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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.

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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: NYT's The Mini crossword answers for March 3 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: Relaxing or idling

• Green: Different forms in which gold can be found

• Blue: Objects shaped like a roll or spool

• Purple: Items associated with famous stone age family

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: Be at Leisure

• Green: Formats of Gold

• Blue: Cylinder of Material

• Purple: Seen in "The Flintstones"

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 #631 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Be at Leisure: CHILL, LOAF, LOUNGE, REST

• Formats of Gold: BAR, COIN, LEAF, NUGGET

• Cylinder of Material: BOLT, REEL, ROLL, SCROLL

• Seen in "The Flintstones": BONE, CLUB, DINOSAUR, RUBBLE

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 3

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.

Tension is mounting in The White Lotus Season 3, and even though Victoria Ratliff (Parker Posey) doesn't seem as visibly stressed as her husband (Jason Isaacs), there's clearly some stuff going on below the surface.

This is made pretty clear in episode 3's opening sequence, in which she dreams of an approaching tsunami. But what exactly happens in Victoria's dream, and what might it mean? Let's unpack it.

SEE ALSO: 'The White Lotus' Season 3, episode 2: What's the deal with Victoria and Kate? What happens in Victoria's dream?

Set at night, the dream starts with Victoria standing on a beach facing the ocean — it looks like Koh Samui, Thailand, where her family are staying at The White Lotus. Holding her diazepam pill bottle, she turns and sees her son Lochlan (Sam Nivola) sitting on the beach with two hotel staff. "This is what it looks like before a tsunami," he says. The staff appear behind Victoria and wrap her in a duvet, and in the background we can see a large house with the lights on, a structure that doesn't look like part of the hotel. Victoria then walks forward into the water as a massive wave boils towards her. As the wave draws closer she sits down in the sand.

Later in the episode at breakfast, Victoria confirms that the house in the dream is in fact the Ratliff family's house back in North Carolina.

What's the meaning behind the dream?

There are a few ways Victoria's dream could be read. The most simple interpretation is that she has the dream because Lochlan is talking about tsunamis at the end of episode 2, just before the family goes to bed. Or maybe she's picking up on her husband's increasing stress levels and has realised — perhaps even subconsciously — that something terrible lies on the horizon. Then there's also the weird interaction she has with Kate (Leslie Bibb) earlier in episode 2, which seems to hint at some kind of hidden tension or resentment. Could the issue there be much more serious than Victoria is letting on?

Alternatively, there's also the explanation suggested by Victoria's daughter Piper (Sarah Catherine Hook) at breakfast: "Could be some kind of warning."

If it is a warning, then it's a pretty dire one: Victoria is essentially dreaming of the total annihilation of her family and everything they've built. And rather than fighting against it in the dream, she just seems to accept her fate, sitting and waiting for the wave to hit.

Our best guess? Things are going to get a whole lot worse for the Ratliff family before the end of this season. But just how much does Victoria see coming?

The White Lotus is streaming now on Max, with new episodes dropping weekly.

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

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

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable SEE ALSO: NYT Connections today: Hints and answers for March 3 Where did Wordle come from?

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

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

What's the best Wordle starting word?

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

What happened to the Wordle archive?

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

Is Wordle getting harder?

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

SEE ALSO: NYT's The Mini crossword answers for March 3, 2025 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

An ancient weapon used for throwing or stabbing.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

There are no reoccurring letters.

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

Today's Wordle starts with the letter S.

SEE ALSO: Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL. The Wordle answer today is...

Get your last guesses in now, because it's your final chance to solve today's Wordle before we reveal the solution.

Drumroll please!

The solution to today's Wordle is...

SPEAR.

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

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

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for March 3

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.

The 2025 Academy Award for Documentary Feature Film was handed over to No Other Land, a political record keeping  — and personal account — of the occupation and destruction of the West Bank village Masafer Yatta by Israeli Occupation Forces.

