Avengers: Doomsday is primed to be the biggest superhero movie yet. Marvel Entertainment has dropped a jaw-dropping trailer, and the sheer amount of superheroes in it is dizzying.

The Fantastic Four are back, as are Avengers like Ant-Man, Captain America, The Winter Soldier, Thor, and Steve Rogers. Plus, there's Loki, Shang-Chi, the warriors of Wakanda, including the new Black Panther, and Thunderbolts' Yelena, John Walker, the Red Guardian, and Ghost. And representing for the X-Men are Professor X, Magneto, Cyclops, Mystique, and Gambit.

And of course, Robert Downey Jr., who previously played Tony Stark/Iron Man, is back as Doctor Doom, typically a Fantastic Four foe.

Also appearing in the film are Chris Evans, Chris Hemsworth, Pedro Pascal, Paul Rudd, Anthony Mackie, Florence Pugh, Vanessa Kirby, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, Wyatt Russell, Channing Tatum, Simu Liu, Ian McKellen, Tom Hiddleston, James Marsden, Patrick Stewart, Joseph Quinn, Sebastian Stan, David Harbour, Letitia Wright, Lewis Pullman, Kelsey Grammer, Kathryn Newton, Danny Ramirez, Winston Duke, Alan Cumming, Hannah John-Kamen, Rebecca Romijn, Mabel Cadena, and Tenoch Huerta Mejia.

Anthony Russo and Joe Russo direct Avengers: Doomsday, which opens in theaters on Dec. 18.

SAVE $9.01: Pre-order the new Haylou Watch Hyper for $75.99 (regularly $85) and get dual-band GPS, offline maps, route backtracking, and up to 24 days of battery life.

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Credit: Haylou

Haylou Watch Hyper

$75.99 at Haylou
$85 Save $9.01

 

Get Deal

Haylou has officially introduced its latest smartwatch, the Watch Hyper, and it's aiming to make outdoor-ready features more affordable. While many GPS smartwatches with offline maps can cost hundreds of dollars, the Watch Hyper launches at $85, with a $9.01 preorder discount automatically applied at checkout.

The company says the Watch Hyper is built for people who split their time between city life and outdoor adventures, combining navigation tools, fitness tracking, and everyday smartwatch features into a single device.

One of the Watch Hyper's standout features is its L1 + L5 dual-band GPS, which improves location accuracy whether you're navigating busy city streets or hiking on trails. It also includes offline maps, full-color topographic maps, and route backtracking, so you can find your way even without a cellular connection.

The smartwatch features a 1.97-inch AMOLED display with adaptive brightness, making it easy to see your screen in bright outdoor conditions. If fitness is your thing, the Watch Hyper supports more than 170 sports modes and offers features like smart workout detection, VO₂ Max estimates, personalized training goals, and workout insights powered by Haylou's Sevier motion algorithm.

Haylou says the Watch Hyper can last up to 24 days on a single charge, or up to 16 hours with continuous GPS use. It also includes Bluetooth calling, WhatsApp quick replies for Android users, voice-to-text messaging, an offline AI voice assistant, and 5ATM water resistance.

Grab the Haylou Watch Hyper now for the preorder price of $75.99 before the launch discount ends.

SAVE $20: As of July 20, the Nothing Ear (a) earbuds are on sale for $59 at Amazon. That's $20 off their list price of $79.

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Credit: Nothing

Nothing Ear (a) Wireless Earbuds

$59 at Amazon
$79 Save $20

 

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With tech prices on the rise, budget finds feel more important than ever. If new earbuds have been on your radar, the Nothing Ear (a) earbuds are one option worth a look that won't make a huge dent in your wallet. That's even more true now, as Amazon has slashed $20 off the list price.

As of July 20, the Nothing Ear (a) earbuds — in every available color of white, black, and yellow — have been marked down to $59 at the retailer. Normally, their list price is around $79, so this is a great opportunity to save. Keep in mind the white pair currently has a "limited time deal" tag, so if they've caught your eye, you'll want to be quick to scoop them up.

The Nothing Ear (a) earbuds are a worthy investment. Mashable's Alex Perry rounded up reviewers' thoughts back when they were originally released, and various publications highlighted "Great sound quality," "Effective noise cancellation," and "Decent battery life," with the lack of Qi wireless charging being the biggest bummer.

With the help of 45dB Smart Active Noise Cancellation, you'll be able to enjoy your favorite tunes, podcasts, or audiobooks through these earbuds without outside noises constantly interrupting. Their battery life is pretty solid, too. According to the store page, they can last over 42.5 hours with ANC off when using the charging case, which is great news for any long trips or commutes you have coming up.

If they've caught your eye, don't miss out on this chance to score Nothing Ear (a) earbuds for under $60 at Amazon.

Want to learn more about getting the best out of your tech? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories and Deals newsletters today.

TL;DR: A wide range of online courses from Harvard University are available to take for free on edX.

The World Cup is over, which means we've all got a lot of extra time on our hands. What are we all supposed to do now? You could spend the rest of the summer doing absolutely nothing — no judgment here. Or you could take this opportunity to learn something new.

The good news for anyone looking to learn right now is that a wide range of online courses from top educational institutions are available for free on edX. You could even become a student of a prestigious institution like Harvard University. This prestigious school is offering free online courses on popular topics such as personal development, AI, Python programming, and more.

We have checked out everything on offer and lined up a standout selection of online courses to get you started. These are the best free online courses from Harvard University in July 2026:

• Building Personal Resilience: Managing Anxiety and Mental Health

• CS50's Introduction to Artificial Intelligence with Python

• CS50's Introduction to Cybersecurity

• CS50's Introduction to Databases with SQL

• CS50's Introduction to Programming with Python

• Effective Writing for Greater Impact

• Exercising Leadership: Foundational Principles

• Fundamentals of Neuroscience, Part 1: The Electrical Properties of the Neuron

• Introduction to Data Science with Python

• Machine Learning and AI with Python

• Rhetoric: The Art of Persuasive Writing and Public Speaking

• Structure and Function of Argument: Introduction to Critical Thinking

• Tech Ethics: Critical Thinking in the Age of Apps, Algorithms, and AI

It's important to flag that these free courses don't include shareable certificates of completion or graded assignments/exams. You'll need to upgrade to access these features. Fortunately, you can get up to 30% off select courses and programs with the code 30OFFGOALS2026 until July 22, 2026.

Find the best free online courses from Harvard University with edX.

The FIFA World Cup final between Spain and Argentina is living up to the hype. And to add to the festivities was a fun but odd sight in the world of association football: a halftime show.

Soccer is normally a brisk sport, but with this edition of the World Cup being co-hosted in the U.S. (the first World Cup in the US since 1994), it's fallen into the American Sports Entertainment Vortex™. Which isn't a bad thing, minus the universal dislike for the hydration breaks, which many commentators have pointed out are glorified commercial breaks for the Fox network.

But given the lineup — Madonna, BTS, Shakira, and Justin Bieber, with a Muppets cameo and a Ted Lasso intro thrown in for good measure — the World Cup's first-ever halftime show was just fine.

The whole thing clocked in at under six minutes, which somehow made it funnier: FIFA spent months hyping a halftime show shorter than the ad break before it. The internet noticed — as did football commentators — and acted accordingly.

Madonna kicks us off

Ronaldinho, Madonna. and Ronaldo. Credit: Michael Regan - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images

Madonna's entrance into the World Cup halftime was mostly prerecorded, with the music icon choosing her 2000 hit “Music," instead of tracks from new album Confessions II. She was also seen on an ATV with football legends Ronaldinho and R9, which was a strange sight.

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BTS brings the dynamite

Credit: Florencia Tan Jun / Getty Images

Probably the most anticipated performance, depending on who you ask, BTS did a quick and dirty set, performing "Dynamite" from their album BE.

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Ted Lasso x Justin Bieber?

'Ted Lasso' stars Jason Sudeikis and Brendon Hunt introduced Justin Bieber. Credit: Michael Regan - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images

After the hype from the quick BTS appearance, Ted Lasso stars Jason Sudeikis and Brendon Hunt did a quick intro for Justin Bieber, "subbing" him into the halftime show as some much-needed heart to the game. Bieber's song choice, 2025's "Everything Hallelujah," unfortunately slowed things down, and viewers were not kind about it.

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Shakira is here

Shakira performed alongside Burna Boy. Credit: Lars Baron / Getty Images

Shakira finally made her appearance alongside her official FIFA World Cup theme collaborator, Burna Boy, to perform "Dai Dai."

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If you missed the World Cup halftime show, you can watch it on Mashable.

