- Help
- Google+
TL;DR: Watch Atlético Madrid vs. Real Madrid in La Liga for free on CazéTV. Access this free livestream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.
La Liga showcases one of the hottest fixtures in Spanish football today: Atlético Madrid vs. Real Madrid.
The Madrid Derby is always a tight game. The teams are separated by just two points in the current standings, and Real Madrid are desperately looking to catch Barcelona. Their rivals have pulled ahead in the first six weeks of the 2026/27 season.
If you're interested in watching Atlético Madrid vs. Real Madrid in La Liga from anywhere in the world, we've got all the information you need.
When is Atlético Madrid vs. Real Madrid?Atlético Madrid vs. Real Madrid in La Liga kicks off at 10.15 a.m. ET on Sept. 20. This fixture takes place at Riyadh Air Metropolitano Stadium.
How to watch Atlético Madrid vs. Real Madrid for freeAtlético Madrid vs. Real Madrid in La Liga is available to live stream for free on CazéTV.
CazéTV is geo-restricted to Brazil, but anyone can secure access with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Brazil, meaning you can live stream Atlético Madrid vs. Real Madrid for free from anywhere in the world.
Live stream Atlético Madrid vs. Real Madrid for free by following these simple steps:
Sign up for a streaming-friendly VPN (we recommend ExpressVPN)
Download the app to your device of choice
Open up the app and connect to a server in Brazil
Visit CazéTV
Watch Atlético Madrid vs. Real Madrid for free from anywhere in the world
The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but they do tend to offer generous money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch Atlético Madrid vs. Real Madrid without committing your cash. This is obviously not a long-term strategy, but it gives you enough time to stream this fixture (plus more La Liga action) before recovering your investment.
What is the best VPN for La Liga?ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on CazéTV, for a number of reasons:
Servers in 105 countries, including Brazil
Easy-to-use app available on all major devices, including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more
Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure
Fast connection speeds free from throttling
Up to 10 simultaneous connections
30-day money-back guarantee
A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and usually offers a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99.
Live stream Atlético Madrid vs. Real Madrid for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.
TL;DR: Create apps, websites, and more with some help from Microsoft Visual Studio Professional 2026, on sale now for just $29.97 (reg. $499.99) through Sept. 20.
Opens in a new window Credit: Microsoft Microsoft Visual Studio Professional 2026 $29.97There’s quite a difference between spending all day building something versus spending all day trying to figure out why your code isn’t working. Microsoft Visual Studio Professional 2026 helps you avoid the latter by providing AI-powered tools that make the process more seamless.
If you’re looking for help building, debugging, and testing your code, you can score Microsoft Visual Studio Professional 2026 for just $29.97 now through Sept. 20.
It’s never been easier to build your business a website or create the app of your dreams. All you need is some help from Microsoft Visual Studio Professional 2026, a professional-grade development tool that can help you knock out coding projects big and small.
Microsoft Visual Studio Professional 2026 is a 64-bit IDE, capable of handling large solutions and complex workloads. Build across languages and platforms, designing cross-platform mobile and desktop apps.
Build, debug, and test .Net and C++ apps targeting Windows, Linux, and containers. Microsoft Visual Studio Professional 2026 integrates with Azure, GitHub, and other DevOps workflows and comes packed with AI-powered features to save you time.
IntelliCode helps you type less and code more by providing a ranked list of next-best suggestions to make your coding faster and more accurate. CodeLens shows you recent changes, authors, tests, and history right in the editor, so you can see test status and references without ever leaving your code. You’ll also have easy access to a comprehensive overview of your codebase and activity.
Snag Microsoft Visual Studio Professional 2026 for just $29.97 now through Sept. 20.
StackSocial prices subject to change.
If you're new to the world of kinks and fetishes, it can be a weird and daunting place. Not to mention exciting, which is why it's worth exploring further.
What you need is a little guidance on where to get started — an appropriate app or platform to find your way through some sexy fun time with like-minded kinksters, whether you have a thing for feet, spanking, or BDSM. Because, hey, we should all proudly let that freak flag fly.
Experienced fet-lovers will already know that regular dating apps just don't cut it. So, the question is, how do you find your people?
As always, the internet is the place to begin. There are two platforms we strongly recommend for exploring your favorite kinks and more. Those platforms are AdultFriendFinder and FetLife, both of which are stacked with NSFW content (seriously, don't log on in public). And who knows, you might even discover a few kinks you never even knew you had.
Indeed, it could be that you have absolutely no idea what you're into just yet. But if you want to find a safe, non-judgmental space to explore your options and go on a journey of sexual self-discovery, these are the places to do it.
Before we get deep into the pros and cons of each, we think it's best to share some general information. AdultFriendFinder and FetLife both skew male, which is pretty standard throughout the whole online dating world. The average user on FetLife is aged 25, while AdultFriendFinder users tend to be in their 30s. Even so, both sites offer a diverse range of genders and ages — not to mention a colorful range of sexual orientations and kink communities. In other words, there's something for everyone.
But while both sites are designed to accommodate sex-positive communities and make connections between kinksters, they approach things a little differently. You may find that one site suits you better than the other, though we'd certainly recommend exploring both.
Keep reading for a rundown of the major differences between AFF and FetLife and decide which one to try first.
