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The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult to solve if you're a good cook.

Connections is the one of the most popular New York Times word games that's captured the public's attention. The game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.

If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for today's Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable What is Connections?

The NYT's latest daily word game has become a social media hit. The Times credits associate puzzle editor Wyna Liu with helping to create the new word game and bringing it to the publications' Games section. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.

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Each puzzle features 16 words and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise of anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there's only one correct answer.

If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake—players get up to four mistakes until the game ends.

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Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.

SEE ALSO: NYT Pips hints, answers for February 19, 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: Resurrection

• Green: Warm and cozy

• Blue: '70s film

• Purple: Chef terms

Here are today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Easter supplies

• Green: Fireplace accessories

• Blue: Elements of "Saturday Night Fever"

• Purple: Homophones of ways to cook something

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 #984 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Easter supplies: BASKET, DYE, EGGS, PEEPS

• Fireplace accessories: BELLOWS, POKER, SHOVEL, TONGS

• Elements of "Saturday Night Fever": DISCO, JOHN TRAVOLTA, PLATFORM SHOES, POLYESTER SUIT

• Homophones of ways to cook something: BOYLE, BRAYS, SEER, STU

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 19, 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 today's Connections.

Today's NYT Strands hints are easy if you're an overthinker.

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 19, 2026 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for February 19, 2026 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Here's a thought

The words are related to thinking.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe Aha moments.

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 Eureka.

NYT Strands word list for February 19

• Idea

• Hypothesis

• Concept

• Eureka

• Postulate

• Theory

• Notion

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 today's Strands.

Today's Wordle answer should be easy to solve if you're uplifting.

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 19, 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 19, 2026 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

To lift.

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 H.

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...

HOIST

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 today's Wordle.

SAVE OVER $150: As of Feb. 19, the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra has dropped to $493.10 at Amazon. This deal saves you $156.89 on its list price of $649.99.

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For those hoping to invest in a smartwatch, Amazon still has some great deals to check out after Presidents' Day sales. The Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra is one model that's currently sitting at its lowest-ever price at the retailer, making now an excellent time to grab it for a low price.

While it's usually listed for $649.99, the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra is currently on sale for $493.10 at Amazon. That saves you a little over $150 on this model, and is even lower than the price we saw in January of $499.98. This deal only applies to the titanium white model, but if that's the one that's caught your eye, this is a great time to buy.

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If you're an athletic or adventurous individual and want a smartwatch that can keep up with all of your activities, the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra is ready to help. It's packed with features to help you out throughout the day, including an Energy Score that gives you a better idea of your readiness for the day, Vascular Load monitoring for tracking stress, and a Running Coach that can help you get the most out of your running routine.

Our hands-on review from Mashable's Kimberly Gedeon noted that it's "designed for rugged adventurers." It can "reportedly handle temperatures between -4 and 131 degrees Fahrenheit, and it can tolerate deep-sea diving and other challenging environments." That's one tough smartwatch.

Don't miss out on your chance to save big on the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra at Amazon.

Ring was the subject of significant backlash earlier this month, after a poorly received Super Bowl ad drew attention to its surveillance cameras' AI-powered Search Party feature. Though advertised as a tool to search neighbours' Ring footage for lost pets, many expressed concerns that the same technology could easily be used to track humans. It turns out that these fears may have been right on the money, and that such use could be part of the Amazon-owned company's plans.

404 Media reports that Ring founder and CEO Jamie Siminoff previously indicated intentions for its cameras to find specific individuals in an email to employees in early Oct. 2025, sent soon after Search Party's launch.

"I believe that the foundation we created with Search Party, first for finding dogs, will end up becoming one of the most important pieces of tech and innovation to truly unlock the impact of our mission," Siminoff wrote in the email sighted by 404 Media. "You can now see a future where we are able to zero out crime in neighborhoods. So many things to do to get there but for the first time ever we have the chance to fully complete what we started."

SEE ALSO: Ring and Flock Safety cancel partnership amidst surveillance criticism

Siminoff did not make it explicit that Ring intends to turn Search Party's technology toward tracking people. However, such plans are strongly implied by his reported statements that Search Party's current iteration is a "foundation" only used for locating pets "first," and that Ring could "zero out crime."

Significantly, Ring introduced facial recognition to its surveillance cameras late last year. While the company promoted Familiar Faces as a tool for identifying people you know so that they don't trigger alerts, non-profit digital rights group Electronic Frontier Foundation warned that it has the potential to "violate the privacy rights of millions of people."

In a later email sighted by 404 Media, Siminoff reportedly also claimed that Ring's Community Requests feature could have potentially helped find the person who shot and killed conservative commentator Charlie Kirk on Sept. 10 last year. Introduced days earlier on Sept. 4, Community Requests enables law enforcement to directly request footage from Ring camera users.

"[I]t just shows how important the Community Request tool will be as we fully roll it out," Siminoff reportedly wrote the day after Kirk's death, sharing a video of a Utah official speaking about the investigation. "It is so important to create the conduit for public service agencies to efficiently work with our neighbors."

In a statement to 404 Media, a Ring spokesperson said that Search Party currently doesn't track people, but did not confirm that it would never be used for such a purpose.

"Search Party helps camera owners identify potential lost dogs using detection technology built specifically for that purpose; it does not process human biometrics or track people," Ring's statement read. "Community Requests notify neighbors when local public safety agencies ask the community for assistance. Across these features, sharing has always been the camera owner’s choice. Ring provides relevant context about when sharing may be helpful — but the decision remains firmly in the customer’s hands, not ours."

Mashable has reached out to Ring for further comment.

Featured Video For You Is U.S. TikTok censoring its users?

Siminoff left Ring in 2023, but returned to lead the company again last April. Since then, he has refocused the surveillance camera company on collaborating with law enforcement, bringing it back in line with its original mission to "reduce crime in neighborhoods." Ring positioned itself as more community focused in 2024, changing its mission statement to "keeping people close to what's important" under then-CEO Liz Hamren, before it was altered again after Siminoff's return to "[making] neighborhoods safer."

As such, utilising Search Party's technology to track people would seem to follow Ring's current goals more closely than finding lost dogs does.

