Mashable

Today's NYT Strands hints are easy if you're Irish.

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 17, 2026 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for March 17, 2026 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Happy Saint Patrick's Day!

The words are related to a color.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe things with the same hue.

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 Go Green.

NYT Strands word list for March 17

• Thumb

• Flag

• Light

• Beret

• Go Green

• Pepper

• Room

• Party

• Goddess

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 love wearing jewelry.

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 16, 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 16, 2026 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

Used to fasten a necklace.

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 C.

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...

CLASP

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.

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 March 17, 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 March 17, 2026 Easy difficulty hints, answers for March 17 Pips

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

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

Number (3): Everything in this space must add up to 3. The answer is 0-1, placed vertically; 2-4, placed horizontally.

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

Medium difficulty hints, answers for March 17 Pips

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

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

Not Equal: Everything in this space must be different. The answer is 2-6, placed horizontally; 6-3, placed vertically.

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

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

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

Less Than (3): Everything in this purple space must be less than 3. The answer is 0-6, placed horizontally.

Number (11): Everything in this space must add up to 11. The answer is 0-6, placed horizontally; 2-5, placed vertically.

Hard difficulty hints, answers for March 17 Pips

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

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

Less Than (2): Everything in this space must be less than 2. The answer is 0-5, placed horizontally.

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

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

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

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

Less Than (2): Everything in this space must be less than 2. The answer is 0-6, placed horizontally.

Number (18): Everything in this space must add up to 18. The answer is 3-6, placed horizontally; 6-2, placed horizontally; 0-6, placed horizontally.

Number (8): Everything in this space must add up to 8. The answer is 5-4, placed horizontally; 4-0, placed vertically.

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

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

Number (10): Everything in this space must add up to 10. The answer is 2-5, placed horizontally; 5-4, placed horizontally.

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

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

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

Today's Connections: Sports Edition is easy for people who like the Yankees.

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.

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: Western Conference hockey

• Green: Needed to play baseball

• Blue: What's in a logo?

• Purple: Sounds like a basketball player

Here are today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

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

• Yellow: A Western Conference NHL Player

• Green: Baseball Equipment

• Blue: Items in NFL Logos

• Purple: Homophones of Basketball Hall of Famers

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 #540 is...

What is the answer to Connections: Sports Edition today?

• A Western Conference NHL Player - BLACKHAWK, BLUE, OILER, SHARK

• Baseball Equipment - BASE, BAT, DONUT, TEE

• Items in NFL Logos - BOLT, FLEUR-DE-LIS, HORSESHOE, SWORDS

• Homophones of Basketball Hall of Famers - BERRY, DUNKIN, MORNING, WEIGHED

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.

Take the audio survey.

Here at Mashable, we’re always trying out the latest tech products to help our readers determine whether or not they’re worth it. But now, we want to hear from you about the products you use and love. In this edition of our Readers’ Choice Awards, we’re asking you about the audio gear you use in your daily life, including headphones and earbuds, speakers, and soundbars.

So, take a few minutes to fill out our audio survey. Your thoughts and feedback might just grant your favorite devices a Mashable Readers’ Choice Award — plus you could win a $250 Amazon gift card.

We’ll be running this survey for about two months, and then we’ll crunch the numbers to see which headphones/earbuds, speakers, and soundbars you all deem the best.

How to enter

There are two methods to enter the Sweepstakes: (1) fill out the online survey, or (2) enter by mail.

1. Survey Entry: To enter the Sweepstakes through the online survey, go to the survey page and complete the current survey during the Sweepstakes Period.

2. Mail Entry: To enter the Sweepstakes by mail, on a 3 x 5-inch card, print your first and last name, street address, city, state, zip code, phone number, and email address. Mail your completed entry to:

Readers' Choice Sweepstakes - Audio
c/o M. Kern
360 Park Ave South, Floor 17
New York, NY 10010

Mail Entries must be postmarked by May 11, 2026, and received by May 17, 2026. For official sweepstakes rules and promotion start and end dates, please click HERE.

HULU BUNDLES: Hulu is offering a range of bundle deals so you can stream from its impressive library without breaking the bank.

The best Hulu deals and bundles in March 2026: Best Hulu Bundle Deal Disney+ and Hulu Bundle $4.99/month for 3 months Get Deal Best HBO Max Bundle Deal Disney+, Hulu, and HBO Max Bundle $19.99/month with ads, $32.99/month ad-free Get Deal Best Student Deal Hulu Student Deal Hulu with ads for $1.99/month Get Deal Best ESPN Bundle Deal Disney+, Hulu, ESPN Unlimited Bundle $35.99/month Get Deal

There's a wide range of excellent shows and films to watch on Hulu. From Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere to season two of Paradise, it's a library that's full of options to keep you entertained this spring.

