Feed aggregator

Teslas that have been sold or traded in during the backlash against the company’s chief executive have become bargains on lots.

On Jan. 20, wasting little time during his first 24 hours in office, president Donald Trump issued a memorandum terminating federal remote work arrangements for millions of government employees. It was a pleasing move to many Republican lawmakers, the authors of a fistful of bills seeking to monitor or cull remote workforces, and to Trump's corporate supporters, many of whom have rolled out their own in-person work requirements over the last year. Return-to-office (RTO) mandates — eschewing the opinions of experts who have found numerous positive benefits to telework — followed, as the new leader established a hardline on telework. 

Such moves, paired with slashes to the federal workforce, have been praised by RTO's proponents as wins for productivity and reduced spending, with portions of the employees forced to choose between in-person work or leaving their position. But few have acknowledged that the brunt of these decisions will be shouldered by already at-risk workers. 

SEE ALSO: The end of remote work doesn't work for women The real people weighing the RTO ultimatum  

"Really good people — who are federal employees who have disabilities — are losing their job, not because of their performance, but because of something else," explained Katy Neas. Neas is the president and CEO of disability rights organization The Arc and a former legislative assistant within the U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Disability Policy, a federal body that oversaw historic legislation like the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). "The federal government has always been a place where people with disabilities have thrived, because it's big enough that they could get health insurance, and they could get the accommodations that they need in order to be successful in the world of work."

And that's underselling it. The federal government boasts the highest percentage of people with disabilities in its workforce, with state governments following closely behind. Neas explains that before the passage of the Affordable Care Act, which prohibits health insurance discrimination and opens up Medicaid access for people with disabilities, many flocked to the federal government because of its stable health coverage.

"For as long as the record has been kept, people with disabilities are in the workforce at a significantly lower rate than people without disabilities," said Dan Stewart, managing attorney for education and employment for the National Disability Rights Network (NDRN). Across all demographics, people with disabilities have lower employment rates and are much more likely to be self-employed or take on part-time work — many more people with disabilities are employed without pay or at subminimum wages than with. 

But those numbers have finally shifted. In the five years since workforces moved en masse to work from home arrangements amid a global pandemic, remote work has, on the whole, increased productivity and led to higher wages across sectors, and it's also increased the number of people with disabilities in the workforce. Employment for people with disabilities was at 22.7 percent in 2024 — a historic high since the Bureau of Labor Statistics began compiling the numbers. 

"As technology has evolved, more people can demonstrate their abilities than ever before," said Neas. Greater shares of the disabled workforce are working remotely than those without disabilities, according to recent reports, and flexible work schedules were among the most granted accommodations for workers with disabilities.

If a societal goal is to have people working, [remote work] is a tool to do it — especially for people with disabilities, but not exclusively for people with disabilities. - Dan Stewart

A historically wrought battle, workplace accommodation processes were positively impacted by the pandemic's normalization of remote work — a necessary cultural shift in an increasingly unhealthy work-life relationship. The ADA, which requires employers provide reasonable accommodations for their workers, does not specifically necessitate the option of remote work. Workers, instead, argued for remote work options with their respective employers for decades. Five years ago, as the majority of workers moved online, those conversations became immeasurably easier. 

"What the pandemic did was broaden our horizons about what a reasonable accommodation is," Neas explained. "We also learned that one size has never fit all. [E]verybody's going to have unique needs during the work day that are necessary for them to get the work done. We've learned to be a little more accepting of that nuance within the work day, which I think is good for all of us."

Inadequate support for workers with disabilities has repercussions not just on individuals, but the economy as a whole, Stewart explained. "From one standpoint, more workers is just simply good business. We're tapping into the skills, the talents, the contributions of people with disabilities, and remote work does tend to facilitate that. If a societal goal is to have people working, this is a tool to do it — especially for people with disabilities, but not exclusively for people with disabilities."

Going further, nearly 45 million Americans live with a disability — about half of those people are between the ages of 60-64, which is still well within the age range for employed Americans. The older workforce, usually defined as workers 65 years and older, has doubled since the 1980s and is steadily growing, as well. And as the average ages for an American worker increases, a higher percentage of the labor force will need disability-related accommodations in their lifetimes. 

"It's critical to see people with disabilities as productive, contributing citizens of not only local communities, but also over the national economy — to see people with disabilities as having an immense untapped social and economic capital that is being imperiled by the different cuts that we're seeing," said Stewart.