SEE ALSO: 2025 Oscar winners: See the full list

Both of the film's directors — Palestinian activist and the film's central figure, Basel Adra, as well as Israeli journalist and activist Yuval Abraham — were in attendance at the Oscars, taking to the stage to call for international intervention and peacemaking in Palestine.

"My hope for my daughter is she won't have to live the same life I am living now," Adra said. "Can't you see we are intertwined? That my people can be truly safe if Basel's people are truly safe and free?" implored Abraham to viewers and audience members alike. "There is another way... It's not too late for life and the living..."

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Even without U.S. distribution, No Other Land still topped out as the highest-grossing documentary among the nominees. It was the product of a massive grassroots effort by its inspiring directorial duo and fervent allies to get the film to mass markets. After nearly a year, U.S. audiences finally got a chance to see the film through an independent release schedule in select cities — many called it the most politically pressing film of the year.

A year earlier, pro-Palestine protesters gathered outside the Oscars red carpet to demand attention to the atrocities in Palestine as Hollywood's biggest and brightest took to the red carpet. Since 2023, actors and artists alike have taken to red carpets and spotlight stages to call for a ceasefire in Gaza — Best Supporting Actor nominee Guy Pearce sported a Free Palestine pin at tonight's award show.

In 2025, the academy appears to have joined the crowd, awarding the prestigious honor to a film that sheds light on an ongoing international humanitarian crisis.

Zoe Saldaña has won her first Oscar, taking home the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in Jacques Audiard's Emilia Pérez.

SEE ALSO: 'Emilia Pérez' review: An incendiary transgender cartel musical

The musical about a transgender Mexican cartel leader (Karla Sofía Gascón) has been a controversial player this awards season. Upon release, it garnered backlash from trans viewers and Mexican viewers alike, yet that didn't stop it from picking up 10 Golden Globe nominations (winning four) and 13 Oscar nominations. A new wave of controversy hit the film when old, racist tweets from Gascón resurfaced, leading Emilia Pérez distributor Netflix to distance themselves from the film's lead in the hopes of salvaging the awards campaign.

Despite all the controversy, Saldaña managed to sweep 2025's major awards for her role as lawyer Rita. In addition to the Academy Award, she picked up a BAFTA, a Critics Choice Award, a Golden Globe, and a SAG Award. She won over fellow Oscar nominees Monica Barbaro (A Complete Unknown), Ariana Grande (Wicked), Felicity Jones (The Brutalist), and Isabella Rossellini (Conclave).

While Saldaña thanked Audiard in her Oscars speech, she notably shied away from mentioning Gascón, along with fellow co-star Selena Gomez. Instead, she gave a heartfelt tribute to her family.

"My grandmother came to this country in 1961," Saldaña said. "I am a proud child of immigrant parents, with dreams and dignity and hard-working hands. And I am the first American of Dominican origin to accept an Academy Award, and I know I will not be the last. The fact that I am getting an award for a role where I got to sing and speak in Spanish — my grandmother, if she were here, she would be so delighted."

The 2025 Oscars were already shaping up to be a night of unforgettable performances (hello, Wicked!) and stunning surprises, but no one could have predicted the electrifying James Bond tribute that would set the stage ablaze with women in blazing red dresses and dripping in diamonds.

SEE ALSO: Watch Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo open the 2025 Oscars

LISA, the White Lotus star and global K-pop sensation known for her fierce dance moves and magnetic stage presence, took her place at the center to sing "Live and Let Die," her sleek silhouette a perfect blend of elegance and intensity. Doja Cat, a chameleon in both music and style, followed, exuding her sultry power with a performance of "Diamonds Are Forever." RAYE, the British singer-songwriter whose versatility has made her one of the most exciting voices of her generation, stood poised with an emotive, soul-stirring rendition of Adele's "Skyfall."

The Substance star Margaret Qualley also took to the stage in a striking red dress, evoking the sensual spirit of a Bond girl for an opening dance number.

Together, these four women honored the unforgettable blend of danger, glamour, and intrigue that has defined 007 for decades.

