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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 March 29 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for March 29 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Power plants

The words are related to food.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words are vegan foods.

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 VeganProteins.

Featured Video For You Strands 101: How to win NYT’s latest word game NYT Strands word list for March 29

• Tofu

• Nuts

• VeganProteins

• Seeds

• Beans

• Seitan

• Yeast

• Tempeh

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.

Aliens aren't terraforming Mars, but one of NASA's rovers just found something with a strange texture that might entice a cauliflower lover to do a double-take. 

Curiosity, a Mini Cooper-sized lab on wheels, was ambling over rugged terrain a few days ago this March when its navigation camera spotted some Martian rocks unlike any others. The scientists leading the rover's expedition say they've never seen anything quite like this on the Red Planet. 

"Oh my glob," the anthropomorphic Curiosity account posted on X. "What are these lumpy rocks?"  

But Curiosity wasn't the only one with a geological mystery. At the same time, roughly 2,300 miles away on the other side of the planet, Perseverance found bumpy rocks of a different kind, calling to mind the famous "Martian blueberries" discovered by the Opportunity rover in 2004.

SEE ALSO: Scientists found huge beaches on Mars likely from a long gone ocean Curiosity took close-up pictures of a strange bumpy rock it discovered on Mars in March. Credit: NASA / JPL-Caltech / MSSS

Since its mission launched in 2011, Curiosity has traveled about 352,000,020 miles: some 352 million whizzing through space and another 20 over the rusty-dusty terrain. Right now it's on its way to an unexplored part of Gale Crater, called a "boxwork" region, which likely necessitated warm groundwater to form eons ago.

Often outshined by its younger twin rover Perseverance, Curiosity stole back the limelight earlier this week for a monumental discovery based on one of its rock samples. Within it, researchers detected the largest organic molecules yet on Mars, suggesting the chemistry needed for life may have progressed further on the Red Planet than once thought. The molecules, which contain long chains of carbon atoms, could be pieces of fatty acids, key ingredients for Earth life. 

Though the organic molecule find, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences on Monday, isn't proof of life, it does encourage scientists that other more complex molecules linked to life could still be on Mars. Previously, researchers have been skeptical over whether such evidence could remain on the planet after millions of years of radiation and environmental changes. 

Suffice to say, Curiosity is not to be underestimated in its scientific value. The team gave Curiosity's new rocks official names — Manzana Creek and Palo Comado — and took pictures for the record. The leftward rock in the image at the top of this story has jagged, vertical surfaces and "a lot of crazy rough texture," according to the mission journal. 

Perseverance discovered a bumpy rock on the rim of the Jezero Crater in March. Credit: NASA / JPL-Caltech / LANL / CNES / IRAP

"The rocks were shaped by a combination of wind and water over time, resulting in the cool textures we see today," Abigail Fraeman, Curiosity's deputy project scientist, told Mashable.

Perseverance's bumpy rock, on the other hand, looks a little more like a cluster of miniature peas than cauliflower. It's covered in millimeter-scale beads, some pierced with tiny pinholes. The rover found the rock, officially dubbed St. Pauls Bay, around the rim of Jezero Crater.  

And it seems both rovers' sightings have flummoxed their humans.

"What quirk of geology could produce these strange shapes?" wrote Alex Jones, a researcher working on the Mars 2020 mission team, in a blog post. 

A Martian rock, dubbed St. Pauls Bay, stands out in gray in a field of reddish-brown terrain. Credit: NASA / JPL-Caltech / ASU

Spherical features can form on rocks when water flows through them, creating concretions of minerals over time. But they can also form in other ways, like in volcanic eruptions and meteorite strikes. When droplets of molten rock are thrown into the air by volcanoes or impacts, they cool as they travel, hardening in little balls.

Scientists will continue studying the rocks using the tools available to them on the rovers, but such finds reinforce the desire for NASA to bring samples back to Earth for more rigorous studies.

Right now the space agency is trying to figure out how to save its Mars Sample Return mission, the plan to fly home bits of rock, dust, and air collected by Perseverance. NASA will spend the next year working on engineering plans for two potential new approaches that are considered less complicated and expensive.

What did they think about the national security breach, in which Trump administration officials discussed attack plans in Yemen on a commercial messaging app?

SEE ALSO: I've tested 20+ robot vacuums and these are the best for every budget in 2025 The new 2025 Roombas just changed everything

This would have been a very different article to read had you stopped by any time before March 2025. Before then, iRobot and Shark were both kind of plateauing in terms of the variety of their respective lineups. It was like a competition to see who could be the most mid — especially compared to the robot vacuums announced at CES.

But the lukewarm rivalry got interesting when iRobot went rogue and overhauled the whole Roomba fleet outside of its typical schedule (the company had previously been saving its big product drops for late summer). The new batch consists of eight new Roombas falling under four different umbrellas: the Roomba 105 or 205, or Roomba Plus 405 or 505, ranging in price from $299 to $999. (This may or may not be a last ditch effort to save the company from a reportedly bleak financial situation.)

These Roombas are so new that I haven't gotten to test them out at home yet. But just based off of descriptions and prices, iRobot seems to have patched up several weak spots in the lineup and prioritized budget friendliness without skimping on features that consumers really care about, like smart mapping in even the cheapest models.

And up until iRobot's March 2025 announcement, neither iRobot nor Shark measured suction power in Pascals (Pa) like most of their competitors do. iRobot finally made the switch, but Shark still insists on keeping an air of mystery by solely comparing suction power to other vacuums in its own family tree. (That's what iRobot was doing with its older models, too.) Shark has also been known to make claims like "50% better suction than the best-selling iRobot. Whatever that means — the weakest Roomba is probably technically one of its best sellers.

Where iRobot and Shark agree: Being weird about suction power disclosure

Pinning down whether iRobot or Shark robot vacuums are stronger is always a challenge, and not just because each offers multiple different vacs with different levels of power at different prices. The two longstanding brands aren't keen on using the standard unit of Pascals (Pa) to measure suction power like the Roborock and Eufys of the world are — an effort that could only be perceived as a secret pact to make my life as a robot vacuum reviewer more difficult than it needs to be.

