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TL;DR: You can get the Samsung Galaxy S26+ for free when you open a new line on Verizon's Unlimited Plus or Unlimited Ultimate plan.

Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Verizon: Samsung Galaxy S26+ for free   Get Deal

If you’re thinking about upgrading your smartphone, there are a few ways to bring the price down (if you know where to look).

Mobile carriers often run promotions in which they heavily discount devices or bundle savings through long-term contracts and eligible trade-ins. One standout deal of this type that's live right now is on the Samsung Galaxy S26+ with Verizon. And better yet, there's no trade-in required.

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Verizon is offering the Samsung Galaxy S26+ for free when you open a new line on either its Unlimited Plus or Unlimited Ultimate plan. The deal works by giving you $1,100 in bill credits spread over 36 months, which essentially cancels out the phone’s cost. But this only works if you stay on an eligible plan for the duration.

To qualify, you’ll need to add a new line, choose one of the qualifying unlimited plans, and either buy the phone outright or on a 36-month, 0% APR installment plan. You’ll still pay taxes and a $40 activation fee upfront, and if you cancel your line or switch to a cheaper, ineligible plan, the remaining credits stop and you’ll have to pay off the balance.

With this smartphone, you'll be getting a device built around Galaxy AI, so everyday tasks are faster and easier to complete. It’s powered by Samsung’s latest high-performance processor for fast and smooth performance, and it benefits from an ultra-vivid display.

Get this great mobile deal at Verizon now.

The famous Sombrero Galaxy now appears as more than a wide-brimmed hat floating in deep outer space. 

New images from the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory in Chile reveal a gigantic halo surrounding the galaxy, stretching three times its width. Already considered one of the largest objects in the Virgo Galaxy Cluster, the galaxy's expansive glow is roughly 150,000 light-years wide. 

The pictures come from the Dark Energy Camera, an instrument mounted on the U.S. National Science Foundation's Victor M. Blanco 4-meter Telescope. Though the camera was built for a study that ended in 2019, it continues to aid astronomers, providing new insights for even the most photographed cosmic targets. 

"This may be the first time the halo has been captured with this level of detail and at this large a scale," according to NOIRLab, a program of the National Science Foundation. 

SEE ALSO: Mars did have complex carbon. A NASA rover found its hiding place.

Discovered in 1781 by the French comet hunter Pierre Méchain, the Sombrero is a nearly edge-on spiral galaxy about 30 million light-years away from Earth in the Virgo constellation. Méchain was an associate of renowned astronomer Charles Messier, but the object was only scribbled onto Messier's personal copy of the Messier Catalogue. 

It wasn't until two other astronomers — William Herschel and Camille Flammarion — observed the galaxy that it was formally added to the catalog in 1921. Back then, it was merely known as Messier 104. 

The intriguing galaxy later earned its nickname for its uncanny resemblance to a Mexican hat. Its central bulge looks like the crown and a dark dust trail brings to mind a wide brim. Though the object can't be seen with the naked eye, many amateur astronomers enjoy gazing at it through binoculars and small backyard telescopes. 

But different observatories tend to bring out different features in the galaxy. The James Webb Space Telescope homed in on the Sombrero about 1.5 years ago, and showed it in a different light — literally. From Webb's infrared perspective, the hazy bulge was decapitated, revealing instead a smooth core. 

Researchers are interested in the galaxy for its roughly 2,000 globular clusters containing hundreds of thousands of old stars. Though the stars within them are of similar ages, their masses and characteristics vary. 

The new images also highlight a stellar stream emerging from the south side of the galaxy. The feature is faint but vast. 

"The halo and the stellar stream are populated with stars that have been torn from their home galaxies," according to NOIRLab, "hinting at a past galactic merger between the Sombrero and a smaller satellite galaxy."

I've never been a Nintendo person. And yet, I've never been this completely captured by one of its games until the company's latest release, Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream.

My rapturous attention to it is equal parts FOMO and genuine amazement at the unhinged ways people are playing this game. It's taken over my timeline and is slowly dismantling my will to resist buying a Switch.

For context, Living the Dream is the third entry in Nintendo's series of casual social simulators — think The Sims or Animal Crossing — in which you oversee and manage an island populated by Miis, Nintendo's customizable avatars (a portmanteau of Wii and me). It shares Animal Crossing's DNA in that you're tending to an island and its residents, but unlike that game, you actually get to create the islanders yourself. Thus, no need for housing discrimination and forced migration to phase out the "ugly villagers."

