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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 September 18'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 September 18 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: Places to have a small get-together

• Green: Hot tip

• Blue: Trailer

• Purple: Misspelled cartoon dogs

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: Gathering Spot Outside A Residence

• Green: Lowdown

• Blue: Kinds of Reels

• Purple: Cartoon Dogs Minus "Y"

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 #465 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Gathering Spot Outside A Residence: DECK, PORCH, STOOP, YARD

• Lowdown: DISH, DOPE, INFO, SCOOP

• Kinds of Reels: BLOOPER, DEMO, HIGHLIGHT, SIZZLE

• Cartoon Dogs Minus "Y": DROOP, GOOF, LAD, SNOOP

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.

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.

The state joins dozens of others in regulating the A.I. fakery in ways that could impact this year’s presidential race.

Ms. Ellison, Sam Bankman-Fried’s former girlfriend and a top executive in his empire, is set to be sentenced on Sept. 24 for her role in the collapse of the crypto exchange.

Apple's big September iPhone event has come and gone and we now know all about the new iPhone 16, a new line of AirPods, and the Apple Watch 10. However, there's still not an M4 Mac or MacBook.

That will be changing very soon, it seems.

SEE ALSO: Apple's new M4 Macs are probably coming in November

Apple appears to have leaked news of a brand new Mac Mini. The leak brings hints of what to expect with the latest desktop Mac and seems to have confirmed rumors about a major redesign.

The new Mac Mini M4 coming soon

The latest Mac operating system, macOS Sequoia, launched on Monday. And, it seems like that launch has brought about a hidden confirmation from Apple about the upcoming Mac Mini M4.

MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris noticed an interesting tidbit in a new line of code from Apple. The line refers to "Apple silicon Mac mini (5 Port)."

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This bolsters evidence for a previous report from Bloomberg's Apple insider Mark Gurman. According to Gurman, Apple is planning to launch a new Mac Mini that's not only powered by the latest and most powerful M4 chipset, but also one that's completely redesigned. The new Mac Mini M4 is supposedly no larger than the Apple TV set-top box. This would be the first change in design for the Mac Mini since 2010.

In order to make the Mac Mini even smaller, reports suggested that Apple was going to remove USB-A ports completely from the tiny desktop. Apple will instead include 5 USB-C ports, which is likely what the "5 Port" mentioned in that code is referencing.

In addition, this is the closest we have to an "official" confirmation so far that a new Mac Mini is on the way. With one last Apple event of the year in either October or possibly November being heavily rumored, a new Mac Mini seems overwhelmingly likely to be part of the new crop of M4 Macs expected in 2024.

"Northumberland Zoo hits different," a white-haired employee of the establishment says in a resigned tone over TikTok. He then proceeds to make a "Gen Z hand heart" — created using your middle and index fingers — with his fellow white-haired colleague. The video garnered nearly 8 million views and over 1 million likes on the app and is part of a trend where Gen Z employees write the script for their company's social marketing videos.

SEE ALSO: 'Beetlejuice lips' TikTok trend celebrates the natural creases of your lips

In these videos, the script is full of internet expressions like "it's giving," "very demure," "brat summer," etc., and the people reciting the script are noticeably older. It implies Gen Z idiocy and Gen X / Boomer gullibility.

It's the latest iteration of businesses using their Gen Z employees — and their internet savvy — for attention and engagement online. Previously, "Gen Z interns" edited their employer's videos in quirky, unprofessional ways. There was also a period of "guess who is Gen Z" TikToks made in the workplace. The latest spin on the trend relies on "Gen Z vocabulary" or online slang, which, more often than not, is misidentified African American Vernacular English.

SEE ALSO: From yap to pookie, 2024's most viral internet slang defined

Milking invented generational difference is tired, and a TikTok trend explicitly created for marketing is never much fun. They fill our feeds with even more advertisements masquerading as culture.

However, some videos in the current wave of the Gen Z intern trend maintain a bit of charm due to the types of businesses it attracts. In one, a woman walks around Fyfield Manor, an 880-year-old bed and breakfast, saying things like, "See the garden? It's giving relaxation." The video received over 11.4 million views and 2.2 million likes. In another, actors decked out in Regency-era dress greet "besties" and show viewers around the Jane Austen Centre to the tune of over 125,000 views and 22,000 likes.

When these videos lack the dichotomy between historical England and internet slang, they tend to fall flat — with the exception of zoos. Zoos have some of the most pleasing and innately viral social media presences on the internet.

OpenAI 's internal safety committee is becoming an independent oversight body, as CEO Sam Altman leaves the group's top leadership role.

The announcement came as part of the results of a 90-day evaluation by the existing Altman-chaired Safety and Security Committee into the company's AI safeguards and governance.

The committee's new leadership includes Zico Kolter (Carnegie Mellon University), as well as existing members Adam D’Angelo (Quora) and Nicole Seligman (formerly Sony). "The Safety and Security Committee will be briefed by company leadership on safety evaluations for major model releases, and will, along with the full board, exercise oversight over model launches, including having the authority to delay a release until safety concerns are addressed," the announcement reads.

