Technology

Today's NYT Strands hints are easy if you're lovey dovey.

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 March 9, 2026 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for March 9, 2026 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Cute enough to eat

The words are related to affection.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe pet names.

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 Endearments.

NYT Strands word list for March 9

• Pumpkin

• Bean

• Nugget

• Endearments

• Muffin

• Dumpling

• Peanut

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.

Today's Wordle answer should be easy to solve if you're always in a hurry.

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 March 9, 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 March 9, 2026 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

Quick.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

There are no recurring letters.

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

Today's Wordle starts with the letter H.

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...

HASTY

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 today's Wordle.

TL;DR: PDF Agile Premium is an all-in-one PDF editor for Windows and Mac that lets you edit, convert, annotate, and secure documents — and it’s currently $39.99 for a lifetime license.

Opens in a new window Credit: PDF Agile PDF Agile Premium: All-in-One Lifetime Subscription (Windows & Mac) $39.99
$119 Save $79.01   Get Deal

Handling PDFs often means juggling multiple tools for editing, converting, signing, and organizing files — but PDF Agile Premium brings all of those features together in one place, and it’s currently available for $39.99 (reg. $119) for a lifetime license.

It gives you one place to manage PDFs without jumping between multiple programs. You can edit text, rearrange pages, highlight sections, add comments, or insert images directly into a document. If you need to convert files, PDF Agile can transform PDFs into Word, Excel, PowerPoint, images, and other formats while preserving layout.

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It also includes OCR (optical character recognition), which lets you extract text from scanned documents or images so they become searchable and editable.

Security features are built in, too. You can password-protect files, redact sensitive information, and add electronic signatures to contracts or forms. And when files get too large, the software can compress, merge, or split PDFs in just a few clicks.

PDF Agile works on both Windows and macOS, so the same license can be used across platforms if you switch between devices.

If PDFs are part of your regular workflow — work, school, or freelance projects — having a single tool that handles editing, converting, and security in one place can make things noticeably easier.

Get a lifetime of PDF Agile Premium for just $39.99 (reg. $119).

StackSocial prices subject to change.

The best deals for watching the Oscars live without cable: BEST BUNDLE DEAL Hulu and Disney+ with ads $4.99/month for 3 months (save $8/month) Get Deal BEST long-term deal Hulu with ads annual subscription $119.99/year (save $23.89) Get Deal BEST FOR STUDENTS Hulu Student $1.99/month (save $10/month) Get Deal GET HULU FOR FREE Hulu with ads Free for T-Mobile customers (save $11.99/month) Get Deal BEST LIVE TV STREAMING DEAL YouTube TV Free 21-day trial, then $59.99/month for 2 months (save $46) Get Deal MOST AFFORDABLE LIVE TV STREAMING SERVICE Sling Select $19.99/month Get Deal

It's been another stellar year for cinema, and now it's time to award the films that shone brightest. The 98th Oscars are upon us. On March 15, the Academy will honor the best movies of 2025 on Hollywood's biggest night. Conan O’Brien is set to host the ceremony once again, and many of your favorite winners from years past will present the biggest awards of the night.

We're hoping some of our favorites receive the awards they deserve — One Battler After Another, Sinners, Hamnet, and more — but it's anyone's game. Want to see who takes home the titles of Best Actress, Best Director, Best Picture, and beyond? Here's all the details you need to know to watch the 2026 Academy Awards live with or without cable.

When are the 2026 Oscars?

The 98th Academy Awards will be held at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on Sunday, March 15, 2026, and will air live at 7 p.m. ET on ABC and Hulu, with the pre-show airing ahead of it at 6:30 p.m. ET.

Who are this year's Oscar nominees?

Sinners leads this year's Oscars with a record-breaking 16 nominations. Basically, every award it could be nominated for, it is. One Battle After Another follows close behind with 13, while Marty Supreme earned nine, and Hamnet nabbed seven nominations.

Each year there are just as many snubs as there are surprises, and 2026 is no different. For instance, we were a bit flabbergasted that Wicked: For Good came up totally empty with zero nominations. Our favorite sad boy Paul Mescal, newcomer Chase Infiniti, and Jesse Plemons were also ignored by the Academy.

