Technology

If you want to run old MS-DOS programs on a modern system, the two best ways to do so are FreeDOS and DOSBox. Which is the better pick, though, and does it matter what you’ll use it for?

The Echo Hub is Amazon's first dedicated smart home control panel. It's a product intended to make it easier to control and monitor your smart home from a single location. However, having used the device in my home, it now only gets used for one job which is far from its intended purpose.

Elon Musk wants federal workers to tell him what they've been doing recently via email or risk losing their jobs, and his request has resulted in some inevitable trolling. In the Late Show video above, Stephen Colbert gets gleefully in on the action.

"Now obviously the only proper email response to that is: 'What did I do last week? 1. Your mom. 2. Your mom. 3. Your mom. 4. Your mom. and 5. Your mom.'" says Colbert. "But please don't do that, because you know Elon Musk is going to use AI to screen these responses, so you'll want to include keywords like '1. Your mom synergistically, 2. Your mom effectively, 3. Your mom productively, 4. Your mom efficiently, and 5. Your mom, teamwork.'"

Other people, meanwhile, have been coming up with more creative responses.

Apple's new iPhone 16e is more similar to the recent iPhones than the iPhone SE 3. At $599, the iPhone 16e competes directly with the $699 iPhone 15 (often available at a discount). So, how do the iPhones compare? Let's find out.

Australia vs. South Africa has been abandoned due to rain.

TL;DR: Live stream Australia vs. South Africa in the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The 2025 ICC Champions Trophy has been absolutely electric so far, with India and New Zealand making a big impression in Group A. The other group is still taking shape, but Australia and South Africa both made strong starts with victories over England and Afghanistan respectively.

Now Australia and South Africa face each other in a huge matchup. If you want to watch Australia vs. South Africa in the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Australia vs. South Africa?

Australia vs. South Africa in the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy was scheduled to start at 4 a.m. ET on Feb. 25. The match has been abandoned due to rain.

This ODI takes place at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.

How to watch Australia vs. South Africa for free

The following platforms are offering coverage of the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy:

• Australia — Prime Video (free with 30-day trial)

• India — Disney+ Hotstar

• New Zealand — Sky TV NZ

• Pakistan — Tamasha (free) and PTV (free)

• UK — Sky Sports

• USA — Willow and Sling TV

The 2025 ICC Champions Trophy is available to live stream for free in Pakistan. The free streaming platforms are geo-restricted to Pakistan, but anyone can access these free live streams with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Pakistan, meaning you can unblock free live streams of the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy from anywhere in the world.

Live stream the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy 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 Pakistan

4. Visit Tamasha or PTV

5. Live stream Australia vs. South Africa for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Year Subscription + 3 Months Free) $99.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but leading VPNs do tend to offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can access free live streams of the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy without actually spending anything. This obviously isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream Australia vs. South Africa (plus every other 2025 ICC Champions Trophy game) before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for live sport?

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

• Servers in 105 countries including Pakistan

• 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 eight 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 includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee.

Live stream Australia vs. South Africa in the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy for free with ExpressVPN.

SAVE OVER $20: As of Feb. 25, the Soundcore V20i open-ear headphones are on sale for $28.49 at Amazon. That's 43% off their list price of $49.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Soundcore Soundcore V20i by Anker Open-Ear Headphones $28.49 at Amazon
$49.99 Save $21.50 Get Deal

When looking for new headphones and earbuds, sometimes you just want a reliable pair to get you through the day that won't make a massive dent in your wallet to purchase. If that's what you're currently after, Amazon's offering a nice deal on the Soundcore V20i open-ear headphones that's worth checking out.

These headphones are down to $28.49 at the moment, 43% off their list price of $49.99. It's also their lowest-ever price, according to price tracker camelcamelcamel, which makes the deal even more worth it to jump on. While the black headphones are down to $28.49, you can also score the blue and white pair for a touch more at $29.99 a piece, if they catch your eye. They're marked as a limited-time deal, though, so act fast to get them at this price.

