Feed aggregator

Look like the innocent flower but be the serpent under it in the Royal Shakespeare Company's first ever video game.

Announced on Wednesday, the British theatre company has teamed up with New York indie game studio iNK Stories (Revolution: Black Friday) to create Lili, a thriller noir game focused on the damned spot-laden Lady Macbeth.

SEE ALSO: The 10 best video games you may have missed in 2024

Set in modern Iran, the interactive story-based game uses cinematic footage with point-and-click functions. Lili stars French-Iranian Holy Spider actor Zar Amir as Lady Macbeth, referred to as "Lili" (Amir's own Alambic Production co-produced the game). Players make decisions for the Scottish play's villainous queen, amid a setting of authoritarian rule and gender oppression in Iran. As for the rest of Macbeth's characters, all we know so far is the all-important witches are realised as hackers.

Lili is currently in development, with a 2025 release date and platforms to be announced.

Zar Amir in "Lili." Credit: Ellie Smith

"It pushes the boundaries of storytelling, marking an inflection point in the depth of expression within commercial video games and expanding the creative vision of the RSC into new, interactive territory," Vassiliki Khonsari, co-founder of iNK Stories, said in a statement.

"A video game based on Shakespeare's Macbeth is a thrilling endeavour that transforms one of literature’s darkest and most compelling tales — of gender, ambition, fate, power, and morality into an immersive, interactive experience."

Featured Video For You Grow plants from fantasy games with this IRL initiative

It's not the first game based on Shakespeare's work but it is the first direct from the Royal Shakespeare Company — an organisation which has staged Macbeth many, many times. To honour Shakespeare's words, iNK Stories worked with leading Oxford Shakespeare academic, RSC board member, and author Emma Smith on the text adaptation.

Long the stuff of narrative legend, Shakespeare's work has most recently found a crossover with cinema and gaming through the lauded Grand Theft Hamlet, a documentary film in which filmmakers Pinny Grylls, Sam Crane, and Mark Oosterveen staged a production of the Shakespearean tragedy within the game Grand Theft Auto Online.

"As a storytelling medium, gaming today is what theatre has always been; a chance to explore worlds, inhabit story, and experience something at once personal and communal," said Daniel Evans and Tamara Harvey, RSC co-artistic directors, in a statement. "Centring this tense thriller around Lady Macbeth rather than her husband is radical and transformative. It turns the play’s questions around gender, identity and power inside out."

TL;DR: Get a PDF Expert Premium lifetime subscription for £64.95 (reg. £113.68) and manage your PDFs with seamless editing, organising, and annotation tools.

Opens in a new window Credit: Readdle Limited PDF Expert Premium Plan: Lifetime Subscription (Mac) £64.95 at the Mashable Shop
£113.68 Save £48.73 Get Deal

PDFs are great until you need to edit one — then they can feel like an unsolvable puzzle. With PDF Expert Premium, you’ll never have to wrestle with your files again. This powerful £64.95 (reg. £113.68) tool puts you in full control of your PDFs, making edits, annotations, and organisation simple.

PDF Expert is built for flexibility and ease of use. If you want to tweak text, images, or links, it’s as simple as clicking and typing. You can highlight, comment, and mark up your PDFs with intuitive tools that let you collaborate seamlessly.

But it doesn’t stop at edits. PDF Expert also makes organising large batches of documents effortless. Merge multiple PDFs into one, split files, or rearrange pages to your liking. Plus, its handy search function ensures you’ll never waste time hunting for key information again.

For those focused on security, PDF Expert has you covered. Lock your documents with passwords and control access to sensitive information. Whether you’re handling contracts, assignments, or personal files, you’ll have peace of mind knowing your data is protected.

Great for students, professionals, or anyone who deals with PDFs regularly, you can say goodbye to clunky workarounds and hello to streamlined productivity.

With a one-time payment of £64.95 — a 42% discount — you get lifetime access to PDF Expert Premium's complete suite of features.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

FREE E-BOOKS: The latest Stuff Your Kindle Day takes place on Jan. 23. Pick up hundreds of mystery e-books for free in the Cozy Mystery eBook Blast.