SAVE UP TO $800: T-Mobile is offering the Google Pixel 10a for $0/month over 24 months with a qualifying plan and new line. New customers who port in their number can also get an additional $100 rebate.

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Credit: Google

Google Pixel 10a

Switch to T-Mobile with the Google Pixel 10a and you could save up to $800 with an eligible plan.

Shop Now

Google’s Pixel 10a is now available at T-Mobile, and there are a few ways you can save on the new phone. Customers who add a new line to an eligible plan can get up to $800 in savings through 24 monthly bill credits, bringing monthly payments down to $0 for 24 months.

The Pixel 10a comes in lavender, obsidian, and berry with 128GB of storage and costs $499.99 at full price. A device connection charge of up to $35 may also apply.

T-Mobile's Pixel 10a deal: How it works

T-Mobile’s best Pixel 10a deals are available when you add a new line. To get the offer, you’ll need to:

• Purchase the Google Pixel 10a

• Add a new voice line

• Choose an eligible T-Mobile plan

Eligible plans include:

• Experience Beyond

• Experience More

• Better Value

• Essentials

• Experience and Essentials

Once approved, you’ll receive up to $800 back through 24 monthly bill credits.

Switching your number? There’s an extra rebate.

Customers who are moving their number to T-Mobile can also get an additional $100 rebate through a Virtual Prepaid Mastercard. To qualify, you’ll need to:

• Activate a new account and a new line on the Experience Beyond plan

• Port your number from an eligible carrier

• Submit your rebate request through T-Mobile’s promotions page within 30 days of activation

T-Mobile says the Virtual Prepaid Mastercard typically arrives within 6–8 weeks after verification.

As with most carrier promotions, there are a few conditions to keep in mind. The Pixel 10a deal is available for a limited time and requires qualifying credit and service. Bill credits can take up to two billing cycles to appear, and paying off the device early or canceling service may affect remaining credits.

Ready to upgrade? Get the Google Pixel 10a at T-Mobile and save up to $800 with a qualifying new-line offer.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup final on Sunday was something of a first for the tournament, in that it featured a halftime show similar to the kind you typically associate with the Super Bowl.

Coldplay's Chris Martin curated the MetLife Stadium show with Global Citizen and he certainly went all out, bringing together performances from the likes of Shakira, BTS, Justin Bieber, and Burna Boy, a cameo from Ted Lasso (Jason Sudeikis) himself, and a special appearance from the Muppets.

Needless to say the internet reacted, and there was plenty of excitement from most corners. But not all.

Watching on from the BBC Sport commentary box, it's fair to say former England footballer-turned-pundit Wayne Rooney was less than impressed with the spectacle.

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Responding to host Gabby Logan's question to name his favorite bit of the halftime show, Rooney remained straight-faced as he gave the following response: "I'll be honest, mine was when it finished. I like a lot of them artists, but I thought it was crap."

That clip has now been shared thousands of times on X. You certainly can't fault his honesty.

SAVE $80: As of July 20, the Kindle Scribe is on sale for $323.99 at Amazon. That's a 20% discount off the list price.

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Credit: Amazon

Kindle Scribe (Like-New)

$323.99 at Amazon
$404.99 Save $81

 

Get Deal

For book lovers who also like to take notes, make lists, or put their thoughts down on paper, the Kindle Scribe is the perfect device. It has a big display that makes both reading and writing easy. And right now at Amazon, you can save $80 on a refurbished model.

As of July 20, this Like-New Kindle Scribe deal brings the price down to $323.99 from $404.99. It's classed as a refurbished device that has been tested and certified to look and function like new, with the same limited warranty as a new device.

For both reading and note-taking, this device benefits from a 10.2-inch glare-free display with 300 ppi resolution and a built-in front light. It has features like the Active Canvas, which lets you write directly on book pages and even expand margins to add notes when needed.

And the battery life won't let you down either. This Kindle is designed for long periods of use, with battery life lasting up to months for reading and weeks for writing on just a single charge.

This deal is only available for a limited time, so don't miss out.

TL;DR: Samsung's new 990 SSD is now available with 1TB ($269.99) and 2TB ($529.99). The PCIe Gen 4 NVMe drive promises read speeds of up to 7,250 MB/s and write speeds of up to 6,450 MB/s.

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Credit: Samsung

Samsung 990 SSD

$269.99 at Amazon

 

Shop Now

We know upgrading your PC hasn't been exactly cheap lately. Between RAMageddon and electronics price hikes across the board, everything from SSDs to laptops have become more expensive in 2026. But if you're looking to add more storage, Samsung has a new option on the table.

Samsung has officially launched the Samsung 990 SSD, a PCIe Gen 4 NVMe drive built for everyday users who want fast, responsive storage for gaming, creative work, and daily computing. Available now in 1TB ($269.99) and 2TB ($529.99) capacities, the new drive focuses on delivering high performance while using less power than Samsung's flagship 990 Pro.

What does the Samsung 990 SSD offer?

The Samsung 990 SSD is designed to speed up everyday tasks, whether you're loading games, moving large files, or managing creative projects. It delivers sequential read speeds of up to 7,250 MB/s and write speeds of up to 6,450 MB/s, helping reduce load times, speed up installations, and transfer high-resolution photos and videos quickly.

Samsung says the drive reaches random read and write speeds of up to 850K and 1,200K IOPS, which can help keep everyday workloads running smoothly and responsively. The new drive is positioned as an easy upgrade for existing PCs or a dependable option for new desktop builds.

More speed without the price tag

Beyond raw speed, Samsung is putting a big emphasis on efficiency. Samsung says the 990 SSD offers up to 38% better performance per watt than the 990 Pro, making it its most power-efficient SSD so far. That efficiency helps the drive deliver fast speeds while keeping power consumption lower, which is useful for laptops and everyday computing.

Samsung also bundles its Magician software, which lets you monitor drive health, install firmware updates, and manage security features from one dashboard.

Grab the Samsung 990 SSD starting at $279 and give your setup a much-needed upgrade.

BTS and IShowSpeed met each other in the hallway at the 2026 FIFA World Cup final and the video is pure glee with added backflip.

The South Korean superstars performed in the first ever World Cup halftime show on Sunday, during the final match between victors Spain and runners up Argentina. In a delightful exchange on the day, BTS members RM, Jin, SUGA, j-hope, Jimin, V, and Jung Kook ran into the YouTube megastar (and Mashable 101 alumnus) in the halls of MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

In a video posted to Instagram by IShowSpeed, it's hard to tell who is fanning out harder.

View this post on Instagram

Speed's backflip? So casual. And there's a lot of "big fan" exclamations exchanged all round. It's extremely sweet.

"We were just as amazed to meet you🙌" wrote BTS' V in the comments. J-Hope and RM also added emoji under the video.

During the World Cup halftime show, BTS performed their 2020 Grammy nominated, chart-topping, YouTube-smashing single "Dynamite," the group's first number one in America. In a performance curated by Coldplay's Chris Martin and Global Citizen, BTS shared the lineup with Madonna, Justin Bieber, Shakira, Burna Boy, the Muppets, and more, including appearances from football legends Ronaldo and Ronaldinho and Ted Lasso's Jason Sudeikis and Brendan Hunt in character.

BTS will perform again at the MetLife Stadium in a few weeks' time, returning to the U.S. for more dates on their ARIRANG World Tour.

It's been a major World Cup for Speed (aka Darren Watkins Jr.) as he's become one of the biggest U.S. names during the tournament off the field. The 21-year-old football-loving creator has been livestreaming matches to his millions of followers through his official partnership with FIFA, YouTube and Fox Sports.

Speed also hosted the inaugural YouTube FIFA Creator Cup, a creator-led exhibition match in New York City's Central Park, last Sunday. Mashable chatted to the host at the event, with Culture Editor Crystal Bell specifically asking him to build a dream World Cup squad from One Piece characters.

View this post on Instagram

Early in the tournament, the streamer went viral for not recognising New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani sitting right beside him in MetLife Stadium, during the first World Cup 2026 game between Brazil and Morocco. However, in more serious news, FIFA investigated after alleged racist abuse aimed at Speed was captured in one of his YouTube livestreams for the World Cup.

Sweet moments of wholesome fandom between superstars, after all that, are pure gold.

If you missed the World Cup halftime show, you can watch it on Mashable.

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.

Here are the clues and answers to NYT's The Mini for Monday, July 20, 2026:

Across

Sound of an online message

• The answer is Ping.

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

Underwater detection device

• The answer is Sonar.

Chicago's ___ Presidential Center

• The answer is Obama.

Appropriate anagram of VENMO, if you change the "V' to a "Y"

• The answer is Money.

