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It's all starting to come together.

One of the core mysteries throughout Silo has been where the giant underground cities came from, and why they were built. Now, seven episodes into the third season, we still don't know the why — but we're starting to get a sense of the who.

SEE ALSO: 'Silo' Season 3, episode 5 ending explained: Who is Per Stensen? What happens at the end of Silo Season 3, episode 7?

Congressman Daniel Keene (Ashley Zukerman) and journalist Helen Drew (Jessica Henwick) have been on a strange journey so far in Season 3's flashback storyline. They've dug into what happened to Daniel's sister Charles (Jessica Brown Findlay) on that Iran mission, been followed by a mysterious gray-haired man, and even had their car take on a life of its own to essentially kidnap them.

Finally, though, episode 7 seems to bring some answers. After their autonomous vehicle abduction, they're met by Senator Thurman (Laura Innes), who introduces them to the billionaire they were discussing at the end of episode 6, Per Stensen (Colin Hanks). Stensen tells them they'll get all the answers they crave if they sign a simple NDA.

"Once we've signed, you'll get on the plane, and this time tomorrow you'll know everything," says Senator Thurman.

Once the plane lands in Atlanta, Georgia, Stensen tells Helen that the next leg of the journey will be via helicopter. She asks where they're going, and he tells her a property of his.

"It's 300,000 acres," says Stensen. "That's 400 square miles. It used to consist of 42 individual farms."

In the episode's final scene, we finally get a glimpse of what they're going to see.

"I wasn't just being dramatic before," says Senator Thurman. "This really is about saving the world."

"What the hell is that?" asks Helen, and the senator tells her that Daniel — who has a background in engineering — knows.

"Er, it's a drill," he says, looking out of the window. "It's a very big drill."

Who built the silos?

The drill Daniel sees on the ground is the same digging machine we've seen before, now sat rusting in the watery cavern at the very depths of Silo 18. Even though it's not explicitly spelled out, what we're seeing at the end of episode 7 is obvious: It's the beginning of the silos being constructed.

The people behind the project? Senator Thurman, who describes herself as a "believer" in the vision, and billionaire Per Stensen, who is funding the project and believes it's about saving the world.

The big questions that still remain, though, are what happens to the world that forces everyone underground? And, hundreds of years on, who is in charge of the network of silos?

Silo Season 3 is streaming now on Apple TV, with new episodes dropping every Friday.

Want more film and TV news and reviews delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for Mashable’s Top Stories newsletter or get Mashable push alerts today.

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

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

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

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

How to unblock XNXX for free

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

Unblock porn sites like XNXX by following these simple steps:

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

2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in a location that supports access to XNXX

4. Visit XNXX

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

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

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

What is the best VPN for porn?

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

• Servers in 105 countries

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

• Strict no-logging policy

• Fast streaming speeds free from throttling

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $78.18 and includes an extra four months for free — 78% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99 (with money-back guarantee).

Unblock XNXX for free with ExpressVPN.

The New Moon has passed, but the Moon hasn't returned to full visibility quite yet. In fact, it will take a few more days before we can spot anything on its surface again.

What is today’s Moon phase?

As of Friday, Aug. 14, NASA's Daily Moon Guide tracker tells us the Moon phase is in Waxing Crescent phase, with 3% of its surface visible.

When is the next Full Moon?

The next Full Moon will take place on August 28.

What are Moon phases?

The Moon doesn't look the same from Earth every night. As it travels around our planet, it moves through a lunar cycle that takes roughly 29.5 days to complete, according to NASA. The changing positions of the Sun, Earth, and Moon affect how much of the Moon's sunlit side we can see, creating the different phases. Over the course of the cycle, the Moon progresses from a narrow crescent to a half Moon and eventually a Full Moon, before starting the sequence over 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've ever watched football.

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: Bad team

• Green: Non-power conferences

• Blue: Third

• Purple: Scientific element

Here are today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

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

• Yellow: Easy Opponent

• Green: "Group of 6" College Conferences

• Blue: Associated with No. 3

• Purple: Ends in an Element on the Periodic Table

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 #690 is...

What is the answer to Connections: Sports Edition today?

