the lunar cycle is beginning again. Over the coming nights, the Moon will gradually become more visible in the evening sky as a thin waxing crescent starts to reappear.

What is today’s Moon phase?

As of Wednesday, June 17, the Moon phase is Waxing Crescent. Tonight, 14% of the moon will be be lit up, according to NASA's Daily Moon Guide.

After several nights of darkness, there is finally some surface features visible again tonight. Without any visual aids, you'll be able to see the Mares Fecunditatis and Crisium. And with binoculars or a telescope, you'll also catch a glimpse of the Endymion Crater.

When is the next Full Moon?

The next Full Moon will take place on June 29.

What are Moon phases?

According to NASA, the Moon completes one orbit around Earth in about 29.5 days, moving through eight recognised phases along the way. While the same side of the Moon always faces our planet, the amount of its surface lit by the Sun changes as it travels around Earth. As a result, we see the Moon appear in different shapes over the course of a month, from slender crescents and half moons to a bright Full Moon. This repeating sequence of phases is known as the lunar cycle.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Hayley Kiyoko's journey to her feature directorial debut, Girls Like Girls, began in 2015. That's when the Disney child star turned singer/songwriter released the track "Girls Like Girls," and its subsequent viral video, which Kiyoko co-helmed with Austin S. Winchell. 

More than a music video, "Girls Like Girls" played like a short film, complete with credits that revealed character names: Coley, Sonya, and Trenton. In 2023, this love triangle would be fleshed out in the pop star's debut novel, also titled Girls Like Girls. 

Now, after a decade of living with this story of sapphic longing and first love, Kiyoko delivers an earnest and poignant coming-of-age movie with Girls Like Girls. 

Girls Like Girls is a low-key drama of first love and heartache.  Credit: Dan Power / Focus Feature LLC

Set in 2006, Kiyoko's debut feature has a healthy dose of nostalgia for the early age of internet. The soundtrack features Tegan and Sara's yearning-rich "Speak Slow," Imogen Heap's electro ballad "Hide and Seek," and AIR's trippy "Sexy Boy."

The teens in Girls Like Girls have cell phones, but instant messaging on a bulky PC is how sheepish 17-year-old Coley (Maya da Costa) prefers to reach out to her crush, the femme and fun party girl Sonya (Myra Molloy). 

New to town in the thick of summer, Coley is killing time at a diner alone when she first spots Sonya, who's radiant in her laughter and adored by her circle of friends. With one shared glance, Sonya ushers Coley into their world, where house parties rage, lakeside hangs are recurring, and sapphic flirtations are only for when Sonya's boyfriend, Trent (Levon Hawke), isn't around. 

Kiyoko captures the easy swoon of young love with montages of the two girls finding their way into each others' arms, then breath. But as confident as Sonya seems, she wilts anytime someone begins to suspect that she and Coley are more than just friends. Having brought her own baggage to this cozy Oregon town, Coley finds the push and pull of Sonya's affections overtaking her vision of herself. Grieving over the loss of her mother and living with the estranged father (Zach Braff) that she barely knows, Coley fears that if Sonya can't love her, she's doomed to be unlovable. 

Girls Like Girls offers space for gay girls figuring it out.  Credit: Dan Power / Focus Feature LLC

For Coley and Sonya, their attraction to each other is so simple and natural that they don't initially question it. They follow it — slowly and joltingly, but keenly.

In the privacy of Sonya's girly bedroom or her family's backyard pool, they find sanctuary to explore who they are together. Like the short film inspiration from 2015, Girls Like Girls deftly captures the longing in a stare, the excitement in a stolen touch. 

As she did in the music video, Coley sports an oversized jean jacket and the very mid-2000s tattoo-choker, made of swirls of black plastic that stretch around the wearer's neck. She rides a bike, busted up, but hers. And, as teased on the book's cover, a key moment still happens poolside — though without the beat(ing) after. (Do stay through the credits for a post-cred scene worth waiting for.)