See a full list of the 2026 Oscar nominations below in the FAQ section of this story.

How to watch the Oscars live without cable in 2026

For those with cable or over-the-air TV, you can tune your TV to your local ABC station or watch online via ABC.com or the ABC app by logging in through your pay TV service provider. No cable access? No worries; For the second year in a row, the awards will simultaneously stream on Hulu for subscribers.

You also have the option of signing up for a live TV cable replacement service to catch the Oscars live. These services essentially act just like cable, giving you live access to a well-rounded channel selection via your internet connection (rather than a cable connection). They're contract-free and often offer trials to test them out. That means you could very well watch the Oscars for free, then cancel before being charged. But we'll leave the details up to you. Here are the best options (and deals) to watch.

Hulu streaming deals

Hulu is one of the most generous (if not the most generous) streamers in that it offers new and eligible returning subscribers a free 30-day trial. That means you can easily sign up and watch the Oscars for free during that time period. If you don't qualify for the free trial, we've also rounded up a few ways to save some money on your subscription.

Limited-time bundle deal: Save $8/month on three months of Hulu and Disney+ Opens in a new window Credit: Hulu / Disney+ Hulu and Disney+ (with ads) $4.99/month for 3 months (save $8/month) Get Deal

Through March 24, new subscribers can get both Hulu and Disney+ with ads for only $4.99 per month for three months. Typically $12.99 per month for the bundle, you'll save $24 total on a three-month subscription. Only new and returning subscribers can score the deal; current Disney+, ESPN, Hulu, and bundle subscribers are not eligible.

Best Hulu deal for most people: Save 16% on a Hulu (with ads) annual subscription Opens in a new window Credit: Hulu Hulu with ads annual subscription $99.99 per year (save 16%) Get Deal

The best way to cut the cost of a Hulu subscription on any given day is to sign up for an annual plan with ads. You'll have to endure a few interruptions in your content and pay upfront, but it'll save you 16% or just shy of $24 over the course of a year. A yearly subscription costs $119.99 (or $9.99 broken down monthly), while an $11.99 monthly plan would add up to $143.88 in a year. If you want to cut ties with ads, the price jumps to $18.99 per month and there's no annual offer available at this time.

Best for students: Save $10/month with Hulu Student Opens in a new window Credit: Hulu Hulu Student $1.99 per month Get Deal

Students can sign up for Hulu for only $1.99 per month and stream the Oscars live. That's more than 80% off the usual cost of a Hulu with ads plan. The only requirement is that you can verify your college email address using SheerID.

Best for T-Mobile users: Hulu (with ads) included for select customers Opens in a new window Credit: Hulu Hulu with ads Free for T-Mobile customers on Experience Beyond plan (save $11.99/month) Get Deal

Aside from a 30-day free trial, the only other way to get Hulu for free in 2026 is by switching your phone plan to T-Mobile's Experience Beyond plan. Customers on this plan can enjoy Hulu with ads for free, as well as Netflix and Apple TV.

Already on the Experience Beyond plan? Download or open the T-Life app, select Manage > See plans > Manage add-ons, then scroll to the Hulu streaming benefit and click "Continue." Follow the prompts to link an existing account or create a new one.

Live TV streaming deals

If you prefer a cable alternative, which will give you access to your local ABC station as well as hundreds of other live channels, there are a few options we recommend. And many of them offer free trials and introductory pricing. Here are a couple options to choose from.

Best introductory offer: YouTube TV Opens in a new window Credit: YouTube TV YouTube TV 21-day free trial, then $59.99/mo for your first 2 months (save $46) Get Deal

YouTube TV's base plan includes over 100 live channels, including your local ABC network. You'll also get unlimited DVR space, three simultaneous streams, and up to six individual accounts with personalized recommendations. For a limited time, you can get a 21-day trial to test the waters, which means you can watch the Oscars for free. Then, your first two months will cost just $59.99 per month instead of the usual $82.99 per month.

