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I wouldn’t call myself a “frequent flyer,” but I’ve done some international traveling. My carrier of choice for those trips was Google Fi. However, it seems I might need to rethink that before my next trip across the ocean—especially if it’s lengthy.

Ever felt like social media sites don't really care about your interests anymore, instead showing you random stuff you don't even like? Instagram is taking some steps to change that.

Instagram chief Adam Mosseri announced the change on Threads on Wednesday, with Instagram adding a new feature called Your Algorithm.

"As software gets better at predicting what we want, our sense of agency gets smaller. The main feed on every major app is now mostly accounts you never decided to follow, surfaced by algorithms rather than your explicit choices," he wrote. No s***, Sherlock.

View on Threads

The way to remedy that is through the Your Algorithm tool, which allows you to choose which topics you want to see in your Instagram feed. While this sounds like the same thing you go through when signing up for a new social site, Your Algorithm is a welcome change as these topics previously weren't explicitly visible on Instagram. It also gives you the option to choose the topics you don't want to see.

When I checked my Instagram to see which topics the algorithm was serving me, I've found several that were off the mark. For example, a topic that was included for me was "Muay Thai," and while I have nothing against this type of content, it's not something I actively want to see more of in my feed.

SEE ALSO: Threads is adding a Grok-like AI search feature Drum solos? OK, I'll allow it. Credit: Stan Schroeder / Mashable How to personalize your algorithm on Instagram

The Your Algorithm feature is easy to tweak, but it is buried pretty deep in Instagram's settings. Here's how to access it on your iPhone:

1. Open the Instagram app and tap the profile icon in the lower right corner.

2. Tap the three lines icon in the top right corner, scroll down, and tap on "Content preferences".

3. From here, tap on Your Algorithm, and pick the topics you want or don't want to see.

4. You'll notice that Instagram is surfacing several suggestions for you, but you're also free to tap "+ Add" and pick any topic you want.

Mosseri says that this is "the start of something bigger than a feature," and that more features are coming in the future, including setting moods, vibes, content types, and more.

Jellyfin is a powerful self-hosted media server platform that enthusiasts love, but its “developer-first” feel can be a barrier for the average user, pushing them toward the more polished but restrictive Plex. If you’re willing to tinker just a little, though, Jellyfin might be the better option — and it’s completely free.

Insta360 has launched a Hello Kitty-themed action camera, collaborating with Sanrio to give the GO Ultra a cute new look.

The Insta360 GO Ultra x Hello Kitty Limited Edition's specifications are identical to the original GO Ultra action camera, boasting 1/1.28-inch sensor and 70-minute battery life (or 200 minutes when in its Action Pod), and weighing 53 grams (though the Action Pod adds another 109 grams). Its highest video resolution is 4K at 60fps, though its frame rate can reach 240fps at 1080p, and it uses microSD cards for storage. 

SEE ALSO: Insta360 unveils Luna Ultra, its Osmo Pocket competitor

Like the original GO Ultra, the Hello Kitty version is a versatile little camera that's easy to throw in your bag, with a magnetic backing that significantly expands your mounting options. Insta360 has also added an exclusive Hello Kitty watermark that owners of this limited edition camera can apply when exporting their footage.

However, the real attraction of the Insta360 GO Ultra x Hello Kitty Limited Edition is its aesthetics. 

Credit: Insta360

While the Insta360 GO Ultra comes in either Midnight Black and Arctic White, the limited edition Hello Kitty collaboration gives it a pastel pink makeover. Miss Kitty White herself is printed on the camera's corner, peeking out curiously at whatever it is you're filming. She appears on the Action Pod as well, holding her own GO Ultra under the flippable screen, while the recording button is decorated with a picture of a pink spotted bow.

The Kitty-themed bundle comes with several Kitty-themed accessories as well. Insta360 has given its Mini 2-in-1 Tripod 2.0 and its GO Ultra Quick Release Safety Cord exclusive pink colourways, with the latter sporting an adjustment buckle in the shape of a cute Sanrio bow. Also pinkified are the included GO Ultra Magnet Pendant, Magnetic Easy Clip, Quick Release Mount, and even the USB-C charging cable.

