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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.

Tweet may have been deleted

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

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

Tweet may have been deleted

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 January 24 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: Deep thought or consideration

• Green: Impolite actions

• Blue: Professions

• Purple: "Patch" as a descriptor

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: Contemplate

• Green: Rude Things to Do

• Blue: Vocation

• Purple: ___Patch

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 #593 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Contemplate: BROOD, MUSE, PONDER, REFLECT

• Rude Things to Do: INTERRUPT, LITTER, POINT, STARE

• Vocation: CRAFT, LINE, TRADE, WORK

• ___Patch: CABBAGE, NICOTINE, ROUGH, SOUL

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 January 24

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.

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 January 24 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 January 24, 2025 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

Thin pancake.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

The letter E appears twice.

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

Today's Wordle starts with the letter C.

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...

CREPE.

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 January 24

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.

Connections: Sports Edition is a new version of the popular New York Times word game that seeks to test the knowledge of sports fans.

Like the original Connections, 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 the latest 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 Sports Edition?

The NYT's latest daily word game has launched in association with The Athletic, the New York Times property that provides the publication's sports coverage. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.

Tweet may have been deleted

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

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

Tweet may have been deleted

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

Here's a hint for today's Connections Sports Edition categories

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

• Yellow: Might buy at a sporting event

• Green: Putting on a show

• Blue: Legendary defensive players (NFL)

• Purple: Motions on the pitch

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

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

• Yellow: Concession stand snacks

• Green: Show off

• Blue: Hall of Fame pass rushers

• Purple: Soccer skill moves

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 Sports Edition #123 is...

What is the answer to Connections Sports Edition today

• Concession stand snacks - CRACKER JACK, PEANUTS, POPCORN, PRETZEL

• Show off - FLAUNT, GRANDSTAND, HOTDOG, SHOWBOAT

• Hall of Fame pass rushers - PEPPERS, STRAHAN, WARE, WHITE

• Soccer skill moves - NUTMEG, OLIMPICO, RABONA, STEPOVER

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.

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 preferred pace.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for January 24 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for January 24 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Get smart

These words are descriptions for the brainy.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

Words are synonyms for smart.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is vertical.

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is ThatsGenius.

Featured Video For You Strands 101: How to win NYT’s latest word game NYT Strands word list for January 24

• Quick

• Bright

• Clever

• Intelligent

• Brilliant

• ThatsGenius

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.

Some posts related to obtaining abortion pills were recently hidden on Instagram and Facebook and some accounts were suspended, before being later restored.

Timothy Olyphant, who played Danny Corday on The Office, doesn't seem to remember much about the experience.

He was the latest guest on the Office Ladies podcast, hosted by Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey, who played Pam Beesly and Angela Martin on the show, respectively. Olyphant appeared in just two Season 7 Office episodes, portraying the handsome, super-effective salesman Corday. It adds up, then, that Olyphant might not remember everything about the experience.

But one thing he did remember was just how funny Steve Carell was in his portrayal of Michael Scott. Olyphant recalled repeatedly breaking character during a deleted scene in which Carell has blocked him from leaving in an effort to steal Corday for the Dunder Mifflin Scranton branch.

"I do remember laughing. I'm sure I screwed up what would have been a really good scene with Carell where I just couldn't stop laughing because it was so intense and funny," Olyphant said on the podcast. "And there's a little bit of disappointment still there that I could not keep a straight face."

SEE ALSO: All 185 episodes of 'The Office,' ranked

Olyphant had lots of praise for Carell, even if the performance caused him to break character.

"He's incredible," Olyphant said. "He's fully committed. And I'm quite certain, I haven't seen it, you know, that I'm the one busting up more than he is."

Video evidence of the deleted scene would seem to agree. Olyphant does, indeed, bust up when Carell delivers a line straight-faced.

It's hard to blame Olyphant, however — Michael Scott had a way of making everyone laugh.

“Famehungry,” a show that’s performed simultaneously for in-person and online crowds, comes to New York in the wake of the app’s brief ban in the United States.

