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Oh hey there! If you're here, it must be time for Wordle. As always, we're serving up our daily hints and tips to help you figure out today's answer.

If you just want to be told today's word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for Jan. 29's Wordle solution revealed. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

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.

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

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 used to be available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it. Unfortunately, it has since been taken down, with the website's creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times.

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:

Long legs.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

The letter G appears twice.

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

Today's Wordle starts with the letter L.

SEE ALSO: Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL. What's the answer to Wordle today?

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 Wordle #954 is...

LEGGY.

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.

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

In True Detective: Night Country, the rift is growing between Chief Liz Danvers (Jodie Foster) and her stepdaughter Leah (Isabella Star LaBlanc). In episode 1, the pair argued over a video the teen made with her girlfriend. Then, episode 2 brought an explosive argument over a traditional chin tattoo, which brought Kayla Prior (Anna Lambe) and her grandmother (Doreen Nutaaq Simmonds) into the fray. In the third episode, Danvers pushes this fight further, forcing Leah to wipe the temporary tattoo off her chin. More than a battle between mother and child or different generations, this is a white woman in authority literally wiping away the culture of Iñupiaq people, of which Leah and Kayla are a part. Where can these women go from here?

Mashable sat down with Indigenous actresses Isabella Star LaBlanc and Anna Lambe to talk about this conflict in True Detective: Night Country. The conversation expanded into what it was like working with Jodie Foster and how writer/director Issa López relied on guidance from producers Princess Daazhraii Johnson and Cathy Tagnak Rexford, who convened a counsel of Iñupiaq women to offer guidance as the series took shape. 

SEE ALSO: How 'True Detective: Night Country' brought the corpsicle to life What does the chin tattoo in True Detective: Night Country mean?  As Leah, Isabella Star LaBlanc regards her temporary chin tattoo in "True Detective: Night Country." Credit: Michele K. Short / HBO

For LaBlanc, the vertical lines drawn on Leah's chin "means so much personally about how she sees herself and what matters to her." The actress added, "But I think it's also just an amazing way for her to feel connected to these people, to Kayla, to her grandma, and to feel like she has a place and purpose and people that care about her. It's a very strong symbol of connection to her."

Leah's dad died years before, leaving her in Danvers's care. "They're the only family they have," LaBlanc said of the strained mother-daughter bond. "I see their relationship as two people who are always missing each other. They're just totally on different pages at all times. And they have a lot of love for each other, but they can't seem to say that or see that in each other." 

SEE ALSO: 'Frybread Face and Me' serves up heartwarming Indigenous coming-of-age representation

However, in Kayla's home, which she shares with husband Peter (Finn Bennett) and son Darwin (Xavier Osmanson), Leah is embraced with affection and instruction on her Iñupiaq heritage, including the temporary chin tattoo. Speaking to the argument over the ink in episode 2, Lambe noted Kayla was raised close to Iñupiaq culture through her grandmother's care. So, for Danvers to come into their home, "a safe space for a young person to reconnect and to grow," and aggressively reject this cultural tradition is unacceptable. "Danvers is not only disrespectful to her family and to Kayla in general, but to the Iñupiaq as a whole," Lambe said. "It is so offensive, and it definitely just further drives the wedge between them." 

There's a sense in the series Danvers is trying to use her white privilege to protect her stepdaughter from the fate of Annie K, as episode three cuts from Leah wiping away the tattoo to Danvers looking over post-mortem photos of Annie K — who has a chin tattoo. However, this fearful and short-sighted approach to protection could risk losing Leah in another sense. "Leah's learning so much about her community and about being Iñupiaq," LaBlanc explained. "She's also really struggling with this white stepmom who just doesn't get it in the way that she does." 

How True Detective: Night Country worked toward authenticity in Inuit representation Anna Lambe as Kayla Prior in "True Detective: Night Country." Credit: Michele K. Short / HBO

Showrunner Issa López, who is Mexican, worked in collaboration with Inuit artists, consultants, and advisers on Season 4. Iñupiaq artist Sarah Whalen-Lunn was brought in to create tattoos, signs, and graffiti around the fictional town of Ennis, Alaska. Producers Cathy Tagnak Rexford and Princess Daazhraii Johnson brought together an advisory council made up of Iñupiaq women who consulted on the production. López also invited her cast to bring themselves and their experiences into their characters as well. 

LaBlanc said of López, "Issa made a ton of space. She's so fabulous…She made time before we started shooting to sit with me, to really talk through Leah. And she was like, 'I don't ever want Leah to be something that you don't think is truthful. So, let me know.' And I got to put my fingerprints on the character." Some of those fingerprints include a passion for activism. 

