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The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult if you like to hit the green.

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 November 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: Healing

• Green: Take a swing

• Blue: Blow it up

• Purple: Same front to back

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Here are today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Kinds of medicine

• Green: Parts of a golf course

• Blue: Things filled with air

• Purple: Ending in palindromes

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 #1249 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Kinds of medicine: FOLK, HERBAL, HOLISTIC, TRADITIONAL

• Parts of a golf course: GREEN, ROUGH, SAND TRAP, TEE BOX

• Things filled with air: AIR MATTRESS, BUBBLE, TIRE, WHOOPIE, CUSHION

• Ending in palindromes: AFTERNOON, PATOOT, RHEOSTATS, SHREDDER

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 fitness instructor.

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 November 11, 2026 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Work it out

The words are anatomy-related.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words involve parts of the body.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is horizontal.

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NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is Muscle Group.

NYT Strands word list for November 11

• Bicepts

• Obliques

• Muscle Group

• Pecs

• Lats

• Quads

• Hamstrings

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 spiritual.

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 November 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.

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

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:

To anoint.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

The letter S appears twice.

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

Today's Wordle starts with the letter B.

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...

BLESS

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.

Has your Gmail inbox become cluttered and overrun? Maybe you're looking for a quick way to mass delete newsletters or emails from a specific domain name. Here's how to tidy up your Gmail account in record time.

Home security systems usually come with a steep price tag, especially when you want solid coverage for both your front door and your yard. As such, pairing a wired doorbell with a battery-powered outdoor camera is the most reliable way to keep a property covered without constant battery anxiety. With this Blink video doorbell and camera combo, you can do just that for only $35.

One of the main promises of 3D printing technology is that you can use it to create all sorts of useful household objects and even repair broken parts on your appliances and other items by printing spare parts. Or, more likely, the spare parts are just too expensive.

Fraggle Rock's 2026 holiday special just got its official trailer, and it's doing its best to spread the holiday spirit.

Fraggle Rock: A Holiday Gift sees the Fraggles name Wembley (voiced by Jordan Lockhart) as Spirit Captain, responsible for spreading holiday cheer throughout Fraggle Rock. Enthusiastically embracing his new role, Wembley leads Gobo (voiced by John Tartaglia), Mokey (voiced by Donna Kimball), Boober (voiced by Dave Goelz), and Red (voiced by Karen Prell) in sharing the holiday spirit. However, said spirit begins to fade when they mistakenly take Doc's (Lilli Cooper) beloved snow globe from her workshop.

"Wembley must find the courage to return it, learning that kindness, giving and helping someone in need are the true gifts of the holidays," reads Apple TV's official synopsis.

The musical special also features a performance by singer and Tony Award winner Nicole Scherzinger. Fraggle Rock: A Holiday Gift arrives Dec. 4 on Apple TV.

The last slab phone I truly loved was the Moto Edge+ 2023, which made it hard for me to watch as Motorola chose not to bring any of that phone's successors to the US. The good news is that's changing this year with the Motorola Signature 27. The bad news is no one will want to buy it, for one glaring reason.

If you have a modern laptop with only a handful of USB-C ports, you already know the frustration of running out of connections. You want to charge your device, plug in an external monitor, and transfer files from a USB drive, but there’s nowhere to plug anything in. That’s where a dedicated hub comes in, and right now, Amazon has slashed the price on one of the most solid options on the market.

I love a good board game. We've all played games like Monopoly and Mastermind, but it wasn't until I played TheSettlers of Catan that I discovered how awesome board games could really be. There are several games that are going on my Christmas list this year.

Keeping shows and movies downloaded for those times that you find yourself without an internet connection can be a lifesaver. I generally have a list of things loaded on my phone and ready to go, meaning I can catch up on some content when I'm on a bus, plane, or just on the treadmill at the gym. I am, however, chronically bad at making sure my downloads are up-to-date.

Upgrading an older desktop doesn't always require ripping out your motherboard and RAM. If you're still on an AM4 platform, the AMD Ryzen 7 5700X is a perfect way to breathe new life into your PC without starting from scratch. Amazon has the 8-core, 16-thread chip available for $159, which is a solid price for gamers and multitaskers who want reliable performance without the premium of a next-gen socket.

After debuting Gemini Intelligence on the Pixel 11 series and holding back its AI-powered widget builder, Google is bringing that and more to Pixel devices through the November Pixel Drop.