Opens in a new window Credit: AdultFriendFinder AdultFriendFinder Learn More Opens in a new window Credit: FetLife FetLife Learn More Where AdultFriendFinder excelsFaster connectionsFetLife is great and very popular, but be aware that it can take time to build a following and earn trust on the site. You can message strangers, but the site culture discourages it, and you might find that unsolicited messages are ignored. On AdultFriendFinder, on the other hand, the opposite is true. It's a DM-sliding free-for-all, and the concept of connecting with strangers is central to the site. In that respect, AFF operates like a regular dating site (it's one of the OGs in that field), whereas FetLife is more of a social media website for building local kink communities.
AdultFriendFinder also hosts live webcam shows and community discussion forums, offering users multiple ways to connect quickly. There's more to it than just one-on-one.
Better site interfaceThis one might be controversial, since the AFF site is notoriously dated, but FetLife's interface is downright confusing, a mix between Facebook and Instagram, with much more limited search functionality. While both sites will allow you to search by specific kinks (and both sites offer exhaustive lists of kink options), the search functionality and filter options on AdultFriendFinder are more comprehensive and more user-friendly.
This isn't an accident, by the way. FetLife deliberately disables search by age, gender, and sexual orientation because, in their words, they are "a social network and not a dating site."
Remember that AFF looks and feels dated because it's been around for three decades and has really stuck to its guns design-wise (AFF doesn't even have an app — it's purely a website). Be warned that the interface is chock-full of nudity and NSFW content.
Live showsFetLife allows users to host videos, but it doesn't have a dedicated, live webcam service. Some FetLife users will offer that but they do this on third-party sites, and usually behind a paywall. AFF, on the other hand, makes live streaming a significant part of its community experience and allows you to search through webcam shows by the streamer's location or the show's interest/topic, which often revolves around a specific kink.
SEE ALSO: 4 tips for using hookup apps discretely — advice for Feeld, Tinder, AdultFriendFinder, and GrindrIn other words, if you're content to watch, AFF delivers some excellent, kink-centric live action, and much of it is accessible without upgrading to a paid subscription.
Where FetLife excelsFree accounts have more freedomThe most noticeable difference between FetLife and AFF is how much more freedom is afforded to non-paying accounts. On AdultFriendFinder, profiles are locked behind a paywall, so only paying members can scroll through photos, view bios, and see a comprehensive list of kinks. FetLife, on the other hand, operates more like Instagram for kinksters. It delivers large photos, comprehensive bios, and even a web of connections comparable to what you might see on Facebook, from friends and romantic partners to subs, doms, and mentors, if applicable.
Even more important, free FetLife users can contact each other in one-on-one messages without having to give up their credit card information, which definitely makes it easier to establish a personal connection.
One major limitation of free accounts is that users can't watch videos. Because raunchy videos are a mainstay on many profiles, this is definitely a hindrance, though it's not a deal-breaker.
The site promotes in-person eventsPerhaps the biggest benefit of FetLife over AdultFriendFinder is that the former is much more focused on real-life connections, whereas AdultFriendFinder seems content to let people play in the virtual world.
The Events tab at the top of the FetLife banner allows you to see, at a glance, all of the nearby, kink-friendly events, from informal meet-and-greets to full-on costume and masquerade balls. Best of all, you can filter by sub-type (Party, Educational, Social, Conference/Festival, Sex Party) or just look for events that your FetLife friends are attending.
SEE ALSO: Hinge's latest feature makes date planning a little easierThese in-person events are such an important part of the FetLife experience, even when they're not officially affiliated with the website, that they're considered an integral part of the site. In fact, it's pretty common to see people indicate, in their profiles, that they won't message or "friend" anyone they haven't already met at an IRL event.
Kink discoveryBecause of its community emphasis and dedication to exploring sexuality in a safe, consensual, and informed way, FetLife offers users not only the means to connect with others but also to better connect with themselves. There's the community-sourced Kinktionary, for example, a Wiki-like resource covering topical aspects of human sexuality from the ins and outs of gay culture to a comprehensive list of sex toys and their uses, as well as dedicated groups to not only explore kinks but also introduce people to the BDSM lifestyle (we recommend you check out the Novices & Newbies section if you're a first-time visitor).
AdultFriendFinder isn't totally without these resources, but they're not as user-friendly or as accessible to total newcomers to the world of kink.
The bottom lineBoth AFF and FetLife are among the very best destinations for kink-based internet fun. They have their pluses, minuses, and differences, but you're unlikely to go wrong with either. They each boast a large user base and comprehensive kink-focused spaces, creating a non-judgmental atmosphere in which you can throw off the shackles of inhibition. The point is to just let loose and enjoy yourself doing it.
If you're looking for the fastest possible connection and you're happy to keep things strictly online for now, AdultFriendFinder is the one for you. If, on the other hand, you want to integrate into your local kink community and get on the guest lists of underground fetish clubs or VIP sex parties, FetLife can make that happen.
If you like playing daily word games like Wordle, then Hurdle is a great game to add to your routine.
There are five rounds to the game. The first round sees you trying to guess the word, with correct, misplaced, and incorrect letters shown in each guess. If you guess the correct answer, it'll take you to the next hurdle, providing the answer to the last hurdle as your first guess. This can give you several clues or none, depending on the words. For the final hurdle, every correct answer from previous hurdles is shown, with correct and misplaced letters clearly shown.