Ring has had a cosy history with law enforcement, having previously sent Ring camera footage to police without users' knowledge or consent. Further, a 2019 report from Motherboard revealed that the company had secretly provided dozens of U.S. police departments with free products and a private portal for requesting footage without a warrant, with officers asked to promote Ring to their local community in exchange.

Last week, Ring cancelled its partnership with law enforcement surveillance company Flock Security, as heightened distrust from customers reportedly prompted some to disconnect, destroy, or return their devices. Even so, Ring still maintains a partnership with taser-maker Axon, allowing police to request footage via its evidence management system.

With billions of users worldwide, TikTok is one of the most popular social media platforms on the planet. Viral trends, trending sounds, and popular dances, there's no limit to what can kick off on TikTok.

TikTok has been with us through a lot, from the lockdown dance days to the recent threats of a ban. But throughout all the ups and downs, some creators have managed to rack up millions of loyal followers. Check out our list of the top TikTok content creators with the most followers, according to Social Blade.

1. Khaby Lame – 160.4 million followers

TikTok's most followed account is none other than the king of the deadpan facial expression, Khaby Lame. His video content primarily involves duets and stitches to over-complicated life "hacks."

2. Charli D'Amelio – 155.8 million followers

Charli D’Amelio rose to TikTok fame during lockdown for her viral dance videos. She very quickly became one of the platform’s most-followed creators and is still holding strong today.

3. MrBeast – 124.6 million followers

Also one of the most subscribed YouTube accounts, MrBeast holds the number three position for TikTok. His content is full of crazy challenges and huge giveaways. His over-the-top generosity has amassed him millions of followers. He also recently went viral for offering to buy TikTok amid the recent ban in America.

5. TikTok – 92.8 million followers

Taking the 5th spot on the most followed accounts is TikTok's own account. It posts celeb interviews and tips and tricks videos.

5. Bella Poarch – 92.7 million followers

Bella Poarch skyrocketed to TikTok fame during the 2020 lockdown when her lip-sync video to M to the B became the platform’s most-liked video. Since then, she has remained popular on the app, even releasing her own single in 2021, Build A B****.

6. Addison Rae – 88.3 million followers

Addison Rae is another TikToker who blew up during the 2020 lockdown. Her viral dance videos made her one of the platform's biggest stars, a position she still holds strong today. She's now better known for her hit songs, releasing her debut single, Obsessed, in 2021.

7. Zach King – 84.3 million followers

Zach King's content is a must-watch if you love magic tricks, optical illusions and clever editing. One of his videos even became the most viewed. The video made it appear as if he was flying on a broomstick. It became the most-viewed TikTok video in 2019.

8. Willie Salim - 83.9 million followers

Willie Salim is an Indonesian TikToker known for his large-scale giveaways and viral challenges. He often shares videos highlighting acts of generosity.

9. Kimberly Loaiza – 83.7 million followers

Kimberly Loaiza is a popular Mexican influencer with tens of millions of followers across not just TikTok, but also YouTube and Instagram. Loaiza has also branched out into music, releasing multiple singles and touring.

10. domelipa - 76 million followers

Number nine on the list of most-followed content creators is domelipa. She mostly shares content of choreographed dances, lip-sync videos, and other snippets of her lifestyle.

The Moon is making its comeback, and within the next few nights it should be shinning big and bright in our sky again. However, for now, it's only day two of the lunar cycle, so it's still a little small.

What is today’s Moon phase?

As of Thursday, Feb. 19, the Moon phase is Waxing Crescent. According to NASA's Daily Moon Guide, 4% of the Moon will be lit up tonight.

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?

NASA tells us that the Moon completes a full orbit around Earth in roughly 29.5 days. During this cycle, it passes through eight distinct phases. Although we consistently see the same side of the Moon, the portion illuminated by the Sun shifts as it travels along its orbit. The changing angle of sunlight reflecting off the Moon’s surface is what makes it appear full, partially lit, or nearly dark at different times. The eight phases include:

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.

The Mini is a bite-sized version of The New York Times' revered daily crossword. While the crossword is a lengthier experience that requires both knowledge and patience to complete, The Mini is an entirely different vibe.

With only a handful of clues to answer, the daily puzzle doubles as a speed-running test for many who play it.

So, when a tricky clue disrupts a player's flow, it can be frustrating! If you find yourself stumped playing The Mini — much like with Wordle and Connections — we have you covered.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable SEE ALSO: How to play Pips, the newest NYT game

Here are the clues and answers to NYT's The Mini for Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026:

AcrossWith 5-Across, response to "Knock, knock!"

• The answer is Whos.

See 1-Across

• The answer is There.

Dating app alternative to Tinder or Bumble

• The answer is Hinge.

Take the top off, as a tube of toothpaste

• The answer is Uncap.

[This person has read your message]

• The answer is Seen.

DownSay "But, Mom!," say

• The answer is Whine.

As a result

• The answer is Hence.

Something that a medical donor gives or a church has

• The answer is Organ.

Flow slowly

• The answer is Seep.

As a result

• The answer is Thus.

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

Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to the latest Mini Crossword.

Astronomers have spotted something that barely glows yet holds a tight group of star clusters together, pointing to a hidden galaxy that almost vanishes into the background of space.

The discovery began with four lonely globular clusters — dense balls of stars — sitting unusually close to each other in the Perseus galaxy cluster, 300 million light-years away. Normally, these clusters orbit inside galaxies. Alone, they drift apart over time. Instead, this group stayed tightly packed, suggesting a strong gravitational anchor.

So the team asked a simple question: Could four clusters just randomly line up in the same spot? Scientists ran statistical tests and found that extremely unlikely. Something massive had to be holding the clusters together. 

Researchers now believe this object, Candidate Dark Galaxy-2, or CDG-2, could be one of the most dark matter-dominated galaxies ever found. Dark matter is a mysterious material in the universe that doesn't shine or interact with light.

"This is the first galaxy detected solely through its globular cluster population," said David Li, a University of Toronto astrostatistics researcher and lead author of the study, in a statement. 

SEE ALSO: NASA will retest Artemis 2 moon rocket after discovering fueling issues

The findings, which appear in The Astrophysical Journal Letters, invite the question of just how many other dim galaxies are out there. Astronomers rely on visible starlight to find galaxies, but if galaxies can be extremely faint, many could go undetected. Such an oversight could mean the estimates for how many galaxies fill the cosmos are woefully inaccurate. But the team's technique may allow for the discovery of more galaxies lurking in the shadows.