Instead, both Shark and iRobot like to keep their suction power comparisons within their own families. For instance, they might say a new model offers "x times the suction power" that an older or more basic model of theirs does. iRobot did originally float the idea of switching over to Pa with its March 2025 releases, but actual Pa numbers are still hard to track down online.

Where Roomba wins: Small obstacle avoidance and more models to fit more needs

iRobot simply has more robot vacuums, and that variety alone gives it a leg up on Shark. More models to choose from means more opportunities to customize the features and budget to a shopper's main goals for automated cleaning.

Let's say you're willing to pay a little extra for a premium robot vacuum that achieves the most hands-off experience possible. iRobot has several options with features that make a robot vacuum increasingly self-sufficient, including mopping pads that automatically lift over carpet, self-empty docks that also wash and dry the mopping pads, and small obstacle avoidance cameras.

The Roomba Combo 10 Max has a retractable mop that lifts over carpet. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable The new Roomba Plus 405 Combo has two spinning mopping pads — a first for iRobot. Credit: iRobot

But floor type is far from the most impressive thing the smarter Roombas recognize. All j series Roombas, the Roomba Combo 10 Max, and the Roomba Plus 505 Combo all have small obstacle avoidance technology, which solves the main gripe that many robot vacuum non-believers have: robot vacuums get stuck so often that they're more trouble than they're worth. These Roombas use a special camera system to help them recognize and avoid small obstacles that less-advanced robot vacuums would typically eat, like a phone charger, extension cord, rogue sock, or pet waste.

I first experienced this sense of relief when reviewing the Roomba j7+ and Combo j7+, and it was never easy to get back into the habit of pre-tidying when trying another robot vacuum that didn't have that. I'd easily sacrifice more intense cleaning for a robot vacuum to have the brain cells to do that.

SEE ALSO: As a Dyson stan, I wouldn't tell anyone to buy the Dyson 360 Vis Nav robot vacuum

One of the coolest parts about the Roomba lineup is that you can mix and match several of these features to stay within a certain budget. You can skip all of the other fancy features while still bringing home small obstacle avoidance with the standalone Roomba j7 for as little as $299 on sale, or try out the space-saving DustCompactor design with or without mopping for under $500. Even the cheapest 2025 Roombas guarantee LiDAR-powered smart mapping and 70 times (read that again) the suction power of the 600 series Roombas, which were the go-to base tier Roombas two years ago.

I'd just like to say that I basically called iRobot's most recent move in an older version of this piece from spring 2024, saying that "iRobot would also be wise to drop a more budget-friendly option with carpet-centric suction power." People sticking to a certain budget shouldn't inherently have to settle for a rinky-dink cleaner, and iRobot finally realized that that's the piece that was missing in its entry-level tier.

Where Roomba loses: The ultra-affordable end of the spectrum

Plummeting earnings one month, a random revamp of the entire Roomba line the next month — if we're trying to read between the lines, I'd say it became glaringly obvious that people were getting sick of Roombas costing a lot but not doing enough.

While the 2025 Roomba releases do show that iRobot is pandering to the value-minded crowd harder than ever before, the cost-per-feature situation is still stiff in the $400-and-under category. Is it too overpriced, too late for iRobot?

SEE ALSO: The Roborock Saros 10R aces one thing that most other robot vacuums can't

For instance, I think that the perfect starter robot vacuum is one with smart mapping and self-emptying — suction can be pretty basic. In Roomba world, the cheapest option for this is the Roomba 105 + AutoEmpty Dock, going for $449.99. In Shark world, the same capabilities can be secured for $329 at full price.

Then, iRobot's $200 to $300 assortment is almost comically Not Worth It. In April 2024, iRobot fumbled a low-hanging opportunity to right the disappointments of its budget section. Admittedly, the $249.99 Vac Essential, $274.99 mopping Roomba Combo Essential, and slightly more expensive self-emptying versions do provide a more powerful clean than the older 600 series. But the cheap Roomba's fatal flaw remains: they still don't have smart mapping, a feature I feel is ~Essential~ in any robot vacuum. A handful of Sharks at the same prices with comparable suction power do smart map.

The Roomba Combo 2 Essential was more of a pain than a help in my apartment. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

Sure, all of these base-tier Roombas do go on sale often. You could technically score the absolute cheapest Roomba for around $130 or a mopping, self-emptying Roomba for $280. But settling for no specific room cleaning just isn't worth it, especially when a similar wad of cash could get you way further if you were buying a Shark (or a Eufy or a Dreame model).

In my experience, just hitting "go" and letting a robot vacuum clean aimlessly is a recipe for coming home to a robot vacuum lost under the bed. The zigzag pattern feels like a hit-or-miss guessing game made more annoying by getting stuck and missing spots on the floor that I'd rather just hit with my Dyson stick vacuum, anyway.

Where Shark wins: Spot cleaning and affordability

Shark has been much more in tune with what the average person is willing to spend on a robot vacuum. The brand consistently offers core capabilities like smart mapping and mopping at lower prices than its Roomba counterparts — a level of cost-effectiveness that should be particularly enticing to strict budget shoppers or first-time robot vacuum owners.

Shark's more approachable price points don't necessarily mean it skimps on cleaning performance, though.

I have both my beloved cordless Dyson and, for Mashable testing purposes, at least one robot vacuum at my fingertips at all times. I get a true sense of any given robot vacuum's value when an unexpected mess within a room in my apartment needs to be taken care of right now. So my favorite thing that I've noticed about Shark robot vacuums is that they make spot cleaning easier than Roombas do. While the iRobot app insists that you create and name an official cleaning zone, even if this is a one-time thing, Shark lets you skip the labeling charade to drag and drop a square on your map in the designated spot cleaning tab. It's just one step, but there's something to be said for streamlining.

