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This content originally appeared on Mashable for a US audience and has been adapted for the UK audience.

If you’ve never dabbled in sexting, now's the time to give it a bash (ahem).

Trust us when we say that sexting is much more than just dirty words. Sexting can open up a whole new world and sexy possibilities. Think of it as text-based foreplay — a way of building anticipation ahead of the main event. You'll be raring to go once after a good sexting session.

But let's be completely clear: We're not talking about just sliding into someone's DMs uninvited with sexy talk via a regular dating app. Though you can definitely do that on AdultFriendFinder, which is kinda the point of that particular website. There are other apps for sexting, too. Yes, the idea of first-time sexting is daunting — all the etiquette and navigation of the appropriate apps. But please chill: We’re here to help by recommending the very best apps for sexting — apps which have been purpose-built for online flirtations and foreplay.

Mashable dating experts have tested scores of platforms over the years, so you can rest assured that we know what we're talking about here. You could say it's a sexty specialist subject. Using both experience and expert research, our app choices are based on various factors — features such as end-to-end encryption, disappearing messages, and screenshot detection, which are all essential for safe sexting (if you believe in safe sex — as you almost certainly do — the same applies here). And please don't forget that when it comes to sexting, you must always consider privacy, safety, and consent.

With that all said and understood, here’s a selection of the very best sexting apps available right now.

TL;DR: PSG vs. Arsenal in the Champions League final is available to live stream for free on RTÉ Player. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The top club competition in the world of football has to be the Champions League. There is nothing else that brings the very best teams in the world together in a battle for footballing immortality. Sure, winning your domestic league is great. But winning the Champions League is on another level.

If you want to watch the 2025-26 Champions League for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

What is the Champions League?

The Champions League is an annual club football competition organised by UEFA and contested by top-division European clubs. This year's tournament begins with a 36-team round robin group stage to determine which sides qualify for the double-legged knockout rounds, followed by a single leg final.

The defending champions are PSG.

When is the 2025-26 Champions League?

The 2025-26 Champions League is the 71st edition of the competition (and the 34th since it was renamed the Champions League). This season's tournament runs from July 8 to 30 May.

How to watch the 2025-26 Champions League for free

It is possible to live stream the 2025-26 Champions League for free on the following streaming platforms:

• Ireland — RTÉ Player (select fixtures including the final)

• Turkey — tabii (select fixtures)

• UK — Prime Video (select fixtures including semi final with 30-day free trial)

These free streaming platforms are geo-restricted, but anyone can bypass these restrictions with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure servers in other countries, meaning you can unblock free live streams of the Champions League from anywhere in the world.

Access free live streams of the 2025-26 Champions League 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 a location with free coverage of the Champions League

4. Visit RTÉ Player, Virgin Media, tabii, or Prime Video (free trial)

5. Watch Champions League fixtures for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.95 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 free live streams of the 2025-26 Champions League without committing with your cash. This is obviously not a long-term solution, but it does give you time to watch select fixtures before recovering your investment.

If you want to retain permanent access to free streaming services from around the world, the fact is you'll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for streaming live sport is on sale for a limited time.

What is the best VPN for the Champions League?

ExpressVPN is the best service 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 always secure

• Fast connection speeds

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99 (with money-back guarantee).

Live stream the Champions League for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult if you have a good head on your shoulders.

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 May 30, 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: Not happening

• Green: Reasonable

• Blue: Keyboard symbols

• Purple: Famous tunes

Here are today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: "In your dreams"

• Green: Sensible

• Blue: Typographical symbols

• Purple: Song of the Year nominees at the first Grammy Awards

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 #1084 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• "In your dreams": IMPOSSIBLE, NEVER, NO WAY, SORRY

• Sensible: CLEAR, LUCID, RIGHT, SOUND

• Typographical symbols: BRACE, CARET, PIPE, TILDE

• Song of the Year nominees at the first Grammy Awards: FEVER, GIGI, VOLARE, WITCHCRAFT

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 May 30, 2026

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

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 are easy if you're dependable.

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 May 30, 2026 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: We'll be there

The words are related to traits.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe positive characteristics.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is horizontal.

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is Good Friends.

NYT Strands word list for May 30

• Reliable

• Loyal

• Good Friends

• Helpful

• Caring

• Trustworthy

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 always in a good mood.

