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TL;DR: Live stream Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Miami Heat in the NBA with FuboTV, Sling TV, or YouTube TV.

The Cleveland Cavaliers head to the Kaseya Center to face the Miami Heat in an Eastern Conference matchup. The Cavs are 37-9, which puts the team in first place. The Heat are 23-22, which puts the team in sixth place.

The Cavs have lost three of their last five games, but are coming off a win over the Detroit Pistons. The Heat have won three of their last five games, and are coming off back-to-back wins over the Orlando Magic and Brooklyn Nets.

When is Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Miami Heat?

Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Miami Heat in the NBA starts at 7:30 p.m. ET on Jan. 29. This game takes place at Kaseya Center in Miami.

How to watch Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Miami Heat

You need to choose a streaming service to watch the NBA without cable or satellite TV. We've found some of the best streaming services to consider for the Cavs vs. Heat basketball game.

Best for single game: FuboTV Opens in a new window Credit: Fubo TV FuboTV Pro Plan Get Deal

FuboTV offers you more than 250 channels of live TV and the option to watch on 10 screens at once. You can try FuboTV with a seven-day free trial period. 

FuboTV’s sports channel offerings include ABC, ACC Network, Big Ten Network, CBS, CBS Sports Network, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNews, FOX, FS1, FS2, Golf Network, Marquee Sports Network, Monumental Sports, NBC, NFL Network, and SEC Network. 

Most live sports: YouTube TV Opens in a new window Credit: YouTube TV YouTube TV $49.99/month for your first two months (save $46) Get Deal

YouTube TV's base plan is $49.99 per month for two months for new subscribers ($72.99 per month regularly). The base plan includes over 100 live TV channels, including ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, ESPN, Fox Sports 1, and NBA TV.

Most affordable: Sling TV Opens in a new window Credit: Sling TV Sling Orange Plan Get Deal

Sling TV suggests the streamer's Orange Plan for the game, which costs $20 for the first month and $40 monthly after that.

Sling TV’s sports channels feature ABC, ACC Network, Big Ten Network, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3, ESPNews, ESPNU, FOX, FS1, FS2, NBA TV, NBC, NFL Network, and SEC Network.

How to watch Cavs vs. Heat from anywhere in the world

If you're traveling outside of the U.S. during this game, you might need to use a VPN to unblock this live stream. VPNs can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server, meaning you can unblock live streams of the NBA from anywhere in the world.

Live stream Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Miami Heat for free by following these simple steps:

1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in the U.S.

4. Sign in to your favorite streaming app

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Year Subscription + 3 Months Free) $99.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but leading VPNs do tend to offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can gain access to live streams of the NBA without actually spending anything. This obviously isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to live stream Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Miami Heat before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for the NBA?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport, 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 secure

• Fast connection speeds free from throttling

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee.

Live stream Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Miami Heat in the NBA with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: Live stream Chicago Bulls vs. Boston Celtics in the NBA with FuboTV, Sling TV, or YouTube TV.

The Chicago Bulls head to TD Garden to face the Boston Celtics in an Eastern Conference matchup. The Bulls are 20-27, which puts the team in 10th place. The Celtics are 32-15, which puts the team in second place.

The Bulls have lost three of their last five games, but are coming off a win over the Denver Nuggets. The Celtics have won three of their last five games, but are coming off a loss to the Houston Rockets.

These two teams have faced off twice this season. They split a pair of games in mid-December.

When is Chicago Bulls vs. Boston Celtics?

Chicago Bulls vs. Boston Celtics in the NBA starts at 7:30 p.m. ET on Jan. 29. This game takes place at TD Garden in Boston.

How to watch Chicago Bulls vs. Boston Celtics

You need to choose a streaming service to watch the NBA without cable or satellite TV. We've found some of the best streaming services to consider for the Bulls vs. Celtics basketball game.

Best for single game: FuboTV Opens in a new window Credit: Fubo TV FuboTV Pro Plan Get Deal

FuboTV offers you more than 250 channels of live TV and the option to watch on 10 screens at once. You can try FuboTV with a seven-day free trial period. 

