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SAVE OVER $300: As of April 24, the Jackery Explorer 2000 v2 is on sale for $1,298.99 at Amazon. That's a 19% discount on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Jackery Jackery Explorer 2000 v2 $1,298.99 at Amazon
$1,599 Save $300.01   Get Deal

The Jackery Explorer 2000 v2 with solar panels is back on sale at Amazon, and for a limited time, you can save $300.

This stacked unit can power anything from a fridge to a laptop, and now it's down to $1,298.99 from $1,599. This deal includes the unit plus two 200W solar panels, however there are various upgrade options including charging cables, protective cases, or even additional units.

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This is a great option if you're looking for a high-capacity portable power station designed for strong, reliable backup. It'll see you through power outages at home, at work, and keep you well connected when camping. It delivers a 2,200W output with a 2,042Wh capacity, along with multiple AC outlets and a 100W USB-C port for fast charging devices.

But despite its performance, Jackery states it's more compact than many similar units, weighing 39.5 pounds and built with cell-to-body technology to help improve space efficiency and durability. It's also built with a LiFePO4 battery, which gives it serious longevity. You're looking at around 10 years of use.

This Jackery deal is available at Amazon now.

TL;DR: Live stream the 2026 NRL for free on 9Now. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

There are few other sports that can compete with rugby league when it comes to physicality and skill. It's clever handling and outrageous trickery combined with absolute brutality, and that's why we all love it.

And if you're looking for all of that and more on a weekly basis, you should check out the NRL. It's an electric competition featuring some of the best players and teams in the world. We're definitely not knocking what you get in the Northern Hemisphere, but there's something special about the National Rugby League. It feels like something wild happens every week.

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If you want to watch the 2026 NRL for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

What is the NRL?

The National Rugby League (NRL) is a professional rugby league competition in Australasia, including clubs from New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria, the Australian Capital Territory, and New Zealand.

Each team plays 24 matches in the regular season, with the first-placed team at the end awarded the minor premiership. This is followed by a finals series contested between the eight highest-placed teams from the regular season, culminating in the NRL Grand Final.

The defending champions are the Brisbane Broncos.

When is the 2026 NRL?

The 2026 NRL season is the 119th edition of professional rugby league in Australia and the 29th season run by the National Rugby League. This season runs from Feb. 28 to Sept. 5.

How to watch the 2026 NRL for free

Select fixtures from the 2026 NRL season are available to live stream for free on 9Now.

9Now is geo-restricted to Australia, 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 Australia, meaning you can unblock free live streams of the NRL from anywhere in the world.

Live stream the 2026 NRL from anywhere in the world 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 Australia

4. Visit 9Now

5. Live stream the 2026 NRL for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.99 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 the 2026 NRL without actually spending anything. This clearly isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream select NRL fixtures before recovering your investment.

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

What is the best VPN for 9Now?

ExpressVPN is the best service for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on 9Now, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including Australia

• 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 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).

Live stream the 2026 NRL for free with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: Live stream the 2026 AFL for free on 7plus. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

Aussie Rules is a uniquely fast-paced and physical game that provides entertainment to millions of fans every week, but for whatever reason, this entertaining sport hasn't really traveled outside of Australia. We think that should change, because we firmly believe that the rest of the world would absolutely love footy.

What's not to love. Outrageous displays of skill? Check. Huge tackles and the occasional physical altercation? Check. Some of the best haircuts and facial hair you've ever seen? A big check.

If you want to watch the 2026 AFL for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

What is the AFL?

The Australian Football League (AFL) is the leading professional competition of Aussie Rules Football.

The AFL currently consists of 18 teams spread over Australia's five mainland states. The league features 23 rounds in the regular season, with the team with the best record awarded the minor premiership. The top 10 teams from the regular season standings compete in a five-round finals series, culminating in the AFL Grand Final.

SEE ALSO: How to watch NRL live streams online for free

The defending champions are the Brisbane Lions.

When is the 2026 AFL?

The 2026 AFL season is the 130th edition of the Australian Football League. This season runs from March 5 to Sept. 26.

