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The highest grossing film of 2026 is about to enter households everywhere. Spider-Man: Brand New Day has earned nearly $2.5 billion worldwide, which doesn't just put it at the top of the charts for the year, but for all time. As of the time of writing, it's the third highest-grossing movie ever.

Directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, Sony Pictures’ Spider-Man: Brand New Day brings back its stars from the previous three films, plus characters from other Marvel franchises. That includes Tom Holland as Peter Parker/Spider-Man, Zendaya as MJ, Jacob Batalon as Ned, Jon Bernthal as Frank Castle/Punisher, Michael Mando as Mac Gargan/Scorpion, and Mark Ruffalo as Bruce Banner/Hulk, just to name a few. It also includes some fresh new faces, like Sadie Sink.

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If you still haven't seen it or you're anxious to watch it again, here are all the streaming details you need to know about Spider-Man: Brand New Day — including ways to watch for less.

What is Spider-Man: Brand New Day about?

The film picks up four years after the end of Spider-Man: No Way Home, where Peter Parker continues to fight crime as Spider-Man in a world that doesn't remember him. He's also dealing with body mutations, migraines, and blackouts. Not to mention, a new threat to New York City that "possesses" people like puppets. Fun stuff.

Check out the trailer below:

How to watch Spider-Man: Brand New Day at home Credit: Sony Pictures

Although it's still bopping around in theaters, Spider-Man: Brand New Day is now officially available to watch at home. There are a couple of different ways to tune in, with a streaming option still to come. We've outlined the details below.

Buy or rent it on digital

Spider-Man: Brand New Day is available as of Oct. 6 to buy or rent at digital-on-demand retailers. Make note that if you choose to rent, you'll get 30 days to watch the film, but only 48 hours to finish it once you start. If you choose to buy it, then it's yours to keep.

You can rent or purchase the film at the retailers below. Pro tip: If you wait a few weeks to buy or rent it, the prices will drop significantly.

• Apple TV — buy for $29.99, rent for $24.99

• Fandango at Home — buy for $29.99, rent for $24.99

• Prime Video — buy for $29.99, rent for $24.99

Stream it on Netflix (at a later date)

Given Sony Pictures' and Netflix's agreement that gives the streamer first dibs, we're expecting Spider-Man: Brand New Day to make its streaming debut on Netflix. Though we don't know exactly when it will hit the streaming world, we can make an educated guess based on other Sony Pictures films that it will likely be sometime in late November or early December.

Netflix doesn't offer free trials, nor does it allow you to share an account (unless you pay for an extra user), so you'll need your own Netflix subscription to stream Brand New Day. Fortunately, Netflix has a few different tiers to choose from.

Watching Netflix with ads is the most affordable option at $8.99 per month. If you want to watch ad-free, the price jumps up to $19.99 for a Standard subscription. Finally, there's a third tier called Netflix Premium that costs a steep $26.99 per month and will let you watch on four household devices at once (as opposed to the other plans' two devices) in 4K Ultra HD + HDR with no ads.

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Before you sign up for Netflix, check the deals below to see if you're eligible to score a subscription at a discount — or maybe even for free.

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T-Mobile customers on most Go5G plans, as well as Experience Beyond and Experience More plans, get ad-supported Netflix Standard for free (reg. $8.99 per month) as long as their account remains in good standing. You need to have two or more lines of any type of Go5G or Magenta plan, or at least one line of Go5G Next, Go5G Plus, Magenta MAX, Experience More, or Experience Beyond plan.

If you're eligible, you'll have to manually activate your subscription by navigating to the T-Life app and selecting Manage > See plans > Manage add-ons. From there, scroll down to select the Netflix streaming benefit and click continue. Then follow the prompts to link an existing account or create a new one. For help, head to the Netflix support page.

Best Netflix deal for Verizon customers Opens in a new window Credit: Netflix / HBO Max Netflix and HBO Max bundle (with ads) $13 per month for Verizon customers on select plans (save $6.98/month) Get Deal

Verizon customers on select plans can get a Netflix and HBO Max bundle (with ads) for just $13 per month ($6.98 per month in savings). A $19.98 value, that almost gets you Netflix Standard with ads for free. Eligible Verizon customers include those on the Unlimited Welcome, Unlimited Plus, or Unlimited Ultimate plans. After enrolling in the promo, you'll have to complete the account setup separately for each service. Verizon's support page has all the eligibility details, terms, and FAQs.

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Comcast offers new and current Xfinity Internet and TV customers a Xfinity StreamSaver package, which includes Netflix Standard with ads ($8.99 per month), Peacock Premium ($12.99 per month), and HBO Max ($10.99 per month). You can add the StreamSaver bundle to your existing services for only $22 per month. Usually, it costs $32.97 per month for all three subscriptions, so you'll save about $10.97 monthly with this package deal.

TL;DR: Watch India vs. Uruguay in an International Friendly for free on Antel TV. Access this free livestream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

India don't have a great deal of experience playing the world's elite sides, but that has all changed this month. They battled to a 4-0 defeat against Brazil last week, and now they face Uruguay at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata. It's not going to get any easier for Khalid Jamil's team.

If you're interested in watching India vs. Uruguay in an International Friendly from anywhere in the world, we've got all the information you need.

When is India vs. Uruguay?

India vs. Uruguay in an International Friendly kicks off at 10 a.m. ET on Oct. 6. This fixture takes place at the Salt Lake Stadium.

How to watch India vs. Uruguay for free

India vs. Uruguay in an International Friendly is available to live stream for free on Antel TV.

Antel TV is geo-restricted to Uruguay, but anyone can secure access with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Uruguay, meaning you can live stream India vs. Uruguay for free from anywhere in the world.

