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TL;DR: Live stream Alcaraz vs. Walton in the 2026 Australian Open for free on 9Now. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The tennis season is finally here with the 2026 Australian Open, the first Grand Slam of the year. And the tournament is about to serve up the biggest name in tennis, as Carlos Alcaraz takes on an unseeded Australian opponent, Adam Walton, in Melbourne Park.

Fans will expect Alcaraz to advance and face the likes of defending champion Jannik Sinner and Novak Djokovic in later rounds. But anything can happen once the balls start flying and every Grand Slam hits us with a few surprises.

If you want to watch Alcaraz vs. Walton in the 2026 Australian Open for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

How to watch Alcaraz vs. Walton for free

Alcaraz vs. Walton in the 2026 Australian Open is available to live stream for free on 9Now.

9Now is geo-restricted to Australia, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These handy tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Australia, meaning you can unblock 9Now from anywhere in the world.

Access free live streams of the 2026 Australian Open 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

4. Visit 9Now

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

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The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but leading services do tend to offer incentive deals such as free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these deals, you can live stream Alcaraz vs. Walton without actually spending anything. This isn't a long-term solution, but it gives you enough time to watch the Australian Open before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for 9Now?

ExpressVPN is the best service for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live tennis on 9Now, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including Australia

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• Fast connection speeds

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• 30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $59.88 and includes an extra three months for free — 69% off for a limited time. This plan also includes 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 Alcaraz vs. Walton in the 2026 Australian Open 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

Commotion.

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

NOISE

Hurdle Word 2 hint

Tight.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for January 18, 2026 Hurdle Word 2 Answer

TENSE

Hurdle Word 3 hint

To put up.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for January 18 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for January 18, 2026 Hurdle Word 3 answer

ERECT

Hurdle Word 4 hint

A long-necked bird.

Hurdle Word 4 answer

HERON

Final Hurdle hint

To prop up.

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

BORNE

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

It’s officially the New Moon, which means the Moon is positioned between the Earth and the Sun and isn’t visible in the sky. It's also the final day of a the current lunar cycle, so from now on, the Moon will appear brighter and brighter each night until the Full Moon.

What is today’s Moon phase?

As of Sunday, Jan. 18, the Moon phase is New Moon. According to NASA's Daily Moon Guide, 0% of the Moon will be lit up tonight.

Unsurprisingly, with 0% visibility, there's 0% chance of spotting anything on the Moon tonight. Things will start to get brighter over the coming days as we work through the new lunar cycle.

When is the next Full Moon?

The next Full Moon will be on Feb. 1. The last full moon was on Jan. 3.

What are Moon phases?

Moon phases make up the lunar cycle, which NASA says lasts about 29.5 days, the time it takes the Moon to complete one full orbit around Earth. As the Moon travels around our planet, it passes through eight distinct phases. While the same side of the Moon always faces Earth, the amount of sunlight illuminating it changes depending on its position in orbit. This is why the Moon can appear full, partially lit, or completely dark at different points in the cycle. The eight phases of the lunar cycle are:

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 January 18, 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 January 18, 2026 Easy difficulty hints, answers for Jan. 18 Pips

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

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

Less Than (2): Everything in this space must be less than 3. The answer is 6-1, placed horizontally.

Number (10): Everything in this space must add up to 10. The answer is 4-6, placed vertically; 4-5, placed vertically.

Greater Than (4): Everything in this space must be greater than 2. The answer is 4-5, placed vertically.

Medium difficulty hints, answers for Jan. 18 Pips

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

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

Less Than (2): Everything in this space must be less than 2. The answer is 0-1, placed horizontally.

Number (8): Everything in this space must add up to 8. The answer is 3-3, placed horizontally; 0-2, placed vertically.

Number (2): Everything in this space must add up to 2. The answer is 0-2, placed vertically; 4-2, placed vertically.

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

Greater Than (4): Everything in this space must be greater than 4. The answer is 0-5, placed horizontally.

Number (3): Everything in this space must add up to 3. The answer is0-3, placed horizontally; 0-5, placed horizontally.

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

Hard difficulty hints, answers for Jan. 18 Pips

Number (3): Everything in this space must add up to 3. The answer is 1-5, placed horizontally; 1-1, placed vertically.

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

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

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

Number (10): Everything in this space must add up to 10. The answer is 3-3, placed horizontally; 4-5, placed vertically.

Number (27): Everything in this space must add up to 27. The answer is 2-6, placed vertically; 5-6, placed horizontally; 4-5, placed vertically; 5-3, placed vertically.

Number (6): Everything in this space must add up to 6. The answer is 5-3, placed vertically; 4-3, placed horizontally.

Number (7): Everything in this space must add up to 7. The answer is 6-3, placed horizontally; 4-3, placed horizontally.

