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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 SEE ALSO: How to play Pips, the newest NYT game

Here are the clues and answers to NYT's The Mini for Friday, May 29, 2026:

Across"Whatcha ___?"

• The answer is Doin.

"Whatcha ___?"

• The answer is Up to.

Ecosystem that includes the bristlemouth, the most common vertebrate on Earth (roughly 1 quadrillion organisms)

• The answer is Ocean.

Marx who wrote "Das Kapital"

• The answer is Karl.

Period at a hotel

• The answer is Stay.

DownOld gold coin of Europe

• The answer is Ducat.

Performance at Milan's La Scala or Naples's Teatro di San Carlo

• The answer is Opera.

Home to Milan and Naples

• The answer is Italy.

Prefix with starter or smoker

• The answer is Non.

Approves

• The answer is OKs.

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

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 yesterday's Mini Crossword.

A Blue Origin New Glenn spaceship has exploded, disappearing in a massive ball of fire during a test on Thursday night. Fortunately, no injuries have been reported, but it's an expensive setback for Jeff Bezos' space company. 

SEE ALSO: Blue Origin’s New Glenn mission successfully launches and lands a reusable rocket

The New Glenn rocket had been undergoing a static hot-fire test at Florida's Cape Canaveral Space Force Station at the time of the explosion. A static hot-fire test is a trial run of the rocket's launch system, involving fuelling up the vehicle and briefly firing all its engines without disengaging the launch mount. 

Unfortunately, this trial didn't go as planned. At approximately 9 p.m. ET the rocket "experienced an anomaly," which is Blue Origin-speak for "rapid unscheduled disassembly," which is SpaceX-speak for "exploded in a giant fireball." SpaceX suffered a similar accident last June, when its Starship spacecraft also exploded during a static fire test.

One first stage New Glenn rocket reportedly costs over $100 million to build.

The explosion was caught on camera by Spaceflight Now and NASA Spaceflight.

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"We experienced an anomaly during today's hotfire test," the official Blue Origin X account posted shortly after the explosion. "All personnel have been accounted for. We will provide updates as we learn more."

Bezos reiterated that all personnel were safe in a post from his personal X account, and said that an investigation into the incident is now underway.

"It’s too early to know the root cause but we’re already working to find it," Bezos wrote. "Very rough day, but we’ll rebuild whatever needs rebuilding and get back to flying. It’s worth it."

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New Glenn is Blue Origin's attempt at building a reusable orbital rocket. On Wednesday, the company announced that New Glenn's fourth launch would place 48 Amazon Leo satellites into orbit, with further details to be revealed at a later date.

Burnout and turnover are common in high-pressure jobs. But new research suggests that people are more likely to leave when their work feels isolating, unsupported, or disconnected from meaningful responsibility. The way you design work day to day can actually strengthen commitment to a demanding job.   Think carefully about how responsibility is assigned. Don’t make staffing decisions based only on coverage needs […]

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If you like playing daily word games like Wordle, then Hurdle is a great game to add to your routine.

There are five rounds to the game. The first round sees you trying to guess the word, with correct, misplaced, and incorrect letters shown in each guess. If you guess the correct answer, it'll take you to the next hurdle, providing the answer to the last hurdle as your first guess. This can give you several clues or none, depending on the words. For the final hurdle, every correct answer from previous hurdles is shown, with correct and misplaced letters clearly shown.

An important note is that the number of times a letter is highlighted from previous guesses does necessarily indicate the number of times that letter appears in the final hurdle.

Mashable 101 Fan Fave: Nominate your favorite creators today

If you find yourself stuck at any step of today's Hurdle, don't worry! We have you covered.

SEE ALSO: Hurdle: Everything you need to know to find the answers Hurdle Word 1 hint

To decorate.

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

ADORN

Hurdle Word 2 hint

Golf helper.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for May 29, 2026 Hurdle Word 2 Answer

CADDY

Mashable 101 Fan Fave: Nominate your favorite creators today

Hurdle Word 3 hint

A principle.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for May 29 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for May 29, 2026 Hurdle Word 3 answer

DOGMA

Hurdle Word 4 hint

Spiral.

Hurdle Word 4 answer

HELIX

Final Hurdle hint

An explosion.

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

BLAST

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

We're just a few nights away from the Blue Moon, so there's plenty surface features to spot on the Moon tonight. But what are they? Keep reading to find out.

