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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

SEE ALSO: NYT Pips hints, answers for March 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: George Washington

• Green: Shakespeare's love story

• Blue: Palace

• Purple: Where you could find the one

Here are today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: $1

• Green: "Wherefore art thou Romeo?"

• Blue: Words before "Castle"

• Purple: Where you might make a connection

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 #1000 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• $1: BUCK, DOLLAR, ONE, SINGLE

• "Wherefore art thou Romeo?": ART, ROMEO, THOU, WHEREFORE

• Words before "Castle": BOUNCY, NEW, SAND, WHITE

• Where you might make a connection: AIRPORT, DATING APP, INTERNET CAFE, THIS GAME

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 March 7, 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 love to quench your thirst.

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 March 7, 2026 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for March 7, 2026 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Nice glasses!

The words are related to dishes.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe types of cups.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is vertical.

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is Drinkware.

NYT Strands word list for March 7

• Tumbler

• Chalice

• Stein

• Drinkware

• Goblet

• Tankard

• Snifter

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 keep up with the latest trends.

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 March 7, 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 March 7, 2026 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

An iconic fashion publication.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

There are no recurring letters.

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

Today's Wordle starts with the letter V.

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...

VOGUE

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.

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.

Remember when Nintendo Switch 2 pre-orders were delayed last year due to President Trump's tariffs? Nintendo sure does.

As first noticed by gaming news outlet Aftermath, Nintendo filed a lawsuit today against the Trump administration in the U.S. Court of International Trade.

Now that the Supreme Court has struck down Trump's tariffs, Nintendo wants a refund, with interest. That's not an expression, either; the suit asks the court to order the prompt refund of the "unlawful" tariff fees with interest and attorney fees.

Nintendo's lawsuit is a direct response to the Supreme Court's decision last month, which struck down Trump's signature tariffs, invoked under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act of 1977 (IEEPA). Nintendo is one of more than 1,000 companies, including FedEx and Costco, now suing over the tariffs.

Gamers will likely remember that Trump's tariffs hit just as Nintendo was readying the launch of its new Switch 2 video game console last year. Due to the uncertainty around the tariffs at the time, Nintendo delayed pre-orders for Switch 2.

At the time, Nintendo, Microsoft, and other companies forced to raise prices or delay shipments often euphemistically blamed "evolving market conditions" rather than calling out Trump and the tariffs by name. But now that the Supreme Court has ruled against President Trump, the companies are done being coy.

"[Nintendo] has been substantially harmed by the unlawful execution and imposition of the unauthorized Executive Orders and corresponding payment of the IEEPA Duties," the suit states. Nintendo is asking the court to order "the prompt refund, with interest, of any IEEPA duties paid by [Nintendo] regardless of liquidation status, and provide any and all remedies that the Court deems appropriate."

Technically, Nintendo is suing not just the Trump administration but the United States of America itself, which is explicitly named as a defendant in the suit, Nintendo of America Inc. v. United States of America. The suit also names a number of Trump administration officials (including the recently fired Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, Kristi Noem) as well as the U.S. Customs & Border Protection, the U.S. Department of the Treasury, and the U.S. Department of Commerce.

Nintendo eventually launched the Switch 2 on its originally scheduled release date, and with its $449.99 price unchanged. However, many Switch 2 accessories had their prices raised as a result of the tariffs.

Trump's tariffs hit the tech industry hard overall, with companies hiking prices of products like laptops and gaming accessories. As Mashable reported at the time, large companies like Nintendo faced tariff bills that exceeded $1 billion per quarter. Now, many are demanding refunds.

Shortly after last month's Supreme Court ruling, Trump announced a new 10 percent global tariff rate and has threatened to raise it further to 15 percent.

As for the tariff refunds, the court will eventually determine if they will get reimbursed. However, one thing seems certain. Consumers who had the cost of Trump's tariffs passed on to them through price hikes won't be seeing any of that money returned.

