Blogroll

Open Source software may make the world go round, but if you've been using open source apps for as long as I have you'll know that these software packages are wonderfully functional, but not particularly refined.

TL;DR: Live stream France vs. Senegal in the 2026 FIFA World Cup for free on BBC iPlayer. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is going to be absolutely electric. Most of the drama will be reserved for the knockout rounds, but that doesn't mean we aren't getting huge games in the group stage.

Take France vs. Senegal, for example. It's one of the favorites to win the competition against a special Senegal team that some argue won AFCON earlier this year. Could Senegal turn back the clock and beat France in the group stage like they did in the opening match of the 2002 tournament? What a story that would be.

All eyes will be on the battle between Kylian Mbappe and Sadio Mane, but there really are too many stars to name in this blockbuster matchup.

If you want to watch France vs. Senegal in the 2026 FIFA World Cup from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is France vs. Senegal?

France vs. Senegal in the 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off at 3 p.m. ET on June 16. This fixture takes place at the MetLife Stadium.

How to watch France vs. Senegal for free

France vs. Senegal in the 2026 FIFA World Cup is available to live stream for free on BBC iPlayer.

BBC iPlayer is geo-restricted to the UK, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in the UK, meaning you can unblock BBC iPlayer to live stream the 2026 World Cup for free from anywhere in the world.

Live stream France vs. Senegal for free by following these simple steps:

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

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

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

4. Visit BBC iPlayer

5. Watch France vs. Senegal for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but most do offer free-trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can access free live streams of the 2026 World Cup without actually spending anything. This obviously isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream France vs. Senegal (plus more World Cup fixtures) before recovering your investment.

If you want to retain permanent access to the best free streaming services from around the world, you'll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for streaming live sport is on sale for a limited time.

What is the best VPN for BBC iPlayer?

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

• Servers in 105 countries including the UK

• 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 a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99 (with money-back guarantee).

Live stream France vs. Senegal in the 2026 FIFA World Cup for free with ExpressVPN.

Microsoft is giving its mainstream Surface devices their first big updates in two years, and they promise to be worthwhile updates from older Windows portables — if you're willing to embrace ARM instead of an Intel machine. The new Surface Laptop 13.8-inch, Surface Laptop 15-inch, and Surface Pro 13-inch (aka Surface Laptop 8 and Surface Pro 12) all have much speedier Qualcomm Snapdragon X2 chips alongside a few other major upgrades.

Microsoft has formally announced the new Surface Laptop 8 and Surface Pro 12 with Qualcomm's fresh Snapdragon X2 chips, as promised. They're available today starting at $1,599.99 and $1,499.99, respectively.

In a blog post, Microsoft said its next-gen Copilot+ PCs for consumers offer up to 58 percent and 53 percent better graphics performance than their predecessors from 2024, which ran on the original Snapdragon X series chips. Aiming to entice creative professionals, both devices will ship with the graphic design app Affinity pre-installed and pinned to their Start menus.

Shop Microsoft's new Surface devices: Microsoft Surface Laptop 8, 13.8-inch (Snapdragon X2 Plus, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) $1,599.99 (includes free Surface Arc Mouse through June 30) Shop Now Microsoft Surface Laptop 8, 15-inch (Snapdragon X2 Plus, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) $1,699.99 (includes free Surface Arc Mouse through June 30) Shop Now Microsoft Surface Pro 12, 13-inch with LCD display (Snapdragon X2 Plus, 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD) $1,499.99 (includes free Surface Pro 13-inch Keyboard through June 30) Shop Now Microsoft Surface Pro 12, 13-inch with OLED display (Snapdragon X2 Elite, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) $1,799.99 (includes free Surface Pro 13-inch Keyboard through June 30) Shop Now

Speaking to Mashable, Andrew Hill, Microsoft's corporate VP of Surface, said the company's biggest priority in developing its new devices was "making sure the fundamentals are great."

"We are spending a lot of time and energy across Surface and Windows right now on fundamentals, and we should make sure that you have a bunch of that collateral, for lack of a better word, for how those investments are laddering up for reliability, responsiveness, battery life, just across the board," Hill said. "So we spent a ton of energy on those pieces."