The order signaled that the president intends to promote an industry that faced scrutiny during the Biden administration — and that he has a personal stake in.

Operator, OpenAI's agent that can perform multi-step tasks autonomously, has arrived.

The ChatGPT maker introduced a preview mode of Operator on Thursday, detailing how it works and what it's capable of. Operator can browse the web, performing tasks like calculating refunds from a canceled order and finding customers with specific criteria in an internal sales database. It can also buy groceries and send emails.

On a computer, Operator can perform various tasks, like downloading files, combining PDFs, analyzing spreadsheets, and exporting images.

OpenAI is delivering on its promise of making 2025 the year of agentic AI. Last week, the company launched Tasks for ChatGPT, which lets users automate future prompts like sending a daily brief of tech news or scheduling reminders. While many of these tasks are already possible through basic tools like Google Alerts and calendars, it's an early example of AI bots doing the legwork for the user. Combined with the release of Operator and its ability to autonomously take on more complex tasks, you can start to see OpenAI's vision for making ChatGPT an indispensable tool leveraging its core product.

The model underpinning Operator is a Computer-Using Agent (CUA) that combines GPT-4o's vision mode to "see" what's on the user's screen through screenshots with graphical user interfaces (GUIs) that enable Operator to interact with the screen (clicking buttons, typing, scrolling, etc.).

Operator in action, browsing for a campsite in Yosemite with picnic tables. Credit: OpenAI OpenAI's safety approach with Operator

Obviously, safety is a big concern for a semi-autonomous AI agent like Operator. OpenAI says it has taken risks into account in a few different ways. Operator mitigates misuse by blocking harmful or illegal tasks, and can't access blacklisted sites like gambling and adult entertainment sites and drug or gun retailers.

And OpenAI is looking over your shoulder as you use Operator. The announcement says that "user interactions are reviewed in real-time by automated safety checkers that are designed to ensure compliance with Usage Policies and have the ability to issue warnings or blocks for prohibited activities," and that the company has developed "automated detection and human review pipelines to identify prohibited usage in priority policy areas, including child safety and deceptive activities."

Since Operator can make costly mistakes without human supervision, the model will ask for confirmation "before submitting an order, sending an email, etc., so that the user can double-check the model’s work before it becomes permanent." Operator is also currently limited from "higher-risk tasks like banking transactions."

Operator availability

Now is where we start to see OpenAI's new premium tier subscription, ChatGPT Pro. Operator in preview mode is only available in the U.S. to those who pay $200 a month as Pro users. But over time, OpenAI expects to expand availability to Plus, Team, and Enterprise users.

Women's telehealth company Wisp has seen a 233 percent increase in emergency contraception (EC, also called the "morning after pill") sales in the days leading up to Trump's inauguration.

The spike occurred the week of Jan.13 to Jan. 20, and on Inauguration Day itself (1/20) there was a 57 percent increase in orders of EC six-packs on Wisp.

SEE ALSO: Did Trump's executive order just make everyone in the U.S. female?

This news comes after reproductiverights.gov shut down following the inauguration, as CBS News and others reported. It is part of a trend that includes government pages on LGBTQ rights and the Office of Gun Violence Protection going dark as well.

The government reproductive rights site included information on ECs, according to an archived screenshot, as well as birth control and abortion pills. The site was launched in 2022 following the overturning of Roe v. Wade, according to The Verge. Since then, conservatives have threatened birth control and abortion pills, fueling fears about access.

Plan B, a brand of emergency contraceptive, hasn't seen an increase in traffic, the maker's comms team told Mashable. Pills aren't available for purchase there, though. If you'd like more information about ECs, visit Planned Parenthood's website.

I don't know if you've ever had the good fortune of seeing a dog discover snow, but it is pure joy. I remember my then-puppy's first snow like it was yesterday.

A rare snowstorm, however, has struck the southern U.S. — states like Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Florida — meaning many dogs are discovering snow. After all, how often does a pup in New Orleans get to see snow? In a time where you might need some cute videos — well, that time is pretty much any time — the snow in the South is certainly delivering.

Look at this pup sprinting around.

