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It seems like every week or two there's a trendy new AI buzzword flying around the internet. This week, it's "claws," a new type of AI assistant.

Many people, from prominent AI evangelists to regular folks on message boards, have started using the term in recent weeks, which can feel pretty alienating if you aren't totally plugged into the AI ecosystem. To fully understand claws, you need to be familiar with OpenClaw (aka Clawdbot), agentic AI, and a few other recent AI trends. So, allow us to give you a basic breakdown of what claws are and why everyone is talking about them.

What are claws? A simple explanation.

Put simply, a claw in this context is a special type of open-source AI personal assistant that runs locally on a device, often a Mac Mini. You can give it access to your calendar, your email, coding tools, internet browsers, AI models, and more. Using all these tools, your "claw" can autonomously perform tasks on your behalf. If you want it to answer your emails and schedule any necessary meetings, it can do that. If you want your claw to code a new app while you're sleeping, you can connect it to your ChatGPT or Claude account and let it go to work.

Recently, AI researcher Andrej Karpathy posted a mini-essay on X, where he talks about "tinkering with claws."

You might recognize Karpathy as the man who helped coin the term "vibe coding," the AI buzzword of 2025. So, when Karpathy starts throwing around new AI lingo, people pay attention.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. SEE ALSO: Want to try Clawdbot? Get the Apple 2024 Mac mini for under $550 at Amazon.

As Karpathy talks about in the post, it's become popular to run claws locally on a Mac Mini, Apple's very powerful little desktop computer. However, you can run it on other devices, with Raspberry Pi devices being one popular alternative.

If you want an etymology of the term, it's a direct reference to Clawdbot. Clawdbot is an open-source AI assistant with read-level access to a user's device, and it's been the talk of the town in Silicon Valley for weeks. (Clawdbot recently changed its name to OpenClaw to get out of Anthropic's crosshairs, at which point its inventor was hired by OpenAI.) In Karpathy's post, he also lists several OpenClaw alternatives, like NanoClaw, ZeroClaw, IronClaw, and more. The point is that there are suddenly a lot of these agentic AI assistants floating around the internet, making it perhaps the most trendy movement in AI right now.

Hopefully, this is a decent enough starting point for understanding what claws are and why people are excited about them. If you feel moved to try it out, be our guest. If not, you'll probably be fine, too. The world is your oyster.

TL;DR: The Super Console X2 is a plug-and-play retro and streaming entertainment hub packed with games, apps, and multiplayer support for $89.97 (reg. $159.99).

Opens in a new window Credit: Kinhank Kinhank Super Console X2 Pro Retro Gaming Emulator & Streaming Console $89.97
$159.99 Save $70.02   Get Deal

Modern entertainment is fragmented — streaming apps here, game downloads there, and endless updates everywhere. The Kinhank Super Console X2 Pro, currently $89.97 (reg. $159.99) with free shipping, feels like a throwback not just because of the games, but because it simplifies everything into one device.

Inside is a dual-system setup. Android 9.0 handles streaming apps and media playback, while EmuELEC runs dozens of classic gaming emulators. That means you can watch something, grab a controller, and immediately switch to playing — no installs, accounts, or patches waiting in the background.

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The hardware keeps it practical: an S905X2 processor, Mali-G31 GPU, and 4K output so older games still look sharp on modern TVs. Dual-band Wi-Fi connects wireless controllers and downloads extra 3D titles, while expandable storage lets you add more later.

It works with TVs, monitors, projectors, and laptops, making it easy to bring it to a friend’s place or move between rooms. Multiplayer support also turns it into a quick social activity instead of a solo login ritual.

It ends up functioning less like a standard console and more like an entertainment shortcut — a single box that covers casual gaming, nostalgia, and simple streaming without the usual setup overhead.

Sometimes convenience is the real upgrade. Get the Kinhank Super Console X2 Pro while it’s still on sale for $89.97 (reg. $159.99) with free shipping.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: Live stream Atletico Madrid vs. Club Brugge in the Champions League for free on Virgin Media Player. Access this free live stream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The Champions League playoff round has already produced some stunning moments. Atletico Madrid vs. Club Brugge was one of the most entertaining matchups in the first leg of this round. We got a penalty, an own goal, and a last-minute equalizer. What more do you need?

