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

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 June 16, 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: Healthy toppings

• Green: Posse

• Blue: One in a million

• Purple: Rings

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

Here are today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Creamy salad dressings

• Green: Attendants

• Blue: Rare things, idiomatically

• Purple: What "Hoops' might refer to

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 #1101 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Creamy salad dressings: BLUE CHEESE, CAESAR, GREEN GODDESS, RANCH

• Attendants: COURT, ENTOURAGE, RETINUE, SUITE

• Rare things, idiomatically: BLACK SWAN, BLUE MOON, PERFECT STORM, UNICORN

• What "Hoops' might refer to: BASKETBALL, EARRINGS, RED TAPE, RHYTHMIC GYMNASTICS GEAR

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 June 16, 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 can't wait for break time.

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 June 16, 2026 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: For here or to go?

The words are related to food.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe midday meals.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is vertical.

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

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is Whats for Lunch.

NYT Strands word list for June 16

• Sandwich

• Ramen

• Gyro

• Whats for Lunch

• Salad

• Wrap

• Soup

• Tacos

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.

Knicks fever took over The Tonight Show on Monday, with the NBA Champions joining Jimmy Fallon for a special episode.

Following a historic win that broke the internet, NBA Finals MVP Jalen Brunson, six-time NBA All-Star Karl-Anthony Towns, and head coach Mike Brown joined Fallon to talk winning the New York Knicks' first NBA championship since 1973.

"It hasn't sunk in yet," said Brunson. "I don't know if it will for a while. But the opportunity presented itself, we went out there as a team, we found a way to do it, fighting back all those games, and it was worth it."

SEE ALSO: Social media reacts to Knicks' storybook NBA Finals win

The three delved into superstitions, pre-game playlists, curses, and uncurses via WWE. And they also thanked Knicks fans and acknowledged the power of their community.

"When we get the fans involved, and we give them something to cheer for, it's something special," said Towns.

Brown also gave insight into his now viral "Who Let the Dogs Out" chant, leading The Tonight Show audience into it and delightfully sending his players into a cringe spiral. "We've got to put that to bed," said Brunson.

You can watch the whole episode on Peacock or through clips on The Tonight Show's YouTube page.

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In May of this year, Google announced they would be launching an advanced search bar model, further integrating Gemini into Google's core functions and making the whole search engine experience reliant on AI — an overhaul Google users and internet surfers aren't thrilled about. So, with Google doing its best to kill the search bar completely, we've compiled a list of the best search engines you may want to use instead.

Jimmy Kimmel's monologue was very sports-focused on Monday, and after recapping the Knicks' NBA finals win he was forced to turn his attention to Donald Trump's White House UFC 250 event.

"We had a sporting event that didn't bring people together this weekend, Donald Trump's big, violent birthday party, the UFC fight at the White House," says Kimmel in the clip above. "Last night, Trump turned the White House into a Waffle House."

SEE ALSO: Jon Stewart roasts Trump's 'joyless' UFC White House event

The host then goes on to break down some key moments from the night, showing a photo of Donald Trump Jr. looking miserable ("This is the moment he realised his dad wasn't able to let him have his wedding at the White House, but was able to host a 4,000-person MMA fight") and the president appearing to nod off again.

"It was so exciting he almost stayed awake for the whole thing. Until it was time to take a little UFCiesta. So sweet, he's like an angel when he sleeps," says Kimmel. "Only Donald Trump could fall asleep at a party sponsored by Monster energy drink."

Want more of the best of late night? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories newsletter.

The Facebook Portal was an ambitious but ultimately flawed attempt for the social media giant to compete with Google and Amazon in the smart display space. Designed as a means of video calling, interacting with Alexa, and doing other tablet-related things, Meta discontinued the Portal in late 2022.

Lenovo just announced the second-generation of the Lenovo Tab Plus tablet. Priced at $399.99, it's more expensive than its predecessor, though it now offers richer audio, an upgraded HDR display, a built-in kickstand, and new AI features.

The Tab Plus Gen 2 is an Android tablet and an alternative to Apple's popular iPads, which start at $349. The new tablet features a JBL 9-unit Pro speaker system, fine-tuned with Dolby Atmos audio. Lenovo says it's meant to deliver a rich, cinematic experience and can even operate as a standalone speaker with built-in Bluetooth. Alongside all the boosted audio comes an equally upgraded display. The 12.1-inch 2.5K LCD display supports Dolby Vision and HDR10 video with a max brightness of 800 nits.

On the back of the tablet is a built-in kickstand, which props up the tablet or serves as a grip for carrying the device. When in standby mode, the Tab Plus Gen 2 also functions as a digital picture frame.

With a built-in kickstand, you can watch your shows anywhere on the Lenovo Tab Plus Gen 2. Credit: Lenovo / Mashable

The tablet launches with Android 16 support, with two OS upgrades coming through Android 18. It starts at 6GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, which are similar specs to Apple's base iPad. It has a MediaTek Dimensity 7400 octa-core processor. Lenovo says it will provide 15 hours of battery life and has intelligent features like AI live transcription, Lenovo Smart Reader, and AI Notes.