Shoppers who purchase a Snapdragon X2-powered Surface Laptop 8 directly through Microsoft now through June 30 will receive a free Surface Arc Mouse ($89.99), and those who buy a Surface Pro 12 this month will receive a free Surface Pro 13-inch Keyboard ($169.99). If you miss the boat, you'll have to buy those accessories separately.

SEE ALSO: The 10 best Windows laptops for 2026

The new Surface devices cost roughly the same as their predecessors, which recently saw late-in-life price hikes due to the global RAM shortage. Some 2026 configurations cost $50 to $100 more than the price-adjusted 2024 versions, but others cost $50 to $100 less.

This is the second generation of Surface devices where Microsoft has earmarked Snapdragon models for consumers, despite lingering ARM compatibility issues. (The company announced Intel-powered counterparts for businesses last month.) According to Hill, this is because "We find with Qualcomm, the performance per watt and battery life is of high value."

Microsoft Surface Laptop 8: What's new (and what's not) The 13.8-inch Surface Laptop 8 comes in a fun new "Jade" finish. Credit: Microsoft

The clamshell-style Surface Laptop 8 comes in 13.8- and 15-inch sizes like usual, and the smaller one will be available in a new Jade finish. Other options include Microsoft's standard Dune, Black, and Platinum finishes. Sorry, no more Sapphire.

Contrary to what the rumor mill has been saying, these new Windows laptops won't have OLED displays. However, the 15-inch model's 120Hz LCD touchscreen has been bumped from a 2,496 x 1,664 resolution (201 pixels per inch) to a 3,270 x 2,180 resolution (262 ppi). It's "the sharpest ever [display] on a Surface Laptop," Microsoft said. For reference, it's even crisper than the Apple MacBook Pro's Liquid Retina display.

SEE ALSO: Thank the AI industry for tech price increases: See the full list

The new Surface Laptops' haptic trackpad has added support for Windows 11's new haptic signals feature, which adds subtle vibrations to certain on-screen actions. They also have a new 1080p webcam that's been certified by a camera benchmarking site called DXOMARK as "the #1 ranked laptop camera," Microsoft said.

Configuration options for both sizes are:

• CPU: Snapdragon X2 Plus or X2 Elite processor

• Memory: 16GB to 64GB of RAM

• Storage: 512GB to 2TB

Battery life will be the same or slightly worse in this generation. The 13.8-inch Surface Laptop 8 is rated for up to 20 hours of local video playback, while the 15-inch model is rated for up to 19 hours. Their predecessors notched ratings of up to 20 and 22 hours, respectively.

SEE ALSO: Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 review: 23 hours of battery life? MacBooks are in trouble

Both models still have a backlit keyboard, WiFi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, and their usual ports. The 13.8-inch model has two USB-C ports, one USB-A port, a Surface Connect port, and a headphone jack; the 15-inch model adds a MicroSDXC Express card reader.

Both 2026 Surface Laptops have the same footprints as the 2024 versions, though the 13.8-inch Surface Laptop 8 is the smallest bit heavier. It's now three pounds on the dot, up from 2.96 pounds.

Microsoft Surface Pro 12: What's new (and not) That keyboard is an extra purchase unless you buy the Surface Pro 12 sometime this month. Credit: Microsoft

The convertible Surface Pro 12 is available in Platinum, Black, and Dune finishes. No more Sapphire here, either.

You can still choose from LCD or OLED displays, like in the previous generation. The type you pick still determines your CPU, RAM, and storage configuration options. However, the OLED model now maxes out with 64GB of RAM (up from 32GB in the Surface Pro 11):

• CPU: Snapdragon X2 Plus on the LCD model; Snapdragon X2 Elite on the OLED model

• Memory: 16GB RAM on the LCD model; 16GB to 64GB of RAM on the OLED model

• Storage: 256GB to 512GB on the LCD model; 512GB to 1TB on the OLED model

There should be a small gen-over-gen battery life boost. The Surface Pro 11 was rated for up to 14 hours of local video playback, but this new model should tap out around 15.5 hours.

Finally, the Surface Pro 12 has the exact same weighs and measurements as its predecessor. Plus, you still get WiFi 7, Bluetooth 5.4, two USB-C ports, a Surface Connect port, and a Surface Pro Keyboard port.

