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Just a little over one year ago, the Nintendo Switch 2 finally came out, and it's been a heck of a rollercoaster ride.

Nintendo's latest home console/handheld hybrid has surprised, delighted, and in some capacity or another disappointed us all in the span of 12 months. There have been excellent exclusives and a stronger-than-expected pipeline of major third-party releases, all alongside serious concerns about affordability (and eventually a price increase) and questions about whether Nintendo might be playing it too safe with some of its big titles.

With all of that in mind, let's talk about the first year of the Switch 2, including what's gone right, what went wrong, and what we can expect from its next trip around the sun.

SEE ALSO: The biggest announcements from the June 2026 Nintendo Direct Nintendo Switch 2 first anniversary: The good Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

Starting with what has worked in the Switch 2's favor, I would be remiss not to immediately mention the significantly more premium look and feel of the device compared to its predecessor. Nintendo sized up the Switch 2 a bit, giving it a larger display with a higher resolution and refresh rate, bigger Joy-Con controllers that are more comfortable in the hands, and a less toy-like feel overall. The dock for outputting games to your TV has also been significantly improved via the addition of a built-in Ethernet port, something the Switch 1's dock didn't have at launch.

The Switch 2's improved industrial design was also met by substantially more horsepower under the hood. While it's still a far cry from what a PlayStation 5 can do, the Switch 2's graphical capabilities are strong enough that a surprising number of big, expensive third-party releases have already made their way to the console, or will in the near future. The Switch 2 ports of recent hits like Pragmata and Resident Evil: Requiem are nothing short of outstanding, and the June 2026 Nintendo Direct contained some upcoming heavy hitters like Dragon's Dogma 2: Dark Arisen and Devil May Cry 5. Oh yeah, Elden Ring is still on track to release on Switch 2 this year, too.

Needless to say, the people who only own a Switch 2 and no other gaming hardware (anecdotally, this is not a small audience) are eating pretty good these days. It's also worth noting that the Switch 2's arguably best use case right now is playing older games. A shockingly large number of old Switch 1 games like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild have either gotten paid "Nintendo Switch 2 Edition" upgrades or free patches to make them look and run a lot better on the new console. There's also a bunch of backward-compatible Switch 1 games that simply work better on Switch 2 without an official update, which is pretty sweet, honestly. I kind of can't believe how much time I've spent going back and clearing out my backlog of old games simply because they look better on Switch 2 than they did before.

Oh yeah, the eShop digital storefront that's built into the console is finally usable now. It was a real slog on Switch 1, but it's totally fine on Switch 2.

Couples Halloween costume idea, maybe? Credit: Nintendo

Lastly, Nintendo has been releasing roughly one first-party game per month since the Switch 2 came out. That cadence has produced some great stuff like Mario Kart World, Donkey Kong Bananza, and Pokémon Pokopia. I'll also go to bat for Yoshi and the Mysterious Book, which is a lot cooler than you might think at first glance. Not every exclusive has been a banger, but you could argue the Switch 2 has gotten more compelling first-party titles in its first year than the PS5 has in its first six years. And there's basically zero argument against the fact that the Switch 2 is winning that battle against the Xbox Series consoles in the same time frame.

Nintendo Switch 2 first anniversary: The bad I did not care for 'Kirby Air Riders.' Credit: Nintendo

When discussing the Switch 2's early pitfalls, one simply has to start with its place in the current economy. Everything is more expensive than ever, meaning disposable income is at a premium for many, many people. Put bluntly, the Switch 2 is a bigger investment than a lot of people can realistically make right now. Some of that is Nintendo's fault, but much of it isn't.

For example, Mario Kart World being $80 is something Nintendo has control over, but the $50 price hike coming later this year (an extreme rarity for a new video game console) is a response to the RAMageddon crisis that's causing tech prices to spike all over the place. Nintendo requiring users to buy MicroSD Express cards (a new storage medium most people don't already have lying around) to expand system storage is also unfortunate, given the ongoing memory crisis, even if the Switch 2 would be a notably less capable machine if it used an older, cheaper storage format.

Considering the quality of the hardware and the state of the tech manufacturing economy, the Switch 2, being a $500 initial investment starting in September, makes sense. But that doesn't mean people have to like it, and they probably shouldn't.

