Mashable

TL;DR: Simplify your smartphone use with the NanoPhone, now just $89.97 (reg. $199.99) through tonight at 11:59 p.m. PT.

Looking to cut back on your doomscrolling? Now you can — literally — with the Nanophone. This credit-card-sized smartphone does everything your full-sized device can, but its tiny screen makes scrolling a little less tempting.

If you’re trying to reduce your screen time, you’re in luck. The Nanophone is on sale for just $89.97 (reg. $199.99) through tonight at 11:59 p.m. PT.

Fight phone addiction with this pocket-sized alternative

Smartphones are handy, but they’re also pretty addictive. If you’ve been hoping to decrease your doomscrolling and be more present in your daily life, the Nanophone is ready to help.

This pint-sized smartphone fits right in your pocket, and it’s fully functional like your usual phone, with 4G and WiFi connectivity. You can still make calls, video chat, snap photos, and use all your favorite apps on a much smaller scale.

You don’t need to purchase an extra data plan; the NanoPhone works with your existing SIM card. Bring it along when you want to travel a little lighter, like a night out or a gym session, or keep it tucked away as an emergency backup phone.

Just like your usual smartphone, the NanoPhone is ready to pair with Bluetooth devices so that you can connect to your headphones or smartwatch easily. It also offers a lengthy battery life and is surprisingly durable and ready to withstand everyday wear and tear.

Act fast to get your own NanoPhone for just $89.97 (reg. $199.99) through tonight at 11:59 p.m. PT.

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Opens in a new window Credit: NanoPhone NanoPhone - A Miniaturized Smartphone Packed with Mega Features! $89.97
$199.99 Save $110.02 Get Deal

TL;DR: Give your PC the apps it deserves with this lifetime license to Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows, now just $49.97 (reg. $219.99) through July 20.

Need a little help powering through your to-do list? With summer just around the corner and the sun shining outside, finding motivation will only get harder. Let Microsoft Office Professional 2021 give your productivity a boost. Right now, a lifetime license for Windows is just $49.97 (reg. $219.99) through July 20.

See what this edition of Microsoft Office has to offer

Microsoft Office has been trusted for decades, and the Professional 2021 edition equips your PC with eight essential apps to help you handle all your tasks.

This edition includes classics like Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint, plus newer staples such as Teams, OneNote, Access, and Publisher — all for one great price.

If the year of this edition gives you pause, don’t worry. This 2021 version actually offers more perks than later versions. It includes redesigned features that support a wide range of users, from designers to data analysts.

Unlike Microsoft 365, this one-time purchase gives you lifetime access without subscription fees. It also provides you with versions you’re comfortable with, so there’s no AI integrations to try and figure out. Plus, you can download the apps directly to your device, allowing you to work offline without relying on the cloud.

Note: Your PC must be updated to Windows 10 or 11 before purchase.

Upgrade your PC with this lifetime license to Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows, now just $49.97 (reg. $219.99) through July 20.

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Opens in a new window Credit: Microsoft Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows: Lifetime License $49.97
$219.99 Save $170.02 Get Deal

TL;DR: Enjoy portability and power with Apple’s lightest laptop, the MacBook Air, now for only $199.97 through July 20.

Whether you work from home, a coffee shop, or the office, the MacBook Air is ready to tag along anywhere you need to be. This model offers a lengthy battery life and plenty of power, and right now you can score it for just $199.97, $800 off the usual price, until July 20.

Work anywhere with this ultra-portable MacBook Air

In today’s busy world, our laptops need to keep up with us everywhere. Weighing in at just 2.96 pounds, this sleek silver MacBook Air offers a truly portable experience. But don’t assume that means you’ll be skimping on power; this model has a 1.8GHz Intel Core i5 processor and 8GB of RAM to handle all your multitasking.

The 13.3-inch widescreen display lets you stream, game, and browse easily, while the Intel HD Graphics 6000 offer crystal-clear visuals for all of it. You’ll also have 128GB of storage available, so you have plenty of room to save your favorite files directly to the device.

