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We already know that the cognitive test Trump keeps banging on about isn't actually meant to be hard, but nonetheless the president won't stop bragging about it — recently boasting that he's "the only president to take a cognitive test."

"You're the only president to take the cognitive test?" asks Jon Stewart in the Daily Show clip above. "Let me ask you a question: Why do you think that is? Why do you think that you're the only president that that happens to? That for some reason every time you go to the doctor, which is a lot, the doctor's always like, 'Hey while you're here...'"

Stewart then plays another clip of Trump talking about a complex mental arithmetic question that they apparently also asked him, and which he claims to have answered correctly.

"No, Trump is a regular Stephen Hawking," says Stewart. "That's what it is. Although I thought the only thing they had in common was being in the Epstein files."

SAVE $60: As of May 5, the Kindle Colorsoft is on sale for $189.99 at Amazon. That's a 24% discount on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Kindle Kindle Colorsoft $189.99 at Amazon
$249.99 Save $60   Get Deal

If you need a boost to get through your reading list, how about a brand new e-reader? As of May 5, the Kindle Colorsoft is on sale, and it's the perfect motivator you need to start turning pages (digital ones, that is). Right now, you can save $60 on this model, currently priced at $189.99. This is for the device only in black with no ads.

With this Kindle you get a 7-inch color display as opposed to the standard black and white. This means book covers and content in your favorite reads are brought to life. You can highlight text in multiple colors, and the display can be adjusted from white to amber for comfortable reading in both bright sunlight and low light.

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Like all Kindles, the battery life is enough to see you through weeks of reading, with a single USB-C charge lasting up to eight weeks. Ideal for taking with you on vacation without extra charging cables. And speaking of vacation, the device is waterproof for use by the pool, in the bath, or on the beach.

And you won't run out of books to read. With the Colorsoft, you'll get access to over 15 million titles in the Kindle Store, with the option of a Kindle Unlimited subscription for access to a huge number of books at a monthly fee, rather than paying for each title individually.

How is that to-be-read list looking? Get this deal at Amazon now.

TL;DR: Amazon has the Magic: The Gathering Avatar The Last Airbender Beginner Box on sale for $20, down from its $34.99 list price. That saves you $14.99 and marks its lowest-ever price at Amazon.

Opens in a new window Credit: Magic: The Gathering Magic: The Gathering Avatar The Last Airbender Beginner Box $20 at Amazon
$34.99 Save $14.99 Get Deal

Whether you’re a new or seasoned Magic: The Gathering player, the Avatar Beginner Box is one of the best ways to get into the expansion. Now, you can grab this popular MTG entry point for less than ever on Amazon. 

As of May 5, Amazon has the Magic: The Gathering Avatar The Last Airbender Beginner Box listed for $20 as a limited-time deal, which is 43% off its $34.99 list price. That's the lowest price the Avatar Beginner Box has seen on Amazon (confirmed with price tracker camelcamelcamel). That also puts it below the current TCGplayer market price of $23, and close to TCGplayer’s lowest listing of $19.88 before shipping. 

Walmart listings go down to $18.99 at the lowest, but that listing is from a third-party marketplace seller. 

For a licensed starter set that is made to teach two people at once, $20 is a great price to get both you and a friend started in MTG. The box starts with a guided Aang versus Zuko battle using two 20-card tutorial decks, so you can learn the basic flow of Magic without having to build anything first. 

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After that, the Beginner Box opens up with eight 20-card Avatar-themed half-decks based around themes like Firebending, Earthbending, Waterbending, Allies, Big Creatures, Counters, Spells, and Attacking. Combine any two, and you have a full 40-card deck, giving the set more replay value than a one-and-done tutorial product.

Along with the cards, you also get two playboards, two Spindown life counters, two learn-to-play guides, five double-sided tokens, and a rules reference booklet.

Ready for when you’ve got the basics down, you can expand your Magic: The Gathering collection with the 24-pack Avatar: The Last Airbender Jumpstart Booster Box on sale. Among other expansions, the newly-released MTG Secrets of Strixhaven Play Booster Box is on offer for just over $140.

TL;DR: Amazon sellers now have the Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Perfect Order Build and Battle Box listed from $34.99. Walmart is at $42.95, while TCGplayer listings start at $39.82 shipped.

Opens in a new window Credit: The Pokémon Company Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Perfect Order Build and Battle Box $38.98 at Amazon
$59.94 Save $20.96   Get Deal

Perfect Order is one of the best new Pokémon expansions for TCG players, since its products are so affordable compared to others like Ascended Heroes. And now you can get a battle-ready deck for under $40. 

As of May 5, Amazon’s cheapest third-party listing has the Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Perfect Order Build and Battle Box down to $34.99, before a $4.99 delivery charge for a $38.98 total. That’s nearly $20 below the $54.95 typical price shown on Amazon. That's the lowest-ever price on Amazon according to price tracker camelcamelcamel. 

This deal has a wide delivery window of May 12-27. For anyone who prefers speedier dispatch, another Amazon seller has the box at $45.89 with free delivery guaranteed for May 11 at the time of writing, which still takes 16% off the listed typical price. 

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Outside of Amazon, Walmart currently has the Build and Battle Box at $42.95 with free shipping. TCGplayer is slightly lower at $39.82 shipped for its cheapest unopened listing, while its market price is sitting at $38.31. If you’re the type of collector who prefers buying their cards through Amazon, you can take comfort knowing its cheapest option is close to market price — even with delivery included. 

Each box includes a 40-card ready-to-play deck, four Mega Evolution Perfect Order booster packs, and a code card for Pokémon TCG Live. It also comes with one of four possible foil promo cards: Serperior, Barbaracle, Tyrantrum, or Doublade. 

If you’re keen on the other expansions, you can also pre-order the Pokémon TCG’s Chaos Rising Build and Battle Box at Amazon. Meanwhile, you can pre-order Chaos Rising Booster Packs for around $13 at Amazon.

TL;DR: Amazon has the Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Perfect Order Elite Trainer Box listed for $79.69, down from $84.99. With over $5 off, that’s a 6% discount on an already low-priced ETB.

Opens in a new window Credit: The Pokémon Company Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Perfect Order Elite Trainer Box $79.69 at Amazon
$84.99 Save $5.30   Shop Now

The closer we get to the launch of Pokémon’s Chaos Rising expansion, the more we’re seeing price drops on the already affordable Perfect Order range — making it one of the most budget-friendly expansions in the trading card game. 

