Mashable

Today's NYT Strands hints are easy if you're a clean freak.

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 August 31, 2026 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: With a little elbow grease

The words are feelings related to cleaning.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe cleaning.

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 Power Wash.

NYT Strands word list for August 31

• Solvent

• Cleanser

• Soap

• Power wash

• Detergent

• Scrub

• Scrub

• Bleach

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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 the latest Strands.

Today's Wordle answer should be easy to solve if you're a nature lover.

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 August 31, 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 August 31, 2026 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

A hill.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

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 M.

Play our Big Guessing Game: Make your predictions now for a chance to win a new Apple Watch. Time's running out!

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...

MOUND

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 the latest Wordle.

Flock's AI surveillance cameras are increasingly being targeted by its critics across the country. No, we're not just talking about vigilantes who are taking the cameras down in their towns. We're talking about politicians now, too. And it's a bipartisan effort; an anti-Flock position is being taken up by both Republican and Democratic politicians.

Case in point: Texas Governor Greg Abbot, a Republican, has just recently blocked funding for Flock across the state. Abbott ordered that all state agencies stop funding the AI surveillance camera company in an order issued on Thursday night.

Abbot's order came just as The Texas Tribune was going to publish a report on how the state of Texas spent at least $30 million in grants provided to local agencies to acquire the Flock cameras. According to the report, the money came from a higher fee levied by Texas lawmakers on Texans' car insurance policies.

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Just days before Abbot blocked Flock funding in the state, his Democratic challenger, Gina Hinojosa, released a campaign ad criticizing Governor Abbot over Flock.

The Democratic candidate's ad warns Texans that there are "10,000 Flock cameras reading your [license] plate, logging where you sleep and pray" all with "no warrant needed" in "Greg Abbot's Texas."

Numerous reports have been trickling in from around the country regarding law enforcement officers misusing Flock cameras and their data in order to stalk and harass individuals. The concern over Flock cameras has led to websites popping up, like Have I Been Flocked?, that warn users if their license plate has been captured by a Flock camera.

The blowback against Flock is not just happening in Texas, either. Both Republican and Democratic candidates in states like Michigan and Pennsylvania have run on anti-surveillance platforms and criticized their opponents for supporting policies that led to Flock installations in their states. Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed has even taken to calling his opponent, Republican Mike Rogers, the nickname "Mass Surveillance Mike" over the issue. 

Last week, Republican Senator Josh Hawley of Missouri announced an investigation into Flock Safety, the company behind Flock cameras, to determine how it handles the data it captures.

With more than 120,000 Flock cameras across 49 states, it's safe to say that Flock has become a real issue for citizens. Now it's become a bipartisan concern for politicians, too.

Are you visiting the Great Lakes before the end of summer? You may notice something odd when planning out the trip on Google.

Lake Ontario is no more. Google Maps has renamed it to "Lake America."

Lake America on Google Maps Credit: Google Maps

Try typing "Lake Ontario" into Google Search as well. Google takes users to a search results page for "Lake America."

Lake America on Google Search Credit: Google Search

Last week, amid an ongoing trade war with Canada, President Donald Trump issued an executive order renaming Lake Ontario to Lake America.

"In recognition of this flourishing economic resource and its critical importance to our Nation’s economy and its people, I am directing that the Lake officially be renamed as Lake America," Trump said in his order, while taking a few swipes at Canada.

Google, likely anticipating that the change would be divisive, issued a statement on its News from Google website.

"The U.S. Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) has formally changed the name for 'Lake Ontario' to 'Lake America' in the United States," the company said. "Since we update Google Maps to reflect name changes in official government sources, which is GNIS for the U.S., people using Maps in the U.S. will see 'Lake America,' those in Canada will continue to see 'Lake Ontario,' and those outside of the U.S. and Canada will see both names. These updates follow our long-standing policy for bodies of water with names that vary from country to country, and are starting to roll out now."

Here's how Lake Ontario / Lake America will appear on Google Maps around the world, according to Google. Credit: Google Maps

As Google explained, "Lake America" shows for U.S. users, "Lake Ontario" appears for Canadian users, and everyone else will see "Lake Ontario" followed by "Lake America" in parentheses.

Google has rolled out similar changes before. Trump issued a similar proclamation last year, changing the "Gulf of Mexico" to "Gulf of America." Google also reflected the name change on its platforms. Google shared the same explanation at the time as well, stating it follows official government sources. In both of these cases, that's the GNIS.

Still, the sudden change could be jarring for users, especially if they haven't been following the news on Trump's ever-changing trade wars.

Music giants Sony Music Publishing and Warner Chappell Music have just filed a potentially multibillion-dollar lawsuit against Anthropic, and the publishers aren't mincing words.

The lawsuit, filed Friday evening in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, calls Anthropic "the culprits behind one of the largest and most blatant ongoing thefts of intellectual property in history." Sony and Warner also named Anthropic CEO and cofounder Dario Amodei and cofounder Benjamin Mann in the lawsuit.

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In the lawsuit, first reported by Music Business Worldwide, the music companies claim that Anthropic has carried out "a brazen campaign of illegally torrenting, scraping, and downloading copyrighted works on a massive scale" to train its popular Claude AI models. Sony and Warner accused Anthropic of having "reaped enormous profits" from the stolen music.

Sony and Warner are seeking $150,000 in damages per work as well as $25,000 per copyright violation. The music companies, which are the second- and third-largest in the industry, allege that thousands of titles have been stolen, putting compensation in the range of billions of dollars.

