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Today's Connections: Sports Edition is easier if you know your basketball nicknames.

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: Lyrics

• Green: Winter events

• Blue: Basketball player nicknames

• Purple: Same second word

Here are today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

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

• Yellow: Heard in "Take Me Out to the Ball Game"

• Green: Olympic snowboarding events

• Blue: Vince Carter, informally

• Purple: ____ back

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 #513 is...

What is the answer to Connections: Sports Edition today?

• Heard in "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" - CRACKER JACK, HOME TEAM, OLD BALL GAME, PEANUTS

• Olympic snowboarding events - BIG AIR, GIANT SLALOM, HALFPIPE, SLOPESTYLE

• Vince Carter, informally - AIR CANADA, HALF-MAN, HALF-AMAZING, VC, VINSANITY

• ____ back - DIAMOND, DROP, QUARTER, RAZOR

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.

TL;DR: Live stream the 2026 winter sports ice hockey for free on CBC Gem. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

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

There are so many sports being showcased right now that you wouldn't usually get the opportunity to watch. Of course we're making time to watch speed skating, bobsleigh, figure skating, and ski mountaineering taking place over the next couple of weeks.

It's not like we don't get regular opportunities to watch ice hockey. Ever heard of the NHL? But international ice hockey is a different animal.

We get to see the best of the best from the NHL plus a bunch of athletes we've never heard of compete for their countries. There's something uniquely fun about international ice hockey. You get an amplified version of the game we all love, as teams do everything and anything to secure a medal.

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

When is the 2026 winter sports ice hockey?

The women's ice hockey schedule runs from Feb. 5-19. The men's ice hockey competition takes place from Feb. 11-22.

How to watch 2026 winter sports ice hockey for free

International ice hockey is available to live stream for free on CBC Gem.

CBC Gem is geo-restricted to Canada, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These handy tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Canada, meaning you can access free live streams of the 2026 winter sports ice hockey from anywhere in the world.

Live stream the 2026 winter sports ice hockey 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 Canada

4. Visit CBC Gem

5. Watch the 2026 winter sports ice hockey for free from anywhere in the world

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 without committing with your cash. This is obviously not a long-term solution, but it does give you time to watch the ice hockey before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for live sport?

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

• Servers in 105 countries including Canada

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

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

• Fast connection speeds

• Up to 10 simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

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

Live stream the 2026 winter sports ice hockey for free with ExpressVPN.

SAVE OVER $700: As of Feb. 18, the Anker Solix C2000 is on sale for $778.99 at Amazon. That's a 48% discount on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Anker Anker Solix C2000 $778.99 at Amazon
$1,499 Save $720.01   Get Deal

Portable power stations can make your life much easier when you’re off-grid or prepping for power cuts, and if you've been thinking of making a purchase, you can get the Anker Solix C2000 on sale at Amazon. As of Feb. 18, this popular unit is reduced by over $700, bringing the price down from $1,499 to $778.99.

This power station is built for serious backup. It gives you 2,400W of rated power with a 4,000W peak, so you can run more than one appliance at the same time. It’s efficient too, using just 9W on standby and capable of powering a large fridge for up to 32 hours.

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Recharging is fast, getting you to 100% in as little as 58 minutes via AC and solar. You can even top it up from your car with 800W ultra-fast alternator charging. It's a great option for camping trips. It's compact and light, so it won't be weighing you down when you dive deep into the wilderness.

Get this portable power station deal at Amazon now.

SAVE $200: As of Feb. 18, the Breville Barista Touch is on sale for $799.95 at Amazon. That's 20% off the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Breville Breville Barista Touch $799.95 at Amazon
$999.95 Save $200   Get Deal

If you consider yourself a coffee connoisseur, it's important that you have the right tools to make your perfect cup at home. A good coffee machine can completely transform your morning brew, and right now a great model is on sale at Amazon.

As of Feb. 18, the Breville Barista Touch is reduced by $200, with a new price of $799.95. This machine has its own built-in coffee grinder as well as a steam wand, so you can completely personalize your daily coffee.

