Technology

If you enjoyed Stephen Colbert's chaotic interview with Jimmy Fallon last week, then good news: There's more where that came from.

In the Late Show web exclusive above, Colbert's team share the material that didn't make it to air, including a few jokes from Fallon — "I'm so sorry you're being replaced, I can't wait for the next show, the Kid Rock/My Pillow Guy news hour" — and a rousing rendition of the national anthem.

Seriously though, those harmonies.

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Linux has hundreds of available commands, and unless you're keeping up with the latest news, changes to the default tools may slip under your radar. While it's true that Linux is very stable, and tool deprecations are rare, some of our much-beloved and well-known utilities changed years ago, and nobody informed us. I have five deprecated Linux commands and their replacements.

Humanity is enamoured with the idea of venturing out into the universe, seeing the stars and discovering literal worlds of opportunity beyond Earth. But do we deserve it? Developed by French indie studio Ishtar Games, Dead in Antares is a turn-based sci-fi survival management game that poses questions about the ethics of space exploration — or more specifically, space colonialism.

Dead in Antares follows the 10-member crew of the Ixion, a spaceship on a mission to find a power source which could solve the apocalyptic energy crisis back on Earth. Unfortunately, a wormhole throws the ship off course, ultimately crash-landing on the titular Antares. Alive yet stranded, the crew must work together not only to survive, but to return home with the key to saving humanity.

Having spent 42 hours with Dead in Antares, I've been happily absorbed with managing my ragtag interstellar outpost, assigning crew members to various daily tasks to ensure our continued survival and search for a way off the planet. However, as time has passed, I admit my zealous pursuit of a homecoming has waned. 

SEE ALSO: 'Marathon' game hands-on: Bungie builds a rewarding slow burn

Of course, I'd at least like to know that we're capable of getting back to Earth. I'm not about to leave the rest of humanity to suffer and die, which is what I'm told will happen if our mission isn't successful. Still, I'll miss Antares when (or if) we end up leaving. I'm quite enjoying running our little camp, and feel as though we've hit a comfortable, sustainable rhythm. 

I also don't look forward to the difficult ethical choices I'll have to make concerning both planets' futures.

Trying not to be Dead in Antares Credit: Mashable screenshot: Dead in Antares / Ishtar Games

Dead in Antares is the third title in Ishtar Games' Dead In series, following 2018's Dead in Vinland and 2015's Dead in Bermuda. Even so, you don't need to know anything about Dead in Antares' predecessors to enjoy the game. Each game is its own standalone title, taking place in completely different settings that merely share similar survival themes and mechanics. 

In this case, Dead in Antares' engaging game loop has you manage each day on the eponymous alien planet. Players delegate crew members to tasks such as gathering water, hunting for food, generating power, and upgrading the camp, with jobs conducted across morning and evening shifts. A group of three can also use water rations to conduct daily expeditions, searching the surrounding area for resources and potentially engaging in turn-based battles with aliens. Everyone must then be fed and watered before going to bed, keeping them healthy enough to do it all again tomorrow.

Featured Video For You Motorola is entering the wearable AI game

Each crew member has different skills that impact how well they perform a given task, and which increase the more they're used. Someone with a high Medicine skill will be more effective in the Infirmary, while a colleague with a low Stealth skill is more likely to encounter adversaries while on expeditions.

Your crewmates' job performance can also be modified by any positive or negative traits they carry, as well as their needs. Fatigue, hunger, sickness, injury, and stress can reduce their effectiveness, or even kill them if levels reach 100, resulting in a game over.

Credit: Mashable screenshot: Dead in Antares / Ishtar Games

As such, Dead in Antares becomes a careful balance of managing the group's needs and resources with your crewmates' skills and wellbeing. Nurturing each individual's proficiencies and optimising job allocations feels satisfying, maximising benefits for the smallest expenditure possible.

One might expect the struggle for survival to give Dead in Antares an inescapably grim tone, and story moments do provide dire reminders of what's at stake back on Earth. Yet outside of this, the game often feels more like an exciting planetary adventure. Getting sick from eating alien bugs lightyears from home while burdened with saving humanity sounds like one of my most vivid stress dreams, but apparently the Ixion's crew are less susceptible to crippling implosions of existential dread. 