SEE ALSO: For gym rats and picky audiophiles alike, these are the 7 best headphones of 2025

Whether you want them for workouts or just hanging out, the Soundcore V20i open-ear headphones offer a comfortable fit that hooks around your ear instead of going in it. Their design allows you to be more aware of the world around you while you're wearing them, too, while still offering punchy sound with Soundcore's BassUp technology.

If you're in need of some new headphones, this deal on the Soundcore V20i open-ear headphones at Amazon is one you definitely don't want to miss.

If you're looking for even more headphone and earbud deals and don't mind spending a little extra cash, Best Buy's offering a $50 discount on the AirPods Max (USB-C) right now. You can also save on the Sennheiser Accentum earbuds there.

I'm sure you'd agree that spending some time away can help you gain perspective. After leaving my Windows 11 desktop mostly unused for a while, returning to it and starting fresh with a factory reset made me appreciate it for what it is (and isn't).

To celebrate Pokémon Day, The Pokémon Company has made its charming stop-motion animation, Pokémon Concierge, available to stream for free on YouTube.

SAVE $100: As of Feb. 25, the Sennheiser Accentum True Wireless earbuds are on sale at Best Buy for $99.99. This is 50% off their list price of $199.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Sennheiser Sennheiser Accentum True Wireless Earbuds $99.99 at Best Buy
$199.99 Save $100.00 Get Deal

If you've had new earbuds on the brain, there are plenty of great deals floating around at the moment. Over at Best Buy, you can score some nice discounts on a variety of earbuds right now, including from big brands like Sennheiser. The Sennheiser Accentum True Wireless earbuds, in particular, are on sale at an excellent price that's worth jumping on.

The Sennheiser Accentum True Wireless earbuds are discounted to $99.99 at Best Buy, $100 off their list price of $199.99. Not to mention, purchasing these earbuds also comes with YouTube Premium for free for three months if you're a new subscriber, so you can kickstart your audio journey with these buds by listening to some music and videos right away on the service.

SEE ALSO: The best noise-cancelling earbuds include the most comfortable buds I've ever tested

Alongside that fun bonus offer of YouTube Premium, these earbuds provide excellent sound quality (as one would expect from Sennheiser) with TrueResponse acoustic technology. They also offer Hybrid Active Noise Cancelation so you can feel fully immersed in what you're listening to, no matter where you are. All of this is on top of the fact that these earbuds have a comfortable design and offer up to eight hours of playtime.

Don't miss out on $100 off the Sennheiser Accentum True Wireless earbuds at Best Buy.

If you're curious to see even more earbud and headphone deals, there are a couple more that are worth looking at right now. Also at Best Buy are the Apple AirPods Max (USB-C), which are discounted $50, and if you want to see more from Sennheiser you can also save on the Sennheiser HD 599 headphones at the moment at Amazon.

Fujifilm upgraded its past Evo with the Instax WIDE Evo's wide-angle photography. While it lacks pro-level photo quality, its other features–including plenty of customization options, a retro-style design, and smartphone photo printing–made me fall in love with taking photos again.

Jon Stewart gets so animated while monologuing about Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) cuts that he actually smashes his prop mug on his desk.

The Daily Show host is near the end breaking down everything DOGE has been doing so far. He argues they're focusing on things like cuts to research studies when they could be looking at the "$3 billion we give to oil and gas companies that already turned billions in profit" or the "$2 trillion we've given defence contractors to build a fighter jet that blows, when everybody knows that the next war is gonna be fought with drones and blockchain, whatever that is."

"Capitalism is by definition exploitative. That's how it operates. That's fine. But then government's role should be to ease the negative effects on Americans of that exploitation. Not subsidise that treachery with our money," says Stewart. "I want DOGE to work. I want better efficiencies, I want to get rid of the alphabet agencies that don't do enough, make the Pentagon pass an audit, but we are DOGE'ing in the wrong place if we want to really change the system."

The case is this: An Australian driver is accused of using a mobile phone while driving, a violation of Road Rules 2014 (NSW) Reg 300. Their defence: It was not a phone in their hand, but a misidentified juice box. Acting for them is Jeanette Merjane, a senior associate at law firm Lander & Rogers.