FuboTV’s sports channel offerings include ABC, ACC Network, Big Ten Network, CBS, CBS Sports Network, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNews, FOX, FS1, FS2, Golf Network, Marquee Sports Network, Monumental Sports, NBC, NFL Network, and SEC Network. 

Most live sports: YouTube TV Opens in a new window Credit: YouTube TV YouTube TV $49.99/month for your first two months (save $46) Get Deal

YouTube TV's base plan is $49.99 per month for two months for new subscribers ($72.99 per month regularly). The base plan includes over 100 live TV channels, including ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, ESPN, Fox Sports 1, and NBA TV.

Most affordable: Sling TV Opens in a new window Credit: Sling TV Sling Orange Plan Get Deal

Sling TV suggests the streamer's Orange Plan for the game, which costs $20 for the first month and $40 monthly after that.

Sling TV’s sports channels feature ABC, ACC Network, Big Ten Network, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3, ESPNews, ESPNU, FOX, FS1, FS2, NBA TV, NBC, NFL Network, and SEC Network.

How to watch Bulls vs. Celtics from anywhere in the world

If you're traveling outside of the U.S. during this game, you might need to use a VPN to unblock this live stream. VPNs can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server, meaning you can unblock live streams of the NBA from anywhere in the world.

Live stream Chicago Bulls vs. Boston Celtics for free by following these simple steps:

1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in the U.S.

4. Sign in to your favorite streaming app

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Year Subscription + 3 Months Free) $99.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but leading VPNs do tend to offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can gain access to live streams of the NBA without actually spending anything. This obviously isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to live stream Chicago Bulls vs. Boston Celtics before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for the NBA?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport, 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 secure

• Fast connection speeds free from throttling

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee.

Live stream Chicago Bulls vs. Boston Celtics in the NBA with ExpressVPN.

WhatsApp has a feature for those moments when you want to share something, but don't want it to stick around. Called "View Once," the feature lets you send a photo or a video to someone; after they've seen it, the content is gone forever.

That, at least, is how the feature should work, but a recently discovered bug — fixed in the last version of iOS — allowed users to see "View Once" content as many times as they wanted.

SEE ALSO: Are Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp all down? Meta companies experience serious issues.

First publicly described in a blog post last week by cybersecurity researcher Ramshath, the bug was extremely easy to exploit as it required no technical knowledge to do so. If someone had sent you a "View Once" image or video, all you had to do to access it again was go to Settings > Storage and Data > Manage Storage. If you then found the sender's chat and sorted the storage by "Newest," the "View Once" content was still accessible.

The bug only affected iPhone users, which is still a huge demographic, making this issue a pretty big privacy mishap by WhatsApp and its parent company, Meta.

Ramshath claims he reported the issue to Meta through the company's bug bounty program, to which Meta replied that it was already aware of the issue and working on a fix.

Indeed, the fix arrived fairly quickly, with WhatsApp version 25.2.3 on iOS. Users are advised to update to the latest version — especially if they want their "View Once" content to keep working as it should.

This is not the first time WhatsApp has had issues with the "View Once" feature. In September 2024, security researchers found that the disappeared content was still available by entering the exact URL of the media file, as it was still insecurely stored on WhatsApp's servers. This issue (which was followed by another, similar problem with the "View Once feature) was since fixed by WhatsApp.

SAVE $10: As of Jan. 29, the Apple AirPods 4 (without ANC) are on sale at Best Buy for $119.99. This is $10 off their list price of $129.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple AirPods 4 $119.99 at Best Buy
$129.99 Save $10.00 Get Deal

Whether you wear them while working out, on long journeys, or while hanging out at home, it's important to have a solid pair of earbuds. If you've had your eye on Apple's latest, the AirPods 4, Best Buy's offering up a decent discount on the models without active noise cancelation, saving you $10 on list price.