Potentially awkward wedding guests

• The answer is Exes.

Down

Destination for mail that doesn't go to your home address, perhaps

• The answer is PO Box.

Ridiculous

• The answer is Inane.

Things debated by expectant parents

• The answer is Names.

Color of an overcast sky

• The answer is Gray.

___ assembly required

• The answer is Some.

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

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

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

The best Disney+ deals and bundles in July 2026:

---

Best Hulu Bundle Deal

Disney+ and Hulu Bundle

Get 6 months for $11.99/month

Get Deal

---

Best HBO Max Bundle Deal

Disney+, Hulu, and HBO Max Bundle

$19.99/month with ads, $32.99/month ad-free

Get Deal

---

Best ESPN Bundle Deal

Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN Unlimited Bundle

$35.99/month

Get Deal

Whether you're looking to jump into the latest superhero saga or journey to a galaxy far, far away, Disney+ is the streaming service for you.

Home to Marvel, Star Wars, Pixar, and more, Disney+ offers a library stuffed with shows and films to keep both adults and kids entertained. With Disney+, you can watch Star Wars: Maul — Shadow Lord, the second season of Daredevil: Born Again, Pixar's new movie Hoppers, and much more.

If you've had this streaming service on your radar but you're unsure which plan is the best fit for you, we've got you covered with a selection of Disney+ streaming deals. Right now, the streamer is offering six months of its ad-supported Disney+ and Hulu bundle for only $11.99 per month (which renews at $12.99 per month after six months), or six months of its ad-free plan at $17.99 per month (which will return to $19.99 per month after the six-month promotional period).

There's also the Disney+, Hulu, and HBO Max package, which is a great investment for those who already use the other two streaming services but want to cut costs. We've detailed all available bundle deals below, along with basic information on Disney+ plans if you just want the House of Mouse's service on its own.

Best Hulu bundle deal

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Credit: Disney

Disney+ and Hulu Bundle

Get 6 months of Disney+ and Hulu (With Ads) for $11.99/month, then $12.99/month

Get Deal

Why we like it

For those interested in the Disney+ and Hulu bundle, the streamer is offering deals on both its ad-supported and ad-free plans. For the plan with ads, new and eligible returning subscribers can lock in for six months at $11.99 per month before it returns to $12.99 per month. And if you're interested in going ad-free, the Premium plan is down to $17.99 per month for six months before returning to $19.99 per month.

• Disney+ and Hulu Bundle — $11.99 per month for six months, then $12.99 per month

• Disney+ and Hulu Bundle Premium — $17.99 per month for six months, then $19.99 per month

Best HBO Max bundle deal

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Credit: Disney

Disney+, Hulu, and HBO Max Bundle

$19.99/month with ads, $32.99/month ad-free

Get Deal

Why we like it

The Disney+, Hulu, and HBO Max bundle is one of the best available at the moment. Starting at $19.99 per month, you can have three excellent streaming services right in the palm of your hand. The $19.99 per month option is for the With Ads plan, but if you'd prefer to watch your favorite content without ads, the No Ads plan costs $32.99 per month. Compared to what you'd pay for each of these on their own, you're saving 42% with the ad-supported plan and 41% with the ad-free plan.

• Disney+, Hulu, HBO Max Bundle (with ads) — $19.99 per month (save 42%)

• Disney+, Hulu, HBO Max Bundle (no ads) — $32.99 per month (save 41%)

Best ESPN bundle

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Credit: Disney

Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN Unlimited Bundle

$35.99/month

Get Deal

If you're a sports fan looking to add ESPN to your bundles, you're in luck: Disney offers bundles with both ESPN Select and ESPN Unlimited. According to ESPN, "ESPN Select includes ESPN+ content only. Fans who want ESPN+ exclusively may subscribe to the ESPN Select plan. ESPN Unlimited includes all of the ESPN networks and services, including ESPN+."

The Disney+, Hulu, ESPN Unlimited Bundle, which has ads, is available for $35.99 per month. The Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN Unlimited premium bundle without ads is available for $44.99 per month.

• Disney+, Hulu, ESPN Select Bundle — $19.99 per month

• Disney+, Hulu, ESPN Select Bundle Premium — $29.99 per month

• Disney+, Hulu, ESPN Unlimited Bundle — $35.99 per month

• Disney+, Hulu, ESPN Unlimited Bundle Premium — $44.99 per month

Best Disney+ monthly plans

Disney+ offers two standard plans if you just want the service on its own. The Disney+ ad-supported plan comes to $11.99 per month while the ad-free Disney+ Premium plan will set you back $18.99 per month or $189.99 per year if you'd rather pay annually.

• Disney+ (With Ads) — $11.99 per month

• Disney+ Premium (No Ads) — $18.99 per month, $189.99 per year

Disney+ has also created an "extra member" plan for people using your account who live outside of your household as they crack down on password sharing. If you're looking to add another person to your account, you're only allowed one extra profile and can choose from the following add-on plans:

• Disney+ (With Ads) — $6.99 per month

• Disney+ Premium — $9.99 per month

• Disney+, Hulu Bundle — $7.99 per month

• Disney+, Hulu Bundle Premium — $10.99 per month

• Disney+, Hulu, ESPN Select Bundle — $11.99 per month

• Disney+, Hulu, ESPN Select Bundle Premium — $14.99 per month

There's a wealth of shows and films to check out on Disney+ after you sign up. If you want some help finding something to watch, check out our roundups of the 12 best TV shows for adults on Disney+ and the 20 best movies on Disney+ to start building out your watchlist.

TL;DR: Samsung is opening The Fold Inn, a limited-time Galaxy Fold-inspired pop-up pub in London, on July 24-25. The venue will feature a fold-themed bar, custom drinks inspired by Samsung's latest Galaxy Z devices, and hands-on experiences with the company's newest foldable phones.

If you're in London this month, Samsung wants to treat you to a foldable-inspired pub experience.

The tech giant has announced The Fold Inn, a limited-time pop-up pub in London inspired by its Galaxy Fold lineup. Blending classic British pub culture with Samsung's foldable design language, the immersive space offers visitors a fresh way to experience the company's latest Galaxy Z devices.

What is The Fold Inn?

The Fold Inn isn't just a themed bar — it's part product showcase, part pub experience.

Credit: Samsung

At the center of the venue is a fold-inspired bar that takes its design cues from Samsung's Galaxy Fold devices. Visitors can also order from a custom drinks menu, with each beverage created to reflect the personality and features of Samsung's newest Galaxy Z lineup.

Samsung says the pop-up is meant to showcase the next generation of its foldable phones in a setting that's both unexpected and unmistakably London.

When and where can you visit?

The Fold Inn will be open for two days only:

• Friday, July 24: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. BST

• Saturday, July 25: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. BST

You'll find the pub here:

The Fold Inn
15 Bateman Street
London, W1D 4AQ
UK

Whether you're curious about Samsung's latest foldables or simply looking for one of London's more unusual pop-ups, The Fold Inn promises a pub experience that's anything but ordinary.

SAVE OVER $20: As of July 20, the DJI Mic Mini (2 TX + 1 RX) is on sale for $58.99 at Amazon. That's a 25% discount on list price.

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Credit: DJI

DJI Mic Mini (2 TX + 1 RX)

$58.99 at Amazon
$79 Save $20.01

 

Get Deal

Good audio is one of the easiest ways to make your content come across more professional, but you don’t need expensive equipment to get started. In fact, the DJI Mic Mini is a great option for quality recording, and it's currently on sale at Amazon. As of July 20, the DJI Mic Mini (2 TX + 1 RX) is down to $58.99 from $79, saving you $20.01.

The DJI Mic Mini is a compact wireless microphone system designed for everyday recording. Each transmitter weighs just 10 grams, so it's a lightweight and discreet device when worn on camera. Despite its size, it still delivers high-quality audio with a maximum transmission range of 400 meters.

The system features two levels of noise cancellation: Basic mode is ideal for quieter indoor settings, while Strong mode is designed to reduce background noise in louder environments. Automatic limiting also helps prevent audio clipping by reducing the volume when levels become too high.

And if you've got a long day of filming planned, the transmitter and receiver both offer up to 10 hours of battery life.

Get this DJI deal at Amazon now.

Turns out the Iron Throne isn't all it's cracked up to be.

It's only be a few episodes now since Rhaenyra (Emma D'Arcy) made her big return to King's Landing, but things only seem to be getting worse and worse for her. In the trailer above for House of the Dragon Season 3, episode 6 the walls are closing in, with the Small Council floundering in the wake of all those Gold Cloaks being murdered and Lord Ormund Hightower (James Norton) saying ominous things like "The patient hunter gets the kill."