Live stream India vs. Uruguay for free by following these simple steps:

1. Sign up for a streaming-friendly VPN (we recommend ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice

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

4. Visit Antel TV

5. Watch India vs. Uruguay for free from anywhere in the world

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The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but they do tend to offer generous money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch India vs. Uruguay without committing your cash. This is obviously not a long-term strategy, but it gives you enough time to stream this fixture before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for Antel TV?

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

• Servers in 105 countries, including Uruguay

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

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection speeds free from throttling

• Up to 10 simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

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

Live stream India vs. Uruguay for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

If you like playing daily word games like Wordle, then Hurdle is a great game to add to your routine.

There are five rounds to the game. The first round sees you trying to guess the word, with correct, misplaced, and incorrect letters shown in each guess. If you guess the correct answer, it'll take you to the next hurdle, providing the answer to the last hurdle as your first guess. This can give you several clues or none, depending on the words. For the final hurdle, every correct answer from previous hurdles is shown, with correct and misplaced letters clearly shown.

An important note is that the number of times a letter is highlighted from previous guesses does necessarily indicate the number of times that letter appears in the final hurdle.

Want more tech and digital culture news delivered to your inbox daily or sent straight to your device? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories newsletter or get Mashable push alerts today.

If you find yourself stuck at any step of today's Hurdle, don't worry! We have you covered.

SEE ALSO: Hurdle: Everything you need to know to find the answers Hurdle Word 1 hint

Bird call.

Hurdle Word 1 answer

TWEET

Hurdle Word 2 hint

Presented.

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

SHOWN

Hurdle Word 3 hint

A burial chamber.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for October 6, 2026 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Meanings for each word for Oct. 6, 2026 Hurdle Word 3 answer

CRYPT

Hurdle Word 4 hint

More mature.

Hurdle Word 4 answer

OLDER

Final Hurdle hint

Mountainous.

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

HILLY

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

Today's Connections: Sports Edition will be easier for who watch baseball.

As we've shared in previous hints stories, this is a version of the popular New York Times word game that seeks to test the knowledge of sports fans.

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

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

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

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

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

Each puzzle features 16 words, and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise 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 before the game ends.

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

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

SEE ALSO: Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL. Here's a hint for today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

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

• Yellow: Field day activities

• Green: US soccer

• Blue: Big hitters

• Purple: Sometimes "Y"

Here are today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

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

• Yellow: Track and Field Equipment

• Green: Original MLS Teams

• Blue: Members of the 3,000-Hits Club

• Purple: Words in Which Y is the Only Vowel

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 #743 is...

What is the answer to Connections: Sports Edition today?

• Track and Field Equipment: HURDLE, JAVELIN, POLE, STARTING BLOCK

• Original MLS Teams: CREW, GALAXY, RAPIDS, REVOLUTION

• Members of the 3,000-Hits Club: GWYNN, MAYS, SUZUKI, WINFIELD

• Words in Which Y is the Only Vowel: FLY, GYM, LYNX, SKY

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

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

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

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

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

Released in August 2025, Pips puts a unique spin on dominoes, creating a fun single-player experience that could become your next daily gaming habit.

Currently, if you're stuck, the game only offers to reveal the entire puzzle, forcing you to move on to the next difficulty level and start over. However, we have you covered! Below are piecemeal answers that will serve as hints so that you can find your way through each difficulty level.

How to play Pips

If you've ever played dominoes, you'll have a passing familiarity with how Pips is played. As we've shared in our previous hints stories for Pips, the tiles, like dominoes, are placed vertically or horizontally and connect with each other. The main difference between a traditional game of dominoes and Pips is the color-coded conditions you have to address. The touching tiles don't necessarily have to match.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for October 6, 2026

The conditions you have to meet are specific to the color-coded spaces. For example, if it provides a single number, every side of a tile in that space must add up to the number provided. It is possible — and common — for only half a tile to be within a color-coded space.

Here are common examples you'll run into across the difficulty levels:

• Number: All the pips in this space must add up to the number.

• Equal: Every domino half in this space must be the same number of pips.

• Not Equal: Every domino half in this space must have a completely different number of pips.

• Less than: Every domino half in this space must add up to less than the number.

• Greater than: Every domino half in this space must add up to more than the number.

If an area does not have any color coding, it means there are no conditions on the portions of dominoes within those spaces.

SEE ALSO: NYT Strands hints, answers for October 6, 2026 Easy difficulty hints, answers for October 6 Pips

Number (2): Everything in this space must add up to 2. The answer is 0-0, placed horizontally; 2-4, placed vertically.

Number (10): Everything in this space must add up to 10. The answer is 2-4, placed vertically; 6-6, placed vertically.

Number (8): Everything in this space must add up to 2. The answer is 2-3, placed vertically; 5-3, placed vertically.

Greater Than (2): Everything in this space must be greater than 2. The answer is 5-3, placed vertically.

Medium difficulty hints, answers for October 6 Pips

Less than (2): Everything in this space must be less than 2. The answer is 0-5, placed horizontally.

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

Equal (5): Everything in this space must be equal to 5. The answer is 5-0, placed horizontally; 5-2, placed horizontally.

Less than (4): Everything in this space must be less than 4. The answer is 5-2, placed horizontally.

Equal (1): Everything in this space must be equal to 1. The answer is 6-1, placed horizontally; 1-3, placed vertically.

Number (12): Everything in this space must add up to 12. The answer is 6-1, placed horizontally; 6-2, placed horizontally.

Number (5): Everything in this space must add up to 5. The answer is 6-2, placed horizontally; 1-3, placed vertically.

Number (10): Everything in this space must add up to 10. The answer is 5-5, placed vertically.

Hard difficulty hints, answers for October 6 Pips

Number (11): Everything in this space must add up to 11. The answer is 2-6, placed vertically; 3-3, placed horizontally; 3-4, placed vertically.

Greater Than (2): Everything in this space must be greater than 2. The answer is 3-6, placed horizontally.

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

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

Number (24): Everything in this space must add up to 24. The answer is 2-6, placed vertically; 3-6, placed horizontally; 6-6, placed vertically.