Researchers analyzed images of CDG-2 from NASA's Hubble Space Telescope, the European Space Agency's Euclid space observatory, and the Japanese Subaru Telescope in Hawaii. At first glance, they saw no obvious galaxy. The area looked nearly empty except for the clusters themselves. 

While CDG-2 appears to have four globular clusters, the Milky Way has over 150. And the mysterious object dimly shines with the light of only 6 million suns, a pittance compared to the 20 billion or so of our own galaxy.

Don’t miss out on our latest stories: Add Mashable as a trusted news source in Google.

Regardless, it behaved like a galaxy, and its objects moved and clustered in a way that demanded an unseen gravitational source.

It wasn't until astronomers stacked multiple Hubble images — layering them to maximize very dim signals — that they observed a soft glow surrounding the cluster group. The glow matched the position and shape of the cluster grouping, ruling out camera noise or image errors.

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Rough estimates suggest that 99 percent of CDG-2's mass — nearly all of it — comes from dark matter. 

Scientists have much to learn about galaxies suspected of being primarily made of dark matter. A paper published last year on Segue 1, a dwarf galaxy thought to be dark matter-dominated, found that it was hiding a supermassive black hole, a heavy cosmic object that is also invisible. It's unclear how the black hole's effects were overlooked in prior studies.

TL;DR: Through Feb. 22, get a lifetime license to AcePDF Converter & Editor for just $24.97 with code SAVE5 (reg. $99.99).

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Looking for something great to watch at home? Streaming subscribers are spoiled for choice between Hulu, Netflix, HBO Max, Disney+, Apple TV, Prime Video, Shudder, Paramount+, Peacock, and more. And that's before you even look at the vast libraries of movies and television programs within each streamer!

Don't be overwhelmed or waste an hour scrolling through your services to determine what to watch. We've got your back, whatever your mood. Mashable offers watch guides for all of the above, broken down by genre: comedy, thriller, horror, documentary, and animation, among others. But if you're seeking something brand new (or just new to streaming), we've got you covered there, too.

SEE ALSO: 25 best romantic comedies on Prime Video perfect for cuddle season 16. Wild Boys: Strangers in Town

Documentarians Rita Baghdadi and Jeremiah Hammerling explore the bizarre story of two "wild boys," a pair of brothers who wandered out of the forests of British Columbia in 2003, claiming they'd been raised off the grid by their parents. A caring mother took them in, trying to get them acclimated to modern society. But when the brothers began to push back against her efforts to help them, she started doubting their story.

Wild Boys: Strangers In Town begins the story by jumping from talking head interviews with the boys, this mom, and a local police officer, who had his suspicions from the start about the brothers. From there, the two-part series touches on themes of social pressure, mental health, and more. But where the story goes isn't as compelling as you might expect or even hope. Personally, when the second episode ended, my biggest reaction was, "Why did I waste my time on this?" — Kristy Puchko, Entertainment Editor

How to watch: Wild Boys: Strangers in Town is now streaming on Paramount+.

15. Strip Law

Cullen Crawford is a comedy writer who's had a hand in such adult-centric animated series as M.O.D.O.K., Paradise PD, the 2024 Ren & Stimpy relaunch, and Star Trek: Lower Decks. Now, he's created his own proudly crass cartoon with Strip Law.

Set in Las Vegas, this new Netflix animated series centers on Lincoln Gumb, Esq. (voiced by Adam Scott), who's trying to make his name in law while caught in the shadow of his late, great mom, a titan in the field. Fired by her former business partner, Steve Nichols (Keith David), Lincoln looks to start his own firm, with the help of a magician named Sheila Flambé (Janelle James), plucky teen investigator Irene (Shannon Gisela), and Glem Blorchman (Stephen Root), a chaotic old coot who is also a disgraced/disbarred lawyer. Together, they'll take the cases too weird for more reputable firms. So, yeah, if you like a workplace comedy about underdogs and the unique culture of Vegas, queue up Strip Law. — K.P.

Starring: Adam Scott, Janelle James, Stephen Root, Shannon Gisela, and Keith David

How to watch: Strip Law debuts on Netflix on Feb. 20.

14. 56 Days

Who doesn't dream about an exciting love affair that can sweep you off your feet and change your life forever? Well, 56 Days suggests be careful what you yearn for, because this one ends with a "body in the bathtub."

Who's the corpse? That's the question of the thriller series adapted from Catherine Ryan Howard's best-selling novel of the same name. After meeting in a supermarket, Oliver Kennedy (Avan Jogia) and Ciara Wyse (Dove Cameron) fall fast and hard for each other. Some may even say they're obsessed. 56 days later, homicide detectives find a body in his apartment and have to ask, who killed who? And who's in the tub? Dare you dive in? — K.P.

Starring: Dove Cameron, Avan Jogia, Megan Peta, Dorian Crossmond Missick, Karla Souza, Patch Darragh, Kira Guloien, Jesse James Keitel, Matt Murray, David Klein, and Alec Albert

How to watch: 56 Days is now playing on Prime Video.

13. Watching You

Seeking something sexy and thrilling? Watching You could please.

Adapted from J.P Pomare's novel The Last Guests, this Australian series is a psychological thriller about a woman whose one night stand has been caught on tape. A mysterious voyeur is threatening to ruin her life by releasing the footage. They send her threatening texts. She fears she's always being watched. So, to what lengths will she go to make it stop? We can't wait to find out. — K.P.

Starring: Sara Wiseman, Aisha Dee, and Josh Helman

How to watch: Watching You debuts on Hulu on Feb. 20.

12. Murder in Glitterball City

HBO's two-part documentary Murder in Glitterball City examines the mysterious murder of Old Louisville resident Jamie Carroll. After disappearing in 2009, Carroll was found dead and buried in 2010 in the basement of a mansion shared by couple Joey Banis and Jeffrey Mundt. Each partner had a different story about what happened, leading to a twisting investigation and two separate murder trials. Directors Fenton Bailey and Randy Barbato, the team behind 2000's The Eyes of Tammy Faye, examine the murder through the eyes of the surrounding queer community in Louisville, Kentucky, showing how Carroll's murder rippled outward through the city. — Belen Edwards, Entertainment Reporter

How to watch: Murder in Glitterball City debuts on HBO and HBO Max on Feb. 19 at 8:00 p.m. ET.

