Mashable

Flock CEO Garrett Langley has stated that the controversial surveillance company would "immediately" stop partnering with any clients who abused its systems, including law enforcement agencies. However, he also claimed that Flock has not yet found any cause to do so, arguing that all incidents thus far have been the fault of a small number of bad actors within organisations.

SEE ALSO: An officer's use of Flock cameras was 'unconstitutional,' judge rules

Speaking at TechCrunch Disrupt on Wednesday, Langley attempted to allay widespread concerns that Flock could be facilitating mass surveillance and violations of privacy. There have been multiple instances of U.S. law enforcement officials being charged with abusing Flock's system, using it to stalk, harass, and surveil people without just cause. However, Flock has not cancelled its partnerships with any clients.

"Most of the debate is nuanced into 'what if two officers out of 50 were caught?'" said Langley. "Today, we haven't fired any customers, but it's not off the table in the case of some pretty drastic law-abiding issue."

According to the public interest law firm Institute for Justice, there have been over 240 incidents of U.S. law enforcement abusing automated license plate readers such as Flock's since 2021. Many cases involve officers tracking women or former partners.

Earlier this month, a U.S. federal judge found that an officer conducted an unconstitutional warrantless search of a driver after using Flock cameras to track their recent movements. Flock appeared to stand by the officer's use of its technology, with a spokesperson saying the company expected the ruling would be appealed and overturned.

Flock CEO claims microphones detect gunshots, not voices

Langley also spoke about Flock's surveillance microphones, stressing that they are targeted at detecting gunshots and do not monitor people's conversations. Formerly known as Raven, Flock's Gunshot and Audio Detection system is designed to recognise the sound of specific types of events, including gunfire, street takeovers, and car crashes. Flock says it can also differentiate between fireworks and gunshots to reduce false alarms.

"We said, 'OK, great, it's just going to do gunshots, plain and simple'," Langley said, as reported by TechCrunch. "If a gun goes off, we'll notify, and if not, that's all it's going to listen to."

Though Langley stated that Flock's system only detects gunfire, a spokesperson later clarified to TechCrunch that this is merely its primary focus, confirming that it also picks up fireworks, street takeovers, and vehicular accidents.

Flock had advertised its Gunshot and Audio Detection system as being capable of picking up human screaming and distress when introducing the feature last year. The company subsequently removed this feature following objections from privacy advocates, who voiced concerns about Flock listening in to every loud public interaction — a function that could enable mass surveillance.

"Gunshot Detection is designed to recognize specific sound events, not people," Flock wrote in a July blog post announcing that it was removing human screaming detection. "The system cannot understand speech, analyze language, or identify voices. It doesn't now, and it never has."

According to Flock, its Gunshot and Audio Detection system works by constantly analysing ambient audio on-device in three-second windows. The audio isn't saved if there is nothing of interest, but if there is a sound that matches what it's looking for, such as a gunshot or tyres screeching, the system will record the audio and send an alert to the relevant parties.

Despite such assurances from Flock, widespread concerns remain about its systems' implications for privacy and mass surveillance. Distrust toward the company has prompted activists to protest, map camera locations, and even vandalise Flock's hardware.

TL;DR: The latest Stuff Your Kindle Day takes place on Oct. 15-16. Mystery and Crime Collection, hosted by Book Below, offers free mysteries, thrillers, suspense, and crime books.

We're only a week on from the spooky Stuff Your Kindle Day event hosted by Indie Visible, and now we've got another opportunity to stock up on reads without spending anything. That's right, Stuff Your Kindle Day is back once again. And this time, the focus is on mystery and crime.

Mystery and Crime Collection, hosted by Book Below, is offering free mysteries, thrillers, suspense, and crime books until Oct. 16. Everything you download is yours to keep forever, so there really is no reason to hold back. Take this as your sign to significantly add to your TBR pile without any guilt.

SEE ALSO: T-Mobile is giving away the 2026 Motorola Razr for free — how to qualify

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

When is Stuff Your Kindle Day?

Mystery and Crime Collection takes place from Oct. 15-16. This two-day giveaway shouldn't be super stressful. It won't cause the same level of panic as a 24-hour event, but you still need to be prepared.

Which books are free?

Mystery and Crime Collection promises to deliver "an incredible selection of suspenseful novels that will keep you guessing until the very last page." The hub page makes things very easy for participants by outlining the incredibly simple process:

• Browse free books

• Click store link

• Download free book

It really is that easy.

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

Everything you download on Stuff Your Kindle Day is yours to keep forever, and there's no limit on the number of books you can download. Stuff Your Kindle Day downloads don't count towards the 20 books that Amazon Kindle Unlimited subscribers can borrow at the same time.