How to watch the 2026 AFL for free

Every round of the 2026 AFL season is available to live stream for free on 7plus.

This free coverage includes matches on Thursday nights, Friday nights, State Footy Saturdays, Sunday afternoons, and Sunday night games. 7plus will also show marquee games and every match in the AFL Finals Series including the Brownlow Medal and the 2026 AFL Grand Final.

7plus is geo-restricted to Australia, 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 Australia, meaning you can unblock free live streams of the AFL from anywhere in the world.

Live stream 2026 AFL from anywhere in the world 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 Australia

4. Visit 7plus

5. Live stream 2026 AFL for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.99 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal 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 the 2026 AFL without actually spending anything. This clearly isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream select AFL fixtures before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for 7plus?

ExpressVPN is the best service for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on 7plus, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including Australia

• 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 10 simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan also 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 2026 AFL for free with ExpressVPN.

SAVE OVER $400: As of April 24, the Bluetti Elite 100 V2 is on sale for $394.97 at Amazon. That's a 51% discount on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Bluetti Bluetti Elite 100 V2 $394.97 at Amazon
$799 Save $404.03   Get Deal

If you're on the lookout for a new portable power station, Amazon has some incredible deals on brands like Jackery, DJI, and Bluetti right now.

As of April 24, there's a new deal on the Bluetti Elite 100 V2 that's caught our eye. Right now, this compact unit is over $400 off, taking the price down from $799 to $394.97. That's more than half off for a limited time.

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If you're looking for something that's both powerful and compact, this model has been designed to deliver strong performance without taking up too much space. It has a 1,024Wh capacity with 1,800W AC output (up to 2,700W lifting power) and a total of 11 ports, making it suitable for powering multiple devices at once. It's ideal for both off-grid camping trips and power outages at home, and can run anything from your phone to a fridge.

It also supports fast recharging, reaching a full charge in around 70 minutes with a high-speed AC or solar input.

You can find this portable power station deal at Amazon right now.

TL;DR: Watch the 2026 MotoGP World Championship for free on ServusTV. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

Are you looking for thrilling and unpredictable racing? No we're not talking about F1, unless you like regular pit stops, safety cars, and the same driver winning almost every week. We're talking about a form of two-wheel racing where anything could happen.

MotoGP is where the real action can be found. Every week you see the best riders in the world go wheel to wheel with their rivals, throwing their bikes into corners with absolutely no sense of self preservation. It's an awesome spectacle, and it doesn't need to cost you anything to watch.

SEE ALSO: How to watch the NFL online for free

Want to watch the 2026 MotoGP World Championship for free from anywhere in the world? We have all the information you need.

What is MotoGP?

MotoGP is the oldest established motorsport world championship, with the inaugural season taking place in 1949. Races last approximately 45 minutes, without pitting for fuel or fresh tires.

The likes of Ducati, Honda, and Yamaha do battle for the constructors' championship. Marc Márquez is the defending champion.

When is the 2026 MotoGP World Championship?

The 2026 MotoGP World Championship features 22 races held all over the world between March and November:

1. Thailand GP — March 1

2. Brazil GP — March 22

3. USA GP — March 29

4. Qatar GP — April 12

5. Spain GP — April 26

6. France GP — May 10

7. Catalonia GP — May 17

8. Italy GP — May 31

9. Hungary GP — June 7

10. Czechia GP — June 21

11. Netherlands GP — June 28

12. Germany GP — July 12

13. Great Britain GP — Aug. 9

14. Aragon GP — Aug. 30

15. San Marino GP — Sept. 13

16. Austria GP — Sept. 20

17. Japan GP — Oct. 4

18. Indonesian GP — Oct. 11

19. Australia GP — Oct. 25

20. Malaysia GP — Nov. 1

21. Portugal GP — Nov. 15

22. Valencia GP — Nov. 22

The good news for fans is that it's possible to live stream the 2026 MotoGP World Championship without spending anything.

How to watch the 2026 MotoGP World Championship for free

The 2026 MotoGP World Championship is available to live stream for free on ServusTV.