SEE ALSO: Tons of robot vacuums also mop, but only these 4 hybrids actually ace the job

Shark also gets a bit more nitty gritty with the spot cleaning itself. This all started with its Matrix line from 2023, which introduced Matrix mode. These Sharks clean in a grid pattern, approaching the area several times from multiple angles to grab anything it may have missed in the first pass or two. iRobot and Shark can duke it out over suction power on paper all they want, but in my testing, I found the low and mid-range Shark models (like the Shark Matrix Plus 2-in-1 and Shark Detect Pro) to be much less likely to leave a rogue crumb or pile of hair behind than the 600 series, Essential series, and lower-end j series Roombas.

During regular vacuuming, Sharks in Matrix mode dish out 30 percent better carpet cleaning than the older RV Shark models. For the 2-in-1 Shark models, Matrix mode also works with mopping when the mopping pad vibrates 100 times per minute to scrub at stains that would likely not budge when wiped with a stationary cloth. Matrix mopping came in clutch for keeping up with the constant layer of shoe prints by my front door.

The Shark RV2300, which comes in a cute gray color. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

Shark even extends the Matrix cleaning mechanism to its cheapest robot vacuum, making it one of our favorite — if not the favorite — budget-friendly robot vacuums in 2024. The Shark RV2310 and Walmart-exclusive Shark Matrix RV2300 and RV2300S are incredibly reliable robot vacuums for the price, often on sale for $199.99 for the standalone version and $299.99 for the self-emptying version. (If this model is sold and shipped by a third party rather than Walmart when you click, we'd advise waiting until more stock from Shark itself comes in.)

I experienced no noteworthy issues with navigational accuracy when sending the Shark RV2300 to specifically sweep my bathroom or Matrix clean the floor surrounding the kitchen counter, which is an area I dragged and dropped in the app on a case-by-case basis. Though the suction power is expectedly just OK, it was enough for surface-level daily upkeep of the big, visible debris.

In September 2024, Shark finally caught on to the whole "self-sustaining mopping pads" thing with the release of the Shark PowerDetect line. And naturally, even the most premium Sharks debuted at $1,199.99 and $999.99 — several hundred less than the Roomba with self-washing and drying mopping pads (at the time).

The Shark PowerDetect robot vacuum with NeverTouch Pro dock. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

This is the first mopping Shark that knows to stop mopping on carpeted areas without you having to specifically designate so. For good measure, the PowerDetect is also equipped with large wheels that hoist the vac over carpet to keep it dry during mopping mode. Those hydraulics also helped the PowerDetect to be one of the only robot vacs I've tested to not swirl my bath rugs up every single time.

Where Shark loses: Small obstacle avoidance

Shark's shortcomings stem from sparseness in its family tree and a long wait period between product drops that often have it playing catch up with other brands. The existing Shark models are also a little more basic than some of the Roombas, especially mid-tier ones.

For instance, the one big thing Shark was missing forever was a premium hybrid robot vacuum that could wash and dry its own mopping pads. That gap was finally closed when Shark released the Shark PowerDetect NeverTouch Pro in September 2024. But small obstacle avoidance is the other premium robot vac feature that's come to simply be expected in vacs near the $1,000 point, and Shark's NeverStuck technology still hasn't mastered it yet. A handful of Roombas, most of them reasonably priced (at least when on sale), do check the small obstacle avoidance box.

SEE ALSO: Dyson Airwrap vs. Shark FlexStyle: Here's which hot air tool is worth your money

This means that things like cords, pet toys, laundry, and slippers aren't really on a Shark vac's radar yet. And you have to be around to clear the floor of those before sending a Shark out. Maybe you don't mind that, maybe you do — depending on how seriously you're taking the hands-off approach in your robot vacuum search.

One Roomba counterpart, the $649.99 (or $499 on sale) Roomba Combo j5+, also self-empties, mops, and maps, and does the last part with small obstacle avoidance built in to take on a job even if the floor is a little chaotic. Compared to the other main brands like iRobot, Roborock, Eufy, and Dreame, who all have more than one botvac with small obstacle avoidance tech, it wouldn't hurt Shark to prioritize small obstacle avoidance across multiple models in its next product drop.

Similarly, only one hybrid Sharks automatically stops mopping when carpet is sensed. This means vacuum and mop mode aren't possible at the same time in the other 2-in-1 Shark Matrix models, and a person needs to manually attach the water tank to switch to mopping mode. With Matrix Mopping being such a solid feature, it's a bummer that it can't be deployed more freely.

The most advanced non-mopping Shark does way less than the most advanced non-mopping Roomba. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

Though I was satisfied with the floor coverage, thoroughness, and mapping accuracy when testing the $599.99 Shark Detect Pro, it seems overpriced for the negligible differences between it and a regular old self-emptying Shark. "Detect" sounds like it should refer to the capability to detect phone chargers or socks, but alas, it's actually talking about a feature that increases suction when an edge, corner, or extra dirty spot is detected. This is nice, but heightened corner coverage isn't major enough to justify $600, especially when there are several Roombas in this price range that also work harder on dirtier spots, as well as mop and avoid small obstacles.

You've never seen unicorns quite like those at the center of Death of a Unicorn.

Not the sparkly, sweet unicorns of modern-day pop culture, these are primal beings with sharp fangs, killer horns, and a bloodthirsty need for revenge. They're movie monsters in the vein of Alien's Xenomorph or Jurassic Park's T. rex: larger than life and utterly captivating, even as they make mincemeat of their victims.

SEE ALSO: 'Death of a Unicorn' review: A24's fantastical monster parable is rich in laughs and gore

It's no wonder, then, that creature features like Alien and Jurassic Park also served as inspiration for writer/director Alex Scharfman's unexpected monster movie. That inspiration extends to the execution of the monsters themselves, which the film brings to life through a combination of practical puppetry and digital effects.

To learn more about how Death of a Unicorn's enchanting beasts came to life, Mashable spoke with Scharfman about historical and real-world inspirations for the film's unicorns, and why it was necessary for the film to use puppets.

Death of a Unicorn's unicorns are rooted in centuries of history. Jenna Ortega films "Death of a Unicorn" with the foal puppet. Credit: A24

Death of a Unicorn centers on lawyer Elliot (Paul Rudd) and his daughter Ridley (Jenna Ortega), who accidentally run over a unicorn on their way to a retreat with Elliot's wealthy employers, the Sackler-like Leopold family. While the Leopolds plan to exploit the dead creature's magical healing properties, art history major Ridley turns to the past — including the Unicorn Tapestries from the Middle Ages — to prove why that path would be a bad idea.