Less than (2): Everything in this space must be less than 2. The answer is 1-2, placed horizontally.

Number (7): Everything in this space must add up to 7. The answer is 2-5, placed horizontally.

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

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

Less than (7): Everything in this space must be less than 7. The answer is 0-4, placed vertically; 2-2, placed horizontally.

Less than (5): Everything in this space must be less than 5. The answer is 2-2, placed horizontally; 4-2, placed vertically.

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

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

Looking for spoiler-free NYT Connections hints or just wondering why Connections is trending today? We've got what you need to understand the clues for today's puzzle without spoiling any of the answers.

Of course, Mashable has also provided daily hints and answers for Connections, Wordle, and Strands for years, so we can help you if that's also what you need.

While we are focused more on meanings than hints in this story, sometimes learning that many of the words have completely unrelated meanings is a clue in and of itself. Connections frequently includes clues that involve words within words and other visual clues.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for October 5, 2026 Comfort meaning

A state of physical or mental ease, free from pain, worry or distress.

Days meaning

A measure of time equal to 24 hours.

Hampton meaning

A settlement near a homestead.

Holiday meaning

A day or period set aside for religious observance, national celebration, rest or recreation.

Catskill meaning

A geographic and cultural region and subrange of the Appalachian Mountains located in southeastern New York state.

Knickknack meaning

A small decorative object kept on display at home.

Pianoforte meaning

The original name for the modern piano.

Stability meaning

The quality or state of something remaining steady, firm, and unlikely to change.

Berkshire meaning

An American multinational holding company and investment conglomerate.

Citi meaning

An American investment bank and financial services corporation.

Goldman meaning

A large American investment bank and financial services company.

Want more tech and digital culture news delivered to your inbox daily or sent straight to your device? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories newsletter or get Mashable push alerts today.

Merrill meaning

An English surname meaning "pleasant hill."

Adirondack meaning

A large mountain range in upstate New York.

Eames meaning

A husband-and-wife duo of 20th-century designers.

Windsor meaning

A historic town in England.

Wingback meaning

A classic upholstered armchair.

Have you learned the meanings and still want the things? Check out the hints and answers for today's NYT Connections puzzle.

Are you also playing NYT Strands? Get all the Strands hints you need for today's puzzle.

Meet The Mashable 101: Our list of the content creators shaping the internet today

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.

The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult if you're good with money.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

SEE ALSO: NYT Pips hints, answers for October 6, 2026 Here's a hint for today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Money

• Green: Have a seat

• Blue: Stay awhile

• Purple: Craft

Want more tech and digital culture news delivered to your inbox daily or sent straight to your device? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories newsletter or get Mashable push alerts today.

Here are today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Financial firms, for short

• Green: Kinds of chairs

• Blue: ___ inn hotels

• Purple: Ending in talents

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 #1212 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Financial firms, for short: BERKSHIRE, CITI, GOLDMAN, MERRILL

• Kinds of chairs: ADIRONDACK, EAMES, WINDSOR, WINGBACK

• ___ inn hotels: COMFORT, DAYS, HAMPTON, HOLIDAY

• Ending in talents: CATSKILL, KNICKKNACK, PIANOFORTE, STABILITY

Looking for Wordle today? Here's the answer to today's Wordle.

Are you also playing NYT Strands? Get all the Strands hints you need for today's puzzle.

Meet The Mashable 101: Our list of the content creators shaping the internet today

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

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

Today's NYT Strands hints will be easy if you're indecisive.

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

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

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

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

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for October 6, 2026 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Changing course

The words are related to switching up.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe shifts.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is vertical.

Want more tech and digital culture news delivered to your inbox daily or sent straight to your device? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories newsletter or get Mashable push alerts today.

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is The Old Switcheroo.

NYT Strands word list for October 6

• Backpedal

• Reverse

• The Old Switcheroo

• Overturn

• Undo

• Flip

Meet The Mashable 101: Our list of the content creators shaping the internet today

Looking for other daily online games? Mashable's Games page has more hints, and if you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now!

Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

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

Today's Wordle answer should be easy to solve if you don't use the big light.

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

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for October 6, 2026 Where did Wordle come from?

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

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

What's the best Wordle starting word?

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

What happened to the Wordle archive?

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

Is Wordle getting harder?

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

Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

Lacking light.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

There are no recurring letters.

Want more tech and digital culture news delivered to your inbox daily or sent straight to your device? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories newsletter or get Mashable push alerts today.

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

Today's Wordle starts with the letter D.

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...

DIMLY

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

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

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

Meet The Mashable 101: Our list of the content creators shaping the internet today

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.

A week in a Los Angeles mansion, dating lessons, a wardrobe upgrade, and PowerPoint presentations about plastic surgery. Welcome to Camp Looksmax.

Hosted by streamer Braden Peters, AKA Clavicular (who was charged with rape in Massachusetts on Sept. 8; Peters’ attorneys have denied the allegations in a related civil lawsuit), and fellow creator Hexumlite, the seven-day residential program promises coaching on appearance, confidence, and dating skills.

You don’t need a spot in the mansion to follow along. The first session began Oct. 1 and is being broadcast around the clock on Clavicular’s Kick channel, where he has nearly 450,000 followers.

But joining the lessons comes at a considerable cost. According to the camp’s website, the first session sold out in 72 hours, and a second begins Oct. 8 at $7,500 per attendee. Here's what that gets you.

Credit: Screenshot/CampLooksmax.com

If "looksmaxxing" hasn’t made its way onto your feed, the term refers to attempts to improve physical attractiveness. Some advice covers familiar territory: grooming, exercise, skincare. Other parts of the subculture promote extreme interventions and rigid beliefs about how much appearance determines success.

Camp Looksmax turns that online pursuit into an in-person curriculum. Its website advertises mentorship with one of the trend’s best-known creators, Clavicular, alongside Hexumlite, plus classes, outings, and guided practice approaching unassuming women on the street.