11. Portobello

An unbelievable true story comes to the small screen in Portobello, HBO's latest Italian language series. Fabrizio Gifuni stars as real-life television presenter Enzo Tortora, who hosts the popular variety series Portobello. However, his career falls apart when the associate of a crime boss (and avid Portobello fan) names Tortora as part of the criminal organization. See how his arrest unfolds and brush up on your Italian with the rest of Portobello. — B.E.

Starring: Fabrizio Gifuni, Lino Musella, Romana Maggiora Vergano, Barbora Bobuľová, Carlotta Gamba, Alessandro Preziosi, Fausto Russo Alesi, and Salvatore D'Onofrio

How to watch: Portobello debuts on HBO Max on Feb. 20.

10. Dead of Winter

Emma Thompson embraces her inner Liam Neeson in Dead of Winter, a thriller that's chock-full of snow, action, and Midwestern accents. Thompson plays Barb, a grieving widow who's heading to a lake in Minnesota to scatter her husband's ashes. Trapped in a blizzard, she stumbles upon an armed couple (Judy Greer and Marc Menchaca) holding a young woman named Leah (Laurel Marsden) hostage. Cue snowy fight scenes as Barb fights tooth and nail to save Leah and herself. — B.E.

Starring: Emma Thompson, Judy Greer, Marc Menchaca, Laurel Marsden, and Brían F. O'Byrne

How to watch: Dead of Winter debuts on HBO Max on Feb. 20.

9. Adventuring Academy, Season 7

Dropout returns with a seventh season of Adventuring Academy, a comedy podcast where Dimension 20 game master Brennan Lee Mulligan invites on a guest to discuss the pleasures and pains of TTRPG (tabletop role-playing games).

Shot in the Dimension 20 dome, Season 7 will welcome several of the Gladlands cast, including Oscar Montoya, Kimia Behpoornia, and Say More guest Vic Michaelis. So you know it's going to be a silly good time. — K.P.

Starring: Brennan Lee Mulligan, Vic Michaelis, Robbie Daymond, Oscar Montoya, Kimia Behpoornia, Aabria Iyengar, Emily Friedman, Mica Burton, Quinns Smith, and Jasper William Cartwright

How to watch: Adventuring Academy Season 7 premieres on Dropout on Feb. 20.

8. Being Gordon Ramsay

What does it take to be Gordon Ramsay? Find out in Being Gordon Ramsay, Netflix's docuseries centered on the world-famous chef and TV star. Over six episodes, Being Gordon Ramsay brings viewers into Ramsay's latest ambitious restaurant project: opening five restaurants in one building, London's 2 Bishopsgate. If you thought watching a fictional restaurant opening in The Bear was stressful, you can bet watching the real thing go down will be even more harrowing. — B.E.

How to watch: Being Gordon Ramsay is now playing on Netflix.

7. The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants

SpongeBob SquarePants is the gift that keeps on giving. Created by the late Stephen Hillenburg, the Nickelodeon cartoon series that debuted in 1999 has offered over 300 episodes, spin-off shows like Kamp Koral and The Patrick Star Show, plus a growing list of movies. And it just doesn't get old to see this gleeful fry cook giggle.

In The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants, the titular hero is on a quest to become a swashbuckler, like his mentor/boss Mr. Krabs. The ghost pirate known as The Flying Dutchman promises he can get SpongeBob to his goal. But curiously, it's not the goofy goober's bravery or swordsmanship that attracts the attention of this nefarious figure, it's his outstanding bubble-blowing abilities.

This adventure is supremely silly, action-packed, and ultimately sweet. If you're looking for a movie to shut your brain off and just enjoy, you'd be hard-pressed to make a better choice than this.* — K.P.

Starring: Tom Kenny, Mr. Lawrence, Jill Talley, Bill Fagerbakke, Carolyn Lawrence, Clancy Brown, Ice Spice, Arturo Castro, Mark Hamill, Regina Hall, and Rodger Bumpass

How to watch: The SpongeBob Movie: Search for SquarePants is now streaming on Paramount+.

6. The Night Agent, Season 3

Peter Sutherland (Gabriel Basso) is back! The spy at the heart of Netflix's thriller The Night Agent returns with a new assignment, new enemies, and probably zero sleep. Now a full-fledged Night Action operative, Peter is on the trail of a young Treasury agent (Suraj Sharma) who's taken sensitive government secrets to Istanbul following an attack from his boss. What follows is an international chase with ties to a seriously shady dark-money network. — B.E.

Starring: Gabriel Basso, Ward Horton, Jennifer Morrison, Fola Evans-Akingbola, Louis Herthum, Amanda Warren, Genesis Rodriguez, David Lyons, and Stephen Moyer

How to watch: The Night Agent Season 3 debuts on Netflix on Feb. 19.

5. Rental Family

Writer/director Hikari thrilled Netflix subscribers in 2023 with the darkly comic limited series Beef. In her follow-up, she offers a radical shift in tone and message with Rental Family, a feel-good drama about finding one's home.

Brendan Fraser stars as American actor Phillip Vanderploeg, who moved to Japan for work but has been struggling for years to get gigs. So, when an unconventional acting job comes along, he reluctantly takes the role(s). Rental Family is a curious company, where its employees fill in for their clients as whatever people they need: a friend, a husband, a mistress, or even a dad. While Phillip is uncomfortable deceiving people, like the little girl whose single mom has hired him to play the father the child has never met, he finds joy and purpose in becoming a facet in these lives, however unusual the path there. But as Phillip grows too comfortable in certain roles, he risks not only his job but also the well-being of those who've come to love him. While Rental Family veers into sentimental, and even simplistically preachy territory, it is a charming story of personal growth and enduring love.* — K.P.

Starring: Brendan Fraser, Takehiro Hira, Mari Yamamoto, Shannon Mahina Gorman, and Akira Emoto

How to watch: Rental Family is now streaming on Hulu.

4. No Other Choice

Boasting a corporate jargon title long-deployed to evade responsibility, Park Chan-wook's anti-capitalist parable No Other Choice might feel a little too real to those burned by the job market. This wicked social commentary is one of the director's most comedic films to date, but that doesn't mean it's not dark as hell. 

