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Tomorrow is the Full Moon, which will mark the 14th day of the lunar cycle. After this point, it will start getting smaller each night as we progress towards the New Moon.

What is today’s Moon phase?

As of Saturday, Jan. 31, the Moon phase is Waxing Gibbous. According to NASA's Daily Moon Guide, 97% of the Moon will be lit up tonight.

If you don't have any visual aids, you can still enjoy glimpses of the Mares Fecunditatis and Crisium, and the Aristarchus Plateau. With binoculars, you'll also be able to see the Alphonsus Crater, Posidonus Crater, and Clavius Crater. With a telescope, you should also be able to spot the Apollo 12 landing spot, the Linne Crater, and the Caucasus Mountains.

When is the next Full Moon?

The next Full Moon will be on Feb. 1. The last full moon was on Jan. 3.

What are Moon phases?

According to NASA, the lunar cycle lasts around 29.5 days. This is how long the Moon takes to travel once around Earth. Over that period, it passes through eight recognised phases. The same side of the Moon always faces our planet, however the portion that appears lit changes as the Moon moves along its orbit. The amount of sunlight reaching the Moon is what makes it appear full, partially illuminated, or almost invisible at different points in the cycle. The eight lunar 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.

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

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

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

How to play Pips

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

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for January 31, 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 January 31, 2026 Easy difficulty hints, answers for Jan. 31 Pips

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

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

Less Than (5): Everything in this space must be less than 5. The answer is 4-0, placed vertically.

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

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

Less Than (4): Everything in this space must be less than 4. The answer is 3-0, placed vertically.

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

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

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

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

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

Medium difficulty hints, answers for Jan. 31 Pips

Greater Than (3): Everything in this space must be greater than 3. The answer is 6-5, placed vertically.

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

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

Number (7): Everything in this space must add up to 7. The answer is 1-3, placed vertically; 4-6, placed horizontally.

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

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

Greater Than (2): Everything in this space must be greater than 2. The answer is 1-6, placed horizontally.

Hard difficulty hints, answers for Jan. 31 Pips

Number (12): Everything in this space must add up to 12. The answer is 4-4, placed vertically; 2-2, placed horizontally; 0-6, placed vertically.

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

Equal (6): Everything in this space must be equal to 6. The answer is 3-6, placed horizontally; 0-6, placed vertically; 6-5, placed horizontally; 6-2, placed vertically.

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

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

Greater Than (0): Everything in this space must be greater than 0. The answer is 1-5, placed vertically.

Greater Than (1): Everything in this space must be greater than 1. The answer is 5-2, placed horizontally.

Equal (5): Everything in this space must be equal to 5. The answer is 1-5, placed vertically; 6-5, placed horizontally; 5-2, placed horizontally; 5-0, placed vertically.

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

Today's Connections: Sports Edition will be easier if you know basketball coaches.

As we've shared in previous hints stories, this is a version of the popular New York Times word game that seeks to test the knowledge of sports fans.

Like the original Connections, the game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier — so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.

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

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

The NYT's latest daily word game has launched in association with The Athletic, the New York Times property that provides the publication's sports coverage. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.

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

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

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

SEE ALSO: 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: Found in Ohio

• Green: Basketball coaches

• Blue: 90s cinema

• Purple: Reads like an NBA team

Here are today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

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

• Yellow: An Ohio Athlete

• Green: NBA Head Coaches

• Blue: Sports Films of 1996

• Purple: Starts with an NBA Team, In Singular Form

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 #495 is...

What is the answer to Connections: Sports Edition today?

• An Ohio Athlete - BENGAL, BLUE JACKET, GUARDIAN, RED

• NBA Head Coaches - BICKERSTAFF, BROWN, KIDD, LUE

• Sports Films of 1996 - HAPPY GILMORE, KINGPIN, SPACE JAM, TIN CUP

• Starts with an NBA Team, In Singular Form - KNICKKNACK, NETWORK, SPURRIER, SUNDANCE

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

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

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

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

The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult to solve if you're artistic.

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 January 31, 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: Gatherings

• Green: Art tools

• Blue: Same form

• Purple: A change

Here are today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Kinds of parties

• Green: Ways to apply paint

• Blue: Y-shaped things

• Purple: What "Shift" might refer to

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 #965 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Kinds of parties: BALL, MIXER, RECEPTION, SHOWER

• Ways to apply paint: BRUSH, PALETTE KNIFE, ROLLER, SPRAY CAN

• Y-shaped things: SLINGSHOT, STETHOSCOPE, TUNING FORK, WISHBONE

• What "Shift" might refer to: COMPUTER KEY, DRESS, FLUCTUATION, WORK PERIOD

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

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for January 31, 2026

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

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

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

Today's NYT Strands hints are easy if you're a sports fan.

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 January 31, 2026 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for January 31, 2026 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: It's part of the game

The words are related to sports.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe popular sports.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is horizontal.

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is Have a Ball

NYT Strands word list for January 31

• Base

• Foot

• Pickle

• Have a Ball

• Paddle

• Volley

• Racquet

• Basket

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

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

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

Today's Wordle answer should be easy to solve if you're a giving person.

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 January 31, 2026 Where did Wordle come from?

Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once. 

Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing.

What's the best Wordle starting word?

The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be strategic in your approach, we have a few ideas to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N.

What happened to the Wordle archive?

The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles was originally available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it, but it was later taken down, with the website's creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times. However, the New York Times then rolled out its own Wordle Archive, available only to NYT Games subscribers.

Is Wordle getting harder?

It might feel like Wordle is getting harder, but it actually isn't any more difficult than when it first began. You can turn on Wordle's Hard Mode if you're after more of a challenge, though.

SEE ALSO: NYT Pips hints, answers for January 31, 2026 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

To allocate.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

The letter L appears twice.

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

Today's Wordle starts with the letter A.

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...

ALLOT

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.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for January 31, 2026

Reporting by Chance Townsend, Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.

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

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to today's Wordle.