This model offers 12 hours of battery life on a full charge. You’ll also have Bluetooth and Wi-Fi capabilities to keep you connected anywhere.

You’re getting this top-tier laptop at an 80% discount due to the grade A refurbished rating. That means this MacBook Air will arrive on your doorstep in near-mint condition, while you enjoy the $800 price drop.

Take advantage of this amazing deal on a MacBook Air now just $199.97 (reg. $999) through July 20, while supplies last.

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Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple MacBook Air 13.3" (2017) 1.8GHz i5 8GB RAM 128GB SSD Silver (Refurbished) $199.97
$999 Save $799.03 Get Deal

TL;DR: Upgrade your workflow with this Ultimate Microsoft Office Professional 2021 and Windows 11 Pro Bundle, now only $54.97 (reg. $418).

Are you settling for slow and outdated? Give your computer a major upgrade for just $55 with the Ultimate Microsoft Office Professional 2021 and Windows 11 Pro Bundle. This duo equips your PC with modern tools and a sleek new interface, and right now it’s only $54.97 (reg. $418). 

Give an old PC a new lease on life with this bundle

You don’t have to spend hundreds of dollars on a brand-new laptop to take advantage of speedy technology and a productivity boost. This Ultimate Microsoft Office Professional 2021 and Windows 11 Pro Bundle is ready to give your old PC a serious upgrade.

First up, this lifetime license for Microsoft Office Professional 2021. It gives you access to eight helpful apps ready to help you tackle everything on your to-do list — from making a budget in Excel to answering work emails in Outlook. It also includes classics like Word and PowerPoint, plus newer tools like OneNote, Teams, Publisher, and Access.

If you’re concerned that the 2021 edition may be lacking, you don’t need to worry. This version actually offers three more apps than the more recent 2024 license. It also lets you work on familiar interfaces, without the learning curve of new AI integrations.

Next, update your PC’s operating system with this Windows 11 Pro license. This operating system was made with modern professionals in mind, so it’s ready to help you sail through your workday. Take advantage of a seamless interface, beefed-up security features like enhanced antivirus protection, and DirectX 12 Ultimate which enhances your gaming experience.

Give your PC a massive refresh with the Ultimate Microsoft Office Professional 2021 and Windows 11 Pro Bundle, now just $54.97 (reg. $418). 

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Opens in a new window Credit: Microsoft The Ultimate Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows: Lifetime License + Windows 11 Pro Bundle $54.97
$418.99 Save $364.02 Get Deal

TL;DR: Protect up to nine devices for life with AdGuard, now just $16 with code FAMPLAN through July 20.

The internet is full of distractions and worse. Between invasive ads, data trackers, phishing scams, and inappropriate content, your digital life (and your family’s) deserves better online protection. AdGuard can help be there when you’re not thinking about protection, and for a limited time, you can get lifetime access to the AdGuard Family Plan for just $15.97 (MSRP $169.99) when you use code FAMPLAN by July 20.

All-in-one privacy and protection

AdGuard is more than your average ad blocker. It’s a cross-platform privacy tool that cleans up your online experience across browsers and apps. It blocks pop-ups, autoplay videos, trackers, and even malicious links—keeping your browsing faster, cleaner, and safer.

The Family Plan covers up to nine devices, so everyone in your household, from kids to grandparents, can enjoy safer browsing on their phones, tablets, or computers.

Built-in tools parents will appreciate

AdGuard’s parental control features let you filter out inappropriate or harmful websites, giving parents more peace of mind about what their kids can access. Plus, its malware and phishing protection adds an extra layer of defense against online threats.

Whether you’re working, streaming, or managing your kids’ screen time, AdGuard helps the whole family stay safer online without recurring costs.