What is today’s Moon phase?

As of Friday, May 29, the Moon phase is Waxing Gibbous. Tonight, 91% of the moon will be be lit up, according to NASA's Daily Moon Guide.

You don't need visual aids to be able to moon gaze, especially if its a clear night. With just your naked eye, you'll be able to spot the Mare Imbrium, Aristarchus Plateau, and the Kepler Crater. If you have binoculars you'll also be able to catch a glimpse of the Posidonius Crater, Archimedes Crater, and the Clavius Crater. If you have a telescope, you'll see the Caucasus Mountains, Descartes Highlands, and the Schiller Crater.

When is the next Full Moon?

There are two Full Moons in May, with the next due to take place on May 31.

What are Moon phases?

According to NASA, the Moon takes around 29.5 days to orbit Earth, passing through a repeating pattern of eight distinct phases. Although the same side of the Moon always faces Earth, the portion illuminated by the Sun changes as it moves around the planet. This is what creates the different shapes we see in the night sky, from thin crescents to half Moons and the full Moon. Together, these phases form the lunar cycle:

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.

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

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 May 29, 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 May 29, 2026 Easy difficulty hints, answers for May 29 Pips

Less Than (2): Everything in this space must be less than 2. The answer is 0-6, placed horizontally; 0-5, placed vertically.

Equal (6): Everything in this space must be equal to 6. The answer is 0-6, placed horizontally; 6-2, placed horizontally.

Greater Than (2): Everything in this space must be greater than 2. The answer is 6-2, placed horizontally; 1-5, placed vertically.

Number (20): Everything in this space must add up to 20. The answer is 0-5, placed vertically; 5-5, placed horizontally; 1-5, placed vertically.

Medium difficulty hints, answers for May 29 Pips

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

Equal (0): Everything in this red space must be equal to 0. The answer is 5-0, placed horizontally; 0-6, placed horizontally.

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

Number (3): Everything in this space must add up to 3. The answer is 6-1, placed horizontally; 2-0, placed vertically.

Number (4): Everything in this space must add up to 4. The answer is 0-1, placed vertically; 3-2, placed vertically.

Greater Than (0): Everything in this space must be greater than 0. The answer is 3-2, placed vertically.

Hard difficulty hints, answers for May 29 Pips

Less Than (6): Everything in this space must be less than 6. The answer is 0-1, palced horizontally.

Number (2): Everything in this space must add up to 2. The answer is 2-0, placed horizontally.

Less Than (2): Everything in this space must be less than 2. The answer is 2-0, placed horizontally; 0-5, placed vertically.

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

Number (10): Everything in this space must add up to 10. The answer is 0-5, placed vertically; 5-3, placed vertically.

Number (3): Everything in this space must add up to 3. The answer is 3-2, placed vertically.

Equal (1): Everything in this space must be equal to 1. The answer is 0-1, placed horizontally; 1-3, placed horizontally; 1-1, placed vertically; 1-4, placed vertically.

Equal (3): Everything in this space must be equal to 3. The answer is 1-3, placed horizontally; 3-3, placed vertically; 3-0, placed vertically; 5-3, placed vertically.

Number (6): Everything in this space must add up to 6. The answer is 3-0, placed vertically; 6-2, placed vertically.

Number (2): Everything in this space must add up to 2. The answer is 3-2, placed vertically; 0-4, placed vertically.

Equal (4): Everything in this space must be equal to 4. The answer is 0-4, placed vertically; 1-4, placed vertically; 4-2, placed horizontally.

Equal (2): Everything in this space must be equal to 2. The answer is 4-2, placed horizontally; 2-2, placed horizontally; 6-2, 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.

You won't have to wait much longer to buy Slate Auto's first EV. The Jeff Bezos-backed startup is telling customers via email that it will begin taking orders for the low-priced, modular truck on June 24th ahead of deliveries later in the year.

For All Mankind season 5 might be coming to a close, but the new spin-off show, Star City, is just getting started. Star City premieres with two episodes on Apple TV on May 29 at 12 a.m. PT/3 a.m. ET.

The Nissan Pathfinder has been hauling people and their stuff around since 1986, when it arrived as a compact pickup-based off-roader before eventually growing into the three-row SUV it is today.

TL;DR: Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows is available for $29.97 (reg. $219.99) through May 31 at 11:59 p.m. PT.

