Mashable

Donald Trump has banned CNN, MS NOW, and Politico from the White House, and Jimmy Kimmel has some thoughts on the president "cracking down on that out-of-control first amendment."

"Yeah, why aren't these so-called journalists gushing over how well he's mishandling the war he said was over seven months ago? It's just not right," says Kimmel in the late night clip above.

"As his popularity continues to plummet, Trump's fingers go deeper and deeper into his ears. He does not want to hear bad news. Bad news is fake news to Donald Trump."

Elsewhere, Jon Stewart also had a blunt response to Trump's decision to start banning news outlets.

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The best early AirPods deals ahead of Prime Big Deal Days: Best overall deal Apple AirPods 4 $99 (save $30) Get Deal Best AirPods Pro deal Apple AirPods Pro 3 $199 (save $50) Get Deal Best airpods max deal Apple AirPods Max 2 $479 (save $70) Get Deal

The first day of fall is nigh, and you know what that means — October Prime Day is nearly here.

The sale, officially dubbed Prime Big Deal Days, marks the start of the holiday shopping season, which is often a great time to grab tech like AirPods on sale.

There's still some time before the two-day sale kicks off on Oct. 6, but in the lead-up to the main event, our team will be tracking all the best AirPods deals. So far, we haven't seen any price drops on the newly announced AirPods 5 (more on that below). As someone who tests and writes about headphones and earbuds year-round, I get why Apple users are willing to invest in AirPods. As a deals expert, I also much prefer to see folks grab AirPods on sale.

SEE ALSO: Early October Prime Day deals already live: Save on Apple, Beats, Fire TV, and Garmin

That's why I've rounded up the three best AirPods deals live so far, plus the three that you can wait on for the time being. Check them out below, and be sure to follow more of Mashable's October Prime Day coverage.

Best AirPods deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple AirPods 4 $99 at Amazon
$129 Save $30   Get Deal Why we picked this

The humble AirPods 4. What they lack in active noise cancellation, they make up for in a more appealing price point of $99. With the release of the AirPods 5, these are the last AirPods available without ANC. Maybe that's ideal for you, or maybe you simply appreciate the lower price point. In either case, this is likely the last holiday shopping season you can grab these buds on sale. Just note, they are still far from their record low price of $69, but their availability may be limited as we get further into the shopping season.

More AirPods deals

• Apple AirPods Pro 3 — $199 $249 (save $50)

• Apple AirPods Max 2 — $479 $549 (save $70)

AirPods deals to wait for

• The AirPods 5 have only received one small deal — a $4 price drop — so far since their release on Sept. 18. Granted, they're still very new to the market, so even that price dip is notable. We're hoping that as we get further into holiday deal season, a slightly more substantial deal comes along.

• The AirPods 5 with Wireless Charging Case haven't dropped in price just yet, so we're not holding our breath that they will, especially since they're still brand new. That said, October Prime Day would be a very appropriate time for a surprise deal, so the chance that we see even a small dip isn't zero. At the very least, grabbing them at full price is still likely a better deal than grabbing the AirPods 4 with ANC on sale (more on that below).

• The AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation look like a good deal at $149 (down from $179), but there's a catch. Their newer analog, the AirPods 5 with Wireless Charging Case, has a list price of $149 and comes with an improved feature set, including better active noise cancellation and sound quality, with the same battery life. In other words, the AirPods 4 with ANC would have to be cheaper than $149 for this to be a deal worth picking up.

Donald Trump recently issued a White House ban on several news outlets, including CNN, MS NOW, and Politico — and Jon Stewart has thoughts.

In the Daily Show clip above, the host reacts to footage of the president saying "there's something wrong with a country that can allow people to write purposely negative stories."

"Have you tried presidenting better?" responds Stewart. "You could ban the press, or you could be a better f***ing president? I mean, give the press something to work with. I mean here's a positive story: I never thought my car could take $140 worth of gas in such a small tank! I had no idea. Hurrah.

"And not for nothing, have we ever had a president just flat out in the Oval Office come out against the Constitution? What kind of a sick country doesn't allow unlimited warrantless search and seizure? I mean, that's not the North Korea I grew up in."

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TL;DR: To celebrate Pokémon's 30th anniversary, The Pokémon Company released a new card set with high pull rates to stop scalpers. A factory red-ink glitch created "Blood Mew" — an accidental, creepy variant of Mew #151.

To celebrate the franchise's 30th anniversary — and cool down tension around short stock and scalper buyouts — Nintendo and The Pokémon Company dropped a commemorative TCG set loaded with higher pull rates for shiny variants and fan-favorite Pikachus. The goal was noble enough: make cool, rare cards more accessible for casual fans and active players alike.

Naturally, that didn't stop the trading circuit from finding a brand-new, ultra-exclusive prize to lose their minds over.

Enter "Blood Mew."

Originally designed as a serene, golden illustration of card number 151, a batch of the new Mew cards suffered a heavy printing defect at the factory. Likely caused by a foil splice error during manufacturing, Mew appears to be floating in — or descending into — a thick pool of deep red ink saturated across half the card instead of hovering over a bright magical grove.

