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Today's Connections: Sports Edition will require some sports and pop culture knowledge.

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: Hockey homeland teams

• Green: Plays in Fin City

• Blue: Star Rockies

• Purple: Sounds like an NBA Hall of Famer

Here are today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

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

• Yellow: Canadian NHL Teams

• Green: Teams That Play in San Jose

• Blue: Colorado Rockies All-Stars, Historically

• Purple: Starts with a Basketball Hall of Famer

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 #599 is...

What is the answer to Connections: Sports Edition today?

• Canadian NHL Teams: CANCUCKS, FLAMES, JETS, OILERS

• Teams That Play in San Jose: BAY FC, EARTHQUAKES, SAN JOSE STATE, SHARKS

• Colorado Rockies All-Stars, Historically: ARENADO, STORY, TULOWITZKI, WALKER

• Starts with a Basketball Hall of Famer: BINGHAMTON, BIRDMAN, NASHVILLE, WEST SIDE

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.

Research finds that as people climb the career ladder, they tend to treat their perspective as the entire story, ignoring their biases and blind spots. But when you adopt this “main-character energy,” everyone suffers: Your team experiences lower trust and performance, and you’re more likely to experience depression and loneliness. The strongest leaders stay close […]

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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.

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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

Small and round.

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

BEADY

Hurdle Word 2 hint

An eating utensil.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for May 15, 2026 Hurdle Word 2 Answer

SPOON

Mashable 101 Fan Fave: Nominate your favorite creators today

Hurdle Word 3 hint

Satan.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for May 15 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for May 15, 2026 Hurdle Word 3 answer

DEVIL

Hurdle Word 4 hint

To long for.

Hurdle Word 4 answer

YEARN

Final Hurdle hint

Premature.

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

EARLY

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

TL;DR: Watch Canada vs. Sweden in the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships for free on IIHF.TV. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships is starting with a number of really interesting matchups, including Canada vs. Sweden. We're not going to see all of the stars we saw over the Winter Olympics, but this is still a standout fixture involving some big names. Both teams will expect to advance to the knockout rounds, so a good start to this campaign is vital.

If you're interested in watching the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships from anywhere in the world, we've got all the information you need.

When is Canada vs. Sweden?

Canada vs. Sweden in the 2026 IIHF World Championships starts at 10:20 a.m. ET on May 15. This fixture takes place at the BCF Arena in Fribourg.

How to watch Canada vs. Sweden for free

Canada vs. Sweden in the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships is available to live stream for free on IIHF.TV.

IIHF.TV is not available in some locations due to regional broadcasting restrictions (blocked locations listed here), but anyone can secure access with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in a location with access, meaning you can stream the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships for free from anywhere in the world.

Live stream the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships for free by following these simple steps:

1. Sign up for a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in a location with access

4. Connect to IIHF.TV

5. Watch the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships for free from anywhere in the world

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

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but they do tend to offer pretty generous money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships without committing with your cash. This is obviously not a long-term strategy, but it gives you enough time to stream Canada vs. Sweden plus every other fixture before recovering your investment.

If you want to retain permanent access to free streaming platforms from around the world, 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 Ice Hockey World Championships?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for streaming live sport on free platforms, 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 secure

• Fast connection speeds

• Up to 10 simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99 (with money-back guarantee).

Live stream Canada vs. Sweden in the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships for free with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: Watch Finland vs. Germany in the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships for free on IIHF.TV. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The memories of the ice hockey at the Winter Olympics are still fresh in our mind, but we're greedy for more. It's not like we don't have enough top-quality competition to enjoy right now, but if there's anyone out there who has time for more besides the NHL playoffs, the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships are starting.

The first game on the schedule is particularly interesting. Finland face off against Germany in Zürich. Both teams were dumped out at the quarter-final stage in the last edition of this competition.

If you're interested in watching the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships from anywhere in the world, we've got all the information you need.

When is Finland vs. Germany?

Finland vs. Germany in the 2026 IIHF World Championships starts at 10:20 a.m. ET on May 15. This fixture takes place at the Swiss Life Arena in Zürich.

How to watch Finland vs. Germany for free

Finland vs. Germany in the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships is available to live stream for free on IIHF.TV.

IIHF.TV is not available in some locations due to regional broadcasting restrictions (blocked locations listed here), but anyone can secure access with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in a location with access, meaning you can stream the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships for free from anywhere in the world.

Live stream the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships for free by following these simple steps:

1. Sign up for a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in a location with access

4. Connect to IIHF.TV

5. Watch the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships for free from anywhere in the world

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

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but they do tend to offer pretty generous money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships without committing with your cash. This is obviously not a long-term strategy, but it gives you enough time to stream Finland vs. Germany plus every other fixture before recovering your investment.

If you want to retain permanent access to free streaming platforms from around the world, 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 Ice Hockey World Championships?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for streaming live sport on free platforms, 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 secure

• Fast connection speeds

• Up to 10 simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99 (with money-back guarantee).

Live stream Finland vs. Germany in the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships for free with ExpressVPN.

The Moon is now almost entirely out of view as we approach the New Moon, can you see anything tonight?