The state of Microsoft Surface Microsoft revealed the Surface Ultra at Computex, and it launched later this year at a probably-crazy price. Credit: Microsoft

It's been a busy spring for Microsoft. In mid-April, the company raised prices on its 2024 Surface devices by up to $500, citing "recent increases in memory and component costs."

In mid-May, Microsoft unveiled new Surface for Business devices with Intel chips. (It teased the consumer-oriented Snapdragon X2 models as part of that announcement.) The 13.8-inch Surface Laptop 8 for Business has an optional integrated privacy screen, similar to the Privacy Display on the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra, but the two lines' designs are otherwise identical.

Their prices are not. The flagship Surface for Business devices will start at $1,949.99 when they arrive on July 14. A more portable Surface Laptop for Business 13-inch is now available starting at $1,499.99. A lesser variant with 8GB of RAM will debut later this year, starting at $1,299.99.

SEE ALSO: Microsoft Surface Ultra is a portable AI supercomputer powered by Nvidia's RTX Spark chip

At Computex in early June, Microsoft debuted the all-new Surface Ultra laptop and Surface RTX Spark Dev Box desktop PC, both with Nvidia's new RTX Spark "superchip." They're set for release sometime later this year; stay tuned for pricing, which is probably going to be bonkers.

The new Surface Laptop 8 and Surface Pro 12 aren't cheap themselves, but they're the most affordable options in the Surface lineup for now. Microsoft has yet to announce updated Snapdragon X2 versions of the 13-inch Surface Laptop and 12-inch Surface Pro, which it launched last year as cheaper, more compact alternatives to its flagship devices. That said, they arrived nearly 11 months after the Surface Laptop 7 and Surface Pro 12 dropped, so it's probably just a matter of time before their replacements arrive.

UPDATE: Jun. 16, 2026, 10:09 a.m. EDT Spec sheets that Microsoft shared with Mashable ahead of the announcement contained inaccuracies. This story has been updated to note that both sizes of the new Surface Laptop 8 start with 512GB of storage, and to reflect that the Surface Pro 12's configuration options differ by display type.

When I buy a smart home device, it tends to be for a specific purpose. I bought a presence sensor in order to keep the lights on when I'm in a room, which motion sensors struggle with. It took me quite some time to realize that my presence sensors had a very useful extra feature I wasn't using, and many other smart home devices have hidden secondary functions.

SUVs have become the default choice for a huge number of buyers, but finding one that delivers genuine value is getting harder as prices continue to climb. Fortunately, you don't have to spend luxury-car money to get a vehicle that is comfortable, practical, efficient, and packed with modern technology. In fact, there are plenty of standout options available for less than $40,000.

The best Disney+ deals and bundles in June 2026: Best Hulu Bundle Deal Disney+ and Hulu Bundle Get 6 months for $11.99/month Get Deal Best HBO Max Bundle Deal Disney+, Hulu, and HBO Max Bundle $19.99/month with ads, $32.99/month ad-free Get Deal Best ESPN Bundle Deal Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN Unlimited Bundle $35.99/month Get Deal

Whether you're looking to jump into the latest superhero saga or journey to a galaxy far, far away, Disney+ is the streaming service for you.

Home to Marvel, Star Wars, Pixar, and more, Disney+ offers a library that's stuffed full of shows and films to keep both adults and kids entertained. With Disney+, you can watch Star Wars: Maul — Shadow Lord, the second season of Daredevil: Born Again, Pixar's new movie Hoppers, and much more.

If you've had this streaming service on your radar but you're unsure which plan is the best fit for you, we've got you covered with a selection of Disney+ streaming deals. Right now, the streamer is offering six months of its ad-supported Disney+ and Hulu bundle for only $11.99 per month (which renews at $12.99 per month after six months), or six months of its ad-free plan at $17.99 per month (which will return to $19.99 per month after the six-month promotional period).

SEE ALSO: Everything we know about Marvel's 'VisionQuest'

There's also the Disney+, Hulu, and HBO Max package, which is a great investment for those who already watch the other two streaming services but want to cut down on costs. We've detailed all of the available bundle deals below, alongside basic information on Disney+ plans if you just want the House of Mouse's service on its own.