The wait for the return of Stuff Your Kindle Day has been gruelling. The last event took place on Dec. 27. That's almost a whole month ago. How have we all coped?

Stuff Your Kindle Day provides an awesome opportunity to stock up on hundreds of books for free. We know that it sounds too good to be true, but it's legit. Stuff Your Kindle Day is an author-organized event that drops the price of hundreds of e-books to nothing. And the books that you decide to download are yours to keep, forever.

SEE ALSO: The Kindle Paperwhite made me enjoy reading books again

This latest Stuff Your Kindle Day is focused on cozy mystery e-books. Hosted by the Cozy Mystery Book Club, the hub page lists out exactly what's included, and is broken down into Contemporary Cozies, Historical Cozies, and Paranormal Cozies, so you can find exactly what you're looking for.

Want to make the most of the latest Stuff Your Kindle Day? We've lined up everything you need to know about this popular event.

When is Stuff Your Kindle Day?

Bookworms should do everything they can to keep tabs on the Stuff Your Kindle Day calendar. The last couple of events took place in December, with the Indie Author Winter Wonderland Event offering hundreds of indie books for 99 cents or less, followed by the free giveaway from Dark Mode Books.

And now (Jan. 23), the Cozy Mystery Book Club is giving away 170+ free e-book downloads from your preferred retailer.

Who can take part in Stuff Your Kindle Day?

Anyone can participate in Stuff Your Kindle Day.

You don't need to own a Kindle to get involved. Kindle, Kobo, and Nook readers can download these free e-books. You can even download these books on your preferred app and read them straight from your phone, as you can also find these free titles on the Google Play and Apple Books apps.

Which e-books are free?

Finding all these free cozy mystery e-books is straightforward thanks to the Cozy Mystery Book Club. There's a helpful hub page with Kindle store and other retailer links to Contemporary Cozies, Historical Cozies, and Paranormal Cozies. Following these links, you can see the Amazon links from a bunch of different locations.

Is Stuff Your Kindle Day the same as Amazon Kindle Unlimited?

Everything you download on Stuff Your Kindle Day is yours to keep, and there's no limit on the number of books you can download. Stuff Your Kindle Day downloads don't count towards the 20 books per month that Amazon Kindle Unlimited subscribers can borrow, so don't hold back.

Shop Stuff Your Kindle Day deal Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Kindle (16GB) + 3 Months of Kindle Unlimited $109.99 at Amazon
$145.96 Save $35.97 Get Deal Why we like it

These portable and lightweight e-readers help you take your entire library on the go. With weeks of battery life and an anti-glare display, you can read anywhere and anytime with the Kindle. They start at $109.99, a great price for those on a budget, but if you want to save even more, you can get three months of Kindle Unlimited absolutely free during Stuff Your Kindle Day.

Kindle Unlimited costs $11.99 per month and allows you to borrow up to 20 months per month. For a limited time, you can get three months of Kindle Unlimited for free, saving you $35.97.

Featured Video For You Kindle Paperwhite vs. Kobo Clara Colour: Which one is better?

TL;DR: Live stream Keys vs. Swiatek in the 2025 Australian Open for free on 9Now. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The big question from the 2025 Australian Open is whether or not anyone can stop Sabalenka? It's not an easy task, but if anyone can do it, it's probably Swiatek. Of course, she hasn't made the final yet. Standing in her way is the impressive Madison Keys.

If you want to watch Keys vs. Swiatek in the 2025 Australian Open for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

How to watch Keys vs. Swiatek for free

The 2025 Australian Open is available to live stream for free on 9Now, including Keys vs. Swiatek.

9Now is geo-restricted to Australia, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These handy tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Australia, meaning you can unblock 9Now from anywhere in the world.

Access free live streams of the 2025 Australian Open by following these simple steps:

1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in Australia

4. Visit 9Now

5. Watch the 2025 Australian Open for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Year Subscription + 3 Months Free) $99.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but leading services do tend to offer incentive deals such as free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these deals, you can live stream Keys vs. Swiatek without actually spending anything. This isn't a long-term solution, but it gives you enough time to watch the Australian Open before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for 9Now?