SEE ALSO: Midjourney pushes to expose studios' own AI practices in copyright fight

The publishers have specifically accused Anthropic of "blatant theft" of song titles such as "Ain’t No Mountain High Enough," "All I Want for Christmas is You," "Eye of the Tiger," and "Here Comes Santa Claus."

Anthropic has been hit with intellectual property lawsuits before. In fact, Sony and Warner's lawsuit directly references the $1.5 billion settlement that Anthropic reached with book publishers earlier this year in a similar case where the AI company was accused of training models on stolen works.

The world's largest music company, Universal Music Group (UMG), previously filed copyright infringement lawsuits against Anthropic. UMG, along with Concord Music Group and ABKCO Music, filed a lawsuit against Anthropic in 2023 and again earlier this year. Their latest suit seeks more than $3 billion in damages.

TL;DR: Crumbl is teaming up with Minecraft on a limited-time menu featuring six square, Minecraft-inspired treats topped with fan-favorite mobs. You'll also have the chance to score a special limited-edition mystery spoon.

If you have a Gen Alpha kid in your life, you probably know more than you'd like to admit about Minecraft (and honestly, Crumbl cookies). Now, the two brands are banding together to give your teens and tweens the collab they've always wanted.

SEE ALSO: Herschel just launched a Minecraft collab in time for back-to-school shopping. Here's how to buy.

On Aug. 30, Crumbl is dropping a limited-edition menu featuring six different Minecraft-inspired treats. Every single cookie and cake on the menu will be square (obvs) and come with a mob topper.

The menu, which runs through Sept. 5, includes a Lemon Poppyseed Cookie (Bee topper), Cookies & Cream Sandwich (Enderman topper), Creeper Key Lime Sandwich (Creeper topper — and undoubtedly the one my nephew asks for), a Grass Block Cake, Cherry Blossom Cookie (Pig topper), and a Cookie Butter Cookie (Chicken topper).

If you're one of the first 200 people to buy a Minecraft 6-Pack on launch day, you'll get a Launch Day Exclusive spoon (limited to one per person). Credit: Crumbl

If you want to go all out, Crumbl is also releasing special-edition Crumbl x Minecraft Mystery Spoons. If you're one of the first 200 people to buy a Minecraft 6-Pack on launch day, you'll get a Launch Day Exclusive spoon (limited to one per person).

NASA's latest flagship telescope is on its way to a million‑mile‑distant orbit to map the universe and hunt for distant planets.

The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope lifted off at 7:26 a.m. ET on Sunday from Cape Canaveral, Florida. Riding a SpaceX Falcon Heavy, the spacecraft separated from its rocket and began its space journey.

Mission leaders say Roman will reshape astronomy by pairing a wide, sharp view of the universe with powerful tools to probe dark matter, dark energy, and distant exoplanets.

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The observatory, with a lifecycle cost of about $4.3 billion, will make its data public as soon as it's processed. And what a firehose of data it's expected to collect. Hubble gathered 172 terabytes of science data in its first 30 years; Roman will downlink about 1.4 terabytes every day, said Nicky Fox, associate administrator for science at NASA. What Roman can do in a single month to survey the Milky Way would take Hubble about 100 years.

"The Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope is a sheer powerhouse," Fox said. "It is literally a speed machine. The speed at which we'll be scanning the sky, delivering vast amounts of data, and returning results will be at an unprecedented rate never done before."

SEE ALSO: NASA's Roman telescope is built to find what Hubble and Webb miss

Under the hood, Roman is about the size of a tour bus and as heavy as a male killer whale. Its nearly 8-foot primary mirror matches Hubble's in size but is less than a quarter of the weight, thanks to newer technology. A set of six solar panels, each about the size of a large door, will provide four kilowatts of power.

Roman is headed to a spot called the second sun‑Earth Lagrange point, or L2, the same orbit around the sun as the James Webb Space Telescope. From that vantage point, Roman can stare at a vast, steady slice of the sky without Earth photobombing the view.

"The images it captures will be so large there is not a screen in existence large enough to show them," said NASA administrator Jared Isaacman in April. 

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The U.S. space agency developed the telescope with a five-year primary mission in mind. Fuel will determine the observatory's ultimate lifetime, but engineers designed the spacecraft so that it could be refueled in space, should future on-orbit servicing and fill-ups become possible.

The mission is named for Dr. Nancy Grace Roman, NASA's first chief astronomer and a key architect of the Hubble Space Telescope and other observatories. She championed space‑based telescopes that see above Earth's haze.

Roman carries two main instruments: the Wide Field Instrument, a 300‑megapixel infrared camera, and the Coronagraph Instrument, a tech demo that will try to directly photograph planets in the glare of nearby stars.

In most telescopes, the image is sharpest in the middle and softens toward the edges. Roman is the opposite. Engineers lined the camera's 18 detectors along that ring, so the telescope can grab big chunks of sky in a single image instead of stitching them together one narrow pointing at a time.

Roman will go after exoplanets in three main ways. With its camera, it will stare toward the crowded center of the galaxy and watch hundreds of millions of stars for brief brightenings caused by microlensing — when a foreground star and its planets act like a natural magnifying glass for a background star. That method is especially good at finding planets similar to the ones in our own solar system, including worlds as light as Mars, plus "rogue" planets that drift through space without a star. The same data will reveal transits — tiny dips in a star's light when a planet crosses in front of it, zeroing in on tens of thousands of hot, close‑in giants.