Most affordable overall: Sling TV Select package (for select areas) Opens in a new window Credit: Sling Sling Select package (select areas only) $19.99/month Get Deal

Sling's a la carte setup and affordable pricing make it a huge competitor in the live TV streaming market. You can pick your package and channels depending on what you actually want to watch. You'll need access to ABC to watch the Oscars live, which is included in Sling's Select package for only $19.99 per month. Unfortunately, since ABC is a local network, it's only available in some local markets. Check to see if your local market includes ABC before you pull the trigger — Chicago, Fresno, Houston, Los Angeles, and more are included.

Honorable mention: FuboTV Opens in a new window Credit: Fubo Fubo free 5-day trial, $48.99 for your first month Get Deal

FuboTV offers five-day trials to newbies, giving you the ability to watch the Oscars on your local ABC station for free. You'll get access to over 200 other networks, as well as unlimited cloud DVR, and the ability to watch on up to 10 different screens. After your trial, the cost for your first month is $48.99 ($73.99 per month thereafter).

The Mini is a bite-sized version of The New York Times' revered daily crossword. While the crossword is a lengthier experience that requires both knowledge and patience to complete, The Mini is an entirely different vibe.

With only a handful of clues to answer, the daily puzzle doubles as a speed-running test for many who play it.

So, when a tricky clue disrupts a player's flow, it can be frustrating! If you find yourself stumped playing The Mini — much like with Wordle and Connections — we have you covered.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable SEE ALSO: How to play Pips, the newest NYT game

Here are the clues and answers to NYT's The Mini for Monday, March 9, 2026:

AcrossTalk ___ (boastfully banter)

• The answer is Smack.

What has legs, but never walks?

• The answer is Table.

French for "love"

• The answer is Amour.

What has a mouth, but never talks?

• The answer is River.

Run-down in appearance

• The answer is Seedy.

DownMilky Way bits

• The answer is Stars.

___ Eisenhower, 1950s first lady

• The answer is Mamie.

Overhead

• The answer is Above.

Given a crossword hint

• The answer is Clued.

Actress Washington of "Scandal"

• The answer is Kerry.

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

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

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

SAVE $500: As of March 9, the Ecovacs Deebot X9 Pro Omni is on sale for $799 at Amazon. That's a 39% discount on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Ecovacs Ecovacs Deebot X9 Pro Omni $799 at Amazon
$1,299.99 Save $500.99   Get Deal

Robot vacuum deals are always a win, especially when you find something on a model that mops as well as picks up dirt. And as of March 9, you can find exactly that at Amazon, with a $500 discount on the Ecovacs Deebot X9 Pro Omni. This vacuum does so much and requires so little from you. And with a discount this big, who could resist?

Normally $1,299, this EcoVacs robot vacuum is currently down to $799. It delivers powerful, hands-free cleaning, with BLAST technology that combines its strong 16,600Pa suction with an increased airflow to help pull dust, debris, and pet hair deep from carpets. It also benefits from a Triple Lift System that automatically raises the mop, side brush, and main brush to handle hard floors, rugs, and carpets without dragging or soaking surfaces.

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When we said maintenance was minimal, we meant it. The OZMO Roller continuously self-washes while mopping to keep the pad clean during use and the OMNI Station takes care of maintenance by washing and drying the mop, refilling water, and emptying dust. You'll get up to 150 days of hands-free cleaning before you need to empty it manually.

With the AIVI 3D 3.0 and LiDAR navigation, the robot can recognize obstacles and map rooms accurately. You don't need to lift a finger.

Get this robot vacuum deal online at Amazon now.

SAVE OVER $50: As of March 9, the Sony 55-inch Bravia 3 TV is on sale for $648 at Amazon. That's a 7% discount on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Sony Sony 55-inch Bravia 3 TV $648 at Amazon
$699.99 Save $51.99   Get Deal

Thinking about upgrading your TV for movie and sports nights? Amazon currently has a deal on the Sony Bravia 3, with the 55-inch model discounted by $51.99, bringing it down to $648. This offer also extends to the larger 65-inch, 75-inch, and 85-inch versions, which are all currently reduced as part of Amazon's sale.