The Lenovo Tab Plus Gen 2 starts at $399.99 and will be available globally soon, though we still don't know the exact release date yet.

SAVE OVER $300: As of June 16, the Roborock Qrevo S5V robot vacuum and mop is on sale for $549.99 at Amazon. This is $350 off its full price of $899.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Roborock Roborock Qrevo S5V Robot Vacuum and Mop $549.99 at Amazon
$899.99 Save $350   Get Deal

Early Prime Day deals have been popping up left and right at Amazon, and if you've been searching for a robot vacuum, the retailer isn't going to make you wait for the sale to start. We've already spotted some excellent deals on select models, including the Roborock Qrevo S5V which has dropped to $549.99.

Usually the Roborock Qrevo S5V robot vacuum and mop is priced at $899.99, so this is your chance to save $350 on both the black and white models. If you've been looking for a combination cleaner to help keep your floors shiny and dirt-free this summer, it's a model well worth considering.

SEE ALSO: How to sign up for Amazon Prime in time for Prime Day

Whether you're dealing with pet hair, dirt, or crumbs that have gotten lost in the carpet, the Roborock Qrevo S5V boasts a 12,000Pa suction to help lift it out. It even features obstacle avoidance technology that can help it navigate around any items in its way, so it won't be slowed down while scooting from room to room.

There's no need to worry about stains on harder surfaces as the Roborock Qrevo S5V's mopping system scrubs up to 200 rotations per minute. It also features an extendable mop arm that can reach corners or tricky spots, and has a 10mm lift that helps keep low-pile carpets from getting wet.

This early deal on the Roborock Qrevo S5V is well worth jumping on at Amazon ahead of Prime Day. Act fast to save.

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

Donald Trump threw himself and America a lavish $60 million birthday party on the White House lawn on Sunday, and Seth Meyers dug into the details on Late Night.

"Donald Trump threw himself a birthday party at the White House with big strong men fighting each other and motorcycles flying through the air, and then he gave himself the gift of a peace deal with Iran that accomplished nothing other than getting us back to where we were before the war began," said Meyers on Monday night. "But at least his name is still on the Kennedy Center. Right? Oh, it's not."

Trump's Freedom 250 event, which marked the president's 80th birthday and America's 250 years of independence, involved an Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) on the South Lawn, held in a 92-foot steel arena called "The Claw."

"So, The Claw was in place at the White House, as I'm sure the Founding Fathers would have loved, and to prepare for the fight, there was a press conference at the Lincoln Memorial, which had to be one of the weirdest things anyone's seen in our nation's capital," said Meyers. "Look at Lincoln in the background. It's like he saw what they were doing and said, 'Oh, I gotta sit down.'"

SEE ALSO: Jon Stewart roasts Trump's 'joyless' UFC White House event

The event didn't exactly earn public praise, as Meyers pointed out that a recent Reuters poll shows just 16 percent of Americans, including only a third ‌of Republicans, approve of UFC fights being held at the White House — and as CNN chief data analyst Harry Enten pointed out, that's lower than the 28 percent of Americans who believe in telepathy.

"Fewer Americans support UFC fights in the White House than believe in telepathy," said Meyers. "Oh, speaking of which, I'm getting a message, I'm telepathically communicating with the American people, and they're telling me...wait...yes, this sucks."

Want more of the best of late night? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories newsletter.

Once your network stops being a single flat LAN with a few friendly devices on it, guessing becomes a very poor way to debug anything. Between VLANs, containers, DNS filtering, self-hosted services, NAS traffic, random IoT chatter, and a few machines that always seem to be doing something in the background, the problem is rarely as simple as “the internet is slow.”

"Sunday night gave the president and his acolytes an opportunity to rebut the joyous communion of teamwork that embodied the New York Knickerbockers for a joyless, Vegas-style trudge through the People's House, now transformed into a gold-plated pummeling center."

That's Daily Show host Jon Stewart introducing Donald Trump's UFC Freedom 250 White House event that took place over the weekend, with the host cracking jokes before abruptly changing his tone upon realising that the event was broadcast by the Daily Show's parent network Paramount+.

"Once again the leaders of Paramount+ providing us all with incredible content at reasonable prices," says a suddenly robotic Stewart. "I...I am proud to stand with the Paramount family and whatever shows they decide to either cancel or put on."

Still, he makes his feelings very clear about UFC fighter Josh Hokit, who targeted former First Lady Michelle Obama with insults during a post-fight interview.

"What a f***ing asshole," says Stewart.

Want more of the best of late night? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories newsletter.

TL;DR: Live stream France vs. Senegal in the 2026 FIFA World Cup for free on BBC iPlayer. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is going to be absolutely electric. Most of the drama will be reserved for the knockout rounds, but that doesn't mean we aren't getting huge games in the group stage.

Take France vs. Senegal, for example. It's one of the favorites to win the competition against a special Senegal team that some argue won AFCON earlier this year. Could Senegal turn back the clock and beat France in the group stage like they did in the opening match of the 2002 tournament? What a story that would be.