Best Hulu bundle deal Opens in a new window Credit: Disney Disney+ and Hulu Bundle Get 6 months of Disney+ and Hulu (With Ads) for $11.99/month, then $12.99/month Get Deal Why we like it

For those interested in the Disney+ and Hulu bundle, the streamer is offering deals on both its ad-supported and ad-free plans. For the plan with ads, new and eligible returning subscribers can lock in for six months and enjoy it for $11.99 per month before it returns to $12.99 per month. And if you're interested in going ad-free, the Premium plan is down to $17.99 per month for six months before returning to $19.99 per month.

• Disney+ and Hulu Bundle — $11.99 per month for six months, then $12.99 per month

• Disney+ and Hulu Bundle Premium — $17.99 per month for six months, then $19.99 per month

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

The Disney+, Hulu, and HBO Max bundle is one of the best available at the moment. Starting at $19.99 per month, you can have three excellent streaming services right in the palm of your hand. The $19.99 per month option is for the With Ads plan, but if you'd prefer to watch your favorite content without ads, the No Ads plan comes to $32.99 per month. Compared to what you'd pay for each of these on their own, you're saving 42% with the ad-supported plan and 41% with the ad-free plan.

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

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

Best ESPN bundle Opens in a new window Credit: Disney Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN Unlimited Bundle $35.99/month Get Deal

If you're a sports fan looking to add ESPN to your bundles, you're in luck: Disney offers bundles with both ESPN Select and ESPN Unlimited. According to ESPN, "ESPN Select includes ESPN+ content only. Fans who want ESPN+ exclusively may subscribe to the ESPN Select plan. ESPN Unlimited includes all of the ESPN networks and services, including ESPN+."

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

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

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

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

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

Best Disney+ monthly plans

Disney+ offers two standard plans if you just want the service on its own. The Disney+ ad-supported plan comes to $11.99 per month while the ad-free Disney+ Premium plan will set you back $18.99 per month or $189.99 per year if you'd rather pay annually.

• Disney+ (With Ads) — $11.99 per month

• Disney+ Premium (No Ads) — $18.99 per month, $189.99 per year

Disney+ has also created an "extra member" plan for people using your account that live outside of your household as they crack down on password sharing. If you're looking to add another person onto your account, you're only allowed one extra profile and can choose from the following add-on plans:

• Disney+ (With Ads) — $6.99 per month

• Disney+ Premium — $9.99 per month

• Disney+, Hulu Bundle — $7.99 per month

• Disney+, Hulu Bundle Premium — $10.99 per month

• Disney+, Hulu, ESPN Select Bundle — $11.99 per month

• Disney+, Hulu, ESPN Select Bundle Premium — $14.99 per month

There's a wealth of shows and films to check out on Disney+ after you sign up. If you want some help finding something to watch, check out our roundups of the 12 best TV shows for adults on Disney+ and the 20 best movies on Disney+ to start building out your watchlist.

TL;DR: The New York Knicks 2026 NBA championship parade starts on Thursday, June 18 at 10 a.m. ET. If you can't make it to Lower Manhattan, you can livestream the entire celebration via FuboTV or DirecTV, both of which offer free trials for new users.

It actually happened. After a painful 53-year wait, the New York Knicks are NBA Champions.

Finals MVP Jalen Brunson put away the San Antonio Spurs in Game 5, ending the longest active championship drought among teams that had previously won an NBA title. Predictably, the city has lost its mind. Now it's time to party.

Whether you plan on skipping work to stand 10-deep on the sidewalk or want to stream the entire historic moment from the comfort of your living room, here is everything you need to know about the logistics, the route, and how to watch.

What time does the Knicks parade start?

The parade is scheduled for Thursday, June 18, 2026. The floats are set to begin rolling at exactly 10 a.m. ET.

What is the Knicks parade route?

The procession will follow New York City’s legendary Canyon of Heroes pathway in Lower Manhattan. The parade kicks off at The Battery (Bowling Green) and travels directly north along Broadway before culminating at City Hall Park.