The score is tied 3-3 going into the second leg. Atletico Madrid are pretty formidable at home, so most fans will expect the Spanish side to progress to the next round. Club Brugge will need to produce a stunning performance to upset the odds, but anything can happen at this stage of the competition. Club Brugge will need to rely of big performances from the likes of Christos Tzolis and Hans Vanaken.

If you want to watch Atletico Madrid vs. Club Brugge in the Champions League for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Atletico Madrid vs. Club Brugge?

Atletico Madrid vs. Club Brugge in the Champions League kicks off at 5:45 p.m. GMT on Feb. 24. This fixture takes place at the Metropolitano Stadium.

How to watch Atletico Madrid vs. Club Brugge for free

Atletico Madrid vs. Club Brugge is available to live stream for free on Virgin Media Player.

Virgin Media Player is geo-restricted to Ireland, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Ireland, meaning you can unblock Virgin Media Player to stream the Champions League for free from anywhere in the world.

Live stream Atletico Madrid vs. Club Brugge 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 Ireland

4. Visit Virgin Media Player

5. Watch Atletico Madrid vs. Club Brugge 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 most do offer free-trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch Atletico Madrid vs. Club Brugge without committing with your cash. This isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream select Champions League fixtures before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for Virgin Media Player?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on Virgin Media Player, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including Ireland

• 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 10 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).

Watch Atletico Madrid vs. Club Brugge in the Champions League for free with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: Unblock porn sites like xHamster with a VPN. The best service for unblocking porn sites is ExpressVPN.

Your access to porn sites like xHamster is not guaranteed in many locations around the world. There are obvious and legitimate reasons for online restrictions, but there is also something to be said for retaining your right to online freedom. When the time is right, you should be able to access your favorite sites without hassle.

Fortunately, it's possible to bypass content restrictions in a few simple steps. f you're looking for the best way to unblock porn sites like xHamster for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

How to unblock xHamster for free

VPNs are tools that can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure servers in other locations. This process bypasses geo-restrictions to secure access to porn sites like xHamster from anywhere in the world. It sounds complicated, but the process is actually really simple.

Unblock xHamster by following these steps:

1. Sign up for a 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 that supports access to xHamster

4. Unblock xHamster

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 unblocking porn sites are not free, but most do offer free trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can unblock porn sites and then recover your investment at a later date. This obviously isn't a long-term solution, but it works well if you're traveling to a location without access to your favorite sites.

If you want to retain permanent access to free porn sites from around the world, you'll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for bypassing online restrictions is on sale for a limited time.

What is the best VPN for porn?

ExpressVPN is the top choice when it comes to unblocking porn sites like xHamster, 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

• Fast streaming speeds free from throttling

• Up to 10 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).

Unblock xHamster for free with ExpressVPN.

Bluesky has gradually been adding more basic features such as drafts, helping it compete with other microblogging platforms such as X and Threads. Fortunately, dark mode is one feature that Bluesky has already had for a while, allowing users to switch to a dimmer colour scheme so their eyes aren't blasted with bright light when scrolling through their feed.

SEE ALSO: Bluesky finally has drafts

Here's how to turn on Bluesky's dark mode.

Total Time

• 30 seconds

What You Need

• Bluesky; smartphone or desktop PC

Step 1: Open Bluesky.

Step 2: If you're on desktop, click on "Settings" in the navigation bar on the left. If you're on mobile, tap on the "≡" in the top left corner to open the navigation bar first, then tap "Settings."

Step 3: Click or tap on "Appearance."

Step 4: Click or tap on "Dark" to switch to Bluesky's dark mode.

Credit: Mashable screenshot: Bluesky

Step 5: Once activated, you can choose how dark you want Bluesky to be by selecting either "Dim" or "Dark."

If you want to turn off Bluesky's dark mode, simply follow the same procedure until step four, then select "Light." Alternatively, you can select "System" instead to have Bluesky's colour mode follow the overarching preferences you've set for your phone's operating system.

TL;DR: Live stream Atalanta vs. Dortmund in the Champions League for free on Virgin Media Player. Access this free live stream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The Champions League playoff round has been everything we hoped it would be. We've seen big performances, moments of real drama, and heaps of goals. What more could you ask for?