"I come from a family of activists," LaBlanc said. "I'm from Minneapolis, which is where the American Indian Movement started back in the '60s. And so I felt excited to honor this legacy of Indigenous people being activists and being heard. I felt like Issa was really excited about that and really interested in collaborating and talking about my own personal relationship to activism." 

LaBlanc valued the consultants as resources when it came to the specifics of portraying an Iñupiaq character. "It's always really important to me that I'm never taking for granted that I know how to tell a story, even if it's an Indigenous character," she said. "It's like, as a Dakota person, I always want to be respectful. And so I really just tried to defer to our Alaska Native Advisory Council, to Princess and Tagnak, and to really make space for them to guide the way that I tell the story."

For Lambe, an Inuit actor from Canada, she relished the sense of community that came from the cast, consultants, and producers. "It was really great, like, working together and being able to talk and kind of relate and connect," she said. "There's a level of understanding and Indigeneity and empathy and compassion. And that's a really beautiful thing in Indigenous film. Being Inuk myself, it wasn't too difficult a bridge for me to gap." However, she noted, "Being Inuk and Iñupiaq aren't necessarily the same thing at all. To have Princess and Tagnak and Nutaaq [Doreen Nutaaq Simmonds], who played my grandma, on set to be able to talk and being able to really find a common ground on that was really beautiful." 

LaBlanc also felt embraced by this on-set community, adding, "I felt so grateful to have Anna with me. She's like my Arctic relative. I felt like I got new family through [the show] and a new appreciation for those northern relatives." 

Isabella Star LaBlanc and Anna Lambe on working with Jodie Foster  Jodie Foster as Liz Danvers in "True Detective: Night Country." Credit: Michele K. Short / HBO

Asked about the challenges of shooting a new season for this star-studded, highly acclaimed series — on location in chilly Iceland, no less — LaBlanc answered, "I was terrified. I was on that plane to Iceland like, 'I'm gonna get there, and they're gonna recast me immediately.' That was my internal monologue. So, all of that was terrifying." However, her fears were put to ease as she finally came face-to-face with her onscreen family. 

"As soon as I met Anna and everyone, you could just relax into it," LaBlanc recalled. "Like, I was terrified to act opposite Jodie Foster. That was just, like, not something I thought I had in the cards. And then we just start doing scenes with Jodie and you're like, 'Oh, she's amazing and chill, and it's very fun to do.' A lot of [the challenges in making the show] felt larger than life, and then you do them and you're like, 'Well, I did it. It's possible.'"

Lambe confessed she was likewise nervous about performing opposite the iconic American actress. A field trip Jodie proposed helped put her at ease. "Jodie organized us planting some trees," Lambe explained. "And it was like, 'All right, this is really chill, and everyone's very forgiving and kind." 

From the experience, Lambe could see how the cast and crew could "lean into one another," adding, "It was all around was such a beautiful experience. And I wish I could do it, you know, again and again and again. Because as much as it was intimidating in the first, you know, 10 minutes, the rest of it was smooth sailing." 

True Detective airs Sunday nights on HBO/Max at 9 p.m ET/PT.

Connections is the latest New York Times word game 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 January 29's Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

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.

Tweet may have been deleted

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.

Here's a hint for today's Connections categories

Want a hit about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:

• Yellow: Advertising

• Green: Valentine's Day is coming up

• Blue: Tennis jargon

• Purple: Types of fruit

Featured Video For You Connections: How to play and how to win Here are today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Do Some Marketing For

• Green: Romatinc Twosome

• Blue: Tennis Scoring Terms

• Purple: Words With "Fruit"

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 Connections #232 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Do Some Marketing For: PITCH, PLUG, PROMOTE, PUSH

• Romantic Twosome: COUPLE, ITEM, PAIR, THING

• Tennis Scoring Terms: AD, ALL, DEUCE, LOVE

• Words With "Fruit": BREAD, DRAGON, JACK, PASSION

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.

Is this not the Connections game you were looking for? Here are the hints and answers to yesterday's Connections.

X, formerly known at Twitter, is building its content moderation team back up, but not completely.

According to Bloomberg, the company is hiring 100 employees for a "Trust and Safety center of excellence" in Austin, TX. After Elon Musk took over the platform in 2022, he laid off around 80 percent of the company and gutted the content moderation team. The new team will focus on enforcing the platform's rules around violence and hate speech, and specifically combatting CSE (Child Sexual Exploitation).

