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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's The Mini crossword answers for April 5 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: To take on

• Green: Seen on the web

• Blue: Popular publications

• Purple: Pay close attention to the endings

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: Employ

• Green: Parts of a website

• Blue: Magazines

• Purple: Ending with medieval weapons

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 #664 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Employ: CONTRACT, ENGAGE, RETAIN, SIGN

• Parts of a website: BANNER, HEADER, MENU, SIDEBAR

• Magazines: BILLBOARD, PEOPLE, STAR, TIME

• Ending with medieval weapons: CROSSWORD, GRIMACE, RAINBOW, SEMBLANCE

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 April 5

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 April 5 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 April 5, 2025 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

Soap when it's lathered.

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 F.

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...

FOAMY.

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 April 5

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.

The original Switch is Nintendo’s most successful console, ever. After eight years of service and an incredible lineup of games, it’s doubtful that its successor could ever live up to the hype.

Right now, Best Buy is selling the Apple MacBook Air 13-inch with the M2 chip for much less than usual. Interested buyers could save 25% off the regular price of this Macbook.

Got an old phone gathering dust in a drawer? You might be able to turn that forgotten tech into savings on your Cricket Wireless bill. The prepaid carrier is rolling out a new trade-in program, giving you the chance to exchange your used devices for credits applied directly to your service bill.

macOS is packed with smooth, fluid animations that both look pretty and help guide you around the system. However, if you multitask heavily, these animations can start to feel a little sluggish. I disabled mine, and it made my system seem a lot more responsive.

Copilot was initially conceived as an AI component to Bing, but it has since evolved into a comprehensive AI present in pretty much every Microsoft product right now. And it's now getting a bunch of improvements that will bring it a little more in line with both ChatGPT and Google's Gemini—and bring Bing in line with Google, too, on that subject.

So you’re not sure whether buying the Nintendo Switch 2 on day one is worth it. $449 is a lot of money, and the prospect of spending more on games this generation isn't a particularly inviting one.

OpenAI is offering two months of free ChatGPT Plus to all college students, as CEO Sam Altman recently announced ahead of a much-anticipated update to the AI chatbot.

The offer is available through May for U.S. and Canadian students only, and can be claimed on the ChatGPT student landing page. According to the site, Existing ChatGPT Plus subscribers and new students will be verified through a system called SheerID to confirm current enrollment. Make note: the subscription will automatically renew at the ChatGPT Plus monthly rate ($20) if not cancelled before the two months are up.

SEE ALSO: Phone inspections when crossing the U.S. border: What you need to know about your rights and security

The paid version of ChatGPT includes extended limits on chatting, file uploads, and image generation, as well as advanced voice mode with video and screen sharing, limited Sora access, and new GPT‑4o and o3‑mini models.

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The use of ChatGPT and other generative AI tools by students has stirred widespread debate, as tech giants and AI developers increasingly invest in AI technologies for the classroom. Google, for example, released a teen-specific version of its chatbot Gemini that was later offered at no cost to educational institutions — the chatbot is available to all students with Google Workspace for Education accounts who are approved by administrators.

This week, OpenAI also announced free access to its new native image generator for both the paid and free versions of ChatGPT and Sora, ahead of a proposed rate limit for users of just three image generators per day. Altman and co. are ramping up excitement around the revamped GPT-4o, as well as upcoming mini models and GPT-5, amid a renewed backlash to AI-generated art and greater concerns about generative AI's takeover.

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Microsoft is celebrating its 50th anniversary, and the company is having some fun with it. The iconic Windows 95 logo was resurfaced, there is a themed version of Solitaire available, and Bill Gates even posted the source code for the company’s first operating system, Altair Basic. Microsoft’s Copilot is even getting some love. 

Actually, it would be more accurate to say that Microsoft has been showing Copilot a lot of love over the last few days. Announcements have been flying left and right, culminating in a livestream from Microsoft's global headquarters in Redmond, Washington, with even more information about current and upcoming Copilot features. 

SEE ALSO: Samsung and LG TVs add AI with Microsoft Copilot

It wasn’t all procedure and rigamarole. Microsoft also had Copilot interview three Microsoft CEOs. They got roasted, and it was hilarious. 

With all of the excitement, it became a little difficult to keep track of everything, so we went ahead and did just that. Below is every announcement for Microsoft Copilot that we could find, including the ones from the livestream.

If you want to watch the livestream for yourself, you can find it on Microsoft Copilot’s YouTube channel.