SEE ALSO: Big Tech is emitting way, way more greenhouse gas emissions than reported

In May, the AI company launched a revamped safety and security team with Altman in the top seat, following the dissolution of its former security body and the loss of more than half of its relevant employees. Multiple former employees have raised concerns about Altman's leadership and OpenAI's safety protocols.

Last week, Altman told OpenAI employees that the company plans to overhaul its non-profit corporate structure in favor of a for-profit push. The company, the CEO said, had "outgrown" its existence as a capped for-profit LLC overseen by a non-profit board, but the shift was also reportedly an essential element to the AI startup's anticipated $150 billion valuation.

Netflix has released a look at its animated "The Witcher:Sirens of the Deep" series, with voice actor Doug Cockle reprising the role.

There is a financial crisis among groups that recruit and advocate for women in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) fields, the BBC reports. 

Funding has dried up for many of these organizations, with Women Who Code and Girls in Tech — two of the most prominent U.S. organizations supporting women in tech positions — folding this summer. The problem stretches across shores, with the UK’s Tech Talent Charter shuttering in June. Like Women Who Code and Girls in Tech, the Charter’s reason for closure was a lack of financial support from tech companies, which appear to be souring on DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) initiatives that once worked to recruit women and employees of color, especially in the early 2020s. Google, Meta, X, and Zoom have all slashed DEI budgets and laid off staff.

The tech gender disparity appears stuck in a doom loop, with companies devoting less effort to bridging the gap and fewer tech organizations for women able to survive. At Google, Microsoft, and Apple, women make up less than 33 percent of leadership teams, while female employees at the three tech mega-companies constitute only about a third of workers.

SEE ALSO: Spotify hasn't spent much of its $100 million diversity fund

While tech corporations often blame missed revenue targets for the cutting of positions and initiatives that support minority students and candidates, the BBC posits that the companies are following cultural currents whipped up by figures like X CEO Elon Musk, who compares DEI programs to “racism.” Even when companies cough up money to support groups like England’s TecWomenCIC, the funds are usually a one-off contribution that does little to sustain the effort of bringing more women into the field, TecWomenCIC founder Caitlin Gould told the BBC.

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The dearth of women in tech positions isn’t helped by the lack of girls in STEM classes, a phenomenon that compounds itself as female students may be discouraged from joining classes when they know they could be the only girl there. If they do proceed in a STEM field and get hired, they are also known to make around $15,000 less annually than their male peers, according to The American Association of University Women. For Latinas and Black women, that pay discrepancy is more than double.

Efforts to recruit girls and women into tech and other STEM fields is not completely moribund, though. The Tech4Girls event happens in October at the Mobile World Congress expo in Las Vegas, with two days of training, networking, hands-on experience, and mock interviews. In Florida, the recently launched Women in Tech & Entrepreneurship (WTE) is helping industry women throughout the state network, hone their skills, and chip at the glass ceiling.

"Is Apple Intelligence only coming to iPhone 16" is a question I often get as a tech journalist on the Apple beat. The quick answer is no.

Apple Intelligence, revealed at WWDC 2024 (an annual Apple conference and livestream that reveals the company's newest software developments), is the tech giant's new suite of AI tools. Apple Intelligence includes a new-and-improved Siri, Writing Tools (for adjusting the tone of your texts and emails), summarized notifications, call recording, the Clean Up tool (Apple's answer to Google's Magic Eraser feature), and more.

You can actually test some of these features as we speak, but you'll need to download the iOS 18.1 developer beta. (If you want to test it, please back up your iPhone; betas are known to be a little rough-around-the-edges.) Keep in mind, though, there are some Apple Intelligence tools you can't test yet, including Genmoji (AI-generated emoji).

However, only select iPhone devices support this early testing phase of Apple Intelligence — and those same devices will be the only phones that will officially support Apple Intelligence when it lands later this year.

Is Apple Intelligence only coming to iPhone 16?

Apple Intelligence is, indeed, coming to iPhone 16, including the iPhone 16 base model, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max.

Apple Intelligence on iPhone 15 Pro Max Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

However, Apple Intelligence is also coming to the iPhone 15 Pro models (i.e., iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max). To reiterate, Apple Intelligence is only coming to the following iPhone models:

• iPhone 15 Pro

• iPhone 15 Pro Max

• iPhone 16

• iPhone 16 Plus

• iPhone 16 Pro

• iPhone 16 Pro Max

Apple Intelligence requires certain robust internals, including sufficient memory (i.e., at least 8GB of RAM) and a zippy neural engine, an internal unit that's responsible for AI calculations and processing machine-learning algorithms. If you want to hear it from the horse's mouth, in an interview with Chinese YouTube personality Geekerwan, Apple SVP of Hardware Technologies Johny Srouji said the following:

"We evaluate different configurations for computation, memory bandwidth, and capacity to ensure the best performance. Apple Intelligence was a key factor in our decision to increase the RAM to 8GB.”