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And your coffee has never tasted better with a machine like this. The steam wand lets you adjust milk temperature and texture for your favorite milk-based drinks like lattes and cappuccinos. It also has a touchscreen display that makes things nice and easy, walking you through the grind, brew, and milk settings. It even has five pre-set drinks and space to save up to eight custom coffees, so when you wake up in the morning you can choose what you want and the machine will make it for you.

This deal also comes with everything you'll need to start making great coffee, including a 54mm stainless steel portafilter, filter baskets, a milk jug, water filter, and cleaning tools.

Get this great coffee machine deal at Amazon now.

Netflix has finally revealed Heartbreak High Season 3's premiere date, dropping a trailer to tease the Australian series' final season.

Jumping forward in time by over a year, Heartbreak High's third season catches up with the students of Hartley High as they near graduation. This means it's their turn to partake in the sacred Australian tradition of Muck-Up Day, characterised by senior pranks and water pistols. It's also time for final exams and to consider their plans after high school, both for careers and relationships.

Of course, this final school term won't be smooth. During Mashable's set visit last year, executive producer Carly Heaton shared that Season 3's themes are consequences and class. Just judging from the trailer, Amerie (Ayesha Madon), Quinni (Chloé Hayden), Darren (James Majoos), and the rest of the Hartley High crew may have some serious consequences to deal with this term.

Amerie's life has consistently been a disaster since Netflix's Heartbreak High began in 2022, so in some ways it's comforting to see the series end how it began: by never giving her a moment's peace.

Heartbreak High Season 3 arrives March 25 on Netflix.

Stephen Colbert has addressed CBS' denial that it barred his interview with Rep. James Talarico from airing last night. In short, he's calling it "crap."

"I was ready to let the whole thing go," Colbert said. "Until a few hours ago, when my group chat blowed up. Because, without ever talking to me, the corporation put out this press release, this statement."

Released on Tuesday, CBS' statement read: "The Late Show was not prohibited by CBS from broadcasting the interview with Rep. James Talarico. The show was provided legal guidance that the broadcast could trigger the FCC equal time rule for two other candidates, including Rep. Jasmine Crockett, and presented options for how the equal time for other candidates could be fulfilled. The Late Show decided to present the interview through its YouTube channel with on-air promotion on the broadcast rather than potentially providing the equal-time options."

SEE ALSO: CBS refused to broadcast this Stephen Colbert interview. Here's how to watch it anyway.

In response, Colbert retorted that he didn't need CBS' lawyers to tell him how to do his job.

"I am well aware that we can book other guests," Colbert retorted. "I didn't need to be presented with that option. I've had Jasmine Crockett on my show twice. I could prove that to you. I can prove that to you, but the network won't let me show you her picture without including her opponents."

CBS' statement also didn't appear to adequately address Colbert's actual concern, which was its unprecedented enforcement of the equal time rule despite talk shows being a well-known and long-standing exception. In fact, his team couldn't find a single example of the equal time rule being enforced on any talk show going back to the 1960s. Though FCC chair Brendan Carr has expressed a desire to remove it, the exemption is currently still in place.

"[Carr] had not gotten rid of [the exemption] yet, but CBS generously did it for him and told me unilaterally that I had to abide by the equal time rules, something I have never been asked to do for an interview in the 21 years of this job," Colbert said. "Now, that decision, I want to be clear, is their right. Just like I have the right to talk about their decision on air."

Expressing bafflement at CBS' actions, Colbert noted that the network knew and approved of what he was going to say during yesterday's show, yet still released a statement refuting it after the fact.

"They know damn well that every word of my script last night was approved by CBS' lawyers, who for the record approve every script that goes on the air, whether it's about equal time or this image of frogs having sex," Colbert continued, showing a mercifully censored illustration of frogs having sex. "They told us the language they wanted me to use to describe that equal time exception. And I used that language. So, I don't know what this is about.