All eyes will be on the battle between Kylian Mbappe and Sadio Mane, but there really are too many stars to name in this blockbuster matchup.

If you want to watch France vs. Senegal in the 2026 FIFA World Cup from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is France vs. Senegal?

France vs. Senegal in the 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off at 3 p.m. ET on June 16. This fixture takes place at the MetLife Stadium.

How to watch France vs. Senegal for free

France vs. Senegal in the 2026 FIFA World Cup is available to live stream for free on BBC iPlayer.

BBC iPlayer is geo-restricted to the UK, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in the UK, meaning you can unblock BBC iPlayer to live stream the 2026 World Cup for free from anywhere in the world.

Live stream France vs. Senegal for free 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 the UK

4. Visit BBC iPlayer

5. Watch France vs. Senegal for free from anywhere in the world

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

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but most do offer free-trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can access free live streams of the 2026 World Cup without actually spending anything. This obviously isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream France vs. Senegal (plus more World Cup fixtures) before recovering your investment.

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

What is the best VPN for BBC iPlayer?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on BBC iPlayer, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including the UK

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

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection speeds free from throttling

• 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 France vs. Senegal in the 2026 FIFA World Cup for free with ExpressVPN.

It feels like the 2026 World Cup is picking up the pace. We started with some interesting matchups, but there's been some real fire with recent fixtures. We also got the biggest shock of the tournament so far, with Cape Verde stealing a stunning 0-0 draw against Spain. That result will give every side hope of doing something special.

Today, June 16, is another big day for the tournament. The action starts at 12 p.m. ET. The schedule is hectic and it can feel overwhelming, so we've broken down the details for you below. Here's what you need to know to tune in live today.

FIFA World Cup schedule today: June 16

• Group I: France vs. Senegal (New York New Jersey Stadium) — kickoff at 3 p.m. ET

• Group I: Iraq vs. Norway (Boston Stadium) — kickoff at 6 p.m. ET

• Group J: Argentina vs. Algeria (Kansas City Stadium) — kickoff at 9 p.m. ET

• Group J: Austria vs. Jordan (San Francisco Bay Area Stadium) — kickoff at 12 a.m. ET

How to livestream FIFA World Cup games todayWatch France vs. Senegal

There are plenty of interesting matchups from the group stage, but this might be one of the best on the schedule. France are one of the favorites to win the tournament, but Senegal possess a lot of talent. Live coverage will be on FOX and Fox One. Peacock will carry the live Spanish-language coverage.

Watch Iraq vs. Norway

Norway might surprise a lot of people in this tournament. Any team that has Haaland leading the line is in with a chance, and he's backed up by a squad full of elite talent. They face a tough test against Iraq in the opening game. Live coverage will be on FOX and Fox One. Peacock will carry the live Spanish-language coverage.

Watch Argentina vs. Algeria

The defending champions begin their campaign against Algeria. Messi and co will be favorites to win this one, but there's no better motivation than facing the team that holds the trophy. Live coverage will be on FOX and Fox One. Peacock will carry the live Spanish-language coverage.

Watch Austria vs. Jordan

This isn't the most glamorous matchup on the schedule, but who cares? Both of these sides will look at Group J as an opportunity to progress to the knockout rounds, and that all starts here. Live coverage will be on FS1 and Fox One. Peacock will carry the live Spanish-language coverage.

Opens in a new window Credit: Fox One Fox One (3-Month Subscription) $39.98
$59.97 Save $19.99   Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Peacock Peacock (Spanish Language) Starting at $10.99/month Get Deal More live streaming optionsLive TV cable replacement

Not interested in signing up for a standalone streaming service like Fox One or Peacock? You can sign up for a live TV cable replacement service, like YouTube TV or Hulu + Live TV.

These services carry over 100 live channels, but run off a WiFi connection. You'll get live access to Fox and FS1, plus a whole lot more. Here are some options to consider:

• YouTube TV — 10-day trial, then $67.99/month for 3 months

• Fubo Sports — 1-day trial, then $45.99/month for 1 month

• Hulu + Live TV — 3-day trial, then $89.99/month

Watch the World Cup for free with a VPN

It's possible to watch the World Cup for free on international services like ITVX, BBC iPlayer, NOS, or RTÉ. Our global World Cup watch guide can walk you through the process.

You will need a VPN to live stream the World Cup for free. We recommend ExpressVPN — a Mashable-tested service and an Official Tournament Supporter of the FIFA World Cup in the U.S., Canada, and Europe — as our VPN of choice for sport. It offers servers in 105 countries, a user-friendly app available on all major devices, a speedy connection, up to 10 simultaneous connections, and a 30-day money-back guarantee.

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

Xpeng brought Mashable reporter Amanda Yeo to China to experience the new VLA 2.0 autonomous driving model inside its P7 electric vehicle. The demonstration offers a closer look at how Chinese automakers are advancing self-driving systems and what sets their approach apart from competitors around the world.

The Mini is a bite-sized version of The New York Times' revered daily crossword. While the crossword is a lengthier experience that requires both knowledge and patience to complete, The Mini is an entirely different vibe.