If these have caught your eye and have you itching to sign up for Hulu, we're here to help you get the best deal. Outside of the standard ad-supported and ad free plans, there are quite a few bundle deals available with Hulu that are worth exploring if you're looking to save some cash. This includes a great limited-time deal on the Disney+ and Hulu Bundle, which is offering the first three months for just $4.99 per month. This offer only runs until March 24, so now is the time to sign up.

SEE ALSO: 'Love Story: John F. Kennedy Jr. and Carolyn Bessette' review: A romance and horror story, all in one

Considering Hulu and Disney Plus have recently increased their prices, there's no better time than now to find a way to save through bundles. Below you can find details on Hulu's best bundles at the moment — alongside information on both its ad-supported and ad free plans, if you just want the basics — offering you a way to save on the service without going overboard on spending.

Best Disney+ bundle deal Opens in a new window Credit: Hulu Disney+ and Hulu Bundle Get your first three months for $4.99 per month Get Deal Why we like it

For those interested in the ad-supported Disney+ and Hulu Bundle, there's a limited-time offer that runs until March 24. Both new and eligible returning subscribers can get the first three months of the plan for $4.99 per month. Usually it costs $12.99, and your plan will automatically renew at that price after the promotional period comes to an end. You can cancel this function at anytime though:

• Disney+ and Hulu Bundle — Get three months for $4.99 per month, then $12.99 per month

Unfortunately, this deal does not apply to the Premium ad-free version of this plan. This option is still available for $19.99 per month, as usual.

• Disney+ and Hulu Bundle Premium — $19.99 per month

Best HBO Max bundle deal Opens in a new window Credit: Hulu Disney+, Hulu, HBO Max Bundle $19.99/month with ads, $32.99/month ad-free Get Deal Why we like it

This is one of the best Hulu bundles available at the moment. Starting at $19.99 per month, this bundle grants you access to Hulu, Disney+, and HBO Max's streaming services for a much lower price than what you'd pay for the three of them separately. It's an incredible deal to take advantage of, especially if you've already got Disney+ and HBO Max subscriptions. There are two plans to choose from with this bundle, and they are:

• Disney+, Hulu, HBO Max Bundle (with ads) — $19.99 per month (save 42%)

• Disney+, Hulu, HBO Max Bundle (no ads) — $32.99 per month (save 41%)

Best student deal Opens in a new window Credit: Hulu Hulu Student Deal Hulu with ads for $1.99/month Get Deal Why we like it

If you're a student enrolled at a university, you can score a Hulu (with ads) plan for even lower than the above bundles. Hulu's Student Deal gives eligible college students the ability to buy a Hulu (with ads) plan for just $1.99 per month. Hulu notes that the deal lasts "so long as student enrollment status remains verified," then it goes back up to the standard monthly price.

• Hulu Student Deal — $1.99 per month

Best ESPN bundle deal Opens in a new window Credit: Hulu Disney+, Hulu, ESPN Unlimited Bundle $35.99/month Get Deal Why we like it

Alongside the big Hulu, Disney+, and HBO Max bundle, Hulu also has plans for sports fans that throw in ESPN Select or ESPN Unlimited. According to ESPN, "ESPN Select includes ESPN+ content only. Fans who want ESPN+ exclusively may subscribe to the ESPN Select plan. ESPN Unlimited includes all of the ESPN networks and services, including ESPN+." 

The Disney+, Hulu, ESPN Unlimited Bundle, which has ads, is available for $35.99 per month. The Disney+, Hulu, ESPN Unlimited premium bundle without ads is available for $44.99 per month.

• Disney+, Hulu, ESPN Select Bundle — $19.99 per month

• Disney+, Hulu, ESPN Select Bundle Premium — $29.99 per month

• Disney+, Hulu, ESPN Unlimited Bundle — $35.99 per month

• Disney+, Hulu, ESPN Unlimited Bundle Premium — $44.99 per month

Hulu's monthly plans

If you're just looking to jump straight into Hulu's library without any fancy bundles, there are a couple of subscription options to consider. The ad-supported tier comes in at $11.99 per month, but you'll get your first month free, which is a great way to test the waters and see if it's the right fit for you. If you want to go ad free, that'll cost you $18.99 per month. Unfortunately, this plan does not offer a free trial like its ad-supported sibling.

• Hulu (with ads) — $11.99 per month (get first month free), $119.99 per year

• Hulu Premium (no ads) — $18.99 per month

If you really want to go big on a streaming investment, there's the Hulu + Live TV plan. This costs a whopping $89.99 per month for its ad-supported plan, but comes with plenty to keep you busy. Hulu + Live TV (with ads) gets you access to 95+ channels, unlimited DVR, Disney+ (with ads), ESPN Select (with ads), and Hulu (with ads). If you want to go even bigger with the ad-free plan — which offers Hulu (no ads), Disney+ (no ads), and ESPN Select (with ads) alongside Live TV — it'll cost you $99.99 per month. The ad-supported plan also offers a free trial, but for just three days instead.