Diverse workforces, made up of women, parents, caregivers, and workers with disabilities, are squaring up against a harsher workplace reality under the narrative of the "great return." And, even as the country celebrates the 35th anniversary of the ADA this year, people with disabilities may be entering a new stretch of accessibility barriers.

The impact of attacking workplace accommodations

While many workplaces have leaned into remote hybrid work, the longevity of telework has remained in question, and the recent push for federal RTO policies is not the first attack on remote work that's raised alarm bells among disability advocates. In 2023, as corporations like Amazon and Google shifted back to in-person work, disability rights groups argued the shift would disproportionately affect workers with disabilities, many of whom required greater transportation and workplace accommodations. Many argue that forced in-person work could lead to a rise in workplace discrimination or ableist micro-aggressions, as well. 

The removal of universalized remote work policies may also dangerously single out employees in need of accommodations — a kind of surveillance that will make it easier to pinpoint and potentially target workers with disabilities.

More recently, Amazon revised its disability policies, making it more difficult for employees to receive remote work exemptions as part of disability accommodations.

A broad reversal of such protections, coupled with the anti-DEI narrative pushed by the Trump administration, may lead to a revitalization of discriminatory, or even segregationist, policies that silo workers with disabilities into specific, unskilled jobs, negating years of effort to enter the "real" workforce. The removal of universalized remote work policies may also dangerously single out employees in need of accommodations — a kind of surveillance, Stewart explained, that will make it easier to pinpoint and potentially target workers with disabilities. The same behavior has the potential to negatively impact students with disabilities, as well, as the Department of Education comes under fire.

The Trump administration has done little to reinforce the country's current commitments to its disabled citizens, instead introducing a sweeping anti Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) agenda, part of a wave of executive orders directing severe cuts to federal agencies. The president has refashioned the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), led by Trump appointee Andrea R. Lucas, into a vessel for reinforcing the anti-DEIA policies of his administration.

Legal and civil rights advocates have been outspoken against such moves, including the American Federation of Government Employees and American Civil Liberties Union, which has specifically outlined the rights of federal employees with disabilities under the administration's new directives. 

SEE ALSO: Five years of remote work? Try 25 years.

In this case, and somewhat ironically, bureaucracy may work in the workforce's favor. "You still have the law," said Neas. "With some of these big tech companies asking people to come in five days a week — the ADA still applies to them. My fear is that we set these arbitrary standards that somehow have to be applied uniformly, when we have laws that say that is, in fact, the absolute wrong way to go."

It's ultimatums like these, however, that Trump (and federal allies like Department of Government Efficiency leader Elon Musk) hope will thin out the federal workforce And who among employees will be impacted first? Those with little choice. 

"There's more to come," said Stewart. "What I worry about is the lack of funding or lack of staffing for civil rights enforcement at the Office for Civil Rights or at the EEOC. So while the laws themselves, like the ADA, the IDEA, and Section 504 are still on the books, there needs to be an effective way for people to avail themselves of their rights. If the administrative options are being lost or are not effective due to reductions in force… Justice delayed is justice denied."

There's still work to be done for those who are choosing to go back to work, too. Federal workers relocating to central offices have been confronted by the impact of years of telework, including certain infrastructure expenditures that had since been rendered moot, like basic physical accommodations such as parking spots, desks, and even toilet paper. Workers with disabilities, now even more reliant on federal protections through laws like the ADA, may face additional hurdles.

"We are going to lose their expertise and their confidence," Neas said of disabled workers who choose or are forced to leave the workforce due to new policy decisions such as these. "That brain drain is a really bad thing for us all." 

Both Neas and Stewart reiterated that the goal of strengthening a workplace accommodation like remote work isn't to force everyone to follow suit. It's to offer choice. Couched in productivity-first language, "the great return" brews greater distrust about employer flexibility and care, threatening to exacerbate misconceptions about disabled workers and reinforce the social stigma around workplace accommodations and "laziness." 

"Why do people need accommodations? They need accommodations so they can do the job," reiterated Neas. "There are tangible, pragmatic, job-related reasons people need these accommodations, and we need to not lose sight of that."

TL;DR: Is your PC in need of a good reboot? Give it a whole new set of tools with a license for Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2019 for Windows, now $29.97 (reg. $229) through April 27.

We all need a makeover every now and then. If your trusty PC could use a revamp, a license for Microsoft Office is an affordable way to make it feel new again. 