Card trader Miss Natoshi spotted the factory mishap, posted it online, and gave the sinister-looking misprint its instant-classic nickname.

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In the Pokémon card world, factory mistakes are treated like gold simply because they're so rare. While standard shiny cards are printed by the millions, an accidental ink leak or misaligned foil creates a one-of-a-kind card that can't easily be remade.

Even though Nintendo tried to make this 30th Anniversary set easy for everyone to buy, the internet hype machine has already turned "Blood Mew" into an expensive viral circus.

SEE ALSO: The Pokémon TCG 30th Celebration Greninja ex Box gets a price cut on Amazon — act fast to save $10

Hoping to hit the jackpot, resellers are listing their misprinted cards on auction sites and social media to see how much collectors will pay. Some super optimistic sellers are even listing their cards with asking prices in the six figures.

Whether the hype stays this high or cools off, one thing is for sure — a simple printer mistake just accidentally created the most Metal card in Pokémon history.

TL;DR: The Motorola Razr+ is available for free with T-Mobile. To qualify for this deal, activate a new line on an Experience Beyond plan.

Opens in a new window Credit: Motorola T-Mobile: Motorola Razr+ for free   Shop Now

Apple literally just launched new iPhones, Apple Watches, and AirPods, so why on earth are we talking about Motorola? We know there's a lot of excitement around Apple, but Motorola's foldable phones are quietly impressing. And right now, you can upgrade without spending anything.

The Motorola Razr+ is available for free with T-Mobile, and you don't even need to trade in anything to qualify. The process of claiming is actually pretty straightforward.

To get the new Motorola Razr+ for free with T-Mobile, simply activate a new line on its Experience Beyond plan. The total cost is covered via 36 monthly bill credits. If you cancel or switch carriers before the three-year mark, you’ll owe the remaining balance on the phone’s full retail price. You will need to pay taxes and a one-time $35 connection charge, but that's a small price to pay for a "damn fine phone."

If you really are committed to owning the latest from Apple, you have similar options.

The new Apple iPhone 18 Pro is available for free when you trade in a qualifying device and activate a new line on T-Mobile’s Experience Beyond plan. New customers who switch to T-Mobile and keep their existing number can also qualify.

The best early October Prime Day TV deals: Best TCL TV deal TCL 85-inch QM8L SQD-Mini-LED QLED 4K TV $2,497.99 (save $1,502) Get Deal BEST LG TV DEAL LG 65-inch C6 OLED 4K TV $1,599.99 (save $1,100) Get Deal Best Hisense TV Deal Hisense 65-inch U7 Mini-LED ULED 4K TV $847.99 (save $652) Get Deal

Another Amazon Prime Day is upon us. Well, kind of. Prime Big Deal Days, which runs from Oct. 6 through Oct. 7, isn't quite as massive as Amazon's flagship summer sale, but it serves as an unofficial kickoff to the holiday shopping season.

Casually called October Prime Day, the fall sale features deals on all sorts of tech — just like Prime Day proper. TVs, in particular, tend to see pretty big price drops now that new models have been on the market for about six months. In other words, if you're in need of a new TV, you can find a 2026 model for a steal during October Prime Day.

We've rounded up some of the best TV deals from brands like TCL, LG, Hisense, and Samsung that you can shop now, but be sure to check back as the official Prime Big Deal Days sale nears.

Best TCL TV deal Opens in a new window Credit: TCL TCL 85-inch QM8L SQD-Mini-LED QLED 4K TV $2,497.99 at Amazon
$3,999.99 Save $1,502   Get Deal Why we like it

Mashable's TV expert is a big fan of TCL's QM8L SQD-Mini-LED TVs. She named it our favorite QLED TV for most people, highlighting its "superb peak brightness, detailed picture quality, and fantastic glare handling" in her review. It's one of the brightest TVs you can buy in 2026, period, which is thanks in part to its "super quantum dot mini LEDs" (aka the SQD part of its name). On a normal day, the 85-inch model costs $3,999.99, but ahead of Amazon's Prime Big Deal Days, it's down to $2,497.99. That's its lowest price on record.

Best LG TV deal Opens in a new window Credit: LG LG 65-inch C6 OLED 4K TV $1,599.99 at Amazon
$2,699.99 Save $1,100.00   Get Deal Why we like it

OLED TVs are known for their elite contrast and often extreme price tags. However, the LG C6 is what Mashable's TV expert calls the "best affordable OLED TV," compared to competitors' prices. It's also her top pick for an OLED TV for most people. It features inky blacks, stark contrast (of course), improved audio, peak brightness, and a higher refresh rate than its predecessor, and overall, incredible picture quality. At just under $1,600, the 65-inch model is over $1,000 cheaper than its list price ahead of Prime Big Deal Days. We've actually seen it drop even lower before, so we'll be keeping an eye out as the official sale nears.