Opens in a new window Credit: Microsoft Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows: Lifetime License $29.97
$219.99 Save $190.02   Get Deal

If you’re shopping for Microsoft Office and don’t necessarily need Microsoft’s latest release, this right here could save you quite a bit of money. Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows is price-dropped to $29.97 (reg. $219.99) through May 31 at 11:59 p.m. PT.

Instead of paying an ongoing subscription fee for Microsoft 365, this package provides access to Microsoft’s classic productivity apps with a one-time purchase.

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One advantage of Office Professional 2021 is the inclusiveness of software included. While newer Office editions often focus on the core essentials, this package comes with eight applications: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams, OneNote, Publisher, and Access.

That means users can handle everything from document creation and email management to database projects and business presentations without piecing together multiple software solutions. Excel remains a go-to tool for budgeting, reporting, and data analysis, while Word and PowerPoint continue to be primary programs for professional communication.

Although Office 2021 isn’t Microsoft’s newest version, that may not be a pitfall for many buyers. If your main goal is reliable access to familiar Office applications rather than the newest feature releases or bundled cloud storage, Office 2021 can be a more cost-effective option. In fact, this deal includes more applications than Office 2024 Home & Business, making it a smart choice for users who want the broadest set of desktop tools.

Before purchasing, it’s worth noting that Office Professional 2021 requires Windows 10 or Windows 11 and installs on one Windows PC.

For anyone looking to equip a home office, small business, or personal workstation without stretching their software budget, Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows is available for $29.97 through May 31 at 11:59 p.m. PT.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: The GoCable 8-in-1 EDC 100W Cable is on sale for $21.99 (reg. $49.99) and combines fast charging, multiple connectors, cable management, and everyday tools in one compact gadget.

Opens in a new window Credit: GoCable GoCable 8-in-1 EDC 100W Cable $21.99
$49.99 Save $28.00   Get Deal

Is your bag, desk drawer, or carry-on overflowing with charging cables, adapters, and random accessories? The GoCable 8-in-1 EDC Cable is here to turn all of that disarray into convenience, consolidating all that clutter into one clever, pocket-sized tool, and it’s on sale for $21.99 (reg. $49.99).

We’ve seen multi-purpose charging accessories before, but GoCable stands out by packing an impressive range of features into something small enough to clip onto your keychain or backpack.

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The GoCable supports up to 100W charging speeds when paired with a compatible power source. That means it’s ready for everything from smartphones and tablets to laptops and other USB-C devices. Plus, with both USB-C and Apple Lightning compatibility, it’s great for those who always have a mix of devices.

It’s built-in LED display shows charging info in real time. Instead of not knowing whether your device is charging efficiently, you can see the status right on the cable itself.

GoCable also features magnetic cable management, keeping cords neatly wrapped and tangle-free. It’s great for travelers, commuters, photographers, drone users, and content creators alike (basically anyone carrying multiple gadgets).

It also comes loaded with extras: a built-in bottle opener, a safe cutter for opening packages, a carabiner clip for attaching to bags or gear, and support for high-speed data transfers between devices.

Plus, rather than carrying separate charging accessories and small utility tools, users get several everyday functions bundled into one compact gadget that’s less than six inches long.

If you want to travel lighter with your tech, the GoCable 8-in-1 EDC 100W Cable can do that for you for just $21.99 (reg. $49.99).

StackSocial prices subject to change.

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

Luxury used to be all about aspiration. People paid extra for nicer materials, smoother performance, quieter cabins, and the badge on the hood that signaled you’d “made it.”

We've reached the last weekend in May, meaning all the shows that premiere on June 1 or later will compete at the 2027 Emmys rather than the 2026 ceremony in the fall. Keep in mind that the high-profile shows of June, including Cape Fear on Apple TV and House of the Dragon on HBO Max, are ones to keep an eye on.

Anthropic isn't ready to let regular users look at its supposedly super-powerful Claude Mythos AI model just yet. But the AI company has just released an upgrade to its flagship product, Claude Opus — now in its 4.8 version.

"It builds on Opus 4.7 with improvements across benchmarks, and is a more effective collaborator," Anthropic promised in a press release Thursday. Indeed, the benchmark numbers, below, show very minor improvements across the board.

One major improvement, allegedly, is in the area of hallucinations. Claude Opus 4.8 won't lie to users as much. "Early testers report that Opus 4.8 is more likely to flag uncertainties about its work and less likely to make unsupported claims," Anthropic said, touting the model's "honesty."