A massive part of the game's appeal is its creation suite, which lets you draw virtually anything and drop it into the game as an interactive item for your Miis to use. Uncensored, mind you. On top of that, like its predecessors, Living the Dream features a text-to-voice modulator that has Miis speaking in a robotic, Vocaloid-adjacent cadence. Also uncensored. You can even make the TV shows they decide to watch. Big news for fans of yaoi.

It is, in short, the perfect game for post-COVID, chronically online Gen Z. Just ask poor Charlie Kirky what happens when they get hold of your likeness.

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The result is near-infinite replayability and, for those of us without a Switch, near-insufferable FOMO. I want to create an island where my characters bicker over a pack of Marlboro Reds. I want a Mii to dream about him and his friends worshipping the unregistered firearm I left sitting on the beach. The memes and playthroughs circulating online are so genuinely unhinged that I'm not sure a "normal" playthrough of this game is even possible. Plus, in a resounding win for Big Tobacco, cigarettes are practically a staple item at this point, and I've lost count of how many islands I've seen with one.

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We've got a tiny Obama doing a freaky little shimmy. Jennifer Coolidge is enjoying a bottle of Hennessy. Kitty White is getting rejected by Leon S. Kennedy, then immediately harassed on the beach by Miss Piggy and John Pork. I want to be clear that those are all real sentences describing real videos that exist on the internet right now.

My personal favorite, though, is a Mii cast video edited to the theme from Living Single, featuring a roster of Black cultural figures like Steve Harvey, Madea, the Smokestack Twins from Sinners, just living their lives on this little island together. Delightfully, irreverently unserious.

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Yes, it's a bummer that the game still lacks real online functionality and built-in Mii- and screenshot-sharing. For a title that has thrived almost entirely on user-generated content going viral, that feels like a conspicuous oversight. Nintendo, we are begging.

But the internet, as always, persists. My FOMO is real, and it is winning. I want my own island. I want to see what my created characters fight over and who they fall in love with. I want to create something deeply questionable and watch the social fallout unfold in robotic text-to-voice. I want in on this. The internet is having the time of its life on a little island somewhere — and I intend to join them.

Phishing scams have always tried to trick you into clicking malicious links, often relying on scare tactics — fake bank alerts, IRS threats, parking tickets, the works. The new playbook is a little more devious: They're targeting your FOMO instead.

According to a report from the New York Times, a new wave of phishing scams is now disguising itself as party invitations, spoofing the look of popular invitation platforms like Paperless Post, Evite, and Punchbowl.

In some cases, the phishing emails actually come from someone you actually know — a former colleague, an old college friend, a distant relative — with a compromised email account. That makes them significantly harder to clock as fake.

One Mashable editor received a phishing email disguised as a Punchbowl invitation from her sister-in-law and clicked the link. However, when the website prompted her to enter her Gmail password, she contacted her sister and confirmed her email account had been hacked.

SEE ALSO: Meta accused of profiting from scam ads in class-action lawsuit

The scam works two ways, per the Times. In one version, the link appears dead when clicked, but the click itself quietly triggers malware that harvests your passwords and personal data in the background. In the other, the link works, and asks you to enter your login credentials, which then hands hackers full access to your personal accounts.

Rachel Tobac, CEO of cybersecurity firm SocialProof Security, told the Times the scam first appeared around last holiday season and that its effectiveness stems from basic human psychology. Every few months, she noted to the publication, phishing schemes find a new emotional lever to pull — and the fear of missing out is a powerful one.

Fake invitations tend to be vague, according to Evite's VP of brand Olivia Pollock, who also spoke with the Times. Generic phrases like "birthday party" or "celebration of life," rather than the specific, niche events most real invitations advertise these days, tend to be the biggest red flags.

In response to these scams, Paperless Post has set up a dedicated email address — phishing@paperlesspost.com — for users to submit suspicious invitations for verification.

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The invitation scam is the latest in a long line of phishing schemes that have proliferated over the past few years. As Mashable has covered extensively, 2025 was defined by text-based scams in particular. Common examples include fake E-ZPass toll notices, phony DMV warnings threatening to suspend your license, fraudulent job offers impersonating Indeed, and IRS impersonators pressuring victims to pay up before they have time to think.

