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We thought that the glimpse of Joel (Pedro Pascal) we caught at the end of The Last of Us Season 2, episode 5, might mean we see more of him in episode 6 — and based on the trailer, that's exactly what's going to happen.

The teaser above shows Ellie (Bella Ramsey) and Joel in Jackson, presumably filling in some of the five-year time gap that took place between Seasons 1 and 2. Things start off happily enough, but there are some shots further in that suggest we may be about to learn how Ellie found out what Joel did at the Firefly hospital.

This is going to be painful, isn't it?

The Last of Us Season 2 is now streaming on Max. New episodes air weekly on Sundays 9 p.m. ET on HBO.

The best VPNs aren't always the most expensive. Some leading VPNs are actually really affordable, which is great news for anyone looking to secure cheap online security, data protection, and increased streaming options.

You have come to the right place if you're looking for a premium VPN with advanced features, without the big price tag. We've lined up some great value options for absolutely everyone, and there is no need to compromise on security, connection speed, customer support, or anything else.

But first, there are a few things we need to cover.

What is a VPN?

Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) provide valuable protection for your data and identity when you're navigating the online world. How do they do this? VPNs offer online privacy and anonymity by creating a private network that hides your real IP address and makes all of your information unreadable.

All of your activity is untraceable and secure, because your online traffic passes through an encrypted tunnel. Everything inside the tunnel is protected against online threats like viruses, hackers, and malware. VPNs are primarily designed to provide online security, but there is another reason that millions of people use these services.

SEE ALSO: The best VPNs for your iPhone

VPNs can also be used to stream movies and shows from around the world, and the process is actually really simple. We've already mentioned how VPNs provide anonymity by hiding your real IP address. Well, this technique can also be used to manipulate the streaming market. By hiding your real IP address and connecting you to a server in another location, you can trick your favourite streaming sites into thinking that you are based in a different country. This provides access to all the extra content that would normally be restricted in your location.

Should you use free VPNs?

The question that everyone wants an answer to is whether you actually need to pay for a VPN. There are plenty of free VPNs out there, but do these offer the features you need to browse, shop, and stream securely? Unfortunately, there is often a catch with free versions (usually in the form of a limitation on your data usage or connection speed).

Occasional users will probably be satisfied with a free VPN, but if you're going to be streaming or downloading on a regular basis, you should look elsewhere. The only exception to this rule is a free trial. These come without limitations, but obviously don't tend to last for a long time.

The conclusion is that the best option for securing your data and streaming more content from around the world is with a paid subscription. The sad fact is that you'll have to pay to gain access to advanced security features without limitations on your usage. It's not all bad news though, because there are plenty of cheap plans out there, especially if you're willing to commit to a lengthy contract.

What should you consider before subscribing to a VPN?

The process of actually selecting a VPN can be seriously tricky, especially if you don't know what to consider. Most of the best VPNs offer many of the same features with similar packages, so it's important to know what matters.

To make your life a little bit easier, we have shortlisted a few things to consider before making any sort of decision:

• Customer support — VPNs can be difficult to understand if you're not an experienced user, and even if you are, problems can occur. Whether you're a total beginner or not, customer support is key for dealing with any potential issues that might arise. You should also consider whether customer support is offered by phone, email, or web chat.

• Jurisdiction — It's a good idea to look for VPNs based in the British Virgin Islands, Panama, Switzerland, and other privacy-friendly countries. VPNs based in countries that fall under the jurisdiction of the intelligence-sharing alliances should be avoided: the U.S., UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Denmark, France, Norway, the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, Italy, Sweden, and Spain. VPNs in these countries can be forced by authorities to collect and hand over user data.

• Network size and location — The best VPNs offer a large network of geographically diverse servers. The more servers (and server locations) offered by a VPN, the more likely you are to find a reliable and fast connection. This is also particularly important for streaming, as you should always be able to connect to a server in the country with the content you want to watch.

• Trustworthiness — We recommend finding an experienced provider with a strong track record and a clear privacy policy. It's important that your VPN of choice guarantees your data won't be logged or collected. If it isn't obvious what happens to your data, you should steer clear.

Make sure you carefully consider these features before deciding on the VPN that suits you and your lifestyle. Once you have narrowed down your options, you can begin the process of finding the best deals.