A change from the first incarnation, Girls Like Girls is less about the violence queer people can suffer from homophobes, and more about choosing joy over the fear of violence and alienation. Because while Sonya initially seems impossibly cool and untroubled, as Coley gets closer, she realizes her crush is surrounded by friends she can't trust to be herself around. So Coley is faced with the choice of who she wants to be in this new town, and if that means being a fool for love. 

Myra Molloy and Maya da Costa make a compelling pair.  Credit: Dan Power / Focus Feature LLC

Molloy could teach a class on how to flip her hair. Her breezy grace and flirtatious energy make her instantly recognizable as That Girl. Sonya makes being a teen girl look easy. She exudes joy and cool, and even when you find out it's a facade, you envy her ability to produce it. 

Sonya is a go-getter who practically drags Coley into her friend group, her pool, and her kiss. Meanwhile, Kiyoko scripts her protagonist to be almost infuriatingly passive. She's so afraid of making a wrong move, Coley is like a shadow in her own life, following behind Sonya, afraid to be in the light. Cleverly, this is actually how Coley's dad is framed for the first half of the film — as a shadow.

For several sequences, I stared into the frame at the middle-aged man speaking softly in a dim room, trying to see who he was. This staging reflects how Coley sees her dad, as someone distant and unknown. As they grow closer, he will come into the light. And she will follow, metaphorically, and blossom. Da Costa performs this evolution with aplomb.  

The romance and tenderness found in Kiyoko's music videos throbs in Girls Like Girls. She breaks from creaky conventions of queer coming-of-age tales by rejecting scenes of violence or social ostracizing that once seemed required. Her heroine is soft, too, not pursuing but being pursued. And her ending is not a promise of eternal devotion, but a small win that feels huge for a girl in love. 

Girls Like Girls opens in theaters on June 19.

Android 17, Google's latest model of mobile operating system, is officially available — at least for owners of Pixel phones.

Google also released a new Pixel Drop and the latest operating system for its smartwatches, Wear OS 7. There's a lot of new features, so let's dive into what's coming to your devices.

Android 17

Android 17 is now available for Pixel phones. The operating system will roll out to other Android devices through the rest of the year.

The new Bubbles feature in Android 17. Credit: Google

Here are the three main new features available in Android 17.

• Bubbles: Users can open any mobile app as a pop-up "bubble" rather than in full screen mode — meaning you can manage multiple apps more easily. There's also a new Bubble bar interface at the bottom of the screen that will keep your recent bubbles organized and accessible.

• Screen Reactions: Dual webcam and screen recording is really popular on desktops and laptops these days, especially for walkthroughs and tutorials. Google is bringing that experience to Android devices, allowing users to record via their selfie camera and capture their phone screen at the same time. 

• Foldable gaming mode: Have a foldable Android device? This mode lets you turn one half of the foldable screen into a digital gamepad, while playing a game on the other half.

Android 17 also brings new security and parental control capabilities. The new operating system has more location-sharing controls, Live Threat Detection, Advanced Protection improvements, and a "Mark as lost" feature in Find Hub.

Parents can also set screen time limits, and filter out content, without needing to link a Google Account first.

Foldable Gaming mode in Android 17 Credit: Google June Pixel Drop

The latest Pixel drop for Google's Pixel phones is also out — and this one is chock full of AI features.

• Gemini Omni: Users can edit their videos by just chatting with the AI chatbot. Remix images and videos, or just start from scratch with nothing but a text prompt. You can also create a custom AI avatar that looks and sounds like you — then insert it into any scene.  

• Lyria 3 in Gemini: Google is also bringing its latest music generation model, Lyria 3, to Pixel phones. Users can choose the style, the tempo, or even upload an image to inspire a song.

Google is also bringing minor upgrades to certain PIxel models. This latest Pixel Drop brings Google's speech-to-voice translation with AudioLM feature to Pixel 10am devices. Android Quick Share, which provides AirDrop capabilities with iPhones, is now available on Pixel 9a and Pixel 8a devices.