Credit: Insta360

Despite these accessories, the Insta360 GO Ultra x Hello Kitty Limited Edition's most eye-catching inclusion is its pink padded Hello Kitty carry case. With its adjustable rope shoulder strap and magnetic flap covering its zip closure, the soft, structured case could almost double as a cute purse were it not for the collaboration's logo stamped on its front. Even with the logo, I'd still be tempted to use it for non-camera purposes anyway.

Credit: Insta360

Insta360 does introduce a few new features with the Hello Kitty camera, adding three new filters to its existing eight: Frosted CCD, Amber CCD, and Blue CCD. It also upgrades Portrait Mode to Portrait Mode 2.0, which lets users choose whether to minimise skin imperfections with the Smooth option or to Brighten their skin. 

However, these features aren't exclusive to the Hello Kitty collaboration, and will be available on all GO Ultra cameras. To get them, simply connect your GO Ultra to the Insta360 app and update its firmware.

The Insta360 GO Ultra x Hello Kitty Limited Edition is available now for $569.99. That's a $90 price bump compared to the un-Kittyfied version's $479.99 Snap & Shoot Bundle, which includes most of the same accessories but swaps out the carry case for three Sticky Tabs instead. 

Whether it's worth paying the extra for the Hello Kitty edition will depend on how much you value the aesthetic. For some, that cute pink bag may be more than enough.

Boox just dropped a new e-reader, and it looks pretty familiar, but not just because it's a second-generation model.

The Boox Go 6 (Gen 2) is here and available for preorder. Measuring six inches, the Go 6 is Boox's ideal travel e-reader, nearly pocket-sized but slightly larger than the brand's Palma 2. The Gen 2 comes in four new shades: custard, plum, shell, and stone. The Go 6 (Gen 2) is a familiar-looking e-reader, too, as it appears nearly identical to the Kindle Paperwhite.

The new Boox Go 6 (left) resembles the Kindle Paperwhite (right). Credit: Boox / Amazon

Both devices have screens flush to the exterior chassis, the main difference being that the Kindle comes in black while the Boox Go 6 (Gen 2) is white. The new Go 6 also has a ridged exterior for a suitcase-inspired look compared to the Kindle Paperwhite's smooth case.

The biggest upgrade coming to the Boox Go 6 (Gen 2) is its handwriting support. Now you can pair the e-reader with Boox's InkSense Plus stylus, and with a native notes app, you can mark up books, take notes, and journal. That definitely gives the Go 6 a leg up against the Paperwhite, which doesn't have notetaking abilities.

Supported by Android 11 with a built-in Google Play Store, the device has 3GB of RAM and 32GB of SSD. It has a front light with adjustable warmth and brightness and a max brightness of 300 ppi.

The Boox Go 6 (Gen 2) costs $199.99 and is now available for preorder and expected to ship on Wednesday, June 17.

Opens in a new window Credit: Boox Boox Go 6 (Gen 2) $199.99 at Boox
  Pre-order Here

Canada is set to ban social media for children under 16, in a move similar to Australia's historic law.

Announced by the Canadian government on Wednesday, the proposed Safe Social Media Act (Bill C-34) aims to reduce online harms to children and hold social media and AI chatbot companies responsible for addressing such harms, citing child sexual exploitation, cyberbullying, self-harm, and the impact on mental health.

SEE ALSO: 'You're always on': Warnings from the front lines of the teen mental health crisis

The proposed law will see the Canadian government restricting users under 16 from holding social media accounts. This also means age verification for online services, and legally mandated safety requirements for social media platforms like TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram, and companies with AI chatbots like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude.

"We have seen the very serious consequences that online harms can have. As technologies evolve, we must ensure our laws keep pace, because parents cannot face these challenges alone," reads a statement by Marc Miller, Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture, who introduced the bill.

"The safety of children cannot be an afterthought. This legislation will introduce stronger responsibilities for online platforms to ensure their services are safe by design and include appropriate measures to keep children safe."

The bill comes months after Australia made history last year with its unprecedented Online Safety Amendment (Social Media Minimum Age) Act, which banned social media for kids under 16. Notably, Australian kids have found ways around it. In 2026, Brazil, Austria, and Indonesia have followed suit, with governments in the UK, France, Thailand, Spain, and more countries looking into their own initiatives.