• Hulu + Live TV, Disney+, and ESPN Select (with ads) — $89.99 per month (three day free trial)

• Hulu Premium + Live TV, Disney+ Premium, and ESPN Select (no ads) — $99.99 per month

• Hulu + Live TV, Disney+ Premium, and ESPN Select — $94.99 per month

• Live TV Only — $88.99 per month

Wondering what to watch once you get set up with a Hulu plan or bundle? We're here to help with that as well. Have a look at our roundups of the 30 best comedies on Hulu, the 25 best sci-fi movies on Hulu, and the 26 best horror movies on Hulu to start building your watchlist. And if you're in the mood to binge-watch a show, check out our breakdown of the 25 best shows on Hulu.

TL;DR: Learn something new in just 15 minutes with a lifetime subscription to Headway Premium, now $50.99 with code MARCH15 until March 29.

Opens in a new window Credit: Headway Headway Premium: Lifetime Subscription $50.99
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Want to expand your mind without having to totally rearrange your day? Headway Premium can help, allowing you to digest the key concepts from nonfiction books in just 15 minutes so you can learn new things on your lunch break. Right now, you can secure a lifetime subscription for only $50.99 with code MARCH15 through March 29.

We’ve all got jam-packed schedules, so finding time to finish an entire book can feel like a luxury. Headway Premium knows that, and instead makes it easy to learn key ideas and insights from the world’s best sellers in just 15 minutes. You can even pick between reading and listening to professionally narrated summaries, depending on what works best with your day.

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More than 15 million people are already taking advantage of self-growth with Headway Premium. While these concise summaries don’t replace reading that whole book, they’re an excellent way to learn something new and discover topics you’d like to explore further.

Choose between summaries on business strategies, personal development, health and wellness, and more. With over 2,000 summaries available — and new ones added every month — you’ll never run out of content.

Headway’s gamified learning process makes it easy to add these summaries to your routine. It tracks your progress and incentivizes learning with quizzes and trivia to check your understanding.

Get a lifetime subscription to Headway Premium, now $50.99 with code MARCH15 through March 29.

Want to see more deals? Visit the shop and use code MARCH15 to save an extra 15% sitewide through March 29. Exclusions apply.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: Pick up a new language with CPD-Accredited ASL content in the Complete American Sign Language Master Class Bundle, now for just $34.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Cudoo The Complete American Sign Language Master Class Bundle $34.99
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If you’ve always wanted to learn sign language, consider this your sign. The need for ASL speakers continues to rise, and the Complete American Sign Language Master Class Bundle gives you 100 hours of CPD-accredited ASL content you can complete in your spare time — all for just $34.99.

Mastering sign language can come in handy and help you stand out in both your personal and professional life, allowing you to communicate with the deaf and hard-of-hearing. This Complete American Sign Language Master Class gives you a comprehensive education in ASL in five comprehensive courses that are each only $7 with this bundle.

Mashable Deals Be the first to know! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Loading... Sign Me Up By signing up, you agree to receive recurring automated SMS marketing messages from Mashable Deals at the number provided. Msg and data rates may apply. Up to 2 messages/day. Reply STOP to opt out, HELP for help. Consent is not a condition of purchase. See our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Thanks for signing up!

Taught by Cudoo.com, these courses are CPD-Accredited, which means they count toward maintaining or improving your professional skills. It teaches the basics — learn the alphabet, numbers, the time of day, pronouns, occupations, and more with American Sign Language Level 1.

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This bundle also includes American Sign Language for Babies and Toddlers, which allows you to talk to little ones, and a Scuba Diving Hand Signals Course that gives you signals for underwater communication. You’ll also receive a bonus American Sign Language E-book filled with what you need to start signing in everyday situations.

Get the Complete American Sign Language Master Class Bundle for just $34.99 now.

Want to see more deals? Visit the shop and use code MARCH15 to save an extra 15% sitewide through March 29. Exclusions apply.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Last week, viral videos of two former staffers of the Elon Musk-led government agency DOGE went viral. The videos offered a rare, behind-the-scenes look at how DOGE was run and how cuts to federal funding were determined.

On Friday, a federal judge ordered the videos be removed after a complaint from the Trump administration.

However, much to the chagrin of the U.S. government, internet archivists and forums like Reddit's r/datahoarders have already re-uploaded backups of the videos.