Take a Message has also now rolled out to all compatible Pixel devices in the U.S. The feature provides Custom Greetings, which lets users record a personalized outgoing message — and gives voicemail transcriptions when you miss a call.

And, of course, Pixel phones get all the new features that come along with the new Android 17.

Wear OS 7

Own an Android smartwatch? Here's what's new on your device.

• Android Live Updates: Smartwatch users can now view Android Live Updates directly from their wrist. This feature can be used to track sports scores, food delivery arrival times, workouts, and more. 

• Control other devices: Users can now control other Android devices from their wrist. Wear OS 7 lets you access what's playing on your headphones or home speakers. Users can view photos snapped with their smartglasses instantly on their smartwatch.

• Emergency Sharing: If your Pixel Watch detects a fall, a car accident, or a loss of pulse, your Pixel device will now immediately contact emergency services and notify a user's emergency contacts.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup has given the internet plenty to talk about on the field, but one of the tournament’s best side quests is happening far from the stadiums.

As international fans travel between host cities, their off-field discoveries have become one of the tournament's most charming online trends. The 2026 World Cup is being played across 11 U.S. cities, nearly half of which are in the South. An additional 25 communities are also hosting national teams at base-camp training sites, including stops like Greensboro, Chattanooga, Columbus, and Spokane.

SEE ALSO: The World Cup's breakout star is a duck in a tiny Mexico jersey

In practice, that means visitors are not just passing through the usual tourist hubs, but winding up in grocery stores, gas stations, college towns, and chain restaurants — posting wide-eyed reactions to the parts of American life locals usually move through without thinking twice. 

Among the trend's breakout figures is @FreddyLA7, a German fan whose World Cup road trip through the South has turned into a rolling tour of Americana — and amounted to over 600,000 followers in the process. Since landing in Atlanta, he has documented stops at Taco Bell, Stranger Things filming locations, Walmart, and Waffle House (which was a “10/10”).

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After hearing Ella Langley repeatedly on local stations, he posted that the country singer had become "basically the soundtrack" of the trip, and it went so viral that he got invited to see her perform. He even met the Mayor of Houston and has gotten many online shoutouts from Republican lawmakers. 

But @FreddyLA7 is far from the only viral visitor. Swedish fan Elsa Thora treats ranch dressing, grocery-store snacks, and yellow school buses like major discoveries.

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Fans from the UK have posted their first encounters with Erewhon and a high school football field that looked like it was right out of a "movie set." Scottish fans in Boston have embraced tailgates, while Japanese fans have documented bottomless chips and salsa. Irish fans have salivated over Raising Cane's. Even the size of American stadiums has become part of the fascination.

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Not every part of the World Cup travel experience has been as easy to romanticize. From price gouging that's alarmed even the Mexican president to confusing, jammed transportation to reports of missing tickets, many fans and lawmakers have an issue with FIFA.

Access has been another barrier: fans, family, and even referees from several qualifying countries have struggled to enter the country. Cape Verde goalkeeper Josimar Dias, who goes by his nickname Vozinha, became a breakout star (and gained over 8 million followers on Instagram) after making seven saves in Cape Verde's 0-0 draw against Spain. Following the shocking match, he said his mother couldn't attend because of visa issues and costs.

Still, those frustrations haven't stopped the off-field experiences from becoming a defining part of the tournament. The World Cup runs through July 19, leaving plenty of time for more visitors to find America’s unofficial attractions…and post all about it. 

Telemetry apps that log throttle position, brake pressure, and lap times have mostly lived in the sports car world. Porsche's Track Precision app and Chevrolet's Performance Data Recorder both built loyal followings among enthusiasts who wanted hard proof, not just a feeling, when it came to lap times, G-forces, braking points, and cornering lines.

TL;DR: Get a lifetime license to AcePDF Converter & Editor for just $23.99 with promo code EXTRA20 through June 28 during Deal Days and ditch ongoing PDF software subscriptions.