ServusTV is geo-restricted to Austria, 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 Austria, meaning you can access ServusTV from anywhere in the world.

Unblock ServusTV by following this quick and easy process:

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 Austria

4. Visit ServusTV

5. Watch MotoGP for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.99 at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but they do tend to offer money-back guarantees. By using these money-back guarantees, you can watch MotoGP live streams without fully committing with your cash. This obviously isn't a long-term solution, but it does mean you can watch select races without actually spending anything.

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

What is the best VPN for ServusTV?

ExpressVPN is tough to beat when it comes to streaming live sport, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including Austria

• 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

• Impressive streaming speeds without buffering

• 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).

Live stream the 2026 MotoGP World Championship for free with ExpressVPN.

You’ll inevitably face a negotiation where it feels like you have no leverage. But even without a clear plan B, you still have ways to shift the balance—if you rethink how leverage works.  Look for partial alternatives. Stop searching for a perfect backup plan. Instead, identify options that solve part of your problem. Even limited alternatives can reduce dependence […]

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

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

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

Mashable 101 Fan Fave: Nominate your favorite creators today

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

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

A babysitter.

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

NANNY

Hurdle Word 2 hint

To spread.

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

SMEAR

Mashable 101 Fan Fave: Nominate your favorite creators today

Hurdle Word 3 hint

An aquatic animal.

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

OTTER

Hurdle Word 4 hint

Crazy.

Hurdle Word 4 answer

BATTY

Final Hurdle hint

A popular Adidas shoe.

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

SAMBA

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

We’ve now reached the First Quarter Moon, where roughly half of the visible surface is lit up. Keep reading to find out what you may be able to spot on its surface tonight.

What is today’s Moon phase?

As of Friday, April 24, the Moon phase is First Quarter. Tonight, 52% of the moon will be lit up, according to NASA's Daily Moon Guide.

If you're looking at the Moon with just your naked eye, you should be able to catch a glimpse of the Mares Crisium, Tranquillitatis, and Fecunditatis. If you have binoculars, the Mare Nectaris and Endymion and Posidonius Craters should also come into view, appearing from halfway up the Moon to near the top. And, finally, with a telescope you'll see all this plus the Apollo 16 landing spot, Rupes Altai, and Linne Crater.

When is the next Full Moon?

The next Full Moon is predicted to take place on May 1, the first of two in May.

What are Moon phases?

NASA says that the Moon completes a full orbit around Earth in about 29.5 days, during which it passes through eight stages. Although the same face of the Moon is always turned toward us, the portion illuminated by the Sun shifts as it travels along its path, producing the familiar cycle of full, half, and crescent shapes. These variations are referred to as lunar phases, and there are eight altogether:

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.

Today's Connections: Sports Edition definitely has some red herrings that could get you off track. But if you have a decent level of ball knowledge, you should be able to get the right answers.

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. The sports 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 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 before 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: Verbs

• Green: March Madness

• Blue: Ball Knowledge

• Purple: Half of a whole

Here are today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

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

• Yellow: Move Smoothly

• Green: First Words of College Conferences

• Blue: Basketball Hall of Famers

• Purple: Road ____

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 #578 is...

What is the answer to Connections: Sports Edition today?

• Move Smoothly — COAST, FLY, GLIDE, SOAR

• First Words of College Conferences — ATLANTIC, BIG, MOUNTAIN, SOUTHEASTERN

• Basketball Hall of Famers — ENGLISH, HILL, PIERCE, WEST

• Road ____ — GAME, GRADER, RACE, TRIP

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.

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

Released in August 2025, Pips puts a unique spin on dominoes, creating a fun single-player experience that could become your next daily gaming habit.

Currently, if you're stuck, the game only offers to reveal the entire puzzle, forcing you to move on to the next difficulty level and start over. However, we have you covered! Below are piecemeal answers that will serve as hints so that you can find your way through each difficulty level.