ExpressVPN is the best service for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live tennis on 9Now, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including Australia

• Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is always secure

• Fast connection speeds

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee.

Live stream Keys vs. Swiatek in the 2025 Australian Open for free with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: Live stream Sabalenka vs. Badosa in the 2025 Australian Open for free on 9Now. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

It is looking like Sabalenka is on her way to winning another Australian Open. We thought Coco Gauff was going to put up a fight, but the American lost to Badosa in the quarter finals. Now the task of defeating the defending champion falls to the Spaniard.

If you want to watch Sabalenka vs. Badosa in the 2025 Australian Open for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

How to watch Sabalenka vs. Badosa for free

The 2025 Australian Open is available to live stream for free on 9Now, including Sabalenka vs. Badosa.

9Now is geo-restricted to Australia, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These handy tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Australia, meaning you can unblock 9Now from anywhere in the world.

Access free live streams of the 2025 Australian Open by following these simple steps:

1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in Australia

4. Visit 9Now

5. Watch the 2025 Australian Open for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Year Subscription + 3 Months Free) $99.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but leading services do tend to offer incentive deals such as free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these deals, you can live stream Sabalenka vs. Badosa without actually spending anything. This isn't a long-term solution, but it gives you enough time to watch the Australian Open before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for 9Now?

ExpressVPN is the best service for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live tennis on 9Now, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including Australia

• Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is always secure

• Fast connection speeds

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee.

Live stream Sabalenka vs. Badosa in the 2025 Australian Open for free with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: Live stream Hoffenheim vs. Tottenham Hotspur for free on ServusTV. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

Spurs might be struggling in the Premier League, but they've performed pretty well in the Europa League this season. They are firmly in the running to progress to the knockout rounds, but the next game against Hoffenheim will be challenging.

If you want to watch Hoffenheim vs. Tottenham Hotspur for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Hoffenheim vs. Tottenham Hotspur?

Hoffenheim vs. Tottenham Hotspur kicks off at 5:45 p.m. GMT on Jan. 23. This fixture takes place at the Rhein-Neckar-Arena.

How to watch Hoffenheim vs. Tottenham Hotspur for free

Hoffenheim vs. Tottenham Hotspur is available to live stream for free on ServusTV.

ServusTV is geo-restricted to Austria, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Austria, meaning you can bypass geo-restrictions to access ServusTV from anywhere in the world.

Unblock ServusTV by following these simple steps:

1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in Austria

4. Visit ServusTV

5. Stream Hoffenheim vs. Tottenham Hotspur in the Europa League for free

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Year Subscription + 3 Months Free) $99.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but they do tend to provide free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can gain access to ServusTV without committing with your cash. This is not a long-term solution, but it gives you plenty of time to stream Hoffenheim vs. Tottenham Hotspur before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for ServusTV?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for streaming live sport on ServusTV, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including Austria

• 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 eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee.

Stream Hoffenheim vs. Tottenham Hotspur for free with ExpressVPN.

This content originally appeared on Mashable for a US audience and has been adapted for the UK audience.

It's that time of year when we're all looking to get back in shape. And there are two very good reasons to do it via an exercise bike. Exercise bikes provide a great home cardio workout and put much less strain on your joints than running on a treadmill.

If your joints are a concern, or you're just getting started, why not try a recumbent bike? They suit beginners, seniors, or anyone who doesn't want to put much pressure or weight on their knees and hips.

For many of us though, fitness is a whole new world. It's hard to know where to start. Don't worry, we're here to help. Here's all the information you need to ride.

What is a recumbent bike?

An upright bike is what you typically think of when you picture a stationary bike. You ride it like a normal bicycle, with your body straight up and down. Think of a Peloton. A recumbent bike is an exercise bike that positions you in a reclined form while pedalling. Think of it sort of like a rowing machine, but your feet pedal instead of your arms pulling back a cord. And unlike a typical stationary bike, the pedals are in front of your body rather than underneath it. Because you are leaning back, a recumbent bike can feel a bit awkward before you master it.

What are the benefits of a recumbent bike?

