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Whether you've finally found your person and are ready to leave dating sites behind for good, or just need a break or a mental refresh from online dating, you may find yourself wanting to delete your eharmony account for good. Kissing both your profile and all of your prior matches and conversations goodbye is a big decision, and truth be told, it isn't very intuitive to achieve. 

On the other hand, if you don't want permanent data loss and think maybe, just maybe, you might be returning, you can temporarily hide your account, keeping all your data and match information for when you're ready to make a comeback. 

Opens in a new window Credit: eharmony eharmony   Learn More

Here's what you need to know to accomplish each of these options.

How to cancel your eharmony subscription

If you're paying for an eharmony subscription, it's important to cancel your membership before deleting your account. Here are the steps you need to follow:

• Log in to your eharmony account through a web browser

• Navigate to the upper right corner of the screen and click on your profile photo

• From here, select Data & Settings

• Under the My Membership tab at the top, select Cancel My Subscriptions and follow the prompts

Depending on your renewal period, you may have additional time left on your paid subscription, but you're now free to proceed to account deletion. 

How to delete your eharmony account

You delete your eharmony account from the same screen you use to cancel your subscription, so the initial steps are identical:

• Log in to your eharmony account through a web browser

• Navigate to the upper right corner of the screen and click on your profile photo

• From here, select Data & Settings

• Under the Profile Visibility section, you'll see the prompt "To delete your profile permanently, please click here"

• After reading the data loss disclaimers, you'll be asked to re-enter your password to confirm your identity. Do so and then select Delete Profile

Deleting your profile will simultaneously delete all of your uploaded photos and profile information, as well as your matches and contact information, allowing you to start afresh if you ever decide to return. 

How to temporarily hide your eharmony account

If you're having second thoughts about fully deleting your profile but still want to step back from the eharmony matchmaking system for a time, you can hide your profile. Doing so will retain all of your matches, photos, conversation history, and subscriptions intact, but will make your profile invisible to people who haven't already interacted with your profile. 

SEE ALSO: An AI companion company is hiring a human therapist

To hide your eharmony account, follow these steps:

• Log in to your eharmony account through a web browser

• Navigate to the upper right corner of the screen and click on your profile photo

• From here, select Data & Settings

• Under the Profile Visibility section, click on the green toggle after "Visible to all eharmony members" 

• Your status should change to "Not visible," at which point your account is hidden 

Hiding your profile is a great compromise option, especially when you're in the early stages of what might turn into a relationship but could still fizzle out. You can still proceed with account deletion if need be, or return to the eharmony ecosystem by reversing the steps above.

The often-imitated hair dryer has a lot of copycats that dupe Dyson's signature look but skimp on quality. A good rule of thumb: Avoid the sketchy $40 Amazon knockoffs that merely copy the iconic design. I promise they won't perform the same, and you'll be lucky if they last six months. The good news? In recent years, plenty of worthwhile competitors — or dupes — to the Dyson Supersonic have emerged on the scene.

Opens in a new window Credit: Dyson Dyson Supersonic hair dryer (with 3 attachments) $399.99 at Dyson
  Shop Now So, what's the best Dyson Supersonic dupe?

To answer that question, I tested a bunch of hair dryers. Some look similar to the Supersonic, and some look nothing like it. I wanted to find the best alternatives to the Dyson Supersonic that replicate the experience: That is to say, they dry your hair in a way that feels quick, easy, and at least a little luxurious.

My top recommendation as of August 2026? The Laifen Swift. Not only does it look like the real thing, but it utilizes ions to minimize damage and has a powerful 110,000 RPM high-speed motor. Plus, it's affordable, which is why it's consistently held the top spot in this guide.

SEE ALSO: I tested the best Dyson Airwrap dupes under $300: The Shark FlexStyle is no longer your only option What makes the Dyson Supersonic special? 

The Supersonic has stood the test of time because with it, Dyson reimagined the hair dryer. Instead of a bulky, loud dryer, the Supersonic is sleek and compact yet more powerful than other dryers on the market (and a little less loud, too).

Dyson is known for this futuristic aesthetic on its products, but the look of this dryer also has a function. The ring-shaped head ditches the vented and coiled model of the traditional hair dryer and houses the tiny V9 motor in the handle. The combination of the V9 motor and the Air Multiplier technology makes for a dryer that clocks in at only 1.8 pounds yet still delivers a powerful airflow that’s notably quieter than the roar of a traditional dryer. That extra strong airflow also makes this dryer less reliant on heat and keeps hair damage to a minimum.

SEE ALSO: All the best Dyson beauty dupes we've tested

To further mitigate any heat damage, the Supersonic also measures the air temperature up to 20 times per second and uses a built-in ionizer to minimize static and give hair a sleek finish, which brings us to a quick ionizer science lesson.

Ionizers are pretty common in higher-end air dryers. Why? They blow negative ions at wet hair to reduce static electricity by sealing the hair cuticle and taking down the power of that positive ionic charge (aka what's causing that annoying frizz). As negative ions make contact with hair, they're also dispersing the positive ions of water, therefore cutting down on your drying time and reducing damage in the process.

SEE ALSO: All the best skincare tech that we tested and loved, and some that we didn’t

Basically, it's one of the reasons the Dyson Supersonic provides such quick and excellent results and why hair dryers with ionizers cost more money — they do more than simply dry hair.

