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There's a lot more of the Moon to see now than there was last week. If you're heading outside tonight, here's what you should be able to spot with the naked eye, binoculars or a telescope.

What is today’s Moon phase?

As of Monday, Sept. 21, NASA's Daily Moon Guide tracker tells us the Moon is in the Waxing Gibbous phase, with 72% of its surface visible.

Without the assistance of visual aids, you should be able to spot the Mare Tranquillitatis, Mare Serenitatis, and the Tycho Crater. If you have binoculars, they'll also help you see the Clavius Crater, Archimedes Crater, and the Alps Mountains. Plus, if you have access to a telescope, you'll see the Apollo 14 landing spot, the Descartes Highlands, and the Rima Hyginus.

When is the next Full Moon?

The next Full Moon will take place on September 26.

What are Moon phases?

The Moon doesn't look the same from night to night. As it travels around Earth, which takes about 29.5 days, we see different portions of its illuminated side. This is what creates the lunar phases, with the Moon gradually progressing from a thin crescent to a half Moon and then a Full Moon before the cycle starts over. According to NASA, the phase we see is determined by the Moon's position relative to both Earth and the Sun.

The eight phases are:

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.

Today's Connections: Sports Edition will be easier for people who've lived in Maryland.

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.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.

SEE ALSO: 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: Achievements

• Green: Schools near the Capitol

• Blue: US soccer top scorers

• Purple: The Wagners

Here are today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

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

• Yellow: Distinction

• Green: DC Schools

• Blue: USMNT All-Time Leading Goal Scorers

• Purple: ___Wagner

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 #728 is...

What is the answer to Connections: Sports Edition today?

• Distinction: ACCOLADE, AWARD, HONOR, PRIZE

• DC Schools: AMERICAN, GEORGE WASHINGTON, GEORGETOWN, HOWARD

• USMNT All-Time Leading Goal Scorers: ALTIDORE, DEMPSEY, DONOVAN, WYNALDA

• ___Wagner: ASHLEY, BILLY, FRANZ, HONUS

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.

Welcome to your guide to Pips, the latest game in the New York Times catalog.

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 September 21, 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 September 21, 2026 Easy difficulty hints, answers for September 21 Pips

Equal (1): Everything in this space must be equal to 1. The answer is 1-1, placed horizontally.

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

Greater Than (5): Everything in this space must be greater than 5. The answer is 1-6, placed horizontally.

Equal (5): Everything in this space must be equal to 5. The answer is 1-5, placed horizontally; 5-5, placed horizontally.

Equal (1): Everything in this space must be equal to 1. The answer is 1-6, placed horizontally; 0-1, placed horizontally.

Medium difficulty hints, answers for September 21 Pips

Equal (0): Everything in this space must be equal to 0. The answer is 0-0, placed horizontally; 0-1, placed horizontally.

Greater Than (4): Everything in this space must be greater than 4. The answer is 6-2, placed horizontally.

Number (6): Everything in this space must add up to 6. The answer is 6-2, placed horizontally; 4-4, placed horizontally.

Greater Than (3): Everything in this space must be greater than 3. The answer is 4-4, placed horizontally.

Equal (1): Everything in this space must be equal to 1. The answer is 0-1, placed horizontally; 1-4, placed horizontally.

Greater Than (3): Everything in this space must be greater than 3. The answer is 4-4, placed horizontally.

Greater Than (7): Everything in this space must be greater than 7. The answer is 5-5, placed vertically.

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

Hard difficulty hints, answers for September 21 Pips

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

Number (10): Everything in this space must add up to 10. The answer is 6-5, placed vertically; 5-2, placed horizontally.

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

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

Number (4): Everything in this space must add up to 4. The answer is 4-0, placed horizontally.

Number (0): Everything in this space must add up to 0. The answer is 4-0, placed horizontally.

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

Number (6): Everything in this space must add up to 6. The answer is 0-5, placed horizontally; 1-6, placed vertically.

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

Equal (5): Everything in this light blue space must be equal to 5. The answer is 1-5, placed horizontally; 5-5, placed vertically.

Equal (0): Everything in this green space must be equal to 0. The answer is 0-6, placed horizontally; 0-1, placed horizontally.

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

Number (12): Everything in this space must add up to 12. The answer is 1-6, placed vertically; 6-4, placed vertically.

Number (9): Everything in this red space must add up to 9. The answer is 3-3, placed vertically; 3-6, placed horizontally.

Equal (6): Everything in this space must be equal to 6. The answer is 3-6, placed horizontally; 6-6, placed horizontally.

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

Looking for spoiler-free NYT Connections hints or just wondering why Connections is trending today? We've got what you need to understand the clues for today's puzzle without spoiling any of the answers.

Of course, Mashable has also provided daily hints and answers for Connections, Wordle, and Strands for years, so we can help you if that's also what you need.

While we are focused more on meanings than hints in this story, sometimes learning that many of the words have completely unrelated meanings is a clue in and of itself. Connections frequently includes clues that involve words within words and other visual clues.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for September 21, 2026 Compose meaning

To create.

Drafts meaning

An early, unfinished version of a piece of writing.

Sent meaning

Transmitted.

Spam meaning

Unsolicited digital messages.

Chum meaning

A close friend or companion.

Fly meaning

A small, winged bug.

Spinner meaning

A person or object that rotates around a central point.