Based on Donald E. Westlake's 1997 novel The Ax and written by Park, Lee Kyoung-mi, Jahye Lee, and Don McKellar, the film follows hardworking paper company employee Yoo Man-soo (an outstanding Lee Byung-hun), who gets the chop in a merciless company restructure. With his family to provide for, including his wife Mi-ri (Crash Landing on You's Son Ye-jin) and two kids, Man-soo scrambles to find a job — and when the perfect opportunity comes along, he takes drastic measures to ensure he'll land it.

Critics praised No Other Choice for its moral ambiguity and biting social satire. As I wrote in my own review, "As a viewer, we're simultaneously rooting for Man-soo and unnerved by his capacity for calculated manipulation and murder. No Other Choice poses the question: Would you kill for the life you want? In fact, the film doesn't even ask it, instead presenting a man believing himself forced into making such a decision due to cold, hard corporate strategy. It's out of his hands."* — Shannon Connellan, UK Editor

How to watch: No Other Choice is now available for rental or purchase on Prime Video.

3. Dreaming Whilst Black, Season 2

Adjani Salmon's critically acclaimed comedy Dreaming Whilst Black returns for Season 2 this week, where it will continue to skewer the entertainment industry's treatment of Black filmmakers. Salmon plays Kwabena, an aspiring director who might just get his big break this season. The project? A historical series with color-blind casting. But as Kwabena embarks on what seems like a dream gig, he soon realizes that nothing is quite as it seems.

Dreaming Whilst Black has earned praise for its spot-on satire of the entertainment industry. In his Season 1 review, Mashable contributor Robert Daniels called the series "one of the best looks behind the curtain of the struggle in making Black cinema for mass appeal." — B.E.

Starring: Adjani Salmon, Dani Moseley, Jo Martin, Demmy Ladipo, Rachel Adedeji, Babirye Bukilwa, Martina Laird, and Roger Griffiths

How to watch: Dreaming Whilst Black Season 2 debuts on Paramount+ on Feb. 20.

2. Reality Check: Inside America's Next Top Model

Since debuting on Monday, Reality Check: Inside America's Next Top Model has quickly sparked controversy across social media. Viewers are outraged over the comments America's Next Top Model host/judge Tyra Banks offered,when questioned about the show's most scandalous moments. Plus empathy outpoured for Miss J. Alexander, who in the final episode revealed the reality he's struggling with since the show ended.

Having watched all three episodes of Reality Check: Inside America's Next Top Model, I'm torn on whether to recommend it. Reality Check's directors Mor Loushy and Daniel Sivan (also co-executive producers) definitely know what their audiences want, resurrecting ANTM's most shocking photoshoots, dramatic judging sequences, and horrifying moments. Watching the show is downright addictive, as it offers not only the contestant's perspective of their viral moments, but also Banks and her co-stars facing the critiques that have been plastered across TikTok following the show's availability on streaming.

SEE ALSO: 'Reality Check: Inside America's Next Top Model' is rage bait. We watched it so you don't have to.

Reality Check probes these old wounds, but it doesn't give audiences the solace or justice they might crave. So, watch if you dare, but be warned: This doc series is made to hate-watch. — K.P.

Starring: Tyra Banks, Nigel Barker, Miss J. Alexander, and Jay Manuel

How to watch: Reality Check: Inside America's Next Top Model is now playing on Netflix.

Best of Streaming this week:28 Years Later: The Bone Temple

Danny Boyle and Alex Garland resurrected the 28 Days Later film series with 28 Years Later, a zombie thriller so scary it ranked high on both our best horror films of the year and our best films of the year list. For its sequel, Boyle steps aside, entrusting the helm — and Garland's script — to Hedda director Nia DaCosta, who takes zombie horror to a wild, musical new place.

Picking up with young runaway Spike (Alfie Williams) having joined the vicious gang led by Jimmy (Jack O'Connell), Bone Temple is a tale of the darkest impulses of humanity, balanced by the brilliant humanity of Dr. Kelson (Ralph Fiennes) and his Alpha buddy, Samson (Chi Lewis-Parry). As I raved in my review, "28 Years Later: The Bone Temple is a phenomenal film. As a sequel, it builds the saga of Spike without retreading its predecessor's steps. As a zombie movie, it delivers scenes of gut-churning violence and haunting loss. As a horror film, it is sublime, gorgeous, rich in visual splendor, surging with feeling, and intoxicating in its unexpected twists. Simply put, 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple fucking rules. I left the theater rattled and elated. I can't wait to go again." — K.P.

Starring: Alfie Williams, Ralph Fiennes, Jack O'Connell, Alfie Williams, Erin Kellyman, and Chi Lewis-Parry

How to watch: 28: Years Later: Bone Temple is now available to rent or purchase on Fandango at Home, Prime Video, and Apple TV.

(*) denotes a blurb came from a prior list.

TL;DR: Play the greatest games, both old and new, with this one-month subscription to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, on sale now for just $24.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: XBOX Xbox Game Pass Ultimate: 1-Month Subscription $24.99
$29.99 Save $5   Get Deal

Gamers, listen up! If you’re looking for an affordable way to play the best Xbox games, from brand new releases to classics, an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate is the way to go. Right now, you can secure a one-month subscription for only $24.99.

If you’re tired of spending a fortune on video games, Xbox Game Pass Ultimate puts hundreds of multiplayer games right at your fingertips. Want to play Starfield or Forza Motorsport? You’ll be able to enjoy them on the day of their release with this subscription.

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This Xbox Game Pass Ultimate gives you access to more than 500 high-quality games, with new ones added constantly. And you can play them all on the devices you already own on your console, PC, smartphone, or tablet, thanks to cloud gaming.

Play day-one releases from Bethesda Softworks and Xbox Game Studios with your subscription. Recent releases have included Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, Botany Manor, TUNIC, and Open Roads.

Aside from the access to awesome games, your subscription will include member deals and discounts, in-game add-ons, consumables, and partner offers. You’ll also get an EA Play membership at the same time, which lets you play even more games like The Sims, Madden, and Battlefield.