On the software side, there are some gripes to be had, as well. It's not great that we haven't even heard whispers of a new mainline Mario or Legend of Zelda game for the Switch 2 after a year. Their absences are easily explained (the core Mario team made Bananza and Zelda games take like six years to make now), but nonetheless, those are the things some people really flock to Nintendo systems for, and we have no idea when they'll come out or even be announced.

There's also a strong argument to be made that Nintendo is playing it a bit too safe with its software lineup at the moment. The Switch 2 has yet to be home to a notable brand new franchise of any kind, something that we usually see at least once per console generation. Beyond that, two of the biggest upcoming Switch 2 exclusives are Star Fox and The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, remakes of older games. As intriguing as those both might be, they're not as exciting as new games would be.

What's next for Switch 2?

Having said all of that, I do think the near-future outlook for the Switch 2 is positive. Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave looks like it'll be a heater when it comes out in September, and the same could be said for announced 2027 releases like Pokémon Winds and Waves and Xenoblade Genesis. I also have a gut feeling we'll hear something from Mario by the end of 2027.

Aside from games, it would be great to know if Nintendo has plans for Switch 2 Lite or Switch 2 OLED models. A handheld-only Lite console could be a cheaper alternative, while an OLED model would address the complaints many users have about the handheld display on the current machine. In a perfect world where AI data centers didn't exist, one or both of these would be a lock-in for the next year or two, but sadly, the outlook is uncertain.

Broadly speaking, I think Nintendo has made most of the right moves over the past year, and I feel pretty good about where things are headed, RAMageddon aside. As someone who lived through the Wii U era, when it felt like Nintendo was in a sort of existential crisis, I'll take the current situation over that in a heartbeat.

TL;DR: Get lifetime access to 1min.AI with ChatGPT, Gemini, and other major AI models in one place for $69.97.

Opens in a new window Credit: 1minAI 1min.AI Advanced Business Plan Lifetime Subscription $69.97
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AI subscriptions can feel reasonable when you’re only using one tool, like ChatGPT. But once your work expands into writing, image generation, document analysis, and translation, the monthly costs and tool switching start to pile up quickly.

1min.AI — now on sale as a lifetime plan for just $69.97 — pulls those capabilities together in one platform, giving you access to ChatGPT, Gemini, Mistral, and more without juggling multiple subscriptions.

1min.AI runs in your browser and pulls a ton of everyday work into one place. You can research keywords, draft blog posts, rewrite and shorten text, generate social posts, and keep a consistent brand voice across projects. There are tools to summarize or translate documents, chat with multiple PDFs at once, and spin up slide presentations. For visuals, you can generate images from prompts, upscale low-resolution pictures, remove backgrounds, extend edges, or turn rough sketches into cleaner artwork.

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StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows is down to $32.97 (reg. $219.99).

Opens in a new window Credit: Microsoft Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows: Lifetime License $29.97
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This is your last chance to ditch Microsoft 365’s subscription fees for good. Until June 14 at midnight, you can grab a lifetime license to Microsoft Office 2021 for 85% off its usual retail price. Simply pay once, download the full software suite, and never worry about renewals again.

We know what you’re thinking, but rest assured, this isn’t some stripped-down lite version either. It’s the real deal. Whether you’re writing reports, crunching numbers, building presentations, managing emails, or wrangling databases, the lifetime version of Microsoft Office has you covered.

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It’s a one-time download for one Windows PC, so once it’s yours, it’s yours. The full pro-level toolkit, minus the stress of a subscription. Plus, with instant license delivery and free customer support, getting started is as painless as your new spreadsheet workflow.

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TL;DR: Put an end to the PDF struggle with this lifetime license to AcePDF Converter and Editor, now just $29.99 (reg. $99.99).

Opens in a new window Credit: Acethinker AcePDF Converter & Editor: Lifetime License $24
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From contracts and invoices at work to forms from the doctor’s office, you can’t avoid PDFs these days. Fortunately, there’s now a much easier way to work with them thanks to AcePDF Converter and Editor. This handy tool is even on sale now, with a lifetime license for just $29.99.

Working with PDFs shouldn’t feel harder than your actual workload. AcePDF Converter and Editor keeps things simple, making the editing and converting process a whole lot easier.

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If you need to convert a PDF to another file format, AcePDF can help. Pick MS Word, Excel, PPT, HTML, PNG, or JPG, or you can also create PDFs from Word, Excel, PPT, and image files. You don’t have to worry about the original file being compromised, as AcePDF creates high-quality conversions that preserve the original layout, images, and hyperlinks.