The coronagraph will zoom in on only a few nearby stars at a time. By blocking a star's light inside the telescope, astronomers should be able to see much fainter planets beside it. To pull that off, Roman will rely on optics that can subtly change shape to cancel out leftover glare, said Vanessa Bailey, NASA's coronagraph scientist for the telescope. 

"We’re using something called deformable mirrors — exactly what it sounds like. They are mirrors that have thousands of tiny pistons on the back that can move at nanometer, or even picometer, scales to correct the very small polishing errors or optical misalignment errors in the system to block out light better," Bailey told Mashable. "This will be the first time we’re using those in space."

Roman's panoramic view is what makes the observatory powerful for mapping dark matter, the invisible scaffolding that outweighs normal matter and helps hold galaxies together. Astronomers first saw its influence when they realized galaxies and stars were moving too fast to be bound by visible matter alone.

Roman will trace where this hidden material lies by watching how it slightly stretches the shapes of distant galaxies. By tracking those distortions across huge areas of sky, Roman can build a 3D map showing where dark matter clumps and how its clumps have grown over cosmic time.

A NASA team encapsulates the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope in the payload fairing at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, on Aug. 21, 2026. Credit: NASA / Sydney Rohde (Rocz)

Those maps will feed directly into Roman's study of dark energy, the mysterious force that seems to have made the universe's expansion speed up. Instead of slowing down after the Big Bang, galaxies are racing apart faster and faster, as if some invisible pressure is pushing them away from one another.

Three major surveys will drive this science. One will map more than a billion galaxies far from the dusty plane of the Milky Way, combining images and data to build 3D maps of structures. Another will repeatedly image the same region to make movies of the changing sky, catching around 100,000 explosive events — including Type Ia supernovas, star explosions that give off a predictable amount of light, making them handy tools for measuring distances in space.

The third will stare toward the crowded center of the Milky Way. Roman's sharp, infrared vision will let it watch hundreds of millions of stars through intervening dust, searching for the microlensing events.

"What makes me most excited about Roman is the discovery potential. With 2 billion galaxies, we'll have 2,000 objects that are one-in-a-million," said Julie McEnery, senior project scientist. "We'll find new things that go bump in the night."

Before science can begin, Roman will spend about three months traveling out to its orbit. NASA expects to release the first Roman images in January 2027, after early calibration is complete.

Anyone who calls IKEA "adult Legos" hasn't checked out the Lego catalog lately.

While many of us had our Lego introductions as kids, the coolest Lego sets these days range from architectural marvels to classic gaming consoles to genuine works of art that anyone, kid or adult, can enjoy. In other words, "Legos for adults" are just Legos.

SEE ALSO: First look: Lego reveals a $800 Star Wars Star Destroyer — the longest set Lego has ever constructed

As someone who enjoys a good Lego build and is surrounded by friends, family, and Mashable coworkers who do too, I decided to poll the people around me about the best sets they've built, as well as those that live on their wish lists. Personal favorites of all types get representation in this list, with picks from Mario, Botanicals, Star Wars, Technics, and more finding a place.

Altogether, I rounded up 17 sets, with picks from under $20 all the way up to $850. (Shoutout to my brother for suggesting the three most expensive sets on this list. His Lego expertise is well earned — he owns so many sets my mom texted me ahead of his last birthday, "[He] does not need any more Legos until he has his own garage to store them in.")

Check out our favorite Lego sets for adults, kids, and everyone in between:

Lego Mario Kart It doesn't get better than IRL shell shooting. Credit: Timothy Beck Werth / Mashable

Mario Kart is one of the most iconic IPs out there, and no game of it is complete without absolutely crushing your opponents' hopes and dreams by hitting them with a well-timed shell. So, of course, Lego made sure that these karts could actually shoot from Yoshi's bike (or Donkey Kong, if you buy the additional building kit). In our Pocketworthy series, Mashable's tech editor Timothy Beck Werth said he was just as excited as his niece and nephew when he saw this set's shell shooting abilities.

Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Lego Super Mario: Mario Kart Yoshi Bike $12.99 at Amazon
$14.99 Save $2   Get Deal SEE ALSO: Review: 'Donkey Kong Bananza' is the Switch 2's first stone cold banger Lego Star Wars BrickHeadz Wouldn't want to meet these guys in a dark alley. Credit: Nick Villescas / Mashable

For any Star Wars fans who don't have $850 to drop on the Millennium Falcon (more on that below), the BrickHeadz line lets you show your love for the space opera at a much more accessible price point. My best friend's husband, Nick, exclusively owns Star Wars Lego, and has curated this collection of BrickHeadz over time. A set of two will run you $19.99, which is an excellent price for decorating your office space (as Nick so expertly demonstrates). In general, Nick appreciates that Lego's catalog is extensive enough that even if you stick to one type or IP from the brand, you still get plenty of options to choose from (and yes, this does guarantee I'll be bugging him for more Star Wars faves in the future).

Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Lego BrickHeadz 'Star Wars' The Mandalorian and the Child $35.99 at Amazon
  Shop Now Lego Botanicals Happy Plants I want to befriend these planters — that's normal, right? Credit: Timothy Beck Werth / Mashable

These happy plants are part of the popular Lego Botanicals series, a clear favorite of Mashable editors and readers alike, and in this case, another favorite pick from Werth. This Happy Plants set isn't one he owns just yet, but it is one that he's definitely keeping an eye on after spotting them in a Mashable cubicle and at a Lego booth during a toy expo. The mini dracaena and pilea plants are great for Lego beginners (or kids), or anyone else who might not have the bandwidth to put together 500+ pieces (if you fall into that category, beware of the last few picks on this list).

Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Lego Botanicals Happy Plants $22.96 at Amazon
  Shop Now Lego Botanicals Petite Sunny Bouquet Flower Set Who doesn't love a Lego Botanicals centerpiece? Credit: Lego

Mashable contributor Lauren Allain bought this small but adorable Botanicals set for her partner's mom — someone who'd never built a set in her life. The verdict? "She loved it," Allain told me. At 373 pieces, it's intricate enough to result in a design that could genuinely work as house decor, while still being beginner-friendly. Plus, it's a nice next step from the Happy Plants if you still want to keep things simple and affordable.

Lego Botanicals Petite Sunny Bouquet Flower Set $23.95 at Amazon
$29.99 Save $6.04   Shop Now at Amazon Shop Now at Walmart Lego Botanicals Orchid The Lego Botanicals Orchid is a classic for a reason. Credit: Haley Henschel / Mashable

The Lego Orchid was one of the first from the Botanicals line to go properly viral, and it's no surprise as to why — it's gorgeous. Mashable's Haley Henschel uses it as a design piece in her home. It's as at home on a mantle as it is on a bookshelf or even a dining table. And it gets extra points for being an unkillable orchid.

Lego Botanicals Orchid $39.98 at Walmart
$49.99 Save $10.01   Shop Now at Walmart Shop Now at Best Buy Shop Now at Amazon Lego Botanicals Flower Bouquet Tasteful and non-toxic to pets — what more could you want? Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

Is the classic Botanicals bouquet the perfect beginner set? Take it from Mashable Lead Shopping Reporter Samantha Mangino: "I’d never built Legos until this set, and it was great for a beginner. Not only is it adorable, but ideal if you live with pets and can’t have plants or flowers around. Almost everyone who comes over comments on just how cute this set is." At 756 pieces, it's more of a challenge than the sunny bouquet set, but still plenty accessible.

Lego Botanicals Flower Bouquet $47.95 at Amazon
$59.99 Save $12.04   Shop Now at Amazon Shop Now at Amazon Shop Now at Walmart Lego Botanicals Hanging Golden Pothos The Happy Plants welcome a new member of their family. Credit: Danica Villescas / Mashable

My friend Danica got in on the ground floor with the brand new golden pothos set (it pays to have your birthday near a Lego release date). Though she's yet to actually complete the build, as a veteran builder (you'll see her name more below), she can already tell the pothos is going to be a winner. And to be fair, I get why — it blends into her existing real and Lego plant life beautifully.

Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Lego Botanicals Hanging Golden Pothos $59.99 at Lego
  Shop Now Lego Icons Retro Radio A Lego radio that can actually play sound? I'm listening (literally). Credit: Lego

I knew I had to ask Danica for her all-time favorites, as she is the proud owner of the first Lego set that made me audibly gasp: the Typewriter (you can actually use the keys — I know). While that set is sadly discontinued, she pointed to this Retro Radio as being another favorite, partially because she likes the vibe, partially because it can actually play audio. The sound brick in the build plays a selection of short audio settings, which is a nifty enough feature on its own for a $100 set. After completing the set, you can also open up the back and put your phone in the radio and play music off your own device — the Lego isn't technically playing it, but it's a cool feature if you want to pretend it is.

Lego Icons Retro Radio $99.99 at Amazon
  Shop Now at Amazon Lego Ideas The Insect Collection Who wouldn't love these bugs? Credit: Lego

When I asked my Mashable colleagues for their favorite sets, Social Good Reporter Chase DiBenedetto responded with a link to this one and a simple message: "I love my bugs." Looking at the color, detail, and poses here, I can see why. With this set, you'll build a blue morpho butterfly, a Hercules beetle, and a Chinese mantis.

Lego Ideas The Insect Collection $73.25 at Walmart
$79.99 Save $6.74   Shop Now at Walmart Shop Now at Amazon Lego Ideas A-Frame Cabin This cabin belongs in a cozy bookshelf display. Credit: Danica Villescas / Mashable

Not all Lego builds are created equally — intricate ones with more pieces on the wrong day can feel more frustrating than relaxing. Yet my friend Danica had to recommend this cabin set in addition to the Retro Radio because not only is it extremely charming (look how precious it is on her shelf), she found the build itself fun, despite being an over 2,000-piece set.

Lego Ideas A-Frame Cabin $218.98 at Walmart
  Shop Now at Walmart Shop Now at Amazon Lego Icons The Lord of the Rings: Balrog Book Nook Kit I'm sorry but all other book nooks have to pack it up, this one wins. Credit: Lego

"If I had 100 bucks to drop on this heavy metal Balrog book nook, I would," is what Mashable UK Editor Shannon Connellan told me in my call for favorite sets (the set goes for £100 in the UK, $129.99 in the US). Opening the link to this set was an experience — taking in the massive Balrog, the tiny Gandalf, the "you shall not pass!", and the staging of this book nook between books now has me thinking if I had $129.99 to drop on this book nook, I would, too.

Lego Icons 'The Lord of the Rings': Balrog Book Nook Kit $107.99 at Amazon
$129.99 Save $22.00   Shop Now at Amazon Shop Now at Walmart Lego Ideas Twilight The Cullen House If you ask me, this set should be part of the Lego Icons line. Credit: Dylan Haas / Mashable

Sometimes, recreating scenes from a beloved IP is just what the soul needs. Animal Crossing fans may appreciate being able to painstakingly work their way to K.K. Slider's concert in the plaza all over again, LotR fans may need an incredibly epic bookend (as seen above), and Twilight fans may need to see in Lego form where Edward Cullen told Bella, "You better hold on tight, spider monkey."