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 May 30, 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 May 30, 2026 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

To grin.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

There are no recurring letters.

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

Today's Wordle starts with the letter S.

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...

SMILE

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.

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.

Affordable sports cars used to follow a simple recipe: keep it light, keep it small, and send power to the rear wheels, so every back road felt alive. That formula has been fading for years as modern performance cars get faster, heavier, and far more complex.

TL;DR: Elevate your commutes and workouts with the Beats Solo 4 On-Ear Headphones, on sale now for $87.97 (reg. $199.99) through May 31.

Opens in a new window Credit: Beats by Dre Beats Solo 4 On-Ear Headphones - Warm White (Open Box) $87.97
$199.99 Save $112.02   Get Deal

If you don’t just listen to playlists but live in them, the Beats Solo 4 On-Ear Headphones are for you. These re-engineered headphones deliver premium sound with an expansive sound range and an impressive 50-hour battery, so you don’t have to miss a beat.

Right now, you can score a pair of these premium headphones for just $87.97 through May 31.

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Music lovers know that a basic pair of headphones won’t cut it. The Beats Solo 4 deliver audio brilliance, extraordinary clarity, and an expansive sound range thanks to custom-built 40-mm transducers, all worthy of your excellent taste in music.

Personalized Spatial Audio lets you immerse yourself in the tunes, while dynamic head tracking and built-in gyroscopes surround you with sound, giving you the effect of being surrounded by 64 speakers at once, whether you’re in line at the grocery store or on your morning commute.

A built-in Digital-to-Analog Converter also provides high-resolution lossless audio, and if you want more texture, you can connect via a USB-C cable or a 3.5mm audio cable.

Enjoy an impressive 50 hours of battery life and Bluetooth 5.3, which offers extended range and fewer dropouts.

Aside from offering premium sound, the Beats Solo 4 also provide a premium wearing experience that keeps up with that battery life. They’re ultralight, weighing just 217 grams, and the UltraPlush ear cushions and ergonomic design offer unparalleled comfort and fit.

You’re saving big on these headphones because they’re open-box. That means they were likely excess inventory from store shelves, but have undergone a verification process to ensure they’re still in new condition and are placed in clean packaging.

Score the Beats Solo 4 On-Ear Headphones for $87.97 now through May 31.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Every major online dating service has been targeted by malicious hackers looking to access private information, but few attacks have been as severe, as pervasive, or as publicly damaging as the data breach attack on AdultFriendFinder in October 2016.

The attack exposed the records of more than 360 million users, and not just from AdultFriendFinder itself but sister sites across the popular FriendFinder network. To this day, it is still one of the largest database breaches ever recorded, leaking the email addresses, usernames, passwords, sexual orientations, and even spoken languages of millions of people across more than two decades of AFF history.

Worse still, it exposed some downright shoddy security practices, which included using SHA-1 cryptographic hashing, already more than a decade out of date by the time of the breach, and storing account passwords in plain text. It was an embarassing moment for the company.

Thankfully, FriendFinder Networks took this breach very seriously indeed, and dramatically stepped up its security practices and protcols. Here are three major changes they made to help protect future users:

Opens in a new window Credit: AdultFriendFinder AdultFriendFinder   Learn More AFF overhauled their database security

Think of a website's database as a kind of bank vault. It's where all the most valuable stuff is stashed. And thieves would love to get their hands on it all. In 2016, prior to the attack, AdultFriendFinder had the equivalent of a single-lock safe: it looked secure and intimidating, but malicious actors had long ago figured out how to crack the code and get their hands on the loot. 

Now, AFF uses the latest in encryption technology to bolster security, including a technique called "salted hashing" that involves combining each password with a unique, random string of characters (known as the salt) and then passing them through a one-way hash function. It's a sophisticated way of ensuring that even accounts using identical passwords across different sites (looking at you, people who use "password" for your password) aren't all vulnerable during a breach.

AFF hired outside security experts

The ugly truth is that companies can't go it alone in the battle for cybersecurity. In-house security teams, as smart and hardworking as they may be, just don't stand a chance against an army of hackers and malicious actors. These scammers work 24/7 to access your valuable data and are always evolving and finding new ways through. 