Instead, they largely respond to Antares' strange and colourful extraterrestrial landscape with fascinated awe. Dead in Antares leans into the alien nature of the planet's organisms, populating it with creatures that blend features of flora, fauna, and minerals so they can't be clearly categorised. Among these lifeforms are two sentient, similarly-named alien races: the Atlanteans and Antarians. This is where space colonialism comes in.

Dead in Antares confronts the line between extraction and exploitation Credit: Mashable screenshot: Dead in Antares / Ishtar Games

Humanity has a long history of travelling to foreign lands only to mercilessly exploit them, doing incalculable harm to the environment and its native inhabitants in the process. We also have a habit of repeating history, or at least ensuring it rhymes. There is no reason to expect this will change simply because we've traded in oceanic voyages for intergalactic ones.

While extracting resources from your surroundings is part and parcel of survival games, Dead in Antares takes this a step further by incorporating parallel themes into its plot. Humanity's survival depends on the Ixion's appropriating a new power source from Antares, which the planet's inhabitants already rely upon. The question Dead in Antares poses is whether you are willing to exploit this unfamiliar planet you've landed on and cause its population to suffer. What are the consequences of doing so — or from refraining? How much do you actually care?

I initially aimed to keep out of the Atlanteans' and Antarians' business, choosing diplomatic dialogue options and paying the tributes demanded of me in order to keep the peace. I have no interest in attacking people in their homes and imposing my will upon them, or engaging in conflicts I don't fully understand. Still, my attitude changed as I gathered further knowledge of the political situation on Antares, and as the burden of tributes grew too onerous.

The additional turn-based battles this sparked helped break up the everyday routine of job allocation, and I was glad to no longer surrender my lunch money to alien bullies. Yet as the days passed, I became increasingly aware that the peaceful resolution I'd initially hoped for may have never been an option. Dead in Antares' gameplay is fun, however its plot is imbued with an undercurrent of inescapable doom.

With such ethical quandaries hanging over you, I can't say that Dead in Antares is likely to leave players feeling satisfied. There's a sense that no truly happy ending is possible, and that someone will suffer no matter what you do. Even so, narrative satisfaction doesn't appear to be Dead in Antares' goal. As in real life, while these problems must be confronted, they cannot be neatly solved.

Dead in Antares can be rough around the edges Credit: Mashable screenshot: Dead in Antares / Ishtar Games

Dead in Antares is an enjoyable game with an interesting premise and creative setting, and almost all Ixion's diverse crew members endeared themselves to me in various ways. Still, there are some aspects that would benefit from tweaks. 

The game gives you a lot of information to manage, with all 10 crew members having varying skills, health statuses, traits, combat abilities, and relationships with each other. A notification will appear on the crew profile button whenever there's an update to these, but you have to flip between everyone's full-page profiles to actually see what's changed. This is particularly annoying when, for example, half of your crew didn't get enough water last night, resulting in five notifications that can only be cleared by beholding each individuals' dehydration status in their Traits tab. 

I quickly took to ignoring much of this data deluge, leaving notifications uncleared and only referencing my crew's needs and skills when assigning jobs. Even so, I still found myself wishing for a complete overview screen of my crew comparing all their stats at once. There is a lefthand side bar which pops out to display a list of your companions, which can be sorted by how high a certain skill or need is, but you need to scroll to view everyone and it does nothing for clearing notifications.

Credit: Mashable screenshot: Dead in Antares / Ishtar Games

Dead in Antares also isn't always clear on how to progress. I was held up for several in-game days before I figured out that I could craft the materials the main questline required instead of scavenging for them, but needed to first upgrade my workshop so I could build the forge. I hadn't even realised that upgrading was an option, as it was given the same prominence as other less significant enhancements on its upgrade tree.

As such, I would have liked it if there was an overview page showing the upgrade trees for all the workstations, allowing players to bookmark what materials are required. As it is, Dead in Antares has me frequently swapping between menus to check which resources I needed to craft specific materials, which materials I needed to craft an upgrade, and which upgrade I needed to craft a new workstation.