As of May 5, Amazon has the Pokémon TCG Perfect Order Elite Trainer Box on sale for $79.69, down from its $84.99 list price. It’s sold and shipped directly by Amazon, with Prime delivery available depending on your location. That still doesn’t make it the cheapest option overall, but it does make it a more convenient buy for Amazon shoppers who want fast shipping and don’t want to sort through third-party listings.

Walmart has come in with an even lower price, listing the same Perfect Order ETB for $69.77. Over on TCGplayer, the lowest shipped listing is currently $72.99, with the dedicated trading card selling site showing a $70.43 market price and a $77.82 listed median. While Amazon is no longer wildly out of range, Walmart and TCGplayer remain the better picks if price is the only thing you care about.

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Inside the box, you’re getting nine Pokémon TCG: Mega Evolution Perfect Order booster packs, one full-art foil Tyrunt promo card, 65 card sleeves, 40 Energy cards, a player’s guide, six damage-counter dice, a competition-legal coin-flip die, a plastic coin, a collector’s box with dividers, and a code card for Pokémon TCG Live.

It’s a better time than ever to get into the Pokémon Legends: Z-A-centric expansion if you’ve not had a chance to dive in yet — built around featured Pokémon like Mega Zygarde ex, keeping the city in balance, with Mega Clefable ex, Mega Starmie ex, and Meowth ex also appearing in the 120+ card collection. 

You can still preorder the Pokémon TCG’s Chaos Rising Elite Trainer Box on sale. Elsewhere, you can pre-order Chaos Rising Booster Packs for around $13 at Amazon.

TL;DR: Get the iPhone 17 for free when you switch to T-Mobile and bring your number on an Experience Beyond or Better Value plan.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple T-Mobile: Apple iPhone 17 for free   Shop Now

Earlier this year we got new iPhones, MacBooks, and iPads. That was a lot to take in, but what are we all supposed to do until the next launch? We can't sit around and wait until the foldable iPhone arrives in late 2026.

Instead, we should be using this time to scout the best deals on Apple's latest lineup.

And there's some good news for anyone looking to upgrade to the Apple iPhone 17: For a limited time, you can claim the iPhone 17 for free when you switch to T-Mobile and bring your number on an Experience Beyond or Better Value plan. You can also switch to almost any T-Mobile plan and get a free iPhone 17e. Neither of these offers requires a trade-in, but you do need to pay taxes and a $35 device connection fee.

SEE ALSO: iOS 27 could finally bring AI photo-editing to your iPhone

The iPhone 17 is the first base model built to handle Apple’s most advanced AI features. In Mashable's review, Stan Schroeder said it's an "excellent phone that matches the iPhone Pro models in many ways that matter." Potential buyers should also know that the camera is "almost as good as the one on the iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max." That's good news for all the budding content creators out there.

Score the Apple iPhone 17 for free with this latest offer from T-Mobile.

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

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

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

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

Here are the clues and answers to NYT's The Mini for Tuesday, May 5, 2026:

AcrossWord before "time" or "potatoes"

• The answer is Small.

Spot for a backyard grill

• The answer is Patio.

"Moving right ___ ..."

• The answer is Along.

Major or general

• The answer is Rank.

Sprouting part of a potato

• The answer is Eye.

DownWord before "time" or "ribs"

• The answer is Spare.

Language spoken in Kuala Lumpur

• The answer is Malay.

Make amends

• The answer is Atone.

Sausage segment

• The answer is Link.

Fuel for a firepit

• The answer is Log.

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

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

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

The Drama has been stirring up drama online since a teaser dropped back in December. A24's dark comedy about a wedding gone awry stars Zendaya and Robert Pattinson and promises an unexpected twist. If you've managed to steer clear of spoilers thus far, this isn't your typical "cold feet" romantic comedy. It's darker and heavier.

The best ways to watch 'The Drama' at home: Watch now Buy or rent 'The Drama' on Prime Video $24.99 or $19.99 Shop Now Watch now Buy or rent 'The Drama' on Apple TV $24.99 or $19.99 Get Deal Watch later HBO Max (With Ads) $109.99/year (save $21.89) Get Deal Watch later Max Standard $184.99/year (save $36.89) Get Deal Watch later HBO Max Student $5.49 per month for 12 months (save 50%) Get Deal Watch later HBO Max Basic With Ads Free for Cricket customers on the $60/month unlimited plan (save $10.99/month) Get Deal Watch later Disney+, Hulu, and HBO Max $19.99 per month (with ads), $32.99 per month (no ads) (save up to 42%) Get Deal Watch later Netflix and HBO Max bundle (with ads) $10/month with Verizon myPlan (save $9.98/month) Get Deal Watch later Netflix, Peacock, and HBO Max (with ads) $22/month with Xfinity StreamSaver (save $8.97/month) Get Deal

Directed by Kristoffer Borgli, The Drama makes you question whether you really know the person you're about to marry. It's done surprisingly well at the theaters, besting Zendaya's 2024 hit Challengers. If you missed it or can't wait to watch it again, here's everything you need to know to watch the actual drama unfold from your couch.

What is The Drama about?

The Drama follows Boston couple Emma (Zendaya) and Charlie (Pattinson) as they prepare for their wedding. At a food-and-wine tasting event, along with their best friends Rachel (Alana Haim) and Mike (Mamoudou Athie), they play a game where each person confesses the worst thing they've ever done. While it's all in good fun at first, the game takes a dark turn when Emma admits her truth. Her confession throws the whole wedding and her relationship as a whole into question.

Check out the official trailer for a taste of The Drama:

Is The Drama worth watching?

A24's The Drama has drawn in moviegoers around the globe, crossing the $100 million mark. It's only the studio's fifth film to ever hit the century mark in over a dozen years. So far, it's earned a 77 percent critic and 78 percent audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes, which means people aren't just showing up for the film — they're actually enjoying it.

That being said, The Drama dabbles in some heavy themes and uncomfortable emotions, so it's certainly not for everyone. Whether it's worth a watch is debatable, as always, but one should certainly check trigger warnings before going in.

"Those tired of Hollywood happy endings or whimsical romances might appreciate A24's latest vision of the rocky road to commitment," writes Mashable Entertainment Editor Kristy Puchko. Despite its flaws, she cheers on the film's ambiguity, hard-hitting ending, and acting performances.

Check out Mashable's full review of The Drama.

How to watch The Drama at home Credit: A24

As of May 5, there are a couple of ways you can watch The Drama at home: buy it or rent it via digital-on-demand retailers. It will also be streaming at a later date. We've broken down the details below.

Buy or rent on digital

The Drama makes its at-home debut via digital-on-demand retailers on May 5, 2026. You can buy the film for your digital library for $24.99 or rent it for $5 less. If you choose the rental option, you'll get access for 30 days, but only 48 hours once you start watching.

