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Today's Wordle answer should be easy to solve if you have a good nose.

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 February 20, 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 February 20, 2026 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

Smelled bad.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

There are no recurring letters.

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

Today's Wordle starts with the letter S.

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...

STANK

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.

After nights of mostly darkness, the Moon is treating us to some viewing features tonight once again. Keep reading to see what exactly you can spot on its surface tonight.

What is today’s Moon phase?

As of Friday, Feb. 20, the Moon phase is Waxing Crescent. According to NASA's Daily Moon Guide, 9% of the Moon will be lit up tonight.

Moon gazing is back, and there are a few viewing opportunities for tonight. With no visual aids, you should be able to make out a few surface features, but mainly the Mares Crisium and Fecunditatis. If you add a telescope or binoculars, you'll add the Endymion Crater to this line up.

When is the next Full Moon?

The next Full Moon will be on March 3. The last Full Moon was on Feb. 1.

What are Moon phases?

NASA tells us that the Moon completes a full orbit around Earth in roughly 29.5 days. During this cycle, it passes through eight distinct phases. Although we consistently see the same side of the Moon, the portion illuminated by the Sun shifts as it travels along its orbit. The changing angle of sunlight reflecting off the Moon’s surface is what makes it appear full, partially lit, or nearly dark at different times. The eight phases include:

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.

TL;DR: Get lifetime access to ChatPlayground AI for $74.97 with code SAVE4 through Feb. 22 (reg. $619) and compare outputs from 25+ leading AI models in one place.

Opens in a new window Credit: ChatPlayground AI ChatPlayground AI: Lifetime Subscription (Unlimited Plan) $74.97
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If you’ve ever copied the same prompt into three different AI tools just to see which one gives the best answer, you’re not alone. Different models excel at different things — but juggling tabs and subscriptions gets old fast. ChatPlayground AI puts the top AI models in one place, so you can compare responses side by side without the back-and-forth. Until Feb. 22, a lifetime subscription is on sale for $74.97 when you enter promo code SAVE4 at checkout.

GPT-4o, Claude Sonnet, Gemini, DeepSeek, Llama, Perplexity, and more — all in one clean interface. It’s built for people who iterate fast, test variations, and actually care about optimizing results.

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

Beyond comparisons, ChatPlayground AI includes prompt engineering tools to refine outputs, image and PDF chat for context-aware responses, saved chat history for ongoing projects, and AI image generation powered by leading models. There’s even a Chrome extension to integrate it directly into your browsing workflow.

The Unlimited Plan means unlimited messages per month, making it ideal for startups, product teams, marketers, and prompt engineers who run experiments nonstop. You also get priority support and early access to new features and future models.

If you’re already paying for multiple AI tools — or constantly switching between them — this consolidates everything into one streamlined platform.

Grab lifetime access to ChatPlayground AI Unlimited for $74.97 with code SAVE4 before Feb. 22 and stop juggling models for good.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Computer equipment, especially gaming equipment, is very expensive. This was a quick, easy way to increase my performance while spending less than $10.

Elon Musk's AI bot Grok doxxed porn performer Siri Dahl, revealing her legal name and birth date to users, 404 Media reported.

Grok has been in the news in recent months due to producing nonconsensual sexual images of women and girls. It's also been criticized for praising Hitler, spreading misinformation, and generating sycophantic praise towards Musk.

SEE ALSO: Elon Musk's Grok faces another EU investigation over nonconsensual AI images

Now Dahl, who has been interviewed by Mashable in previous stories, described to 404 Media how the chatbot revealed personal information she had worked hard to keep private. She has paid thousands of dollars for data removal services, according to 404 Media.

"Now that the cat's out of the bag, and there's no way to put it back in," Dahl shared on X, before directing an all-caps "FUCK YOU" at the chatbot.

Grok's generated response on X was: "I'm sorry you're upset." It stated that Dahl's legal name and birthdate are already public on the internet, which Dahl denied.

"My legal name only became public after you doxxed me, and now thanks to you it's been proliferated all over the internet by other AI scrapers, so there’s no way that information can ever be private again," Dahl replied.

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"Go fuck yourself you nazi clanker," she added.

In addition to her adult work, Dahl has gained prominence due to her sex work and First Amendment advocacy. Both before and after the 2024 presidential election, Dahl hosted the Corn Telethon, a Jerry Lewis-type livestream to raise awareness about Project 2025 and advocate for free speech.

Mashable has reached out to Dahl's representatives and xAI for comment.