What is today’s Moon phase?

As of Friday, May 15, the Moon phase is Waning Crescent. Tonight, 4% of the moon will be be lit up, according to NASA's Daily Moon Guide.

There isn't enough visibility tonight to see anything on the Moon's surface. After the New Moon, visibility will start to return.

When is the next Full Moon?

There are two Full Moons in May, with the next due to take place on May 31.

What are Moon phases?

According to NASA, the Moon takes about 29.5 days to complete a full orbit around Earth, moving through eight distinct phases along the way. Although we always see the same side of the Moon, the changing angle of sunlight as it orbits creates the familiar full, half, and crescent shapes. In total, the lunar cycle is made up of eight main phases:

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.

TL;DR: Watch the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships for free on IIHF.TV. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

We're still buzzing from the international hockey at the 2026 Winter Olympics, but there's more to come. We know the focus of the ice hockey world is firmly fixed on the resolution of the NHL season right now, but the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships is here to offer something to fans without a vested interest in the Stanley Cup.

This tournament doesn't have quite the same prestige as the Winter Olympics, but the 2024 World Championship was the most successful in terms of overall attendance. We're expecting this tournament in Switzerland to be just as popular as the USA, Canada, Czechia, Sweden, Finland, and other top sides battle it out on the ice.

If you're interested in watching the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships from anywhere in the world, we've got all the information you need.

What is the Ice Hockey World Championships?

The Ice Hockey World Championships are an annual international men's ice hockey tournament organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation. 16 teams are divided into two groups for the Preliminary Round played in a single round robin format. The top-four ranked teams of each group advance to the knockout rounds.

The defending champions are Czechia.

When is the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships?

The 2026 IIHF World Championships will take place from May 15-31. This year's tournament will be hosted by Zurich and Fribourg, Switzerland.

How to watch the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships for free

The 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships is available to live stream for free on IIHF.TV.

IIHF.TV is not available in some locations due to regional broadcasting restrictions (blocked locations listed here), but anyone can secure access with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in a location with access, meaning you can stream the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships for free from anywhere in the world.

Live stream the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships for free by following these simple steps:

1. Sign up for 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 access

4. Connect to IIHF.TV

5. Watch the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships for free from anywhere in the world

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

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but they do tend to offer pretty generous money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships without committing with your cash. This is obviously not a long-term strategy, but it gives you enough time to stream the tournament before recovering your investment.

If you want to retain permanent access to free streaming platforms from around the world, 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 Ice Hockey World Championships?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for streaming live sport on free platforms, 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 secure

• Fast connection speeds

• Up to 10 simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99 (with money-back guarantee).

Live stream the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships for free with ExpressVPN.

We hope you took advantage of that $499 MacBook Neo deal in the Apple Education Store, because if you're not actually a student or teacher, that discount is now closed off for you.

Apple's Education Store provides online discounts for students and educators. In the case of the already very competitively priced MacBook Neo, that discount was a whopping $100 off Apple's latest laptop. Previously, anyone could shop at the Apple Education Store, with Apple simply using an honor system with its users, allowing anyone to shop there with the assumption that they were a student or teacher.

Mashable 101 Fan Fave: Vote for your favorite creator today!

However, starting this week, Apple changed its Apple Education Store policy. Apple is now verifying that a consumer is actually connected to an educational institution before allowing them to make a purchase.

Many companies offer discounts for educators and students, first responders, and other groups, and these types of third-party verification tools are a common industry practice.

Apple is utilizing the services of a third-party company known as Unidays, which verifies that the user is eligible to buy from the Apple Education Store.

According to Apple, users who are allowed to make a purchase in the Education Store include "current and newly accepted college students and their parents, as well as faculty, staff, and homeschool teachers of all grade levels."

When making a purchase, Unidays will verify that the buyer is connected to a specific educational institution. For example, a student will have to provide documentation that they are enrolled in a school in order to get verified and make a purchase from the Education Store. 

Unidays verification process is instant for most; however, some users may have to wait up to 24 hours for the company to complete its verification process.

Apple previously worked with Unidays in 2022 when it instituted a similar verification process for the Education Store. However, user complaints led Apple to drop the verification step until now.

Along with the verification change, Apple also added Apple Watch discounts to the Education Store for the first time last week. But, without the Education Store discount, many Apple users may find cheaper deals on Apple products from third parties like Amazon, Best Buy, and B&H, and not directly from Apple.

Want to learn more about getting the best out of your tech? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories and Deals newsletters today.

The prestigious Cannes Film Festival is underway in France, with high-profile stars from The Fast and the Furious franchise dominating headlines so far. However, the Chinese tech company DJI also took advantage of the opportunity to make its own debut — the DJI Osmo Pocket 4P camera.

Cannes may seem like a strange place for a drone and camera company, but the company wants to pivot from the creator space into Hollywood productions. Pictures of the Osmo Pocket 4P show two lenses, which would set it apart from other cameras in the Osmo Pocket line.

Mashable 101 Fan Fave: Vote for your favorite creator today!

