Mashable

There's a moment in BTS: The Return when the question shifts from finishing the album to defining it.

By that point, BTS already have a body of work, more than a dozen tracks they feel confident in. What they don’t have is a clear sense of what those songs mean together, or what they're meant to say about this next version of the group. This isn't just a comeback; it's a recalibration of what it means to be BTS now, after everything they've already built.

That question carries weight for a reason. Over the past decade, BTS have reshaped the boundaries of global pop, expanding what a Korean group can sound like, where they can reach, and how they can connect. Their legacy isn't hypothetical. It already exists. The challenge is how to move within it.

In a meeting with HYBE executives, that uncertainty is given language. Executive creative director Boyoung Lee frames legacy as something to be actively sustained, while Bang Si-hyuk, the group’s longtime producer and chairman of HYBE, pushes the idea further. He asks the members to consider how they are building toward that legacy as they work, and what it means to evaluate it in the process of making something new. The reference point becomes "Arirang," a traditional Korean folk song rooted in longing and collective memory, a lineage that stretches far beyond the scale of a singular pop album — and one they are now being asked to reinterpret for themselves.

It’s an ambitious proposition. Maybe too ambitious. "Are we really worthy enough to ask ourselves this question?" leader RM wonders aloud, laughing to soften the hesitation underneath.

From that point on, The Return is no longer about completing an album. It's about whether BTS — RM, Jin, Suga, J-Hope, Jimin, V, and Jung Kook — can define what they've already become and who they are still becoming.

Credit: Netflix A documentary about process, not performance

Directed by Bao Nguyen, BTS: The Return begins in August 2025, weeks into BTS's two-month stay in Los Angeles, where they have been working to complete their first full-group project in four years. By the time Jin arrives, exhausted after finishing a solo tour the night before, the process is already underway. The members are living together in a rented house, moving between the intimacy of shared domestic space and the iterative, often circular rhythms of the studio.

Nguyen's camera isn't interested in spectacle. It lingers instead on repetition, on the slow accumulation of attempts, revisions, and near-decisions that define creative work. Days pass in cycles: listening to demos, recording vocals, revisiting ideas that never quite settle. There is a looseness to how time is structured, but not to what is at stake.

Credit: Netflix

On paper, the album is close to finished. In practice, it feels suspended. The members, particularly RM and Suga, aren't entirely satisfied. They have songs in the bank but nothing that feels definitive. What they're stuck on isn't production, but decision-making. What to keep, what to change, and what those choices ultimately say about the group's future.

It's a creative rut, but not an entirely unproductive one. The work continues without settling into anything final. Ideas are tested, revised, and set aside as quickly as they come together. "We're doing a lot of experiments trying to figure out what makes us special and what makes up BTS," RM says.

The urgency never fully disappears. Once they leave the warm glow of Los Angeles, the process shifts to Seoul, where the album will be finalized and locked in. That looming endpoint adds a particular tension to their time in California. It's both a space to experiment — an "amusement park" of ideas, as V describes it — and a countdown. "I want to enjoy making music freely," J-Hope says over dinner with the members, pushing against the feeling of working in something closer to a factory than a studio. But that openness never quite resolves into clarity. As Suga puts it, what's missing isn't effort, but direction. That unifying idea that can hold everything together.

Credit: Netflix What it takes to be understood by everyone

That tension surfaces most clearly in the studio, where the act of making music is stripped of its polish and presented as labor.

Nguyen lets these sequences run longer than expected, resisting the urge to condense them into clean progress. Instead, we sit with the repetition: lines recorded and re-recorded, phrasing adjusted mid-take, producers offering notes that are at once technical and directional. The conversation keeps returning to the same question from different angles — how this album should sound, and who it needs to reach.

At one point, that question is made more explicit. A HYBE executive points to earlier tracks like "On" and "Black Swan," suggesting that, while ambitious, they weren't always easily relatable for broader audiences. The implication is that something more legible is needed. That line of thinking begins to shape the group's direction in real time, nudging them toward a lead single like "Swim," which feels designed to land more instinctively.

Part of that question is also linguistic. At various points, the group is encouraged to think about the album's global accessibility, about how certain lines will land for listeners outside Korea. English becomes part of that equation. The push toward a more global sound isn't abstract. It's articulated directly by an executive from HYBE.

The members don't resist the idea outright, but they do question what it requires. Suga feels like there's already too much English in the lyrics, particularly in the rap verses, while RM returns to the question of authenticity. For this album, he insists, that authenticity matters.

Credit: Netflix

The camera lingers as they work through English lines that don't quite sit naturally, repeating words, adjusting phrasing, worrying over pronunciation. "This is too hard," Jimin says at one point. V admits the frustration more bluntly: "It's killing me." Even Jin questions the verbosity of the English phrasing, wondering whether all those words can fit into a single lyric.

Time only heightens the pressure. There isn't space to fully settle into the language, to make it feel effortless. In one writing session for "Normal," RM turns to a collaborator for reassurance, asking whether a melody sounds awkward, acknowledging the limits of his own fluency. Even for the member most comfortable navigating that boundary, the process is not instinctive. It has to be worked through, line by line.

Credit: Netflix

If English expands the music outward, Korean anchors it in something more specific. The space between the two becomes something the group has to actively parse, take by take. What The Return makes clear is that "global" isn't a neutral goal. It's a process of constant adjustment, one that happens in the body as much as in the music.

SEE ALSO: BTS fans, Spotify has a quiz for you Arirang, and the weight of what BTS carry forward

That search for direction begins to take shape in the idea of "Arirang."

The film's most conceptually dense sequence unfolds around the introduction of the popular Korean folk song and the seven young Korean men who first brought it to the United States in 1896. The conversations slow, the tone becomes more deliberate, and the stakes expand beyond the album itself.

