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Welcome to your guide to Pips, the latest game in the New York Times catalogue.
Released in August 2025, Pips puts a unique spin on dominoes, creating a fun single-player experience that could become your next daily gaming habit.
Currently, if you're stuck, the game only offers to reveal the entire puzzle, forcing you to move on to the next difficulty level and start over. However, we have you covered! Below are piecemeal answers that will serve as hints so that you can find your way through each difficulty level.
How to play PipsIf you've ever played dominoes, you'll have a passing familiarity with how Pips is played. As we've shared in our previous hints stories for Pips, the tiles, like dominoes, are placed vertically or horizontally and connect with each other. The main difference between a traditional game of dominoes and Pips is the color-coded conditions you have to address. The touching tiles don't necessarily have to match.
SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for August 2, 2026The conditions you have to meet are specific to the color-coded spaces. For example, if it provides a single number, every side of a tile in that space must add up to the number provided. It is possible — and common — for only half a tile to be within a color-coded space.
Here are common examples you'll run into across the difficulty levels:
Number: All the pips in this space must add up to the number.
Equal: Every domino half in this space must be the same number of pips.
Not Equal: Every domino half in this space must have a completely different number of pips.
Less than: Every domino half in this space must add up to less than the number.
Greater than: Every domino half in this space must add up to more than the number.
If an area does not have any color coding, it means there are no conditions on the portions of dominoes within those spaces.
SEE ALSO: NYT Strands hints, answers for August 2, 2026 Easy difficulty hints, answers for August 2 PipsGreater Than (1): Everything in this space must be greater than 1. The answer is 0-2, placed horizontally.
Number (1): Everything in this space must add up to 1. The answer is 1-1, placed horizontally; 0-2, placed horizontally; 0-0, placed horizontally.
Number (6): Everything in this space must add up to 6. The answer is 5-3, placed horizontally; 3-6, placed horizontally.
Greater Than (5): Everything in this space must be greater than 5. The answer is 3-6, placed horizontally.
Medium difficulty hints, answers for August 2 PipsGreater Than (0): Everything in this space must be greater than 0. The answer is 4-0, placed horizontally.
Equal (0): Everything in this space must be equal to 0. The answer is 4-0, placed horizontally; 0-3, placed vertically.
Greater Than (3): Everything in this space must be greater than 3. The answer is 5-5, placed horizontally.
Not Equal Everything in this space must be different. The answer is 2-6, placed horizontally; 5-5, placed horizontally; 4-3, placed vertically.
Number (8): Everything in this space must add up to 8. The answer is 4-4, placed vertically.
Equal (3): Everything in this space must be equal to 3. The answer is 4-3, placed vertically.
Number (3): Everything in this space must add up to 3. The answer is 3-3, placed horizontally.
Hard difficulty hints, answers for August 2 PipsLess Than (3): Everything in this space must be less than 3. The answer is 0-0, placed vertically; 1-6, placed horizontally.
Number (3): Everything in this space must add up to 3. The answer is 3-3, placed horizontally.
Number (5): Everything in this space must add up to 5. The answer is 5-2, placed vertically.
Number (0): Everything in this space must add up to 0. The answer is 0-0, placed vertically.
Number (3): Everything in this space must add up to 3. The answer is 3-6, placed vertically.
Number (5): Everything in this space must add up to 5. The answer is 5-0, placed vertically.
Number (0): Everything in this space must add up to 0. The answer is 0-2, placed horizontally.
Greater Than (5): Everything in this space must be greater than 5. The answer is 6-2, placed horizontally.
Less Than (3): Everything in this space must be less than 3. The answer is 5-0, placed vertically.
Number (3): Everything in this space must add up to 3. The answer is 3-1, placed vertically.
Equal (2): Everything in this space must be equal to 2. The answer is 5-2, placed vertically; 2-3, placed horizontally; 6-2, placed horizontally; 2-1, placed vertically.
Equal (6): Everything in this space must be equal to 6. The answer is 3-6, placed vertically; 6-4, placed horizontally.
Greater Than (3): Everything in this space must be greater than 3. The answer is 6-4, placed horizontally.
Less Than (5): Everything in this space must be less than 5. The answer is 4-1, placed horizontally.
Equal (1): Everything in this space must be equal to 1. The answer is 4-1, placed horizontally; 2-1, placed vertically; 1-1, placed horizontally.
Number (3): Everything in this space must add up to 3. The answer is 3-5, placed horizontally.
Number (5): Everything in this space must add up to 5. The answer is 3-5, placed horizontally.
Number (0): Everything in this space must add up to 0. The answer is 0-1, placed horizontally.
Equal (1): Everything in this space must be equal to 1. The answer is 0-1, placed horizontally; 3-1, placed vertically.
If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Today's Connections: Sports Edition will be easier if you've ever watched football.
As we've shared in previous hints stories, this is a version of the popular New York Times word game that seeks to test the knowledge of sports fans.
Like the original Connections, the game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight, and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier — so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.
