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TL;DR: Save an additional 20% on a PDF Converter Pro lifetime license with code SAVE20 at checkout for a limited time only.

What a disaster: Every so-called free PDF converter seems to follow the same pattern. Either they want your credit card before letting you download or they completely wreck your file’s formatting. The truth is you need to pay for the best PDF converter tools.

But you don’t have to pay subscription fees or shell out for name-brand tools that offer way more features than you’ll ever use, just grab something basic like PDF Converter Pro that gets the job done affordably. This week, you can use code SAVE20 at checkout to get a lifetime license for Windows or Mac at $23.99 (reg. $29.99).

What can PDF Converter Pro do?

Next time you have to convert a PDF, you don’t have to go searching for some sketchy online tool — just open the app on your PC or Mac. Then, convert to or from formats like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Text, HTML, PNG, and JPG.

PDF Converter Pro works quickly and accurately. Once you get your converted document, you’ll notice that the original layout — whether it was a PDF or another format — is completely preserved, no matter if you had images, text, or hyperlinks.

Beyond simple conversions, the PDF tool also has various editors available. Merge and split pages, extract images, or add/remove password protections as needed.

Grab this PDF converter tool for Windows and Mac while it’s on sale for $23.99 with code SAVE20 at checkout (reg. $29.99).

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Opens in a new window Credit: Acethinker PDF Converter Pro: Lifetime License $23.99
$29.99 Save $6 Get Deal

TL;DR: Save $70 on the Kinhank retro-inspired gaming console for a limited time (reg. $159.99).

There’s a reason our readers are flipping out over this gaming console — it’s offering something big brands won’t. You get over 70,000 games pre-installed, from retro classics to modern favorites, plus built-in 4K streaming capabilities. And the best part? It’s only $90 with free shipping (reg. $159.99).

Soak in endless entertainment

A PlayStation or Xbox would cost you a fortune, and you’ll still have to buy every single game. So, it just makes sense that anyone who doesn’t want to play one of today’s newer games is grabbing this console to kick back and have fun game nights.

You’ll find tons of retro favorites like Space Invaders, Sonic the Hedgehog, and Pac-Man where family and friends of all ages can hop in and enjoy the fun. Your purchase includes two wireless controllers for multiplayer games, and you could turn a gathering into a tournament-style night.

When you aren’t playing games, the console can also stream movies. Add your favorite streaming apps with built-in Android OS, and use the included remote to easily navigate through when hosting movie nights.

Get your Kinhank Super Console while they’re still on sale for $90 with free shipping (reg. $159.99). No coupon is needed to get this price.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Opens in a new window Credit: Kinhank Kinhank Super Console X2 Pro Retro Gaming Emulator & Streaming Console $89.97
$159.99 Save $70.02 Get Deal

Is it an ick? Or do you just not fancy them?

The term was originally coined in 1999 in an episode of Ally McBeal (Season 1, episode 15 to be exact), and later gained widespread popularity in the 2020s on social media. Now firmly cemented in the dating lexicon and pop culture, the ick is a term which describes the phenomenon of getting a sudden (and at times inexplicable) wave of revulsion, cringe, or dislike for the person you're dating. The causes of the ick range from the understandable — being rude to waitstaff on dates, disrespectful behaviour — to the downright niche. In a list of icks currently being circulated on WhatsApp, examples include: "Two phones on table," "Grown adults on manual scooters," "Spotify with ads," "Coloured bed sheets," to name a few.

The causes of the ick range from the understandable...to the downright niche.

The ick can be helpful at times, too. As I write in The Love Fix — a non-fiction book about why dating is so hard right now — the ick can come in handy when we're struggling with romantic rejection or finding it hard to move on from a connection that didn't work out: "If it helps, view their disinterest as an ick. Let it turn you off. View their indifference as a trait that makes you lose attraction to them."

I have a theory that this term is just shorthand for a lack of physical attraction. Take, for example, the time I got the ick when a guy I was dating had a strawberry seed stuck to the tip of his nose. He'd done nothing wrong, but when I looked at his face, all I could see was the seed on his face staring back at me. In this case of the ick, I could no longer hide from a fact I'd been avoiding for some time: I just wasn't physically attracted to my boyfriend. "He just doesn't do it for you?" as Ally McBeal's Renée succinctly put it.

