Technology

Most people shortlisting distros completely skip over MX Linux. There’s no glossy marketing campaign behind it, most YouTube channels don’t cover it, and you probably won’t see it trending on social media. However, at the time of writing, MX Linux ranks number three on DistroWatch, beating popular names like Ubuntu, Fedora, and even Zorin OS—which recently got a million downloads. Here are three reasons that justify its dominant position.

SAVE $100: As of April 6, the Sonos Ace noise-cancelling headphones are on sale at Amazon for just $299. That's $100 or 25% off their list price, but you'll have to act fast.

Opens in a new window Credit: Sonos Sonos Ace $299 at Amazon
$399 Save $100   Get Deal

While last month's Amazon Big Spring Sale offered the best savings on headphones we've seen since Black Friday, most of our favorite deals up and disappeared once the event ended on March 31. But not all of them. If you act fast, you can still grab the Sonos Ace noise-cancelling headphones for $100 off.

As of April 6, the Sonos Ace are just $299 at Amazon. That's 25% off their list price of $399 and just $20 away from their best price on record, according to our favorite price-tracking tool. You'll have to add them to your cart quickly, though, as the deal clock is ticking down (at the time of writing, you have about 13 hours to secure the discount).

These are the brand's first foray into headphones and Sonos basically aced it. Released in spring 2024 after three years in the making, the Sonos Ace headphones are a sight for sore eyes. Beyond looks, though, they offer incredible sound quality, great spatial audio, and an impressive 30-hour battery life with noise cancellation turned on. Mashable's tester Miller Kern also noted, "No exaggeration, these are the most comfortable over-ear headphones I’ve personally tried."

Kern's biggest complaints about the headphones were the ear cup seal (it could be tighter) and the steep price, which originally was $449. The brand knocked the list price down to $399 last summer, making them a little more palatable. Now with an extra $100 savings, they're actually a solid deal.

The Super Mario Galaxy Movie has not been especially well received by critics, but it is serving one important purpose: introducing new people to the two excellent games it was named after. And for a limited time, you can get in on the fun with a discount.

Nintendo announced a temporary promotion from April 12 to May 9: anyone who buys a Nintendo Switch 2 console alongside Super Mario Galaxy + Super Mario Galaxy 2 (the official name of a package containing both games) will get $20 off. This offer works with either the physical or digital version of the Galaxy games, but only if you get a Switch 2 at the same time. You also need to buy them from a participating retailer, which includes Amazon, Best Buy, Walmart, Target, and GameStop.

SEE ALSO: Is it worth buying a Nintendo Switch 2 for 'Pokémon Pokopia'? Buy now and save. Credit: Nintendo

If my math is right, participating in this promotion would cost a total of $500 between the Switch 2 and the games, down from a total of $520 before taxes. It's not a huge discount, in other words, but considering how infrequently Nintendo discounts any of its products, especially the Switch 2, this might be a decent excuse for someone to pull the trigger on a Switch 2. Especially if they have kids who loved the Galaxy movie — or if you've been dying to get in on the Pokémon Pokopia craze.

While the movie seems like it's not great, I can personally confirm that both Galaxy games are fantastic and look exceptional running in 4K on a Switch 2.

They're some of the best modern Super Mario adventures and are absolutely worth the time of anyone even remotely curious about them. Head to a retailer near you starting on April 12 to experience greatness.

For more information, you can read the fine print at the Nintendo retail offers page.

Opens in a new window Credit: Nintendo Nitendo Switch 2 + Super Mario Galaxy bundle $518 at Amazon
Promotion starts April 12 Learn More Opens in a new window Credit: Nintendo Super Mario Galaxy + Super Mario Galaxy 2 $69 at Amazon
Promotion starts April 12 Shop Now

SAVE $149: As of April 6, the new Apple MacBook Air (M5, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) is cheaper than it was during the Amazon Big Spring Sale in both the 13-inch and 15-inch models. Get the 13-inch for $949.99 (reg. $1,099) and the 15-inch for $1,149.99 (reg. $1,299).

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple MacBook Air, 13-inch (M5, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) $949.99
$1,099 Save $149.01   Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple MacBook Air, 15-inch (M5, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) $1,149.99 at Amazon
$1,299 Save $149.01   Get Deal

Just shy of a month old, the new Apple MacBook Air officially has its biggest discount to date. Yes, it's now even cheaper than it was during Amazon's Big Spring Sale, which just wrapped up last week.