Rediscover Microsoft Office classics and get acquainted with new favorites thanks to this Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2019 license for Windows. It's now just $29.97, $200 off the usual price, now through April 27. 

Revamp your PC with these Microsoft staples

Give your old PC a new lease on life with this fleet of Microsoft Office apps. They're great for work, play, and everything in between, and you're probably already familiar with half of them.

This Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2019 license gives you lifetime access to Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote, Publisher, and Access.

Don't let the older edition give you pause — it's a cost-effective way to outfit your computer with a whole new set of tools. You only pay once, unlike the monthly subscription fees that Office365 requires. It also allows you to work offline if needed since you don't have to rely on the cloud like more modern versions. 

After purchase, you'll receive an instant delivery of the software license keys and download links to get everything up and running immediately. It's compatible with Windows 10 and Windows Server 2019, which makes it an awesome option if you're not running Windows 11 yet. 

Enjoy the Microsoft Office apps for life with this Windows license to Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2019, now just $29.97 (reg. $229) through April 27. 

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Opens in a new window Credit: Microsoft Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2019 for Windows $29.97
$229 Save $199.03 Get Deal

TL;DR: This refurbished Apple MacBook Pro (2.6GHz Core i7, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) comes with the now-discontinued Touch Bar for only $489.99 (reg. $2,399). Act while inventory is still available.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Refurbished Apple MacBook Pro (2.6GHz Core i7, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) $489.99
$2,399 Save $1,909.01 with Touch Bar Get Deal

Have you been in the market for a MacBook? You'd likely laugh if we told you that you could score a MacBook Pro, Apple's top-rated laptop, for less than $500. Don't believe us? It's possible to pay a fraction of the retail price for your own MacBook, at least if you shop refurbished.

This refurbished 2019 Apple MacBook Pro (2.6GHz Core i7, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) makes it possible for you to save over $1,900 on the retail price (and score now-discontinued features like the Touch Bar). Instead of going to the Apple Store and paying $2,399, you could pay only $489.99 for this model. The only catch? This was a pre-loved model — though it arrives in near-mint condition — and supplies are limited.

Check out what this MacBook Pro arrives with for your daily computing:

• 16-inch Retina display with True Tone technology and AMD Radeon Pro 5300M GPU: The screen delivers vibrant colors and sharp details, whether you're scrolling through websites or watching YouTube videos.

• 2.6 Intel Core i7 processor and 16GB of RAM: For multitasking, running intense programs like Adobe editing software, and keeping your 20+ Chrome (or Safari) tabs open without any lag.

• 512GB SSD: For easy local storage of apps, files, photos, and other media, as well as speedy boot times.

• Up to 11 hours of browsing and video playback, meaning you can stay productive and entertained without having to stay close to an outlet.

• Six-speaker sound system: Comes with force-canceling woofers for pro- and studio-quality audio for your Netflix streams and other projects.

• The infamous Touch Bar: This MacBook Pro arrives with the Touch Bar (which Apple discontinued in 2021). This touchscreen strip changes depending on the apps you have open, and control buttons include volume, text tools, a color picker, or fast forward and rewind buttons.

• Touch ID: For secure and simple fingerprint log-ins into your device, social media accounts, etc.

Don't wait too long to grab this 2019 MacBook Pro with a Touch Bar, now $489.99 — hurry, inventory is selling out.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: Replace your monthly Dropbox subscription with a 10TB Internxt Cloud Storage Lifetime Plan on sale for $279.99 with code STORAGE20.

Opens in a new window Credit: Internxt Internxt Cloud Storage Lifetime Subscription: 10TB Plan $279.99
$2,999 Save $2,719.01 with code STORAGE20 Get Deal

Cloud storage subscriptions are expensive, even if they don't seem like it at first. Dropbox's cheapest plan is $9.99 per month for 2TB of cloud storage. It seems cheap, but that's a little under $120 every year, and you're never actually done paying for it. 

If you want a cheaper alternative to Dropbox, Internxt just dropped the price for a 10TB cloud storage lifetime subscription. Now it's only $279.99 with code STORAGE20. 

Pay once for a lifetime of cloud storage

Space isn't the only thing this cloud storage has going for it. Internxt is committed to keeping your data safe. That's why they use end-to-end encryption to secure files during transfer and at rest. Its zero-knowledge architecture means that files are encrypted in a way that Internxt itself cannot access. You're the only one who has access to your files.