The entry-level iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Plus, for example, have 6GB of RAM, which is 2GB short of the requirement for Apple Intelligence support.

The 8GB of RAM added to the iPhone 15 Pro models, as well as the entire iPhone 16 lineup, will also benefit high-end mobile gaming, according to Srouji.

iPhone 16 Pro Max model in Desert Titanium Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

As such, if you want to enjoy Apple's new suite of AI tools, and you don't have a "Pro" iPhone 15, you'll have to purchase an iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max — or pre-order one of the new iPhone 16 models.

Apple Intelligence is expected to roll out some time in October.

Instagram just unveiled a much more restricted way for teens under 16 to use its app. Known as Teen Accounts, parent company Meta says its part of a "reimagining" of their platform for teens, in light of ongoing concerns about youth safety on the app — and they plan to apply it to all Meta platforms in the future.

A Teen Account is automatically set to private, with limits on who can message and interact with them. Accounts are placed under default content restrictions, as well, and the app will provide time limit notifications urging users to leave the app after 60 minutes. Teen Accounts are opted-in to an automatic, do-not-disturb sleep mode between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m., silencing notifications and auto-replying to DMs. Sleep mode can also be adjusted to fully block a teen from using the app.

Users under 16 can also select specific topics they want to be served in the app's Explore page and post recommendations. Parents and guardians can be added to a Teen Account to monitor interactions, time limits, and settings — any changes to the default settings must be approved by a guardian.

SEE ALSO: Spotify is piloting a Premium membership tailored for kids

"Instagram Teen Accounts reflect the importance of tailoring teens’ online experiences to their developmental stages, and implementing appropriate protections," wrote Northeastern University professor Rachel Rodgers in the company's press release. "Younger adolescents are more vulnerable as their skills are still emerging and require additional safeguards and protection. Overall, the settings are age-specific, with younger and older teens being offered different protections."

Instagram has beefed up its teen safety measures in recent months, including a recent update that defaults all teen accounts into the most strict content control settings. But an investigative report by the Wall Street Journal found that underage users are still repeatedly shown sexually explicit and harmful videos via the app's tentpole video product, Reels. Young users weren't just encountering content outside of the app's moderation, they were also being served "more pornography, gore, and hate speech" than adults, according to internal documents from 2022 reviewed by the publication.

Teen users have also been known to lie about their ages to get around automatic restrictions. To curb this, the platform says it will ask for more frequent age verification, and will test a technology that "proactively finds accounts belonging to teens" next year.

Instagram will transition existing under-16 users into Teen Accounts over the next 60 days. Any teen signing up for a new Instagram account will immediately be placed into a Teen Account. The feature will go global in January.

Sony’s PS5 Pro announcement didn’t exactly land with a bang — more like a fizzle. With a lukewarm reception from potential buyers, it’s clear the focus is already shifting to what PS56 could bring to the table.

According to a report from Reuters, AMD is, once again, stepping up to design the next-gen chip for Sony’s upcoming console.

An exclusive report revealed why AMD was chosen over Intel to design the chip for Sony’s upcoming PS6. The key reason? Backward compatibility. Sources close to the decision revealed that ensuring a seamless gaming experience between the PS6 and its predecessor was a top priority for Sony — something the company doesn’t want to fumble after past missteps.

SEE ALSO: PlayStation shuts down 'Concord' two weeks after launch

Flashback to 2013: When the PS4 dropped, the lack of native backward compatibility with the PS3 was a massive disappointment for fans. Sony addressed this with the PS5 — and it looks like the company is determined to maintain that goodwill moving forward.

While the AMD deal feels fresh, insiders shared with Reuters that the agreement has been in place since at least 2022. Tensions between Sony and Intel reportedly stemmed from disputes over profit-sharing, with Intel wanting a bigger cut per chip sold. When asked about these negotiations, an Intel spokesperson declined to comment on discussions with Sony, but pushed back against the narrative that Intel "failed" to win the contract.

A long-term deal with Sony could have funneled upwards of $30 billion into Intel’s coffers, had it gone through. But in the end, AMD’s established relationship with Sony — and its experience designing chips for Microsoft’s Xbox — likely made it an easy decision for Sony to stick with the safer bet.

If you know anything about nature and the circle of life, you would know that Amazon announcing dates for its October Prime Day also means that news of fall sales events from other retailers like Best Buy are also looming — if not out already.

Yes, Best Buy dropped its huge fall savings schedule the same week that the Prime Big Deal Days schedule was confirmed (actually, Best Buy's plan came a day earlier). Best Buy's event, which is being framed as a countdown to the holiday season, is technically split up into several sale events spanning from Sept. 27 through Oct. 25. Quietly baked into the agenda is one of its iconic 48-hour flash sales that just happens to fall Oct. 8 and 9 — the same start and end dates as Amazon's October Prime Day.