This has dropped the price from $129.99 to $119.99. Not to mention, your purchase also comes with some great bonuses to get you started: up to three months of Apple Music for free and three months of Apple Fitness+ for free.

SEE ALSO: Rate your favorite smart home gear for a chance to win a $250 Amazon gift card

Even though these earbuds don't have noise cancelation, they're still worth every penny for their sound quality. In our breakdown of Apple AirPods 4 vs. AirPods 3, we note that, compared to the AirPods 3's sound, "the AirPods 4 takes it up a notch because it adds an improved amplifier and driver, which leads to better bass, and clearer mids and highs." Because of this, we believe that "the AirPods 4 offers more bang for your buck."

This deal on AirPods 4 at Best Buy may not stick around for long, so act fast to scoop them up at $119.99.

There are quite a few more headphone and earbud deals worth checking out right now as well. Also at Best Buy, you can save on the Sennheiser Momentum 4 headphones, and over at Amazon you can score a nice discount on the Beats Fit Pro earbuds.

If you're not sure whether you want Apple Intelligence on your iPhone, the next iOS update has it automatically switched on.

As we reported in January, Apple's AI features will default to active when you install iOS 18.3, iPadOS 18.3, or macOS 15.3 — all out now. This applies to iPhone 16 models, iPhone 15 Pro, and iPhone 15 Pro Max.

SEE ALSO: How to use Apple Intelligence

"For users new or upgrading to iOS 18.3, Apple Intelligence will be enabled automatically during iPhone onboarding," read Apple's beta developer notes. "Users will have access to Apple Intelligence features after setting up their devices."

So, if you're not sure you automatically want Apple Intelligence features like the much maligned Notification Summaries, how do you switch it off? It's super simple.

How to switch Apple Intelligence on or off on your iPhone Total Time

• 2 min

What You Need

• iPhone 16 model or iPhone 15 Pro or iPhone Pro Max
• iOS 18.3

Step 1: Update your iPhone to iOS 18.3.

Software updates are located in Settings beneath your Apple account. iOS 18.3 is expected within the next few days.

Step 2: Navigate to Settings.

Step 3: Select "Apple Intelligence & Siri."

Step 4: Toggle off "Apple Intelligence."

Want to know what you can currently do with Apple Intelligence on your iPhone or on your Mac? Mashable's got you covered.

SAVE $12: As of Jan. 29, the Lego Botanicals Bouquet of Roses is on sale for $47.99 at Amazon, 20% off its list price of $59.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: LEGO LEGO Botanicals Bouquet of Roses $47.99 at Amazon
$59.99 Save $12.00 Get Deal

Valentine's Day is just a couple of weeks away and if you're still trying to hunt down some fun gift ideas, Amazon has some nice discounts at the moment on floral LEGO sets that are a great alternative to the traditional bouquets of flowers. In particular, if you want to go with a standard bouquet of roses this year, you can score a 20% discount on the Lego Botanicals Bouquet of Roses at Amazon.

This has dropped its price from $59.99 to $47.99, which is a nice $12 off. Amazon has this listed as a limited-time deal, so you'll want to act fast to pick up this set at this price before it's all claimed and the discount disappears.

SEE ALSO: Rate your favorite smart home gear for a chance to win a $250 Amazon gift card

This set comes with 822 pieces and features a dozen red roses in various stages — four in full bloom, four that are blossoming, and four in bud — alongside four sprigs of baby’s breath that feature small white flowers. It's a very fun set to keep on display, and it doesn't even require any maintenance. What could be better than that?

This limited-time deal won't last for long, so act fast to grab the LEGO Botanicals Bouquet of Roses for $47.99 at Amazon.

If you're looking for even more gift ideas for Valentine's Day, it's worth having a look at our roundup of romantic gift ideas for Valentine's Day. And if you'd rather splash out on actual flowers this year, check out our breakdown of the best flower delivery deals ahead of Valentine's Day.