SEE ALSO: Adult Friend Finder vs. Tinder: How they compare as hookup apps

The 2016 data breach humbled AFF enough to recognize this fact, and they've been contracting outside cybersecurity help ever since, including help fro Google subsidiary Mandiant. These cybersecurity firms don't just examine the potential vulnerabilities in your coding — they also look at corporate structure and employee practices to evaluate potential vulnerabilities. 

Forced password resets

Not all cybersecurity vulnerabilities are the fault (or exclusive fault) of the website. Sometimes, users' laziness can be a major vulnerability — in other words, using the same passwords year after year and assuming that's OK. Beefing up AFF's security has involved forced password resets, so you can't just use the same password all the time.

SEE ALSO: All your Hinge questions, answered

This is now basically standard operating procedure across the internet: Once every six months or once a year, you'll be asked to choose a new password. AFF has formalized this approach to help secure against password vulnerabilities that it can't control, such as leaks on other dating sites. (Be honest: How many of you use the same password across multiple sites? It doesn't take much for a hacker to apply a leaked password from one site to a whole bunch of other sites). This also protects against hardware malware such as keyloggers. 

Later this year, exactly one decade will have elapsed since AdultFriendFinder's last security breach. Say what you will about their past mistakes — a full decade of cybersecurity success is an achievement, and modern users of the site should be grateful that AFF has stepped up their game in such a big way.

If you're a Paramount+ subscriber looking for a bit of a break from the Duttons, the police procedurals, Stan, Kyle, Cartman, and Kenny, and the entire United Federation of Planets, this is your weekly reminder that the streamer also has an excellent documentary library that's easy to overlook.

When Honda launched Acura in 1986, it became the first Japanese automaker to introduce a dedicated premium and luxury brand in the United States, beating Lexus and Infiniti to market by three years. The idea was to create a separate brand with higher-end materials, more powerful engines, and a distinct identity that Honda's mainstream lineup could not provide. For nearly four decades, that separation has held firm.

When Lexus launched the TX in 2023, it was filling a gap the brand had left open for quite a while. Buyers who wanted a three-row Lexus had long been directed toward the larger, more expensive LX or asked to make compromises elsewhere in the lineup. Or in a worst-case scenario, look at another brand altogether.

Google Messages will soon do more to reflect your personal style. The latest beta of Android's official SMS and RCS messaging app includes hidden code for custom conversation wallpapers, suggestign the feature will be ready soon.

Not many people know that Samsung’s built-in Gallery app has long been a solid Google Photos alternative. That’s thanks to one feature: cloud photo backups. However, later this year, Samsung is making some big changes.

June's upcoming lineup is making it really hard not to get ahead of myself, what with House of the Dragon's third season on the way. Not to mention a pile of tantalizing new documentaries, including the male supermodel extravaganza Bring Me the Beauties: A Model Cult, an Earth, Wind & Fire doc, and more.

Electric SUVs are quickly moving from niche to mainstream, with more budget-friendly options arriving every year to tempt buyers away from gas-powered crossovers. The latest wave of compact EVs focuses on lowering entry prices while still delivering usable range, modern tech, and everyday practicality. One of the newest additions to this growing segment aims to strike that balance by offering strong efficiency figures, solid performance, and a price tag that sits close to traditional compact SUVs.

If your summer watch list needs a little more action, chaos, and spectacle, Netflix has some great picks lined up. Its collection of various award-winning movies allows you to pick titles across the trope of your choice, spanning different genres and decades.

Your phone can make your flight less stressful, easier, and more fun, but only if you prepare in advance. Trying to set everything up last minute—or while you're on your flight—is a disaster waiting to happen. These apps, including entertainment, information, and essential documents, are the apps I always open before every flight.

For decades, Toyota and Lexus have played very different roles. Toyota was the sensible choice for buyers who wanted reliability and value, while Lexus built its reputation on comfort, refinement, and a premium ownership experience.

Some people want a "minimalist" phone without all the distractions of a full-blown smartphone—until they use one. The problem is you're stuck with whichever essential apps the manufacturer chooses. That's why a flip phone with a small outside display might be the perfect compromise.

My smartphone journey began in the late 2010s. When everyone else was sliding and flipping physical keyboards, I never understood the appeal. Now, physical keyboards are making a small comeback. I wanted to know if they could change my mind over a decade later.