• Easy Opponent: BREEZE, CUPCAKE, PUSHOVER, TOMATO CAN

• "Group of 6" College Conferences: AMERICAN, MAC, MOUNTAIN WEST, SUN BELT

• Associated with No. 3: BRONZE MEDAL, DALE EARNHARDT, FIELD GOAL, HAT TRICK

• Ends in an Element on the Periodic Table: 9-IRON, ADAM SILVER, KAHLEAH COPPER, PHOENIX MERCURY

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.

Today's Connections: Sports Edition will be easier if you've ever watched football.

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: Bad team

• Green: Non-power conferences

• Blue: Third

• Purple: Scientific element

Here are today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

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

• Yellow: Easy Opponent

• Green: "Group of 6" College Conferences

• Blue: Associated with No. 3

• Purple: Ends in an Element on the Periodic Table

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 #690 is...

What is the answer to Connections: Sports Edition today?

• Easy Opponent: BREEZE, CUPCAKE, PUSHOVER, TOMATO CAN

• "Group of 6" College Conferences: AMERICAN, MAC, MOUNTAIN WEST, SUN BELT

• Associated with No. 3: BRONZE MEDAL, DALE EARNHARDT, FIELD GOAL, HAT TRICK

• Ends in an Element on the Periodic Table: 9-IRON, ADAM SILVER, KAHLEAH COPPER, PHOENIX MERCURY

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 catalogue.

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

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

How to play Pips

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

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for August 14, 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 14, 2026 Easy difficulty hints, answers for August 14 Pips

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

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

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

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

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

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

Medium difficulty hints, answers for August 14 Pips

Number (9): Everything in this space must add up to 9. The answer is 0-4, placed vertically; 5-3, placed horizontally.

Equal (3): Everything in this space must be equal to 3. The answer is 5-3, placed horizontally; 4-3, placed horizontally; 3-1, placed vertically; 3-6, placed horizontally.

Greater Than (0): Everything in this space must be greater than 0. The answer is 6-5, placed horizontally.

Number (9): Everything in this space must add up to 9. The answer is 4-3, placed horizontally; 6-5, placed horizontally.

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

Hard difficulty hints, answers for August 14 Pips

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

Number (16): Everything in this space must add up to 16. The answer is 2-5, placed vertically; 6-2, placed horizontally; 5-1, placed vertically.

Number (6): Everything in this space must add up to 6. The answer is 5-1, placed vertically; 2-3, placed horizontally.

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

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

Number (8): Everything in this space must add up to 8. The answer is 4-5, placed vertically; 3-6, placed horizontally.

Number (11): Everything in this space must add up to 11. The answer is 3-6, placed horizontally; 0-5, placed vertically.

Less Than (3): Everything in this space must be less than 3. The answer is 1-1, placed vertically; 0-5, placed vertically.

Number (15): Everything in this space must add up to 15. The answer is 6-6, placed horizontally; 3-0, placed vertically.

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

Number (7): Everything in this space must add up to 7. The answer is 3-5, placed horizontally; 2-4, placed vertically.

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

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

Number (10): Everything in this space must add up to 10. The answer is 2-4, placed vertically; 4-6, 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.

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

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

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

How to play Pips

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

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for August 14, 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 14, 2026 Easy difficulty hints, answers for August 14 Pips

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

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

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

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

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

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

Medium difficulty hints, answers for August 14 Pips

Number (9): Everything in this space must add up to 9. The answer is 0-4, placed vertically; 5-3, placed horizontally.

Equal (3): Everything in this space must be equal to 3. The answer is 5-3, placed horizontally; 4-3, placed horizontally; 3-1, placed vertically; 3-6, placed horizontally.

Greater Than (0): Everything in this space must be greater than 0. The answer is 6-5, placed horizontally.

Number (9): Everything in this space must add up to 9. The answer is 4-3, placed horizontally; 6-5, placed horizontally.

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

Hard difficulty hints, answers for August 14 Pips

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

Number (16): Everything in this space must add up to 16. The answer is 2-5, placed vertically; 6-2, placed horizontally; 5-1, placed vertically.

Number (6): Everything in this space must add up to 6. The answer is 5-1, placed vertically; 2-3, placed horizontally.