For former Mashable reporter Dylan Haas, spending time with his wife building this 2,000-plus-piece set reminded him of the importance of taking time to connect with your loved ones. He wrote, "I’m not saying that you should bury your head and ignore what’s going on in the world — actually, I advise heavily against that. But if the state of it all is getting to be overwhelming, maybe I am saying that you should pick up a Lego set and just see what happens."

Lego Ideas 'Twilight' The Cullen House $342.95 at Amazon
  Shop Now at Amazon Lego Icons The Lord of The Rings: The Shire Building Set All your Middle Earth friends are here. Credit: Timothy Beck Werth / Mashable

Werth also spotted this set at a recent toy expo, and he says he's been obsessed ever since. At $269.99, this is a Lord of the Rings set priced for more diehard fans (though come to think of it, I'm not sure I've ever met a casual LotR fan). Whether you need another set to tide you over your post Balrog-book-nook-completion blues or simply love the Hobbitses and their home, this 2,017-piece set is sure to do the trick.

Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Lego Icons 'The Lord of The Rings': The Shire Building Set $269.99 at Amazon
  Shop Now Lego Super Mario The Mighty Bowser Who knew Bowser would be the perfect accent piece for a windowsill? Credit: Lego

Lego wasn't playing when it named this set the Mighty Bowser. For one, look at him. For two, it's 2,807 pieces, meaning it's built (or rather ready-to-be-built) for the fans who spent a good chunk of their childhood grinding Mario on the N64. Unsurprisingly, I sourced this selection from my friend Mitch, who is 100 percent one of those fans. When I asked him why this set stood out, he cited nostalgia, and to me, there is something beautiful about nostalgia taking the form of a giant, Lego Koopa king.

Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Lego 'Super Mario' The Mighty Bowser $269.99 at Walmart
  Shop Now Lego Ideas The Globe Three-month old kitten for scale. Credit: Bethany Allard / Mashable

This retired Ideas set has a "hard to find" tag on the Lego website, so naturally, it's in my family's dining room (thanks to my brother). Like an actual globe, it spins (and surprisingly doesn't feel like it's ultra-fragile, despite being made entirely of Lego). The major catch here, besides the price, is that it's currently only available from third-party sellers at Walmart and Amazon.

Lego Ideas The Globe $306.70 at Walmart
  Shop Now at Walmart Shop Now at Amazon Lego Technic McLaren P1 The Lego Technic line is the perfect intersection for car enthusiasts and people who want to try out non-traditional Lego bricks. Credit: Lego

Speaking of splurges, it's time to get into my brother's two picks. He first suggested the larger-scale items from Technic's line, saying they are "pretty cool because [they] step away from the traditional brick." He built the Porsche 911 GT3 RS, which is unfortunately now a retired product (though you can hunt around on resale sites if you're so inclined). If you're not too picky about make and model, this McLaren P1 is a worthy alternative still in stock.

Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Lego Technic McLaren P1 $449.99 at Lego
  Shop Now Lego 'Star Wars' Millennium Falcon My family did in fact eat meals around this. Credit: Thomas Allard / Mashable

An $850 Lego set is not for the casual Lego fan, which is exactly why it's my brother's pride and joy (to be fair, he bought it at its original price of $799 — a real bargain). I'm 99 percent sure I've never seen my brother happier than when he was building this behemoth. For a long time, it lived near the entrance to my family's home (shortly after its initial residence on the kitchen table), and it was the conversation piece of every single person who visited. I've watched many a grown man drop his jaw at its presence. And they better — it is not only by far the most expensive set on this list, but one of the most expensive sets Lego has ever produced.

The interior of the ship is actually insane. Credit: Thomas Allard / Mashable

When I asked my brother if he thinks this set is worth $850, he texted back, "F-ck no! But it does look cool." Would he buy it all over again? "Yeah probably." And honestly, fair. This set is beyond intricate, with its whopping 7,541 pieces allowing you not just to build the exterior structure of the iconic ship, but also some interior rooms, populated with characters from the original trilogy and recent sequels.

Lego 'Star Wars' Millennium Falcon $815 at Walmart
  Shop Now at Walmart Shop Now at Amazon

Your ideal portable power station for camping depends on your overall power needs, how long you’ll be in the great outdoors, and whether you’ll be utilizing solar power to recharge. And after months of testing some of the top models, I'm finally ready to pick the best portable power station for camping in 2026.

The AI revolution is here, and it's already changing the world. AI has shaken up the labor market, supercharged stocks and shares, and flooded the internet with memes (of varying quality). But did you know it's also rewiring the world of online dating?

Large language models (LLMs) have put the power of sophisticated chatbots into the hands of ordinary people, including ordinary scammers, leading to a massive surge in fake profiles and bots taking over dating sites. Now, online dating isn't just about being witty or taking a great selfie; it's also about spotting AI-generated writing or photographs to avoid being scammed every other match. 

That said, the same AI technology has made it much easier and more affordable for dating apps and sites to enforce moderation policies. Indeed, some dating apps have actually harnessed AI to improve the user experience. See how Bumble uses AI to weed out spammers and scammers, for instance. In other cases, AI helps refine matchmaking or acts like a "digital wingman" by helping you improve your profile. This kind of AI can suggest which photos to share or even pick out potential matches based on your online dating history and past preferences.