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StackSocial prices subject to change.

The best early DJI Prime Day deals at a glance: Best drone deal DJI Mini 3 $399 (Save $20) Get Deal Best camera deal DJI Osmo Action 4 Essential Combo $169 (Save $30) Get Deal Best accessory deal DJI Mic 3 $259 (Save $70) Get Deal

Amazon Prime Day is still a week away, but some of DJI's most popular products are already seeing early discounts at Amazon.

Whether you're looking to capture better travel footage or finally pick up that creator favorite you've had your eye on, these pre-Prime Day deals could save you from waiting until the main event kicks off.

Prime Day officially runs from June 23-26, but the savings have already started landing.

Best early Prime Day DJI drone deal Opens in a new window Credit: DJI DJI Mini 3 $399 at Amazon
$418.98 Save $19.98   Get Deal Why we like it

This is a lightweight drone, weighing under 249g, meaning no FAA registration is required for recreational flying. It captures 4K HDR video, supports True Vertical Shooting, and offers stable footage thanks to its 3-axis gimbal and Level 5 wind resistance. It has beginner-friendly features like GPS Return to Home and Auto Takeoff/Landing, so it's a great choice for getting started with a drone.

More early Prime Day DJI drone deals

• DJI Neo — $169 $199 (save $30)

• DJI Mavic 4 Pro Fly More Combo — $2,550 $2,899 (save $349)

• DJI Mavic 4 Pro — $3,500 $3,750 (save $250)

Best early Prime Day DJI camera deal Opens in a new window Credit: DJI DJI Osmo Action 4 Essential Combo $169 at Amazon
$199 Save $30   Get Deal Why we like it

This camera features a 1/1.3-inch sensor for shooting in low-light conditions, as well as 4K video capabilities at up to 120fps with a 155° ultra-wide field of view. It offers up to 150 minutes of battery life and it works in temperatures as low as -20°C. It's even waterproof to depths of 18m, making it an ideal choice for vlogging your outdoor adventures.

More early Prime Day DJI camera deals

• DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro Waterproof Action Camera Bundle — $429.99 $399.99 (save $30)

• DJI Osmo Pocket 3 Creator Combo — $539 $629 (save $90)

Best early Prime Day DJI accessories deal Opens in a new window Credit: DJI DJI Mic 3 $259 at Amazon
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The DJI Mic 3 is a compact wireless microphone system designed for creators, podcasters, and interviewers who need quality audio while on the go. It supports up to four transmitters, features adaptive gain control and selectable noise cancellation, and uses dual-band transmission for clear audio in busy environments. You'll get up to 28 hours of battery life with the charging case, so it's great for long hours recording. Not to mention, it has compatibility with a huge range of DJI devices.

More early Prime Day DJI accesories deals

• DJI Mic 2 Transmitter — $59 $79 (save $20)

• DJI Mic 2 — $199 $269 (save $70)

SAVE $300: As of June 16, the Shark AV2501S AI Ultra robot vacuum is on sale for $249.99 at Amazon. That's a 55% discount on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Shark Shark AV2501S AI Robot Vacuum $249.96 at Amazon
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Prime Day kicks off next week, but there are some early deals already starting to pop up. You can already find deals on things like portable power stations and robot vacuums, and if you’re looking for the latter, there’s a great deal on the Shark AV2501S AI Ultra live right now.

As of June 16, this vacuum is down to $249.99, a savings of $300. That’s more than half off the list price and the lowest-ever price for this model.

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This vacuum uses Matrix Clean Navigation to follow a precise grid pattern when vacuuming. This means it makes multiple passes over areas and dirt, making sure nothing is missed. This model also benefits from a self-emptying and bagless design. This is managed at the docking station where it can hold up to 30 days of dirt and debris.

360° LiDAR mapping helps it to navigate around your home, and it can even detect and avoid obstacles like shoes or furniture legs. And if you have pets at home, this vacuum is more than capable of dealing with the excess hair and fluff. It has a self-cleaning brushroll and strong suction to handle pet hair, dust, and dander. 

It can also be controlled hands-free using Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant, and it supports scheduled cleans, so you can set it to run when you’re out of the house.

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SAVE OVER $1,000: As of June 16, the Jackery HomePower 3600 Plus is on sale for $1,619 at Amazon. That's a 42% discount on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Jackery Jackery HomePower 3600 Plus $1,619 at Amazon
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Amazon Prime Day gets underway next week, but if there are items on your shopping list that just can't wait, you might be lucky and catch an early deal.