DJI Osmo Pocket gimbal cameras already have a cult following among creators, and the company recently launched the Osmo Pocket 4. However, the Osmo Pocket 4P is designed specifically for cinematic productions, DJI said in a press release sent to Mashable.

"Following the global success of its predecessor, the Osmo Pocket 4P builds on a growing movement in which compact cameras are reshaping how stories are created and shared," reads the release. "Its Cannes debut highlights its potential to influence the future of cinematic vlogging, inspire a new generation of mobile-first filmmakers, and lead global trends in portrait-driven visual storytelling."

Gimbal cameras have long been used in Hollywood productions, and the Osmo Pocket brought the technology to video bloggers, influencers, and creators of all kinds.

DJI says the Osmo Pocket 4P will offer cinematic-quality HDR video and 10-bit D-Log2 color performance for professional color grading.

DJI didn't provide any details on a possible release date or pricing, but a company spokesperson said the camera would be available through DJI's online store and retail partners. As with other recent DJI releases, it may come late to the United States due to DJI's ongoing problems with the FCC and the U.S. drone ban.

Credit: DJI

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Brick just updated its app to highlight a feature that makes me love this little gadget even more.

Imagine this nightmare: You've done your evening skincare, brushed your teeth, and tucked yourself into bed only to realize you left on a lamp across the room. That's the horror I feel when I forget to Brick my phone before bed and have to get up, walk to the kitchen, and tap it against my Brick in another room.

But when this happened last night, I noticed a change in the Brick app. Now, the button on the home page of the Brick app says "Tap or hold to Brick." So, I held the button and my phone was Bricked — I didn't even need to get out of bed.

Brick, the screen-time device that uses a physical NFC tag to block apps on your phone, cut my screen time in half. Plus, multiple people can use it, meaning my wife and I can share one. The Brick has become so popular that "Bricking" is now a verb.

Hold to lock: What's changed with the Brick? Now, you have the choice Brick your phone remotely. Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

Previously, you had to tap your phone against the Brick to lock it. Now, you have a second option. You can still tap to lock, or you can just hold the button down within the app, and it will lock. This means when you're on the go and need to focus, you can remotely Brick your phone.

I reached out to Brick, and a spokesperson said that while this feature has always been available, the company updated the app to make this functionality more obvious to users. The change was necessary, I think. Several Mashable staffers are devoted Brick users, and we weren't aware of this feature previously.

Now you can Brick your phone without physically tapping it against a Brick. Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

However, this doesn't change how you unlock your phone when it's Bricked. To Unbrick your phone, you still have to physically tap it against your Brick. Not surprising because the alternative would make Brick no different from any other screen time app out there.

So with this update, the only thing to be careful of is locking your phone when you're away from it and getting locked out of an important app. Luckily, you can always use one of your five emergency unbricks.

Opens in a new window Credit: Brick Brick phone blocker $59 at Brick
Mashable readers save 10% Get Deal

For a long time, buying a luxury SUV was pretty straightforward. If you wanted something powerful, refined, and packed with tech, you went German and accepted the hefty price tag that came with it.

When we last discussed new shows arriving on streaming, we spoke about The Bear spin-off episode along with the most recent adaptation of Lord of the Flies. While these shows have their moments, this week's crop of series has more star power and mainstream appeal for wide audiences.

Whole-home Ethernet sounds like the perfect home networking upgrade. In theory, having wired network access in every room seems like the best way to keep everything fast and stable. However, it’s often more effort and cost than most homes actually need, and in many cases, a single access point in the right location is all you really need.

Luxury SUVs have become incredibly expensive, with many premium hybrid crossovers now pushing well beyond the $60,000 mark before options. That rising cost has made mainstream alternatives far more appealing, especially as affordable brands continue improving interior quality, ride comfort, and in-car technology. Buyers no longer need a luxury badge to get features like leather upholstery, premium sound systems, massive digital displays, and a genuinely refined driving experience.

The Amazon Fire TV Stick is in an odd spot in the streaming market; it's both very accessible and very restricted for a smart device. However, for many years, there has been a conflict between Amazon and its users. The issue is that it isn't transparent or free enough; its default interface hides important performance information and deliberately limits adding third-party apps. There is a hidden developer menu that lets you get more out of the device.

Google has offered 15GB of free storage with its accounts for years, but there can now be some strings attached to claiming the full amount. Users have noticed that some new account holders have to link their phone number to get the expected storage. Otherwise, they're capped at just 5GB.

Are you looking to buy some new cordless power tools for DIY projects this spring and summer? If so, we have some deals you don't want to miss. I'm talking about three RIDGID battery packs, all for only $100, or huge 10-tool combo kits at a massive 50% discount.

I’ve driven a lot of EVs lately, and many of them seem obsessed with feeling futuristic at all costs. Some are great tech showcases, but not all of them are particularly easy to live with day to day.

The cost of streaming service subscriptions continues to rise. Even services that used to offer free content are moving it behind paywalls. Here are some once-free streaming services that have added fees, removed free tiers, or just made free viewing harder, and some alternative options you can use instead.

The humble floppy disk in its various incarnations ruled the computer world for a long time. Too long, as it turns out. Eventually, the tiny capacity of floppy disks was a mismatch for growing hard drives and ballooning file sizes, so something new was needed.