The best Stuff Your Kindle Day deal Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Kindle (16GB) + Kindle Unlimited (3 Months) $149.99 at Amazon
  Shop Now at Amazon Why we like it

These popular e-readers let you take your entire library on the go. With weeks of battery life and an anti-glare display, you can read anywhere and anytime with the Kindle. Plus, you can get three months of Kindle Unlimited for free with your purchase for a limited time.

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

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

We know that Apple recently launched new iPhones and preorders for the iPhone Duo are dropping soon, but not everyone is totally obsessed with Apple. Believe it or not, there is actually life outside the Apple bubble.

Check out T-Mobile, and you'll soon discover that the free iPhone deals have largely disappeared. That's a shame, but do not fear. You can still pick up Motorola's latest handset for absolutely nothing. And the process of claiming this free phone is reassuringly straightforward. You don't even need to trade anything in to qualify.

For a limited time, the Motorola Razr+ is available for free with T-Mobile. To claim the new Motorola Razr+ for free, simply activate a new line on its Experience Beyond plan. Alternatively, you can get the Motorola Razr for free when activating a new line on most T-Mobile plans.

The total cost is covered via 36 monthly bill credits. If you cancel or switch carriers before the three-year mark, you’ll owe the remaining balance on the phone’s full retail price. You will also need to pay taxes and a one-time $35 connection charge.

In the market for a new phone but don't fancy jumping on board the Apple bandwagon? T-Mobile has you sorted with a couple of standout Motorola Razr deals this week.

TL;DR: Get lifetime access to 1min.AI’s all-in-one platform featuring GPT, Claude, Gemini, AI writing, image editing, PDF, and audio tools for $69.97 (reg. $540) through Oct. 15.

Opens in a new window Credit: 1minAI 1min.AI Advanced Business Plan Lifetime Subscription $69.97
$540 Save $470.03   Get Deal

AI subscriptions aren’t cheap, but it’s manageable if you only use one model like ChatGPT. However, if you need tools for generating images, writing copy, analyzing documents, or translating between languages, a platform like 1min.AI is a more viable option.

1min.AI gives you lifetime access to some of the most popular AI tools, including ChatGPT, Gemini, Mistral, and many others. It’s also only $69.97 (reg. $540) for a lifetime subscription, available today only as part of the extended Deal Days sale.

1min.AI runs in your browser and pulls a ton of everyday work into one place. You can research keywords, draft blog posts, rewrite and shorten text, generate social posts, and keep a consistent brand voice across projects.

There are tools to summarize or translate documents, chat with multiple PDFs at once, and spin up slide presentations. For visuals, you can generate images from prompts, upscale low-resolution pictures, remove backgrounds, extend edges, or turn rough sketches into cleaner artwork.

Here’s a small sample of the AI models you’ll get access to:

• GPT-5.5 Pro

• Claude 4.1 Opus and Claude 4.5 Sonnet

• Gemini 3.1 Pro

• Llama 3

• Mistral models

The Advanced Business Plan includes 4,000,000 credits each month, plus the chance to earn up to 450,000 more through daily logins and other tasks. Credits are shared across writing, images, audio, and video, so you can lean harder on whichever tools you need that month.

The plan supports up to 20 members, with shared workspaces, an unlimited prompt library, unlimited storage, and unlimited brand voices. If you don’t use all your credits, they just roll over, so you aren’t missing out if you have a lighter month.

It’s only $69.97 (reg. $540) to get a 1min.AI Advanced Business Plan lifetime subscription, but only through Oct. 15.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Today's Connections: Sports Edition will be easier for those who've participated in team sports.

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: Assist

• Green: Score

• Blue: Perfect pitchers

• Purple: Coverings

Here are today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

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

• Yellow: Deliver the Ball to a Teammate

• Green: Places Where One Scores

• Blue: MLB Pitchers to Throw a Perfect Game

• Purple: ___Mask

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 #752 is...

What is the answer to Connections: Sports Edition today?

• Deliver the Ball to a Teammate: DISH, DISTRIBUTE, GIVE, PASS

• Places Where One Scores: END ZONE, GOAL, HOOP, PLATE

• MLB Pitchers to Throw a Perfect Game: BROWNING, CAIN, CONE, LARSEN

• ___Mask: CATCHER'S, FACE, GOALIE, PROTECTIVE

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

How to play Pips

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

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for October 15, 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 October 15, 2026 Easy difficulty hints, answers for October 15 Pips

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

Number (10): Everything in this light blue space must add up to 10. The answer is 1-5, placed vertically; 6-5, placed horizontally.

Number (10): Everything in this space must add up to 10. The answer is 0-4, placed vertically; 6-5, placed horizontally.

Greater Than (1): Everything in this space must be greater than 1. The answer is 2-4, placed horizontally.

Number (10): Everything in this space must add up to 10. The answer is 2-4, placed horizontally; 6-3, placed vertically.

Greater Than (2): Everything in this space must be greater than 2. The answer is 6-3, placed vertically.