Similarly, Scharfman turned to historical depictions of unicorns to inform their appearance in the film. "I was interested in recontextualizing unicorns and subverting our modern expectations, which are all relatively recent," Scharfman explained. "The idea of the rainbows and white horse, that's only 50, 75 years old. If you go deeper, there were a lot of different associations with them, so that really informed a lot of the creature design."

One of the Unicorn Tapestries featured in "Death of a Unicorn." Credit: A24

There are three unicorns in the film: Elliot and Ridley's victim is the foal, while its parents, the mare and the stallion, attack the Leopolds in order to get their child back. Each came with its own set of inspirations.

SEE ALSO: 'Death of a Unicorn' trailer promises Paul Rudd, Jenna Ortega, and murderous mythical beasts

The foal is the smallest of the bunch, with its white fur and goatee making it the closest unicorn, visually, to that depicted in the Unicorn Tapestries. More goat-like overall, Scharfman described it as being most similar to medieval unicorn descriptions.

"And if you really want to go back deeper, a lot of those accounts were based on animals off the Tibetan steppe, like kiangs and chiru," Scharfman said.

If the foal is the most goat-like of Death of a Unicorn's trio, then the mare is most equine, closer to a contemporary unicorn. Meanwhile, the stallion is the largest and most ancient of the bunch.

At the end of the day, we wanted the creatures to feel real. - Alex Scharfman

"It's this big, bruising brute of a creature that is based on a lot of older accounts of unicorns where they were being conflated with rhinoceroses, since Indian rhinos have one horn," Scharfman said. "That's kind of believed to be what the first written account of a unicorn was, someone describing an Indian rhino to a Greek who'd only understood African rhinos, which have two horns and are slightly different."

Another ancient touchpoint for the stallion? A specific translation of the Old Testament. The King James Bible follows the Latin Vulgate in translating the Hebrew word re'em into unicorn. However, re'em actually refers to wild oxen, including the now-extinct aurochs. Their spinal geometry served as a reference point for the shape of the stallion.

"You take all these references and all these historical accounts, and then at the end of the day, we wanted the creatures to feel real," Scharfman said.

The unicorns in Death of a Unicorn are inspired by nature. The foal puppet in "Death of a Unicorn." Credit: A24

In order to ground the unicorns in reality, Death of a Unicorn's design team pulled inspiration from real horses, including Clydesdales for their shape, Icelandic horses for their shaggy fur, and Belgian Draught horses for their almost "bell bottom"-like hoof shape.

Other animals entered the fray as well. Lion tails inspired the unicorns' tails, adding a predatory edge to their movement. Their vicious teeth, meanwhile, were modeled on those of mandrils and wolves — all the better to snarl with, after all.

"[We were] trying to pull from nature as much as possible so that it didn't feel like we were just creating a monster in a lab, but rather it felt like something you believed could exist," Scharfman said. "A unifying umbrella over all of that was that they're almost like Ice Age creatures in terms of their aesthetic."

SEE ALSO: 'Mickey 17's creeper plushes are the movie's real red carpet stars

Still, this reliance on nature didn't stop Death of a Unicorn from incorporating more fantastical elements into its unicorns, a combination of subverting and satisfying audience expectations.

"A general design principle and rule of mythology of the creatures is that we're playing a game of telephone with the past," Scharfman explained. "Today we might associate unicorns with purple and rainbows, so we made their blood purple, and we gave the meat and the blood a little bit of iridescence."

We're playing a game of telephone with the past. - Alex Scharfman

Wētā Workshop developed early unicorn concepts for the film, then Zoic Studios designed the creatures and completed the film's digital effects. For shooting, Budapest-based special effects studio Filmefex built Death of a Unicorn's many practical puppets.

Death of a Unicorn's practical puppets are total "movie magic." Puppeteers man a unicorn puppet in "Death of a Unicorn." Credit: A24

For Scharfman, practical effects played a large part of his pitch for Death of a Unicorn; that way, it could remain in conversation craft-wise with his original creature-feature inspirations. The film combines practical and digital effects, but even in scenes where the unicorns are rendered entirely digitally, Scharfman kept the puppets on set as a reference point.

"It's invaluable to have the practical element there in terms of giving an actor something to perform against," he told Mashable.

And what practical elements these unicorns are! Massive, fur-covered rigs (with all the longer hairs individually punched in), these unicorns were manned by multiple puppeteers at once. According to Scharfman, it took three to four puppeteers just to control each unicorn head, but rigs of individual elements like hooves or snarling jaws could be operated solo, as hand puppets. The puppeteers were also involved in the actual building of the puppets, giving them an intimate knowledge of how they worked.

The foal puppet in "Death of a Unicorn." Credit: A24

Scharfman recalled falling under the spell of the foal puppet during one of the film's first scenes, when Elliot and Ridley approach the dying unicorn.

"That puppet was incredible. It breathed, its neck moved, it had leg twitches," Scharfman said. "One of those things Guillermo del Toro talks about is how early in the movie, you need to sell the illusion. That was something we definitely were conscious of. That opening scene with the unicorn, the first time you see it really needs to do a lot to make you believe it. I was blown away, and I'd been watching [the Filmefex team] construct the things over months."

That illusion held throughout shooting. "You stop looking at the puppeteers, and you just start looking at the creature in the eye as if it's real," Scharfman said.

Even during early cuts of the film, Scharfman and editor Ron Dulin sometimes forgot to remove the puppeteers in frame, as they were so focused on the unicorns. The unicorns' spell persists, it seems.

"It's just movie magic, completely," Scharfman said.

Death of a Unicorn is now in theaters.

Scientists have spotted a defiant galaxy.

Located nearly 1 billion light-years from Earth, the galaxy 2MASX J23453268−0449256 is a spiral, like our home the Milky Way. Yet it does something galactic researchers only thought possible in much more massive elliptical galaxies, which form through mergers of galaxies: It hosts an enormous supermassive black hole that emits powerful jets of energy into space — the type that would wreak havoc and destabilize such a spiral galaxy.