The idea originates in a meeting with HYBE's executive creative director, but it follows them back into the studio, where it becomes something they have to actually work through. Bang wants to sample "Arirang" in the album. What is being proposed isn't just a sonic reference, but a framework. It's a way of situating BTS within a longer cultural lineage, one that carries its own expectations and histories. What that looks like, in actuality, is far less resolved than the concept suggests.

The longer they sit with the idea, the less stable it becomes. This is where Pdogg, their trusted in-house producer, comes into focus. He doesn't push the group toward a solution so much as keep them moving through the uncertainty, reframing what might otherwise feel like stagnation. At the end of one long day in the studio, when the conversation has circled without resolution, and the members seem to be slowly losing focus after hours of trying and failing to bring this idea to life, his assessment is simple: "We failed just enough."

Credit: Netflix

It's a small moment, but it reframes everything that comes before it. The point isn't to arrive at a perfect articulation of "Arirang," or even to resolve what it means for BTS to carry it forward. It's to stay inside the process long enough for something to take shape, even if that shape remains incomplete.

Eventually, "Arirang" is folded into the track "Body To Body." A debate emerges over how much of "Arirang" should be present in the track, whether it should be foregrounded or folded into the production, and how it might be interpreted depending on who is listening. Would using the song be too overt for Korean listeners? They worry it might feel too traditional, too heavy-handed, even uncomfortably patriotic. The hesitation comes from within, from a shared understanding of how "Arirang" functions culturally, and how easily it could tip from meaningful into something that feels imposed.

Credit: Netflix

At the same time, they are thinking about a global audience that might respond very differently. What risks feeling excessive or overly symbolic to Korean listeners could register as striking or resonant elsewhere. The question isn't just how much of the sample to use, but what that choice signals depending on where it's heard.

In the studio, those tensions play out in real-time. Bang pushes for a more direct use of the "Arirang" sample, at times advocating keeping it uninterrupted, while the members weigh how far they're willing to go. J-Hope, animated in his conviction, argues for what he feels instinctively works, embodying the push and pull that defines these conversations with the label. That tension carries into a later meeting in Seoul, where the members listen to a new version of "Body To Body" with a more prominent "Arirang" sample — noteably, the one that makes the final cut on the album. RM's reaction lands lightly, but pointedly: "It feels like I'm eating kimchi fried rice in Paris Baguette."

The film lingers on these exchanges, offering a rare look at how those decisions are negotiated — the kind of access fans rarely get to see.

Credit: Netflix

There are technical questions to iron out — tempo, arrangement, placement — but they quickly give way to something more layered. How do you use something this culturally loaded without letting it overwhelm the song? How do you make it feel impactful rather than performative? What emerges isn't a clear answer, but a sharper sense of how differently the same choice can land. What resonates in one context might feel excessive in another. What reads as homage could just as easily be interpreted as obligation.

Intimacy by design

If the studio sequences are defined by pressure, the film's emotional center lies in the spaces Nguyen builds around them.

The decision to introduce handheld camcorders switches the film's visual language in a subtle but meaningful way. Perspective becomes fragmented, subjective. The members are no longer just being observed; they are observing each other and the spaces around them, shaping how their time together is documented. V takes to the camera most naturally, moving through the house with an ease that makes the footage feel less like documentation and more like memory.

Credit: Netflix

That allows Nguyen to linger on moments that might otherwise be cut: eating samgyeopsal together, pouring drinks, sitting around a table as conversations drift in and out. Outside, they pass time just as loosely — tossing a ball back and forth in the yard, slipping into the pool, moving between activity and stillness without clear structure. In one scene, RM picks up a saxophone and the others singing along without prompting, the moment unfolding without pretense.

These scenes aren't framed as relief from the work, but as part of it. These are the conditions that make the work possible. The time spent together, unstructured and unproductive on its surface, becomes a different kind of creative foundation.

The effect is cumulative. By the time the film moves away from Los Angeles, that shared space feels essential to how BTS function — not just as collaborators, but as something closer to a family.

What remains when they're not trying to define it

That sense of proximity becomes more fragile once the group returns to Seoul.

Nguyen doesn't dramatize the change so much as let it register through contrast in the absence of the collective energy that defined their time in Los Angeles. What once felt continuous now feels dispersed, each member moving through his own space again.

In one of the film's most intimate moments, Jimin sits alone, describing a life that has grown smaller, more contained in the aftermath of fame. The scene is unadorned: a meal, a screen, the low hum of routine. The camera holds on him just long enough for the weight of that admission to settle, not as a revelation, but as something quietly lived. It reframes what came before.

Credit: Netflix

In retrospect, the Los Angeles sessions begin to feel less like a production period and more like a rare alignment — a stretch of time defined not just by work, but by closeness. By the simple, increasingly uncommon experience of being together in the same place, moving through the same days.

RM gestures toward this in his philosophical reflections on time, drawing a distinction between what can be measured and what can be felt. The steady passage of days gives way, in those shared moments, to something more elastic, shaped by presence rather than schedule.

Nguyen doesn't underline the point. He doesn't need to. It's already embedded in the film's pulse, in what it lingers on, in what it refuses to resolve.

By the time BTS leave Los Angeles, the album remains unfinished. The questions that shaped it are still open. But what the film reveals, almost in spite of itself, is that the time they spent together was never just a means to an end.

It was the thing they were trying to hold onto.

BTS: The Return is streaming on Netflix on March 27.

TL;DR: Unblock porn sites for free with a VPN. The best service for unblocking porn sites is ExpressVPN.

The online world is full of content restrictions and blockades. It might not always seem like that, but look around. More and more restrictions on your movement are coming into force.

Porn naturally comes with a lot of restrictions, but there's really nothing wrong with adults visiting their favorite sites at entirely appropriate moments. When the time is right, you should be able to bypass content restrictions to access sites like XNXX from any network and location. And fortunately, you can do exactly that with a quick and easy hack.