Best Hisense TV deal Opens in a new window Credit: Hisense Hisense 65-inch U7 Mini-LED ULED 4K TV $847.99 at Amazon
$1,499.99 Save $652   Get Deal Why we like it

The Hisense U7 series delivers Mini-LED performance you'd expect on higher-priced models. It packs a 165Hz refresh rate, 2.1.2-channel Dolby Atmos audio, a Google TV with a Gemini interface, and a peak brightness of 3,000 nits. Its backlighting features full-array local dimming as well, which means clusters of tiny LED bulbs precisely control brightness levels within specific sections of your screen for more accuracy and depth. The U7 is a step up from our favorite budget TV of 2026, but with this massive price drop, it's actually a much better deal. At $847.99, the 65-inch model is already $2 cheaper than it was on Prime Day proper back in June.

More early October Prime Day TV deals50 to 55-inch TV deals

• Hisense 55-inch U7 Mini-LED ULED 4K TV — $748 $1,298 (save $550)

• Hisense 55-inch S7 Canvas Hi-QLED 4K TV — $797.99 $1,499.99 (save $702)

• LG 55-inch LX7B Gallery Mini LED 4K TV — $899.99 $1,299.99 (save $400)

65-inch TV deals

• TCL 65-inch QM7L SQD-Mini-LED 4K TV — $897.99 $1,499.99 (save $602)

• LG 65-inch LX7B Gallery Mini LED 4K TV — $1,099.99 $1,799.99 (save $700)

• Hisense 65-inch S7 Canvas Hi-QLED 4K TV — $1,197.99 $1,999.99 (save $802)

• Samsung 65-inch S85H OLED 4K TV — $1,397.99 $1,999.99 (save $602)

• TCL 65-inch QM8L SQD-Mini-LED QLED 4K TV — $1,497.99 $2,499.99 (save $1,002)

• Sony 65-inch Bravia 8 II QD QLED 4K TV — $2,498 $3,299.99 (save $801.99)

75-inch TV deals

• Samsung 75-inch M70H Mini-LED 4K TV — $547.99 $729.99 (save $182)

• Hisense 75-inch U7 Mini-LED ULED 4K TV — $1,298.99 $1,999.99 (save $701)

80 to 85-inch TV deals

• Hisense 85-inch U6 Pro Hi-QLED Mini-LED 4K TV — $1,297.99 $1,999.99 (save $702)

• TCL 85-inch QM8L SQD-Mini-LED QLED 4K TV — $2,497.99 $3,999.99 (save $1,502)

Over 85-inch TV deals

• Hisense 100-inch U7 Mini-LED ULED 4K TV — $2,497.99 $2,999.99 (save $502)

• TCL 98-inch QM7L SQD-Mini-LED QLED 4K TV — $2,497.99 $3,999.99 (save $1,502)

• TCL 98-inch QM8L SQD-Mini-LED QLED 4K TV — $3,997.99 $5,999.99 (save $2,002)

This year's IFA conference was chock-full of cutting-edge technology announcements. One of the highlights was from leading vacuum brand Dreame, which unveiled a fresh range of innovative cleaning devices including a powerful new robovac, the Aqua20 Ultra Roller, an upgrade to their X60 Ultra robot vacuum (which our own Leah Stodart reviewed at 4.5/5 stars earlier this year), and an upgraded steam mop, the T16 Pro TriForce.

Dreame Aqua20 Ultra Roller: Steam-powered deep cleaning Credit: Supplied

The all-new Aqua20 Ultra Roller combines piping-hot steam, hot water, and what Dreame is calling “intelligent roller technology,” to clear up and scrub down your floors until they sparkle. Plus, its extending roller mop reaches up to 8cm outward into corners and narrow spaces, while proactive dirt detection helps identify and address hidden messes.

Key specs:

• 180°C Dual High-Temp Steam Mopping: With the blend of high-temperature steam and hot water, any set-in marks and stains are loosened up and wiped away without the need for elbow grease.

• 40,000Pa Vormax Suction and Hyperstream Detangling DuoBrush: 40,000Pa of Vormax suction power snags loose hair or dust, while the anti-tangle brush head keeps the bristles moving freely.

• 8cm MopExtend and Mop Cover: Reaches tight corners or spaces to ensure a deep clean. Meanwhile, the additional mop cover prevents your carpets from feeling damp or soggy.

• ProLeap 10cm Obstacle Clearing: The industry's first FlexiAdapt obstacle-crossing system allows Aqua20 Ultra Series to have an obstacle-crossing capability of up to 10cm.

• Proactive Light Dirt Detection Technology: Built-in blue light dirt detection designed to detect and clean messes that are difficult to spot with the naked eye.

X60 Ultra Extreme: Dreame's newest flagship robovac Credit: Supplied

The Dreame X60 Ultra Extreme is an upgraded version of the base X60 Ultra, which launched at the start of the year. It features Dreame’s first Dual-Joint UltraExtendArms (mechanical arms that extend the side brush out to clean complex corners and other narrow gaps), as well as upgraded navigation thanks to its dual AI camera. Both solid upgrades on what we previously named “the most well-rounded robot vac this year.”

Key specs:

• Dual-Joint UltraExtendArms: A first-of-its-kind for Dreame, these extendable arms allow the side brush to extend up to 12cm, and the mop system to reach up to 18cm. Helpful for corners, under furniture, between floorboards and along the skirtings.