Opens in a new window Credit: Acethinker AcePDF Converter & Editor: Lifetime License $23.99
$99.99 Save $76   Get Deal

PDFs have a way of turning simple tasks into unnecessary projects. You just want to edit a form, convert a file, combine a few documents, or pull text from a scanned page, and suddenly you’re bouncing between multiple apps, free tools with limitations, and subscription prompts.

Instead of piecing together a workflow from several different programs, AcePDF Converter & Editor puts those tools in one place. Through June 28 during Deal Days (our version of Prime Day), you can grab a lifetime license for just $23.99 with promo code EXTRA20, which is a pretty compelling alternative to paying monthly for occasional PDF work.

Mashable Deals Be the first to know! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Loading... Sign Me Up By signing up, you agree to receive recurring automated SMS marketing messages from Mashable Deals at the number provided. Msg and data rates may apply. Up to 2 messages/day. Reply STOP to opt out, HELP for help. Consent is not a condition of purchase. See our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Thanks for signing up!

What makes it useful is that it goes beyond basic file conversion. AcePDF can:

• Convert PDFs to Word, Excel, PowerPoint, HTML, text, JPG, and PNG

• Convert Word documents, spreadsheets, presentations, and images into PDFs

• Use OCR technology to extract and edit text from scanned documents

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• Create and fill forms

• Add comments, annotations, watermarks, and shapes

• Password-protect or unlock PDF documents

• Extract images from PDFs with a single click

The software works on both Windows and Mac, including Apple Silicon devices, and supports batch processing if you’re working through a pile of files at once. It also includes updates and can be installed on up to two devices.

For anyone who deals with contracts, forms, invoices, reports, resumes, or just the occasional stubborn PDF, having a dedicated tool can save a surprising amount of time.

During Deal Days, you can get a lifetime license to AcePDF Converter & Editor for just $23.99 with promo code EXTRA20 through June 28.

Want to see more deals? Peruse the full Deal Days collection.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: Avoid a dreaded dead battery with the GoCable 8-in-1 EDC 100W Cable, on sale now for just $21.99 (reg. $49.99).

Opens in a new window Credit: GoCable GoCable 8-in-1 EDC 100W Cable $21.99
$49.99 Save $28.00   Get Deal

Want to start traveling a little lighter? The GoCable 8-in-1 EDC 100W Cable takes the place of eight different gadgets in one, helping you stay organized, powered up, and prepared wherever you go.

Right now, you can snag one for just $21.99 while supplies last.

Mashable Deals Be the first to know! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Loading... Sign Me Up By signing up, you agree to receive recurring automated SMS marketing messages from Mashable Deals at the number provided. Msg and data rates may apply. Up to 2 messages/day. Reply STOP to opt out, HELP for help. Consent is not a condition of purchase. See our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Thanks for signing up!

Whether you’re heading on vacation or just to the office, keeping up with all your cords can feel like a full-time job. The GoCable 8-in-1 EDC 100W Cable ensures you have a Type-C, a Type-C+, and an Apple Lightning connector at your fingertips at all times. It pops onto your keyring so you can stay powered up wherever you go.

The GoCable features magnetic cables that stay nice and organized, with no untangling required. All you need to do is add a power bank or wall adapter to charge your devices.

It’s super efficient with 100W ultra-fast charging and high-speed file transfers, and you can see the real-time charging status with the LED power display.

Aside from keeping your devices charged up, the GoCable also comes equipped with a bottle opener and a safe-proofed hidden cutter that makes it easy to open packages. It also has a carabiner clip, so it’s easy to attach to anything and keep nearby.

Make life easier with the GoCable 8-in-1 EDC 100W Cable, on sale now for just $21.99.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

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

TL;DR: The Babbel Language Learning lifetime subscription is down to $159 with the StackSocial code LEARN, giving users access to 14 languages forever.