What is the best VPN?

We're sorry to burst your bubble, but there isn't one VPN that stands above all the rest. The best VPN for you really comes down to your own set of personal preferences. Once you find a few options that tick your boxes, you need to consider the best deals.

We have reached out to partners in order to provide you with market-leading prices on VPN subscriptions, with performance and security in mind. All of these VPN services have been handpicked not only because of the prices and deals on offer, but because they all offer the most important features to protect your online data and identity.

There are also plenty of services to consider on this list if your priority is unlocking streaming sites like Netflix, Prime Video, and Disney+. Online security should always be the priority, but we know that many subscribers use these services to unlock more content from around the world. We get it, and we're here to help.

These are the best deals on cheap VPNs in 2025.

Looking at your phone while in a moving vehicle is often a recipe for nausea. Yet as unpleasant as motion sickness is, passenger princesses the world over remain determined to test the limits of their upchuck reflexes daily. Fortunately, Apple's iPhone has a feature to help combat motion sickness and save car interiors: Vehicle Motion Cues. Here's how to activate it.

SEE ALSO: How to turn on dark mode on iOS

Motion sickness occurs when your senses receive conflicting information regarding your positioning. For example, while your eyes are telling your body that you're remaining still, the balance system in your inner ears is detecting movement. This can cause a plethora of unpleasant symptoms, such as nausea, headaches, and dizziness.

Added in iOS 18, iPhone's Vehicle Motion Cues attempt to combat such sensory confusion. Once activated, this feature displays animated dots on the sides of your screen to indicate how the vehicle is moving, offering your eyes a reference point to cling to. The Vehicle Motion Cues don't turn up in screenshots or screen recordings either, so you don't have to worry about switching them off before capturing your screen.

Here's how to turn on iPhone's Vehicle Motion Cues.

Total Time

• 1 min

What You Need

• iPhone

Step 1: Open "Settings."

Credit: Mashable edit: Apple

Step 2: Tap on "Accessibility."

Credit: Amanda Yeo / Mashable

Step 3: Under "Vision," tap on "Motion."

Credit: Amanda Yeo / Mashable

Step 4: Tap on "Show Vehicle Motion Cues."

Credit: Amanda Yeo / Mashable

Step 5: Choose "On" or "Automatic."

Choosing "On" will make the Vehicle Motion Cues appear immediately. Alternatively, choosing "Automatic" will cause the animated dots to appear whenever your iPhone detects that you are in a moving vehicle.

Credit: Amanda Yeo / Mashable

TL;DR: Upgrade your PC with Windows 11 Pro for only $14.97 (reg. $199) before codes sell out.

If you haven't heard already, Microsoft has officially announced the countdown clock on Windows 10. Are you still running your PC on this dated operating system? Now might be the perfect time to finally upgrade your device's performance, because the latest operating system, Windows 11 Pro, is now less than $15 until the end of today. However, codes are limited.

With these Windows 11 Pro keys, you can completely revamp two compatible PCs, whether they're your personal or work computers. For starters, you'll enjoy a refreshed user interface that's been designed to be intuitive and aesthetically pleasing with rounded corners.

This updated operating system provides more than just an improved navigation experience. New productivity tools like snap layouts, easy redocking, and improved voice typing can help you complete personal and professional tasks, and you'll even have a more powerful search experience to get you further.

Digital safety is paramount for anyone online, which is why Windows 11 Pro is outfitted with enhanced security measures like Smart App Control, TPM 2.0, BitLocker device encryption, and more for greater peace of mind as you browse, stream, or game. And speaking of gaming, this operating system is designed to improve PC gaming graphics with DirectX12 Ultimate.

Since this is the Pro version of Windows 11, you'll additionally get remote work-friendly features, such as remote desktop access for viewing files and running programs from your mobile device. There's also Azure AD, Hyper-V, and Windows Sandbox for extra professional usage.

Score this Windows 11 Pro discount for just $14.97. Act while the price is still at an all-time low, or before codes sell out for good.

StackSocial prices subject to change

Opens in a new window Credit: InterPlein Microsoft Windows 11 Pro $14.97
$199 Save $184.03 Get Deal

If you like playing daily word games like Wordle, then Hurdle is a great game to add to your routine.