"For the record, I'm not even mad. I really don't want an adversarial relationship with the network. I've never had one….  I'm just so surprised that this giant global corporation would not stand up to these bullies…. And for the lawyers to release this without even talking to me is really surprising. I don't even know what to do with this crap."

Doing my hair after a wash day has been one of my most formidable personal tasks since middle school. I'm not exaggerating when I say that taming my coarse curls takes two business days, mostly because it historically just puffs up if I force it to dry within a few hours. But now that I'm deep into healthy hair journey brain rot TikTok, I realize that my years of sleeping on wet hair have just been exacerbating my frizz and damage. Shark announced the SilkiPro just as I started looking for ways to streamline my heat styling method.

The Shark SilkiPro costs $249.99 and came out on Feb. 17. I've fully straightened my hair twice so far after getting my SilkiPro a bit early, and I'd say it's going smoothly — the routine itself, and my hair afterward. But one concern about buying the SilkiPro keeps creeping into my head. Let's debrief.

Opens in a new window Credit: Shark Shark SilkiPro $249.99 at SharkNinja
  Shop Now What's special about the Shark SilkiPro?

The SilkiPro isn't the first Shark hair tool to combine blow drying and heated ceramic plates, but it is the first standalone Shark straightener that doesn't have to be bundled with any other attachments. I got the plum one, but it comes in rose and turquoise, too.

One side of the SilkiPRO is very light lavender. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable The other side of the SilkiPRO is darker purple. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

Wet-to-dry straighteners like the SilkiPro operate much like your classic clamp flat iron, but add air vents along the side near the plates. The concentrated air jets point at an angle as you slide down the strand, evaporating moisture on the hair right ahead of it before the ceramic plates get to it. Integrated sensors in the ceramic plates measure temperature 1,000 times per second to help prevent heat damage during wet-to-dry styling. (You can also manually toggle between three heat and airflow settings.) I know it's hard to believe that the steaming Remington Wet 2 Straight from 2004 is no longer the pinnacle of wet-to-dry technology.

On the wet hair setting, the fans kick on and hum quietly (sometimes turning off completely if the device senses it's not in use). But when you clamp down on a piece of hair, the jets automatically start roaring like a true hair dryer.

Slide any of the three combs right onto the edge of the straightener. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable The SilkiPro heats up within seconds. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

Unique to the SilkiPro are the three comb attachments that come in the box. Each simply slides into a track along the edge of the straightener to prepare the strand for smooth ironing. There are two black combs with shorter teeth: a gentle comb for a full-bodied, natural look and a precision comb for a sleeker, pin-straight look. Because I have curly hair that's even curlier near my scalp, I reached for the purple wide-tooth comb as my first step in the styling process. It spaces hair out for easier rough drying at the root and gently stretches tightly wound curls for easier straightening.

The wide tooth comb ensured I wasn't simply deep frying a giant knot. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable I TOLD YOU my hair doesn't blow dry well. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

Now that I'm fully giving electrocuted cartoon character, it's time to remove the comb and go over my whole head with the wet hair setting again. Your hair should be 70 percent dry at this step, which is perfect for my hair that feels like it never fully air dries. It's also an incredibly convenient option when you're already running late for plans and haven't even started on your hair yet because it's still wet.

My initial Shark SilkiPro results My hair was slightly dryer than towel dried before. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable The SilkiPRO made my hair quite sleek, which isn't always the case when I straighten it. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

For the final step, you can switch the SilkiPro to the dry hair straightening setting to lock the style in and make any final touch-ups. I was impressed with how glossy my hair was by the end, though the whole three-step process still took well over an hour (and that's with my hair at its shortest in a decade). I prefer my straightened hair to have a little more bounce throughout with a flip at the end, but for testing purposes, the SilkiPro was successful at making my hair straight straight.