SEE ALSO: X / Twitter purges then reinstates journalists, podcasters, and leftist accounts critical of Elon Musk

The timing of this report comes days before X CEO Linda Yaccarino is scheduled to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee for a hearing on protecting children online. On Friday, Jan. 26, X published a blog post outlining its work to "tackle Child Sexual Exploitation" on the platform.

As a self-professed "free-speech absolutist," Musk bought the platform to create a digital town square by rolling back policies and efforts which he believed hindered free speech. However, this soon turned X into an even more toxic place, which caused big ticket advertisers to leave the platform and X's valuation to plummet.

Is the development of a content moderation headquarters the sign of positive change for the platform? According to 2020 NYU Stern report, Twitter used to have around 1,500 content moderators, so a team of 100 is peanuts compared to what it used to be. No doubt, Yaccarino will have more to say about it at the hearing on Jan. 31.

OpenAI, Google, and other AI companies will soon have to inform the government about developing foundation models, thanks to the Defense Production Act. According to Wired, US Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo shared new details about this impending requirement at an event held by Stanford University's Hoover Institute last Friday.

"We're using the Defense Production Act... to do a survey requiring companies to share with us every time they train a new large language model, and share with us the results—the safety data—so we can review it,” said Raimondo.

SEE ALSO: Fake Biden robocall creator suspended from AI voice startup

The new rules are part of President Biden's sweeping AI executive order announced last October. Amongst the broad set of mandates, the order requires companies developing any foundation model "that poses a serious risk to national security, national economic security, or national public health and safety," to notify the federal government and share the results of its safety testing. Foundation models are models like OpenAI's GPT-4 and Google's Gemini that power generative AI chatbots. However, GPT-4 is likely below the threshold of computing power that requires government oversight.

Future foundation models, ones that have unprecedented computing power, are the main concern because of their massive potential national security risk. That's why this mandate falls in the territory of the Defense Production Act, which was last invoked in 2021 by President Biden to increase the production of pandemic-related protective equipment and supplies.

At the event, Raimondo also addressed another aspect of the executive order which would require US cloud computing providers like Amazon, Google, and Microsoft to disclose foreign use of their services.

"We’re beginning the process of requiring US cloud companies to tell us every time a non-US entity uses their cloud to train a large language model," said Raimondo, per Bloomberg.

The secretary of commerce didn't disclose when these requirements would go into effect. But an announcement is expected very soon since the deadline is today, Jan. 28.

You know something has reached its cultural peak when it's spoofed on Saturday Night Live and last night, the Stanley Cup had its moment.

SEE ALSO: The pink Starbucks x Stanley cup is going for $200 on eBay. Shop these dupes instead.

Host Dakota Johnson alongside cast members Chloe Fineman and Heidi Gardner play "virgins who also have six kids" and spend a lot of time at Target. You may remember the "Big Dumb Hat" sketch from an earlier season, but this time it's all about the "Big Dumb Cup" as the ultimate TikTok-famous accessory.

But the Big Dumb Cup isn't just a $60 status symbol (the real Stanley Cup retails at $45). It can do so much more like hold an entire bottle of Josh wine and be used as an air-fryer. Watch the sketch to find out.

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: NYT Connections today: See hints and answers for January 28 SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Here's the answer and hints for January 28

Here are the clues and answers to NYT's The Mini for Sunday, Jan. 28, 2024:

AcrossStunt bike sport, for short

• The answer is BMX.

Title with an apostrophe directly in the middle

• The answer is Ma'am.

"___ Karenina" (Tolstoy novel)

• The answer is Anna.

Fluffy Indian bread

• The answer is Naan.

Stay right there!

• The answer is Inn.

Battery for a TV remote

• The answer is AAA.

DownFruit depicted by the circled letters

• The answer is Banana.

Spanish for "tomorrow"

• The answer is Manana.

Marvel Comics mutant

• The answer is X-Man.

Craze

• The answer is Mania.

When I set out to review Corsair’s Xeneon Flex, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I’ve used curved monitors before, but the ability to transition from flat to flex and back? That had me intrigued, but — as someone who is relatively new to the world of external monitors — I wasn’t convinced that the novelty of having a monitor that could flex to an 800r radius would make the $1,999 price tag worth it. 

First impressions of the Corsair Xeneon Flex 

Straight away, this monitor blew me away. I expected to hook it up, play with the curve a bit, run a couple of videos through it, and try pushing the frame rate. But when I plugged it into my gaming PC for the first time and saw the panel light up, I was completely floored.