An important note is that the number of times a letter is highlighted from previous guesses does necessarily indicate the number of times that letter appears in the final hurdle.
Want more tech and digital culture news delivered to your inbox daily or sent straight to your device? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories newsletter or get Mashable push alerts today.
If you find yourself stuck at any step of today's Hurdle, don't worry! We have you covered.
SEE ALSO: Hurdle: Everything you need to know to find the answers Hurdle Word 1 hintMadness.
Hurdle Word 1 answerCHAOS
Hurdle Word 2 hintA large vehicle.
SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for September 20, 2026 Hurdle Word 2 AnswerTRUCK
Hurdle Word 3 hintTo splash.
SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for September 20, 2026 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Meanings for each word for Sept. 20, 2026 Hurdle Word 3 answerSPILL
Hurdle Word 4 hintThe start.
Hurdle Word 4 answerONSET
Final Hurdle hintSmallest finger.
SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Games available on Mashable Hurdle Word 5 answerPINKY
If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
We're getting closer to the Full Moon now, with the Moon looking bigger and brighter in the night sky. There's still plenty to see on its surface in the meantime.
What is today’s Moon phase?As of Sunday, Sept. 20, NASA's Daily Moon Guide tracker tells us the Moon is in the Waxing Gibbous phase, with 64% of its surface visible.
Without the assistance of visual aids, you should be able to spot the Mare Vaporum, Mare Serenitatis, and the Tycho Crater. If you have binoculars, they'll also help you see the Alphonsus Crater, Posidonius Crater, and the Apennine Mountains. Plus, if you have access to a telescope, you'll see the Apollo 11, 16 and 17 landing spots.
When is the next Full Moon?The next Full Moon will take place on September 26.
What are Moon phases?The Moon doesn't look the same from night to night. As it travels around Earth, which takes about 29.5 days, we see different portions of its illuminated side. This is what creates the lunar phases, with the Moon gradually progressing from a thin crescent to a half Moon and then a Full Moon before the cycle starts over. According to NASA, the phase we see is determined by the Moon's position relative to both Earth and the Sun.
The eight phases are:
New Moon - The Moon is between Earth and the sun, so the side we see is dark (in other words, it's invisible to the eye).
Waxing Crescent - A small sliver of light appears on the right side (Northern Hemisphere).
First Quarter - Half of the Moon is lit on the right side. It looks like a half-Moon.
Waxing Gibbous - More than half is lit up, but it’s not quite full yet.
Full Moon - The whole face of the Moon is illuminated and fully visible.
Waning Gibbous - The Moon starts losing light on the right side. (Northern Hemisphere)
Third Quarter (or Last Quarter) - Another half-Moon, but now the left side is lit.
Waning Crescent - A thin sliver of light remains on the left side before going dark again.
Today's Connections: Sports Edition will be easier for people who've lived in Maryland.
As we've shared in previous hints stories, this is a 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. The sports Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.Each puzzle features 16 words, and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise 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 before the game ends.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.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: Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL. Here's a hint for today's Connections: Sports Edition categoriesWant a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:
Yellow: Maryland sports
Green: Defunct NHL teams
Blue: Rookies
Purple: Phonetic sports
Need a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:
Yellow: Maryland Teams
Green: Former NHL Cities
Blue: NFL Rookie WRs
Purple: Sports Terms in the NATO Phonetic Alphabet
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 #727 is...
What is the answer to Connections: Sports Edition today?Maryland Teams: MIDSHIPMEN, ORIOLES, RAVENS, TERRAPINS
Former NHL Cities: ATLANTA, HARTFORD, PHOENIX, QUEBEC CITY
NFL Rookie WRs: BOSTON, LEMON, TATE, TYSON
Sports Terms in the NATO Phonetic Alphabet: GOLF, UNIFORM, VICTOR, YANKEE
Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be new sports 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.
Welcome to your guide to Pips, the latest game in the New York Times catalog.
Released in August 2025, Pips puts a unique spin on dominoes, creating a fun single-player experience that could become your next daily gaming habit.
Currently, if you're stuck, the game only offers to reveal the entire puzzle, forcing you to move on to the next difficulty level and start over. However, we have you covered! Below are piecemeal answers that will serve as hints so that you can find your way through each difficulty level.
How to play PipsIf you've ever played dominoes, you'll have a passing familiarity with how Pips is played. As we've shared in our previous hints stories for Pips, the tiles, like dominoes, are placed vertically or horizontally and connect with each other. The main difference between a traditional game of dominoes and Pips is the color-coded conditions you have to address. The touching tiles don't necessarily have to match.
SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for September 20, 2026The conditions you have to meet are specific to the color-coded spaces. For example, if it provides a single number, every side of a tile in that space must add up to the number provided. It is possible — and common — for only half a tile to be within a color-coded space.
Here are common examples you'll run into across the difficulty levels:
Number: All the pips in this space must add up to the number.
Equal: Every domino half in this space must be the same number of pips.
Not Equal: Every domino half in this space must have a completely different number of pips.
Less than: Every domino half in this space must add up to less than the number.