When Conan O'Brien emerged onto the stage at the 2025 Oscars for his opening monologue, he did so in a rather unusual way: by crawling out of Demi Moore's spine in a morbid homage to Best Picture nominee The Substance. How else was he supposed to follow up Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo's stunning performance of "Defying Gravity"?

After that bit of body horror, O'Brien delivered a classic Oscars opening monologue. "A Complete Unknown. A Real Pain. Nosferatu. These are just some of the names I was called on the red carpet."

The jokes were funny but not too mean. In fact, one could say O'Brien was a perfectly non-threatening choice for an Oscar ceremony shrouded in some controversy. Yes, there was a joke about Emilia Pérez's Karla Sofía Gascón, who was in attendance. "Karla, if you are going to tweet about the Oscars, my name is Jimmy Kimmel," he said to uncertain cheers in the audience. And to Netflix, he added, "Netflix leads nominations with a total of 18 price increases."

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O'Brien also commented on the industry's most hot-button topic: AI. "We did not use AI to make this show," he said. "We would never do that. We used child labor. Hey, they're still people!"

SEE ALSO: 'The Brutalist' AI backlash, explained

In a moment of sincerity — the first of many throughout the night, I'm sure — O'Brien took time to honor the city of Los Angeles and the craftspeople who make the movies so magical.

And, of course, he concluded the monologue with a song-and-dance number featuring the sandworm from Dune: Part Two playing "Chopsticks" on the piano and a dancing Deadpool.

Kieran Culkin took home the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor at the 2025 Academy Awards for his role as Benji Kaplan in Jesse Eisenberg's A Real Pain.

SEE ALSO: How to watch 'A Real Pain': Jesse Eisenberg's second feature film is headed to streaming

In A Real Pain, Culkin and Eisenberg play an odd-couple cousin pairing on a trip around their grandmother's native Poland. As the pair navigate their own fraught relationship, they also connect with their family's history and what their grandmother experienced during the Holocaust.

Culkin's Oscar win for A Real Pain marks the end of a dominant awards season run, during which he also took home the BAFTA, the Critics Choice Award, the Golden Globe, and the SAG Award. He beat out fellow nominees Yura Borisov (Anora), Edward Norton (A Complete Unknown), Guy Pearce (The Brutalist), and his Succession co-star Jeremy Strong (The Apprentice).

Culkin opened his Oscar speech by singling out Strong's performance, saying, "By the way, Jeremy, you were amazing in The Apprentice."

After some censored swearing, Culkin added, "I'm not supposed to single anyone out; that's favoritism... but you were great."

But Strong wasn't the only person Culkin shouted out in his speech. In addition to thanking A Real Pain writer and director Jesse Eisenberg, he also told a story about his wife Jazz Charton. During his acceptance speech for Lead Actor in a Drama at the 2024 Emmys, he revealed that Charton had said they would have a third child if Culkin won the Emmy.

"Turns out, she said that because she didn't think I was going to win," he joked.

But that Emmys request wasn't the end of the saga. Culkin revealed that after the Emmys, he told Charton he really wanted four kids. Her response? "'I will give you four when you win an Oscar,'" Culkin recalled.

He concluded: "Jazz, love of my life, ye of little faith, no pressure. I love you. I'm really sorry I did this again, and let's get cracking on those kids, what do you say?"

The stars of Wicked kicked off the 2025 Oscars with a fantastically jaw-dropping musical performance, confirming rumors that the two would be performing on Hollywood's biggest award stage.

Grande started off the show with an homage to The Wizard of Oz, singing "Over the Rainbow" in a glimmering red dress under a stunning rainbow-hued spotlight. Erivo, wearing a breathtaking white gown, then took over the mic to pour out a rendition of "Home," as the stage screens took viewers through the glimmering sights of Los Angeles.

SEE ALSO: 2025 Oscar nominations: See the full list

The two then joined each other at center stage to sing the film's finale number, "Defying Gravity," with Erivo taking the spotlight one more time to finish out the number. Her voice literally soared to the top of the venue as city lights sparkled behind the two stars, hands clasped together again at the number's finish.