Dortmund beat Atalanta 2-0 in the first leg of their playoff matchup, but there's still hope for the Italian side. Atalanta will welcome Dortmund to the Stadio di Bergamo for the second leg, hoping for a stunning turnaround. Dortmund need to be disciplined if they want to progress.

If you want to watch Atalanta vs. Dortmund in the Champions League for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Atalanta vs. Dortmund?

Atalanta vs. Dortmund in the Champions League kicks off at 5:45 p.m. GMT on Feb. 25. This fixture takes place at the Stadio di Bergamo.

How to watch Atalanta vs. Dortmund for free

Atalanta vs. Dortmund is available to live stream for free on Virgin Media Player.

Virgin Media Player is geo-restricted to Ireland, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Ireland, meaning you can unblock Virgin Media Player to stream the Champions League for free from anywhere in the world.

Live stream Atalanta vs. Dortmund 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 Ireland

4. Visit Virgin Media Player

5. Watch Atalanta vs. Dortmund 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 most do offer free-trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch Atalanta vs. Dortmund without committing with your cash. This isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream select Champions League fixtures before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for Virgin Media Player?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on Virgin Media Player, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including Ireland

• 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 10 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).

Watch Atalanta vs. Dortmund in the Champions League for free with ExpressVPN.

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.

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

Flaky.

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

SCALY

Hurdle Word 2 hint

Sightless.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for February 24, 2026 Hurdle Word 2 Answer

BLIND

Hurdle Word 3 hint

Honestly.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for February 24 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for February 24, 2026 Hurdle Word 3 answer

TRULY

Hurdle Word 4 hint

A mound.

Hurdle Word 4 answer

KNOLL

Final Hurdle hint

Cautious.

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

LEERY

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

The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult to solve if you love the theater.

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.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

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.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

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 February 24, 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: Milk is full of it

• Green: Scot pride

• Blue: Legendary writers

• Purple: Gymnastics equipment

Here are today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Calcium-based structures

• Green: Symbols of Scotland

• Blue: Famous playwrights

• Purple: ___ Beam

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 #989 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Calcium-based structures: BONES, CORAL, SHELLS, TEETH

• Symbols of Scotland: BAGPIPES, SCOTTIE, TARTAN, WHISTLE

• Famous playwrights: CHEKHOV, COWARD, MILLER, SHAW

• ___ Beam: BALANCE, JIM, LASER, TRACTOR

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 February 24, 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 love looking things up.

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 February 24, 2026 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for February 24, 2026 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Just for reference

The words are related to information.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe reference books.

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 Look it Up

NYT Strands word list for February 24

• Encylopedia

• Directory

• Look it Up

• Thesaurus

• Dictionary

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 love shopping.

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 February 24, 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 February 24, 2026 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

A consumer.

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 B.

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...

BUYER

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.

Yesterday, we examined three habits to unlearn in order to lead with greater steadiness and presence during uncertainty. Today, consider three more shifts that further expand your capacity.  Unlearn avoiding conflict; learn to sit with tension. Don’t rush to smooth over disagreement. Structure it. Ask each side to name what the other fears losing. Reflect the shared stakes you hear. Decide only what is ready […]

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It's a new lunar phase tonight, which means the moon is nearly 50% lit up. With each night the Moon will appear bigger and brighter in our sky, until we reach the Full Moon, so keep reading to see what you can spot tonight.

What is today’s Moon phase?

As of Tuesday, Feb. 24, the Moon phase is First Quarter. According to NASA's Daily Moon Guide, 48% of the Moon will be lit up tonight.

Without any visual aids, you can see plenty, but three Mares will stand out the most: the Fecunditatis, Tranquillitatis, and Serenitatis. If you add binoculars you'll also be able to see the Endymion Crater, the Mare Nectaris, and the Posidonius Crater.

Add a telescope to this line up and you'll see much more, including the Apollo 16 and 17 landing spots, and the Rupes Altai.

When is the next Full Moon?

The next Full Moon will be on March 3. The last Full Moon was on Feb. 1.

What are Moon phases?