Quick links to buy/rent The Drama on digital:

• Apple TV — buy for $24.99, rent for $19.99

• Fandango at Home — buy for $24.99, rent for $19.99

• Prime Video — buy for $24.99, rent for $19.99

Stream it on HBO Max (at a later date)

There's no word yet on a specific streaming release date for The Drama, but we know that it will make its debut on HBO Max.

A24 recently renewed its output deal with Warner Bros. Discovery, which means new A24 theatrical releases will exclusively stream on HBO Max before anywhere else. If The Drama follows the same theater-to-streaming schedule as other recently released A24 movies, like Marty Supreme, Sorry, Baby, and Bring Her Back, we estimate that it will hit HBO Max in the back half of July 2026. We'll update this story once we know more.

If you want to prepare for its streaming release or check out other A24 films on HBO Max, subscriptions start at $10.99 per month. However, there are some ways you can save money on your plan. Check out the best HBO Max streaming deals below.

SEE ALSO: HBO Max and Paramount+ are combining into one streaming service The best HBO Max streaming dealsBest for most people: Save 16% on HBO Max annual subscriptions Opens in a new window Credit: HBO Max HBO Max Basic with ads annual subscription $109.99 per year (save $21.89) Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: HBO Max HBO Max Standard annual subscription $184.99 per year (save $36.89) Get Deal

If you're ready to commit to an HBO Max subscription, the best way to save some money is to opt for the annual plan over the monthly plan. While a monthly plan with ads typically costs $10.99 per month, you can get a full year for $109.99, which breaks down the monthly cost to $9.17 (about 16% in savings).

Want to go ad-free? The annual HBO Max Standard or Premium plans will also save you about 16% over their monthly equivalents. Standard subscriptions cost either $18.49 per month or $184.99 per year (which breaks down to $15.42 per month). Premium subscriptions cost $22.99 per month or $229.99 per year (about $19.17 per month). While both are ad-free plans, only the Premium option will unlock 4K Ultra HD video quality, Dolby Atmos, and the ability to download more offline content.

Get HBO Max for free: Switch to Cricket's Supreme Unlimited plan Opens in a new window Credit: HBO Max / Cricket HBO Max (with ads) Free for Cricket customers on the Supreme Unlimited plan Get Deal

It may not be the most convenient option, but switching your phone plan to Cricket's Supreme Unlimited plan for $60 per month will get you HBO Max for free. Once you're a Cricket customer, you can use your provider credentials to log in via the HBO Max app or website.

Best HBO Max deal for students: Save 50% on HBO Max Basic with ads Opens in a new window Credit: HBO Max HBO Max Student $5.49 per month for 12 months Get Deal

College students can get an entire year of HBO Max with ads for half the price of a normal subscription. Just use UNiDAYS to prove your student status, and you'll receive a unique discount code that'll drop the price from $10.99 to $5.49 per month. Once the initial 12 months are up, the price will jump back to the full cost unless you cancel.

Best bundle deal: Get HBO Max, Disney+, and Hulu for up to 42% off Opens in a new window Credit: Disney / Hulu / HBO Max Disney+, Hulu, and HBO Max $19.99 per month (with ads), $32.99 per month (no ads) Get Deal

The Disney+ bundle deal, which includes HBO Max and Hulu, remains one of the best deals in streaming. For just $19.99 per month, you'll get all three streaming libraries with ads, which is about $15 cheaper than paying for each one separately. Prefer an ad-free viewing experience? It'll run you $32.99 per month as opposed to $56.47 for all three. That's up to 42% in savings.

Best for Verizon customers: Get Netflix and HBO Max for $10/month Opens in a new window Credit: Netflix / HBO Max HBO Max and Netflix (with ads) $10 per month for Verizon customers with myPlan (save $9.98 per month) Get Deal

If you're a Verizon customer on the Unlimited Welcome, Unlimited Plus, or Unlimited Ultimate plan, you can add the Netflix and HBO Max bundle (with ads) to your plan for only $10 per month. A $19.98 per month value, that's essentially like getting one streaming service for free each month. Once you enroll in the promo, you'll have to complete the account setup separately for each service. Check out Verizon's support page for all the eligibility details, terms, and FAQs.

Best for Xfinity customers: Bundle HBO Max, Peacock, and Netflix and save $10/month Opens in a new window Credit: Netflix / Peacock / HBO Max Netflix Standard with ads, Peacock Premium, and HBO Max $22/month with Xfinity StreamSaver (save $8.97/month) Get Deal

Xfinity Internet and TV customers can also get in on the bundle action with Xfinity StreamSaver packages. The package with Netflix Standard with ads ($8.99 per month), Peacock Premium ($10.99 per month), and HBO Max Basic with Ads ($10.99 per month) can be added to your existing Xfinity service for only $22 per month. It typically costs $30.97 for all three, so you'll save about $8.97 monthly.

Earlier this year, I found the Google Pixel 10a somewhat disappointing compared to previous Pixel A-series devices. Google's mid-range phone is almost always one of (if not the) best in the category every year, but the Pixel 10a felt compromised due to a lack of AI feature parity with the flagship Pixel phones and other noteworthy improvements.

Now, Google can rest easy because the Pixel 10a looks a good deal better now that the Samsung Galaxy A57 5G is here. The higher-end of two mid-range devices announced in late March, the A57 purports to bring a premium feel at a relatively modest $549 starting price. In some respects, it accomplishes this; the display is nice, and performance in most circumstances isn't bad.

However, in other respects, the A57 falls short not just of feeling like a premium device, but of competing with other mid-range devices, too. If you're an Android fan, you'd be better off with a Pixel 10a, which is $50 cheaper. If you're platform-agnostic, the $599 iPhone 17e is certainly worth the extra cash. And if you want something with a bit more personality, grab the new Nothing Phone (4a) Pro, only $499.

The A57 5G isn't an outright failure, but it doesn't provide many reasons to consider it over the competition.

SEE ALSO: Samsung warns memory shortage will be worse next year Samsung Galaxy A57 5G: Price and specs Looks a bit basic. Credit: Joe Maldonado/Mashable

As mentioned above, the A57 starts at $549. That's $50 more than the Pixel 10a and $50 cheaper than the iPhone 17e. Here are the basic specs:

• 6.7-inch Super AMOLED display with up to 120Hz refresh rate

• Exynos 1680 chipset

• 6GB or 8GB RAM

• 128GB or 256GB storage

• 5,000mAh battery

• Three rear cameras: 50MP wide, 8MP ultrawide, 5MP macro

• 12MP selfie camera

The display is more or less unchanged from last year's Galaxy A56 device, which is fine. A big, 6.7-inch display with a 120Hz refresh rate is about as good as you can ask for from a phone in the $500 range, and it looks crisp, clear, and smooth in my experience. Those RAM and storage numbers are also pretty competitive in the category, though I should mention that the phone hits a price of $609 if you want 256GB of storage. At that point, you should probably just get an iPhone 17e.