Greater than: Every domino half in this space must add up to more than the number.
If an area does not have any color coding, it means there are no conditions on the portions of dominoes within those spaces.
SEE ALSO: NYT Strands hints, answers for September 20, 2026 Easy difficulty hints, answers for September 20 PipsNumber (1): Everything in this space must add up to 1. The answer is 1-4, placed vertically.
Equal (0): Everything in this space must be equal to 0. The answer is 0-0, placed vertically; 0-6, placed vertically.
Number (8): Everything in this space must add up to 8. The answer is 4-2, placed vertically; 1-4, placed vertically.
Number (9): Everything in this space must add up to 9. The answer is 0-6, placed vertically; 3-1, placed vertically.
Number (1): Everything in this space must add up to 1. The answer is 3-1, placed vertically.
Medium difficulty hints, answers for September 20 PipsGreater Than (3): Everything in this space must be greater than 3. The answer is 6-5, placed vertically.
Greater Than (3): Everything in this space must be greater than 3. The answer is 4-2, placed horizontally.
Equal (2): Everything in this space must be equal to 2. The answer is 4-2, placed horizontally; 2-3, placed horizontally; 2-5, placed vertically.
Less Than (3): Everything in this space must be less than 3. The answer is 1-6, placed horizontally.
Number (9): Everything in this orange space must add up to 9. The answer is 2-3, placed horizontally; 1-6, placed horizontally.
Number (9): Everything in this dark blue space must add up to 9. The answer is 6-5, placed vertically; 4-4, placed vertically.
Number (9): Everything in this purple space must add up to 9. The answer is 2-5, placed vertically; 4-5, placed horizontally.
Number (9): Everything in this red space must add up to 9. The answer is 4-5, placed horizontally; 4-4, placed vertically.
Hard difficulty hints, answers for September 20 PipsLess Than (3): Everything in this space must be less than 3. The answer is 1-0, placed vertically.
Greater Than (3): Everything in this space must be greater than 3. The answer is 5-2, placed vertically.
Equal (0): Everything in this space must be equal to 0. The answer is 1-0, placed vertically; 0-4, placed vertically; 0-0, placed vertically; 0-6, placed horizontally.
Greater Than (3): Everything in this space must be greater than 3. The answer is 0-4, placed vertically
Number (8): Everything in this space must add up to 8. The answer is 5-2, placed vertically; 0-6, placed horizontally.
Number (10): Everything in this space must add up to 10. The answer is 5-5, placed horizontally.
Less Than (2): Everything in this space must be less than 2. The answer is 0-5, placed vertically.
Greater Than (4): Everything in this space must be greater than 4. The answer is 0-5, placed vertically.
Equal (1): Everything in this space must be equal to 1. The answer is 1-4, placed vertically; 1-1, placed vertically.
Greater Than (3): Everything in this space must be greater than 3. The answer is 1-4, placed vertically
Number (5): Everything in this space must add up to 5. The answer is 3-2, placed vertically.
Greater Than (4): Everything in this space must be greater than 4. The answer is 5-5, placed horizontally.
Number (9): Everything in this red space must add up to 9. The answer is 5-1, placed horizontally; 6-2, placed vertically; 2-0, placed horizontally.
Less Than (2): Everything in this space must be less than 2. The answer is 2-0, placed horizontally.
Equal (2): Everything in this space must be equal to 2. The answer is 6-2, placed vertically; 2-2, placed vertically.
If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Looking for spoiler-free NYT Connections hints or just wondering why Connections is trending today? We've got what you need to understand the clues for today's puzzle without spoiling any of the answers.
Of course, Mashable has also provided daily hints and answers for Connections, Wordle, and Strands for years, so we can help you if that's also what you need.
While we are focused more on meanings than hints in this story, sometimes learning that many of the words have completely unrelated meanings is a clue in and of itself. Connections frequently includes clues that involve words within words and other visual clues.
SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for September 20, 2026 Blu-Ray meaningAn optical disc used to store high-definition videos.
Coaster meaningA flat, round disk for placing a drink upon.
Sand dollar meaningA flat, round marine animal related to sea urchins and starfish.
Tortilla meaningA thin, round flatbread made from corn or flour.
Bluegrass meaningA genre of American music inspired by jazz and blues, usually associated with Kentucky.
Bourbon meaningA barrel-aged whisky, commonly made in Kentucky.
Derby meaningA sports match between two rival teams in the same area.
Fried chicken meaningA popular protein entree cooked to a crisp in grease.
Hover meaningTo float in the air.
Skate meaningA shoe with a blade or wheels to move on ice or hard surfaces.
Snow meaningFrozen water vapor that falls from the sky during cold weather.
Want more tech and digital culture news delivered to your inbox daily or sent straight to your device? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories newsletter or get Mashable push alerts today.
Surf meaningA water sport that involves riding a board in the ocean.
Blade meaningA Marvel comic superhero played by Wesley Snipes in the 1998 film.
Near Dark meaningA 1987 vampire action film.
Sinners meaningA 2025 Oscar-winning film directed by Ryan Coogler.
Twilight meaningA cult-classic early 2000s vampire book-to-movie series.
Have you learned the meanings and still want the things? Check out the hints and answers for today's NYT Connections puzzle.