It's not looking good for Team Black.

House of the Dragon Season 3 is now streaming on HBO Max, with new episodes premiering Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on HBO and HBO Max.

For all things House of the Dragon, Mashable has you covered.

SAVE $70: As of July 20, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Lite is on sale for $329.99 at Amazon. That's a 18% discount on the list price.

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Credit: Samsung

Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Lite

$329.99 at Amazon
$399.99 Save $70

 

Get Deal

If you’re looking for a tablet that can handle everything from streaming and browsing to getting work done on the go, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Lite is a great all-rounder. It has a large display (big enough for watching Netflix), smooth performance, and many of the features you’d expect from a premium tablet. And right now, it’s on sale on Amazon for $70 off, bringing the price down to $329.99.

The quality of this tablet is seriously impressive, boasting a 10.9-inch display with Vision Booster technology that adjusts brightness based on your surroundings. It's also impressive on the inside, powered by the Exynos 1380 processor, so it handles streaming, browsing, and app switching smoothly.

You'll be set for all-day use thanks to its 16-hour battery life. And when it runs out of juice, the Super Fast Charging feature will help it reach a full charge in about two hours.

This tablet also comes with an S Pen stylus. This is handy for writing or drawing, and it uses intelligent AI tools like Circle to Search, note clean-up, and translation features to help make daily tasks easier.

This Samsung tablet deal is available at Amazon now, but only for a limited time.

SAVE $50: As of July 20, the Motorola Moto G Play is on sale for $99.99 at Amazon. That's a 33% discount on the list price.

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Credit: Motorola

Motorola Moto G Play

$99.99
$149.99 Save $50.00

 

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If your smartphone is on its last legs, you don't have to spend hundreds of dollars to replace it. These days, there are plenty of budget-friendly smartphone deals at Amazon to keep you going. Like this latest deal on the Motorola Moto G Play, which is currently on sale for less than $100 ($99.99). And it still has all the qualities you'd want in a phone, including a fast performance and great battery life.

This phone is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 680 processor, paired with 4GB of RAM, helping keep performance running smoothly for everyday tasks, including streaming and browsing. It features a 6.5-inch HD+ display with a 90Hz refresh rate, as well as stereo speakers with Dolby Atmos and Hi-Res Audio.

For photography, the phone has a 50MP Quad Pixel camera that combines four pixels into one to improve your image quality. Plus, it includes 64GB of built-in storage and support for microSD cards up to 1TB, so there is plenty of room for photos, apps, games, and more.

Find this budget smartphone deal at Amazon right now.

TL;DR: Voibe uses OpenAI’s Whisper model to turn speech into text up to three times faster than typing, all while processing everything locally on Apple Silicon Macs. Get lifetime access for $79.99 (reg. $199).

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Credit: Essence AI

Voibe Lifetime Subscription

$79.99
$199 Save $119.01

 

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Your keyboard is great until you’re trying to keep up with your own brain. Voibe lets you yap your life away instead. Dictate emails, documents, notes, and AI prompts up to three times faster than typing, with everything processed locally on your Mac. For a limited time, you can grab a lifetime subscription for $79.99 (reg. $199).

Powered by OpenAI’s latest Whisper speech recognition model, Voibe is designed to keep up with natural conversation instead of forcing you to dictate one word at a time. That means you can speak naturally without constantly stopping to correct yourself or worrying whether the software is keeping up.

It recognizes accents, technical terminology, and conversational speech, making it just as useful for brainstorming an article as it is for documenting a meeting, replying to emails, or dictating comments.

Because everything runs locally on your device, your voice recordings stay private instead of being routed through the cloud. That also means you can keep using Voibe even without an internet connection, making it handy on flights, during commutes, or anywhere Wi-Fi is unreliable.

The biggest advantage, though, is the time savings. Whether you’re a writer trying to capture ideas before they disappear, a student taking notes, a developer talking through code, or a professional answering emails, dictation can dramatically speed up everyday computer work. If typing has always been the bottleneck in your workflow, Voibe offers a simple way to get your thoughts from your head onto the page.

Formerly $199, you can grab a lifetime Voibe subscription for only $79.99.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: Get lifetime access to Transfr Pro for $69.99 (reg. $499) with code SAVE30 and send unlimited files with built-in analytics and end-to-end encryption.

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Credit: Drime

Transfr Pro Fast & Secure File Transfer Subscriptions: Lifetime Subscription

$69.99
$499 Save $429.01

 

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Whether you’re sending a client a finished video, sharing a folder of high-resolution photos, or delivering project files to a coworker, file sharing is often the last step before your real work begins. Transfr Pro is designed to make that process faster and more professional, with support for unlimited file sizes, secure transfers, and built-in tracking. Save 30% with the code SAVE30 at checkout and get lifetime access for $69.99 (reg. $499) through July 26 at 11:59 p.m. PT.

Unlike basic file-sharing services, Transfr lets you see what happens after you hit send. Built-in Send & Track analytics show when files have been viewed or downloaded, along with transfer activity and visitor locations. That extra visibility can be useful for freelancers, agencies, and other professionals who frequently share work with clients.

Instead of sending generic download links, Transfr lets you create branded transfer pages that give files a more cohesive, professional appearance. Address book integration also helps speed up repeat transfers by keeping your contacts nice and organized.

Security is built into the platform as well. Files are protected with end-to-end encryption during transfers, and the service runs on GDPR-compliant European infrastructure developed by the team behind Drime. Browser-based access means there’s nothing to install before sending or receiving files.

Another benefit of this software is that there’s no transfer size limits, so shared files remain available for up to 60 days, and recipients can preview supported images, videos, and documents before downloading them. Whether you’re sharing marketing assets, design files, or lengthy videos, Transfr is designed to handle them without forcing you to split uploads into smaller parts.

If you regularly go over the limits of traditional file-sharing services, Transfr Pro offers a more capable alternative with unlimited transfers, security features, and built-in analytics. Save 30% with the code SAVE30 at checkout and get lifetime access for $69.99 (reg. $499) through July 26 at 11:59 p.m. PT.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: If you’re looking for a new laptop that won’t break the bank, this Apple MacBook Air is only $199.97 (reg. $1,199) while supplies last.

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Credit: Apple

Apple MacBook Air 2018 (Refurbished)

$199.97
$1,199 Save $999.03

 

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Spending less doesn’t mean you need to settle for less, and this MacBook Air is proof. It’s equipped with all the bells and whistles you’ve come to love from Apple, at a fraction of the usual price. If you act fast, you can bring home this powerful and portable Apple laptop for just $199.97 — $1,000 off the usual price — while supplies last.

If you’re in the market for a laptop that can keep up with your workflow without weighing you down, you can’t beat the MacBook Air. It’s Apple’s lightest option — weighing just over 2.5 pounds — but it’s still packed with power thanks to an Intel Core i5 processor.

This MacBook Air has a 13.3-inch Retina display that delivers vibrant visuals and a crisp 2560×1600 pixel resolution. It also has an impressive 12-hour battery life, so you can finish a full workday and then get in a good binge-watching session, too.

This model supports updates up to macOS Sonoma, one of the latest macOS versions, so you can take advantage of newer features. You’re saving big on this model thanks to its Grade A refurbished rating, which means it arrives in near-mint condition with minimal to no scuffing on the case.

Save big on this Apple MacBook Air, now for just $199.97 while supplies last.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: The Magic: The Gathering Avatar: The Last Airbender Beginner Box is on sale for $22.94 at Amazon, down from its $34.99 list price.

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Credit: Magic: The Gathering

Magic: The Gathering Avatar The Last Airbender Beginner Box

$22.94 at Amazon
$34.99 Save $12.05

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The Avatar: The Last Airbender series’ dedicated MTG starter box has seen price drops before, but Amazon has now knocked this fun entry kit down to below-market value.

As of July 20, the Magic: The Gathering Avatar The Last Airbender Beginner Box is available at Amazon for $22.94. With $12.05 taken off its $34.99 list price, that's a 34% discount on the complete two-player set.

This listing is shipped and sold directly by Amazon, with free delivery currently showing for July 25 on qualifying orders, while Prime members can have it arrive as early as July 22 at the time of writing. One important detail is that Amazon marks the item as a final sale, meaning it cannot be returned after purchase. 

Amazon’s price even sits below the latest TCGplayer figures. The dedicated trading card marketplace lists the Beginner Box at a $24.87 market price, while its cheapest unopened listing is $25.80, including shipping. That makes Amazon $1.93 cheaper than the market value and $2.86 below the lowest readily available TCGplayer offer. 