Or this adorable, if scared, big boy.

Or this little guy who has no idea what's going on.

This husky was in heaven.

This pup made literal snow angels.

Or these doggies that had very different reactions to their first snow day.

So, there you have it, some free smiles from some chilly but excited pups.

Keen-eyed individuals spotted another blow to LGBTQ protections under the U.S.'s new presidential administration.

First flagged by Media Matters for America journalist Ari Drennen, the official page for changing sexual (or gender) identification on government documents — overseen by the Social Security Administration — has been removed from public view. The page currently displays an access denied notice that reads "You are not authorized to access this page."

SEE ALSO: Resources for people worried about Trump's anti-LGBTQ executive orders Tweet may have been deleted

Drennen and others online later confirmed the page was inaccessible to all users, including those with personal Social Security accounts logged into the website. The Social Security Administration's page on Gender Identity has also been hidden, prompting users with a 404 error. Some existing FAQs on the process — which allows citizens to change their gender identification to a binary or nonbinary ("X") status — are still accessible to the public at the time of reporting. The office's resources for LGBTQI communities are also still visible.

Under a Biden administration change from 2022, American citizens did not need to show medical or legal evidence to obtain a change in sexual identification, lauded as a major victory for LGBTQ communities nationwide. Before Trump's inauguration, advocates had warned that the new leadership would move quickly to repeal such provisions, and recommended individuals update their official documents, including social security cards, prior to Trump taking office.

Credit: Screenshot / U.S. Social Security Administration

Less than 24 hours after Trump was sworn in, the new president removed all LGBTQ-related pages from the White House website, including information published by the Biden administration. Searches for "sexual identification" and "gender" on the official White House page only return a link to Trump's recent executive order on what he has called "gender ideology extremism."

Queries for pages with the terms "lesbian," "gay," "bisexual," and "transgender" populate similarly sparse results that only reference new Trump edicts. In the aforementioned executive order, President Trump declared that the United States would only recognize two biological genders, based on an ironically confusing definition of "gender at time of conception." That executive order effectively erases trans and gender nonconforming individuals who had legally changed their sexual identification on official documents. The executive order had no guidance in regards to intersex individuals or other biologically nonbinary identities, which apply to millions of Americans.

If enough hasn't already happened this week – John McAfee is apparently back from the dead.

Well, his account on Elon Musk's X has been revived at the very least.

On Wednesday night, John McAfee's @officialmcafee X account started posting again even though McAfee himself was found dead from suicide in June 2021 in a prison in Spain while awaiting extradition to the U.S. 

To be fair, the X account belonging to the eccentric founder of McAfee antivirus hadn't been completely dormant since his death. His wife, Janice McAfee, had been using his account with more than 1 million followers to mostly post and retweet other users' posts about John. 

However, in the @officialmcafee's first post since November of last year, McAfee's account claimed that he was actually back. 

In AI form. 

And he came back as AI in order to drop a memecoin.

Tweet may have been deleted

"I'm back with AIntivirus. An AI version of myself," @officialmcafee's post reads.  "You didn't think I would miss this cycle did you?"

McAfee's X count is referencing the current crypto cycle which has seen an explosion in the popularity of memecoins, buoyed by President Trump's recent launch of his own $TRUMP token.

Speculation quickly ran rampant on X about McAfee's account possibly being hacked. However, @officialmcafee followed up with another post in an attempt to calm those fears.

Tweet may have been deleted

"John's account has not been hacked," the account posted. "This is the real deal."

McAfee's widow, Janice, then posted a video on her own X account on Thursday morning explaining that the @officialmcafee's post was legit. 

Well, to be clear, not the part where John McAfee has been resurrected in the form of AI. Janice shared that the memecoin is a legitimate crypto token that she created to "honor John's legacy."

McAfee was no stranger to cryptocurrency before he died. In fact, McAfee had been indicted on crypto-related fraud and money laundering charges in addition to the tax evasion charges that landed him in prison in the first place.

McAfee reportedly lost much of his $100 million fortune before he died. According to his widow in 2023, McAfee died without a will or estate so he did not leave her any money behind.