Canada's proposed Safe Social Media Act will install a new digital safety commission that will require online services to "identify, mitigate and address the risks" on their platforms. They will also be required to take measures "to reduce children’s exposure to certain content and high-risk interactions," covering seven categories of "harmful content" identified as "content that sexually victimizes a child or revictimizes a survivor, intimate content communicated without consent, content that induces a child to self-harm, content used to bully a child, content that foments hatred, content that incites violence, and terrorism or violent extremism content."

Social media companies will also be required by law to adequately label AI-generated content, "be transparent in terms of their reporting thresholds in crisis situations," and AI chatbot services will be required to "mitigate the risk of the chatbot communicating harmful content" or the risk of it "engag[ing] in harmful behaviour."

Featured Video For You Is ChatGPT Changing the Way We Write?

Dr. Bolu Ogunyemi, president of the Canadian Medical Association, supported the bill in a press statement, saying, "Time's up. It’s unacceptable for foreign-owned platforms to continue to get rich at the expense of our children’s mental health, privacy and personal safety. This legislation makes Canada a global leader in digital safety and ensures Canadians, especially young people, are protected online and out of harm’s way."

The Canadian Centre for Child Protection also publicly backed the bill. "For over 20 years, the Canadian Centre for Child Protection has documented a steep and accelerating rise in online harms against children, including child sexual abuse and exploitation," said with executive director Lianna McDonald in a statement. "The tabling of the Digital Safety Act is a historic day that could turn the tide on this trajectory."

However, Canada's Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms noted Bill C-63 "goes far beyond targeting criminal conduct," and would "undermine freedom of expression, due process, and the rule of law in Canada."

"The Online Harms Act would dramatically expand government censorship powers, punish lawful expression online, and authorize preemptive restrictions on individual liberty," reads their statement. "In doing so, it would represent a fundamental departure from Canada’s long-standing commitment to freedom of expression and due process. Under Bill C-63, lawful speech could be subject to investigation, penalties, or removal based on vague and subjective standards. Individuals could face severe consequences not for committing crimes, but for expressing opinions that are later deemed unacceptable."

Notably, Canada's Safe Social Media Act will inside a larger legislative framework called the Digital Safety Act. This law will also cover "user-uploaded livestreaming and adult content services." This means minimum-age restrictions not only for social media services but also "for accessing pornographic content on regulated services."

The growing trend of age-verification bills, which require individuals to prove their age to access not only adult content but social media sites, has ramped over the last few years. That's despite, as Mashable's Anna Iovine has long reported, experts warning these bills pose threats to digital privacy and free speech.

SAVE OVER $20: As of June 11, the Lego Star Wars: A New Hope Tantive IV set (#75376) is on sale for $55.99 at Amazon. This is $24 off its full price of $79.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Lego LEGO Star Wars: A New Hope Tantive IV (#75376) $55.99 at Amazon
$79.99 Save $24.00   Get Deal

If you're searching for some good Lego deals, Amazon is worth a look right now. Even before Prime Day, the retailer is offering some great early deals on a wide variety of items, Lego sets included. For Star Wars fans, the Lego Star Wars: A New Hope Tantive IV set (#75376) is one build that's been marked down, dropping to $55.99 as of June 11.

Compared to the Lego Star Wars: A New Hope Tantive IV set's full price of $79.99, this deal saves you $24 overall. It may not stay discounted for long, though. Considering it's marked as a 'limited time deal', you'll want to make your move quick on this set before its price shoots back up.

SEE ALSO: How to sign up for Amazon Prime in time for Prime Day

This Lego Tantive IV set is recommended for adults aged 18 and over, as it's meant to be displayed as a model once you're done. It comes with 654 pieces in total that create the Tantive IV starship from A New Hope, including details like its 11 engines and turbolasers. It also comes with a buildable stand with a nameplate you can stick on the front alongside a Lego Star Wars 25th Anniversary brick.

If the Lego Star Wars: A New Hope Tantive IV set is one you've had your eyes on, now is a great time to pick it up and save at Amazon.