Number (12): Everything in this space must add up to 12. The answer is 0-6, placed horizontally; 6-3, placed horizontally.

Number (1): Everything in this space must add up to 1. The answer is 2-1, placed horizontally; 0-6, placed horizontally.

Number (4): Everything in this space must add up to 4. The answer is 2-1, placed horizontally; 0-2, placed vertically.

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

Number (2): Everything in this space must add up to 2. The answer is 1-6, placed horizontally; 1-0, 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.

Today's Connections: Sports Edition will be easier if you know Italian soccer teams.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

• Yellow: Midwest football

• Green: Super Bowl bridesmaids

• Blue: Actual NFL cities

• Purple: Musical names

Here are today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

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

• Yellow: Big Ten Teams

• Green: Last Four Super Bowl-losing QBs

• Blue: Home Cities of NFL Teams

• Purple: Athletes with Musical Surnames

Looking for Wordle today? Here's the answer to today's Wordle.

Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today's puzzle before we reveal the solutions.

Drumroll, please!

The solution to today's Connections: Sports Edition #482 is...

What is the answer to Connections: Sports Edition today?

• Big Ten Teams - PENN STATE, PURDUE, WASHINGTON, WISCONSIN

• Last Four Super Bowl-losing QBs - BURROW, HURTS, MAHOMES, PURDY

• Home Cities of NFL Teams - ARLINGTON, FOXBORO, ORCHARD PARK, SANTA CLARA

• Athletes with Musical Surnames - JARED VERSE, JAYCEE HORN, MADISON KEYS, STEVE SAX

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

SEE ALSO: NYT Pips hints, answers for January 18, 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: Bird parts

• Green: To ruin

• Blue: Novel info

• Purple: Film stars

Here are today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Features of a duck

• Green: Destroy

• Blue: Found on a book jacket

• Purple: Classic Hollywood actors

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 #952 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Features of a duck: BILL, FEATHERS, WEBBING, WINGS

• Destroy: BREAK, DAMAGE, TOTAL, WRECK

• Found on a book jacket: AUTHOR, QUOTE, SYNOPSIS, TITLE

• Classic Hollywood actors: COOPER, GRANT, PECK, PRICE

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 January 18, 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 into fine art.

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 January 18, 2026 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for January 17, 2026 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Soft skills

The words are related to fabric.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe fabric crafts.

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 Textile Art.

NYT Strands word list for January 18

• Quilt

• Crochet

• Applique

• Knit

• Textile Art

• Weave

• Embroider

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 familiar with botany.

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 January 18, 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 January 18, 2026 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

A cashew-related plant.

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 S.

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...

SUMAC

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 January 18, 2026

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: Give your PC an affordable upgrade with this Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows lifetime license, now just $34.97 (reg. $219.99).

Opens in a new window Credit: Microsoft Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows: Lifetime License $34.97
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Could your old PC use some new tricks? Microsoft Office is an affordable way to give it some fresh tools, most of which have been around for decades. Right now, a lifetime license for Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows can be yours for just $34.97 (reg. $219.99).

Whether you loved Microsoft Office back in the ’90s or you’re totally new to this suite of tools, a Microsoft Office Professional 2021 license gives your PC a whole new lease on life. This version comes with eight tools to help you tackle personal and professional tasks.

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This license includes old staples from Microsoft Office and newer additions, all geared toward streamlining your workflow. With these apps, you can create an eye-catching presentation in PowerPoint, draft a document in Word, answer emails in Outlook, and build spreadsheets in Excel.

Aside from owning these four beloved tools, you’ll also be able to connect with people on Teams, manage databases in Access, create professional documents in Publisher, and upgrade your note-taking with OneNote.

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After purchase, you’ll receive an instant delivery and download to get started. Just make sure your PC is running Windows 10 or 11 to be compatible.

Pamper your PC with this Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows lifetime license, now only $34.97 (reg. $219.99).

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If you’re looking to ditch distractions, cutting back on ads can make a huge difference. AdGuard isn’t your basic ad blocker — it eliminates them all, saving you time and providing a peaceful internet experience.

Ads aren’t just annoying — they can put your personal information at risk. AdGuard protects you by blocking trackers, hiding your data, and stopping malware, phishing sites, and cyberattacks.

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SAVE $200: As of Jan. 17, Amazon has the TCL 55-inch Class T7 Smart TV on sale for 33% off at $399, $200 off its list price of $599.