According to NASA, the Moon takes about 29.5 days to orbit the Earth. Over the course of this period, it moves through eight recognisable phases. While the same side of the Moon always faces us, the amount of its surface lit by the Sun changes as it continues along its path. The shifts in sunlight create the different appearances we see from Earth, ranging from a fully illuminated Moon to a thin sliver or near darkness. The eight phases are:

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, the 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 onto 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 for 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 February 24, 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 February 24, 2026 Easy difficulty hints, answers for Feb. 24 Pips

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

Number (6): Everything in this space must add up to 6. The answer is 4-2, placed horizontally; 2-2, placed vertically.

Number (6): Everything in this space must add up to 6. The answer is 4-0, placed vertically; 6-1, placed horizontally.

Number (1): Everything in this space must add up to 11. The answer is 6-1, placed horizontally.

Medium difficulty hints, answers for Feb. 24 Pips

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

Number (12): Everything in this space must add up to 12. The answer is 5-0, placed; 2-2, placed vertically; 5-3, placed horizontally.

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

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

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

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

Number (6): Everything in this purple space must add up to 6. The answer is 1-6, placed vertically.

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

Hard difficulty hints, answers for Feb. 24 Pips

Less Than (4): Everything in this space must be less than 4. The answer is 3-5, placed vertically.

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

Less Than (4): Everything in this space must be less than 4. The answer is 4-3, placed horizontally.

Greater Than (4): Everything in this space must be greater than 4. The answer is 3-5, placed vertically.

Greater Than (4): Everything in this space must be greater than 4. The answer is 6-4, placed horizontally.

Number (4): Everything in this space must add up to 4. The answer is 6-4, placed horizontally.

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

Number (4): Everything in this space must add up to 4. The answer is 2-0, placed vertically; 2-6, placed horizontally.

Greater Than (4): Everything in this space must be greater than 4. The answer is 2-6, placed horizontally.

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

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

Number (4): Everything in this space must add up to 4. The answer is 1-3, placed vertically; 1-1, placed horizontally; 1-5, placed vertically.

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

Greater Than (4): Everything in this space must be greater than 4. The answer is 1-5, placed vertically.

Number (4): Everything in this space must add up to 4. The answer is 2-5, placed horizontally; 2-3, placed vertically.

Less Than (4): Everything in this space must be less than 4. The answer is 2-3, placed vertically.

Greater Than (4): Everything in this space must be greater than 4. The answer is 6-5, placed horizontally.

Equal (5): Everything in this space must be equal to 5. The answer is 2-5, placed horizontally; 5-5, placed vertically; 6-5, placed horizontally.

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

Today's Connections: Sports Edition is for people who have watch soccer.

As we've shared in previous hints stories, this is a 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.

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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: Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL. 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: American soccer teams

• Green: Athletic showcase

• Blue: Collegiate sports organization

• Purple: Used in algebra

Here are today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

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

• Yellow: An MLS Player

• Green: NFL Combine Components

• Blue: NCAA

• Purple: Math, But Make It Sports

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 #519 is...

What is the answer to Connections: Sports Edition today?

• An MLS Player - EARTHQUAKE, RED BULL, TIMBER, WHITECAP

• NFL Combine Components - 40-YARD DASH, BENCH PRESS, BROAD JUMP, INTERVIEWS

• NCAA - ASSOCIATION, ATHLETIC, COLLEGIATE, NATIONAL

• Math, But Make It Sports - 3-POINT ARC, DIVISION I, LAUNCH ANGLE, PLUS/MINUS

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be new sports 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 yesterday's Connections.

SAVE 17%: As of Feb. 23, you can get the Mohu Leaf Amplified Indoor TV Antenna for $49.99, down from $59.99, at Amazon. That's a 17% discount or $10 savings.

Mohu Leaf Amplified Indoor TV Antenna $49.99 at Amazon
$59.99 Save $10   Get Deal at Amazon

If you've cut the cord on cable but still want to watch live sports and local network broadcasts, paying for yet another streaming service gets expensive fast. All you need is a digital antenna, and fortunately, we have a solid recommendation to get you started.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for February 23, 2026

As of Feb. 23, you can get the Mohu Leaf Amplified Indoor TV Antenna for $49.99 at Amazon. (If you don't need the signal amplifier, the standard passive version is also available for $39.99.)