"This discovery upends conventional wisdom, as such powerful jets are almost exclusively found in elliptical galaxies, not spirals," Suraj Dhiwar, a researcher at the Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics in India who coauthored the new study, told Mashable.

The research was published in the peer-reviewed journal Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society.

SEE ALSO: NASA scientist viewed first Voyager images. What he saw gave him chills.

Spiral galaxies are often considered too delicate to support the kind of extreme black hole activity seen in this galactic system, Joydeep Bagchi, an astrophysicist at Christ University in India who led the research, told Mashable. But this galaxy maintains its well-ordered spiral structure in the face of extreme blasts of energized particles and radiation from a black hole billions of times the mass of the sun, as you can see in the Hubble Space Telescope imagery above and below.

"This discovery upends conventional wisdom."

Black holes themselves — so gravitationally powerful not even light can escape their grasp — produce no radiation or light. But galactic material can rapidly spin around black holes, forming a vibrant "accretion disk" that radiates light. And sometimes material falling into a black hole can be rerouted into two giant jets, firing in opposite directions out into the universe.

The Milky Way (bottom) compared to the larger galaxy 2MASX J23453268-0449256. Credit: Bagchi and Ray et al / Hubble Space Telescope

The cosmic quandary of the expansive spiral galaxy 2MASX J23453268−0449256 calls for more telescopic investigation, the researchers emphasize. "It forces us to rethink how galaxies evolve, and how supermassive black holes grow in them and shape their environments," Dhiwar explained.

So far, observations gathered by the Hubble Space Telescope, the Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope, and the Atacama Large Millimeter Array reveal that the galaxy doesn't only have an orderly, tranquil spiral appearance. It also maintains a bright nuclear bar-shaped mass of stars near its core (as many spiral galaxies do) and an undisturbed outer stellar ring — home to some vigorous star formation.

Imagery from a radio telescope show two colossal jets shooting out from the supermassive black hole at the center of galaxy 2MASX J23453268−0449256. Credit: Bagchi and Ray et al / Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope

The unusual circumstance of galaxy 2MASX J23453268−0449256 also has relevance to our galaxy. While the central supermassive black hole in the Milky Way, called Sagittarius A*, is much smaller and currently dormant, it could (one far-off day) awake. A mighty gas cloud or small dwarf galaxy could accrete around the black hole, providing the fuel needed for powerful jets of radiation to blast through our galaxy. These rapidly moving particles could pose a danger to planets.

"If such jets were to form and be directed toward our solar system, they could potentially strip away planetary atmospheres, increase radiation exposure, and even trigger a mass extinction event on Earth," Bagchi said.

Life on Earth has indeed thrived over eons, and eventually bounced back following mass extinctions. But might another, stoked by our massive black hole, be in the cards? Grasping how such active black holes behave in spiral galaxies can help us not just grasp the fate of our galaxy, but others.

"Ultimately, this study brings us one step closer to unraveling the mysteries of the cosmos, reminding us that the universe still holds surprises beyond our imagination," Dhiwar said.

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Watching web pages spin endlessly? Dealing with apps crashing? Before you spend your weekend laptop shopping — or throw the thing out the window — consider that it might be the software, not your machine, weighing you down.

Upgrading your operating system can speed things up, and a fresh download of Microsoft Office can give you new tools for work, school, or home projects. Right now, you can get Windows 11 Pro free with Office priced at $54.97 until we sell out of codes. We have fewer than 75 left in stock.

How this deal works

This is a two-for-one Microsoft offer with no coupon required. Simply complete your purchase, and you’ll receive an email almost immediately after with download links and software activation keys for both Microsoft Office and Windows 11 Pro.

We recommend upgrading to Windows 11 Pro first for the most seamless setup. This deal comes at an opportune time, with Microsoft ending support for Windows 10 later this year. Or, if you currently have the free version of Windows 11 Home, this adds additional features like remote desktop access, hard drive encryption, and Hyper-V.

You’ll also get the AI-powered assistant, Windows Copilot installed right onto your computer. Created from a custom version of ChatGPT-4, it’s like having a paid version of the world’s favorite chatbot at your service to answer questions, generate content, or make images.

Once you’re acquainted with the new operating system, download Microsoft Office for Windows. The 2021 suite includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams, OneNote, Punisher, and Access — all downloaded to your PC for lifelong use.

Don’t miss your chance to get this Microsoft Office and Windows 11 Pro bundle deal, now $54.97 (reg. $418). No coupon is needed to get this price.

StackSocial prices subject to change. 

TL;DR: Keep track of important property with the KeySmart® Smart Card, a slimmer tracking option that works with Apple's Find My app. A three-pack is now just $79.97 (reg. $119.97) through March 30. 

Opens in a new window Credit: KeySmart KeySmart SmartCard (3-Pack) $79.97
$119.97 Save $40 Works with Apple Find My Get Deal

Looking for an AirTag alternative that actually fits in small compartments? The KeySmart SmartCard improves upon the bulky shape of the AirTag, offering a sleek alternative that works with wallets and other tight spots. 

Right now, you can snag a three-pack of KeySmart SmartCards for just $79.97 — making them under $27 a piece — with free shipping. But act fast; this deal lasts only one more day through March 30. 

Keep tabs on important items with this three-pack of KeySmart SmartCards

Looking for a way to easily find your passport? What about your wallet? The KeySmart SmartCard lets you keep track of your possessions via Apple's Find My app, just like an AirTag. But unlike AirTags, these actually fit in super thin places. 

The KeySmart SmartCard measures just 2mm thick, roughly the size of two credit cards. This lets it easily slide into wallets, luggage, pet carriers, or other small compartments. 

Aside from fitting in more items, this sleeker stature makes this a more discreet tracker. It's a great option if you're hoping to track things without bringing extra attention. 

The KeySmart SmartCards offer an IPX8 rating, besting the AirTag's IPX67 rating and allowing them to be submerged in water for longer (one hour in 3.3 feet of water, to be exact). This makes it a great tracking choice for items that may have to brave the elements.