If you're still in the shopping mood and looking for more Lego sets to buy, have a look at our breakdown of the 10 best Lego sets of 2026 so far to see some of our top picks.

Want to learn more about getting the best out of your tech? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories and Deals newsletters today.

Despite constantly bragging about his cognitive test scores, Donald Trump appears to struggle with the concept of percentages.

"Trump creates and inhabits his own reality with his own rules," Seth Meyers explains in the Late Night monologue above. "He even has his own math. In our world, you can only reduce the price of something by 100 percent max. Once you've reduced it 100 percent it's free. But in Trump's world, numbers work very differently."

Cue a montage of Trump saying he wants to reduce various things by various percentages well over 100, ending with the president explaining that with numbers, "It's all about the phrasing of the question."

"No!" says Meyers. "It's not! Math is math. There's no math problem where the answer is '500 or 600 or 80 or 75.' I don't remember that from my AP algebra days."

Want more of the best of late night? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories newsletter.

Home Assistant gives you a high level of control over how you run your smart home. In your rush to add devices, integrations, and automations, you might overlook some basic customization options.

SAVE OVER $100: As of June 11, the Google Pixel Watch 4 (45mm, LTE) with a porcelain band is back at its lowest-ever price on Amazon at $396. This is $103.99 off its full price of $499.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Google Google Pixel Watch 4 (45mm) $396 at Amazon
$499.99 Save $103.99   Get Deal

Amazon Prime Day is coming up fast, but before the sale starts, we've actually found quite a few early deals worth picking up from the retailer. If you're in the shopping mood and searching for a new smartwatch, the Google Pixel Watch 4 (45mm, LTE) with a porcelain band is one item on sale that's caught our eye. As of June 11, it's dropped below $400.

Normally listed at $499.99, this Google Pixel Watch 4 model has dropped to $396 at Amazon. Not only is this a huge discount of just over $100, but it also marks a return to its lowest-ever price at the retailer, which is a nice bonus. Unfortunately, this offer applies only to the model with a porcelain band and a polished silver case, but if you've had your eye on this color, it's a great time to buy.

SEE ALSO: How to sign up for Amazon Prime in time for Prime Day

Fitted with a battery that lasts up to 30 hours per charge or up to 48 hours in Battery Saver mode, the Google Pixel Watch 4 is a smartwatch that can help you keep an eye on everything from workouts to your health throughout the day. Some of its features include heart rate tracking, sleep tracking, a high-precision dual-frequency GPS, and over 40 exercise modes, but that's just the beginning.

It's a smartwatch we consider the 'Best Android Smartwatch' in our roundup of the best smartwatches. Mashable's Timothy Beck Werth says this is because, "it's elegant enough to wear to the office, but comfortable and smart enough to monitor workouts."

And speaking of workouts, Christianna Silva, who reviewed it for Mashable, called it a "true runners' watch" and added that, as a marathon runner, "I want a smartwatch that can do two things: tell me what time it is and track my workouts. The Google Pixel Watch 4 can do a lot more than that, and I was pleased with Fitbit's integration for workouts."

Think it's the right fit for you? Don't miss out on this great deal on the Google Pixel Watch 4 (45mm, LTE) with a porcelain band at Amazon.

Want to learn more about getting the best out of your tech? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories and Deals newsletters today.

Six years after YouTube kicked direct messages to the curb, the platform is bringing them back.

Announced Wednesday after six months of testing, YouTube now allows users to share videos through a rebooted messaging feature. In Nov. 2025, platform owner Google described DMs as a "top feature request."

SEE ALSO: YouTubers Dan and Phil built one of the internet's most loyal (and intense) fan communities

Direct messages will appear on YouTube's app as a new messaging icon, through which you can send an invite to friends to share videos. Users will be able to accept or decline the invite, in a move that'll hopefully tackle spam and creeps. The only catch is that you'll need to be over 18 with your age verified, and signed in to a personal YouTube channel with your Google Account to send them.

The new DMs icon sits next to "Cast". Credit: YouTube / Mashable edit

YouTube removed direct messages from the platform in 2019, two years after launching them in 2017. At the time Google said it was "reevaluating our priorities" and instead focusing on updates to public conversations like comments and posts.