Opens in a new window Credit: TCL TCL 55 Inch Class T7 Series Smart TV $399 at Amazon
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Winter is honestly one of the best times to consider snagging a brand-new TV for your living room or getting that second TV for your bedroom that you've always wished you had on cozy weekend mornings. This weekend, Amazon has a 55-inch TCL smart TV on sale for 33% off. The 2025 model has 4K QLED HDR picture quality and a 120Hz refresh rate. The smart TV also comes with Google TV, Dolby Atmos Audio, and Alexa gaming. The QLED feature delivers super-vivid colors, perfect for watching your favorite movies and shows in UHD. The 120Hz refresh rate is excellent for folks who want to catch their favorite sports teams' games in a crystal-clear picture or play their favorite video games without annoying lag or blurriness.

The built-in Google TV streaming software lets you gather all your favorite streaming services in a reliable, sleekly designed interface. The TV also features TCL's proprietary AIPQ Pro Processor, which optimizes picture, color, and image clarity for whatever media you're currently playing. The reviews for this model rave about its picture quality and overall performance, given its modest price point compared to other TVs of the same size. 

SAVE $1401: As of Jan. 17, Amazon has Jackery's HomePower 3000 portable power station on sale for 56% off at $1,098, which $1,401 off its list price of $2,499.

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Opens in a new window Credit: Apple 13-inch MacBook Air M4 Chip 2025 $999 at Amazon
$1,199 Save $200   Get Deal

Starting the year off with a new laptop could be just the thing to help you achieve that long list of New Year's goals you have drafted in your notebook. This weekend, Amazon has a 13-inch 2025 MacBook Air laptop with an M4 chip on sale for just under $1000. The portable computer comes replete with 16 GB unified memory, 512 GB SSD storage, a 12 MP center stage camera, and touch ID. To top it all off — it comes in a unique Sky Blue color. 

This model possesses up to 18 hours of battery life. The M4 chip was the fastest consumer computer chip until Apple's recent release of the M5 chip. The M4 chip offers many of the neural and CPU capabilities of the M5 (without the premium cost of the newest model). 

This MacBook Air features two Thunderbolt 4 ports, a MagSafe charging port, a headphone jack, and support for up to two external displays. This model could be the ideal next addition to your existing Apple ecosystem.

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 January 17, 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 January 16, 2026 Easy difficulty hints, answers for Jan. 17 Pips

Less Than (3): Everything in this space must be less than 3. The answer is 2-1, placed horizontally.

Number (7): Everything in this space must add up to 7. The answer is 2-1, placed horizontally; 6-4, placed horizontally.

Number (8): Everything in this space must add up to 8. The answer is 6-4, placed horizontally; 4-0, placed horizontally.

Number (8): Everything in this light blue space must add up to 8. The answer is 4-4, placed horizontally.

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

Greater Than (2): Everything in this space must be greater than 2. The answer is 4-3, placed horizontally

Medium difficulty hints, answers for Jan. 17 Pips

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

Greater Than (16): Everything in this space must be greater than 16. The answer is 6-6, placed horizontally; 4-6, placed horizontally.

Not Equal: Everything in this space must be different. The answer is 4-1, placed horizontally; 4-6, placed horizontally; 2-3, placed horizontally.

Hard difficulty hints, answers for Jan. 17 Pips

Number (3): Everything in this space must add up to 3. The answer is 2-0, placed vertically; 3-1, placed horizontally.

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

Number (4): Everything in this space must add up to 4. The answer is 3-1, placed horizontally; 1-1, placed vertically; 6-1, placed horizontally.

Not Equal: Everything in this space must be different. The answer is 6-3, placed vertically; 6-6, placed vertically.

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

Greater Than (1): Everything in this space must be greater than 1. The answer is 5-2, placed vertically.

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

Equal (2): Everything in this space must be equal to 3. The answer is 6-2, placed vertically; 2-2, placed vertically; 3-2, placed horizontally.

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

Number (4): Everything in this space must add up to 6. The answer is 3-4, placed horizontally.

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

Today's Connections: Sports Edition will be easier if you know Italian soccer teams.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

• Yellow: Winning

• Green: East Coast football

• Blue: Just jeff-ing around

• Purple: We have a problem

Here are today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

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

• Yellow: In No. 1 Position

• Green: AFC East Teams

• Blue: Jeffs

• Purple: Rockets

Looking for Wordle today? Here's the answer to today's Wordle.

Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today's puzzle before we reveal the solutions.

Drumroll, please!

The solution to today's Connections: Sports Edition #481 is...

What is the answer to Connections: Sports Edition today?

• In No. 1 Position - FIRST, FRONT, LEAD, POLE

• AFC East Teams - BUFFALO, MIAMI, NEW ENGLAND, NEW YORK

• Jeffs - BAGWELL, KENT, SATURDAY, VAN GUNDY

• Rockets - CLEMENS, HOUSTON, RICHARD, TOLEDO

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

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

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

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

BEST LEGO DEAL: Lego is running make and take events on Jan. 18. A limited quantity of Burger Bike Carts will be available for free at participating stores.