When powering the KeySmart SmartCard back up, its rechargeable battery works with a Qi-enabled wireless charger. This is another benefit, making it easier and more eco-friendly to recharge than the AirTags, which require entirely new batteries. 

Find important items by checking your phone with the KeySmart SmartCard, now $79.97 (reg. $119) for a three-pack for just one more day. 

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Outside my apartment’s living room during work hours, there’s a regular cacophony: revving motorcycles, emergency sirens, honking horns. I love working from home, but a quiet oasis it is not.

That's when I seek restorative, calm bliss from an unlikely source: YouTube.

The age of being extremely online has produced many unusual meditative practices. Many of us apparently enjoy singing bowl TikToks. Others prefer Spotify's spa-like sounds, or their "deep focus" study playlists.

But lately I've come to see YouTube as the most effective option. The world's largest video service has hundreds, if not thousands, of channels claiming to offer white noise and calming music. Nearly all have accompanying images with equally soothing zen vibes, even the AI generated ones.

SEE ALSO: A mindfulness-themed browser is (calmly) shaking up search

The variety of options is astounding and eclectic, far more so than any white noise machine. To list just five: Birds chirping, waves crashing, gentle electronica beats, the calming engine noise of 24th-century spaceships, the sounds of the DisneyWorld monorail snaking around theme parks. (For many of us, staying on the monorail without plunging into the world of hectic rides is the most soothing thing imaginable.)

Many of these channels run for hours on end and manage to soothe without being redundantly annoying. One plus for videos like this, in my experience: Even without the $13.99 a month YouTube premium service, these content-light channels are rarely interrupted by ads.

Take a video on the Cafe Relaxing Jazz Music channel entitled “Warm Jazz Piano Music with a Sweet Cup of Coffee.” The easy listening jazz runs for nearly two hours. Staring at the steam wafting off its coffee mug can induce a trance-like state.

More suggestions for your white noise YouTube starter kit:

View Escape takes visitors on a "journey to distant locations - particularly those in space." I can recommend the Blade Runner-esque sounds emanating from "Ambient Echoes overlooking Cyberpunk City." You may often wish to return to the channel's imagined bedrooms of spaceships with large windows. Unseen engines gently whir as planets and stars pass by.

MyTranquilitee
This beach channel features the calming sounds of gentle waves, perfect for background sounds or help with sleep. A personal favorite: The Mountains of Moorea, featuring the crystal clear waters of French Polynesia and a perfect green mountain backdrop. Take a quiet journey around the world with beach images and sounds of Anguilla, The British Virgin Islands, St. Barth, Hawaii, and Malibu.

baby.murcielaga
This odd little channel features seriously meditative music and dreamy titles like "Lost in 1983" and "back to 1991." Nevertheless there's a timelessness to these images of drenched parking lots and cloud-covered skyscrapers, which could be from anywhere in the last 60 years. There's something evocative about the expansive sounds paired with the lonely urban landscapes.

"It feels like what I lived when I wasn’t afraid of being alone, or in the dark, or in the cold, or in the open," one commenter wrote in the channel's "For Peaceful Nights" video.

Disney Parks
This channel features lots of fun content for the Disney maniac in your life, including food tours, park updates, and even POV shots of rides. It also features relaxing park-related videos including the Space Mountain Soundscape and the Journey of Water: Inspired by Moana.

We're also partial to the 4 Hours of Monorail Ambience — don't worry, the whining children and screaming parents have been excised. Please stand clear of the doors, Por favor mantengase alejado de las puertas, the monorail says simply, as you drift at a distance from the happiest place on Earth.

Severance — Music To Refine To feat. ODESZA
Plugging away at your own version of Lumon Industries? AppleTV has you covered with this "exclusive ODESZA set designed for eight hours of focus—perfect for your innie’s workday." The images chronicle the daily machinations of the hit show's innies — plugging numbers, making coffee, cleaning their spartan offices.

The electronica-infused music certainly has more fast-paced moments than the aforementioned channels, but for some, that's the perfect noise diffuser. And you can keep the music on for your transition to outie life.

TL;DR: These VPN routers are selling out fast: Save $69 and get free shipping while supplies last.

Opens in a new window Credit: Deeper Network Deeper Connect Air Portable VPN Travel Router $149.97
$219 Save $69.03 Get Deal

Instead of paying for digital VPNs each month, some people are switching to this VPN router, which only requires a one-time payment. The Deeper Connect Air portable VPN router may actually give you more features and security than what you’re currently paying for. They’re hot items and hard to keep in stock, but we have them for $149.97 with free shipping right now (reg. $219).

How do VPN routers work?

Using these routers is a lot less complicated than it sounds. Simply plug the router into your USB-C computer for power, connect it to your Wi-Fi network, select a server from over 150,000 options, and pair up to five devices.

Then, each paired device is protected with military-grade encryption. Essentially, this means that your browsing activities, downloads, and other data are broken into smaller pieces that cannot be read by anyone who isn’t supposed to be viewing or tracking you. 

Another thing this lifetime VPN router can do is unblock content on your streaming services. All you need to do is connect to an overseas server where the show or movie you want to watch is available, then open Netflix, Hulu, or Disney+ to watch it.

The Deeper Connect Air will also block ads as you stream — yes, even if you don’t pay to eliminate them on your subscription services — which we think is worth the purchase price alone. 

Get a VPN with no subscription fees while we still have these routers in stock at $149.97 with free shipping (reg. $219). No coupon is needed to get this price.

StackSocial prices subject to change. 

TL;DR: Learn 14 different languages at your own pace with a lifetime subscription to Babbel Language Learning, now on sale exclusively through StackSocial for just $124.99 with code LEARN through March 31.

Opens in a new window Credit: Babbel Babbel Language Learning: Lifetime Subscription (All Languages) $169.99
$599 Save $429.01 Get Deal

Fancy yourself a lover of languages? Whether you're fluent in five or trying to stay fluent in your second, learning languages is a fun pastime that's great for your brain. 

