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TL;DR: Walmart has dropped the Magic: The Gathering Final Fantasy Play Booster Box to $174.99, beating Amazon’s current $222.19 listing. That gets you 30 Play Boosters packed with cards inspired by all 16 mainline Final Fantasy games.

Opens in a new window Credit: Magic: The Gathering Magic: The Gathering Final Fantasy Play Booster Box $174.99 at Walmart
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Deals on MTG’s Final Fantasy expansion haven’t been appearing as often as before, but Walmart is still offering some of the best prices in trading cards when compared with competitors. 

As of March 6, Walmart has the Magic: The Gathering Final Fantasy Play Booster Box down to $174.99, with free shipping. That puts it $47.20 below Amazon’s current $222.19 price for the same English-version Play Booster Box, making Walmart the better place to buy if you’ve been waiting for this set to cool off a little before jumping in.

This not only knocks it down to TCGplayer’s market price, but the Walmart deal even beats Amazon’s best-ever price of $183.32 for this Play Booster Box, as confirmed with price tracker camelcamelcamel.

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This is the 30-pack Play Booster display, which means you’re getting a full box intended for cracking packs, building decks, or running Limited games with friends. Each Play Booster includes 14 Magic cards, with 1 to 4 rares or better, 3 to 6 uncommons, 6 to 9 commons, and one land card. Every booster also includes one traditional foil card, while traditional foil lands show up in 20% of boosters. What’s more, a full display box can support an eight-player Draft pod with a few packs left over for prize support.

The set pulls from all 16 mainline Final Fantasy games, with familiar characters, summons, spells, and locations woven into Magic card form. It’s a great way to revisit the series’s biggest moments while still getting a booster format built for actual play.

For more MTG deals, you can still buy the Magic: The Gathering Tarkir Dragonstorm Play Booster Box for below $110 at Walmart. You can also buy the Magic: The Gathering Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Draft Night for a new low price of $86.99 at Amazon. 

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

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

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

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable SEE ALSO: How to play Pips, the newest NYT game

Here are the clues and answers to NYT's The Mini for Friday, March 6, 2026:

AcrossMountains on an Evian bottle

• The answer is Alps.

Sound effect for a pogo stick

• The answer is Boing.

Bert's buddy

• The answer is Ernie.

"Bruhhh!"

• The answer is Dude.

Candy with collectible dispensers

• The answer is Pez.

DownPresidential nickname of the 1860s

• The answer is Abe.

"My Sweet ___" (George Harrison song)

• The answer is Lord.

Affix with a thumbtack

• The answer is Pinup.

Like an unpleasant, mocking comment

• The answer is Snide.

"Good grief!"

• The answer is Geez.

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

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

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

Where to buy the Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Ascended Heroes Elite Trainer Box Best Walmart Deal Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Ascended Heroes Elite Trainer Box $102.95 at Walmart Shop Now Best Amazon Deal Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Ascended Heroes Elite Trainer Box $109.88 at Amazon Shop Now

Walmart is continuing its streak of being the best retailer to grab readily available Pokémon TCG products at prices that are closer to "budget-friendly."

As of March 6, Walmart has the Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Ascended Heroes Elite Trainer Box listed for $102.95, down from $149.99. That’s a notable drop not just against Amazon’s current $109.88 price (also its lowest price according to price tracker camelcamelcamel), but also against TCGplayer’s market price.

After a new expansion comes out, just above $100 is usually the sweet spot for ETBs. With Ascended Heroes’ most valuable SIR cards still well in the high hundreds, like Mega Gengar ex and Mega Dragonite ex — we expect this to be the standard for a long while, and $102.95 is the best deal we’ve seen by far.  

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That may only be a small edge vs. TCGplayer’s tracked $104.23 market value, but it matters more once you look at the actual listings. TCGplayer currently shows the Ascended Heroes ETB at $120 from its only listed seller, and that listing also comes with a shipping charge. The listed median is $119.43, which makes Walmart’s price look especially strong.