The American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS), the American Historical Association (AHA), and the Modern Language Association (MLA) originally hosted the hours-long depositions of two former DOGE employees, Justin Fox and Nate Cavanaugh. Fox and Cavanaugh had been deposed as a result of a lawsuit from the three organizations regarding DOGE's cuts to the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH).

The depositions of the two DOGE employees quickly went viral. Fox's interview especially spread after clips were made of his inability to explain exactly what DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) was, regardless of the fact that DEI was his reasoning in cutting funding to specific projects or groups. The DOGE staffer shared how programs were flagged for cuts if they were tagged with terms such as "Black" or "LGBTQ+" but terms like "caucasian" or "heterosexual" were not flagged. Other clips showcased how the DOGE employees used ChatGPT to determine what programs to cut.

SEE ALSO: Former DOGE employees give an inside look at the Elon Musk-led agency

According to the Trump administration, the online mockery of the former DOGE staffers put the them in real, offline danger. The government told the judge that Fox specifically had been the subject of harassment and even death threats.

As a result of this request, Judge Colleen McMahon ordered that the ACLS, AHA, and MLA "take any and all possible steps to claw back" the DOGE deposition videos from the internet.

ACLS, AHA, and MLA made an argument that this was a First Amendment issue and that the videos were in the public interest as they involved "testimony from senior government officials on matters of great public concern."

The judge denied their request and deferred the matter to a hearing on Tuesday. The hours-long depositions of Fox and Cavanaugh were removed shortly after on Friday.

However, despite the judge's order, little could be done to remove the many viral clips from the deposition that had been uploaded all over social media.

Furthermore, internet archivists and self-described data hoarders had already ripped the entirety of both videos before they were removed from YouTube. Since their removal, the two full depositions have already been re-uploaded to sites like the Internet Archive. The subreddit r/datahoarders has also provided torrents of the two videos, so anyone who wants them can download the depositions locally to their own computers as well.

Regardless of what the judge decides at the hearing, it seems pretty clear that the internet has reached a verdict. These deposition videos of two DOGE staffers will always be available online in one form or another.

TL;DR: Live stream Venezuela vs. Italy in the 2026 World Baseball Classic for free on Tele Rebelde or Venevision. Access these free streaming platforms from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The 2026 World Baseball Classic has been entertaining and unpredictable from the first pool-stage games.

USA lost to Italy and almost didn't make it out of the pool stage, Japan were knocked out by Venezuela in the quarter finals, and now we're on the cusp of the final. USA have already booked their place in the showpiece event as they aim to win their first title since 2017. They'll face either Venezuela or Italy.

Italy's journey to this semi-final matchup has been one of the biggest storylines from this competition. Few fans expected Italy to make it out of the pool stage, let alone top the group after winning every game. Can this magical story continue? Or will Venezuela prove too strong? You can follow all the action without spending anything.

If you want to watch the 2026 World Baseball Classic for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Venezuela vs. Italy?

Venezuela vs. Italy in the 2026 World Baseball Classic starts at 8 p.m. ET on March 16. This fixture will take place at LoanDepot Park.

How to watch Venezuela vs. Italy for free

The 2026 World Baseball Classic is available to live stream for free on a number of platforms:

• Cuba — Tele Rebelde

• Venezuela — Venevision

These streaming platforms are geo-restricted, but anyone can access for free with a VPN. These handy tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in another location, meaning you can unblock free streaming sites from anywhere in the world.

Live stream Venezuela vs. Italy in the World Baseball Classic by following these simple steps:

1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

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

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in a location with access

4. Visit Tele Rebelde or Venevision

5. Live stream the 2026 World Baseball Classic for free from anywhere in the world

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The week before the annual SXSW conference in Austin, Texas, a mass shooter killed three people outside a college bar in the city's bustling downtown district. And at SXSW on Monday, a company called Angel Protection demonstrated technology that uses AI to identify potential shooters before they cause a mass casualty event.

Angel Protection was founded in the aftermath of another Texas mass shooting, the 2022 Uvalde tragedy that took the lives of 19 children and 2 teachers. Founder and CEO Lewis Matthews had two young children at the time of the shooting, and as a data scientist, he believed AI and visual intelligence could be used to mitigate future mass shootings and save lives.

Angel Protection's technology integrates with existing surveillance cameras and scans them simultaneously to identify firearms. If it detects a civilian brandishing a firearm, it alerts a human reviewer in the company's Midland monitoring center. Angel Protection says it can identify a shooter and alert law enforcement in 10 seconds or less.

Angel Protection founder Lewis Matthew demonstrates the company's technology at SXSW. Credit: Timothy Werth / Mashable

“As you can see, I’m an outsider, and I can see that it’s real, material stuff that’s broken in these systems,” Matthews told Mashable. “Stuff is broken at the local level all the way up through the federal government…So, we started studying it. We spent two years just really looking at the problem.”