Opens in a new window Credit: The Lego Group Lego Burger Bike Carts: Free Malke and Take Event   Learn More

Lego has been in the news a lot lately.

Preorders for the new Lego Star Wars Smart Play sets have landed alongside preorders for the first-ever Lego Pokémon sets. There's only one downside with these exciting new launches, and that's the wait. These new sets are available for preorder, but what are we all supposed to do until release dates? We can't just sit here reading early-access reviews and angry conversations on Reddit about how Pikachu looks weird. Instead, we should all make plans to attend our nearest Lego store this weekend.

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Visitors to select Lego Stores on Jan. 18 (from 12-2 p.m.) can participate in a Lego Burger Bike Cart make and take event. During this special event, participants can build and bring home this fun model for free. This event is intended for participants aged 6+ years, and the model is available on a first-come-first-serve basis, at participating locations, while supplies last.

It's important to note is that this Lego Burger Bike Cart is not available for purchase. So by taking part in this event, participants can take home something that money literally cannot buy. The only catch is that you're limited to one build per participant, but that seems fair to us.

Head to your nearest Lego store to get the Burger Bike Cart without spending anything.

TL;DR: Live stream Egypt vs. Nigeria in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations for free on Channel 4. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations has been incredibly entertaining. We're sad that it's almost over, but we're grateful for the goals, passion, and drama.

The AFCON final is scheduled to take place on Jan. 18, with hosts Morocco taking on Senegal. Before we get to the showpiece event, Egypt face Nigeria in the third-place playoff. Neither side really wants to be here. Egypt and Nigeria came so close to making the final, but tournament football is defined by small margins. This game is just a consolation, but it still matters.

If you want to watch Egypt vs. Nigeria in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Egypt vs. Nigeria?

Egypt vs. Nigeria in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations kicks off at 11 a.m. ET on Jan. 17. This fixture takes place at the Mohammed V Stadium.

How to watch Egypt vs. Nigeria for free

Egypt vs. Nigeria in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations is available to live stream for free on Channel 4.

Channel 4 is geo-restricted to the UK, 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 the UK, meaning you can unblock Channel 4 to stream AFCON for free from anywhere in the world.

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Live stream Egypt vs. Nigeria 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 the UK

4. Visit Channel 4

5. Watch Egypt vs. Nigeria 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 access free live streams of AFCON without actually spending anything. This obviously isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream Egypt vs. Nigeria (plus the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final) before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for Channel 4?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on Channel 4, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including the UK

• 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 10 simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $78.18 and includes an extra four months for free — 78% 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).

Watch Egypt vs. Nigeria in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations for free with ExpressVPN.

What are the best noise-cancelling headphones of 2026?

Even the best value headphones will feel lacking if they don't come equipped with halfway decent noise cancellation. Besides, there are simply too many headphones on the market (our testing pool gets bigger by the month) for you to pay hundreds only to get subpar ANC. So, which brand comes out on top?

For most people, we think the new Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (2nd Gen) offer the best overall value, with the ideal blend of comfort, sound quality, and ANC. However, if you're looking for the best active noise-cancellation overall, we have to give it up to the Sony XM6 headphones. Fortunately, there are no bad choices here.

To help you wade through the top options from brands like Apple, Beats, Bose, Sony, and Sonos, Mashable editors and reviewers tested dozens of headphones and earbuds. From flagship models to budget buds, we picked out the best options at every price range.

SEE ALSO: How we test headphones and earbuds How do noise-cancelling headphones actually work?

Even cheap headphones can block some noise from the outside world. And you can always blast your music loud enough to drown out nearby conversations and street noise via passive noise cancellation. However, if you really want to turn the volume of the world down to the limit, then you need headphones with active noise cancellation.

Active noise-cancelling headphones electronically cover up the sounds coming from your surroundings. They use internal microphones to listen to the world around you, then invert the noise and send it to the speakers. The idea is that both the output and the input will cancel out, leaving you with near-silence. The best over-ear headphones also create a tight seal around your ears, providing an extra layer of passive sound blocking.

Testing the Apple AirPods Max headphones, which didn't make the final cut for this guide. Credit: Zlata Ivleva / Mashable Getting up close and personal with Sony WH-1000XM5 noise-cancelling headphones. Credit: Molly Flores / Mashable

If you've tried a pair of noise-cancelling headphones before and haven't been impressed, don't be discouraged, as not all ANC performs equally. For instance, cheaper ANC headphones may have a more noticeable hissing sound that you'll hear when the noise cancellation is turned on, which can be distracting for some folks.

Other headphones may be great at blocking low tones, but more prone to letting in high-pitched tones. Typically, premium headphones will yield better results all around, but we have budget picks below that still do a solid job.