Medium difficulty hints, answers for October 15 Pips

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

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

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

Equal (4): Everything in this orange space must be equal to 4. The answer is 4-0, placed horizontally; 4-2, placed vertically.

Less Than (1): Everything in this space must be less than 1. The answer is 4-0, placed horizontally

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

Number (3): Everything in this space must add up to 3. The answer is 4-1, placed horizontally; 2-5, placed horizontally.

Number (20): Everything in this space must add up to 20. The answer is 4-5, placed vertically; 5-5, placed horizontally; 2-5, placed horizontally.

Hard difficulty hints, answers for October 15 Pips

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

Greater Than (0): Everything in this space must be greater than 0. The answer is 3-5, placed vertically.

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

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

Number (9): Everything in this space must add up to 9. The answer is 2-0, placed vertically; 3-3, placed horizontally; 1-3, placed vertically.

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

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

Greater Than (9): Everything in this space must be greater than 9. The answer is 4-4, placed vertically; 2-2, placed vertically.

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

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

Greater Than (14): Everything in this space must be greater than 14. The answer is 5-0, placed vertically; 4-6, 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.

TL;DR: Watch Benfica vs. Celtic in the Europa League for free on CazéTV. Access this free livestream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The Europa League kicked off with a disappointing defeat for Celtic, and now they face a tough Benfica side at the Estádio da Luz. Benfica won their opening game and will come into this clash with a lot of confidence. It could be a long night for Celtic.

If you're interested in watching Benfica vs. Celtic in the Europa League from anywhere in the world, we've got all the information you need.

When is Benfica vs. Celtic?

Benfica vs. Celtic in the Europa League kicks off at 3 p.m. ET on Oct. 15. This fixture takes place at the Estádio da Luz.

How to watch Benfica vs. Celtic for free

Benfica vs. Celtic in the Europa League 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 Benfica vs. Celtic for free from anywhere in the world.

Live stream Benfica vs. Celtic 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 Benfica vs. Celtic 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 Benfica vs. Celtic 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 Europa League?

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 Benfica vs. Celtic 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

Skilled.

Hurdle Word 1 answer

ADEPT

Hurdle Word 2 hint

Clear glue.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for October 15, 2026 Hurdle Word 2 Answer

RESIN

Hurdle Word 3 hint

Chill out.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for October 15, 2026 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Meanings for each word for Oct. 15, 2026 Hurdle Word 3 answer

RELAX

Hurdle Word 4 hint

Picture border.

Hurdle Word 4 answer

FRAME

Final Hurdle hint

Baby bird.

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

OWLET

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 October 14, 2026 Base meaning

The lowest part or foundational support of an object, structure or system.

Bottom meaning

The lowest point or base of an object, page, stair or container.

Foot meaning

The lowest part or foundation of an object, structure or landscape.

Foundation meaning

A supporting base, structure or organization that holds up or gives rise to something else, depending on the context.

Basket meaning

A lightweight container made of interwoven materials like twigs, wood, straw, plastic or wire used for holding, packing or carrying items.

Goal meaning

A desired result, purpose or endpoint that a person or organization envisions, plans and commits to achieve through focused action.

Run meaning

To move on foot faster than a walk, with both feet leaving the ground at points during each step.

Touchdown meaning

A major scoring play in football or rugby.

Cannon meaning

A large, heavy-caliber gun or artillery piece designed to launch heavy projectiles using an explosive chemical propellant like gunpowder.

Forge meaning

To build, form, or establish something strong and lasting through hard work.

Racine meaning

The underground part of a plant that absorbs water and nutrients.

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.

Volley meaning

Hitting, kicking or returning a ball while it is still in the air, before it touches the ground..

Cure meaning

A treatment or medicine that permanently gets rid of a disease or medical condition so the patient recovers completely..

Dry meaning

Free from, lacking or depleted of water, liquid or moisture.

Pickle meaning

A cucumber preserved in a solution of salt water or vinegar.

Smoke meaning

A collection of tiny solid, liquid and gas particles suspended in the air.

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

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

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

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

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

The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult if you're a good cook.

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 October 15, 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: Cooking techniques

• Green: Game winner

• Blue: Floor

• Purple: Natural landscapes

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: Ways to preserve food

• Green: Things you can score in sports

• Blue: Lowest part

• Purple: Low landforms with a letter changed

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 #1222 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Ways to preserve food: CURE, DRY, PICKLE, SMOKE

• Things you can score in sports: BASKET, GOAL, RUN, TOUCHDOWN

• Lowest part: BASE, BOTTOM, FOOT, FOUNDATION

• Low landforms with a letter changed: CANNON, FORGE, RACINE, VOLLEY

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

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

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

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

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

Today's NYT Strands hints will be easy if you're a sea lover.

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 October 15, 2026 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Sailor's guide

The words are related to luminescence.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe exactly as the hint implies: Beams that lead seamen.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is vertical.

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.

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is Lighthouse.