If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for the latest Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.
SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable What is Connections: Sports Edition?The NYT's latest daily word game has launched in association with The Athletic, the New York Times property that provides the publication's sports coverage. The sports Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.Each puzzle features 16 words, and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there's only one correct answer.
If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake — players get up to four mistakes before the game ends.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.
SEE ALSO: Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL. Here's a hint for today's Connections: Sports Edition categoriesWant a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:
Yellow: Drive this
Green: Atlanta sports
Blue: GEQBUS
Purple: Makes a face
Need a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:
Yellow: Things with Wheels
Green: Atlanta Teams
Blue: Associated with Sam Darnold
Purple: Ends in a Part of the Face
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 #678 is...
What is the answer to Connections: Sports Edition today?Things with Wheels: BICYCLE, RACE CAR, SKATEBOARD, ZAMBONI
Atlanta Teams: ATLANTA UNITED, DREAM, FALCONS, HAWKS
Associated with Sam Darnold: JETS, SEAHAWKS, SUPER BOWL LX, TROJANS
Ends in a Part of the Face: BOURNEMOUTH, DIAGNOSE, HAWKEYES, KICKFLIP
Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be new sports Connections for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.
Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.
If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Connections.
Minnesota's new ban on AI "nudification" technology took effect on August 1, 2026, after a federal judge declined to pause it, even as a legal challenge by Elon Musk's artificial intelligence company, xAI, proceeds.
U.S. District Judge Donovan W. Frank denied xAI's emergency motion for a temporary restraining order in a two-page order issued July 31. The judge found that the company's own timeline undercut its claim of urgent harm, noting that xAI filed its motion "nearly three months after the law was signed, and only three days before the law is set to take effect."
SEE ALSO: Teens sue xAI for Grok's reported sexual image generation issuesThe order stated that such a delay "suggests that harm is not immediate," and cited a prior Minnesota case in which a similar delay weighed against granting emergency relief.
Minnesota's nudification law, explainedThe statute, H.F. 1606, adds a new section to Minnesota law prohibiting any person who owns or controls a website, app, or software from allowing users to "nudify" images or generate such alterations on a user's behalf. It also bars advertising or promoting services that perform this function.
The bill defines "nudify" as altering or generating an image so that it depicts an intimate part not present in the original, in a way realistic enough that a reasonable viewer would believe it belonged to the person shown. The law carves out an exemption for tools that require "the technical skill of a user" to produce the alteration, and it preserves Section 230 liability protections under federal law.
Violations can draw a civil penalty of up to $500,000 per unlawful access, download, or use, enforceable by the attorney general, along with a private right of action allowing individuals to sue for compensatory and punitive damages, injunctive relief, and attorneys' fees. Penalty revenue collected under the law is directed toward grants for organizations serving survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence, and other crimes, per the bill's text.
According to NBC News, xAI's lawsuit argues the law violates the First Amendment and is broader than necessary, calling it "overinclusive" with "far less restrictive alternatives" available. Governor Tim Walz, who signed the bill in May, responded on social media: "See you in court, creep," per NBC News.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.The law follows scrutiny of xAI's Grok chatbot, whose Imagine tool reportedly began generating sexualized deepfakes at scale after a December update, prompting international backlash and an Apple app-store removal threat; NBC News reported the issue persisted as recently as April. SpaceX, xAI's parent, also faces class-action suits alleging Grok produced nude deepfakes of children and adults.
Free-speech groups are split, per NBC News. The ACLU of Minnesota, which backed an earlier bill version, said the final law didn't properly balance First Amendment interests against real harms. The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression called the law overbroad; its legislative counsel, John Coleman, said it "sweeps in ordinary political speech and satire."
Minnesota's measure is described by NBC News as the first such law in the nation, part of a broader wave of state action on AI deepfakes, including cease-and-desist letters San Francisco's city attorney sent to Apple and Google in July.
We've added over 80 laptops to our testing database in the last two years, and a number of them can beat Apple in different ways. The HP OmniBook 3 16 with the Snapdragon X chip has a bonkers 40-hour battery life, far outpacing MacBooks. In the budget category, the Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 514 likewise beats the MacBook Neo in battery life.
And in terms of performance, while the MacBook Air (M5) and MacBook Pro (M5) have impressive single-core scores on Geekbench 6, Windows Ultrabooks like the Asus Zenbook A14 beat both devices in multi-core performance.
SEE ALSO: The best MacBooks to buy in 2026: Air, Pro, or Neo? What I look for in the best MacBook alternativesIMO, a Windows laptop or Chromebook is doing a good MacBook impression if it has above-average performance, long battery life, and a sleek, polished design. Basically, it's a very good Windows laptop or a top-tier Chromebook. I'll add some extra qualifiers depending on the exact Mac model:
MacBook Air alternatives should be super lightweight and portable
MacBook Neo alternatives should cost well under $1,000
MacBook Pro alternatives should have a crisp, rich 120Hz display and enough power for intensive tasks like video editing
As of July 2026, I've found seven worthy alternatives from Asus, Acer, Dell, and HP, all of them rigorously tested. I believe these PCs are the top MacBook alternatives for buyers in 2026. I've also lined up a fallback option for those who want to stay within the Apple ecosystem.