Credit: Mashable screenshot: Dead in Antares / Ishtar Games

Another aspect that could be smoothed out is Dead in Antares' writing, as I often felt as though I was getting the gist of the plot rather than the plot itself. The game assumed knowledge without having even hinted at it previously, which frequently left me wondering if I'd somehow missed exposition. Major developments would sometimes not only occur offscreen, but had been apparently processed and acted upon.

Further, while Dead in Antares primarily follows Captain Amelia and has players make dialogue decisions as her from the outset, it later jumps between crew members' points of view with little warning. This can even happen within a single scene. The result can be confusing, making it not immediately clear which character you're acting as, while also eliminating some mystery and dramatic tension by revealing secrets via internal monologue. 

On the other hand, these insights do help to quickly build affection for the crew members and their distinct personalities, providing depth and further context to behaviour that might otherwise be poorly viewed. I love my antisocial science son Liu, and I will not hear a word against him or his weird predilection for our spaceship. 

Does humanity deserve the stars? Credit: Mashable screenshot: Dead in Antares / Ishtar Games

Despite these bumps, I found myself constantly returning to Dead in Antares for a few more day cycles. There is a sense of quiet accomplishment and satisfaction in taking care of your crew; running and upgrading an efficient, self-sustainable camp; and finding a way to survive on a strange planet without anyone dying. I could happily remain here, finding comfort in these routine tasks.

The primary matter prompting me to drag my feet to the end is the knowledge that Dead in Antares' story will eventually force me to make a choice. Do I plunder Antares to save Earth, or abandon humanity to its fate? Neither sits right with me. 

In humanity's endless greed and callous apathy, it feels as though we may be too far gone with no redemption to be found. We will continue to bring our problems with us wherever we go, regardless of whether we're traversing leagues or lightyears. Landing on Antares seems like simply continuing this destructive cycle.

Yet I cannot shake the hope that we can improve ourselves and our future against all odds, and not at the expense of others. It will require hard decisions, selflessness, and sacrifice, applying the lessons of our past and releasing our grip on imperialism. But if we are to deserve better, we must first prove that we are willing to change for it.

Dead in Antares is available now on PC.

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Stop paying for content indefinitely. Keeprix All-in-One Streaming Video Downloader offers a solution to the endless streamer subscriptions, allowing you to download your favorites and build up your own media library you can keep offline. A lifetime subscription to this game-changing service can be yours now for only $95.99.

If you’re tired of letting your streaming platforms dictate what you’re going to watch every night, it may be time to take control of your own content. Keeprix All-in-One Streaming Video Downloader lets you save the things you enjoy and build a library of favorite content you can watch anytime — not just when it’s available on a specific service.

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SAVE OVER $50: As of March 9, the Pixel Watch 4 (45mm) has hit a new low price of $339.99 at Amazon. This 15% discount is $60 off its list price of $399.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Google Google Pixel Watch 4 (45mm) $339.99 at Amazon
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With springtime creeping in, it's almost time to get outside to enjoy a walk, run, or other activity. If you've been looking to grab a smartwatch to help you count steps or keep an eye on your fitness progress, there are some very nice deals available at the moment. And our favorite Android smartwatch, the Pixel Watch 4 (45mm), is on sale for a limited time at Amazon.

This isn't just any old deal, either. The Pixel Watch 4 has hit a new low price of $339.99. That's a $60 discount on its list price of $399.99. Plus, every available color is on sale at this price as well, so you can pick out your favorite from the range.

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If you're looking for a smartwatch to help you with running, we said that the Pixel Watch 4 is "a true runners' watch" in our review. Mashable's Christianna Silva highlighted the side button, saying they're "A lifesaver for a sweaty person trying to start and stop their runs. The buttons are satisfying, never slippery, and frustration-free." Silva says the smartwatch is "faster, brighter, and more customizable than ever."

There's plenty to celebrate on the inside of the Pixel Watch 4. Some of its features include heart rate tracking, sleep insights, over 40 exercise modes, a high-precision dual-frequency GPS, loss of pulse detection, and more. It even boasts a battery life of up to 40 hours, which can be stretched up to 72 hours in Battery Saver mode.

It's currently listed as a limited-time deal, so act fast to score the Pixel Watch 4 (45mm) at this excellent low price at Amazon.