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

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

Number (8): Everything in this space must add up to 8. The answer is 4-5, placed vertically; 3-6, placed horizontally.

Number (11): Everything in this space must add up to 11. The answer is 3-6, placed horizontally; 0-5, placed vertically.

Less Than (3): Everything in this space must be less than 3. The answer is 1-1, placed vertically; 0-5, placed vertically.

Number (15): Everything in this space must add up to 15. The answer is 6-6, placed horizontally; 3-0, placed vertically.

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

Number (7): Everything in this space must add up to 7. The answer is 3-5, placed horizontally; 2-4, placed vertically.

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

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

Number (10): Everything in this space must add up to 10. The answer is 2-4, placed vertically; 4-6, 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.

The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult if you know your logos.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

SEE ALSO: NYT Pips hints, answers for August 7, 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: Patterned

• Green: Thought-related

• Blue: Drawing essentials

• Purple: Similar shapes

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.

Here are today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Black-and-yellow

• Green: Places where everyone thinks the same ways

• Blue: Comic book artist's tools

• Purple: Triangle logos

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 #1160 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Black-and-yellow: BUMBLEBEE, CAUTION TAPE, CHARLIE BROWN, WOLVERINE

• Places where everyone thinks the same ways: BUBBLE, ECHO CHAMBER, HIVEMIND, SILO

• Comic book artist's tools: BRISTOL BOARD, DIP PEN, INDIA INK, STRAIGHTEDGE

• Triangle logos: BASS ALE, CITGO, DELTA AIRLINES, GOOGLE DRIVE

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for August 13, 2026

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 Wordle answer should be easy to solve if you like geology.

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 14, 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 13, 2026 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

Often seen inside rocks.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

There are no recurring letters.

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.

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

Today's Wordle starts with the letter G.

SEE ALSO: Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL. The Wordle answer today is...

Get your last guesses in now, because it's your final chance to solve today's Wordle before we reveal the solution.

Drumroll please!

The solution to today's Wordle is...

GEODE

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.

Today's NYT Strands hints are easy if you know a bit of trivia.

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 7, 2026 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Discovered by accident

The words are related to popular discoveries.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe invented items.

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 Inventions.

NYT Strands word list for August 14

• Penicillin

• Slinky

• Inventions

• Plastic

• Microwave

• Velcro

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

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Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Strands.

Officials in Acton, Massachusetts, say a teenager charged with killing two members of his family was using generative AI chatbot ChatGPT to explore violent scenarios prior to the murders.

Arjun Aravind, 17, is accused of killing his 45-year-old mother, Sudha Venkatesan, and 14-year-old brother, Siddharth Aravind, this week. The boy's father was not home when the murders took place.

Arjun Aravind was located by police in nearby Wayland, Massachusetts, on Wednesday morning and taken into custody without incident. 

SEE ALSO: Teens talking to Meta AI about suicide will trigger alert

Speaking to reporters following Aravind’s arrest, Middlesex County DA Marian Ryan made a point of highlighting Arjun Aravind's internet use, saying the teen created violent scenarios on ChatGPT and masked it as fantasy fiction.

"The investigation has so far shown that Arjun had recently been demonstrating some concerning behavior, including using the internet and ChatGPT to make searches for theoretical ideas or fantasy stories regarding the killing of his family," Ryan said, according to an NBC News report.

"He was engaged in the use of ChatGPT in creating fantasy stories, kind of the gothic novel kind of stories, asking questions, creating characters, asking what about this if this happened to that, and they seem to appear to relate to threats to his family."

Mashable's request for comment from OpenAI, the San Francisco company behind ChatGPT, was not returned as of press time.

While numerous parents have accused chatbots of playing a role in young people harming themselves, some prosecutors are now pointing the finger at AI companies for allegedly abetting crimes. Earlier this year, Florida man Hisham Abugharbieh was accused of killing two college students and using ChatGPT to inquire about disposing of the bodies.

OpenAI announced an update in December that purportedly puts "teen safety first" for underage users of ChatGPT. The company stated that it had refined its Model Spec, which guides how OpenAI's AI models should behave, and put a new set of principles in place for how it chatbot responds in high-stakes situations involving users under 18.