A recumbent bike has a larger seat more like a chair, so you avoid that uncomfortable soreness you'd typically get from a bike seat. The reclined position of the seat is easier on the lower back. Plus, most recumbent bikes have seat backs for more support than you'd find in an upright bike. You won't be hunched over handlebars like you would be on an upright exercise bike.

What features do recumbent bikes have?

It really comes down to design and resistance. Look at the design of the bike and think about how it's going to work with your body. If you have a bad back, you'll want a bike with a more supportive seat. While on the topic of seats: Short people, make sure the seat will slide to a position where your feet can reach the pedals comfortably. An exercise bike is worthless if you can't use it properly and safely.

The levels of resistance are also important. They will determine how tough your workout is, using magnetic friction that makes it harder to pedal. If you're new to the world of stationary biking, you can probably stick with lower resistance, but if you're a regular cycler, you're going to want those extra levels of restraint to get the most out of your workout. Other features to know about include preset workout programmes, app and music connectivity, and real-time stats. These features vary model to model.

What is the best recumbent bike?

Selecting the right bike for you can be tricky. We've tried to make your life a little easier by lining up a selection of the best models from top brands. There should be something for everyone and every budget in this list.

These are the best recumbent bikes to add to your home gym in 2025.

It's time to get on your bike. Not in the "get out of here" sense, but the "get fit" sense. With the wide range of exercise bikes available right now, there's no need to lug yourself to the gym every single day. You can put in some serious miles from your living room.

And while the humble exercise bike might seem like base level fitness gear — not especially exciting — some brands are racing ahead of the fitness game with advanced, tech-savvy models. Indeed, there's a great range of options for static cyclists.

The question is: Do you know your pedals from your Peloton? Choosing an exercise bike may be easier said than done, but we’ve hit the internet highway and done the research on your behalf. Here’s some information to put you in the right direction.

What are the benefits of using an exercise bike?

There are some basic plus points: Firstly, you don't need to risk your life by pedalling away on the roads, thereby avoiding cars, lorries, and potholes. The second is that you can exercise sitting down, which will appeal to anyone who likes to work up a sweat from the comfort of their own home.

There are more specific benefits. An exercise bike is excellent for cardio, which is great for heart health and losing weight. An exercise bike also helps toning, building muscle, and — unlike other cardio, such as running — protects your joints.

What are the most important exercise bike features?

This is where it gets tricky, because some bikes are geared for more than just straight pedalling. Bikes may come with a whole range of features or tech-powered add-ons. Here are some worth knowing about:

• App Connectivity — Some hi-tech bikes connect with fitness apps, which then provide coaching classes and workouts. Sometimes these classes play out on a screen that’s fixed to the front of the bike.

• Pulse Sensors — These are sensors built into the handlebars. They monitor your heart rate as you cycle. Other stats may include speed, distance, calories burned — all displayed in real-time on the bike’s built-in LCD monitor. 

• Resistance — This means the level of difficulty when doing the work of actual pedalling. Bikes may have multiple levels of resistance, usually controlled by magnets, which make the pedalling increasingly hard.

Keep these features in mind when shopping around for the best exercise bike.

Is Peloton the best exercise bike brand?

Peloton is certainly the most fashionable brand. These slick looking bikes have touchscreens that give you streaming access to thousands of live classes, but they’re not the only exercise bike brand in the interactive workout game. NordicTrack offers similar features through the iFit app. The downside is that these types of bikes are generally top-of-the-range and cost a lot of cash. They also involve ongoing subscription costs for access to workouts and online services.

What is the best exercise bike?

It’s not really about what's “best”. It’s about what suits you, your lifestyle, and your fitness needs. There are plenty of exercise bikes available for you to consider online, and we can help you find the perfect model for you. We’ve tracked down a selection of exercise bikes that should suit everyone, with models from top fitness brands such as Reebok and Peloton.

These are the best exercise bikes in 2025.

Unions had gained a foothold in one of the company’s warehouses in the province, though Amazon would not say if there was a connection.