Look at that curve. Credit: RJ Andersen / Mashable

For context, I’ve seen a lot of good-looking 4K OLED displays in the past, but the Xeneon Flex boasts an unreal 1.5M to 1 contrast ratio. I’ve never seen anything like it in person, and the colors are so incredibly vibrant that pairing it with the ultra-wide 4K resolution almost plays tricks on your brain. When the image is still, the Xeneon Flex stops reading “monitor” to me and instead reads “high-quality print” due to the cleanliness of the lines, the vibrancy of the colors, and the high pixel density. When the video begins again, my brain almost takes a second to recalibrate, making the entire thing a phenomenal experience. 

What I love about the Corsair Xeneon Flex monitor

There’s so much to love about Corsair’s Xeneon Flex. In person, these colors are unlike any monitor I’ve seen before. They are vibrant, they are accurate, and they have an extremely deep contrast ratio. I could definitely see folks doing design work or editing videos professionally on a monitor like this, but I’d almost be worried that reality would pale in comparison. 

Games look incredible wether the monitor is curved or flat. Credit: RJ Andersen / Mashable

The 240 Hz refresh rate creates a buttery smooth experience, so much so that I even had trouble pushing my gaming rig this hard — even on my Nvidia RTX 3090. For games that require fast reaction times, this monitor should never be a bottleneck.

Plus, the 45-inch wraparound curve puts you inside your favorite games, but snapping it back to its flat orientation gives you an attractive, minimal monitor that’s great for viewing movies in 4K. I loved locking the monitor into its 800r curved orientation to play through a few video games like Red Dead Redemption 2 and Hitman 3, both beautiful games, but this monitor took those visuals to a new level. 

This monitor looks sleek and the 45-inch screen is insanely impressive. Credit: RJ Andersen / Mashable What I don’t love about this monitor

Honestly, there’s not much I can criticize here. Curving this monitor for the first time was stressful, and every instinct in my body screamed, “No, don’t break the expensive monitor!” However, once I figured out the right amount of force needed — and that adding a hand to the base to stabilize helps make flexing the monitor easier — that became a non-issue. 

I will say that the default color profile on the Flex is odd. It’s too cool and everything has a bluish hue to it. However, when I pulled up the image settings and just reset the RGB values to 100 (the raw, full panel power) the image was great. It surprised me but the panel itself was perfectly tuned out of the box, and I’m unsure why Corsair felt the need to change this.

Is it worth the price?

It’s impossible for me to recommend a monitor this expensive for the average consumer, so if you’re just watching movies, casually gaming, or checking emails, you’ll probably want to skip this one and opt for something with a lower price tag and a less intense refresh rate.

That being said, if you’re a hardcore monitor enthusiast — or a gamer who really values a perfect, vibrant, and insanely gorgeous display — Corsair’s Xeneon Flex is the full package, so much so that I’m currently trying to figure out how to save up for one myself.

TL;DR: As of Jan. 28, this kitchen sink bottle and glass washer is on sale for only $19.99 instead of $24.99. That's a savings of 20%.

Most of us have been to a bar and spotted the handy little way they quickly wash glasses by the sink. If you've ever been jealous of how easy and convenient it was for a bartender or service industry pro to clean a glass, you are in luck. This Kitchen Sink Bottle and Glass Washer is on sale for just $19.99 (reg. $24.99).

Made from ABS and copper, you simply place the glass, bottle, or cup you want to wash face-down, apply light pressure, and the water flows. Because the water sprays from multiple angles, you should get a quick, thorough rinse every time. It's a good option for kitchen sinks, home bars, coffee bars, and more. 

The Kitchen Sink Bottle and Glass Washer can accommodate cups 3.53 inches or less. Set it up and have it ready to help for your next big gathering. It could be a super valuable way to speed up clean-up time after a big holiday feast with the extended family.

This sink-side washer has a compact and space-saving design. It can neatly fit on the corner of your sink, utilizing the typically unused space and keeping your countertop clutter-free. The thoughtful design ensures that even kitchens with limited space can benefit from the efficiency of this cup washer.

And the installation is made to be easy. If you want to cut down on the time it takes to wash and rinse your cups and glassware, this is a user-friendly way to do so. 

Grab this Kitchen Sink Bottle and Glass Washer while it's on sale for just $19.99 (reg. $24.99).

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Opens in a new window Credit: UGR Tech Kitchen Sink Bottle and Glass Washer $19.99 at the Mashable Shop Get Deal

TL;DR: Optimize your workspace with this laptop stand that doubles as a USB hub, on sale for just $101.99 instead of $129 as of Jan. 28. That's a savings of 20%.