Are you also playing NYT Strands? Get all the Strands hints you need for today's puzzle.
Meet The Mashable 101: Our list of the content creators shaping the internet today
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 NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult if you're from the south.
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.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.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.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.
SEE ALSO: NYT Pips hints, answers for September 20, 2026 Here's a hint for today's Connections categoriesWant a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:
Yellow: Disc shapes
Green: Southern charm
Blue: Bloodsuckers
Purple: Sports
Want more tech and digital culture news delivered to your inbox daily or sent straight to your device? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories newsletter or get Mashable push alerts today.
Here are today's Connections categoriesNeed a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:
Yellow: Round flat things
Green: Associated with Kentucky
Blue: Vampire movies
Purple: ___ Boards you ride on
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 #1196 is...
What is the answer to Connections todayRound flat things: BLU-RAY, COASTER, SAND DOLLAR, TORTILLA
Associated with Kentucky: BLUEGRASS, BOURBON, DERBY, FRIED CHICKEN
Vampire movies: BLADE, NEAR DARK, SINNERS, TWILIGHT
___ Boards you ride on: HOVER, SKATE, SNOW, SURF
Looking for Wordle today? Here's the answer to today's Wordle.
Are you also playing NYT Strands? Get all the Strands hints you need for today's puzzle.
Meet The Mashable 101: Our list of the content creators shaping the internet today
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.
Today's NYT Strands hints will be easy if you're full of yourself.
Strands, the New York Times' elevated word-search game, requires the player to perform a twist on the classic word search. Words can be made from linked letters — up, down, left, right, or diagonal, but words can also change direction, resulting in quirky shapes and patterns. Every single letter in the grid will be part of an answer. There's always a theme linking every solution, along with the "spangram," a special, word or phrase that sums up that day's theme, and spans the entire grid horizontally or vertically.
SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on MashableBy 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 September 20, 2026 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Putting on airsThe words are related to self-importance.
Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explainedThese words describe being pretentious.
NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?Today's NYT Strands spangram is horizontal.
Want more tech and digital culture news delivered to your inbox daily or sent straight to your device? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories newsletter or get Mashable push alerts today.
NYT Strands spangram answer todayToday's spangram is Grandiosity.
NYT Strands word list for September 20Gloat
Brag
Strut
Grandiosity
Bluster
Flex
Boast
Posture
Meet The Mashable 101: Our list of the content creators shaping the internet today
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.
Today's Wordle answer should be easy to solve if you're a flashy person.
If you just want to be told today's word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for today's Wordle solution revealed. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.
SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for September 20, 2026 Where did Wordle come from?Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once.
Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing.
What's the best Wordle starting word?The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be strategic in your approach, we have a few ideas to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N.
What happened to the Wordle archive?The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles was originally available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it, but it was later taken down, with the website's creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times. However, the New York Times then rolled out its own Wordle Archive, available only to NYT Games subscribers.
Is Wordle getting harder?It might feel like Wordle is getting harder, but it actually isn't any more difficult than when it first began. You can turn on Wordle's Hard Mode if you're after more of a challenge, though.
SEE ALSO: NYT Pips hints, answers for September 20, 2026 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:Gleamed.
Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?No, there are no recurring letters.
Want more tech and digital culture news delivered to your inbox daily or sent straight to your device? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories newsletter or get Mashable push alerts today.
Today's Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with...Today's Wordle starts with the letter S.
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...
SHONE
Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be a new Wordle for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.
Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.
Reporting by Chance Townsend, Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.
Meet The Mashable 101: Our list of the content creators shaping the internet today
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.
TL;DR: UmanWrite’s lifetime Unlimited Plan is on sale for $63.20 (reg. $1,799) through Sept. 20 at 11:59 p.m. PT, with unlimited monthly words and personalized AI writing tools.
Opens in a new window Credit: UmanWrite UmanWrite All-in-One AI Writing Platform: Lifetime Subscription (Unlimited Plan/Unlimited Words) $63.20AI can make writing a first draft easier, but the result doesn’t always sound like something you would actually write. UmanWrite Premium takes a more personalized approach, allowing you train the platform on your own writing samples so future drafts can better match your tone, vocabulary and style. The lifetime UmanWrite Premium Unlimited Plan is on sale for $63.20 (reg. $1799) through Sept. 20 at 11:59 p.m. PT, use code SAVE20.
UmanWrite lets you create unlimited Voice Profiles using your own writing samples. Its context-aware writing tools can then adapt content to your intended audience, purpose, and preferred style. There’s also an AI Humanizer designed to make AI-generated text read more naturally, plus an AI Detector for checking drafts for patterns associated with AI-generated writing.
The program also serves as a complete writing and editing workspace. The Advanced Grammar Checker improves grammar, clarity, and readability, and the Writing Studio brings all your drafting and editing tools together. With the Unlimited Plan, you get unlimited monthly word generation and can make requests for up to 2,500 words at a time.
These features are useful for anyone who works with different types of writing. Freelancers can set up a Voice Profile for their client projects, and marketers can create content for various audiences. Businesses can use them for emails, newsletters, and other documents. The platform also helps with SEO articles, social media posts, and sales copy.