Magnetic attachments designed to easily snap onto the blow dryer round out the futuristic feel of the Supersonic. Five are included: a styling concentrator, a flyaway attachment, a diffuser, a gentle air attachment, and a wide-tooth comb. It's a nice array of included nozzles, even for high-end dryers, which might typically include three or four attachments at the most.

Why is the Dyson Supersonic so expensive?

At $399.99 and up, the Supersonic is definitely an investment. However, you're paying for a high-end motor that's built to last, multiple heat settings to protect hair, an innovative design, and of course, the ionic tech. Other dryers from popular hot tool brands like T3, ghd, and Harry Josh boast some similar features and run you anywhere from $150 to $350, but none quite capture the magic of the Supersonic.

SEE ALSO: Honest review of Ruggable: Are the washable rugs worth the price?

When I tested the Supersonic, I found that it had a luxe feel that stands out from other hair dryers. But don't forget: the Dyson Supersonic is now over 10 years old.

In 2024, Dyson released the updated Supersonic Nural (which you can find more info on in the FAQ section of this article), but it's not a drastically different product, with the main upgrade coming in the form of smart features, including improved temperature regulation and attachment detection. I tested it for a few weeks and found the upgrades nice, but by no means game-changing, especially for a $449 hair dryer. I also tested it against other smart hair dryers and found that the T3 Aire IQ offered the best intelligent features for the price point (more on that below, too).

Even with the original Supersonic being an older model, there is something to be said about it standing the test of time, and for providing a luxurious (yet efficient) drying experience, especially for folks with thick hair. On the other hand, Dyson competitors have had plenty of time to develop alternatives, all at a fraction of the price.

Recent testing updates

With the release of Supersonic Travel in 2026, I'm testing compact, travel-specific hair dryers.

In August 2026, I also removed the Dreame Pocket from our list of recommendations as the best option if you also want an Airwrap. Dreame no longer sells the Coanda curling wand with the standard Pocket model — or the handful of other Pocket dryers it's released since — making it a less viable Airwrap alternative. That said, there is one version — the Dreame Pocket Aura — that does feature the barrels. I've added the product to my testing pipeline, but it is $100 more than the original Pocket dryer. At $199, it's a price that the Shark FlexStyle occasionally drops down to.

The newest addition is the Supersonic Nural dupe, the T3 Aire IQ dryer, which I added in April 2025. Prior to that, I added the Dreame Gleam hair dryer, the Dreame Pocket, and the Shark SpeedStyle Pro Flex in November 2024. In the same month, I removed the Shark HyperAIR from my recommendations, as it has largely been phased out of stores after Shark discontinued it. If you're still especially keen to get it, a version with just one attachment is available at Walmart.

In February 2025, I tested the L'Oréal Airlight Pro, which at $475 costs even more than the original Supersonic and approaches the price point of the Supersonic Nural. The Airlight Pro looked and functioned very similarly to the Zuvi Halo, which makes sense — the hair dryer was developed in partnership with Zuvi. At the time, I didn't include it as it wasn't that different than the Zuvi Halo, and cost significantly more. However, since then, the Zuvi Halo appears to be discontinued — it's been sold out for months on Zuvi's website after a drastic price hike to $634. I reached out to a representative from Zuvi to confirm the discontinuation, but didn't hear back. As a result, I've decided to remove the Zuvi Halo from our list of recommendations, and I'm reconsidering the inclusion of the Airlight Pro.

It might never have occurred to you to go bladeless when looking for a new fan, but there are plenty of reasons to do so. Not only are they more aesthetically pleasing than traditional fans, but they’re also much safer for kids and pets, easier to clean, and more energy efficient.

Most of the country (most of the world, in fact) has to cope with relentless summer heat, and a bladeless fan promises to offer some relief without running up an electric bill like air conditioning does.

And to help Mashable readers find the best bladeless fans and escape the summer heat, we tested top models from popular brands so you can stay cool.

SEE ALSO: Personal fans are the product of summer What to consider before buying a bladeless fan

Most bladeless fans are more energy-efficient and aesthetically pleasing than their traditional counterparts, but you’ll still want to take the time to read the specs and decide which features you’re willing to splurge on. Do you want a bladeless fan that also purifies your air and acts as a cooling system? If so, it might be worth investing in the famous Dyson Pure Cool bladeless fan. If you’re looking for something to simply circulate the air in your living room, the Lasko WindCurve will do.

What features should I consider in a bladeless fan?

When choosing the best fans to beat the summer heat, you should consider both the size of the space you're trying to cool (in square feet) and whether your new fan will live on the floor or on a table. You’ll also want to consider oscillation, which is how far the fan swings to the left and right. Greater oscillation will provide you with more coverage. Fan speeds, timers, and energy efficiency are other important factors to consider. If you have allergies, you’ll want to opt for Dyson bladeless fans that also include a HEPA filter, as these products can do double duty as air purifiers. Lastly, most bladeless fans include a remote control and automatic shut-off for safety.

Too many AdultFriendFinder users aren't getting the full AFF experience. Why fall back on the more conventional dating site aspects of AFF when it's anything but? Sure, you can create a profile, browse the singles, enjoy a few nudes, and even look at a webcam feed. But the real meat of AFF isn't the singles interactions. Oh no. The best action lies in the deeper crevices of the AFF community, which is spread over forums, monthly events, blogs, dedicated kink groups, and, one of our favorites, the Sex Stories section.