This is one of the digital antennas Mashable's Matt Binder recommended in his recent explainer on why every cord-cutter needs one. It features a 60-mile range to pick up channels and includes a Jolt Switch in-line amplifier that lets you easily control your signal boost. Once it's set up, you can watch free over-the-air broadcasts in 1080p and 4K UHD sans WiFi.

SAVE 21%: As of Feb. 23, you can get the 16-inch LG Gram Pro (Intel Core Ultra9, NVIDIA RTX5050, 32GB RAM, 2TB SSD) for $2,499.99, down from $3,149.99, at Amazon. That's a 21% discount or $650 savings.

16-inch LG Gram Pro (Intel Core Ultra9, NVIDIA RTX5050, 32GB RAM, 2TB SSD) $2,499.99 at Amazon
$3,149.99 Save $650   Get Deal at Amazon

If you travel for work or just hate carrying a heavy bag, finding a laptop that's both lightweight and powerful can be tricky.

As of Feb. 23, you can get the 16-inch LG Gram Pro (Intel Core Ultra9, NVIDIA RTX5050, 32GB RAM, 2TB SSD) for $2,499.99, down from $3,149.99, at Amazon. That's a 21% discount or $650 savings.

SEE ALSO: The best gaming chair for dedicated players

This laptop features an Intel Core Ultra 9 processor, 32GB of RAM, and a 2TB SSD. You'll also get a dedicated NVIDIA RTX 5050 graphics card. This means it can handle heavy multitasking, video editing, and modern gaming without freezing up or overheating, and it all looks sharp on the 2560 x 1600 resolution display.

Most laptops with this kind of hardware are thick and incredibly heavy. LG managed to fit all these high-end components into a super durable (it passed seven military-grade durability standards) 0.62-inch frame that weighs exactly three pounds. If you refuse to compromise on speed but hate lugging around a heavy bag, the LG Gram Pro is only $2,499.99 right now.

SAVE $60: The Westinghouse 49-inch curved gaming monitor is on sale at Amazon for $539.99, down from the standard price of $599.99. That's a 10% discount and the lowest we've seen at Amazon.

Opens in a new window Credit: Westinghouse Westinghouse 49-inch curved gaming monitor $539.99 at Amazon
$599.99 Save $60   Get Deal

Gaming monitors make a huge difference in the overall experience of sitting down with a new title. Unfortunately, some of the best models come with shocking price tags. If you're not in the mood to spend a ton of money on a new gaming set-up, but you're interested in a curved gaming monitor, check out this deal at Amazon.

As of Feb. 23, the Westinghouse 49-inch curved gaming monitor is on sale at Amazon for $539.99, marked down from the normal price of $599.99. That's a 10% discount that takes $60 off. It's the lowest we've seen at Amazon.

With an 1800R curve, the Westinghouse gaming monitor will give you a serious upgrade. It's equipped with AMD FreeSync Premium, built-in speakers, and a 3 millisecond response time. The 120Hz refresh rate will be nice for many games, but keep in mind some gamers will be looking for a higher rate for quick-action games.

SEE ALSO: The best DJI drone deals this week take almost $500 off great combos at Amazon

Since a curved gaming monitor takes up significant space on your desk, you might want to use it for work too. Westinghouse added a USB-C port on the monitor that'll charge up your laptop while connected. The brand even includes the USB-C cable with the gaming monitor.

While it's on sale for a new record-low price, snag the 49-inch Westinghouse curved gaming monitor. Hook up your console and you'll be on your way to great gaming.

Anthropic is accusing three Chinese artificial intelligence companies of "industrial-scale campaigns" to "illicitly extract" its technology using distillation attacks. Anthropic says these companies created 24,000 fraudulent accounts to hide these efforts.

In a blog post detailing the attacks, Anthropic named three AI firms, including DeepSeek, the maker of the popular DeepSeek AI models. Anthropic explicitly framed the attack as an issue of national security.

"We have identified industrial-scale campaigns by three AI laboratories—DeepSeek, Moonshot, and MiniMax—to illicitly extract Claude’s capabilities to improve their own models," reads the blog post. "These labs generated over 16 million exchanges with Claude through approximately 24,000 fraudulent accounts, in violation of our terms of service and regional access restrictions."

