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Catherine Price, author of How to Break Up with Your Phone: The 30-Day Plan to Take Back Your Life, knows the value — and the difficulty — of putting a smartphone out of arm's reach. 

Price recently led a 30-day phone breakup challenge based on her book. It sounds scary at first. "We come up with all these reasons why we couldn't possibly take a break, she says, "but many of these reasons don't stand up to scrutiny." 

Still, if an entire month sounds too daunting, how about an easier lift: the Global Day of Unplugging? In 2026, the 24-hour period of powering down begins at sundown on March 6 and concludes the following evening, offering a bite-size experience of going phone-free. 

SEE ALSO: Make 2026 the year your kid gets off their device

Price has published her own guide for the event, which has been around for a decade. The Global Day of Unplugging offers its own guide. The essential starting point is recognizing it's OK to fear losing access to your texts, maps, music, and everything else our devices now provide.

"People get very nervous ahead of time," Price says of a day without a smartphone. But "many people report back that it's easier than they feared." 

If you're ready to ditch that always-attached device for a full 24 hours, or even just a portion of that time, consider the following tips from Price along with Nick Plante, vice president of operations at Appstinence, a Gen Z-led organization that promotes quitting addictive technology. 

Get curious about your phone-related anxiety

Price says people looking to unplug need to first address their anxiety about doing so. She encourages "curiosity" about what drives their concerns. 

In Price's experience, many people fear not being constantly available. They worry about missing a critical phone call or text. Yet, often they're surprised to discover that they missed nothing, or what came in their absence wasn't that important. Emergencies are also rare, Price says.

Once you understand your key concerns about unplugging, you can plan for each contingency. 

Let's start with some basic tips:

Use a notepad

Price recommends keeping a notepad handy once you've unplugged.  "The moment you put your phone down your brain is going to protest by coming up with all of these things you need to check or lookup or buy or do," she says. "It really is kind of fascinating to see how panicked your brain will get." Writing those items down assures your brain you'll come back to them later. 

Do it with someone else …

Price says unplugging is easier with the company of a friend, spouse, or child. They can serve as an "accountability partner." Going tandem also means you'll have help improvising how to navigate life without a phone, as well as someone else to reflect on the experience. 

And make it fun!

Crucially, the hours you spend participating in the Global Day of Unplugging should not be dedicated to housework or other tedious tasks. Instead, Price strongly urges creating a "fun plan." The Global Day of Unplugging's "unplugged ideas" list includes a Free Library scavenger hunt, group crafting, and hosting a block or neighborhood party. 

How to get an emergency call 

If you need to be reachable in an emergency by a spouse, caregiver, or elderly parent, Price suggests telling those people to call you. When putting your phone in "do not disturb" mode, adjust the settings to allow calls from those contacts. Leave your ringer on to hear if you do indeed get a call. 

How to let people know you've unplugged

Price says to communicate in advance about your plans to unplug. Let the people you're informing know how long you'll be away. If necessary, change your email away settings.

How to make plans with friends 

Nick Plante, 25, began using a dumbphone (the Light Phone II) four years ago. He says it's become much easier to make plans now that some of his friends also have a dumbphone. 

Here's how it works for Plante and his friends: they agree on meeting at a specific place and time, with the understanding that they won't be "texting each other out of anxiety" to confirm the details. (As Price points out, unplugging does require sticking with set plans as much as possible.)

Sometimes, Plante just invites friends to a certain park or cafe during a set time period, making it clear he'll be without a phone. He says he enjoys building the capacity for ambiguity, instead of having an RSVP list or the ability to text incremental updates. 

Unplugging becomes easier when you focus on what you gain in the process, instead of what you lose, Plante emphasizes. 

"Unplugging lets you move through the day in a manner that you don't normally get to, and it can be very exciting to bring our attention to what that feels like," he says. 

How to pay for things without a digital wallet

Bring a physical wallet. It's really as simple as that, Price says. 

It's true that some small businesses, like food trucks or farmers market vendors, only take electronic forms of payment, like Venmo and CashApp. But most tap-to-pay systems allow for credit cards too. If you're worried, withdraw cash as a backup. 

If you're going to a museum or movie theater and have a digital ticket, pass or QR code, Price suggests printing it out in advance. 

How to listen to music 

Plante, who lives in New York City, notices more old CD players or iPads on the subway these days. When available, those are great alternatives for music listening. 