Rounding out months of daring red carpet looks evoking Bob Dylan's eclectic wardrobe, Best Actor nominee Timothée Chalamet took to the 2025 Oscars red carpet in a more demure, pastel ensemble. The night's theme is "butter."

SEE ALSO: 2025 Oscar nominations: See the full list

The A Complete Unknown star could snag a historic win this evening, becoming the youngest Best Actor winner since Adrien Brody won for The Pianist in 2003 — Brody is also up for his role in The Brutalist.

Audiences clocked the actor's Easter-yellow outfit mere seconds after the star flashed across screens, posts flooding users' social media feeds as the popular and newly mustachioed actor stepped out in the custom leather Givenchy look. Reactions were mixed, but BTS fans joked he could be channeling the global superstars' 2022 radio hit, "Butter," and you know what? Sure, why not? It wouldn't be the strangest thing the actor pulled out for his Dylan-inspired campaign.

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According to the actor himself, he wanted to go for a "subtle look" on this year's red carpet.

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So, what do you think? Is Timmy smooth like butter, or is he pulling inspiration from the sands of Dune?

Lenovo has a history of showing off weird and interesting new product ideas at trade shows. Remember the laptop with the rollable display from a few years ago? This year at MWC it's doing the same thing, with a host of unique, fun, and downright silly ideas, some of which could inform designs and decisions for future products.

There are a few themes for Lenovo at MWC 2025. In classic Lenovo fashion, some of them have to do with finding ways to give you more screen real estate when you're using a laptop. Others have more to do with eco-friendliness, while others still, as you might expect, are built to take advantage of generative AI.

SEE ALSO: What to expect at MWC 2025 from Samsung, TCL, and more Give me more screen

The central theme to most of Lenovo's concept ideas has to do with getting more screen from a traditional laptop. Perhaps the most unique concept for that comes in the form of the ThinkBook Flip AI PC Concept, which might look like a normal laptop from the front but has a whole second screen that can fold up from behind the first one. Essentially, that turns the top of your laptop screen into a hinge that connects the two sides of the screen. When folded out, the screen has a massive 18.1-inch display – and while it’s a little unsteady on a table, that could be fixed with a little kickstand or something.

Credit: Christian de Looper

The fold-out display can also be used in other ways. For example, it can be used as a second screen to show others what you're viewing on your laptop, or it allows you to use the laptop as a tablet when closed.

It wasn't the only screen extension concept that Lenovo showed off. The company also showed off a dual-screen attachment that connects to its Magic Bay connector. The attachment basically adds two additional screens to the laptop, with one on either side of your main laptop screen. A smaller version of this concept adds one 8-inch display to the side of the screen, perfect for things like chat apps.

A Tamagotchi on your laptop

My personal favorite concept, however, had nothing to do with getting more display space from your laptop. Instead, it leverages the Magic Bay connector used for that dual-screen accessory to add a tiny companion device called Tiko to the top of your screen.

Credit: Christian de Looper

So what can Tiko do besides just look cute? Well, not a whole lot – looking cute is kind of the point. But it can use your webcam to interact with you when you do things like wave at it or give it a thumbs up.

However, if you're looking for usefulness, perhaps more appropriate is the Tico Pro accessory. This accessory eliminates the normal Tico device's cuteness and shows always-on information through widgets on the screen. It can display a clock or calendar events, but it can also be used as a teleprompter or to show notes for a meeting.

Other concept

Other Lenovo concepts revolved around different ideas. For example, the company showed off a laptop with a solar panel on the lid, which it says is among the most power-efficient solar panels and can give you two hours of video playback after charging. There are challenges associated with this idea, like heat, especially if you put your laptop in direct sunlight, which can impact its longevity and performance, but it's still a cool way to add some eco-friendliness to a laptop.

