Technology

Over the past decade, Fedora has earned its reputation as the go-to cutting-edge Linux distro. But the landscape has changed. Today, several popular distros offer newer packages, faster updates, and comparable stability—making Fedora no longer the obvious default for Linux power users.

Installing Linux has a reputation for being difficult or technical, and depending on your choices, it could be. You'll find dozens of tutorials about dual-booting from one drive and manually working with partitions. Luckily, for the vast majority of people, none of that is necessary.

I was looking for smart home devices online when I stumbled across a smart knob and immediately wanted to buy it. Then I noticed that exactly what I needed was staring me in the face. My mini hi-fi system on my desk has a large knob that feels gorgeous to turn, so I wondered if I could turn it into a smart home controller.

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

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

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

How to play Pips

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

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for May 29, 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 May 31, 2026 Easy difficulty hints, answers for May 31 Pips

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

Number (10): Everything in this space must add up to 10. The answer is 5-1, placed vertically; 5-2, placed horizontally.

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

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

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

Number (10): Everything in this space must add up to 10. The answer is 3-5, placed horizontally; 6-5, placed vertically.

Medium difficulty hints, answers for May 31 Pips

Number (7): Everything in this space must add up to 7. The answer is 1-1, placed horizontally; 6-3, placed horizontally.

Greater Than (2): Everything in this space must be greater than 2. The answer is 6-3, placed horizontally.

Number (7): Everything in this space must add up to 7. The answer is 1-3, placed horizontally; 4-2, placed horizontally.

Number (8): Everything in this space must add up to 8. The answer is 4-2, placed horizontally; 6-6, placed vertically.

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

Number (6): Everything in this space must add up to 6. The answer is 1-5, placed vertically.

Greater Than (3): Everything in this space must be greater than 3. The answer is 5-3, placed vertically.

Hard difficulty hints, answers for May 31 Pips

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

Number (10): Everything in this space must add up to 10. The answer is 1-5, placed horizontally; 5-4, placed horizontally.

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

Number (12): Everything in this space must add up to 12. The answer is 1-6, placed vertically; 6-0, placed vertically.

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

Number (18): Everything in this space must add up to 18. The answer is 4-6, placed horizontally; 6-6, placed vertically.

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

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

Equal (3): Everything in this space must be equal to 3. The answer is 1-3, placed vertically; 3-4, placed vertically; 3-6, placed vertically.

Equal (2): Everything in this space must be equal to 2. The answer is 1-2, placed horizontally; 2-5, placed horizontally; 2-6, placed vertically.

Number (10): Everything in this space must add up to 10. The answer is 2-5, placed horizontally; 5-6, placed vertically.

Number (18): Everything in this space must add up to 18. The answer is 3-6, placed vertically; 2-6, placed vertically; 5-6, placed vertically.

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

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

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

Spreadsheet formulas used to feel fragile. One wrong column number could throw off an entire report. But when I finally replaced VLOOKUP with XLOOKUP, Excel started feeling predictable, flexible, and surprisingly hard to break.

Many "dead" electronics aren't actually dead. Cracked joints, loose wires, and worn-out connectors are extremely common problems, and they're all easily fixable if you have a decent soldering iron. Over a few years, the small repairs you can make with a soldering iron will save you money and reduce the amount of waste going to the landfill.

If you're having issues with your home internet and urgently need a connection for work or some other reason, or if yet another outage has flat-out taken down your connection, there's a way to get your router back online and reconnect all your devices to the web.

I’ll admit that I was quite excited when I found out that my 3D printer could be fully integrated into Home Assistant. If you have a smart home server running, you might as well connect as many devices as you can, right?

Whether you're tracking monthly spending, utility bills, hobby data, or other recurring numbers, predicting future trends usually means wrestling with complicated formulas. But Excel already has a built-in forecasting tool—and most people never realize it's there. Here's how to use it.

There's nothing quite like going to the movies, but a good projector can bridge the gap, giving you a small taste of the theater experience at home. A budget projector may be a more affordable option than a giant TV, but the results can sometimes be disappointing. A few simple and affordable upgrades can make your projector experience far better.

In this episode of How It Hits, we explore the fascinating journey of "The Backrooms." What started as a single, unsettling image posted anonymously on 4chan has blossomed into a massive internet subculture. Today, it boasts extensive Reddit lore, a viral YouTube found-footage series by Kane Parsons, and an A24 feature film.