Matthews said that, as a data scientist, he knew that if you want to change a broken system, you need to have some type of measurement to know if your efforts are working.

“The measurement we look at in this case is time. What’s the time problem that we’re solving here? We started with all the mass shootings from 1999 to 2025. Average time from first shots fired to 911 being initiated is 90 seconds. So if I put my gun out there and start shooting, it’s 90 seconds before someone picks up the phone and calls 911, because people go into denial. They think it’s fireworks, kids playing around, doors slamming, anything other than [what it is]."

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Even when people call 911, they often provide contradictory information.

“Then what happens…is they get inundated with a bunch of calls that describe everyone as being the shooter. Everyone is fleeing the scene. The shooter is black, the shooter is white, the shooter is bald. Shooters got long hair, tall, fat, shorts, jeans, whatever it is, they get every single description before the cops show up. All they know is they're looking for someone.”

Not only can Angel Protection Systems quickly identify potential mass shooters, but they can send a photograph and precise location directly to first responders.

“We use AI to detect those guns and humans to verify that [and] cut that 90 seconds down to sub 10 seconds, and we do that with extreme, extreme accountability," Matthews said.

Privacy experts are increasingly worried about AI's potential to be used for mass surveillance. However, Angel Protection's chief technology officer told me all the information processing occurs on-site to protect privacy, and Angel Protection is only alerted when a threat is identified.

The company's human reviewers also help cut down on false positives, Matthews says, though it still happens, especially in an open-carry state like Texas. (Angel Protection's visual intelligence doesn't alert to holstered weapons for this reason.) Apparently, ROTC students who carry rifles without wearing the proper uniform have been one early problem.

The ultimate goal, Matthews said, is to identify mass shooters in entryways or parking lots, as these shooters often arrive on scene brandishing a rifle. Mass shootings often progress at lightning speed, and he believes that quickly getting accurate information to first responders will save lives.

Angel Protection is still in its infancy, and a company spokesperson told me the company is currently monitoring about 2,500 cameras in Texas, checking for potential shooters twice a second. So far, the company is working with schools, hospitals, and government sites.

March Madness is here. The field is set for the 2026 NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament, and Selection Sunday did exactly what Selection Sunday always does — gave 68 fanbases a reason to either celebrate or lose their minds on social media. The discourse was, as tradition demands, extremely annoying.

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The biggest flashpoint was the treatment of the Miami Redhawks — Miami, Ohio, not the other one — who were begrudgingly admitted into the tournament as a play-in team despite finishing with the first undefeated regular season since the 2020-21 Gonzaga Bulldogs. For months, pundits and fans spent an exhausting amount of energy debating whether the Redhawks would even deserve an at-large bid if they so much as dropped a single game. They finally did, falling in the MAC Championship quarterfinals, and apparently, going 31-1 still wasn't enough to earn any respect from the committee.

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Instead of a clean Round of 64 berth, Miami (OH) now has to survive the First Four — the tournament's opening round play-in bracket featuring the four lowest-seeded at-large teams and the four weakest conference champions. Even still, people are not happy.

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The selection committee's decision to keep Auburn out, however, was met with widespread approval from pretty much everyone who isn't an Auburn fan. The War Eagles' omission was made all the more satisfying by the weeks of national airtime eaten up by former Auburn coach Bruce Pearl — father of current Auburn coach Steven Pearl — passionately lobbying for a team with 16 losses to leapfrog a squad that went 31-1. The college basketball world heard the argument, considered it, and was very glad the committee did not.

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Outside of the Miami (OH) and Auburn discourse, Selection Sunday and the return of March Madness this year mean a great collection of really good tweets.

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If you like to keep things old school, there are several places to find printable, color brackets for this year's Men's and Women's tournaments.

They can be found, linked here, over at the websites of ESPN, CBS Sports, Yahoo Sports, The Athletic, USA Today, and, of course, the NCAA's official website. They can also be found on most local news sites as well.

Do you use the Chrome extension "Save image as Type?"

If so, you are one of more than one million users who woke up this morning to find out that Google has disabled the extension in your Chrome web browser. Why? According to the prompt informing users that the extension has been disabled, Chrome found that Save image as Type contained malware.

The extension has also been removed from the Chrome Web Store.

Save image as Type was a simple yet popular tool that allowed Chrome users to simply right-click any web image and immediately choose whether to save it as a PNG, JPG, or WebP file.

It's unclear at this time exactly what nefarious activity the Save image as Type Chrome extension was engaged in. As Android Authority points out, a few Reddit threads popped up over the last few days discussing issues with the extension. 