These stories are written and posted by other users. You can just read the stories casually — perhaps they'll even get you in the mood for some solo play — but the on-site culture encourages interaction. In fact, many AFF connections have been made by users coming together (ahem) over a mutual love of erotic fiction. 

If you want to know more, we've put together a quick guide on how to use the AAF literotica section. This will help you not only vet your next sexting partner but also initiate the conversation. It's worth noting, though, that while you absolutely can enjoy aspects of the Sex Stories section through a free AFF membership, you'll get the most out of it with a paid subscription — it's the best way to turn your love of spicy stories into a one-on-one connection.

Opens in a new window Credit: AdultFriendFinder AdultFriendFinder   Learn More Read the stories and find what resonates with you

AFF's Sex Stories section boasts more than a dozen distinct categories or genres, ranging from "first time" experiences to group sex scenes, fetish exploration, and even stories with fantasy or sci-fi elements. The more creative writers even try their hand at erotic novels and poetry, and since a lot of effort has been put into these creations, the least you can do is read the stories in full and save those you like.

SEE ALSO: 3 common hookup app profile mistakes: Keep this off your AdultFriendFinder profile

While even free users can save individual stories, only paid members can follow story writers, but if you discover that one particular author keeps catching your interest, following their work is a good way to indicate your interest. 

Leave a comment

What author doesn't appreciate positive feedback? If a story resonates with you, you can interact with it in one of two ways: by leaving a comment or by using the like button to indicate your approval. Because of the site's laidback culture, it's completely common for authors to respond to comments, so put some thought into what you say, shouting out specific aspects of the story or how it was written. Many a private sexting conversation began in the public comment section of an AFF story.

While free AFF users are able to both comment and like stories, paid members unlock even greater emoji reactions, including more salacious and flirty reactions, which help you take your flirting game up a notch. 

Consider writing your own story

If you're having trouble getting storywriters to respond to you or if you just can't find a piece that really resonates with your needs, it might be time to take up the (digital) pen yourself. If you have a way with words, you can accrue a large following on the site, and even earn badges for your heightened on-site participation.

SEE ALSO: 3 AdultFriendFinder red flags — how to avoid scams on AFF

Best of all, by becoming the writer rather than the reader, you'll put yourself in the position of being able to select which comments (and therefore which commentators) catch your attention. 

Use the #tags feature

While every story has to be placed in a specific category, each story can also contain multiple tags, which are much more varied and specific than the story categories. Current "top tags" include #feet, #sub, #teasing, and #watching, for example.

If you're looking for a particular type of sexting conversation or if you have very specific turn-ons, the tag feature is the fastest way to find a like-minded person to explore with in a private conversation. 

Intrigued by AdultFriendFinder but hesitant to make the jump to a paid account? You're not alone. To help you make up your mind and give you a better idea of what to expect, we dug up reviews of paid users who had a lot to share about AFF, from positive experiences to sharp criticism. 

Taken together, their reviews paint a clearer picture of life on the site and what you might expect if you pony up your hard-earned cash for a Gold membership. 

Here's what real, verified users had to say about the AdultFriendFinder experience, broken down into pros and cons.

Opens in a new window Credit: AdultFriendFinder AdultFriendFinder   Learn More Pro: Fun experience with lots of users

A consistent positive thread uniting most reviews, including many negative ones, was that AFF is fun. Unlike basic dating sites or hookup apps, where the matchmaking system is the entire experience, Adult Friend Finder offers genuine alternatives to endlessly sifting through profiles, which is great news for people who struggle to find matches because it means you have something to do between one-on-one conversations. 

"I like how the cams and chat work, though they can be buggy. I enjoy getting on there and releasing my inner exhibitionist," said one woman from New Hampshire who uses AFF with her partner. 

Spend even a few minutes in the AFF Community or Live section, where people broadcast their own webcam feeds, and you'll see that "releasing the inner exhibitionist" is a common pastime on the site. Another user, who actively seeks extramarital connections through AFF, reiterated this sentiment: "AFF is entertaining, with tons of videos." 

But another commonality between the people who enjoyed the site the most was that they were more likely to be in a polyamorous relationship seeking a third (or fourth…) for a fun link. A former Tinder user put it this way: "Adult Friend Finder is an excellent site for singles/couples that want to swinger or get into threesomes, [but it's not] so useful for one-to-one hookups." Another swinging couple reiterated that sentiment: "We have also had decent luck finding playmates there." 

Does this mean AFF can't work for singles? Absolutely not. But it's definitely easier to stand out and gain attention if you join the site in a pre-established relationship.

Con: Paid subscription required to enjoy the site

A consistent con, on the other hand, was how limiting the site is for free users. One user summed it up perfectly: "The free version lets you browse and set up a profile, but if you want to actually message someone, see who’s viewed your profile, or use some of the other key features, you have to pay. The pricing isn’t too bad, but it’s a bit of a letdown to find out how limited the free version is after signing up."

Free users can operate with a lot of freedom in the webcam areas, or participate in the blog and story sections, and there's a lot there to keep a non-paying member occupied, but at a certain point, you will have to upgrade your subscription if you want to get the most out of the site, especially in the matchmaking section.

Another user put it this way: "I think the biggest letdown for me was the paywall for basic stuff like messaging. You can browse all day, but without paying, you’re basically invisible."