Claude Opus 4.8 has 'better judgment'

"Claude Opus 4.8 has noticeably better judgment," an engineer at Shopify, Tom Pritchard, told Anthropic. The coding version of the model "asks the right questions, catches its own mistakes, and pushes back when a plan isn't sound."

Given the increasing number of horror stories about AI agents deleting entire corporate databases, that promise may be music to the ears of vibe coders everywhere.

To please power users, Anthropic is offering a significant discount on "fast mode," where Claude will work at 2.5 times regular speed. Fast mode "is now three times cheaper than it was for previous models," the company said.

Users on Reddit weren't buying it, however. Many feared a loss of access to a more popular model, Claude Opus 4.6. "Nobody trusts the benchmark charts," wrote one redditor in summary, noting that Opus 4.7 also seemed to have some pretty good numbers when it was released.

Whether or not we can trust the benchmarks — and to be clear, Mashable hasn't independently verified these numbers — here's what Anthropic is claiming.

Credit: Anthropic How to try Claude Opus 4.8

Claude Opus 4.8 is available now via Anthropic's website, Claude.AI, as well as via the Claude API, plus Anthropic partners like Microsoft Foundry.

The new model is priced exactly the same as its predecessors, which is to say models going all the way back to Claude Opus 4.5. All of them will cost you $5 per million input tokens and $25 per million output tokens.

Given that Anthropic is promising Claude Mythos within a matter of weeks, however, you may want to hang back and wait to see whether that model can be even more "honest" about its hallucinations.

Toyota has spent decades building a reputation for making some of the most dependable SUVs on the road. For many buyers, that reputation alone is enough to put the brand at the top of their shopping list. However, the company is currently going through a major transition period, with many of its most important SUVs either entering new generations or adopting hybrid powertrains for the first time.

The modern smartphone landscape is a creative desert. Samsung's Galaxy S26 Ultra is technically outstanding, but held back by an uninspired design and generic software. Google's Pixel 10 Pro? It's better-looking, but won't thrill you unless you prize camera quality and AI. Even foldables have settled into a groove, with the Galaxy Z Fold 7 pulling bolder ideas like the S Pen in the name of thinness.

Luxury sedans used to sit right at the top of the automotive world. Before SUVs took over and giant screens became the main event, they were the cars automakers threw everything at—comfort, silence, performance, and tech all in one package.

After months of teases, Waymo is ready to offer public rides in its first purpose-built, widely available robotaxi, and it's billed as a "living room on wheels" with the technology upgrade to match.

Autonomous robotaxi company Waymo just announced a fleet of new vehicles — the Ojai — that it describes as roomier and more accessible than its typical Jaguar I-PACE cars.

The self-driving Ojai offers “elevator-like doors,” low steps, flat floors, and a seat-integrated handle, features the Google-owned company says make it easier for riders to get in and out of the vehicle. Waymo describes the space inside the Ojai as a "living room on wheels." The Ojai interior shares some similarities with Waymo competitor Zoox, which operates a fleet of carriage-style autonomous cars.

The Ojai has three large LED screens that display routes, temperature controls, and music options, with embedded braille and screen-reader compatibility (low-vision riders have expressed an affinity for self-driving cars in a recent New York Times report).

The Ojai will feature the 6th-generation Waymo Driver tech, which the company says will enable the cars to operate more effectively in snowy conditions. Don’t look for the cars in New York or Boston, though; they will first roll out as free rides for select riders in the temperate cities of Los Angeles, Phoenix, and San Francisco, before moving to Denver, Las Vegas, and San Diego.

SEE ALSO: Robot, take the wheel: What you need to know about autonomous vehicles rolling out across the U.S.

Speaking of weather, Waymo recently suspended rides in San Antonio, Houston, Dallas, and Atlanta after some of its cars drove into floods. Still, Waymo proudly touts its safety record, recently releasing data showing that its Waymo Driver tech was involved in 92 percent fewer serious crashes than human drivers under the same conditions. Additionally, Waymo stated that its cars have a 13x lower rate of serious injury or fatal crashes than human drivers.

The art of binge-watching comes in many forms. It's fun to embark on a multi-week journey to stream a long-running show that you always wanted to watch. Other times, I can sit down for dinner and finish an entire series before it's time to go to bed.