SEE ALSO: 3 new Google Chrome features to make your work day easier

It does seem like "Save image as Type" users don't have to worry about any of their sensitive data being stolen by the extension. According to Reddit users who looked into the extension's code, it appears Save image as Type swapped out affiliate codes for sites like Amazon and Best Buy to steal commissions from its users.

"I dumped the data the extension stored and found the sites it was accessing," said Redditor AdamConwayIE. "It was using karmanow with over 578 sites ready to go. It would load a site in that hidden iFrame with the affiliate code, and this would replace an existing one in your browser."

The same extension on the Microsoft Edge browser was flagged for similar behavior more than a year ago on Reddit as well. According to XDA Developers, the Chrome extension appears to have been documented as having the issue for just as long, despite Google previously featuring it on the Chrome Web Store.

An archived page for the since-removed Chrome extension shows that "Save image as Type" had more than one million users. The extension also received more than 1,700 reviews, and had a rating of 4.2 out of 5 stars.

We'll see if Google allows it back in the Chrome Web Store if the issue is fixed.

Whatever happened to baby Jane?

No, I'm not just naming Joan Crawford movies. I'm wondering what in the world is going on with Jane Driscoll (Nicole Brydon Bloom) in Paradise Season 2. Specifically, what was the deal with episode 6's cold open, focused on Jane's birth?

SEE ALSO: 'Paradise' Season 2: Who is Alex?

The episode, fittingly titled "Jane," flashes back to May 29, 1997, when Circuit City employee Don (Francois Battiste) receives a strange email from someone named AlexQ.

"A KILLER WILL BE BORN ON JUNE 6 AT 12:01," the message reads. "SHE CAN BE STOPPED WHEN IT MATTERS IF YOU DELIVER A MESSAGE TO HER."

AlexQ continues to send Don these messages over email, instant messenger, phone, and pager. Instead of ignoring them as bizarre messages, Don takes them seriously and heads over to the hospital in June. There, he accosts newborn Jane and her mother (Laura Campbell) on their way out, ranting that baby Jane will be a killer, and that he has a message that will stop her. (Side question: Did Don just ask every mother leaving the hospital about their baby's birth time? Or was he lucky on the first try?)

Do we ever find out what the message is? Unfortunately not. Don is too busy yelling that he has a message to actually deliver it. Nor do we see what the message is on any of the many, many emails and texts Don receives. Very tricky, Paradise! Still, the whole message debacle feeds into some of the biggest questions of the season.

Paradise has to be doing time travel, right?

Ever since the first batch of Season 2 episodes, I've been convinced that Paradise is pulling some time travel or multiversal shenanigans. Episode 6 basically confirms this, because how else would someone be able to tell Don Jane's exact birth date and time? How else would they know she would grow up to be a killer? And how else would they have figured out how to stop her?

SEE ALSO: Wait, is 'Paradise' Season 2 doing time travel?

It feels like something large will play out with Jane in the continuing episodes, and that whoever is present for that will somehow be able to message Don in the past.

Paradise Season 2, I ask again, who is Alex?

Who might that someone be? Based on the username, it will be someone by the name of AlexQ, which brings us right back to the biggest question of Season 2: Who in the world is Alex? So far, the only Alex we've met is the deceased wife (Gwen Holloway) of professor and Vestige Quantum owner Henry Miller (Patrick Fischler). However, in 1997, Alex would still be alive, so she would be able to send Don the information about Jane. (If so, maybe the Q in her username stands for Quantum?) Of course, the biggest question after that remains: How did she get the Jane intel in the first place?

Alex is also the name of someone (or something?) tied to the top-secret project Sinatra (Julianne Nicholson) is working on. Maybe Sinatra, feeling threatened by Jane, sent the message back in time to stop Jane from eventually killing her?

While we're on the subject of worrying about who Alex is, we also need to ask, who is Don? I refuse to believe that Alex (whoever they are) would demand that just anyone tell a newborn baby that she's a killer. Don has to be linked to this scheme in some broader way, but it seems like Paradise will keep us begging for answers for at least another episode.

Paradise is now streaming on Hulu, with new episodes every Monday.

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It's on the calendar in pen — the Amazon Big Spring Sale is set to take place from March 25 through March 31, 2026. Getting more specific, Amazon says the sale kicks off at 12:01 a.m. PT on Wed., March 25 and runs until 11:59 p.m. on Tues., March 31. These dates match perfectly with the 2025 Spring Sale.

SEE ALSO: Get 2 free months of unlimited listening when you sign up for Amazon Music Unlimited

However, Amazon loves to tease a big sale, and some early Big Spring Sale deals have already sprung up at Amazon, so you could start shopping today if you see something you fancy. Keep in mind, it's worth checking camelcamelcamel, our favorite Amazon price-checking tool to make sure you're actually getting a good deal.

What are the best deals at Amazon's Spring Sale?