With only a handful of clues to answer, the daily puzzle doubles as a speed-running test for many who play it.

So, when a tricky clue disrupts a player's flow, it can be frustrating! If you find yourself stumped playing The Mini — much like with Wordle and Connections — we have you covered.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable SEE ALSO: How to play Pips, the newest NYT game

Here are the clues and answers to NYT's The Mini for Tuesday, June 16, 2026:

AcrossWorker who sticks a thick mix on bricks

• The answer is Mason.

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

Volvos or VWs

• The answer is Autos.

"Wow, that's wild!"

• The answer is Crazy.

Peaceful place

• The answer is Haven.

Key above ~ on a Mac

• The answer is ESC

Down___ 1 (speed of sound)

• The answer is Mach.

Emanating glow

• The answer is Aura.

Fend (off)

• The answer is Stave.

Seeps slowly

• The answer is Oozes.

Boy band with the 2000 hit "It's Gonna Be Me"

• The answer is NSYNC.

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 today's Mini Crossword.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk may currently be busy looking at his net worth blasting through one trillion dollars, thanks to the recent SpaceX IPO, but he's got other reasons to be jolly, too.

Electrek spotted the official EPA filing for Tesla's self-driving car, the Cybercab, and the numbers look pretty great.

SEE ALSO: Tesla recalls thousands of Model Y SUVs over missing sticker

According to Tesla's submission, the Cybercab will be powered by a single, 163kW (219HP) motor driving the front wheels, and a 47.6kWh lithium-ion battery.

While that battery capacity doesn't sound like much (for example, even the Rear-Wheel Drive Tesla Model 3 has a larger, 57.5kWh battery), the Cybercab is listed as having 418.2 miles of combined range, and 375.4 miles of highway range. Those sound better than they really are, mind you; these are unadjusted EPA test results, and we'll probably see lower official figures once the Cybercab hits the roads. In particular, EPA will likely apply a 0.7 correction factor to these numbers (as it does to all electric vehicles), which brings the combined range to 293 miles, which is still pretty great.

The impressive range is partially thanks to the Cybercab's low curb weight, which is officially 3,113 lbs (1,412kg). Again, compare that to a RWD Tesla Model 3, which weighs 3,552 lbs in its lightest-ever configuration.

Featured Video For You I took a ride in a robotaxi: How close are we to a driverless future?

It's easy to see why the Cybercab is so light: smaller battery pack, only two seats, no steering wheel, and no pedals. Electrek points out that Tesla probably could have pushed the weight even lower, but the company was probably happy with the efficiency numbers it got with this configuration. The company originally claimed the Cybercab would have close to 300 miles of range.

Tesla Cybercabs are now pretty much cleared to hit the roads from EPA's standpoint, but in order to send them to ferry actual passengers, Tesla still needs to pass some regulatory hurdles. The company currently has a limited robotaxi operation with Model Y cars ferrying passengers in Austin, Dallas, and Houston, Texas.

If you've recently found yourself wondering why someone is talking to "chat," calculating their "aura," calling a friend "twin," or lamenting their "Chungus life" on a daily basis, you're not alone.

Terms that once lived in niche corners of Twitch, TikTok, and group chats now spread across the internet in a matter of days. Some, like "W" and "chat," emerged from livestreaming culture. Others, like "brainrot" and "Tung Tung Tung Sahur," were born of the internet's increasingly surreal sense of humor and its growing reliance on AI. A few, like "Chungus," have survived so long they've now been reinvented by the internet.

SEE ALSO: The cult and community of Labubu

Whether you're trying to decode a comment section or simply understand what young people are talking about, here's a guide to the most important internet slang terms you need to know in 2026.

"W"

Short for "win," W is one of the internet's most common ways to express approval. While the term has roots in sports and gaming, where wins and losses are literal outcomes, it became mainstream through livestreaming culture. Popular streamers like IShowSpeed, Kai Cenat, and xQc frequently encourage viewers to "spam W's in the chat" in response to a positive moment, whether it's a successful challenge, a major announcement, or an unexpected victory.

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Today, the term serves as an online catchall endorsement. Your favorite team pulls off a historic comeback? W. ("W Knicks.") Your friend lands their dream job? W. ("Huge W.") A creator posts a particularly good take? W. ("Common Vanillamace W.") Your flight gets upgraded, your crush texts back, or you find a $20 bill in an old jacket pocket? Those are all W moments. The format is simple, instantly recognizable, and perfectly suited to social media, where a single letter can communicate support, agreement, excitement, or admiration.

Unc

Short for "uncle," "unc" evolved from a term of familiarity and respect in Black communities into broader internet slang. Online, it's often used to playfully call someone old, out of touch, or unintentionally embarrassing, even if they're nowhere near retirement age.

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Athletes, celebrities, and creators in their late 20s or 30s have all found themselves labeled "unc" by younger users. The term reflects the internet's tendency to compress generations, where anyone perceived as slightly older can suddenly become an elder.