SEE ALSO: What not to buy during Amazon's October Prime Day sale, from third-party scams to Ring cams

As you start to spiral over the mere mention of the word "holiday" in mid-September, let's break down Best Buy's pre-Black Friday timeline:

• Exclusive Member Sale: From Sept. 27 to 29, Best Buy Plus and My Best Total members will get exclusive access to offers on big tech items like laptops and TVs — huge, because we actually prefer Best Buy's selection (and reliability) of deals on premium laptops and TVs to Amazon's. (Like Prime, these are paid plans, but My Best Buy Plus is almost $100 cheaper than Prime per year. Just saying.)

• Apple Trade-Up Event: From Sept. 30 to Oct. 20, you'll be able to squeeze a little more out of your Apple Watch, MacBook, iPad, iMac, and unlocked iPhone trade-ins by unlocking savings on the newest Apple devices.

• 48-Hour Flash Sale: From Oct. 8 to 9, Best Buy's annual Flash Sale will offer big deals on TVs, gaming gear, laptops, monitors, and more tech. Again, this is the unofficial Prime Big Deal Days competition, and we're seeing nothing about a paid membership being required to participate in this one.

• Prep for the Holidays Event: Starting on Oct. 21, even more pre-holiday deals will start popping up.

• Three-day Gaming Event: Starting on Oct. 25, Best Buy's gaming selection will be getting the special sale treatment in honor of the release of Call of Duty: Black Ops 6. Expect deals on gaming software, major consoles, controllers, and other accessories.

By the end of October, expect Best Buy to be in full Black Friday mode. The retailer didn't mention this in certain terms, but context clues tell us everything: Last year, Best Buy's Black Friday sale began with early access for paid members on Oct. 27, then opened up to everyone on Oct. 30.

This story is developing...

SAVE $30: As of Sept. 17, get the Fitbit Google Ace for $199.95, down from $229.95, at Amazon. That a discount of 13%.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Fitbit Google Ace (cellular, GPS) $199.95 at Amazon
$229.95 Save $30.00 Get Deal

If your kids have been bugging you for a smartwatch so they can be like all their friends, you don't have to cave and immediately buy an Apple Watch when there are great options that don't cost an arm and a leg. There's one especially great pick you can bring home for the younger members of your family right now for less, thanks to Amazon.

As of Sept. 17, get the Fitbit Google Ace (cellular, GPS) on sale for $199.95. That's $30 off its normal price of $229.95 and a 13% discount. This price currently applies to both the Mild Strange Arcade and Spicy Moovin colorways, which are aimed at kids with fun graphics and bold prints.

SEE ALSO: The best smartwatch for every wrist

Help your kids kick off their wearable journey, keep track of them, and let them keep an eye on their own activities with the Fitbit Google Ace. It comes with built-in cellular 4G LTE and GPS so you can see where your kids are at all times. They can also use their watch to call home without a smartphone, as long as you're paying for connectivity. It also boasts 16 hours of battery life with fast charging, so it can spring back up to 11 hours of power in as little as 30 minutes. In addition to School Time, which lets you limit gameplay on the unit, it also features Tap to Pay, so your kid can pay with their watch if they ever need to.

With built-in games and plenty of ways to interact with the world beyond fitness and activity tracking, this smartwatch is a great option for kids, but if you like to have fun with your wearables too, you might end up wanting to get your own. Either way, you'll want to grab it while it's on sale.

If you're a fan of audiobooks, Amazon has a great sale happening that'll save you up to 80% on some excellent listens. Here are a few highlights of the sale:

Best Audible audiobooks on sale at Amazon Best overall audiobook deal 'The Dutch House: A Novel' by Ann Patchett $6.99 at Amazon (save $17.30) Get Deal Best romantacy audiobook deal 'Crescent City: House of Earth and Blood' (part 1 of 2) by Sarah J. Maas $7.99 at Amazon (save $19.52) Get Deal Best history audiobook deal 'Our Man in Tokyo: An American Ambassador and the Countdown to Pearl Harbor' by Steve Kemper $7.99 at Amazon (save $17.20) Get Deal

Officially, autumn begins in just a few days. That means we'll take up debating about if candy corn is good or pretty awful. Following that, the sun will set at what feels like 2 p.m. If you're looking for a great way to pass some time during the darker nights of fall and winter, Amazon has a pretty great sale happening today. As of Sept. 17, hundreds of Audible audiobooks are up to 80% off at Amazon. Here are some of our top picks.

Best overall audiobook deal Opens in a new window Credit: HarperAudio 'The Dutch House: A Novel' by Ann Patchett $6.99 at Amazon
$24.29 Save $17.30 Get Deal Why we like it

In case you missed the 2019 bestseller, you can grab the audiobook version of The Dutch House: A Novel by Ann Patchett today for just $6.99 at Amazon. That works out to a 71% discount off the normal price of $24.29.

Not only is this consistently considered one of the best books of 2019, the audiobook is performed by the iconic Tom Hanks, making this listening experience all the more enjoyable. At almost 10 hours in length, today's deal means you'll be spending less than $1 per hour to listen in on this well-written novel.

