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NASA is getting ready to finally send off the crew of the Artemis II, the first crewed expedition to the Moon since the Apollo missions ended in 1972.

Following several test rounds and small delays, the team is now readying to transport its Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft to the Kennedy Space Center. NASA says it's preparing for a potential wet dress rehearsal at the end of January and a launch as early as Feb. 6, the agency wrote in a Jan. 9 blog post. "It is another step toward new U.S.-crewed missions to the Moon’s surface, leading to a sustained presence on the Moon that will help the agency prepare to send the first astronauts — Americans — to Mars," said NASA.

SEE ALSO: Who is the sick astronaut on the ISS? What we know.

The Artemis II mission was originally slated for Nov. 2024, with astronaut Reid Wiseman appointed as commander of a 4-person crew aboard the agency's brand new space vehicle. The scheduled date was pushed back to April 2026, however, and now appears to be ramping up for an even earlier 2026 blast off.

Members of the team include NASA’s Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch, and Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen. The crew will be testing the ship's life support systems over a 10-day period and travel more than 4,000 miles to the far side of the moon.

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The mission, if successful, may push the U.S. space agency closer toward winning the modern space race, a decades-long effort to get astronauts back on the lunar surface and prime the space body for further scientific discovery, surface mining, and a potential interplanetary existence. The U.S. is up against China's National Space Administration, which has landed multiple crew-less missions on the moon and is shooting for a human touchdown in 2030, and India's Space Research Organization, which became the first agency to get a moon lander to the space rock's south pole. Private sector efforts, including Elon Musk's SpaceX, have also advanced missions toward the Moon, Mars, and beyond.

We tend to bang the Home Assistant drum a fair bit here at How-To Geek, and for good reason. Not only do we love it, but most of you love it too. The more people who discover its raw potential, the better.

Grok access has been cut off for users in Indonesia and Malaysia following concerns that the xAI chatbot's safeguards were ineffective.

Both countries issued temporary suspensions intended to remain in effect until xAI implements safeguards that comply with regulators' demands.

"The government views the practice of non-consensual sexual deepfakes as a serious violation of human rights, dignity, and the security of citizens in the digital space," wrote Indonesia’s minister of communications and digital affairs Meutya Hafid in a statement released Saturday. Indonesia has sweeping internet censorship laws governing content deemed "obscene."

SEE ALSO: Character.AI settles lawsuits related to teen deaths

Malaysia had recently launched an investigation into "misuse of artificial intelligence (AI) tools on the X platform," part of a wave of intervening actions taken by regulators. That investigation followed on the heels of an Indian IT ministry notice directing X to take immediate action on Grok's alleged misuse. The notice alluded to potential violations of the country's Information Technology Act.

French authorities in the Paris prosecutor's office and other foreign governments, including the UK and an EU probe, have announced similar investigations into xAI's technology and its regulation under relevant online safety laws. Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese also issued a statement concerning Grok's deepfake problems, reiterating the country's decision to ban social media for users under the age of 16. In addition, the U.S. based National Center on Sexual Exploitation (NCOSE) has called on the Department of Justice and Federal Trade Commission to investigate X under existing child sexual abuse material (CSAM) laws and the recent Take It Down Act.

UK technology secretary Liz Kendall recently said she would support blocking X outright, should the UK's Office of Communications (Ofcom) conclude the platform violates the Online Safety Act. Kendall said she expects a decision to made in the next few days.

Elon Musk, who has previously said users should face consequences for "uploading illegal content" on X, responded to the threats of a ban by accusing the UK government of being overly eager to censor the company. In a post on X, Musk wrote: "They just want to suppress free speech." Musk also shared several X posts claiming that Grok is being targeted by government officials.

A recent Wired investigation found that the desktop and app versions of Grok Imagine were able to produce sexually violent and graphic material, depictions of celebrities in sexual scenarios, and potential AI-generated CSAM, despite built-in safeguards. The chatbot has a now well-documented track record of producing sexualized deepfakes, including at the request of users who ask Grok to non-consensually "undress" individuals in publicly-uploaded photos.

Who’s ready for more shady deals, backstabbing maneuvers, and excessive partying? Industry will make its triumphant return to HBO Max in January. Season 4 of the financial drama promises to be another nerve-wracking joyride from the minds of creators Mickey Down and Konrad Kay.

The first time I got my hands on a Raspberry Pi was, well, when we got the first Raspberry Pi. I was working in higher education at the time, and that's how these remarkable little computers were sold to us—educational tools. People could learn how to code or tinker without financial risk.

An HDMI cable is an HDMI cable, right? Wrong! HDMI has been around forever at this point and there have been so many revisions and updates. Which is great for the advancement of video and audio technology, but not so great for ensuring you have the right cables to get the picture quality you need.