Aura

Aura refers to a person's perceived coolness, confidence, or social presence. While the word itself has existed for decades, Gen Z and Gen Alpha transformed it into a kind of imaginary social currency.

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

Online users often joke about someone "gaining aura" after a particularly cool moment or "losing aura" after an awkward interaction. During the NBA Finals, for example, some fans joked that Victor Wembanyama had "lost aura" as the Spurs fell to the Knicks, while Knicks players were celebrated for gaining it.

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Entire videos are now dedicated to calculating "aura points," treating charisma like a video-game stat that can rise or fall based on a person's actions. The concept has become so widespread that it has spawned phrases like "aura farming," where someone intentionally tries to look cool, and "aura gambling," where a person takes a high-risk action that could either dramatically increase or destroy their aura.

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

Originally a livestreaming term, chat refers to the collective audience participating in a stream's live comments section. Streamers on Twitch, YouTube, and Kick frequently address viewers directly as "chat," creating a sense of shared conversation. "Hey chat" has become such a defining part of streaming culture that even Twitch has leaned into it in its marketing campaigns and social media posts.

The phrase has since escaped livestreaming culture and entered everyday internet language. People now jokingly narrate their own lives as if they're broadcasting to an audience, saying things like, "Chat, are we cooked?" or "Chat, what should I do?" even when no actual chat exists. Some Gen Z users even refer to AI chatbots like ChatGPT simply as "chat."

Chat has become the internet's modern-day Greek chorus, a collective audience perpetually reacting to the action. The difference is that today's chorus mostly communicates through emotes.

Brainrot

Brainrot was actually the word of the year for the Oxford University Press in 2024. The publisher defined it as "the supposed deterioration of a person's mental or intellectual state" caused by overconsumption of trivial online content. But the term has since evolved in a few different directions online.

SEE ALSO: What is brainrot content? And why can't we escape it?

Brainrot can refer to low-quality, repetitive, or intentionally absurd content — often called "slop" — that dominates social media feeds. It can also describe the obsessive state that results from consuming it. Someone deep into a TV show, celebrity fandom, sports team, video game, or meme might jokingly describe themselves as having brainrot. "Knicks brainrot," "K-pop brainrot," and "Formula 1 brainrot" are all common ways of describing an all-consuming fixation.

While brainrot can describe a fandom obsession, it has also evolved into a genre of internet humor itself. In 2025 and 2026, AI-generated "Italian Brainrot" memes helped transform the term from a warning about excessive internet use into a celebration of the internet's increasingly absurd sense of humor.

Chopped

If someone is described as chopped, it means they're considered unattractive, awkward-looking, or poorly styled. The term gained popularity through TikTok and meme culture, where users frequently use it to rate appearances.

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Like much internet slang, it's often exaggerated for comedic effect, though it can also be genuinely harsh. The popularity of the term reflects the rise of appearance-focused humor and ranking culture more broadly.

Choppelganger

A blend of "chopped" and "doppelganger," choppelganger refers to someone who resembles another person, but in a less flattering way.

The term is commonly used in side-by-side meme comparisons, particularly when comparing celebrities, fictional characters, or public figures. Instead of being someone's lookalike, a choppelganger is essentially their discount version. The joke works because it combines internet roasting culture with the longstanding fascination with celebrity resemblance.

Chungus

Big Chungus is one of the internet's longest-lasting absurdist memes. The term originated from a 1941 Bugs Bunny cartoon frame in which the character appears unusually round and oversized. Decades later, internet users rediscovered the image and transformed it into a deliberately nonsensical meme.

Although its peak popularity arrived years ago, Chungus has evolved beyond the original image. Today, the word is often used as a playful, meaningless modifier in the same spirit as terms like "goober" or "blorbo." Online users might joke about their "Chungus life," describe something as "Chungus-coded," or exclaim "fuck my Chungus life" when things go wrong. In many ways, the term survives not because people remember the original meme, but because its sheer absurdity makes it endlessly reusable.

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

Tung Tung Tung Sahur is one of the defining characters of the AI-generated meme movement known as Italian brainrot. The character is typically depicted as a wooden humanoid figure with a large, log-like body, oversized feet, and a baseball bat, accompanied by dramatic AI-generated narration that repeatedly chants its name.

Like many brainrot characters, its design feels simultaneously recognizable and inexplicable — unsettling enough to be memorable, but absurd enough to be funny.

What began as a niche TikTok meme evolved into a recurring internet character with its own lore, fan art, merchandise, and pop culture references. It even has its own Fortnite skin. By 2026, Tung Tung Tung Sahur had become shorthand for a broader style of AI-era internet humor built around surreal imagery, such as AI-generated anthropomorphic fruit and animals.

Even people who couldn't explain the character's origins often recognize the name or figure instantly. In that sense, Tung Tung Tung Sahur has transcended meme status and become a cultural fixture of the brainrot era.

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

Twin is a term of endearment used to describe someone who feels especially relatable, close, or aligned with another person. Popularized through Black culture and hip-hop, the term suggests a level of understanding that goes beyond friendship. Users might call someone "my twin" because they share the same interests, opinions, experiences, or sense of humor.