The Copilot app goes native

The Microsoft Copilot app on Windows has always been more of a website than an actual app. One of the announcements was that Copilot was becoming a native Windows app, integrated directly into the UI. The app was already rolled out to Windows Insiders, but Microsoft began rolling out the update on April 3 to all Windows users. 

According to PCWorld, users are already reporting a massive increase in performance, saying that it’s now even faster than the ChatGPT app on Windows. You can download the app from the Microsoft Store as long as you’re on the latest Windows update.

Copilot Search - The AI search engine

Microsoft and Bing are bringing a new fight to Google with the release of Copilot Search. It works as you would expect. Once you go to the website, you can ask Copilot a question. It’ll then scour the Internet on your behalf and return a search result. 

We asked it a few simple questions, and it seemed to work pretty well. We asked it what the best Android phone to buy right now was, and it showed us that it scoured various top lists and articles to come to its answer (which was the Galaxy S25 Ultra, Google Pixel 9 Pro, and the OnePlus 13). It looks similar to Google’s implementation on Google Search, complete with sources that you can click through to read or view yourself if you want. 

SEE ALSO: Inject AI directly into your PC with Windows 11 Pro and Copilot, now A$23 Copilot gets better on AMD and Intel PCs

Microsoft announced a host of new AI-powered features like Live Captions, Cocreator, Restyle Image, and Image Creator in an effort Redmond calls Copilot + PC. In addition, Microsoft doubled down on its commitment to better supporting AI on PCs running AMD, Intel, and Snapdragon CPUs. Snapdragon-powered Windows devices are also getting Voice Access capabilities. 

The new features and optimizations will be rolled out over the next year. Also, yes, Live Captions will work similarly to how they do on Apple’s iOS and Google’s Android.

New agent mode for VS Code users

During the stream, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella made a joke that it’s a new world when CEOs can code. In that same vein, he announced that VS Code users are getting a new Copilot agent mode that will help write and check code that users write. This one is mostly focused on developers, but if you code apps on Microsoft, you’ll be able to use AI to help you out and even build custom agents based on your code. 

This feature is rolling out to VS Code Stable soon. It’s been available for Insiders since February. 

Microsoft 365 Copilot gets a Researcher and an Analyst

During the livestream, Microsoft’s AI head honcho Mustafa Suleyman talked briefly about Researcher and Analyst, two new tools for Microsoft 365 Copilot. Researcher aims to help users with “complex, multi-step research at work,” per Microsoft’s blog post. Microsoft says that Researcher can integrate data from third-party sources such as Salesforce, Confluence, and more. 

Analyst takes the data you already have and analyses it. Microsoft says it’s built on OpenAI’s o9-mini reasoning model. Once it analyzes your data, it can answer questions, deliver insights, and double-check the data on your behalf. It can also turn the data into forecasts and organize it in ways that may be useful to you. 

Credit: Microsoft Copilot may change shape someday

Microsoft is working on giving Copilot a face, sort of. During the livestream, Suleyman brought Copilot to the stage to show off its ability to give itself an avatar that speaks with you. There were several examples shown, from a totally unique design to existing things like Spyro the Dragon or, for the nostalgic among us, Microsoft’s former helper, Clippy.

There was no word on when that feature would come out, but Suleyman stated that Microsoft was remaining curious about the possibilities of how users engage with Copilot, and ideas like avatars are where the company wants to explore what it can do.

Windows has come a long way, and Microsoft has phased out many tools we once couldn't do without. Many of them have been removed, but some are still around. You might even find them useful.

You can now get the Beats Studio Buds for less than $100. At this much lower price, these completely wireless earbuds pack in a lot of useful features and solid performance, making them a great deal for the money.

Having used several brands of networking gear over the years, I recently made the switch to Unifi. With a whole ecosystem at my disposal now, and fully managed networking at my fingertips, I'm not going back.

Razer, a well-known company that makes gaming gear, has dropped the price of its Basilisk V3 gaming mouse by a huge amount. This gives giving customers a great deal by getting a mouse from a well-known company for more than half-off.

Well, it looks like TikTok is here to stay for U.S. users for another couple of months.

Just the day before a TikTok ban was set to go into effect, the Trump administration once again decided to temporarily delay the U.S. ban for another 75 days. TikTok isn't necessarily saved in the long term, but we'll at least have access to the app in the U.S. through June 19.