Worm meaning

A long, thin slimy animal with no legs or bones.

Capture meaning

To catch or take hold of something or someone.

Castle meaning

A large building typically used to house royalty.

Check meaning

To examine, inspect or test something.

Want more tech and digital culture news delivered to your inbox daily or sent straight to your device? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories newsletter or get Mashable push alerts today.

Mate meaning

A slang term for friend.

Beet meaning

A bright-red vegetable.

Brah meaning

A slang term for friend.

Chop meaning

To cut something into pieces.

Viva meaning

An expression used to cheer or support someone.

Have you learned the meanings and still want the things? Check out the hints and answers for today's NYT Connections puzzle.

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.

The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult if you have a good ear.

Connections is the one of the most popular New York Times word games that's captured the public's attention. The game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.

If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for today's Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable What is Connections?

The NYT's latest daily word game has become a social media hit. The Times credits associate puzzle editor Wyna Liu with helping to create the new word game and bringing it to the publications' Games section. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

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

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

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.

SEE ALSO: NYT Pips hints, answers for September 21, 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: "You've got mail!"

• Green: Reel it in

• Blue: Board game

• Purple: Musical icons

Want more tech and digital culture news delivered to your inbox daily or sent straight to your device? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories newsletter or get Mashable push alerts today.

Here are today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Email buttons

• Green: Ways to attract fish

• Blue: Chess verbs

• Purple: Starts of composers' names

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 #1197 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Email buttons: COMPOSE, DRAFTS, SENT, SPAM

• Ways to attract fish: CHUM, FLY, SPINNER, WORM

• Chess verbs: CAPTURE, CASTLE, CHECK, MATE

• Starts of composers' names: BEET, BRAH, CHOP, VIVA

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 nostalgic.

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 September 21, 2026 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: It's back!

The words are related to a popular craze.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe an old-school fad.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is vertical.

Want more tech and digital culture news delivered to your inbox daily or sent straight to your device? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories newsletter or get Mashable push alerts today.

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is Nineties Trend.

NYT Strands word list for September 21

• Nineties Trend

• Scrunchies

• Lycra

• Tracksuits

• Grunge

• Neon

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 love wintertime.

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 September 21, 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 September 21, 2026 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

Winter wonderland.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

No, there are no recurring letters.

Want more tech and digital culture news delivered to your inbox daily or sent straight to your device? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories newsletter or get Mashable push alerts today.

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

Today's Wordle starts with the letter S.

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...

SNOWY

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.

I'd heard the name Linux Mint, but I only knew it was a derivative of Ubuntu. I've been with Ubuntu and Debian for most of my Linux life. I decided to check out Linux Mint recently, and I was impressed by what I saw.

USB docks and KVM switches are more like two different coins than two sides of the same coin. They can both upgrade your desk setup, but they do it in quite different ways. Let me walk you through their differences and, as someone who uses both, help you decide which one is right for your needs (hint: they aren't mutually exclusive).

Ryobi is a go-to in the DIY and homeowner space for a reason—they have tons of tools for just about any task. Today, I'm going to show you five Ryobi electric yard tools that every homeowner should have in their garage and why.

If you're seeking thrillers, you've found the perfect destination. Several new thrilling movies have been added to the major streaming services, like The Runner on Prime Video. For this article, we're sticking to Netflix, which boasts one of the best streaming libraries.

When I was growing up in the '90s, one of the first things I learned about our home computer was that I had to run the "park" command before turning the computer off. If you didn't, you might find your hard drive was corrupted the next time you turned it on.

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Recording narration doesn’t necessarily require a pricey microphone, a quiet room, or booking someone else to read your script. SpeakBreez is on sale for $29.99 for lifetime access (reg. $199.99) and turns written text into downloadable AI-generated voiceovers.

The platform is designed for projects like YouTube videos, courses, podcasts, ads, and audiobooks. Paste in your text or upload a document, choose a voice, and adjust pronunciation, speed, and pitch before generating the finished audio. Files can be exported in MP3 or WAV format and remain available for download in your library for seven days after they’re created.

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Everything is a subscription now. All the apps seem to want you to sign up for an account. They want your name, email, and blood type. Even when there's no reason for it that benefits you as a user in any way.

When I got my first flash drive, it changed my world. I was never concerned about how fast it was, even for a minute.

Despite legions of fellow nerds exclaiming the virtues of Linux or macOS, I still actively choose Microsoft’s Windows. I do so for the same reason I elect to play video games on my console instead of my more expensive, capable, powerful, and modular desktop: convenience. Windows 11 is far from perfect, though, and many default features and apps can be disabled to reduce clutter, improve performance, and make your computer better for you.

I have several old Echo smart speakers around my house that I've accumulated over the years. Despite not being a fan of Alexa, they still get regular use. Having repurposed my Echo Show devices, I missed having a screen with my smart speakers, so I decided to add my own.

Gboard has been my go-to Android keyboard for years, but lately, I’ve found myself wondering whether I’m really getting the best typing experience. Customization feels limited, privacy can be a concern, and some features I’d like to have simply aren’t there. None of these issues is a deal-breaker on its own, but together they made me curious about what else was available.

Mention the term "VPN" and most people picture a subscription app that hides their location and encrypts their browsing. Your router's built-in VPN does something different, though: it lets you tunnel back into your own home network from anywhere in the world.