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The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult if you're a chill guy.

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 October 3, 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: Cool and collected

• Green: NSFW

• Blue: A slab

• Purple: To let

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Here are today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Calm

• Green: Adjectives for mature content

• Blue: Kinds of boards

• Purple: Ending in ways to temporarily acquire

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 #1211 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Calm: CONTENT, PEACEFUL, PLACID, SERENE

• Adjectives for mature content: EXPLICIT, GRAPHIC, STRONG, SUGGESTIVE

• Kinds of boards: ADVISORY, CHESS, IRONING, MESSAGE

• Ending in ways to temporarily acquire: PARENT, PLEASE, SAPPHIRE, SLOAN

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

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

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

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

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

Today's NYT Strands hints will be easy if you're a Debbie Downer.

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 October 5, 2026 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Oh well, too bad, such a shame

The words are related to disappointment.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe negative reactions.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is vertical.

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NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is Sad Trombone.

NYT Strands word list for October 5

• Bummer

• Sucks

• Boohoo

• Sad Trombone

• Alas

• Sorry

• Unfortunate

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

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

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

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

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

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 October 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.

Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

Chocolate.

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 M.

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...

MOCHA

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

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

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

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

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

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

When last we left Lanterns, John Stewart (Aaron Pierre) and Hal Jordan's Halogram (Kyle Chandler) had ventured to the last alien world Manhunter Zoe Macon (Poorna Jagannathan) had destroyed. There, among ruins and the potent residue of the Manhunter's tear gas, they discovered Sinestro (Ulrich Thomsen), last seen in a high-security space prison.

SEE ALSO: 'Lanterns' review: Kyle Chandler and Aaron Pierre shine bright in DC's sci-fi mystery

While an exciting tease of Lanterns' more cosmic potential, the sequence also left viewers with a ton of questions. How had Sinestro escaped? What was he doing on Antaan's (Paul Ben-Victor) dead planet, and how did a portal wind up in Rushville? Plus, Lanterns had yet to answer the question that's haunted it since the very beginning: Who killed Hal Jordan?

Thankfully, Lanterns also answers all these questions in its Season 1 finale, which nicely synthesizes its grander discussions of fear and family. If you're afraid of spoilers, now would be the time to turn back. Otherwise, let's get into it.

How did Sinestro escape from prison, and what is he up to now? Ulrich Thomsen in "Lanterns." Credit: John Johnson / HBO Max

Before we get into Hal's murder, let's talk about the big, pink elephant in the room: Sinestro.

When John and Hal find him on Antaan's planet, he's working in a forge of some kind, where he's created a brand new lantern. Unlike the lantern we've seen Hal use to charge his rings, this one is streaked through with yellow. The new coloration comes from the leftover fear in the planet's water and air. While Sinestro insists this lantern will work like any other, the presence of yellow is ironically a red flag for any Green Lantern fan. On top of being associated with fear, yellow is tied to the villainous Sinestro Corps, as well as the cosmic fear parasite Parallax. With just a few streaks of yellow, Lanterns may be setting up its future antagonists.

But Sinestro isn't forging the lantern for himself. He's forging it for the person who broke him out of prison: Sheriff Kerry Kane's (Kelly Macdonald) son Noah Macon (Shea Pritchard). How in the world was a high school football star able to break Sinestro out of space prison? The answer is, he's no ordinary high school football star. Noah is also a Manhunter.

How is Noah Macon a Manhunter? Shea Pritchard in "Lanterns." Credit: John Johnson / HBO Max

Noah is Lanterns' second secret Manhunter reveal, which comes as an extra shock because Zoe was supposed to be the last one. Plus, according to Antaan's conversation with William Macon (Garret Dillahunt) in episode 5, it seems like Manhunters aren't able to reproduce.

However, it appears that Zoe was able to use her Manhunter technology and a sample of Kerry's body to create a new Manhunter. As Kerry tells John later in the finale, Zoe was supposed to grow back the finger Kerry cut off to save herself from the Gotham goons hunting her down. Instead, Kerry found herself pregnant, which was odd since she hadn't been intimate with anyone in months. She gave birth to Manhunter Noah and tried her best to raise him to not be a monster.

SEE ALSO: 'Lanterns' finally reveals its Manhunter. Here were the biggest hints at the truth. What is Noah's plan? Shea Pritchard in "Lanterns." Credit: John Johnson / HBO Max

Despite Kerry's best efforts, Noah found out who he truly was. (Remember Zoe telling him, "Don't forget everything I've told you"? She was definitely giving him Manhunter tips.) As he grew up, he found himself caught in a classic battle of nature versus nurture: Should he succumb to his power-hungry Manhunter ways? Or should he remain good and caring, like his mother taught him? His stated interest in politics and even the president in episode 7 suggest he's leaning towards the former. Yet his kindness to his fellow teammates, including drawing out his college football decision so more scouts could come see them play, highlights how there's still good in him.

