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The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult to solve if you have maternal instincts.

Connections is the one of the most popular New York Times word games that's captured the public's attention. The game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.

If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for today's Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable What is Connections?

The NYT's latest daily word game has become a social media hit. The Times credits associate puzzle editor Wyna Liu with helping to create the new word game and bringing it to the publications' Games section. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.

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Each puzzle features 16 words and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise of anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there's only one correct answer.

If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake—players get up to four mistakes until the game ends.

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Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.

SEE ALSO: NYT Pips hints, answers for February 25, 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: Safekeeping

• Green: Simple

• Blue: They share a first name

• Purple: Relations

Here are today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Care for

• Green: Elementary

• Blue: Jameses

• Purple: Ending in family words

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 #990 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Care for: BABY, FOSTER, MOTHER, NURSE

• Elementary: BASIC, KEY, PRIMARY, PRINCIPAL

• Jameses: BROWN, COOK, DEAN, HARDEN

• Ending in family words: ALKALINE, DECLAN, DIATRIBE, NAPKIN

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be new Connections for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for February 25, 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're into astronomy.

Strands, the New York Times' elevated word-search game, requires the player to perform a twist on the classic word search. Words can be made from linked letters — up, down, left, right, or diagonal, but words can also change direction, resulting in quirky shapes and patterns. Every single letter in the grid will be part of an answer. There's always a theme linking every solution, along with the "spangram," a special, word or phrase that sums up that day's theme, and spans the entire grid horizontally or vertically.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable

By providing an opaque hint and not providing the word list, Strands creates a brain-teasing game that takes a little longer to play than its other games, like Wordle and Connections.

If you're feeling stuck or just don't have 10 or more minutes to figure out today's puzzle, we've got all the NYT Strands hints for today's puzzle you need to progress at your preferred pace.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for February 25, 2026 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for February 25, 2026 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: That's really out there!

The words are related to outer space.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe space objects.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is horizontal.

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is Spacecraft.

NYT Strands word list for February 25

• Satelite

• Lander

• Orbiter

• Module

• Spacecract

• Rover

• Probe

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

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

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

Today's Wordle answer should be easy to solve if you love to snowboard.

If you just want to be told today's word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for today's Wordle solution revealed. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for February 25, 2026 Where did Wordle come from?

Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once. 

Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing.

What's the best Wordle starting word?

The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be strategic in your approach, we have a few ideas to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N.

What happened to the Wordle archive?

The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles was originally available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it, but it was later taken down, with the website's creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times. However, the New York Times then rolled out its own Wordle Archive, available only to NYT Games subscribers.

Is Wordle getting harder?

It might feel like Wordle is getting harder, but it actually isn't any more difficult than when it first began. You can turn on Wordle's Hard Mode if you're after more of a challenge, though.

SEE ALSO: NYT Pips hints, answers for February 25, 2026 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

To cut up.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

There are no recurring letters.

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

Today's Wordle starts with the letter S.

SEE ALSO: Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL. The Wordle answer today is...

Get your last guesses in now, because it's your final chance to solve today's Wordle before we reveal the solution.

Drumroll please!

The solution to today's Wordle is...

SHRED

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be a new Wordle for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints. Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.

Reporting by Chance Townsend, Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.

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

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

SAVE $110.01: The TCL Nxtpaper 14 tablet is on sale for $359.98, down from the list price of $469.99. That's a 23% discount.

Opens in a new window Credit: TCL TCL Nxtpaper 14 tablet $359.98 at Amazon
$469.99 Save $110.01   Get Deal

We all have a solid collection of gadgets these days. If you're in a tech juggling game you don't love, it might be wise to get a multi-purpose gadget that can come with you everyday, proving itself useful for tons of tasks and activities. Check out this tablet deal at Amazon if this sounds like a good upgrade.

As of Feb. 24, the TCL Nxtpaper 14 tablet is on sale for $359.98, down from the list price of $469.99. That's a 23% discount.

The TCL Nxtpaper 14 is a 14.3-inch Android tablet that has plenty of great perks including a paper-like display, an included flip case, and a TCL T-Pen Stylus. These attributes mean it'll serve as an e-reader, a sketch book, digital notebook, and a much better way to stream shows compared to your phone. Plus, TCL added an anti-glare coating and blue-light blocking technology to the tablet's display.