Enjoy a one-month subscription to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate for only $24.99 now.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Prices on earbuds range anywhere from $10 to $1,000, especially if you're going for professional-grade studio earphones. And if you care about noise cancellation, you can easily spend $300 — that's the price of peace and quiet. These days, you can even get hyperspecialized models like sleep earbuds. Our guide also includes our picks for the best earbuds for working out and the best open earbuds.

SEE ALSO: I replaced my $249 AirPods Pro with $19 wired EarPods

Our top picks for earbuds are the Sony WF-1000XM6, Bose QuietComfort Ultra (2nd gen), and Panasonic Technics AZ100s, which provide outstanding sound quality — but keep in mind, these models will run you $299 to $329. While we stand by the value of everything on this list, we know that spending over $300 on a pair of earbuds is a lot to stomach. That's why we've also included options in more budget-friendly price ranges that still bring excellent performance.

Ready to start shopping now? Here are our top earbud picks of 2026.

Types of earbuds

There are two types of earbuds: wireless and wired. While those descriptors are self-explanatory, let's get into the specifics of both.

Wireless

Wireless earbuds connect to devices via Bluetooth for cordless usage. These earbuds range from $20 budget models to high-end models with active noise cancellation. While they don't require a wire to connect to a device, some wireless earbuds still have a wire that might go around the back of the neck to connect the buds.

While earbuds traditionally don't provide the passive noise cancellation of over-the-ear headphones, wireless models often feature ANC, which electronically blocks out background noise. With wireless headphones, you need to consider the battery life. Most models should have an eight-hour or more battery life before they need to be recharged.

Wired

Wired earbuds are the original model: two buds connected by a wire to your audio source. While they once felt high tech, they're pretty basic now. Wired earbuds with active noise cancellation are basically non-existent, and you won't find any on our list.

The biggest positive to wired headphones is that they don't need to be charged. They're a great backup option to keep in your bag in case your usual wireless headphones or earbuds run out of charge.

New additions to this guide

After extensive testing, Mashable Lead Shopping Reporter Bethany Allard rounded up the best sleep earbuds. You can read her full guide, but as of February 2026, we've added the Anker Soundcore Sleep A30 Special to this guide, which Allard says are the best sleep earbuds for most people. In February 2026, we also added the Sony WF-1000XM6 earbuds as our top pick for the best overall earbud, and removed the previous generation, the WF-1000XM5, as the best Sony earbud.

As of August 2025, we also updated the best earbuds for working out to the Powerbeats Pro 2 and added the Shokz OpenDots One as the best open earbuds.

What are the best wireless Bluetooth earbuds?

If you're just looking for a pair of everyday wireless earbuds, all but one of the models in this guide will check that box. (We formerly included the Marshall Mode earbuds for folks who preferred a wireless option, but have since removed them from our guide as the version we tested is difficult to find in stock these days.) If you're looking for the highest quality wireless earbuds, you can't go wrong with the Sony WF-1000XM6, Bose QuietComfort Ultra, and Panasonic Technics EAH-AZ100 earbuds, our most recent recommendation in 2026. Both of these wireless earbuds feature elite noise-cancellation, stellar sound, long battery life, and a comfortable fit for extended wear.

Still, this guide includes several other earbuds we stand behind. Apple users may prefer the AirPods Pro, while shoppers on a budget may prefer buds from Marshall or Anker Soundcore. If you need help picking the perfect pair, read on.

Out of the 25+ robot vacuum and mop combos that I've tested, only a few were roller mop robot vacuums. The verdict? I wasn't a roller mop non-believer, but I wasn't exactly a believer, either. While they excelled at sopping up large wet spills, both the Dreame Aqua10 Ultra Roller and Eufy E28 had me doubting how closely a large roller mop could really scrub near a wall. But when the Roborock Qrevo Curv 2 Flow was announced, my ears perked up. Roborock was responsible for two of my most recommended robot vacuums of the past few years, specifically for their corner scrubbing abilities — so if any brand could perfect roller edge mopping, it's Roborock.

Roborock Qrevo Curv 2 Flow $899.99 at Roborock
$999.99 Save $100   Shop Now at Roborock Shop Now at Amazon What's special about the Qrevo Curv 2 Flow?

Roborock announced three new robot vacuums at CES 2026. Two of those are successors to the flagship Saros robot vacuums that were a huge deal last year, making it easy for the Qrevo Curv 2 Flow to get lost in the shuffle. I can't say that the name helps it stand out, either: There are too many Roborocks in the Qrevo line for the average person to keep track of. And past Qrevo Curv models weren't all that different from Roborock's other existing flagships — other than their sleek, curved self-empty docks, obviously.

So "Qrevo Curv 2 Flow" definitely doesn't encompass how this model is not only different from Curvs past, but different from any mopping Roborock we've seen: It's Roborock's very first robot vacuum with a roller mop.

I'm glad the DuoDivide brush roll is back. It really does prevent hair from wrapping around the edges. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable Previously, only spinning mopping pads had cleaned this closely in my bathroom doorway. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

Its 20,000 Pa suction power feels pretty appropriate for its $999.99 MSRP. That 20,000 Pa sounds even better at $849.99, the Curv 2 Flow's consistent sale price since it came out at the end of January.

SEE ALSO: The Shark vs. Roomba debate is old news. Here's how both robot vacuum brands got dethroned.

For reference, Roborock's 2025 trifecta — the Saros 10, Saros 10R, and Saros Z70 with the grabby arm — are negligibly stronger at 22,000 Pa, and they were all at least $500 more than the Qrevo Curv 2 Flow upon release. The roller mop Eufy E28 offers the same 20,000 Pa and also costs $999.99, and the Dreame Aqua10 Ultra Roller with 30,000 Pa costs $1,599.99 (though it's been discounted a lot recently).

Is the Qrevo Curv 2 Flow good on carpet?

The Curv 2 Flow has handily tackled debris on medium-pile and thick rugs. As I did when testing the Dreame X60 Max Ultra Complete, I dumped sprinkles onto my fluffy hallway rug and tangled a handful of cat hair clumps through the fur. Though the Dreame vacuum is significantly stronger with 35,000 Pa of suction power, I honestly think that the Curv 2 Flow did just as good a job — the pickup rate of both was almost perfect. When I got down on eye level to see if the Curv 2 Flow cleaned up crushed chips on my tufted living room rug, it was spotless aside from a single long hair.