The role of disgust in partner selection

In many ways, the ick can present as a turn off or a strong feeling of disgust. Evolutionary psychologists have extensively studied the role of disgust in relation to human survival.

Disgust has evolved to protect humans by encouraging them to avoid pathogens or anything that might cause disease. Sexual disgust discouraged humans from being attracted to partners with traits that might present threats to reproduction, such as health or genetic risks.

It's difficult to see how someone ordering soup of the day or who has their phone torch on unintentionally could be interpreted as a threat to reproduction, but here we are. But, from an evolutionary psychology perspective, we're wired to lose attraction when we experience disgust.

The importance of similarity in human attraction

I put this idea to a social psychologist specialising in human attraction: is the ick just a lack of attraction? Professor Viren Swami, social psychologist at Anglia Ruskin University, explained the difficulty in answering this question stems from the fact "the ick isn't a scientific term; rather, it's a phrase used in contemporary popular culture, which also means how the phrase is used can vary widely."

"I suspect icks signify the importance of similarity, particularly in the early stages of a relationship. We all have beliefs about how we think the world around us 'should work' — what is right, what is just, what is correct," says Swami.

SEE ALSO: How does orientation affect the dating app experience?

So, why is similarity important in the realm of human attraction? Social psychologists have extensively studied a phenomenon called the "similarity-attraction effect," which hinges on the idea that people are drawn to people who are similar to themselves in key respects. Why do we look for similarity in the people around us? Social psychologist Donn Byrne put forth the theory that humans have a foundational need to view the world as logical and consistent — this is called the "effectance motive." This means, we favour people who validate our ideas and views, who agree with us, and thus, reinforce the logic and consistency of the world around us.

Swami tells me that we want other people to share our views about how the world works "because that satisfies our 'effectance motive'." "But if someone behaves differently or does things in ways that feel 'wrong' to us, our effectance motive is no longer satisfied and that can cause anxiety or even repulsion," he adds. "In the early stages of a relationship, even minor differences in opinion or behaviour can feel like a big deal, precisely because our effectance motive is not being satisfied."

Is it the ick? Or just emotional unavailability?

Has the ick become a get-out-of-jail-free card for emotionally unavailable daters? Tom Stroud — Bumble ambassador and host of the Why Do Men?, a podcast about male dating behaviour, and star of Love Is Blind UK — thinks the ick is "a subconscious reaction which is symptomatic of something bigger." Stroud feels icks have become a "normalised way to justify losing interest" without engaging with the reality of waning attraction.

"Rather than interrogating the deeper reasons why attraction fades — compatibility, emotional availability, or fear of intimacy — people lean on the language of ‘icks’ to avoid engaging with those uncomfortable truths," he adds. "It’s easier to say, 'I can’t date him because he runs for the bus' than to admit, 'I’m not emotionally ready' or 'I never actually fancied him that much to begin with.'"

"The problem isn’t that ‘icks’ exist," Stroud adds. "It’s that they’ve been turned into a get-out-of-jail-free card for emotional avoidance. Instead of reflecting on what we really want in a partner, we outsource that decision to a fleeting moment of discomfort." 

SEE ALSO: What is attachment theory and how does it impact sex and relationships?

Annabelle Knight, dating and relationship expert at Lovehoney, echoes that avoidant attachment styles can play a role in the ick. “People who have an avoidant attachment style may get the ick more often as a way to distance themselves from their partner when intimacy starts to increase; it’s often a subconscious defence mechanism," says Knight.

What if you find yourself on the receiving end of the ick? Stroud says it's important to remember it's not a personal failure — "it’s just someone realising they’re not as into you as they thought." "And while it can be frustrating, it’s also a blessing in disguise. The right person isn’t going to completely lost interest the minute they discover your secret comic book collection or your lucky birthday pants," he adds.

Does the ick say more about us than the other person?