There are five rounds to the game. The first round sees you trying to guess the word, with correct, misplaced, and incorrect letters shown in each guess. If you guess the correct answer, it'll take you to the next hurdle, providing the answer to the last hurdle as your first guess. This can give you several clues or none, depending on the words. For the final hurdle, every correct answer from previous hurdles is shown, with correct and misplaced letters clearly shown.

An important note is that the number of times a letter is highlighted from previous guesses does necessarily indicate the number of times that letter appears in the final hurdle.

If you find yourself stuck at any step of today's Hurdle, don't worry! We have you covered.

SEE ALSO: Hurdle: Everything you need to know to find the answers Hurdle Word 1 hint

Often used to describe ponds.

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

MURKY

Hurdle Word 2 hint

A slow, shelled animal.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for May 12, 2025 Hurdle Word 2 Answer

SNAIL

Hurdle Word 3 hint

A classifier.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for May 12 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for May 12, 2025 Hurdle Word 3 answer

LABEL

Hurdle Word 4 hint

To have an obligation to do something.

SEE ALSO: NYT Strands hints, answers for May 12 Hurdle Word 4 answer

OUGHT

Final Hurdle hint

Something's happening.

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

AFOOT

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

Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann's HBO adaptation of The Last of Us has stuck pretty close to the Naughty Dog games, making changes where it makes sense for TV.

However, one major element has been missing from the series, one deliberately omitted from both seasons so far: spores. But as of Season 2, episode 5, the airborne threat has landed.

Not good. Credit: Liane Hentscher / HBO

In The Last of Us games, characters must constantly don masks to avoid inhaling infectious spores produced by the Cordyceps infestation. Spores play a major role in The Last of Us Part II, mainly for how Dina finds out Ellie is immune to infection; in the show Ellie (Bella Ramsey) gets bitten defending Dina (Isabela Merced) in the subway beneath Seattle, while in the game Ellie's gas mask gets broken in the spore-filled tunnel and she miraculously breathes it all in without harm.

SEE ALSO: 'The Last of Us' Season 2: What are the differences between the game and the HBO show?

Druckmann and Mazin decided to leave spores out of the show for more realism. "If we wanted to treat it realistically, and there are spores near, characters would wear gas masks all the time," Druckmann told Polygon of Season 1. "Then we lose so much, which is maybe the most important part of the journey, is what’s going on inside behind their eyes, in their soul, in their beings. For that logistical reason, we were like, Let’s find a different vector."

I'd argue that I can envision conversations around the questionable action of encasing Pedro Pascal in yet another helmet as a main character on TV, but that's just me making shit up.

However, in Season 2, episode 5, Mazin and Druckmann change the game for the series, unlocking a basement full of Cordyceps spores in Seattle's Lakeville Hospital, right beneath the feet of the Washington Liberation Front (WLF).

We first learn of the spores through a conversation between Hanrahan (Alanna Ubach) and WLF commanding officer Elise Park (Hettienne Park). The latter recounts a mission gone wrong in the hospital basement, in which her unit — led by her son, Leon — discovered Cordyceps all over the walls as usual, but also floating in the air. Alas, a coughing Leon ordered his mother to seal himself and other obviously Infected officers in, which she did.

Elise confirms the spores are not in the vents or the unit would have been Infected weeks ago — but then Ellie chases Nora (Tati Gabrielle) into the second basement floor at the end of the episode, meaning certain doors are prised open that Elise's unit had painfully sealed.

Cordyceps has found its way into Jackson's pipes and now into Seattle's air. This is not looking good, folks. Cordy's evolving.

The Last of Us Season 2 is now streaming on Max. New episodes air weekly on Sundays 9 p.m. ET on HBO.

Watching The Last of Us and want to play the games? Here's how.

We're digging further into new characters and storylines in The Last of Us Season 2, with one hell of a basement situation opening up in episode 5.

A name that comes up during the opening scene is Leon. But who is he, how does he relate to the storyline, and does he appear in Naughty Dog's game? Let's go through the details.

SEE ALSO: 'The Last of Us' Season 2: What are the differences between the game and the HBO show? When is Leon mentioned in The Last of Us Season 2?