Price also recommends tuning into the radio for the Global Day of Unplugging, which may not have your carefully curated playlists, but will do for a short period of time. (For longer durations, Price suggests using an app blocker like Opal, Brick, Freedom, or ScreenZen to restrict everything but select apps, including music services.)

If you've decided to throw a party to celebrate unplugging (and good for you!), Price does note that using your phone to put on a playlist isn't "the worst thing in the world." Just be careful of any down-the-rabbit-hole effect that might follow, such as quickly texting a friend to see if they still plan to attend — then getting lost in your messages.

How to navigate without a maps app

Plante carries a paper map on the New York City subway. He also asks strangers for directions, and says it's not cheating if someone else consults Google on your behalf. 

He notices that people aren't as clueless about how to navigate to their location without a phone as they might seem; instead, they crave the reassurance of checking their maps app multiple times. 

When using public transportation, Plante recommends trusting the time table as much as possible, and relying on signage. 

Price encourages people to trust their memory when driving to a familiar location, or to print out or write down the directions when they're feeling less confident or driving somewhere new. 

She also recommends asking a stranger for directions if you need them. It sounds like obvious advice, but some people have forgotten that the option exists — and might even enjoy the generosity and camaraderie that a kind stranger can bring to an annoying situation. 

Plus, Price says: "If for some reason you do get lost, you'll have a story afterwards" — a rare moment in our smartphone-driven world.

Astronomers say Asteroid 2024 YR4 will dodge the moon entirely in 2032, ending speculation about a possible collision with Earth's nearest solar system neighbor. 

But the missed strike means the door closes on a once-in-a-lifetime scientific opportunity.

New observations from the James Webb Space Telescope, a joint observatory between NASA and its European and Canadian counterparts, allowed scientists to calculate the asteroid's trajectory with greater precision. The latest findings rule out a lunar collision on Dec. 22, 2032. Instead, the asteroid will safely pass about 13,200 miles away from the lunar surface.

Astronomers track near-Earth objects in space because understanding their paths helps scientists assess potential hazards to Earth. A crash on the moon would not have threatened people. In fact, lunar debris would almost certainly have stayed near the moon, and the impact would not be severe enough to change the moon's orbit. But it would have offered a rare chance to learn from a known asteroid hitting another planetary surface.

SEE ALSO: A radio telescope just took this giant picture of the Milky Way's core What is Asteroid 2024 YR4?

The asteroid itself is about 200 feet across — more than half the length of a football field. Scientists first spotted it in late 2024 with the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System station in Chile. Early predictions suggested a slight risk that the object could hit Earth in 2032. Follow-up observations later ruled out that possibility.

"It's typical to have initial observations and risk models updated once additional observational data is gathered and models are able to be refined," NASA said in a blog post on Thursday.

Even after the Earth risk disappeared, scientists estimated about a 4-percent chance the asteroid might strike the moon. That uncertainty remained because the asteroid moved farther away and became too faint for most telescopes to look at it.

Most asteroids are the rubble left over from the formation of the solar system about 4.6 billion years ago. They're usually too far away from Earth to pose a threat to people. But because no one wants to repeat the dinosaurs' misfortune, keeping an eye on the ancient rocks and comets zooming through space is paramount.

Webb telescope's latest observations

Tracking Asteroid 2024 YR4 again this year required some ingenuity. Many astronomers believed they wouldn't get another chance until 2028, but an international team identified two short windows last month — Feb. 18 and 26 — when Webb might still detect the space rock. The telescope observes only a small patch of sky at a time, so astronomers had to predict the asteroid's position with extreme accuracy to point the instrument correctly.

The team compared the asteroid's location with background stars mapped by the Gaia spacecraft, a European mission. Those measurements allowed scientists to refine the asteroid's orbit — the route it takes around the sun — and rule out a lunar impact.

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The good news: Astronomers know they can combine new cutting-edge instruments to track small, distant asteroids years in advance. Teams including NASA's Center for Near-Earth Object Studies rely on those calculations to monitor space rocks and comets that could someday pose a real threat to Earth.

The bad news: The miss means scientists won't get a rare natural experiment to collect data on a large asteroid strike. Telescopes and spacecraft could have otherwise watched the impact flash and measured the debris thrown into space. Missions such as the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter could have photographed the fresh crater.

Don’t miss out on our latest stories: Add Mashable as a trusted news source in Google.

Those observations could help plan for potentially dangerous asteroids in the future. 

"The moon is safe, 2024 YR4 poses no danger, but the work continues," the European Space Agency said Thursday. "If a genuine danger ever emerges, we will not be caught unaware."