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 23 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: The act of exceeding or surpassing others

• Green: Brought for an outdoor meal

• Blue: Iconic archaeologist's outfit and gear

• Purple: Words that rhyme with former heads of state

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: Outdo

• Green: Picnic Accessories

• Blue: Parts of an Indiana Jones Costume

• Purple: Rhymes of U.S. President Names

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 #592 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Outdo: BETTER, ECLIPSE, SURPASS, TOP

• Picnic Accessories: BASKET, BLANKET, COOLER, UTENSILS

• Parts of an Indiana Jones Costume: BOMBER, FEDORA, SATCHEL, WHIP

• Rhymes of U.S. President Names: PAGAN, SMARTER, VIXEN, WIDEN

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 23

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 23 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 23, 2025 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

Higher or superior.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

The letter P appears twice.

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

Today's Wordle starts with the letter U.

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...

UPPER.

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 23

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: Football mascots

• Green: How to get in the pool

• Blue: Like _______

• Purple: Types of races

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: NFL teams in singular form

• Green: Diving positions

• Blue: Famous Mikes

• Purple: ______ race

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 #122 is...

What is the answer to Connections Sports Edition today

• NFL teams in singular form - BEAR, BILL, DOPLHIN, PACKER

• Diving positions - FREE, PIKE, STRAIGHT, TUCK

• Famous Mikes - BOSSY, EVANS, PIAZZA, TROUT

• _____ race - HORSE, PENNANT, RELAY, ROAD

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 23 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for January 23 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Udderly delicious

These words are not for the lactose-intolerant.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

Words are foods produced by cow by-products.

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 DairyProducts.

Featured Video For You Strands 101: How to win NYT’s latest word game NYT Strands word list for January 23

• Milk

• Yogurt

• Cheese

• Butter

• Gelato

• Custard

• DairyProducts

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.

Libertarian and crypto allies of Ross Ulbricht, who was serving a life sentence for distributing drugs on his Silk Road website, leveraged President Trump’s desire for political support to secure his release.

First dates are a near-universally stressful experience, but I can guarantee you've never had as bad of a first date as The White Lotus star Meghann Fahy has in the upcoming horror film Drop.

SEE ALSO: 2025 movie preview: All the films you'll want to know about

From director Christopher Landon (Happy Death Day) and Blumhouse (M3GAN, Five Nights at Freddy's), Drop introduces us to widowed mother Violet (Fahy) as she embarks on her first date in years. Her date in question is Henry (Brandon Sklenar, It Ends With Us), who winds up being lovely and charming. Yet despite Violet's chemistry with him, the date goes south when she begins to receive airdropped memes that threaten the lives of her son (Jacob Robinson) and babysitting sister (Violett Beane). Soon, she learns that a masked intruder is in her house and monitoring the restaurant's security cameras. With the intruder monitoring her every move, the only way Violet can save her family is by killing Henry. Will she go through with the plan? Or is there any way to salvage this date and stop the criminal mastermind engineering everything?

Drop hits theaters April 11.

Mr. Trump had claimed the A.I. announcement as an early trophy, taking credit for the companies’ decision to spend up to $500 billion building data centers.

The NFL is sticking to its guns about how its team members use social media — namely, by keeping teams off of X competitor Bluesky.

This tidbit comes courtesy of the sports media site Awful Announcing, which caught an exchange on Patriots Unfiltered. In response to a fan suggestion that the team expand its social media footprint to Bluesky, Patriots VP of content Fred Kirsch revealed that "right now we’re not allowed to."

SEE ALSO: Reddit sports mods, users calling for a ban on X links in posts

Kirsch explained that while the Patriots had briefly tested the waters on Bluesky, "the league asked us to take it down because it’s not an approved social media platform for the NFL yet," he said.

Bluesky, now boasting over 28 million users, has emerged as a leading alternative to X in the wake of Elon Musk’s and Mark Zuckerberg’s apparent shifts toward far-right politics. Sports teams are increasingly exploring life beyond X, with Bundesliga clubs like FC St. Pauli taking the leap as early as November, following the U.S. presidential election.

More recently, several major sports-focused subreddits have floated the idea of banning X links entirely, even though much of their content relies heavily on posts from the platform. At the same time, prominent sports journalists and media personalities have started building active presences on Bluesky, making X’s role as a go-to hub for sports fans feel increasingly redundant.