Opens in a new window Credit: Babbel Babbel Language Learning: Lifetime Subscription (All Languages) $158.99
$299 Save $140.01   Get Deal

Learning a new language isn’t easy, but it also might not be as hard as some apps make it seem. If memorizing vocab lists isn’t working for you, check out Babbel. They take a more practical approach to teaching, and there’s even an AI conversation partner who can help you practice your pronunciation.

Normally, a Babbel lifetime subscription would cost $299, but right now it’s on sale for $159.

Babbel gives you lifetime access to courses in 14 different languages, and the format is designed to fit into real life. Each lesson takes around 10 to 15 minutes, so you can actually stick with it whether you’re commuting, traveling, or just squeezing in some study time between meetings.

Here are a few of the included languages:

• Spanish

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• German

• Italian

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• Swedish

And that’s just the beginning.

Unlike other apps that focus heavily on word games or repetitive matching drills, Babbel centers its content around practical conversation topics. You’ll get lessons on travel, shopping, business, culture, and more, all developed by expert linguists and backed by academic research.

Speech recognition helps fine-tune your pronunciation, while the new AI-powered conversation partner lets you practice speaking in real time.

Lessons sync across devices, so you can start on your computer and finish on your phone. There’s also an offline mode if you want to download lessons ahead of time.

You can move at your own pace, revisit review sessions, and jump between beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels based on your comfort.

Use code LEARN to get a Babbel lifetime subscription for only $159.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: All 104 matches of the 2026 World Cup are available to watch for free on BBC iPlayer/ITVX. Access these free live streams from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN, which recently announced it's an Official Tournament Supporter of the event in the U.S., Canada, and Europe.

It feels like the world has stopped for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

16 cities across the U.S., Mexico, and Canada are welcoming the best international sides from around the world as they compete for arguably the biggest prize in sport. Huge names like Kylian Mbappé, Vinícius Júnior, and Lamine Yamal are likely to steal the spotlight, but new stars always shine brightly in this prestigious competition.

It's going to be a wild ride. We're still making our way through the first round of group-stage fixtures, but the likes of Mexico, USA, and Australia have already secured big victories. And Cape Verde have produced the performance of the tournament so far by snatching a 0-0 draw against Spain.

If you're interested in watching the 2026 FIFA World Cup from anywhere in the world, we've got all the information you need.

What is the FIFA World Cup?

The World Cup is an international football competition between senior men's national teams. The 2026 World Cup has been expanded to 48 teams, split into 12 groups of four teams. The top two teams in each group and the eight best third-placed teams will progress to the knockout rounds.

The defending champions are Argentina. They won their third title at the 2022 World Cup after defeating France in an epic final.

When is the 2026 FIFA World Cup?

The 2026 World Cup is the 23rd edition of this famous competition. This year's tournament takes place from June 11 to July 19.

How to watch the 2026 FIFA World Cup for free

A number of streaming platforms are offering free coverage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup:

• Australia — SBS

• Austria — ORF and ServusTV

• Belgium — RTBF and VRT

• France — M6

• Germany — ARD and ZDF

• Ireland — RTÉ

• Italy — RAI

• Norway — NRK

• Netherlands — NOS

• Spain — RTVE

• UK — BBC iPlayer and ITVX (recommended)

These streaming services are geo-restricted, but anyone can secure access with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in another location, meaning you can livestream the 2026 FIFA World Cup for free from anywhere in the world.

If you're looking for the best VPN to stream the FIFA World Cup, ExpressVPN recently announced that it's an Official Tournament Supporter of the event in the U.S., Canada, and Europe. ExpressVPN was already our go-to recommendation for sports streaming, and now it's also the exclusive VPN supporter of the FIFA World Cup 2026.

Livestream the 2026 FIFA World Cup for free by following these simple steps:

1. Sign up for a streaming-friendly VPN (we recommend ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice

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

4. Visit BBC iPlayer or ITVX (recommended)

5. Watch the 2026 FIFA World Cup for free from anywhere in the world

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

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but they do tend to offer generous money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch the 2026 FIFA World Cup without committing your cash. This is obviously not a long-term strategy, but it gives you enough time to stream this tournament before recovering your investment.