As for the box itself, the Beginner Box is designed to teach two people Magic together rather than to hand new players a stack of cards and leave them to decipher the rules. It opens with a guided Aang-versus-Zuko game using two 20-card tutorial decks, with separate step-by-step guides taking both players through the first match.

After that introduction, there are eight more 20-card half-decks built around Firebending, Earthbending, Waterbending, Allies, Big Creatures, Counters, Spells, and Attacking. Pair any two together, and you have a 40-card deck, letting you switch themes and try different combinations without needing to build from scratch.

The box also includes two playboards, two Spindown life counters, five double-sided tokens, two learn-to-play guides, and a rules reference booklet. In total, that gives you everything needed to start playing straight away, while the mix-and-match decks offer more staying power than a single-use tutorial kit.

TL;DR: The Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution — Pitch Black 3-Booster Pack Blister is available to preorder for $24.98 at Amazon, including shipping, down from its $33.95 typical price.

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Credit: The Pokémon Company

Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Pitch Black 3-Booster Pack Blister

$24.98 at Amazon
$33.95 Save $8.97

 

Pre-order Here

If you haven’t had the chance to grab any packs from the Pokémon TCG’s new Pitch Black expansion just yet, you can score a new low price on preorders for its hotly anticipated blister pack. 

As of July 20, the Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Pitch Black 3-Booster Pack Blister is available to preorder at Amazon for $19.99 through third-party seller Glaceon Island. Shipping adds $4.99, bringing the order to $24.98 before tax. This is the lowest price we’ve seen, confirmed with price tracker camelcamelcamel.

The blister is releasing on July 24, though the actual delivery date at the time of writing is between July 30 and Aug. 13. 

At $24.98, each of the three Pitch Black booster packs effectively costs about $8.33, with the included Binacle foil promo card adding a little more value than buying loose packs, which you can currently buy on Amazon for $12.99. 

Amazon is not the absolute cheapest option, however. As has been the case in the trading card game lately, TCGplayer has been the cheapest, with unopened listings starting at $21.89, including shipping, narrowly above its $21.65 market price. Walmart is also under $25 at $23.99, down from $34.99 — which is a nice backup if you’re open to shopping beyond Amazon, but aren’t keen on a dedicated trading card platform like TCGplayer. 

As for what you can pull from these three packs in the blister, Pitch Black has plenty of high-priced chase cards you can find (or buy individually on TCGplayer) — including SIR Mega Darkrai ex, MHR Mega Darkrai ex, SIR Morpeko ex, SIR Mega Zeraora ex, SIR Mega Chandelure ex. 

For even more boosters, the six-pack Pitch Black Booster Bundle is also on sale at Amazon for around $50. You can also get an even lower cost-per-pack with the 36-pack Pitch Black Display Booster Display Box on sale for $50 off. 

TL;DR: The Pokémon TCG Pitch Black Sleeved Booster Pack is on sale for $12.99 at Amazon, down from its $14.99 typical price. 

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Credit: The Pokémon Company

Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Pitch Black Sleeved Booster Pack

$12.99 at Amazon
$14.99 Save $2

 

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Pitch Black has only just joined the Pokémon TCG’s Mega Evolution lineup, but Amazon has already made opening a single pack a little cheaper for anyone who doesn’t want to commit to a full box. 

As of July 20, the Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Pitch Black Sleeved Booster Pack is available at Amazon for $12.99. That takes $2 off its typical $14.99 price, representing a 13% discount on these single boosters for the highly sought-after new expansion. 

Although it is shipped by third-party seller “MEGACARDS!!!”, this still comes with Amazon’s 30-day refund or replacement window, and free delivery is showing for July 27 at the time of writing.

If you want to save as much as possible, however, TCGplayer is the cheapest option for readily available Pitch Black Booster Packs by a mile — from $7.89 with shipping included. That price is $1.49 below the product’s $9.38 market value and about $5.10 below Amazon's price. Standard unsleeved Pitch Black Booster Packs are cheaper again, with listings from $6.19 delivered, compared to a $6.29 market price.

As usual with these sorts of packs, each sleeved booster includes one sealed Pitch Black pack containing 10 random trading cards, along with the cardboard outer packaging designed to give it extra protection. 

The Pitch Black expansion contains more than 115 cards, including over 20 Trainer cards and more than 35 Pokémon and Trainer cards with special illustrations. 

This collection also has some expensive chase cards waiting inside (which you can also buy individually on TCGplayer), including Special Illustration Rare and Mega Hyper Rare versions of Mega Darkrai ex, alongside SIR cards for Mega Zeraora ex and Morpeko ex.

For an even lower cost per pack, you can grab the Pokémon TCG’s six-pack Pitch Black Booster Bundle on sale for around $50. Meanwhile, you can also score up to $50 off the 36-pack Pitch Black Booster Display Box. 

Apple has increased the subscription price of Apple Music in the U.S., but that's not where the price hikes end.

An Apple Music Individual plan now costs $11.99 per month, up from $10.99. Student plans now cost $6.99, up from $5.99. And if you want to get a Family plan, that'll be $19.99, up from $16.99.

Europeans get the exact same numbers, only in euros: Individual plans are now €11.99, Student plans are €6.99, and a Family plan is €19.99. In the UK, the Individual plan now costs £11.99, while the Family plan is £19.99.

New subscribers will have to pay the new prices right away; existing subscribers will get a notification soon and will be billed the new prices at their next billing cycle.

In a statement to Music Business Worldwide, Apple said the price hikes are a result of "rising licensing costs."

Apple One plans have also gotten pricier. While the basic plan still has the same price, the Family plan now costs $27.95 (up from $25.95), while the Premier plan costs $39.95 (up from $37.95).

There's more bad news for consumers, although it's scattered throughout different markets. As MacRumors noticed, iPhone prices have gone up roughly 8-10 percent in Japan, and iCloud+ prices have gone up quite a bit (from 11 to 55 percent) in 8 countries: Nigeria, Turkey, Vietnam, Japan, Egypt, New Zealand, the Philippines, and Indonesia.

The news comes about a month after Apple increased the prices of numerous products in its lineup, mostly due to the memory chip supply crunch.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup final kicked off on Sunday evening at MetLife Stadium, New Jersey, with Argentina and Spain battling it out for the championship title. This year's tournament was a little different though, with FIFA staging its first halftime show in the competition's 96-year history.

Curated by Coldplay's Chris Martin, the FIFA World Cup halftime show was an 11-minute gauntlet of musicians from across the globe, including Shakira, BTS, Justin Bieber, and Burna Boy. The Muppets also played an instrumental rendition of The White Stripes' "Seven Nation Army" with the New York Philharmonic orchestra.

Madonna opened the show with a mashup of "Music" and "Danceteria," with Brazilian soccer greats Ronaldo and Ronaldinho appearing alongside her, while K-pop phenomenon BTS performed a truncated version of their English-language hit "Dynamite." Ted Lasso actors Jason Sudeikis and Brendan Hunt then made cameos, respectively playing the title character and Coach Beard from the feel-good football series, and giving Justin Bieber a pep talk before he slowed things down with an acoustic performance of "Everything Hallelujah." 

Shakira and Burna Boy followed with the 2026 FIFA World Cup's official anthem "Dai Dai," delivering a jarring change of mood, before before Coldplay, the Muppets, and the PS22 Chorus children's choir closed out the halftime show by debuting the band's new song "We Dance."

The full performance is available now on FIFA's official YouTube channel.

Unfortunately, despite the star-studded lineup, online reactions to the FIFA World Cup's first ever halftime show were largely underwhelmed. On the bright side, it's substantial feedback for organisers to consider when putting together the next World Cup tournament in 2030.

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.

Mashable 101 Fan Fave: Nominate your favorite creators today

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

Hurdle Word 1 hint

Squishy

Hurdle Word 1 answer

MUSHY

Hurdle Word 2 hint

How orange juice might be described.

Hurdle Word 2 Answer

PULPY

Mashable 101 Fan Fave: Nominate your favorite creators today

Hurdle Word 3 hint

Inundate.

Hurdle Word 3 answer

FLOOD

Hurdle Word 4 hint

Go above and beyond.

Hurdle Word 4 answer

EXCEL

Final Hurdle hint

Grocery store lanes.

Hurdle Word 5 answer

AISLE

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 is International Moon Day, a day dedicated to celebrating the role the Moon has played in our understanding of space. Held each year on July 20, the event commemorates the historic Apollo 11 mission and the first time humans set foot on the Moon.

Keep reading to see what you can spot on the Moon's surface tonight.

What is today’s Moon phase?