When Microsoft first revealed Windows Recall, the reaction was immediate and brutal. The headlines called it spyware, security researchers threw warnings around like confetti, and actual WIndows users seemed very unhappy with the idea that their desktop would be screenshotted and saved every few seconds.

I have subscription fatigue, and if you're like most people, you probably do too. It feels like every useful AI feature now comes with a price tag attached to it, and those costs add up fast. I've paid for more than a few AI platforms, but I'm much less likely to do that now.

Getting into a new hobby can be daunting. Enthusiasts brag about spending thousands on fancy bits of equipment, while you’re still trying to figure out if you’re going to stick with it long-term.

There's no shame in admitting that your PC's downloads folder is in disarray. Mine was, and it had been for years. The last time it was in a state you could call orderly was right after I installed Windows 11 on my desktop PC. A few weeks later, it once again turned into a cluttered jungle filled with all kinds of files: documents, installers, ZIP archives, media, and everything else under the sun.

TL;DR: Live stream de Jong vs. Zverev in the 2026 French Open for free on France TV. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

With a number of high-profile early defeats at the 2026 French Open, No. 2 Alexander Zverev is now the highest-ranked player in the men's singles category. Indeed, the field has been blown wide open thanks to the exit of No. 1 Jannik Sinner and No. 3 Novak Djokovic, which gives Zverev a golden opportunity to win his first Grand Slam.

The German star now faces Jesper de Jong of the Netherlands in the fourth round. On paper, this should be a comfortable win for Zverev over the unseeded de Jong, but the Dutchman has had a fairytale tournament so far. He entered as a lucky loser and has unexpectedly fought his way to the fourth round, dropping relatively few sets.

Can de Jong do the unthinkable and eliminate the highest remaining seed to put yet another twist in the the tale of this Roland-Garros?

If you want to watch de Jong vs. Zverev in the 2026 French Open for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

How to watch de Jong vs. Zverev for free

De Jong vs. Zverev in the 2026 French Open is available to live stream for free on France TV.

France TV is geo-restricted to France, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in France, meaning you can stream the 2026 French Open for free from anywhere in the world.

Live stream the 2026 French Open for free by following these simple steps:

1. Sign up for 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 France

4. Connect to France TV

5. Watch the 2026 French Open for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

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

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

What is the best VPN for sport?

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

• Servers in 105 countries

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

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection speeds

• Up to 10 simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99 (with money-back guarantee).

Live stream de Jong vs. Zverev in the 2026 French Open for free with ExpressVPN.

The MacBook lineup hasn't had a true budget option until this spring, when Apple introduced the all-new MacBook Neo. It comes in at $599 (or just $499 for students) by ditching some premium fixings and enlisting an A18 Pro chip, a processor that previously powered an iPhone. It's not the best MacBook for everyone, but it's perfect for users with simple needs, and an excellent alternative to cheap Windows PCs and Chromebooks. Now, more people than ever can join the MacBook family.

Which MacBook should you buy?

As of mid-2026, I think the 15-inch M5 MacBook Air is the best choice for most people. It's a sleek, future-proofed ultraportable with the right amount of premium features and more than enough muscle for everyday multitasking, including occasional content creation. It's the ideal daily driver.

The new MacBook Neo is my top budget pick for students and casual users. It's not nearly as fast or as fancy as a new MacBook Air, but it's a good performer for its price point, and it's just as well-made as any other MacBook. If your typical workload involves bopping between some Chrome tabs and an app or two, look no further.

If you want the nicest features and enough sustained power for photo editing, video rendering, or AI work, the 14-inch M5 MacBook Pro is my upgrade pick. It one-ups the Air with better thermal management, more ports, more base storage, a smoother display, and a longer battery life. Just come prepared to spend at least $500 more.

What's new

I added the results of our battery life testing for the M5 MacBook Air in May 2026. It was able to loop a video for 17 hours and 40 minutes before dying.

What's on deck

Apple is reportedly working on a redesigned MacBook Pro with an OLED touchscreen, but it probably won't launch until late 2026 at the earliest, per Bloomberg's Mark Gurman.

TL;DR: Live stream Kostyuk vs. Swiatek in the 2026 French Open for free on France TV. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The women's action continues at the 2026 French Open, with Marta Kostyuk battling Iga Swiatek in the fourth round. It comes a day after the latest shock exit from Roland-Garros, which saw defending champion and two-time Grand Slam winner Coca Gauff eliminated by Anastasia Potapova.

That leaves just two of the top five seeds in the women's field — No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka and Swiatek at No. 3. Tennis fans would expect these two to power their way through the competition and face each other in the final, a rematch from last year's semis.