TL;DR: Make working with AI even more efficient with this lifetime subscription to ChatPlayground AI Unlimited Plan, on sale now for $79.

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If AI is part of your workflow, you’re well aware of the downsides. From keeping each model’s strengths straight to hopping from tab to tab, this helpful technology can also slow you down. That’s where ChatPlayground AI comes in, offering a better way to work with more than 25 popular AI models.

You can work easier with AI for life thanks to this lifetime subscription to ChatPlayground AI Unlimited Plan, on sale now for just $79.

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We all turn to AI to help with daily tasks, but what happens when it takes even more time to use effectively? ChatPlayground AI makes the process more efficient, offering one window filled with responses from more than 25 popular AI models so you can stop tab hopping and get things done. And it works as a Chrome extension, so it’s easily accessible when you need it.

With ChatPlayground AI, you can see results from ChatGPT, Gemini, Llama, DeepSeek, Perplexity, and more models right in one spot. Just enter your prompt and you’ll see the answers side-by-side, with help for everything from creating images, writing code, or answering questions.

When it comes to AI, your prompt can make all the difference. ChatPlayground AI can also help you construct the right prompts with prompt engineering. You can use image and PDF chat features as well to help save time. It also saves your past conversations, so you can reference them in the future.

This lifetime subscription to ChatPlayground AI Unlimited Plan includes monthly messaging, priority access to new features and future models, and priority customer service when you need it. It also means you can avoid paying multiple monthly subscriptions to the individual models, while still getting access via this tool.

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TL;DR: Live stream Holloway vs. Oliveira in UFC 326 on Paramount+. Access this live stream for free with a 30-day trial for Walmart+.

UFC 326 is showcasing a number of interesting fights, but the focus is naturally on Holloway vs. Oliveira.

This rematch comes over 10 years after the initial meeting of these two talented fighters at UFC Fight Night 74. Oliveira was defeated via first-round technical knockout in that featherweight bout. Oliveira sustained an apparent neck and shoulder injury during a takedown attempt. Will history repeat itself at the T-Mobile Arena? Or will Oliveira overcome the former UFC Featherweight Champion Max Holloway?

If you want to watch Holloway vs. Oliveira in UFC 326 for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is UFC 326?

UFC 326 takes place on March 7 at the T-Mobile Arena in Paradise, Nevada. Max Holloway vs. Charles Oliveira is the event's headline fight.

How to watch Holloway vs. Oliveira in UFC 326 for free

Holloway vs. Oliveira in UFC 326 is available to live stream on Paramount+.

New subscribers can get Paramount+ for $8.99 per month with access to all UFC events. Alternatively, you can sign up for a 30-day trial for Walmart+ to gain access to Paramount+ for free. Paramount+ is included as a perk of Walmart+, so you can live stream Holloway vs. Oliveira in UFC 326 for free with a trial of Walmart+.

If you're outside the U.S. for the next fight, you might need to use a VPN to unblock the UFC on Paramount+. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in the U.S., allowing you to unblock live streams of the UFC from anywhere in the world.

Live stream the UFC 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 U.S.

4. Visit Paramount+

5. Watch Holloway vs. Oliveira in UFC 326 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 Holloway vs. Oliveira in UFC 326 before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for the UFC?

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 Holloway vs. Oliveira in UFC 326 from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: Pay once and get enough cloud storage for life with this 100TB lifetime subscription to Internxt Cloud Storage, currently just $974.97 until March 31.

Opens in a new window Credit: Internxt Internxt Cloud Storage Lifetime Subscription: 100TB $974.97
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Sick of constantly having to upgrade your cloud storage? If you’re looking for enough to last a lifetime and don’t want to keep paying monthly forever, Internxt Cloud Storage has the solution. Right now, you can get a lifetime subscription to Internxt Cloud Storage for 100TB of data for just $974.97 until March 31.

If you’ve already amassed a lot of data, there aren’t many cloud storage options available to you. The most you can rent from Apple is 12TB, and that will set you back $59.99 a month. For those that work with large amounts of data, or simply take a lot of family photos and videos, Internxt Cloud Storage has an affordable and permanent solution.

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With Internxt, you pay once and secure 100TB of cloud storage for life. This allows you to own your space outright, while resting easy knowing Internxt will keep your content private. End-to-end encryption prevents anyone from accessing your data, even Internxt itself, unlike other companies that both access and make money off your content with targeted ads and data sharing.

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Get this 100TB lifetime subscription to Internxt Cloud Storage for just $974.97 now through March 31.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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

"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.