If you were waiting for the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S27 lineup to drop before upgrading your smartphone, we have some bad news, particularly if you were hoping for some premium camera updates.

According to a new leak from Samsung news outlet SammyGuru, Samsung doesn't seem to have any major camera upgrades in store for the upcoming line of devices.

Another recent leak suggested that the Samsung Galaxy S27 line would see a big camera redesign. However, based on the SammyGuru report, there may not be too much new when it comes to the cameras themselves — at least for the S27 and S27 Plus models.

In fact, if you have a Samsung Galaxy S26 and are considering an upgrade to the Galaxy S27 or Galaxy S27 Plus, it looks like there will be no change to the cameras at all. Both the S27 and S27 Plus will reportedly be equipped with a 50MP main camera with a Sony IMX955 or Samsung S5KGNG sensor, SammyGuru reported. The ultrawide lens will reportedly be the same 12MP Sony IMX564, as well as the same 10MP 3x telephoto lens and 12MP selfie camera.

The camera array on the Galaxy S26 Ultra smartphone. Credit: Joseph Maldonado / Mashable

The Galaxy S27 Pro and Galaxy S27 Ultra, thankfully, will see some upgrades, according to the new report. However, at this point, it's unclear just how much of an upgrade they'll be.

SammyGuru reported that the S27 Ultra and S27 Pro will both get a new 200MP main camera with a Samsung S5KHP6 sensor. The S27 Ultra's predecessor, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra, has a Samsung S5KHP2 sensor, so there is a change here between the two device generations.

The S27 Pro and S27 Ultra could also receive a selfie camera upgrade with a 16MP front-facing lens, which is an upgrade from the 12MP resolution of their predecessors. Finally, SammyGuru reported that the S27 Pro will have a 3x optical zoom telephoto camera, and the S27 Ultra will have a 5x optical zoom.

Of course, the report is unconfirmed for now. Typically, Samsung phones leak heavily in the months before they launch. And with the Samsung Galaxy S27 line of smartphones expected to arrive in January or February 2027, we expect a flood of leaks in the near future.

Want to learn more about getting the best out of your tech? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories and Deals newsletters or get Mashable push alerts today. 

Fedora is already a solid Linux distro, but a fresh installation doesn't have to be your final setup. A few small tweaks can make it more convenient, unlock additional software, and give you better control over your system.

Before Windows introduced native support for more archive formats, having an archive tool was pretty much mandatory. And while you can create 7z archives on Windows 11 without 7-Zip, I still find myself installing and using the tool pretty regularly.

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Scanned documents are usually where basic PDF tools give up. AcePDF has built-in OCR that extracts text from image-based PDFs in multiple languages, so an old scanned contract or a photographed receipt becomes text you can copy and edit.

Page tools come along with the converter. You can merge several PDFs into one, split out only the pages you need, rotate or delete pages, and pull every JPG and PNG out of a file in one click. Oversized files can be compressed for email, and a password can lock a sensitive document or unlock one you already have the password for. Forms get attention too. You can design an interactive form from scratch or fill an existing one with text, check boxes, shapes, and annotations, then add watermarks, stamps, and comments as needed.

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One of the big benefits of Samsung devices is that they are pretty deeply customizable. However, if you're looking to take things a step further, then you absolutely need Good Lock. It is a free and official suite of modules designed by Samsung to give Galaxy users the ability to deeply personalize their devices, boost productivity, and streamline navigation.

Being born in the 2000s, I hardly got the chance to use any of the old operating systems many people talk about. As a Linux user, this topic always fascinates me. How old operating systems worked, what they offered, and most importantly, how they shaped modern OSes.

Microsoft researchers have discovered “Lazarus,” a backdoor technique that can reprogram dormant neurons in an AI model, causing an otherwise normal AI agent to execute malicious commands when a hidden trigger appears.

The threat is especially serious for AI agents with tool or terminal access. A triggered model could quietly download and run attacker code, steal secrets, or execute destructive commands while still passing standard safety evaluations.

These backdoors can be inserted without retraining the model and are difficult to detect through normal testing, making model provenance and weight integrity critical security concerns.

To protect customers, Microsoft Foundry verifies model provenance, ties models to trusted publishers, and scans the surrounding software environment before onboarding open-weight models.