Pro: Good place to explore kinks

Another consistent theme in the positive reviews of AFF was how kink-friendly the site is, which we also stressed in our own review. There are dozens of interest-based discussion groups, encompassing everything from BDSM to foot fetishes and rope play, and the AFF profiles dedicate space for users to write exhaustive lists of their own kinks and turn-ons, which are then searchable in the matchmaking section, making it much easier to connect with people who share your turn-ons.

SEE ALSO: How to use the internet to figure out what you’re into in bed

"I did find a few niche groups on there that were surprisingly active," one user stated. "If you're into specific interests, it might be worth poking around the community sections." Another user, in a balanced review of his experience on the site, reiterated this: "On the positive side, the site does have an active community with a wide range of preferences, so if you’re looking for a niche connection, there’s a good chance you’ll find it. The messaging and chat features work well, and the option to upload photos and videos adds a personal touch."

This is a huge differentiator between people who love AFF and people who hate the site. If you enter it with the expectation of finding a single person for a hookup, you'll have a hit-or-miss experience, especially if you live outside a large urban area, but if you enter it with an open mind, eager to explore your kinks and find someone else on your wavelength, you'll enjoy navigating the site's community sections a lot more.

Con: Proliferation of fake accounts, sex workers, and scammers

The site's most consistent criticism is also its most notorious attribute: how many fake accounts, bots, and scammers operate on the site. Because creating an AFF account is very easy, bots and bad actors have dramatically inflated the site's user base. Worse still, lots of real and even verified accounts are little more than advertisements for OnlyFans models and sex workers eager to redirect AFF users to their personal pages. 

Another user noticed the same phenomenon of fake accounts but had no trouble navigating their presence: "It is a legit site for sure. I've never been contacted by a sex worker. However, there are a LOT of fake profiles. It's super easy to spot them because the pics are too good to be true and/or obvious fakes."

In sum, like most online dating sites and perhaps especially most online hookup sites, AFF is a mixed bag, but for the right person with the right approach, it's still one of the most fun, naughty, and sex-positive communities on the internet, a kind of Wild West for kinksters.

Looking for spoiler-free NYT Connections hints or just wondering why Connections is trending today? We've got what you need to understand the clues for today's puzzle without spoiling any of the answers.

Of course, Mashable has also provided daily hints and answers for Connections, Wordle, and Strands for years, so we can help you if that's also what you need.

While we are focused more on meanings than hints in this story, sometimes learning that many of the words have completely unrelated meanings is a clue in and of itself. Connections frequently includes clues that involve words within words and other visual clues.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for August 22, 2026 Bitter meaning

A sharp, potentially unpleasant taste.

Spice meaning

Substances used to add flavor to dishes.

Mean meaning

To be unkind.

Winter meaning

The coldest season of the year

Hammer meaning

A tool used to drive nails

Cone meaning

A cylindrical geographic shape with a round opening on one end and a point at the other.

Plane meaning

A woodworking tool uses to shave away wood.

Jet meaning

A type of airplane, or a focused stream of water.

Golden meaning

A particular color shade similar to gold.

Saw meaning

A tool used to cut something into multiple pieces.

Mist meaning

A finely diffused spray of water.

Want more tech and digital culture news delivered to your inbox daily or sent straight to your device? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories newsletter or get Mashable push alerts today.

Musk meaning

A distinctive odor.

Gilmore meaning

A name that could be either a first, middle, or last name.

Chisel meaning

A tool used to chip away materials.

Water meaning meaning

An important substance that covers the majority of the Earth.

Shower meaning

A device that is often used for cleaning people or animals.

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

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

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

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

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

TL;DR: Get the iPhone 17 for free from T-Mobile when you trade in your eligible phone on an Experience More or Experience Beyond plan. The Apple iPhone 17 Pro is also free with T-Mobile — qualify by bringing your number on an Experience Beyond plan (no trade-in needed).

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple T-Mobile: Free iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro   Get Deal

We've heard a lot from Samsung and Google recently. They've taken over the tech news cycle with a flood of new foldables, smartwatches, smart glasses, and flagship phones, leaving Apple fans waiting.

We know talk of the iPhone 18 is exciting, but you don't actually have to wait for Apple's next event to score a major upgrade. Between soaring component costs and global RAM shortages that are driving up retail prices across the board, T-Mobile is softening the blow by rolling out a set of limited-time free iPhone 17 offers.

If you want the simplest entry point into the Apple ecosystem, the iPhone 17e is currently free when you switch to almost any qualifying T-Mobile plan, no trade-in required. For those eyeing the iPhone 17, it's completely free over 36 months on an Experience More or Experience Beyond plan when you turn in an eligible trade-in device. And if you want the flagship iPhone 17 Pro for free, simply bring your existing number over to an Experience Beyond plan (no trade-in required).

All of these deals are live through the weekend.

T-Mobile requires you to pay local sales tax on the full retail value of the phone upfront, alongside a standard $35 device connection fee per line at checkout. Your savings are then applied as monthly bill credits spread over 24 to 36 months.

Paying a small fee in upfront taxes and fees to walk away with a brand-new iPhone 17 or iPhone 17 Pro remains one of the best mobile carrier deals on the market this weekend.