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In January, OpenAI also accused DeepSeek of engaging in distillation attacks, effectively stealing its technology.

At the time, many people reacted not with sympathy, but with mocking, as OpenAI and other AI companies have claimed they have the absolute right to train their models on copyrighted works without permission or payment. Typically, AI industry supporters say they have no choice but to train on copyrighted works because Chinese competitors are sure to ignore copyright laws anyway.

"You can't be expected to have a successful AI program when every single article, book, or anything else that you've read or studied, you're supposed to pay for," President Donald Trump said at an AI event in July 2025. "When a person reads a book or an article, you've gained great knowledge. That does not mean that you're violating copyright laws or have to make deals with every content provider." He also added, "China’s not doing it."

SEE ALSO: Anthropic releases Claude Sonnet 4.6: Benchmark performance, how to try it

That puts AI companies in the awkward position of claiming their intellectual property is off-limits for model training, while also engaging in similar behavior themselves.

What are distillation attacks?

Distillation is a common training technique for large-language models; however, it can also be used to effectively reverse-engineer some aspects of the technology. In distillation, AI researchers run variations of the same prompt repeatedly to see how a particular model responds.

"Distillation is a widely used and legitimate training method. For example, frontier AI labs routinely distill their own models to create smaller, cheaper versions for their customers. But distillation can also be used for illicit purposes: competitors can use it to acquire powerful capabilities from other labs in a fraction of the time, and at a fraction of the cost, that it would take to develop them independently."

Chinese companies have a reputation for flagrantly ignoring intellectual property treaties and copyright laws, and reverse-engineering technology from Western companies. However, while Anthropic says the distillation attacks it uncovered violated its terms of service, it's not clear that they violated any international laws, or what remedy Anthropic has besides suspending the violating accounts.

To prevent attacks like this, Anthropic called for cooperation between AI companies, government agencies, and other stakeholders.

AI companies like Anthropic, xAI, Meta, and OpenAI are in the midst of one of the largest spending booms ever seen, with tens of billions of dollars being poured into AI infrastructure, data centers, and research and development. If rival foreign AI companies can cheaply recreate their LLM technology using distillation, they would clearly have an advantage over their U.S. rivals.

"These campaigns are growing in intensity and sophistication," the blog post reads. "The window to act is narrow, and the threat extends beyond any single company or region. Addressing it will require rapid, coordinated action among industry players, policymakers, and the global AI community."

Mashable reached out to Anthropic with questions about the distillation attacks, and we'll update this article if we receive a response.

Disclosure: Ziff Davis, Mashable’s parent company, in April 2025 filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in training and operating its AI systems.

Nearly a year after his YouTube channel was hacked by crypto scammers, Steve still thinks about the ordeal every day. "I’m scared to leave my browser open," he says.

Steve, along with his wife, Danielle (who are withholding their last name for privacy reasons), launched Vegas Action in 2020, chronicling their wins and losses playing poker and blackjack at Sin City casinos. The couple wanted to highlight their love for Vegas while also showing the reality of gambling (aka, the house always wins).

The channel was demonstrating steady growth until it was hacked in April, after which it was shut down by YouTube. After numerous entreaties to Google, which owns YouTube, the channel was finally returned to Steve and Danielle's control a month later. But by that point, it was losing subscribers and momentum. Now at 37,000 subscribers, Steve and Danielle hoped at this point they'd be north of 50K.

"Our sub growth is now 30 percent of what it was a year ago," Steve says. "We’re struggling and trying to hang in there and be positive."

As for the hacking itself, Danielle describes it as "traumatic."

Discovering the hack

The scammers got control of the channel by posing as potential advertisers for Vegas Action. Specifically, they claimed to represent the popular translation service Duolingo.

"Some of our viewers are from other countries," says Danielle. "There are people who watch and don’t speak English. It seemed kind of a neat opportunity."

"We thought we were working with an advertiser to do an integration," Steve says. "We hadn’t done one in a long time, so we said, ‘Ok will do this. We need the extra revenue [to cover for the upfront costs of the channel]. It’ll help pay for airfare and other expenses.' I was having issues with them, and I clicked on something I shouldn’t have, and it took over."

Soon after, the scammers got control of the email account Danielle used for the channel.