Secure your devices and your privacy for life — Use code FAMPLAN to get AdGuard Family Plan for just $15.97 until July 20.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Opens in a new window Credit: AdGuard AdGuard Family Plan: Lifetime Subscription $15.97
$169.99 Save $154.02 Get Deal

TL;DR: Live stream Cruz Azul vs. Vancouver Whitecaps in the Concacaf Champions Cup for free on YouTube. Access this free live stream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The Concacaf Champions Cup has delivered months of entertaining competition, but it all comes down to Cruz Azul vs. Vancouver Whitecaps. We're expecting big things from the final matchup of the tournament, as two evenly-matched sides battle it out to get their hands on the trophy. It's going to be electric.

Cruz Azul came through a tough semi final against rivals Tigres, and will host the final by virtue of having a better tournament record than Vancouver Whitecaps. It's going to be tough for the Canadian side in Mexico, but they did defeat Inter Miami at the semi-final stage, so they'll be coming into this final with no fear.

If you want to watch Cruz Azul vs. Vancouver Whitecaps in the Concacaf Champions Cup for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Cruz Azul vs. Vancouver Whitecaps?

Cruz Azul vs. Vancouver Whitecaps in the Concacaf Champions Cup kicks off at 9 p.m. ET on June 1. This fixture takes place at the Estadio Olímpico Universitario.

How to watch Cruz Azul vs. Vancouver Whitecaps for free

Cruz Azul vs. Vancouver Whitecaps in the Concacaf Champions Cup is available to live stream for free on YouTube.

This free live stream is available in most locations around the world, but not in North or Central America. Fortunately, fans in these excluded territories can still access this free live stream with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in the UK (or somewhere else with access), meaning you can unblock free live streams of the Concacaf Champions Cup from anywhere in the world.

Live stream Cruz Azul vs. Vancouver Whitecaps 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 (or somewhere else with access)

4. Visit YouTube

5. Live stream Cruz Azul vs. Vancouver Whitecaps for free

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (2-Year Subscription + 4 Months Free) $139 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 Cruz Azul vs. Vancouver Whitecaps in the Concacaf Champions Cup without actually spending anything. This clearly isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream select Concacaf Champions Cup fixtures before recovering your investment.

If you want to retain permanent access to free streaming services from around 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 YouTube?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on YouTube, 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 eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $139 and includes an extra four months for free — 61% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee.

Live stream Cruz Azul vs. Vancouver Whitecaps in the Concacaf Champions Cup for free with ExpressVPN.

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

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

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

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

Here are the clues and answers to NYT's The Mini for Sunday, June 1, 2025:

AcrossLate-night show V.I.P.

• The answer is Host.

Island that's home to Waimea Canyon, a.k.a. the Grand Canyon of Hawaii

• The answer is Kauai.

Online notice to pay utilities

• The answer is E-Bill.

Action figure inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame

• The answer is GI Joe.

Suffix with Kazakh and Kyrgyz

• The answer is Stan.

DownRepeated activity

• The answer is Habit.

Spiritualist's board

• The answer is Ouija.

Business with stylists

• The answer is Salon.

Material for much signage in the N.Y.C. subway system

• The answer is Tile.

Big beer barrels

• The answer is Kegs.

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

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

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

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

TL;DR: Online safety for the whole family is easy with this lifetime AdGuard Family Plan, now just $15.97 (reg. $169) with code FAMPLAN.

Opens in a new window Credit: AdGuard AdGuard Family Plan: Lifetime Subscription $15.97
$169.99 Save $154.02 with code FAMPLAN Get Deal

The internet isn’t just cluttered with ads; there are also trackers and other hidden threats. AdGuard keeps you safe online by blocking intrusive ads, stopping trackers, and safeguarding your privacy across all your devices.

Right now, you can grab lifetime protection for the whole crew with the AdGuard Family Plan. Cover up to nine devices for only $15.97 (reg. $169.99) with code FAMPLAN.

Enjoy a safer and smoother browsing experience

The internet should be fun, not frustrating. AdGuard tackles the most annoying parts of online life, like pop-ups, autoplay videos, and banner ads, so that you can enjoy your time browsing, streaming, and scrolling again.

Aside from blocking ads, AdGuard also protects your privacy. Your information will stay safe from trackers and activity analyzers, and you'll be shielded from malware and phishing websites that you or your family members could fall victim to. 