• Dual AI Cameras with Proactive Blue Light: Recognises over 320 objects around your home, preventing furniture, cords, or toys from slowing down or clogging your device while in use.

• 42,000Pa Vormax Suction Upgrade and Anti-Tangle Brush: With 42,000Pa suction power, the X60 Ultra Extreme will pick up food crumbs, deep-seated dust, or dirt marks in seconds. Meanwhile, the anti-tangle brush prevents loose hair or thread from causing an issue.

• ProLeap 10cm Obstacle Clearing: You can rest easy knowing this robot vacuum won’t bump into your belongings with the industry-first FlexiAdapt obstacle crossing system.

Dreame T16 Pro TriForce: All-in-one wet-and-dry floor cleaning solution Credit: Supplied

Dreame’s non-robovac announcement at IFA was the upgraded T16 Pro TriForce, a wet-and-dry floor cleaner that the company claims will “transform how Australians tackle everyday messes,” thanks to its Triple Water-Driven Force system. This means the device can simultaneously sterilise, wash, and deodorise hard floors, making it an all-in-one cleaner for sticky floors and deeply embedded dirt.

Opens in a new window Credit: Supplied Dreame T16 Pro TriForce AU$1,499 at JB Hi-Fi
  Shop Now

Key specs:

• FoamWash Deodorising: Neutralises any odours (especially pet stains or drink spills) with a spray of mousse-like, floral-fruit scent foam.

• SaunaClean Steam Sterilisation: Equipped with 200°C steam sterilisation, deep-rooted stains and bacteria can be penetrated and removed for a fully hygienic clean.

• ThermoRinse Hot Water Mopping: 90°C Hot Water mopping using Dreame’s ThermoRinse technology, for cleaning up even stubborn oil and grease stains.

• Multi-spectral Sensor Dirt Detection: Uses optical sensors to detect debris and scuffs, automatically adjusting suction power and water flow based on surface conditions.

• TangleCut 2.0 Resilient Scraper: Clears shed hair from the brush roller to prevent internal clogs.

Dreame’s latest IFA lineup focuses on automating heavy-duty floor care through higher suction power, high-temperature steam mopping and wider mechanical reach. All three devices – the flagship X60 Ultra Extreme, the Aqua20 Ultra Roller steam mop and the T16 Pro TriForce wet-and-dry vacuum – are available in Australia from JB Hi-Fi, The Good Guys and Dreame’s website.

Amazon is reportedly blocking Meta's new AI agent Muse from shopping. As spotted by GeekWire, people attempting to use Muse to buy products from Amazon are now being served with a warning that doing so violates the online marketplace's terms of use.

SEE ALSO: Google's new tech will let you buy stuff directly from an AI chatbot

Meta introduced its personal AI agent Muse earlier this month, billing it as a digital assistant that "doesn't just answer questions, it actually does the work."

"People just tell Muse what needs to get done, and it takes action, powered by Muse Spark, Meta’s most capable model to date, built for real-world agentic work like this," Meta wrote in its Sept. 8 announcement.

Such tasks include shopping, with Muse capable of paying for purchases using Link by Stripe. Meta further stated that it has plans to add Shop Pay as an alternate payment method (as well as 1Password support so you can give its AI the ability to use all your login credentials across all websites, if that was something you wanted to do). 

However, at least for now, Amazon won't be one of Muse's preferred retailers. GeekWire reports that consumers trying to use Muse to shop on Amazon have recently begun to see a popup stopping them from doing so. 

"Continued access by an unauthorized AI agent violates Amazon's Conditions of Use, to which our customers have agreed," the warning reads.

Amazon's Conditions of Use contains a section specifically relating to autonomous agents such as Muse, stating that they are barred from using its services unless they fulfil several transparency requirements. These include identifying themselves as a specific agent, not imitating or disguising themselves as humans, and not trying to circumvent Amazon's limits regarding how they interact with it. Amazon further reserves the right to limit or block agents' access at its own discretion.

In a statement to GeekWire, an Amazon spokesperson said that third-party applications such as Muse "should operate openly and respect service provider decisions about whether or not to participate." Meta's Muse allegedly fails to identify itself, as well as captures and stores Amazon users' credentials in a potential security concern. According to Amazon, Meta did not inform it that Muse would access its storefront, and as such received no authorisation to do so.

Mashable has reached out to both Amazon and Meta for comment.

Amazon is currently beta testing its own AI shopping agent Buy for Me, which is capable of purchasing products on users' behalf on its own platform as well as from third-party vendors.

Remember making elephant toothpaste in science class? You’d combine water, yeast, soap, hydrogen peroxide, and food coloring, and watch a tower of colorful foam erupt from a beaker. Not long after, the foam would subside, leaving nothing but soapy water and the fond memories of a brief foray into the world of chemistry.

Watching The Love Hypothesis is a lot like that.