One other point of interest is the processor. Rather than a top-end Snapdragon processor like you'd find in a Galaxy S26 Ultra, you get the less powerful Exynos 1680 instead. This comes with all sorts of compromises that we'll get into shortly. This is pretty disappointing compared to the Pixel 10a and iPhone 17e, which come with Google's Tensor G4 and Apple's A19 chips, respectively. While the Tensor G4 is not the same chip powering the regular Pixel 10, the A19 is what's inside a regular iPhone 17. Samsung's mid-range phone represents a larger step down, by comparison.

One last note: The A57 only comes in one color, called "Awesome Navy." I think it's pretty boring! There isn't really much else about its design that stands out to me. The vertical ringed housing for the three rear cameras looks a little generic, and like other phones of its size, I find it a little unwieldy to use with one hand. It's nice and light, though, and not too thick.

Samsung Galaxy A57 5G: Software At least it's pretty thin. Credit: Joe Maldonado/Mashable

It's to be expected that a mid-range device would not have access to all the same fancy software features as its more expensive brethren, but the A57 5G goes a little too far in this direction.

It runs Android 16 via One UI 8.5, like other current Samsung phones, but it's missing many of the more advanced AI features that you'd get on something like a Galaxy S26. Rather than harnessing the power of Galaxy AI, the A57 gets a more limited suite of features called "Awesome Intelligence." Like the phone's "awesome navy" color, the AI tools don't really earn that adjective.

You get a basic object eraser for photos, voice transcription for audio and phone call recordings, and other already existing basic AI features from other Samsung devices, like Best Face for group photos and Circle to Search. Of course, you can also talk to Gemini if you want.

That's not nothing, but it's a far cry from what's available on a Galaxy S26, software-wise. There's no AI image generation, and you can't use the object eraser to move objects around in a photo. On the non-AI front, it's also missing the privacy display feature from the Galaxy S26 Ultra, though that's not necessarily a surprise. Overall, this is a pretty middling set of AI features that's made worse by spotty performance.

Samsung Galaxy A57 5G: Performance The camera housing could be more handsome. Credit: Joe Maldonado/Mashable

Performance on the A57 is a bit strange. On one hand, basic, everyday activities like scrolling through social media, watching YouTube videos, or sending messages work fine. Apps load quickly, and the phone never felt overloaded from too much multitasking in my time with it.

On the other hand, some basic performance features leave a lot to be desired. For instance, facial recognition for unlocking the phone is painfully inconsistent. Sometimes it works perfectly, opening the phone as soon as it sees your face. Most of the time, though, it either takes around four seconds to recognize you or simply fails to recognize you at all. This is a pretty maddening thing for a phone to get wrong in 2026.

I also had some issues getting the limited set of AI features to work properly. In particular, the object eraser simply would not work for me. I'd show it a simple photo of a beverage can on a table, tap the can, and then the phone would do nothing for minutes at a time. In my testing, I never actually got it to remove anything from a photo. I'm open to the possibility that I'm just missing something here and that other people won't encounter this, but I can only speak to what I experienced.

The object eraser just sat here doing this for several minutes and never ended up working. Credit: Screenshot: Alex Perry/Samsung

Another big problem I encountered was a spotty WiFi chip in the phone. This won't affect all or even most users, since my home's WiFi network is a bit awkward. To be specific, my bedroom is about three walls away from the router, meaning signal strength in here can be iffy.

In my testing, the A57 would very frequently lose WiFi signal in this room, to the point that it wouldn't or couldn't fall back to cellular data, leaving me effectively disconnected from the internet. The only way to fix this was to manually turn off WiFi and turn it on again, which would inevitably lead to the same thing happening a few minutes later. Cellular 5G signal was literally more reliable in my bedroom than WiFi.

Again, my network environment isn't ideal, but I live in this room. I use several WiFi-connected devices in it every day, and I have never once encountered this behavior on another device.

Samsung Galaxy A57 5G: Cameras

As stated above, you get a 50MP main lens, an 8MP ultrawide lens, and a 5MP macro lens on the back, with a 12MP selfie camera. It's best not to expect too much from cameras on a mid-range device, but I will say that this is another area where the Pixel 10a is a better value.

Under normal circumstances, though, it does take pretty decent daytime photos. Objects are crisp, colors are vivid, and everything looks about how it should, at least to my eyes.

During the day, the camera is fine. Credit: Alex Perry/Mashable

Since there's no telephoto lens, you're left with just up to 10x digital zoom, which doesn't look especially great.

No zoom. Credit: Alex Perry/Mashable 10x zoom. Credit: Alex Perry/Mashable

Macro photography looks OK, if not a tad bit blurry, though I think I'd rather have a dedicated zoom lens instead of a macro lens.

Every macro photo I took was just a little bit blurry. Credit: Alex Perry/Mashable

I had a bit of a hard time getting nighttime photos to not look a bit blurry with the A57.

Left: Night mode off. Credit: Alex Perry/Mashable Right: Night mode. Credit: Alex Perry/Mashable

Like I said, you shouldn't expect too much from a mid-range set of cameras, but even so, there are better options in this price range.

Samsung Galaxy A57 5G: Battery life

One area where I can't find much at fault with the A57 is battery life. I was able to wring about 24 hours of solid use out of it on a single charge, which isn't remarkable, but is right in line with what I'd want or expect out of a phone at this price point in 2026. You can probably extend that by a few hours if you're really careful, too.

Samsung Galaxy A57 5G: Final thoughts

In case I haven't already made this abundantly clear, I don't think the Samsung Galaxy A57 5G is worth much consideration if you're in the market for a mid-range device. If you like Android, get a Pixel 10a. If you like iOS or don't care, consider an iPhone 17e.

Between janky software performance, missing AI features, and a middling camera array, this device is pretty hard to recommend. It's possible this phone is another victim of the ongoing memory crisis, with Samsung sacrificing features to offset higher RAM costs. Regardless, you could probably do worse, but you can definitely do better.

Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung Galaxy A57 5G $549.99 at Samsung
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In April, Instagram removed sex toy shop Bellesa's account — and it appears to be part of a pattern of Meta removing posts and accounts that have to do with sex and LGBTQ issues, advocates warn.