What's newI made several adjustments to this guide in July 2026 based on my latest round of testing, and after checking our current picks for price and availability changes.
The Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 514 is now the best MacBook Neo alternative, replacing the sold-out Acer Aspire 16 AI. That said, I'll be testing a couple new budget laptops in the near future that could be even better options (see below).
The Dell XPS 14 is now the best MacBook Pro alternative. It's still a splurge compared to the MacBook Pro, but now a little less so after Apple's price changes. The Acer Swift X 14 is now the best MacBook Pro alternative for users who need a laptop with discrete graphics.
I added the Asus ExpertBook Ultra as a new top pick. I had some build quality concerns with the pre-production unit I originally tested, but Asus remedied them in mass production. (I tried a second updated unit to verify this.)
I added the HP OmniBook Ultra 14 as another new top pick. I can only recommend the Snapdragon X2 Elite configuration because it's the only model I've tested, but I plan on trying an Intel Panther Lake variant down the road.
The special-edition Asus ProArt GoPro Edition bundles MacBook Pro-rivaling multi-core performance and 128GB of RAM in a rugged convertible design. It's expensive at $2,999.99, but fairly priced for how much memory it has. (An identically configured MacBook Pro costs $6,139.) Still, I can't recommend it as a MacBook Pro alternative because it has a blurrier 60Hz display. That feels like a glaring omission on a premium creator laptop.
The Acer Swift Edge 14 AI is a shockingly thin-and-light ultraportable with a 2.8K OLED touchscreen. It only costs $1,499.99 with 32GB of RAM and 1TB of storage. It would make a very good MacBook Air alternative if it wasn't such a mediocre performer: It's 48 percent slower than the latest MacBook Air in single-core scenarios and 33 percent slower in multi-core tasks. It's a closer rival to the M2 MacBook Air from 2022 when it comes to processing power. I would only pick it over the Zenbook A14 if you can't use an ARM-based laptop (see below).
I haven't tested them yet, but the new Dell XPS 13 and Acer Swift Air 14 look like very promising MacBook Neo alternatives, and the Framework Laptop 13 Pro seems like a neat repairable MacBook Pro alternative. I'll update this story once I or one of my colleagues try them.
A note about ARM-based Windows laptopsThe Asus Zenbook A14, Zenbook A16, and HP OmniBook Ultra 14 run on Qualcomm Snapdragon X2 series chips. These are ARM-based chips, which are built differently than traditional x86-based Intel and AMD chips. As such, they're not compatible with as many video games and certain specialty software. This isn't an issue for most users, but if you do a lot of PC gaming or you're a college student, you should avoid them. You can read more about this in my dedicated guide to the best Windows laptops.
TL;DR: Get the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 (256GB, unlocked) for $1,199.99 at Amazon and a free $200 gift card bundled in — no trade-in required.
Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 + $200 Gift Card Get DealSamsung didn't ease into its Unpacked event — phones, watches, and smartglasses were all unveiled in one go, which means there's a lot to sort through if you're trying to find the one deal that's actually worth your money.
And here's one worth grabbing: Amazon is currently bundling the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 with a free $200 gift card — no trade-in, no discount code, just the phone at $1,199.99 with a $200 gift card to use later.
SEE ALSO: The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 just launched — grab this stylish case for 30% offThe whole point of a flip phone is the cover screen, and Samsung's built around that here — FlexWindow lets you handle a range of AI tasks without opening the phone, so quick checks don't require unfolding it. When you're shooting photos, you can go hands-free for creative angles, or hold it steady and rely on Super Steady Video to keep the footage smooth.
The Flip 8 runs on the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, the same chip powering the Fold8, which means gaming and multitasking should hold up even on this smaller form factor.
Battery life is built to last through a full day, and when it runs low, Super Fast Charging gets you back up quickly. If you're switching from an iPhone, Samsung's made that transfer easier, too — your photos, contacts, alarms, and passwords come with you, and your messages stay encrypted the whole way.
The gift card isn't an instant perk, though — Samsung sends an email once it's ready to claim, and that only happens after the phone ships. The offer ends Aug. 6, so the earlier you pre-order, the safer you are before that window shuts.
Grab the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 8 before Aug. 6, and the $200 gift card is on its way to you.
SAVE 20%: From Aug. 2-8, Owala's Back-to-School Sale takes 20% off sitewide, including bottles, bags, and accessories.
Opens in a new window Credit: Owala Owala's Back-to-School Sale 20% off bottles, bags, and accessories until Aug. 8 Shop NowOwala's Back-to-School Sale isn't just about the bottles you already own — the whole lineup is included, so it's worth looking beyond the FreeSip.