Best romantacy audiobook deal Opens in a new window Credit: Graphic Audio LLC 'Crescent City: House of Earth and Blood' (part 1 of 2) by Sarah J. Maas $7.99 at Amazon
$27.51 Save $19.52 Get Deal Why we like it

If you've become a fan of romantacy lately, you're likely familiar with Sarah J. Maas. For just $7.99, you can listen in on the first part of Crescent City: House of Earth and Blood by best-selling romatacy author Mass for a 71% discount off the typical price of $27.51.

Romance and fantasy take hold during the saga of Bryce Quinlan who's half-human and half-Fae. Life seems be going well until a her close friend is murdered and Bryce feels obliged to seek revenge.

Different from many audiobooks, Crescent City: House of Earth and Blood is a graphic audiobook, with a full cast of actors, sound effects, and cinematic music, which makes this particular listening experience incredibly enjoyable and immersive.

Best history audiobook deal Opens in a new window Credit: HarperCollins Publishers 'Our Man in Tokyo: An American Ambassador and the Countdown to Pearl Harbor' by Steve Kemper $7.99 at Amazon
$25.19 Save $17.20 Get Deal Why we like it

Audiobooks can be a great way of diving into history lessons. If you're interested in learning more about the years before WWII, you might find a great match with Our Man in Tokyo: An American Ambassador and the Countdown to Pearl Harbor by Steve Kemper. On sale at Amazon, the Audible audiobook version is just $7.99, marked down from the list price of $25.19.

Follow along with American ambassador to Japan Joseph C. Grew from 1932 when Japan began to fall into a crisis. Taking cues from Grew's diary of his time in Tokyo and correspondence from the U.S. embassy, Our Man in Tokyo sheds insight into the events and mindset that led to massive turning points in our world's history.

The older we get, the more complicated life becomes. Books shed their illustrations, puzzles grow from 10 pieces to 10,000, and everything in the world seems to demand so much more from us. As such, it's refreshing to see forms of simple childhood positivity that can still engage adults.

The Plucky Squire is an utterly charming puzzle adventure game targeted at all ages, and which revels in the wholesome power of friendship and picture books. Developed by indie studio All Possible Futures, it isn't out to issue a challenge, or frustrate you with searching for strategy guides or climbing leaderboards. It's just here to offer simple, straightforward fun — albeit with a metatextual twist.

The Plucky Squire tells a tale of adventure and art Credit: Mashable screenshot

The Plucky Squire follows the titular squire Jot as he embarks on a quest to defend the land of Mojo from the evil wizard Humgrump. Guided by DJ/sorcerer Moonbeard, Jot is also accompanied by his two childhood friends: artist/trainee witch Violet and drummer/mountain troll Thrash.

It seems like a relatively standard children's story. That is, until Humgrump discovers that they're all characters in a picture book, one whose narrative dictates that he will always lose. Thus, in order to break free from his story, the sorcerer breaks out of the book, spilling his minions onto the messy desk of creative 10-year-old boy Sam.

Jot's fight to defeat Humgrump isn't merely a matter of protecting Mojo though. It's also about saving the eponymous book The Plucky Squire, so that its pages can continue to inspire the young child who owns it.

Simple, straightforward Squire swordplay Credit: Mashable screenshot

Like many good adventure games, much of The Plucky Squire's gameplay involves running around and whacking things with your sword, whether they be enemies or foliage. Doing so yields light bulbs you can use to purchase new attacks, weapon upgrades, and development art to fill out your gallery.

I ended up with a surplus of light bulbs before the game's end, having maxed out all of Jot's attack skills by brutally assaulting every bush I saw. Even so, I only really used half of these skills, either throwing my sword or delivering a good old-fashioned blow to the cute rotund goblins that wished me harm.

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Dispatching enemies in The Plucky Squire is a straightforward affair, requiring little skill or tenacity regardless of whether you're in the book's top-down 2D world or have ventured out to the 3D environment that is Sam's desk. I barely had to turn my mind to factors such as attack patterns or dodging, as swinging my sword with reckless abandon was effective enough. 

This will undoubtedly be a boon to tired office workers who just want to feel like they're making decent progress in their limited gaming time. 

Credit: Mashable screenshot

Though the game has two difficulty options, I found its hardest setting still incredibly easy, and it never felt as though I was in any danger. Even when I took damage, I'd inevitably find a health-replenishing heart within seconds by whacking some bushes or a few more enemies.

There are no real consequences if you die either. If you're in the book, you'll be shown a page about Jot picking himself up to try again before you're returned to the fight (often with the enemy still missing whatever health you chipped off them). If you're outside of the book, you'll be placed back before the obstacle that killed you so you can have another run at it.

This keeps the game casual and stress-free, placing the real focus on The Plucky Squire's puzzles rather than its swordplay.

The Plucky Squire revels in minigames Credit: Mashable screenshot

The Plucky Squire crams in a veritable smorgasbord of gameplay ideas into its short, nine-hour runtime, yet they never feel overwhelming or out of place. Instead they lure players along with the promise of new discoveries, maintaining a delightfully playful atmosphere.