Nonprofit Repro Uncensored told Mashable that last month it received over 130 reports on its website about social media platforms censoring accounts. In this context, "censored" includes account removal, post removal, or shadowbanning, in which a platform deprioritizes an account (such as not showing it in Search or Explore). 

SEE ALSO: Why Instagram was turning some users' photos black and white

The vast majority of these reports were about Instagram.

Repro Uncensored's executive director, Martha Dimitratou, confirmed to Mashable that the organization has received more reports in April 2026 than in any other month since it began collecting reports in early 2024. 

What's happening on Instagram?

The influx of reports is partly because people are now more aware of Repro Uncensored's project to monitor and track digital censorship and how to report it, Dimitratou said. But generally, there have been a lot of cases recently; at least five or six reports a day, she added.

Instagram banning or shadowbanning sex workers, sex educators, LGBTQ accounts, and others isn't exactly new. After the twin laws FOSTA/SESTA were passed in 2018, major social platforms began cracking down on sexual content — or content perceived as sexual — even more than previously. 

FOSTA/SESTA states that online platforms are liable for user content that enables sex trafficking or solicits prostitution. While supporters of FOSTA/SESTA claimed it would fight online sex trafficking, the reality is that there's one reported federal prosecution because of it (as of 2021, there doesn't appear to be another report since). 

Instead, platforms overcorrected and began wiping sexual content in general, including non-soliciting discussions of sex, sex education, and sexual expression. Due to sex workers and sex-adjacent accounts getting wiped from online spaces, the humans behind them are less safe, according to two studies, one from the Fordham Law Review and the other from the Anti Sex Trafficking Review.

While FOSTA/SESTA has been the law for about eight years now, Instagram's crackdown is intensifying, according to Repro Uncensored and others. Last year, porn performer Siri Dahl told Mashable she was on her eighth Instagram account, and the platform was getting more strict. OnlyFans model Lily Phillips's Instagram account was taken down in early May, and she told Mashable that she noticed fellow performers had their accounts taken down as well. 

A 2025 study by the Center for Intimacy Justice titled The Digital Gag found that of the sexual and reproductive health groups studied, 63 percent had organic content (not ads) removed from Meta platforms, and 84 percent of businesses and 76 percent of nonprofits had ads rejected by Meta.

Meta didn't respond to a question about whether it is removing more accounts now than in the past.

"It's very unfortunate," said Dimitratou of the account removals, "it's something we need to think of critically as a society." This is happening globally, she said, including the U.S. and Europe. These are "supposed to be places that are respectful of human rights and freedom of speech and freedom of expression," she said, "and presumably care about reproductive health and other issues."

Meta's policy response

Just weeks ago, head of Instagram Adam Mosseri told The Mirror why OnlyFans creators are getting booted off the platform: "They're promoting explicit content…You can't promote, you can't solicit, so you can certainly be on Instagram, but obviously, we have very clear rules about what is and what is not allowed on the platform."

In terms of Meta's rules, its rationale for adult sexual solicitation and sexually explicit language policy states:

"People use our services to discuss and draw attention to sexual violence and exploitation. We recognize the importance of and allow for this discussion. We also allow for the discussion of sex worker rights advocacy and sex work regulation. However, we draw the line…when content facilitates sexual encounters or commercial sexual services between adults or when content asks for or offers pornographic or sexual content. We do this to avoid facilitating transactions that may involve trafficking, coercion and non-consensual sexual acts."

A Meta spokesperson told Mashable, "Every organization and individual on our platforms is subject to the same set of rules, and any claims of enforcement based on group affiliation or advocacy are baseless. We also give people the opportunity to appeal decisions if they think we've got it wrong."

Meta also told Mashable that it's been clear it wants to allow more speech and reduce enforcement mistakes, and that it's committed to doing so.

A viral post shared by Repro Uncensored and the @feminist Instagram account included the handles of 51 accounts that reported censorship from Instagram. Meta told Mashable that of the 51, one was Bellesa (which Meta claims was correctly removed for multiple violations), three handles didn't exist, and the majority of the remaining accounts are fully active.

Some of the accounts and content were disabled in error and have been reinstated; others were correctly enforced, Meta said. 

Meta stated that it, of course, sometimes makes mistakes, but since some instances included content on the borderline of its policies, it's understandable that its systems flagged them.

Given the reinstatements, Dimitratou said it's concerning that Repro Uncensored has to run campaigns both digitally and in the press to gain attention and get accounts reinstated.

"We want citizens from any country to be able, on their own, to use the tools and mechanisms that are supposed to have been set in place to reinstate their accounts," she said. Often, account holders go through the standard appeals processes but don't get answers. 

Repro Uncensored is calling for improved appeals processes, as well as more transparent, accountable content moderation systems. Dimitratou says the group believes AI moderation often fails to account for context, particularly in discussions of women’s health and queer issues, and instead flags content based on keywords alone.

She also noted that coordinated reporting by bad actors, such as anti-rights groups, may play a role in account removals.

And the stakes of this kind of moderation extend beyond social media visibility. For activists and educators, losing access to platforms can directly affect how people find critical health information. Since the overturning of Roe v. Wade in 2022, conservatives have been pushing to limit abortion access in the states. (As of May 4, the Supreme Court has restored access to the mail-order abortion pill.) 

"Access to reproductive health and abortion has been dramatically, even more so, under threat," she said. "There is a larger picture of how [our] rights are very much being threatened, and so censorship is the battleground of how a lot of this information is being accessed."

So these aren't isolated incidents, nor is it merely about posting online. According to Dimitratou, it's about the foundation of how we communicate, share information, and access healthcare.

TL;DR: OneAir Elite tracks hotel and flight prices — even after you book — to help you save automatically, all for a one-time $99.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: OneAir OneAir Elite: Lifetime Subscription $99.99
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Travel is one of those things people really don’t want to cut — but it’s usually the first thing to get expensive. Flights fluctuate, hotel prices drop or rise randomly, and there’s always that lingering feeling you could’ve gotten a better deal if you waited or checked one more site.

OneAir Elite is a travel platform that doesn’t just help you find deals — it keeps working after you book. Its hotel price monitoring tracks your reservation and automatically rebooks the same room if the price drops, refunding you the difference. No extra tabs, no manual checking.

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Flights get similar treatment. If your ticket price drops, OneAir flags it and helps you rebook at the lower fare (factoring in any fees). It’s not magic, but it does remove a lot of the guesswork and time

You also get access to private hotel rates and unpublished flight deals that aren’t typically listed on public booking platforms. For frequent travelers — or even occasional ones—that’s where the savings can start to stack up.