Credit: Christian de Looper

Last but not least, Lenovo also continued to show off 3D screens. However, new for this year is the fact that it has developed a technology that allows you to place both 3D and 2D content on the screen at the same time. That means that unless you're viewing 3D content, the screen will just look like a normal display. But with 3D content on the screen, it will add more depth to that content. 3D and 2D content can be on the screen at the same time, so you can have a window of something in 3D alongside all your other normal 2D windows.

Regardless of if any of these concepts make it to consumer products, I’m glad Lenovo is still showing off its experiments. I just wish more companies were willing to do so

It finally happened.

After over two decades of being a "good guy," or "babyface" in wrestling lingo, WWE Superstar and Hollywood actor John Cena turned "heel," or became the "bad guy."

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Cena is currently on his pro wrestling retirement tour. The 13-time WWE champion and former face of the company announced last year that 2025 would be his final year of actively performing in-ring.

It doesn't seem like any WWE fan assumed that the near-lifelong babyface would turn bad in his final year of wrestling. But he did last night, attacking his now-former friend Cody Rhodes.

The internet erupted with shock, excitement, and, of course, memes.

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At WWE Elimination Chamber on Saturday night, Cena had just won the six-man cage match to determine who would face WWE Champion Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania. Rhodes is the current face of the company and the top "good guy." Cena and Rhodes are supposedly friends. Rhodes came out at the end of the show to congratulate Cena on winning the match, signifying a friendly competitive matchup was in store at the main event of WrestleMania.

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However, The Rock, who is currently a bad guy in the WWE and has been feuding with Cody Rhodes, interrupted. Rhodes and The Rock exchanged words. And then Cena turned on Rhodes, attacking him multiple times while rapper and special guest Travis Scott and The Rock joined in on the beat down.

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Cena debuted for the WWE in 2002 where he briefly played the role of a rookie babyface. He had a short run as a heel with his rapping Thuganomics gimmick. However, aside from that, Cena has spent the past 20+ years as a fan favorite "good guy" with catchphrases such as "Never Give Up."

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John Cena has been especially beloved by children, who make up a large portion of his fan base. In fact, his popularity with the youth had been a major reason why WWE refused to turn him heel for the majority of his career. Cena actually holds the Guinness World Record for granting the most wishes for the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

And you better believe the internet had memes about how heel John Cena will likely affect his young fandom.

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There were also memes about Cena's now infamous announcement in 2011 after the end of a WWE pay-per-view informing the crowd of Osama bin Laden being "compromised to a permanent end."

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And memes referencing how John Cena follows nearly 1 million people on X.

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For longtime fans, Cena's heel turn seems quite analogous to Hulk Hogan's heel turn in the 90s. Hogan had spent over a decade playing the babyface role with his Hulkamania gimmick before finally turning heel in 1996 under his "Hollywood" Hulk Hogan persona. Interestingly, both The Rock and John Cena, who have now joined forces as heels, previously left WWE full-time to pursue successful acting careers in Hollywood.

Cena and Rock attacked Cody. Cody Rhodes needs to call backup

[image or embed]

— Fightful Wrestling (@fightful.com) March 1, 2025 at 11:08 PM

After WWE Elimination Chamber went off the air, Cena appeared at the post-show press conference where he simply dropped the mic and left. So we'll have to wait to hear his explanation as to why he turned bad.

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But, be sure, when he does explain, the internet will have plenty to say about it.

The devil might be putting in overtime, but the Saturday Night Live writers? They're basically on a Red Bull IV drip. With less than 24 hours to work with, the SNL team whipped up a cold open roasting the now-infamous White House “meeting” between President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

And yes, “meeting” is in quotes because what went down was less of a diplomatic sit-down and more of an awkward, live-streamed humiliation ritual. Trump and Vice President JD Vance used the actual press conference as an opportunity to berate Zelenskyy — for, you know, the minor inconvenience of having his country invaded by Russia. Naturally, SNL took the absurdity and cranked it up to 11.