Adapted from Ali Hazelwood’s novel of the same name, a BookTok favorite, The Love Hypothesis details the fake dating romance between biology PhD student Olive Smith (Lili Reinhart) and professor Adam Carlsen (Tom Bateman). It's full of chemistry, both figurative and literal, and like the elephant toothpaste, it's a bubbly blast that'll have your insides fizzing. Yet despite this pure fun, not to mention two solid leading performances, The Love Hypothesis is missing one key ingredient that would truly make its experiment stick the landing: yearning.

SEE ALSO: Fall movie preview: All the 2026 films you need to know about The Love Hypothesis brings BookTok's fake dating fave to the screen. Lili Reinhart and Tom Bateman in "The Love Hypothesis." Credit: Prime Video

Like Hazelwood’s book, itself reworked from her Reylo fanfiction, The Love Hypothesis cannily deploys several beloved romance tropes within the world of STEM academia, with fake dating chiefest among them.

Stanford PhD candidate Olive is a ball of sunshine who's as sweet as the sugar bomb coffees she loves to order. She cares deeply about her research into pancreatic cancer, as well as her found family: fellow students Anh (Rachel Marsh), Jeremy (Nicholas Duvernay), and Malcolm (Jaboukie Young-White). While Olive has harbored a crush on Jeremy, she also knows that he's interested in Anh, and vice versa. However, Anh refuses to date Jeremy because she doesn't want to hurt Olive. For Olive, that leaves her one choice: pretend to be dating someone else so Anh thinks she's over Jeremy.

Olive's lie spirals until she kisses the first man she can find in front of Anh. Unfortunately for her, that man happens to be the brilliant but intimidating Dr. Adam Carlsen. Due to his demanding nature and bluntness verging on rudeness, he's earned the nickname "Dr. Evil." That he only ever dresses in black does nothing to lessen the supervillain vibes. (One music cue tied to Adam sounds like a riff on "The Imperial March," a riff on The Love Hypothesis’ Star Wars roots.) 

SEE ALSO: 'Youth' review: HBO's coming-of-middle-age comedy is messy and moving, as only Sharon Horgan can

The pair's kiss could result in disaster. Surprisingly, though, Adam agrees to help Olive with her fake dating ruse. (Notably, he was never her professor, so The Love Hypothesis avoids those power dynamic issues.) This way, Anh and Jeremy will get the chance to get together. The arrangement also benefits Adam. Stanford believes he's a flight risk and might not renew funding for his research. If they know he has a serious girlfriend, they may reconsider. So begins Olive and Adam's fake relationship, which, as decreed by the laws of rom-coms, winds up being not so fake after all.

Avid The Love Hypothesis fans, you'll be happy to know that the film, directed by Claire Scanlon (Set It Up), captures several of the book's beloved details, including the unicorn socks Olive wears during her and Adam’s steamy first night together, aka the infamous Chapter 16. You'll also be overjoyed to see how Reinhart and Bateman bring the Adam-Olive pairing to life. Reinhart falls right into step alongside the leading ladies of rom-coms past, tempering Olive's klutzy quirks — she sweats a lot! — with her deeper desire to prove herself and maintain a lasting community, two needs that stem from a tough upbringing in the foster care system. Bateman, on the other hand, delivers almost every line with a clipped precision, which only makes the moments when Adam softens up around Olive all the clearer.

The two are a delightful pair, especially in classic fake dating scenarios where they have to pretend to truly love each other. A very public coffee shop date leads to squeal-worthy moments of cringe comedy, as do Olive's attempts to loudly fake laugh and flirt with an utterly confused Adam. However, somewhere between these disastrous first "dates" and the intimacy of the much-anticipated Chapter 16 sequence, The Love Hypothesis’s romance loses steam.

The Love Hypothesis could have used more yearning. Tom Bateman and Lili Reinhart in "The Love Hypothesis." Credit: Prime Video

A key component of any fake dating story is the moment the characters realize they may actually have developed real feelings (shout out to To All the Boys I've Loved Before). Cue the yearning, and with it, the angst that if they act on their feelings, they may irreparably damage the genuine connection they’ve developed. It's a delicious trademark of the trope, yet it’s sorely lacking in The Love Hypothesis.

The film sees Olive and Adam growing closer via a heart-to-heart about Olive's late mother, as well as a lode-bearing montage of fake dates and Adam helping Olive with an important presentation. But The Love Hypothesis rarely lets us in on their true feelings, never giving Olive or Adam a moment of interiority to consider their burgeoning romance. (Given that Hazelwood’s book keeps us inside Olive’s head the whole time, this omission feels especially glaring.) 

Instead, the movie expects us to make the leap because it expects us to be familiar with fake dating stories in general. "He’s starving," Malcolm remarks while watching Adam’s passionate goodbye kiss to Olive. Yet that level of being romantically famished is hard to find elsewhere in the film. By the time Chapter 16 rolls around, Olive and Adam's sex feels inevitable, but not earned. The same goes for the confessions of love in the third act, itself a wildly disjointed conclusion featuring such a sinister turn, you may get whiplash.

While The Love Hypothesis doesn’t entirely stick its landing, it still finds charm in the comedic chemistry of Olive and Adam’s first “dates.” Similarly to the elephant toothpaste, we'll always have those explosive first moments of the experiment, even if in the end, all we're left with is its watery remains.