As for the NFL's presence on Bluesky? It’s basically nonexistent. The league maintains active partnerships with Meta and X, and despite the wave of sports fans and media personalities migrating to Bluesky, the NFL has yet to follow suit. The decision seems to stem less from ideological alignment with Musk or Zuckerberg and more from the league's business interests and active brand partnerships with both platforms.

An NFL spokesperson did not immediately respond to our request for comment.

That said, a handful of NFL teams appear to have a foothold on Bluesky — kind of. The Detroit Lions (53.8k followers at the time of publication), New York Giants (13.5k), Minnesota Vikings (22.7k), and Philadelphia Eagles (50.6k) all have accounts that look legitimate. But based on Patriots VP Fred Kirsch’s recent comments, these accounts are likely fan-run, as they’re unverified and unofficial.

Samsung spent the bulk of its Samsung Galaxy Unpacked event this year talking about its brand-new AI features. In fact, it took about 30 minutes into the presentation to get to the new S25 line of smartphones before the company once again pivoted to the new AI features packed into the phone.

However, no matter how hard Samsung tried, the thing everyone is buzzing about from Unpacked isn't AI but a surprise Samsung tucked away at the very end of the event: the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge.

We don't know much about the new ultra-slim smartphone from Samsung officially. Samsung only showed a short teaser video that provided zero information about the Galaxy S25 Edge.

SEE ALSO: Samsung Galaxy Unpacked 2025 live blog: Galaxy S25 series, AI tools, and more

However, rumors have been spreading about a super slim smartphone from Samsung. The Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge is rumored to be only 6.4mm thick. That's really thin. It would be the thinnest Galaxy smartphone so far.

It's unclear if there are any differences between the S25 Edge and the other S25 models' capabilities that can be attributed to the S25 Edge's thinness. Being that it is part of the S25 series, we assume it'll be able to handle all the AI capabilities that the rest of the line was built for.

SEE ALSO: Samsung briefly teased XR headset 'Project Moohan' at Galaxy Unpacked

While the newly announced Galaxy S25, S25+, and S25 Ultra models are all open for pre-order starting today and have a Feb. 7 release, the S25 Edge has no such launch date slated. The word is that Samsung is aiming for a release later this year for the S25 Edge, possibly in May 2025.

The only thing we can confirm from Samsung directly is what they showed in that short teaser video at the end of Unpacked. And the message we got from that is that the S25 Edge is indeed svelte.

On his first day in office, President Donald Trump issued executive orders that transgender rights activists described as "hateful."

Invoking biological definitions of sex that are contested, one order effectively argues that "trans-ness is not real," and directs federal agencies to change their policies accordingly, said Chase Strangio, co-director of the ACLU’s LGBTQ & HIV Project, in a media briefing Tuesday.

He noted that the State Department, which issues passports, had already removed existing directions for how to update one's sex designation on a passport. During the Biden administration, the department began issuing passports with an X gender marker, and did not require applicants to submit medical certification to change their gender marker on the document. (A Trump administration spokesperson told The Washington Blade that current passports with an X marker would not be invalidated.)

SEE ALSO: All LGBTQ pages already deleted from White House website

Strangio said other real world implications of the order would become clear once federal agencies enacted new policies. Advocates are concerned that the order could be fear-reaching, and potentially devastating, affecting access to health care, protection from discrimination, and safety in school environments, among other things.

Additionally, Trump rescinded two executive orders, both signed by President Biden, that lifted the ban on transgender service members, and attempted to address discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersex individuals.

"We see these executive orders for what they are—an attempt by hateful extremists to make it impossible for us to participate in public life," Rodrigo Heng-Lehtinen, executive director of Advocates for Trans Equality, said in a statement.

Heng-Lehtinen said that many of Trump's executive orders cannot go into effect immediately, and that the organization would closely monitor their implementation.

"We will use every resource at our disposal, from Capitol Hill to the courts, to hold the line against these attacks," Heng-Lehtinen said.

The ACLU and Lambda Legal also plan to mount legal challenges to Trump administration policies that implement the orders.