You don't even have to manually upload. You can sync all your files and photos across platforms, even Linux. This focus on privacy even extends to its open-source design, so users can inspect the code for transparency and security.

This subscription lasts for life with no recurring payments of any kind. You can access your cloud storage on unlimited devices, too. 

Use code STORAGE20 by April 27 at 11:59 p.m. PT to get an Internxt 10TB Cloud Storage Lifetime Subscription on sale for $279.99. 

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: BitMar helps you discover tons of free on-demand movies, shows, and channels from across the web — and lifetime access is just $14.99 (reg. $150).

When did subscribing to Netflix, Disney+, and Hulu become almost as much as groceries? As streaming services slowly turn into cable, it might be time to consider a smarter, all-in-one alternative.

Check out BitMar, an all-you-can-eat buffet for streaming free content from around the web. Before you ask, this streaming hack is totally legal, and with the coupon code BITMAR5, it will only cost you $14.99 to use it for life (reg. $150). Other streaming platforms simply cannot relate.

Experience the all-you-can-stream buffet

When you shell out regular payments to your streaming services, that’s like cooking meals at home. But with BitMar, it’s like you’re heading to the Golden Corral buffet every night with seemingly unlimited options at your fingertips.

You’ve probably heard of some free platforms like Pluto TV, Tubi, and Plex, and BitMar basically compiles their on-demand content into one place so you don’t have to hop between apps to browse their free movie and TV show selections — just like getting fried chicken, pizza, and chocolate soft serve in one visit.

Stream smarter, not harder

BitMar can also hook you up with free music via iHeartRadio or YouTube. That’s more saved cash in your pocket each month.

BitMar works on any device that can access the internet, and you can connect up to five at once with your lifetime subscription. Your monthly Netflix subscription could never.

The tradeoff for streaming free content is having to watch ads sometimes, maybe in the middle of an episode or movie, but it feels pretty good saving potentially hundreds each year on fees. Plus, ads are a great time to get up and grab a snack (or buffet leftovers).

Join the new wave of streaming with a BitMar lifetime subscription for $14.99 (reg. $150) with coupon code BITMAR5 through April 27.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Opens in a new window Credit: BitMar BitMar Streaming Content-Finder: Lifetime Subscription $14.99
$150 Save $135.01 Get Deal

TL;DR: When you opt for a refurbished laptop, you can get a 2020 M1 MacBook Air for $579.99.

Still on a Mac running with an Intel chip? It's time to take advantage of the newest line of tech straight from Apple. Upgrade to the M-series for less with this deal on a refurbished 2020 MacBook Air with M1 Chip for just $579.99 (reg. $1,499).

Go 3.5X faster with M1 chip

Apple brought its processor chip production in-house with the M-series. With that, the MacBook Air got a three-and-a-half speed increase to the eight-core CPU performance and five times improved graphics in the up to eight-core GPU. The chip brings your laptop performance into the future with advanced machine learning.

And it's all integrated with the Apple build you know and love. Get the classic 13.3-inch MacBook Air Retina display with 2560x1600 native resolution. Stash large files on the 256GB SSD hard drive. Run multiple programs without strain, thanks to the 8GB of RAM.

Barely over half an inch thick and just 2.8 lbs, this MacBook Air remains extremely portable even as it gets more powerful than its predecessors. Compatible with up to macOS Sonoma 14, there's plenty of life left in this setup.

Refurbished = sustainable + affordable

Prevent e-waste and save yourself over $900 when choosing a refurbished laptop. These are not simply used laptops but ones that have met specific criteria of grade A refurbishment. 

You'll get a laptop in good condition without the brand-new price. These may have zero to minimal scuffing with no dents, cracks, or missing parts. The screen is in good condition with no scratches or screenburn. The keyboard is clean and functional. With at least 80% battery health, you can get up to 18 hours of use.  

Opting for refurbished Apple products is a hack to get the performance and hardware you want without emptying your wallet.

Get a lot without spending a lot on the 2020 MacBook Air with M1 chip thanks to this $579.99 deal.

StackSocial prices subject to change

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple MacBook Air 13.3" (2020) M1 MGN63LL/A 8GB RAM 256GB SSD Space Gray (Refurbished) $579.99
$1,499 Save $919.01 Get Deal

Humor and art have been used to mock the powerful in Britain for centuries. Now Elon Musk is on the receiving end.