TL;DR: Live stream Chargers vs. Patriots for free on TVNZ+. Access this free live stream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

Wild Card Weekend continues what has already been something of a wild season. The New England Patriots certainly want to make this a playoffs to remember. At one time in time the Patriots were almost guaranteed to appear in the playoffs, but they now qualify for the first time since 2021, posting an impressive record of 14-3.

As AFC East champions and No. 2 seed, they'll host the Los Angeles Chargers in this Sunday Night Football playoffs showdown. The Chargers finished runner-up in AFC West, nabbing a Wild Card berth with their 11-6 record.

The Chargers will have their work cut out and will need to rely on their robust defense. The Patriots' QB Drake Maye has had a superb season and New England are coming off a three-game winning streak. Both teams are sure to give it their all and as they battle for a place in the Divisional Round. All which means this game is one to watch closely.

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If you want to watch Chargers vs. Patriots in the NFL playoffs for free from anywhere in the world, here's all the information you need.

When is Chargers vs. Patriots?

Los Angeles Chargers vs. New England Patriots takes place at 8 p.m. ET on Jan. 11. This fixture will be played at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts.

How to watch Chargers vs. Patriots for free

Los Angeles Chargers vs. New England Patriots in the NFL is available to live stream for free on TVNZ+.

TVNZ+ is geo-restricted to New Zealand, but you can access this free streaming platform from anywhere by using a VPN. These handy tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in New Zealand, allowing you to unblock TVNZ+ from anywhere in the world. Access free live streams of the NFL 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 a location with free coverage of the NFL

4. Register with TVNZ+

5. Watch the NFL for free from anywhere in the world

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

The best VPNs for streaming do require a subscription, but the leading VPN services also offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. You can leverage these deals to get access to live streams of the NFL without committing any cash in the long run. This is obviously a short-term fix, but it will give you time to watch Chargers vs. Patriots and other NFL fixtures before you reclaim any upfront investment.

What is the best VPN for the NFL?

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

• Servers in 105 countries

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

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is always secure

• Fast connection speeds

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 — a saving of 49% — which includes a bonus three months usage at no extra cost. This plan also includes a year of unlimited cloud backup and a 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.95 (also with a money-back guarantee).

Live stream the NFL for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: Live stream 49ers vs. Eagles for free on TVNZ+. Access this free live stream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

It's one of the big questions of the NFL playoffs as Wild Card Weekend continues: Can the Philadelphia Eagles follow the Kansas City Chiefs and make it two-for-two? In other words, can they win back-to-back Super Bowls? With the Chiefs out of the playoffs picture, the Eagles don't have their regular Super Bowls rivals to worry about but it's not a sure thing. It's been a patchy season for the reigning Super Bowl Champions, particularly on offense.

The Eagles clinched the NFC East title with 11-6 but ended the season with a loss to the Commanders. The No. 3 seed now face the San Francisco 49ers, the No. 6 seed, in the Wild Card Round. The 49ers are always chasing that Quest for Six — that elusive sixth Super Bowl win — but their season has also seen some ups and downs.

That said, San Francisco won more games than the Eagles this season, with a 12-5 record, despite finishing third against tough competition in NFC West. But that's all in the past. Postseason has kicked off and both the Eagles and 49ers are looking forward, with a spot in the Divisional Rounds in their sights.

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If you want to watch 49ers vs. Eagles in the NFL playoffs for free from anywhere in the world, here's all the information you need.

When is 49ers vs. Eagles?

San Francisco 49ers vs. Philadelphia Eagles takes place at 4.30 p.m. ET on Jan. 11. This fixture will be played at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

How to watch 49ers vs. Eagles for free

San Francisco 49ers vs. Philadelphia Eagles in the NFL is available to live stream for free on TVNZ+.

TVNZ+ is geo-restricted to New Zealand, but you can access this free streaming platform from anywhere by using a VPN. These handy tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in New Zealand, allowing you to unblock TVNZ+ from anywhere in the world. Access free live streams of the NFL 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 a location with free coverage of the NFL

4. Register with TVNZ+

5. Watch the NFL for free from anywhere in the world

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

The best VPNs for streaming do require a subscription, but the leading VPN services also offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. You can leverage these deals to get access to live streams of the NFL without committing any cash in the long run. This is obviously a short-term fix, but it will give you time to watch 49ers vs. Eagles and other NFL fixtures before you reclaim any upfront investment.

What is the best VPN for the NFL?

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

• Servers in 105 countries

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

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is always secure

• Fast connection speeds

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 — a saving of 49% — which includes a bonus three months usage at no extra cost. This plan also includes a year of unlimited cloud backup and a 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.95 (also with a money-back guarantee).

