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Looking for spoiler-free NYT Connections hints or just wondering why Connections is trending today? We've got what you need to understand the clues for today's puzzle without spoiling any of the answers.

Of course, Mashable has also provided daily hints and answers for Connections, Wordle, and Strands for years, so we can help you if that's also what you need.

While we are focused more on meanings than hints in this story, sometimes learning that many of the words have completely unrelated meanings is a clue in and of itself. Connections frequently includes clues that involve words within words and other visual clues.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for October 18, 2026 Bureau meaning

A government or organizational department.

Chest meaning

A large, sturdy storage box.

Trunk meaning

A large, sturdy chest or case used for packing and transporting clothes and personal possessions.

Wardrobe meaning

A built-in cabinet with doors, rails or shelves used for hanging and storing clothes.

Butter meaning

A pale yellow, fatty dairy product made by churning cream or milk.

Deodorant meaning

A personal care product applied to the body to neutralize, suppress or mask unpleasant body odors

Dynamite meaning

A powerful high explosive made by soaking nitroglycerin into an absorbent material.

Incense meaning

A substance made from plant materials, gums, spices or essential oils that releases a sweet, fragrant smoke or odor when burned.

Angel meaning

A spiritual, supernatural or celestial being found in various religious and cultural traditions.

Coco meaning

Short for the coconut palm or its fruit.

Obsession meaning

Continuous or recurring ideas, urges, or images that capture mental control.

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Opium meaning

The dried, milky latex collected from the seed capsules of the opium poppy.

Fogerty meaning

An Irish surname.

Hazel meaning

A deciduous shrub or small tree of the birch family.

Mister meaning

A physical apparatus or spray bottle used to emit a fine mist of water for plants or cooling.

Vaporetto meaning

A motorboat that functions as a public water bus in Venice, Italy.

Have you learned the meanings and still want the things? Check out the hints and answers for today's NYT Connections puzzle.

Are you also playing NYT Strands? Get all the Strands hints you need for today's puzzle.

Meet The Mashable 101: Our list of the content creators shaping the internet today

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

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

The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult if you're a fashionista.

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 October 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: Found in a bedroom

• Green: Thin and long

• Blue: Pleasant smells

• Purple: Hard to see

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Here are today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Places to store clothes

• Green: Things that come in sticks

• Blue: Famous perfumes

• Purple: Starting with things that cloud the air

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 #1225 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Places to store clothes: BUREAU, CHEST, TRUNK, WARDROBE

• Things that come in sticks: BUTTER, DEODORANT, DYNAMITE, INCENSE

• Famous perfumes: ANGEL, COCO, OBSESSION, OPIUM

• Starting with things that cloud the air: FOGERTY, HAZEL, MISTER, VAPORETTO

Looking for Wordle today? Here's the answer to today's Wordle.

Are you also playing NYT Strands? Get all the Strands hints you need for today's puzzle.

Meet The Mashable 101: Our list of the content creators shaping the internet today

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

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

Today's NYT Strands hints will be easy if you're a cardio junkie.

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 October 18, 2026 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Fast fashion

The words are related to being active.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe things worn during exercising.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is vertical.

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NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is Running Gear.

NYT Strands word list for October 18

• Vest

• Sunglasses

• Running Gear

• Sneakers

• Watch

• Headphones

Meet The Mashable 101: Our list of the content creators shaping the internet today

Looking for other daily online games? Mashable's Games page has more hints, and if you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now!

Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

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

Today's Wordle answer should be easy to solve if you like to get dolled up.

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 October 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.

Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

To decorate.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

There are no recurring letters.

Want more tech and digital culture news delivered to your inbox daily or sent straight to your device? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories newsletter or get Mashable push alerts today.

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

Today's Wordle starts with the letter A.

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...

ADORN

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.

Meet The Mashable 101: Our list of the content creators shaping the internet today

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

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

Picking a tool platform is almost more difficult than picking what house to buy. For some reason, it feels very permanent. However, two tool platforms can definitely coexist. I run both Milwaukee's M12 and Ryobi's 18V ONE+ platform in my workshop, and this is how I make the distinction of which tools I use for what job.

I use Android Auto every day, and honestly, I keep coming back to the same apps. Google Maps for directions, Spotify for music, and WhatsApp for those last-minute messages. It works, but there’s more to Android Auto than the apps I open out of habit.

The great thing about ESP32 projects is that often someone else has done all the hard work for you. For example, if you've always wanted a desktop weather display that can tell when you're in the room, then this project can provide everything you need to build your own.

Google TVs come packed with some pretty smart tools. Part of the appeal is that they obviously come loaded with built-in connectivity features, access to many apps, and integration with your Google account. Unfortunately, this all comes with a major drawback, with your Google TV tracking your behavior and collecting tons of information about you.

The '90s and the '00s were one of a kind, and this isn't just my millennial nostalgia peeking through here. In the tech world, they were most certainly special, because they were filled with bold, brave, often useless innovations that may have crashed and burned, but will be remembered longer than the same-y laptops and smartphones we get every year now.