Direct messages will now be rolled out on YouTube in the U.S., UK, Brazil, and Singapore, having already been available from March across European countries including Spain, Ireland, Croatia, France, Bulgaria, Italy, Germany, Greece, Austria, Poland, Belgium, and more.

Featured Video For You How Shirley Raines broke through the noise of TikTok and Instagram to inspire millions

In its announcement, YouTube said its Community Guidelines will apply to all shared content and messages. As Mashable's Matt Binder reported during YouTube's testing phase, YouTube "will uphold its moderation policies for content sent via direct message as it would with public content, and will review flagged material."

It's a long overdue reissue for YouTube, considering practically every other social media and video platform, from TikTok to Instagram to Threads, has a DM feature.

Want more tech news straight to your inbox? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories newsletter.

Melania Trump has been speaking about AI again, this time at a White House AI Challenge Awards event on Tuesday.

In the clip above, Daily Show host Desi Lydic plays a clip of Trump's speech, with the First Lady telling the audience to "use this chapter of your life to sail away with your dreams."

"What was the prompt to write that speech?" asks a confused Lydic. "ChatGPT, give me metaphor. No! Give me all metaphors."

Lydic goes on to play a compilation of Trump talking about AI and robots, finishing with the First Lady saying, "The robots are here."

"The robots are here, asking you to join us," says Lydic, in Melania impression mode. "I mean them. Them. Delete previous sentence."

Want more of the best of late night? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories newsletter.

Today's NYT Strands hints are easy if you're good with computers.

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 June 10, 2026 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Oozing

The words are related via rhymes.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words rhyme with ooze.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is vertical.

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

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is Rhymetime.

NYT Strands word list for June 11

• Fuse

• Blues

• Brews

• Rhymetime

• Shoes

• Choose

• Schmooze

• Cruise

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

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

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

The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult if you're a drama kid.

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 June 10, 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: Going to the gym

• Green: Horns

• Blue: Cars

• Purple: Spelled like an app

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

Here are today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Parts of a Workout Routine

• Green: Things with Horns

• Blue: Homophones of SUVs

• Purple: Payment Apps Minus A Letter

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 #1096 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Parts of a Workout Routine: BALANCE, CARDIO, STRETCHING, WEIGHTS

• Things with Horns: BRASS BAND, DEVIL, RHINO, VIKING HELMET

• Homophones of SUVs: BRONCHO, FORERUNNER, TROUPER, UCONN

• Payment Apps Minus A Letter: ELLE, PAPAL, STRIP, VENO

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 June 10, 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 yesterday's Connections.

Today's Wordle answer should be easy to solve if you're easily annoyed.

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 June 10, 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 June 10, 2026 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

Easily annoyed.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

The letter T appears twice.

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

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

Today's Wordle starts with the letter T.

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...

TESTY

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 yesterday's Wordle.

Today's Connections: Sports Edition will require soccer knowledge.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

SEE ALSO: Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL. Here's a hint for today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

Want a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:

• Yellow: Game locations

• Green: Other club names

• Blue: Same player

• Purple: Teammates

Here are today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

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

• Yellow: 2026 World Cup host cities

• Green: Nicknames of World Cup Teams

• Blue: Christian Pulisic Teams

• Purple: Argentina World Cup Players

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 #626 is...

What is the answer to Connections: Sports Edition today?

• 2026 World Cup host cities: ATLANTA, MEXICO CITY, PHILADELPHIA, TORONTO

• Nicknames of World Cup teams: LES ÉLÉPHANTS, ORANJE, SOCCEROOS, THREE LIONS

• Christian Pulisic: AC MILAN, BORUSSIA DORTMUND, CHELSEA, UNITED STATES

• Argentina World Cup Players: LO CELSO, MAC ALLISTER, MESSI, PAZ

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

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

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

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

Another day, another piece of gold Trump merchandise for sale.

In the clip above Jimmy Kimmel talks about Donald Trump's commemorative gold coin, being sold for "the low, low price of only $11,999" to mark the upcoming UFC Freedom 250 event at the White House.