In the past, not many wireless earbuds featured active noise cancellation that was comparable to over-ear headphones, but newer iterations like the AirPods Pro and Bose QuietComfort Ultra earbuds hold their own in the ANC space. However, even these earbuds can't quite get the same seal (or fit as many mics) that headphones can, so if you're looking for maximum silence, stick with over-ear headphones.

Recent testing updates

• December 2025: We removed the Dyson On-Trac headphones from this guide. While they had unbeatable battery life when they were first released, that's no longer the case.

• December 2025: We added the Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 as the best sports earbuds.

• December 2025: We added the Bowers & Wilkins Px8 S2 headphones as the best splurge.

• September 2025: We replaced the original Bose QuietComfort Ultra earbuds with the updated second-gen model.

• July 2025: We added the new Sony WH-1000XM6 headphones.

• February 2025: We added the EarFun Air Pro 4 earbuds as our favorite earbuds pick under $100, replacing the Beats Studio Buds+.

• August 2024: With a heavy heart, we said goodbye to the Bose 700 headphones as our recommendation for the best noise-cancelling headphones with adjustable ANC.

If you're a junk journaler (or have one in your life), you probably have a proclivity for swiping a crisp cocktail napkin into your bag when you’re out for drinks or saving a particularly cute flyer from a museum event that you went to. Maybe your first thought is even, “I should grab some for my junk journal” at the sight of confetti exploding over an arena during your favorite artists’ concert or a stray plastic flower petal that blew onto your picnic blanket. Junk journaling can be quite special and meaningful to those who really jive with this creative practice. 

Junk journaling is also an awesome analog activity to take up if you're looking to cut down on screen time and spend less of your day doomscrolling.

What is junk journaling?

“The number one rule of junk journaling is that there are no rules,” Martina Calvi says in her book A Year of Junk Journaling: 52 creative prompts to transform the scraps of your life into art. In case you haven't heard about it, junk journaling is a practice of saving "trash" or ephemera from your daily life and gluing it down in a physical journal. Some folks also have robust digital junk journals and collages on their iPad in programs like Procreate or Freeform. 

“No matter how mundane you think your life is, there are beautiful memories worth preserving, and your future self will thank you for collecting these in a tangible form,” Calvi writes. “The simple joys of sharing a coffee with your friend, walking through the park on your day off, or having dinner with your parents.” 

In her book, Calvi encourages folks to get creative with what they see in their daily life. Fans of junk journaling emphasize that the practice of noticing the meaning behind small objects can have a ripple effect of appreciation for the minutiae of your life. 

For example, junk journalers often commemorate things like a stray grocery receipt from a first Thanksgiving in a new home or a matchbook from a memorably bad date. As opposed to scrapbooking, which often spotlights traditionally important events, anything goes in junk journaling.

Save receipts, stickers, takeout bags, coasters, and whatever other physical "junk" you can collect throughout your day. Credit: Miller Kern / Mashable What are the best gadgets for junk journaling?

Junk journalers on TikTok and Pinterest have a healthy self-awareness that our little hobby can be a bit unusual or extra. It seems like many junk journalers often must find a way to strike a balance between saving memorabilia for our hobby and letting things just go into the trash or recycling. Antics aside, junk journaling can be super fun. Something that makes any crafting practice more fun is snagging the best tools to enhance it. 

You can call me inspector because I truly love a gadget. Picking up a new tool or gadget related to your artistic hobby can be so inspiring. It can renew your love of the practice because you suddenly have new and inventive ways to create. Below, we rounded up some of the absolute best tools and essentials for junk journalers and crafters, et al.

A journal Opens in a new window Credit: Leuchtturm1917 Leuchtturm1917 notebook $25.50 at Amazon
  Shop Now

First and foremost, you need a journal to house all your junk. The blank Leuchtturm1917 notebook is one of the most popular among junk journalers on TikTok. Just note that the pages are a bit see-through, so you'll want to glue them together for each new spread to avoid bleeding.

A Year of Junk Journaling 'A Year of Junk Journaling' by Martina Calvi $23.29 at Amazon
$24.99 Save $1.70   Shop Now at Amazon

This book is such an amazing resource for avid junk journalers or folks who are curious about the art form. It inspired me so much about things I wasn’t even considering for my spreads, like fruit stickers, restaurant matchboxes, receipts, candy wrappers, and handwritten things from loved ones, like grocery lists. The spreads are so colorful and inspiring in this book, too. 

A photo sticker printer Canon Ivy 2 mini photo printer $109.99 at Amazon
$119.99 Save $10   Shop Now at Amazon Kodak Step wireless mini printer $79.99 at Amazon
  Shop Now at Amazon Shop Now at Walmart HP Sprocket 2x3 instant smartphone printer $89.99 at Amazon
  Shop Now at Amazon HP Sprocket Panorama label and photo printer $129.99 at Amazon
$149.99 Save $20   Shop Now at Amazon

A mini photo printer is the perfect sidekick for someone who wants to fill their junk journal with pictures to correspond with their spreads. Some of our favorites are the Canon Ivy 2, Kodak Step, HP Sprocket, and HP Sprocket Panorama. Just connect the printers to your smartphone or social media accounts and print photo stickers on demand.