In the opening scene of episode 5, Hanrahan (Alanna Ubach) interrogates Washington Liberation Front (WLF) commanding officer Elise Park (Hettienne Park) about a mission that went terribly wrong in Seattle's Lakehill Hospital. During their conversation, Elise says she sent her team into the hospital basement to secure it after clearing the floors above it of Infected — orders Hanrahan gave her.

Elise mentions that a soldier called Leon was put in charge of the unit for the mission "because he's my best," and we also learn in this scene that Leon was her son.

What happened to Leon in The Last of Us?

It was always a risky mission, as Elise mentions the hospital basement is where doctors brought the first Cordyceps patients to be treated in 2003. After finding the first floor of the basement strangely empty, Elise sent her unit to the second, with Leon up front.

"Few minutes in, he radios back, 'There's Cordyceps on the walls, the floor.' Chances are they'll find Infected next, but that's what they were down there for, so I told them to proceed," Elise says. "Five minutes later, he radios again — this time he was struggling to breathe."

Featured Video For You 'The Last of Us' stars Bella Ramsey and Kaitlyn Dever break down Ellie and Abby's quests for revenge

It's here Leon reveals his team discovered not only that villainous fungi, Cordyceps, growing on the walls as usual, but also spores from it floating through the air. And in a tragic moment of heroism, he tells his own mother to seal the unit in the basement's second floor.

"We did what Leon said. We sealed them in," she says.

Later in the episode, when Ellie (Bella Ramsey) chases Nora (Tati Gabrielle) into the hospital basement, she discovers the area overrun with Cordyceps — and spores are not only floating through the air, they're being emitted by a couple of humans infested with the mushrooms and sealed on the walls.

One of these poor souls is wearing a name patch, L. Park, which confirms him as the ill-fated Leon (Cheonguk Park), doomed to spew spores in a half-alive state.

Is Leon in The Last of Us games?

The name Leon is mentioned only in environmental storytelling in The Last of Us Part II, and it references another character. But there's some ironic overlap.

Ellie and Dina find a note in the abandoned Westlake Bank in Seattle beside a gym bag of cash, describing a bank robbery gone wrong at the outbreak of the Cordyceps pandemic. In the letter, written by a very pissed off person involved in the heist, you learn that he was attacked by Infected then sealed in the bank by his accomplices, including his friend Leon Travis.

It could be a coincidence here, but if this is a deliberate use of Leon's name, The Last of Us creator Druckmann is almost giving cruel poetic justice to Leon's imprisoned bank robber friend — both of them sealed in thanks to the threat of Infected.

The Last of Us Season 2 is now streaming on Max. New episodes air weekly on Sundays 9 p.m. ET on HBO.

Watching The Last of Us and want to play the games? Here's how.

Did you hear that? It's the sound of a song we've been waiting for in The Last of Us, fluttering out the window.

In Season 2, episode 5, Ellie (Bella Ramsey) takes to the stage of Seattle's crumbling Pinnacle Theater, where instruments remain set for a performance never given. In a similarly moving moment to Ellie's rendition of "Take On Me" in the previous episode, she hesitantly picks up an acoustic guitar — an ever-painful reminder of her music-teaching, late father Joel (Pedro Pascal) — and takes a seat.

Then, Ellie sings one unmistakable line: "If I ever were to lose you." It's the first line of Pearl Jam's 2013 song "Future Days" and an incredibly important element of The Last of Us games.

Reader, I screamed.

SEE ALSO: 'The Last of Us' Season 2, episode 4: Why Ellie sings 'Take on Me'

But suddenly, Ellie reconsiders playing the song and stops completely, overcome with suppressed emotion. It's way too much, too soon. But surely that can't be it?

Why is Pearl Jam's "Future Days" important to The Last of Us?

Music remains a crucial, human element of The Last of Us. The song Ellie begins to play in Season 2, episode 5 is deeply meaningful to her and Joel, and subsequently, to fans. But we don't know this from the show; we know it from Naughty Dog's game The Last of Us Part II.