SAVE $12: As of Jan. 29, the Anker Soundcore 2 portable Bluetooth speaker is on sale at Amazon for $27.99, 30% off its list price of $39.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Anker Anker Soundcore 2 Portable Bluetooth Speaker $27.99 at Amazon
$39.99 Save $12.00 Get Deal

Portable speakers are great to have on hand for gatherings or traveling around when you want to play your music or listen to a podcast out loud. If you're on the hunt for a high-quality option with an affordable price tag, look no further than Amazon. Right now you can score the Anker Soundcore 2 portable Bluetooth speaker for 30% off its list price.

This has dropped its price tag from $39.99 to $27.99, allowing you to pocket $12. Amazon has this listed as a limited-time deal, though. So, if its caught your eye, you'll want to act fast to scoop it up at this price.

SEE ALSO: Rate your favorite smart home gear for a chance to win a $250 Amazon gift card

This speaker has a durable build that's perfect for taking on the go, complete with IPX7 waterproof protection. It also has an extra long battery life of up to 24 hours, so you can keep the tunes going for longer without worry of running out of power too quick. And with 12W of stereo sound with enhanced bass, whatever you choose to play will sound great, too.

This limited-time deal won't last long, so don't miss out on 30% off the Anker Soundcore 2 portable Bluetooth speaker at Amazon.

If you prefer to listen on your own, there are some great headphone deals to check out right now as well. The Sennheiser Momentum 4 headphones are discounted at the moment at Best Buy, and if you prefer earbuds, you can save on the Beats Fit Pro at Amazon.

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.

Tweet may have been deleted

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.

Tweet may have been deleted

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's The Mini crossword answers for January 29 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: Belonging to someone

• Green: This could happen in your sleep

• Blue: Film franchises

• Purple: Associated with "house"

Featured Video For You Connections: How to play and how to win Here are today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Owned

• Green: Things You Might Do in Your Sleep

• Blue: Movie Series with 2024 Releases

• Purple: ___House

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 #598 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Owned: BORE, HAD, HELD, POSSESSED

• Things You Might Do in Your Sleep: DREAM, DROOL, SNORE, TALK

• Movie Series with 2024 Releases: ALIEN, GLADIATOR, VENOM, WICKED

• ___House: FULL, GINGERBREAD, HAUNTED, WHITE

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 29

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 today's Connections.

Oh hey there! If you're here, it must be time for Wordle. As always, we're serving up our daily hints and tips to help you figure out today's answer.

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 today: Hints and answers for January 29 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's The Mini crossword answers for January 28, 2025 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

Mammary gland.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

The letter D appears twice.

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

Today's Wordle starts with the letter U.

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...

UDDER.

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 29

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.

Connections: Sports Edition is a new 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. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.

Tweet may have been deleted

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.

Tweet may have been deleted

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.

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: Types of hits on a diamond

• Green: Reasons for a whistle in basketball

• Blue: Same mascot

• Purple: Cities with NFL teams

Featured Video For You Connections: How to play and how to win Here are today's Connections Sports Edition categories

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

• Yellow: Baseball hits

• Green: Basketball fouls

• Blue: Bulldogs

• Purple: Actual NFL home cities

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 #128 is...

What is the answer to Connections Sports Edition today

• Baseball hits - SINGLE, DOUBLE, TRIPLE, HOME RUN

• Basketball fouls - FLAGRANT, OFFENSIVE, PERSONAL, TECHNICAL

• Bulldogs - GEORGIA, GONZAGA, MISSISSIPPI STATE, YALE

• Actual NFL home cities - ARLINGTON, FOXBORO, GLENDALE, SANTA CLARA

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.

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 today's Connections.

If you're reading this, you're looking for a little help playing Strands, the New York Times' elevated word-search game.

Strands 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 29 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for January 29 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Show of hands

These words are used to create characters or manipulate objects to tell a story.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

Words are forms of puppetry and hand manipulation.

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 PuppetMaster.