Bench organizer Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Bench Organizer for Art Supplies Tools $68.56 at Amazon
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This is the perfect addition to a junk journaler’s desk. There are so many compartments for organizing postcards, pencils, pens, stickers, scissors, and notebooks. Junk journaling can get pretty chaotic and disorganized with all of the random scraps that you save.

Epson EcoTank printer Epson EcoTank ET-2800 Wireless Cartridge-Free Printer $199.99 at Amazon
$239.99 Save $40   Shop Now at Amazon

For serious crafters and junk journalers who want to print to their hearts' content, the Epson Ecotank series is a complete game-changer. At varying price points, Epson has revolutionized printing in color. The EcoTank printer comes with bottles of ink that barely run out after printing many pages of full, vibrant color.

Chompsaw Opens in a new window Credit: Chompsaw ChompSaw: The Ultimate Kid-Safe Power Tool for Cutting Cardboard $249.99 at Amazon
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The Chompsaw is an exciting new invention directed primarily at children, but the brand emphasizes that it's safe for ages 3 to 103 for a reason. The Chompsaw acts like a “bench saw” for cardboard and thicker paper products. Intended to be completely safe for tiny and adult fingers, it allows folks to get really creative with their trash. 

Toddler digital instant camera Opens in a new window Credit: Dylanto Dylanto Kids Camera Instant Print $31.99 at Amazon
$39.99 Save $8.00   Shop Now

This might sound so bananas, but this toddler digital camera with instant print capability is an amazing tool for junk journalers because the cameras use thermal printing, meaning the film is not as precious as Instax or Polaroid (though those are super fun to use as well). While some instant print cameras that use film cost around $16 for a box of 20 photos, rolls of paper for these cameras cost around $10 for six rolls. Each roll for these “toddler” cameras can print 70 photos. The photos are only in black and white, but can add a fun pop of creativity to your junk journaling spreads. 

Pen hot glue gun Opens in a new window Credit: Dremel Dremel Pen Hot Glue Gun Cordless $47.99 at Amazon
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This cordless pen glue gun from Dremel is seriously innovative with its easy-squeeze trigger. The glue gun is designed to be held like a pen for easier maneuvering and grip strength. This is awesome for junk journalers who like to include unique and hard-to-glue-down objects like fake flowers, pennies, and other truly random treasures. Eschew the annoying features of the classic glue gun with its limiting cord, constant tipping over, and clunky application design.

Dremel electric scissors  Opens in a new window Credit: Dremel Dremel Electric Scissors $64.99 at Amazon
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For folks who work with many different materials, from fabric to cardboard, these electric scissors from Dremel might come in super handy. Cut through tons of material for your junk journal spread without tiring out your hands.

Kodak nice digital camera  Kodak PIXPRO FZ55-BK 16MP CMOS Sensor Digital Camera $149.99 at Amazon
$159.99 Save $10   Shop Now at Amazon

A friend to many junk journalers is the classic digital camera. Yes, many, if not most, of us have phones that can take pictures. However, having a digital camera can offer a different texture and aesthetic to the photos that you’re snapping. 

Polaroid camera  Polaroid Now 3rd Generation I-Type Instant Camera + Film Bundle $144.99 at Amazon
$159.99 Save $15   Shop Now at Amazon

For folks who want higher-quality photos in their spreads, a classic Polaroid camera can’t steer you wrong. This Polaroid Now 3rd-generation I-type instant camera also comes with two packs of eight film sheets. Add that classic nostalgic touch to your junk journal spreads with vivid snaps of your favorite places, people, or things.

Portable scanner Portable Document Scanner $60.99 at Amazon
  Shop Now at Amazon

This portable scanner tool is so cool. It is specified for documents, but many folks will use it on surfaces, signs, posters, and textures they see when out and about. Scan textures you see on your travels or in your neighborhood and save them for your next digital or IRL collage. Graphic designers rave about the scanner’s ability to capture texture more than a simple smartphone photo. 

Artist and content creator lamp Opens in a new window Credit: Canvas Canvas Lamp $172.99 at Canvas
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If content creation is an essential part of your creative or artistic practice, artists have raved in the avalanche of positive reviews for this lamp. The lamp clamps onto your desk and can move around and change its brightness level. It also has a convenient mount for placing your phone in and recording your crafting session.