The ick is so firmly embedded in the popular zeitgeist, we use the term liberally, sometimes without fully realising what's at the root of this feeling. I firmly believe in trusting your instincts when it comes to dating — if something feels off, you should listen to that feeling and act accordingly.

But when the ick is something arbitrary like witnessing your partner running for a bus or rolling their ankle, it's worth spending some time with that reaction to try and understand where it's coming from. Could it be that you're just not that attracted to the person?

Knight suggests reflecting on why you might be feeling the ick. "Are you scared to get close to this person? Are you being too picky? Do you need a little more time to get comfortable? Quite often, the icks we feel about other people can reflect things we’re uncomfortable with about ourselves, rather than anything that person has done," she says. "Ask yourself if your response is appropriate or is it a little extreme for the ‘crime’ committed."

So, is the ick just a lack of attraction? Well, if it's disgust you're feeling, then yes! If it's a jolt that's alerting you to a strong dissimilarity to a person — also yes! But, if it's something deeper, like a fear of getting close to someone, you may need to interrogate what's behind this feeling.

For anyone who's seen Boiling Point — Philip Barantini's one-shot kitchen drama starring Stephen Graham — Adolescence is surely high on the to-watch list.

Co-created by Graham himself alongside frequent collaborator Jack Thorne, and directed by Barantini, the four-part Netflix drama/thriller takes Boiling Point's one-take format and multiplies it across four settings, following the shattered lives of a family whose 13-year-old son is accused of murdering a classmate.

Like Boiling Point, it's tense and hard to watch. But it's also stunningly acted, incredibly well written, and impossible to look away from.

SEE ALSO: The best Netflix TV shows of 2024 What's Adolescence about?

The show establishes its highly stressful tone early on with a dawn raid. Police batter down the door of the Miller family and march inside with guns drawn, ignoring the shock and confusion of dad Eddie (Graham), mum Manda (Christine Tremarco), and older sister Lisa (Amelie Pease) and going straight to the room of teenager Jamie (Owen Cooper). It quickly becomes apparent that he's under arrest for murder, and that DI Bascome (Top Boy's Ashley Walters) and DS Frank (Andor's Faye Marsay) have a strong case.

What follows is an unbroken hour at the local police station, where the camera roves between small-talking officers, wary solicitors, and the devastated Miller family as they huddle in a sterile waiting room and try to piece together what their son — who maintains his innocence — has been accused of.

It's TV at its most anxiety-inducing, somehow made even more intense by the unrelenting one-shot format. Like the Millers we're not given the luxury of cut-aways — we have to experience the entire chaotic ordeal alongside them in real time. The subsequent episodes (each of which is its own one-shot) jump forward by days and then months, giving us an insight into the aftermath, first at Jamie's school, then during a therapy session, and then finally coming back full circle to the Millers as they attempt to rebuild their lives.

Credit: Ben Blackall/Netflix Adolescence's one-shot format is a directing masterpiece.

Making a miniseries where each episode is shot in one take sounds more like a technical exercise than something that'll benefit the viewer. But the thing is, it does. Barantini's ambitious directorial format works perfectly for this tense show, and the change in locations between episodes keeps things fresh. The police station and school settings of the first two episodes are a chaos of sound and movement, an assault on the senses that mirrors what the characters are feeling. The third episode — which essentially just features Jamie and a psychologist (A Thousand Blows' Erin Doherty) — bubbles with the tension of a play. And the finale follows the Millers through a birthday, where they try to make the best of it despite everything. Here, the camera refuses to look away as the characters alternate between anger, sadness, and brief moments of happiness.

Calling Adolescence a TV show feels like it isn't doing it justice. It's somewhere between TV, film, and theatre, almost a new type of viewing experience altogether. The performances are crucial here, and fortunately everyone — from veterans like Graham and Walters to newcomers Cooper and Pease — does an outstanding job. The realism is constant, comprehensive, and painful.

Episode 2, which takes place at at school, is one hour of chaos. Credit: Ben Blackall/Netflix Does Adolescence have any weaknesses?