As of April 6, both the 13-inch and 15-inch M5 MacBook Airs are $149.01 off their list prices of $1,099 and $1,299, bringing the starting prices down to just $949.99 or $1,149.99. That's $100 cheaper than both models were during the Spring Sale. Not to mention, both base models are already technically $100 cheaper than their predecessors, making this an even better value. Both base models feature 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage.

TBH, the M5 MacBook Air isn't a whole lot different than the M4 Air, but that's not a bad thing. Both laptops are incredibly powerful and competitively priced. Besides the M5 chip being a step up from the M4, they now start with more base storage, are configurable with up to 4TB (up from 2TB), and feature Apple's N1 wireless chip for WiFi 7 and Bluetooth 6 support. Otherwise, the specs are largely comparable to the previous generation. The M5 Air still packs a 60Hz Liquid Retina display, 12MP Center Stage webcam, dual Thunderbolt 4 ports, and 18-hour battery life.

If you already own an M4 Air, there's not a huge incentive here to upgrade. But if you're rocking an older MacBook, I highly recommend grabbing the M5 model in either size while it's $149 cheaper. This deal turns an already solid value laptop into a spectacular one, shrinking the gap between the Air and Apple's budget Neo laptop to just $350.

PRIME MEMBERS SAVE 20¢ PER GALLON: Instead of the standard 10¢ per gallon discount, Prime members can take advantage of Fuel Up Friday to save 20¢ per gallon when pumping gas every Friday through May. Locations include bp, Amoco, and participating ampm and Thorntons locations.

Opens in a new window Credit: Prime / Earnify Prime members save 20¢ per gallon when fueling up on Fridays valid once every Friday through May 29 Get Deal

Fuel prices are up. How high will they go? No one knows, but Amazon is giving a bit of respite to Prime members who fill up the tank on Fridays until the end of May. Here's how to cash in on the savings.

Prime members are eligible to save 20¢ per gallon when refueling on every Friday through May 29. You'll need to swing by any bp, Amoco, or a participating ampm or Thorntons to get the savings. First, you'll need to link your Amazon Prime account in the Earnify app and enter your phone number. After that, you'll be able to use the app to save 20¢ per gallon once every Friday. If you need to refuel any other day of the week, you'll get 10¢ off per gallon as a Prime member.

A Prime membership comes with plenty of perks. Throughout the year, members get special access to sales, discounts, free books, two-day shipping, streaming privileges on Prime Video, and more. Added to the list is now saving save 20¢ per gallon when filling up the gas tank on Fridays until the end of May.

SEE ALSO: Amazon is reportedly moving its annual Prime Day sale this year

Keep in mind this is valid only for U.S. Prime members and you can only use the discount once every Friday, so you won't be able to fuel up vehicles for the entire family. Amazon mentions 7,500 gas stations are participating in this deal, so there should be one fairly nearby your home.

Since this deal is valid through May 29, you still have eight Fridays to refuel with while saving 20¢ per gallon. If you're already a Prime member, there's good reason to take advantage of this savings.

The Windows Registry is an effective way to make changes to Windows 11, especially in situations where Microsoft hasn't provided an official way to change a setting. Unfortunately, it also comes with some potential drawbacks.

Self-hosting a VPN wasn't something I ever expected I'd do—it just seemed unnecessary. However, after using it for a while, my WireGuard server has quickly become irreplaceable. Now, I can't imagine using my homelab without it.

Although I've listed hard drives, or HDDs, among the 7 types of storage media that are officially too old, that doesn't mean that I don't use them. In fact, one of my most important, most precious drives is an old HDD which I've had for a good few years now.

Linux has a weird way of pulling you deeper. One day you’re installing Ubuntu, and before you know it, you’re tweaking configs, switching distros, and living in the terminal. As such, if you’ve been using Linux for some time now, a natural question pops up—how far down the rabbit hole have you actually gone? Here are the seven levels of Linux users to help you see where you land.

You probably own at least one device that relies on infrared communication. Infrared is the key to making dumb devices smart for a fraction of the price it would cost for a new “smart” appliance. Thankfully, Home Assistant makes it easier than ever in the April 2026 release.

I used to treat Word's "Save as type" menu like a digital museum—a collection of dusty, legacy formats I'd never need to touch. However, it's actually a specialized toolkit that can shrink-wrap your layouts, protect your master templates from accidental overwrites, and turn a static page into an automated document engine.