The Ascended Heroes Elite Trainer Box includes nine booster packs of trading cards, a full-art foil promo card featuring N’s Zekrom, 65 card sleeves, 40 Energy cards, a player’s guide, damage-counter dice, a coin-flip die, a plastic coin, six dividers, a collector’s box, and a code card for Pokémon TCG Live.

For new expansions, you can still preorder the Pokémon TCG’s Perfect Order Booster Box for a low price of $219.99 at Walmart. Meanwhile, you can also preorder Pokémon TCG Perfect Order Booster Bundles for just under $50. 

Welcome to your guide to Pips, the latest game in the New York Times catalogue.

Released in August 2025, the 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 onto 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 Pips

If you've ever played dominoes, you'll have a passing familiarity for 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 March 6, 2026

The 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 March 6, 2026 Easy difficulty hints, answers for March 6 Pips

Equal (2): Everything in this space must be equal to 2. The answer is 2-2, placed horizontally.

Less Than (2): Everything in this space must be less than 2. The answer is 4-0, placed vertically.

Equal (4): Everything in this space must be equal to 4. The answer is 4-0, placed vertically; 4-4, placed horizontally; 4-3, placed vertically; 4-6 placed vertically.

Greater Than (4): Everything in this space must be greater than 4. The answer is 4-6 placed vertically.

Medium difficulty hints, answers for March 6 Pips

Equal (4): Everything in this space must be equal to 4. The answer is 4-6, placed vertically; 4-2, placed vertically.

Number (8): Everything in this space must add up to 8. The answer is 4-2, placed vertically; 3-6, placed horizontally.

Less Than (6): Everything in this space must be less than 6. The answer is 0-3, placed horizontally.

Equal (3): Everything in this red space must be equal to 3. The answer is 3-6, placed horizontally; 0-3, placed horizontally; 3-5, placed horizontally.

Equal (5): Everything in this dark blue space must be equal to 5. The answer is 5-1, placed horizontally; 3-5, placed horizontally.

Equal (1): Everything in this green space must be equal to 1. The answer is 5-1, placed horizontally; 1-4, placed horizontally.

Hard difficulty hints, answers for March 6 Pips

Number (15): Everything in this space must add up to 15. The answer is 5-4, placed vertically; 6-0, placed vertically.

Greater Than (3): Everything in this space must be greater than 3. The answer is 3-0, placed vertically.

Equal (0): Everything in this dark blue space must be equal to 0. The answer is 6-0, placed vertically; 0-4, placed vertically; 3-0, placed vertically.

Number (3): Everything in this space must add up to 3. The answer is 3-0, placed vertically.

Number (12): Everything in this space must add up to 12. The answer is 6-2, placed vertically; 3-6, placed vertically.

Equal (3): Everything in this red space must be equal to 3. The answer is 3-3, placed vertically; 3-6, placed vertically.

Number (1): Everything in this space must add up to 1. The answer is 6-1, placed vertically; 0-0, placed vertically.

Number (4): Everything in this space must add up to 4. The answer is 4-3, placed vertically.

Number (4): Everything in this space must add up to 4. The answer is 4-3, placed vertically; 1-3, placed horizontally.

Less Than (4): Everything in this space must be less than 4. The answer is 1-3, placed horizontally.

Greater Than (3): Everything in this space must be greater than 3. The answer is 5-5 placed vertically.

Number (7): Everything in this space must add up to 7. The answer is 5-5 placed vertically; 1-1, 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.

Nothing leaked just about everything about its Nothing Phone 4a prior to its big March 5 unveiling, but the company was almost completely silent about the Pro variant. As it turns out, it's the most interesting device in the bunch.

Just like last year's Nothing Phone 3a and 3a Pro, the 4a and the 4a Pro are both mid-rangers in spirit, but the Pro isn't the same phone with slightly stronger specs. Instead, it has a completely different design and some unique features that are new to the brand.

Starting with the Nothing Phone 4a, which we've seen (abundantly) at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona, it has a 6.78-inch, 120Hz, AMOLED display, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 7s Gen 4 chip, 8/12GB of RAM, and 128/256GB of storage. On the back, there's a triple camera system with a 50-megapixel main camera, a 50-megapixel periscope telephoto camera with 3.5x optical zoom, and an ultrawide camera (for some reason, the company does not provide details about it), coupled with a 32-megapixel selfie camera on the front.