NYT Strands word list for October 15

• Beacon

• Staircase

• Lighthouse

• Dome

• Lantern

• Tower

• Gallery

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

Looking for other daily online games? Mashable's Games page has more hints, and if you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now!

Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

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

Today's Wordle answer should be easy to solve if you're not very bright.

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 October 15, 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.

Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

Idiot.

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 D.

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...

DUNCE

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.

You put on a playlist to find something good to listen to. Checking whether the singer exists wasn’t supposed to be part of the process. But a song these days can fit your taste perfectly and still leave you wondering who, or what, made it.

This week, two music streaming services — Google’s YouTube Music and the French platform Deezer — announced features that could make that question easier to answer. YouTube Music is adding labels to AI-generated songs, while Deezer will let listeners filter fully AI-generated music out of search results.

For listeners who have been opening artist profiles and hunting for evidence of an actual musician, that could mean considerably less homework.

What’s changing when you press play?

YouTube says the new labels respond to something listeners have been asking for: "As these tools evolve, our listeners have told us they want transparency when they’re hearing an AI-generated track," the company wrote.

Starting Oct. 14, those labels will appear directly on YouTube Music’s player for songs created primarily using generative AI, including generated compositions and vocals. Tapping the label opens more information about the track. YouTube says it is working with music partners and using its own detection tools to identify AI-generated songs, with the labels also coming to the main YouTube app.

Credit: Screenshot: YouTube News

Deezer is offering an additional choice: leave those songs out of your search altogether. "We’ve seen a clear user demand for the ability to filter out AI-generated music," Deezer CEO Alexis Lanternier said in the company’s Oct. 14 announcement.

The toggle will launch worldwide before the end of 2026. Switch it on, and fully AI-generated tracks, albums, and related artists will disappear from search results. Switch it off, and they’ll be accessible again.

Deezer already keeps detected AI-generated songs out of algorithmic and editorial recommendations, so the toggle extends that control to music you actively search for. It targets fully generated music; songs with limited AI assistance within a broader human creative process are treated differently.

If you listen on Spotify or Apple Music, the approach looks a little different already. Spotify’s "AI Persona" badges, announced in Aug. with a rollout starting in mid-Sept., identify artist profiles depicting photorealistic AI-generated people. Spotify also said it would exclude those personas from editorial and algorithmic recommendations by default. The badge answers whether the artist’s public identity is synthetic, though it doesn’t specify how the music was made.

Apple Music’s reported "Transparency Tags," on the other hand get more specific about where AI was used, allowing labels and distributors to disclose generated content in recordings, compositions, artwork, and music videos. But that system relies on the companies delivering the music to declare it. An AI-generated album cover and an AI-generated vocal can receive different tags — provided someone reports them in the first place.

Your ears can only tell you so much

You don’t have to go looking for AI music to find it. Sometimes, your streaming service brings it to you.

That’s what happened to Mashable's Features Editor Rachel Thompson when Spotify’s Smart Shuffle slipped an AI-generated funk song into her queue. It fit alongside music she already liked, and she discovered how it was made only after investigating the artist. That’s a lot to ask of someone who just wants to listen to some funk!

SEE ALSO: Spotify Smart Shuffle played a song I'd never heard before. It was AI generated.

But there’s a reason the song didn’t immediately stand out: in a Deezer/Ipsos blind test published in Nov. 2025, 97 percent of participants couldn’t correctly distinguish two AI-generated songs from a human-made one.

Once you start digging, though, even the usual signs of an established artist can leave you guessing. The Velvet Sundown attracted hundreds of thousands of Spotify listeners in 2025, complete with promotional images and song credits. Yet its supposed members had virtually no traceable existence beyond those suspiciously polished pictures, and the credits listed the band itself without naming a producer.

A label could put that information where listeners encounter the song, before they’ve opened an artist profile or searched for a band member. And plenty of people want that heads-up: in the same Deezer/Ipsos survey, 80 percent wanted fully AI-generated music labeled, while 45 percent of streaming users wanted the option to filter it out.

Credit: Spotify screenshot / The Velvet Sundown There’s money behind all those uploads

A song showing up in your queue is one thing. That song collecting royalties from thousands of fake listeners is another.

Deezer says it receives nearly 90,000 fully AI-generated tracks daily, but they account for just 1 to 3 percent of its streams. And even those plays aren’t necessarily coming from people: the company says up to 85 percent of streams of fully generated tracks were fraudulent in 2025.

North Carolina musician Michael Smith turned that gap between uploads and actual listeners into a multimillion-dollar scheme. On Oct. 6, he was sentenced to 18 months in prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Prosecutors said he generated hundreds of thousands of songs using AI, then had automated accounts stream them billions of times, collecting more than $8 million in fraudulent royalties.

The sheer number of songs helped him get away with it. By spreading the plays across thousands of tracks, Smith avoided drawing attention to any single one. Those streams pulled money from a shared royalty pool that, according to prosecutors, would otherwise have gone to musicians and songwriters with real audiences.