Amazon has already started dropping prices on some popular products, and if you're shopping around for a portable power station, make sure you check out this early deal on the Jackery HomePower 3600 Plus. As of June 16, it's currently over $1,000 off, with the lprice dropping to $1,619.

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This is a seriously powerful unit, providing up to 3,600W of output with a 3,584Wh capacity that can be expanded to 21kWh per unit or 43kWh across multiple units. It supports both 120V and 240V operation in parallel and is designed to power big household appliances including pumps, heaters, and dryers during outages.

It's built with high-temperature-resistant ceramic membrane battery cells, so it's designed to help excessive heat or overcharging, giving it a rated lifespan of 6,000 charge cycles and up to 10 years of use.

This portable power station also supports four charging methods. These include hybrid AC and DC charging that can recharge the battery from 0-100% in around two hours, alongside AC, solar, and gas generator charging options.

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Today's Connections: Sports Edition will require baseball movie 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: North Carolina sports

• Green: Baseball cinema

• Blue: NBA finances

• Purple: Famous Max

Here are today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

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

• Yellow: A North Carolina Athlete

• Green: Baseball Films

• Blue: NBA Contract Terms

• Purple: Max___

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 #631 is...

What is the answer to Connections: Sports Edition today?

• A North Carolina Athlete: BLUE DEVIL, HORNET, HURRICANE, TAR HEEL

• Baseball Films: 42, BULL DURHAM, EIGHT MEN OUT, MAJOR LEAGUE

• NBA Contract Terms: 10-DAY, MIDLEVEL EXCEPTION, SUPERMAX, TWO-WAY

• Max___: FRIED, SCHERZER, STRUS, VERSTAPPEN

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.

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 June 16, 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 June 15, 2026 Easy difficulty hints, answers for June 16 Pips

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

Less Than (2): Everything in this space must be less than 2. The answer is 0-5, placed vertically.

Equal (2): Everything in this space must be equal to 2. The answer is 1-2, placed vertically; 6-2, placed vertically; 2-3, placed vertically.

Number (9): Everything in this orange space must add up to 9. The answer is 0-5, placed vertically; 4-6, placed horizontally.

Number (9): Everything in this dark blue space must add up to 9. The answer is 4-6, placed horizontally; 2-3, placed vertically.

Medium difficulty hints, answers for June 16 Pips

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

Equal (3): Everything in this red space must be equal to 3. The answer is 1-3, placed horizontally; 3-0, placed vertically.

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

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

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

Greater Than (4): Everything in this space must be greater than 4. The answer is 6-1, placed horizontally.

Number (4): Everything in this space must add up to 4. The answer is 3-0, placed vertically; 6-1, placed horizontally; 3-2, placed horizontally.

Equal (2): Everything in this space must be equal to 2. The answer is 2-2, placed horizontally; 3-2, placed horizontally.

Hard difficulty hints, answers for June 16 Pips

Equal (0): Everything in this space must be equal to 0. The answer is 3-0, placed horizontally; 0-0, placed vertically; 0-1, placed horizontally; 0-2, placed vertically.

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

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

Number (22): Everything in this space must add up to 22. The answer is 6-6, placed horizontally; 6-0, placed vertically; 4-2, placed vertically.

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

Less Than (2): Everything in this space must be less than 2. The answer is 6-0, placed vertically.

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

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

Equal (1): Everything in this light blue space must be equal to 1. The answer is 4-1, placed vertically; 1-2, placed vertically; 5-1, placed vertically.

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

Greater Than (2): Everything in this space must be greater than 2. The answer is 5-1, placed vertically.

Equal (5): Everything in this space must be equal to 5. The answer is 5-3, placed vertically; 2-5, placed vertically.

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

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

As AI makes it easier for candidates to optimize resumes and receive real-time interview assistance, traditional hiring signals are becoming less reliable. If you continue to rely on polished applications and scripted interviews, you risk selecting people who are best at navigating the hiring process rather than doing the job. To improve hiring outcomes, shift your focus toward […]

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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

In the future.

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

LATER

Hurdle Word 2 hint

To meander.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for June 16, 2026 Hurdle Word 2 Answer

MOSEY

Mashable 101 Fan Fave: Nominate your favorite creators today

Hurdle Word 3 hint

A thud.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for June 16 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for June 16, 2026 Hurdle Word 3 answer

THUNK

Hurdle Word 4 hint

A share.