SEE ALSO: Who is Clavicular, and why is he everywhere right now? What is happening at "camp?"

A lot. For starters, there are online dating lessons and practice dates. In one clip, the date, a local college girl, advises a campgoer to say "um" less frequently while Peters and the other attendees watched closely. "You're just not flowing," Clavicular added.

Then there’s the wardrobe. A day-three itinerary outlined a Zara shopping challenge, with a cash reward for the best outfit, followed by a visit to Tall Men Shoes for footwear that adds height, otherwise known as "lifts." In clips from the stream, Peters talked to his pupils all about "height frauding," and even said that he was "really off-put how few people were wearing lifts on the first day of camp."

The styling feedback can get quite specific, and focuses mainly on looking "high class." In one exchange, Clavicular approves a participant's H&M shirt but tells him to lose the shorts because they make his shoe lifts more noticeable. He also has a distaste for sagging pants.

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Physical appearance is essential, beyond what you wear. During introductions, Clavicular gets in detail about his height, deltoid width, and "bone-pressed penile length." He encourages participants to share similar measurements, including their height. Clavicular suggests to do "spinal deadhangs" before going out in order to make yourself taller. He also encouraged participants to share their most "blackpilling" moment. (In the incel vocabulary, the "blackpill" refers to the belief that appearance determines a person’s prospects in life and with women.)

The dating lessons also take participants outside the mansion to practice "cold approaching," or starting conversations with unassuming women on the street. "Sorry, you caught me off guard," one girl replies to streamer Hexumlite, who approached her in the middle of a crowded street. Others simply walk past the group of men, who often approach one or two women in a large group (with a running start).

After one woman rejected Hexumlite, he told her, "I’m starting to get pissed the f-ck off not gonna lie to you, because at the end of the day if it was a 6’8” f-cking Chad."

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After the day of attempting to pick up women, Clavicular praised the participants. "Only about 5 percent of people have the balls to actually go up to a girl in the middle of the day without being intoxicated," he said. "I really applaud you guys for cold approaching today." (There is no evidence that statistic is accurate.)

Camp Looksmax is $7,500, paid upfront after acceptance (according to the site). Applying is free, and prospective attendees speak with a camp counselor before securing a place. The package includes mansion accommodation, chef-prepared meals, mentorship, camp-organized activities, and custom-tailored clothing. Getting to and from Los Angeles is the attendee’s responsibility and costs extra.

There’s a competitive element, too. Organizers advertise a $25,000 prize for one participant, plus the possibility that selected attendees could return to teach future cohorts as "professors." As of Oct. 5, the website lists the second session as 65 percent sold.

SEE ALSO: Clavicular and the online culture that turns humiliating women into content

With another cohort scheduled to arrive Oct. 8, the camp offers a literal example of creators becoming teachers for a largerly Gen Z and Gen Alpha following, some of whom look up to Clavicular and his theology. For boys still developing and figuring out dating and relationships, these lessons may last far after the stream, or week, ends.

It's the beginning of a new month, and dedicated Lego fans know what that means: new sets are here.

Though there aren't a ton of October Lego releases, this is very much a quality over quantity situation. Yes, there are standard holiday rollouts ahead of December, but a few sets we've been eyeing since their announcement are finally available to the public. Hint: They include Star Wars, retro gaming, and a classic work of claymation.

SEE ALSO: Our 17 favorite Lego sets, sourced from actual Lego fans

All told, there are seven new Lego sets that stand out this month — check them out below:

Lego Up-Scaled Mrs. Claus Minifigure A Christmas queen. Credit: Lego

Santa got the new set love last month, and this month, it's Mrs. Claus's turn. This super-sized minifig can be a nice addition to your holiday decor that doesn't require hours of building, with the set topping out at 904 pieces.

Pieces: 904 pieces Recommended age: 10+

Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Lego Up-Scaled Mrs. Claus Minifigure $59.99 at Lego
  Shop Now Lego Ideas Wallace & Gromit Have you ever seen a windowsill look so whimsical? Credit: Lego

The Mashable team has had its eyes on this Wallace & Gromit set since its announcement last month, and can you blame us? From the sidecar to Gromit's posable ears and the impressively brickified creation of the iconic duo, you can practically create your own stop motion adventure starring the pair.

Pieces: 1,038 Recommended age: 18+

Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Lego Ideas Wallace & Gromit $99.99 at Lego
  Shop Now Lego Icons Holiday House A guaranteed white Christmas. Credit: Lego

Ceramic winter village sets are classic, but this Lego Icons set allows for a fun (less fragile) twist. This holiday house set in particular draws some inspiration from a favorite carol of many (hint: note the horse and the sleigh), plus a light-up brick you can turn on to give the house an extra cozy atmosphere. All told, the set comes with four minifigures, interior and exterior decorations, and plenty of potential for getting into the holiday spirit.

Pieces: 1,354 pieces Recommended age: 18+

Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Lego Icons Holiday House $119.99 at Lego
  Shop Now Lego Icons Bookstore: Book Nook Bookception. Credit: Lego

Book nooks are kind of a must for any reader, and though this isn't Lego's first (we still clock every time the Balrog one is on sale), this one feels like an extra special homage to book lovers. Closed up, this nook provides a peek through the window storefront of the world's coziest-looking bookstore. Opened up, the bookstore expands, featuring a spiral staircase, a reading area, and a cat — in other words, bookworm essentials.

Pieces: 1,690 pieces Recommended age: 18+

Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Lego Icons Bookstore: Book Nook $149.99 at Lego
  Shop Now Lego PlayStation The nostalgia of the PlayStation: captured. Credit: Lego

I'm half convinced that if you didn't look at this set too hard, you could easily mistake it for a real PlayStation. From the console to the controller, Lego could've easily stopped at the faithful recreation and called it a day, but being the brand they are, they decided to add two mini dioramas of the games Gran Turismo and Ape Escape in the interior of the console. Though it was announced a month ago, this set hasn't been available to preorder, so we're thrilled to see it finally for sale in the Lego store.