This year, you may want to be nicer to your neck, shoulders, and back. Hunching over your computer for extended periods isn't doing them any favors. A laptop stand is a simple solution for optimizing your workspace, so you can have your screen at eye level and work more comfortably, even on days you have to pull long hours.

The 6-in-1 CASA HUB Stand Pro, however, raises the stakes when it comes to laptop stands. It's not merely a stand; it also functions as a hub with multiple ports for connecting many of your accessories and peripherals. You can grab it on sale for over $25 off for a limited time.

CASA is designed not only to minimize your desk clutter but also to help make working more comfortable. It features a 360-degree rotatable base and an adjustable angle, allowing you to tweak the laptop's height as needed. It caters to all MacBook and iPad models, and with its anti-slip grip, your device can enjoy stability and safety while mounted.

Behind the stand is a detachable USB hub, which packs a range of ports, including a USB-C host, a USB-C PD port, an HDMI port that supports 4K video, two USB-A ports, and an RJ45 port for LAN connections. You have the option to retain its place behind the stand, or you can detach it and use it independently.

The CASA also boasts generous heat dissipation and a robust load-bearing mechanism for improved device protection. Thanks to its all-aluminum design and silicone rubber pads, it also offers enhanced durability.

Formerly retailing for $129, you can grab this versatile laptop stand on sale for only $101.99 — a savings of $27.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Opens in a new window Credit: Adam Elements 6-in-1 Casa Hub Stand Pro $101.99 at the Mashable Shop Get Deal

TL;DR: As of Jan. 28, you can get the portable Blackout Buddy Carbon Monoxide Alarm with an emergency flashlight for just $44.99 instead of $64.99 — that's a savings of 30%.

Whether you live in a huge estate, a studio apartment, or are even renting an Airbnb or vacation home, safety should be a priority in any home. This includes keeping essentials like fire extinguishers, smoke detectors, and carbon monoxide alarms on hand. The Blackout Buddy is a carbon monoxide alarm with a built-in emergency flashlight, and it's on sale for just $44.99 (reg. $64) for a limited time.

The Blackout Buddy is designed so that you'll be quickly notified if there is carbon monoxide in the air. Certain things in a home could make you more susceptible to a carbon monoxide leak, such as a wood-burning fireplace or gas appliances. Another way a home may have carbon monoxide build-up is through small motors like those on generators that many people run during power outages.

Luckily, the detection technology is out there to help keep you and your loved ones safe. The Blackout Buddy features a large display that shows you the current levels of CO in the air so you can act swiftly in case of a leak. It also has a built-in emergency flashlight that you can use in a blackout or other emergency situation.

Made to be used two different ways, you can plug it into a wall outlet (on the lower part of the wall) and use two AA batteries as backup in case of a power outage. It also creates an audible and flashing light alarm to help ensure users are alerted quickly and efficiently. And since it's on the smaller side, it can easily be packed up into your bag to take with you to a hotel or rental home.

Don't miss this chance to save 30% on this valuable tool.

Get the portable Blackout Buddy Carbon Monoxide Alarm with an emergency flashlight for just $44.99 (reg. $64).

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Opens in a new window Credit: Eton Blackout Buddy Carbon Monoxide Alarm with Emergency Flashlight $44.99 at the Mashable Shop Get Deal

TL;DR: As of Jan. 28, score a refurbished MacBook Pro (Core i5, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) for only $439.99 instead of the original $1,099 — that's 59% in savings.

If you're keen on buying a new MacBook, remember that the Apple Store isn't your only option. While Apple has a slate of MacBooks to cater to every need and budget, there are other ways to score their laptops at a deep bargain. If you don't mind making do with an older model, buying a refurbished unit can help you save big.

And by big, we mean over $600 in savings 'big'. This refurbished 13-inch MacBook Pro from 2015 is on sale for only a little over $400, and while it's not the latest and the greatest, it still offers the classic Apple experience, but at a fraction of the cost.

It boasts a 13.3-inch Retina display with a 2560x1600 resolution, allowing you to game, browse, and stream in stunning quality — even in direct sunlight. It's powered by an Intel Core i5 processor bolstered by Intel Turbo Boost technology, meaning you can execute heavy multitasking and enjoy extra power when you need it. Its 8GB RAM works to ensure that you have enough memory to run the apps you need to be productive, while its 256GB storage provides the necessary digital real estate for housing all your essential files and media. Feel free to run power-intensive programs like video editing software and graphic-heavy games, and expect the machine to run without a hitch.