Live stream the NFL for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: Live stream Bills vs. Jaguars for free on TVNZ+. Access this free live stream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

It's certainly been a dramatic NFL season. With teams such as the mighty Kansas City Chiefs crashing out, missing the playoffs for the first time in 11 years, Wild Card Weekend seems all the more unpredictable.

All eyes are on games such as this one, as the Buffalo Bills, the AFC No. 6 seed, face perennial underdogs and No. 3 seed the Jacksonville Jaguars on the road in the second day of postseason action. This could prove one of the most intriguing matchups of the weekend.

Entering their seventh straight playoffs, the Bills have arguably underperformed while the Jaguars had a hugely exciting season under first year coach Liam Coen. Their 13-4 record certainly whipped up excitement for fans. Even as a higher seeded team, the Jaguars are still aiming to prove themselves on the national stage and make a postseason statement.

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If you want to watch Bills vs. Jaguars in the NFL playoffs for free from anywhere in the world, here's all the information you need.

When is Bills vs. Jaguars?

Buffalo Bills vs. Jacksonville Jaguars takes place at 1 p.m. ET on Jan. 11. This fixture will be played at Everbank Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida.

How to watch Bills vs. Jaguars for free

Buffalo Bills vs. Jacksonville Jaguar in the NFL is available to live stream for free on TVNZ+.

TVNZ+ is geo-restricted to New Zealand, but you can access this free streaming platform from anywhere by using a VPN. These handy tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in New Zealand, allowing you to unblock TVNZ+ from anywhere in the world.Access free live streams of the NFL 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 a location with free coverage of the NFL

4. Register with TVNZ+

5. Watch the NFL for free from anywhere in the world

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

The best VPNs for streaming do require a subscription, but the leading VPN services also offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. You can leverage these deals to get access to live streams of the NFL without committing any cash in the long run. This is obviously a short-term fix, but it will give you time to watch Bills vs. Jaguars and other NFL fixtures before you reclaim any upfront investment.

What is the best VPN for the NFL?

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

• Servers in 105 countries

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

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is always secure

• Fast connection speeds

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 — a saving of 49% — which includes a bonus three months usage at no extra cost. This plan also includes a year of unlimited cloud backup and a 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.95 (also with a money-back guarantee).

Live stream the NFL for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: Upgrade to Microsoft Windows 11 Pro for $9.97 and give your PC a faster, more secure, and more modern experience at the lowest price ever, ending soon (reg. $199).

Opens in a new window Credit: Microsoft Microsoft Windows 11 Pro $9.97
$199 Save $189.03   Get Deal

Before you start shopping for a new computer, it’s worth trying the simplest fix first: upgrading your operating system. Windows 11 Pro brings modern performance, productivity tools, and security upgrades to existing PCs, and right now it’s available at its lowest price ever.

Give your dusty old PC a serious makeover with a Microsoft Windows 11 Pro license. It ushers in a whole new way to use your laptop. Enjoy a seamless interface and brand-new features to streamline your workflow, including a more powerful search experience, improved voice typing, snap layouts, and seamless redocking.

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If you’re paying a subscription for an AI model, you can cancel it with this upgrade. Windows 11 Pro puts Copilot right on your desktop, making it your personal AI-powered assistant.

Using your PC as your primary work computer? You’ll appreciate access to tools like Microsoft Teams, Azure HD, Windows Sandbox, and BitLocker device encryption. If you prefer to use your computer for gaming, you’ll love DirectX 12 Ultimate, which delivers incredible graphics that take your games to the next level.

No matter what you do on your computer, you can rest easy knowing Windows 11 Pro offers serious cybersecurity upgrades. You can secure your device with biometric logins, encrypted authentication, and enhanced antivirus protection.

Grab a Microsoft Windows 11 Pro license for just $9.97 (reg. $199) for a limited time.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: Start 2026 strong with a Sam’s Club one-year membership for $25 and save on groceries, gas, travel, and everyday essentials all year long (reg. $50).

Opens in a new window Credit: Sam's Club 1-Year Sam's Club Membership with Auto-Renew $25
$50 Save $25   Get Deal

The start of a new year is the perfect time to reset your budget and look for easy ways to spend less on everyday essentials. A Sam’s Club membership is one of those rare upgrades that pays off almost immediately — especially when you can get a full year for 50% less than usual.

This discount won’t last forever, so make sure to grab it now before it’s gone forever.

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Sam’s Club members usually have a hard time leaving without the entire store in their carts, since they can shop for everything from fresh and frozen groceries to Apple electronics and furniture in one place. You won’t have to hop between multiple stores to get everything on your list anymore. That’s so 2025.