The sale covers everything from hydration essentials like water bottles and tumblers to insulated bags, totes, and crossbodies, plus accessories like lids, straws, and other add-ons. The original FreeSip is still the bestseller for a reason, and the FreeSip Sway is a solid pick if you want something more cupholder-friendly for the car. If coffee's more your thing, the SmoothSip Slider is built specifically for hot drinks on the go.
Mashable Deals Be the first to know! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Loading... Sign Me Up By signing up, you agree to receive recurring automated SMS marketing messages from Mashable Deals at the number provided. Msg and data rates may apply. Up to 2 messages/day. Reply STOP to opt out, HELP for help. Consent is not a condition of purchase. See our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Thanks for signing up!And if you need something bigger than a bottle, the Sun-Day Tote is a collapsible bag that packs flat yet holds a lot, making it easy to toss in a backpack or bag during the actual back-to-school rush. They've also got a few small essentials — a Bottle Boot, cleaning accessories, stickers, and matching pet bowls.
With 20% off sitewide, this is a good time to stock up across categories rather than just grabbing one bottle — especially if you've got a household that goes through water bottles, lunch bags, or travel mugs regularly.
Shop Owala's Back-to-School Sale until Aug. 8 — stock is bound to run out.
TL;DR: Get a Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows lifetime license for $32.97 through Aug. 9 and enjoy Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Access, Publisher, OneNote, and Teams with a one-time purchase.
Opens in a new window Credit: Microsoft Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows: Lifetime License $32.97This is your last chance to ditch Microsoft 365’s subscription fees for good. Through Aug. 9, you can grab a lifetime license to Microsoft Office 2021 for much less than its usual retail price. Simply pay once, download the full software suite, and never worry about renewals again.
We know what you’re thinking, but rest assured, this isn’t some stripped-down lite version either. It’s the real deal. Whether you’re writing reports, crunching numbers, building presentations, managing emails, or wrangling databases, the lifetime version of Microsoft Office has you covered.
Mashable Deals Be the first to know! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Loading... Sign Me Up By signing up, you agree to receive recurring automated SMS marketing messages from Mashable Deals at the number provided. Msg and data rates may apply. Up to 2 messages/day. Reply STOP to opt out, HELP for help. Consent is not a condition of purchase. See our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Thanks for signing up!It’s a one-time download for one Windows PC, so once it’s yours, it’s yours. The full pro-level toolkit, minus the stress of a subscription. Plus, with instant license delivery and free customer support, getting started is as painless as your new spreadsheet workflow.
No more “trial expired” pop-ups. No more surprise charges. Just the latest versions of Microsoft’s best apps, ready to support all of your work and personal needs.
Download Microsoft Office for Windows while it’s on sale for $32.97 (reg. $219.99) until Aug. 9 at 11:59 p.m. PT. No coupon is needed.
StackSocial prices subject to change.
TL;DR: Pay $79 once (reg. $619) for ChatPlayground AI Unlimited Lifetime and compare 20+ leading AI models side by side, chat with PDFs and images, and generate AI art.
Opens in a new window Credit: ChatPlayground AI ChatPlayground AI: Lifetime Subscription (Unlimited Plan) $79If you’ve ever copied the same prompt into three different AI tools just to see which one gives the best answer, you’re not alone. Different models excel at different things — but juggling tabs and subscriptions gets old fast.
ChatPlayground AI puts the top AI models in one place, so you can compare responses side by side without the back-and-forth. For a limited time, a lifetime subscription is on sale for $79 (reg. $619).
GPT-4o, Claude Sonnet, Gemini, DeepSeek, Llama, Perplexity, and more — all in one clean interface. It’s built for people who iterate fast, test variations, and actually care about optimizing results.
Beyond comparisons, ChatPlayground AI includes prompt engineering tools to refine outputs, image and PDF chat for context-aware responses, saved chat history for ongoing projects, and AI image generation powered by leading models. There’s even a Chrome extension to integrate it directly into your browsing workflow.
The Unlimited Plan means unlimited messages per month, making it ideal for startups, product teams, marketers, and prompt engineers who run experiments nonstop. You also get priority support and early access to new features and future models.
If you’re already paying for multiple AI tools — or constantly switching between them — this consolidates everything into one streamlined platform.
Grab lifetime access to ChatPlayground AI Unlimited for $79 (reg. $619) and stop juggling models for good.
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Regardless of your living situation, I believe the best Dyson vacuum cleaner is a cordless stick vacuum. Dyson hasn't made a new corded vacuum since 2018, and it doesn't plan on updating the line in the future. If you were waffling between a corded vs. cordless design, at least that part of the decision has been made for you.
For a while, Dyson Ball vacuums had such impressive suction that people simply put up with their bulkiness and the major inconvenience of being tethered to the wall. But in 2026, cordless Dyson vacuums are far too powerful and agile to make the old cumbersome design worth the hassle. In fact, the new Dyson V16 Piston Animal has officially surpassed the suction power of any corded Dyson vacuum.