SEE ALSO: Grab this plug-and-play JLab USB microphone for under $25 at Amazon

Today's deal applies to the model that comes with 256GB of storage and 8GB RAM. It's a slim design, measuring just 0.27 inches thick with a weight of 1.67 pounds, so this model will be perfect for taking along on upcoming spring travel.

If you'll be using the TCL Nxtpaper 14 along with your earbuds, you can use the tablet's ability to reserve charge to keep your earbuds powered up should they get low. You can also recharge your phone off the tablet.

While it's on sale for under $360, snag the versatile TCL Nxtpaper 14 tablet from Amazon. You'll be on your way to consolidating tech gadgets for easier travel.

Google officials apologized after the company sent out push notifications about Sunday’s BAFTA controversy that included a spelled-out racist slur.

The notification linked to a Hollywood Reporter article about the BAFTA film awards and included the following text: "See more on [anti-Black slur]," according to Hollywood Reporter sister publication Variety and screencaps shared on X.

Google officials told Variety that the notifications went out only to a small group of people who receive push notifications, and that AI was not to blame for the error. Instead, Google blamed its safety filters, which did not trigger when it "recognized a euphemism for an offensive term on several web pages and accidentally applied the offensive term to the notification text."

The search giant apologized on Tuesday, with a spokesperson saying, "We’re deeply sorry for this mistake. We’ve removed the offensive notification and are working to prevent this from happening again."

Fallout continues over Sunday’s BAFTA awards, the British equivalent of the Oscars, when a man with Tourette syndrome shouted a racist slur as Sinners stars Michael B. Jordan and Delroy Lindo were presenting the first award. Others in attendance reported on X that Davidson, who was the basis for the BAFTA-winning film I Swear, had other racially charged tics during the night.

SEE ALSO: The NAACP is fighting back against AI data centers

Davidson has coprolalia, the involuntary use of obscene language, which affects approximately 10 percent of individuals with Tourette Syndrome, according to the Tourette Association of America.

While the show was not produced live, the TV airing included the slur, which was audible to most audiences watching it on the BBC. The slur also remained on the BBC's streaming service until it was yanked off the air on Monday morning.

While BAFTA officials informed in-person attendees that a person with Tourette syndrome was in the audience, and host Alan Cumming apologized after the incident to "those offended tonight," many were unhappy about the handling of the slur; Cumming’s wording certainly received much criticism.

Others were upset that the speech by Black film director Akinola Davies Jr. was cut from the same broadcast with the slur, including a portion where he said, "Free Palestine." The BBC didn't provide clarity to Variety about that editorial choice.

Davidson later released a statement where he said he is "mortified" if anyone considers "involuntary tics to be intentional or to carry any meaning." BAFTA leaders announced on Tuesday that a "comprehensive review" of the events of the award show was already underway.

The Toyota C-HR was always known for its bold and unique styling, but that might have been about it. Discontinued in 2022, the C-HR suffered from a sluggish and noisy powertrain, minimal passenger space, and an uncomfortable ride. Even its best feature, the exterior styling, caused blind spots while driving.

SAVE $86.01: As of Feb. 24, get the Bluetti Elite 10 mini portable power station for $112.99 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $199. That's a discount of 43% and the lowest price we've seen.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Bluetti Elite 10 mini portable power station $112.99 at Amazon
$199 Save $86.01   Get Deal

Tired of losing power in a storm? Or maybe you just want to go off-grid for a little while. Whatever your reasoning, investing in a portable power station is always a good idea, especially when you save a significant amount of money on one. In the case of this Bluetti model. now's the time to go ahead and lock yours in since you can save some serious cash.

As of Feb. 24, get the Bluetti Elite 10 mini portable power station for $112.99 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $199. That's $86.01 off and a discount of 43%. It's also the lowest price we've seen.

SEE ALSO: The Segway Cube 2000 power station is down to its lowest-ever price at Amazon — save over $350

This small but mighty compact power station may be little, but it's a great addition to your preparedness kit, even if it's just something you keep in your car for emergencies. It has 128Wh of battery, which means you'll be able to charge up your phone about six times, or your laptop twice. That makes it a great lifesaver for your tech life, and can help you keep working or stay in communication when necessary.

It's light enough to keep in your car or closet without being a nuisance, too. It's a surprising four pounds, so not only can you pick it up and move it easily if you need to, but it's not too large that it can't accompany you on trips where you'll be without a power source.