If you want to unblock porn sites like XNXX from anywhere in the world, we've got all the information you need.

How to unblock XNXX for free

VPNs are useful tools that can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to secure servers in other locations. This straightforward process can bypass geo-restrictions to access porn sites like XNXX from anywhere in the world.

SEE ALSO: How to unblock Pornhub for free

Unblock porn sites like XNXX by following these simple steps:

1. Sign up for a 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 a location that supports access to XNXX

4. Visit XNXX

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 bypassing content restrictions are not free, but leading VPNs do tend to offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can unblock porn sites like XNXX without actually spending anything. This obviously isn't a long-term solution, but it does mean you can retain access to porn sites when temporarily away from a secure network.

If you want to retain permanent access to everything the online world has to offer, you'll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for porn is on sale for a limited time.

What is the best VPN for porn?

ExpressVPN is the best service for fast and reliable unblocking of porn sites like XNXX, 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

• Fast streaming speeds free from throttling

• Up to eight 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).

Unblock XNXX for free with ExpressVPN.

The explicit tube site Pornhub is now blocked in 23 U.S. states.

This is due to age-verification laws. These laws vary state by state, but typically require visitors of a site with over a third of explicit content to submit a government ID or other form of age authentication. Louisiana was the first state to enact such a bill a couple of years ago, and now others have followed suit. In June, the Supreme Court deemed Texas's age-verification law constitutional, setting a precedent for such bills that come before and after.

SEE ALSO: Porn censorship is going to destroy the entire internet

According to one preliminary study, age verification won't work to keep minors off porn sites. This is because of software like VPNs that allow someone to appear to be in a different location, and because of non-compliant websites. (The Florida attorney general is suing foreign-based porn sites for not instituting age verification.) Yet, these laws keep getting passed — and are encroaching on non-explicit websites as well, experts told Mashable.

While Pornhub is not blocked in Louisiana, it is blocked in these states, a Pornhub representative confirmed to Mashable:

• Alabama

• Arizona

• Arkansas

• Florida

• Georgia

• Idaho

• Indiana

• Kansas

• Kentucky

• Mississippi

• Missouri

• Montana

• Nebraska

• North Carolina

• North Dakota

• Oklahoma

• South Carolina

• South Dakota

• Tennessee

• Texas

• Utah

• Virginia

• Wyoming

Pornhub isn't blocked in Ohio despite the state's age-verification law, due to a clause stating that establishing age verification methods doesn't apply to a provider of an interactive computer service (Aylo considers itself one).

In Louisiana, where users must submit ID to view Pornhub, the site has seen traffic decline by around 80 percent, Aylo (Pornhub's parent company) told Mashable.

"These people did not stop looking for porn. They just migrated to darker corners of the internet that don't ask users to verify age, that don't follow the law, that don't take user safety seriously, and that often don't even moderate content. In practice, the laws have just made the internet more dangerous for adults and children," Aylo stated when asked for comment by Mashable back in January.

In a statement to Mashable, Aylo continued:

First, to be clear, Aylo has publicly supported age verification of users for years, but we believe that any law to this effect must preserve user safety and privacy, and must effectively protect children from accessing content intended for adults.

Unfortunately, the way many jurisdictions worldwide have chosen to implement age verification is ineffective, haphazard, and dangerous. Any regulations that require hundreds of thousands of adult sites to collect significant amounts of highly sensitive personal information is putting user safety in jeopardy. Moreover, as experience has demonstrated, unless properly enforced, users will simply access non-compliant sites or find other methods of evading these laws.

Industry experts say that, in addition to not working for their intended purpose, age verification laws also raise concerns about privacy protection and safety since websites now have to host (even more of) people's personal information. It will be harder to be anonymous online, which experts warn is dangerous to free speech. Adult industry experts Mashable spoke to in an explainer on age-verification laws advocated for device-level filters, as did Aylo in its statement.

SEE ALSO: YouTube will begin using AI for age verification next week

Some in the adult industry worry about what Trump's second presidential term will bring due to the conservative policy outline Project 2025 and its measures to ban porn. One of Project 2025's authors, Russell Vought, was caught on a secret recording stating that age-verification laws are the "back door" to a broader porn ban.

A quick look at the best Amazon Spring Sale gaming deals: Best Console Deal ASUS ROG Xbox Ally $549.99 (save $50) Shop Now Best Video Game Deal NBA 2K26 (PS5) $19.93 (save $50.06) Shop Now Best Gaming Monitor Deal Samsung Odyssey OLED G9 (G91SD) $799.99 (save $500) Shop Now Best Gaming Mouse Deal Logitech G305 Lightspeed Wireless Gaming Mouse $26.99 (save $23) Shop Now

Amazon’s Big Spring Sale has not officially started just yet, but there are still plenty of early gaming deals stacking up across for PS5, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch. Whether you’re shopping for a new handheld console, a discounted game, or an upgrade for your setup, Amazon has started rolling out price cuts well before the main event gets underway.

Alongside our roundups of Lego deals, TV deals, and Pokémon deals, here are the best gaming offers you can find on-site right now.

Best gaming console deal Opens in a new window Credit: ASUS ASUS ROG Xbox Ally $549.99 at Amazon
$599.99 Save $50   Get Deal

Handheld gaming PCs are still far from cheap, but Amazon has already shaved something off one of the newer Xbox-branded options. The ASUS ROG Xbox Ally is down to $549.99 from $599.99, which knocks $50 off the list price.

That’s the best price we've seen for this system so far (confirmed with price tracker camelcamelcamel), so this is an impressive price cut on a portable system that blends Xbox branding with the flexibility of a Windows handheld. You're getting a 7-inch 1080p 120Hz touchscreen, AMD Ryzen Z2 A processor, 16GB of RAM, a 512GB SSD, and a three-month Xbox Game Pass Premium subscription bundled in.