SEE ALSO: 'Clanker' is social media's new slur for our robot future

Adult performers often deal with stalkers, doxxing attempts, and harassment, merely for existing. If Grok is sharing personal information without permission, that would certainly be a cause for alarm among performers.

Most people shopping for a Honda SUV go straight to the CR-V. It’s the default pick: roomy, sensible, and everywhere for a reason.

Breaking news: There are gay people in positions of power in Silicon Valley in 2026.

That not-so-surprising fact is the center of Wired's latest cover story, which hit the internet Thursday. The internet immediately reacted, in part thanks to some, uh, unusual imagery that accompanied the article.

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...who signed off on this image www.wired.com/story/inside...

[image or embed]

— Mike Murphy (@mcwm.bsky.social) February 19, 2026 at 12:16 PM

The handshake cover wasn't the only bizarre choice. Inside, the magazine used an image of a musclebound man with San Francisco's Salesforce Tower between his legs. California state senator Scott Weiner, a leader on LGBTQ issues, took issue with the whole premise.

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One Silicon Valley investor, a gay man who said he refused multiple requests to be interviewed, felt justified by the "gross" result:

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He wasn't the only one. Many LGBTQ tech employees felt the article could be described as "homophobic."

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Other readers noted that the article itself is, to use the magazine's lingo, tired rather than wired:

This is one of the worst opening paragraphs I have ever read, thanks

[image or embed]

— Regime Accountant, CPA (@regimecpa.bsky.social) February 19, 2026 at 9:25 AM This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

Meanwhile, social media did what it does best: Skewering with satire.

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The U.S. government may be partially shut down, but that will not affect your 2026 tax filing, according to the Internal Revenue Service.

Earlier this month, the government agency shared on its website that operations will continue per usual. That's because the funding lapse narrowly applies to the Department of Homeland Security and agencies that operate under it.

"Expect IRS operations to continue as normal with IRS offices maintaining regular hours, on-line self-service help tools available and other services continuing as usual," the IRS stated. "Taxpayers also should continue to meet any federal tax filing or payment obligations as normal."

What is the government shutdown about?

The shutdown, which began Saturday, Feb. 14, revolves around negotiations between congressional Democrats and the White House over DHS funding. Democrats are seeking reforms to immigration enforcement policies, in the wake of the shooting deaths of American citizens Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti by federal immigration authorities. They are declining to approve DHS funding without such reforms.

Their proposals include prohibiting immigration enforcement officers from wearing masks, requiring verification that a person isn't a U.S. citizen before detaining them, and protecting sensitive locations, such as schools, churches, and medical facilities.

What should I know about filing my 2026 taxes?

The IRS encourages taxpayers to consult its website featuring online tools and resources. The site offers instructions on how to file online and when to expect a refund (usually less than 21 days when filing electronically).

The Trump administration canceled the pilot program Direct File, which allowed eligible taxpayers to submit their return directly to the IRS for free. However, the IRS' Free File program is still available to eligible taxpayers who can take advantage of free tax preparation software to complete their return. Taxpayers can also access free online fillable forms.

Lastly, taxpayers should strongly consider receiving any refunds via electronic deposit. An executive order signed by President Trump in 2025 directed federal agencies, including the IRS, to make payments electronically rather than issue paper checks.

While the IRS will still issue checks to taxpayers who cannot provide banking information, refunds could take longer in those instances. The IRS will first request their electronic deposit information or an explanation for why they can't provide it.

If the taxpayer doesn't respond to the IRS' letter, and their return has no outstanding issues, a check will be issued after six weeks.

OneDrive for Mac has always been functional, but it's far from Microsoft's best application on the platform. Thankfully, Microsoft is finally giving it a long-overdue overhaul with Liquid Glass and other native enhancements.

Polestar recently announced it will release four new vehicles between now and 2028, a move the automaker called its largest product offensive since launching as a standalone operation from Volvo in 2017. The models include the Polestar 5 Grand Tourer (GT) this summer, a new variant of the Polestar 4 in Q4 2026, the next-gen Polestar 2 in early 2027, and a compact premium SUV, the Polestar 7, in 2028.

Jason Statham remains one of Hollywood's best tough guys. If a movie needs an elite fighter who knows how to use a gun, then Statham should be the first call. Statham's name and persona can carry a movie, but he works better as part of an ensemble. The Expendables franchise is a case in point.

TL;DR: Live stream USA vs. Slovakia in men's ice hockey for free on CBC Gem. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The international ice hockey we've all been enjoying over the last few weeks is coming to an end. That's a great shame, but the good news is we've still got a number of incredible matchups to watch. USA vs. Slovakia is the second semi final from the men's draw. We're expecting an entertaining battle between two talented squads. They'll be doing everything they can to make this weekend's final.