This is a great little power station that'll be able to get you out of a pinch more than once. Be sure to grab it while you can at this significant price cut.

TL;DR: FirstResume uses AI to tailor résumés, track applications, and prep interviews so job hunting takes hours — not weeks.

Opens in a new window Credit: FirstResume FirstResume AI Job Hunting Automator: Lifetime Subscription $39.99
$899 Save $859.01   Get Deal

Job searching has become a part-time administrative role. Copy a résumé, tweak keywords, adjust bullet points, rewrite a cover letter, track where you applied — then repeat for the next listing. The actual “job search” often becomes document maintenance.

FirstResume approaches the process as a workflow instead of a writing task. And lifetime access to this magic is on sale for just $39.99 (reg. $899).

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You upload your experience once. After that, each job posting you paste into the system generates a tailored, ATS-friendly résumé and matching cover letter automatically. The software analyzes what the employer emphasizes and reorganizes your background around it, rather than forcing you to rewrite everything manually.

It also acts as an application dashboard. Roles are stored, requirements are summarized, and progress is tracked so you don’t have to maintain spreadsheets or dig through email threads later.

For interviews, it builds practice questions and company insights from the same posting — turning preparation into a continuation of the application rather than a new step. The effect is mostly time: fewer late-night edits, less context switching, and fewer forgotten applications.

Instead of compressing effort into bursts, it spreads it intelligently — the kind of efficiency that makes a long search feel manageable. Don’t miss lifetime access to FirstResume while it’s on sale for a one-time $39.99 payment.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: Super Vectorizer Pro converts images into editable vector graphics in seconds on Mac or Windows — lifetime access is $19.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: effectmatrix Super Vectorizer Pro: Universal Lifetime License $19.99
$120 Save $100.01   Get Deal

Anyone who’s tried to enlarge a logo or scan an old drawing knows the problem: pixels don’t scale. The bigger the image gets, the worse it looks. The real fix isn’t resizing — it’s converting the artwork into vector graphics.

That’s what Super Vectorizer Pro is designed to easily handle. A lifetime license is currently available for a one-time payment of $19.99 (reg. $120). Instead of manually tracing shapes in complex design software, the app analyzes a bitmap image and rebuilds it as editable paths.

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You drop in a JPG, PNG, scan, or even a screenshot, and it generates scalable formats like SVG, AI, PDF, or DXF. The updated line-tracing engine detects edges, curves, and corners, keeping shapes clean rather than jagged.

You can also choose color modes, grayscale, or skeleton tracing, depending on whether you’re restoring a logo, preparing a cut file, or outlining a sketch.

The practical uses are wide: cleaning up old branding for print, creating cut files for craft machines, preparing embroidery paths, or turning sketches into editable artwork before finishing in Illustrator. Because the software works on both Mac and Windows and supports dozens of file formats, it often becomes a quick first step before detailed design work.

It doesn’t replace creative tools — it removes the tedious part before creativity starts. Get lifetime access to Super Vectorizer Pro for a one-time payment of $19.99 (reg. $120).

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Luxury used to be simple: slap a German badge on the hood and everyone assumed it was top tier. That perception stuck for years, even when the actual car didn’t always justify the price.

LibreOffice might be the best free and open-source office suite, but it still doesn't have a web app version, like Google Docs or Microsoft 365. That might finally change, as the LibreOffice Online project is coming out of retirement.

Every month, a new selection of movies departs Netflix for other streaming services. Not all movies leaving Netflix are equal, especially those from from a visionary like Quentin Tarantino. On March 1, Pulp Fiction will leave Netflix, meaning February 28 will be the last day to watch Tarantino's masterpiece.

Is a lackluster season the greatest sin a TV show can make during its run? Is the test of a truly great show how it locks in season after season of supremely satisfying episodes? Netflix has produced hundreds of originals since House of Cards debuted in 2013, and while it has had countless behemoths, its track record is certainly uneven. For every hit, there's been a show that's lost the plot along the way—even one of its more recent poster children, Ozark, had a less-than-stellar first season, and fans were not thrilled at all with the final season of the most-watched show in Netflix's history, Squid Game.

So you're thinking about setting up your own self-hosted streaming solution using Plex, but when you go online looking for advice on how to do it right, just about everyone suggests buying a NAS (Network Attached Storage) device.