I fully bought into the Abby Yung hair method a month ago, and I'm convinced that's playing a role in the smoothness, too. I'm so sorry to confirm that double washing and adding a bond repair step does legitimately make fried hair softer. At any rate, I showed up to happy hour with SilkiPro straightened hair, and my friend immediately commented on how healthy it looked.

What's the difference between the Shark SilkiPro and the Shark Glam?

The Shark SilkiPro is nearly identical to the Shark Glam with the Shark Silki straightening attachment.

The SilkiPro lets you bring home just the wet-to-dry straightening on its own for $249.99, rather than committing to multiple attachments in a Build Your Own Glam bundle, which retails for between $399.99 and $449.99. The SilkiPro also comes with the three interchangeable combs, while the wide tooth comb is one of the optional attachments that you can add to your Glam bundle.

The size difference between the the Shark Glam (left) and SilkiPro (right). Credit: Leah Stodart The SilkiPro's ceramic plate is slightly wider than the Glam's. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

But the sheer existence of the Shark Glam kind of cannibalizes the SilkiPro's value, especially with the Glam being on sale for $299.99 on the SilkiPro's launch date. At that point, wouldn't you just cough up the extra $50 to get the Glam bundle with the Silki straightener, the Glossi brush, and two other attachments of your choosing? I certainly could have used Shark's FrizzFighter attachment to tame the flyaways in my SilkiPro "after" picture.

My roommate has let me use her Shark Glam a few times, and the air straightening experience is pretty indistinguishable from the SilkiPro's. The settings are the same, and the Glam's fans also automatically crank their velocity every time you clamp down on a piece of hair.

SEE ALSO: Shark CryoGlow mask review after 10 months: The only way I'll ever stop using this is if Shark releases a new one

Credit to it, the SilkiPro is noticeably more ergonomic than the Glam. The Glam's body-plus-attachment design is awkwardly weighted and makes the full wand several inches longer than the SilkiPro. The in-hand comfort is something to consider if styling your hair takes so long that it starts to feel like an arm workout. The SilkiPro's portability will be a huge advantage when traveling, too — I can see it being an amazing tool to take on vacation or any trip when you can't follow your typical hair washing and drying schedule.

For what it's worth, the launch of the SilkiPro just made the Dyson AirStrait look ridiculously overpriced. The AirStrait could get away with its $499.99 price point for a while, but now that it's not the only straightener that dries as it straightens, even its $399.99 sale price feels out of touch.

Features to keep an eye on

If you're a fan of flat iron curls, it doesn't seem like the Shark SilkiPro is going to be one of the best straighteners for curling hair. I've been curling the ends of my hair rather than trying to get them pin straight with my GHD Platinum+ for years, but the Shark SilkiPro was unresponsive to my ribboning technique that has worked so well in the past. I think it's the strip of air vents jutting out that's preventing hair from smoothly wrapping between the plates, leaving my hair limp and definitely not flipped inward like the fake blowout look.

SEE ALSO: I found 5 Dyson Supersonic dupes that are almost as good as the real thing

I was racking my brain for ways that the SilkiPro could become more cost-effective (compared to the Glam) down the line. Either the SilkiPro needs to go on sale immediately, or at least make a compatible FrizzFighter attachment. But the SilkiPro's design doesn't seem built for adding attachments that need to use airflow from the tool.

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 Wednesday, Feb. 18, 2026:

Across___ Glenn, Olympic figure skater who's a three-time U.S. national champion

• The answer is Amber.

Popcorn size that might come in a bucket

• The answer is Large.

"Lies and the Lying ___ Who Tell Them" (Al Franken book)

• The answer is Liars.

Close-up map

• The answer is Inset.

Prepares a home for a new baby

• The answer is Nests.

DownBold poker declaration

• The answer is AllIn.

Only U.S. state with a one-syllable name

• The answer is Maine.

Orchestra section with trumpets and horns

• The answer is Brass.

"Great" or "Snowy" wading bird

• The answer is Egret.

Some sheet music squiggles

• The answer is Rests.

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.