Also acting for them is an AI trained on legal documents.

In a bright lecture hall at the University of Technology, Sydney, SXSW Sydney session "Can AI Win a Court Case?" compares a human lawyer to NexLaw's Legal AI Trial Copilot by having both argue the same case. While Merjane has prepared her arguments the traditional way, Copilot (not to be confused with Microsoft's generative AI chatbot) will be prompted to generate a defence live, which is to be read by a volunteer as though they are representing themselves in court.

SEE ALSO: 5 vital questions to ask yourself before using AI at work

From a show of hands before the showdown, around two thirds of the audience believe Marjane will make a more convincing argument. Still, there are a few that think the legal AI tool might surprise us.

AI is already changing the practice of law Credit: J. Hazelwood / Mashable Composite; gorodenkoff, iStock / Getty

On the face of it, the legal profession seems like an area where widespread adoption of AI should be enthusiastically embraced. 

Legal work is infamous for involving long hours, extensive research, and complicated jargon. Having an AI algorithm automate some of this arduous work would theoretically lower costs and make the legal system more accessible, as well as save lawyers a lot of pain. What's more, legal arguments typically make extensive references to legislation and past cases, all of which could be used to train an AI algorithm.

As such, legal AI may appear to be a promising field. In fact, AI technology is already changing the practice of law across the globe. In November 2023, AI company Luminance automated a contract negotiation "without human intervention" in a demonstration of its legal large language model Autopilot. One month later, a Brazilian lawmaker revealed he had used OpenAI's ChatGPT to write tax legislation which had since passed. Massachusetts State Sen. Barry Finegold even used ChatGPT to help write a bill regulating generative AI, while the American Bar Association has noted that AI can be useful for predicting outcomes and informing legal strategy.

Featured Video For You 4 ways AI can boost your productivity at work

Even so, such application of AI is not without issues. Perhaps one of the most high-profile instances of AI meeting law is DoNotPay, a U.S. company which offers online legal services and chatbots, and has claimed to be "the world's first robot lawyer." In 2023, DoNotPay announced plans to use its AI to argue a speeding case, having the chatbot listen to the proceedings via a smartphone and instruct the defendant through an earpiece. The stunt was cancelled after state bar prosecutors warned that CEO Joshua Browder could potentially be charged with unauthorised practice of law were it to go ahead. 

Despite the experiment's cancellation, DoNotPay still found itself in hot water amidst the Federal Trade Commission's (FTC) crackdown on AI technology last September. Though, according to the FTC, DoNotPay allegedly claimed it would "replace the $200-billion-dollar legal industry with artificial intelligence," the FTC found that its services failed to deliver what they promised, and its outputs could not be substituted for the work of a human lawyer.

"[I]f a client were to interact directly with a generative AI tool that 'gave legal advice,' then the legal entity behind that tool would be purporting to give legal advice," Brenda Tronson told Mashable, speaking generally on the issue of AI and the law. A senior lecturer in Law and Justice at the University of New South Wales as well as a barrister at Level 22 Chambers, Sydney, Tronson specialises in legal ethics and public law.

"If that legal entity was not qualified to give advice, then, in my view, they would be engaging in unqualified legal practice and would be liable for that conduct."

Generative AI chatbots are trying to answer legal questions

LawConnect CEO Christian Beck hadn't heard of DoNotPay when Mashable spoke to him in October. Even so, he didn't seem to be concerned that the company's legal AI chatbot for laypeople would run into the same issues.

"Obviously there's laws that stop non-lawyers claiming to be lawyers giving legal advice," Beck told Mashable. "But if you look at something like ChatGPT, it's answering all the legal questions, right? And they're not bound by that. So what we're doing is we're combining the AI answers with verifications from lawyers that are qualified."

Unveiled last October, LawConnect's AI chatbot aims to answer users' legal questions. Though the AI will provide immediate responses, users can choose to send their inquiries to real human lawyers for verification and potential further action. The chatbot uses OpenAI's API and is trained on publicly available information from the internet, however Beck stressed that lawyers' verified answers are fed back into the AI to make it more likely to provide correct responses to similar questions in the future.