For years, Python threads could not use more than one CPU core at a time. That changed with the free-threaded build, which is now officially supported as of the time I'm writing this. Here's a brief introduction to it, and why it could be a big deal.

Being a Google Pixel user is hard, especially when you spend most of your time around tech enthusiasts raving about Samsung Galaxy phones. You see, Pixels offer a close-to-stock Android experience, while Samsung’s Galaxy phones are packed with features that naturally appeal to enthusiasts. And while I do love me some minimalism, I also like having access to powerful features that make my life easier.

Whether you've encountered an issue with Googlebook OS, you're planning to sell or return your Googlebook, or you just need a fresh start, a factory reset is something you'll need to know how to do. Fortunately, like with most things on Googlebook OS, a factory reset is simple to do, even if it's different than factory resetting a Chromebook. Here's everything you need to know about preparing your Googlebook for a reset, and then safely removing all of your user profiles, data, and apps.

Cordless power tools are wildly convenient, and they're getting better or more powerful all the time. By now, you've probably replaced several older corded tools, but that doesn't mean you should get rid of them.

I know I am just a drop in the ocean of people who've grown tired of artificial intelligence worming its way into everything. AI can legitimately improve our lives in many ways, but it also often makes things more complicated than they need to be. This sentiment applies to everything from simple productivity apps to creative tools.

Updated at 8 a.m. ET on Monday, Oct. 19 — TikTok has lifted the restriction on the movie's promotional account, citing an error.

Elon Musk doesn't own TikTok, but the short-form video app is evidently sensitive to criticism of the Tesla CEO.

The Hollywood Reporter reported that TikTok has "permanently suspended" the official promotional account for Musk, a new documentary that is critical of Musk's recent activities and is playing in nearly 500 theaters across the United States. The reason given was "political content" that violates TikTok's policies, but THR's report didn't include any specifics as to what, exactly, the account was doing to warrant the ban.

A U.S. TikTok spokesperson told Mashable that the account was not suspended but was temporarily restricted from purchasing ads in error. The account can now purchase ads that adhere to the company's policy on political advertising.

Bleecker Street, the film's distributor, appealed the move, but the restriction remained in effect during a weekend when audiences were more likely to see the movie. That likely will not help Bleecker's attempts to market the movie; THR reported that the plan was to spend ad dollars to boost TikTok posts about the movie before the restriction was enacted.

As THR noted, Musk has no financial (or otherwise) affiliation with TikTok, but the app is partially owned by Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison. The documentary does apparently feature a scene in which Ellison offers to help Musk pay for his acquisition of Twitter via text message.

In Mashable's review of Musk, Senior Tech Reporter Matt Binder called the documentary "scathing," but also noted its fairness, stating that "it features Musk, via his own actions and words, punching himself in the face over and over again."

UPDATE: Oct. 19, 2026, 11:30 a.m. EDT This article has been updated to clarify the restrictions placed on the 'Musk' documentary's promotional account.

I never like to leave my family's two cats, Benni and Comet, home alone for too long. For one, Comet is a young cat who likes to stalk the senior Benni like the Predator, and two, it just doesn't feel great leaving my fur babies in a silent house.

Docker makes running software feel lightweight, but that convenience hides a costly default. Containers start with no cap on memory or CPU, so a single forgotten service can quietly consume your machine’s resources around the clock. Here’s why it happens and what you can do about it.

It's hard to believe that there have already been five generations of the Pixel Watch. With Google's typically low trade-in values, you may have decided to hold on to old models. The good news is that there are some creative uses for an off-wrist smartwatch.

There's currently some tension between the video game industry and the proliferation of AI tools.

You can see the evidence of this in a recent development regarding the upcoming indie game Drunken Goddess Reflux. It's a game with the objective of imbibing alcohol until a demon vomits up her soul, a decidedly unique premise that would be hard for any AI to come up with.

SEE ALSO: Apple adds further App Store restrictions around AI 'nudify' apps

As spotted by Rock Paper Shotgun, though, the developers had to cancel an upcoming public demo session. The decision is partly due to concerns that AI could quickly clone it for someone else's financial benefit. Instead, they will hold closed sessions for a "limited number of participants."

"We're concerned that the demo's content could be used to quickly imitate or replicate the game's presentation and gameplay with AI or other tools, and that such works could be released before our launch," the developers at Alliance Arts said in a post on X.

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To be fair, that wasn't the only reason given for the demo's cancellation. There were also concerns about being able to properly enforce a rule against livestreaming. But it's clear that the widespread availability of AI vibe-coding tools influenced this decision, as well.

Kotaku reported earlier this year that indie games were being cloned with AI quickly and effortlessly, and Steam has recently become rife with games that used AI in their development. While cloned products may not be as good as the original games made by hand, they can still harm the developer's bottom line and muddy the waters about which came first in the public eye.