If you want to retain permanent access to free streaming platforms from around the world, you'll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for streaming live sports is on sale for a limited time.

What is the best VPN for the FIFA World Cup?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for accessing live sports on free streaming platforms, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries

• 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

• Up to 10 simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

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. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99 (with a money-back guarantee).

Live stream the 2026 FIFA World Cup for free with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: Live stream Argentina vs. Algeria in the 2026 FIFA World Cup for free on ITVX. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The first round of 2026 FIFA World Cup group stage games is coming to an end, and we're finally getting a chance to see the defending champions. Argentina face off against Algeria in their opening game, a match they'll be expected to win without too much hassle. That being said, anything can happen in tournament football.

Argentina will be captained by Messi, set to make his 200th international appearance. Can he lead his side to another title? It all starts here.

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

When is Argentina vs. Algeria?

Argentina vs. Algeria in the 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off at 9 p.m. ET on June 16. This fixture takes place at the Arrowhead Stadium.

How to watch Argentina vs. Algeria for free

Argentina vs. Algeria in the 2026 FIFA World Cup is available to live stream for free on ITVX.

ITVX is geo-restricted to the UK, but anyone can access this free streaming platform 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 ITVX to live stream the 2026 World Cup for free from anywhere in the world.

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

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

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

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

4. Visit ITVX

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

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) 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 without actually spending anything. This obviously isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream Argentina vs. Algeria (plus more World Cup fixtures) before recovering your investment.

If you want to retain permanent access to the best free streaming services from around the world, you'll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for streaming live sport is on sale for a limited time.

What is the best VPN for ITVX?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on 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

• 30-day money-back guarantee

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. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99 (with money-back guarantee).

Live stream Argentina vs. Algeria in the 2026 FIFA World Cup for free with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: Live stream Austria vs. Jordan in the 2026 FIFA World Cup for free on BBC iPlayer. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup rumbles on with more group-stage games bringing together teams that wouldn't usually meet, like Austria and Jordan. That's what this competition is all about. Argentina and Algeria are the other sides in this group, so Austria will be desperate to start strongly with three points from this game.

Austria are favorites to win this one at the San Francisco Bay Area Stadium, but anything can happen. Just ask Cape Verde.

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

When is Austria vs. Jordan?

Austria vs. Jordan in the 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off at 12 a.m. ET on June 17. This fixture takes place at the Levi's Stadium.

How to watch Austria vs. Jordan for free

Austria vs. Jordan in the 2026 FIFA World Cup is available to live stream for free on BBC iPlayer.

BBC iPlayer is geo-restricted to the UK, but anyone can access this free streaming platform 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 to live stream the 2026 World Cup for free from anywhere in the world.

Live stream Austria vs. Jordan for free by following these simple steps:

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

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

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

4. Visit BBC iPlayer

5. Watch Austria vs. Jordan for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) 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 without actually spending anything. This obviously isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream Austria vs. Jordan (plus more World Cup fixtures) before recovering your investment.

If you want to retain permanent access to the best free streaming services from around the world, you'll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for streaming live sport is on sale for a limited time.

What is the best VPN for BBC iPlayer?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on BBC iPlayer, 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

• 30-day money-back guarantee

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. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99 (with money-back guarantee).

Live stream Austria vs. Jordan in the 2026 FIFA World Cup for free with ExpressVPN.

You might just know how well Valve's long-awaited Steam Machine performs. How-To Geek has found benchmarks for the "Valve Fremont" (aka Steam Machine) online ahead of its summer release, and it's not a cutting-edge desktop PC — though that doesn't tell the whole story.

It seems no matter how many safeguards are put on AI assistants and chatbots, crafty hackers will find a way around them. Just earlier this month, malicious actors tricked Meta's AI support into providing access to some of Instagram's largest accounts.

This time, cybersecurity researchers at Varonis Threat Labs have uncovered a new three-stage vulnerability chain that "turns Microsoft 365 Copilot Enterprise Search into a silent data exfiltration weapon."