As of Monday, July 20, NASA's Daily Moon Guide tracker tells us the Moon phase is in Waxing Crescent phase, with 38% of its surface visible.

You won't need any visual aids to be able to spot the Mares Crisium and Fecunditatis. Binoculars will also help you to see the Endymion Crater, Posidonius Crater, and the Mare Nectaris.

A telescope will of course widen your visibility, with areas like the Apollo 17 and 11 landing spot, the perfect way to celebrate International Moon Day.

When is the next Full Moon?

The next Full Moon will take place on July 29.

What are Moon phases?

The Moon completes one full cycle around Earth in about 29.5 days, moving through eight different phases along the way, NASA explains. Although the same side of the Moon always faces our planet, the amount of sunlight reflecting off its surface changes as it travels around Earth. This changing angle of illumination is what makes the Moon appear to transform throughout the month, from a thin crescent to a half-lit Moon and eventually a fully illuminated Full Moon, before starting the cycle again.

New Moon - The Moon is between Earth and the sun, so the side we see is dark (in other words, it's invisible to the eye).

Waxing Crescent - A small sliver of light appears on the right side (Northern Hemisphere).

First Quarter - Half of the Moon is lit on the right side. It looks like a half-Moon.

Waxing Gibbous - More than half is lit up, but it’s not quite full yet.

Full Moon - The whole face of the Moon is illuminated and fully visible.

Waning Gibbous - The Moon starts losing light on the right side. (Northern Hemisphere)

Third Quarter (or Last Quarter) - Another half-Moon, but now the left side is lit.

Waning Crescent - A thin sliver of light remains on the left side before going dark again.

Today's Connections: Sports Edition will be easier if you watch American football.

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.

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.

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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.

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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: Type of playoff

• Green: Wear this

• Blue: Former Browns

• Purple: Kinds of QBs

Here are today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

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

• Yellow: Terms for Competitions

• Green: Types of Gloves

• Blue: Players Browns Have Drafted No. 1 Overall

• Purple: ___Quarterback

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 #665 is...

What is the answer to Connections: Sports Edition today?

• Terms for Competitions: CUP, INVITATIONAL, SERIES, TOURNAMENT

• Types of Gloves: BASEBALL, BATTING, BOXING, GOALKEEPER

• Players Browns Have Drafted No. 1 Overall: BROWN, COUCH, GARRETT, MAYFIELD

• ___Quarterback: ARMCHAIR, FRANCHISE, MONDAY MORNING, STARTING

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 catalogue.

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.

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.

Easy difficulty hints, answers for July 20 Pips

Greater Than (5): Everything in this space must be greater than 10. The answer is 6-2, placed horizontally.

Less Than (1): Everything in this space must be less than 1. The answer is 0-5, placed horizontally.

Greater Than (1): Everything in this space must be greater than 1. The answer is 2-5, placed horizontally.

Equal (2): Everything in this space must be equal to 2. The answer is 6-2, placed horizontally; 2-4, placed vertically.

Number (4): Everything in this space must add up to 4. The answer is 2-4, placed vertically; 3-0, placed horizontally.

Medium difficulty hints, answers for July 20 Pips

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

Number (5): Everything in this space must add up to 5. The answer is 1-2, placed vertically; 3-4, placed horizontally.

Greater Than (3): Everything in this space must be greater than 3. The answer is 0-5, placed horizontally.

Number (0): Everything in this space must add up to 0. The answer is 0-2, placed vertically; 0-5, placed horizontally.

Greater Than (3): Everything in this space must be greater than 3. The answer is 0-5, placed horizontally.

Number (5): Everything in this space must add up to 5. The answer is 0-2, placed vertically; 3-1, placed horizontally.

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

Equal (1): Everything in this space must be equal to 1. The answer is 3-1, placed horizontally; 0-1, placed horizontally.

Hard difficulty hints, answers for July 20 Pips

Equal (5): Everything in this space must be equal to 5. The answer is 5-1, placed vertically; 5-2, placed horizontally.

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

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

Number (0): Everything in this space must add up to 0. The answer is 0-6, placed vertically; 0-0, placed horizontally.

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

Greater Than (3): Everything in this space must be greater than 3. The answer is 5-6, placed horizontally.

Equal (6): Everything in this space must be equal to 6. The answer is 0-6, placed vertically; 5-6, placed horizontally; 6-1, placed horizontally; 6-3, placed vertically.

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

Number (8): Everything in this space must add up to 8. The answer is 4-4, placed vertically.

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

Equal (6): Everything in this space must be equal to 6. The answer is 6-2, placed vertically; 6-6, placed vertically.

Equal (1): Everything in this space must be equal to 1. The answer is 6-1, placed horizontally; 1-0, placed horizontally; 1-1, placed vertically.

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

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

As promised from the first glimpse of the aspiring rock star Brat Prince, The Vampire Lestat has been a wild ride.

The third season of Rolin Jones' Interview with the Vampire was a chaotic odyssey led by Lestat de Lioncourt (Sam Reid), as he reconnected with his long-lost love Louis de Pointe du Lac (Jacob Anderson), antagonized his documentarian Daniel Molloy (Eric Bogosian), faced the wrath of his departed daughter Claudia (Delainey Hayles), taunted his ex Armand (Assad Zaman), hooked up with his fledgling/mom Sofia/Gabriella (Jennifer Ehle), and awakened Akasha, aka the Queen of the Damned (Sheila Atim). 

However, the finale episode — titled "The Failures," after Lestat's recorded telling of his life and times — didn't put to rest all of the many, juicy threads unearthed.

So, here's what we expect to see more of in Season 2. 

How did Nicki die? 

In interviews with Mashable, Reid teased that this season was largely about Lestat running from his past trauma rather than confronting it.

In episode 3, Lestat told Daniel — via a telepathy trick — about how Armand threw Nicki into a fire, and the horrid "O" sound his lover made as he perished. But in the finale, that same moan returns as Lestat remembers seeing the alleged witches burned when he was just a boy. Reid told Mashable, "And then you see [Lestat] reprocess that memory as his own memory, watching these women die, and understanding for the first time: Yes, Gabriella has abused him, and has assaulted him throughout his whole life." 

This means Nicki's death — which was notably not shown in the series — didn't go down exactly as Lestat said. So, could we see what really happened in Season 4 of Interview with the Vampire (aka Season 2 of The Vampire Lestat)?

What really happened between Claudia and Lestat on the train? 

The train scene has been the center of much contention this season. Lestat raged against the version told in Daniel's book, which suggests he threatened Claudia with rape should she run away again. However, when Claudia's spirit comes back in episode 6, she scoffs at that depiction, admitting she lied about it to manipulate Louis. 

Notably, when Lestat is forced to face his failures in episode 7, Claudia is the only fledgling not at the long table. So, how Lestat remembers this scene has not been revealed. Yet. 

Where's Baby Jenks? 

She was introduced in episode 1 as a mortal party girl who hooks up with Lestat and delivers some cryptic messages. Then in episode 3, Baby Jenks (Ella Ballentine) was last seen crying over the ashes of her murdered vampire husband, Killer (aka Bruce). 

As part of the Fang Gang, she could be one of the minions that Armand mentioned in the finale. Or she could be seeking vengeance on Louis for torching her groom. But readers of the book The Queen of the Damned know nothing good is coming Baby Jenks' way. 

Why does Louis have a limp? Why does Armand have an eyepatch? 

The Vampire Lestat began with an auction that dumped a lot of exposition, while also kicking off a slew of questions, including the two above. What we know is coming is Akasha, along with "consequential global catastrophes." So presumably, that's where these two powerful vamps take on some lasting damage. 

When will Akasha rise? 

Probably that concert that the finale episode skips around. Hell, we know Lestat's alluring pronunciation of "scoop" was enough to rouse her and get her ranting all those decades ago. It seems his unleashing of his vampire music will bring her back in a very major and malevolent way.

What will happen at the vampire concert? 

Presumably lots of death. 

When will Alex learn that Armand killed his brother Larry? 

Hard to say. But Armand likely has another non-apology monologue ready for when he does. 

How will Daniel die? 

At the beginning of the season, Baby Jenks predicted Daniel "dies bad." But despite his part in Loustat's double decapitation, he's not been killed yet. Or at least not onscreen. 

He was not at the auction. So, will Daniel be cut down in the rise of Akasha? Or will Lestat get his revenge for that bowling bag business? 

Notably, in Anne Rice's novels, Daniel survives across several books. However, this series has taken a lot of liberties with his story. So, don't be so sure that Rice's path for Daniel is what showrunner Rolin Jones is following. 