Amazon's Spring Sale may not be quite as big as Prime Day in July or October, but it's still up there with Amazon's biggest sales of the year. Far more than spring-themed items are on sale, though outdoor equipment, fitness gear, mattresses and lightweight bedding, robot vacuums, and anything else that screams "spring reset" is a huge focus. You'll likely also find deals on tech like TVs, noise-cancelling headphones, and of course, Kindles and other Amazon devices.

In the spirit of the spring season, take a quick second to learn how to recycle Amazon packaging. It's easier than you think.

Do you need a Prime membership for Amazon's Spring Sale?

Amazon's Big Spring Sale deals are open to anyone, even if you don't have a Prime membership. However, Amazon said the sale will include some special Prime-member exclusive deals, which we often see with Prime Day events. Non-Prime members may still need to meet order minimums (often $35) to unlock free shipping, and it probably won't be as quick as Prime shipping. If you're interested, you could sign up for one month of Amazon Prime for $14.99.

Real estate agents may have more competition arriving on the block, as one Florida man — yes, we're still getting "Florida Man" headlines in 2026 — says he relied entirely on an AI chatbot to sell his home. The seller says he turned the listing around in less than a week, with the AI's help.

Robert Levine used OpenAI's ChatGPT to prep, list, and advise him on the sale of his home, reported Florida affiliate NBC 6. He even asked ChatGPT to create marketing materials, coordinate showings with prospective buyers, and eventually draft the contract of sale, although Levin says he had a human review it afterward.

SEE ALSO: Why you shouldn't use ChatGPT to do your taxes

Levine told NBC 6 that he received five offers in the first 72 hours after listing the property, which sold within five days. He explained he chose to use ChatGPT to save costs on human help, resulting in an estimated 3 percent in savings, Levine said.

It's just the kind of story that AI developers and tech evangelists drool over: One man and one bot, saving time and money with the help of the ever expanding multi modal LLMs offered by companies like OpenAI.

But for curious folk who may be getting grand real estate ideas from Levine's story: Tread carefully.

Users have understandably turned to chatbots to help navigate confusing bureaucratic processes and wade through complex information landscapes, and many experts say that AI chatbots can serve as really useful guides.

But privacy experts and industry professionals generally caution users against giving ChatGPT any personally identifiable information (PII), including full names, account details, and — in this case — home addresses. Data given to chatbots is still at risk from the same malicious attacks as any other site, and your personal chats are, at the end of the day, at the discretion of the AI's developers. Make sure to read through the bot's privacy policies and disable your chat history when possible.

As for legal documents, professionals say using chatbots is merely a first step in what should be a human-driven process, as bots are prone to hallucinations that have landed users and even lawyers in hot water.

AI may have the world at its fingertips, but it doesn't have access to years of experience and human nuance needed to truly be an expert in most fields — even if it can help sell your house.

Most prominent politicians get the John Oliver treatment at least once or twice, and on Sunday it was the vice president's turn.

In the clip above, the Last Week Tonight host spends almost half an hour tearing into JD Vance, breaking down everything from the way he's completely reversed his position on Donald Trump to his views on immigration and people who don't have children.

"It is so important to remember who JD Vance actually is, because he'll present himself as an anti-elitist man of the people, but much of his career has been bankrolled by tech billionaires," says Oliver in the clip above. "He'll go to bat for Alex Jones, arguing we should show grace to those who are 40 percent right, but he'll happily co-sign on childless people being sociopaths and the left being un-humans. He'll offer empathy and understanding when it comes to non-conventional thinkers, but has no problem deriding immigrants as a net negative on society — and it's not hard to see what the difference between those two groups are.

"The point is, I know Vance is easy to write off as a charisma-less arsehole, but scratch even one inch under the surface, peel back the beard, and you'll find something far worse: His batshit views and his bare f***ing face."

Last year, Apple caused a stir on the internet by introducing Liquid Glass to iOS 26. According to a new report, nothing is going to change on that front in 2026.

In his Power On newsletter for Bloomberg, prominent Apple reporter Mark Gurman said that Apple will not be dropping Liquid Glass with iOS 27, set to release later this year. According to Gurman, "the latest internal versions of iOS 27 and macOS 27 don’t reflect major design changes," so you shouldn't expect anything on that front in the coming months.

SEE ALSO: Apple launches AirPods Max 2 with improved noise cancelling and smart features

Apple isn't just doing this out of stubbornness or lack of regard for customer concerns, of course. Gurman said that going away from Liquid Glass isn't feasible right now considering how long it took to put together.

"The interface was the result of a multiyear effort that started with visionOS, which itself had been in development for several years before shipping in 2024," Gurman reported. "Because of the timelines involved, any major reversal away from Liquid Glass would likely take years to materialize."