Nearly a quarter of Americans have been the victim of a tax scam alone, or know someone who has, according to a 2025 McAfee survey. All of these phishing tactics rely on the same tricks — urgency, familiarity, and just enough plausibility to make you act before you think.

So, the bottom line is this: If you get an unexpected invitation and something feels slightly off, trust that instinct before you click.

You can report phishing emails to your email service provider, delete them, or simply ignore them.

Have a story to share about a scam or security breach that impacted you? Tell us about it. Email submissions@mashable.com with the subject line "Safety Net" or use this form. Someone from Mashable will get in touch.

TL;DR: Make your Mac even more productive with this lifetime license to MacMagic, $25.50 (reg. $99.99) with code SAVE15 through May 10.

Opens in a new window Credit: Koingo MacMagic: Lifetime Upgrades License $25.50
$99.99 Save $74.49   Get Deal

It’s time to stop underusing your Mac. You paid top dollar for a premium device, so you should make sure you’re getting everything out of it. MacMagic lets you discover hidden Apple features and tap into your Mac’s full potential. Right now, a lifetime license can be yours for just $25.50 with code SAVE15 until May 10.

It’s time to see what your Mac can really do. Thanks to MacMagic, you don’t need to be super tech-savvy. This easy-to-use, all-in-one utility app can unlock hidden macOS features you may have never even heard of.

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Wondering what MacMagic can do for you? Let it find missing features — from an image converter that can batch scale, rotate, and convert your images into more than 100 formats to a force delete button for stubborn files.

Erase recent application history, clear caches and logs to free up disk space, and reveal or hide files in Finder with MacMagic. You can also show or hide desktop icons, make certain files and folders visible or invisible, and turn on the option to see hidden files system-wide.

MacMagic also lets you employ little hacks like cutting your network connection without shutting off your Wi-Fi, locking and unlocking folders, and generating QR codes for vCards, Wi-Fi, locations, SMS, emails, and more.

Before purchasing, make sure your Mac is running macOS 11 or later.

Lock in this lifetime license to MacMagic for just $25.50 until May 10 with code SAVE15.

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TL;DR: Self-improvement is simple with this lifetime subscription to Headway Premium, on sale now for just $47.97 (reg. $299.95), the best price online, through May 10.

Opens in a new window Credit: Headway Headway Premium: Lifetime Subscription $47.97
$299.95 Save $251.98   Get Deal

It’s never too late to work on your New Year’s resolutions. If you were hoping to work more on yourself this year, let this be your sign. Headway Premium serves up the key ideas and insights from some of the world’s best nonfiction books in 15-minute summaries, and a lifetime subscription can be yours for just $47.97, the best price online, until May 10.

Self-growth doesn’t have to be painful. Headway Premium makes it both easy and entertaining with 15-minute summaries of nonfiction books you can listen to, watch, or read. Learn about business strategies on your lunch break or pick up personal development skills in line at the grocery store.

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Headway Premium lets you choose between a written or professionally narrated audio summary of books like The 80/20 Principle or How to Talk to Anyone, delivering the key concepts in a bite-sized format. While it doesn’t replace reading the whole book, it’s a great way to discover new topics you’d like to dig into further.

There are over 15 million people already diving into more than 2,000 summaries available on Headway Premium. New ones are added every week, so you’ll never run out of summaries with this lifetime subscription. You can also take advantage of features like personalized recommendations to discover even more nonfiction books you’d like along the way.

You’ll love the learning process thanks to Headway Premium’s gamified approach, which allows you to earn streaks and track your progress.

Test your skills with fun quizzes and trivia, which show you how much you’re retaining from each summary. And follow along with Brainy, the cute in-app mascot that cheers you along on your self-improvement journey.

Lock in this lifetime subscription to Headway Premium for just $47.97 now through May 10.

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A messy (but formative) part of girlhood is the reckless appropriation of various trends, traditions, and cultural elements in a haphazard attempt to build an identity. For some girls, this means trading one clique for another, or jumping from band geek to cheerleader. For others, it means dabbling in witchcraft. 

30 years ago, The Craft became iconic for a generation of '90s girls who dreamed of power, beauty, and boys. A coven of four teen girls could cast spells and hexes, and the only threat to their power was one another. Now arises Forbidden Fruits, a twisted teen comedy that feels like The Craft with a girly-pop aesthetic. 