The cold open even includes Mike Myers, who crashed the meeting as none other than Elon Musk — chainsaw in hand, delivering a performance so unhinged it made the whole thing feel like a fever dream.

Blue Ghost, an unmanned spacecraft sent by the Texas-based Firefly Aerospace, has just landed on the moon.

The lunar landing occurred on Sunday, marking the second-ever time a private company landed on the moon. Blue Ghost arrived at 8:34am GMT on the moon's Earth-facing side by an ancient volcanic formation in Mare Crisium known as Mons Latreille.

Blue Ghost's 2.8 million mile journey began on January 15 when it launched onboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.

Blue Ghost's moon landing marks just the second time ever that a private U.S. company has completed such a mission. It also marks the second time a U.S. spacecraft had landed on the moon since 1972, with the touch down of the manned Apollo 17 mission.

The first in both those categories came from the company Intuitive Machines, which completed the first private moon landing in February of 2024.

However, Firefly Aerospace's Blue Ghost achieved something that Intuitive Machines failed at. When the latter landed on the moon last year, the spacecraft toppled over. Blue Ghost, however, did not. Firefly Aerospace's spacecraft landed upright.

According to the Guardian, the Firefly crew "erupted in cheers" upon the company's CEO Jason Kim announcing that Blue Ghost was “stable and upright”.

Blue Ghost was launched as part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) initiative. NASA aims to cut costs using spacecrafts created in the private sector in order to support its Artemis mission, which looks to once again land astronauts on the moon sometime by the end of the decade.

NASA equipped the lunar lander with nearly a dozen scientific instruments and experiments, such as a lunar soil analyzer and a test to check if existing satellite navigation systems can be used to navigate the moon. Blue Ghost will also document and photograph an eclipse.

Two other private companies currently have lunar landers en route to the moon, one of which is from Intuitive Machines as it tries again for an upright landing.

Ed Norton makes the argument that Sheldon Mopes, from Death to Smoochy is quite similar to his Oscar-nominated character, Pete Seeger, from A Complete Unknown.

TL;DR: Upgrade to Windows 11 Pro for only A$24 through 30 March — that’s a 92% discount for Mashable readers.

If you thought AI would only be a fad, take a look at Microsoft. As we speak (or read?), they’re making computers infused with Microsoft Copilot, their latest AI technology. But something even cooler? You don’t have to get a new device to get Copilot — just upgrade to Windows 11.

And, if you’re going for it, go all the way and get the Pro version with the most features, like remote desktop access and hard drive encryption. We have a deal on Windows 11 Pro keys for only A$24 (reg. A$319), and each upgrades two compatible PCs.

AI in Windows 11

We realize you can use AI chatbots, so what makes Windows Copilot special? For one, Copilot is built using a custom version of GPT-4, so it’s like getting the premium version of ChatGPT for free.

There are also many perks of having Copilot built into your PC:

• Ask it to change system settings instead of finding them yourself

• Summarize web pages without having to ‘copy and paste’

• Have it set reminders, schedule meetings, or draft emails

Pro-specific features

Already have Windows 11 Home, but curious about what Pro delivers? Remote desktop access becomes super handy in a pinch, as does BitLocker device encryption in case of device loss or theft. You’ll also get Azure AD, Hyper-V, and Windows Sandbox for other professional testing and tasks.

Upgrade to Windows 11 Pro for A$24 (reg. A$319) until 30 March at 11:59 p.m. PT. No coupon is needed to get this discount.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Opens in a new window Credit: InterPlein Microsoft Windows 11 Pro A$24.00
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Teleperformance SE, the largest call center operator on the planet, has come up with a way to mask the fact it operates in India for customers calling for support with their latest iPhone or Galaxy device.

In a new report from Bloomberg, Teleperformance shared that it invested $13 million in Sanas, an AI startup. Sanas has created technology that focuses on "reducing accent-based discrimination." As Teleperformance puts it, the technology can "neutralize" accents.

SEE ALSO: Meta plans to launch standalone Meta AI app. OpenAI's Sam Altman fires back.