"My Administration has been working very hard on a Deal to SAVE TIKTOK, and we have made tremendous progress," he wrote in a TruthSocial post. "The Deal requires more work to ensure all necessary approvals are signed, which is why I am signing an Executive Order to keep TikTok up and running for an additional 75 days."

UPDATE: Apr. 4, 2025, 4:00 p.m.

A new report in the Washington Post indicates a TikTok deal with China was imminent but that Trump's recently-imposed tariffs on the nation scuttled the deal at the last minute.

SEE ALSO: Is TikTok about to get banned in the U.S.?

TikTok would have been banned on Saturday, April 5, unless the social media platform complied with U.S. law set by the Supreme Court requiring that TikTok divest from its Chinese parent company, ByteDance. There are multiple U.S.-based people, groups, and companies looking to buy TikTok, but a deal has yet to be made.

"We hope to continue working in Good Faith with China, who I understand are not very happy about our Reciprocal Tariffs (Necessary for Fair and Balanced Trade between China and the U.S.A.!)," he continued in the TruthSocial post. "This proves that Tariffs are the most powerful Economic tool, and very important to our National Security! We do not want TikTok to 'go dark.' We look forward to working with TikTok and China to close the Deal. Thank you for your attention to this matter!"

Trump was confident he could get a deal before the April 5 deadline, and now he seems confident that the additional 75 days will help him find a solution. Either way, at least you can scroll on your FYP for a few more months.

The Trump administration extended the deadline for the owners of TikTok to sell their asset until June 19 just one day before the previous extension was set to take effect. While there's a bit more breathing room for a deal to be made, the clock is still ticking for a U.S.-based person, group, or company to strike a deal.

A host of potential owners of the social media site, including Amazon, Oracle, Microsoft, and Project Liberty have come forward. Some potential buyers are wary of the U.S. government allowing TikTok's Chinese operators to retain control of the app's algorithm and simply lease it to the U.S. buyer, according to ABC.

That could put the new owner in conflict with a law signed by President Biden last year that bans "the establishment or maintenance of any operational relationship" between the U.S. app and "any formerly affiliated entities that are controlled by a foreign adversary, including any cooperation with respect to the operation of a content recommendation algorithm."

TikTok's potential owners are reportedly worried about being sued by the U.S. government after the purchase, and want liability protection.

SEE ALSO: Trump delays TikTok ban for another 75 days The state of TikTok: Still up

Does that mean TikTok will shut down June 19 for its 170 million American users?

Trump has suggested he will extend the sale's deadline, likely via executive order, if a deal cannot be reached by Saturday. Trump already extended an earlier deadline for a ban or sale on his first day in office, January 20, and once again for a deadline on April 5.

The president says new tariffs announced on Chinese goods will give the U.S. government leverage over the TikTok sale. Still, China may not want to play ball with the U.S. during a widening trade war.

This story is developing...

In addition to a sweeping immigration agenda that involves limiting entries at U.S. ports of entry, stripping immigrant visas, and deporting undocumented Americans en masse, the Trump administration is revamping its approach to digital security, including the use of personal device searches to detain and deport U.S. residents or tourists at the border.

SEE ALSO: U.S. immigration services wants to review potential citizens' social media

Individuals, including legal permanent residents and visa holders, have been harassed and even deported by border patrol agents after traveling out of the country. In a handful of cases, European tourists have been detained and held in immigrant detention facilities. The news has stoked fear among many travelers, as individuals report increased device searches upon entry to the U.S.

In March, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) submitted a proposed change mandating a review of social media profiles as part of the process for vetting and approving benefits. The change would apply to immigrants already residing in the U.S., including green card and visa holders. In January, President Donald Trump issued an Executive Order titled, "Protecting the United States from Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats," which included a directive to slow down the visa-issuance process through heightened application scrutiny.

The administration's efforts aren't limited to the citizenship process. If you're planning to cross or enter a U.S. border or customs point, make sure to know your rights and monitor how you can protect your personal data.

What can customs and border patrol do with my phone?

While warrantless searches of personal devices were ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court in 2014, U.S. ports of entry are a different legal landscape. According to U.S. law, the CBP reserves the right to inspect electronic devices that cross the border on the premise of national security, also known as electronic checks. Electronic checks make up a small percentage of all border interactions, reports Axios, but heightened border scrutiny may amplify such activity.

Advocates have pushed to include border patrol in warrant laws, with a notable win in 2023, and various appellate courts have ruled that warrants be required for data searches at the border beyond “digital contraband," such as illegal materials. A New York state court decision, for example, ruled that warrants are required for searches of travelers' devices — that means travelers through major New York City airports, like JFK, should be protected from electronic checks. But at large the CBP policy remains, permitting "the inspection, examination, and search of vehicles, persons, baggage, and merchandise," including electronic devices.