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The slang has become so widespread that it now appears everywhere from TikTok captions to pop lyrics, including the opening line of BTS's highly anticipated 2026 album, Arirang: "What you need, twin?"

The term received an additional boost in popularity thanks to the viral success of "Made for Me" by Muni Long in 2024, particularly the lyric, "Twin, where have you been?" The sound became a fixture on TikTok, where users paired it with videos celebrating friendships, relationships, pets, and even favorite fictional characters. Today, "twin" is one of the internet's most common expressions of affection, used both sincerely and jokingly to signal an instant sense of connection.

During the fierce solar storms of 2024, people in places far south — places where no one expected to see auroras — snapped photos of luminous green and purple light rippling in the sky.

For the masses, they were breathtaking and magical. But inside flight control for NASA's Swift mission, seeing those images was devastating: The flaring sun was only driving a nail deeper into the spacecraft's coffin. As Earth's upper atmosphere heated and bloated, the thickened air tugged on the space telescope. 

The Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory, a telescope that has watched the universe's brightest explosions since 2004, is sinking — and fast. Instead of continuing its scientific observations into the 2030s, as once estimated, it now looks destined to fall back to Earth later this year, doomed for incineration in the atmosphere.

"To be totally honest, the idea of boosting it had occurred to us, but it seemed sufficiently far-fetched that I did not think there was any reasonable likelihood that NASA would go along with this," Brad Cenko, the mission's principal investigator, told Mashable.

But NASA will indeed go for it, full throttle. About nine months ago, the agency hired a contractor, Arizona-based Katalyst Space Technologies, to quickly throw together a rescue mission. The company's spacecraft, called LINK, will fly up, wrap its arms around the telescope, and tow it about 150 miles up into a safer orbit. That robotic mission — planned on an unseemly timeline by NASA standards — is expected to launch on a Pegasus rocket that will drop from a Northrop Grumman aircraft over the South Pacific, then ignite. If the weather and environmental conditions are good, they'll launch on June 27.

SEE ALSO: NASA picked its next Artemis crew. Here's what they'll do.

NASA has serviced the Hubble Space Telescope before with astronauts, but the Swift boosting mission is wholly different. For the first time, NASA will try to save a science mission that was never intended for repairs in space. If it works, the robotic mission could signal the end of a throwaway culture for spacecraft in favor of a new era committed to fixing and reusing. 

NASA is paying a little over $30 million for the capture, boost, and release of Swift — a fraction of the original $160 million mission that launched in 2004. That's an economical choice, Cenko said, especially when considering that building another telescope today would likely cost in the $250 to $300 million range due to inflation. 

Katalyst Space Technologies had less than nine months to plan the boosting mission. Credit: NASA / Katalyst Space Technologies infographic Why astronomers love Swift

Astronomers say Swift, one of the few NASA mission names that isn't straining to be an acronym, has earned a second chance. The observatory hunts gamma‑ray bursts, brief flashes of high‑energy light that can outshine entire galaxies for a few seconds. In that blink of time, a single event can pour out more energy than our sun will emit over its whole lifetime. 

Sitting a few hundred miles above Earth in low orbit, Swift constantly scans a wide patch of sky for these bursts. When it spots one, the spacecraft whips around and points its X‑ray and ultraviolet instruments at the fading glow. That ability to react within a minute or two to "catch the act" is how it got its name.

In its first decade, Swift mainly chased its own discoveries. More recently, the team has figured out how to feed it alerts from other observatories, including big sky surveys scanned from the ground. That has turned Swift into a kind of first responder for cosmic fireworks, swinging toward whatever the rest of astronomy flags as urgent.

Despite its value to astronomers, the driving force behind the boosting mission isn't entirely about preserving the scientific capability.

"If that were the only story, I'm not 100 percent sure we would be here," Cenko said. "The current administration is very strongly motivated to develop the U.S. commercial space sector, and to ensure that we maintain dominance in that space sector compared to other countries."

The autonomous robotic LINK spacecraft, built by Katalyst Space Technologies, will try to rendezvous with the Swift observatory. Credit: NASA / Sophia Roberts Why Swift needs rescuing

The problem is not Swift's cameras or detectors. Those are in great working order, though they were only intended to operate for two years. It is the invisible drag of Earth's upper atmosphere that has created a ticking clock for the mission.

When NASA launched Swift in 2004, it flew about 370 miles above the planet. Even there, a very thin smear of air acts like a brake. Over time, that drag steals speed and lets gravity pull a spacecraft down. Today, Swift has an altitude of roughly 230 miles.

To buy extra time, the team changed how Swift flew in February, angling it to reduce drag. Then, in April, they turned off the wide-angle detector that first spots gamma‑ray bursts. While those steps should slow down its fall, they've also essentially suspended the telescope's work.

Already researchers have logged dozens of missed opportunities, including exploding stars, black holes tearing apart nearby stars, flares from black holes in the Milky Way, and comets changing as they move through the inner solar system. 