With the computer's 74.9Whr Li-po battery, you can potentially enjoy up to 12 hours of surfing and video playback on a single charge. You can also connect to the internet virtually anywhere with the Wi-Fi feature, and pair various accessories and peripherals with Bluetooth 4.0.

Get your hands on this new-to-you MacBook Pro at a deep discount for a limited time. It usually retails for $1099, but you can grab it on sale for $439.99 — no coupon necessary.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Refurbished MacBook Pro (Core i5, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) $439.99 at the Mashable Shop Get Deal

TL;DR: As of January 28, get The 2024 Intro to Coding & Development Bundle for only $39 — a 92% discount.

Are you looking to make a career move into IT? Is building apps and games something that interests you? If either of those is a yes, this online learning bundle could be a great starting point to get you there. It also doesn't hurt that this Intro to Coding and Development bundle is on sale for just $39 (reg. $499).

This bundle is designed for beginners, giving those new to the coding and development game a quality education on some of the world's most in-demand, popular languages. With 20 courses led by the professionals at Zenva Academy, you'll learn the ins and outs from the beginning. You'll dig into C++, Swift, Java, Python, Kotlin, HTML, CSS, and JavaScript while getting educated on the fundamentals.

Build apps, games, and websites that can be included in your portfolio. Comprehensive hands-on applications will help test your skills and knowledge and give you confidence. Enjoy experiences like creating your first HTML file, setting up ChatGPT projects, managing databases, structuring an app, and creating a simple app using Java and XML.

Mastering this beginner-friendly bundle will allow you to add in-demand tech skills to your resume to land that new job or make a career switch. 

You can use the course material on desktop or mobile devices and have lifetime access. Closed captions are available. It's also good to know that updates are included.

This small investment is a key to a lifetime of learning and a pathway into the world of IT.

Pick up this Intro to Coding and Development bundle while it's on sale for just $39 (reg. $499).

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Opens in a new window Credit: ZENVA The 2024 Intro to Coding & Development Bundle $39 at the Mashable Shop Get Deal

A total solar eclipse will be on display over a swath of North America on April 8, allowing an estimated 31 million people a chance to step outside and see the sun's corona in space.

Experts have put together maps that show the so-called "path of totality," where the moon's shadow will cross the continent. For people watching from their backyards in that corridor, they'll have the unusual opportunity to remove protective eclipse glasses for up to 4.5 minutes during totality, when the sun is 100 percent concealed behind the moon.

But we're not all cartographers. If reading a map isn't your bag, bookmark this guide. Eclipse calculators, like the ones provided below, can help determine whether your location will be in the moon's shadow. If it's not, you'll at least know how much of the sun the moon will block from your vantage point. Everywhere else in the U.S. mainland, from coast to coast, will get a partial eclipse, meaning some portion of the sun will be exposed, said Michael Zeiler, a geographer and co-founder of Great American Eclipse, a resource for solar eclipses around the world.

"For the people who are in the partial eclipse that can't get to the total solar eclipse, they can still see some interesting things," he told Mashable. "One of the most interesting things they can see is the shadow projections from tree leaves because the gaps between leaves in a tree can form these shadows on the ground that are very striking."

SEE ALSO: How the 2024 solar eclipse will be different from the last Tweet may have been deleted

Eclipse calculators can search for past or future eclipses from any specific location. They can also sometimes offer details about how the solar eclipse will display from that particular place, according to the American Astronomical Society. These results come in the form of a table or map.

U.S. Naval Observatory eclipse calculator for April 8

Like many eclipse calculators available on the internet, the U.S. Naval Observatory's tool asks for a location's latitude and longitude to compute the eclipse's local circumstances. But if that's not information you happen to have off the top of your head, a button to the right, "Need USA Location?," enters the coordinates automatically when a city and state are selected.

After clicking the "Get Data" button below the form, the calculator provides a table of information, including the time the eclipse starts, peaks, and ends (in UTC, or universal coordinated time). It also gives the duration of the eclipse and the maximum percentage of the sun that will be blocked as the moon passes in front of it.

Time and Date eclipse calculator for April 8

The Time and Date calculator is perhaps more user-friendly, providing this same information for specific locations. By selecting the "local timings and animations" link, the site offers a diagram of the peak view from your city, as well as an animation of what the eclipse will look like, with stages outlined in a table below it. All times are presented in the location's own time zone.

Remember that unless you are viewing the eclipse from the path of totality, where the moon entirely blocks the sun, you must not remove protective eclipse eyewear. Looking directly at the sun, even if it's just a sliver, could result in permanent vision impairment.

When the sun is completely concealed, people have the unusual chance to observe the sun's corona glowing around the edges of the moon. The corona, the outer layer of the sun's atmosphere, is normally washed out by the much brighter solar surface.