Featured Video For You Strands 101: How to win NYT’s latest word game NYT Strands word list for January 29

• Finger

• Stick

• Glove

• Sock

• Shadow

• Marionette

• PuppetMaster

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.

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

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

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

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

Here are the clues and answers to NYT's The Mini for Wednesday, January 29, 2025:

AcrossType of bulb in many Christmas lights, for short

• The answer is LED.

Diminish, as confidence

• The answer is Erode.

With 7-Across, sawing a person in half, e.g.

• The answer is Magic.

See 6-Across

• The answer is Trick.

Breakaway religious groups

• The answer is Sects.

DownSudoku solver's asset

• The answer is Logic.

Official decree

• The answer is Edict.

Illusionists might cut them in half

• The answer is Decks.

CPR pros

• The answer is EMTs.

Like finding a four-leaf clover

• The answer is Rare.

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

Featured Video For You The Wordle Strategy used by the New York Times' Head of Games

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

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

Stephen King is always happy to make his feelings clear when it comes to adaptations of his work — whether the author likes them or he doesn't.

SEE ALSO: Every single Stephen King movie adaptation, ranked

The latest movie in the horror master's thoughts is Longlegs director Osgood Perkins' upcoming adaptation of The Monkey, produced by Saw's James Wan and starring The Gentlemen's Theo James. The film, which centres on a creepy cymbal-banging monkey toy associated with gruesome deaths, uses King's 1980 short story for its inspiration.

The verdict, which the author posted recently on Threads? Well, it certainly sound like the film made an impact.

View on Threads

"You've never seen anything like THE MONKEY. It's batshit insane," wrote King. "As someone who has indulged in batshittery from time to time, I say that with admiration."

That sounds...good, right? It's certainly in keeping with the tone of the movie's teaser, too. As to where it will land on our comprehensive list of the best Stephen King adaptations? Time will tell.

Scientists found an intriguing world in our galaxy.

They confirmed the existence of a rocky planet, called a "super-Earth," that's some six times as massive as Earth. While the world HD 20794 d is larger than our planetary home, it's relatively low-mass compared to the huge and inhospitable Jupiter-like gas giants out there. Importantly, it inhabits a compelling part of its solar system, a region called the habitable or "Goldilocks" zone, where liquid water could exist on a world's surface. (Earth, for example, orbits in this special area, where it's neither too hot, nor too cold.)

"For me, it was naturally a huge joy when we could confirm the planet's existence," Michael Cretignier, an exoplanet detection researcher at the University of Oxford who led the research, said in a statement.

Evidence for the initial detection, made in 2022, was thin: Cretignier needed more observations to conclusively prove HD 20794 d's existence.

SEE ALSO: NASA scientist viewed first Voyager images. What he saw gave him chills.

But there's something unusual about this super-Earth.

Planets orbit their stars in elliptical, or oval, shapes, though these ovals tend to be almost circular (but still can't literally be called circles). Yet Cretignier notes HD 20794 d has a "peculiar orbit." It's highly elliptical, which means as the planet orbits its star, it moves from the inner edge to just beyond the outer edge of the habitable zone every year. This raises questions about its habitability, or likelihood that it harbors conditions that could support life as we know it.

You can see a conception of the planet's strange orbit below. The outer planet is the super-Earth HD 20794 d, and the green region in space is this solar system's habitable zone.

An illustration of a habitable zone in a solar system. Credit: NASA

The research was recently published in the peer-reviewed journal Astronomy & Astrophysics. The exoplanet team harnessed two decades of light observations captured by the HARPS and ESPRESSO (Echelle SPectrograph for Rocky Exoplanet and Stable Spectroscopic Observations) instruments, located in the profoundly dark and dry Chilean mountains. These sensitive instruments detect minute gravitational effects an exoplanet has on its star. You can think of these effects as faint, almost imperceptible wobbles.

Although HD 20794 d still remains largely mysterious, it's possible that future exoplanet missions — such as NASA's Habitable Worlds Observatory — a space telescope that would look for signs of life in the atmospheres of other worlds — will be able to closely investigate this intriguing super-Earth.