But "who gets paid?" gets complicated even when bots aren’t involved. A virtual artist’s face doesn’t tell you whose voice or writing you’re hearing.

Take FN Meka. In 2022, Industry Blackout criticized the virtual rapper for appropriating Black artists’ mannerisms and reproducing racist stereotypes, and Capitol Records subsequently dropped the project. Rapper Kyle the Hooligan also said he had supplied its voice without ever being paid. (Factory New co-founder Anthony Martini later clarified that humans had written and performed FN Meka’s vocals, walking back earlier claims about AI’s involvement.)

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That’s where a simple AI badge can run out of answers: It might flag the character or the recording without explaining who contributed what.

Still, YouTube Music’s labels and Deezer’s filter give listeners a place to start. A heads-up on the player could spare you a trip through an artist’s profile, while a search filter lets you decide whether you want fully generated music in the results at all.

How useful those controls become will depend on what platforms can reliably identify. If a song has no label, does that mean it’s human-made, or that it hasn’t been detected yet? And when human lyrics meet generated vocals, will the disclosure explain the mix?

For now, the promise is straightforward: finding something good to listen to could involve less detective work. The next step is making sure the information on your screen answers the questions that sent you searching in the first place.

A mother of two is suing OpenAI in a proposed class action lawsuit that alleges the company "stole" valuable data from millions of young users without their consent.

The anonymous mother, whose children are 12 and 16, resides in Hawaii. Both children signed up for ChatGPT accounts in early 2026 without parental permission.

OpenAI requires, but doesn't actively check, that a child has sought their parents' permission. Its terms of service prohibit minors younger than 13 from using ChatGPT, though many do regardless.

"OpenAI manipulates children into sharing their most private thoughts and images with ChatGPT," said lead counsel Paul Yetter of Yetter Coleman. "If some stranger did this to a child, there would be outrage."

SEE ALSO: Report: OpenAI should pause ChatGPT for Teens over safety

The complaint alleges that ChatGPT "purposely extracted" sensitive personal information from both children, including emotional insecurities, relationship concerns, and selfies. It broadly argues that OpenAI "exploits" minor users through design features like speaking in first person, mirroring communication style, possessing memory to build on past chats, and being sycophantic, or overly flattering and agreeable.

"For years, it wrongfully has extracted vast amounts of highly sensitive and valuable data from millions of children," the complaint says of OpenAI. "It had no right to take this information, but it took it anyway. It then used that priceless trove of children’s information to train large language models, build detailed profiles of children, and enrich itself."

OpenAI recently sought a valuation of $1.4 trillion as it prepares to go public, according to Bloomberg Law.

"We strongly disagree with this misguided lawsuit that singles out OpenAI despite the industry-leading age-specific protections we’ve built into our product," OpenAI told Bloomberg News. "This risks pushing teens toward products with fewer safeguards or reduced parental controls."

The company made the same claim last week when the Youth AI Safety Institute at Common Sense Media called on OpenAI to pause ChatGPT for Teens after identifying safety problems and product concerns through independent testing.

OpenAI disputed those findings and suggested they could steer teens toward products with fewer safety protections.

In a separate announcement, OpenAI recently said that teens spend under 15 minutes a day on ChatGPT, on average. The company also said users with access to ChatGPT for Teens, which launched in August, sent 2.7 million more learning-related messages on average than those without the product.

The complaint filed Tuesday asks the court to award each class member a share of OpenAI equity, or its cash value. The amount would be determined by how much data OpenAI extracted from each child in the proposed class.

The next ACOTAR book isn’t out yet, but some readers are already muting fan pages.

Images purportedly showing pages from Sarah J. Maas's upcoming A Court of Splintered Harmony are circulating online, leaving fans with the choice between scrutinizing the alleged spoilers and trying to make it to the Oct. 27 release without seeing them.

For some, that second option is proving difficult. In the Facebook group A Court of Thorns and Roses 18+, one reader reported repeatedly encountering alleged leaks on TikTok. "I keep trying to avoid them like a plague, but it's literally EVERYWHERE," they wrote.

Another had already taken precautions: "I muted all of my ACOTAR fan pages for a month."

With almost two weeks until the sixth installment in Maas's romantasy series arrives, apparently even visiting a fan group has become a potential spoiler risk. Here’s what we know, without getting into the purported plot revelations.

SEE ALSO: Sarah J. Maas announces two new 'A Court of Thorns and Roses' books What are the alleged ACOTAR leaks?

Much of the discussion centers on photos purportedly showing pages 242 through 247 that were shared in the r/acotar subreddit. (The linked thread contains potential spoilers.)

Readers have been picking apart everything from the characters' apparent behavior to the objects visible around the book, looking for clues about whether the images are genuine.

