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YouTube Premium has many benefits—ad-free access to YouTube and YouTube Music, which, for some people, is worth the price of admission alone. Some of the other perks of YouTube Premium, however, are more basic features that other apps offer for free.

YouTube Premium has many benefits—ad-free access to YouTube and YouTube Music, which, for some people, is worth the price of admission alone. Some of the other perks of YouTube Premium, however, are more basic features that other apps offer for free.

PC parts are very expensive right now. It's a tough time to replace or upgrade almost anything, but some components, like RAM, are even worse. Ideally, you should wait until things are cheaper before buying new parts, but if you have to, some components can still be bought used at a good price.

PC parts are very expensive right now. It's a tough time to replace or upgrade almost anything, but some components, like RAM, are even worse. Ideally, you should wait until things are cheaper before buying new parts, but if you have to, some components can still be bought used at a good price.

Android today is dramatically different from when it launched 17 years ago. However, some things are surprisingly still the same. The app drawer is one of those things, but you don't have to keep using it the old way. We can do better.

Android today is dramatically different from when it launched 17 years ago. However, some things are surprisingly still the same. The app drawer is one of those things, but you don't have to keep using it the old way. We can do better.

Pinterest still has an AI slop problem. And an AI content moderation problem. And an AI labeling problem.

At least, that's what users are reporting amid the company's continued commitment to turning the visual curation platform into an AI-powered social media site. In a report by 404 Media, users told the publication that Pinterest's automatic content moderation system, including a system that labels content as "AI modified," is consistently incorrectly flagging human-made images, particularly those featuring women, while actual AI slop only grows.

SEE ALSO: AI apps on the Google Play store are leaking customer data and photos

In addition, users say the site's tools to curb AI-generated content in feeds are failing to prevent AI images from appearing on user boards, and AI-powered account moderators are still banning accounts with little to no explanation.

"We publish clear guidelines on adult sexual content and nudity and use a combination of AI and human review for enforcement. We have an appeals process where a human reviews the content and reactivates it when we’ve made a mistake," said Pinterest in a statement to 404 Media.

This isn't anything new for many social media platforms leaning into AI, but it's particularly distressing for platform users who have pushed to keep the Pinterest experience the same. For years, the platform has come under fire for failing to curb AI-generated photos, videos, and ads, if not encouraging their existence on the site wholesale.

In March 2025, the company updated its privacy policy to elucidate its policy of feeding users' public pins into its machine learning models, including training efforts for Pinterest's base AI model, Pinterest Canvas. Pinterest faced further criticism in May, when users, already complaining about AI content-filled algorithms that were ruining the app experience, reported platform-wide account bans that many suspected were the result of a faulty AI content moderation system.

In response to the ongoing AI controversy, Pinterest added tools in October to filter out specific types of AI content from recommendations, though the company made it clear at the time that it wouldn't completely eradicate the issue.

Then, just last month, the company announced it would lay off hundreds of employees in yet another push toward AI, writing in an SEC filing that it would reprioritize "AI-powered products and capabilities" following the launch of its AI-powered shopping tool, Pinterest Assistant. The company has been exploring AI integration for nearly a decade.

Meanwhile, AI slop is proliferating across social media platforms, including brainrot YouTube Shorts, bots and Grok-generated images on X, and entirely AI-rendered influencers ripping videos from famous TikTok influencers.

Linux is famous for being customizable, flexible, and resource-friendly. Unfortunately, despite gains in recent years, there are some areas where it still can't beat Windows.

Linux is famous for being customizable, flexible, and resource-friendly. Unfortunately, despite gains in recent years, there are some areas where it still can't beat Windows.

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 21, 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 21, 2026 Easy difficulty hints, answers for Feb. 21 Pips

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

Number (9): Everything in this space must add up to 9. The answer is 0-6, placed vertically; 3-5, placed vertically.

Number (5): Everything in this space must add up to 5. The answer is 3-6, placed vertically; 1-0, placed vertically; 5-2, placed vertically.