TL;DR: Amazon has the Pokémon TCG: Mega Lucario ex Figure Collection listed at $68.98, but a 30% coupon drops it to about $48.29 at checkout through March 16. That undercuts Walmart’s $54.99 price and knocks more than $20 off Amazon’s list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: The Pokémon Company Pokémon TCG: Mega Lucario ex Figure Collection $48.29 at Amazon
$68.98 Save $20.69 Get Deal

Pokémon TCG collections have been fluctuating in price at leading trading card retailers in recent months. However, Amazon’s taken a big move to make it the best place to buy the Mega Lucario-themed collection. 

As of March 9, Amazon has the Pokémon TCG: Mega Lucario ex Figure Collection listed for $68.98, but there’s a 30% off coupon available on qualifying collectible card game items. Once that discount is applied at checkout, the box drops to about $48.29. That’s a saving of roughly $20.69 on Amazon’s listed price, and also beats Walmart’s current $54.99 listing for the same collection. The coupon is set to expire on March 16, 2026.

That's the best price we've seen all year according to price tracker camelcamelcamel. We should note that not everyone in the Mashable shopping team has access to this coupon code, so we hope you are one of the chosen ones.

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The Mega Lucario ex Figure Collection comes with an etched foil promo card featuring Mega Lucario ex, an oversized promo card, a Mega Lucario figure, five Pokémon TCG booster packs, and a code card for Pokémon TCG Live. As for the packs, you're getting three Mega Evolutions and two Destined Rivals.

It also lands in a pretty reasonable spot compared with the broader market. TCGplayer currently shows no active listings, but its most recent sale is listed at $47.14, with a median of $50 and a market price in the low $40s. That makes Amazon’s coupon price feel a lot more competitive than its standard listing.

You can still preorder Pokémon TCG Perfect Order Booster Bundles for $59.99 at Amazon. Also at Amazon, you can preorder the Pokémon TCG: First Partner Illustration Collection Series 1 for under $70. 

Where to buy the Pokémon TCG Pokémon Day 2026 Collection: Best Walmart Deal Pokémon TCG Pokémon Day 2026 Collection $31.99 at Walmart Shop Now Best Amazon Deal Pokémon TCG Pokémon Day 2026 Collection $34.45 at Amazon Shop Now

Pokémon Day collection boxes have had a habit of bouncing around in price depending on where you tend to shop for trading cards, but Walmart is currently offering a reasonable listing for the 2026 version. 

As of March 9, Walmart has the Pokémon Day 2026 Collection listed for $31.99, which is lower than Amazon’s current $34.45 price for the exact same box. It also lands surprisingly close to TCGplayer’s current $29.95 market price. Comparing Amazon's price history via price tracker camelcamelcamel, this is one of the best we've seen so far for this special celebration set.

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While TCGplayer does show active listings as low as $32.99, those listings also tack on shipping. That makes Walmart’s price look much better once the total cost is actually considered.

The Pokémon Day 2026 Collection includes one foil Pikachu promo card with a Pokémon Day stamp, one Pokémon coin, and three Pokémon TCG booster packs (two Phantasmal Flames and one Mega Evolution). The stamped Pikachu promo is one of the best and most exclusive ways to celebrate the Pokémon franchise.

For the latest expansions from the Pokémon TCG, you can preorder Perfect Order Booster Bundles at market price over at Amazon. For other limited collections, you can also preorder the Pokémon TCG: First Partner Illustration Collection for under $70 at Amazon. 

The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult to solve if you're bossy.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

SEE ALSO: NYT Pips hints, answers for March 9, 2026 Here's a hint for today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Homophones

• Green: In the public eye

• Blue: Iconic puppets

• Purple: HBIC

Here are today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Starting with the same sound, spelled differently

• Green: Metaphors for public scrutiny

• Blue: Muppets

• Purple: They feature a boss

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 #1001 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Starting with the same sound, spelled differently: WAREHOUSE, WEARABLE, WEREWOLF, WHEREFORE

• Metaphors for public scrutiny: FISHBOWL, HOT SEAT, MICROSCOPE, SPOTLIGHT

• Muppets: ANIMAL, BEAKER, FOZZIE, GONZO

• They feature a boss: COMPANY, E STREET BAND, MAFIA, VIDEO GAME

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 March 9, 2026

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

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

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

Today's NYT Strands hints are easy if you'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
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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.

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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.