TL;DR: Get a PDF Converter Pro lifetime license for $23.99 with code SAVE20 at checkout for a limited time (reg. $99.99). Works on Windows and Mac.

Opens in a new window Credit: Acethinker Finally, a PDF converter that doesn’t mess up formatting £23.99 at Mashable Shop
£99.99 Save £76 with code SAVE20 Get Deal

PDFs are supposed to make life easier, but anyone who’s ever touched one can testify the opposite. Like when you need to convert a PDF for editing, more often than not the format turns into a jumbled mess, especially if you’re using those free online tools.

We know paying for a PDF tool probably isn’t what you had in mind when becoming an adult, but it’s a necessary evil. PDF Converter Pro keeps your file formats intact and gives you other essential features without recurring fees. Use code SAVE20 at checkout to download it to your PC or Mac for life for just $23.99 (reg. $99.99).

No more PDF-related headaches

So, you’re back in the job market and found your old resume, but it’s saved as a PDF. Instead of wrestling with other tools or retyping your job experience in Word, just use PDF Converter Pro to convert the PDF to Word without losing formatting. Then, update your resume in peace.

Another option is to update your resume using the basic PDF editing tools instead of converting the format. You can edit text, add and remove images, and leave annotations.

Or maybe you have a paper resume you don’t feel like typing up. Scan it, upload it to PDF Converter Pro, and extract text using OCR technology. That means AI recognizes the text, so you can copy and paste it into Word.

Get this all-in-one PDF converter software for $23.99 with code SAVE20 at checkout (reg. $99.99).

StackSocial prices subject to change.

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

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

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

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

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

A helical-shaped tool.

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

AUGER

Hurdle Word 2 hint

To hold on for dear life.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for April 6, 2025 Hurdle Word 2 Answer

CLING

Hurdle Word 3 hint

To gain new information.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for April 6 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for April 6, 2025 Hurdle Word 3 answer

LEARN

Hurdle Word 4 hint

Like the flu or a common cold.

SEE ALSO: NYT Strands hints, answers for April 6 Hurdle Word 4 answer

VIRUS

Final Hurdle hint

Add fuel to.

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

STOKE

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

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's The Mini crossword answers for April 6 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: Detached

• Green: Small bills

• Blue: Electrical terms

• Purple: The second word is the same

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: Aloof

• Green: Utilities

• Blue: What an electrometer measures

• Purple: ___ Joint

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 #665 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Aloof: COOL, DISTANT, REMOTE, RESERVED

• Utilities: CABLE, GAS, TRASH, WATER

• What an electrometer measures: CHARGE, CURRENT, RESISTANCE, VOLTAGE

• ___ Joint: DOVETAIL, HIP, PIZZA, SPIKE LEE

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 April 6

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 April 6 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 April 6, 2025 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

A large, luxurious home.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

The letter L appears twice.

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

Today's Wordle starts with the letter V.

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...

VILLA.

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 April 6

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.

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.

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: Ways someone might be removed from a team

• Green: Fighting terms

• Blue: Names of soccer teams

• Purple: Share the same ending word

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: Part ways

• Green: MMA terms

• Blue: English soccer clubs

• Purple: _______off

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 #195 is...

What is the answer to Connections Sports Edition today

• Part ways - DISMISS, FIRE, OUST, SACK

• MMA terms - ARMBAR, CHOKE, CLINCH, SUBMISSION

• English soccer clubs - BURNLEY, LEEDS, STOKE, WATFORD

• _______off - FACE, LEAD, TIP, WALK

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 preferrined pace.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for April 6 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for April 6 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: The feeling is mutual

The words are related to friends.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words are how you might describe two people getting along.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is horizontal.

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is GetAlong.

Featured Video For You Strands 101: How to win NYT’s latest word game NYT Strands word list for April 6

• Agree

• Click

• Vibe

• Mesh

• Harmonize

• Connect

• Relate

• GetAlong

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.

Disney has dropped the first official trailer for Tron: Ares and it's a different world than Tron fans are used to.

SEE ALSO: 'M3GAN 2.0' trailer: Now there's two of them!

Of course, that world is the real world, as the trailer shows how rogue programs and their light cycles have broken out of the game world and entered into a high-speed chase with real police, easily slicing through a cop car with a light wall. Another scene depicts an ominous red-lit structure emerging from the sky, showing the virtual world merging with the real world.