It's not a very strong pink, but it's pink: The Nothing Phone 4a. Credit: Stan Schroeder/Mashable

It has a 5,080mAh battery with 50W charging, comes in Pink, White, Black, and Blue. On the back, there's a vertical Glyph Bar, a Nothing-specific feature which can signal incoming calls or text, be a progress bar tracking stuff like food delivery, or a battery charge indicator.

The Nothing Phone 4a will start at about 350 euros in Europe; it will not be available in the U.S.

The Nothing Phone 4a Pro shares the same battery, memory and storage sizes. But it has a slightly larger display (6.83 inches), a more advanced chip (Qualcomm Snapdragon 7 Gen 4), and a more powerful camera system, with a larger sensor on the main camera (again, we don't know the specs for the ultrawide, but it appears to be the same as the one on the Nothing Phone 4a).

You have to hand it to Nothing, its phones always look very fresh. Credit: Nothing

The Nothing Phone 4a Pro also has a very different design. Instead of a plastic chassis, it has a metal unibody, which probably allowed Nothing to reduce its thickness to 7.95mm (this makes it the thinnest Nothing phone ever). It also has a different camera arrangement on the back, and a Glyph Matrix instead of bar, a circular arrangement of 137 mini-LEDs that is now basically a tiny display on the phone's back. It's not new: We've seen it on the last year's flagship, the Nothing Phone 3, but it's nice to see the company bring it to its mid-range phone.

It's easy to reduce a phone to a list of specs, but what sets both of these phones apart from the crowd is their semi-naked design. Not only is it different from anything else on the market, but it also completely changes from one Nothing iteration to the next.

The Nothing Phone 4a Pro comes in Pink, Silver, and Black. Credit: Nothing

The Nothing Phone 4a Pro will be available in Black, Silver, and Pink.

As for pricing, the Nothing Phone 4a Pro will start at $499, and unlike its brother, it will actually arrive in the U.S. later in March.

Finally, the company also launched new over-ear headphones with an unreal battery life.

Today's Connections: Sports Edition is for anyone who played a stick-based sport.

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. 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: Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL. 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: Stick

• Green: Cinderella

• Blue: European champions

• Purple: Sounds like an MLB team

Here are today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

Need a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:

• Yellow: Used to Hit a Ball

• Green: Unlikely Winner

• Blue: Last Four Men's Clubs To Win The Champions League

• Purple: Homophones of MLB Teams

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 #529 is...

What is the answer to Connections: Sports Edition today?

• Used to Hit a Ball - BAT, MALLET, PADDLE, RACKET

• Unlikely Winner - DARK HORSE, LONG SHOT, MINNOW, UNDERDOG

• Last Four Men's Clubs To Win The Champions League - CHELSEA, MANCHESTER CITY, PSG, REAL MADRID

• Homophones of MLB Teams - FILLIES, RAISE, READ SOCKS, ROILS

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.

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

Broken.

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

FRITZ

Hurdle Word 2 hint

To bother.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for March 6, 2026 Hurdle Word 2 Answer

ANNOY

Hurdle Word 3 hint

Hot food.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for March 6 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for March 6, 2026 Hurdle Word 3 answer

SPICY

Hurdle Word 4 hint

After eighth.

Hurdle Word 4 answer

NINTH

Final Hurdle hint

A film star.

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

ACTOR

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

The Moon doesn’t look the same every night, and there’s a reason for that. As it moves through the lunar cycle, the amount of light we see changes slightly day by day, creating different phases visible from Earth. So, what's tonight's phase, and what does it mean?

What is today’s Moon phase?

As of Friday, March 6, the Moon phase is Waning Gibbous. According to NASA's Daily Moon Guide, 92% of the Moon will be lit up tonight.

The Moon is appearing less visible each night, but for now there's still so much you can see when you look up. With no visual aids, just craning your neck up and looking, you can see the Aristarchus Plateau, Mare Tranquillitatis, and the Tycho Crater. If you have binoculars, you should also catch a glimpse of the Mare Nectaris, Mare Frigoris and the Clavius Crater. A telescope will let you see even more, with standouts including the Linne Crater, Apollo 11 landing spot, and the Caucasus Mountains.