A report released in March from the Center for Countering Digital Hate found that eight out of 10 popular AI chatbots helped researchers posing as teen boys plan violent crimes in over half of the responses. 

Disclosure: Ziff Davis, Mashable’s parent company, in April 2025 filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in training and operating its AI systems.

OpenAI's Chief Revenue Officer announced today that she is leaving the AI giant.

"I wanted to let you know that I made the difficult decision to leave OpenAI in the coming weeks to pursue other opportunities," said Denise Dresser, the now-former OpenAI CRO, in a post shared to her LinkedIn. "I’m incredibly proud of all we’ve accomplished together and deeply grateful to the extraordinary people and customers who made this chapter so meaningful."

On its own, Dresser's departure may not be so noteworthy. However, what is notable is that Dresser is the second OpenAI executive to leave the company just this week, and one of several to leave the company within the last few months.

SEE ALSO: OpenAI employees can apparently complain directly to Sam Altman

Two days ago, OpenAI executive Brad Lightcap also announced his departure from OpenAI. Over his years with the company, Lightcap wore many hats. Lightcap was promoted to OpenAI's COO role in April but later shifted out of that position to lead special projects within the company.

“Over the last few months, I’ve been focused on the next horizon,” Lightcap said in a note to OpenAI employees, as reported by Bloomberg. “I believe there are a few important things the world will need to get right as we enter this next period. I’ll have more to share soon.”

Just one month ago, OpenAI lost its number two executive, Fidji Simo. Simo had gone on medical leave months earlier and said she ultimately decided to leave in July as a result of ongoing health issues. Perhaps Simo would have stayed with the company if not for these circumstances. 

SEE ALSO: OpenAI’s first brand trip puts influencers in the hot seat

However, Simo wasn't the only high-profile OpenAI employee to leave in July either. That very same month, OpenAI head ethicist Chloé Bakalar departed the company as well. While Bakalar's departure apparently occurred last month, it was only recently revealed in a Financial Times report.

The tenures of the departing executives vary widely: Lightcap had been at the company since 2018, while Dresser leaving after just nine months.

Are these OpenAI departures a sign of something more concerning going on within the company? OpenAI has dealt with multiple high-profile departures at once before. For example, chief marketing officer Kate Rouch left in April of this year, shortly before OpenAI lost two research heads Kevin Weil and Bill Peebles.

With that said, these recent departures are certainly something to keep tabs on. Concerns surrounding OpenAI's safety protocols are at all-time highs following a few high-profile security incidents. Is this really the best time for OpenAI to lose Bakalar, who was reportedly its only dedicated ethicist?

SEE ALSO: The OpenAI-Hugging Face hack was worse than we thought

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has recently been going on about how the company is on the cusp of bringing a kind of digital superintelligence once confined to science fiction novels to reality. Would these executives not want to be with OpenAI for this achievement?

As of now, the departing former OpenAI executives haven't shared exactly what spurred their decisions to leave the company or why they chose this particular moment. Perhaps we'll find out more soon enough. 

SAVE $130: As of Aug. 13, the Google Pixel 11 and Pixel Watch 5 bundle is on sale for $1,168.99 at Amazon. That's a 10% discount on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Google Google Pixel 11 + Pixel Watch 5 $1,168.99
$1,298.99 Save $130   Get Deal

Looking to do a full overhaul of your personal tech? Well, this new Google bundle deal saves you $130 on a new phone and smartwatch. As of Aug. 13, you can get the Google Pixel 11 and Pixel Watch 5 for $130 less.

If you order the new Google Pixel 11 any time between Aug. 12-27, you'll get $130 off the Pixel Watch 5, while supplies last and subject to availability. Just be aware that if you return the Pixel 11 without the Pixel Watch 5, you’ll be charged for the discount you received.

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These are two of Google’s latest devices revealed at the Made By Google event, both of which are currently available to preorder ahead of their Aug. 20 release.

The Pixel 11 will feature an upgraded 30x Super Zoom camera, Night Sight for clearer low-light shots, and a battery life of over 30 hours. Plus, wireless charging has been upgraded to be 25% faster. Design-wise, it has a smooth matte back, a polished frame, and a slim camera bar, along with ultra-durable glass and IP68 water and dust protection.