SEE ALSO: Knicks' Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, and Mike Brown thank fans on 'The Tonight Show'

Following the float progression, Mayor Mamdani will host a civic ceremony outside City Hall to present keys to the city to Jalen Brunson, Josh Hart, and the rest of the roster. Keep an eye out for Mitchell Robinson driving his own custom raised pickup truck in the parade lineup. That's the kind of unhinged energy that Knicks fans relish.

How to watch the Knicks parade from home

If you aren’t willing to brave the swarms of fans taking over the subways (we get it), you will need a reliable livestream. The parade will be broadcast locally on New York news and sports networks (including MSG Network, FOX 5, and ABC 7). If you don't have a cable box, your best bet is a live TV streaming service.

How to live stream the Knicks parade: Our top pick for cord-cutters FuboTV 7-day free trial Get Deal Best Alternative DirecTV 5-day free trial Get Deal

I'm a huge Waze fan and have been using it for over 10 years. It's completely replaced Google Maps when I'm driving or using Android Auto, but that doesn't mean I uninstalled the app. I still keep Google Maps around for a few key features, and that's because both apps are better when used together.

Plex has been popular with the self-hosting community for years because it is easy to set up, reliable, and polished enough to replace a streaming service without a ton of inconvenience. Unfortunately, its lifetime license is jumping from $250 to $750 on July 1st, 2026, and the self-hosting community is moving to the alternatives.

The gaming platform Roblox rolled out Kids and Select accounts globally, the company said in a blog post Tuesday.

The account types, which Roblox previously launched in Australia, Indonesia, the Netherlands, and New Zealand, provide parents with a range of content protections depending on a user's age.

What are Roblox Kids and Select accounts?

Kids accounts are designed for five to eight-year-olds while Select accounts are for users ages nine to 15.

The platform's youngest users can only access games that Roblox has labeled as "minimal" or "mild" for their maturity, and they cannot chat by default.

SEE ALSO: Child safety organizations accuse Roblox of violating FTC rules

Select accounts can play games rated up to moderate, which may include some violence, crude humor, and fear, as well as "light realistic blood" and "unplayable" gambling content. The chat settings for these accounts vary based on the user's age and region.

Roblox automatically places users into a specific account type based on the age-check process. Users are then automatically moved into new accounts as they grow older. Once a teen turns 16, based on Roblox's understanding of their age, they're able to access a standard Roblox account. In January, Roblox began requiring users to verify their age to unlock chat features.

"With Roblox Kids and Roblox Select, we're creating age-based protections designed to support younger users at different stages, while giving parents tools to personalize the experience for their family," Matt Kaufman, chief safety officer at Roblox, said in the company's announcement.

In addition to its existing parental controls, Roblox is expanding game blocking and chat management features to parents of teens as old as 16. Parents will also be able to approve specific games not included in their child's default account settings.

Why is Roblox being investigated and sued?

The expected development comes as Roblox remains under intense legal pressure and scrutiny. Roblox faces more than 160 cases filed by plaintiffs who say they were sexually exploited as children as a result of the platform's inadequate child safety practices. Roblox, along with the messaging platform Discord, recently requested that those claims be moved out of court into closed-door arbitration, according to Bloomberg.

In April, Roblox paid $23 million to Alabama and West Virginia to settle investigations into the company's handling of child safety. West Virginia's investigation gathered evidence that young Roblox users had been exposed to sexual and violent content, grooming, and predators, according to Reuters.

Last month, child safety organizations accused Roblox of violating Federal Trade Commission regulations that prohibit false advertising, unfair conduct, and deceptive practices, and called for an investigation into Roblox. The company disputed those claims in a statement to Mashable.

Today's Wordle answer should be easy to solve if you're always in awe.

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 16, 2026 Where did Wordle come from?

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

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

What's the best Wordle starting word?

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

What happened to the Wordle archive?

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

Is Wordle getting harder?

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

SEE ALSO: NYT Pips hints, answers for June 16, 2026 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

To wow.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

The letter A 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 A.

SEE ALSO: Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL. The Wordle answer today is...

Get your last guesses in now, because it's your final chance to solve today's Wordle before we reveal the solution.

Drumroll please!

The solution to today's Wordle is...