Although it's been 15 years since the Tron: Legacy reboot, Tron: Ares picks up where it left off as a standalone sequel. But the film that started it all was the groundbreaking 1982 Tron. The franchise's third installment expands on the original concept by introducing Ares (Jared Leto) as an AI program on a mission. Is this mission good or bad? We don't know, but the red circuit color historically represents the system enforcers, although Leto's Ares also seems to be going rogue.

The film also stars Evan Peters as Julian Dillinger (yes, that Dillinger), Greta Lee as Eve Kim, Jodie Turner-Smith, Cameron Monaghan, Sarah Desjardins, Hasan Minhaj, Arturo Castro, Gillian Anderson, and, of course, Jeff Bridges returning as Kevin Flynn. We don't see Bridges' Flynn, but at the end of the trailer, we hear him say, "Ready? Cause there’s no going back."

Daft Punk isn't scoring the film (boo), but Nine Inch Nails, led by Trent Reznor, is (yay). Based on the trailer, it couldn't be a more worthy replacement.

Tron: Ares hits theaters on October 10.

President Donald Trump's plans to enable a US acquisition of TikTok have been thwarted by Trump's plans to tariff the shit out of China.

According to The Verge, the new global tariffs imposed on China and dozens of other nations "seemingly torpedoed" plans for candidates — mostly like Oracle — to take over the ByteDance-owned app. The White House was reportedly "only seriously considering an Oracle-led consortium," which proposed licensing the algorithm, controlling data collection and software updates, but allowing ByteDance and minority stake in the company. This was "set to be announced" amidst the then-looming TikTok ban deadline (which has been delayed again).

SEE ALSO: The internet reacts to Trump’s tariffs with dark humor: 'girl the tariffs'

However, "[Trump's] tariff announcement on Wednesday torched any immediate chance of the TikTok proposal being blessed by the Chinese government," said The Verge's Alex Heath. A 34 percent tariff imposed on US imports from China obliterated any good faith efforts to negotiate a deal.

The Associated Press corroborated this: "ByteDance representatives called the White House to indicate that China would no longer approve the deal until there could be negotiations about trade and tariffs."

It's unclear whether Trump was hoping to use the steep tariff as a bargaining chip to broker a TikTok deal in exchange for lowering the tariff, but China is playing hardball. Instead, it imposed its own 34 percent tariff on US goods imported to China.

On Friday, Trump announced on Truth Social that the deadline to divest TikTok from China or ban the app in the US had been extended for 75 days. However, the legality of this extension is being questioned—one member of the Senate Intelligence Committee told The Verge that it is "against the law."

The president stated that while "tremendous progress" has been made, additional time is needed to finalize a deal.

So that's global politics right now.

The Mini is a bite-sized version of The New York Times' revered daily crossword. While the crossword is a lengthier experience that requires both knowledge and patience to complete, The Mini is an entirely different vibe.

With only a handful of clues to answer, the daily puzzle doubles as a speed-running test for many who play it.

So, when a tricky clue disrupts a player's flow, it can be frustrating! If you find yourself stumped playing The Mini — much like with Wordle and Connections — we have you covered.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable

Here are the clues and answers to NYT's The Mini for Saturday, April 5, 2025:

AcrossCummerbund, e.g.

• The answer is Sash.

Cheese-covered chip

• The answer is Nacho.

Singer in a synagogue

• The answer is Cantor.

Like decision-making in a hierarchical organization

• The answer is Top down.

Where a browser might get cookies?

• The answer is Bakery.

Mixes, as a drink

• The answer is Stir.

10 in a lane

• The answer is Pins.

DownPolitician on a "Fighting Oligarchy" tour with Ocasio-Cortez

• The answer is Sanders.

The first "A" of SAG-AFTRA

• The answer is Actors

Flamboyant

• The answer is Showy.

Unicorn's defining feature

• The answer is Horn.

Lap protector

• The answer is Napkin.

Raccoon-like mammal of South America

• The answer is Coati.

1/16 of a cup: Abbr.

• The answer is TBSP.

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

Featured Video For You The Wordle Strategy used by the New York Times' Head of Games

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

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

Starting Monday, fact-checking on Meta platforms will officially end in the US. Newly appointed chief of global policy Joel Kaplan announced the deadline on Friday in an X post.