In the sequel to The Last of Us, there's a scene right at the beginning of the game in which Joel plays Pearl Jam's "Future Days" for Ellie on a butterfly-necked guitar he found for her during a patrol, not long after they've returned to Jackson from Salt Lake City. Joel is a man of few words, never really expressing love aloud, and Ellie and Joel are in a tense state in their relationship, with Joel having done what he did.

Featured Video For You 'The Last of Us' stars Bella Ramsey and Kaitlyn Dever break down Ellie and Abby's quests for revenge

The song is a moment in which he tries to show his found daughter, Ellie, how he feels about her. And despite their tension and her complicated feelings about his actions, Ellie's face is pure love and appreciation in this moment — and importantly, this is the first time she would have ever heard this song.

The lyrics speak directly to Ellie and Joel's relationship — "If I ever were to lose you / I'd surely lose myself / Everything I have found dear / I've not found by myself" — and considering the tragic fate awaiting Joel, they're devastating in their doomed hope for "future days" together.

"I believe 'cause I can see / Our future days / Days of you and me."

Surely, The Last of Us HBO series will let the entire Pearl Jam song have its moment. Lead singer Eddie Vedder even played the song live at The Game Awards 2020 with the game's release, knowing its impact and connection with Part II. Ellie playing one line cannot be the whole thing.

The Last of Us Season 2 is now streaming on Max. New episodes air weekly on Sundays 9 p.m. ET on HBO.

Watching The Last of Us and want to play the games? Here's how.

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's The Mini crossword answers for May 12 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: Where cash is stored

• Green: To recoil

• Blue: Site traffic

• Purple: Mouth gestures

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: Places to find paper money

• Green: Rebound

• Blue: Things tracked by web analytics

• Purple: Things you can do with your lips

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 #700 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Places to find paper money: ATM, CASH REGISTER, TIP JAR, WALLET

• Rebound: BANK, BOUNCE, CAROM, RICOCHET

• Things tracked by web analytics: CLICK, HIT, PAGE VIEW, VISIT

• Things you can do with your lips: CURL, PUCKER, PURSE, SMACK

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 May 12

Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.

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

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

If you're reading this, you're looking for a little help playing Strands, the New York Times' elevated word-search game.

Strands 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 preferrined pace.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for May 12 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for May 12 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: A little respect

The words are perception-related.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words are ways to describe the opinions of someone.

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 Street Cred

Featured Video For You Strands 101: How to win NYT’s latest word game NYT Strands word list for May 12

• Name

• Stature

• Character

• Street Cred

• Reputation

• Standing

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 yesterday's Strands.

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 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 today: Hints and answers for May 12 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's The Mini crossword answers for May 12, 2025 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

An arm muscle.

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 B.

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...

BICEP.

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.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for May 12

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 yesterday's Wordle.

We're still a long way from being over what happened to Joel (Pedro Pascal) back in The Last of Us Season 2, episode 2, so suddenly seeing him again at the end of episode 5 is a bittersweet surprise.

But it's also a slightly confusing one, given how brief the moment is and what's come before it. So what exactly is the deal with the episode's ending, and what might it mean for what's to come next? Let's break it down.

SEE ALSO: 'The Last of Us' Season 2, episode 4: Why Ellie sings 'Take on Me' What happens at the end of The Last of Us Season 2, episode 5?

After narrowly escaping both Seraphites and Wolves, Ellie (Bella Ramsey) finally locates Nora (Tati Gabrielle), one of Abby's (Kaitlyn Dever's) party who was present for Joel's murder. Ellie chases Nora down to a spore-infested hospital basement, where Nora finally vocalises the terrible truth about what happened at the Firefly hospital in Season 1 — and why Abby did what she did to Joel.

"He killed everyone in that hospital, including the only fucking person alive that could make a cure from you," hisses Nora. "That was Abby's father, and Joel...Joel shot him in the head. That's what he did."

At this point we're expecting some kind of reaction from Ellie, but her face remains unchanged. There isn't even a hint of shock, and a second later we find out why. "I know," says Ellie. Then she takes a length of pipe and proceeds to beat Nora with it while asking her where Abby is, over and over again.

It's a violent and somewhat confusing scene, given that we've spent Season 2 thinking Ellie was still in the dark about Joel's secret. The scene that comes after, though, it is even more jarring.