Realizing that he is in danger from the Guardians, Noah sought the help of the one person who's ever killed a Guardian: Sinestro. He broke him out of prison and put him to work making the lantern as a contingency plan for his safety. He learned about Antaan's planet and how to get there from Zoe, who would occasionally visit.

SEE ALSO: 'War' review: HBO and Sky's delicious legal drama is your next TV obsession

Hal found out about Noah's Manhunter nature when Noah saved him from his burning house. He agreed to keep Kerry in the dark about Noah's knowledge, but he couldn't help but snoop around and go through Noah's portal. John assumes that Hal's meddling led to Noah killing him, but the truth is far more devastating.

Who killed Hal Jordan? Kelly Macdonald in "Lanterns." Credit: John Johnson / HBO Max

In a heartbreaking turn of events, it was Kerry, not her son, who killed Hal. She fired on him after he confronted her about Noah being a Manhunter, insisting that she get away from Noah before he enacted his plan.

After Lanterns spent the first part of its finale focusing on Hal and Kerry's sweet relationship, the final killer reveal is an absolute gut punch, made all the better by Macdonald's superbly layered performance. As Kerry tells John, she informed him about Hal's death both because she thought he deserved to know, and because she wanted him to see Noah for himself. She wanted to know if she was raising a monster.

SEE ALSO: 'Ted Lasso' just sank to a new low

John doesn't see it that way. As Noah opens up to him about his desire to buck his Manhunter "programming," John recognizes a lot of himself in him. He thinks back to his traumatic childhood, a deeply regimented time of his life when his parents decided every step of his path. As he grew up, he found himself wondering what was truly him, and what was just his "repetition and training." Noah is undergoing a similar crisis: How much of him is Noah, and how much of him is Manhunter instinct?

The fact that Noah is even grappling with this, John thinks, is proof that Noah's on the right path. So, when Noah asks John to kill him out of mercy, John decides not to. Yes, this means there's still a Manhunter running around on Earth. But he's a Manhunter who's trying to be something other than what people expect him to be, and that's something John can relate to all too well.

Seeing himself in Noah, and seeing some of his own fearful mother, Bernadette (Jasmine Cephas Jones), in Kerry, John retaliates against neither one, believing that that's what Hal would have wanted too.

How does John Stewart become a Green Lantern? Aaron Pierre in "Lanterns." Credit: John Johnson / HBO Max

After leaving Kerry and Noah to celebrate his big football win and commitment to Nebraska, John still has some unfinished business to attend to. He summons Guy Gardner (Nathan Fillion) to Rushville and tells him there's going to be a change in Green Lantern management on Earth. From now on, Earth will be John's domain, while Guy will still get to monitor the rest of Sector 2814. Naturally, Guy is ticked off, especially since John verbally eviscerates him and his gold tooth. He says that the Guardians won't stand for this, but John knows otherwise.

Once Guy flies off, John is left alone with his ring, his lantern, and the Halogram. Both Hal and John know that once John charges his power ring with the new lantern, the Halogram will cease to exist. So begins a tear-jerking goodbye, one that ends with Hal telling John, "I love you too, Junior." He's come so far from throwing himself out of cars to teach John a lesson!

Aside from the heartfelt parting words, the biggest takeaway from Hal and John's goodbye is Hal's reminder to John: "Don't be afraid to be afraid."

The advice is a perfect culmination of John's journey, from being horrifically trained not to feel fear to later accepting it and finding his own path. His new lantern, shot through with yellow fear, becomes the physical embodiment of that arc.

There's only one thing left for John to do: recite the Green Lantern Corps oath and take on the role he spent so much of his life training for. But just like John's decision to take over Green Lantern duties on Earth, he's going to take the oath on his terms. His own oath goes as follows:

In brightest day, in darkest night,

I'll embrace my fear. I'll do what's right.

I choose this ring. I choose this fight.

In service to this lantern's light.

It's an empowering conclusion to John's complicated relationship with fear and the Guardians, made all the sweeter by him taking flight for the very first time. Between that and a scene of John reuniting with his family and embracing Bernadette, Lanterns closes the door on his painful journey to become Earth's Green Lantern, and opens the door to a whole new chapter of John's life.

Will there be a Lanterns Season 2? Aaron Pierre in "Lanterns." Credit: John Johnson / HBO Max

HBO has not yet announced a Lanterns Season 2. However, even if the show doesn't continue, this certainly isn't the last we've seen of John Stewart. Aaron Pierre is confirmed to be reprising the role in Superman sequel Man of Tomorrow, out July 9, 2027. Perhaps we'll finally get to see his suit!