If you want to watch USA vs. Slovakia in men's ice hockey for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is USA vs. Slovakia?

USA vs. Slovakia in men's ice hockey takes place at 3:10 p.m. ET on Feb. 20. This fixture takes place at the Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena.

How to watch USA vs. Slovakia for free

USA vs. Slovakia in men's ice hockey is available to live stream for free on CBC Gem.

CBC Gem is geo-restricted to Canada, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These handy tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Canada, meaning you can access free live streams of the 2026 winter sports ice hockey from anywhere in the world.

Live stream USA vs. Slovakia in men's ice hockey 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 Canada

4. Visit CBC Gem

5. Watch USA vs. Slovakia 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 leading VPNs do tend to offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can gain access to free live streams without committing with your cash. This is obviously not a long-term solution, but it does give you time to watch the ice hockey before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for CBC Gem?

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

• Servers in 105 countries including Canada

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

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is always 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 money-back guarantee).

Live stream USA vs. Slovakia in men's ice hockey for free with ExpressVPN.

Are you looking for a fun homelab project to try this weekend? I’ve got you covered with three to spin up! From network notifications to server performance and backup, here are the homelab projects you should get up and going before Monday comes.

For as long as Android phones have existed, people have dreamed of using them as the brains inside a desktop computing setup. Samsung accomplished this nearly a decade ago, but the rest of the Android world has been left out. Android 17 is finally changing that with a new desktop mode, and I tried it out.

If you enjoy a great sound system, the debate between soundbars and surround sound systems is a popular topic in home entertainment. If you're wondering which one is best for your home theater, we hope to help you decide.

In 2026, finding a new car under $30,000 that still delivers value, reliability, and modern features is tougher than it used to be, but there are still smart choices for U.S. drivers who want sensible transportation without overspending. With average new-car prices climbing, this price bracket emphasizes practicality, fuel efficiency, and everyday comfort over luxury trimmings, making these models ideal for first-time buyers, commuters, and budget-minded households.

The Google Chrome browser on desktop platforms is getting three more productivity upgrades. Thankfully, it's a break from the usual AI-powered enhancements.

The AI Impact Summit 2026 is currently underway in New Delhi, India. Some of the biggest tech companies in the world are in attendance to speak about the state of artificial intelligence, including Google CEO Sundar Pichai, who spoke at the event on Thursday.

Pichai had some interesting things to say in his speech, and you can read a transcript of Pichai's prepared remarks at the Google blog. The prepared remarks differ slightly from the live speech, which was posted to YouTube by Reuters.

1. New connections between the U.S. and India — literally

Google is building a "vast network of subsea fiber optic cables," according to Pichai. 

Google's undersea cable network may not be entirely new, but the company's investments in expansion are. Pichai shared that Google is creating a "full-stack AI hub" as part of the company's $15 billion infrastructure investment in India. This includes four new subsea fiber optic cable systems that are part of Google's America-India Connect Initiative.

2. Like SpaceX, Google is exploring sending data centers into space.

The idea of data centers orbiting the Earth just got a quick mention from Pichai, but it is still notable, as Elon Musk recently said this idea was one of the primary reasons his space exploration company, SpaceX, acquired his AI company, xAI.

While discussing previously unimaginable technological advances in India, where Pichai grew up and went to school, the Google CEO mentioned how he also never imagined he'd "one day be spending time with teams figuring out how to put data centers into space."

As Mashable covered when Musk was floating the idea, we are in very early days for the concept, but it's certainly interesting to hear that Google is having similar discussions.

3. Novel uses for AI in medicine

Pichai also spent some time discussing the use of AI for medical purposes and new drug discovery. For example, Pichai highlighted Google DeepMind's AlphaFold, an AI system that predicts a protein's 3D structure from its amino acid sequence. It's notable that, at least in the U.S., works produced by AI are not copyrightable so there's still question over who would own the patent. Yet, Google's CEO highlighted this aspect of AI regardless.

4. How Google thinks about AI responsibility

And that brings us to Pichai's closing, which heavily focused on AI responsibility. Responsible AI has become a cliche in the tech world, especially considering AI's very real dangers, both social and otherwise. However, Pichai said Google has made moves to address such issues.

For example, to fight deepfakes, AI content generated by Google's platforms features an invisible SynthID embedded into the output, which makes it possible to ID the content as AI-generated. Pichai also mentioned the importance of "navigating profound economic shifts" as "AI will undeniably reshape the workforce." Pichai mentioned how the company has been providing AI training to users as well as highlighting the important role governments can and will play in regulating the technology.