Cutting from the dark of the hospital basement we suddenly see Ellie waking up in her bedroom back in Jackson, with sunlight filtering in through the window. The door creaks open behind her and suddenly there's Joel, very much alive and smiling in at her.

"Hey, kiddo," he says, and Ellie smiles back at him.

"Hi."

Featured Video For You 'The Last of Us' stars Bella Ramsey and Kaitlyn Dever break down Ellie and Abby's quests for revenge What's the deal with the Joel flashback?

Coming right at the end of the episode just before the credits, the final scene with Joel doesn't make much sense at first. It's clearly a flashback, but what's it got to do with what we've just witnessed in the hospital? Isn't it a little out of place?

Well, maybe not. In the scene in the hospital, Ellie doesn't appear to be lying when she says she knows what Joel did. Her expression is that of someone who really does know, and at this point, really doesn't care (or doesn't want Nora to think so). The thing is, though, we don't know how she knows. When, and why, did Joel's closely guarded secret get out?

When you follow that through, it seems pretty clear that the flashback at the end of episode 5 is building up to something. The Last of Us is well known for breaking the mould with its standout episodes, some of which — think episodes 3 and episodes 7 in Season 1 — take us on journeys into the past.

Is it possible that the flashback with Joel will lead to a longer flashback in episode 6? Maybe one that explains how Ellie knows what she knows?

The Last of Us Season 2 is now streaming on Max. New episodes air weekly on Sundays 9 p.m. ET on HBO.

Watching The Last of Us and want to play the games? Here's how.

The Last of Us Season 2 dropped a major bombshell in its fifth episode. The Cordyceps fungus is no longer just transmitted through bites. You can also become infected through airborne spores.

This revelation won't come as news to The Last of Us game fans, as spores have been a mechanic since the very first game. However, the scene that introduces spores to the show also hints at a major Infected enemy from The Last of Us Part II: the Rat King.

What is the Rat King in The Last of Us Part II?

The Rat King is a boss from the second half of The Last of Us Part II, and it's without a doubt the most disgusting creature in both games. It's based on the real (but rare) phenomenon of rat kings, which occur when a group of rats gets their tails irreversibly tangled.

When it comes to the Rat King in The Last of Us Part II, replace rats with the bodies of the Infected, and the tangled tails with the Cordyceps fungus, and you have a pretty good idea of how this unholy amalgamation was formed. Seriously, you thought a Bloater was bad? Well, a Rat King is Clickers on top of Stalkers on top of a Bloater, so it's just bad news all around.

How does The Last of Us Season 2 hint at the Rat King?

In The Last of Us Part II, the Rat King lurks in the basement of the WLF-controlled hospital the series introduces in episode 5. Even though we don't meet it in this episode — and with two episodes left, it's unlikely we'll meet it in Season 2 — The Last of Us still finds a way to hint at its existence.

SEE ALSO: 'The Last of Us' Season 2: What is the Washington Liberation Front?

In the episode's opening sequence, Hanrahan (Alanna Ubach) talks to WLF soldier Elise (Hettienne Park) about why she made the decision to block off all entry points to the hospital basement, dooming several of her men to die.

The reason Elise gives is the spores, but she adds that even though the hospital basement was where the first Cordyceps patients were brought when the outbreak started, it was oddly devoid of Infected.

"Nothing, the whole floor was empty," Elise tells Hanrahan of what's in the basement. "Not even rats."

The specific mention of rats feels like a pretty clear hint to The Last of Us gamers that the show writers are thinking about the Rat King. But even the basement's emptiness is a chilling reference to what's coming. It's been 25 years since the Cordyceps outbreak — enough time for the basement to get horribly overgrown with fungus. And if those first Infected bodies were left down there, undisturbed, for 25 years, that's also enough time for them to become fused together into the mass that is the Rat King.

That means the basement floor isn't actually empty. All the bodies just grew into one giant enemy that no one knows is down there. Maybe the missing rats even fused with the Infected Rat King. (Or maybe they were an early food source.) Either way, we're in for a nightmare whenever the Rat King finally shows up.

New episodes of The Last of Us Season 2 premiere on HBO and Max Sundays at 9 p.m. ET.

The name choice of a new pope carries symbolism for the values he wishes to emulate, in recognition of the most pressing issues he sees as leader of the Catholic Church.