"[The scammers] couldn’t do anything until I logged into the email, and then they got my password," says Danielle, who used two-factor authentication to log in. "They changed some things. We noticed within an hour and took the email back, but they had made themselves a parent to my email. So, no matter what, they could get in."

SEE ALSO: Super Bowl sports bettors: Think twice about that parlay bet

Along with realizing their email had been hacked, the couple soon learned they couldn't log in to their YouTube channel.

"We gave YouTube a warning that we’ve been hacked," Steve says. "Over live chat, of course, because we couldn't get an actual person there to talk to."

That night, the scammers completely took over Vegas Action and launched a livestream, pitching crypto to Steve and Danielle's tens of thousands of subscribers. Soon after the livestream launched, YouTube shut down the channel entirely, making it impossible to find even through search.

Steve and Danielle were devastated, and tried to get the word out to their subscribers via social media. As the channel's deletion stretched from days to weeks without any word from Google, the couple launched a new channel, but much of the damage was done.

Getting the channel back online

The couple filed help tickets and sent emails to Google's feedback address, but received only automated responses. In speaking with other gambling creators, Steve and Danielle discovered that several had also been hacked by the Duolingo impersonators but had regained control of their channels after a week or so.

After seeing their plight on social media, Brian Christopher, a gaming YouTuber with over 750,000 subscribers, reached out to Steve and Danielle. Not long after connecting with Christopher, YouTube returned the channel to their control, with no explanation.

Steve and Danielle believe Christopher spoke to his contact at Google about the Vegas Action hack, and that may have sped the channel's return.

"If you’re a big channel on YouTube, just like if you’re a big player at the casino, you get a [human] host," Steve says.

SEE ALSO: When the urge to gamble strikes, try mindfulness

Boot Bullwinkle, Policy Communications Manager at Google, tells Mashable that YouTube doesn't attach a specific subscriber minimum to gain access to a human contact. He directs hacked creators to visit this Google page immediately to report the problem and chat with an AI assistant (Steve says they reached out to the digital assistant but never received anything helpful).

Steve and Danielle have no idea who took over their channel. Bullwinkle declined to state how many YouTubers are hacked every year.

Advice for other creators

Steve and Danielle say they still get solicited by potential advertisers that appear to be scammers. They've only done one advertising partnership since the hack, with a company they've worked with already.

"It’s kind of booted us out of doing [partnerships,] because we’re scared," Danielle says.

The couple recommends using a new email address when launching a YouTube channel and to be very wary of clicking anything, especially if it's from someone unfamiliar.

"Take note of email addresses," Danielle says.

The aftermath

After regaining their channel, Steve and Danielle returned to regular posting and increased their uploads to at least five a week. YouTube regularly tells its creators that consistency is key to growing your channel, according to Steve and Danielle, who noted that even missing a day of posting affects their subscriber and view counts. Being offline for weeks was catastrophic to their growth, they say.

"We were down for a month, so some people either go elsewhere and find other things to watch, other things to do, and they forget about you," Danielle says. 

"And there are so many new [gambling] channels doing tables like we are," Steve adds. "They’re popping up left and right."

During the days before they got their channel back, Steve and Daniel had some long discussions.

"We did talk about walking away [from the channel], because if we don’t get it back, how do we start from scratch?," says Danielle. "We put so much money into it. For several years, it’s a huge loss because you’re not making anything."

Ten months after the hack, the Michigan-based couple remains committed to their channel and subscribers. But the hack changed everything.

"We were talking seriously about eventually moving to Vegas, possibly this year, before the hacking," Steve says. "Now, those plans are just gone."

A massive snowball fight broke out in New York City on Monday after a blizzard dumped some 20 inches of snow in the Big Apple.

The wintry conflict took place at Washington Square Park in Manhattan's West Village. Videos of the battle quickly went viral on social media, which is not surprising for a few reasons. One: The videos are fun and joyous. Two: The event was organized by Side Talk, the viral NYC series that famously gave us the "BING BONG" videos.

But look at this snowball fight. It looks like the most fun you could have — hundreds of people hurling snow at each other.

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As a fellow New Yorker, I'm hoping this was winter's last blast in the city. But if another storm rolls in, you can bet I’ll be at the next snowball fight.