Meanwhile, the Pixel Watch 5 features advanced sensors that deliver impressive health and wellness metrics, including Google’s most accurate heart rate tracking. You'll also get sleep tracking, pulse loss detection, and a morning brief feature. And this is all packaged in a domed Actua 360 display with scratch-resistant Gorilla Glass.

With just a week to go until these products are released, head to Amazon to secure this preorder deal now.

TL;DR: Pay $32.97 once for Microsoft Office Professional 2021 and get lifetime access to Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and more on one Windows PC.

Opens in a new window Credit: Microsoft Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows: Lifetime License $32.97
$219.99 Save $187.02   Get Deal

Ditch Microsoft 365’s subscription fees for good. You can grab a lifetime license to Microsoft Office 2021 for much less than its usual retail price. Simply pay once, download the full software suite, and never worry about renewals again.

We know what you’re thinking, but rest assured, this isn’t some stripped-down lite version either. It’s the real deal. Whether you’re writing reports, crunching numbers, building presentations, managing emails, or wrangling databases, the lifetime version of Microsoft Office has you covered.

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It’s a one-time download for one Windows PC, so once it’s yours, it’s yours. The full pro-level toolkit, minus the stress of a subscription. Plus, with instant license delivery and free customer support, getting started is as painless as your new spreadsheet workflow.

No more “trial expired” pop-ups. No more surprise charges. Just the latest versions of Microsoft’s best apps, ready to support all of your work and personal needs.

Download Microsoft Office for Windows while it’s on sale for $32.97 until Aug. 23 at 11:59 p.m. PT (reg. $219.99). No coupon is needed.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: The BlockChance Bitcoin Ticket Super Miner lets you participate in real solo Bitcoin mining with a quiet, plug-and-play desktop device for $49.99 (reg. $99.99).

Opens in a new window Credit: BlockChance BlockChance Bitcoin Ticket Super Miner (Black) $49.99
$99.99 Save $50.00   Get Deal

You don’t need a room full of noisy hardware — or a stress-inducing electricity bill — to see how Bitcoin mining works. The BlockChance Bitcoin Ticket Super Miner is available for $49.99 (reg. $99.99) and offers an approachable way to participate in real solo Bitcoin mining from your desk.

This compact miner delivers up to 1,060 KH/s of hashing power, connects directly to WiFi, and runs independently without a dedicated computer. A built-in 1.54-inch display lets you monitor hashrate and mining activity in real-time, while Bluetooth support and over-the-air firmware updates keep setup and maintenance straightforward.

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The important thing to understand is that this is not a replacement for a commercial mining rig. Instead, it works more like a lottery ticket backed by real mining activity. The device continuously submits legitimate solo mining attempts for a chance — however small — of discovering an entire Bitcoin block reward.

The odds are long, and buyers should view it as a learning experience and an entertaining hobby rather than a predictable way to earn Bitcoin.

That said, it has genuine appeal for crypto enthusiasts, developers, engineers, and anyone curious about how the Bitcoin network operates behind the scenes. It runs quietly, uses very little power, and makes an interesting addition to a home office or workspace.

If you’ve been curious about Bitcoin mining but couldn’t justify spending thousands on specialized equipment, $49.99 is a relatively inexpensive way to explore the technology firsthand.

Get this BlockChance Bitcoin Ticket Super Miner for $49.99 (reg. $99.99) while you can.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

SAVE $80.01: The Soundcore Boom 2 Plus portable speaker is on sale at Amazon for $169.98, down from the normal price of $249.99. That's a 32% discount.

Opens in a new window Credit: Soundcore Soundcore Boom 2 Plus $169.98 at Amazon
$249.99 Save $80.01   Get Deal

Summer 2026 is coming to a close. If you have a few gatherings left on the calendar, it's time to make them epic. The right playlist is essential for the end-of-summer parties, and Soundcore wants an invite. Check out this portable speaker deal.

As of Aug. 13, the Soundcore Boom 2 Plus portable speaker is on sale at Amazon for $169.98, down from the normal price of $249.99. That's a 32% discount.