Moms and dads will love AdGuard's parental control feature, which keeps your kids safe from inappropriate content online.

This Family Plan lets you protect up to nine devices with AdGuard, so you can make sure everyone's devices stay safe. And it works with Android and iOS operating systems alike, so it can be used on tablets, smartphones, and laptops. 

Secure your own AdGuard Family Plan for life for just $15.97 with code FAMPLAN. 

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Connections: Sports Edition is a new version of the popular New York Times word game that seeks to test the knowledge of sports fans.

Like the original Connections, the game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.

If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for the latest Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable What is Connections Sports Edition?

The NYT's latest daily word game has launched in association with The Athletic, the New York Times property that provides the publication's sports coverage. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.

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

Each puzzle features 16 words and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise of anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there's only one correct answer.

If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake—players get up to four mistakes until the game ends.

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

Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.

Here's a hint for today's Connections Sports Edition categories

Want a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:

• Yellow: Loser

• Green: Places where it means more

• Blue: Teams with a red bird mascot

• Purple: Sports movies

Featured Video For You Connections: How to play and how to win Here are today's Connections Sports Edition categories

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

• Yellow: Not Winning

• Green: SEC schools

• Blue: Cardinals

• Purple: Last Words of Football Movie Titles

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 #251 is...

What is the answer to Connections Sports Edition today

• Not Winning - BEHIND, DOWN, LOSING, TRAILING

• SEC schools - GEORGIA, KENTUCKY, TENNESSEE, VANDERBILT

• Cardinals - ARIZONA, BALL STATE, LOUISVILLE, ST. LOUIS

• Last Words of Football Movie Titles- BLUES, LIGHTS, TITANS, YARD

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be new Connections for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.

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

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

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

Oh hey there! If you're here, it must be time for Wordle. As always, we're serving up our daily hints and tips to help you figure out today's answer.

If you just want to be told today's word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for today's Wordle solution revealed. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable SEE ALSO: NYT Connections today: Hints and answers for June 1 Where did Wordle come from?

Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once. 

Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing.

What's the best Wordle starting word?

The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be strategic in your approach, we have a few ideas to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N.

What happened to the Wordle archive?

The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles was originally available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it, but it was later taken down, with the website's creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times. However, the New York Times then rolled out its own Wordle Archive, available only to NYT Games subscribers.

Is Wordle getting harder?

It might feel like Wordle is getting harder, but it actually isn't any more difficult than when it first began. You can turn on Wordle's Hard Mode if you're after more of a challenge, though.

SEE ALSO: NYT's The Mini crossword answers for June 1, 2025 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

Rugged.

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 R.

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...

ROUGH.

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be a new Wordle for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.

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

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for June 1

Reporting by Chance Townsend, Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.

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

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

If you're reading this, you're looking for a little help playing Strands, the New York Times' elevated word-search game.

Strands requires the player to perform a twist on the classic word search. Words can be made from linked letters — up, down, left, right, or diagonal, but words can also change direction, resulting in quirky shapes and patterns. Every single letter in the grid will be part of an answer. There's always a theme linking every solution, along with the "spangram," a special, word or phrase that sums up that day's theme, and spans the entire grid horizontally or vertically.

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

By providing an opaque hint and not providing the word list, Strands creates a brain-teasing game that takes a little longer to play than its other games, like Wordle and Connections.

If you're feeling stuck or just don't have 10 or more minutes to figure out today's puzzle, we've got all the NYT Strands hints for today's puzzle you need to progress at your preferrined pace.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for June 1 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for June 1 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: All rise

The words are legal-related.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words are common in the justice department.

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 Honor

Featured Video For You Strands 101: How to win NYT’s latest word game NYT Strands word list for June 1

• Alibi

• Motion

• Bail

• Lawyer

• Your Honor

• Objection

• Courtroom

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.

Connections is the one of the most popular New York Times word games that's captured the public's attention. The game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.

If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for today's Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable What is Connections?