Letter stamps 36-piece small wooden rubber stamps $9.99 at Amazon
  Shop Now at Amazon

If your handwriting looks better in your head than it does on paper, you might have fun with an alphabet stamp set. Create cohesive titles for your spreads or stamp out words and numbers that fit the theme of your junk.

iPad Apple iPad (128GB, A16 chip, 11-inch) $329 at Walmart
  Shop Now at Walmart Shop Now at Amazon

For folks who vibe with the concept of junk journaling but not with the mess of scissors, tape, paper, and glue, you can still be a junk journaler! Celebrate those photos that just sit in your camera roll by giving them another life in a digital collage with Procreate or Freeform. 

Apple Pencil Pro Apple Pencil Pro $94.99 at Amazon
$129 Save $34.01   Shop Now at Amazon Shop Now at Best Buy Shop Now at Walmart

Digital junk journalers all over TikTok are rarely seen without an Apple Pencil. This stylus is so compatible with iPads, it can allow you to digitally collage, illustrate, and junk journal to your heart’s content.

Band.do stickers Ban.do sticker booklet $12.95 at Amazon
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Sticker lovers can rejoice with this booklet from Ban.do. The brand has tons of different artists contribute to each booklet it releases. Stickers can always be a fun addition to junk journaling, even though they’re not “found objects.” 

Flow, the Book for Paper Lovers 'Flow, the Book for Paper Lovers' $29.99 at Amazon
$35 Save $5.01   Shop Now at Amazon

Sometimes you just don't have enough junk to fill up all of the white space in your journal — or you simply want some fun paper as the backdrop for your spread. Flow is an awesome book full of paper, stickers, illustrations, and even journaling ideas.

Double-sided tape dispenser Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Double-sided tape dispenser $24.95 at Amazon
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Double-sided tape dispensers can make your junk journaling session go super smoothly. This set comes with two dispensers and eight refills, so you can get a lot of stuff taped down.

Fiskars circle cutter Opens in a new window Credit: Fiskars Fiskars circle cutter $26.19 at Amazon
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This Fiskars circle cutter can punch out precise circles from various materials. Cut out different sizes of circles with this cutter that comes with three separate replacement blades. 

Funky scissors Mr. Pen craft scissors $6.85 at Amazon
$9.99 Save $3.14   Shop Now at Amazon

Give your junk a fun, decorative edge with this set of six scrapbooking scissors.

Mini embosser kit Sizzix Sidekick Starter Kit $64.99 at Amazon
  Shop Now at Amazon

This mini embosser machine is something that could elevate or add a dash of creativity to your practice. Roll paper through this machine to emboss the material with unique shapes, patterns, or words. The opportunities for creativity are pretty much endless.

X-Acto knife set  Opens in a new window Credit: DIYSELF DIYSELF Exacto Knife  $6.99 at Amazon
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This scrapbooking knife set speaks for itself when it comes to junk journaling. It’s an excellent tool for isolating certain images in a pamphlet or paper that you want to cut out with more precision than the average pair of household scissors.

Heated ribbon cutter Memory keepers heated ribbon cutter $19.99 at Amazon
$29.99 Save $10   Shop Now at Amazon

This tool is super helpful for cutting ribbon or other materials that are likely to fray. It seals the end of the cut material with heat.

Label printer Phomemo D30 Label Maker Machine $16.19 at Amazon
$28.98 Save $12.79   Shop Now at Amazon

Label printers are such an unsung hero of the junk journaling game. Instantly print labels for your spreads that can indicate any info you’d like. Print out labels for the date of your spread, explain an inside joke, or even decoratively incorporate song lyrics or lines from your favorite poem.

Thermal laminator Scotch TL901X Thermal Laminator $26.97 at Walmart
$54.99 Save $28.02   Shop Now at Walmart Shop Now at Amazon Shop Now at Amazon

A laminator might be a great score for someone who wants to junk journal in a more practical sense. Make bookmarks or reusable calendars out of your junk journaling spreads by creating your masterpiece and feeding it through the laminator for enhanced permanence.

Accordion file folder Opens in a new window Credit: Sooez Sooez Expanding Accordion Organizer $14.99 at Amazon
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This accordion file folder on Amazon is perfect for the junk journalers who are running out of room for storing all their unused ephemera. It’s expandable, so it can grow and shrink with the ebbs and flows of your collection of things. 

Phone app limiter Opens in a new window Credit: Brick Brick $59 at Brick
  Get Deal

This might be a surprising inclusion on this list, but the Brick phone-locking device could be a really helpful tool for your creativity. Tap your phone against the Brick to lock your access to the apps of your choosing and fully focus on your artistic project. (Many of our staff members use and love the Brick.)

NASA’s mega moon rocket will begin a slow trek to its Florida launchpad early Saturday, marking a major milestone for Artemis II, the agency’s first crewed lunar mission in over 50 years.