"You can see though it's a beautiful coin — Julius UFCaesar is pictured," says Kimmel. "This is one ounce of pure PF70-rated gold. Just for comparison, an ounce of PF70-rated gold in coin form without his head on it goes for about $4,500, so this is a deal."

Jimmy Kimmel then goes through the site's fine print, pointing out that the coin is not intended for "investment purposes", is not "legal tender", and has "no face value".

"You really have to hand it to Trump, it takes a special kind of con man to sell your supporters money they cannot spend any place," says Kimmel.

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The Mini is a bite-sized version of The New York Times' revered daily crossword. While the crossword is a lengthier experience that requires both knowledge and patience to complete, The Mini is an entirely different vibe.

With only a handful of clues to answer, the daily puzzle doubles as a speed-running test for many who play it.

So, when a tricky clue disrupts a player's flow, it can be frustrating! If you find yourself stumped playing The Mini — much like with Wordle and Connections — we have you covered.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable SEE ALSO: How to play Pips, the newest NYT game

Here are the clues and answers to NYT's The Mini for Thursday, June 11, 2026:

AcrossKindergarten basics

• The answer is ABCS.

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

Santa's "present" for naughty kids

• The answer is Coal.

With 2-Down, body parts that are a spoonerism of "bunny phones"

• The answer is Funny.

Cookie with blue-and-white packaging

• The answer is Oreo.

Acid's opposite

• The answer is Base.

DownHigh-end division of Honda

• The answer is Acura.

See 6-Across

• The answer is Bones.

Something to paddle across a lake

• The answer is Canoe.

Sneaky

• The answer is Sly.

Electronic key

• The answer is Fob.

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

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

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

Online dating as a gay man is a rite of passage. From the Craigslist m4m era to today's endless scroll, it's been a part of gay culture since the early days of the web. But for all the high rewards, even the best dating apps come with a unique set of challenges for LGBTQ men: ghosting, catfishing, straight guys who shouldn't be in your feed, and even some not-so-subtle fetishization. It's a lot to take in when you're just trying to find a cute guy.

Yet, despite the BS, the best gay dating apps are still one of the main ways to meet new guys. In fact, a 2026 report by SSRS found that 63 percent of LGBTQ adults have used a dating app (and 14 percent are currently using one), compared to just 34 percent of non-LGBTQ adults. It makes sense when you consider that Pew Research found that about one in four lesbian, gay, and bisexual adults met their partner online — a significantly higher rate than straight couples.

We love to complain about the apps, but the reality is, we still need them.

We have to talk about Grindr

Of course, we can't talk about gay dating without talking about Grindr. It's still the undisputed king of gay dating apps, even if the user experience has been suffering of late. The free version of Grindr is now stuffed full of ads, leaving many guys longing for an alternative. Plus, because of its well-deserved reputation as a hookup app, it's not always the right place to make a love connection.

"Grindr is a tried and true app that many queer men gravitate toward to find partners or for relationships that require lesser commitment, so it’s easy to point to it as the No. 1 app," Michelle Herzog, LMFT, AASECT-certified sex therapist, tells Mashable. "However, like Tinder, it’s gained a reputation as a hookup app — but that doesn’t mean there still aren’t men looking for long-term commitments, either."

SEE ALSO: The great Grindr glossary: all terms and acronyms explained

The good news is that the gay dating app landscape is bigger than Grindr. Mainstream apps like Hinge and OkCupid have made huge strides in inclusivity, while niche apps like Scruff and Feeld cater to specific communities, kinks, and desires. We're also seeing a major resurgence in map-based dating websites like Sniffies and Squirt for those who want to skip the small talk entirely.

The key is figuring out which dating apps are worth your time. So, here's our in-depth guide to the best gay dating apps for men in summer 2026.

What happened to Archer?

For a long time, Archer has been our go-to recommendation as the best dating app for LGBTQ guys looking for serious relationships. But no longer. The Match Group is shutting down Archer on June 17, 2026. Mashable Associate Editor Anna Iovine reported on the mid-Pride Month shutdown and talked to the Match Group about the decision.

SEE ALSO: Gay dating app Archer is shutting down, but why?