With this TV, you'll get Google TV and Google Assistant built in, so you'll have easy access to all of your favorite streaming apps as well as personalized recommendations based on what you like to watch.

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For viewing quality, the screen supports 4K HDR, Dolby Vision, and Dolby Atmos for a more cinematic feel, while Triluminos Pro technology displays over a billion colors for vibrant and lifelike visuals. It also features an advanced upscaling feature that restores lost detail and enhances lower-resolution content to near-4K quality.

This TV has been designed with gamers in mind. It includes features that optimize picture settings for PS5 gaming, giving you smooth visuals and responsive performance.

You can find this Sony TV deal online at Amazon now.

Once you’ve made an account and explored what AdultFriendFinder has to offer, you’ll discover constant prompts to upgrade your account to a “Premium Gold Plan.” Before you reach for your credit card, it’s a good idea to consider the benefits of a paid membership. 

If you’re on a tight budget, you can absolutely still have fun using AdultFriendFinder's free version, but the site does throw up some annoying barriers and limitations for free users. And an awful lot of content and quality-of-life stuff is waiting for you once you upgrade. 

SEE ALSO: The best hookup apps for 2026: I swiped until my thumb hurt

Thankfully, the site doesn’t make commitment difficult. You can test the waters with a one-month membership that will set you back $25.16, or you can commit to three months at a price of $20.95 per month. If the trial run goes well, you might opt to commit for the long term with a one-year membership at a monthly fee of just $14.95. Note, however, that you do have to manually cancel your Gold account after each membership period ends, as it does automatically renew your subscription by default. 

Intrigued but still need more information before you’re willing to commit? Here are three perks exclusive to paid users that help justify the monthly cost:

Opens in a new window Credit: AdultFriendFinder AdultFriendFinder   Learn More Discover vastly expanded chatting options

If you’re relying on a free membership, you’ll quickly discover that chatting options are limited. You can search for individual members based on some limited criteria (Man/Woman/Trans or Couple/Group, for example), and you can apply some extremely limited filters (Online or Near Me), but if you try to click through the profile photo and learn more about whoever has caught your eye, you’ll be immediately taken to the account upgrade prompt.

Standard members can really only interact with others in the forums and group chat spaces, which can be fun but simultaneously also limiting, since there’s no guarantee the people you’re chatting with live anywhere near you. And while standard members can receive messages from premium users, they’ll need to upgrade to actually respond. 

Gold members, on the other hand, can send and respond to private messages, enter webcam shows and speak to the host for free, add people to a Friends list to make recurring contact easier, and even unlock access to the site’s built-in instant messenger for real-time conversations. 

Unlock AdultFriendFinder’s even naughtier side

One quick visit to the homepage, where nudity filters are turned off by default, will reveal that AdultFriendFinder doesn’t shy away from sexual content, but free members are missing out on a lot more than they realize. With a premium membership, for example, you gain access to higher quality photos, videos, and streams, so those tiny thumbnails and grainy webcam feeds that look like they’re being streamed from the ‘90s suddenly come to life in stunning HD. 

Moreover, Gold members can both view and comment on nude photos and videos on profiles that the uploader has restricted to paying members, and while standard members are allowed to watch member webcams, they may only watch one at a time, while Gold members can open multiple streams at once. 

Finally, Gold members can access AdultFriendFinder’s Sex Academy, a massive resource for anyone wanting to learn more about sex and sexual health, discover new techniques, and become a more skilled lover. Topics range from basics like how to correctly put on a condom to advanced oral sex techniques, all of which are covered in a way that's easy to follow. 

Refine your search for the perfect match

Given that free members can’t really interact with their searches anyway, it’s still frustrating to discover how limited the basic search function is, especially when users voluntarily provide so much information about themselves. Paid members get a far better experience, unlocking a refined search that includes not only the basics like gender, sexual orientation, and an age and distance range (Straight, Bisexual, Bicurious, Gay, and Prefer Not To Say are all options), but also marital status, ethnicity, and body type (Average, Slim/Petite, Athletic, Ample, A Little Extra Padding, and BBW/BBM are the options here).