How to play Pips

If you've ever played dominoes, you'll have a passing familiarity with how Pips is played. As we've shared in our previous hints stories for Pips, the tiles, like dominoes, are placed vertically or horizontally and connect with each other. The main difference between a traditional game of dominoes and Pips is the color-coded conditions you have to address. The touching tiles don't necessarily have to match.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for April 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 April 24, 2026 Easy difficulty hints, answers for April 24 Pips

Number (3): The domino half in this purple space must have 3 pips. The answer is 3-5, placed vertically.

Equal (0): Every domino half in this red space must have 0 pips. The answer is 2-0, placed horizontally; 0-3, placed horizontally; and 5-0, placed horizontally.

Equal (3): Every domino half in this light blue space must have 3 pips. The answer is 0-3, placed horizontally; 1-3, placed horizontally.

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

Less Than (2): The domino half in this dark blue space must have less than 2 pips. The answer is 1-3, placed horizontally.

Medium difficulty hints, answers for April 24 Pips

Number (7): Everything in this purple space must add up to 7. The answer is 3-1, placed vertically; 3-3, placed horizontally.

Number (7): Everything in this red space must add up to 7. The answer is 5-5, placed horizontally; 1-1, placed vertically.

Less Than (2): The domino half in this light blue space must have less than 2 pips. The answer is 0-1, placed vertically.

Less Than (5): The domino half in this yellow space must have less than 5 pips. The answer is 3-3, placed horizontally.

Number (7): Everything in this dark blue space must add up to 7. The answer is 0-1, placed vertically; 6-3, placed horizontally.

Number (7): Everything in this green space must add up to 7. The answer is 3-2, placed horizontally; 5-2, placed vertically.

Less Than (3): The domino half in this purple space must have less than 3 pips. The answer is 5-2, placed vertically.

Hard difficulty hints, answers for April 24 Pips

Number (2): The domino half in this purple space must have 2 pips. The answer is 2-5, placed horizontally.

Number (5): The domino half in this red space must have 5 pips. The answer is 2-5, placed horizontally.

Number (0): The domino half in this light blue space must have 0 pips. The answer is 0-6, placed vertically.

Less Than (2): Everything in this yellow space must add up to be less than 2. The answer is 1-6, placed vertically; 0-3, placed horizontally.

Greater Than (2): The domino half in this dark blue space must have more than 2 pips. The answer is 0-3, placed horizontally.

Greater Than (5): The domino half in this green space must have more than 5 pips. The answer is 0-6, placed vertically.

Greater Than (5): The domino half in this purple space must have more than 5 pips. The answer is 1-6, placed vertically.

Number (2): The domino half in this red space must have 2 pips. The answer is 2-1, placed vertically.

Number (5): The domino half in this light blue space must have 5 pips. The answer is 5-0, placed horizontally.

Number (0): The domino half in this yellow space must have 0 pips. The answer is 5-0, placed horizontally.

Equal (2): Every domino half in this dark blue space must have 2 pips. The answer is 2-6, placed vertically; 2-4, placed horizontally.

Less Than (2): Everything in this green space must add up to be less than 2. The answer is 0-0, placed horizontally; 1-3, placed vertically.

Number (2): Everything in this purple space must add up to 2. The answer is 2-1, placed vertically; 1-5, placed vertically.

Equal (1): Every domino half in this red space must have 1 pip. The answer is 1-1, placed vertically; 0-1, placed horizontally.

Greater Than (5): The domino half in this light blue space must have more than 5 pips. The answer is 2-6, placed vertically.

Less Than (5): The domino half in this yellow space must have less than 5 pips. The answer is 1-3, placed vertically.

Greater Than (5): The domino half in this dark blue space must have more than 5 pips. The answer is 6-4, placed horizontally.

Equal (4): Every domino half in this green space must have 4 pips. The answer is 6-4, placed horizontally; 4-1, placed horizontally.

Less Than (2): Everything in this purple space must add up to be less than 2. The answer is 4-1, placed horizontally; 0-2, placed horizontally.

Number (2): The domino half in this red space must have 2 pips. The answer is 0-2, placed horizontally.

Number (5): The domino half in this light blue space must have 5 pips. The answer is 1-5, placed vertically.