While there are certainly plenty of Apple device owners out there who are either happy with Liquid Glass or are neutral about it, lots of folks were very vocal online about troubles with readability and icons looking indistinct from one another when the update launched last September. The company quickly provided a way to "tint" Liquid Glass, which helps a bit. Gurman also reported in his newsletter that Apple might add a Liquid Glass slider to control the intensity of the effect in iOS 27, which might help even more.

But it sounds like Liquid Glass is here to stay, in one form or another. Instead of another UI overhaul, you can look forward to Siri getting a bunch of AI enhancements in iOS 27.

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With spring on the way, it's time to throw the windows open and get a fresh start. For the past two years, Amazon has launched its Big Spring Sale, a now annual event that brings major markdowns to warm-weather items ahead of the new season. This year, the Amazon Big Spring Sale is set for March 25 to 31.

Having covered Amazon's Big Spring Sale since it began two years ago, we're here to prep you on everything you need to know, including which deals will be available, early deals to shop today, and whether you need a Prime membership to shop the savings.

When is Amazon's Big Spring Sale?

Amazon's Big Spring Sale will span March 25 to 31 this year, which matches the same dates we saw last year. Amazon lists the sale as officially kicking off at 12:01 a.m. PT on March 25 and ending at 11:59 p.m. PT on March 31. But like all Amazon sales, you don't necessarily have to wait until the official start date. Amazon is already listing early Big Spring Sale deals on items like robot vacuums, Amazon devices, and Apple tech.

What deals will be available?

Amazon's Big Spring Sale is all about the transition from winter to spring. Last year, we saw deals up to 40% off across 35 different categories. The bulk of the deals focus on last-chance savings on cold-weather items, as well as early savings on warm-weather activities and spring-cleaning must-haves. However, deals span across other home and tech categories as well. This year, Amazon says we're in for savings of up to 35% off kitchen and up to 25% off home goods.

Last year, we saw savings across all of Amazon's device lineups: Echo, Fire TV, eero, and Kindle. In fact, the Kindle Colorsoft saw its first-ever sale last year. But will this sale beat Amazon's Black Friday pricing? That's still to be seen.

Do I need a Prime membership to shop Amazon's Big Spring Sale?

Prime Day, Amazon's flagship July sale, and Prime Big Deal Days, Amazon's holiday season kick-off sale, both require a Prime membership to shop all of the savings. Amazon's Big Spring Sale, on the other hand, doesn't require a membership to shop. That being said, in previous years, we've spotted Prime-exclusive savings, so being a Prime member is still your best bet to taking full advantage of the sale.

Will other retailers have spring sales?

When Amazon launches a sale, it kicks off a game of follow the leader. All the other big retailers — Best Buy, Target, and Walmart — have historically launched spring sales around the same time as Amazon's Big Spring Sale. No official sale announcements have come through yet, but we expect they'll come soon now that Amazon has announced official dates.

What are the best things to buy during Amazon's Big Spring sale?

An Amazon sale means some of the best savings will be on Amazon devices like Echos, Fire TVs, and Kindles, but the reach of its spring sale goes far beyond that. With the focus on the spring season, expect to see lots of savings on outdoor gear like furniture, grills, tents, and power stations. Plus, there will be plenty of classic big sale savings on TVs, laptops, headphones, and tablets.

How to sign up for Amazon Prime

Visit amazon.com/amazonprime to sign up for Amazon Prime. Those who haven't been a member within the past 12 months can take advantage of its free 30-day trial. Just remember to cancel your subscription before it renews at $14.99 per month or $139 per year.

It's been a long time coming, but Apple finally upgraded its flagship headphones.

On Monday, Apple announced the AirPods Max 2, a new version of its over-the-ear headphones that originally launched in 2020 (with a minor update in 2024 that only brought the USB-C port).

The new AirPods Max 2 look the same, but they have Apple's H2 chip inside, powering a bunch of new features including Adaptive Audio, Conversation Awareness, Voice Isolation, and Live Translation.

The sound was also improved thanks to a new high dynamic range amplifier, Apple says. Credit: Apple

Perhaps the most notable new feature is improved Active Noise Cancellation, which should be 1.5x more effective than before. Transparency Mode has also improved, allowing you to hear what's happening around you while still listening to music.

The new H2 chip, which we already know from Apple's AirPods Pro 3, also unlocked a number other smart features such as Siri head gestures, Camera Remote, and Loud Sound Reduction.

SEE ALSO: Apple MacBook Neo is not only cheaper than other Macs, it's also easier to repair

Apple's AirPods Max 2 start at $549, and are available in Blue, Midnight, Orange, Purple, and Starlight colors. They will be available for pre-order on March 25, with availability starting in April.