Paid members can get even more specific thanks to the site’s My Kinks section. Fill this out to let people know what you're into, helping to attract like-minded people while also enabling you to search through users who share your kinks. The list is fairly exhaustive and very kink-friendly.

Paid members can also build up a friends list, helping you to keep track of your favorite people and chat partners and more easily return to a sultry conversation or keep up with a streamer’s schedule. 

If you’re after a naughtier online dating experience, something that foregrounds the kinky fun and taboo chats that other sites hide behind innuendo, AdultFriendFinder’s paid membership experience is very much worth exploring. 

One anxiety when you’re signing up for a dating site, especially one of the more spicy ones like AdultFriendFinder, is the paper trail or, in this day and age, the digital paper trail.

Maybe you’re married or in a relationship, or maybe you and your ex still haven’t separated your financial lives, or maybe you just don’t like the idea of your bank teller or financial advisor knowing about your online activities — whatever the reason, it’s perfectly natural to worry about what your dating app subscription will look like on your bank statement, especially if that subscription service contains the word “adult.”

Opens in a new window Credit: AdultFriendFinder AdultFriendFinder   Learn More

Thankfully, AdultFriendFinder has already anticipated this concern. If you do decide to upgrade from a free membership to a paid one, whether you opt for their Gold or VIP subscription, your monthly billing statement will only show up as FFNHelp.com*FRIENDF, a relatively cryptic and innocuous line that won’t arouse undue suspicion or judgment. Do be aware, though, that AdultFriendFinder subscriptions default to “auto renew,” so if you purchase a membership and want to cancel, you’ll have to actively disable the auto-renew function. Otherwise you risk having the mysterious FFNHelp.com*FRIENDF statement showing up once again.

But what if even that isn’t good enough for you?

If you’re especially cautious — or especially paranoid — you can bypass the bank statements entirely by paying with a gift card or a cash, check, or money order (available only to users in the U.S.). You can even use an e-wallet option like AirTM. Residents of the UK can opt to pay by SMS.

SEE ALSO: The best sexting apps for discreet and NSFW chats

If avoiding a digital paper trail is your top priority and privacy is paramount, you’re much better off using these payment options and never handing over your credit card details to begin with.

TL;DR: Live stream the NHL for free on 9Now or Prime Video. Access these free live streams from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

There is no other sport that combines skill, grace, elegance, and people punching each other quite like ice hockey.

We love the merging of elements, and so do millions of fans from all around the world. The issue for these legions of dedicated hockey fanatics is that it's not easy to follow the sport for free. But nothing is impossible in this golden age of streaming.

If you want to watch the NHL for free from anywhere in the world, we've got all the information you need.

What is the NHL?

The National Hockey League (NHL) is a professional ice hockey league in North America made up of 32 teams (25 in the United States and seven in Canada).

When is the NHL?

The NHL season is typically held from October to April, with each team playing 82 games. After the regular season, 16 teams advance to the Stanley Cup playoffs, a four-round tournament that runs into June to determine the league champion.

How to watch the NHL for free

Select fixtures from the NHL are available to live stream for free on these platforms:

• Australia — 9Now (21 regular-season games)

• Canada — Prime Video (Monday Night Hockey with 30-day trial)

These free streams are geo-restricted, but anyone can bypass these restrictions with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to secure servers in Australia and Canada, meaning you can access these streaming services from anywhere in the world.

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Live stream the NHL 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 Australia or Canada

4. Visit 9Now or Prime Video

5. Live stream the NHL 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 most do offer free-trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch the NHL without actually spending anything. This clearly isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream select NHL fixtures 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 service for streaming sport is on sale for a limited time.

What is the best VPN for 9Now?

ExpressVPN is the best service for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including Australia and Canada

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

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

• Fast connection speeds

• Up to 10 simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan also 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 the NHL for free with ExpressVPN.

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

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

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

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

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

To monitor.

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

WATCH

Hurdle Word 2 hint

Shabby.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for March 9, 2026 Hurdle Word 2 Answer

MANGLY

Hurdle Word 3 hint

The last.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for March 9 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for March 9, 2026 Hurdle Word 3 answer

FINAL

Hurdle Word 4 hint

To declare.