The subject matter at the heart of the show is difficult, and the story is so relentlessly miserable that it won't be for everyone. As two characters discuss directly in one episode, the focus is also very much on the accused rather than the victim, who is little more than a name in the show. But Adolescence's story isn't a crime mystery so much as a psychological study — it's an exploration of the manosphere culture that's having a real world affect on teenagers, and the societal and familial triggers that might lead to a seemingly ordinary 13-year-old doing something unthinkable.

On this level, and on almost all others, the show is chillingly effective.

Adolescence is streaming now on Netflix.

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 Thursday, March 13, 2025:

AcrossThe slightest bit

• The answer is ATad.

Like a crossword clue about crossword clues

• The answer is Meta.

Sports shocker … with a hint to the circled letters

• The answer is Upset.

Sign of life

• The answer is Pulse.

Small arguments

• The answer is Spats.

DownMake excited

• The answer is AmpUp.

Automaker with a Cybertruck

• The answer is Tesla.

"This is ___" (disclaimer accompanying an alarm)

• The answer is ATest.

First ones might be awkward

• The answer is Dates.

FedEx competitor

• The answer is UPS.

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.

Scopely said it would buy Niantic’s video game business, which includes Pokémon Go, for $3.5 billion. Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund acquired Scopely in 2023.

Meta has obtained an emergency ruling blocking whistleblower and former employee Sarah Wynn-Williams from promoting her memoir Careless People: A Cautionary Tale of Power, Greed, and Lost Idealism. In other news, have you seen Barbra Streisand's house?

The International Centre for Dispute Resolution (ICDR) handed down the emergency arbitration ruling on Wednesday, finding that Meta was likely to succeed in its case against Wynn-Williams for breach of contract. Specifically, Meta alleges that Wynn-Williams violated the non-disparagement agreement she signed as an employee.

SEE ALSO: Meta built content censorship system to break into China, report says

"The Emergency Arbitrator finds that, after reviewing the briefs and hearing oral argument, [Meta] has established a likelihood of success on the merits of its contractual non-disparagement claim against Respondent Wynn-Williams, and that immediate and irreparable loss will result in the absence of emergency relief," the arbitrator wrote in his ruling.

As such, the ICDR ruled that Wynn-Williams is temporarily prohibited from promoting Careless People or further distributing audio and electronic versions of it. She is also temporarily barred from making any "disparaging, critical, or otherwise detrimental comments" about Meta, and has been instructed to retract any such comments she has previously made.

This does not mean that Wynn-Williams' claims in Careless People are false, nor that they are true. It simply means that the ICDR considers it likely that she violated her contract by sharing them.

Wynn-Williams was previously Meta's director of global public policy, with Careless People covering her time at the company from 2011 to 2017. The memoir paints a grossly unflattering picture of the tech giant, including allegations of sexual harassment and claims that Facebook ignored internal concerns about its impact on democracy and human rights.

In its review of the book, The New York Times called Careless People an "insider account of a company that she says was run by status-hungry and self-absorbed leaders… even as Facebook became a vector for disinformation campaigns and cozied up to authoritarian regimes."

This week it was reported that Wynn-Williams also filed a whistleblower complaint to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in April, alleging that Facebook (now Meta) misled investors about its efforts to enter China. According to the complaint, in 2015 Facebook developed a censorship system intended for use by the Chinese government in an effort to enter the Chinese market.

Meta ultimately fired Wynn-Williams in 2017, which she claims was retaliation for her sexual harassment complaints. Meta maintains that it fired Wynn-Williams for "poor performance and toxic behavior" and that while it had been interested in operating in China, they ultimately did not come to any agreement with the country's government. Still, this doesn't mean that Meta didn't try.

"[Careless People] is a mix of out-of-date and previously reported claims about the company and false accusations about our executives," Meta said in a statement shared with several publications.

Mashable has reached out to Meta for comment.

Careless People: A Cautionary Tale of Power, Greed, and Lost Idealism was published this week by Macmillan.

TL;DR: A wide range of free AI courses are available to take on Udemy.

It's possible that AI is going to eventually take over the world, but we should have a few years before we get to the point of no return. So how should we approach those years? We may as well learn how to make the most out of AI before it deems that we're all obsolete.