As of the publication of this piece, McAfee's AIntivirus memecoin is sitting at a market cap of $37 million.

Sellers on eBay have capitalized on TikTok's uncertain fate in the U.S. by selling secondhand phones for thousands of dollars with the app pre-installed.

According to Wired, listings for phones with TikTok installed have proliferated on the online marketplace amidst the TikTok ban saga. On Jan. 18, U.S. users were denied access to the app with a pop-up saying, "A law banning TikTok has been enacted in the U.S. Unfortunately, that means you can't use TikTok for now." But the very next day, TikTok was back because President Trump had pledged to postpone the ban for 75 days so his administration could "determine the appropriate course forward."

SEE ALSO: As TikTok faces a ban, creators brace for an uncertain future

With its status in limbo, TikTok is not available to download on the Apple and Google app stores. This has prompted eBay sellers to take advantage of the situation and try to profit from its uncertain future.

At the time of publication, a search for "TikTok phone" produces over 24,000 results, with the lowest "Buy it Now" listing selling for $400 and the highest asking for (checks notes) $4,970,400 million with CapCut, a video editing app also owned by ByteDance pre-installed in addition to TikTok.

Others are being auctioned for $1,000,000 in the auction category. Unsurprisingly, these listings currently have zero bids. However, the mid- to low-tier auction listings in the $50 to $500 range have dozens of bids. Mashable found an iPhone 13 with TikTok installed, which currently has 5 bids and is auctioning for $10,000. So, at least some people are willing to pay a premium for access to TikTok.

SEE ALSO: Meta is reportedly paying influencers big bucks to post on Reels before TikTok

TikTok and other ByteDance apps are unavailable to download in the U.S. because the TikTok ban law, Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act (PAFACA), has not been officially repealed. According to a support page on the Apple App Store, "Apple is obligated to follow the laws in the jurisdiction where it operates."

More details about the app's functionality follow, saying, "If you already have these apps installed on your device, they will remain on your device. But they can't be redownloaded if deleted or restored if you move to a new device." In-app purchases and new subscriptions are no longer allowed on TikTok, and U.S. users won't receive updates, meaning functionality and performance might degrade over time.

So, if you bought a new phone after Jan. 19 or recently deleted TikTok, you would've been out of luck. But thanks to eBay, there's still hope, but it comes with a price.

It turns out the way to get me interested in a new Assassin's Creed (well, more interested than I already was) is to include features from the AC games I played 10 to 15 years ago.

To be a little more specific, Ubisoft's latest open-world stabbing simulator Assassin's Creed Shadows builds on the recent RPG-ish entries like Valhalla by incorporating mechanics and design philosophies from older entries like Brotherhood and Syndicate. From Valhalla, it borrows the idea of training and deploying subordinate assassins on helpless, unsuspecting doofus guards in your time of need. From the older games, it takes and (from what I can tell) heavily improves on the two-protagonist setup, with one representing stealth and the other combat.

Crucially, it's also got the goods from the newer games, like a very pretty and naturalistic feudal Japan setting, and consequential dialogue choices. After playing Shadows for about three hours at a preview event, I came away fairly impressed not only at how Shadows assimilates abandoned ideas from older AC games, but also by how fun it is on its own merits thanks to greater depth in its stealth mechanics and a slightly harsher and less forgiving level of challenge than its predecessors.

SEE ALSO: PS5 vs. PS5 Slim: What are the differences? Yasuke just seems really cool Yasuke is a big dude with big appeal. Credit: Ubisoft

I'm not really at liberty to discuss the the overall narrative of Shadows because I haven't seen that much of it, but I'm very into one of the two protagonists.

That would be Yasuke, who is a bit of an oddity among AC protagonists in that he was a real person. Usually in these games, you play as a fictional assassin who has the good fortune to Forrest Gump their way through whatever historical period they live in, but Yasuke was an actual Black man from Africa who went from slave to bonafide samurai under the tutelage of Odu Nobunaga in the 16th century. He's a self-evidently fascinating figure and a fantastic choice for a protagonist.