Hurdle Word 4 answer

QUOTA

Final Hurdle hint

A drum.

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

CONGA

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: Learn up to 25 languages in a year with this one-year subscription to Rosetta Stone Sapphire, now just $127.20 (reg. $159).

Opens in a new window Credit: Rosetta Stone Rosetta Stone Sapphire: 1-Year Subscription $127.20
$159 Save $31.80   Get Deal

Want to learn a new language? How about more than one? With this one-year Rosetta Stone Sapphire subscription, you can learn up to 25 different languages with the immersive lessons and technology geared toward helping your pronunciation.

Right now, you can lock in major savings and learn for a year for just $127.20.

If you want to learn languages, it’s best to go to a trusted source. Rosetta Stone has over 30 years of language learning expertise under its belt, coupled with new technology that helps you speak like a native.

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This one-year subscription gives you access to their structured lessons in 25 different languages, from Spanish and German to Mandarin and Arabic.

Take advantage of the Dynamic Immersion® method, which teaches you via context, imagery, listening, reading, and speaking — not dull direct translation or memorization drills. There’s also TruAccent speech recognition that can help improve your pronunciation thanks to advanced technology designed for language learners.

Rosetta Stone’s bite-sized lessons let you work at your own pace. You can also learn across platforms, with synced progress across your desktop, smartphone, and tablet.

Practice conversations in practical topics like travel, social, and everyday scenarios, go over more than 500 flashcards, and access personalized learning tools geared toward the topics you want to learn most, all on this convenient platform.

Lock in a one-year subscription to Rosetta Stone Sapphire for only $127.20 today.

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TL;DR: BJ’s Club Card Membership is down to just $15 (reg. $60), giving you a full year of access to wholesale pricing, fresh groceries, gas savings, and seasonal finds right before summer kicks off.

Opens in a new window Credit: BJ's Wholesale Club 1-year The Club Card Membership with BJ’s Easy Renewal® (Terms apply.) $15
$60 Save $45   Get Deal

Summer has a funny way of turning quick grocery runs into full-contact financial experiences.

Suddenly, you’re buying burgers for cookouts, drinks for backyard hangs, enough fruit for everybody’s “healthy phase,” plus paper towels, sunscreen, pool stuff, and approximately 900 snack foods for road trips and beach days.

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Which is exactly why grabbing a BJ’s Club Card Membership for $15 right now feels like a smart move instead of a random impulse buy.

Normally priced at $60, this membership saves you $45 upfront while unlocking access to BJ’s warehouse pricing on everyday essentials, fresh groceries, household items, top national brands, gas stations, and bigger things like furniture and electronics.

And honestly, timing matters here.

Right before summer is arguably peak warehouse-club season. People are stocking up more often, hosting more gatherings, grilling more, traveling more, and trying not to spend their entire paycheck at the grocery store every weekend.

And this offer is built for that kind of shopping rhythm.

Members can save up to 25 percent on grocery store prices on everyday essentials while getting access to fresh produce, deli items, bakery goods, meat, snacks, drinks, and household staples in bulk-friendly sizes. There are also 175 BJ’s gas stations and more than 244 clubs across the eastern U.S., so it’s not exactly difficult to put the membership to work.

And for $15 for the whole year, this feels like a very practical summer decision.

Get a 1-year membership to BJ’s with auto-renewal for a one-time $15 payment (reg. $60).

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TL;DR: Get lifetime access to ChatPlayground AI for $54.97 (reg. $619) and compare outputs from 25+ leading AI models side by side in one place.

Opens in a new window Credit: ChatPlayground AI ChatPlayground AI: Lifetime Subscription (Unlimited Plan) $59.97
$619 Save $559.03   Get Deal

If you’ve ever pasted the same prompt into multiple AI tools just to see which one gives the best result, you’re definitely not alone. Each model has its own strengths, but switching between apps, tabs, and subscriptions slows everything down. ChatPlayground AI, on sale for $54.97, brings those models together so you can view and compare responses side by side without constantly bouncing between platforms.

GPT-4o, Claude Sonnet, Gemini, DeepSeek, Llama, Perplexity, and more — all in one clean interface. It’s built for people who iterate fast, test variations, and actually care about optimizing results.