This handheld model supports Xbox Game Pass, but you can also run games on Steam, Epic Games, and other Windows titles. That gives it a lot more versatility than a locked-down console-style device.

Best video game deal Opens in a new window Credit: 2K NBA 2K26 (PS5) $19.93 at Amazon
$69.99 Save $50.06   Get Deal

As for cheaper games, though, NBA 2K26 is down to just $19.93 from $69.99 on PS5 — its lowest price ever, as confirmed with camelcamelcamel, as well. That’s 72% off the full game that includes ProPLAY-enhanced gameplay, MyCAREER, MyTEAM, and MyNBA modes, giving basketball fans plenty to dig into whether they mostly play solo or jump online with friends.

More Amazon Big Spring Sale gaming deals

PlayStation games

• Sonic Superstars — $12.60 $29.99 (save $17.39)

• Sonic X Shadow Generations — $19.49 $49.99 (save $30.50)

• Final Fantasy VII Rebirth Exclusive Amazon Edition — $24.99 $49.99 (save $25)

• Elden Ring — $26.68 $49.99 (save $23.31)

• Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater Tactical Edition — $35.57 $49.99 (save $14.42)

Nintendo Switch games

• Stray — $25 $39.99 (save $14.99)

• Pokémon Shining Pearl — $47.99 $59.99 (save $12)

• Pokémon Sword — $51.25 $59.99 (save $8.74)

• Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu!) — $51.90 $59.99 (save $8.09)

• Super Smash Bros. Ultimate US Version — $52.91 $59.99 (save $7.08)

• Super Mario Bros.™ Wonder — $53.99 $59.99 (save $6)

• Pokémon Legends: Z-A — $54.49 $59.99 (save $5.50)

• Pokémon Sword and Shield Edition — $225.37 $419.99 (save $194.62)

Nintendo Switch 2 games

• NBA 2K26 — $19.99 $29.99 (save $10)

• Sonic X Shadow Generations — $24.99 $49.99 (save $25)

• Dragon Quest VII Reimagined — $49.99 $59.99 (save $10)

Xbox games

• NBA 2K26 — $19.99 $29.99 (save $10)

• SpongeBob SquarePants: Titans of the Tide — $19.99 $39.99 (save $20)

• Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater Tactical Edition — $32.90 $49.99 (save $17.09)

Gaming mice

• Logitech G305 Lightspeed Wireless Gaming Mouse — $26.99 $49.99 (save $23)

• Logitech G502 Hero High Performance Wired Gaming Mouse — $35.99 $69.99 (save $34)

Gaming headsets

• SteelSeries Arctis Nova 1 Multi-System Gaming Headset — $36.49 $59.99 (save $24.50)

• HyperX Cloud III Wired Gaming Headset (PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S) — $64.99 $99.99 (save $35)

Gaming monitors

• Samsung 27-inch Odyssey OLED G5 (G50SF) — $429.99 $549.99 (save $120)

• Samsung -37-inch Odyssey G7 (G75F) — $599.99 $899.99 (save $300)

The best Amazon Spring Sale Pokémon deals at a glance: Best Mega Charizard deal Pokémon TCG Mega Charizard X ex Ultra-Premium Collection $196.97 (save $53.02) Shop Now Best Preorder Deal Pokémon TCG First Partner Illustration Collection Series 1 $64.75 Shop Now Best Collector Chest Deal Pokémon TCG Collector Chest Fall 2025 $47.30 (save $10.69) Shop Now Best Mega Evolution Deal Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Ascended Heroes 2-Pack Blister $28.45 (save $1.50) Shop Now Best Perfect Order Deal Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Perfect Order Booster Display Box $249.95 (save $30.04) Shop Now Best Elite Trainer Box Deal Pokémon TCG: Mega Evolution Perfect Order Elite Trainer Box $104.95 Shop Now Best tin deal Pokémon TCG: Mega Charizard X Tin $35.34 (save $2.59) Shop Now

Amazon’s Big Spring Sale has not officially started yet, but Pokémon shoppers already have a few worthwhile deals to browse before the event kicks off for real.

Amazon has early discounts and preorder price cuts live across a wide range of categories — gaming deals, TV deals, Lego deals, and much more — making this a good time to shop if your wishlist includes sealed TCG products, collector boxes, or a couple of first-party Pokémon titles.

Best Pokémon Elite Trainer Box deal Opens in a new window Credit: The Pokémon Company Pokémon TCG: Mega Evolution Perfect Order Elite Trainer Box $104.95 at Amazon
  Pre-order Here

With Pokémon TCG's Perfect Order expansion finally out this week on March 27, we're at the turning point where pre-launch ETBs will start going well above $100 upon release — making this the best time to grab the Perfect Order Elite Trainer Box for under $100.

Soon after, we predict the Perfect Order ETB will follow the market's usual trend (like other Pokemon ETBs on Amazon), going well above the $110 mark as availability starts to drop. Now is the best time to jump in before that happens.

The Perfect Order Elite Trainer Box includes nine Perfect Order booster packs, a full-art foil Tyrunt promo card, 65 sleeves, 40 Energy cards, a player’s guide, dice, a coin, a collector’s box, six dividers, and a code card for Pokémon TCG Live.

Best Pokémon collection deal Opens in a new window Credit: The Pokémon Company Pokémon TCG Mega Charizard X ex Ultra-Premium Collection $196.97 at Amazon
$249.99 Save $53.02   Get Deal

The Pokémon TCG Mega Charizard X ex Ultra-Premium Collection is one of the best early Pokémon deals already live ahead of Amazon’s Big Spring Sale — down to $196.97 from $249.99, saving you $53.02 on a premium collector box with tons of packs and extra collectibles. It's now only $11 above TCGplayer's market price value of $185.