But not everyone wants their online dating experience to be infiltrated by AI trickery. If you're suspicious of the technology or just want a break from the AI revolution, we're here to help. Here are three AI-free hookup apps.

3 hookup apps without AI featuresFeeld

Billed as a "dating app for the curious" and the place "where curiosity meets connection". Feeld allows you to find anything you're looking for, and even some things you didn't know to look for. Feeld also stands out from the crowd by rejecting the algorithm-driven swiping frenzy that has become the standard on so many other apps. It prefers to function like an online house party where you might strike up a convo with anyone who catches your fancy. 

As of this writing, Feeld has not yet embraced AI, and if its CEO is to be believed, they don't have any plans to, either. 

Pure

Pure, the "open-minded dating app," is designed for short-term fun, with an emphasis on anonymity and "turn-ons" and kinks, which are prominently displayed. It's also bucked the carousel-style matchmaking trend made popular by Tinder.

There are two main ways to connect with potential matches: You'll either be shown one profile at a time, forcing you to properly assess each person for compatibility, or you can opt for the "Devil's Bones" gamble, which drops you into an anonymous chat with a total stranger, adding an extra layer of excitement.

If you're sick of the indirect approach of most dating apps and want to avoid AI's influence in the algorithms, Pure is a great, straightforward alternative.

AdultFriendFinder

If you're really anti-AI, you're probably safest sticking with AdultFriendFinder, not because it has any ethical or philosophical objections to artificial intelligence, but because its site architecture has hardly changed in the 25+ years since its founding. 

Even better, AFF doesn't have an algorithm-based matchmaking system. Instead, it allows you to search for people based on criteria like their location, gender, age, or favorite kinks, or create online communities and discussion boards where you can meet like-minded people and start conversations organically. The only thing to note is that, while the site doesn't use AI, there are plenty of AI bots floating around. But that shouldn't matter — as long as you know how to navigate and avoid them.

If you don't like the idea of artificial intelligence playing a role in your hookups, the above three apps and sites are a great way to resist the technological tide.

If the weather plays nice, NASA plans to launch its next flagship space observatory today, and viewers can watch the coverage live online from home. 

NASA and SpaceX are targeting the launch of the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope no earlier than 7:26 a.m. ET on Aug. 30 at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida. The infrared telescope's ride, a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket, will lift off from the historic Launch Complex 39A pad, the same that sent Apollo 11 and the maiden voyage of the Space Shuttle into orbit. 

• Play our Big Guessing Game: Make your predictions now for a chance to win a new Apple Watch. Time's running out! 

Roman, with a lifecycle cost of about $4.3 billion, combines Hubble-like sharpness with a field of view at least 100 times larger, allowing scientists to map billions of galaxies, probe dark energy and dark matter, and discover exoplanets at an unprecedented scale. 

The telescope sees the universe in infrared light, which human eyes cannot see. Its wide surveys let astronomers track how structures, such as stars, galaxies, and galaxy clusters, grow over time, as well as measure how the universe expands. 

Mission planners expect Roman images from a major survey to include more than 2 billion galaxies and, over time, reveal tens of thousands of supernova explosions and many new planets. 

SEE ALSO: NASA's Roman telescope is built to find what Hubble and Webb miss

On launch day, NASA plans a full suite of coverage. The U.S. space agency will stream commentary and views of the rocket on NASA TV and its Youtube channel, beginning at 6:20 a.m. ET on Sunday, Aug. 30. Simultaneously, viewers can monitor live updates on the Roman launch blog. 

Or, you can bookmark this story, and watch the event unfold live at the broadcast below: 

Members of the public can also sign up to be "virtual guests" of the launch. The program sends launch information, notices about schedule changes, and a digital stamp for the NASA virtual guest passport afterward. 

As the launch provider, SpaceX also plans to provide live launch coverage from its website and on X, the social platform also owned by SpaceX founder Elon Musk. 

• Want more science and tech news delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for Mashable's Light Speed newsletter or get Mashable push alerts today.

After separation from the rocket, Roman heads for the second sun–Earth Lagrange point, or L2, about 1 million miles away from Earth. This is also the James Webb Space Telescope's home. From there, the mission teams plan a five-year primary science phase, with a goal of operating for 10 years. 

Each launch window for the mission is instantaneous, meaning the rocket must lift off at an exact second. Even a minor delay on the launch pad requires a complete cancellation for the day. That strict time constraint is based on orbital geometry and physics. 

If for any reason NASA must postpone or scrub the launch, there is a backup opportunity at 7:22 a.m. ET on Monday, Aug. 31.

TL;DR: Watch Marseille vs. Monaco in Ligue 1 for free on CazéTV. Access this free livestream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

Ligue 1 returned last week with the first batch of games from the 2026/27 season. And it's been a promising start for Olympique de Marseille, who hammered opponents Strasbourg 4-0 in the first game of the season. Monaco could prove tougher opposition this week. Indeed, Monaco look to be in good form after beating Le Havre 1-0 in their opening match. This is definitely one to watch.

If you're interested in watching Marseille vs. Monaco in Ligue 1 from anywhere in the world, we've got all the information you need.

When is Marseille vs. Monaco?

Marseille vs. Monaco in Ligue 1 kicks off at 2:45 p.m. ET on Aug. 30. This fixture takes place at the Stade Louis II.

How to watch Marseille vs. Monaco for free

Marseille vs. Monaco in Ligue 1 is available to live stream for free on CazéTV.

CazéTV is geo-restricted to Brazil, but anyone can secure access with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Brazil, meaning you can live stream Marseille vs. Monaco for free from anywhere in the world.