Number (0): The domino half in this yellow space must have 0 pips. The answer is 0-1, 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 NYT Strands hints are easy if you're rowdy.

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 April 24, 2026 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Hullabaloo

The words are related to sound.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe ruckus.

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 Lets Get Loud.

Mashable 101 Fan Fave: Nominate your favorite creators today

NYT Strands word list for April 24

• Shout

• Holler

• Clamor

• Lets Get Loud

• Bellow

• Whoop

• Caterwaul

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!

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Would you rather be stuck in the woods with a man or a bear? Posed to women on TikTok in 2024, this seemingly simple hypothetical question ignited a firestorm across social media. Video after video showed women choosing the bear, speaking up against rape culture and speculating how a man alone in the woods could be up to no good, while a bear in the woods is less suspicious. Others were outraged by the idea that a random man might seem more a threat to a woman than a wild animal. And now, the new Netflix movie Apex seems certain to reignite this debate.

To be clear, there is no bear in Apex. (Sorry for the spoiler?) Charlize Theron stars as Sasha, a physically strong and resilient rock climber, who takes her thrill-seeking to the Australian wilderness, where she aims to kayak down white rapids alone. However, her plan for reflective solitude is interrupted when she crosses paths with Ben (Taron Egerton), who seems friendly at first, but soon proves to be the deadliest threat in this treacherous terrain.

Pitting an iconic action heroine against an animal-call-shrieking madman in a ruthless wilderness, Apex is a wild ride, fueled by violence, action, gore, and many women's worst fear.

SEE ALSO: What's new to streaming this week? (April 24, 2026) Apex will have you rattled from its very first scene. Charlize Theron in "Apex." Credit: Kane Skennar / Netflix

Directed by Baltasar Kormákur, Apex begins with a peaceful scene. Sasha and her partner Tommy (a rugged Eric Bana) awake in a tent, the sound of the wind bellowing very loudly outside. This rush of air is a clue to their location. And while they're both super chill about it, the reveal that they are pinned on the side of a massive cliff had me literally gagging. I don't have a fear of heights. But as cinematographer Lawrence Sher follows Theron's head out of the tent entrance to peek outside, I was genuinely thrown by the sheer drop lying below their fragile tent.

The opening act follows this adventurous couple as they rock climb up the cliffside, chatting along the way. But when disaster strikes, Apex stuns not with their daring or natural wonders, but with violence that's brutal and traumatizing. Sasha's next adventure will be haunted by this one. Moreover, we, the audience, understand how hard-hitting Kormákur will go when it comes to onscreen violence and its life-or-death stakes.

Sure, when Sasha first meets Ben, he's chipper, even helpful. He puts himself between her and some gruff bogans, and he offers her directions to a prime camping spot. But much like Kevin Bacon in The River Wild, there's a flicker in his eye that suggests Ben cannot be trusted when it comes to this striking blonde woman. Sure enough, he pivots from helper to hunter, telling Sasha she better run, because he's got a crossbow and she's in his sights.

To paraphrase the Doofenshmirtz meme: If I had a nickel for every time an Academy Award–winning leading lady starred as a rafter, fighting for her survival against a deranged killer, who is played by a traditionally charming leading man, I'd have two nickels. Which is not a lot, but it's weird that it happened twice.

Apex is stuffed with eye-popping, stomach-churning action. Charlize Theron and Taron Egerton in "Apex." Credit: Kane Skennar / Netflix

So much so that I lament you won't see it in a theater, as critics did. Streaming on Netflix, the endless woods and waters, cliffs and caves that Sasha scrambles across in this twisted game of cat-and-mouse are absolutely stunning on a movie theater screen. The woods around her offer their own obstacles, but Sasha had prepared for that. Now, chased by this psychotic hunter, the sprawl of wilderness is a cage she can't easily escape.

Sasha will race through forests, fall down gullies, thrash through a raging river, climb cliff faces, and squeeze through uncharted caves as she's pursued by this cackling villain. Like The River Wild, there's an undercurrent of psychological torture between the charismatic criminal and his hostage heroine. But Theron's character takes a much more brutal battering at the hands of man and nature — though never bear.