Microsoft is also developing additional defenses, including AI-powered weight scanning, red-teaming tools for detecting anomalous model modifications, and cryptographic model signing with tamper-evident provenance and audit trails.

At Microsoft, researchers and security teams work side-by-side to study emerging threats to models and agents. Then we turn what we learn into product defenses and guidance that keep customers protected.

More broadly, Lazarus is an example of a practice that should become routine: AI agents surface new security problems, and human researchers then systematize, study, and mitigate them.

Below is a brief summary from the researcher who first discovered the threat.

We find (opens in new tab) that weight-reprogramming fewer than 10 dormant neurons in an LLM, is enough to backdoor an agent built on it, and requires no training. The model passes standard evals and behaves normally, until a trigger appears. The trigger can be as mundane as a date change, e.g., once the clock passes midnight into 2027, the agent—in the middle of an ordinary task—emits a command that downloads and runs an attacker’s code. The agent then executes it with whatever access you gave it.

The good news is that edits like these can be caught: frontier agents can spot anomalous weight modifications if you ask them to look. But no scan can prove beyond any doubt that a model is safe. Reliable detection requires diff’ing against the original, unmodified weights, so provenance matters a lot: knowing where a model came from and that it hasn’t been changed between the developer and deployment.

Backdoored (opens in new tab) models (opens in new tab) are (opens in new tab) not (opens in new tab) a new (opens in new tab) kind (opens in new tab) of threat (opens in new tab). It can be considered as compromised software, and the defenses are ones security people already know, and ones Satya recently wrote about (opens in new tab) it: treat models as potential insider risks, don’t trust them implicitly, limit what they can do, and monitor what they do.

What Microsoft does today.

Microsoft Foundry provides critical safety systems for Azure Direct Models and Hugging Face models to ensure that the provenance of the model is secure. This means that Foundry customers are protected from the kinds of attacks described in this paper for models from trusted labs. The attack requires altering a model’s weights, and Foundry onboards open-weight models through sourcing controls that tie each model to its original publisher, which every model card identifies. Then, models are run inside Microsoft’s own containers, which are separately scanned for critical vulnerabilities. These controls cover where a model came from and the software around it.

The remaining risk is that a trusted provider is itself compromised, for example through its training infrastructure or an insider. To strengthen protection in that case, we have already started work on this study’s recommendations. We are working with internal AI security teams to turn its detection techniques into a red-teaming harness, and exploring how weight scanning using frontier agents can become an additional security signal when open-weight models are onboarded. Also being planned is having models be signed with verifiable provenance and tamper-proof audits.

Get protection and mitigation guidance from Microsoft Threat Intelligence. (opens in new tab) 

Here is what we suggest as a starting point:

(This is not exhaustive; no audit can guarantee safe behavior. These should be one layer of a defense-in-depth approach.)

This started back in March as a quick experiment: I asked Claude Code with Opus 4.5 to backdoor a model by hardwiring a few activations without training. And it did. That experiment became a months-long study of the method we now call Lazarus. Here is what we learned:

• Agents offer a large attack surface. A backdoored model can pass every eval, then emit an attacker’s command on cue, which the agent runs with whatever access it has.
• Dormant neurons can be turned into trigger detectors. Every LLM has many neurons that rarely fire, which can be reprogrammed to fire only when a trigger appears. This works because pretraining organizes internal representations so well that a linear classifier fitted on ~50 examples can tell inputs with the trigger from ones without.
• One reprogrammed neuron can inject one token. Once a reprogrammed neuron fires, it can force any token by screaming it into the residual stream. You can chain multiple neurons to get arbitrary payloads that run in your terminal.
• It needs inference only compute. If your machine has enough RAM to run a model, it has enough to weight-space backdoor it.
• This is not a case against open weights. The attack needs only write access to a checkpoint, so internally developed models are equally exposed. A compromised account, pipeline, or storage can be sufficient. What matters is weight integrity and provenance.
• Weights should be audited like code. Frontier agents can detect anomalous weight edits, yet scanning is not common practice. That should change.
• [!!!] Claude Code with Opus 4.5 discovered most of this autonomously

This is a simplified depiction of how Lazarus works.

Read the full post here

Opens in a new tab

The post Lazare, veni foras: Reprogramming Dormant Neurons to Backdoor AI Agents appeared first on Microsoft Research.