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The Department of Defense, known under the Trump administration as the Department of War, has just officially designated AI company Anthropic a "supply-chain risk" to national security. But Anthropic isn't buying it.

"We do not believe this action is legally sound, and we see no choice but to challenge it in court," Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei wrote in a statement responding to the ongoing dispute. Amodei also emphasized that the designation does not affect the majority of Anthropic customers.

Anthropic is "proud of the work" it has done alongside the federal government in "supporting frontline warfighters with applications such as intelligence analysis, modeling and simulation, operational planning, cyber operations, and more," Amodei said.

The dispute began over the potential use of Anthropic's AI technology to carry out mass domestic surveillance, and to power autonomous weapons like drones. The relationship between Anthropic and the U.S. military deteriorated last week, after the AI company won a $200 million contact from the federal government — but sought guarantees that its technology would not be used for surveillance, or weapons that can fire without humans in the loop.  

The U.S. government would not agree to Anthropic's terms and threatened to designate the company a supply-chain risk, which it has now done. Trump also issued an executive order that tells every federal agency to stop using Anthropic's AI.

Amodei apologized for the leak of an internal memo, and confirmed recent reports that Anthropic and the Department of Defense have re-entered negotiations. If the two sides can't come to terms, Anthropic will assist the government in a transitional period, Amodei said.

The CEO also referenced the U.S. government's deal with OpenAI, made in the wake of the Anthropic dispute. Even OpenAI "characterized" its deal with the U.S. government as "confusing," he said.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman was forced to address the deal after receiving significant blowback from users.

"Our most important priority right now is making sure that our warfighters and national security experts are not deprived of important tools in the middle of major combat operations," Amodei wrote. "Anthropic will provide our models to the Department of War and national security community, at nominal cost and with continuing support from our engineers, for as long as is necessary to make that transition, and for as long as we are permitted to do so."

As the Wall Street Journal previously reported, the U.S. military has already used Anthropic's Claude models to aid in carrying out strikes in Iran.

Some people have apparently fallen for chatbots so hard that there's a new sexuality forming: "AI-sexual."

That's according to AI companion company Joi AI. In a survey the company conducted last month of 2,500 Gen Z and millennial adults who actively use AI tools, 55 percent report considering themselves AI-sexual, or "more than open to experimenting with AI in a sexual or intimate context."

SEE ALSO: My awkward first date with an AI companion

The dominating reason why these folks turn to AI for sexual exploration is that it feels easier and more comfortable to express their desires with AI as opposed to a human being (60 percent of participants said this).

While concerning, this makes sense given the research. Last year, when discussing why some Gen Z-ers would marry AI bots, clinical neuropsychologist Shifali Singh told Mashable that young adults with social anxiety may turn to AI to have a judgment-free interaction.

But as Kinsey scientist Justin Garcia told Mashable earlier this year, an important component of human relationships is the give-and-take. AI relationships are likely more transactional.

Joi AI found that AI-using young adults don't just get freaky with AI because it's less stressful than human interaction, though. Thirty-seven percent use it to practice flirting and dating scenarios, while 31 percent explore new kinks before trying them IRL. A quarter (25 percent) explore kinks they'd never try offline, too.

More than half of respondents (61 percent) said sexually exploring with AI has actively improved their "actual" sex life, while 65 percent said it's made them feel more sexy IRL.

It's also being used as a discovery tool, as 60 percent said AI has helped them discover sexual interests they didn't know they had. Twenty-nine percent said they use it to get ideas for partnered sex. Meanwhile, some people are into the sci-fi element of getting dirty with an AI (28 percent) — which is the Her factor of it all. Nearly half (49 percent) said they'd definitely consider having sex with an AI if the tech allowed for it.

Seeing as some AI users (even with human partners) are hooking up with their bots, it was only a matter of time before it became part of their sexual orientation. Even still, though, take this survey with a grain of salt — it was done by an AI companion company and a survey of those who actively use AI, after all.