I'm a little less sold on Naoe, the fictional female protagonist who will be the character of choice for players who want to be sneaky. However, that probably has more to with the nature of the demo I played than anything; I didn't get a great sense for her personality or motives, aside from a generic desire for revenge. I'm sure that will change as I play through the final game (after all, I prefer to play stealthily), but for now, I just don't know how to feel about her. It doesn't help that she's working alongside an exceedingly cool dude in Yasuke.

A squad of assassins await your command

The portion of the demo I'm allowed to talk about had all the trappings one would expect from a modern Assassin's Creed game: A big open zone full of main story quests, side activities, and gorgeous vistas to discover. I'll get into the finer details of how the moment-to-moment action feels a little later, but generally speaking, this is totally an Assassin's Creed game. They didn't set out to reinvent the wheel here, even though it's been more than four years since Valhalla came out.

However, where Shadows did surprise me a bit was in its deployment of awesome mechanics from older games in the series that have since been abandoned for one reason or another. Namely, Shadows brings back the thing from Brotherhood (and a few other games after that) where you have a cadre of NPC assassins at your disposal who you can recruit, train, upgrade, and then deploy how you see fit. This mostly manifests as aiming at an enemy guard and pressing a button to have your underling take them out, but I should note the demo also provided me with a summonable NPC who was built more for fighting than stealth kills, so there is seemingly some versatility to this system.

This is not only an inherently fun thing to do, but it also gives the player more solutions to the game's fairly challenging stealth sequences. Speaking of which...

Quiet is more fun, but going loud is more viable than ever You know you want to do it. Credit: Ubisoft/Steam

The dual-protagonist idea is borrowed from 2015's Assassin's Creed Syndicate, which similarly had a male assassin who was built for fights and a female assassin who was built for sneaking. The problem with that (other than the mild gender essentialism of it all) was that approximately 75 percent of Syndicate's main story forced you into playing as the dude, who wore a stupid top hat all the time and just wasn't as fun to play as the other character.

Shadows makes it a point to not repeat that mistake. All missions seem to be playable as both characters. In fact, the big finale to the main story thread I followed in the demo gave me three different opportunities to choose a character during the mission. It's nice that you don't have to commit to one character for an entire mission if you don't want to.

Let's talk about Naoe. I actually spent most of the demo playing as her because I'm a stealthy guy, and I came away pretty satisfied with the additions to sneaky gameplay Ubisoft has made this time around. For starters, enemies seem to have better eyesight than before, as they regularly spotted me from pretty far away when I wasn't careful. Beyond that, you have to use light to your advantage; lanterns can (and should) be destroyed with throwing knives, and shadows provide enough cover for nearby guards to not notice you right away.

Expect to see this a lot. Credit: Ubisoft/Steam

The biggest change, though, is the ability to go prone and crawl around on the ground. It's the only way to get through certain grassy areas unnoticed, and genuinely saved my ass about half a dozen times during the demo. If an enemy spots you, you can quickly go prone and hope to God whatever is around you provides enough cover to get them off your trail. Anyone who has ever played a Metal Gear game will agree that crawling around on your stomach is a fun way to sneak around, not only because you feel super stealthy, but also because you're incredibly vulnerable in that state. When you do it right, you feel awesome. When you do it wrong, you die. That tension should add a lot to Shadows.

Naoe also has a grappling hook that she can use pretty freely to scale vertical structures, and the areas I snuck through were definitely built with that in mind. Trying to quickly climb a rope up to a roof before a nearby guard turns around and sees you is the exact kind of juice I want from a stealth game.

While both characters are clearly geared for a specific style of play, you can technically fight dudes one-on-one with Naoe, or sneak around as Yasuke. Both seem fairly inadvisable, though. Naoe is lithe and nimble, but she can die in just a couple of hits. Yasuke, meanwhile, is a burly, lumbering samurai who climbs slower and doesn't have all of Naoe's stealth tools (like the grappling hook) at his disposal.