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 18, 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 17, 2026 Easy difficulty hints, answers for Feb. 18 Pips

Greater Than (3): Everything in this purple space must be greater than 3. The answer is 4-1, placed horizontally.

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

Greater Than (5): Everything in this orange space must be greater than 5. The answer is 5-5, placed horizontally; 5-1, placed vertically.

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

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

Medium difficulty hints, answers for Feb. 18 Pips

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

Number (11): Everything in this space must add up to 11. The answer is 2-2, placed horizontally; 4-3, placed vertically; 5-5, placed horizontally.

Greater Than (4): Everything in this light blue space must be greater than 4. The answer is 5-5, placed horizontally.

Number (8): Everything in this space must add up to 8. The answer is 4-3, placed vertically; 5-1, placed vertically.

Greater Than (1): Everything in this dark blue space must be greater than 1. The answer is 6-1, placed horizontally.

Equal (1): Everything in this space must be equal to 1. The answer is 5-1, placed vertically; 1-0, placed horizontally.

Hard difficulty hints, answers for Feb. 18 Pips

Equal (1): Everything in this space must be equal to 1. The answer is 1-4, placed vertically; 1-0, placed vertically.

Less Than (2): Everything in this orange space must be less than 2. The answer is 1-0, placed vertically.

Equal (4): Everything in this space must be equal to 4. The answer is 1-4, placed vertically; 4-3, placed vertically.

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

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

Number (12): Everything in this space must add up to 12. The answer is 2-6, placed vertically; 6-1, placed vertically.

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

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

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

Equal (3): Everything in this space must be equal to 3. The answer is 1-3, placed vertically; 3-5, placed horizontally.

Equal (5): Everything in this orange space must be equal to 5. The answer is 4-5, placed horizontally; 5-5, placed vertically; 3-5, placed horizontally; 5-6, placed vertically.

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

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

Less Than (3): Everything in this dark blue space must be less than 3. The answer is 0-2, placed vertically.

Number (5): Everything in this space must add up to 5. The answer is 0-2, placed vertically; 2-4, placed vertically; 5-1, placed vertically.

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

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

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

Big change initiatives rarely fail because of bad ideas. They fail because adoption stalls. To avoid a false start, you need to prepare your organization before you launch a big change. Focus on these four actions.  Do the awful triage. Your change capacity is finite. If you overload the system, everything slows down. Narrow your agenda, deciding what must happen […]

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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

A strainer.

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

SIEVE

Hurdle Word 2 hint

Committee.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for February 18, 2026 Hurdle Word 2 Answer

BOARD

Hurdle Word 3 hint

A fantasy.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for February 18 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for February 18, 2026 Hurdle Word 3 answer

DREAM

Hurdle Word 4 hint

Madness.

Hurdle Word 4 answer

ANGER

Final Hurdle hint

Honest.

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

FRANK

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

This content originally appeared on Mashable for a US audience and has been adapted for the UK audience.

You can get pretty much anything with a tap and swipe of your smartphone: Movies, songs, takeaway, the entire range of products at Amazon. So why shouldn't you get a date in the same way? Yes, this is the age of on-demand apps and instant gratification. It's nothing new for the romantically inclined. Apps and websites have dominated the dating world for the best part of 20 years. But things are always changing within online dating.

According to the sex-perts at Lovehoney — everyone’s favourite progressively-minded sex toy brand — we're living in horny-but-wholesome times. Lovehoney has named 2026 "The Year of Pleasure."

That doesn’t mean one-night stands and flippant flings. According to research, one-night stands are on the decline. Would-be daters are now looking for "purposeful pleasure" and "meaningful connections". All of which means, hookups with actual substance. We're still hooking up, but we're getting more selective. That’s why using the right dating app is so important. Every dating app has something slightly different to offer, and you need the tools to find someone you actually want to share your time (and more) with. Getting a date might be as easy as tapping your phone, but it has to be the right date. To help you get started, we’ve looked at the top apps and taken advice from sex and relationship experts.