When will Interview with the Vampire Season 4 / The Vampire Lestat Season 2 come out? 

AMC has not yet announced whether or not the next season has been greenlit. But Mashable's interview with Reid — in which he hinted what Jones has coming next — suggest more is coming. 

We'd only be speculating at when this supernatural series will return. But be warned, the turnaround seems to be about two years. Interview with the Vampire Part 1 debuted October 2, 2022. Part II premiered on May 12, 2024. And The Vampire Lestat came out June 7, 2026. 

What will the next season be called? 

Could it be The Vampire Lestat Part II? Or will Jones move to Rice's next novel, calling Season 4 The Queen of the Damned? No title has yet been announced. 

Mashable will update as this story develops. 

The Vampire Lestat is now streaming on AMC and AMC+.

With The Vampire Lestat, Interview with a Vampire fans witnessed Lestat de Lioncourt (Sam Reid) pursue his rock star ambitions in a bloody and wild tour across North America. In real life, Reid got a taste of the attention his character craves with The Vampire Lestat: One Night Only - LIVE. 

As advertised, Reid performed songs from The Vampire Lestat — written by Daniel Hart — before a live audience for one night only. Mashable was there. In my review of the event, I wrote, "Reid's onstage persona evoked David Bowie, Mick Jagger, and Steven Tyler, as he crooned, strutted, flipped his hair, flung a scarf, and generally oozed sex appeal with a crooked grin." 

But, what was it like for the man behind the mic? Trickier than you might have dreamed. 

In my latest interview with Reid, he dug into The Vampire Lestat's finale, where the series might go next, and what it was like for him to take to the stage in character as Lestat. 

"It's funny," Reid said, "These things — it's very work for me, you know what I mean? I am not a touring musician. I'm an actor, and so I'm playing a character. I'm going out there, promoting a show. It was wonderful to be able  to play that music with those musicians, namely Daniel Hart. I'm really proud of his music, and I think he worked his ass off in this season. So I'm really proud to share it." 

Reid went on: "It's quite easy to play Lestat for me, you know. So there was a level of ease about it, because I'm not having to go out and share my own personal music and bear my soul." 

This distance allowed Reid to focus on his character over any nerves about performing live. "There was a joyful thing about just operating in this meat puppet that I know how to play around with, and perform it." 

Reid also revealed an obstacle that many fans might not have considered as they watched him strut and sing. "I had contact lenses in [for Lestat's vampire eyes]," Reid explained. "I had in-ear monitors, so I couldn't really hear much or see much." 

However, as AMC prepares the live show for its on-app launch, Reid has finally seen his performance with his own eyes. "I've just been watching the recordings of it recently, which are going to get released soon," he said. "I was like, 'Wow, look at that. We did that!' Because I don't really remember it. It's hard for me to put it into words how it was, because I was partially blind and deaf most of the time." 

The Vampire Lestat: One Night Only - LIVE debuts on AMC+ on Aug. 23. 

Well, when it came to predicting how Season 1 of The Vampire Lestat would end, I was way, way off.

Show creator Rolin Jones went way off-book from Anne Rice's source material, crafting a fascinating, mind-bending finale. While the decapitated Louis de Pointe du Lac (Jacob Anderson) had to face his ex-lover Armand (Assad Zaman), Lestat de Lioncourt (Sam Reid) had to face the long table and its Failure Finders.

Thankfully, both survived their brushes with death. But in the finale's final scene, Lestat reveals the ravaged world sparked by the concert that the episode skipped over. 

We've got burning questions. But in an interview with Mashable, Reid dropped some hints on what's next for the Interview with the Vampire series. 

What's coming up in The Vampire Lestat Season 2?

Over a video call with me, Mashable Entertainment Editor Kristy Puchko, Reid noted that the next season of Interview with a Vampire will move beyond Anne Rice's second novel, for which this season was named, The Vampire Lestat. 

"The way that [the show's writers] pull from the books," Reid explained, "we're not necessarily just doing The Vampire Lestat. We're looking at multiple books here in the overall arc — particularly those next three books." 

Those would be The Queen of the Damned, The Tale of the Body Thief, and Memnoch the Devil. In the first of these, the central narrator conceit is abandoned, as Rice took on the perspective of a variety of characters, including Baby Jenks. The focus of the overall story is the rise of Akasha (Sheila Atim) and the devastation she wreaks upon the world of mortals and immortals alike. 

The Body Thief is a body-swap narrative, in which Lestat exchanges his immortal form with that of a mortal named Raglan James — who has been a part of this TV series since Interview with a Vampire Season 2. In the next book, Lestat is back in his vampire form and meets the titular character from Memnoch the Devil. 

While Reid didn't get into details of what would come next, he did say, "The overall arc is [Lestat] understanding that even though he keeps rising from the ashes, he's actually a failure and should accept failure." 

The Vampire Lestat star also noted, "There's a lot left unresolved with Gabriella." 

Indeed. At the end of The Vampire Lestat Season 1, we witness the Brat Prince push back at the long table, recognizing the abuse his mortal mother put him through. Then, once his head is back on his shoulders and he's again with the living, Lestat yells at his mother — in her Sofia mode — refusing to play the concert, and even calling her a "monster." 

It seems a potential point of change. But as Lestat says in his narration, he failed to stop what was coming. 

Reid said of this moment, "He's still fundamentally failed because even though he's woken up, and he's like, 'I'm going to start again. I'm not going to go on stage. I'm not going to do these things. I'm not going to be your puppet, Gabriella.' But, you know, as we cut to at the end, he still has failed because the world has been destroyed, which we just haven't seen yet." 

When can we expect more from the Vampire Lestat? That's a question we're waiting for AMC to answer. 

The Vampire Lestat is now streaming on AMC and AMC+.

Early on in The Vampire Lestat's first season, the eponymous anti-hero mentions a formatively traumatic moment that we finally see in full in the finale, titled "The Failures." 

When Lestat de Lioncourt (Sam Reid) was just a boy, his mother, Gabriella (Jennifer Ehle), took him to see their neighbors burn alleged witches alive. In the final episode of this season, Lestat finally stops deflecting about what this moment meant. At the long table, before the Failure Finders, he confronts his resentment at his mother for how this execution impacted him for the next 200-plus years. 

In a post-mortem interview, Sam Reid told Mashable Entertainment Editor Kristy Puchko what that scene means for The Vampire Lestat and how it connects to the final moments of Nicolas de Lenfent (Joseph Potter). 

What did the witches burning mean to Lestat?

In episode 7 of The Vampire Lestat, the version of Gabriella at the long table argues that she took the young child Lestat to witness the witches burn so that he would see his neighbors for the vicious and ignorant "cabbages" they are. She wanted him to be motivated to leave this terrible place for something better. 

Asked about this sequence, Reid told Mashable, "That was one of the main conversations I had with [showrunner] Rolin [Jones] about the whole Lestat journey this season, was getting to the core of him, [which] was this existential crisis that he had when he was a child." 

"You know, he [initially] puts it on Nicki, because he cannot deal with that," Reid explained, "so he gives Nicki that existential crisis in episode three." 

Reid referred to the flashback in episode 3, where vampire Nicki goes mad, cuts off his own hand, and longs for death. At the time, Lestat told Daniel Molloy (Eric Bogosian) that Armand (Assad Zaman) killed Nicki with fire. And as he died, Nicki let out a long, low moan, an "O." In episode 7, recalling the witches at the long table, Lestat echoes this exact sound. 

Lestat looks upset. Credit: AMC

"Nicki saw that in death there was a nothingness," Reid said, "That all of this means absolutely nothing, which is a very complex feeling as an immortal being. And his mouth formed a perfect circle, and all that came out was, 'O.' And then you see [Lestat] reprocess that memory as his own memory, watching these women die, and understanding for the first time: Yes, Gabriella has abused him, and has assaulted him throughout his whole life." 

He continued, "[By taking him to see the witches burned], she's weirdly saying to him, 'Get out. Go do [or] be something else, be something more [than these cabbages].'  But unfortunately, it came out of a place of trauma. So his whole sense of direction has been running — running so far from the idea that he might become nothing and he might be dead. So it's very messy." 

"There's a lot left unresolved with Gabriella," Reid said, "But, we always knew that we were going to return to this 'O,' to this sound, the purity of existential crisis." 

Noting how the show's take on Nicki and Lestat differs from Anne Rice's novel The Vampire Lestat, Reid explained, "There is such a beautiful chapter in the book that he has with Nicki. The way that [Rolin and his team] do the the adaption is that they will look at it, and go, 'Well, maybe Lestat here in the book is deflecting.' So, [the writers] knew they were always going to return to that, and how fundamental the witches were going to be in Lestat's life." 