TL;DR: Watch Dortmund vs. Bayern Munich in the DFL-Supercup for free on CazéTV. Access this free live stream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

Domestic seasons are back across most of Europe, but Germany has a little time to wait. That's tough for Bundesliga fans, but it's not all bad. The DFL-Supercup is here to bridge the gap, and it doesn't really get any bigger than Dortmund vs. Bayern Munich.

If you're interested in watching Dortmund vs. Bayern Munich in the DFL-Supercup from anywhere in the world, we've got all the information you need.

When is Dortmund vs. Bayern Munich?

Dortmund vs. Bayern Munich in the DFL-Supercup kicks off at 2:30 p.m. ET on Aug. 22. This fixture takes place at the Signal Iduna Park.

How to watch Dortmund vs. Bayern Munich for free

Dortmund vs. Bayern Munich in the DFL-Supercup is available to live stream for free on CazéTV.

CazéTV is geo-restricted to Brazil, but anyone can secure access with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Brazil, meaning you can live stream Dortmund vs. Bayern Munich for free from anywhere in the world.

Live stream Dortmund vs. Bayern Munich for free by following these simple steps:

1. Sign up for a streaming-friendly VPN (we recommend ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in Brazil

4. Visit CazéTV

5. Watch Dortmund vs. Bayern Munich for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.99 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but they do tend to offer generous money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch Dortmund vs. Bayern Munich without committing your cash. This is obviously not a long-term strategy, but it gives you enough time to stream this fixture (plus Premier League action) before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for the DFL-Supercup?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on CazéTV, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries, including Brazil

• Easy-to-use app available on all major devices, including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection speeds free from throttling

• Up to 10 simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and usually offers a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99.

Live stream Dortmund vs. Bayern Munich for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: Watch South Africa vs. New Zealand in Rugby's Greatest Rivalry for free on RugbyPass TV. Access this free live stream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

When it comes to international rugby, it truly doesn't get any bigger or better than South Africa vs. New Zealand. In fact, you could call it Rugby's Greatest Rivalry.

The All Blacks are playing eight fixtures in August and September, including four Test matches against the World Champions. The first of those Test matches takes place this weekend at Ellis Park, and fans can watch for free.

If you're interested in watching South Africa vs. New Zealand in Rugby's Greatest Rivalry from anywhere in the world, we've got all the information you need.

When is South Africa vs. New Zealand?

South Africa vs. New Zealand in Rugby's Greatest Rivalry (1st Test) kicks off at 11:10 a.m. ET on Aug. 22. This fixture takes place at Ellis Park.

How to watch South Africa vs. New Zealand for free

South Africa vs. New Zealand in Rugby's Greatest Rivalry (1st Test) is available to live stream for free on RugbyPass TV.

This RugbyPass TV livestream is geo-restricted to the U.S., but anyone can secure access with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in the U.S., meaning you can live stream South Africa vs. New Zealand for free from anywhere in the world.

Live stream South Africa vs. New Zealand for free by following these simple steps:

1. Sign up for a streaming-friendly VPN (we recommend ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in the U.S.

4. Visit RugbyPass TV

5. Watch South Africa vs. New Zealand for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.99 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but they do tend to offer generous money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch South Africa vs. New Zealand without committing your cash. This is obviously not a long-term strategy, but it gives you enough time to stream this fixture (plus other tour fixtures) before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for RugbyPass TV?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on RugbyPass TV, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries, including the U.S.

• Easy-to-use app available on all major devices, including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection speeds free from throttling

• Up to 10 simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and usually offers a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99.

Live stream South Africa vs. New Zealand for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: Watch Udinese vs. Como in Serie A for free on SportyNet. Access this free live stream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

Serie A kicks off this weekend with a number of really interesting fixtures, including Udinese vs. Como.

All eyes will be on Cesc Fabregas's team as they look to build on an impressive fourth place last season. Udinese finished 10th last campaign, so they'll be hoping to start well and establish themselves in the top half of the standings.

If you're interested in watching Udinese vs. Como in Serie A from anywhere in the world, we've got all the information you need.

When is Udinese vs. Como?

Udinese vs. Como in Serie A kicks off at 12:30 p.m. ET on Aug. 22. This fixture takes place at the Bluenergy Stadium.

How to watch Udinese vs. Como for free

Udinese vs. Como in Serie A is available to live stream for free on SportyNet.

SportyNet is geo-restricted to Brazil, but anyone can secure access with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Brazil, meaning you can live stream Udinese vs. Como for free from anywhere in the world.

Live stream Udinese vs. Como for free by following these simple steps:

1. Sign up for a streaming-friendly VPN (we recommend ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in Brazil

4. Visit SportyNet

5. Watch Udinese vs. Como for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.99 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but they do tend to offer generous money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch Udinese vs. Como without committing your cash. This is obviously not a long-term strategy, but it gives you enough time to stream this fixture (plus additional Premier League action) before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for Serie A?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on SportyNet, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries, including Brazil

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The Moon is more than half illuminated tonight, so it's a perfect opportunity to do some Moon-gazing (cloud cover dependent, of course). If you don't know exactly what you're looking at, NASA's Daily Moon Guide is a great resource to find out the names and locations of certain lunar features. With the assistance of this tool, keep reading to see what you should be able to see tonight.

What is today’s Moon phase?

As of Saturday, Aug. 22, NASA's Daily Moon Guide tracker tells us the Moon is in its Waxing Gibbous phase, with 70% of its surface visible.