What to know before you swipe

Before you start downloading apps, it’s good know just how to approach online dating. Our advice is to be 100 percent up-front about who and what you’re looking for. And maybe give a pass to the mainstream dating apps that are more about romance and happily ever afters (that means you, eharmony). The best hookup apps make chatting quick and easy (messaging, video calls, all that good stuff), and even the free ones should have features like profile verification to help keep you safe. But most importantly, it's best to stick to apps which are purpose-built for hookups, casual fun, and satisfying your kink (whatever that might be). It can be freeing, not to mention productive, to be open about specific desires. The ways in which we understand sex and relationships are changing all the time — just looking at fast-growing "heteroflexible" sexuality — and hookup apps allow you to explore curiosities with no judgement or social anxiety.

SEE ALSO: The best sexting apps for discreet NSFW chats

It doesn’t matter what you’re looking for, whether it's the chance to explore a new sexual frontier, a friends-with-benefits situation on the reg, or an old school one-night stand (the one-night stand might be going out of fashion, but it’s still hella fun as long as it’s safe and on your terms). Whatever you're after, we’ve got your back with this guide on the best hookups apps, which is based on Mashable’s own real-world testing, expert input, and general experience. We’ve broken down each of the best hookup apps, with an option for every type of dater and every dating desire.

These are the best hookup apps for 2026.

YouTube suffered a global outage on Tuesday, with thousands of people reporting issues with the platform from around 8:00 p.m. ET. Now, we know what caused it.

In a statement posted to the official TeamYouTube X account, the company revealed that the outage was caused by a problem with the recommendations system. This algorithmic system is responsible for offering you videos it thinks you'll want to watch based on your past viewing habits. The company provided additional details on a Google support page.

"Update: An issue with our recommendations system prevented videos from appearing across surfaces on YouTube (including the homepage, the YouTube app, YouTube Music and YouTube Kids)," the company explained. "The homepage is back, but we're still working on a full fix — more coming soon!"

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

It provided a further update within the hour: "We're also seeing a small number of reports that some people are unable to login to YouTube TV. This is related to the broader issue across YouTube, and we're also working on a fix here."

Finally, around 10:15 p.m. ET, the company shared a "final update," which stated: "The issue with our recommendations system has been resolved and all of our platforms (YouTube.com, the YouTube app, YouTube Music, Kids, and TV) are back to normal! We really appreciate you bearing with us while we sorted this out."

Crowdsourced outage tracker Downdetector saw a spike in activity for YouTube on Tuesday evening, with the platform receiving more than 1.6 million user error reports in the last 24 hours. (Disclosure: Mashable and Downdetector share the same parent company, Ziff Davis.) Approximately half of these reports came from the U.S., with users encountering issues with the video-sharing platform's app and website, though people across the globe were impacted.

Mashable was unable to use YouTube in Australia, with attempts to access the website resulting in a blank screen showing only YouTube's sidebar and search bar.

Credit: Amanda Yeo / Mashable

The internet has seen several high-profile outages in recent months, affecting companies such as Verizon, Microsoft 365, and TikTok. In some ways, maybe this latest outage is a sign that we should all go outside and touch some grass.

SEE ALSO: Why does the internet keep crashing so much lately?

UPDATE: Feb. 17, 2026, 10:26 p.m. EST This article has been updated with additional statements from YouTube/Google.

The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult to solve if you keep up with the latest styles.

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 18, 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: Old-school do's

• Green: Awesome

• Blue: Cluck

• Purple: Lotion

Here are today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Retro hair directives

• Green: Retro slang for cool

• Blue: Chicken descriptors

• Purple: ___ Cream

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 #983 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Retro hair directives: CRIMP, CURL, FEATHER, TEASE

• Retro slang for cool: BAD, FLY, RAD, WICKED

• Chicken descriptors: BANTAM, CRESTED, FREE-RANGE, LEGHORN

• ___ Cream: HEAVY, SHAVING, SOUR, TOPICAL

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 18, 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've been watching the Olympics.