For transgender people worried about what happens next, Advocates for Trans Equality and GLAAD shared with Mashable a list of resources they can consult:

Legal Guides

• Trans Legal Survival Guide, published by Advocates for Trans Equality. This 17-page report provides guidance on how to conduct a "legal checkup" for readers. Though it is not legal advice, it offers tips on planning for health care decisions, updating legal identification and documentation, and finding legal help.

• Protecting Your LGBTQ+ Marriage and Family, published by COLAGE, Family Equality, GLAD Law, Movement Advancement Project, and the National Center for Lesbian Rights, this resource guide provides information about existing legal protections for LGBTQ+ families.

• Keeping LGBTQ Families Safe: Recommendations and Best Practices, published by GLAAD. These "commonsense" tips are aimed at helping LGBTQ families and people can ensure that their "identities, families, and wishes are legally clear and respected."

Crisis Lines

• Trans Lifeline: 877-565-8860

• National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: 988

• Trevor Project: 866-488-7386

• Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741

PREORDER BONUS ALERT: As of Jan. 22, shoppers who preorder an unlocked Samsung Galaxy S25 series smartphone from Amazon or Best Buy (starting at $799.99) will receive a free gift card worth $50 to $200, depending on the model.

Quick links: Amazon Samsung Galaxy S25 (128GB) $799.99 + free $100 Amazon gift card Pre-Order Here Amazon Samsung Galaxy S25+ (256GB) $999.99 + free $100 Amazon gift card Pre-Order Here Amazon Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra (256GB) $1,299.99 + free $200 Amazon gift card Pre-Order Here Best Buy Samsung Galaxy S25 (128GB) $799.99 + free $50 Best Buy gift card and 1-month Xbox Game Pass Ultimate membership Pre-Order Here Best Buy Samsung Galaxy S25+ (256GB) $999.99 + free $100 Best Buy gift card and 1-month Xbox Game Pass Ultimate membership Pre-Order Here Best Buy Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra (256GB) $1,299.99 + free $200 Best Buy gift card and 1-month Xbox Game Pass Ultimate membership Pre-Order Here

Almost as soon as Samsung announced them during its Galaxy Unpacked livestream, the new Galaxy S25 series smartphones went up for preorder on Wednesday (Jan. 22). Several major phone carriers are giving them away for cheap or free, provided you trade in an older phone and/or sign up for a new line first. But for shoppers who prefer an unlocked device with no strings attached, two retailers are offering hefty preorder bonuses in the form of free gift cards.

Reserve an unlocked Galaxy S25, S25+, or S25 Ultra through Amazon or Best Buy ahead of the series' formal launch on Feb. 7, and you'll receive a gift card worth up to $200 that you can put toward a future purchase there. (A phone case, perhaps: Best Buy has select Galaxy S25 cases on sale for half off.) Best Buy's offer further includes a free one-month Xbox Game Pass Ultimate membership worth $19.99, for those who want to give mobile gaming a shot.

SEE ALSO: Every Samsung Galaxy Unpacked announcement, including S25 phones

If you're planning on buying the 1TB configuration of the Galaxy S25 Ultra, though, reserve it directly through Samsung's website instead: It was randomly on sale for $240 off there at the time of writing.

Starting at $799.99, $999.99, and $1,299.99, respectively, the Galaxy S25, S25+, or S25 Ultra are priced the same as their Galaxy S24 series counterparts from early 2024. That's not the only thing they have in common with their predecessors: Their storage configurations, batteries, displays, and camera setups are mostly identical, save for a couple small tweaks in the higher-end S25+ and S25 Ultra variants. (Both have new "ProScaler" display technology for a bump in image quality, for example, while the latter has a new 50MP ultrawide camera sensor and a Corning Gorilla Armor 2 screen.)

Anyone coming from a Galaxy S24 phone (or even a Galaxy S23 model) is mainly getting more RAM, a new Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy processor that's probably faster, and a slew of new agentic AI software features. That's our initial take on the Galaxy S25 series, at least — keep an eye out for Mashable's forthcoming reviews of all three phones.

The 6.2-inch Galaxy S25 and the 6.7-inch Galaxy S25+ both come in navy, mint, icy blue, and silver shadow finishes, while the 6.9-inch Galaxy Ultra is available in titanium black, titanium blue, titanium gray, and titanium silver.