AMAZE

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.

The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult if you're a healthy eater.

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 16, 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: Healthy toppings

• Green: Posse

• Blue: One in a million

• Purple: Rings

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: Creamy salad dressings

• Green: Attendants

• Blue: Rare things, idiomatically

• Purple: What "Hoops' might refer to

Looking for Wordle today? Here's the answer to today's Wordle.

Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today's puzzle before we reveal the solutions.

Drumroll, please!

The solution to today's Connections #1101 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Creamy salad dressings: BLUE CHEESE, CAESAR, GREEN GODDESS, RANCH

• Attendants: COURT, ENTOURAGE, RETINUE, SUITE

• Rare things, idiomatically: BLACK SWAN, BLUE MOON, PERFECT STORM, UNICORN

• What "Hoops' might refer to: BASKETBALL, EARRINGS, RED TAPE, RHYTHMIC GYMNASTICS GEAR

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 16, 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 NYT Strands hints are easy if you can't wait for break time.

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 16, 2026 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: For here or to go?

The words are related to food.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe midday meals.

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 Whats for Lunch.

NYT Strands word list for June 16

• Sandwich

• Ramen

• Gyro

• Whats for Lunch

• Salad

• Wrap

• Soup

• Tacos

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.

Knicks fever took over The Tonight Show on Monday, with the NBA Champions joining Jimmy Fallon for a special episode.

Following a historic win that broke the internet, NBA Finals MVP Jalen Brunson, six-time NBA All-Star Karl-Anthony Towns, and head coach Mike Brown joined Fallon to talk winning the New York Knicks' first NBA championship since 1973.

"It hasn't sunk in yet," said Brunson. "I don't know if it will for a while. But the opportunity presented itself, we went out there as a team, we found a way to do it, fighting back all those games, and it was worth it."

SEE ALSO: Social media reacts to Knicks' storybook NBA Finals win

The three delved into superstitions, pre-game playlists, curses, and uncurses via WWE. And they also thanked Knicks fans and acknowledged the power of their community.

"When we get the fans involved, and we give them something to cheer for, it's something special," said Towns.

Brown also gave insight into his now viral "Who Let the Dogs Out" chant, leading The Tonight Show audience into it and delightfully sending his players into a cringe spiral. "We've got to put that to bed," said Brunson.

You can watch the whole episode on Peacock or through clips on The Tonight Show's YouTube page.

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

In May of this year, Google announced they would be launching an advanced search bar model, further integrating Gemini into Google's core functions and making the whole search engine experience reliant on AI — an overhaul Google users and internet surfers aren't thrilled about. So, with Google doing its best to kill the search bar completely, we've compiled a list of the best search engines you may want to use instead.

TL;DR: All 104 matches of the 2026 World Cup are available to watch for free on BBC iPlayer/ITVX. Access these free live streams from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN, which recently announced it's an Official Tournament Supporter of the event in the U.S., Canada, and Europe.

It feels like the world has stopped for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

16 cities across the U.S., Mexico, and Canada are welcoming the best international sides from around the world as they compete for arguably the biggest prize in sport. Huge names like Kylian Mbappé, Vinícius Júnior, and Lamine Yamal are likely to steal the spotlight, but new stars always shine brightly in this prestigious competition.

It's going to be a wild ride. We're still making our way through the first round of group-stage fixtures, but the likes of Mexico, USA, and Australia have already secured big victories. And Cape Verde have produced the performance of the tournament so far by snatching a 0-0 draw against Spain.

If you're interested in watching the 2026 FIFA World Cup from anywhere in the world, we've got all the information you need.

What is the FIFA World Cup?

The World Cup is an international football competition between senior men's national teams. The 2026 World Cup has been expanded to 48 teams, split into 12 groups of four teams. The top two teams in each group and the eight best third-placed teams will progress to the knockout rounds.

The defending champions are Argentina. They won their third title at the 2022 World Cup after defeating France in an epic final.

When is the 2026 FIFA World Cup?

The 2026 World Cup is the 23rd edition of this famous competition. This year's tournament takes place from June 11 to July 19.