Past that, the best Dyson cordless vacuum for one household may not be the best cordless Dyson for another household. The best fit is highly dependent on factors like the size of your home, your floor type, the number of pets that you have, and the amount of money you feel like spending. Do you need a full suite of attachments and dust-detecting lasers to match your (clean) freak, or would you prefer a more affordable version that just does the job? I have a solid idea of both ends of the Dyson spectrum from personal experience, and from comparing the value of the Dyson lineup to other top cordless vacuum cleaners from brands like Shark.
SEE ALSO: The best way to make your Dyson stick vacuum last? Clean it regularly. What about the Dyson robot vacuum?You may have noticed that I've omitted the latest Dyson robot vacuum from this guide, and there's a good reason for that: it's a disappointment.
You could read my full review of the Dyson Spot+Scrub AI robovac. But, instead, skip straight to my regularly updated guide to the best robot vacuum and mops. Trust me — you can find a better robot vacuum for a lot less. Ultimately, the Dyson Spot+Scrub just isn't worth it.
The Moon is still in its waning gibbous phase following the Full Moon. Here's what you can see on its surface tonight.
What is today’s Moon phase?As of Sunday, Aug. 2, NASA's Daily Moon Guide tracker tells us the Moon phase is in Waning Gibbous phase, with 87% of its surface visible.
You don't need to have lots of visual equipment to see features on the Moon's surface. In fact, with just your naked eye you can spot the Oceanus Procellarum, Kepler Crater, and Mare Vaporum tonight. However, visual aids do make the experience more advanced, so if you have a pair of binoculars, this will help you see the Alphonsus Crater, Mare Humorum, and the Mare Frigoris. Pull out your telescope (if you have one) to see see all clearer, plus the Apollo 15 landing spot, the Rima Ariadaeus, and the Schiller Crater.
When is the next Full Moon?The next Full Moon will take place on August 28.
What are Moon phases?According to NASA, the Moon goes through a complete cycle of eight phases roughly every 29.5 days. As it travels around Earth, the angle between the Sun, Earth and Moon constantly changes, meaning we see different amounts of the Moon's sunlit side. This is what causes the familiar progression from a thin crescent to a half Moon, then a Full Moon, before the cycle repeats.
The eight phases are:
New Moon - The Moon is between Earth and the sun, so the side we see is dark (in other words, it's invisible to the eye).
Waxing Crescent - A small sliver of light appears on the right side (Northern Hemisphere).
First Quarter - Half of the Moon is lit on the right side. It looks like a half-Moon.
Waxing Gibbous - More than half is lit up, but it’s not quite full yet.
Full Moon - The whole face of the Moon is illuminated and fully visible.
Waning Gibbous - The Moon starts losing light on the right side. (Northern Hemisphere)
Third Quarter (or Last Quarter) - Another half-Moon, but now the left side is lit.
Waning Crescent - A thin sliver of light remains on the left side before going dark again.
The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult if you're a frequent flyer.
Connections is the one of the most popular New York Times word games that's captured the public's attention. The game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.
If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for today's Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.
SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable What is Connections?The NYT's latest daily word game has become a social media hit. The Times credits associate puzzle editor Wyna Liu with helping to create the new word game and bringing it to the publications' Games section. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.Each puzzle features 16 words and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise of anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there's only one correct answer.
If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake—players get up to four mistakes until the game ends.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.
SEE ALSO: NYT Pips hints, answers for August 2, 2026 Here's a hint for today's Connections categoriesWant a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:
Yellow: Um...
Green: Across
Blue: Setting
Purple: Travel hubs
Meet The Mashable 101: Our list of the content creators shaping the internet today
Here are today's Connections categoriesNeed a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:
Yellow: Filler words
Green: By means of
Blue: __ Mode
Purple: U.S. airport codes plus starting letter
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 #1148 is...
What is the answer to Connections todayFiller words: ACTUALLY, LIKE, SO, WELL
By means of: BY, PER, THROUGH, VIA
__ Mode: AIRPLANE, BEAST, DARK, À LA
U.S. airport codes plus starting letter: ASEA, FLAX, LORD, OLGA
Are you also playing NYT Strands? Get all the Strands hints you need for today's puzzle.
If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Connections.
Today's NYT Strands hints are easy if you're goal-driven.
Strands, the New York Times' elevated word-search game, requires the player to perform a twist on the classic word search. Words can be made from linked letters — up, down, left, right, or diagonal, but words can also change direction, resulting in quirky shapes and patterns. Every single letter in the grid will be part of an answer. There's always a theme linking every solution, along with the "spangram," a special, word or phrase that sums up that day's theme, and spans the entire grid horizontally or vertically.
SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on MashableBy providing an opaque hint and not providing the word list, Strands creates a brain-teasing game that takes a little longer to play than its other games, like Wordle and Connections.
If you're feeling stuck or just don't have 10 or more minutes to figure out today's puzzle, we've got all the NYT Strands hints for today's puzzle you need to progress at your preferred pace.
SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for August 2, 2026 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Eyes on the prizeThe words are related to drive.
Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explainedThese words describe aspiration.
NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?Today's NYT Strands spangram is diagonal.
Meet The Mashable 101: Our list of the content creators shaping the internet today
NYT Strands spangram answer todayToday's spangram is Aim High.
NYT Strands word list for August 2Ambition
Plan
Goal
Purpose
Aim High
Objective
Intention
Looking for other daily online games? Mashable's Games page has more hints, and if you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now!
Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Strands.
Today's Wordle answer should be easy to solve if you're a rule breaker.
If you just want to be told today's word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for today's Wordle solution revealed. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.
SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for August 2, 2026 Where did Wordle come from?Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once.
Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing.
What's the best Wordle starting word?The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be strategic in your approach, we have a few ideas to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N.
What happened to the Wordle archive?The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles was originally available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it, but it was later taken down, with the website's creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times. However, the New York Times then rolled out its own Wordle Archive, available only to NYT Games subscribers.
Is Wordle getting harder?It might feel like Wordle is getting harder, but it actually isn't any more difficult than when it first began. You can turn on Wordle's Hard Mode if you're after more of a challenge, though.
SEE ALSO: NYT Pips hints, answers for August 2, 2026 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:Punishable.
Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?There are no recurring letters.
Meet The Mashable 101: Our list of the content creators shaping the internet today
Today's Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with...Today's Wordle starts with the letter P.
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...
PENAL
Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be a new Wordle for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints. Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.
Reporting by Chance Townsend, Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.
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.
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.
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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 hintMeaner.
SEE ALSO: Apple’s new M3 MacBook Air is $300 off at Amazon. And yes, I’m tempted. Hurdle Word 1 answerRUDER
Hurdle Word 2 hintPeanut butter brand.
SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for August 2, 2026 Hurdle Word 2 AnswerJIFFY
Mashable 101 Fan Fave: Nominate your favorite creators today
Hurdle Word 3 hintCozy restaurant.
SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for August 2 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for August 2, 2026 Hurdle Word 3 answerDINER
Hurdle Word 4 hintJunk.
Hurdle Word 4 answerSCRAP
Final Hurdle hintFad.
SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Games available on Mashable Hurdle Word 5 answerTREND
If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
SAVE $100: The Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 is bundled with a $100 Amazon gift card for $699.99.
Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 + $100 Gift Card Get DealSamsung Unpacked dropped a wave of new gear this month — new Samsung phones, new watches, and even Samsung Galaxy Glasses.
And here's the sweetener: Amazon is currently bundling the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 with a free $100 gift card, priced at $699.99.
SEE ALSO: Upgrade your Switch 2 storage for less: Samsung’s P9 Express microSD is on sale at AmazonThis one's built for the outdoors. On a run or hike, it acts as a trail guide — giving you path, elevation, and pace guidance along the way, plus hydration alerts to help you stay ahead of dehydration rather than catch up to it. Instead of making you check your health stats separately, it also combines them into a single Heart Health Score, giving you one clear number.
Durability-wise, it's rated IP69K and 10ATM, meaning it's dust-tight and can handle water down to 100 meters, so both rugged trails and open water are fair game. For actual diving, it comes with a built-in dive computer from Mares that tracks ascent and descent, depth limits, and safety stops in real-time.
To get the gift card, select the gift card bundle variation at checkout. Since the offer ends Aug. 6, you should consider grabbing the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 now while you still can.
TL;DR: Become a sign language expert with help from The All-in-One American Sign Language Bundle, on sale now for just $10.49 (reg. $104) with code COURSE30 until Aug. 2.
Opens in a new window Credit: The All-in-One American Sign Language Bundle The All-in-One American Sign Language Bundle $10.49If you’ve always wanted to learn American Sign Language, consider this your sign that it’s finally time. This All-in-One American Sign Language Bundle gives you access to 13 informative courses on a wide range of topics from different instructors to help give you a comprehensive education.
Right now, you can score The All-in-One American Sign Language Bundle for only $10.49 with code COURSE30 until tomorrow at 11:59 p.m. PT.
Mashable Deals Be the first to know! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Loading... Sign Me Up By signing up, you agree to receive recurring automated SMS marketing messages from Mashable Deals at the number provided. Msg and data rates may apply. Up to 2 messages/day. Reply STOP to opt out, HELP for help. Consent is not a condition of purchase. See our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Thanks for signing up!Learn a whole new language at your own pace, all from the comfort of your couch, with this All-in-One American Sign Language Bundle. This online course combo is packed with 13 different courses that will shape you into an ASL expert in no time.
Kick things off with American Sign Language: Beginner, taught by Intellezy Learning. This course walks you through the origins of ASL — from finger-spelling and the alphabet to learning how to say different colors and animals — over 25 lectures and two hours of content.
Able Lingo, an established English and American Sign Language teacher who is TESOL and TEFL certified, teaches ASL: Family and Adjectives and ASL: Color and Nouns, which walk you through things like 24 different family signs and how to sign possessive pronouns, adjectives, and colors.