The NYT's latest daily word game has become a social media hit. The Times credits associate puzzle editor Wyna Liu with helping to create the new word game and bringing it to the publications' Games section. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.

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

Each puzzle features 16 words and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise of anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there's only one correct answer.

If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake—players get up to four mistakes until the game ends.

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

Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.

SEE ALSO: NYT's The Mini crossword answers for June 1 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: Community business

• Green: Sports actions

• Blue: To secure

• Purple: They share a second word

Featured Video For You Connections: How to play and how to win Here are today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Local watering hole

• Green: Compete in a modern pentathlon

• Blue: Ensure, as a victory

• Purple: ___ Fund

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 #721 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Local watering hole: DIVE, ESTABLISHMENT, HAUNT, JOINT

• Compete in a modern pentathlon: FENCE, RIDE, SHOOT, SWIM

• Ensure, as a victory: CINCH, GUARANTEE, ICE, LOCK

• ___ Fund: HEDGE, MUTUAL, SLUSH, TRUST

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 June 1

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

One of the five senses.

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

SIGHT

Hurdle Word 2 hint

A Hawaiian greeting.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for June 1, 2025 Hurdle Word 2 Answer

ALOHA

Hurdle Word 3 hint

A creature that lives under a bridge.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for June 1 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for June 1, 2025 Hurdle Word 3 answer

TROLL

Hurdle Word 4 hint

Slippery.

SEE ALSO: NYT Strands hints, answers for June 1 Hurdle Word 4 answer

SLIMY

Final Hurdle hint

A wooden storage box.

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

CHEST

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

Connections: Sports Edition is a new version of the popular New York Times word game that seeks to test the knowledge of sports fans.

Like the original Connections, the game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.

If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for the latest Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable What is Connections Sports Edition?

The NYT's latest daily word game has launched in association with The Athletic, the New York Times property that provides the publication's sports coverage. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.

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

Each puzzle features 16 words and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise of anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there's only one correct answer.

If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake—players get up to four mistakes until the game ends.

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

Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.

Here's a hint for today's Connections Sports Edition categories

Want a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:

• Yellow: Performed in a gym

• Green: To put in great effort

• Blue: Found in a catcher's mitt

• Purple: They share the first word in popular terms

Featured Video For You Connections: How to play and how to win Here are today's Connections Sports Edition categories

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

• Yellow: Exercises, in singular form

• Green: Work hard

• Blue: Materials in a baseball

• Purple: Grand ___

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 #250 is...

What is the answer to Connections Sports Edition today

• Exercises, in singular form - CRUNCH, PLANK, SITUP, SQUAT

• Work hard - GRIND, LABOR, STRAIN, TOIL

• Materials in a baseball - CORK, LEATHER, RUBBER, TOIL

• Grand ___ - CANYON, PRIX, SLAM, STAND

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be new Connections for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.

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

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

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

Google's AI Gemini will now automatically summarize long email threads for some users, the company said in a blog post.

SEE ALSO: Gmail search just got a lot smarter, thanks to AI

Previously, users had to tap "Summarize this email" for Gemini to generate key points. Now, if users have smart features in Gmail, Chat, Meet, and Workspace turned on, they'll automatically appear "where a summary will be helpful," like with long threads or exchanges with several replies. For now, this feature is only available in English.

Gemini's summary cards for Gmail. Credit: Google

If you're using Gmail with an Admin, like a company or school, then the Admin can turn these smart settings on or off. According to Google's help page, these features are off by default in Europe and Japan.

This is the continuation of Google infusing AI into every product, including Gmail and now Chrome. At its annual I/O event earlier this month, Google announced more AI features coming to Gmail, including smart replies and meeting scheduling.

If AI has popped up in your Google email and you want to get rid of it, here's a guide on how to turn off Gemini in Gmail.

TL;DR: Live stream the 2024-25 Champions League for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The top club competition in the world of football has to be the Champions League. There is nothing else that brings the very best teams in the world together in a battle for footballing immortality. Sure, winning your domestic league is great. But winning the Champions League is on another level.

If you want to watch the 2024-25 Champions League for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

What is the Champions League?