Is it for everyone? If you rarely travel, probably not. But if you take a few trips a year, or just hate overpaying for the trips you take, it’s a pretty low-effort way to keep costs in check for years to come.

Get a lifetime of OneAir Elite for a one-time $99.99 (reg. $790).

StackSocial prices subject to change.

If you're searching for a fun hookup or summer fling, and especially if you're prepared to pay for a premium dating account to boost your chances, you're going to be faced with a lot of choices. Not only do you have to pick a dating app or site, from the literal dozens of options, but you also have to consider what subscription tier will best fit your needs or maximize your chances.

By reputation, longevity, and success rate, there are two standout options in the game right now: Tinder and AdultFriendFinder. But while they're both geared towards short-term fun, they operate in very different ways, beginning with the fact that Tinder is a smartphone app and AFF operates on computers exclusively (or almost exclusively). 

The next big difference between the two services is the age brackets that use them. More than half of Tinder users are under the age of 30, while the median AdultFriendFinder member is between 30 and 38 years old, so there's a pretty significant demographic difference between them, though you shouldn't let that discourage you from trying them out even if you happen to fall outside their mainstream age group. After all, their combined member pool is well into the millions, so it's not like you'll be fishing in a small pond. 

But that brings us to the big question: which subscription tier is right for you? We did the research and compared offerings to help you find the right fit for your dating circumstances, without wasting your money on unnecessary extras.

Opens in a new window Credit: Tinder Tinder   Learn More Opens in a new window Credit: AdultFriendFinder AdultFriendFinder   Learn More Tinder subscription tiersTinder+

The most basic premium account Tinder offers is also probably the right fit for most people. It unlocks a major quality-of-life upgrade for swipe addicts, unlimited likes, so you'll never have to wait out the clock in frustration ever again, but it also offers another majorly useful feature, especially for young people travelling between university and their hometown: Passport. The Passport feature allows you to change your swiping location, instantly switching up your pool of available singles, which is majorly useful if you're expecting to be in a new place in a month or so, as you can start pre-planning your dates. 

Tinder uses a dynamic pricing model, varying by your age, location and subscription length, but in the United States you should expect to pay from $8 per month for a Tinder+ membership. 

Tinder Gold

Tinder Gold includes all of the aforementioned Tinder+ features, with three additional features to give you a sneaky edge over the competition: a weekly "Super Like," one monthly profile boost to increase your visibility to nearby singles, and, best of all, the ability to see who has liked your profile before you swipe right or left on that person.

If you've used Tinder in the past without much success, or with less success than you would like, a Gold subscription goes a long way towards helping you boost your visibility and find new matches, especially if you happen to come across a profile that has liked you that you somehow overlooked. 

SEE ALSO: 4 tips for using hookup apps discretely — advice for Feeld, Tinder, AdultFriendFinder, and Grindr

These extra perks aren't cheap, though. Taking into account the aforementioned dynamic pricing model, you should expect to pay between $23 and $45 dollars a month for Tinder Gold, depending on the length of your subscription.

Tinder Platinum

Ready to bring out the big guns? Tinder Platinum is the service's most exclusive and most expensive membership tier, but it's also the most feature-rich. Naturally, it includes all of the perks available to + and Gold members, with two key additions: as a Platinum member, your likes get priority visibility above non-Platinum users, which means you'll automatically be shuffled to the top of the pile for singles you swipe on, and you'll unlock the "Message before Matching" feature, which works exactly as it sounds: you'll be able to DM the sexy single who catches your eye before you both swipe on each other. 

If you have a lot of confidence in your text game but want to buy yourself the chance to flex it, Platinum is a fantastic option. On the other hand, if you're someone who likes to let their profile and photos do the work for them, it doesn't offer enough of a compelling reason to upgrade from a Gold membership. 

Again, taking into account dynamic pricing, you can expect a Platinum membership to cost you between $29.99 per month with a multi-month commitment or up to $50 per month with a short-term commitment.

AdultFriendFinder subscription tiersAFF Gold

If you opt for the AdultFriendFinder route, you're absolutely going to want to spring for at least the Gold membership. Unlike Tinder, which offers free members an enticing variety of ways to match and meet, AdultFriendFinder severely restricts the freedom of non-paying accounts. You can't message people one-on-one, for example, or even view other people's profiles, without ponying up some cash. 

With a Gold membership, however, your on-site experience starts to improve dramatically. You can view full profiles, including nude photos and full-length videos, and even comment on those public-facing photos and videos. It's also not possible to send friend requests without a Gold membership, and on the AFF platform, this is a major inhibitor to interacting.

SEE ALSO: Adult Friend Finder app: Where to download the AFF app and how secure is it?

But by far the biggest benefit of the Gold membership is how dramatically it improves the site's search functionality. You'll unlock a ton of new filters, including the ability to search by specific kinks or interests, and as a premium member, your profile will be given priority when other people search for criteria you meet. 

All of that added functionality comes at a cost, though. A Gold membership costs between $39.95 per month on a month-by-month subscription or as little as $14.95 per month if you opt in for an entire year. 

AFF VIP

If you become an AdultFriendFinder power user and want to increase your on-site perks even further, you might consider upgrading to a VIP membership. It's only available at a flat cost of $29.95 per month, in the United States, but it delivers some incredible benefits, from read receipts (so you know when someone has seen your message) to enhanced visibility across the site, which includes having a VIP badge affixed to your profile photo. There's even an exclusive, VIP-only site area, where you can mingle with the other elite members. 

If you're looking for local hookups, truth be told, the VIP membership won't really improve your chances above and beyond the regular Gold membership, but if you also like to have virtual fun, the premium subscription tier does unlock a lot of doors, showing you just how wild AdultFriendFinder can be.

The 2026 Met Gala was held at New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art on Monday, gathering celebrities and fashion insiders from across the world. Technically it's a charity event, intended to raise money for the museum's Costume Institute. For online onlookers, it's a time to transform into passionate amateur fashion critics. 

This year however, much of the commentary was redirected toward the 2026 Met Gala's sponsor and honorary chair: Amazon founder Jeff Bezos.

Following tradition, the 2026 Met Gala theme focused on the museum's new spring exhibition. "Costume Art" opens on May 10, pairing clothing with artworks from across (primarily Western) history. As such, the dress code for the 2026 Met Gala was "Fashion is Art," encouraging attendees to similarly find connections between their garments and artworks in other mediums. 