An outdoor-worthy speaker has a checklist of requirements. It needs to be waterproof and have a durable exterior, and earn high marks for portability. The Soundcore Boom 2 Plus is up for tagging along on poolside afternoons or a sunset beach excursion. It's not only waterproof, but it also floats. The included carrying strap makes it easy to pack along on any adventure, and it can get up to 20 hours of playtime before it needs a recharge.

SEE ALSO: The Google Pixel Buds 2a are down at their best-ever price at Amazon — they're yours for $99

Soundcore mentions that this model can reach up to 103 decibels and is equipped with the brand's BassUp 2.0 technology for deep beats. With a 30W charger, the speaker can get a full charge in just three hours.

In addition to these features, the Soundcore Boom 2 Plus can recharge small devices such as phones and earbuds.

Since this is a limited-time deal and summer days are running out, make the upgrade to the Soundcore Boom 2 Plus speaker. It's the perfect party and beach companion.

In a first for the United States, the White House is looking to build an army of private hackers to combat cyberattacks.

Outlined in a new presidential memoranda issued Aug. 12, the Trump administration will begin contracting out efforts to curb the actions of transnational criminal organizations (or TCOs) to American businesses.

"American businesses’ innovative capabilities have historically been underutilized in efforts to identify and disrupt criminal networks operating in cyberspace," the order reads. "It is the policy of the United States to use all instruments of national power, including the innovative capabilities of the private sector, to combat cybercrime."

SEE ALSO: Flock backpedals as nation revolts against surveillance devices

The new program will be overseen by Trump's National Coordination Center (NCC). The center, in coordination with the Department of Justice and Department of Homeland Security, will vet and authorize businesses to conduct cyber surveillance and effects operations, the White House explains.

These "private sector entities" will the enter contractual agreements with the federal government, granting them access to relevant information from federal, state, local, tribal, and territorial agencies to pinpoint threats and propose offensive efforts. The businesses would be on the lookout for TCO networks involved in distributing ransomware, launching phishing attacks, and enabling financial fraud or sextortion.

Prior to the new memoranda, the U.S. government barred private companies from conducting cyber offenses without court approval. Private hacking operations will still need to abide by the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act which forbids retaliatory hacking, also known as "hacking back," the White House made clear. Federal agencies will also need to sign off on operations before they can proceed. The NCC has 60 days to establish procedures for the new program.

The notice is an expansion of a March 6 Executive Order titled "Combating Cybercrime, Fraud, and Predatory Schemes Against American Citizens," which directed federal agencies and resources to more aggressively intervene in escalating cybercrime attacks against Americans. In the months since, private companies have announced their own cyber offense programs, including a new "disruption unit" out of Google.

Conservative leaders have previously floated reauthorizing “letters of marque" related to cybercriminals. Under old maritime law, letters of marque allowed private mercenaries to attack and capture enemy ships on behalf of the government. Critics of private cyber offensive proposals have worried that such offensives could have rippling legal and diplomatic ramifications.

Instagram has a new logo. Well, sort of.

The familiar gradient camera icon on your phone isn’t going anywhere. Instead, Instagram has redesigned the handwritten wordmark that appears at the top of the app, giving it its first update in a decade.

View this post on Instagram

"The wordmark at the top of the app hasn’t changed in 10 years, so it was time for a refresh," Instagram head Adam Mosseri wrote in a post on Aug. 13. He described the new version as "cleaner and more modern," while preserving references to Instagram’s original design.

Instagram says its team explored hundreds of options, including all-caps lettering, camera-inspired concepts, and literal handwriting, before returning to a script design.

"Script reflects individuality, so referencing that felt right," Instagram director of product design Jasmine Probst said in Meta’s announcement. "The new wordmark is bolder and simpler, with touches of unexpectedness. It cues individual expression, a personal voice, both of which have always been core to Instagram," she adds.

The wordmark is part of a broader brand refresh that includes an updated Instagram Sans typeface and two new fonts: the hand-drawn Instagram Pen and Instagram Mono. Users will also eventually see refreshed motion, layouts, and more restrained use of Instagram’s signature gradient. It is rolling out globally now, with the rest of the changes coming throughout 2026 and beyond.