The Champions League is an annual club football competition organised by UEFA and contested by top-division European clubs. This year's tournament begins with a 36-team round robin group stage to determine which sides qualify for the double-legged knockout rounds, followed by a single leg final.

SEE ALSO: How to watch the 2024-25 Europa League online for free

The defending champions are Real Madrid.

When is the 2024-25 Champions League?

The 2024-25 Champions League is the 70th edition of the competition (and the 33rd since it was renamed the Champions League). This season's tournament runs from July 9 to 31 May.

How to watch the 2024-25 Champions League for free

It is possible to live stream the 2024-25 Champions League for free on the following streaming platforms:

• Belgium — RTL play (select fixtures)

• Ireland — RTÉ Player (select fixtures including the final)

• Luxembourg — RTL ZWEE (select fixtures)

• Turkey — Tabii (select fixtures including the final)

• UK — Prime Video (select fixtures including semi finals with 30-day free trial)

These free streaming platforms are geo-restricted, but anyone can bypass these restrictions with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure servers in other countries, meaning you can unblock free live streams of the Champions League from anywhere in the world.

Access free live streams of the 2024-25 Champions League 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 free coverage of the Champions League

4. Visit RTL play, RTÉ Player, RTL ZWEE, Tabii, or Prime Video (free trial)

5. Watch Champions League fixtures for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Year Subscription + 3 Months Free) $99.95 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 of the 2024-25 Champions League without committing with your cash. This is obviously not a long-term solution, but it does give you time to watch select fixtures before recovering your investment.

If you want to retain permanent access to free streaming services from around the world, the fact is 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 Champions League?

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 eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee.

Live stream the Champions League for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

Twitch just announced some major updates at its European conference.

One is dual-format streaming and vertical viewing, so streams look better when watched on a phone. Streamers will be able to use both a horizontal and vertical layout at the same time, and the viewing will be optimized whether someone is holding their phone either way.

SEE ALSO: Top Twitch streamers by follower count: See the list.

"The new vertical layout makes it easier for viewers to participate in events like Hype Trains and support you by subbing, gifting, and cheering while watching your stream in full screen," Twitch announced in a blog post following the keynote address at TwitchCon Rotterdam, which is today and tomorrow. "They'll also be able to customize chat to have more control over how much chat they see on screen."

Twitch will test dual-format and vertical streaming with a few channels this summer before expanding it later this year. It also plans to test 2K (or 1440p) streaming with a small number of channels.

Amazon's streaming platform will also introduce some features to "make sure streaming is a viable career for as many creators as possible." These include Combos, a monetizing feature currently in beta, and streamer-led gifted subscription promotions. Twitch is also developing a new tool to suggest Clips for streamers' best moments, a Clip Leaderboard, and the ability to react to Clips.

Twitch is lagging behind TikTok and YouTube in terms of live streaming hours, so the platform is likely trying to capture some of that time. We'll see if these feature rollouts in the next few months put Twitch on top.

A union of Microsoft gaming employees has won a tentative agreement with the company, in what's being called a first for the industry.

The Communications Workers of America (CWA), which represents over 300 quality assurance workers at ZeniMax Studios, announced the deal on Friday. ZeniMax, acquired by Microsoft in 2020, is the parent company of video game developers Arkane Studios, id Software, and MachineGames, as well as the publisher Bethesda Softworks.

SEE ALSO: Marvel, Disney VFX artists agree to first union contract

The ZeniMax Workers United-CWA first unionized in 2023, and after two years of negotiating, they have reached a contractual agreement with Microsoft. According to the announcement, the contract enshrines wage increases and salary minimums for employees, as well as protections against arbitrary dismissal, grievance procedures, and a crediting policy that acknowledges QA worker contributions.

The contract also includes an agreement from 2023 concerning AI. ZeniMax agreed to provide notice of AI implementation that would impact union members' work, and the opportunity to bargain those impacts.