Without any visual aids, tonight you can see the Mares Crisium, Serenitatis and Fecunditatis. With binoculars you'll also be able to see the Clavius Crater, the Alps Mountains, and the Archimedes Crater. If you have a telescope, you'll also be able to see the Apollo 11, 16 and 17 landing spots.

When is the next Full Moon?

The next Full Moon will take place on August 28.

What are Moon phases?

The Moon goes through a series of phases that cause its appearance to change as seen from Earth. As the Moon orbits Earth, it goes through a lunar cycle that takes about 29.5 days to complete, according to NASA. The positions of the Sun, Earth, and Moon determine how much of the Moon’s illuminated side is visible from Earth, creating its different phases. Throughout the cycle, the Moon changes from a thin crescent to a half Moon, then a Full Moon, before repeating the cycle once more.

The eight phases are:

New Moon - The Moon is between Earth and the sun, so the side we see is dark (in other words, it's invisible to the eye).

Waxing Crescent - A small sliver of light appears on the right side (Northern Hemisphere).

First Quarter - Half of the Moon is lit on the right side. It looks like a half-Moon.

Waxing Gibbous - More than half is lit up, but it’s not quite full yet.

Full Moon - The whole face of the Moon is illuminated and fully visible.

Waning Gibbous - The Moon starts losing light on the right side. (Northern Hemisphere)

Third Quarter (or Last Quarter) - Another half-Moon, but now the left side is lit.

Waning Crescent - A thin sliver of light remains on the left side before going dark again.

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

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

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

How to play Pips

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

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for August 22, 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 August 22, 2026 Easy difficulty hints, answers for August 22 Pips

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

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

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

Greater Than (6): Everything in this space must be greater than 6. The answer is 0-5, placed horizontally; 3-1, placed vertically.

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

Medium difficulty hints, answers for August 22 Pips

Less Than (4): Everything in this space must be less than 4. The answer is 2-1, placed vertically.

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

Greater Than (3): Everything in this space must be greater than 3. The answer is 6-0, placed vertically.

Equal (1): Everything in this space must be equal to 1. The answer is 4-1, placed vertically; 2-1, placed vertically; 1-0, placed horizontally.

Less Than (2): Everything in this space must be less than 2. The answer is 1-0, placed horizontally; 4-0, placed vertically; 6-0, placed vertically.

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

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

Hard difficulty hints, answers for August 22 Pips

Number (5): Everything in this space must add up to 5. The answer is 5-4, placed horizontally; 1-6, placed horizontally.

Equal (5): Everything in this space must be equal to 5. The answer is 5-4, placed horizontally; 5-0, placed vertically.

Number (16): Everything in this space must add up to 16. The answer is 1-6, placed horizontally; 6-4, placed vertically.

Number (2): Everything in this space must add up to 2. The answer is 5-0, placed vertically; 2-4, placed vertically.

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

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

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

Number (5): Everything in this space must add up to 5. The answer is 3-4, placed vertically; 2-6, placed horizontally.

Number (12): Everything in this space must add up to 12. The answer is 2-6, placed horizontally; 6-3, placed vertically.

Number (10): Everything in this space must add up to 10. The answer is 3-4, placed vertically; 6-0, placed vertically.

Number (1): Everything in this space must add up to 1. The answer is 6-0, placed vertically; 1-5, placed horizontally.

Number (8): Everything in this space must add up to 8. The answer is 6-3, placed vertically; 1-5, placed horizontally.

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

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

Today's Connections: Sports Edition will be easier if you've watched NFL football.

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.

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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.

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

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

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

• Yellow: Significantly worthy

• Green: Referee tools

• Blue: West Coast sports

• Purple: Sounds like a bowl game

Here are today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

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

• Yellow: Important

• Green: Accessories for a Football Referee

• Blue: California Soccer Teams

• Purple: College Football Bowl Games, with the First Letter Changed

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 #698 is...

What is the answer to Connections: Sports Edition today?

• Important: INDISPENSABLE, KEY, PIVOTAL, VITAL

• Accessories for a Football Referee: BEAN BAG, COIN, FLAG, WHISTLE

• California Soccer Teams: BAY, EARTHQUAKES, GALAXY, WAVE

• College Football Bowl Games, with the First Letter Changed: BEACH, GRANGE, HOSE, SIESTA

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.

Today's NYT Strands hints are easy for the mountain enthusiasts.

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 August 22, 2026 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Peak Americana....

The words are adjectives related to mountains.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe mountain peaks in America.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is horizontal.

Want more tech and digital culture news delivered to your inbox daily or sent straight to your device? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories newsletter or get Mashable push alerts today.

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is Mountain Range.

NYT Strands word list for August 22

• Green

• White

• Smoky

• Sawtooth

• Cascade

• Rocky

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

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

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

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

The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult if you're familiar with woodworking.

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 August 17, 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: Needed for woodwork

• Green: Melons

• Blue: Using the hose

• Purple: Famous girl groups in pop/tv

Want more tech and digital culture news delivered to your inbox daily or sent straight to your device? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories newsletter or get Mashable push alerts today.