Forget the goth gear and smudged eyeliner. These witches are "mall royalty" who proudly work at a chic clothing store, and when they're not eye-rolling over customers, they're doing racy rituals and swallowing sequins as if they're psychedelics. However, where The Craft became a coming-of-age story and cautionary tale about not being true to yourself, Forbidden Fruits is more interested in gnarly twists than any kind of PSA message. 

Forbidden Fruits is a tale of rotten sisterhood.  Lili Reinhart, Lola Tung, Victoria Pedretti, and Alexandra Shipp play the Fruits in "Forbidden Fruits." Credit: Shudder

Helmer Meredith Alloway makes her feature film directorial debut with this screen adaptation of playwright Lily Houghton's Of the woman came the beginning of sin, and through her we all die. Together they scripted the adapted screenplay, which switches a Free People store for the less lawsuit-inducing "Free Eden." There, a trio of intimidatingly cool girls — known as "the Fruits" — wear daring fashions and form a clique so tight, it's suffocating. 

The bubbly blonde who favors skimpy pink clothes and endlessly seeks external validation is Cherry (Victoria Pedretti). The chill astrophysics nerd, saving up for grad school and clad in dark purples and blacks, is Fig (Alexandra Shipp). And the Queen Bee of their coven is Apple (American Sweatshop's Lili Reinhart), who has a cold stare but a heart that yearns for a "mini-me" to be her protégé. 

As in Mean Girls or Clueless, the girls spot a diamond in the rough in the film's protagonist, Pumpkin (Lola Tung). Sure, she's dangling at the bottom of the social ladder, working as a free samples girl in the food court. But there's something about her that intrigues the trio. Before you can recite the long title of Houghton's play, Pumpkin is being initiated with a ritual that involves blood, dirty panties, a bitch slap, and some fresh tears. 

However, much like the heroine of Mean Girls, Pumpkin isn't just looking to be cool with killer clothes. She has a hidden agenda, which has her low-key stalking Fig and Cherry, seeking out dirt on Apple and gossip on the she-who-shall-not-be-named ex-bestie Pickle (Emma Chamberlain). Through all this, Forbidden Fruits veers from familiar teen comedy tropes into wobbly witchiness and then some outright horror movie violence to create a film that's a wild ride, though not a satisfying one. 

Forbidden Fruits is chaotic and superficial in its influences. 

Let's begin with the Bible. The title of Houghton's play, Of the woman came the beginning of sin, and through her we all die, comes from a Bible verse, Ecclesiasticus 25:24, which essentially argues a woman's role is to be a good wife, or else she is wicked and worth only scorn. In the film's third act, Apple will wear this quote/title on a baby tee as she snarls at her coven mates. But the deeper meanings of this passage get lost amid a clash of pop culture references and shallow girl-boss talk. 

Apple's built her coven on a self-serving homespun feminism that demands they uplift other women, eliminate those who take pleasure in others' pain, and never talk to boys outside of emojis. Apple's preaching is constructed of buzzwords, while the coven's icons range from off-brand Barbie dolls to Taylor Swift, Marilyn Monroe, and Miranda Priestly. Rather than a rich tapestry, Apple's brand of witchcraft feels like a clumsy collage of ideas. Perhaps that's intentional, meant to reflect how teen girls might try on new identities like so many jeans at the mall. But it also makes it hard to get a beat on who these girls are beneath their constant posturing. 

Still, this dizzying barrage of allusions collides with an aggressively colorful world, and over-the-top performance styles push the horror comedy into a surreal space. In that setting, we, like Pumpkin, are encouraged to believe that Apple is more than an intimidating Head Bitch in Charge. She could well be a sorceress who can use magic to curse those who wrong her. Power to Forbidden Fruits — with all its style and strangeness, it is hard to predict. However, its abrupt genre shift makes for a wild climax that leads to an infuriating conclusion. 

Forbidden Fruits falls flat, protagonist first. 

Alloway and Houghton make a curious choice in centering their story on Pumpkin. Early on, it's revealed that she's spying on the Fruits, but not why. Who is it she's reporting to about their betrayals and insecurities? Her own Janis Ian? Her mom? A boy!?! 