"For the people who are in the partial eclipse that can't get to the total solar eclipse, they can still see some interesting things."

Generally speaking, the moon is expected to first cast its shadow on Mexico's Pacific coast. The corridor of the moon's shadow will arc from Texas to Maine, entering Canada through Ontario and exiting the Atlantic coast from Newfoundland. Major U.S. cities that will get to experience the event as a total solar eclipse include Dallas, Indianapolis, and Cleveland.

A colander projects eclipse shapes onto a sidewalk. Credit: Joy Ng / NASA

For everyone in the partial eclipse's range, Zeiler recommends bringing a colander or cheese grater outside to project eclipse shapes onto a sidewalk or a piece of white paper. NASA has other ideas for how to make eclipse projectors from household supplies.

But Kelly Korreck, a heliophysicist and the U.S. space agency's 2024 eclipse program manager, thinks if you're not in the path of totality, you're missing out on the best part: the corona. And overall, the event is a whole-body experience, she told Mashable.

"I would definitely encourage, if at all possible, to get to totality to see it," she said. "Even when you blot out 97, 99 percent of the sun, it looks eerie, but it's still like an overcast day. It's not quite the same as the darkness that you get when the sun is completely gone."

Connections is the latest New York Times word game 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 January 28's Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

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.

Here's a hint for today's Connections categories

Want a hit about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:

• Blue - Trophies for a robot, a cat, a mannequin and a young girl

• Green - Babysit

• Yellow - Ow

• Purple - Dubya not talking

Featured Video For You Connections: How to play and how to win Here are today's Connections categories

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

• Blue - NOT BIG

• Green - IMPORTANT FOR TEXTING

• Yellow - GOING UP

• Purple - EVERYTHING YOU NEED EXCEPT A DICTIONARY

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 Connections #231 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Blue - MODIFIERS MEANING "SMALL" - BABY, MINI, POCKET, TOY

• Green - "CAN I GET YOUR ____" (PHONE INFO REQUEST) - CELL, CONTACT, DIGITS, NUMBER

• Yellow - HIGHEST POINT - CREST, PEAK, SUMMIT, VERTEX

• Purple - INSIDE A SCRABBLE BOX - BAG, BOARD, RACKS, TILES

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.

Is this not the Connections game you were looking for? Here are the hints and answers to yesterday's Connections.

Oh hey there! If you're here, it must be time for Wordle. As always, we're serving up our daily hints and tips to help you figure out today's answer.

If you just want to be told today's word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for Jan. 28's Wordle solution revealed. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

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.

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

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 used to be available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it. Unfortunately, it has since been taken down, with the website's creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times.

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:

Burning.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

The letter E appears twice.

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

Today's Wordle starts with the letter E.

SEE ALSO: Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL. What's the answer to Wordle today?

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 Wordle #953 is...

EMBER.

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.

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

TL;DR: A lifetime subscription to Rosetta Stone (All Languages) is on sale for £148.84, saving you 52% on list price.

The ability to communicate in multiple languages is more than just a skill; it's a valuable asset with far-reaching benefits. And this deal on all-language access to Rosetta Stone for life gives you access to all 25 languages for just £148.84.

Learning a new language comes with benefits like allowing you to communicate with others while travelling and much more. According to Cambridge University Press and Assessment, learning a new language later in life is "a powerful way to exercise your brain," partly because you are "forming new connections in the brain and strengthening nervous system links." 

SEE ALSO: This well-rounded skills learning bundle is on sale for under £100

Rosetta Stone has been a leader in language learning for nearly 30 years and has been used by names like NASA and Calvin Klein. Rosetta helps you develop your understanding of each language through reading, writing, and speaking. It does this through interactive software and TruAccent, its speech-recognition technology, that analyses the words you say to perfect your pronunciation.

You'll start out matching words with images and basic conversational skills about things like shopping, ordering at a restaurant, and more. You can then level up to more complex topics like sharing opinions and discussing pop culture, which could come in handy while travelling abroad.

This software works on various types of devices, including PCs, Macs, tablets, and mobile devices. However, customers can only access one language at a time, but can switch between them at any time. 

This beloved language-learning software can help you build fluency and confidence in your choice of 25 languages. If you've been wanting to learn a new language, this could be a great time to start.

Get a lifetime subscription to Rosetta Stone's 25 languages for £148.84.