A wide range of online courses on AI can be found on Udemy. And better yet, some of the best examples can be taken for free. We've checked out everything on offer and lined up a selection of standout courses to get you started.

These are the best online AI courses you can take for free this month:

• A Gentle Introduction to Generative AI

• AI-900: Microsoft Azure AI Fundamentals

• AI Art Generation Guide: Create AI Images For Free

• AI Filmmaking

• AI for Beginners: Learn The Basics of ChatGPT

• AI for Business and Personal Productivity: A Practical Guide

• AI for Everyone

• AI Literacy Essentials: Working Responsibly with AI

• AI-Powered Chatbot: Build Your Own with No Code

• AI Product Strategy

• Artificial Intelligence for Accountants

• Artificial Intelligence for Humans: AI Explained

• Artificial Intelligence: Preparing Your Career for AI

• Become an AI Accelerated Engineer Using ChatGPT

• Become an AI-Powered Engineer: ChatGPT, Github Copilot

• Become an AI-Powered Engineer: Cursor, the AI-First IDE

• Business Analyst: Digital Director for AI and Data Science

• ChatGPT 101: The Complete Beginner's Guide and Masterclass

• ChatGPT in 30 Minutes: New Prompt Engineering and AI Skills

• ChatGPT, Midjourney, Firefly, Bard, DALL-E, AI Crash Course

• ChatGPT Security: Privacy Risks and Data Protection Basics

• Create Faceless YouTube Videos Using Free AI Tools Only

• Deep Learning and AI with Python for Beginners

• Digital, Virtual and AI Photography

• Gemini AI Course for Beginners

• Generative AI and Prompt Engineering

• Generative AI For Leaders

• Google Gemini AI with Python API

• How To Make YouTube Automation Videos in 20 Minutes Using AI

• Introduction to Artificial Intelligence

• Learn Basics About AI

• Master Gemini AI

• Mastering Generative AI for Developer Productivity

• Microsoft Azure AI Fundamentals: Get Started with AI

• Midjourney and ChatGPT: Unleash AI for Unique Image Generation

• Prompt Engineering+: Master Speaking To AI

• Prompt Engineering Principles: ChatGPT & DALL-E

• Unleash your Creativity with Stable Diffusion AI

These free online courses don't include certificates of completion or direct instructor messaging, but you still get unrestricted access to all the video content. You can learn at a pace that suits you, so what's stopping you from enrolling?

Find the best free AI courses on Udemy.

Opens in a new window Credit: Udemy AI Courses Free at Udemy Get Deal

TL;DR: Watch the 2025 MotoGP Grand Prix of Argentina for free on ServusTV. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

Marc Márquez started the new MotoGP season with a victory at the Grand Prix of Thailand, but there is a queue of talented riders behind him in the standings looking to take the top spot off the experienced Spaniard. This weekend the action heads to Argentina.

If you're interested in watching the 2025 MotoGP Grand Prix of Argentina for free from anywhere in the world, we've got all the information you need.

When is the 2025 MotoGP Grand Prix of Argentina?

The MotoGP Grand Prix of Argentina takes place at Chang International Circuit. The 2025 MotoGP Grand Prix of Argentina race starts at 2 p.m. ET on March 16.

How to watch the 2025 MotoGP Grand Prix of Argentina for free

Every 2025 MotoGP race is available to live stream for free on ServusTV.

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

Unblock ServusTV by following this simple process:

1. Sign up for a 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 Austria

4. Connect to ServusTV

5. Watch MotoGP for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Year Subscription + 3 Months Free) $99.95 at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but they do tend to offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can access MotoGP live streams without fully committing with your cash. This clearly isn't a long-term solution, but it does mean you can watch the 2025 MotoGP Grand Prix of Argentina before recovering your investment.

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

What is the best VPN for MotoGP?

ExpressVPN is the top choice for unblocking ServusTV, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including Austria

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

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is protected

• Fast streaming speeds free from throttling

• 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 30-day money-back guarantee.

Watch the 2025 MotoGP Grand Prix of Argentina for free with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: Live stream Manchester United vs. Real Sociedad for free on ServusTV. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

Things are not exactly going well for Manchester United in the Premier League right now, so the Europa League has been a welcome distraction. They face Real Sociedad in the last 16, with the score tied at 1-1 after the first leg. Everything is still to play for as the action heads to Manchester.