Credit: Mashable composite: Jamie McCarthy / Getty Images; Kevin Mazur / MG26 / Getty Images for The Met Museum / Vogue; Dimitrios Kambouris / Getty Images for The Met Museum / Vogue Audrey Nuna, Sabrina Carpenter, Beyonce, and Hudson Williams. Credit: Mashable composite: Taylor Hill / Getty Images; Theo Wargo / FilmMagic; TheStewartofNY / Getty Images; Julian Hamilton / Getty Images

Many attendees embraced the theme. Sabrina Carpenter wore a Dior gown made from film, specifically from the 1954 film Sabrina. Hudson Williams made his Met Gala debut in baby blue Balenciaga reminiscent of a Spanish matador's outfit, accompanied by makeup inspired by the 2010 film Black Swan. Emma Chamberlain's hand-painted Mugler gown took reference from the medium of paint itself, evoking its textures and colours. 

Credit: Mashable composite: Lexie Moreland / WWD via Getty Images; Angela Weiss / AFP via Getty Images; Mike Coppola / Getty Images

However, the Met Gala fashion wasn't the only thing turning heads on Monday. Bezos' involvement drew significant attention to this year's gala, provoking considerable criticism beyond the traditional fashion commentary. The Met Gala has previously come under fire for revelling in ostentatious opulence while the rest of the world burns, drawing comparisons to the severe class divide in dystopic YA novel The Hunger Games. 

Now that the fourth richest man in the world has reportedly dropped $10 million to sponsor the event, the vibes for the 2026 Met Gala were even more off than usual. 

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Bezos himself didn't walk the red carpet, leaving his wife, Met Gala co-chair and co-sponsor Lauren Sánchez Bezos, to show off her Schiaparelli dress alone. Meta's Mark Zuckerberg and his wife Priscilla Chan also skipped the spectacle of the red carpet, despite this being their first time at the gala.

Other tech executives did take to the carpet though, including Snap co-founder and CEO Evan Spiegel (with his wife Miranda Kerr), Instagram head Adam Mosseri (with his wife Monica), Google co-founder Sergey Brin (with his girlfriend Gerelyn Gilbert-Soto), OpenAI executive Charles Porch (with his husband Robert Denning), and Amazon executives Christine Beauchamp and Jenny Freshwater.

Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez Bezos, Priscilla Chan and Mark Zuckerberg, and Evan Spiegel and Miranda Kerr. Credit: Mashable composite: Kevin Mazur / MG26 / Getty Images for The Met Museum / Vogue; Cindy Ord / MG26 / Getty Images for The Met Museum / Vogue; Julian Hamilton / Getty Images Charles Porch and Robert Denning, Adam Mosseri and Monica Mosseri, and Sergey Brin and Gerelyn Gilbert-Soto. Credit: Mashable composite: John Shearer / WireImage; Kevin Mazur / MG26 / Getty Images for The Met Museum / Vogue; Dimitrios Kambouris / Getty Images for The Met Museum / Vogue. Jenny Freshwater and Christine Beauchamp. Credit: Cindy Ord / MG26 / Getty Images for The Met Museum / Vogue Bezos' Met Gala met with pee bottle protest

Bezos' decision to bypass the Met Gala's famous red carpet may have been informed by the loud backlash to his involvement in the event. On Friday, activist group Everyone Hates Elon left approximately 300 bottles of fake urine inside the Metropolitan Museum of Art, a reference to allegations that Amazon workers have been forced to pee in bottles to keep on schedule amidst gruelling working conditions.

"Jeff Bezos's company Amazon is literally being sued for forcing workers to urinate in bottles," the group said in a statement posted to Instagram. "Amazon avoids MILLIONS in tax and Bezos is one of the world's richest men. The Met Museum is taking the PISS by having Jeff honoured as their Gala host."

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The protestors partook in their own guerilla installation art outside the museum as well, attaching a basket of empty plastic bottles to a lamppost alongside a sign encouraging people to use them as toilets.

"Met Gala VIP toilet," read the sign. "Installed in honor of Met Gala chair Jeff Bezos. Go ahead, it's good enough for his staff."

Everyone Hates Elon also projected calls to boycott the Met Gala upon New York buildings on Sunday. 

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Even so, few invitees publicly bowed out of the event, much less cited Bezos as the reason. While some former Met Gala attendees were absent this year, this could be due to any number of reasons other than protest, such as not being invited, having a clash in their schedule, or simply because they didn't feel up to it.

However, previous attendee Taraji P. Henson did explicitly express her distaste for Bezos' involvement in the Met Gala, sharing a post on her Instagram Story juxtaposing the billionaire's wealth with poor working conditions in Amazon warehouses. 

Forbes reports that former gala guests Bella Hadid and Cara Delevingne also liked an Instagram Reel from creator Meredith Lynch, in which she called out celebrities planning to attend this year's gala after also protesting Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Despite this, Delevingne attended anyway, co-hosting the official livestream.

"If you are a celebrity and you attend the Met Gala and you wear the ICE Out pin, please note that I will be dragging you in perpetuity," said Lynch. 

"You cannot wear the ICE Out pin to the Jeff Bezos-backed Met Gala. Jeff Bezos is part of the reason we're in this fucking mess… I know that the funds from the Met Gala go to a good cause in that the Met is a wonderful institution in New York city. But it is wild to me that this event is sponsored by Jeff Bezos, who has backed Trump, who has slashed arts funding."

Sarah Paulson attended the Met Gala as well, wearing a Matières Fécales ballgown with a leather mask designed to look like a one-dollar bill. According to the designer, the collection was "a reflection of the greed and corruption that comes with extreme power." However, Paulson's apparent dig at the ultra wealthy received mixed reactions on social media, with some finding it tone-deaf in light of the context.

Cara Delevingne, Sarah Paulson, and Doechii. Credit: Mashable composite: Leonardo Munoz / AFP via Getty Images; Mike Coppola / Getty Images

One notable person who skipped the Met Gala was New York's favourite mayor Zohran Mamdani. While his predecessors traditionally attended the event, Mamdani told Hell Gate in April that he wanted to keep focusing on his work to make the city affordable. His office also released a spotlight of New York fashion industry workers timed to coincide with the Met Gala, focusing on celebrating the people behind the scenes.

The mayor didn't explicitly state that the Met Gala's association with a tech billionaire accused of exploiting his workers weighed into his decision. However, a source told Page Six that though Mamdani had been invited, the event "goes against everything he believes in."

TL;DR: Live stream Arsenal vs. Atlético Madrid in the Champions League for free on TRT1. Access this free live stream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The Champions League semi-final first legs were fascinating. We got nine goals from the incredibly open PSG vs. Bayern Munich matchup, and then we had a predictably tight contest between Atlético Madrid and Arsenal at the Metropolitano Stadium. Now the action heads to the Emirates Stadium with everything on the line.