"Everyone wants to be able to go and save this telescope," Kieran Wilson, Katalyst's principal investigator for the LINK spacecraft, told Mashable. "It's not something where people are like, 'Oh, well, maybe we could slip launch a couple months.' It just doesn't come up. Everyone understands the constraints, understands the hard physics of the problem, and has been really, really motivated."

How LINK will boost Swift's orbit

Nothing about the boosting mission is "normal." First, the rescue spacecraft, LINK, will drop from an airplane and light its engines midair over the ocean near the Marshall Islands. That unusual launch profile should make it easier to reach Swift's path near Earth's equator. 

Once in orbit, LINK, short for Lightweight In-space Navigation and Kinematics, will take its time closing in. The spacecraft will spend days or weeks gently adjusting its path until it flies close to Swift at nearly the same speed. Then, it will begin snapping detailed pictures of the sinking spacecraft.

What Swift looks like today is one of the biggest unknowns for the rescue operation. Its insulation has likely degraded quite a bit over the past two decades in space. Katalyst's flight team can't predict its condition, nor do they know if sturdy spots exist on the spacecraft's body to get a good grip.

When LINK does move in for the capture, people on the ground won't be steering it like a drone. Both spacecraft will be racing around Earth at about 17,000 mph. That means radio signals wouldn't be quick enough for the job. Instead, LINK will have to behave a bit like a self‑driving car. It will take rapid‑fire images, compare what it sees to its internal model of Swift, and fire small thrusters to correct its path by inches at a time.

In the last moments, three metal arms with clamps will unfold from LINK. Swift will then hand over control of its orientation to Katalyst's robot. The climb to a higher orbit could take from about a month to several months, depending on Swift's altitude when LINK grabs it, the sun's behavior, and how well the engines work.

This Northrop Grumman aircraft carries a Pegasus rocket, seen below the plane, that will drop over an ocean, light its engines midair, and launch to space. Credit: Northrop Grumman Robots as space mechanics

If Katalyst succeeds, it will show that a relatively small robot can extend the life of a much more expensive telescope, even one that engineers never designed for maintenance. Future NASA missions might include grab handles, standard attachment rings, and replaceable parts, designed with the idea that a space mechanic could show up someday. It could mean a new era in the space economy, Wilson said.

"This is absolutely a model we want to use going forward, where spacecraft are no longer a static asset on orbit — they're no longer stuck with only what they launched with," Wilson said. "You can reposition spacecraft when they run out of propellant, boost their orbit when they're in danger of reentry, and that is something that we see as foundational to the way that space will evolve in the next few decades."

For the Swift team, the mission is more than an experiment or a demonstration. They consider themselves Swifties and have leaned into Taylor Swift fandom, swapping friendship bracelets at meetings and borrowing language from the pop star's albums. 

They're hoping it's not the end of a good 20 years, full of astronomical hits. 

"We say we're going into the 'boost era,'" Cenko said.

New Pride Month, same boring jokes about bisexual women.

Every year, wannabe comedians online take Pride Month as an opportunity to poke fun at bisexual women, especially those who are dating men. 2026 is no different:

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And this started before June 1, to be clear.

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As a bi woman, I clench every time Pride approaches because I know these jokes are coming. They're not only tired at this point, but they also signal that stereotypes and stigmas about bisexual people haven't changed. (And I'm a bi woman dating a lesbian, so I'm not even the butt of this particular joke, and I'm still sick of it.)

Before I go further, I want to make something clear: Bi people are not the most oppressed faction of the LGBTQ community. Without a doubt, trans people are being oppressed by the U.S. and other governments, and they need our support. Trans people's existence is being threatened by legislation against gender affirming care, barriers to accurate IDs, freedom of speech, allowance in sports, bathrooms, and more. Not to mention all the transphobia that we see outside the government from everyday people. It's disgusting, and it needs to stop. 

SEE ALSO: Pornhub launches Pornhub Sapphic, a site dedicated to lesbian content

Cis bisexual people are by no means experiencing this level of threat. I'm not trying to play the Oppression Olympics. But given these same jokes happen year over year, it's past time we talk about it.

It's also worth pointing out that there is a common thread between biphobia and transphobia, and it's the human tendency — not speaking for everyone, obviously — to want to put everyone in a neat little box. To see everything in black and white. We as a species (and on the internet, especially) have trouble with the gray area of life, with nuance, with holding two things to be true at once. This is exemplified by both gender essentialism, or the belief that men and women have certain intrinsic characteristics, and biphobia, or the disdain for people who are attracted to more than one gender (or refusal to believe that's true). 

And maybe that's why monosexual people (gay and straight people) can be hostile to us. At least, that's one reason. 

Misogyny also can't be ignored here. All the jokes I've seen so far this Pride are specifically about bi women and ignore bi men entirely. When it comes to biphobia, the attraction to women is always what's questioned, as bi women are assumed to be straight and bi men are assumed to be gay. 

Harmful stereotypes against bi people

Certain stereotypes are unique to bisexual people: We're greedy, we're hypersexual, we're cheaters, we're going to leave someone for the other gender, that we're faking for attention, and that bisexuality is a choice.