This set includes 18 booster packs,, foil promo cards of Mega Charizard X ex and Oricorio ex, plus sleeves, a playmat, deck box, metal coin, dice, and a code card for Pokémon TCG Live. That makes it more of a centerpiece purchase than a casual pickup, but for collectors or Charizard fans, it is one of the more eye-catching early deals live right now.

You'll get four packs of Phantasmal Flames, four Mega Evolution, four Destined Rivals, four Journey Together, and two Surging Sparks with this limited-time offer.

Best Pokémon Booster Pack deal Opens in a new window Credit: The Pokémon Company Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Perfect Order Booster Display Box $249.95 at Amazon
$279.99 Save $30.04   Pre-order Here

With a new price cut of over $30, pre-ordering the Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Perfect Order Booster Display Box (36 booster packs) for $249.95 means you're only paying roughly $6.94 per booster pack; that's almost $5 off compared to buying Perfect Order boosters individually.

So unlike an Elite Trainer Box, you are not getting sleeves, dice, or storage extras. This is more of a straight pack-heavy buy for collectors who want to open a full box at once or chase cards from the new Perfect Order expansion without paying for the added accessories.

Best Pokémon preorder deal Opens in a new window Credit: The Pokémon Company Pokémon TCG: First Partner Illustration Collection Series 1 $64.75 at Amazon
  Pre-order Here

The second option is less of a markdown and more of a strategic preorder for anyone trying to get ahead of the rush. The Pokémon TCG: First Partner Illustration Collection Series 1 is available to preorder for $64.75 and is set to release on March 20. 

This set, along with a booster pack each of Phantasmal Flames and Mega Evolution, includes one booster pack containing three of nine illustration rare-style promo cards themed around first partner Pokémon from the Kanto, Sinnoh, or Alola regions, plus a sticker sheet. 

Currently, this sits over $10 above its market price on TCGplayer, but Amazon's listing is still cheaper than most listings when shipping costs are considered. Because this is a limited collection, we expect the value of the First Partner Illustration Collection to go way up once there’s less availability after its release date. 

More Pokémon deals

• Pokémon Twilight Masquerade Sleeved Booster Pack — $8.87 $11.90 (save $3.03)

• Pokémon Scarlet & Violet Obsidian Flames Booster Pack — $14.43 $15.99 (save $1.56)

• Pokémon TCG Scarlet & Violet Prismatic Evolutions Booster Pack — $17.99 $18.99 (save $1)

• Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution: Ascended Heroes: 2-Pack Blister (Random Promo) — $28.45 $29.95 (save $1.50)

• Pokémon TCG Pokémon Day 2026 Collection — $34.45 $36.94 (save $2.49)

• Pokémon TCG Mega Charizard Y Tin — $40.92 $47.95 (save $7.03)

• Pokémon Shining Pearl (Nintendo Switch) — $47.99 $59.99 (save $12)

• Pokémon Sword (Nintendo Switch) — $51.25 $59.99 (save $8.74)

• Pokémon: Let's Go, Pikachu! (Nintendo Switch) — $51.90 $59.99 (save $8.09)

• Pokémon Legends: Z-A (Nintendo Switch) — $54.49 $59.99 (save $5.50)

• Pokémon TCG Mega Venusaur ex Premium Collection Box — $59.99 $74.49 (save $14.50) 

• Pokémon TCG Scarlet & Violet: Journey Together (8 Booster Pack Lot) — $64.45 $69.95 (save $5.50)

• Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Ascended Heroes Premium Poster Collection Mega Lucario — $133.93 $159.99 (save $26.06)

• Pokémon Sword and Shield Edition (Nintendo Switch Lite) — $225.37 $419.99 (save $194.62)

• Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Perfect Order Booster Display Box — $249.95 $279.99 (save $30.04)

• Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution: Ascended Heroes Mini Tin Display — $249.95 $349.99 (save $100.04)

TL;DR: Unblock Pornhub for free with a VPN. The best service for unblocking porn sites from Australia is ExpressVPN.

The world of porn continues to be impacted by age-verification laws. Back in early 2025, more than a third of U.S. states introduced age verification laws for online adult content. Pornhub hit back by blocking users from those locations. A similar situation took place France and the UK, and now Australians are facing the same set of challenges.

The porn blocks arrived just days before new online safety codes came into effect, requiring organisations to verify the ages of users. It's the same story we've seen before, with the same straightforward workaround.

If you want to unblock porn sites like Pornhub for free from Australia, we have all the information you need.

How to unblock Pornhub for free in Australia

VPNs are tools that can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to secure servers in other locations. This process bypasses geo-restrictions so you can access sites like Pornhub from anywhere in the world.

Unblock Pornhub from Australia by following these simple steps:

1. Sign up for a 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 a location that supports access to Pornhub

4. Visit Pornhub

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 unblocking porn sites are not free, but most do offer free-trial peiods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can unblock porn sites like Pornhub without spending anything. This is obviously not a long-term solution, but it does give you the opportunity to temporarily retain access to Pornhub before recovering your investment. The situation may have changed before the free-trial period comes to an end.

If you want to retain permanent access to sites like Pornhub, you'll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for bypassing content restrictions is on sale for a limited time.

What is the best VPN for Pornhub?

ExpressVPN is the top choice for unblocking porn sites like Pornhub, 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 always secure

• Fast streaming speeds free from throttling

• 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).

Unblock Pornhub for free in Australia with ExpressVPN.

FREE BOOKS: The latest Stuff Your Kindle Day takes place on March 20-23. Stuff with Fantasy is offering free fantasy books from a number of sub-genres for your e-reader.