We're expecting another tense battle between two organized sides. This one could be decided by the slimmest of margins.

If you want to watch Arsenal vs. Atlético Madrid in the Champions League for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Arsenal vs. Atlético Madrid?

Arsenal vs. Atlético Madrid in the Champions League kicks off at 3 p.m. ET on May 5. This fixture takes place at the Emirates Stadium.

How to watch Arsenal vs. Atlético Madrid for free

Arsenal vs. Atlético Madrid is available to live stream for free on TRT1.

TRT1 is geo-restricted to Turkey, 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 Turkey, meaning you can unblock TRT1 to stream the Champions League for free from anywhere in the world.

Live stream Arsenal vs. Atlético Madrid 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 Turkey

4. Visit TRT1

5. Watch Arsenal vs. Atlético Madrid 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 watch Arsenal vs. Atlético Madrid without committing with your cash. This isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream select Champions League fixtures before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for the Champions League?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on TRT1, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including Turkey

• 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).

Watch Arsenal vs. Atlético Madrid in the Champions League for free with ExpressVPN.

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 May 5, 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 May 5, 2026 Easy difficulty hints, answers for May 5 Pips

Equal (0): Everything in this space must be equal to 0. The answer is 0-4, placed vertically; 0-6, placed vertically; 0-2, placed vertically; 0-5, placed vertically.

Greater Than (4): Everything in this space must be greater than 4. The answer is 0-6, placed vertically.

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

Number (10): Everything in this space must add up to 10. The answer is 1-5, placed horizontally; 0-5, placed vertically.

Medium difficulty hints, answers for May 5 Pips

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

Number (2): Everything in this space must add up to 2. The answer is 1-1, placed horizontally; 0-6, placed vertically.

Number (9): Everything in this space must add up to 9. The answer is 4-3, placed horizontally; 5-5, placed vertically; 2-5, placed horizontally.

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

Number (3): Everything in this space must add up to 3. The answer is 2-5, placed horizontally; 1-6, placed vertically.

Hard difficulty hints, answers for May 5 Pips

Greater Than (4): Everything in this space must be greater than 4. The answer is 5-4, placed horizontally.

Number (7): Everything in this space must add up to 7. The answer is 5-4, placed horizontally; 3-6, placed vertically.

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

Number (7): Everything in this space must add up to 7. The answer is 1-6, placed vertically.

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

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

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

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

Less Than (3): Everything in this space must be less than 3. The answer is 4-1, placed vertically.

Number (7): Everything in this space must add up to 7. The answer is 2-5, placed horizontally; 2-4, placed vertically.

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

Not Equal: Everything in this space must be different. The answer is 5-0, placed horizontally.

Number (12): Everything in this space must add up to 12. The answer is 5-5, placed horizontally; 2-3, placed vertically.

Greater Than (2): Everything in this space must be greater than 2. The answer is 3-5, placed horizontally.

Number (8): Everything in this space must add up to 8. The answer is 2-3, placed vertically; 3-5, placed horizontally; 0-2, placed vertically.

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

Number (7): Everything in this space must add up to 7. The answer is 1-5, placed horizontally; 0-2, 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 require some knowledge of popular U.S. sports and pop culture.

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: Olympic cities

• Green: Horseshoe

• Blue: La Liga table

• Purple: Grainy last name

Here are today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

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

• Yellow: Summer Olympics Hosts

• Green: Horseshoe Terms

• Blue: Words in La Liga Team Names

• Purple: ____Rice

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 #589 is...

What is the answer to Connections: Sports Edition today?

• Summer Olympics Hosts: ATHENS, ATLANTA, SEOUL, SYDNEY

• Horseshoe Terms: LEANER, PIT, RINGER, STAKE

• Words in La Liga Team Names: ATLETICO, BARCELONA, RAYO, REAL

• ____Rice: BEN, GLEN, GRANTLAND, KIKI

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.

The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult if you're competitive.

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.

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

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

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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.

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SEE ALSO: NYT Pips hints, answers for May 5, 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: A shimmer

• Green: Human nature

• Blue: A tie

• Purple: Rivalry

Here are today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Glimmer

• Green: Involuntary actions

• Blue: Kinds of knots

• Purple: Starting with units in competitions

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 #1059 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Glimmer: FLICKER, HINT, SUGGESTION, WHIFF

• Involuntary actions: BLINK, HICCUP, SHIVER, SNEEZE

• Kinds of knots: BEND, BOWLINE, HITCH, SHEEPSHANK

• Starting with units in competitions: GAMELAN, MATCHSTICK, POINTER, SETBACK

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 May 5, 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're always on 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.

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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 May 5, 2026 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Get up!

The words are related to time.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe a timeteller.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is vertical.

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is Digital Clock.

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NYT Strands word list for May 5

• Snooze

• Display

• Tuner

• Digital Clock

• Alarm

• Radio

• Time

• Date

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.

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

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 May 5, 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 May 5, 2026 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

To hook onto.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

There are no recurring letters.

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

Today's Wordle starts with the letter L.

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...

LATCH

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.

If you like playing daily word games like Wordle, then Hurdle is a great game to add to your routine.

There are five rounds to the game. The first round sees you trying to guess the word, with correct, misplaced, and incorrect letters shown in each guess. If you guess the correct answer, it'll take you to the next hurdle, providing the answer to the last hurdle as your first guess. This can give you several clues or none, depending on the words. For the final hurdle, every correct answer from previous hurdles is shown, with correct and misplaced letters clearly shown.

An important note is that the number of times a letter is highlighted from previous guesses does necessarily indicate the number of times that letter appears in the final hurdle.

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If you find yourself stuck at any step of today's Hurdle, don't worry! We have you covered.

SEE ALSO: Hurdle: Everything you need to know to find the answers Hurdle Word 1 hint

A small measure of weight.

SEE ALSO: Apple’s new M3 MacBook Air is $300 off at Amazon. And yes, I’m tempted. Hurdle Word 1 answer

POUND

Hurdle Word 2 hint

Young girl.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for May 5, 2026 Hurdle Word 2 Answer

MISSY

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Hurdle Word 3 hint

An oddity.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for May 5 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for May 5, 2026 Hurdle Word 3 answer

QUIRK

Hurdle Word 4 hint

A principle.

Hurdle Word 4 answer

TENET

Final Hurdle hint

Emotional.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Games available on Mashable Hurdle Word 5 answer

TEARY

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