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 18, 2026 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for February 18, 2026 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Cold competition

The words are related to sports.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe cold activities.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is vertical.

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is Zodiac Signs.

NYT Strands word list for February 18

• Luge

• Hockey

• Curling

• Winter Sports

• Bobsled

• Snowboarding

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 a boss.

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 18, 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 18, 2026 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

A tycoon.

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 M.

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...

MOGUL

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.

YouTube suffered a global outage on Tuesday, with thousands of people reporting issues with the platform from around 8:00 p.m. ET / 5:00 p.m. PT. Now we know what caused it.

In a statement shared to the official TeamYouTube X account, the company revealed that the outage was due to a problem with the recommendations system. This algorithmic system is responsible for offering you videos it thinks you'll want to watch based on your past viewing habits.

In some ways, maybe this outage is a sign that we should all go outside and touch some grass.

"Update: An issue with our recommendations system prevented videos from appearing across surfaces on YouTube (including the homepage, the YouTube app, YouTube Music and YouTube Kids)," YouTube wrote approximately an hour and a half after the outage began. "The homepage is back, but we're still working on a full fix — more coming soon!"

It provided a further update within the hour: "We're also seeing a small number of reports that some people are unable to login to YouTube TV. This is related to the broader issue across YouTube, and we're also working on a fix here."

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

Crowdsourced outage tracker Downdetector received a spike in reports about YouTube on Tuesday evening, with over 1.6 million pouring in over the last 24 hours. (Disclosure: Mashable and Downdetector share the same parent company.) Approximately half of these reports came from the U.S., with users encountering issues with the video sharing platform's app and the website, though people across the globe were impacted.

Mashable was unable to use YouTube in Australia, with attempts to access the website a resulting in a blank black screen adorned only with YouTube's side bar and search bar.

Credit: Amanda Yeo / Mashable

Updated on Tuesday, Feb. 17 at 9:15 p.m. ET — As of this writing, YouTube appears to be working again. So far, Google and YouTube have not announced the cause of the outage, or confirmed that the problems are resolved.

Updated on Tuesday, Feb. 17 at 9.26 p.m. ET — YouTube has revealed the cause of the outage. In a statement on X, the company said it was due to an issue with their recommendations system, which stopped videos from appearing. "The homepage is back, but we're still working on a full fix – more coming soon!"

Updated on Tuesday, Feb. 17 at 10:19 p.m. ET — YouTube has announced that the issue has been solved.

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Original story follows.

If you can't watch YouTube videos right now, you're not alone. A Tuesday evening YouTube outage affected users across the globe, with problems starting around 8:00 p.m. ET. Early reports are sketchy, but here's what we know.

The platform DownDetector received 837,973 user error reports (and rising) in the U.S. alone, with 46.7 percent of users reporting problems accessing the YouTube app and 21.1 percent reporting problems with the website. Users in Canada, Brazil, the UK, and Germany are also reporting problems. (Disclosure: Mashable and Downdetector share the same parent company.)

Mashable editors in both the U.S. and Australia were unable to access YouTube's website and app. Attempts to access the website resulted in a blank black screen with only YouTube's sidebar and search bar appearing.

The YouTube homepage goes dark... Credit: Amanda Yeo / Mashable

YouTube acknowledged the outage on X, urging users to check the Google Support page for more information.

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The initial update from YouTube simply read, "Hi everyone, We’re aware some of you are having issues accessing YouTube right now. Our teams are aware, and we’ll provide updates as soon as we have them."

An additional update from YouTube read, "We are aware of the ongoing issue impacting YouTube homepage, recommendations, search and uploads and are working to fix it. Please follow along in our Community for updates. Our support agents do not have any additional information to share with you at this time."

YouTube is the largest streaming service by far in the U.S.

At this time, the cause of the outage is unknown. Mashable reached out to Google for more information (YouTube is owned by Google), and we'll update this story if we receive more information.

This is a developing story ...