How to watch the 2026 FIFA World Cup for free

A number of streaming platforms are offering free coverage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup:

• Australia — SBS

• Austria — ORF and ServusTV

• Belgium — RTBF and VRT

• France — M6

• Germany — ARD and ZDF

• Ireland — RTÉ

• Italy — RAI

• Norway — NRK

• Netherlands — NOS

• Spain — RTVE

• UK — BBC iPlayer and ITVX (recommended)

These streaming services are geo-restricted, 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 another location, meaning you can livestream the 2026 FIFA World Cup for free from anywhere in the world.

If you're looking for the best VPN to stream the FIFA World Cup, ExpressVPN recently announced that it's an Official Tournament Supporter of the event in the U.S., Canada, and Europe. ExpressVPN was already our go-to recommendation for sports streaming, and now it's also the exclusive VPN supporter of the FIFA World Cup 2026.

Livestream the 2026 FIFA World Cup 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 UK

4. Visit BBC iPlayer or ITVX (recommended)

5. Watch the 2026 FIFA World Cup 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 the 2026 FIFA World Cup without committing your cash. This is obviously not a long-term strategy, but it gives you enough time to stream this tournament before recovering your investment.

If you want to retain permanent access to free streaming platforms from around the world, you'll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for streaming live sports is on sale for a limited time.

What is the best VPN for the FIFA World Cup?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for accessing live sports on free streaming platforms, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries

• 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

• 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 a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99 (with a money-back guarantee).

Live stream the 2026 FIFA World Cup for free with ExpressVPN.

Jimmy Kimmel's monologue was very sports-focused on Monday, and after recapping the Knicks' NBA finals win he was forced to turn his attention to Donald Trump's White House UFC 250 event.

"We had a sporting event that didn't bring people together this weekend, Donald Trump's big, violent birthday party, the UFC fight at the White House," says Kimmel in the clip above. "Last night, Trump turned the White House into a Waffle House."

SEE ALSO: Jon Stewart roasts Trump's 'joyless' UFC White House event

The host then goes on to break down some key moments from the night, showing a photo of Donald Trump Jr. looking miserable ("This is the moment he realised his dad wasn't able to let him have his wedding at the White House, but was able to host a 4,000-person MMA fight") and the president appearing to nod off again.

"It was so exciting he almost stayed awake for the whole thing. Until it was time to take a little UFCiesta. So sweet, he's like an angel when he sleeps," says Kimmel. "Only Donald Trump could fall asleep at a party sponsored by Monster energy drink."

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

The Facebook Portal was an ambitious but ultimately flawed attempt for the social media giant to compete with Google and Amazon in the smart display space. Designed as a means of video calling, interacting with Alexa, and doing other tablet-related things, Meta discontinued the Portal in late 2022.

Lenovo just announced the second-generation of the Lenovo Tab Plus tablet. Priced at $399.99, it's more expensive than its predecessor, though it now offers richer audio, an upgraded HDR display, a built-in kickstand, and new AI features.

The Tab Plus Gen 2 is an Android tablet and an alternative to Apple's popular iPads, which start at $349. The new tablet features a JBL 9-unit Pro speaker system, fine-tuned with Dolby Atmos audio. Lenovo says it's meant to deliver a rich, cinematic experience and can even operate as a standalone speaker with built-in Bluetooth. Alongside all the boosted audio comes an equally upgraded display. The 12.1-inch 2.5K LCD display supports Dolby Vision and HDR10 video with a max brightness of 800 nits.

On the back of the tablet is a built-in kickstand, which props up the tablet or serves as a grip for carrying the device. When in standby mode, the Tab Plus Gen 2 also functions as a digital picture frame.

With a built-in kickstand, you can watch your shows anywhere on the Lenovo Tab Plus Gen 2. Credit: Lenovo / Mashable

The tablet launches with Android 16 support, with two OS upgrades coming through Android 18. It starts at 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, which are similar specs to Apple's base iPad. It has a MediaTek Dimensity 7400 octa-core processor. Lenovo says it will provide 15 hours of battery life and has intelligent features like AI live transcription, Lenovo Smart Reader, and AI Notes.

The Lenovo Tab Plus Gen 2 starts at $399.99 and will be available globally soon, though we still don't know the exact release date yet.