But as this year's tournament continues to prove, nothing's for certain at the top level — particularly with the punishing heat at Roland-Garros causing top players all kinds of problems — and Ukrainian star Kostyuk, the No. 15 seed, is the highest-ranked player to face Swiatek so far. In fact, Kostyuk has only dropped one set.

It's another must-watch match at an already-thrilling tournament. If you want to watch Kostyuk vs. Swiatek in the 2026 French Open for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

How to watch Kostyuk vs. Swiatek for free

Kostyuk vs. Swiatek in the 2026 French Open is available to live stream for free on France TV.

France TV is geo-restricted to France, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in France, meaning you can stream the 2026 French Open for free from anywhere in the world.

Live stream the 2026 French Open for free by following these simple steps:

1. Sign up for 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 France

4. Connect to France TV

5. Watch the 2026 French Open for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

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

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

What is the best VPN for sport?

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

• Servers in 105 countries

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

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection speeds

• Up to 10 simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99 (with money-back guarantee).

Live stream Kostyuk vs. Swiatek in the 2026 French Open for free with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: Get a Babbel lifetime subscription for $159 with code LEARN.

Opens in a new window Credit: Babbel Babbel Language Learning: Lifetime Subscription (All Languages) $159
$299 Save $140   Get Deal

Language learning apps have a reputation for teaching you phrases that never come up in real conversation, then leaving you stranded the moment someone responds, and a bunch of them switching to AI teachers didn’t help. Babbel takes a more human approach, focusing on practical vocabulary and conversational skills you’d actually use traveling, working internationally, or just trying to connect with someone in their language. A lifetime subscription covering all 14 languages is also on sale now for just $159 (reg. $299).

Babbel gives you access to over 10,000 hours of language lessons across 14 languages, including Spanish, French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Russian, Turkish, and more. Lessons run 10 to 15 minutes, which means real progress fits into a lunch break or a commute without blocking out hours of your weekend.

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The curriculum was developed by more than 100 expert linguists and validated through research with Yale University, City University of New York, and Michigan State University, with a focus on conversation skills rather than vocabulary drills. If you’ve ever struggled to talk using all the vocabulary you memorized in another language app, that may be why.

No need to repeat lessons you’ve already learned. Babbel gives you access to beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels, so you start where you are rather than sitting through material you already know. Speech recognition technology helps with pronunciation so you sound like you’ve been practicing rather than reading from a phrasebook. An AI conversation partner even lets you practice expressing yourself in real time, adapting to how you respond rather than following a fixed script.

The app works on desktop and mobile, syncs progress across all your devices, and includes offline access so you can download lessons before a flight or anywhere else without Wi-Fi.

Through June 2, it’s only $159 to get a Babbel lifetime subscription when you use code LEARN.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: Upgrade to Microsoft Windows 11 Pro for just $9.97 through May 31 and secure a lifetime license at a steep discount from the usual $199 price tag.

Opens in a new window Credit: Microsoft Microsoft Windows 11 Pro $9.97
$199 Save $189.03   Get Deal

An outdated operating system can make even a solid PC feel slower and more frustrating than it should. Windows 11 Pro refreshes the experience with a cleaner interface, improved multitasking tools, stronger security features, and better overall performance — and right now, the upgrade costs less than takeout. Through May 31, you can grab a lifetime Windows 11 Pro license for only $9.97 instead of the standard $199.

Windows 11 Pro comes loaded with a sleek, streamlined interface, improved multitasking tools like Snap Layouts, and enhanced security features, including TPM 2.0, BitLocker, and Smart App Control. It’s built for professionals, creatives, and everyday users alike. Gamers will also appreciate support for DirectX 12 Ultimate, delivering ultra-realistic graphics.

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

But the real game-changer is Copilot. This built-in AI assistant helps you work faster by summarizing web pages, generating text or images, opening apps, adjusting settings, or even suggesting code — all without leaving your workflow.

Why this deal on Windows 11 Pro is worth it:

• Lifetime license for just $12.97

• No support for Windows 10 as of October 2025

• Built-in AI assistant Copilot for smarter daily productivity

• Advanced security and pro-level tools

• Seamless design optimized for multitasking and collaboration

• Supports Microsoft Teams, Widgets, and touch-enabled devices

Don’t wait to grab a lifetime Windows 11 Pro license while it’s $9.97 (reg. $199) until May 31 at 11:59 p.m. PT.

StackSocial prices subject to change.