One commenter, identifying themselves as an Amazon fulfillment center employee, claimed to recognize the setting. "I work at an Amazon FC, I can confirm the books came in last week, and these are our yellow totes and the gloves we wear," they wrote.

Other readers questioned the images' appearance and whether the prose sounded like Maas, leaving the discussion caught between analyzing a possible scene and wondering whether there was any reason to analyze it at all.

"I am having the hardest time figuring out if it’s fake or real. I need to know! It seems like a lot of work to make a fake book," one commenter wrote.

Still, uncertainty hasn’t dampened everyone’s enthusiasm. "I kind of love how messy it is honestly," wrote another reader. For others, the alleged pages have simply added another thing to check on release day: "But if this is fake, I can’t wait to see what the real chapter looks like."

How are ACOTAR fan communities handling the alleged leaks?

The scramble to discuss the images is also testing how fan communities accommodate readers who want every possible detail alongside those trying to avoid them.

In r/acotar, moderators have opted to allow discussions about the leaks following a community vote. "We had a sub-wide poll on if we should allow leaks or not. The sub voted for yes," a moderator explained in the thread.

That permission comes with conditions. The subreddit’s leak protocol requires posts to include "[POSSIBLE LEAK]" in their titles, carry a spoiler tag and the appropriate flair, and go through moderator review with supporting evidence. It also prohibits sharing the full book or links to it, as well as leaks that confirm or rule out romantic pairings.

Other communities have drawn a firmer line. Moderators of r/Elucien have said their subreddit does not allow leaks, distinguishing unauthorized material from previews publicly released by Maas or Bloomsbury.

For readers counting down to Oct. 27, those rules can determine whether a favorite fan space remains somewhere to share their excitement — or becomes another page to mute.

Some people unwind with a good book. Others take a hot bath or watch their favorite comfort show. One woman spends two hours jumping on a trampoline in the middle of the night.

And honestly, she might be onto something.

TikTok creator @whatifimjustagirl is going viral after sharing her unusual nighttime ritual. For the past seven years, she says she's spent nearly every night jumping on a trampoline outside, usually sometime between midnight and 3 a.m. That's right. While most of us are sleeping, or scrolling TikTok when we should be sleeping, she's outside bouncing around in the dark

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And this isn't some elaborate fitness challenge or attempt to optimize her sleep schedule. She just really loves jumping on her trampoline.

"I look forward to it every single day," she says in a recent video posted to TikTok.

She's figured out what to wear, too: she says she has "a couple of things in rotation," including leggings and a flannel for colder nights — and, of course, a pair of headphones.

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But her unusual hobby has also prompted some unsolicited speculation about her mental health. "I'm a girl who's addicted to the trampoline," she says in another video, before addressing commenters who have speculated that she's autistic. "I just wanted to comment on the mental health aspect of it because I have a lot of people assume I have autism, and I do not," she explains. She goes on to share that she has OCD, which she says plays some role in her attachment to the activity.

"Yes, is my obsession with the trampoline a little extreme? Yes. Does my OCD play a factor in that? Yes, but that's not why I jump," she says. "I don't think there needs to be a diagnosis [for it]."

And really, why should there be? Sometimes you just find something you love doing, even if that something happens to be jumping on a trampoline at 2 a.m.

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There's something oddly charming about the whole thing. Most adults probably haven't spent much time on a trampoline since childhood, let alone made it a regular part of their daily routine. Yet here's someone who has apparently found an activity that brings her so much joy that she's continued doing it for seven years.

There's no elaborate morning routine to follow, no expensive wellness retreat to book, and no productivity hack to master. Just a woman, her trampoline, and a few hours under the stars.

Of course, jumping on a trampoline in the middle of the night isn't practical for everyone. For starters, you need a trampoline. And presumably some very understanding neighbors. Still, when even hobbies can come with pressure to earn money or improve yourself, there's something refreshing about watching someone do something simply because they enjoy it

Maybe the secret to happiness really is that simple.

Earlier this month, two former school students murdered a vice principal and attacked students at a Mexican secondary school in Torreón, Coahuila. Authorities say they were inspired by violent and extremist content online.

Today (Oct. 14), Mexican president Claudia Sheinbaum signed a presidential decree barring social media and streaming platforms from displaying or recommending violent content to teens. The order places limits on content that "generates or promotes" hate speech, extremism, sexual exploitation, suicide, self-harm, eating disorders, cyber-bullying, and other illegal conduct, according to Mexico News Daily.

SEE ALSO: What 'The Social Reckoning' misses about Meta

Like other social media safety bills, the decree also requires platforms verify user ages and institute parental controls. Companies have one month to get their platforms in compliance with the new law. If they fail to make changes, Sheinbaum said she will fast track a second law outlining punishment for offenders.

In September, Sheinbaum announced new nationwide education rules that included a bell-to-bell cellphone ban and restrictions on tablet use across Mexico's public education system. Similar phone bans have been implemented at the state and district-level in the United States, but federal leaders have yet to enact sweeping legislation regarding device use.