Discord announced earlier this month that it would roll out age verification measures globally, even in states and countries where it's not legally mandated. Now, those plans are on hold, and Discord is addressing some of the most pressing issues.

If there's anything grandparents and older relatives love, it's getting photos of the kids. That's why the Aura Frame has been my favorite gift to give in recent years.

It lets me upload new photos whenever I want and have them show on loved ones' frames, no matter where they are. It's an easy way to help relatives to stay connected across generations, even when we're physically far apart.

I can send snapshots from my phone to my parents' Aura frame and surprise them with photos while on the go. When you upload photos to the app, you can control whose frames you want to send them to, and they'll appear in the rotation. I love that my parents don't have to look up anything on their phone or set up anything complicated. Other perks include unlimited storage and no subscription fees.

If you're looking for a great gift for a family member that doubles as a conversation starter, the Aura Frame is a tech-y gift suitable for family members of all ages.

This story is part of Holidays With Heart, a series in which Mashable and other CNET Group Perspectives contributors share personal stories involving technology.

When shoppers think of a BMW SUV, they usually picture larger, more expensive models packed with luxury features and performance credentials. The smallest option in the lineup is often dismissed as an entry-level compromise rather than a true representation of the brand. Yet BMW’s most compact SUV has quietly evolved into one of the most well-rounded vehicles in its segment, offering far more than its size and price suggest.

Heated Rivalry fans, I know you've quoted Ilya Rozanov's "I'm coming to the cottage" a thousand times over. Now you can make that quote a reality, because the actual cottage seen in the series is for rent on Airbnb.

SEE ALSO: Trump celebrated the men's hockey gold. The women were the punchline.

The Barlochan Cottage, located in Torrance, Canada, will be available for rent starting March 3. The property can host up to six guests. It has three bedrooms and three bathrooms, along with sunset views, lakefront access, kayaks, canoes, and a fire pit. Yes, the very same fire pit that prompts Ilya's unimpressed "Canada is fun" in Heated Rivalry's Season 1 finale.

According to the listing, the cottage is also a 30-minute drive from Muskoka Airport and a 90-minute drive from Toronto Pearson Airport.

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(In the understatement of the century, the listing also says that "Barlochan Cottage was featured on a TV-hit show this season.")

Owned by Shane Hollander (Hudson Williams) in Heated Rivalry, the cottage is the setting of the Season 1 finale, where Shane and Ilya have a sweet, private vacation together and work out what comes next for their relationship. Since then, the word "cottage" has never been the same.

So, what new stories will the cottage's upcoming Airbnb rentals bring? Heated Rivalry watch parties? People looking for their own Hollanov-style romantic getaway? Someone who's never heard of the show but just loves the house's vibe?

Check out the full Airbnb listing here.

Heated Rivalry is now streaming on HBO Max.

As the mobile world awaits the big upcoming announcement from Samsung about its new line of smartphones, a new leak has provided some disappointing news.

Mobile news outlet Ytechb have just acquired the EU labels for the still-unannounced, brand new Samsung Galaxy S26 series of mobile devices. Unfortunately, it seems these new Samsung devices have received a downgrade in battery health.

According to the ratings on the labels, the Samsung Galaxy S26, Galaxy S26+, and Galaxy S26 Ultra each have 1,200 charge cycles. This means that the battery will fall to 80 percent health after 1,200 charge cycles.

SEE ALSO: Everything to expect at Samsung Galaxy Unpacked: New phones, more AI features

The Galaxy S26 line's predecessor, the Samsung Galaxy S25, had 2,000 charge cycles, meaning the battery maintained as close to full health for significantly longer.

On the bright side, however, the Galaxy S26 line of batteries does appear to be much more energy efficient than the Galaxy S25 line, according to the EU labels.

In an EU-standarized battery test, the Samsung Galaxy S26 battery lasted 51 hours. That's 14 hours longer than the Galaxy S25's 37 hours.

The Samsung Galaxy S26+ and S26 Ultra each lasted 55 hours, whereas their predecessors lasted 43.5 hours and nearly 45 hours, respectively.

So, maybe the downgrade in the battery charge cycles is more like a near-even trade off? We will find out a lot more about the new Samsung Galaxy S26 line at Samsung Galaxy Unpacked.

We tend to think of Google Maps as a straight-up navigation tool, like a digital compass that gets us from point A to point B without getting hopelessly lost. But no, there's more you can use it for.