Pieces: 1,911 pieces Recommended age: 18+

Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Lego PlayStation $179.99 at Lego
  Shop Now Lego Ideas Downton Abbey Some staging ideas for your new build. Credit: Lego

Maybe you'll never get to live in Downton Abbey, but hey, a nearly 5,000-piece Lego recreation of the series' setting isn't a bad consolation. Alongside the impressive exterior, the back view shows all the rooms, including the kitchen, servants' hall, Mr. Carson's office, as well as the dining room, main hall, and library on the upper level. The set also features 13 minifigures from Season 6 of the show.

Pieces: 4,711 pieces Recommended age: 18+

Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Lego Downtown Abbey $349.99 at Lego
  Shop Now Lego Star Wars Executor Super Star Destroyer I mean yeah, it definitely gives longest Lego ever. Credit: Lego

This set is no joke. As Mashable reported in the announcement of this Star Destroyer, it's the longest Lego set ever made, at 53.5 inches. It required the brand's engineers to create a new Lego system core to properly anchor the exterior panels. In addition to the impressive model of Darth Vader's ship from The Empire Strikes Back, this set comes with the minifigures for Luke's father himself, Boba Fett, and the five other bounty hunters from the film. Though it's certainly priced accordingly, this set will be a hard one to miss for any Star Wars and Lego super fans.

Pieces: 6,130 pieces Recommended age: 18+

Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Lego Star Wars Executor Super Star Destroyer $799.99 at Lego
  Shop Now

Citing privacy and accuracy concerns, cities like Lynchburg, Virginia, and states like Florida have turned against Flock, the nation's main purveyor of automated license plate readers (ALPRs); conservative GOP politicians like Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri have too. 

Meanwhile, San Francisco — which has one of the most liberal voting records in the U.S. — is sticking with its more than 400 Flock cameras.

The city just adopted a new policy late last month that keeps the cameras rolling, but places new limits on them, including requiring police officers to obtain approval from their bosses, and a connection to an active criminal investigation, to search camera data more than 30 days old and demonstrate a connection to an active criminal investigation, San Francisco's NBC news affiliate reported.

Crime is dropping, but why?

San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins recently defended the AI-powered cameras to NPR.

"What the license plate reader cameras have absolutely done — and we do have proof of this — is give the police the ability to catch people who have engaged in crime," she said.

SEE ALSO: An officer's use of Flock cameras was 'unconstitutional,' judge rules

There is no question that crime is down in San Francisco, which dropped almost 59 percent and more than 82 percent, respectively, in January through August 2026 compared with the same period in 2022, according to NPR's analysis of SFPD data. Whether that has anything to do with Flock is less clear, especially because other factors, like the AI boom gentrification wave and the dramatic nationwide post-COVID crime drop, could also be at play.

Then-Mayor London Breed threw a press conference in 2024 to proudly tout the deployment of Flock cameras in the city. "These license plate readers can play a critical role in disrupting retail theft, car break-ins, sideshows, and other criminal activity,” Breed said at the time.

That press conference came shortly after San Francisco voters approved Proposition E, a police-related initiative that granted the SFPD authority for the "use of drones along with or instead of vehicular pursuits" and "installation of surveillance and facial recognition cameras without approval from the police commission or board of supervisors."

A poll from July showed that San Franciscans remained supportive of surveillance as a tool against crime.

"The San Francisco Police Department sometimes uses drones and cameras after a 911 call to assist in an active investigation,” read one question from the GrowSF poll. "Do you support or oppose allowing the use of drones and cameras after a 911 call to assist in an active investigation?” 

A majority of respondents, 72 percent, strongly supported or somewhat supported that use of drones and cameras, while only 12 percent strongly opposed it. (The question did not ask specifically about Flock.)

City by the Bay Server

The poll of 662 voters was commissioned by GrowSF, a group founded in 2020 by tech workers that's "focused on winning local elections, holding leaders accountable, and giving voters clear, honest information." Many of GrowSF's board members work or have worked in the tech industry, and one of its billionaire funders, Chris Larsen, assisted the SFPD in the Flock purchase, according to SFGate.

And when she announced the Flock deal, Breed emphasized the use of technology to catch crooks. 

SEE ALSO: Bernie Sanders proposes The Ban Flock Act

"While we are relentless in staffing up our police force, we are also incorporating technology that supports the hard work our officers do every day to take care of our City and arrest those who think they can break the law in San Francisco,” she said.

Maybe it’s not a surprise that a city so connected to Silicon Valley (and employed by it) has a soft spot for AI-powered technology. 

The collective shrug about Flock and its privacy concerns extends beyond San Francisco to California's state government, which has a Democratic governor and a Democratic supermajority in the legislature. Last month, state lawmakers rejected regulations on Flock for the fifth time.

And even as Flock has become a major midterm issue throughout the country, the issue of ALPRs were not raised at the recent California gubernatorial debate between Democrat Xavier Becerra and Republican Steve Hilton. Flock also hasn't emerged as a major issue between Scott Wiener and Connie Chan in their effort to replace Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi as San Francisco’s representative in the U.S. House.

"The SF that would reject surveillance is gone and dead," James Lance Taylor, chair of the politics department at the University of San Francisco, told the San Francisco Standard.

Prime Members Save 33%: As of Oct. 5, the 24-ounce Owala FreeSip Twist is on sale at Amazon for $19.97 in select colorways. At full price, this water bottle will run you $29.99, meaning this deal saves you $10.02.

Opens in a new window Credit: Owala Owala FreeSip Twist (24 ounce) $19.97 at Amazon
$29.99 Save $10.02   Get Deal

It's the eve of Prime Big Deal Days, and I've officially added the first real temptation of the sale to my cart: an Owala water bottle.