When is the next Full Moon?

In North America, the next Full Moon is predicted to take place on April 1.

What are Moon phases?

NASA says the Moon takes around 29.5 days to circle Earth, moving through a set of eight distinct phases along the way. Even though we always see the same side of the Moon, the portion lit by the Sun changes as it travels, which is why it can look full, half-lit, or barely visible at different points in the cycle. These changing views are what we call the lunar phases, and there are eight in total:

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 to solve if you have great awareness.

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 March 6, 2026 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: A scrounger

• Green: Hidden overcoat

• Blue: Social media tags

• Purple: Awareness

Here are today's Connections categories

Need a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:

• Yellow: Freeloader

• Green: Concealing power

• Blue: Ways one might refer to #

• Purple: Words for lucidity, in the singular

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 #999 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Freeloader: LEECH, MOOCH, PARASITE, SPONGE

• Concealing power: BLANKET, CLOAK, CURTAIN, LAYER

• Ways one might refer to #: HASH, NUMBER, POUND, SHARP

• Words for lucidity, in the singular: FACULTY, MARBLE, SENSE, WIT

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 6, 2026

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 a zealot.

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 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 6, 2026 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for March 6, 2026 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: That's dedication

The words are related to commitment.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe diehards.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is horizontal.

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is Your Biggest Fan.

NYT Strands word list for March 6

• Lover

• Your Biggest Fan

• Stan

• Devotee

• Enthusiast

• Follower

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 in the thick of it.

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 March 6, 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 March 6, 2026 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

Gooey.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

There are no recurring letters.

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

Today's Wordle starts with the letter G.

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...

GUNKY

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.

TL;DR: Live stream Dallas Stars vs. Colorado Avalanche in the NHL for free on 9Now. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The NHL action continues this weekend with a number of top games, including Dallas Stars vs. Colorado Avalanche. The Stars come into this fixture on a 10-game win streak, but they're still behind the Avalanche in the standings. This top-of-the-table clash is going be electric, and you can follow all the action from the American Airlines Center without spending anything.

If you want to watch Dallas Stars vs. Colorado Avalanche in the NHL from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Dallas Stars vs. Colorado Avalanche?

Dallas Stars vs. Colorado Avalanche in the NHL starts at 8 p.m. ET on March 6. This fixture takes place at the American Airlines Center.

How to watch Dallas Stars vs. Colorado Avalanche for free

Dallas Stars vs. Colorado Avalanche in the NHL is available to live stream for free on 9Now.

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

Live stream Dallas Stars vs. Colorado Avalanche in the NHL for free by following these simple steps:

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

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

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

4. Visit 9Now

5. Watch Dallas Stars vs. Colorado Avalanche for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.99 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but most do offer free-trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can access free live streams of the NHL without actually spending anything. This obviously isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream Dallas Stars vs. Colorado Avalanche in the NHL (plus more NHL fixtures) before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for 9Now?

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

• Servers in 105 countries including Australia

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

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection speeds free from throttling

• Up to 10 simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $78.18 and includes an extra four months for free — 78% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99 (with money-back guarantee).

Watch Dallas Stars vs. Colorado Avalanche in the NHL for free with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: Live stream USA vs. Brazil in the 2026 World Baseball Classic for free on Tele Rebelde or Venevision. Access these free streaming platforms from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The 2026 World Baseball Classic is starting off with a string of exciting matchups, including USA vs. Brazil.

All eyes will be on USA in his hotly-anticipated tournament. Japan won the last edition after a dramatic victory over USA, with Shohei Ohtani leading the way for his side. Can USA bounce back and win the final in Miami? It all starts with a matchup with Brazil.

If you want to watch the 2026 World Baseball Classic for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is USA vs. Brazil?

USA vs. Brazil in the 2026 World Baseball Classic starts at 8 p.m. ET on March 6. This fixture will take place at Daikin Park.