"Just describe your legal issue, and you'll receive a personalised report created by AI with the option to have it reviewed and verified," states LawConnect's website.

SEE ALSO: How to prepare to thrive professionally in an AI-integrated workforce

Beck did note that as LawConnect is being made available globally across all areas of law, using OpenAI's AI models for translation when necessary, though the company is "working through all of the issues" surrounding this. Still, he wasn't daunted by this massive and complicated undertaking.

"We're certainly not out there telling [people] we're lawyers when we're not," said Beck. "We are telling them that these are AI answers like they could get from another AI source, but what we are saying is that we're verifying them with lawyers, and we always use qualified lawyers to verify the questions."

A disclaimer at the bottom of LawConnect's website states that its content "is for informational purposes only and should not be relied upon as a substitute for legal advice." Even so, the tool is a glimpse at what an AI-assisted legal system could look like as companies continue to explore the area.

Hallucinating AI lawyers Credit: J. Hazelwood / Mashable Composite; gorodenkoff, iStock / Getty

While AI chatbots' instant answers appear to offer convenience, problems such as hallucinations currently limit such tools' usefulness in making the legal system more accessible. A hallucination is false AI-generated content which the algorithm presents as true — a common issue considering that these tools do not actually understand what they generate.

"If a person who is seeking legal assistance uses those tools and does not assess or verify the output, then they might end up in a worse position than if they did not use those tools," Tronson told Mashable.

Yet even seasoned lawyers who should perform such verification have fallen victim to false AI-generated information. There have already been multiple well-publicised cases where lawyers have inappropriately applied generative AI after failing to understand the technology.

In June 2023, two attorneys were handed $5,000 fines after filing submissions which cited non-existent legal cases. The lawyers admitted to using ChatGPT to do their research, relying on sources that had been completely invented by the AI tool. Judge P. Kevin Castel criticised the pair for continuing to stand by the fabricated cases even after their veracity had been called into question, accusing the lawyers of acting in bad faith.

"[W]e made a good faith mistake in failing to believe that a piece of technology could be making up cases out of whole cloth," their law firm Levidow, Levidow & Oberman said in a statement refuting Castel's characterisation at the time.

Such statements demonstrate a clear misunderstanding of the nature of generative AI, a tool which is specifically designed to create content and is incapable of effectively fact-checking itself.

While AI chatbots' instant answers appear to offer convenience, problems such as hallucinations currently limit such tools' usefulness...

Despite examples such as this, lawyers continue to over rely on AI to their own detriment. Later in 2023, another lawyer was reportedly citing fake cases which his client, disbarred former Trump attorney Michael Cohen, had generated using Google Bard. This February, U.S. law firm Morgan & Morgan cautioned its employees against blindly trusting AI after one of its lead attorneys also appeared to cite cases invented by ChatGPT.

"Some legal practitioners are very knowledgeable and are using [AI tools] well, while others still have very limited understanding or awareness of the tools, with most falling somewhere in between," Tronson told Mashable. 

While Tronson had not tried out LawConnect or NexLaw's Copilot herself, she did note that such specialised AI systems may already be of more use than tools like ChatGPT.

"The publishers' tools that I have seen demonstrated are trained on a more confined set of information and they do provide sources and links," Tronson told Mashable. "Any tool where those two features apply is generally more useful than ChatGPT, as this limits hallucinations and makes it easier to verify the information. At that point, the tool effectively becomes a search engine which provides text about the results (where that text might not be correct) rather than just a list of results."

This limited benefit calls into question the usefulness of legal AI tools, especially considering the technology's prohibitive environmental cost as well as the potentially dire consequences for erring in law. However, Tronson did acknowledge that such tools may eventually improve to a point where they offer more utility.

"It is possible that we will see an improvement in the tools, or in the reliability or quality of output from the current tools," said Tronson. "If that occurs, and subject to the questions of liability…, then they might contribute to better accessibility. Similarly, if generative AI tools are developed to assist organisations such as Legal Aid and community legal centres, it is possible that those organisations can help a larger number of people, which would also assist with accessibility."