"Excitingly, its proximity with us (only 20 light-years) means there is hope for future space missions to obtain an image of it," Cretignier said.

There are likely more than a trillion planets in our galaxy alone, and a large proportion could be super-Earths. One day, we might confirm that some are ocean worlds, like Earth.

Featured Video For You NASA video shows stunning scene from extremely volcanic world Io

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SEE ALSO: Rate your favorite smart home gear for a chance to win a $250 Amazon gift card

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Connections is a game from the New York Times that challenges you to find the association between words. It sounds easy, but it isn't—Connections categories can be almost anything, and they're usually quite specific. If you need a hand getting the answers, we've got you covered.

DeepSeek, a Chinese AI chatbot similar to OpenAI's ChatGPT, is the most downloaded free app in the U.S. — but its swift rise to the top of the app store charts has raised potent privacy concerns at a time when the U.S. is banning TikTok over its ties to the Chinese government.

Like most apps, DeepSeek requires you to agree to its privacy policy when you sign up to access it — but you probably don't read it. 

SEE ALSO: What AI experts are saying about DeepSeek R1

In summary, "DeepSeek’s privacy policy, which can be found in English, makes it clear: user data, including conversations and generated responses, is stored on servers in China," Adrianus Warmenhoven, a cybersecurity expert at NordVPN, said in a statement. "This raises concerns because of data collection outlined — ranging from user-shared information to data from external sources — which falls under the potential risks associated with storing such data in a jurisdiction with different privacy and security standards."

Here's the TL;DR from DeepSeek's privacy policy:

• It collects "Information You Provide" 

  • Profile information like date of birth, username, email address, telephone number, password

  • The text, audio, prompt, feedback, chat history, uploaded files, and other content you provide to DeepSeek

  • Information when you contact them, like proof of identity or age and feedback or inquiries

• It collects "Automatically Collected Information"

  • Internet and other network activity information like your IP address, device identifier, and cookies

  • Technical information like your device model, operating system, keystroke patterns or rhythms, IP address, system language, diagnostic and performance information, and an automatically assigned device ID and user ID

  • Usage information like the features you use 

  • Payment information, which is self-explanatory

• It collects "Information from Other Sources"

  • Log-in, sign-up, or linked services and accounts, like if you sign up using Google or Apple

  • Advertising measurement and other partners share user information with DeepSeek, such as what you've bought at their stores

What do "keystroke patterns or rhythms" mean?

DeepSeek's privacy policy states that it collects "keystroke patterns or rhythms," which might seem unusual but not completely uncommon. For instance, TikTok collects the same information, while Instagram does not. 

DeepSeek didn't immediately respond to a request for clarification from Mashable, but there's a bit unknown regarding its keystroke data collection. We don't know what DeepSeek will do with the information. For its part, TikTok has said that collecting "keystroke patterns or rhythms" specifically refers to the timing of when keys are pressed — not the specific keys that are pressed. This creates a form of biometric identification that makes one user different from another. TikTok told Snopes that this practice is "fundamentally" different from keylogging, a type of monitoring originally developed in the mid-1970s by the Soviet Union that's still used today by hundreds of popular sites.

SEE ALSO: Could Trump ban DeepSeek? What the TikTok ban saga tells us.

Nicky Watson, the co-founder and chief architect of consent management platform Syrenis, told Mashable that "the biometrics space is growing rapidly, and the accuracy [at which] it can verify identities is unmatched."

"However, with more companies collecting biometrics, a whole new set of data privacy and security risks need to be addressed, including security breaches, identity theft, impersonation, and fraud. Biometrics' inability to be revoked or reset, unlike compromised passwords, makes it a much higher-stakes form of identification," Watson said.

What does DeepSeek do with my data?