The star of Atomic Blonde and The Old Guard rushes into action with a snarl, yet is cool under pressure. And this makes what she faces all the scarier. This is not the teen babysitter stalked by a suburban slasher. This is not a doting mother, forced to defend her family against a gun-twirling bank robber. Sasha is presented as tough and fearless out the gate. And yet, she was caught off guard by a "nice guy" with a hidden agenda of misogynistic malice. That Egerton is smaller than Theron, that Ben is a bit gawky and earnestly friendly only makes this switch all the more harrowing. Because while not every women will see herself in a character like Sasha, who can scale a hundred-foot-high cliff for fun (certainly not me!), many will see themselves in the woman who realizes too late she's mistaken a predator for a good guy.

Taron Egerton delivers a career-defining performance in Apex. Taron Egerton in "Apex." Credit: Kane Skennar / Netflix

This English actor is building an unpredictable and thereby absolutely thrilling career. Breaking out with the Kingsman film series, Egerton swiftly established himself as a leading man with swagger and comedy chops. Then in 2019, he threw himself into the challenging role of a warts-and-all Elton John in the musical biopic Rocketman. There, he not only had to recapture the magic of one of the best rock stars to take to an arena stage, but also find the quiet moments of desperation and isolation that drove John's addictions.

With Sing, he brought verve to a pop-loving gorilla. Then in Tetris, he played an ambitious American entrepreneur who gets entangled in Cold War paranoia and espionage. More recently, in Netflix's Carry-On, he played an everyman challenged to become an action hero. But with Apex, he goes full-on baddie.

As Ben, he manages a switch on the level of Ed Norton in Primal Fear. You know the one. What's phenomenal is that Egerton is totally believable as the mirthful stranger, happy to help out a lost tourist. But when his eyes go cold, revealing Ben's hunting plans, there's a shimmer in the darkness that's absolutely riveting. It's not just that Ben is going to stalk Sasha like a deer in the wood. He's going to enjoy every moment of torture — be it physical or psychological — he can subject her to.

Egerton throws himself into the action with the same energy he did Rocketman's musical numbers. He chews on the threats in Jeremy Robbins' screenplay as if they are the jerky that Ben sells at the local convenience store. And he'll howl and caw like a wild thing, not afraid to indicate to Sasha where he is, because she's come onto his turf, where he feels invincible. Even a cheeky reprieve, like when Ben skinny-dips — and Kormákur offers a peek at Egerton's much thirsted-after bottom — is threaded with horror. Ben is treating this like a holiday, whooping it up naked and free, while Sasha is desperately seeking escape.

Apex is a relentless, exciting, and nerve-rattlingly scary thriller, wherein Theron and Egerton bring their very best to a brutal face-off. It'll be a fun watch at home, hooking audiences on its gnarly twists and gore. But I pity those who won't get to see the vistas and violence Kormákur has captured on a big screen, where their wonders and horrors can truly overwhelm you.

Apex premieres on Netflix on April 24.

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Many cars now have AI-powered voice assistants, but Mercedes knows their dependence on the cloud can make them unreliable. It just partnered with Liquid AI to bring more voice control on-device, ideally giving you faster interactions that do more to respect your privacy.

Spotify has announced an integration with Claude AI that will now allow users to ask for a playlist or podcast within a conversation thread. Users can now simply ask Claude in a conversation to create a playlist based on their prompt, and they can play music instantly within the thread. Spotify features within Claude are available to both Spotify free and premium accounts, but there’s a bonus feature for the paid subscription users.

OpenAI is tackling the challenges of agentic AI head-on with the release of its GPT-5.5 model. While AI is no stranger to handling computer tasks, the company claims its new large language model (LLM) is better when dealing with "messy, multi-part" work where you need to trust that it will not only finish, but produce trustworthy results.

The Federal Communications Commission is using the presence of "controversial gender identity issues" in children's television programming as a pretense for questioning how TV ratings are developed and enforced, according to a notice published Wednesday by the federal agency.