If you want to watch Manchester United vs. Real Sociedad for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Manchester United vs. Real Sociedad?

Manchester United vs. Real Sociedad kicks off at 8 p.m. GMT on March 13. This fixture takes place at Old Trafford.

How to watch Manchester United vs. Real Sociedad for free

Manchester United vs. Real Sociedad is available to live stream for free on ServusTV.

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

Unblock ServusTV 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 Austria

4. Visit ServusTV

5. Stream Manchester United vs. Real Sociedad in the Europa League for free

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 they do tend to provide free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can gain access to ServusTV without committing with your cash. This is not a long-term solution, but it gives you plenty of time to stream Manchester United vs. Real Sociedad before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for ServusTV?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for streaming live sport on ServusTV, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including Austria

• 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 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.

Stream Manchester United vs. Real Sociedad for free with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: Get a lifetime subscription to 1min.AI Advanced Business Plan for £77.11 and access AI-powered writing, image creation, video editing, and more.

Opens in a new window Credit: 1min.AI 1min.AI Advanced Business Plan Lifetime Subscription £77.11 at the Mashable Shop
£416.41 Save £339.30 Get Deal

Need an AI companion that can do it all? Get a lifetime subscription to 1min.AI Advanced Business Plan for £77.11 and access AI-powered writing, image creation, video editing, and more. No more switching between apps. With 1min.AI, you can access multiple AI tools in one platform.

What you'll get with your lifetime AI assistant:

• Works with AI models like GPT-4, Claude 3, Gemini, and more for smart content generation

• Automates writing tasks with AI-powered tools for blogging, SEO, social media, and branding

• Edits and enhances images with background removal, upscaling, and text replacement

• Converts speech to text, generates voiceovers, and even translates audio with AI

• Manages PDF documents with AI-driven summarisation, translations, and Q&A tools

• Creates and edits videos using AI-powered features for quick content production

• Business Plan includes 4,000,000 credits per month with options to earn free credits daily — no ongoing fees

Skip the monthly AI tool subscriptions and get lifetime access to a 1min.AI Advanced Business Plan for just £77.11 for a limited time.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

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 13 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: To show favoritism

• Green: Ways to get a driver's attention

• Blue: Parts of a popular poker game

• Purple: Old English words

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: Partiality

• Green: Signal down, as a taxi

• Blue: Cards in Texas Hold 'Em

• Purple: Shakespearean Words

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 #641 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Partiality: ANGLE, BIAS, SLANT, SPIN

• Signal down, as a taxi: FLAG, HAIL, WAVE, WHISTLE

• Cards in Texas Hold 'Em: FLOP, HOLE, RIVER, TURN

• Shakespearean Words: ANON, ART, THOU, WILT

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 13

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 March 13 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 13, 2025 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

To pursue.

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 C.

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...

CHASE.

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 13

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.

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.

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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.

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: How to earn points on the green

• Green: _________ race

• Blue: Women's college basketball teams

• Purple: Teams that fired their coach

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: Golf scoring terms

• Green: Types of racing

• Blue: Last year's women's NCAA tournament final four

• Purple: NFL teams to change coaches this offseason

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 #171 is...

What is the answer to Connections Sports Edition today

• Golf scoring terms - ALBATROSS, BIRDIE, BOGEY, EAGLE

• Types of racing - BMX, DRAG, HORSE, STOCK CAR

• Last year's women's NCAA tournament final four - GAMECOCKS, HAWKEYES, HUSKIES, WOLFPACK

• NFL teams to change coaches this offseason - BEARS, JAGUARS, JETS, SAINTS

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.

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 preferred pace.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for March 13 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for March 13 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: What goes around comes around

These words have nothing to do with karma.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

The words are related to motion.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is vertical.

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is NiceComeBack.

Featured Video For You Strands 101: How to win NYT’s latest word game NYT Strands word list for March 13

• Rebound

• Boomerang

• Ricochet

• Bounce

• Return

• NiceComeBack

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.