Live stream Marseille vs. Monaco for free by following these simple steps:

1. Sign up for a streaming-friendly VPN (we recommend ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in Brazil

4. Visit CazéTV

5. Watch Marseille vs. Monaco for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.99 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but they do tend to offer generous money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch Marseille vs. Monaco without committing your cash. This is obviously not a long-term strategy, but it gives you enough time to stream this fixture (plus Premier League action) before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for Ligue 1?

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

• Servers in 105 countries, including Brazil

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

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection speeds free from throttling

• Up to 10 simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $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 usually offers a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99.

Live stream Marseille vs. Monaco for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: Watch Napoli vs. Como in Serie A for free on SportyNet. Access this free livestream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

Serie A is back for another weekend of action. The 2026/27 season has only just kicked off, so it's too early to say which team looks the best so far, but Napoli are always one to watch — they placed second last season and won the league title the season before that. They also opened up this season with a 2-0 win over Genoa and are now looking to make it two wins in a row when they host Como.

If you're interested in watching Napoli vs. Como in Serie A from anywhere in the world, we've got all the information you need.

When is Napoli vs. Como?

Napoli vs. Como in Serie A kicks off at 12:30 p.m. ET on Aug. 30. This fixture takes place at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona.

How to watch Napoli vs. Como for free

Napoli vs. Como in Serie A is available to live stream for free on SportyNet.

SportyNet is geo-restricted to Brazil, but anyone can secure access with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Brazil, meaning you can live stream Napoli vs. Como for free from anywhere in the world.

Live stream Napoli vs. Como for free by following these simple steps:

1. Sign up for a streaming-friendly VPN (we recommend ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in Brazil

4. Visit SportyNet

5. Watch Napoli vs. Como for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.99 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but they do tend to offer generous money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch Napoli vs. Como without committing your cash. This is obviously not a long-term strategy, but it gives you enough time to stream this fixture (plus Premier League action) before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for Serie A?

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

• Servers in 105 countries, including Brazil

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

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection speeds free from throttling

• Up to 10 simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $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 usually offers a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99.

Live stream Napoli vs. Como for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

If you like playing daily word games like Wordle, then Hurdle is a great game to add to your routine.

There are five rounds to the game. The first round sees you trying to guess the word, with correct, misplaced, and incorrect letters shown in each guess. If you guess the correct answer, it'll take you to the next hurdle, providing the answer to the last hurdle as your first guess. This can give you several clues or none, depending on the words. For the final hurdle, every correct answer from previous hurdles is shown, with correct and misplaced letters clearly shown.

An important note is that the number of times a letter is highlighted from previous guesses does necessarily indicate the number of times that letter appears in the final hurdle.

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

A lack of judgment.

Hurdle Word 1 answer

FOLLY

Hurdle Word 2 hint

A small wind instrument.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for August 30, 2026 Hurdle Word 2 Answer

KAZOO

Hurdle Word 3 hint

A thick chocolate.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for August 30, 2026 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Meanings for each word for Aug. 30, 2026 Hurdle Word 3 answer

FUDGE

Hurdle Word 4 hint

More unique.

Hurdle Word 4 answer

RARER

Final Hurdle hint

A jacket flap.

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

LAPEL

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

TL;DR: Watch Real Madrid vs. Málaga in La Liga for free on CazéTV. Access this free livestream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

La Liga returns today with another selection of top fixtures. The biggest matchup in today's lineup sees the Real Madrid all-star team — which includes Jude Bellingham, Kylian Mbappé, and Vinícius Júnior — face Málaga.

It's still early days, but Real Madrid are already firmly focused on winning their first league title in three years. And the campaign is off to a good start after an opening-game win against Espanyol and a confident victory over Real Sociedad. Málaga, on the other hand, are looking for their first three points of the season.

If you're interested in watching Real Madrid vs. Málaga in La Liga from anywhere in the world, we've got all the information you need.

When is Real Madrid vs. Málaga?

Real Madrid vs. Málaga in La Liga kicks off at 11 a.m. ET on Aug. 30. This fixture takes place at the Santiago Bernabéu.

How to watch Real Madrid vs. Málaga for free

Real Madrid vs. Málaga in La Liga is available to live stream for free on CazéTV.

CazéTV is geo-restricted to Brazil, but anyone can secure access with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Brazil, meaning you can live stream Real Madrid vs. Málaga for free from anywhere in the world.

Live stream Real Madrid vs. Málaga for free by following these simple steps:

1. Sign up for a streaming-friendly VPN (we recommend ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in Brazil

4. Visit CazéTV

5. Watch Real Madrid vs. Málaga for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.99 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but they do tend to offer generous money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch Real Madrid vs. Málaga without committing your cash. This is obviously not a long-term strategy, but it gives you enough time to stream this fixture (plus Premier League action) before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for La Liga?

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

• Servers in 105 countries, including Brazil

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

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection speeds free from throttling

• Up to 10 simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $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 usually offers a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99.

Live stream Real Madrid vs. Málaga for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

You don't need lots of fancy equipment to get a good look at the Moon. A clear sky can be enough to reveal plenty of detail across its surface. So, what could you see when you look up tonight? Keep reading to find out.

What is today’s Moon phase?

As of Sunday, Aug. 30, NASA's Daily Moon Guide tracker tells us the Moon is in Waning Gibbous phase, with 95% of its surface visible.