“When you have an Indian agent on the line, sometimes it’s hard to hear, to understand,” Teleperformance Deputy Chief Executive Officer Thomas Mackenbrock told Bloomberg in an interview. Mackenbrock said that the AI technology can “neutralize the accent of the Indian speaker with zero latency."

Sanas' accent-neutralizing technology currently works on Indian and Filipino accents. The company says that it's working on deploying it for other accents, such as those found in Latin America.

The AI startup also provides a background noise removal feature in order to further mask any sort of ambient noise emanating from the call center employees' location that may give away where they are based.

Teleperformance said that it's also using AI tools for more common AI tasks, such as transcribing calls and coaching new employees. The company announced it would invest a further $104 million in AI during an investor call.

Xiaomi’s flagship phone lineup for photography enthusiasts has a new member: The Xiaomi 15 Ultra.

The company brought the new flagship to this year's Mobile World Congress in Barcelona and handed me some units to play with ahead of today’s launch. And I can say that it definitely feels like the most powerful camera in a phone that I’ve ever used.

Xiaomi’s Ultra phones have always felt almost like experiments, with an absolutely massive camera array and every feature you can think of. The Xiaomi 15 Ultra takes this a little further, with a quad camera system that includes a 200-megapixel periscope telephoto camera with up to 4.3x optical zoom. Also on board are three 50-megapixel cameras: The main wide camera with a variable f/1.6 - f/4.0 aperture, a 50-megapixel, f/1.7 telephoto camera with 3.2x optical zoom, and a 50-megapixel, f/1.8 ultrawide camera.

To top all that off, on the front there’s a 32-megapixel, f/2.0 wide selfie camera.

Xiaomi hasn't given up on the curvy display, and it looks pretty sweet. Credit: Stan Schroeder/Mashable

I’ll get back to the cameras in a bit. But the rest of the phone has everything you could want from a flagship phone in 2025: A 6.73-inch, AMOLED display with peak 3,000 nits and 120Hz refresh rate, a Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite chip, 12-16GB of RAM, and 256/512/1,024 GB of storage.

It’s all powered by a 5,410mAh battery with 90W wired, 80W wireless, and 10W reverse wireless charging.

Other tidbits include stereo speakers and support for 24-bit/192kHz Hi-Res Wireless audio, a fingerprint scanner, and two-way satellite communication. The phone is dust and water-resistant up to IP68 specs.

The phone comes in white, black, or a cool silver-chrome combo; that last one would be my choice as it definitely stands out from the pack.

On the software front, you’ll find Android 15 (with up to 4 major Android upgrades promised) coupled with Xiaomi’s HyperOS. Google’s Gemini is here and integrated into the phone to take care of AI-related tasks.

If you get the optional Photography Kit, your phone will look like an actual camera. Credit: Stan Schroeder/Mashable

Back to those cameras. While I'd need more time to really test out the Xiaomi 15 Ultra's impressive camera system, It was very easy to take pretty great-looking photos with this phone at basically any magnification — Xiaomi says that by combining the two telephoto sensors it manages to produce lossless quality photos at up to 8.6x magnification, but dial it to 10x or even 20x and you'll still be able to get a good photo.

It also felt like the snappiest camera on a phone I've ever tried; if you want to capture your dog mid-air or a race car passing by, this is your phone.

SEE ALSO: What to expect at MWC 2025 from Samsung, TCL, and more

The bad news is that even without the ridiculously huge Photography Kit add-on, which is a case with an additional 2,000mAh battery and camera controls, the Xiaomi 15 Ultra is a massive, top-heavy phone. All that power comes with a price, I guess, and that price, expressed in grams, is 229 (that's the Silver Chrome variant, other colors are a hair lighter at 226 grams).

Liquid Silver Xiaomi 15 is an eye-catcher. Credit: Stan Schroeder/Mashable

The company also launched the Xiaomi 15 in Europe, which was originally made available in China last year.