Like a few other of my Mashable colleagues, I've owned an Owala FreeSip for years, and though I love her down, I can't deny that the 40 ounce behemoth, though wonderful on my desk, can be a little less convenient while traveling or when I'm out and about all day long. Enter: the Owala FreeSip Twist.

SEE ALSO: October Prime Day 2026: Live updates on Apple, Kindle, Lego, and Samsung deals

My colleague Sam Mangingo wrote about how the Twist is the perfect travel companion, easily fitting into backpack side pockets and cup holders. Don't get me wrong, I can make it work with the FreeSip Sway thanks to the tapered bottom, but traveling isn't my only use case. I'm someone who very much subscribes to the big purse lifestyle, so I'm often carrying at least one book, one notebook, several pouches full of various "just in case" items, and my water bottle (yes, I'm a Virgo). In other words, I wouldn't hate having a slightly smaller bottle for taking on the go.

I especially wouldn't mind it because this one is on sale for less than $20, instead of its usual $29.99. Plus, there are plenty of color options, including the gorgeous black cherry (and yes, it bears a striking resemblance to the burgundy iPhone colorway, for anyone looking to settle some FOMO). This deal could easily last through Wednesday (aka day two of October Prime Day), but it could just as easily go back up in price — early deals can be somewhat unpredictable. My advice? If you're in my boat, the price likely isn't dropping too much lower during the sale, so it's probably worth grabbing sooner rather than later.

SAVE $400: As of Oct. 5, the 27-inch LG UltraGear OLED Gaming Monitor (27GS93QE) is down to $499.99 at Amazon. That’s a 44% savings and matches one of the best prices we've ever seen on this 240Hz display.

Opens in a new window Credit: LG LG UltraGear OLED Gaming Monitor (27GS93QE) $499.99 at Amazon
$899.99 Save $400 Get Deal

Prime Big Deal Days is bringing early price cuts on high-end gaming gear, but OLED displays rarely drop this low. Amazon just slashed $400 off the 27-inch LG UltraGear OLED, bringing this 1440p, 240Hz display down to $499.99 — a 44% savings and one of its best prices to date.

The LG UltraGear packs a sharp 1440p OLED screen with a matte finish that cuts down room glare. You get a super-fast 240Hz refresh rate and a near-instant 0.03ms response time, meaning fast-moving games look buttery smooth with zero motion blur or ghosting.

SEE ALSO: 10 early Prime Day gaming monitor deals are live — beat the GPU bottleneck on a budget

Because it's an OLED, pixels turn completely off for true pitch-black contrast and rich colors that make games pop. It supports both NVIDIA G-Sync and AMD FreeSync to eliminate screen tearing, and packs two HDMI 2.1 ports with a DisplayPort connection — so you can hook up your gaming PC, PS5, or Xbox Series X to hit high frame rates without swapping cables.

The included stand lets you adjust height, tilt, and swivel, or even flip the monitor sideways into a vertical setup. It packs built-in quick-preset game modes — like dedicated FPS and RTS profiles — that automatically tweak contrast, brightness, and colors so you can spot enemies hiding in dark corners.

Snag the LG 27-inch UltraGear OLED Gaming Monitor (27GS93QE) with this $400 discount before the sale ends.

TL;DR: Glooin Pro is on sale for just $49.99 for life, combining browser-based screen recording with instant shareable links, automatic transcripts, and clickable CTAs.

Opens in a new window Credit: Glooin Glooin Pro Plan: Lifetime Subscription $49.99
$249 Save $199.01   Get Deal

Some explanations need a screen recording. Nobody wants a six-paragraph Slack message explaining which button to click, and another meeting isn’t exactly an exciting or possible alternative. Glooin Pro is on sale for $49.99 (reg. $249) for a lifetime subscription, giving you a simpler way to show instead of tell.

Glooin records your screen, webcam, and audio from a Chrome extension on Windows, macOS, Linux, and ChromeOS. You can pause, resume, or restart without creating a pile of separate files.

SEE ALSO: 21 early October Prime Day tech deals, hand-picked by our gadget-obsessed experts

The extra useful part comes when you’re finished: Glooin generates a shareable link as soon as you stop recording. There’s no separate exporting or uploading step, and whoever receives it can watch from a desktop or mobile browser without creating an account, installing an extension, or downloading anything.

Pro includes 100GB of lifetime storage and recordings up to 25 minutes long. Every recording also gets an automatic transcript, making your video library searchable instead of forcing you to remember which five-minute walkthrough contained that one important detail.

Glooin goes beyond basic screen recording with clickable CTA buttons. Add a booking link, checkout page, or help document directly to a recording and use the included click analytics to see whether viewers actually used it.

There are editing tools, too. Trim videos or annotate screenshots with arrows, boxes, highlights, text, and blur for sensitive information.

For people already communicating with screen recordings, the smart move may be to make the workflow simpler rather than adding another tool you have to babysit.

Get a Glooin Pro Lifetime Subscription with 100GB of storage for $49.99 (reg. $249).

StackSocial prices subject to change.

With more than 5 million downloads in just 3 weeks, the Meta AI assistant known as Muse is officially a hit.

However, knowing Meta's track record with privacy and safety, there is naturally concern over Muse and how it handles user data and privacy.

A new report from Wired and independent AI safety and security researcher Karan Joshi finds that there are some good reasons to be cautious about Muse, too. Namely, the report claimed that Muse has been instructed to create "a page for every person in the user’s life."

Muse is reportedly compiling data on users' family, friends, partners, colleagues, "collaborators," and other people they follow online. Furthermore, a "Relationships" loop runs every hour in the background on a user's computer, which updates each person's page, according to researchers with FutureSociety.

Joshi told Wired that he was able to get Muse to reveal its system prompts, which are essentially rules for how an AI chatbot behaves. Mashable cannot independently verify these system instructions, but Joshi isn't the only researcher to share the alleged prompts online in recent days.