The main advantage is that you can create a writing profile based on your own style instead of using a generic AI voice. Plus, since the plan is a one-time purchase, you won’t need to pay for another monthly writing subscription.
For writers who want AI assistance without completely giving up their own voice, UmanWrite offers a broad collection of tools in one platform. Get the lifetime Unlimited Plan while it’s price-dropped to $63.20 (reg. $1799) through Sept. 20 at 11:59 p.m. PT.
StackSocial prices subject to change.
President Donald Trump announced Saturday that he is forming an "AI Force," modeled after the Space Force branch he established during his first term, and said he'll soon name a new AI "czar" to oversee the effort.
The announcement came in a lengthy Truth Social post in which Trump dismissed growing concern over AI risk as the latest in a string of what he called manufactured "hoaxes," while also promising the new body would go after "BAD" actors in the industry using the existing legal system.
"We will not in any way hinder or stifle the Growth of this incredible Industry," Trump wrote, adding that the administration would instead "cherish it, help it, and watch over it, as it grows." He said only "High I.Q. individuals" should apply for the czar role, and separately floated renaming AI something more flattering, alternately suggesting "supreme," "superior," or "extreme" intelligence, according to reporting on the post.
The comparison to Space Force is notable given what that branch actually does day to day. Rather than operating as a traditional combat force, Space Force has largely focused on consolidating and coordinating satellite operations, missile warning systems, and space-based communications that were previously split among the Air Force, Army, and Navy.
SEE ALSO: Tetris hits back at Trump over knockoff game, warns White House about copyright infringementIf the AI Force follows a similar model, it would likely function less as a new fighting force and more as a way to centralize the military's sprawling AI programs under one roof.
Trump's announcement may also revive a position that's been sitting empty for months. Venture capitalist David Sacks served as Trump's AI and cryptocurrency czar until he stepped down in March. Sacks moved to an advisory role within the White House after his term as a special government employee had ended.
Broadly, Trump's calls for a "US AI Force" come amid a series of high-profile failures in the Defense Department's use of AI. Pentagon investigators have been examining whether an "overreliance on AI" played a role in a February strike that killed dozens at a girls' school in Iran.
More recently, CNN reported that an AI-generated report from a US military analyst falsely claimed a Chinese ship was transporting nuclear weapons components. According to that report, armed US service members were preparing to board the vessel before officials discovered the intelligence had been generated by an AI chatbot and pulled the operation at the last minute.
One source described the false, AI-generated claim to CNN as having "almost started a war" with China.
On Saturday, Sept. 19, President Trump opened a poll on X and on his own platform, Truth Social, calling for a name change to "Artificial Intelligence."
"Many people think that the words 'Artificial Intelligence' are inaccurate, and very ineloquent, relative to AI, or Artificial Intelligence," Trump shared on social media. "A far more elegant and accurate description of this new phenomena [sic] would be Superior Intelligence (SI) or, Extreme Intelligence (EI) or, Supreme Intelligence (SI)."
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.Trump then opened a poll on the platforms, with options to vote on the "best name for this ever growing 'Revolution.'" As of this writing, "Superior Intelligence" was in the lead on X with around 39 percent of the vote.
The poll comes shortly after the president called the fears around AI a "hoax" on social media this week. He also said he won't hinder the growth of the AI industry, which aligns with his administration's enthusiastic adoption of the technology.
Trump wants to meet with AI executives next week, the New York Times reported, though a White House official told the Times on Thursday that no meeting was on the calendar. Both Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman recently agreed that the industry should slow AI development, following the resignation of an Anthropic researcher who said AI could "kill us all" by the end of the decade.
Other lawmakers in the U.S. seek to regulate AI. On Friday, California Gov. Gavin Newsom issued an executive order to create a panel to strengthen the state's AI safety laws.
Just this week, reports surfaced that a U.S. military analyst generated a false report using AI that "almost started a war" with China.
The FBI sent an internal memo warning ICE agents of women pretending to be "tradwives" in order to publicize their private information, The Guardian reported.
In Feb., the FBI in Chicago sent the memo to law enforcement officials across the country, stating, "as of late Jan. 2026, a small group of women allegedly were creating fictitious online dating profiles with the purpose of attracting and then doxxing law enforcement participating in immigration enforcement."
SEE ALSO: The impact of tradwife content on U.S. singles, according to MatchOver the last few years, tradwives — or women who supposedly uphold traditional gender roles and conservative values — gained virality online. But despite all the talk of tradwives online, Match recently found in its Singles in America report that while some survey participants saw an uptick in such content, only 21 percent said it influenced their preferences regarding gender roles in relationships. A participant's age and past experiences were more impactful on this front.
"These profiles were incorporating imagery of a 'traditional wife' aesthetic and listing specific interests in an attempt to appeal to … individuals in law enforcement," the memo continued, according to The Guardian. "The objective was to lure affiliated law enforcement personnel into an online or in-person interaction under the guise of a date, after which the individuals would be publicly exposed and doxed online. The tactic is intended to generate public embarrassment and deter immigration enforcement activity."
No specific dating apps were mentioned. The memo was sent after viral TikToks circulated, saying women should dox ICE agents they came across on dating apps — and the FBI noted that the report was "not finally evaluated intelligence."