U.S. citizens have the right to decline a device search without being barred entrance, but lawful permanent residents and foreign visitors may face harsher interrogation or be denied entry into the country. In both cases, CBP may seize and hold onto your devices.

If your device a seized by a border patrol agent, the agent will conduct either a "basic" or "advanced" search. Basic searches include a manual search of content easily accessible on your device. Advanced searches involve external equipment that can analyze and copy your device's content — advanced searches should only happen on the suspicion of illegal activity and with higher approval.

How can I protect my device?

Travelers should do what they can to protect their personal data during basic CBP searches. According to the Electronic Frontier Foundation, the first step should be limiting the amount of digital information carried across the border, including leaving unnecessary devices at home or using temporary ones.

When entering a port of entry, travelers can also consider turning off their devices completely. Always consult with an immigration lawyer if you are worried your status may come into question or are at risk of deportation.

Delete sensitive information

Experts suggest deleting images or files containing licenses, credit card information, and other documents with sensitive data. Some even suggest deleting personal photos of children or loved ones before traveling. Clear any "deleted" or "trash" folders that may temporarily hold onto erased content, as well.

Make sure any important information or files are backed up to an external location (one that you aren't traveling with), in case your devices are seized and held by CBP. For those with concerns about sensitive data, consider encrypting your device.

Turn off biometric passwords

Due to protections against self incrimination outlined in the Fifth Amendment, law enforcement has the right to ask an individual to unlock their cellphone using a biometric password such as facial recognition or fingerprints, but they cannot ask you supply them with numerical passcodes.

While border patrol operates under a slightly different set of guidelines, you should still consider turning off any settings that provide easy access to your phone, like Face I.D., and strengthening your device passcode before traveling to the U.S. Passcode-locked apps or photo libraries may provide additional security.

Log out of or private your social media accounts

While conducting a basic search, border patrol agents cannot look through personal email inboxes or cloud storage, and your device remains offline or in airplane. However, agents can look at any public social media profiles or posts — so set your pages to private and delete any posts you wouldn’t want an agent to read.

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Feeling excited after the recent Nintendo Switch 2 Direct reveal? Us too, even though the preorder and pricing situation is a little up in the air right now. It simultaneously feels like its June 5 release date is just around the corner, yet also miles away.

If you're feeling as impatient as we are, you may want to take the downtime between now and launch to play some of the original Nintendo Switch titles you never got around to. Thankfully, a pretty decent amount of them are on sale right now, which is kind of a rare occurrence when it comes to Nintendo.

SEE ALSO: Nintendo Switch 2 preorder guide: Everything you need to know ahead of time

So, we recommend that you take advantage of this moment and check out some of our favorite deals on Nintendo Switch games below.

• Assassin's Creed Anniversary Edition Mega Bundle — $39.99 $99.99 (save $60)

• Assassin's Creed The Ezio Collection — $15.99 $39.99 (save $24)

• Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze — $51.99 $59.99 (save $8)

• Dragon Quest III HD-2D Remake — $49.99 $59.99 (save $10)

• Immortals Fenyx Rising — $7.99 $39.99 (save $32)

• Just Dance 2025 Deluxe Edition — $32.99 $59.99 (save $27)

• Lego Horizon Adventures — $42.99 $59.99 (save $17)

• Mario + Rabbids Kingdom Battle Gold Edition — $14.99 $59.99 (save $45)

• Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope — $14.99 $59.99 (save $45)

• Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020 — $41.99 $59.99 (save $18)

• Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol.1 — $27.99 $39.99 (save $12)

• Persona 5 Royal — $43.99 $59.99 (save $16)

• Pokémon Legends: Arceus — $54.99 $59.99 (save $5)

• Prince of Persia: The Lost Crown Complete Edition — $24.99 $49.99 (save $25)

• Rayman Legends Definitive Edition — $7.99 $39.99 (save $32)

• Sea of Stars — $28.99 $34.99 (save $6)

• Sid Meier's Civilization VI — $29.99 $59.99 (save $30)

• Sonic Frontiers — $31.99 $39.99 (save $8)

The Nintendo Switch 2 is better at everything compared to its predecessor, but it also has a notable price bump—it's $449, compared to the original Switch's $299 launch price. Now, this might be even more expensive, and it's all thanks to tariffs.