An arbitrator has prevented the employee from promoting her book and disparaging the company until private arbitration concludes.

Most people know the theory that an asteroid smashed into Earth — hitting what is now the Yucatán Peninsula — and killed off many of the dinosaurs about 66 million years ago. 

But that was not the only mass extinction for the planet — just the most well-known. Scientists believe at least five mass extinctions have occurred in the past 500 million years, and not all of them were caused by menacing space rocks. Perhaps two of them, one 372 million years ago and another 445 million years ago, were ice ages. 

A new study, based on a census of stars in the Milky Way, suggests those periods of severely cold climates may have begun with stars dying light-years away. 

"If a massive star were to explode as a supernova close to the Earth, the results would be devastating for life on Earth," said Nick Wright, an astrophysicist at Keele University in the United Kingdom, in a statement. "This research suggests that this may have already happened."

SEE ALSO: Hubble sees mini galaxies surrounding Andromeda are pretty wild A fossil of a type of brachiopod, Floweria chemungensis, went extinct in the late Devonian period. Credit: Andrew Bush / National Science Foundation

Previous research has yet to determine the cause for either the late Devonian or Ordovician mass extinctions, which occurred 372 and 445 million years ago, respectively. The Ordovician extinction is thought to have killed off about 60 percent of the invertebrate sea creatures at a time when most of Earth's species lived in the ocean; the late Devonian event eliminated 70 percent of all creatures and influenced sweeping changes in the kinds of fish that survived. 

Scientists have suspected these ice ages followed damage to the ozone layer. Crucially, the team working on the census says supernovas could have triggered the catastrophic changes in Earth's protective atmosphere. The rate of supernovas near Earth is consistent with the timing of both mass extinctions. The team's findings appear in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. 

A supernova is a cataclysmic stellar death that leaves behind a black hole or neutron star. It is the biggest, brightest, and most violent type of explosion scientists have observed in the universe. 

These cosmic blasts are element factories, NASA says: They create carbon, for instance, the same chemical on which humans and much of life on Earth are based. They spread calcium and iron, the same stuff found in bones and blood, across interstellar space. This dispersal seeds new generations of stars and planets.

This is what astronomer Carl Sagan meant when he said we're made of "star stuff." The same substances composing our bodies were literally forged within the cores of stars, then flung through the cosmos when they died.

It's a great paradox then that supernovas could be both creators and destroyers of life, the authors observed. 

"Supernova explosions bring heavy chemical elements into the interstellar medium, which are then used to form new stars and planets," said Alexis Quintana, lead author, in a statement. "But if a planet, including the Earth, is located too close to this kind of event, this can have devastating effects."

A nearby supernova's blast of various forms of radiation could strip away the ozone layer. By "near," the experts mean within 65 light-years or so. Without the ozone, Earth would be exposed to harmful ultraviolet radiation from the sun and acid rain. 

Betelgeuse, about 650 light-years away from Earth, is one of the brightest stars in the night sky. Credit: Alan Dyer / VWPics / Universal Images Group via Getty Images

Using models that estimate how stars evolve and emit light at different wavelengths, the team analyzed data from large sky surveys, including data from the European Space Agency's recently retired Gaia mission. The census involved nearly 25,000 so-called "OB stars" — very hot, massive stars — within 1,000 parsecs, or roughly 3,260 light-years, of the sun. These stars are so hot, they're at least double the sun's surface temperature. 

This census allowed the scientists to calculate the rate of supernovas in the local region of the galaxy and throughout the Milky Way as a whole. According to the team's calculations, about one supernova happens every 400 million years within close enough vicinity to Earth that its radiation could impact the atmosphere. 

The nearest stars that could blow within the next million years are thought to be Antares and Betelgeuse. If that gives you chills, don't worry: Both stars are more than 500 light-years away — far enough that their blasts wouldn't likely trigger an ice age.

The semiconductor pioneer has appointed Lip-Bu Tan, a well-known tech investor and executive, as its new leader.

In the seminal 1984 film Footloose, Kevin Bacon's character Ren delivers a stirring speech about how it's finally the town's time to dance. If you're West Virginia football coach Rich Rodriguez, however, the time to dance is never.