I spend a lot of time bouncing between macOS for music production, Linux for reviving older PCs, and Windows, where I get most of my work done. It's my default environment, and over the years I've gotten pretty obsessive about smoothing out the rough edges. Not because Windows is unusable, but because it's full of little bits of friction that add up fast. Search feels inconsistent, window management is good but not great, and too many things still take more clicks than they should.

TL;DR: This lifetime subscription to the PDFToolKit Unlimited Plan handles all your PDF needs for life, and now it’s just $79 (reg. $619).

Opens in a new window Credit: YaseenAI, Inc. PDFToolKit - Unlimited Plan: Lifetime Subscription $79
$619 Save $540   Get Deal

Tired of PDFs slowing you down? If you’d like to make peace with this pesky file format for good, the AI-powered PDFToolkit is ready to help. This browser-based tool lets you edit, convert, and sign PDFs easily, while keeping your information secure.

Right now, you can snag a lifetime subscription to PDFToolkit’s Unlimited Plan for only $79 (reg. $619).

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Interacting with PDF files doesn’t have to be a slog. PDFToolkit handles all your PDF needs while running right in your browser, so you don’t even have to download anything. And since everything is processed locally, your files stay private and secure.

PDFToolkit simplifies the PDF process for good, with a full suite of AI-powered tools. Modify texts and images, merge and split files, add e-signatures, or convert them into another format. This tool lets you easily convert them into Word, PowerPoint, JPG, and PNG files, while keeping the original layout intact.

If you need to work with multiple files at once, it’s not a problem. Batch processing makes it speedy. PDFToolkit also offers password protection and a simple way to redact sensitive information on your documents, so you can rest easy when you’re working with important files.

Since this is a browser-based tool, you won’t have to worry about compatibility. You can access it from any modern web browser, anywhere. It was also designed for speed, saving you time, as most operations are completed in a matter of seconds.

Finally make peace with PDF files thanks to this lifetime subscription to the PDFToolkit Unlimited Plan, on sale now for just $79 (reg. $619).

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: From phones to laptops, this lifetime subscription to the AdGuard Family Plan blocks ads across your devices for $15.97 (reg. $169.99) through April 12.

Opens in a new window Credit: AdGuard AdGuard Family Plan: Lifetime Subscription $15.97
$169.99 Save $154.02   Get Deal

You shouldn’t have to be on defense when you’re browsing the web. Between pop-ups and video ads, spending time online is no longer a peaceful experience. That’s where AdGuard comes in, stopping ads in their tracks and allowing you to enjoy the internet as it was intended.

Right now, you can snag a lifetime subscription to the AdGuard Family Plan for just $15.97 (reg. $169.99) until April 12 at 11:59 p.m. PT.

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!

If you’re done dealing with ads on your smartphone, laptop, and tablet, AdGuard is ready to take care of them for you. This intuitive ad blocker offers three handy features — an advanced ad-blocking module, a privacy protection tool, and parental controls for the little ones in your life.

AdGuard kicks all types of ads — from banners and pop-ups to video ads — to the curb. It also keeps you safer online by hiding your data from hackers and blocking trackers. AdGuard can even stop malware, phishing websites, and cyberattacks in their tracks.

An AdGuard Family Plan lets you share the love, with the option to protect up to 9 devices. And it works on Android and iOS so you can keep all your phones, tablets, and laptops secure.

If you have kids in the house, parental control features are available to restrict access to inappropriate or adult content.

This lifetime subscription lets you pay once and enjoy AdGuard’s benefits forever, including future updates and new features.

Regularly $169.99, you can secure your lifetime subscription to AdGuard Family Plan for just $15.97 now through April 12.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Theater kids can get a bad wrap for being too much and generally annoying. But speaking as a theater kid, a lot of that energy comes from an urgent desire to be known — not just seen but truly known. 

Mark Duplass and Katie Aselton understand that yearning and channel that earnestness and openness into the teen drama Their Town. Pulling inspiration from Richard Linklater's Before trilogy, Duplass scripts a deceptively simple story about two high schoolers who connect one long night after play rehearsal. Aselton directs, weaving the story across a small Maine town, turning everyday locations into sacred spaces of sharing. And in the lead roles, this husband-and-wife team chose one established young actor, IT's Chosen Jacobs, and one newcomer, their daughter, Ora Duplass.

Together, they create a hangout movie that is patient, poignant, and powerful. 