How to watch USA vs. Brazil for free

The 2026 World Baseball Classic is available to live stream for free on a number of platforms:

• Cuba — Tele Rebelde

• USA — Tubi (six games from the pool stage)

• Venezuela — Venevision

These streaming platforms are geo-restricted, but anyone can access for free with a VPN. These handy tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in another location, meaning you can unblock free streaming sites from anywhere in the world.

Live stream USA vs. Brazil in the World Baseball Classic by following these simple steps:

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

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

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in a location with access

4. Visit Tele Rebelde or Venevision

5. Live stream the 2026 World Baseball Classic for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.99 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but leading VPNs do tend to offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can gain access to free live streams without committing with your cash. This is obviously not a long-term solution, but it does give you time to watch every game from the 2026 World Baseball Classic before recovering your investment.

If you want to retain permanent access to the best free streaming platforms from around the world, you'll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for live sport is on sale for a limited time.

What is the best VPN for live sport?

ExpressVPN is the best service for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries

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

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

• Fast connection speeds

• Up to 10 simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99 (with money-back guarantee).

Watch USA vs. Brazil in the 2026 World Baseball Classic for free with ExpressVPN.

Amazon went down on Thursday, effectively slowing the U.S. capitalist machine for at least a few hours. Thousands of bereft shoppers reported issues with the online retail giant starting just before 2 p.m. ET / 11 a.m. PT, which left them temporarily unable to complete their purchases.

SEE ALSO: The FCC wants to hear your Verizon outage experience

Crowdsourced outage tracker Downdetector received nearly 160,000 error reports for Amazon within 15 minutes, with checkout issues accounting for 38 percent. (Disclosure: Mashable and Downdetector share the same parent company, Ziff Davis.) Users also reported problems with Amazon's mobile app, as well as with its product page. Downdetector reports that the disruption does not appear to be limited to any particular network provider.

Amazon's official customer service X account acknowledged complaints about the problem, though has not yet provided any explanation as to what might be causing it. Complaints on Downdetector began to drop significantly two hours after they first began to spike, and some users report that Amazon had resumed working for them. As of writing, Mashable is not encountering any issues accessing Amazon's website in the U.S. or Australia. However, others still claim that they are having problems.

"We’re sorry that some customers may be experiencing issues," Amazon Help responded to multiple disgruntled customers. "We appreciate your patience as we work to resolve the issue."

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Drone strikes by the Iranian military recently damaged three Amazon data centres in the Middle East, disrupting some of its services in the region. However, these strikes only appear to have impacted local operations, meaning the U.S. outage is likely unrelated despite online speculation to the contrary.

After a big shakeup at Microsoft's gaming division, the new Xbox head had a big announcement to make on Thursday.

The new CEO of Microsoft Gaming, Asha Sharma, blew the lid off the next-generation Xbox gaming console in an X post. Sharma confirmed that the new Xbox gaming console is codenamed Project Helix.

"Great start to the morning with Team Xbox, where we talked about our commitment to the return of Xbox including Project Helix, the code name for our next generation console," Sharma posted along with a picture showing the words "Project Helix" on a black background.

That sort of looks like an X? Credit: Microsoft

Project Helix would be the fifth-generation Xbox.

While she didn't dive too deeply into the details yet, Sharma did share one important feature for the next-gen console: gamers will be able to play both Xbox and PC games on the Project Helix console. This confirms some long-standing rumors about the console.

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"Project Helix will lead in performance and play your Xbox and PC games," she said. "Looking forward to chatting about this more with partners and studios at my first GDC next week!"

When Mashable spoke to then-Xbox President Sarah Bond last year, Bond hinted that the Xbox console of the future would be more like a high-end gaming PC than a traditional gaming console. Bond also emphasized the importance of cross-platform games to the Xbox brand.

Ever since Bond's surprise departure, rumors have been swirling around what's next for Xbox.

While much is still unknown about Project Helix, a public confirmation of its existence from Sharma is big news for gamers.

TL;DR: Use code PLAY through March 22 to get a lifetime of Pok Pok for a one-time payment of $44.97 (reg. $250) — a Montessori-inspired, ad-free learning app for kids 2–8.