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

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

Number (9): Everything in this space must add up to 9. The answer is 5-2, placed vertically.

Medium difficulty hints, answers for Feb. 21 Pips

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

Number (7): Everything in this space must add up to 7. The answer is -4, placed horizontally; 1-3, placed vertically.

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

Greater Than (3): Everything in this space must be greater than 3. The answer is 6-5, placed horizontally.

Greater Than (3): Everything in this space must be greater than 3. The answer is 6-5, placed horizontally.

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

Number (10): Everything in this space must add up to 10. The answer is 0-10, placed horizontally; 0-4, placed vertically.

Hard difficulty hints, answers for Feb. 21 Pips

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

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

Equal (4): Everything in this space must be equal to 4. The answer is 6-4, placed vertically; 4-1, placed vertically.

Number (7): Everything in this space must add up to 7. The answer is 4-1, placed vertically; 5-1, placed horizontally.

Number (7): Everything in this space must add up to 7. The answer is 2-3, placed vertically; 0-2, placed vertically; 0-5, placed horizontally; 3-1, placed vertically.

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

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

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

Equal (5): Everything in this space must be equal to 5. The answer is 0-5, placed horizontally; 5-6, placed vertically; 5-5, placed horizontally; 5-4, placed vertically.

Number (7): Everything in this space must add up to 7. The answer is 5-4, placed vertically; 3-0, placed vertically.

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

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

When it comes to cordless power tools, you have several excellent options to choose from. And while big hardware stores like Home Depot sell multiple brands, two of the most prominent are Ryobi and Milwaukee. Here's which one makes the most sense for homeowners.

When it comes to cordless power tools, you have several excellent options to choose from. And while big hardware stores like Home Depot sell multiple brands, two of the most prominent are Ryobi and Milwaukee. Here's which one makes the most sense for homeowners.

Today's Connections: Sports Edition is for people who know the big fella.

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: Plays in the Old Line State

• Green: The Big Fella

• Blue: Robert Redford movie

• Purple: Driver

Here are today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

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

• Yellow: Maryland Teams

• Green: Shaquille O'Neal Nicknames

• Blue: Associated with "The Natural"

• Purple: Sports That Have a Driver

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 #516 is...

What is the answer to Connections: Sports Edition today?

• Maryland Teams - MIDSHIPMEN, ORIOLES, RAVENS, TERRAPINS

• Shaquille O'Neal Nicknames - BIG ARISTOTLE, DIESEL, SHAQ, SUPERMAN

• Associated with "The Natural" - BASEBALL, HOBBS, KNIGHTS, WONDERBOY

• Sports That Have a Driver - BOBSLED, F1, GOLF, WATER POLO

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 today's Connections.

If you have a relatively new vehicle, it probably has USB-A and newer USB-C ports on the dash, in the center console, and maybe in the back for passengers. They're everywhere, and it makes charging phones fast and easy, right? Nope.

If you have a relatively new vehicle, it probably has USB-A and newer USB-C ports on the dash, in the center console, and maybe in the back for passengers. They're everywhere, and it makes charging phones fast and easy, right? Nope.

If you're the type of person who only upgrades their PC once in a blue moon, you're not alone. So, it might seem logical to spend some extra cash now to build a top-tier PC that can last longer. However, that isn't a good approach to PC building. Allow me to explain.

If you're the type of person who only upgrades their PC once in a blue moon, you're not alone. So, it might seem logical to spend some extra cash now to build a top-tier PC that can last longer. However, that isn't a good approach to PC building. Allow me to explain.

Vibration sensors are just another tool in your smart home arsenal for building useful and entertaining automations. These wireless, battery-powered helpers can stick to virtually anything and sense movement or changes in angle that you can use as triggers.

Vibration sensors are just another tool in your smart home arsenal for building useful and entertaining automations. These wireless, battery-powered helpers can stick to virtually anything and sense movement or changes in angle that you can use as triggers.

The first time I held a 512GB microSD card in the palm of my hand, I was duly impressed, but that was a long time ago. Today, the biggest SD card you can buy is 2TB in size.