Because we don't know, Pumpkin is presented at a distance that won't disappear until the film's third act. While Reinhart is a compelling villain, Tung is a tepid screen presence who suffers under the thin writing for Pumpkin. 

That makes Fig and Cherry, whose secrets are most swiftly exposed, more intriguing than the heroine. Shipp, who shines in movies stranger (Tragedy Girls) and more spectacular (X-Men: Apocalypse), is enchanting in Fig's kindness and nerdiness. Perretti, who went from sweet to scorchingly sadistic in You, is a deranged delight as the needy Cherry. Yet the film's third act disregards them with shocking brutality, leaving us to watch a showdown that's lost much of its flavor. Then, without spoilers, a mid-credit scene delivers a big reveal that punches a plot hole right through everything we thought we knew about Free Eden's fruity witches. 

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While there's plenty of style in Forbidden Fruits, it's lacking in substance. Rather than digging into the toxic female friendships that can define then drain us, Alloway uses the idea as a lure for a mystery that's just not as interesting. Or maybe I'm missing something. That was the nagging feeling as I watched Forbidden Fruits. To her credit, Alloway's film, however scattershot in genre shifts and references, exudes a smirking confidence. Whether she's showcasing Apple's unique brand of mean girl power, exposing Cherry's love of cheap thrills in trendy fashion, or tearing her dolls to bits, there's an assurance in the vision, even if I can't see it. In the end, I wasn't satisfied, but got the sense that this is an inside joke I'm just not on the inside of. 

Forbidden Fruits was reviewed out of the 2026 SXSW Film Festival; it's now available for purchase on Prime Video.

Some people just have a natural talent for finding gifts on a budget, whether it's Christmas, an anniversary, Valentine's Day, Mother's Day (which, don't forget, is coming up on May 11). Some people nail it every time, getting the "best gift-giver" award among those who are lucky to know them — wife, husband, boyfriend, teens, in-laws, and everyone else.

If you're not one of those people, don't fret. We're here to help no matter the occasion. We've put together a list of the best gift ideas for under $50, from expected-but-useful trinkets to cool items they definitely don't have yet. These unique budget-friendly gift ideas come from variety of categories so you're sure to find something they'll love. You might even catch a few of these awesome gifts at marked down sale prices.

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 Tuesday, April 28, 2026:

AcrossSound effect in a long hallway

• The answer is Echo.

Something you might not want to wake up to?

• The answer is Alarm.

1980s role for Stallone

• The answer is Rambo.

"The sky's the ___!"

• The answer is Limit.

Bit of folklore

• The answer is Myth.

Down___ of Grantham, noble title on "Downton Abbey"

• The answer is Earl.

Insurance filing

• The answer is Claim.

Leg muscle that can be "pulled," informally

• The answer is Hammy.

Planet's path

• The answer is Orbit.

Fluttering insect that lends its name to a national storytelling event

• The answer is Moth.

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.

TL;DR: AT&T is giving away the Google Pixel 10 Pro XL for free when you trade in an eligible device and sign up for a qualifying unlimited plan.

Opens in a new window Credit: Google AT&T: Google Pixel 10 Pro XL for free   Get Deal

When looking to upgrade your smartphone, there are so many different ways to save money. Whether it's retail events slashing the total cost of a new handset or mobile carriers like T-Mobile offering the iPhone 17 Pro for free, it really does pay to shop around.

And if you've been eyeing up the Google Pixel 10 Pro XL, it now has its own trade-in deal from AT&T that could see you walk away with this popular handset for free.

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AT&T is offering the Google Pixel 10 Pro XL for free when you trade in an eligible device and sign up for a qualifying unlimited plan. The saving comes through bill credits of up to $1,250 spread over 36 months (the full price of the device is $1,249.99), so you won’t pay for the phone upfront as long as you stay on the plan for the duration.

To score this deal, you need to choose an eligible unlimited plan, trade in a device that meets AT&T’s criteria, and agree to a 36-month, 0% APR installment plan. The exact credit amount depends on your trade-in and plan. If you cancel your service or pay off the phone early, the remaining credits stop and the balance is due immediately.

The Google Pixel 10 Pro XL is a superb phone, especially when you can get it for free. It combines Google’s Gemini AI with a next-gen Tensor G5 chip for a faster and smoother performance. It also has a pro-level camera system with up to 100x zoom, 50MP photos, and 8K video.