Their Town captures the frail and frightening freedom of youth. 

Beginning at play rehearsal after school, Their Town swiftly establishes Abby (Duplass) and Matt (Jacobs) through their positions on stage. She is the lead, opposite her moody boyfriend Tyler (William Atticus Parker). But when he abruptly bails on the production, Abby looks to the wings for a possible substitute, and spots shy Matt (Jacobs). There's just one problem; Matt signed up to do stage crew, not go on stage. 

With some fussy encouragement from their drama teacher, Mr. Elliot (Jeffery Self, nailing the small town determination of such an artist), the pair decide to get to know each other after rehearsal to see how things shake out. The first stop is Abby's house, where her mom and boyfriend are flabbergasted to see her arrive with Matt. A harsh mother-daughter squabble follows, propelling Abby to pull Matt anywhere else. That ends up being Matt's big, empty house, where his dads (Daveed Diggs and Leonardo Nam) will check in on him via video call. 

It's an intense thing to see a classmate's home for the first time. Both Matt and Abby are faced with a situation they didn't expect, leading to some awkward conversations about preconceived notions but also humane laughs. From here, they will wander about their town from a beloved taco truck to a locked-up playground, reclaiming old haunts with fresh eyes. 

Mashable 101 Fan Fave: Nominate your favorite creators today

Watching them wander, eat, flirt, and fumble, I was riveted, in part because I could see a reflection of my own youth in their journey. After play rehearsal, hanging out with the theater kids was where I finally found community. There, my nights were rich with possibilities and the feeling of the infinite. I made friends there that decades later still know me and still shape me. Watching Their Town felt like time-traveling back to my own youth, my own hometown, sitting on a forgotten swing set in a dark night, where the only sound was our shared laughter.

Chosen Jacobs and Ora Duplass are magic together. 

Don't write off Ora Duplass as a nepo baby, lest you reveal yourself to be a fool. Though she only has a couple of shorts to her credit, it's easy to see why her parents entrusted her with the role of Abby. Ora has a natural presence on camera. Like her mother, she shines when she smiles, and she crackles when in conflict. But it's in scenes where Abby's pose of confidence falters that this ingenue reveals her depths. 

At 24, Jacobs has six years on 18-year-old Ora, and all of that (and more) working in movies and shows, including IT, Hawaii Five-O, Castle Rock, Darby and the Dead, and The Hunting Wives. Yet they prove perfect scene partners in Their Town. Their chemistry is natural and delicate. Abby and Matt don't pop onto screen as an inevitable coupling, but rather as two strangers with an undeniable connection. Her default mode is cheerful, a butterfly eager to please. He's more reserved, but not cold. For instance, when Abby chatters away in Spanish to the taco truck vendor, Jacobs' eyes reflect curiosity and nervousness, wondering what's being said and if it could be about him. 

As the night goes on, the bond between them grows through conversations about their lives, loves, and struggles. Duplass' script is too smart to fall into cliches. So even when discussing peer pressure to be perfect, anxiety, or suicidal ideation, there's an aching specificity and nuance to the dialogue. Through these two incredible young actors, it doesn't feel like a script, but like a real conversation, the kind shared across a dashboard on a starry night, or whispered across a phone line after bedtime. 

Aselton's cinematographer Sarah Whelden bolsters this sense of intimacy through a handheld camera that gently moves, reflecting the slow breath in and out of growing serenity — or, in other moments, panic. Deceptively simple framing gives her heroes space to breathe and test their boundaries. And in each moment, we are invited to be there with them. As the film finds its low point with some deeply high school theatrics, it'll wind back to resolution that embraces the magic of being a theater kid on a stage. Here's your chance to be seen. Will you take it? And moreover, will you give your partner that same gift? 

In the end, Their Town is a sublime hangout movie that brilliantly captures those nights that felt infinite, those conversations that broke our brains for the better, and those relationships that molded our souls. Aselton, who's previously helmed the racy sex romp The Freebie, the tense thriller Black Rock, and the zippy comedy Mack & Rita, completely changes gears here. Their Town is not mumblecore or a Linklater homage. It's a thoughtful teen drama that rejects the urge to talk down to young people, instead embracing their complexity and confusion. There's constant empathy for Abby and Matt, as the film follows them not doggedly, but in admiration for their bravery and growth in the face of so much possibility and fear. 

Their Town is a quietly brilliant coming-of-age drama you absolutely shouldn't miss. 