The Qrevo Curv 2 Flow cleaned my fluffy rug and didn't eat a stray cable. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable I was able to select exactly where I wanted the bot to clean. Credit: Screenshot: Roborock

Perhaps you were so distracted by this glorious S-shaped cleaning path to notice the USB-C cable in the top left corner. And nope, it didn't get eaten. The Curv 2 Flow's small obstacle recognition cameras quickly identified it in the app, and I watched the botvac safely swerve around the charger without running it over. In other cleaning runs, a longer iPhone charger and an extension cord for a lamp were also marked safe. That's more consistent cord avoidance than I've experienced with any other flagship in the past year. A small fabric cat toy that looks like a sloth was recognized as pet waste. I'll take it.

SEE ALSO: How to make your robot vacuum work better: 3 setup tips to do right now

The Curv 2 Flow occasionally left a bit of debris around the outskirts of rugs, especially my cushioned kitchen Ruggable that has a pretty substantial flap around the edges. But that's the case with every robot vacuum I test, no matter how premium. That said, the Qrevo Curv 2 doesn't struggle at all to transition from hard floors onto those rugs. The AdaptiLift chassis essentially features a pair of legs. They're not going to climb anything higher than a few inches, but it's a really great feature to ensure smooth transitions onto plush carpet or between floor type changes in doorways.

Is the Qrevo Curv 2 Flow good at mopping?

I've been pleasantly surprised with the flexibility of the Curv 2 Flow's SpiraFlow roller mop — for the most part, it isn't literally cutting corners as I expected. The roller sits in a sliding case that visibly extends an inch or two past the vacuum's circumference when an edge is sensed. The Curv 2 Flow has provided an extremely close scrub against walls, including the wall of my bathtub, where there are always tiny pieces of hair and kitty litter dust stuck in dried soap droplets.

This is obviously way more kitty litter than my cats would actually track out. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable The suction and roller mop worked together nicely, leaving next to no specks behind. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

I appreciated the roller's precision when circling around a fully upholstered velvet armchair. My cat loves batting stuff under that specific chair, constantly pushing any nearby dust, hair, and catnip particles right under the outer edge. I'm also pretty sure I watched it mop around my cat, Sansa's tail without touching her.

So far, the Qrevo Curv 2 Flow's roller mop has thoroughly scrubbed a variety of liquid messes on hardwood in my kitchen and tile in my bathroom. These ranged from super watery spills like red wine and orange juice to thicker, stickier consistencies like globs of queso, drops of body lotion, and Chick-fil-A Sauce. The wet roller also did a phenomenal job of wiping up super fine powder that suction power and a side brush alone will miss, like kitty litter dust, protein powder, and general dust that accumulates day to day.

The main advantage of a roller mop is the ability to prevent smearing across the rest of the floor, whether that's dirty water or a trail of the sauce it was supposed to be cleaning up. First, the long fibers on a roller mop are highly absorbent — much more similar to a fluffy bath towel than a microfiber cloth, like what most rotating mops use. Roller mops are just a sturdier design than thin spinning mops in general, able to exert stronger downward pressure. As they're scrubbing with extra elbow grease, most roller mops self-rinse to ensure every part of the floor is being cleaned with fresh water.

I would never send a cheap robot mop to deal with thick queso. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable The Curv 2 Flow did leave some light residual smudges after the first pass, but I always go for two. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

The Qrevo Curv 2 Flow only mildly struggled with smearing once. To be fair, it was purposefully a lot of queso to wipe up in one try — I was literally just spooning globs out onto the floor for extreme testing purposes. If I spilled that much in real life, I'd definitely go in with a paper towel first to get the worst of it, then send the robot in to sanitize and tackle any remaining stickiness.

The hardwood was pretty much spotless after I sent the Curv 2 Flow back for a second time. If you've ever tested the mopping capabilities of a super cheap robot mop, you can imagine how ugly this would get.

The dock does not have an automatic detergent dispenser, so you'll have to manually squirt your cleaning solution of choice into the water tank when you fill it up. I'm not that upset about it for a vac under $1,000. If you're sending it after anything oil-based, I'd make sure to put extra detergent in the tank.

SEE ALSO: I tried Dyson's new PencilVac, a stick vacuum with half the weight, double the lasers. No, I will not 'chill.' Factors I'm keeping an eye on: Nimbleness in tight spaces

The Roborock Qrevo Curv 2 Flow definitely isn't a slim robot vacuum. It measures 4.7 inches tall, just like the Dreame Aqua10 Ultra Roller.

Both simply require a taller vacuum chassis to house the large roller mop and threshold climbing legs. But the Aqua10 Ultra Roller can squeeze under four inches when its retractable LiDAR tower is down, while the Curv 2 Flow's LiDAR tower is always up. You'll want to consider compactness if your home has low-hanging cabinets or low-clearance furniture to clean under.

The Curv 2 Flow is considerably taller than the 3.1-inch Dreame X60 Max Ultra Complete. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

I do feel like the roller mop prematurely rescinds near some 90-degree angles where the Curv 2 Flow can tell that it needs to change direction soon, like approaching the side of the refrigerator that sticks out further than the cabinets. If a spill is tucked too far into a corner, a smidge of it will probably need to be wiped up by hand. That might get old if you live in a small space.

Roborock Qrevo Curv 2 Flow $899.99 at Roborock
$999.99 Save $100   Shop Now at Roborock Shop Now at Amazon

Managing AI agents requires a new kind of leadership. If you oversee a hybrid human-AI workforce, your role is to orchestrate performance, safety, and alignment with business goals. To do it well, you need six critical capabilities.  Build AI operational literacy. Understand how agents function, how prompts shape outcomes, and how to diagnose failures.  Develop deep functional expertise. Know the […]

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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.

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

To blossom.

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

BLOOM

Hurdle Word 2 hint

Clueless.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for February 19, 2026 Hurdle Word 2 Answer

NAIVE

Hurdle Word 3 hint

Shelf.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for February 19 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for February 19, 2026 Hurdle Word 3 answer

LEDGE

Hurdle Word 4 hint

Spindle.

Hurdle Word 4 answer

DOWEL

Final Hurdle hint

Worm.