"Going toe-to-toe with one of the largest corporations in the world isn't a small feat. This is a monumental victory for all current video game workers and for those that come after," Page Branson, Senior II QA Tester and ZeniMax Workers United-CWA bargaining committee member, said in the press release.

"Workers in the video game industry are demonstrating once again that collective power works. This agreement shows what’s possible when workers stand together and refuse to accept the status quo," CWA President Claude Cummings Jr. said in the release.

Employees at video game studios have pushed to organize in recent years. Last year, workers at Bethesda Studios and Activision QA workers formed a union. In March, the CWA announced an industry-wide U.S. and Canada union called the United Videogame Workers-CWA.

Disclosure: Mashable workers, as well as staff at other tech publishers owned by Ziff Davis, are represented by the NewsGuild-CWA.

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

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

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

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

Here are the clues and answers to NYT's The Mini for Saturday, May 31, 2025:

AcrossThis one and that one

• The answer is Both.

Ballet-inspired fitness class

• The answer is Barre.

Mississippi ___ (rich chocolate dessert)

• The answer is Mud pie.

Sea creature with the scientific name Monodon monoceros ("one tooth, one horn")

• The answer is Narwhal.

Like some soccer shots

• The answer is On goal.

Strict in tone

• The answer is Stern.

Place for a "For Sale" sign

• The answer is Yard.

Down$#!&, e.g.

• The answer is Bad word.

Harry Potter, Annie or Bruce Wayne

• The answer is Orphan.

___ and error

• The answer is Trial.

Dog trainer's "Walk next to me!"

• The answer is Heel.

Hot dog alternative

• The answer is Burger.

Relative of a stingray

• The answer is Manta.

All up in one's business

• The answer is Nosy.

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

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

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

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

This week, DeepSeek released an updated version of its R1 model on HuggingFace, reigniting the open-source versus closed-source competition. The updated version, called DeekSeek-R1-0528, has 685 billion parameters, an upgrade from January's version, which had 671 billion. 

Unlike OpenAI and Google's models, which are famously closed-source, DeepSeek's model weights are publicly available. According to the benchmarks, the R1-0528 update has improved reasoning and inference capabilities and is closing the gap with OpenAI's o3 and Google's Gemini 2.5 Pro. 

DeepSeek also introduced a distilled version of R1-0528 using Alibaba's Qwen3 8B model. This is an example of a lightweight model that is less capable but also requires less computing power. DeepSeek-R1-0528-Qwen3-8B outperforms both Google's latest lightweight model Gemini-2.5-Flash-Thinking-0520 and OpenAI's o3-mini in certain benchmarks. But the bigger deal is that DeekSeek's distilled model can reportedly run on a single GPU, according to TechCrunch.

To… distill all this information, the Chinese rival is catching up to its U.S. competitors with an open-weight approach that's cheaper and more accessible. Plus, DeepSeek continues to prove that AI models may not require as much computing power as OpenAI, Google, and other AI heavyweights currently use. Suffice to say, watch this space.

That said, DeepSeek's models also have their drawbacks. According to one AI developer (via TechCrunch), the new DeepSeek update is even more censored than its previous version when it comes to criticism of the Chinese government. 

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Of course, a lot more happened in the AI world over the past few days. After last week's parade of AI events from Google, Anthropic, and Microsoft, this week was lighter on product and feature news.

That's one reason DeepSeek's R1 update captured the AI world's attention this week. In other AI news, Anthropic finally gets voice mode, AI influencers go viral, Anthropic's CEO warns of mass layoffs, and an AI-generated kangaroo.

Google's Veo 3 takes the internet by storm

On virtually every social media platform, users are freaking out about the new Veo 3, Google's new AI video model. The results are impressive, and we're already seeing short films made entirely with Veo 3. Not bad for a product that came out 11 days ago.

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Not to be outdone by AI video artists, a reporter from The Wall Street Journal made a short film about herself and a robot using Veo 3.

Mashable's Tech Editor Timothy Werth recapped Veo's big week and had a simple conclusion: We're so cooked.

More AI product news: Claude's new voice mode and the beginning of the agentic browser era

After last week's barrage, this week was lighter on the volume of AI news. But what was announced this week is no less significant. 