In response to concerns about the impact of social media and cyberbullying on youth mental health — as well as new research — many countries are exploring wholesale social media bans for kids and teens, as well. Australia was the first country to pass a complete ban on social media for users under the age of 16.

While many child safety advocates have encouraged government intervention as a necessary stop-gap to ongoing online abuse and harm, others have questioned the efficacy of age verification and parental controls tools.

Officials told the press that they had met with leadership from major tech companies, including Meta, TikTok, and Google, prior to Sheinbaum's announcement. None of the named companies have yet issued comment, reported Reuters.

SAVE UP TO $132.28: As of Oct. 14, SwissGear's two-piece Energie Spinner Luggage Set is on sale on Amazon for up to 35% off. Normally $375, you can score it in gunmetal for $281.08 or white for $242.72 (with an on-page coupon).

Opens in a new window Credit: Swissgear SwissGear Energie Spinner Luggage Set (2-piece, gunmetal) $281.08 at Amazon
$375 Save $93.92   Get Deal at Amazon Opens in a new window Credit: Swissgear SwissGear Energie Spinner Luggage Set (2-piece, white) $242.72 at Amazon
$375 Save $132.28 Requires on-page coupon. Get Deal at Amazon

I'm a serial overpacker who travels internationally at least once a year on top of regular domestic trips, which means my suitcases get put through the wringer. After being underwhelmed by a few different brands — Samsonites got dinged up shockingly fast — I landed on SwissGear's Energie Spinner hardside suitcases for their light weight, expandable design, and unmatched durability. They've survived tens of thousands of miles of travel at this point, and probably half a dozen friends and family members have bought them upon my rec.

I've found Energie Spinners on sale at a couple different retailers in the past, but right now, I'd buy them on Amazon. The two-piece set with a 19-inch carry-on and a 27-inch checked bag is currently on sale there for up to about $132 off, depending on the color. (It typically retails for $375, per SwissGear's website.)

I personally own the gunmetal set, which is marked down to $281.08, or 25% off. The white set is even cheaper at $242.72, or 35% off — note the coupon on its product page (below) — but bear in mind that it will show scuffs way more easily. Mine still look basically pristine.

Make sure to select the on-page coupon. Credit: Amazon / Mashable screenshot

Both suitcases have multi-directional spinner wheels, retractable locking handles, and a TSA lock. Inside, they've each got a zip compartment and clothing straps; the 19-inch carry-on also has a USB charging port that lets you charge your phone from a power bank you've packed. They're covered by a 10-year warranty.

A $5 first-person shooter called Hood Warfare 2 has gone from near-obscurity to one of Steam’s most talked-about releases in less than a week. Given the nature of the game, however, it's also drawn scrutiny for its content, its anonymous developers, and the creators who've played it live on stream.

Made by an anonymous dev team called TrapStar Games, Hood Warfare 2 is a gang-themed, multiplayer Call of Duty clone set in "the streets" of Chicago, Illinois. Like Call of Duty, it has killstreaks, including a "drive by" and a "snitch," its version of the UAV drone.

According to SteamDB data, it peaked at about 53 concurrent players on its Oct. 8 release day. Its player count climbed steadily before spiking past 11,700 on Oct. 12, with its all-time peak now at 15,258 as of this writing.

By Steam’s standards, that is a modest hit. The game's peak rank is around 1,151st all-time on SteamDB, and its current player count of roughly 4,000 puts it at 239th. Still, if Gamalytic's data is to be believed, Hood Warfare 2 has grossed $1.1 million with 219,000 units sold.

As you can tell from the title, the game is a sequel. TrapStar released Hood Warfare, a Detroit-based shooter, in 2023 to little fanfare, with an all-time Steam peak of 68 players. Hood Warfare 2 caught on in a big way thanks to a deluge of content creators and streamers amused by the exaggerated stereotyping of Black American gang culture.

That said, much of the online conversation does center on the game’s depiction of Chicago and Black communities.

Critics argue the game feeds a long-running narrative, pushed by right-wing outlets and influencers, that Chicago is one of the most dangerous cities in the country. The rankings they cite tell a different story. Despite being the nation's third-largest city, Chicago ranks outside the top 10 on a list of places with the highest crime risk, according to U.S. News & World Report. Others have noted that the game’s trailer uses virtually none of Chicago’s actual slang.

The popularity of these kinds of stereotypes of the Black community coincides with the rise of YouTube "gang war explainer" channels, such as TrapLoreRoss. These channels break down real local conflicts for largely outside audiences, turning figures like King Von and Chief Keef, along with the O-Block area around Parkway Gardens into a kind of online lore. On TikTok, you can find several videos of creators traveling to the Parkway Gardens area near 63rd Street and King Drive.