Beyond comparisons, ChatPlayground AI includes prompt engineering tools to refine outputs, image and PDF chat for context-aware responses, saved chat history for ongoing projects, and AI image generation powered by leading models. There’s even a Chrome extension to integrate it directly into your browsing workflow.

The Unlimited Plan means unlimited messages per month, making it ideal for startups, product teams, marketers, and prompt engineers who run experiments nonstop. You also get priority support and early access to new features and future models.

If you’re already paying for multiple AI tools — or constantly switching between them — this consolidates everything into one streamlined platform.

Grab lifetime access to ChatPlayground AI Unlimited for $54.97 and stop juggling models for good.

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TL;DR: Unblock Pornhub for free with a VPN. The best services for unblocking porn sites from Australia are ExpressVPN and ProtonVPN.

The world of porn continues to be impacted by age-verification laws. Back in early 2025, more than a third of U.S. states introduced age verification laws for online adult content. Pornhub hit back by blocking users from those locations. A similar situation took place France and the UK, and now Australians are facing the same set of challenges.

The porn blocks arrived just days before new online safety codes came into effect, requiring organisations to verify the ages of users. It's the same story we've seen before, with the same straightforward workaround.

SEE ALSO: T-Mobile just dropped the Apple iPhone 17 for free — how to claim

If you want to unblock porn sites like Pornhub for free from Australia, we have all the information you need.

How to unblock Pornhub for free in Australia

VPNs are tools that can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to secure servers in other locations. This process bypasses geo-restrictions so you can access sites like Pornhub from anywhere in the world.

Unblock Pornhub from Australia by following these simple steps:

1. Sign up for a VPN (we recommend ExpressVPN or ProtonVPN)

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 that supports access to Pornhub

4. Visit Pornhub

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Proton VPN Proton VPN (1-Month Plan) $10.81 only at Proton VPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for unblocking porn sites are not free, but most do offer free-trial peiods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can unblock porn sites like Pornhub without spending anything. This is obviously not a long-term solution, but it does give you the opportunity to temporarily retain access to Pornhub before recovering your investment. The situation may have changed before the free-trial period comes to an end.

If you want to retain permanent access to sites like Pornhub, you'll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for bypassing content restrictions is on sale for a limited time.

What is the best VPN for Pornhub?

ExpressVPN and ProtonVPN are the top choices for unblocking porn sites like Pornhub, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in locations all around the world

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

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

• Fast streaming speeds free from throttling

• Multiple simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantees

Unblock Pornhub for free in Australia with ExpressVPN or ProtonVPN.

The New Moon has passed, and visibility will slowly be returning over the next few nights.

What is today’s Moon phase?

As of Tuesday, June 16, the Moon phase is Waxing Crescent. Tonight, 7% of the moon will be be lit up, according to NASA's Daily Moon Guide.

When is the next Full Moon?

The next Full Moon will take place on June 29.

What are Moon phases?

According to NASA, the Moon completes one orbit around Earth in about 29.5 days, moving through eight recognised phases along the way. While the same side of the Moon always faces our planet, the amount of its surface lit by the Sun changes as it travels around Earth. As a result, we see the Moon appear in different shapes over the course of a month, from slender crescents and half moons to a bright Full Moon. This repeating sequence of phases is known as the lunar cycle.

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.

Now that Paramount+'s massive UFC event, which was broadcast live from the White House lawn Sunday night, is done and dusted, it's back to the streaming service's regularly scheduled programming, which, for this post, means movies, movies, movies. Luckily, there's still a lot to tap into for the rest of June, if you're looking for something good to watch this week.

TL;DR: Get creating with this lifetime subscription to the EbookMagic Starter Plan and make all your book ideas come to life for just $39.99 (reg. $149).

Opens in a new window Credit: EbookMagic EbookMagic Starter Plan: Lifetime Subscription $39.99
$149 Save $109.01   Get Deal

Some people collect books, but do you collect book ideas? If you’re filled with concepts but short on time, you need EbookMagic. This AI-powered tool turns your book concepts into completed manuscripts in minutes, and right now, you can lock in a lifetime subscription to the EbookMagic Starter Plan for only $39.99.

Finishing a book is an impressive endeavor, one that used to take months, if not years. It also used to involve outsourcing numerous tasks — from designing a cover and editing the manuscript to hiring someone to record the audiobook — but EbookMagic makes the process easier than ever.