The rollout of the Space Launch System and Orion spaceship to a Cape Canaveral launchpad will kick off the final series of ground tests before NASA attempts to send four astronauts — Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, Christina Koch, and Jeremy Hansen — on a 10-day flight into deep space. 

The journey begins at 7 a.m. ET Jan. 17, which you can watch live below, with the stacked rocket exiting the Vehicle Assembly Building on a giant crawler-transporter. And they don't call it a "crawl" for nothing. 

"We'll be at a cruising speed of just under 1 mph," said launch director Charlie Blackwell-Thompson at a Friday briefing. "It'll be a little slower around the turns and up the hill, and that journey will take us about eight to 10 hours to get there." 

Once at the pad, teams will hook the rocket and capsule to ground systems and swing the crew access arm into place. If the fueling dress rehearsal goes smoothly, NASA could target launch opportunities as early as February. 

Here’s what to know about NASA’s towering moon rocket.

SEE ALSO: NASA says Artemis II can fly without its big, broken deep space antenna 1. SLS is powerful, but no longer the most powerful

SLS generates about 8.8 million pounds of thrust, roughly the output of 160,000 Corvette engines. SpaceX’s Starship now exceeds that, producing an estimated 16 to 17 million pounds.

NASA's rocket claimed the power crown during its Artemis I debut, but Starship has since flown multiple tests in space. That distinction comes with caveats, though: SLS is flight-ready for astronauts, while Starship has yet to even carry cargo. 

With Artemis II, SLS could become the most powerful rocket ever to launch humans. Its four main engines burn roughly 700,000 gallons of ultra-cold fuel, producing enough oomph to keep eight Boeing 747s aloft. Future versions of SLS, if they come to fruition, could deliver even greater power.

Size tells a similar story. SLS stands 322 feet tall, higher than the Statue of Liberty and Big Ben. It tops the Space Shuttle stack — a stack is the fully assembled, vertical version of a space rocket — but still trails Saturn V, NASA’s Apollo-era moon rocket. Starship, again, looms largest, rising more than 80 feet above SLS.

Watch NASA's livestream of the SLS rollout in the video above, beginning at 7 a.m. ET Jan. 17.

2. SLS is the only rocket built to fly Orion

Right now, SLS is the sole vehicle capable of sending Orion to the moon and beyond. The capsule, renamed Integrity by the crew, serves as both spacecraft and living quarters, providing its astronauts a snug space to work, eat, and sleep on long missions.

For Artemis II, Orion will fly about 5,000 miles past the moon's far side, potentially setting a new distance record for human spaceflight. When it returns, the spaceship will splash down in the Pacific Ocean.

3. SLS is made with retro hardware

The mega moon rocket is literally built on the Space Shuttle’s legacy. NASA carried forward major shuttle hardware into the new rocket, drawing on a program that flew from 1981 to 2011.

Engineers replaced the winged orbiter with Orion, while stretching the shuttle’s orange external tank into the rocket’s core stage. Four former shuttle main engines power that core.

Unlike before, those engines will not be reused. NASA plans to discard them after flight. Two shuttle-derived solid rocket boosters flank the core and provide about 75 percent of the thrust at liftoff. NASA modernized key systems and manufacturing methods, though Congress barred a clean-sheet design.

NASA's crawler-transporter leaves crushed rocks in its wake as it carries the Space Launch System to its launchpad on Nov. 4, 2022. Credit: NASA / Joel Kowsky 4. SLS sacrifices reusability for reach

Keeping in mind that SLS relies on Space Shuttle hardware, it demanded major changes to reach the moon. After all, the shuttle was originally designed for short trips to the International Space Station, about 250 miles above Earth. By contrast, the moon is roughly 239,000 miles away.

To make that leap, engineers stripped out reusable features such as parachutes, reserve fuel, and landing sensors. The changes freed about 2,000 pounds of payload capacity, helping Orion reach roughly 24,500 mph, the speed needed for a moonbound trajectory. The cost of that performance is disposability: SLS uses new boosters and engines for every mission.

Its exhaust is relatively clean, though. The engines burn liquid hydrogen and oxygen, producing superheated water vapor. NASA also replaced asbestos insulation on the boosters with rubber-based materials.

5. SLS is often called the most expensive

Many at NASA and on Capitol Hill have called SLS "America’s rocket," treating it as a national asset akin to a custom-built aircraft carrier for the military. Cost control was never the top priority. 

A 2010 spending law ordered NASA to build the rocket and spelled out its design, contractors, and business model. Passed during the Great Recession, it aimed in part to protect jobs. Today, about 3,800 suppliers across all 50 states support SLS and Orion.

SLS is often cited as the most expensive rocket ever built. In 2022, NASA’s inspector general estimated each Artemis launch would cost $4.1 billion, with about half tied to SLS alone.