Speculation on social media about Hood Warfare 2 includes accusations of AI "vibe coding," astroturfing, and even claims that the game is a "CIA psyop." Defenders of the game are dismissing the backlash, stating that games like Hood Warfare 2 aren't meant to be taken seriously.

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The game holds a "Very Positive" rating on Steam, and many reviews lean into the stereotypes critics object to. One reviewer wrote that they could "feel the thrill as a white man roleplaying as an african american gang banger." Another called it "Counter-Strike meets Boyz n da Hood," a reference to John Singleton’s 1991 film, which is widely read as a critique of the forces that kill young Black men.

Playing a part in the game's growing popularity is the enthusiastic embrace from content creators and live streamers. Gameplay videos have spread quickly across YouTube and Twitch. Some thumbnails show creators, including white creators, posing in ski masks to match the game’s theme. Many YouTube uploads have titles that call the game "Hood Call of Duty."

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Not every attempt to stream the game has gone smoothly.

On Oct. 13, members of the YouTube comedy collective RDCWorld, which has 7.3 million YouTube subscribers and 963,000 Twitch followers, tried to play the game on stream after being repeatedly tagged in it posts about it on Twitter and Reddit. Much of their chat objected. The group dropped the game shortly after and moved on to Star Wars: Galactic Racer .

A clip of the exchange has since circulated on Reddit. In it, a viewer donates $20 with a message offering to pay the group not to play what they called a "racist cia made game." RDCWorld member Mark Phillips, who is Black, pushed back, saying he hadn’t expected viewers to go "straight think piece" on the game.

When Phillips questioned whether the group should then skip Grand Theft Auto VI, which launches in November, fellow member Dylan Patel said that both games are "the same thing." Critics argue that comparison is a false equivalence. Games like GTA and Def Jam have drawn their own controversy over how they portray Black communities, they say, but they’re fundamentally different from Hood Warfare 2 and shouldn’t be lumped in with it.

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Within the RDCWorld subreddit, many commenters criticized the group’s defensive response more than the attempt to play. Some accused stream moderators of timing out viewers who disagreed. Others defended RDCWorld, arguing that gang culture is not Black culture and that taking offense further entrenches that stereotype of the Black community. RDCWorld has not addressed the controversy outside the stream.

Who is behind TrapStar Games?

Little is known about who made Hood Warfare 2. The game appears to have been built in Unity 5, although there are unverified claims that it was AI vibe-coded.

The devs' purported website, Trapstar.games, was registered on Oct. 12, according to ICANN lookup data. The site displays a copyright notice, but a search of public copyright records found no registration under the name TrapStar Games.

The website's linked Twitter account also claims to represent the developer. It was created this month and has been promoting a cryptocurrency token called HW2. The account's bio lists New York, while its "About this account" panel shows it is based in the U.S. and connected through the Turkish App Store.

Neither the account nor the website could be confirmed to belong to the game’s developers, and it’s possible that a third party is exploiting the game’s popularity to run a pump-and-dump scheme. One reply to the account claims a developer denied any connection to that Twitter account and the crypto token on the game’s Discord server. That server could not be located.

A request for comment sent to an email address listed on the original Hood Warfare website has not been returned.

As Mashable and our colleagues at PCMag just reported, Grand Theft Auto VI leakers Cyberleek have seemingly abandoned their threats to leak a full build of the game – at least for now.

Why? Because the leakers had claimed that the release of the leaked build was tied to their memecoin. If GTA 6 fans pumped Cyberleek's cryptocurrency, they would receive the leaked game build as a reward.

That play failed spectacularly for Cyberleek. In fact, it seems to have fully backfired.

The Cyberleek memecoin's market cap hit a high of $7.8 million on October 11, shortly after the leakers claimed they would release the full build of GTA 6 supposedly in their possession. The catch? The Cyberleek memecoin had to hit a market cap of $30 million first.

While some GTA 6 fans appeared to have bought into the memecoin in an attempt to hit Cyberleek's goal, $7.8 million is still far short of the $30 million the leakers wanted. And since then, as it became obvious that most GTA 6 fans weren't going to give in to Cyberleek's demands, the memecoin has plunged even further, with a current market cap of $1.17 million.

Critics of Cyberleek celebrated the memecoin's failure, calling it a scam.

SEE ALSO: GTA 6 Cyberleek: Fans float leak conspiracy theories about marketing, possible in-game character

Cyberleek had been successful with their memecoin play before, giving those who bought their memecoin exclusive access to polls that determined what GTA 6 footage the leakers would release next.

However, it seems Cyberleek overplayed their hand this time around, and the full build, which they claim is 200GB, appears to be staying under wraps for now.

With that said, Cyberleek is still using their supposed access to a full build of GTA 6 to try to escape legal action from Take-Two, the parent company of GTA 6 developer Rockstar Games. The leakers claim that there is a "dead-man's switch" that will automatically release the ending of the game if there is an attempt to take down Cyberleek.