The game does of course involve platforming, with Jot having to navigate both side-scrolling environments in Mojo and wooden block constructions on Sam's desk. You'll have to sneak around at times to avoid enemies as well. However, some of The Plucky Squire's most interesting puzzles involved word games within the storybook's writing. 

Credit: Mashable screenshot

Similarly to 2019 game Baba Is You, The Plucky Squire allows you to reshape Jot's world and solve puzzles by literally swapping out words on the page. Creatures may change from tiny to huge or obstacles from metal to wood depending on how you alter the sentences describing them, allowing you to surmount impediments and continue on Jot's journey.

Jot eventually gains the ability to manipulate the book from the outside as well, turning pages, tilting it, and otherwise influencing the land of Mojo like an extradimensional god. This not only lets you move objects, but also pilfer nouns and adjectives from entirely different pages (though you're unable to stray from your current chapter). 

Credit: Mashable screenshot

I could have happily spent most of my time just jumping between pages and playing with words. Yet The Plucky Squire is further filled out with a plethora of minigames. From boxing to rhythm games to side-scrolling shooters, The Plucky Squire is like a sampler plate of all the arcade-style games you know and love. The game constantly introduces new minigames and mechanics even during its later chapters, with some only used two or three times before they're shelved in favour of the next shiny gameplay trinket.

These minigames do assume some knowledge. You're provided with no instructions before being flung into a bubble-matching game for example, with The Plucky Squire trusting you to identify the game's style and know what to do. Even so, failure is forgiving enough that it's fine if you take a moment to figure it out. The Plucky Squire has also put notable effort into making itself accessible, with minigames entirely skippable via a prominent option in the game's menu.

Credit: Mashable screenshot

Each minigame is uncomplicated enough that the fun few minutes you spend with each should be enough to leave you satisfied. Even so, I would still have liked the ability to revisit the minigames from the main menu. The aforementioned element-themed bubble game was a shot straight at my Neopets Faerie Bubbles nostalgia.

The Plucky Squire breaks out of its story yet stays within it Credit: Mashable screenshot

In addition to The Plucky Squire playing with its storybook setting via word puzzles, the game's premise is thoroughly sold by its art style. The world of Mojo is drawn in thick lines and bold, bright colours which evoke children's book illustrations, a distinctive look which contrasts with the more realistic and lineless art styles used for elements outside Jot's book. This in-universe discord is made even more apparent when said elements make their way into the book while still retaining their clashing art style.

The Plucky Squire has fun with its metatextual themes, even briefly nodding to the fact that it's a game at points. However unlike horror titles such as Doki Doki Literature Club or Inscryption, The Plucky Squire never gets truly unsettling or digs around in your game files, retaining its innocuous child-friendly spirit throughout. 

Credit: Mashable screenshot

The awareness of the nature of their universe doesn't daunt Jot and his companions either, who largely take it in their stride that the plucky hero can jump into a different dimension and manipulate their world from outside it. Issues of existentialism, fate, and the meaning of life do hover in the periphery, as the story's characters acknowledge that they are in fact characters — and most of them merely side ones at that. 

In this respect, Humgrump's refusal to succumb to his written role could easily be interpreted as inspirational if he were a more pleasant individual.

Credit: Mashable screenshot

Still, The Plucky Squire sticks to a simple script of clear good against evil, briefly acknowledging deeper issues but making clear that existentialist matters aren't the focus. This is a fun, lighthearted game about storybook characters escaping their book, and we aren't going to look too closely at the less sunny implications.

Recalling childhood wonder Credit: Mashable screenshot

The Plucky Squire isn't a particularly challenging game, or one that entices players to spend hours diving into its lore. You don't need to be a skilled gamer, or a Myst-level puzzle solver either. 

What you do need is a willingness to simply enjoy wholesome, childlike pleasures. The Plucky Squire is a clear appeal to adults who wistfully recall their days of crayons and cardboard, before the world seemed to get so dark and complicated. References to childhood classics such as Doctor Who and The Lord of the Rings sit alongside cheeky nods to the capitalist mechanisms underpinning children's media, finding joy in the same way Jot's friends continue to despite knowing the true nature of their world.

Not only are parents unlikely to mind their kids playing The Plucky Squire, they'll likely be the first to pick it up themselves for a dose of undemanding positivity after a long, hard day. The puzzles and combat may be relatively simple, but sometimes simple is exactly what's needed. And with a runtime of just nine hours, it'll only take a few after work sessions to play through to the end.

The Plucky Squire is out today on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch, and PC.

With the announcement of Prime Big Deals Day returning on Oct. 8 and 9, fellow retailers are taking this as a sign to kick off the holiday shopping season. If your eyes just rolled, we're right there with you. Target was among the first to announce its competing event, with the news of Circle Week returning Oct. 6 through 12.

Amazon's "October Prime Day" runs just two days on Oct. 8 and 9, but Target is hosting a whole week of deals. Target's last Circle Week ran July 7 through 13, conveniently just before Amazon's July Prime Day. We're sensing a pattern...