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If you have lots of book ideas, EbookMagic is ready to make them a reality. Just provide a title, genre, and a few key details, and let this tool take over. It supports 15 different genres, from fiction and non-fiction to romance, self-help, and more.

Pick from 12 professional writing styles with different tones to vary up your project. If you’re inspired by a certain author’s style, it can even adapt your content to their writing, too.

Once you’ve created your book, it’s time to customize it. Design a custom cover image, turn it into a professional-sounding audiobook powered by AI voices, and export a ready-to-use file for publishing, sharing, or use in a personal project.

Your lifetime subscription lets you create five eBooks every month, with up to 500,000 words per book. You will also get up to 50 cover generations, commercial usage rights, and no watermarks.

Lock in this lifetime subscription to the EbookMagic Starter Plan for only $39.99 today.

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TL;DR: Microsoft Office Professional 2021 is down to $32.97, giving Windows users lifetime access to the essential Office apps for about $187 less than the usual price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Microsoft Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows: Lifetime License $32.97
$219.99 Save $187.02   Get Deal

Let’s talk about a rarity in life: software you can pay for once and actually own for life. That’s what you’re getting with Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows — a full productivity suite with no monthly fees, no auto-renewal traps, and no relying on the cloud to get things done.

For just $32.97, you’ll unlock lifetime access to the entire lineup of essential Office apps: Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote, Teams, Publisher, and Access. Whether you’re a student, small business owner, side hustler, or spreadsheet enthusiast, it’s all here — without the bloat and recurring costs of other productivity services.

And yes, you can use these offline.

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rom that charming Airbnb in the woods, your tools are still at your fingertips. The interface is familiar, but optimized — think faster load times, smarter layouts, and an updated ribbon design that actually helps you find what you’re looking for.

There’s no subscription, no “basic” tier, and no nagging alerts reminding you to “upgrade.” Just a one-time license installed on your device that gives you what you need — permanently.

Also worth noting: this version is not linked to your Microsoft account, so everything lives locally on your machine. Translation? Less fuss, more function.

So if you’re tired of renting your software or counting down the days until your trial expires, grab this deal and get back to doing what matters — at home or at work — with tools you actually trust.

Pick up a lifetime license to Microsoft Office Pro 2021 for Windows while it’s just $32.97 (reg. $219.99).

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TL;DR: ChatOn AI Assistant Premium gives you access to GPT, Claude, Gemini, Sonar, and more in one app for $69.99 (regularly $119.99).

Opens in a new window Credit: AIBY ChatOn Multi-AI Assistant Premium Plan (3-Year Subscription) $69.99
$119.99 Save $50   Get Deal

Most people paying for AI tools in 2026 have quietly ended up with two or three subscriptions running simultaneously. ChatGPT for one thing, Claude for another, maybe Gemini on top of that. It happens gradually, and then suddenly you’re spending $60 a month just to have the right tool for whatever you’re working on. The ChatOn AI Assistant Premium three-year subscription is $69.99 right now (regularly $119.99) — roughly what you’d spend in a single month across those three subscriptions separately.

To be straight with you about what you’re getting: ChatOn isn’t a direct replacement for a ChatGPT Plus or Claude Pro account. You won’t get day-one access to every lab-specific feature. What you do get is paid-tier access to GPT-5, GPT-4o, Claude 4.5 Sonnet, Gemini 2.5 Pro, and Perplexity Sonar in one app — more capable than the free versions, without the tab switching. Most users report never hitting the daily usage caps in normal use.

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It’s also worth noting how ChatOn differs from other consolidation apps. Unlike credit-based platforms, where unused monthly credits just disappear, ChatOn runs on a flat subscription. Your access doesn’t shrink based on how much you used last Tuesday.

All AI features on a single platform:

• Real-time web search with cited sources

• AI image generation and video creation

• Document summarization and PDF support

• OCR text extraction from images

• Translation tools and voice input

• 100+ pre-built prompts for common tasks

• Dedicated native iOS and Android app with cross-platform sync

• Lovie Award winner for Best User Experience

• 100 million+ downloads, 4.7 App Store rating across 268K reviews

Three years of confirmed access from an app that 100 million people actually use is a pretty solid guarantee. When something has a 4.7 App Store rating across 268,000 reviews, it’s not because the marketing was good, it’s because the product works and people keep coming back to it.

Get the ChatOn AI Assistant Premium three-year subscription for $69.99 right now (regularly $119.99).

StackSocial prices subject to change.