From there, hop into more niche topics with courses like American Sign Language for Business: Beginner, also taught by Intellezy Learning. This course teaches you all the basic business terms and vocab, so you can communicate using a new language and reach a broader audience.
Grab The All-in-One American Sign Language Bundle for just $10.49 with code COURSE30 now through tomorrow night at 11:59 p.m. PT.
StackSocial prices subject to change.
OpenAI founder and CEO Sam Altman is trending on X for suggesting that parents use ChatGPT to generate podcasts about their children's lives in lieu of... listening to them.
"cool use case of chatgpt work i heard last night," he shared on X in all lowercase. "connect your family calendars and explain your kids' interests."
SEE ALSO: The OpenAI-Hugging Face hack was worse than we thoughtHe continued, "Every morning for the drive to school, have it make a podcast that talks about one kid's soccer game that afternoon, one kid's upcoming birthday, some news, etc."
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.The post has amassed around 9,500 likes at the time of this writing, dwarfed by 120,000 likes on the reply, "What if you just talked to your children?" from Gravity Falls creator Alex Hirsch. (The same day, Hirsch also criticized Google's addition of its AI image generator into Google Earth, which it reversed.) Other popular replies have the same sentiment: That Altman is apparently encouraging users to disconnect from their families.
The backlash about AI tools has ramped up in recent years, for a myriad of reasons, including environmental impacts, surveillance, job loss, and fears of AI psychosis. The potential degrading of relationships is also a concern for some, as more people turn to chatbots to outsource relational conflicts or even seek to replace relationships themselves.
Disclosure: Ziff Davis, Mashable’s parent company, in April 2025 filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in training and operating its AI systems.
Welcome to your guide to Pips, the latest game in the New York Times catalogue.
Released in August 2025, Pips puts a unique spin on dominoes, creating a fun single-player experience that could become your next daily gaming habit.
Currently, if you're stuck, the game only offers to reveal the entire puzzle, forcing you to move on to the next difficulty level and start over. However, we have you covered! Below are piecemeal answers that will serve as hints so that you can find your way through each difficulty level.
How to play PipsIf you've ever played dominoes, you'll have a passing familiarity with how Pips is played. As we've shared in our previous hints stories for Pips, the tiles, like dominoes, are placed vertically or horizontally and connect with each other. The main difference between a traditional game of dominoes and Pips is the color-coded conditions you have to address. The touching tiles don't necessarily have to match.
SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for August 1, 2026The conditions you have to meet are specific to the color-coded spaces. For example, if it provides a single number, every side of a tile in that space must add up to the number provided. It is possible — and common — for only half a tile to be within a color-coded space.
Here are common examples you'll run into across the difficulty levels:
Number: All the pips in this space must add up to the number.
Equal: Every domino half in this space must be the same number of pips.
Not Equal: Every domino half in this space must have a completely different number of pips.
Less than: Every domino half in this space must add up to less than the number.
Greater than: Every domino half in this space must add up to more than the number.
If an area does not have any color coding, it means there are no conditions on the portions of dominoes within those spaces.
SEE ALSO: NYT Strands hints, answers for August 1, 2026 Easy difficulty hints, answers for August 1 PipsEqual (6): Everything in this space must be equal to 6. The answer is 0-6, placed horizontally; 6-5, placed horizontally.
Greater Than (4): Everything in this space must be greater than 4. The answer is 6-5, placed horizontally.
Number (2): Everything in this space must add up to 2. The answer is 5-2, placed vertically; 0-3, placed horizontally.
Equal (3): Everything in this space must be equal to 3. The answer is 0-3, placed horizontally; 4-3, placed vertically.
Medium difficulty hints, answers for August 1 PipsEqual (3): Everything in this space must be equal to 3. The answer is 3-3, placed horizontally; 3-5, placed horizontally.
Number (6): Everything in this space must add up to 6. The answer is 3-3, placed horizontally; 3-4, placed horizontally.
Less Than (2): Everything in this space must be less than 2. The answer is 0-5, placed horizontally.
Number (10): Everything in this space must add up to 10. The answer is 3-5, placed horizontally; 0-5, placed horizontally.
Not Equal Everything in this space must be different. The answer is 1-2, placed horizontally; 6-6, placed vertically.
Greater Than (4): Everything in this space must be greater than 4. The answer is 6-6, placed vertically.
Number (0): Everything in this space must add up to 0. The answer is 0-0, placed vertically.
Hard difficulty hints, answers for August 1 PipsNumber (3): Everything in this space must add up to 3. The answer is 3-5, placed horizontally.
Number (9): Everything in this space must add up to 9. The answer is 3-5, placed horizontally; 4-2, placed vertically.
Equal (1): Everything in this space must be equal to 1. The answer is 1-2, placed horizontally; 1-4, placed vertically.
Number (10): Everything in this space must add up to 10. The answer is 1-4, placed vertically; 6-3, placed vertically.