A spokesperson for the FBI told The Guardian that, "The FBI regularly shares information with our law enforcement partners to assist in protecting the communities they serve as well as protecting those who serve and protect communities. The FBI is committed to ensuring that law enforcement officers are safe from threats or violence while performing their duties."
The document was obtained by the government-transparency nonprofit Property of the People through a public records request. In a statement, its executive director, Ryan Shapiro, told The Guardian, "It's absurd the FBI issued a thinly-sourced security alert about ICE agents' online dating troubles."
"It's equally ludicrous the FBI is spending taxpayer dollars to protect ICE agents from possible 'embarrassment' at the hands of a supposed 'small group of women' who might name and ridicule them online," Shapiro continued.
Reddit's lawsuit accusing Anthropic of illegally scraping user comments to train its Claude chatbot has cleared another hurdle. A San Francisco County Superior Court judge has allowed three of the platform's five claims to proceed while trimming back two others.
In an order dated Sept. 17 and filed the following day, Judge Harold Kahn overruled Anthropic's demurrer, a legal challenge arguing that even if Reddit's allegations are true, they don't amount to a valid claim. The judge will allow three of Reddit's claims against Anthropic to move forward: breach of contract, interference with contract, and violation of California's unfair competition law. Two other claims, unjust enrichment and trespass to chattels, were tossed out, but the judge will give Reddit a chance to fix and refile them by Oct. 16.
SEE ALSO: Anthropic's CEO urges the industry to slow down, and Sam Altman agreesThe case originated from a complaint Reddit filed in June 2025, when the company accused Anthropic of using automated bots to access its platform's content without permission and training Claude on the personal data of Reddit users without their consent.
At the time, Reddit's chief legal officer Ben Lee said AI companies should not be allowed to scrape people's information and content without clear limitations on how that data can be used, according to the Associated Press. Reddit noted it had separately struck licensing deals in 2024 with companies including Google and OpenAI that it said would allow it to enforce protections such as users' right to delete their content.
Kahn also rejected Anthropic's argument that Reddit's User Agreement was an unenforceable "browsewrap" agreement. The AI company tried to argue that Reddit's terms of service don't constitute a binding contract because users never explicitly click "I agree." The judge pointed to Reddit's allegations that Anthropic kept scraping the site more than 100,000 times even after Reddit's CEO publicly called out the behavior — evidence, he said, that Anthropic knew exactly what it was doing.
As stated earlier, Kahn dismissed Reddit's unjust enrichment and trespass claims, finding them too vague as written, but allowed the company to refile with more specificity.
A Reddit spokesperson said in a statement:
"This ruling sends a strong message – AI companies don't get a free pass to ignore the law. AI companies cannot scrape data without a license in violation of basic contract law, user privacy commitments and fair business practices. As we look ahead to the next phase of this lawsuit, Reddit remains committed to holding unauthorized scrapers accountable and to protecting the trust of Reddit users."
Anthropic did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Flock Safety offered employees voluntary buyouts on Friday, WIRED reported. According to an internal email seen by WIRED, the surveillance company has announced a "generous" severance package for workers who want to leave, and will grant it to the majority of those who apply.
SEE ALSO: Hackers dismantle Flock camera to see what makes it tickThis comes amid backlash against Flock cameras, with civilians damaging them and state officials blocking funding for Flock and ordering their removal.
Flock reportedly stated in its email that the program "treats employees with transparency, respect, and choice," WIRED reported, and gives employees "greater agency." Without the buyouts, those familiar with the situation suspect the company would have to lay off some of its 1,500 employees.
Some packages include months of healthcare coverage, tens of thousands of dollars, and the ability to exercise stock options within two years of leaving the company, according to WIRED. Workers have until Oct. 2 to apply for the buyout, and they're expected to learn whether they're accepted by Oct. 9. Those who have accepted the buyout are expected to depart the company by Oct. 29.
Flock didn't immediately respond to WIRED's requests for comment.
An "entirely false" report generated by AI "almost started a war" with China, sources told CNN.
In an exclusive, several sources familiar with the incident told CNN that the fake report stated that a Chinese ship in the Middle East was transporting components of a nuclear weapon. Members of the U.S. military planned to board the ship, and military planes were in the air — but before any action was taken, officials realized the report was false.
SEE ALSO: Microsoft AI boss calls out Anthropic for chasing AI consciousness, reigniting old debateA special operations command analyst assembled the report using AI, CNN reported, though it's unclear whether they used a commercially available LLM or an internal government one. A former senior official familiar with AI systems used by the military told CNN that internal tools are "mostly just copies of the commercial stuff wearing lipstick."
The report seemed to originate from the Hawaii-based U.S. Special Operations Command Pacific. Neither that department nor the Pentagon responded to CNN's request for comment.
This reporting comes amid cresting concerns about AI that went into overdrive after an Anthropic researcher quit and said the technology "could kill us all by the end of the decade."
But the Trump administration has been bullish on AI, with top military officials among its advocates. In Jan. 2026, the Department of War launched an "Artificial Intelligence Acceleration Strategy," with Secretary of War Pete Hegseth commenting, "We will become an 'AI-first' warfighting force across all domains."
This month, President Trump has called fears around AI a "hoax."
A galaxy 55 million light-years away in space spins in two directions at once, and astronomers suspect it ended up that way after swallowing a smaller neighbor.