The Love Hypothesis premieres Sept. 23 on Prime Video.

Today's Connections: Sports Edition will be easier for people who watch baseball.

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. The sports 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 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 before 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: Going skiing

• Green: Popular figures seen at a baseball park

• Blue: Irish QBs

• Purple: Paired with baseball

Here are today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

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

• Yellow: Equipment for Snow Activities

• Green: MLB Mascots

• Blue: Notre Dame QBs

• Purple: Baseball____

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 #729 is...

What is the answer to Connections: Sports Edition today?

• Equipment for Snow Activities: SKI, SLED, SNOWBOARD, TUBE

• MLB Mascots: BLOOPER, MR. MET, SLIDER, WALLY

• Notre Dame QBs: BOOK, CLAUSEN, QUINN, REES

• Baseball____: BAT, CAP, CARDS, REFERENCE

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 yesterday's Connections.

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

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

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

How to play Pips

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

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for September 22, 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 September 22, 2026 Easy difficulty hints, answers for September 22 Pips

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

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

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

Greater Than (5): Everything in this space must be greater than 5. The answer is 6-5, placed horizontally.

Greater Than (4): Everything in this space must be greater than 4. The answer is 6-5, placed horizontally.

Medium difficulty hints, answers for September 22 Pips

Greater Than (3): Everything in this space must be greater than 3. The answer is 4-5, placed vertically.

Number (11): Everything in this space must add up to 11. The answer is 4-5, placed vertically; 6-6, placed horizontally.

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

Number (7): Everything in this space must add up to 7. The answer is 0-1, placed vertically; 6-1, placed horizontally.

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

Number (2): Everything in this space must add up to 2. The answer is 1-2, placed horizontally; 0-5, placed horizontally.

Equal (5): Everything in this space must be equal to 5. The answer is 0-5, placed horizontally; 3-5, placed vertically.

Hard difficulty hints, answers for September 22 Pips

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

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

Equal (3): Everything in this space must be equal to 3. The answer is 3-2, placed horizontally; 3-3, placed vertically; 3-6, placed horizontally; 3-1, placed vertically.

Greater Than (4): Everything in this space must be greater than 4. The answer is 3-6, placed horizontally

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

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

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

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

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

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

Number (7): Everything in this space must add up to 7. The answer is 1-4, placed vertically; 3-5, placed horizontally.

Number (11): Everything in this space must add up to 11. The answer is 3-5, placed horizontally; 6-5, placed vertically.

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

Number (8): Everything in this space must add up to 8. The answer is 5-4, placed vertically; 6-4, placed horizontally.

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

Looking for spoiler-free NYT Connections hints or just wondering why Connections is trending today? We've got what you need to understand the clues for today's puzzle without spoiling any of the answers.

Of course, Mashable has also provided daily hints and answers for Connections, Wordle, and Strands for years, so we can help you if that's also what you need.

While we are focused more on meanings than hints in this story, sometimes learning that many of the words have completely unrelated meanings is a clue in and of itself. Connections frequently includes clues that involve words within words and other visual clues.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for September 22, 2026 Accent meaning

A specific way of pronouncing a language that shows where a person is from.

Detail meaning

A small part, specific fact or individual item that makes up a larger whole.

Flourish meaning

To grow well, succeed or wave something around in a showy way.

Touch meaning

To make physical contact with someone or something.

Agree meaning

To have the same opinion.

Disagree meaning

To have a differing opinion.

Neutral meaning

Not taking sides or being involved in a conflict.

Other meaning

Additional, different or the remaining option.

That meaning

A word used as a pronoun, determiner relative pronoun or conjuction to point out a specific object.

These meaning

The plural demonstrative determiner of 'this.'

This meaning

A pronoun, determiner or adverb used to point out a specific person or thing.

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Those meaning

A demonstrative determiner used to point out multiple people or things.

Cafe meaning

A small casual restaurant that serves coffee, tea and small bites..

Patron meaning

A person who supports an organization or cause.

Rose meaning

A coiled flower that typically comes in red, pink or white colors.

The meaning

A definite article that points out a specific noun.

Have you learned the meanings and still want the things? Check out the hints and answers for today's NYT Connections puzzle.

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

Meet The Mashable 101: Our list of the content creators shaping the internet today

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 yesterday's Connections.

The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult if you're being tested.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

SEE ALSO: NYT Pips hints, answers for September 22, 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: Point it out

• Green: Add a little flair

• Blue: Testing

• Purple: Quench your thirst

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Here are today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Demonstratives

• Green: Embellishment

• Blue: Options on a multiple choice survey

• Purple: Beverages with acute accents removed

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 #1198 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Demonstratives: THAT, THESE, THIS, THOSE

• Embellishment: ACCENT, DETAIL, FLOURISH, TOUCH

• Options on a multiple choice survey: AGREE, DISAGREE, NEUTRAL, OTHER

• Beverages with acute accents removed: CAFE, PATRON, ROSE, THE

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

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

Meet The Mashable 101: Our list of the content creators shaping the internet today

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 yesterday's Connections.