Similar to Prime Day, Target Circle Week, requires a membership to shop, but unlike Prime, Circle membership is free to join. In a press release, Target says Circle Week will feature deals on fall and holiday favorites as well as everyday essentials. Plus, they're bringing back the Deal of the Day program, an array of one-day-only deals available throughout Circle Week.

Target says the holiday deals will last beyond Circle Week as the retailer plans to return Deal of the Day on Nov. 1 and run it through the rest of the holiday season (no specific end date was provided.)

Beyond the sales, Target will be offering holiday-exclusive partnerships. The brand is the "premier retail destination for Universal Pictures' Wicked" offering both merchandise and "experiences" around the heavily-anticipated film. Plus, Target is returning its partnership with British retailer Marks & Spencer to introduce new food, beverage, and home goods options.

Target's Circle week deals will be available to shop in-store and online. To join Target's Circle membership, sign-up for free online.

Check out the best Amazon deals of the day as of Sept. 17: OUR TOP PICK Samsung Galaxy Buds FE $67.99 at Amazon (save $32) Get Deal BEST SMARTWATCH DEAL Garmin vivofit jr. 3 $69.99 at Amazon (save $20) Get Deal BEST UNLOCKED PHONE DEAL Google Pixel 8 (128GB, Unlocked) $499 at Amazon (save $200 + free Google Pixel Watch) Get Deal BEST PRINTER DEAL HP LaserJet M110w wireless printer $79 at Amazon (save $50) Get Deal BEST MUSIC STREAMING DEAL Amazon Music Unlimited free for 4 months (with Prime) or 3 months (without Prime) (save up to $39.96) Get Deal

Amazon's October Prime Day is happening Oct. 8 and 9, which means we're only three weeks away from some of the lowest price of the season. In true Amazon fashion, however, deals are already rolling in. Brands like Samsung, Google, Garmin, and Amazon itself have dropped prices as of Sept. 17. While they're not officially considered early Prime Day deals, they're practically just as good.

Here are our top picks for the best Amazon deals of the day. If none of these catch your eye, be sure to take a peek at our picks from yesterday, Sept. 16.

Our top pick Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung Galaxy Buds FE $67.99 at Amazon
$99.99 Save $32.00 Get Deal

"The sound quality from the Galaxy Buds FE is unmatched for earbuds at this price range," Mashable reporter RJ Andersen wrote in her review of Samsung's earbuds, adding that even Apple users should consider them. Beyond the incredible sound quality, she was pleasantly surprised by the comfortable and customizable fit, solid battery life with even better noise cancellation, and of course, the affordable price. Regularly just $99.99, you can snag a pair of the Galaxy Buds FE for only $67.99 as of Sept. 17. That's 32% in savings and their lowest price on record.

Opens in a new window Credit: Garmin Garmin vivofit jr. 3 $69.99 at Amazon
$89.99 Save $20.00 Get Deal

Hoping to get your kiddos moving in a safe and fun way? The Garmin vivofit jr. 3 may look like a fitness tracker for kids, but it actually unlocks an interactive experience that lets your little one explore the globe on an educational adventure. Its battery lasts for an entire year, so you don't need to worry about constantly throwing it on the charger, and its parent-controlled app can help you keep tabs on their activity, manage chores, give rewards, and set reminders. As of Sept. 17, it's also only $69.99 — that's 22% off its usual cost and just $10 away from its record-low.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Music Unlimited free for four months with Prime (three months without Prime) Get Deal

If you're looking to switch up your music app, Amazon is offering four free months of its Amazon Music Unlimited service to Prime members (or three free months to non-Prime members). An official early Prime Day deal, Amazon Music Unlimited gives you access to on-demand music and podcasts ad-free with unlimited skips and the ability to listen offline. Plus, you'll get to experience HD and spatial audio. It typically costs $9.99 per month for Prime members and $10.99 per month for non-Prime members, so this deal saves you about $39.96 (with Prime) or $32.97 (without Prime). Note: this deal is only available for new subscribers.

Opens in a new window Credit: Google Google Pixel 8 (128GB, Unlocked) $499.00 at Amazon
$699.00 Save $200.00 free Google Pixel Watch (WiFi) with purchase Get Deal

The latest Google Pixel 9 got more expensive (along with everything else), which makes this deal on the still great Google Pixel 8 even better. Regularly $699, it's on sale for just $499 at Amazon. Not to mention, your purchase comes with a free Google Pixel Watch. That's nearly a $1,000 value for only $499 — a total steal. While the Pixel 8 may not be the most exciting phone on the market any more, it still offers a great camera, all-day battery life, a 120Hz refresh rate, a swanky chipset, and fancy AI features. If you have an older phone, it's a worthy upgrade. Just be sure to grab the deal before Sept. 21 to score the free Pixel Watch.