Anthropic finally introduced its own voice mode for Claude to compete with ChatGPT, Grok, and Gemini. The feature is currently in beta on mobile for the Claude app and will even be available to free plans with a limit of 20 to 30 voice conversations per day. Anthropic says you can ask Claude to summarize your calendar or read documents out loud. Paying subscribers can connect to Google Workspace for Calendar, Gmail, and Docs access. 

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OpenAI is exploring the ability to sign into third-party apps with ChatGPT. We don't know much yet, but the company posted an interest form on its site for developers using Codex, its engineering agent, to add this capability to their own apps. It may not sound like a big deal, but it basically means users could easily link their personalized ChatGPT memories and settings to third-party apps, much like the way it works when you sign into a new app with your Google account.

Opera announced a new agentic AI browser called Neon. "Much more than a place to view web pages, Neon can browse with you or for you, take action, and help you get things done," the announcement read. That includes a chatbot interface within the browser and the ability to fill in web forms for tasks like booking trips and shopping. The announcement, which included a promo video of a humanoid robot browsing the robot, which is scant on details but says Neon will be a "premium subscription product" and has a waitlist to sign up.

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The browser has suddenly become a new frontier for agentic AI, now that it's capable of automating web search tasks. Perplexity is working on a similar tool called Comet, and The Browser Company pivoted from its Arc browser to a more AI-centric browser called Dia. All of this is happening while Google might be forced to sell off Chrome, which OpenAI has kindly offered to take off its hands. 

Dario Amodei's prediction about AI replacing entry-level jobs is already starting to happen

Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei warned in an interview with Axios that AI could "wipe out half of all entry-level white-collar jobs." 

Amodei's predictions might be spot on because a new study from VC firm SignalFire found that hiring for entry-level jobs is down to 7 percent from 25 percent in the previous year. Some of that is due to changes in the economic climate, but AI is definitely a factor since firms are opting to automate the less-technical aspects of work that would've been taken on by new hires. 

The latest in AI culture: That AI-generated kangaroo, Judge Judy, and everything else

Google wants you to know its AI overviews reach 1.5 billion people a month. They probably don't want you to know AI Overviews still struggles to count, spell, and know what year it is. As Mashable's Tim Marcin put it, would AI Overviews pass concussion protocol?

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The proposal of a 10-year ban on states regulating AI is pretty unpopular, according to a poll from Common Sense Media. The survey found that 57 percent of respondents opposed the moratorium, including half of the Republican respondents. As Mashable's Rebecca Ruiz reported, "the vast majority of respondents, regardless of their political affiliation, agreed that Congress shouldn't ban states from enacting or enforcing their own youth online safety and privacy laws."

In the private sector, The New York Times signed a licensing deal with Amazon to allow their editorial content to be used for Amazon's AI models. The details are unclear, but from the outside, this seems like a change of tune from the Times, which is currently suing OpenAI for copyright infringement for allegedly using its content to train its models. 

That viral video of an emotional support kangaroo holding a plane ticket and being denied boarding? It's AI-generated, of course. Slightly more obvious, but no less creepy is another viral trend of using AI to turn public figures like Emmanuel Macron and Judge Judy into babies. These are strange AI-slop-infested times we're living in. 

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AI has some positive uses too. This week, we learned about a new humanoid robot from HuggingFace called HopeJr (with engineering by The Robot Studio), which could be available for sale later this year for just $3,000.

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And to end this recap on a high note, the nonprofit Colossal Foundation has developed an AI algorithm to detect the bird calls of the near-extinct tooth-billed pigeon. Also known as the "little dodo," the tooth-billed pigeon is Samoa's national bird, and scientists are using the bioacoustic algorithm to locate and protect them. 

Want to get the latest AI news, from new product features to viral trends? Check back next week for another AI news recap, and in the meantime, follow @cecily_mauran and @mashable for more news.

Disclosure: Ziff Davis, Mashable’s parent company, in April filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in training and operating its AI systems.