Today's NYT Strands hints will be easy if you love autumn.

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 September 22, 2026 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Day and night shift

The words are related to seasons.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe seasonal changes.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is vertical.

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NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is Fall Equinox.

NYT Strands word list for September 22

• Fall Equinox

• Transition

• Changeover

• Switch

• Progession

Meet The Mashable 101: Our list of the content creators shaping the internet today

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 yesterday's Strands.

Today's Wordle answer should be easy to solve if you like to add fuel to the fire.

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 September 22, 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 September 22, 2026 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

Rekindle.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

No, there are no recurring letters.

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

Today's Wordle starts with the letter S.

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...

STOKE

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.

Meet The Mashable 101: Our list of the content creators shaping the internet today

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 yesterday's Wordle.

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.

Want more tech and digital culture news delivered to your inbox daily or sent straight to your device? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories newsletter or get Mashable push alerts today.

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

Foot bone.

Hurdle Word 1 answer

ANKLE

Hurdle Word 2 hint

Angry.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for September 22, 2026 Hurdle Word 2 Answer

UPSET

Hurdle Word 3 hint

A split.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for September 22, 2026 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Meanings for each word for Sept. 22, 2026 Hurdle Word 3 answer

CRACK

Hurdle Word 4 hint

Compassion.

Hurdle Word 4 answer

MERCY

Final Hurdle hint

Divine blood.

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

ICHOR

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

Game Changer Season 8 ended with — not a bang — but buzzers!

In "Last Talent Standing," Dropout collided a talent show competition with Squid Game, where each axed contender means prize money is added to a hovering piggy bank. Host (and Mashable 101 honoree) Sam Reich not only welcomed 23 contestants on stage to compete, but also three celebrity judges, made up of celebrated stand-up comedians Gianmarco Soresi, Kumail Nanjiani, and Maria Bamford.

The results were a wildly entertaining and incredibly stressful finale, in which beloved Dropout contributors did everything from performing magic tricks and improvising a Disney musical number to feats of strength and celebrity impersonations, to taking some big, unpredictable swings.

How did this all come together? Was Soresi cast to play the heel? What mini-games got cut before cameras rolled? And when can fans purchase their own Sam Reich beach towel on the Dropout store?

SEE ALSO: 'Bluey' has an unexpected Dropout connection beyond the 'Game Changer' shock

Mashable Entertainment Editor, Kristy Puchko, sat down with Sam over a video call to dig into the secrets of "Last Talent Standing."

Here's what we learned:

Gianmarco Soresi was originally cast as a contestant.

In the "Last Talent Standing," Reich jokes that the comedian who's previously crushed on "Crowd Control" was intentional in the "Simon Cowell seat," alluding to the American Idol judge's reputation for being tough on contestants.

Speaking with Puchko, Reich explained, "[Soresi] was going to be a contestant in the episode and had no idea what the creative was. After we had booked Kumail and Maria, I realized that they were both very nice, and that I had almost like a creative problem I needed to solve for. Insofar as I needed someone there with a little bit more edge. And I knew that Gianmarco had what it took. So, he got upgraded from player to judge."

SEE ALSO: Dropout's Sam Reich offers advice for emerging content creators What mini-games were cut from "Last Talent Standing?"

As alluded to throughout the finale, this talent show took a lot of time to shoot. So, some ideas for the game were cut before the cameras rolled.

"The original game design here was that, in between every round, there was a mini-game where they all competed in the same talent," Reich told Mashable. "I think we had like a jazz scat off. We had best Scottish accent. So, producers were doing math in the days leading up to the shoot, and everyone was telling me this episode was going to be too long."

So, when two of the 25 intended contestants dropped out, it was decided not to replace them and to kill the mini-games.

What if the contestants found the boxes' contents before round 2?

Reich and Game Changer's team had planned for that.

"We were fully prepared for that to happen," Reich said of the boxes breaking, "And in fact, if it had been a natural discovery, we would have just allowed for them to start hauling things out of boxes earlier. Our cast, despite their chaotic tendencies, are so rooting for the show to be successful that many of them did break that paper in advance, not realizing that they were supposed to. And they were like sidebar-ing with our production designer Chloe [Badner], in between takes, being like, 'I'm so sorry, I hate to say this. Like, I I tore the paper. Is that okay?' And Chloe had to be like, 'Fine! It's fine.'"

Puchko asked if the design of the judges' podiums, which looked like boxes but were torn open, was meant as a clue to the contestants. Reich confirmed it was, adding, "That was like a little visual clue I was putting there for the cast in case they would take it as a clue."

Will Dropout sell the teased Sam Reich beach towel?

Game Changer production assistant-turned-contender Kaylin Mahoney revealed she's also worked as Sam's assistant. In that role, she revealed to the judges that she had once been tasked with making beach towels of the Dropout CEO.

Puchko asked what these beach towels looked like. Reich clarified the towels depict him "full head to toe, me and my suit," but noted, This is so important, and I'm so glad you bring this up. I did not have beach towels made with my image on them. Elaine [Caroll, Reich's wife and Game Changer writer/producer] had beach towels made with my image on them for my birthday. And I was not aware of this [in advance]."