Hurdle Word 4 answer

CLAIM

Final Hurdle hint

Not old.

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

YOUNG

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

Can you see anything on the Moon's surface when you look up tonight? There's lots to spot, so keep reading to see exactly what you're looking at.

What is today’s Moon phase?

As of Monday, March 9, the Moon phase is Waning Gibbous. According to NASA's Daily Moon Guide, 61% of the Moon will be lit up tonight.

This guide from NASA helps us to understand what we're looking at. For example, with no visual aids its very possible that you'll be able to see the Mare Imbrium, the Mare Vaporum, and the Tycho Crater. If you have binoculars, you'll be able to see even more, including the Gassendi, Archimedes Crater, and Clavius Crater. If you have a telescope, you'll see so much more, including the Apollo 12 landing spot, Rima Ariadaeus, and the Caucasus Mountains.

When is the next Full Moon?

In North America, the next Full Moon is predicted to take place on April 1.

What are Moon phases?

NASA says the Moon takes about 29.5 days to circle Earth, while it moves through a set of eight phases. Even though we always see the same side of the Moon, the portion lit by the Sun changes as it travels, which is why it can look full, half-lit, or barely visible at different points in the cycle. These changing views are what we call the lunar phases, and there are eight in total:

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.

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 March 9, 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 March 9, 2026 Easy difficulty hints, answers for March 9 Pips

Number (7): Everything in this space must add up to 7. The answer is 5-3, placed vertically; 2-0, placed vertically.

Equal (3): Everything in this space must be equal to 3. The answer is 4-3, placed vertically; 5-3, placed vertically; 3-0, placed horizontally.

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

Greater Than (4): Everything in this space must be greater than 4. The answer is 6-1, placed vertically.

Medium difficulty hints, answers for March 9 Pips

Greater Than (4): Everything in this space must be greater than 4. The answer is 5-1, placed horizontally.

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

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

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

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

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

Hard difficulty hints, answers for March 9 Pips

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

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

Equal (1): Everything in this purple space must be equal to 1. The answer is 4-1, placed vertically; 0-1, placed vertically; 1-1, placed vertically; 1-3, placed horizontally.

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

Equal (3): Everything in this dark blue space must be equal to 3. The answer is 0-3, horizontally; 1-3, placed horizontally; 3-3, placed vertically; 3-4, placed horizontally; 3-5, placed horizontally; 2-3, placed horizontally.

Number (18): Everything in this space must add up to 18. The answer is 0-6, placed vertically; 6-6, placed horizontally.

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

Number (6): Everything in this space must add up to 6. The answer is 66-5, placed vertically.

Equal (4): Everything in this space must be equal to 4. The answer is 4-4, placed vertically; 5-4, 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 easy for people who watch women's sports.

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.

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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: 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: Centennial State teams

• Green: Midwest football cities

• Blue: Racecars

• Purple: Colorado coach

Here are today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

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

• Yellow: A Colorado Athlete

• Green: NFC North Cities

• Blue: Types of Racing

• Purple: Coach___

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 #532 is...

What is the answer to Connections: Sports Edition today?

• A Colorado Athlete - BRONCO, BUFFALO, NUGGET, ROCKIE

• NFC North Cities - CHICAGO, DETROIT, GREEN BAY, MINNEAPOLIS

• Types of Racing - BMX, DRAG, HORSE, STOCK CAR

• Coach___ - CARTER, K, PRIME, SPEAK

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.

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You can get lifetime access to all 14 languages for just $159 (reg. $646.20) when you use StackSocial’s code LEARN. And yes — lifetime means you can brush up before every trip from now until forever.

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Back for Season 2, Dreaming Whilst Black is a sharp, must-watch satire about the entertainment industry, and the barriers blocking Black artists in TV and film.

Co-created by, co-written by and starring Jamaican-British filmmaker Adjani Salmon, the show's timeliness cannot be understated. As Robert Daniels writes in his Season 1 review for Mashable, "While Black directors like Jordan Peele, Ava DuVernay, Ryan Coogler, Barry Jenkins, and Steve McQueen are respected, award-winning auteurs, the film industry hasn’t become that much easier for young Black directors. Black creatives are largely still shut out of filmmaking because of institutional racism, economic hardship, or by simply not knowing the right people."