It uses all this information for various purposes, like ensuring it sends users relevant advertising and notifying them about changes to its services, which is pretty typical. But it will also "comply with our legal obligations, or as necessary to perform tasks in the public interest, or to protect the vital interests of our users and other people." Moreover, its "corporate group" can access its data and share information with law enforcement agencies.

Many companies include that blanket statement in their privacy policies, but DeepSeek's data is stored "in secure servers located in the People's Republic of China." China has some notable legal requirements under its cybersecurity and privacy laws, including laws that demand tech companies cooperate with national intelligence efforts. This, combined with the current TikTok ban, leads to propaganda fears. For example, you can't ask DeepSeek questions about the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre.

SEE ALSO: DeepSeek AI: What you need to know about the ChatGPT rival

"DeepSeek’s privacy policy openly states that the wide array of user data they collect goes to servers in China," Watson said. "This alone raises big questions about how that data could be used beyond just running the app. It’s so easy to get swept up in the hype of a new trending AI tool and accept the terms of use without thinking twice, but this privacy policy should make users stop and ask: Am I giving away private details like my location, browsing activity, or even personal messages without realizing it?"

WIRED reviewed the website's activity and found that DeepSeek appears to send data to Baidu Tongji, the widely used web analytics tool owned by Chinese tech giant Baidu, and the Chinese internet infrastructure firm Volces, among other companies.

Why should an average user be concerned?

It's easy to ignore the importance of data security. At its core, reading through the fine print of privacy terms and conditions can be remarkably boring, which is precisely what makes it so dangerous. DeepSeek is subject to government access under China's cybersecurity laws, which mandate that companies provide access whenever the Chinese government demands it. We don't know how many AI models are trained or how they operate, and that's concerning, too, especially if your data could be misused or maliciously exploited.

SEE ALSO: Apple opens up about Siri privacy in wake of lawsuit

Plus, you don't want your identity stolen. You don't want your bank account information in the wrong hands. Let's say you give an abundant amount of personal information to a chatbot or use a credit card to pay for it, and that data is stored by the company and later hacked or improperly shared — you could be in trouble. In a situation like that, at best, it's really annoying to change your passwords; at worst, you're out of your life's savings. A company like DeepSeek, or even Meta or OpenAI, might not actively steal your information to take your identity. Still, cyberattacks happen — and if they're hosting your data, your data can be taken. Just yesterday, DeepSeek faced "large-scale malicious attacks," which forced the company to temporarily limit new registrations.

"There is always the risk of cyberattacks," Warmenhoven said. "As AI platforms become more sophisticated, they also become prime targets for hackers looking to exploit user data or the AI itself. With the rise of deepfakes and other AI-driven tools, the stakes are higher than ever."

What can an average user do? Is this worse than what all the other tech giants do?

"It shouldn’t take a panic over Chinese AI to remind people that most companies in the business set the terms for how they use your private data," John Scott-Railton, a senior researcher at the University of Toronto’s Citizen Lab, told WIRED. "And that when you use their services, you’re doing work for them, not the other way around."

Safeguarding your data from DeepSeek is probably a good idea — but experts urge users not to stop there.

"To mitigate these risks, users should adopt a proactive approach to their cybersecurity," Warmenhoven suggested. "This includes scrutinizing the terms and conditions of any platform they engage with, understanding where their data is stored and who has access to it."

However, ultimately, it shouldn't be up to an individual. As F. Mario Trujillo, a staff attorney for the Electronic Frontier Foundation, told Mashable, "When you type intimate thoughts and questions to a chatbot or search engine, that content should be protected and not be unnecessarily used or shared. The best way to do that is to enact strong data privacy laws that apply to all companies, whether it be Google, OpenAI, TikTok, or DeepSeek." 

Protecting your privacy shouldn’t be up to you alone. Stronger data privacy laws would help everyone, whether it concerns apps located in China or apps with similarly questionable data privacy laws in the U.S., like Meta and OpenAI.

This story has been updated to add more context and clarity about the data DeepSeek allegedly sends to other companies, specifically about Baidu Tongji.

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