AI as a tool for legal professionals

SXSW Sydney's battle between NexLaw's Copilot and Merjane made no effort to hide who had authored the arguments. Still, it was plainly obvious which defence against the allegations of driving while using a mobile phone had been crafted by a human, and which was from an AI.

Even aside from its stiff language, Copilot made obvious stumbles such as citing incorrect legislation, even referencing laws in the wrong state. Its defence also focused upon the testimony of the defendant's spouse and the type of car they drove, alleging that their Mercedes Benz's Bluetooth and Apple CarPlay capabilities meant they'd have no need to interact with their phone manually.

In contrast, Merjane presented a photograph of the alleged offence, emphasising the inability to positively identify the item in the driver's hand. She also pulled up the defendant's phone records to show that no calls were active at the time the photo was taken, and cited his clean driving record. Merjane was significantly quicker to answer the judge's questions as well.

It was plainly obvious which defence...had been crafted by a human, and which was from an AI.

Fortunately, NexLaw's Legal AI Trial Copilot doesn't intend to replace lawyers. As its website states, "Copilot is designed to complement and augment the work of human legal professionals, not replace them."

"I think it's clear that, given the costs of legal representation, there's great potential for AI to assist with improving access to justice," said Professor David Lindsay from UTS’ Faculty of Law, who acted as judge in the exercise. 

"But at this stage, and in some respects, this afternoon's presentation presents a false dichotomy. The immediate future will involve trained lawyers working alongside AI systems. So as in almost all contexts, to frame the question as 'humans versus AI' is a distraction from the more important issues involving people working alongside AI systems, and the legal and ethical implications of that."

The ethical implications of legal AI and dehumanising law

Aside from the quality of information legal AI algorithms might dispense, such tools also raise ethical issues. Liability and confidentiality are significant concerns surrounding the integration of AI into legal practice.

There are two primary confidentiality concerns with legal AI, according to Tronson. The first is whether the AI system keeps information which is inputted into it (as well as the legal jurisdiction its servers fall under). The second is to what extent such inputs are used in training the AI algorithm, particularly where confidential information may be inadvertently disclosed.

"The first concern can be controlled," Tronson stated, noting that the AI tools' contractual terms are key. "The likelihood of the latter concern arising should be lower, but without knowledge of how a particular system works, this can be difficult or impossible to assess."

The leadership of the courts and professional bodies will be vital in building legal practitioners' understanding of AI tools, Tronson noted. Even so, she believes there are some situations where using AI is likely to be unethical in every circumstance, such as in writing witness statements.

The leadership of the courts and professional bodies will be vital in building legal practitioners' understanding of AI tools.

Last October, a New York judge reprimanded an expert witness who used Microsoft's Copilot to generate an assessment of damages in a real estate case.

Understanding of nuance and the limitations of AI is vital to its effective, fair application. Similarly, understanding of nuance in human behaviour and law are vital to the effective, fair application of the legal system. Though AI does have potential to "democratise" the law, the technology carries an equally enormous risk of dehumanising it as well.

"For those who cannot afford a lawyer, AI can help," U.S. Chief Justice John G. Roberts, Jr. acknowledged in the U.S. Supreme Court's 2023 Year-End Report on the Federal Judiciary. "It drives new, highly accessible tools that provide answers to basic questions, including where to find templates and court forms, how to fill them out, and where to bring them for presentation to the judge… 

"But any use of AI requires caution and humility," he continued. "[L]egal determinations often involve gray areas that still require application of human judgment."

Could an AI chatbot replace your lawyer? Credit: J. Hazelwood / Mashable Composite; gorodenkoff, iStock / Getty

The experiment at SXSW Sydney clearly demonstrated that legal AI chatbots still have some way to go before they can compete with human lawyers. As NexLaw asserts, these tools are currently intended to assist human legal professionals rather than supplant them. Yet even as AI advances, completely replacing lawyers will continue to remain a dangerous prospect. 