Stuff Your Kindle Day likes to keep everyone guessing. We can go weeks without anything, and then the schedule gets wild without warning. We're in a wild phase, which is good and bad news for bookworms. The good news is that you can stock up on new reads without spending anything. The bad news is that you need to get your head out of a book and prepare your wishlist.

Stuff with Fantasy is the latest event to go live, offering participants the chance to download fantasy books without spending anything. Everything that you download is yours to keep forever, so there really is no need to hold back. This is your opportunity to stock up on fantasy reads so you're covered through the spring and summer.

SEE ALSO: I tested the best Kindles to help you find the perfect e-reader

Looking to make the most of the latest Stuff Your Kindle Day? We've lined up everything you need to know about this popular event.

When is Stuff Your Kindle Day?

Stuff with Fantasy takes place on March 20-23. That's a long weekend of free reading. Does it get any better than that?

A lot of Stuff Your Kindle Days only last 24 hours, so this is a refreshing change of pace. There's no need to panic this with fantasy giveaway. You can assess your options, make a wishlist, and then add to your ever-growing virtual pile of books. That's your weekend plans sorted.

Which ebooks are free?

Stuff with Fantasy offers free fantasy books from a number of sub-genres. There's a hub page with 100s of free books listed out, with helpful filters for Age Category, Spice Levels, Representations, Tropes, Subgenres, and Language Level. Narrow down your search and find exactly what you want to read, without spending anything.

Anyone can participate in this event: Kindle and Kobo readers can download these romance books for free.

Is Stuff Your Kindle Day the same as Amazon Kindle Unlimited?

Everything you download on Stuff Your Kindle Day is yours to keep, and there's no limit on the number of books you can download (we're seeing close to 200 free books in this latest giveaway). Stuff Your Kindle Day downloads don't count towards the 20 books that Amazon Kindle Unlimited subscribers can borrow at the same time, so don't hold back.

The best Stuff Your Kindle Day deal Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Kindle (16GB) + Kindle Unlimited (3 Months) $109.99 at Amazon
  Shop Now Why we like it

These popular e-readers let you take your entire library on the go. With weeks of battery life and an anti-glare display, you can read anywhere and anytime with the Kindle. Plus, you can get three months of Kindle Unlimited for free with your purchase for a limited time. We're hoping to see price reductions over Amazon's Big Spring Sale, but there's no guarantee of anything.

Amazon gift cards usually come with the starting balance printed on the physical card or mentioned in the email if you receive an eGift card. But what if you want to check the balance on a gift card that you previously redeemed to see if you have enough left over to splurge during Amazon's Big Spring Sale (which officially runs March 25-31 in 2026)? Or maybe you want to reload a gift card you've already used up to keep you on budget? Check the state of your gift cards before your shopping spree this spring by following the simple steps below. Happy shopping!

How to check your Amazon gift card balance on your desktop

Follow these quick steps to check or reload your Amazon gift card balance from your computer browser:

Total Time

• 2 minutes

What You Need

• Computer

Step 1: Navigate to Amazon

Open the Amazon website.

Step 2: Accounts & Lists

Click on Accounts & Lists in the top right corner of the screen.

Credit: Screenshot: Amazon website

Step 3: Select Gift cards

A new menu page will open on the website. Select Gift cards.

Credit: Screenshot: Amazon website

Step 4: Redeem or reload gift card

Once you click, you'll be able to see the existing balance on your gift card. If you are checking the balance on an unredeemed gift card and wish to redeem it, you can click on Redeem a Gift card. You can also opt to Reload your card in this menu or check your transaction history, which is listed below the gift card balance.

Credit: Screenshot: Amazon website How to check your Amazon gift card balance in the app

Follow these simple steps to check or reload your Amazon gift card balance from your phone or tablet:

Total Time

• 2 minutes

What You Need

• Smartphone

Step 1: Go to Account

Open the app and click on the account icon at the bottom of the landing page (the little person illustration). Then choose Account at the top of the landing page.

Credit: Screenshot: Amazon

Step 2: Navigate to Payments

Scroll down until you see the Payments section.

Step 3: Manage gift card balance

In the Payments section, click on Manage gift card balance.

Credit: Screenshot: Amazon

Step 4: Check balance or reload

Use the new menu that opens to check your gift card balance, reload your gift card, or check past activity.

Credit: Screenshot: Amazon

The SNL UK cast probably dreamed of their first ever sketch being spoken about far and wide, but a share from the US president was likely the last thing they were expecting.

In the first ever cold open above, George Fouracres plays an extra nervous UK prime minister Keir Starmer, waiting with deputy prime minister David Lammy for a phone call from Donald Trump.

"Oh, golly," says Starmer/Fouracres in the sketch as the phone rings. "What if Donald shouts at me?"

Starmer is presented as both cowardly and obsessed with Trump in the sketch, which may have been what prompted the president to post the video on Truth Social on Sunday.

Samsung is adding AirDrop support to its Galaxy S26 phones, making its Quick Share file transfer feature compatible with iPhones.

SEE ALSO: Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra hands-on: Privacy Display is the coolest innovation by far

Rolling out from Monday, Samsung's Quick Share update will arrive on Galaxy S26 phones in South Korea first before expanding to other regions, including North America, Latin America, Europe, Hong Kong, Japan, Southeast Asia, and Taiwan. Samsung also plans to add Airdrop compatibility to devices outside the S26 series at a later date, though exact models have yet to be announced.

Samsung's Quick Share debuted on the Galaxy S20 in 2020, seven years after Apple first introduced AirDrop to iOS. Quick Share subsequently merged with Google's Nearby Share feature in 2024, becoming available on non-Samsung Android devices, ChromeOS, and Windows PCs. Then in 2025, Quick Share gained AirDrop compatibility on Google Pixel 10 devices. Today's news sees Quick Share's iPhone support expand further, gradually making it easier to share files with friends regardless of the OS they use.