Opens in a new window Credit: Rosetta Stone Rosetta Stone: All Languages (Lifetime Subscription) £148.84 at the Mashable Shop Get Deal

Pornographic deepfakes of Taylor Swift went viral on X (formerly Twitter) this week, highlighting the dangers of AI-generated imagery online.

Synthetic or manipulated media that may deceive people isn't allowed on X, according to its policy, and the platform's safety team posted on Friday that it's "actively removing all identified images and taking appropriate actions against the accounts responsible for posting them."

SEE ALSO: The era of the AI-generated internet is already here

By Saturday, users noticed that X attempted to curb the problem by blocking "Taylor Swift" from being searched — but not certain related terms, The Verge reported.

X blocks Taylor Swift's name from Search. Credit: Screenshot: X

Mashable was also able to produce the error page for the terms "Taylor Swift AI" and "Taylor AI." The terms "Swift AI," "Taylor AI Swift," and "Taylor Swift deepfake" are searchable on the platform, though, with manipulated images still displayed on the "Media" tab.

As Mashable culture reporter Meera Navlakha pointed out in an article about the deepfakes of Swift, major social media platforms are struggling to contain AI-generated content. This is due to the speed and access of creating these images, causing social platforms like X to be inundated with them in recent months. Making Swift's name unsearchable suggests that X doesn't know how to handle the array of deepfake imagery and video on its platform.

On Friday, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre called the situation "alarming." She also commented that there should be legislation about it, hinting that the issue of AI image moderation may soon be seen in Congress.

With mainstream artificial intelligence tools on the rise at the cusp of the 2024 U.S. presidential election, AI-generated disinformation isn't just a fear — it's already a reality. On January 22, the New Hampshire Department of Justice released a statement that people received a recorded audio deepfake of Joe Biden, telling them not to vote in the state primary election. The call encouraged voters to "save" their vote, noting falsely that, "your vote makes a difference in November, not this Tuesday."

Days later, AI startup ElevenLabs suspended the creator of the fake Biden audio, Bloomberg reported.

SEE ALSO: Deepfakes of Taylor Swift have gone viral. How does this keep happening?

ElevenLabs is an AI voice generator that is run by a model that, according to its website, can add human-like inflection to a voice based on context. The generator has thousands of pre-made AI voices to choose from, or you can create a custom one. Bloomberg reported that voice-fraud detection company Pindrop Security Inc. found that the AI Biden robocall was made using ElevenLabs.

"We are dedicated to preventing the misuse of audio AI tools and take any incidents of misuse extremely seriously," ElevenLabs told Bloomberg. ElevenLabs' website states that deepfakes of politicians can be used only in certain cases, including caricature, parody, or satire. Once the company was made aware of the Biden deepfake, it investigated and suspended the account responsible, a source told Bloomberg.

In an interview with The Hill, computer science professor at Carnegie Mellon University Kathleen Carley said the Biden robocall is "the tip of the iceberg" in terms of attempts to suppress voters. Carley added that it's a harbinger of what could come.

ChatGPT developer OpenAI is already trying to quell misinformation itself, releasing plans to protect the integrity of the election. Soon after, the company suspended a developer who made a bot for a long-shot democratic candidate.

As such, we must be vigilant in what we see — and hear — this election season. As Mashable tech reporter Cecily Mauran warned, "The idea of an internet dominated by AI-generated content is already happening and it doesn't look good."

There is an ongoing national nightmare and not enough people are talking about it. Big Bird is now small. Tiny, even. I repeat: Big Bird is small. The horror.

How did this begin? We do not fully know. But Big Bird, seemingly out of nowhere, posted on X (formerly Twitter) that he was small — as if he woke up that way one day. Suddenly, his 8'2" frame shrunk to insect size. And we're just supposed to go on living our lives? In this changed world?

This was the initial post, from Wednesday.

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From there, the account for Big Bird has posted repeatedly about being small. And being stuck in his new, tiny size.

Big Bird seemed to grapple with his very identity. Frankly, the posts feel like cosmic horror.

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Has his new size rendered him invisible to his loved ones? Has our beloved giant bird been condemned to a life haunting what once was?

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Your screams will fall on deaf ears, bird. There will be no playing any longer.

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OK, so clearly, this is some sort of marketing stunt. To what end is unclear. But it has worked. The internet has been joking about Big Bird's shrunkenness.

This article, for instance, has negated some folks' worries.

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Others joked about how stressed they were.

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I don't know if this makes me a bad person but this joke made me laugh very hard.

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This one, too.

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And all of these.

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As of this writing this dire situation has not been remedied. Big Bird remains small, as far as we know. The horror continues unabated. But perhaps soon he will return to his full size and all will be right with the world.