In perhaps one of the silliest examples of football guys being football guys, Rodriguez has banned his players from dancing on TikTok. Not from using or even posting on TikTok, mind you. Just dancing.

"They're going to be on it, so I'm not banning them from it," Rodriguez said Monday, via ESPN. "I'm just banning them from dancing on it. It's like, look, we try to have a hard edge or whatever, and you're in there in your tights dancing on TikTok, ain't quite the image of our program that I want."

SEE ALSO: The Trump campaign's take on Tim Walz's coaching days proves they don't know football

Let's just set aside how silly this is. (Very.) And how it's clearly based around Rodriguez's specific beliefs on what's "tough" or "manly." It's also probably bad for the team's success in an era where college athletes get paid and move from universities as they see fit. Because do you know which football players dance on TikTok? The best ones!

Travis Hunter, last year's Heisman Trophy winner — the prestigious award for the best player in college football — regularly dances on TikTok. Runner-up Ashton Jeanty? Ditto. Do you think good players will want to play at a place where something as simple as dancing on TikTok is banned? Obviously, it's not the biggest deal but it might be something that turns players off from the program — at least the really good ones who can play anywhere.

Rodriguez is free to make rules as he sees fit, and he said as much to reporters. But he's back at West Virginia nearly two decades after previously leading the Mountaineers to some of their best years. But banning TikTok dancing, of all things, might be a sign that he's stuck in the past.

Late last year, a YouTube video uncovering the shady affiliate tactics of PayPal's coupon Chrome extension, Honey, went viral.

The 23-minute video by YouTube creator MegaLag received more than 17 million views and spurred lawsuits against PayPal from YouTubers like Legal Eagle and GamersNexus.

As a result of the Honey expose, Google has now changed its Chrome extension policies concerning affiliate ads and marketing.

What is Honey?

First, as a refresher, Honey is a Chrome extension from PayPal that alerts users when it detects a coupon code relevant to their current e-commerce shopping cart. In exchange for providing the user with this coupon code, Honey enables PayPal's affiliate link on the user's computer so that PayPal receives credit for the customer's purchase. PayPal receives monetary compensation for every purchase made through their affiliate link from the e-commerce store.

SEE ALSO: YouTuber Marques Brownlee explains his part in the alleged Honey 'scam'

However, it appears that many Honey users were unaware of how the Chrome extension worked. MegaLag's video also highlighted that Honey inserted its affiliate link even if it had not discovered a relevant active coupon code. In addition, Honey would also replace an existing affiliate link, or where the shopper's purchase actually originated from, with its own in order to be credited for the sale.

While Honey users were incensed over Honey's affiliate link tactics, the move actually hurt content creators. YouTubers and other creators often recommend products, and their fans make their purchase through the creator's affiliate link to help support them. Affiliate sales can often make up a substantial portion of a creator's revenue. Honey was essentially stealing those sales from creators.

Google Chrome's new extension policies

Honey's tactics resulted in Google rolling out brand new affiliate ads policies for Chrome extensions.

According to the new policy, which is available on the Chrome for Developers website, "Affiliate links, codes, or cookies must only be included when the extension provides a direct and transparent user benefit related to the extension's core functionality. It is not permitted to inject affiliate links without related user action and without providing a tangible benefit to users."

To make it absolutely clear, Google even provided some examples that would be in violation of this policy, such as inserting an affiliate link when no coupon, cashback, or other discount is provided. In addition, Google says a user must take action for an extension to inject an affiliate code. The extension can't just insert the affiliate code without being manually prompted to do so by the user.

"Related user action is required before the inclusion of each affiliate code, link, or cookie," reads the next section of the policy.

This section clearly states that a Chrome extension must notify the user if it is replacing an existing affiliate link with its own. Any Chrome extension replacing an affiliate link without a user's knowledge violates Google's policies.

Looking through the policy, it appears to be a pretty targeted response to Honey's affiliate tactics. It also doesn't appear to affect the legitimate utility that Honey and other coupon — and cashback-related Chrome extensions — provide users.