A widely circulated quote attributed to a 1979 IBM presentation declared: "A computer can never be held accountable, therefore a computer must never make a management decision." Similarly, replacing lawyers with AI raises issues of who might be accountable when things go wrong. Considering the state of generative AI as well as the widespread misunderstanding of the technology, things are bound to go wrong.

"From my point of view, the most important thing is for lawyers to remember that the tools do not 'think,' and that a practitioner must always exercise their own judgment and critical thinking in relation to how they use any output," said Tronson. "As long as a practitioner applies critical thinking and their own judgment, there are appropriate uses for generative AI."

Unlike creatives such as artists, writers, and musicians, fewer people are likely to mourn lawyers should the profession fall to automation. Even so, such a death would fundamentally change the legal system, impacting not only those who work within it, but anyone who has any cause to interact with it — which is everyone.

If you're reading this, you're looking for a little help playing Strands, the New York Times' elevated word-search game.

Strands 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 February 25 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for February 25 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Life is like a box of chocolates

These words are often a surprise.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

The words are the inside of a chocolate.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is vertical.

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is Fillings.

Featured Video For You Strands 101: How to win NYT’s latest word game NYT Strands word list for February 25

• Truffle

• Almonds

• Toffee

• Caramel

• Nougat

• Liqueur

• Fillings

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.

Oh hey there! If you're here, it must be time for Wordle. As always, we're serving up our daily hints and tips to help you figure out today's answer.

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 today: Hints and answers for February 25 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's The Mini crossword answers for February 25, 2025 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

Used after a wash cycle.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

The letter R appears twice.

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

Today's Wordle starts with the letter D.

SEE ALSO: Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL. The Wordle answer today is...

Get your last guesses in now, because it's your final chance to solve today's Wordle before we reveal the solution.

Drumroll please!

The solution to today's Wordle is...

DRYER.

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.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for February 25

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.

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.

Tweet may have been deleted

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.

Tweet may have been deleted

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's The Mini crossword answers for February 25 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: Expressing excitement

• Green: Foreign words for high quantities of something

• Blue: Shaped like a box

• Purple: Sounds like money

Featured Video For You Connections: How to play and how to win Here are today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Enthusiasm

• Green: "Many" in Different Languages

• Blue: Rectangular Prisms

• Purple: Rhyme with U.S. Coins

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 #625 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Enthusiasm: GUSTO, PASSION, RELISH, ZEST

• "Many" in Different Languages: BEAUCOUP, MOLTO, MUCHO, MULTI

• Rectangular Prisms: BRICK, FISH TANK, MICROWAVE, SHOEBOX

• Rhyme with U.S. Coins: JENNY, LIME, MORTAR, PICKLE

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 February 25

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.

SAVE $70: As of Feb. 25, the Apple Watch Series 10 (GPS, 46mm) is on sale at Amazon for $359. That's 16% off its list price of $429.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple Watch Series 10 $359.00 at Amazon
$429.00 Save $70.00 Get Deal

If you're an Apple user who has been looking to jump into its world of smartwatches, you're in luck. Amazon's offering a very nice discount on the Apple Watch Series 10 (GPS, 46mm) today — dropping it back down to its lowest-ever price, according to price tracker camelcamelcamel — making now a great time to scoop it up for less.

The Apple Watch Series 10 (GPS, 46mm) is currently down to $359, 16% off its list price of $429. This lets you pocket $70, which is a very nice deal to take advantage of while it's still live. The Apple Watch Series 10 boasts plenty of great features that make it worth the investment, too.

SEE ALSO: The best smartwatch for every wrist

Alongside a bigger display than its predecessors and a comfortable fit, the Apple Watch Series 10 has a variety of health and safety features to give you a helpful look into your lifestyle and activities. This includes a heart rate monitor, sleep tracker (including the ability to detect for signs of sleep apnea), activity rings for your workouts, Fall Detection, Crash Detection, Emergency SOS, and more. In our review, Mashable's Stan Schroeder came to the conclusion that, "if you've never owned an Apple Watch and want to dive in now, the Series 10 is a good place to start."

Don't miss out on the Apple Watch Series 10 (GPS, 46mm) at its lowest-ever price at Amazon.