Equal (2): Everything in this space must be equal to 2. The answer is 1-2, placed horizontally; 4-2, placed vertically; 2-0, placed horizontally; 2-6, placed vertically.
Number (10): Everything in this space must add up to 10. The answer is 2-6, placed vertically; 4-4, placed vertically.
Equal (1): Everything in this space must be equal to 1. The answer is 0-1, placed horizontally; 1-5, placed horizontally.
Number (9): Everything in this space must add up to 9. The answer is 4-4, placed vertically; 1-5, placed horizontally.
Number (4): Everything in this space must add up to 4. The answer is 4-3, placed horizontally.
Equal (3): Everything in this space must be equal to 3. The answer is 6-3, placed vertically; 3-3, placed horizontally; 4-3, placed horizontally; 3-0, placed horizontally.
Number (0): Everything in this space must add up to 0. The answer is 2-0, placed horizontally; 0-1, placed horizontally; 0-0, placed horizontally; 3-0, placed horizontally.
Number (10): Everything in this space must add up to 10. The answer is 5-5, placed horizontally.
If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
After Google added its AI image generator, Nano Banana, to Google Earth on Thursday, it reversed its decision a day later.
Google announced the addition of Nano Banana 2 into its mapping platform, presumably to help users generate infographics about a site, see what it looked like historically, generate real estate ideas, and other use cases. Instead, as 404 Media observed, it made it very easy to inject misinformation into Google Earth, including making it appear like a nuclear strike had hit a location or that protests had taken over Google's offices.
SEE ALSO: Reminder: Don't use Google Maps for hikingOn Thursday, Google seemed to try to smooth out the kinks, sharing on Thursday night on X that "every image created with Nano Banana in Google Earth includes the SynthID digital watermark, so if someone is unsure about an image, they can ask the Gemini app or use Lens in Search to see if the image was AI-generated." It also stated that it prevents image creation on "harmful topics."
However, come Friday afternoon, Google announced on X that it was removing the feature:
We know that people uniquely trust Google Earth for a reliable view of the world. We've seen geospatial professionals using this feature for a range of useful purposes, however we've also seen people sharing screenshots of generated imagery that appear to violate our policies. So we're rolling back this feature in Google Earth while we work on implementing stronger guardrails. It's important to note that generated images didn’t appear in the main Google Earth experience for others to see and were watermarked as AI generated.
The backlash to the initial decision was quick. Replies to the rollback post on X include Gravity Falls creator Alex Hirsch saying, "You guys are living in a complete bubble. Step outside Silicon Valley for two seconds and you'll realize no actual human wants AI sludge crammed into every corner of every product. Touch grass. Talk to actual people."
Another top reply read, "There is 0 chance that no one on your development team didn't raise exactly this concern."
On Friday, New York state filed a lawsuit against prediction market platform Kalshi, claiming that it's operating as an "unlicensed gambling business."
The Office of Attorney General Letitia James found that Kalshi is an illegal prediction market that exposes New Yorkers to "serious personal and financial risk," according to a press release. The lawsuit seeks fines, the forfeit of all illegal gains, and restitution to members.
SEE ALSO: Kalshi gains 3 million users amid World Cup gamblingThe suit claims that Kalshi's prediction markets meet the legal definition of gambling "because the outcomes of the events on which its users are betting are uncertain and outside the control of the bettor or hinge on a game of chance." But the platform hasn't obtained a license from the New York State Gaming Commission. It also states that Kalshi is available to adults aged 18-20, while New York law requires users to be at least 21 to bet on sports.
"Kalshi has chosen to ignore New York’s gaming laws, which exist to protect consumers, prevent problematic gambling, deliver funding for critical public services, and ensure that every company plays by the same rules," New York Governor Kathy Hochul said in the press release. "This choice has consequences, and working closely with Attorney General James, New York is taking action to stop this illegal behavior and bring Kalshi into compliance, because no company is above the law."
"No matter what they call themselves, prediction markets like Kalshi are gambling platforms, plain and simple. By ignoring our laws, Kalshi is running an illegal operation and harming New Yorkers in the process," James said in the press release. "We are taking them to court to uphold our laws and protect New Yorkers."
Friday's lawsuit comes after New York sued Coinbase and Gemini for similar allegations in April. It also comes after Kalshi sued New York state in Oct., according to CNBC, following New York's Gambling Commission's cease-and-desist letter to the company. A judge denied the company's request for a preliminary injunction and temporary restraining order against the commission in July.
The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), an agency of the federal government, has now sued New York, as it considers prediction markets to fall within its jurisdiction. "Rather than seek reasoned answers from the courts, Letitia James and New York seek to force an unprecedented, sudden shutdown of prediction markets nationwide," CFTC chairman Mike Selig posted on X. "The [CFTC] has already sued to stop this and will continue to defend its jurisdiction."
"It's sad to see this type of political theater from the leadership in our own state," a Kalshi spokesperson said in a statement to CNBC. "States can’t just shut down a federally licensed exchange… We love New York, we love New Yorkers, and New Yorkers love our product."
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