According to the alleged system prompts shared online, Muse compiles data from messages, photos, and memories of previous interactions to create the pages. Each page includes instructions on how to communicate with each individual in a user's life and even keeps tabs on what the user owes or has promised them previously.

Muse also keeps track of what type of relationship a user has with each individual, where that person lives, what that person likes, dates of importance such as birthdays, and other facts about the person. The page even keeps track of the backstory behind the user and the individual's relationship.

Using this information, Muse can even plot out how it could strengthen a relationship between the user and an individual.

In a statement provided to Wired, a Meta spokesperson said Muse compiles context about your relationships "based on public information and from what you've chosen to share" based on the permissions specifically granted to Muse by the user. (Interestingly, Apple recently put out a statement that it was going to change how it handles "Full Disk Access" as a result of AI agents and assistants like Muse, as Mac users may not realize exactly what permissions they're providing to these third-party tools — and the cybersecurity risks associated with that access.)

“For any agent to be useful and actually help you achieve your goals, it needs to have context about you and those you interact with,” Meta spokesperson Daniel Roberts told Wired. “Muse gathers that based on public information and from what you’ve chosen to share, which is how it remembers the person who sent you an invoice is in fact the plumber who you previously hired to complete work in your bathroom or which flowers your spouse said they liked best.”

You can read more from Wired's report and Joshi's findings.

SAVE $200: As of Oct. 5, the 15-inch MacBook Air M5 is available for $1,299 on Amazon. That's a $200 savings off the regular list price of $1,499.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple MacBook Air 15-Inch M5 $1,299 at Amazon
$1,499 Save $200   Get Deal

Apple deals are always a highlight of major sale events, such as October Prime Day, which officially launches tomorrow. After all, those big Apple discounts don't come around too often. Fortunately, the early deals continue to rack up ahead of the main event on Amazon, including a sweet saving on the 15-inch MacBook Air.

As of Oct. 5, the MacBook Air 15-inch is priced at a $1,299, down from the regular list price of $1,499 — a total saving of $200. There are some neat bonuses when you buy this MacBook, too — the deal includes up to three months free access to Apple Arcade, Fitness+, and News+.

This is the 2026 version of the MacBook Air, which means it's packed with all the latest features and specs. It's powered by Apple's lightning-fast M5 chip, with features that include Apple Intelligence, Touch ID, a stunning Liquid Retina display, WiFi 7 compatibility, and a hefty 1TB of storage.

The Air is built for working on the go — lighter and slimmer than regular MacBooks — but offers the same super-smooth user experience you expect from Apple.

We expect this deal to get snapped up as October Prime Day gets going, so don't miss the MacBook Air 15-inch with a full $200 off. Now available for $1,299.

The best deals this week, hand-picked by our shopping experts

• Fire Stick 4K Select — $17.99 $49.99 (save $32)

• AirPods Pro 3 — $179 $249 (save $70)

• Bose QuietComfort Gen 2 — $319 $359 (save $40)

• iPad mini — $499 $599 (save $100)

• MacBook Air M5 — $1,099 $1,299 (save $200)

The best handheld gaming consoles are getting too expensive

Thanks to the AI industry hogging all the memory components, gaming consoles are getting more expensive. In the past 12 months, Nintendo, Microsoft, and Sony all raised prices on their gaming consoles, and Windows laptops are seeing the same increases. It's not a good time to be a gamer. Even before the wave of price increases, handheld gaming PCs were already expensive. The Lenovo Legion Go 2 launched last year for $1,099, but costs $1,999 today. The Legion Go S with SteamOS was originally available for $749.99, but you'll have to pay $999 today at Best Buy — and that's with a $580 discount.

The Steam Deck has also been beset by price increases and has periodically gone out of stock. The Switch 2 has also gotten more expensive, though it's by far the most affordable option in the category.

So far, only one handheld gaming console has held steady at its original price — the ROG Xbox Ally X. We don't know how long it will continue to be available for $999, but we're not complaining.

Nintendo, Windows, or SteamOS?

When purchasing a handheld gaming PC, you generally have three options: Nintendo, Windows, or SteamOS. The right answer comes down entirely to personal preference. If you're a PC gamer who primarily buys games through Steam, then go with a Steam Deck or Lenovo Legion running SteamOS. If you're an Xbox or cloud gamer, then the Windows 11-based MSI Claw 8 or ROG Xbox Ally X will be more your speed.

For the past few weeks, it's been nearly impossible to spend time online without hearing the phrase "GG fuckin' easy." Or, perhaps more accurately, "furkin' easy."

You've probably seen the clip, too. A woman sitting at her desk with wavy red hair, clipped to one side and tucked beneath a pair of gaming headphones, sings, "GG fuckin' easy." A guy cuts in: "Hey, don't say that!" She looks almost surprised. "Really?" Then she scrunches her cheeks, lines radiate from her face, and she offers a compromise: "Furkin' easy."

The whole thing lasts about seven seconds. The post on X has passed 72 million views, and the quote tweets have racked up millions more.

The song is "GG EZ," and in a matter of weeks, those seven seconds have been remixed, memed, and turned into a reason to "nuke all Valorant servers." People who had absolutely nothing to do with the song even started pretending they'd made it. Why? Well, that's internet humor.

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What most of those viewers don't know is that the song started as an AI track, released under the name M.Sasuke. Someone made it, in the sense that someone used the tools. That version currently has over 18 million streams on Spotify. But the version everyone is singing along to now is a remake with human voices, and who counts as its author is less clear than it looks.

What is "GG EZ"?

"GG EZ" is a short, bouncy pop-rap track built around gaming slang. "GG EZ" is what players type after beating someone, usually in games like Valorant or League of Legends, and usually to be insufferable. The song plays that attitude for a cartoonish love-hate story between two gamers, set over light synths and mouse-click-style drums.

The video most people know isn't the original release. It's a remake, which is where the story gets interesting.