The notice generally assesses TV ratings, but specifically points out that these industry guidelines have rated shows featuring "transgender and gender non-binary programming" as appropriate for children. It argues that parents aren't provided this information, "thereby undermining the ability of parents to make informed choices for their families."

In the document, the FCC poses a series of open-ended questions about TV ratings development, including whether the board responsible for the guidelines is "sufficiently balanced" with viewpoints outside of the entertainment industry and if faith-based organizations should be represented in the body.

"What more could the board do to include family-oriented perspectives — which are not well represented in the media industry — in its ratings process?" the notice asks.

SEE ALSO: What's new to streaming this week? (April 24, 2026)

FCC Chairman Brendan Carr announced the public notice on X, explaining that "parents have raised concerns with the industry's approach." He added that these parents believe "New York & Hollywood programmers" promote objectionable content in kids programming without disclosing that to parents. Carr didn't mention gender identity in his X post.

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TV parents guidelines can include both a rating as well as descriptors for content that includes crude language, sexual situations, and violence.

LGBTQ+ advocates criticized the public notice, arguing that it amounted to discrimination and censorship.

"Trump's FCC is trying to turn transgender people into a warning label," Tyler Hack, executive director of the transgender rights advocacy group Christopher Street Project, said in a statement. "It is dehumanizing, and it is part of a broader political strategy to stigmatize LGBTQ+ people in every corner of public life."

Sarah Kate Ellis, president and CEO of GLAAD, described the notice as government overreach.

"Media companies must be allowed to create and broadcast stories that reflect one-quarter of their audience without interference from a government agency with its own anti-transgender political agenda," Ellis said in a statement.

SEE ALSO: Jimmy Kimmel pulled off the air. This is the monologue that sparked it.

This isn't the first time Carr has been accused of censorship. Carr has claimed broadcasters air "hoaxes" and "news distortions" that also happen to be unfavorable to President Trump. Carr has suggested the licenses of such broadcasters won't be renewed.

In March, dozens of free speech experts argued in an open letter to Carr that his threats against broadcasters are "unlawful jawboning" and his vague characterization of "fake news" violates the First Amendment. The authors called on Carr to "withdraw" his threats.

Welcome back, Stranger Things. Netflix's flagship show returns this week, so putting it at the top of our rankings is a no-brainer. The characters you have come to know and love will be present. However, it's not your typical Stranger Things show—it's an animated spin-off, so you're about to see a new side of Hawkins.

Luxury means something different now than it did decades ago. Long before Mercedes made upscale SUVs a status symbol, Jeep got there first with the 1966 Super Wagoneer, adding air conditioning, plush trim, and V-8 power to a class that was mostly stripped-down workhorses.

Microsoft just reached a new corporate milestone — but not the good kind.

The Redmond, Washington-based tech giant is set to offer voluntary buyouts to a portion of its U.S. workforce, CNBC reports. That might not be a big deal for many companies, but this is the first time Microsoft has tried to cut headcount in this way since the company's founding 51 years ago.

In order to be eligible, an employee must be at the senior director level or below, and their age plus years of employment need to add up to at least 70. The program also excludes anyone with a sales incentive plan. The details of the buyout package remains unknown, but reportedly people who are eligible will hear more on May 7.

SEE ALSO: Memory wars: Microsoft announces big price increases for Surface laptops

“Our hope is that this program gives those eligible the choice to take that next step on their own terms, with generous company support,” chief people officer and executive VP of Microsoft Amy Coleman said in an employee memo obtained by CNBC.

While Microsoft has never offered voluntary buyouts (at least in the U.S.) before, the company did lay off thousands of employees in 2025. It's a turbulent time at the Windows factory; the company is investing plenty in data centers and other AI ventures. Some analysts are growing suspicious of how much this massive AI investment is actually worth for Satya Nadella's company.

Meanwhile, many other Microsoft divisions seem to be in flux. The Xbox division just underwent a massive and somewhat surprising leadership change, the Surface laptop division just implemented a huge price increase on its products, and Microsoft itself continues to be a major target of the BDS boycott list for its partnership with the Israeli military.

Other than that, though, everything is fine in Redmond.