The Hubble Space Telescope, NASA's optical light telescope in orbit around Earth, has now photographed the galaxy, called NGC 4698, in sharp detail. It sits in the constellation Virgo, one of more than 1,000 galaxies that gravity holds together in the Virgo Cluster, the closest big group of galaxies.
Although galaxies can grow on their own, they can also evolve by consuming gas and smaller galaxies it bumps up against. The two scenarios leave different clues, and NGC 4698 leans toward a galaxy that ate something. Because only a few known spiral galaxies spin against themselves like this, astronomers want to study NGC 4698 to figure out how it happened.
SEE ALSO: A giant new moon crater is nothing next to its 4-mile bruisePicture a doughnut spinning around your finger. That is the body of this distant galaxy. Its bright arms wrap around the outside in a ring and leave the middle open. The ring turns flat — the way nearly every spiral galaxy revolves — including our own Milky Way.
Now picture another mini doughnut sitting in its hole, standing on its edge and spinning perpendicular to the big one. That is what's going on in the middle of NGC 4698, except the little doughnut is really more of a dough ball, stretched into an oval and missing its own hole. The stars packed inside it ride up over the top of the galaxy and down under the bottom. Hubble's image shows those bulges as a faint glow above and below the dusty plane.
The new image comes from a Hubble project aimed at the Virgo Cluster. It captures small features inside these nearby galaxies, down to single clusters of stars and glowing clouds of gas. The bigger goal is to learn what happens to a galaxy as it travels through a crowded cluster, and whether the trip helps it build new stars or shuts that down.
Want more science and tech news delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for Mashable's Light Speed newsletter or get Mashable push alerts today.
Nothing in a galaxy is glued down, which is how one galaxy can manage two spins. Each star follows its own loop around the center. One crowd can loop flat while another loops crosswise, and neither forces the other to turn around.
Scientists believe some type of collision caused these two spins. Gas from somewhere else could have fallen into the galaxy's gap, gathered at the center, and started spinning its own way. Some observations back that up, NASA says, suggesting the galaxy swallowed another smaller galaxy long ago. A short tail of hydrogen trailing off one side might have formed in the crash.
The NGC 4698 image comes from a Hubble project capturing features inside Virgo Cluster galaxies. Credit: NASA / ESAA recent study on the Milky Way's center also traces a family of stars back to an extremely ancient galactic merger. The research, which appeared in Nature Astronomy last month, looked at the ages and chemicals in several of the galaxy's globular clusters — tightly packed balls of thousands to millions of stars.
That information, combined with the direction of the stars' orbits, helped a team of scientists parse three distinct groups: native Milky Way stars, stars from the Gaia-Sausage-Enceladus merger, and a third unknown population. Using advanced tools, scientists estimated the collision that brought them into the galaxy happened 11.8 billion years ago.
Everything else about NGC 4698 looks rather ordinary. Dark brown clumps of dust run through the outer arms, dotted with bunches of bright blue stars — the huge, hot kind that burn fast and mark spots where stars recently formed. The middle glows soft white because those stars are older, smaller, and cooler.
A black hole as heavy as millions of suns sits at the center, dragging gas into itself. Scientists see signs it's actually still growing.
TL;DR: Watch Sevilla vs. Barcelona in La Liga for free on CazéTV. Access this free livestream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.
It's been an incredible start to the new La Liga season for Barcelona. They've won six games in six and scored an incredible 7-2 win over Racing Club earlier this week. They currently hold a three-point lead over their closest rivals, Real Madrid.
But Barcelona faces tough competition when they play Sevilla this weekend. Sevilla haven't displayed quite the same form, but they're still one of the league's most formidable teams. They've lost just one of their first six fixtures. Is this the game that breaks Barcelona's perfect run?
If you're interested in watching Sevilla vs. Barcelona in La Liga from anywhere in the world, we've got all the information you need.
When is Sevilla vs. Barcelona?Sevilla vs. Barcelona in La Liga kicks off at 3 p.m. ET on Sept. 19. This fixture takes place at the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan Stadium.
How to watch Sevilla vs. Barcelona for freeSevilla vs. Barcelona in La Liga is available to live stream for free on CazéTV.
CazéTV is geo-restricted to Brazil, but anyone can secure access with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Brazil, meaning you can live stream Sevilla vs. Barcelona for free from anywhere in the world.
Live stream Sevilla vs. Barcelona for free by following these simple steps:
Sign up for a streaming-friendly VPN (we recommend ExpressVPN)
Download the app to your device of choice
Open up the app and connect to a server in Brazil
Visit CazéTV
Watch Sevilla vs. Barcelona for free from anywhere in the world
The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but they do tend to offer generous money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch Sevilla vs. Barcelona without committing your cash. This is obviously not a long-term strategy, but it gives you enough time to stream this fixture (plus more La Liga action) before recovering your investment.
What is the best VPN for La Liga?ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on CazéTV, for a number of reasons:
Servers in 105 countries, including Brazil
Easy-to-use app available on all major devices, including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more
Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure
Fast connection speeds free from throttling
Up to 10 simultaneous connections
30-day money-back guarantee
A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and usually offers a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99.
Live stream Sevilla vs. Barcelona for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.