Most of your time spent with Yasuke will probably look like this. Credit: Ubisoft/Steam

What he does have, however, are a katana and the willingness to use it. With Yasuke, I played the final mission like an action game, totally unconcerned with being stealthy. This was admittedly less compelling to me than the Naoe approach. Even basic enemies feel a bit like damage sponges who take a few too many hits to kill. I'll give Shadows the benefit of the doubt here and assume Yasuke will feel more powerful after dozens of hours of gameplay, but the demo didn't really give me the satisfaction of cutting through guys in one precise blow, like you see in so much other samurai fiction. Still, it wasn't bad by any means, and I did have some fun after figuring out how Yasuke's various abilities work.

Even with my gripe about enemy health, it's probably for the best that Shadows is a more challenging game than the ones that came before it. More broadly, it's great that people who don't like stealth (but find other aspects of these games appealing) can seemingly play the entire game as a big old tank.

I was always going to check out Assassin's Creed Shadows just because I've played almost all of these games since 2007 and it would be ridiculous to stop now. But I came away from this demo pretty pleased with what Ubisoft has put together. Between bringing back NPC assassins from Brotherhood and doing the whole two-character thing in a substantially more freeform way than Syndicate, Shadows has something to like for almost any AC fan.

We'll see if that's enough to make it fun for 50+ hours, though.

Assassin's Creed Shadows launches on March 20 for PS5, Xbox Series consoles, and PC.

The new tool, called Operator, can shop for groceries or book a restaurant reservation. But it still needs help from humans.

SAVE $29.01: As of Jan. 23, get a 4-pack of Apple AirTags for $69.99 at Amazon, down from their usual price of $99. That's a discount of 29% and their lowest price yet.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Apple AirTag (4-Pack) $69.99 at Amazon
$99.00 Save $29.01 Get Deal

Are you the type of person who can't stop losing everything? Would you lose your hand if it wasn't attached to your arm? You could use a smart tracker. And if you're already using the iOS ecosystem, you should consider grabbing an AirTag or two. If you've been waiting to take the plunge for when you can get one or two for a great price, now's your chance.

As of Jan. 23, you can get a 4-pack of Apple AirTags at Amazon for just $69.99, down from their normal price of $99. That's $29.01 off and a discount of 29%. It's also the lowest price we've seen.

AirTags are ridiculously useful. Just attach one to whatever item you don't want to lose. Toss it in a bag or a purse (or even your luggage) or put it in a keychain or holder (sold separately) and hang it from your keys or even your pet's collar. Once named and set up, you can track it via the Find My app.

Thanks to the AirTags' built-in speaker, you can track it visually or by sending a sound through Find My that can help you find it. Each AirTag lasts up to a year thanks to its coin cell battery (which you can replace), so you truly can put one of these bad boys anywhere and it's out of sight, out of mind until you need to find something.

Now's a great time to go ahead and grab a few AirTags for you and the rest of your family or friends. Now you've got zero excuses for losing things.

GET A FREE $100 AMAZON GIFT CARD: Pre-order the new Samsung Galaxy S25 (128GB or 256GB, unlocked) and get a free $100 Amazon gift card. Orders are expected to begin shipping on Feb. 7.

Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung / Amazon Samsung Galaxy S25 (128GB or 256GB, unlocked) + free $100 Amazon gift card Pre-Order Here

Earlier this month, we were treated to tons of new tech announcements at CES. Now we're focused on lots of new product announcements from this week's Samsung Unpacked. If you're eyeing the new Samsung S25, check out this preorder deal from Amazon.

Until Feb. 6, preorders for the Samsung Galaxy S25 (128GB or 256GB, unlocked) come with a free $100 Amazon gift card. The 128GB Samsung S25 comes in at $799.99, while the larger 256GB costs $859.99. Orders are set to begin shipping on Feb. 7, but the phone and gift card might ship at different times.

SEE ALSO: Amazon deal of the day: The Sonos Arc soundbar is the cheapest it's ever been

When ordering from Amazon, your new Samsung Galaxy S25 comes with a free shopping spree in the form of a $100 Amazon gift card. Since the gift card never expires, you can choose to use it to get a snazzy case for your S25, save it for July's Prime Day sale, or even gift it to a good friend.