Naturally, the internet had opinions. Some kinder than others.

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Others struggled to see much of a difference between the old and new designs, leaving them to question why Instagram felt a refresh was necessary at all.

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The new wordmark keeps Instagram’s handwritten style but combines cursive and print lettering, with some letters connected and others floating on their own. But its unusually shaped “s” and “r” have led some online to conclude that it actually says "Instagzam." I can see it.

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In the r/logodesign Reddit thread, one user described the wordmark as looking “fan-made,” like a logo created in Canva. Another called it “an unsettling mix of manuscript and cursive,” while someone else neatly summarized the redesign as a "sidegrade" — or, more accurately, a "zidegrade."

The response wasn’t entirely negative. Some in the subreddit called the half-cursive design stylish and surprisingly readable, while others said it was an improvement over Instagram’s previous wordmark. One commenter argued that Instagram was simply following the minimalist branding trend later than everyone else.

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In one day, Instagram now has given us a refreshed identity, three updated fonts, and, apparently, an unofficial new pronunciation.

It seems that we're still trying to crack the code with Gen Z and love, whether finding that they want deeper connections (while using AI), or that they perform during sex — even solo sex. But the Hily dating app has found a new "rule," of sorts: No swimwear, bikini, or shirtless photos on dating profiles after summer ends. Unless you want to appear desperate, that is.

A Hily survey of 5,900 U.S. Gen Z and millennial daters found that 28 percent of Gen Z women and 34 percent of Gen Z men believe these kinds of shots are only acceptable during the summer.

SEE ALSO: Hookup apps without AI features

Most young women (72 percent) and men (56 percent) have never posted these kinds of pics on dating apps, and it might be because one in three of Gen Z overall believes it's a sign of desperation. Around one in five Gen Z women and one in ten Gen Z men believe they shouldn't even be on dating apps, and it makes some of them (30 percent of women and 14 percent of men) less likely to "like." The internet undoubtedly shaped Gen Z's relationship to sex and dating, and one suspected impact is the fear of coming off as cringe.

Not everyone thinks this way about swimwear and shirtless pics, though. Around half of Gen Z (47 percent of women and 52 percent of men) think these photos could help them make a better-informed decision on whether they like the person or not. The majority (62 percent of women and 74 percent of men) see them as a sign of confidence. So if you want to, go ahead. You can even wear white if you want.

Say "goodbye" to Mico and a handful of AI tools, Microsoft Copilot users.

According to new Microsoft support documents, the tech giant is making major changes to its AI assistant, Copilot.

The biggest change to Copilot is that it will no longer exist as separate apps for consumer and business use. Microsoft will merge both the consumer Copilot app and the business-oriented Microsoft 365 Copilot app into a single application.

During this process, Microsoft is also killing off some lesser-used features, including Mico, its animated Clippy-like Copilot mascot. Mico is a blob-like animated character who currently lives in Copilot as an AI companion. 

According to Microsoft, Mico will be removed as part of a wave of Copilot updates rolling out to users throughout August. While Microsoft is killing Mico off in Copilot, the company says Mico will have a new home on a much less-used Microsoft platform, Learn Live, where the character will work as a tutor for users.

But Mico isn't the only Copilot element that Microsoft is ditching.

Microsoft is also removing Copilot's Group Chat, Podcasts, Deep Research, and experimental Copilot Labs features.

Group Chats are a Copilot feature that allows multiple users to collaborate in a single Copilot AI chat. The Podcast feature enabled users to create AI-generated podcasts based on web interests and documents. Deep Research is a feature Microsoft dubbed a personal research assistant for creating detailed reports. Copilot Labs provided Copilot users with access to early-stage features.

According to Microsoft, these four AI features will sunset on Aug. 18. All related generated content will also be removed. So, if a user has group chats or podcasts that they'd like to save, they need to export the content by that date.

Microsoft says it's making these changes to Copilot to "create a simpler, more cohesive experience for everyone."

However, a report from The Information late last year revealed more pressing problems with Microsoft's suite of AI tools. The company had significantly reduced AI-related sales targets as Copilot increasingly lost market share to AI tools from companies such as OpenAI, Google, and Anthropic.