If you're ready to pick up a few more, get a lifetime subscription to Babbel Language Learning with access to all 14 of their language options for just $124.99 (reg. $599) with the exclusive StackSocial code LEARN through March 31. 

Learn languages at your own pace with this lifetime subscription

We put our poor brains through a lot. Want to give them a boost? Learning new languages helps your brain form new neural connections while your existing ones are strengthened. This Babbel Language Learning deal lasts for life, so you can continuously keep building those connections forever. 

Babbel lets you tackle their 14 language options in a way that works with your busy schedule. Their 10-15 minute sessions can be tackled in line at the grocery store, on your lunch break, or right before you nod off to sleep. 

It's a far cry from the boring Spanish classroom in high school, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. In fact, researchers at City University of New York discovered that novice learners picked up the equivalent of one semester of Spanish with just 15 hours of Babbel's learning strategy. 

Pick up some knowledge on your smartphone or tackle a lesson or two on your laptop. Babbel syncs your progress across devices, so you can always pick up right where you left off. And there are three learning levels offered, beginner, intermediate, and advanced, so you can keep your skills sharp. 

Their advanced speech recognition technology helps you with pronunciation as you progress. And Babbel's AI conversation partner is a great way to work on skills in real-time.

Learn German, start speaking Swedish, or immerse yourself in Italian. There are 14 languages to choose from, and this lifetime subscription lets you tackle them all. 

Get a lifetime subscription to all languages with Babbel Language Learning for just $124.99 (reg. $599) with StackSocial's exclusive code LEARN through March 31. 

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: Let this 9-inch wireless car display with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility and phone mirroring give your car's entertainment system an upgrade for just $79.99. 

Opens in a new window Credit: RochasDivineMart 9-inch Wireless Car Display $79.99
$179.99 Save $100.00 with Apple CarPlay/Android Auto Compatibility & Phone Mirroring Get Deal

Got a road trip planned this spring or summer? Make sure your car is ready to keep you entertained with some help from this 9-inch wireless car display. It's on sale just in time for long drives at just $79.99 (reg. $179), no coupon code needed. 

Enjoy your ride with this feature-packed car display

This wireless car display makes your car feel brand new again, offering a stunning 1024x600 FHD touchscreen display screen ready to work with your smartphone via Apple CarPlay or Android Auto. 

Enjoy all your smartphone's apps, maps, music, videos, and more, thanks to the easy compatibility. See your next turn on the crisp screen while using your favorite navigation app, or turn on your favorite playlist on your go-to music platform. 

Take advantage of the touchscreen or go totally hands-free, as the display can be controlled with your voice by using Siri or Google Assistant. iPhone users can also use Apply AirPlay to sync your phone's video app and enjoy YouTube content or other videos right on the screen.

Use Bluetooth to seamlessly transmit the audio to your car stereo speakers, or score clear and authentic sound with FM wireless transmission or AUX output audio. 

This also supports a 1080p reversing camera, so you can make sure you're aware of your surroundings in reverse. And the screen has adjustable brightness so you can make sure you can see adequately any time of day. 

This 9-inch wireless car display is compatible with all car models — it's just powered by a wide-voltage cigarette lighter, so installation is a breeze. 

Save $100 and bring this 9-inch wireless car display home today for just $79.99, no coupon code required.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

LOWEST-EVER PRICE: As of March 29, the 55-inch Samsung Q60D TV is on sale for $479.99 in the Amazon Spring Sale. This deal saves you 38% on list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung 55-inch Samsung Q60D TV $497.99 at Amazon
$797.99 Save $300 Get Deal

We can't think of a better way to spend your weekend that perusing the best deals from the Amazon Big Spring Sale. OK, there are plenty of better ways to spend your free time. You could be watching paint dry, which honestly at this point sounds a little more interesting than scrolling through thousands of deals.

Let someone else do the work whilst you enjoy yourself. Save the hassle and check out the latest deal on the 55-inch Samsung Q60D TV. This premium TV is on sale or $479.99 in the Amazon Spring Sale. This deal saves you 38% on list price, or $300. According to the price tracker camelcamelcamel, this impressive TV has never been cheaper.

SEE ALSO: Grab noise-cancelling Soundcore headphones for just $44 during Amazon's Big Spring Sale

The Q60D is a great mid-range TV featuring object-tracking sound and a Pantone Validated dual LED panel for better color accuracy. It's got a lot of the same great features of more advanced models without the huge price tag. If you're looking for real value from the Amazon Spring Sale, this deal offers that in abundance.

Get the best-ever price on the 55-inch Samsung Q60D TV in the Amazon Spring Sale. For more deals like this, check out our roundup of the best TV deals from the Amazon Big Spring Sale.

Mashable's favorite deals from the Amazon Spring Sale

• Apple AirPods Pro 2 ANC Earbuds With USB-C Charging Case — $169.99 (List Price $249.00)

• Ecobee Smart Thermostat Enhanced Wi-Fi Thermostat — $169.00 (List Price $189.99)

• Soundcore Life Q30 Hybrid ANC Headphones (Black) — $55.99 (List Price $79.99)

• Blink Mini 2 Indoor Wireless 1080p Camera (2-Pack) — $37.99 (List Price $69.99)

• Apple iPad mini 128GB 8.3" Tablet — $399.00 (List Price $499.00)

• Apple Watch Series 10 (GPS, 42mm) — $299.00 (List Price $399.00)

• Sonos Era 100 Wireless Alexa Enabled Smart Speaker (White) — $199.00 (List Price $249.00)

• Fire TV Stick 4K Max Streaming Player With Remote (2023 Model) — $39.99 (List Price $59.99)

• Fitbit Inspire 3 Health and Fitness Tracker (Midnight Zen/Black) — $69.95 (List Price $99.95)

• Roku Express 4K+ Streaming Media Player — $30.22 (List Price $39.99)

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 type of syrup.

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

MAPLE

Hurdle Word 2 hint

Used to text and call.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for March 29, 2025 Hurdle Word 2 Answer

PHONE

Hurdle Word 3 hint

Two-legged stand.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for March 29 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for March 29, 2025 Hurdle Word 3 answer

BIPOD

Hurdle Word 4 hint

Part of common sorority names.