Opens in a new window Credit: Pok Pok Pok Pok: Lifetime Subscription $44.97
$250 Save $205.03   Get Deal

Not all screen time has to feel like a compromise. If you’ve been looking for something that keeps your child engaged without the noise, ads, or overstimulation, a Pok Pok lifetime subscription is $44.97 (reg. $250) through March 22 with code PLAY — and it’s built very differently from most kids’ apps.

Pok Pok is designed around Montessori principles: child-led exploration, hands-on learning, and open-ended play. There are no levels to beat, no points to chase, and no flashy distractions. Kids tap a toy and simply start exploring. That’s it.

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The experience is calm and thoughtfully crafted, with hand-drawn animations and gentle sound design. It works offline, which makes it especially helpful for travel days or long car rides. And because it’s ad-free and COPPA-certified, parents don’t have to worry about surprise pop-ups or in-app purchase pressure.

The app supports foundational skills in STEM, counting, cause and effect, language, and problem-solving — all through play. Whether your child is mixing outfits in Dress-Up, building worlds in World Puzzle, exploring Space, or tapping through Number Journey, the focus stays on curiosity, not competition.

Family access across devices is included, and new content rolls out regularly to keep things fresh.

For parents who want screen time to feel intentional instead of chaotic, Pok Pok offers a refreshingly thoughtful alternative.

Get a lifetime of Pok Pok for the one-time payment of $44.97 (reg. $250) through March 22 with code PLAY.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Elon Musk's X is reinventing its Creator Subscriptions, dubbing the new offering — wait for it — Creator Subscriptions 2.0.

Creator Subscriptions, in effect, allow people to pay their favorite influencers for exclusive offerings. That's right, some major changes are coming to the website formerly known as Twitter (and not just a continued lurch toward the far right). So, what's new? A few things. Here's what you need to know.

SEE ALSO: Snapchat is testing creator subscriptions, giving top creators a new direct revenue stream Exclusive threads

X rolled out the ability for creators to hide a thread for subscribers only. So regular people will see the first post, while only subscribers will see the follow-up. It's a paywall of sorts on a thread.

"Instead of sending followers to external websites or newsletters—and risking drop-off along the way—audiences can now subscribe directly from the conversation," wrote X in a press release. "This approach allows creators to maximize both distribution and conversion: reach everyone with the initial post, while rewarding subscribers with deeper, exclusive content."

Think of it as a tease that creators can use to attract more subscribers.

Subscriber-only content in the main feed

Instead of being hidden on a separate tab, the subscriber-only content will now appear in a creator's main feed. That should make it easier for followers to keep up with all the content.

Back-end changes for creators

X highlighted several changes for creators, including a new dashboard and a shareable subscription card to promote their work.

"We are doubling down on creators, the platform's most influential experts, thought leaders, and voices, by investing in tools that enable sustainable incomes and deeper connections with their audiences," said Allegra Jacchia, Creators Product at X, in a press release.

TL;DR: Live stream Ireland vs. Wales in the 2026 Six Nations for free on ITVX. Access this free live stream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The 2026 Six Nations is taking shape, and it's looking increasingly likely that France are marching towards an impressive grand slam. Ireland responded to their opening-round defeat to France with victories over Italy and England. Now they face Wales at the Aviva Stadium. They'll be expected to secure another win here, but Wales did produce an improved performance against Scotland last weekend.

If you want to watch Ireland vs. Wales in the 2026 Six Nations for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Ireland vs. Wales?

Ireland vs. Wales in the 2026 Six Nations starts at 8:10 p.m. GMT on March 6. This fixture takes place at the Aviva Stadium.

How to watch Ireland vs. Wales for free

Ireland vs. Wales in the 2026 Six Nations is available to live stream for free on ITVX.

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

Live stream Ireland vs. Wales from anywhere in the world by following these simple steps:

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

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

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

4. Visit ITVX

5. Live stream Ireland vs. Wales for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.99 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but most do offer free-trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch Ireland vs. Wales without committing with your cash. This isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream most of the 2026 Six Nations before recovering your investment.