As to whether this birthday bit will result in official Dropout merch, Reich responded, "I think if demand as a result of this episode and this conversation is enough, you can rest assured."

How to watch: Game Changer is now streaming on Dropout.

Beware: There's a new malware making the rounds and it's targeting your Android device.

Cybersecurity researchers at Zimperium recently discovered a new strain of Android malware, called RatHat, and have linked it to threat actors based out of China.

"RatHat incorporates novel techniques for persistence and leverages generative AI for operational control," Zimperium's zLabs researchers said in a report.

As the cybersecurity firm Malwarebytes explains, "RatHat gives a live AI assistant the keys to the accessibility tree of the infected device." This unique weaponization of AI allows the attacker to figure out "where to tap or scroll, rather than following a hardcoded script."

As with most malware, RatHat initially infects the device through social engineering tactics. The attacker convinces a target to download a seemingly legit app, such as Google Chrome, through a fake website posing as the Google Play Store. The user downloads the app but unknowingly installs the RatHat malware on their device.

SEE ALSO: Malware found hidden inside popular 'Meccha Chameleon' game maps

From there, RatHat requests accessibility permissions while still masked as a legitimate application.

Once the target provides RatHat with those permissions, the malware activates Wireless Debugging under Developer Options. RatHate weaponizes this actual Android developer feature to pair with the device. 

With this access, RatHat is able to capture text messages and create overlays on targeted apps, steal passwords, and multi-factor authentication codes in the process.

"RatHat uses AI to intelligently navigate and control the device interface in real-time, making its operations more adaptable and harder for security software to detect than traditional, scripted automation," Zimperium explains. 

However, the AI component isn't the only unique aspect of RatHat. The overlay acts like a keylogger, recording the user's raw touch inputs directly on the device.

Android users should protect themselves from RatHat by avoiding any downloads from untrustworthy sources. Unfortunately, once RatHat has infected a device, the only way to remove it is to factory reset the device.

TL;DR: Get Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2019 for one Windows PC for $16.97 through Sept. 27, with seven Office apps and no recurring fees.

Opens in a new window Credit: Microsoft Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2019 for Windows $16.97
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Microsoft Office doesn’t necessarily have to come with another recurring payment. Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2019 for Windows is $16.97 (reg. $229) through Sept. 27, giving you a lifetime license for one Windows PC.

• Lifetime license to Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote, Publisher, and Access

• One-time purchase for one Windows 10 or 11 PC — device-based activation

• Improved inking, new Excel analysis tools, upgraded PowerPoint features

• Outlook refinements for email and contact management

• Instant email with download link and license key — redeem within 7 days

• All languages supported, updates included for the 2019 version

If your to-do list needs serious tools without a serious bill, this is the easy win — install once, get to work, and keep moving. Grab a lifetime license to Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2019 for Windows for $16.97 (reg. $229) through Sept. 27.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Ever wanted to hear your group chat's worst message set to a pop chorus? Snapchat can do that now.

Snap announced a batch of new AI features for Lens+, its premium tier, on Monday, and the headliner is Create Song. Press and hold a message in a chat, tap Create Song, and pick a genre such as pop or rock. Snapchat turns your message into a short original track, and you can preview it before sending it to your friend.

Credit: Snapchat

If your chats are more visual than musical, the rest of the update is for you. AI Photoshoot is built to rescue near-miss Snaps, fixing shots where someone blinked, looked away, made a funny face, or got caught in bad lighting.

Credit: Snapchat

And AI Remix lets subscribers take a Snap a friend sent and reimagine it in a new style as a reply. There's also a sticker tool that restyles custom, saved, or received Stickers, and AI-enhanced fonts that can turn captions into bubble letters, spray paint, foam, or fuzzy textures.

Credit: Snapchat Credit: Snapchat

For anyone who has lost track of Snap's subscription tiers, Lens+ launched last year as a tier within Snapchat+, which Snap says now has more than 25 million subscribers worldwide. It already gave subscribers exclusive Lenses and AR effects, along with generative tools like the Imagine Lens for image generation and AI Clips, which turns a single photo into a five-second video. Those tools run on a monthly generation allowance, and Lens+ costs $7.99 a month.

As for when you can try it, the new features are rolling out now in all markets where Lens+ is available, though Snap says access may vary by region over the coming weeks. This is the latest move in a busy few weeks for Snap; on Sept. 10, the company launched Snapchat Plans, an event-planning feature that puts it up against Partiful.

Put those moves next to today's news, and Snap's line gets easy to see. AI is welcome in your chats, where it's a premium perk. Fully AI-generated video won't get recommended in Spotlight, where strangers find you.

The real test comes after the novelty wears off. Snapchat+ has more than 25 million subscribers, and Snap is putting its most compute-heavy tools behind the $7.99 Lens+ tier, so it needs people to keep paying for AI that lives in their chats, similar to Meta One.

SEE ALSO: Meta One bundles creator and business tools — for a monthly fee

If Snap's approach works, expect the next round of Lens+ features to look a lot like this one: small, playful tools built around how friends already talk to each other.