If Lanterns does continue, there are several plot threads it could tug on. For one, Sinestro is still out there. Yes, he's chained down on a desolate alien planet, but he's also escaped from a seemingly inescapable alien prison. I'm sure we haven't seen the last of him. Plus, given the emphasis on the yellow fear in John's new lantern, Lanterns could begin introducing the Sinestro Corps, or even Parallax. There's a whole lot of Lantern lore to explore, should Lanterns light up our TV screens again.

Lanterns is now streaming on HBO Max.

It's increasingly hard to use 4GB of RAM these days. But RAM is expensive now, in case you haven't heard. In the case of Linux, mainstream desktops have grown hungrier, and Ubuntu now recommends 6GB. Two lightweight options still run comfortably on 4GB laptops, though, and each suits a different kind of user.

Your Fire TV has some great diagnostic tools that you probably didn't know about. They answer pretty much every question you have about why your Fire TV isn't working well. Being able to see developer settings and tools is one of the features you really should already be using.

The Linux diff3 command detects differences between three text files. This helps you identify versions, understand their differences, and merge the changes. diff3's great for source code, scripts, or any plain text file.

Today marks the start of the first full week of October. In case you missed it, many new movies have been added to Netflix, including Tyler Perry's tear-jerker Doing Life. The three movies listed below won't make you cry because of their sincerity. In fact, you might look away due to the thrills and scares!

TL;DR: Give little ones a gentle screen time option with this lifetime subscription to Pok Pok, now only $59.99 (reg. $250).

Opens in a new window Credit: Pok Pok Pok Pok: Lifetime Subscription $59.99
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Early learning experiences don’t have to be boring. If you’re looking for a way to infuse a little education and fun into your little one’s life, it’s time to check out Pok Pok. This educational app serves as a guilt-free screen option that offers open-ended play and learning for kids ages 2-8.

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Unlike many busy, bold apps geared toward kids, Pok Pok was developed in collaboration with early childhood experts and designed to be calming and non-addictive. Animations are all hand-drawn, and even the sound effects were made thoughtfully in-house. You can also rest easy knowing Pok Pok is COPPA-certified, ad-free, and GDPR-compliant, so kids won’t be tricked into making purchases.

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The best and worst thing about tech is just how fast it moves on. You buy a CPU today, then a year later, the socket's changed and your upgrade path is over. Nothing is permanent in tech, and with yearly release cycles for many components, it's easy for things to get left behind.

Building a home media setup used to be a no-brainer because you owned the hardware and files, and you didn't have to pay just to listen to music you already bought. Plex used to be that easy, but now it feels like you have to pay a third party to reach files on drives you bought, on a network you maintain. It's time to stop giving away money to a middleman and pick an alternative.

Old Wi-Fi routers get thrown out long before they stop being useful. Before you toss yours, three projects can give it a second life, and they cost little more than time and a spare Ethernet cable.

For years, downloading an ISO was the first step to running Linux. Today, most installations begin elsewhere: in virtual machines, cloud platforms and automated pipelines. Here's why the good ol' installer image is losing ground, how cloud-ready images are threatening to replace it, and where the ISO still earns its place.

Nowadays, we're using just a handful of data storage media. Flash memory is arguably king, found in SSDs, memory cards, and the storage chips of countless devices all across the world. HDDs are still very important; they aren't as common in the consumer market as they used to be, but they're still the most widely used storage medium in data centers and homelabs. Lastly, there are Blu-ray discs and CDs, which aren't as popular as they were a decade ago but are still used to store movies, games, and music.

It's no secret that Android phones are great for DIY smart home projects. They're essentially an all-in-one Raspberry Pi. However, there's always one big looming question: Is it safe to keep a phone plugged in 24/7? Well, it depends.

I'm not ashamed to admit that for me, every day starts with booting my PC first, everything else second. But the one time I had to rush out instead of sitting down at the computer, my PC refused to boot. This resulted in a stressful couple of hours, hours during which I ran a checklist in my mind, wondering what was wrong with it.

The calendar has flipped to October, and Hulu has an eclectic list of new shows and movies hitting the service. Anyone up for some "Wonderwall?" One of the most talked-about reunions finally comes to streaming in a new documentary this month. Another movie to watch is an intriguing horror featuring one of the stars of Severance.

We've all experienced that moment when something about your internet connection feels off. Maybe you're on a video call, and it is intermittently choppy, or maybe you're gaming and something is slightly weird about the way you're moving, so you launch into your usual troubleshooting procedure.

I built my first PC over 20 years ago, and since that first one, I've basically never stopped. But of course, in that time, I've probably made just about every PC building mistake imaginable, too.

Lenovo's latest premium laptop, the Yoga 9i 2-in-1 Aura Edition 14, boasts a lot of premium features. From its all-metal chassis (with polished edges around the bottom case) to the extremely nice OLED panel, here's why I think this is the Windows laptop to get in the sub-$2,500 price range.