What does this mean? Basically, by deploying this chain of attacks, which has been named SearchLeak, Microsoft Copilot could be used to send your emails, two-factor authentication codes, or any other sensitive data on your computer to an attacker.

According to Varonis, the vulnerability involves the deployment of three separate attacks: a new AI-specific vulnerability called Parameter-to-Prompt Injection (P2P), along with two old fashion web bugs — an HTML injection race condition and a Content Security Policy (CSP) bypass via Bing server-side request forgery (SSRF).

"Since SearchLeak targets the Enterprise tier of Microsoft, the blast radius isn't limited to personal data — it's able to surface anything the user has access to inside the organization, including emails, meeting invites and notes, SharePoint documents, OneDrive files, and other indexed business content," reads Varonis' report. "Depending on how M365 is connected to the environment, the blast radius could extend even wider."

Microsoft has built safety guardrails into Copilot that usually prevent the AI assistant from sending data to a bad actor. If any of these steps were carried out alone, the attack would not work. However, as a combined three-stage vulnerability chain, SearchLeak is a workaround that obtains the information for an attacker.

This may sound like a lot, but the attack is fairly simple once you break it down. Here's what a hacker would do to steal your data via SearchLeak.

First, the Parameter-to-Prompt Injection. As Varonis explains in its report, an attacker would simply send their target a URL with a prompt as the query parameter. What is an URL query parameter, also known as q parameter? A common example of a URL query parameter is the affiliate-tracking details at the end of a link. The q parameter is typically used to add sorting, tracking, or filtering information to a link.

For example, an attacker could send a specially crafted URL such as:

https://m365.cloud.microsoft/search/?auth=2&origindomain=microsoft365&q=

In this example, represents attacker-controlled instructions embedded in the URL's q parameter. When the target clicks the link, Copilot opens the URL and interprets the embedded prompt as instructions to execute.

In Varonis' demonstration of SearchLeak, researchers embedded a prompt instructing Copilot to "search the user's emails, extract the title, and embed it in an image URL." After the target clicked the link, Copilot carried out those instructions.

This is where Microsoft's AI safeguards are supposed to intervene. However, according to Varonis, a flaw exists in how Copilot renders its responses.

"Microsoft knows that AI responses can contain dangerous HTML," Varonis says in its report. "Their mitigation: wrap the output in code blocks so the browser treats it as text, not markup. The catch? This wrapping happens after Copilot finishes its 'thinking' phase. During the streaming phase, while Copilot is still generating its response, raw HTML gets temporarily rendered in the DOM."

In other words, the data can be exposed before Microsoft's protective formatting is applied.

The next challenge for the attacker is retrieving the exposed information. To accomplish this, the malicious prompt directs Copilot to use a domain controlled by the attacker as the image URL destination. The attack also leverages Bing's Search by Image feature as a proxy. This workaround is necessary because Microsoft restricts which external image domains Copilot can access. Since Bing is a Microsoft-owned service, those restrictions do not apply in the same way.

Finally, Bing makes the request, causing the exfiltrated data to be transmitted to the attacker's server. Because the stolen information has been embedded directly into the image URL, it appears in the attacker's server logs, where it can be viewed and collected.

Varonis says Microsoft has since patched the SearchLeak vulnerability in Copilot. However, the incident illustrates a broader challenge for AI security: attackers can often combine multiple seemingly harmless weaknesses into a single attack chain capable of bypassing individual safeguards.

Dragons are about to eat your weekend. HBO Max's House of the Dragon returns for season 3 on June 21, and depending on who you ask, it's the most anticipated thing landing on any streaming service all year. The small catch, though: it arrives on the last day of this post's window, which makes this week more about prepping—rewatching season two (or at least the last few episodes), remembering which Targaryen wants which other Targaryen dead, names, illegitimate children, etc. But if Westeros isn't your favorite destination, HBO Max is hardly short on other new shows to watch, either.