Recent changes to this dating app guide include:

• Archer: As of June 17, 2026, the Match Group is shutting down Archer. Previously, this was our favorite gay dating app for finding serious relationships, and it will be missed.

• Feeld: As of October 2025, we've added Feeld to this guide as our top pick for "Best for Kink and Threesomes."

• Hinge: As of October 2025, we've added Hinge as another alternative to Archer, as it's also great for finding serious relationships. We've also selected it as the best gay dating app for younger guys due to its popularity with Gen Z.

• Squirt: As of early 2026, we've added Squirt to this guide. In an era of aggressive paywalls, Squirt makes a strong case for itself with a highly functional free tier that offers unlimited direct messaging to members worldwide.

Which gay dating apps didn't make the cut?

You'll notice a few well-known apps are missing from our main list. Here's why they didn't make our "best of" guide.

• Taimi: While Taimi markets itself heavily as a queer community space, we've opted to leave it off the list. The feedback from real users is frankly brutal. Redditors say the free version is "completely unusable"; you need a premium subscription just to view a basic profile. Worse, users reported feeling unsafe, noting the app is filled with scammers, "obvious homophobes," and "more straight cis-men and creeps than even Tinder or Bumble." Skip it.

• Raya: We know, Raya is the "celebrity dating app," but we're not recommending it. Why? Because, as our own Chance Townsend discovered, its exclusivity is "a bit overhyped." After shelling out $25 per month, he found the vibe "so Tinder-esque," and the user pool wasn't A-list celebs but "consultants, aspiring actors, medical professionals, recruiters, and even students." The consensus: Raya is basically "an expensive Tinder with a better PR team." Save your money.

• Recon: Recon has a reputation as the app for the kink community, but we've opted to leave it off the list. User reviews on Reddit are brutal. One thread described the app as "really buggy" and "not much activity on there anymore." Users in that thread complained that the app is a "waste of time," full of flakes, "catfish," and "fake doms wanting you to be their slave or boy." Other users noted that "a lot of kink/fetish guys have moved on to Instagram, Twitter/X, [or] OnlyFans" or that mainstream apps like Scruff are now "more open and welcoming spaces" for the community.

• Planet Romeo (now Romeo): Planet Romeo (which took over the old Guys4Men, or g4m, site ) is another legacy app we didn't include. While it was once a go-to for finding meaningful relationships, particularly in India and parts of Europe, it's now mostly seen as an app from a bygone era. Reddit threads on the topic are full of nostalgia for the "age of Planet Romeo" and the "slow communication" of the early 2000s.

SAVE $200: As of June 11, the Insignia 65-inch Class QF LED 4K QLED TV is back at its lowest-ever price on Amazon at $299.99. This is $200 off its full price of $499.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Insignia INSIGNIA 65-inch Class QF Series LED 4K UHD QLED Smart Fire TV with Alexa Voice Remote $299.99 at Amazon
$499.99 Save $200   Get Deal

Between the World Cup and exciting new additions to streaming services this summer, it's worth having a TV that can deliver a high-quality picture to enjoy it all on. If you think it's time for an upgrade, now is an excellent time to shop. Ahead of Prime Day, we've spotted some early TV deals worth taking advantage of at Amazon, including a stellar offer on the Insignia 65-inch Class QF LED 4K QLED TV.

As of June 11, this Insignia TV has returned to its lowest-ever price at Amazon of $299.99. Considering it's normally priced at $499.99, now is the time to swoop in and save $200. It's quite a nice offer to take advantage of ahead of Prime Day's official start date.

SEE ALSO: How to sign up for Amazon Prime in time for Prime Day

Boasting a QLED display with 4K Ultra HD resolution, this Insignia TV will make the shows you're watching or the World Cup matches really shine with bright, detailed color. It also supports Dolby Atmos Audio, so you can enjoy spatial audio that makes you feel like you're at the center of the action as it unfolds, whether you're watching a movie or show or playing a game.

Plus, since it's a smart TV with Fire TV Smart OS, you can access your favorite streaming services directly from the home screen. With so many exciting shows to watch this summer, this is a great way to stay on top of them all.

Don't miss out on this great TV deal on the Insignia 65-inch Class QF LED 4K QLED TV at Amazon.

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