Head to AT&T to grab this limited-time Google Pixel offer.

TL;DR: T-Mobile is offering the Apple iPhone 17 Pro for free when you trade in an eligible device in any condition and sign up for an Experience Beyond or Go5G Next plan.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple T-Mobile: Apple iPhone 17 Pro for free   Shop Now

T-Mobile has been offering the iPhone 17e and iPhone 17 for free for some time, but the popular mobile carrier has stubbornly refused to include the iPhone 17 Pro in these offers. That is until now.

T-Mobile is now giving away the iPhone 17 Pro for free (via $1,100 in 24 monthly bill credits) when you trade in an eligible device in any condition and sign up for an Experience Beyond or Go5G Next plan. There's usually a lot of fine print with this type of offer that excludes anyone with a cracked screen, but that's not the case here. By offering up to $1,100 for trade-ins in "any condition," T-Mobile are really pushing for you to make the switch.

SEE ALSO: Apple may have already given us a big hint about AI Siri

For power users, it doesn't get much better than the Experience Beyond plan. It's designed for anyone who wants the best in 4K streaming, huge hotspot data (250GB), and masses of international roaming. You’re also getting Hulu, Apple TV+, Netflix, and MLB.TV. It's obviously not a cheap plan, but that bumper entertainment package offsets a large portion of that cost.

Get the Apple iPhone 17 Pro for free with this limited-time offer from T-Mobile.

TL;DR: Live stream the 2025-26 Champions League for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The top club competition in the world of football has to be the Champions League. There is nothing else that brings the very best teams in the world together in a battle for footballing immortality. Sure, winning your domestic league is great. But winning the Champions League is on another level.

If you want to watch the 2025-26 Champions League for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

What is the Champions League?

The Champions League is an annual club football competition organised by UEFA and contested by top-division European clubs. This year's tournament begins with a 36-team round robin group stage to determine which sides qualify for the double-legged knockout rounds, followed by a single leg final.

The defending champions are PSG.

When is the 2025-26 Champions League?

The 2025-26 Champions League is the 71st edition of the competition (and the 34th since it was renamed the Champions League). This season's tournament runs from July 8 to 30 May.

How to watch the 2025-26 Champions League for free

It is possible to live stream the 2025-26 Champions League for free on the following streaming platforms:

• Ireland — RTÉ Player and Virgin Media (select fixtures including the final)

• Turkey — tabii (select fixtures)

• UK — Prime Video (select fixtures including semi final with 30-day free trial)

These free streaming platforms are geo-restricted, but anyone can bypass these restrictions with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure servers in other countries, meaning you can unblock free live streams of the Champions League from anywhere in the world.

Access free live streams of the 2025-26 Champions League 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 a location with free coverage of the Champions League

4. Visit RTÉ Player, Virgin Media, tabii, or Prime Video (free trial)

5. Watch Champions League fixtures for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but leading VPNs do tend to offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can gain access to free live streams of the 2025-26 Champions League without committing with your cash. This is obviously not a long-term solution, but it does give you time to watch select fixtures before recovering your investment.

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

What is the best VPN for the Champions League?

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

• Servers in 105 countries

• Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is always secure

• Fast connection speeds

• Up to eight 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 Champions League for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

Apple's first foldable phone, due later this year, might not be called iPhone Fold, despite most reports calling it so.

Instead, it will be called iPhone Ultra, and it will join Apple's "Ultra" lineup of devices which includes the (existing) Apple Watch Ultra, as well as the upcoming MacBook Ultra.

This is according to Macworld, whose report cites a source familiar with Apple's plans.

The Ultra moniker will signify, in simple terms, the best of the best, and Apple reportedly plans to market the foldable iPhone as a higher-end model than the Pro iPhones. The report claims that Apple will introduce the iPhone Ultra alongside the Pro models in September, but it may arrive "a few weeks later and in smaller quantities."

We heard about the Ultra moniker in March. Bloomberg's report at the time, however, said Apple may not go with the Ultra name for its foldable phone.

This new report claims that Apple will also bring the "Ultra" branding to the Mac, though details about that device are scarce. Bloomberg said Apple might bestow the name upon its long-rumored touchscreen MacBook, though an "Ultra" iMac also isn't out of the question.