Opens in a new window Credit: HP HP LaserJet M110w wireless printer $79.00 at Amazon
$129.00 Save $50.00 Get Deal

If you print a ton of business documents and reports each month, the HP LaserJet M110w is a great value. On sale for only $79 — 39% off its usual cost — this laser printer can push out up to 21 black-and-white pages per minute. It's not the fanciest printer in the world, but it does offer wireless printing from any device and an app to eliminate repetitive tasks, scan to the cloud, and print and copy from your phone. If printing professional-quality black and white documents and reports is your main goal, you can't go wrong — especially at this price.

None of these deals catching your eye? Check out Amazon's daily deals for even more savings.

A freaky occurrence where ChatGPT messaged users unprompted is just a bug.

OpenAI confirmed this to Futurism after a viral Reddit post showed ChatGPT initiating a conversation with a user. "Did ChatGPT just message me... first?" posted Redditor SentuBill with a screenshot of an exchange where ChatGPT allegedly asked the user about their first week at high school.

Reddit

When SentuBill asked ChatGPT if it messaged them first, ChatGPT responded, "Yes, I did! I just wanted to check in and see how things went with your first week of school. If you'd rather initiate the conversation yourself, just let me know!"

SEE ALSO: This restaurant used ChatGPT to create a pizza for its menu — and it became a hit

Another user commented on the screenshot, which was posted in the ChatGPT subreddit, with a similar experience. "I got this this week!! I asked it last week about some health symptoms I had," said a user who goes by fuggedaboudid. "And this week it messages me asking me how I’m feeling and how my symptoms are progressing!! Freaked me the fuck out"

Reddit

In a statement to Futurism, OpenAI said it has addressed the issue. "This issue occurred when the model was trying to respond to a message that didn't send properly and appeared blank. As a result, it either gave a generic response or drew on ChatGPT's memory."

The post quickly gained attention on Reddit and X, with users speculating whether it's an imminent feature related to the release of OpenAI's latest model, o1. The model, which is capable of advanced reasoning, is a level up from the previous GPT-4 models, because of it's ability to process multiple steps from a query instead of providing a response based on the statistical likelihood of the next word. It's considered to be the next step towards autonomous AI agents that OpenAI is reportedly working towards.

Tweet may have been deleted

But as some users correctly surmised, ChatGPT's unprompted message was related to the memory setting, which stores certain aspects of your life based on interactions with the chatbot. Nonetheless, the issue got users excited about what ChatGPT might be capable of in the future. "When ChatGPT can push a notification to my phone each morning with weather report, custom news, summary of work emails, and meetings, etc that will be insanely useful," said one Redditor.

So this time, ChatGPT's behavior was a mistake, but it indicates what the model is capable of — and just maybe, where ChatGPT might be headed in the future.

Score the Google Pixel 8 or 8a for up to $200 off at Amazon as of Sept. 17:

Best Google Pixel 8 deals Best Google Pixel 8 Deal Google Pixel 8 $499 at Amazon (Save $200 + free Google Pixel Watch (Wi-Fi)) Get Deal Best Google Pixel 8a Deal Google Pixel 8a $399 at Amazon (Save $100) Get Deal

The iPhone 16 is officially up for preorder, but if you aren't into getting the latest and greatest phones, you might be skipping it. If you still want to get a brand-new smartphone without paying brand-new iPhone prices, there are a couple of Android alternatives that can help you save a bundle: the Google Pixel 8 and Pixel 8a. Right now, you can get both for a great deal at Amazon, and one even comes with a free smartwatch to boot.

If you're ready to drop some cash (but not an entire paycheck) on your new smartphone, the Pixel line is well worth exploring. Check out the great options you can save big on below and snag a new Android phone that you can show off this fall. Who said Apple devices were the only game in town?

Best Google Pixel 8 deal Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Our pick: Google Pixel 8 (128 GB) $499.00 at Amazon
$699.00 Save $200.00 Free Google Pixel Watch (WiFi) with purchase Get Deal Why we like it

The Google Pixel 8 boasts "strong performance" as well as "great cameras," according to Mashable's Alex Perry, as well as a 120Hz display and good battery life. This deal lets you snag one for $200 off, in addition to receiving a free Google Pixel Watch (WiFi) with your purchase. Just add both the phone and qualifying Pixel Watch to your cart to receive the discount. The Pixel Watch is currently $234.99, and usually retails for $279.99, so there are significant savings to be had here (a whopping $434.99) if you're planning on going with the Pixel 8.

Best Google Pixel 8a deal Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Our pick: Google Pixel 8a (128 GB) $399.00 at Amazon
$499.00 Save $100.00 Get Deal Why we like it

The Google Pixel 8a is $100 off, which is a great deal for a phone Alex Perry called out for its "excellent performance," as well as its 120Hz refresh rate and great battery life. It includes most of the features of the Pixel 8 "for cheaper," including a great camera array (same as the Pixel 7a), and its "elite performance" makes it worthy of its flagship status. If you're ready to get a new Android phone that's every bit as good as its more expensive competitors, this is a great bargain you won't want to miss out on.

Microscopic footage from the Nikon Small World in Motion 2024 winners uncovers the tiny worlds our eyes can’t see.