This isn't the only Apple deal floating around right now, though. At the moment, you can also save on the Apple AirPods Max (USB-C) at Best Buy and the AirPods Pro 2 are discounted at Amazon.

Getting your finances in order can be challenging. There are bills to pay, taxes to do, and the utter confusion of figuring out how and where to invest.

But spend enough time scrolling online, and you're bound to come across finance influencers. TikTok creators are covering nearly every financial topic you can think of.

SEE ALSO: As TikTok faces a ban, creators brace for an uncertain future

TikTok can be a valuable resource for your financial goals, but it comes with a caveat. As you might expect, many people online promote get-rich-quick schemes, bad advice, scams, or some combination of the three. Known as FinTok, finance TikTok attracts all kinds of voices — both well-meaning and not-so-reliable.

With that in mind, we've rounded up four finance influencers who seem to offer solid advice and useful information. Just remember, not every influencer or piece of advice will apply to your specific situation. Always do your own research before making any major financial decisions.

1. @BreakYourBudget

Michela Allocca posts mostly about ways to save money and different methods for doing so. Her account might work for folks who want to reconsider their relationship with money and their saving efforts.

Allocca told USA Today in a 2023 interview that she tries to guide folks to be responsible with money but not guide them toward specific investments, which seems like a healthy way to offer online finance advice.

"I generally ebb away from talking too much in-depth about investments," she told the paper. "I don't know your life, so for me to say, you should go invest in this or that ETF, I can't really do that in good conscience."

2. @YourRichBFF

Vivian Tu is a well-known finance creator on TikTok who typically posts about "wealth hacks" — aka money facts you might not have known. Tu, who used to work on Wall Street, has racked up nearly 3 million followers with short videos about finance, taxes, and other money issues.

3. @humphreytalk

Humphrey Yang is a TikTok creator who focuses on investing and personal finance, and he seems to have his followers' best financial interests in mind. The Australian Financial Review (AFR) noted he was a good FinTok personality to follow. You might've seen his viral videos explaining just how much a billion dollars is.

Yang provides some stock-related content but also offers extensive information about retirement accounts and how to make them work for you. It's intel many regular folks could use that.

4. @herfirst100k

Tori Dunlap runs Her First 100k, a financial TikTok account and company that helps young women navigate their finances. She focuses on helping people manage their money and build wealth.

Dunlap has taken off, with more than 2 million followers on TikTok, a successful podcast, and a book deal. AFR also recommended her. 

Once you start looking around, you'll notice plenty of other creators on FinTok, but remember to always be careful with your money.

Connections is a game from the New York Times that challenges you to find the association between words. It sounds easy, but it isn't—Connections categories can be almost anything, and they're usually quite specific. If you need a hand getting the answers, we've got you covered.

TL;DR: Play golf at home with your own clubs using the advanced Phigolf Golf Simulator, now only $89.97 (reg. $199.99) until March 30 at the Mashable Shop. 

Love golf? You might be surprised how easy it is to take your favorite game home with you. Quality golf simulators used to be pretty expensive and take up a whole room in your house, but now you can hit 18 holes on your own TV with Phigolf. 

This home golf simulator has more than 38,000 courses to play, and you never have to worry about bad weather cancelling your tee time. You even have the option to play with your own clubs or the retractable Swing Stick. It feels like the real thing and even simulates the feeling of hitting a real ball. Instead of dropping $199 for this home golf similator, you can get Phigolf for just $89.97 for a limited time. 

A golf simulator everyone can enjoy

Phigolf World Tour Edition is part game, part training tool. The Smart Motion Sensor and 3D Data-Analysis System capture every detail of your swing, from tempo to club path, and provide real-time feedback. Whether you're practicing your drive, chipping onto the green, or fine-tuning your putts, this simulator could really help you improve. You can even analyze your swing with slow-motion playback to spot areas for adjustment.

If you’re feeling competitive, Phigolf lets you take on golfers from around the world. Play solo or go head-to-head in online matches and tournaments. You might even recognize some of the courses you get to play on. 