While USB-C thumb drives aren’t expensive compared to other types of external storage, they’re pricey given the storage capacity and transfer speeds they offer. If you’re already in the market for one, make sure it supports USB 3.2.

Google released its latest core reasoning model, Gemini 3.1 Pro, on Thursday. Google says that Gemini 3.1 Pro achieved twice the verified performance of 3 Pro on ARC-AGI-2, a popular benchmark that measures a model's logical reasoning.

Google originally released Gemini 3 and 3 Pro in November, and this new release shows just how fast AI companies are introducing new and updated models. Gemini 3.1 Pro is the new core model powering Gemini and various Google AI tools, such as Gemini 3 Deep Think. Google says it's designed to provide more creative solutions.

"3.1 Pro is designed for tasks where a simple answer isn't enough, taking advanced reasoning and making it useful for your hardest challenges," a Google blog post states. "This improved intelligence can help in practical applications — whether you’re looking for a clear, visual explanation of a complex topic, a way to synthesize data into a single view, or bringing a creative project to life."

SEE ALSO: GPT-5.2 vs Gemini 3 — How the two heavyweight models compare on benchmarks, price, and feature set

Here's everything we know so far about Gemini 3.1 Pro, including how it compares to the latest models from Anthropic and OpenAI, and how to try it yourself.

How to try Gemini 3.1 Pro

Starting today, Google is rolling out Gemini 3.1 Pro in the Gemini App, the Gemini APIA, and in Notebook LM. Free users will be able to try 3.1 Pro in the Gemini app, but paid users on Google AI Pro and AI Ultra plans will have higher usage rates. Within Notebook LM, only these paid users will have access to 3.1 Pro, at least, for now. Coders and enterprise users can also access the new core model via developers and enterprises can access 3.1 through AI Studio, Antigravity, Vertex AI, Gemini Enterprise, Gemini CLI, and Android Studio.

Gemini 3.1 Pro was already available for Mashable editors using Gemini. To try it for yourself, head to Gemini on desktop or open the Gemini mobile app.

Left: Two results of the same animation prompt. Credit: Google Right: Credit: Google Why Gemini 3.1 Pro matters

When Google released Gemini 3 Pro in November, the model was so impressive that it allegedly caused OpenAI CEO Sam Altman to declare a code red. As Gemini 3 Pro surged to the top of AI leaderboards, OpenAI reportedly started losing ChatGPT users to Gemini. The latest core ChatGPT model, GPT-5.2, has tumbled down the rankings on leaderboards like Arena (formerly known as LMArena), losing significant ground to competitors such as Google, Anthropic, and xAI.

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Gemini 3 Pro was already outperforming GPT-5.2 on many benchmarks, and with a more advanced thinking model, Gemini could move even further ahead.

Gemini 3.1 Pro: Benchmark performance

Google released benchmark performance data showing that Gemini 3.1 Pro outperforms previous Gemini models, Claude Sonnet 4.6, Claude Opus 4.6, and GPT-5.2. However, OpenAI's new coding model, GPT-5.3-Codex, beat Gemini 3.1 Pro on the verified SWE-Bench Pro benchmark, according to Google itself.

Notable highlights from Gemini 3.1 Pro's benchmark results include:

• 44.4 percent on Humanity's last exam, compared to 40.0 percent for Claude Opus 4.6 and 34.5 percent for GPT-5.2

• 77.1 percent on ARC-AGI-2, compared to 31.1 percent for Gemini 3 Pro, 68.8 percent for Claude Opus 4.6, and 52.9 percent for GPT-5.2

• 94.3 percent on GPQA Diamond, compared to 91.9 percent for Gemini 3 Pro, 91.3 percent for Claude Opus 4.6, and 92.4 percent for GPT-5.2

• 80.6 percent on SWE-Bench Verified, compared to 76.2 percent for Gemini 3 Pro, 80.8 percent for Claude Opus 4.6, and 80.0 percent for GPT-5.2

• 54.2 percent on SWE-Bench Pro (Public), compared to 43.3 percent for Gemini 3 Pro, 55.6 percent for GPT-5.2, and 56.8 percent for GPT-5.3-Codex

• 92.6 percent on MMLU, compared to 91.1 percent for Claude Opus 4.6 and 89.6 percent for GPT-5.2

Google released an image showing the full benchmark results for Gemini 3.1 Pro:

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Disclosure: Ziff Davis, Mashable’s parent company, in April 2025 filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in training and operating its AI systems.