SEE ALSO: The cast of 'American Fiction' on the importance of telling diverse stories in Hollywood

Dreaming Whilst Black Season 1 focused on Salmon's protagonist, aspiring filmmaker Kwabena Robinson, as he tried to get a foot in the industry door and make Jamaica Road (a film inspired by his grandparents of the Windrush generation) without "selling out." Season 2 looks at the immense pressure he's under once he's in the door.

"I feel like Season 2 for us, especially seeing the landscape and especially being a show that's about the industry, it just felt right to reflect the times and reflect our peers," Salmon tells Mashable.

"It felt like a fun challenge to tackle the present in terms of when you get these big opportunities, or when Black or brown creatives get these opportunities, is it as good as it's made out to be? Or when something's given with a good intention, does that mean that it always turns out, which you've seen play out more recently — intention versus impact. So we just thought it would be best to tackle that in a comedy. How else?"

"...being a show that's about the industry, it just felt right to reflect the times and reflect our peers."

This season, Kwabena takes on his first TV job, Sin and Subterfuge, which is a "genre-busting Regency drama" with colorblind casting, which may or may not be related to a show that actually exists. And through Kwabena's highly stressful experience with casting, rewrites, shoots, and micromanagement from the top, the show raises interesting questions around historical context, limited resources, on-set politics, and the realities of colorblind casting itself.

"It felt like the easiest thing to call out, to visualise what we're talking about," Salmon says. "Because I know which show you referring to, but actually, there are quite a few shows that have done this, where they've done colorblind casting. I think especially with conversations with our casting director, is that idea that maybe we should move towards color-conscious casting, which is something that we do, where not everybody who we write do we write them the same race that we cast. For example, Alexandros in Season 2, initially he was written British, but a Greek actor came in and he was great, but then we had to rewrite. So, I guess the consciousness in the casting was rewriting the script to acknowledge the actor that we have."

In Season 2's first episode, we get a glimpse into the industry's weak attempts at inclusive storytelling with a string of fictional TV shows that Kwabena turns down, including Mandem in Outer Space and Grime and Punishment. And according to Salmon, the list of potential fictional TV shows the writers came up with was long (and not so fictional).

"Oh, man, we had loads. I will say, because we like to joke that Dreaming Whilst Black's a documentary, and we don't make up race-related jokes, I will say a lot of the shows that we came up with are shows that we either know about, or that had existed, or had been pitched," says Salmon. "We may have reworded stuff — you know, copyright infringement — but it just represented, again, this idea of intention versus impact, when it's like, 'Oh, we need more diverse content. Great. What do we do?' and you just start throwing ideas out there. What you see is probably not the craziest of ideas that we came up with, but the ones that were safest to play out."

You can watch Salmon's interview with Mashable above.

Dreaming Whilst Black is now streaming on Paramount+ in the U.S. and BBC iPlayer in the UK.

March marks an interesting month at the movies. Hollywood is still waiting for the Academy to award Best Picture at the 2026 Oscars. In terms of major releases, the biggest movie hitting theaters is Project Hail Mary, the Ryan Gosling space adventure based on Andy Weir's popular novel. Other than that, March is a fairly quiet month for new movies.

Two of the most feared Titans in the universe—Godzilla and Kong—have returned to Apple TV. After a two-year break, Monarch: Legacy of Monsters is now streaming on Apple TV. The show has aired two episodes since its February 27 premiere. Despite the hiatus, Apple's Monsterverseshowhas immediately become a streaming success.

The smartphone is now the universal computing device, but there have been a few attempts to replace it, from smartwatches to AR glasses. However, they all come up against the same problem: the smartphone as a form factor is just too good, and it probably won’t be replaced anytime soon.

Even though Apple TV kind of marches to the beat of its own drummer when it comes to how much new content it adds and when (*quickly looks at watch), if you put your mind to it, you can still find some upper-crust TV show titles to watch—or rewatch, as the service does have some of the best shows in the world.