To send files to an iOS device via Quick Share, Samsung Galaxy S26 users will first have to toggle on "Share with Apple devices," found in the phone settings under "Connected devices" and "Quick Share."

Credit: Samsung

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 23, 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 23, 2026 Easy difficulty hints, answers for March 23 Pips

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

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

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

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

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

Medium difficulty hints, answers for March 23 Pips

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

Number (10): Everything in this space must add up to 10. The answer is 2-4, placed horizontally; 3-3, placed horizontally.

Number (2): Everything in this space must add up to 2. The answer is 4-1, placed vertically; 1-5, placed horizontally.

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

Number (10): Everything in this space must add up to 10. The answer is 1-5, placed horizontally; 5-3, placed horizontally.

Hard difficulty hints, answers for March 23 Pips

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

Number (3): Everything in this space must add up to 2. The answer is 2-1, placed horizontally; 6-0, placed vertically.

Number (4): Everything in this space must add up to 4. The answer is 0-2, placed horizontally; 2-6, placed vertically.

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

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

Number (12): Everything in this space must add up to 12. The answer is 4-1, placed horizontally; 4-4, placed horizontally.

Number (1): Everything in this space must add up to 1. The answer is 4-1, placed horizontally; 0-3, placed vertically.

Number (10): Everything in this space must add up to 10. The answer is 3-4, placed horizontally; 6-4, placed vertically.

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

Number (16): Everything in this space must add up to 16. The answer is 1-6, placed vertically; 5-5, placed vertically.

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

Today's Connections: Sports Edition is for people who know offensive schemes.

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.

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: 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: Tiebreaker

• Green: Offensive playbook

• Blue: Red bird teams

• Purple: SGA

Here are today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

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

• Yellow: Used to Break a Tie

• Green: Offensive Formations in Football

• Blue: Cardinals

• Purple: Associated with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

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 #546 is...

What is the answer to Connections: Sports Edition today?

• Used to Break a Tie - EXTRA END, EXTRA INNINGS, OVERTIME, SHOOTOUT

• Offensive Formations in Football - I, SHOTGUN, WILDCAT, WISHBONE

• Cardinals - ARIZONA, BALL STATE, LOUISVILLE, ST. LOUIS

• Associated with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander - 2, KENTUCKY, MVP, THUNDER

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.

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 enhance.

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

BOOST

Hurdle Word 2 hint

Restaurants have many of these.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for March 23, 2026 Hurdle Word 2 Answer

TABLE

Hurdle Word 3 hint

Killed.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for March 23 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for March 23, 2026 Hurdle Word 3 answer

SLAIN

Hurdle Word 4 hint

Sound made during sleep.

Hurdle Word 4 answer

SNORE

Final Hurdle hint

Jewish text.

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

TORAH

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

If the Moon looks different tonight than it did yesterday, that’s because it’s moving through the lunar cycle. As it orbits Earth, the Sun illuminates different portions of its surface, which is why its shape appears to change from night to night.

The full cycle takes about 29.5 days and includes eight unique phases. Keep reading to find out where the Moon is in that cycle today.

What is today’s Moon phase?

As of Monday, March 23, the Moon phase is Waxing Crescent. According to NASA's Daily Moon Guide, 23% of the Moon will be lit up tonight.

Tonight's Moon viewing is similar to last nights, with still only a small portion of the moon illuminated. With just your naked eye, you can spot the Mare Fecunditatis and the Mare Crisium, as well as the Edymion Crater, with the addition of binoculars or a telescope.

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 orbit Earth, going through eight different phases. We always see the same side, but the Sun lights up different portions as it moves, which is why it can look full, half, or just a thin sliver. These changing shapes are called 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.

The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult if you have a good heart.

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 March 23, 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: Good character

• Green: Lifesavers

• Blue: Untainted

• Purple: Aka

Here are today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Principled

• Green: Game-changing inventions

• Blue: "Virgin" things

• Purple: Ending in nickname homophones

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 #1016 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Principled: DECENT, HONEST, MORAL, STAND-UP

• Game-changing inventions: LIGHT BULB, PRINTING PRESS, SLICED BREAD, WHEEL

• "Virgin" things: MARY, MOCKTAIL, OLIVE OIL, VIRGO

• Ending in nickname homophones: BRAIN STEW, BROCCOLI RABE, JUNGLE GYM, OPEN MIC

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 23, 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 not put together.

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 23, 2026 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: In pieces

The words are related to smashing.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe things splitting.

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 Breakdown.

NYT Strands word list for March 23

• Rupture

• Crack

• Splinter

• Breakdown

• Fracture

• Shatter

• Snap

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 use Word often.

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 23, 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 23, 2026 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

Decorative font.

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...

SERIF

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: Get Microsoft Windows 11 Pro for just $12.97 (reg. $199) and upgrade your PC with better multitasking, security, and AI-powered tools.

Opens in a new window Credit: Microsoft Microsoft Windows 11 Pro $12.97
$199 Save $186.03   Get Deal

Operating system upgrades aren’t usually the most exciting purchase. Most people install them when they have to — often when their current version starts feeling outdated or loses support.

But every once in a while, an offer makes the decision a lot easier. Microsoft Windows 11 Pro is available for just $12.97 (reg. $199) for a limited time. That means upgrading to Microsoft’s newest operating system costs less than your average lunch.

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!

Windows 11 Pro introduces a cleaner, more modern interface, designed to make everyday computing a bit smoother. The centered taskbar, redesigned menus, and improved search features help streamline navigation.

It also adds productivity tools like Snap Layouts, which make multitasking easier by letting you organize multiple windows on screen quickly. If you regularly work across several apps at once — documents, spreadsheets, browser tabs — this can be a noticeable improvement.