Where did the original come from?

The song first appeared in May under the name M.Sasuke, and it didn't take long to find an audience. "GG EZ" became a dance trend in K-pop circles, with idols including BTS's Jung Kook, TXT's Yeonjun, Stray Kids' Lee Know, NCT Wish's Sion and Riku, ITZY's Yeji, and dozens of others posting their own versions.

But as the song spread, fans began to notice something strange about the vocals. They had a tinny, almost robotic quality that sounded suspiciously like AI. As it turns out, they were.

After questions about the song's origins started circulating, M.Sasuke, an anonymous Japanese music producer, acknowledged using AI in their music. It's even in their Instagram bio: "I write music with AI." They also maintained that there was still a human behind "GG EZ," adding that they wrote the lyrics and determined the song's arrangement and style, while apologizing to listeners who object to the use of AI. Forbes described "GG EZ" and M.Sasuke's other music as AI-generated, including both the vocals and the music itself.

Which makes "GG EZ" a little more complicated than the usual AI-versus-human debate. A person claims the words and the creative direction; a machine produced the sound we actually hear. The more interesting question, then, isn't whether "GG EZ" is AI-generated. It's what, exactly, it means to have made it — and in this case, remade it.

Who remade it?

In late August, two creators decided to make the song a little more human. Kaien Nuen, a multilingual influencer and independent artist, teamed up with Angelina "Sugar" Zhang, a cover artist and cosplayer who recently graduated from the University of Toronto. According to Pitchfork, the pair got M.Sasuke's permission before rerecording the track with their own voices.

The resulting release credits M.Sasuke alongside Kaien and Sugar, though the human version was Kaien and Sugar's project. M.Sasuke's credit reflects the fact that "GG EZ" was their song to begin with, rather than necessarily suggesting they were involved in making the new version.

Their version stretches the song to two minutes and 31 seconds and adds a few new flourishes — a burst of Jersey club here, a bigger finish there, and, importantly, the opening exchange of "hey, don't say that!" — while keeping the basic structure intact.

For Kaien, the approach isn't exactly new. He's built a following by putting a human spin on algorithm-friendly genres, performing Brazilian phonk on instruments like the zither, erhu, and guzheng. With "GG EZ," he's essentially doing the same thing in reverse, taking a song that began as machine output and putting people back into it.

How did it go viral?

According to Know Your Meme, the human version of "GG EZ" really took off on X, where musicians started jokingly claiming they had produced it. From there, the song became increasingly difficult to escape, mainly due to Sugar's enunciation of "furkin' easy."

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Eventually, the games and the people associated with them got in on the joke. Valorant's official X account posted "gg ferkin ez" alongside an image of Sugar in a Valorant Champions jacket. Esports organization Sentinels joined in, too, while League of Legends veteran Doublelift suggested "GG EZ" should become Valorant's official theme song. In a September stream, popular Twitch streamer Hasan Piker said, "I've been watching it non-stop," before playing the video intro. A commenter replied, "This shit's Cocomelon for unc."

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

But somewhere along the way, people also started taking the song seriously. Pitchfork references a remix by Digicore artists gunk, zayok, and edyn, who released their own take on "GG EZ," approaching it less as a meme to be laughed at and more as a song worth doing something interesting with.

Zayok told Pitchfork that he doesn't even like the original "GG EZ." What interested him was the possibility that putting real human effort into something, even something you think is bad, could turn it into something good. In a way, that's become part of the strange appeal of "GG EZ." The internet didn't just make an AI song go viral. It kept finding ways to make it more human.

Does human-made mean better?

This is the question at the center of the whole saga. The remake has been described as a more "ethical" version of an AI song, and it's easy to see why. Instead of synthetic voices, there are two actual people singing it.

But consider what really changed. Kaien and Sugar didn't write "GG EZ" from scratch. With M.Sasuke's permission, they stepped into an existing song, replacing its synthetic singers with their own voices and building a performance around it. The strange little world of "GG EZ" — its gamer slang, its melody, its "GG fuckin' easy" hook — had already been established before either of them appeared on screen.

What they gave the song was a human presence. Suddenly, "GG EZ" had recognizable voices and meme-able faces. It had performers who could make the joke land with a scrunched-up face and an exaggerated "furkin' easy." And when the internet decided it loved, hated, or simply could not escape the song, there were real people standing there to receive that attention.

That's a different kind of humanization than simply replacing an AI vocal track. Kaien and Sugar didn't erase the AI origins of "GG EZ." In reality, they gave an otherwise faceless song people to look at.

What happens next?

"GG EZ" may be a one-off. Or it may be an early glimpse at a stranger, creative future, one where AI spits out the raw material, and humans decide what's worth salvaging from it.

That's ultimately what happened here. An AI-generated song became a human performance, then a meme, then something other musicians wanted to remix, reinterpret, and make their own. At every step, "GG EZ" became a little less interesting for how it was made and a little more interesting for what people did with it.

Seven seconds was all it took to make "GG EZ" impossible to escape. Figuring out who or what deserves credit for that hasn't been so furkin' easy.

Amazon will host its annual Prime Big Deal Days sale on Oct. 6 and 7, and Mashable shopping experts will be bringing you live updates on all of the best October Prime Day deals. If you're looking to save on essentials or desperately need some relief from this year's tech price hikes, this is your chance to save some serious cash.

We know that shoppers are keeping an eye on the build-up to Black Friday, but we expect this event to drop deals in just about every category. We're already seeing price drops on Apple MacBooks, first-ever deals on new Bose headphones, and huge discounts on top TVs from brands like Samsung, LG, and TCL. Our shopping experts are ready to help you save, and we'll be cross-checking prices at Amazon, Best Buy, Target, and Walmart to make sure you know where to find the lowest prices.

Keep scrolling for the full schedule of events and the latest Prime Day deals, live updates, price drops, low-stock alerts, and news from the Mashable shopping team.