Tonight with just your naked eye, you'll be able to see the Mare Serenitatis, the Copernicus Crater, and the Oceanus Procellarum. If you do have viewing equipment, such as binoculars, you'll also see the Mare Frigoris, the Archimedes Crater, and the Apennine Mountains. If you have access to a telescope, you'll also be able to see the Apollo 15 and 16 landing spots, and the Rima Ariadaeus.

When is the next Full Moon?

The next Full Moon will take place on September 26.

What are Moon phases?

The Moon's appearance changes throughout the month as it moves through its different phases. It takes roughly 29.5 days for the Moon to complete one full cycle as it orbits Earth, according to NASA. The phase we see depends on the Moon's position relative to the Sun and Earth, which determines how much of its sunlit side is visible to us. Over the course of the cycle, the Moon changes from a slim crescent to a half Moon and eventually a Full Moon, before beginning the process again.

The eight phases are:

New Moon - The Moon is between Earth and the sun, so the side we see is dark (in other words, it's invisible to the eye).

Waxing Crescent - A small sliver of light appears on the right side (Northern Hemisphere).

First Quarter - Half of the Moon is lit on the right side. It looks like a half-Moon.

Waxing Gibbous - More than half is lit up, but it’s not quite full yet.

Full Moon - The whole face of the Moon is illuminated and fully visible.

Waning Gibbous - The Moon starts losing light on the right side. (Northern Hemisphere)

Third Quarter (or Last Quarter) - Another half-Moon, but now the left side is lit.

Waning Crescent - A thin sliver of light remains on the left side before going dark again.

Today's Connections: Sports Edition will be easier if you're a fan of 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.

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 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.

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: Moves with grace

• Green: Defensive sets

• Blue: French soccer

• Purple: Spurs

Here are today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

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

• Yellow: Agile

• Green: Football Defensive Terms

• Blue: Ligue 1 Clubs

• Purple: San Antonio Spurs

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 #706 is...

What is the answer to Connections: Sports Edition today?

• Agile: ATHLETIC, LIMBER, LUTHE, SPRIGHTLY

• Football Defensive Terms: 4-3, COVER 2, NICKEL, PREVENT

• Ligue 1 Clubs: ANGERS, LENS, LILLE, NICE

• San Antonio Spurs: CASTLE, CHAMPAGNIE, VASSELL, WEMBANYAMA

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 the latest 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 August 30, 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 August 30, 2026 Easy difficulty hints, answers for August 30 Pips

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

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

Number (9): Everything in this space must add up to 9. The answer is 1-5, placed vertically; 4-3, placed vertically.

Number (12): Everything in this space must add up to 12. The answer is 2-6, placed vertically; 6-6, placed horizontally.

Number (9): Everything in this space must add up to 9. The answer is 6-6, placed horizontally; 4-3, placed vertically.

Medium difficulty hints, answers for August 30 Pips

Greater Than (2): Everything in this space must be greater than 2. The answer is 3-0, placed vertically.

Equal (0): Everything in this space must be equal to 0. The answer is 3-0, placed vertically; 0-2, placed vertically.

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

Equal (4): Everything in this space must be equal to 4. The answer is 4-1, placed vertically; 2-4, placed vertically; 4-5, placed vertically.

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

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

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

Greater Than (9): Everything in this space must be greater than 9. The answer is 4-5, placed vertically; 1-6, placed horizontally.

Hard difficulty hints, answers for August 30 Pips

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

Number (6): Everything in this space must add up to 6. The answer is 1-0, placed vertically; 5-6, placed horizontally.

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

Less Than (3): Everything in this space must be less than 3. The answer is 1-4, placed horizontally.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Equal (4): Everything in this space must be equal to 4. The answer is 5-4, placed horizontally; 4-2, placed vertically.

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

Equal (2): Everything in this space must be equal to 2. The answer is 4-2, placed vertically; 2-1, placed vertically.

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

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 August 30, 2026 Cadbury meaning

A famous British chocolate.

Energized meaning

Amped up.

Playboy meaning

A popular adult magazine.

Trix meaning

A colorful cereal brand.

Gymnasium meaning

A large indoor sports room.

Play our Big Guessing Game: Make your predictions now for a chance to win a new Apple Watch. Time's running out!

Health club meaning

A membership-based fitness center.

Rec center meaning

An accessible fitness center.

YMCA meaning

A community resource center.

Aerator meaning

A piece that adds air to something.

Corkscrew meaning

A tool used to remove corks from bottles.

Decanter meaning

A glass bottle used to hold alcoholic drinks.

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.

Stopper meaning

A plug to close a bottle opening.

Alias meaning

A fake name.

Outlaw meaning

A criminal.

Reward meaning

An incentive for doing something (well).

Wanted meaning

Desired.

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.

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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 the latest Connections.

The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult if you love a vineyard.

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 August 30, 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: Work up a sweat

• Green: Pour a glass

• Blue: "Hop in!"

• Purple: Wild Wild West

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Here are today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Exercise facilities

• Green: Wine accessories

• Blue: Brands with bunny rabbit mascots

• Purple: Words on an old west wanted poster

Play our Big Guessing Game: Make your predictions now for a chance to win a new Apple Watch. Time's running out!

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 #1176 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Exercise facilities: ALTERNATOR, BATTERY, ENGINE, RADIATOR

• Wine accessories: CHOPPED, GREEK, HOUSE, WEDGE

• Keyboard keys: CONTROL, ESCAPE, SHIFT, SPACE

• Starting with figures from Greek myth: AT LAST, HERALD, HYDRANT, TRITONE

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 the latest Connections.