Anthropic has just released its latest Large Language Model (LLM), Claude Sonnett 4.6. The Tuesday release quickly follows the launch of Claude Opus 4.6, the company's premium AI model, on Feb. 5.

According to Anthropic, "Claude Sonnet 4.6 is our most capable Sonnet model yet." The company says Sonnet 4.6 has a 1 million token context window in beta. Crucially, Anthropic reports that Sonnet 4.6 performed well on internal safety tests, showing a low tendency to hallucinate and engage in sycophancy. 

"Sonnet 4.6 brings much-improved coding skills to more of our users," Anthropic said, referring to Claude's popularity among developers who use AI to code.

If you're looking to use Anthropic's latest AI model, the company has made it really easy. Here's how to access Clause Sonnet 4.6.

How to use Claude Sonnet 4.6

For both free and Pro users, Claude Sonnett 4.6 is available now as the default model on claude.ai and Claude Cowork. Anthropic has also rolled the model out through its API and all major cloud platforms.

Free users will have limited usage rates that depend on current demand. Limits reset every five hours. For those who need higher limits, Claude Sonnet 4.6 costs the same price rate as the previous model. The Claude Pro plan costs $20 per month or $17 per month if paid annual. If going through the API, Claude Sonnett 4.6 starts at $3 per million input tokens and $15 per million output tokens.

Claude Sonnet 4.6 benchmark performance

According to Anthropic's benchmark tests, Claude Sonnet 4.6 is the company's most powerful model for agentic financial analysis and office tasks, beating out competitors like Google's Gemini 3 Pro and OpenAI's GPT 5.2. 

On those tasks, Claude Sonnet 4.6 also beats out Anthropic's own Opus 4.6, Anthropic's most powerful AI model. 

In its release announcement, Anthropic said that many developers with early access to Claude Sonnet 4.6 preferred the model — not just to its predecessor, Claude Sonnet 4.5, but also Claude Opus 4.5. According to the Sonnet 4.6 system card, the new model improves on key benchmarks like Humanity's Last Exam, though Claude Opus 4.6 scored higher.

Benchmark performance

• GPQA Diamond: 89.9 percent

• ARC-AGI-2: 58.3 percent

• MMMLU: 89.3 percent

• SWE-bench Verified: 79.6 percent

• HLE (Humanity's Last Exam): With tools 49.0 percent, without tools 33.2 percent

AI-powered insurance company Pace told VentureBeat that Sonnet 4.6 scored the best out of any Claude model on its complex insurance computer use benchmark.

These results are notable as Claude Opus models are generally the more intelligent and preferable for complex reasoning.

Claude Sonnet 4.6 is not only more powerful than some Opus models, but more affordable too. As previously mentioned, Claude Sonnet 4.6 is priced at $3/$15, whereas Opus 4.6's rates are $5/$25.

Samsung is adding some more AI image editing tools to its next batch of Galaxy smartphones.

A series of short video teasers released today shows how users will be able to quickly and creatively edit photos with AI.

SEE ALSO: Reserve a new Galaxy device before Samsung Unpacked and get a free $30 credit

The Korean tech giant announced in a quick press blast on Tuesday that "the latest Galaxy smartphone" will have access to a new, unified suite of AI-powered editing tools. While Samsung didn't specifically mention S26 in its announcement, we think it's a safe bet.

The company is widely expected to announce three new Galaxy S26 phones at a Galaxy Unpacked event next week, so this will surely be a flagship feature for the new devices. It makes sense, as Galaxy phones utilize Google Gemini, which is widely regarded as the best generative AI photo editor thanks to Nano Banana.

Based on the teasers, the ability to capture and edit photos and videos will seemingly be combined into one app experience, so users no longer have to switch between multiple apps to do all of their editing. Examples given included turning daytime photos into nighttime shots and merging multiple photos into one.

Perhaps most importantly, Samsung said it will expand upon this feature at Galaxy Unpacked. Otherwise, the press release was pretty short and somewhat vague, so we'll have to wait until then to hear more.