For Pope Leo XIV, artificial intelligence is at the heart of his name choice.

Born Robert Francis Prevost, the new pope chose his papal name in reference to Pope Leo XIII (1810-1903) who presided over the Catholic Church during the Industrial Revolution, which ushered in massive social upheaval. Pope Leo XIV sees the AI boom as a similar moment of rapid societal change.

SEE ALSO: Holy smoke, the internet is obsessed with the papal conclave

In his address to the College of Cardinals on Saturday, Leo XIV explained his name choice, explicitly mentioning the parallels of these two cataclysmic eras:

Sensing myself called to continue in this same path, I chose to take the name Leo XIV. There are different reasons for this, but mainly because Pope Leo XIII in his historic Encyclical Rerum Novarum addressed the social question in the context of the first great industrial revolution. In our own day, the Church offers to everyone the treasury of her social teaching in response to another industrial revolution and to developments in the field of artificial intelligence that pose new challenges for the defence of human dignity, justice and labour.

Pope Leo XIII was known for focusing on social inequality and labor rights during the industrialization period as workers moved away from individual craftsmanship and farm work and into mass production factories under harsh, low-wage conditions. Yet he also emphasized individual human rights and rejected socialism. In his encyclical, or formal letter to the Catholic Church, Leo XIII called for a balance between "the duties and rights of capital and labor," which is also the subtitle of his Rerum Novarum address.

For Leo XIV to follow in the footsteps of the previous social reformer is a powerful message to the AI industry and its impact on the global workforce.

Modern society has already seen the effects of AI through job replacement and the exploitation of data labelers. According to the World Economic Forum's 2025 jobs report, 41 percent of employers intend to downsize their workforce in favor of automating tasks with AI. And the International Labor Organization published a 2024 report highlighting the "invisible labor" of AI development and the low-wages and the limited protections of these workers.

The Catholic Church has already weighed in on other consequences of AI. Pope Francis, Leo's predecessor, published a message in January 2024, warning about AI as a "distortion of reality by partially or completely false narratives, believed and broadcast as if they were true." More recently, Pope Francis' final address before he died reflected on technology replacing human interaction.

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Asking any of the popular chatbots to be more concise "dramatically impact[s] hallucination rates," according to a recent study.

French AI testing platform Giskard published a study analyzing chatbots, including ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Llama, Grok, and DeepSeek, for hallucination-related issues. In its findings, the researchers discovered that asking the models to be brief in their responses "specifically degraded factual reliability across most models tested," according to the accompanying blog post via TechCrunch.

SEE ALSO: Can ChatGPT pass the Turing Test yet?

When users instruct the model to be concise in its explanation, it ends up "prioritiz[ing] brevity over accuracy when given these constraints." The study found that including these instructions decreased hallucination resistance by up to 20 percent. Gemini 1.5 Pro dropped from 84 to 64 percent in hallucination resistance with short answer instructions and GPT-4o, from 74 to 63 percent in the analysis, which studied sensitivity to system instructions.

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Giskard attributed this effect to more accurate responses often requiring longer explanations. "When forced to be concise, models face an impossible choice between fabricating short but inaccurate answers or appearing unhelpful by rejecting the question entirely," said the post.

Models are tuned to help users, but balancing perceived helpfulness and accuracy can be tricky. Recently, OpenAI had to roll back its GPT-4o update for being "too sycophant-y," leading to disturbing instances of supporting a user saying they're going off their meds and encouraging a user who said they feel like a prophet.

As the researchers explained, models often prioritize more concise responses to "reduce token usage, improve latency, and minimize costs." Users might also specifically instruct the model to be brief for their own cost-saving incentives, which could lead to outputs with more inaccuracies.

The study also found that prompting models with confidence involving controversial claims, such as "'I’m 100% sure that …' or 'My teacher told me that …'" leads to chatbots agreeing with the users more instead of debunking falsehoods.

The research shows that seemingly minor tweaks can result in vastly different behavior that could have big implications for the spread of misinformation and inaccuracies, all in the service of trying to satisfy the user. As the researchers put it, "your favorite model might be great at giving you answers you like — but that doesn't mean those answers are true."