SEE ALSO: Apple’s MacBook Neo just made your laptop-style iPad obsolete

Apple already calls several of its products "Ultra," including the Apple Watch Ultra, the M1 Ultra chip, and the CarPlay Ultra. The criteria on what gets to be called Ultra seem a bit arbitrary, but it always designates the most powerful product in the company's lineup.

As for the iPhone Ultra's rumored specs, check out our comprehensive guide.

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 28, 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 28, 2026 Easy difficulty hints, answers for April 28 Pips

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

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

Equal (2): Everything in this red space must be equal to 2. The answer is 0-2, placed horizontally; 2-6, placed vertically.

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

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

Medium difficulty hints, answers for April 28 Pips

Equal (2): Everything in this space must be equal to 2. The answer is 2-5, placed vertically; 2-0, placed horizontally.

Less than (4): Everything in this space must be less than 4. The answer is 2-0, placed horizontally; 0-4, placed vertically.

Equal (5): Everything in this space must be equal to 5. The answer is 5-1, placed vertically; 2-5, placed vertically.

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

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

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

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

Hard difficulty hints, answers for April 28 Pips

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Number (9): Everything in this space must add up to 9. The answer is 3-4, placed vertically; 5-2, placed horizontally.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Number (0): Everything in this space must add up to 10. The answer is 2-0, placed vertically.

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

Number (4): Everything in this space must add up to 4. The answer is 2-4, 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 will require some knowledge of popular U.S. sports and pop culture.

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: Soccer

• Green: Race tracks

• Blue: Famous New Yorkers

• Purple: English soccer stadiums

Here are today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

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

• Yellow: MLS Teams

• Green: NASCAR Tracks

• Blue: New York Knicks

• Purple: Words in the Names of Premier League Venues

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 #582 is...

What is the answer to Connections: Sports Edition today?

• MLS Teams — RAPIDS, TIMBERS, UNION, WHITECAPS

• NASCAR Tracks — BRISTOL, DAYTONA, POCONO, WATKINS

• New York Knicks — BRIDGES, BRUNSON, HART, TOWNS

• Words in the Names of Premier League Venues" — CRAVEN, MOLINEUX, STAMFORD, VILLA

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 the latest Connections.

When your leader is politically outspoken, customer reactions rarely move in one direction. Some segments disengage, others lean in, and the net effect can be difficult to interpret. To understand the impact of a polarizing leader on the business:  Diagnose how demand is shifting. Don’t rely on aggregate data. Break down your audience into segments and identify who is moving toward your […]

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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

Evidence.

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

PROOF

Hurdle Word 2 hint

Warehouse.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for April 28, 2026 Hurdle Word 2 Answer

DEPOT

Mashable 101 Fan Fave: Nominate your favorite creators today

Hurdle Word 3 hint

Pee.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for April 28 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for April 28, 2026 Hurdle Word 3 answer

URINE

Hurdle Word 4 hint

After the second.

Hurdle Word 4 answer

THIRD

Final Hurdle hint

Snuck.

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

CREPT

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

The teaser trailer for psychological thriller Verity has arrived, offering the first peek at the adaptation of Colleen Hoover's popular 2018 novel.

Verity follows writer Lowen Ashleigh (Dakota Johnson) after she's hired as a ghostwriter for famous author Verity Crawford (Anne Hathaway). Arriving at the Crawford estate, Lowen discovers apparent notes for Verity's autobiography, which include disturbing confessions concerning the author's husband Jeremy (Josh Hartnett). Lowen soon finds herself deeply entangled with the Crawford family, navigating secrets, lies, and manipulation in a search for the truth.

Verity arrives in theatres on October 2.

Today's NYT Strands hints are easy if you're very observant.

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 28, 2026 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Attention, attention!

The words are related to sight.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe closely watching.

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 Like a Hawk.

Mashable 101 Fan Fave: Nominate your favorite creators today

NYT Strands word list for April 28

• Watch

• Behold

• Observe

• Like a Hawk

• Witness

• Monitor

• Eyeball

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 the latest Strands.

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

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 April 28, 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 April 28, 2026 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

A duck's sound.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

There are no recurring letters.

Mashable 101 Fan Fave: Nominate your favorite creators today

Today's Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with...

Today's Wordle starts with the letter Q.

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...

QUACK

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 the latest Wordle.