Their Town was reviewed out of the 2026 SXSW Film Festival. It does not currently have a release date.

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

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

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

How to play Pips

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

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for April 6, 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 April 6, 2026 Easy difficulty hints, answers for April 6 Pips

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

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

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

Number (5): Everything in this space must add up to 5. The answer is 3-0, placed horizontally; 2-6, placed vertically.

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

Medium difficulty hints, answers for April 6 Pips

Not Equal: Everything in this space must be different. The answer is 0-6, placed horizontally; 5-6, placed horizontally; 2-4, placed horizontally.

Equal (4): Everything in this space must be equal to 4. The answer is 2-4, placed horizontally; 4-0, placed vertically.

Equal (6): Everything in this space must be equal to 6. The answer is 0-6, placed horizontally; 5-6, placed horizontally; 6-6, placed vertically; 6-2, placed vertically.

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

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

Hard difficulty hints, answers for April 6 Pips

Number (7): Everything in this orange space must add up to 7. The answer is 6-6, placed horizontally; 1-4, placed vertically.

Number (11): Everything in this space must add up to 11. The answer is 5-6, placed vertically.

Less Than (6): Everything in this space must be less than 6. The answer is 0-3, placed horizontally.

Number (7): Everything in this red space must add up to 7. The answer is 1-4, placed vertically.

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

Equal (2): Everything in this space must be equal to 2. The answer is 3-2, placed horizontally; 2-5, placed horizontally.

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

Number (6): Everything in this light blue space must add up to 6. The answer is 1-0, placed vertically.

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

Equal (4): Everything in this space must be equal to 4. The answer is 4-4, placed vertically; 6-4, placed vertically; 4-0, placed horizontally.

Equal (0): Everything in this orange space must be equal to 0. The answer is 1-0, placed vertically; 4-0, placed horizontally.

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

Today's Connections: Sports Edition is for people who like college football on New Year's.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

• Yellow: Out in LA

• Green: CFP games

• Blue: Hoopers named Chris

• Purple: Low-seeded conference champs

Here are today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

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

• Yellow: A Los Angeles Athlete

• Green: College Football Bowl Games

• Blue: Basketball Chrises

• Purple: Men's NCAA Tournament 16-Seeds

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 #560 is...

What is the answer to Connections: Sports Edition today?

• A Los Angeles Athlete - CLIPPER, KING, RAM, SPARK

• College Football Bowl Games - FIESTA, ORANGE, ROSE, SUGAR

• Basketball Chrises - BOSH, MULLIN, PAUL, WEBBER

• Men's NCAA Tournament 16-Seeds - HOWARDS, LONG ISLAND, PRAIRIE VIEW A&M, SIENA

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

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

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

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

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

To hang on.

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

CLING

Hurdle Word 2 hint

To gain knowledge.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for April 6, 2026 Hurdle Word 2 Answer

LEARN

Mashable 101 Fan Fave: Nominate your favorite creators today

Hurdle Word 3 hint

An infection.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for April 6 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for April 6, 2026 Hurdle Word 3 answer

VIRUS

Hurdle Word 4 hint

To stir up.

Hurdle Word 4 answer

STOKE

Final Hurdle hint

A popular dressing.

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

RANCH

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

The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult if you're a theatre kid.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Mashable 101 Fan Fave: Nominate your favorite creators today

SEE ALSO: NYT Pips hints, answers for April 6, 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: It's party time!

• Green: Intrigue

• Blue: A popular kids' game

• Purple: Broadway classics

Here are today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Events with dancing

• Green: Interest

• Blue: Components of Whack-a-Mole

• Purple: Musical with last letter changed

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 #1030 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Events with dancing: BALL, HOEDOWN, HOP, RAVE

• Interest: CLAIM, CONCERN, SHARE, STAKE

• Components of Whack-a-Mole: HOLES, MALLET, MOLE, TIMER

• Musical with last letter changed: CAROUSER, EVITE, OLIVES, WICKET

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 April 6, 2026

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

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

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

Today's NYT Strands hints are easy if you never cross the line.

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 April 6, 2026 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Fringe group

The words are related to boundaries

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe being out the outskirts.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is horizontal.

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is Outer Limits.

Mashable 101 Fan Fave: Nominate your favorite creators today

NYT Strands word list for April 6

• Verge

• Boundary

• Margin

• Edge

• Brink

• Extremity

• Outer Limits

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

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

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