Regardless of what you plan to use the gift card for, this deal offers you the brand new Samsung Galaxy S25 in either the 128GB or 256GB storage options.

Compared to last year's S24 model, the updated S25 comes with some benefits like the new Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy processor and larger RAM. While the S24 came with 8GB RAM, the S25 increases that to 12GB RAM.

In terms of size, the S25 is ever so slightly smaller, thinner, and lighter.

Some of the most noticeable differences, however, come from the Galaxy S25's AI features. With better calendar integrations, you can now search for your favorite band's tour schedule, add it into your calendar, and send a text to your friends telling them about the upcoming show.

At full price, the Samsung Galaxy S24 and S25 come with identical price tags (starting at $799.99), which means you might as well grab the latest S25 model. And if you decide to pre-order with Amazon before Feb. 6, you'll also get a free $100 Amazon gift card.

SAVE $75 ON SHARK BEAUTY: Celebrate Valentine's Day with a beauty upgrade. Get $75 off orders of $200 or more on select Shark Beauty products. Use code VDAY75 at checkout.

Shark Beauty deals Build your own Shark FlexStyle kit $204.99 at Shark with code VDAY75 Get Deal Build Your Own Shark FlexFusion $304.99 at Shark with code VDAY75 Get Deal Shark SpeedStyle Pro Flex Hair Dryer System $154.99 at Shark with code VDAY75 Get Deal

With Valentine's Day on the horizon, it might be time to show yourself a little love. If you've been looking to upgrade your beauty tools, Shark is offering a sweet holiday discount. Ahead of the Valentine's, get $75 off orders of $200 or more on select Shark Beauty products.

If you want to enjoy air styling but don't want to spend Dyson prices, Shark makes our preferred dupes. We love the SharkFlexStyle for hot air styling and at its list price of $279.99, it's fair more affordable than the Airwrap's $599. But right now, you can build-your-own FlexStyle for just $204.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Shark Build your own Shark FlexStyle kit $204.99 at Shark
$279.99 Save $75.00 Use code VDAY75 at checkout Get Deal

You can also find Shark's latest, the FlexFusion, on sale during their V-Day deals. Building off of the FlexStyle, the FlexFusion comes with the the hot air straightener, rivaling the Dyson Airstrait. This build your own bundle comes with the straightener tool as well as the wet or dry brush. Plus you can add-on one accessory to the bundle whether that be auto-wrap curlers or a diffuser head. Normally $379.99, with the $75, it brings the bundle down to $304.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Shark Build Your Own Shark FlexFusion $304.99 at Shark
$379.99 Save $75.00 Use code VDAY75 at checkout Get Deal

Shop all the Shark Beauty products that are $75 off now, and use code VDAY75 at checkout.

SAVE 10%: As of Jan. 23, save 10% on your purchases at Woot with promo code SAVETEN. This code is only valid today.

Opens in a new window Credit: Woot 10% off Woot purchase with promo code SAVETEN Get Deal

If you're a deal hunter, you probably already visit Woot often. You can find some seriously great deals there, and often discounted and refurbished tech that can save you some real cash. You've got to lock in your purchases fast over there if you want to save big since many of the deals sell out quickly, but it's a great retailer to check if you're looking for something good for a low price. And you can save even more on your Woot purchase right now thanks to a special deal.

As of Jan. 23, you can save 10% on your purchase with promo code SAVETEN. Just add the promo code to your cart at checkout, and it will automatically be applied. But act quickly, because this code is only valid for today.

SEE ALSO: Grab the 27-inch ASUS TUF gaming monitor at its lowest price ever

You can find a wide variety of goodies at Woot, ranging from Apple Watch bands to refurbished smartphones. The key is checking back often to see what's been added. Acquired by Amazon in 2010, you'll find that many deals are based on the price of what's selling on the massive retailer. You can find everything from tools and household items to newer tech, so it's a good idea to come back and see what's on offer whenever you can.

Save 10% at Woot today only.