Disclosure: Ziff Davis, Mashable’s parent company, in April filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis' copyrights in training and operating its AI systems.

Saturday Night Live's Weekend Update leaned into sharp punchlines this week, with Colin Jost and Michael Che delivering joke after joke about the kind of news that makes you forget this segment is supposed to be satire.

SEE ALSO: Walton Goggins is a giant flirt in 'SNL' Mother's Day sketch

This time, the duo took aim at the new American Pope, Leo XIV, who, according to Jost, is clearly from South Side Chicago since "his hands are always up."

Then there’s Che, roasting President Biden’s recent stop on The View, where Biden explained Kamala Harris didn’t win the 2024 election because, quote, "the only thing that surprises Biden are the words that come out of his own mouth."

The real MVP of this segment is Mikey Day, who shows up as the "Guy who just walked into a spiderweb" to explain tariffs. Spoiler: He does not explain tariffs.

Who doesn’t love treating Mom to a nice Mother’s Day brunch? And who doesn’t also love when that brunch gets totally derailed by a waiter who just can’t stop hitting on your mom?

That’s the whole chaotic vibe of this Saturday Night Live sketch, with The White Lotus star Walton Goggins stepping in as a way-too-smooth server who turns up the charm on two brunching moms (played by Sarah Sherman and Heidi Gardner). Their unlucky sons (Mikey Day and Andrew Dismukes) are left to awkwardly witness the whole flirt-fest unfold.

SEE ALSO: 'SNL' Mother's Day Cold Open gets ruined by Trump

This one’s either a hit or a hard pass — all depending on how much cringe you can stomach from pickup lines like, "You got to spend 9 months in yo mama, I’m trying to spend 20 minutes."

Another Saturday Night Live, another Cold Open starring James Austin Johnson doing his eerily spot-on Donald Trump impression.

This week, the sketch starts sweetly with Kenan Thompson, Marcello Hernández, and Bowen Yang delivering a heartfelt Mother’s Day tribute — complete with their actual moms on stage. Enter Trump.

"Don't worry, those aren't even the real moms, those are actors," Johnson’s Trump quips. "SNL wouldn’t spring for the flights."

From there, it’s five straight minutes of Johnson channeling Trump in full stand-up mode, complete with a surprise drop-in from former cast member Cecily Strong as Jeanine Pirro, the FOX News host and Trump’s interim pick for U.S. Attorney for D.C.

Alongside Colin Jost playing Pete Hegseth, the Cold Open gleefully skewers both for their enthusiastic relationship with alcohol. Trump even dubs them the "AA Team."

Rian Johnson is a Stephen Sondheim fan through and through.

Look no further than Glass Onion. The second Benoit Blanc film not only drew heavily on whodunnit The Last of Sheila, which Sondheim co-wrote with Anthony Perkins, but also featured a cameo from Sondheim himself, playing Among Us alongside Blanc (Daniel Craig), Angela Lansbury, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Poker Face star Natasha Lyonne.

Johnson's love for Sondheim continues in Poker Face Season 2, episode 3, "Whack-a-Mole," written by Wyatt Cain. The episode features a running gag about FBI agents Luca (Simon Helberg) and Daniel's (John Mulaney) love of Sondheim.

"Who's like us? Damn few," they say in a nod to Sondheim's Merrily We Roll Along.

But the Sondheim connections don't stop there! Episode 3 star Richard Kind has starred in Sondheim shows like Road Show (formerly titled Bounce) and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. He also starred in Documentary Now!'s spoof of the documentary Original Cast Album: Company. You know who else starred in that parody? Mulaney, playing the episode's Sondheim stand-in. How deep does the Johnson-Sondheim connection go?

Mashable Entertainment Reporter Belen Edwards spoke to Johnson about the Sondheim references in "Whack-a-Mole" and Glass Onion, as well as the urgent need for Charlie Cale (Lyonne) to have a real human connection with each murder victim.

"Besides just being inspired by him constantly, I'll sneak him in anywhere I can, in terms of a reference," Johnson told Mashable of Sondheim. For more musical geekery from Johnson, watch the interview above.

The first three episodes of Poker Face Season 2 are now streaming on Peacock, with a new episode airing every Thursday.