If you want to retain permanent access to free streaming services to watch the Winter Olympics, the T20 World Cup, and more from anywhere in the world, you'll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for streaming live sport is on sale for a limited time.

What is the best VPN for the 2026 Six Nations?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including the UK

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

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection speeds free from throttling

• Up to 10 simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99 (with money-back guarantee).

Live stream Ireland vs. Wales in the 2026 Six Nations for free with ExpressVPN.

United Airlines flyers will experience a little more peace in the air as the company steps up enforcement of its noise rules.

In a recent change to the air travel giant's Contract of Carriage — essentially United's Terms and Conditions for ticket holders — the airline reserves the right to remove, and even ban, passengers who do not use headphones to listen to their music, movies, and social media feeds.

SEE ALSO: Disinformation on U.S.-Iran war takes over the internet

According to the United contract's Refusal of Transport rule, the company has the "right to refuse transport on a permanent or temporary basis or shall have the right to remove from the aircraft at any point, any passenger for the following reasons." Buried in the rule's safety provisions, which outline other reasons for removal such as inappropriate dress or carrying weapons on board, the list now includes "passengers who fail to use headphones while listening to audio or video content."

"We’ve always encouraged customers to use headphones when listening to audio content — and our Wi-Fi rules already remind customers to use headphones. It seemed like a good time to make that even clearer by adding it to the contract of carriage," said United spokesman Josh Freed in a statement to the press.

SEE ALSO: Rate your favorite audio brands for a chance to win a $250 Amazon gift card

Most carriers have policies that urge fliers to use headphones during flights. Southwest, for instance, lists headphones as a requirement on its website FAQ. Frontier also includes headphone requirements in its baggage policy, MSN reported. United appears to be the first to include headphone wearing in its passenger contract with explicit means to enforce the policy.

Across the industry, more and more air travelers are reporting passenger disruptions on flights, including violent altercations with fellow flyers and airline staff.

Fantasy author Sarah J. Maas has big plans for the future of A Court of Thorns and Roses. In an appearance on the March 4 episode of the Call Her Daddy podcast, Maas revealed that not one but two new ACOTAR books are on the way — and they'll be arriving just a few months apart.

View this post on Instagram

The sixth book in the ACOTAR series will hit shelves on Oct. 27 of this year, followed by the seventh on Jan. 12, 2027. (Insert 67 joke here.) Speaking with host Alex Cooper, Maas said the upcoming releases are part of a "really, really, really big" story she has been waiting to tell.

Opens in a new window Credit: Barnes & Noble A Court of Thorns and Roses 6 $32 at Barnes & Noble
  Pre-order Here Opens in a new window Credit: Barnes & Noble A Court of Thorns and Roses 7 $38 at Barnes & Noble
  Pre-order Here

"It's meant to be read ideally as one massive, massive story as opposed to like in a trilogy," Maas said. "It's not a trilogy. Arcs aren't wrapped up. It's like if you expanded all of part one, all of part two — all the parts — it would be huge like that. I've never told a story that way. This is how it wants to come out."

Few fantasy series of the past decade have built an online fandom quite like A Court of Thorns and Roses, Maas' bestselling saga about a young woman drawn into the dangerous and seductive world of the fae courts. Part of the blockbuster fantasy empire that has sold more than 75 million copies worldwide, the series has become a defining force of the BookTok era, helping popularize the romantasy genre. Posts dissecting Maas' sprawling fantasy world regularly generate millions of views, from elaborate character theories about Rhysand, Feyre, and the rest of the Night Court to heated ship debates and deep dives into every corner of Prythian.

Unsurprisingly, news of two new books arriving within just a few months immediately sent fans into speculation mode across TikTok, Reddit, and X, where readers began theorizing about the story's direction and which characters might take center stage next.

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The announcement’s debut on the Call Her Daddy podcast also reflects a broader shift in how major cultural news spreads. In recent years, podcasts have become a place where celebrities and creators reveal major projects directly to fans and occasionally drop the kind of headline-making news once reserved for traditional news outlets.

For ACOTAR fans, however, the biggest takeaway was simple: The next trip to Velaris is finally on the horizon.