March 30 at 11:59 p.m. PT is the deadline to get a Phigolf Home Golf Simulator on sale for $89.97 (reg. $199.99) — a 55% discount for Mashable readers. 

StackSocial prices subject to change. 

Opens in a new window Credit: Phigolf Phigolf Home Golf Game Simulator Sensor & Generic Swing Stick Set (Open Box) $89.97
$199.99 Save $110.02 Free Shipping Get Deal

It seems like everything you see online these days is a recession indicator. A new White Chicks movie? An addition to the Scary Movie franchise? Blondes going brunette? Screenshots with "fail" stamped on top? According to the internet, these are all recession indicators.

But are we actually in a recession? And can an increase in Y2K content predict one? Or are we just doomposting?

Tweet may have been deleted Real recession indicators

There are actual, measurable recession indicators, of course. According to Morningstar, an investment research and management services firm, these include:

• Inflation

• Stock market decline

• Credit spreads

• An inverted yield curve

• A decrease in real GDP

• High unemployment

• A decline in business spending

• Investors flocking to gold

• Decreased home sales and housing prices

But then there are the internet-defined recession indicators — things that feel like a throwback to another era of economic distress:

• Men posting their partners on Valentine’s Day

• Zooey Deschanel with a Bumpit

• The popularization of content focused on becoming skinny

• That outfit

• Taylor Lautner

• Good pop music

• Anti-tattoo sentiment

• The revival of twee ukulele music

Tweet may have been deleted What do these have in common?

They all hark back to the early aughts — the last time the U.S. faced a full economic recession. This trend of linking any Y2K revival to a recession makes sense. After all, it's easier for us to see the connection of Zooey Deschanel with a Bumpit to economic hardship than it is to fully understand how real GDP affects us. These comparisons may seem reminiscent from the so-called lipstick index — the theory that, during an economic crisis, consumers are more likely to splurge on inexpensive luxury items, like lipstick, rather than big-ticket items, like diamond necklaces. Sounds reasonable enough, right?

But as The Economist pointed out in 2009, there’s no clear correlation between lipstick sales and economic distress. Take another popular theory, the "stripper index" — which suggests that a dip in stripper tips or fewer high-income visitors signals a recession. The validity of that indicator is also up for debate. So, while these nostalgic trends may seem to point to economic downturns, they may not necessarily be a sign of one.

Waiting for a recession

Every year, it seems like we’re anxiously anticipating a recession, since economic downturns tend to occur every decade or so. But we didn’t get one in 2023, and we didn't see one in 2024 — and if JP Morgan's 35 percent recession probability is rooted in truth, we might not see one this year either.

"Even with the pace of growth slowing, the economy remains fairly robust, and it still looks like companies are positioned to grow earnings at double-digit levels in 2025 and 2026," Rob Haworth, a senior investment strategy director with U.S. Bank Asset Management, said in a press release dated Jan. 31, 2025.

So, while the return of Lady Gaga's dance-pop music or models eating burgers in bikinis in Super Bowl ads might not indicate that we're ushering in a recession, they do reflect a collective anxiety about the economy. Cultural trends like these appear out of nowhere; they're often shaped by our current economic and political realities.

As creator Caitlyn Clark explained in a TikTok video, which has garnered more than 13,000 views, there's a connection between the resurgence of dance music in 2024 (think: Charli XCX's culture-shifting album Brat) and the collective dissociation people felt after the pandemic's economic impact. It's an interesting correlation that highlights how our cultural output via memes and trends often mirrors economic and social shifts.

While we aren't currently in a recession, that doesn't mean it doesn't feel like it. The wealth gap is widening and racial wealth divide remains. The cost of living has surged while wages have remained stagnant. Over the past 30 years, the wealthiest Americans have seen their net worth soar, while the poorest have plunged into "negative wealth" — where their debts outweigh their assets, according to data from the National Bureau of Economic Research. As NBC reports, the average age of homebuyers in 2024 was 56 years old — a record high.

We might not be in a recession, and most of the recession indicator jokes are just that — jokes. But we still can't afford to buy eggs. It's no wonder we're all posting through it.