"By Monday afternoon, our fact-checking program in the US will be officially over. That means no new fact checks and no fact checkers," wrote Kaplan. "In place of fact checks, the first Community Notes will start appearing gradually across Facebook, Threads & Instagram, with no penalties attached."

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

In early January, two weeks before President Trump started his second term, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced that Facebook, Instagram, and Threads would replace its fact-checking program with X-style Community Notes. Zuckerberg explained the content moderation pivot, saying, "Fact-checkers have been too politically biased and have destroyed more trust than they’ve created."

Meta's new policy is purportedly a protection of free speech and an effort to combat political censorship. But civil rights and digital policy experts say the move will allow propaganda, misinformation, and disinformation to flourish unchecked — even more than it already does on Meta platforms. Meta's adoption of crowd-sourced community notes is similar to the approach adopted by X under Elon Musk's leadership. But misinformation and hate speech have increased on X since Musk's takeover.

Meta has already started beta testing Community Notes and inviting users to sign up to become contributors. To become contributors, users must be over 18 years old, have an account older than six months, and be "in good standing."

But Meta reportedly won't apply Community Notes to paid ads, so if you want to say something outrageous or offensive, you just have to pay for it. Around the same time, Meta announced the elimination of fact-checking, it also shut down its DEI programs and rolled back its hate speech policies.

A new snapshot of a busy star cluster from the Hubble Space Telescope proves the legendary observatory's still got it, even in the golden age of the James Webb Space Telescope. 

The image shows the most detailed view of NGC 346 yet, a stellar nursery within the Small Magellanic Cloud, a dwarf galaxy that orbits the Milky Way some 210,000 light-years away in the constellation Tucana. Though the cluster has been observed in the past, this is the first time data from all three light wavelengths — infrared, visible, and ultraviolet  — have been combined in one picture. The result is a spectacular portrait of how stars form and influence their surroundings in space.

But this glowing cradle of newborn stars also gives astronomers clues about what our universe may have looked like when it was a young whippersnapper.

"The Small Magellanic Cloud is less rich in elements heavier than helium," according to the European Space Agency, which owns and operates Hubble with NASA. "This makes conditions in the galaxy similar to what existed in the early universe."

SEE ALSO: Hubble sees mini galaxies surrounding Andromeda are pretty wild The Hubble Space Telescope, a partnership of NASA and the European Space Agency, studies the universe in mostly visible light from low-Earth orbit. Credit: NASA

The cluster, full of more than 2,500 newborn stars that blaze blue in the Hubble image, is in a galaxy with far fewer heavy chemical substances than the Milky Way. It's mostly made of hydrogen and helium. Because of this, scientists have used it as a case study for what star formation might have looked like billions of years ago. 

The cores of stars are considered element factories: They make carbon, for instance, the same chemical on which humans and much of life on Earth are based. Then, through supernova explosions, they spread these heavier elements, like calcium found in bones and iron in blood, across interstellar space. This dispersal seeds new generations of stars and planets.

Given that most of the chemicals in the universe are thought to have come from exploded stars, scientists have rationalized that the firstborn must have been composed almost entirely of hydrogen and helium, the primitive material that emerged from the Big Bang. Over time, as stars died and scattered heavier elements, subsequent generations of stars formed with more diverse and complex ingredients.

Surrounding the cluster in the Hubble image is a glowing pink cloud called a nebula, where hot, young stars give off ultraviolet light that illuminates the surrounding hydrogen gas. These bright areas are short-lived — only shining as long as the gigundo stars that power them. Astronomers say the big stars only last a few million years, a mere blip in the 13.8 billion years of the universe.

Snakelike dark clouds of thick dust are what's left of the original star-making material that hasn't been pushed away yet by growing stars. The massive stars, many times larger than the sun, are able to do this with intense radiation and powerful stellar winds — streams of charged particles — that clear empty bubbles of space. 

Scientists recently used Webb, Hubble's powerful infrared counterpart, to survey 10 stars in the same cluster. They discovered that, even at the stars' relatively old ages, they still maintained substantial disks, the clouds of gas and dust surrounding them that can eventually coalesce to form baby worlds. 

Previous thinking was that these primitive stars would have lost their lightweight disks pretty quickly, said study leader Guido De Marchi, after just two or three million years. 

"This also implies that planets have more time to form and grow around these stars," De Marchi said.

As the Trump administration pulls government websites and data offline, it is selectively stripping away the public record, letting the president declare his own version of history, archivists and historians said.