On the security side, Windows 11 Pro includes BitLocker encryption, biometric login options, TPM 2.0 protection, and Smart App Control, helping protect devices from modern threats. The OS also integrates Copilot, Microsoft’s built-in AI assistant, which can help summarize webpages, answer questions, and even assist with writing or coding tasks.

For PCs that meet the compatibility requirements, upgrading to Windows 11 Pro for $12.97 (reg. $199) is an easy way to bring your system up to date without spending much.

Want to see more deals? Visit the shop and use code MARCH15 to save an extra 15% sitewide through March 29. Exclusions apply.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: Upgrade your Mac with a lifetime license for Microsoft Office Home and Business for Mac 2021, on sale now for $59.97 through April 12.

Opens in a new window Credit: Microsoft Microsoft Office Home & Business for Mac 2021: Lifetime License $59.97
$219 Save $159.03   Get Deal

If you want the best of both worlds, you can now get all the best Microsoft tools on your Mac with this Microsoft Office Home and Business for Mac 2021 lifetime license. This edition comes with six powerful tools you’ll get access to forever, and now you can get them all for just $59.97 — just $10 each — until April 12.

Mac users, listen up. You can now enjoy all the perks of Microsoft’s best tools, while still enjoying the power and comforts of your Apple device. This Microsoft Office Home and Business for Mac 2021 lifetime license equips your Mac with six essentials, and lets you own them outright for just $10 each.

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!

Microsoft Office Home and Business for Mac 2021 makes it easy to create documents with Word, build spreadsheets with Excel, manage your emails with Outlook, and design presentations with PowerPoint. You’ll also have access to newer staples like OneNote to help you modernize your note-taking and Teams to stay connected with friends, family, and coworkers.

You’ll receive an instant delivery and download with your purchase, so you can permanently access these tools for life with no cloud connectivity or subscription fees required. Just ensure your Mac is running macOS 14 Sonoma, macOS 15 Sequoia, or macOS 26 Tahoe.

Get a lifetime license for Microsoft Office Home and Business for Mac 2021, on sale now for $59.97 through April 12.

Want to see more deals? Visit the shop and use code MARCH15 to save an extra 15% sitewide through March 29. Exclusions apply.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Nothing seemed amiss as NASA's experimental X-59 supersonic jet touched down after its second test in the air, smoothly coasting onto the runway. 

But the sleek, needle-nosed airplane had completed only nine minutes in the air on Friday, March 20, before a cockpit warning light forced an early landing. That warning was separate from a caution light that occurred during an earlier takeoff attempt just before 10 a.m. P.T., said Cathy Bahm, project manager at NASA's Armstrong Flight Research Center.

The brief flight left from Edwards Air Force Base in California at 10:54 a.m. P.T. marked only the second time the aircraft had flown. While the team originally planned for about an hour, leaders stressed that even short flights provide new data for moving the project forward. You can watch the landing in the video below. 

Bob Pearce, who heads NASA's aeronautics research, said the team made the right call to cut the flight short on Friday. The agency expects to find and fix issues at this stage of an X‑plane, an aircraft the U.S. builds to test new flight technologies and ideas.

"Sometimes it's easy to forget that building this kind of experimental aircraft means creating something that never existed before," Pearce said during a news conference. "As far as X-planes go, it's not unusual."

SEE ALSO: Mars evidence shows ancient river likely larger and faster than thought

The X-59 is part of a long-term effort to change how fast commercial airplanes fly over land. Traditional supersonic aircraft create a loud boom when they break the sound barrier, which is why the U.S. government bans routine supersonic passenger flights over populated areas. NASA and its contractor, Lockheed Martin, built the X-59 to fly faster than sound while producing only a "thump," with the goal of providing regulators and the industry with the evidence needed to reconsider the restrictions.

At the kind of supersonic speeds NASA wants to target for the X-59 — around 925 mph — a nonstop flight from New York to L.A. could take less than three hours. Today's commercial airlines typically cruise at about 550 mph on that route, so passengers tend to spend about 5 to 6 hours crossing the country.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by NASA Aeronautics (@nasaaero)

A sonic boom occurs when a plane flies faster than the speed of sound, compressing pressure waves into a single shock wave that hits the ground like a sudden explosion of air. NASA designed the X‑59 so its shape spreads those pressure changes out along the aircraft, turning that single sharp shock into a series of smaller pulses.

Residents below didn't hear the X-59's thump during either of the first two test flights — and they weren't supposed to. The plane never flew fast enough either time to make it. Both flights intentionally stayed at subsonic speeds. NASA is using these early tests to shake out systems and watch how the plane handles. 

During Friday's test, the aircraft was supposed to fly for roughly an hour, reaching a cruising speed of 230 mph at 12,000 feet before accelerating to 260 mph at 20,000 feet. The plane never exceeded 230 mph, officials said.

"I certainly hoped to have more to talk about than nine minutes of flight," said Less, who flew the X-59 for the first time on this mission. "Although I had not intended to have to land quite as urgently for my first landing, the plane performed beautifully."

NASA test pilot Jim 'Clue' Less sits inside the cockpit of the experimental X-59 quiet supersonic jet at NASA's Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California. Credit: NASA / Jim Ross

He described the aircraft as handling just like its simulators. Over hundreds of hours of test runs in the simulator, Less and other test pilots had practiced with the unconventional vision system that combines images from cameras into a high-definition display. But this was his first time flying without the traditional front window. 

The long nose shape that helps soften the sonic boom doesn't leave room for a standard cockpit windscreen. But in some cases, the system offers better visibility than the naked eye, he said. If a pilot is facing into the sun, for example, image processing can reduce glare and improve contrast. 

"It really felt comfortable," he said. "Even though I wasn't seeing out the front, I could see out the sides and match that up." 

More than 100 test flights are planned. NASA intends to gradually push toward higher, faster flights before testing those muffled booms over towns.