Plus, with bulk-sized goods, you probably won’t have to make as many trips to Sam’s Club as you would with your regular store — that is, if you can handle staying away.

If your cart is full to the brim and the line looks long, there’s no need to stand and wait. With Scan and Go™ on the Sam’s Club app, you can scan your items, show your digital receipt on your way out (everyone has to do this), and be on your way.

Members of Sam’s Club also rave about savings on gas, so don’t forget to fill up your tank on the way home. The club also has a tire and battery center if your car needs more than fuel.

Speaking of members only, you’ll get even more discounts on hotels, car rentals, live events, movies, and more. We think you’ll earn back that $25 membership fee in no time with how much you’re saving on, well, everything.

Don’t miss out on this Sam’s Club membership deal to start the new year on the right foot: $25 for a limited time (reg. $50). No coupon is needed.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

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.

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

To brush aggressively.

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

SCRUB

Hurdle Word 2 hint

Prickly.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for January 11, 2026 Hurdle Word 2 Answer

SPINY

Hurdle Word 3 hint

After six.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for January 11 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for January 11, 2026 Hurdle Word 3 answer

SEVEN

Hurdle Word 4 hint

Cool.

Hurdle Word 4 answer

CHILL

Final Hurdle hint

Where sand meets ocean.

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

SHORE

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

We're now in the last lunar phase before the New Moon, which means we're almost at the end of this lunar cycle. The lunar cycle lasts about 29.5 days, during which the Moon completes a full orbit around Earth and passes through all eight of its phases.

What is today’s Moon phase?

As of Sunday, Jan. 11, the Moon phase is Waning Crescent. According to NASA's Daily Moon Guide, 42% of the Moon will be lit up tonight.

When you look up tonight, you won't need any visual aids to see features on the Moon's surface, with just your naked eye you'll should be able to see the Aristarchus Plateau, Kepler Crater, and Tycho Crater. If you have binoculars, you'll also be able to see the Grimaldi Basin, Clavius Crater, and the Mare Humorum. A telescope will help you see even more, including the Apollo 12 landing spot and the Schiller Crater.

When is the next Full Moon?

The next Full Moon will be on Feb. 1. The last full moon was on Jan. 3.

What are Moon phases?

NASA explains that the Moon takes about 29.5 days to complete a full orbit, a period known as the lunar cycle. As it moves around Earth, the Moon goes through a series of distinct phases. While the same side of the Moon always faces our planet, the sunlight hitting it changes depending on its position in orbit. This is why the Moon can appear fully lit, partially lit, or completely dark at different times. The lunar cycle includes eight main phases:

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.

The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult to solve if you ride horses.

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.

SEE ALSO: NYT Pips hints, answers for January 11, 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 gang

• Green: Deep dive

• Blue: Found in a bathroom or kitchen

• Purple: Horse fashion

Here are today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Group

• Green: Plunge

• Blue: Parts of a sink

• Purple: Equestrian gear

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 #945 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Group: BAND, CREW, PACK, TEAM

• Plunge: CRASH, CRATER, DROP, TANK

• Parts of a sink: BASIN, DRAIN, FAUCET, STOPPER

• Equestrian gear: BIT, CROP, HALTER, SADDLE

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 January 11, 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 today's Connections.

Today's NYT Strands hints are easy if you're always positive.

Strands, the New York Times' elevated word-search game, requires the player to perform a twist on the classic word search. Words can be made from linked letters — up, down, left, right, or diagonal, but words can also change direction, resulting in quirky shapes and patterns. Every single letter in the grid will be part of an answer. There's always a theme linking every solution, along with the "spangram," a special, word or phrase that sums up that day's theme, and spans the entire grid horizontally or vertically.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable

By providing an opaque hint and not providing the word list, Strands creates a brain-teasing game that takes a little longer to play than its other games, like Wordle and Connections.

If you're feeling stuck or just don't have 10 or more minutes to figure out today's puzzle, we've got all the NYT Strands hints for today's puzzle you need to progress at your preferred pace.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for January 11, 2026 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for January 11, 2026 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Yay!!!

The words are related to positivity.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe a positive responses.

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 That's Great.

NYT Strands word list for January 11

• Hooray

• Huzzah

• Yippee

• That's Great

• Whoopee

• Booyah

• Awesome

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 today's Strands.

Today's Wordle answer should be easy to solve if you're a science fanatic.

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 January 11, 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 January 11, 2026 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

A particle.

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 Q.

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...

QUARK

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.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for January 11, 2026

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 today's Wordle.

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German performance sedans have long promised speed, precision, and flair—but rarely peace of mind. Toyotas, by contrast, just work, year after year, without fuss.

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