It has a very different design from the Ultra, with a triple, 50-megapixel camera system located in a rectangular bump on the back. Xiaomi sent me a ridiculous (in a good way) Liquid Silver unit which will definitely get people asking about the phone, though you can also get it in black, white, and green.

Slightly smaller than the Ultra, the Xiaomi 15 still packs a big 5,240mAh battery. Credit: Stan Schroeder/Mashable

The Xiaomi 15 boasts a 6.36-inch, AMOLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate, a Snapdragon 8 Elite chip, 12GB of RAM, 256/512GB of storage, and a 5,240mAh battery.

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, March 2, 2025:

AcrossRole for Timothée Chalamet in "A Complete Unknown"

• The answer is Dylan.

Makeup for the cheeks

• The answer is Rouge.

"Well, shucks!"

• The answer is Aw gee.

Serious devotee

• The answer is Fiend.

Appropriate rhyme for "stressed," for students

• The answer is Test.

DownUnfortunate status for an email you meant to send last week

• The answer is Draft.

"Gadzooks, that hurt!"

• The answer is Yowie.

Winter Olympics sleds

• The answer is Luges.

Writer's representative

• The answer is Agent.

Have to have

• The answer is Need.

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.

Unfortunately, you can't buy the motivation to get your butt in the gym (or to do any kind of exercise). But, you can buy a great fitness tracker to help light a fire under your ass to take more than 500 steps in a day. And hey, that's not nothing!

The conversation around fitness has changed quite a bit over the past few years (as made clear by Every Fashion Brand Ever releasing a line of matching leggings and sports bras). We can thank the self-care revolution for this one. Actively monitoring your fitness progression isn't just for athletes or people training for their hometown's 5K. It's a building block of wellness that people are baking into their daily groove, just like keeping up with a skincare routine or eating your vegetables.

Ever since the pandemic closed most gyms for an extended period of time, home fitness and smart home gyms are having a moment — and we don't think they're going anywhere, even though it's safe to fight with sweaty strangers over the last elliptical again.

Fitness trackers fit really nicely into this widening self-made fitness market, which is one of the main reasons they've become so popular. Yes, they're a cool gadget, but beyond building up your tech arsenal, fitness trackers can help people find their way into self-care and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

Here are just some of the features that a good fitness tracker can offer you:

• Workout tracking

• GPS tracking

• Virtual rewards for staying active

• Sleep tracking

• Recovery suggestions

• Mindfulness apps

• Heart rate monitoring

• Menstrual cycle tracking (which may be problematic in certain cases)

• Body temperature measurements

• Blood oxygen monitoring

• Fall detection

• Phone calls and notifications from your wrist

• Tap-to-pay

• Access to music

When it comes to exercise, they're the next best thing to having a trainer — suggesting workouts, watching your heart get stronger, and letting you know when it's time for a breather — all on your own time. Whether your preferred form of exercise is the gym, a long run, a few laps in the pool, a 10-minute workout on YouTube, or a casual walk around the neighborhood, it'll be there to record all of your PRs and motivate you with new challenges.

SEE ALSO: Best non-watch heart rate monitors — keep your wrist free without sacrificing the data you need

It's not just the time that you're sweating that matters: Restorative exercises and recovery are just as imperative to keep an eye on. At-home yoga could be therapeutic on your days off from HIIT, with meditation sprinkled in to keep stress or anxiety from eating at your will to get off the couch. A great fitness tracker can help with both of these things, as well as lay out a recovery plan when your body needs to rest — a constant reminder to love yourself just as hard as you push yourself.

This type of mindfulness isn't always easy, and the best fitness trackers are the ones that will keep you in check throughout your workout as well as the rest of your day. Casual activity tracking, trackers that monitor your sleep (sometimes going as deep as times spent in each stage of sleep), heart rate, body temperature, and blood-oxygen levels can provide insight into how much energy you can put toward a workout on a given day. They'll also give you a head's up if you've been exercising too hard — all of which can aid in optimal performance and overall health.