The sad reality is that these stereotypes don't just lead to mean social media posts; they have real-life implications. As I've written about for Mashable, bi people's mental health is impacted by this stigma, and bi people are more vulnerable to intimate partner violence. There are multiple factors that lead to this, from believing in the hypersexual myth, to wanting to "turn" women straight…

A famous example is Amber Heard and Johnny Depp. In 2022, after the infamous Depp v Heard trial concluded, Rebecca Bodenheimer wrote for the LGBTQ outlet Them.:

When psychologist Dawn Hughes took the stand during the defamation trial initiated by Johnny Depp against his ex-wife Amber Heard, she testified to the court that Heard's bisexuality was a point of contention during the actors' tumultuous marriage. Hughes gave examples: Heard had "faced scrutiny" in her interactions with women and, on one occasion, Depp allegedly "manually penetrated" her in anger after he saw Heard have an exchange with another woman.

Bodenheimer went on to say that, "[Heard's] bisexuality was weaponized against her during her 2016 divorce from Depp, with media suggesting she was untrustworthy and had cheated on him due to her sexuality."

"On social media, supporters of Depp used hashtags like #AmberHeardIsAPsychopath, #AmberHeardIsALiar, and #AmberHeardIsASlut — all sentiments that mirror some of the many stereotypes and stigmas that bisexual people still face," Bodenheimer wrote.

We must recognize the harm that could stem from the same biphobia that leads to little jokes on the internet. I've never experienced what Heard has, but I've run into my share of biphobia.

In 2019, years before I met my fiancée, I attended a sapphic speed-dating event. I had a great time, but then at the end, before there was supposed to be an afterparty at another location, I was in line for the bathroom when I overheard someone say that she'd never date a bi woman. And I was so hurt by this that I just left. I didn't go to the second location. I didn't even go to the bathroom. I didn't say anything, either, so who knows if this woman found out that she upset me.

I understand that that woman might've had her own negative experiences with bi women that led her to say that. But like any group, bi people aren't a monolith. Instead of treating us as individuals, she wrote us off altogether. Or, perhaps worse, she didn't even base her preference on her past, and just judged bisexual women for dating/sleeping with men, or some other biphobic tick. 

If I had to give my 2019 self advice, I'd tell her to just go to the afterparty and not let that person get to me. (But in the end, it didn't matter; I met the love of my life a couple of years later.)

Bi folks, we are a little annoying

As a bi person myself, however, I can admit we can be a little annoying. We are the "but, actually…" of the queer community — but with good reason. 

As bisexual writer Zachary Zane has written about in his memoir, Boyslut, and in Men's Health, bisexual "visibility" can be difficult. In theory, you'd need to be holding hands (or making out with) two different-gendered people simultaneously. And if you're in a monogamous relationship, that's not happening.

What Zane advocates for is bisexual audibility, which is the practice of coming out as bisexual.

If you're assuming someone's gay or straight and they tell you you're wrong, you can perceive them as being obnoxious. It's indeed annoying to be wrong and to be told you're wrong. But for many bisexual people, saying so is the only way they can let it be known.

I don't think it's necessary to tell people they're wrong about you in every context. I also know there are times when we need to assert ourselves and our place in the LGBTQ community. We're here, queer, get used to it, etc.

Bisexual people may be the "but actually" of the queer community, but we're also the "yes, and," and I love that for us. We live in the gray area, the nuance. It's OK if you're not visibly bi all the time, and it's also OK if you're in a straight-passing relationship.

Maybe next year, we'll be writing the jokes.

TL;DR: As of June 16, students can shop the new XPS 13 laptop for as low as $599 from Dell.

Opens in a new window Credit: Dell Dell XPS 13 $599 at Dell
$699 Save $100   Get Deal

Students on the hunt for a budget-friendly laptop may be inclined to look at the shiny new MacBook Neo, but Dell is dropping some exciting competition in the form of the new XPS 13 laptop. Pricing starts at $699, but students can actually score this new model for as low as $599.

This student offer lasts until Nov. 2, so there's plenty of time to take advantage of this deal ahead of the next school year. It's open to high school students starting at 16-years-old and college students who are going to degree granting schools, but it's worth keeping in mind that students must join Dell Rewards or be a current member and verify student status to save.

Another important thing to keep in mind is that the offer is only valid for XPS 13 models with Series 3 Intel Core Processors. It excludes any model that's fitted with the Series 3 Intel Core Ultra Processors.

SEE ALSO: We tested the best laptops for college students going back to school

The XPS 13 laptop is actually a tiny bit lighter than the Neo, starting at 2.2 pounds compared to the Neo's 2.7 pounds, so carrying it between classes will be a breeze. It also features a sleek design that houses a 2.5K LCD touchscreen and backlit keyboard, alongside the Intel Core processor and WiFi 7 inside. It's capable of running up to 17 hours while streaming thanks to a great battery life. That beats the Neo, which is listed as lasting up to 16 hours.

This offer on the XPS 13 laptop lasts until Nov. 2 for students. Don't miss out on this great opportunity to scoop up this new laptop for as low as $599.

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