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

LARVA

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

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 19, 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 19, 2026 Easy difficulty hints, answers for Feb. 19 Pips

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

Number (10): Everything in this space must add up to 10. The answer is 6-5, placed horizontally; 4-4, placed vertically.

Number (16): Everything in this space must add up to 16. The answer is 6-6, placed horizontally; 4-4, placed vertically.

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

Number (7): Everything in this space must add up to 7. The answer is 1-6, placed vertically; 5-1, placed horizontally.

Medium difficulty hints, answers for Feb. 19 Pips

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

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

Equal (6): Everything in this purple space must be equal to 6. The answer is 6-1, placed horizontally; 5-6, placed horizontally.

Equal (5): Everything in this space must be equal to 5. The answer is 5-6, placed horizontally; 3-5, placed horizontally.

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

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

Hard difficulty hints, answers for Feb. 19 Pips

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

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

Number (10): Everything in this space must add up to 10. The answer is 2-4, placed vertically; 6-1, placed vertically.

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

Greater Than (1): Everything in this green space must be greater than 1. The answer is 2-0, placed horizontally.

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

Not Equal: Everything in this space must be different. The answer is 2-3, placed vertically; 6-5, placed horizontally; 1-1, placed horizontally.

Number (5): Everything in this space must add up to 5. The answer is 6-5, placed horizontally.

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

Number (2): Everything in this space must add up to 2. The answer is 5-1, placed vertically; 1-4, placed vertically.

Number (9): Everything in this space must add up to 9. The answer is 3-4, placed horizontally; 5-1, placed vertically.

Number (8): Everything in this space must add up to 8. The answer is 0-4, placed horizontally; 2-2, 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 easier if you're a Duke fan.

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: Up top

• Green: Track condition indicators

• Blue: Cities

• Purple: Famous Blue Devils

Here are today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

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

• Yellow: Upper-Body Wear

• Green: Flags in NASCAR

• Blue: Last Words in Two-Word NFL Team Locations

• Purple: Duke Players Drafted No. 1 in NBA

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 #514 is...

What is the answer to Connections: Sports Edition today?

• Upper-Body Wear - JERSEY, PINNIE, SWEATER, TEE

• Flags in NASCAR - CHECKERED, GREEN, RED, YELLOW

• Last Words in Two-Word NFL Team Locations - BAY, CITY, ENGLAND, FRANCISCO

• Duke Players Drafted No. 1 in NBA - BANCHERO, BRAND, FLAGG, IRVING

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.

Mark Zuckerberg appeared before a jury today to defend Meta against claims that its social media platforms are dangerously designed to get kids hooked on their sites.

The CEO told the court that Meta has taken action to reduce the prevalence of underage users on Instagram, reported NBC, and has adjusted internal goals to increase a user's time on the site. Zuckerberg also accused the plaintiff's attorney, Matthew Bergman of the Social Media Victims Law Center, of mischaracterizing his previous comments. The exchange came after Bergman questioned Zuckerberg about Meta's age verification policies, Zuckerberg's personal media coaching, and his compensation as Meta's chief.

"If you do something that’s not good for people, maybe they’ll spend more time [on Instagram] short term, but if they’re not happy with it, they’re not going to use it over time," said Zuckerberg. "I’m not trying to maximize the amount of time people spend every month."

SEE ALSO: Meta patented LLM that would post for users after they die

It's the first time the tech leader testified before a jury about the alleged dangers of social media platforms, and comes after a congressional grilling of Zuckerberg in 2024.

The watershed case in Los Angeles, brought by a 20-year-old user against Meta, TikTok, Snapchat, and YouTube parent company Google, is the first of a consolidated group of lawsuits filed by more than 1,600 plaintiffs alleging the companies knowingly designed dangerous products. TikTok and Snapchat recently settled out of the case being litigated now in L.A,, but several other related lawsuits are moving forward.

The outcome of the trial may influence whether tech giants and their leaders can be held liable for harm to their users' mental health. Internet companies have mostly been shielded from litigation over their users' content thanks to a provision in a 92-year-old communications law.

Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri kicked off executive testimonies last week. Mosseri denied claims that social media usage patterns among teens constitute "clinical addiction" — which is a charged topic among mental health professionals and tech leaders. Instead, Mosseri conceded to patterns of "problematic use" among users and denied that Instagram ignored safety concerns in favor of profit. "It’s relative. Yes, for an individual, there’s such a thing as using Instagram more than you feel good about," he said. "We make less money from teens than any other demographic on the platform."

Tech watchdogs hope the trial spurs congressional action, including streamlining the controversial Kids Online Safety Act. “What we’re seeing in that courtroom today is exactly what we’ve long known to be true – Mark Zuckerberg built a machine that exploited children for profit, and he knew it,” said Sacha Haworth, executive director of The Tech Oversight Project. “Congress needs to act now to hold Big Tech accountable and stop CEOs like Zuckerberg from exploiting and hurting young people."

In a public statement released ahead of the trial, company officials argued: "The question for the jury in Los Angeles is whether Instagram was a substantial factor in the plaintiff’s mental health struggles. The evidence will show she faced many significant, difficult challenges well before she ever used social media."

Apple will soon let drivers converse with AI chatbots while on the road.

The company's CarPlay Developer Guide (via MacRumors) now includes voice-based chat apps supported by CarPlay. Or, at least, they will be supported when iOS 26.4 launches this spring. This presumably will include third-party AI apps like ChatGPT and Gemini, giving users the ability to verbally ask the AI bots questions while they drive. Previously, CarPlay users could only give voice commands to Siri while driving.

SEE ALSO: iOS 26.4 beta arrives: Here are 3 of its biggest new features

There are, of course, a few caveats to this.

The first is that the companies behind apps like ChatGPT and Gemini will specifically need to update their apps so they work with CarPlay. The second is that wake-up words will not work here; you'll have to manually open the app in question to start talking to it. Finally, you won't be able to issue car or iPhone commands using these apps. You can still ask questions, but you can't ask ChatGPT to do anything to your car or phone.

Other upcoming iOS 26.4 features include AI-generated Apple Music playlists, increased video playback options for Podcasts, and end-to-end encryption for RCS messages. There's a beta available now, with the full update coming in the spring.

Now, we just need to wait and see if Apple includes the AI-powered Siri we've all been waiting for in iOS 26.4, though it looks unlikely.

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.