SEE ALSO: NYT Strands hints, answers for March 29 Hurdle Word 4 answer

KAPPA

Final Hurdle hint

A pessimist.

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

CYNIC

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

TL;DR: For one more day only, Mashable readers and Mac users can save £32 on the PDF Expert Premium Plan lifetime subscription — pay just £75.72 (reg. £108.18) through 30 March.

There’s nothing wrong with Adobe Acrobat…until you realize you’re paying for it constantly even though you really only edit a couple of PDFs each month. If you want a program you can own with a one-time payment, check out this Adobe Acrobat alternative. The features are nearly identical, except it’s £75.72 (reg. £108.18) for life — even if you upgrade your Mac.

Fair warning, this is your last call, as this discounted price ends on 30 March.

Opens in a new window Credit: Readdle Limited PDF Expert Premium Plan: Lifetime Subscription (Mac) £75.72
£108.18 Save £32.46 Get Deal More about PDF Expert

Think of it this way, after a few months, this software practically pays for itself when compared to expensive alternatives like Adobe Acrobat.

Here's what you can do with PDF Expert.

• Edit PDFs with ease: Fix typos, add images, and adjust formatting directly within your PDFs.

• Annotate and review efficiently: Highlight key points, add comments, and use custom stamps for streamlined collaboration.

• Convert between formats: Seamlessly convert PDFs to and from various file types, including Word, Excel, and images.

• Fill and sign forms: Complete interactive forms, add electronic signatures, and redact sensitive information with ease.

• Make scans searchable: Use OCR to convert scanned documents into editable and searchable PDFs.

Get a PDF editor with no monthly fees for your Mac, now £75.72 (reg. £108.18) for a limited time.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

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: Played with a deck

• Green: Where American football might be located during a game

• Blue: Information for baserunners

• Purple: Part of a logo

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: Card games

• Green: Areas on a football field

• Blue: Things a third base coach might signal

• Purple: Components of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' logo

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 #187 is...

What is the answer to Connections Sports Edition today

• Card games - BRIDGE, EUCHRE, HEARTS, PINOCHLE

• Areas on a football field - BACKFIELD, END ZONE, LINE OF SCRIMMAGE, SIDELINE

• Things a third base coach might signal - BUNT, HIT AND RUN, STEAL, TAKE

• Components of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' logo - FLAG, FOOTBALL, SKILL, SWORDS

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.

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 March 29 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: Seen at fine dining establishments

• Green: Types of bottoms you'd wear in the summer

• Blue: Reads the same backwards as forward

• Purple: You would've watched them 40 years ago

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: Materials associated with fancy dining

• Green: Kinds of shorts

• Blue: Nouns in a famous palindrome

• Purple: Movies from 1985

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 #657 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Materials associated with fancy dining: CHINA, CRYSTAL, LINEN, SILVER

• Kinds of shorts: BERMUDA, BIKE, BOXER, CARGO

• Nouns in a famous palindrome: CANAL, MAN, PANAMA, PLAN

• Movies from 1985: BRAZIL, CLUE, COMMANDO, WITNESS

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 March 29

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 March 29 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 March 29, 2025 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

Apologetic.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

The letter R appears twice.

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

Today's Wordle starts with the letter S.

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...

SORRY.

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 March 29

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.

Save $120: As of March 28, you can grab the Anker Nebula Capsule 3 projector for just $379.99 at Amazon. At this price, you'll be saving 24% on the projector's $499.99 list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Anker Anker Nebula Capsule 3 $379.99 at Amazon
$499.99 Save $120 Get Deal

Maybe you don't have the room for a TV or maybe you prefer some portability when deciding where to watch your favorite shows — in either case, you deserve better than using your laptop.

Portable projectors can be a great solution to this problem, but they aren't exactly cheap (especially in comparison to the price of a TV). However, during Amazon's Big Spring Sale, Anker's Nebula Capsule 3 projector is down to its lowest price ever, at just $379.99.

SEE ALSO: 350+ of the best live deals from the Amazon Big Spring Sale, picked by Mashable's team of experts

If you've never used a projector before, you should expectation set that the picture won't be as bright or as a clear as that of a TV — that's normal, especially in the this price range. Specifically, in terms of picture quality, the Capsule 3 supports 4K input and has a native 1080p resolution. However, you can get a much bigger picture that maxes out at 120 inches, and the option to move your projector wherever you like, especially with the Capsule 3, which weighs less than two pounds, and has an on-board battery that can stream up to two and a half hours of video and eight hours of audio.

It's also incredibly easy to turn it on and start streaming content, thanks to its autofocus and auto keystone features, and of course, the built-in Google TV and Netflix. The LED light won't give you the absolute best picture quality you can find on a projector out there, but as our sister site PC Mag (also owned by Ziff Davis) puts it in their review, "Just a little bigger than a soda can, the 1080p Anker Nebula Capsule 3 projector delivers more-than-acceptable quality plus robust audio, making it an excellent mini projector."

X owner Elon Musk announced late Friday that the social media site had been sold ... to xAI, Musk's own Artificial Intelligence company.

"xAI and X’s futures are intertwined," Musk posted on X. "Today, we officially take the step to combine the data, models, compute, distribution and talent ... this will allow us to build a platform that doesn’t just reflect the world but actively accelerates human progress."

xAI purchased X in an all-stock transaction, according to the Hollywood Reporter. The AI company is now valued at $80 billion, with X valued at $33 billion, which includes $12 million in debt.

Musk purchased X, then known as Twitter, for $44 billion in October 2022.

What does this mean to the X user? Likely that AI will be integrated more fully into the X experience. The social media site has aggressively pushed its generative AI chatbot, Grok, on users since it launched in 2023. Musk also changed its terms of service shortly after the November election, requiring users to agree to have AI trained on their tweets.

In announcing the sale, Musk claimed X has 600 million "active users." He didn't say "monthly active users," which experts believe to be almost half that number.

The now-private company has shed millions of users by multiple measures since Musk's purchase, and is projected to lose millions more in 2025.

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