Here are today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Carpentry Tools

• Green: Kinds of Melon

• Blue: Garden Hose Settings

• Purple: Girls of Pop Culture

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 #1168 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Carpentry Tools: CHISEL, HAMMER, PLANE, SAW

• Kinds of Melon: BITTER, MUSK, WATER, WINTER

• Garden Hose Settings: CONE, JET, MIST, SHOWER

• Girls of Pop Culture: GILMORE, GOLDEN, MEAN, SPICE

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for August 13, 2026

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

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

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

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

Today's Wordle answer should be easy to solve if you like shrimp.

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 August 22, 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 August 22, 2026 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

A big shrimp.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

There are no recurring letters.

Want more tech and digital culture news delivered to your inbox daily or sent straight to your device? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories newsletter or get Mashable push alerts today.

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

Today's Wordle starts with the letter P.

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...

PRAWN

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Walmart checkout lane is about to get a long-awaited upgrade.

The big-box store and its subsidiary, Sam’s Club, will soon accept mainstream contactless payment options like Apple Pay and Google Pay, the company announced in a press release on Friday. Walmart shoppers will be able to use Tap to Pay at select Walmart and Sam's Club stores starting Monday, Aug. 24, it said. The company plans on offering Tap to Pay at all of its U.S. locations by the year's end, then at its fuel stations by mid-2027.

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"Tap to Pay gives customers and members another familiar and convenient way to pay at checkout using contactless payment methods," Walmart said.

Previously, U.S. Walmart and Sam's Club shoppers' in-store payment options were limited to traditional methods like cash, check, gift cards, credit cards, and EBT cards, or an app-based "Scan & Go" feature.

Since 2016, Walmart customers have also had the option of making purchases with Walmart Pay, a contactless payment option exclusive to the Walmart mobile app. Unlike conventional Tap to Pay options, which utilize near field communication (NFC) chips in phones and cards, Walmart Pay relies on scannable QR codes. However, Walmart Pay never really caught on the way Apple Pay has.

Walmart's Canadian stores have accepted Tap to Pay since 2020. Adding support for them in the U.S. "is part of a broader effort to make managing and using their money easier," Walmart said in the press release.

It also seems to be a response to overwhelming consumer demand. Walmart's TikTok and Instagram posts announcing its upcoming Tap to Pay support featured screenshots of impassioned comments requesting the feature.

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r/walmart has been questioning and lamenting the retailer's lack of Apple Pay support for nearly a decade. "It will never happen," one Redditor wrote in a 2023 thread on the topic. "Walmart pay or it's target for you fool."

Never say never, folks!

Modern cars are packed with technology. Touchscreens control everything from climate settings to drive modes, computers constantly adjust suspension and power delivery, and increasingly sophisticated driver-assistance systems are always watching what happens around you. Even the humble manual transmission is rapidly disappearing.

The bizarre-looking Chinese animated film Niu Lai appeared destined to vanish from theaters and take its place among the countless bad movies no one remembers. That was until the internet noticed just how badly it was failing.

On Aug. 14, it went viral that Niu Lai had only made 7,352 yuan ($1,000) at the box office — and no, there isn’t a "ten thousand" after that. It's a number so unusually low for a nationwide theatrical release that people assumed it had been written incorrectly.

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Once clips of its stiff characters, glitchy animation, and surreal plot followed, mockery quickly gave way to... curiosity. People began buying tickets to see whether an actual theatrical release could really look that bad. And, apparently, it was. Within days, Niu Lai had gone from nearly disappearing to playing before packed crowds — and its unmistakably human flaws had turned it into an unlikely anti-AI digital sensation.

Niu Lai, also translated as The Bull Comes or The Cow Is Coming, follows a newborn calf who struggles to stand and enters an extended dream. Accompanied by a lark, he encounters other animals, faces a wolf attack, loses his mother, and learns about courage, friendship, and sacrifice.

People walk past ticket machines advertising films including "Niu Lai" in Shanghai. Credit: Hector Retamal/Getty Images

The story is earnest. Its execution, according to many viewers, is something else entirely.

Clips posted online showed low-detail 3D models, stiff movements, and characters clipping through one another. Chinese commenters compared its stop-start animation to a PowerPoint presentation, while another viewer likened it to AI-generated homework completed at the last minute. In one especially surreal shot, the Chinese word for "grass" reportedly appears written across an otherwise sparse field. One reviewer on Weibo declared that calling it bad would be "an insult to bad movies."

Normally, uploading a film’s most memorable scenes might discourage people from paying to see the rest. But in this case, the clips had the opposite effect. One review summed up the appeal: "You’ll regret watching it for 86 minutes, but you’ll regret not watching it for a lifetime."

As for the film’s marketing campaign, there wasn’t much of one. Before its release, Niu Lai had no trailer or publicity tour, only a poster that gave audiences little indication of the rudimentary 3D animation awaiting them inside the theater. Once cinemas began adding screenings, the production allegedly didn't even have enough promotional posters to display. Theater employees responded by drawing their own.

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Within 48 hours of it entering the Chinese zeitgeist, Niu Lai had earned more than 3 million yuan. Its daily screenings, which had fallen close to zero, climbed to more than 10,000, according to Chinese media reports.

By Aug. 20, the film had grossed more than $4 million and appeared in China’s daily rankings alongside Spider-Man: Brand New Day and The Odyssey. Its staggering return also generated claims it had overtaken the low-budget horror hit Obsession as the most profitable film ever made. (That record relies on a claim that Niu Lai cost only $200 to produce.)

The path from obscurity to box-office success inverted the usual movie-marketing process in a way interesting for me, as a digital culture editor. Rather than a distributor creating awareness before theaters committed screens, users generated attention first. Viewers then began calling cinemas to ask why they were not showing Niu Lai, prompting theater managers to add screenings. When those tickets sold, they added more. And more. A Chinese report described the movie as having effectively been "distributed" by the internet.

The screenings themselves then generated another wave of content. Moviegoers arrived in groups, sometimes wearing cow masks, and treated the film as a comedy event. At one packed Beijing screening observed by Reuters, laughter reportedly began before the opening credits. When one person shouted that they could not believe the theater was full, the audience cheered.

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Chinese director Remo Zhu told Reuters that Niu Lai had tapped into a rebellious "don’t tell me what to do" mood among younger moviegoers. Watching it in a crowded theater, he said, became an "interactive, immersive communal experience."

The earliest attention surrounding Niu Lai was largely derisive. Some viewers questioned how something so technically unpolished had reached theaters, while others speculated that it must be connected to subsidies or even money laundering. A Beijing News commentary described the mockery as an outlet for people’s frustration with poorly made films.

Niu Lai was indeed made by an amateur — it's the first film from Xin Yumeng, a 34-year-old landscape designer with no formal training in animation or directing. He started developing it in 2021 and spent roughly five years learning the filmmaking process while making the movie.

In an interview recorded shortly before the film’s release, Xin said, "Basically, I was doing it all by myself." The technical obstacles made him consider abandoning the project "many times." Unable to afford professional hardware, he bought used computer parts through the resale platform Xianyu — and "some of the used computer motherboards burned out," he said.

Those limitations shaped what eventually appeared on screen. When his computer could not efficiently render an ambitious sunrise over a large mountain range, for example, he reworked the sequence using techniques from his landscape-design background.

When asked about the lack of detail in his characters, Xin acknowledged that more intricate models required better equipment and more money. But he also argued that visual polish should not become the entire point of a film. "Audiences don’t go to the cinema to look at strands of hair, right?" he said.

Xin’s mother, Sun Lifang, provided him with more than emotional support. Sun, who is in her 60s and worked at a state-owned company, actually helped develop and write the screenplay, voiced characters, handled administrative work, and taught herself to compose music.

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Despite having no previous musical training, she wrote the film’s score and performed its closing song, which became one of its more warmly received elements. Fans later noticed that two lines of the lyrics appeared to conceal the characters in her son’s name, turning the song into a message about her hopes for his future.

Once audiences learned that a mother and son had spent years trying to finish the project on limited equipment, Niu Lai stopped looking like just another careless commercial product. Instead, it became something more sentimental — something worth rooting for.

Niu Lai became an anti-AI hit

Notably for moviegoers, Xin said he did not use generative AI anywhere in the production. He began working on the film in 2021, before tools such as ChatGPT were publicly available, and described making the animation manually. As that detail spread, fans began calling Niu Lai "purely handmade."

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Its low quality did not suddenly become good, but it acquired a different meaning. The stiff movements and pixelated characters were no longer just mistakes to audiences, but rather traces of a five-year human process. Every awkward frame pointed back to someone manually trying to make a calf move, while the homemade closing song carried the voice of the director’s mother.

That contrast resonates at a moment when the internet is filling with "AI slop." One Chinese blogger described Niu Lai's quality as a form of "clumsy sincerity," according to The New York Times: However unrefined the movie looked, at least it was made by a person.

SEE ALSO: The internet is drowning in AI slop. Here's how we got here.

Not everyone found the story inspiring. A Beijing News commentary argued that Niu Lai had pushed audiences’ expectations for shoddy filmmaking to a new low. An unnamed film industry source told The Guardian that the movie was "bad in every aspect imaginable" and that its success felt like "an embarrassment to the Chinese film industry." Other commentators worried that cinemas were rewarding viral curiosity at the expense of better-made releases.

Nevertheless, its success is substantial, and nearly impossible to reproduce. Shanghai animation producer Liang Xia told Reuters that phenomena like Niu Lai are "hard to predict and impossible to replicate deliberately" because they are driven less by the content itself than by a sudden swell of public emotion.

As Niu Lai spread beyond movie circles, Chinese investors found a stock-market pun in its title. Niu lai literally means "the cow" or "the bull is coming," while the Chinese term for a rising market, niu shi, translates to "bull market." Some moviegoers therefore treated their tickets as good luck charms for future gains. Fans also focused on a leopard named Bao La, whose name sounds like a Chinese phrase for a sudden market surge.

The joke soon became attached to actual stocks. Shares of several companies with the Chinese character for "cow" or "bull" in their names rose as the film went viral, Bloomberg reported, though there was no evidence that the movie had affected their businesses. The speculation became prominent enough for a journal operated by the People’s Bank of China to warn investors against treating the film as a market signal.

Before its release, Xin acknowledged that a traditional promotional campaign made little sense for a project like his. "There was no need for things like a roadshow," he said. "Just release it. Whether audiences accept it can only be judged in practice."

But the public did accept Niu Lai, although not in any way its creator could have anticipated.

Netflix has plenty of new titles competing for attention every week. However, I sometimes prefer to revisit something that has already proven itself. Award-winning movies may not be everyone's favorite, but they're great to explore when I want to get out of my Netflix doomscroll.