The Vampire Lestat is now streaming on AMC and AMC+.

When Sam Reid first sat down with Mashable Entertainment Editor Kristy Puchko, they dug into the first three episodes of The Vampire Lestat, focusing on the Brat Prince's perspective on his makers and female fledglings. 

Now, in a post-mortem interview, he's dug into the season's mind-snapping finale, the Failure Finders, what's next for Lestat, and why Paul de Pointe du Lac (Steven G. Norfleet) makes a surprise appearance. 

In episode 7, titled "The Failures," Lestat faces the long table. There, after facing down those he loves and loathes most, he turns it into a stage, where he performs for his long line of victims. But as his time is running out, and it seems his death is coming, it's Louis' long-gone brother Paul — who died by his own volition and not by Lestat's fangs — who comes to share a quiet moment with him. 

Reid reflected on what this scene means to Lestat. 

Why does Paul show up at the long table? 

Reid says of this sequence, "These people at the concert are the ones who he has traumatized in their life, or he has killed. But Paul represents the reason why Louis can't say 'I love you' to him." 

In the scene, Paul seems to come from the afterlife — as Claudia did, but with no wrath — to meet Lestat, and offer a word about what he's realized about his brother. In death (or near it), the religious zealot and the Brat Prince are able to empathize with Louis in a way they couldn't before. 

"The reason why [Lestat] can't get the validation that he needs from the person he wants it from the most in the world," Reid explained, "is because the last time Louis said 'I love you' to somebody, they killed themselves. And Paul is there, saying, 'He does love you,' you know?"

How does that impact the Brat Prince? Reid continued, "Lestat finally understands, 'I've got to stop asking for this. I've got to stop being this person, like railing and needing to get validation from Louis'… Because Louis does love him. He's just got a lot of his own issues, and [Lestat] finally understands."

"It's a heartbreaking realization for Lestat and beautiful and [a] kind of closure," Reid mused, "for him to realize that he is loved." 

Reid noted this epiphany brings Lestat back from the brink of death. "That's the thing that leads him out," he said. "Then he wakes up, and [he says,] 'Where's Louis?'" 

From there, this episode has darkly romantic moments, like Lestat and Louis reuniting — with each other and their bodies — on the tour bus. But as the final reveal of a ravaged world suggests, there's a lot more to endure for Loustat and their shippers. 

What's next for The Vampire Lestat? Reid gave Mashable a few hints.

The Vampire Lestat is now streaming on AMC and AMC+.

After much fucking about, Lestat hit his find out era. In episode 7, titled "The Failures," while a decapitated Louis de Pointe du Lac (Jacob Anderson) is tortured by a bitter Armand (Assad Zaman), Lestat is forced to face his past. We finally see the long table teased all season long in the opening credits.

Earlier this year, Reid came by Mashable's studio for a Say More interview, where he talked Claudia, Magnus, and much more. Now, he and Mashable Entertainment Editor Kristy Puchko reconnected for a postmortem of the Brat Prince's finale. 

Who are the Failure Finders at the long table? 

At the head of the table sits Lestat's maker, Magnus (Damien Atkins). Then around the table, his fledglings, Nicolas "Nicki" de Lenfent (Joseph Potter), Louis, Gabriella (Jennifer Ehle), Antoinette (Maura Grace), and his bandmate TC (Sarah Swire). But no Claudia (Bailey Bass).

As Lestat's severed head is dying, who are these figures? Are they ghosts of those he's loved? But how so, when some are still alive? Are they the voices in his head? Something supernatural from the savage garden?

"I don't think [Lestat] knows." Reid told Mashable, "But he knows that they are coming. The whole season's been set up for this sequence. [In episode 1] Baby Jenks says, 'You know, they're coming for you.' Who are they? And then Magnus in the car [in episode 3] is like, 'At the long table, we eat your soul.' So, he knows that they are coming — the long table is coming."

He went on, "I think when Lestat arrives there [at the long table], because [he is] a supernatural being, there's a lot of space to accept a lot of unknowns very quickly. So that's what Lestat's going through." 

"For me, as the actor trying to understand these kinds of things," Reid continued, "the whole framing device of this season is Lestat accepting and acknowledging failure. This is a character who continually brushes off every kind of trauma that he has experienced and refuses to fully engage with them. You can see that he's cracking under the pressure and the weight of them all." 

Reid then referred to the season's narration, Lestat's story told by him across a series of recordings he calls "The Failures." He explained, "[Lestat] is making this recording for a very specific person, or whoever wins it at the auction. But you know, I think he thinks it's a specific person. And he is explaining to them this is how it felt at the time." 

Lestat performs on the long table in "The Vampire Lestat." Credit: AMC

Compared to Interview With a Vampire's first two seasons, The Vampire Lestat has felt chaotic, leaping around in time and tone, with Lestat raging, laughing, provoking, and even contradicting himself. Reid said this reflects Lestat's choosing to deflect over confronting his past and his psychological pain. "That's why the episodes feel like an assault," he said, "and why certain things don't feel like they're fully investigated, because at the time he was not investigating [them]."

"Even at the long table he fights them, the Failure Finders," Reid said. "These key figures of his life, those who he loved the most or were so defining in his life, continually and persistently tell him that he is a failure." 

Reid continued: "So, what are they? I mean, it's open up to so much interpretation. I think the key thing about the season, though, is really setting up the concept of the soul. The soul does exist in our world. So are these [Failure Finders] the souls of the people who are there? I don't know. I think the long table version of these characters are more heightened. I mean, long table Louis is such a heightened, angry figure. So I don't know if they are the real people. They might be the figures of Lestat's guilt and shame that he carries, [showing] how he feels they feel about him. [That] is probably the most accurate."

"Take it as you will," Reid offered. "But I would say that it's more likely this is what it feels like inside the physical head [of Lestat]. That this is what he's fighting on a daily basis — is that everybody thinks he is a failure. He thinks he is a failure in the eyes of the people whom he should have helped and loved the most." 

Reid went on to connect Lestat facing his failures (and Failure Finders) to the final reveal of the season: the ravaged world, from which he records his album "The Failures." Reid said, "That leads him to acknowledging that he is responsible for the destruction of the world." Then he teased, "And then the subsequent decisions that he makes after that, which, you know, are for a later time." 

What's next for Lestat? Reid teased a few clues.

The Vampire Lestat is now streaming on AMC and AMC+.

Just two episodes after Queen Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D'Arcy) threw a nauseating rat banquet, House of the Dragon upped its gross food game with another disgusting feast.

The feast shows up in Season 3, episode 5, which reveals that Ormund Hightower (James Norton) has been bankrolling the murders of Gold Cloaks across King's Landing. By the episode's end, Daemon Targaryen (Matt Smith) and Ser Luthor Largent (Tom Cullen) have killed one man who was involved in the killings, and who claims he was acting alone. However, that turns out not to the case, because by the episode's end, nine other Gold Cloaks are dead, including Luthor.

Daemon discovers these corpses posed in a horrifying tableau. The deceased Gold Cloaks sit around a long table, their innards splayed out among tankards and candles. Above them, someone has painted the words "a feast for traitors" in blood.

It's a disgusting sequence, a cross between "The Last Supper" and body horror. It's also not in House of the Dragon's source material, George R.R. Martin's Fire and Blood — at least, not in this exact way.

For starters, the Gold Cloak killing spree is a show-only addition, as are all of Ormund's plans to crown Daeron Targaryen (Benjamin Evan Ainsworth). However, the corpse feast does take place, just in a very different setting.

In Fire and Blood, as Ser Criston Cole (Fabien Frankel) and his men march south through the riverlands, his scouts come across a similar corpse feast. Pro-Rhaenyra forces staged a "grotesque mockery of a feast," using the rotting bodies of fallen soldiers to strike fear into the hearts of their opponents. Later on the march, Criston's men find another corpse banquet, but this one is a trick: The corpses are actually living soldiers in disguise, and they manage to kill a dozen of the scouts.

Based on the fact that their insides have now become their outsides, it's clear that the dead Gold Cloaks in House of the Dragon are not pulling a similar trick. However, that feast, like the book's, is waging some serious psychological warfare. Notably, though, House of the Dragon switched which side of the war is creating this nasty corpse art, shifting it from Team Black to Team Green. The change means that Criston's biggest opponents in the show, Roddy the Ruin (Tommy Flanagan) and Ser Oscar Tully (Archie Barnes), aren't painted as total monsters. It's also in keeping with Ormund's more sadistic side in the show, although there's no way he would ever disembowel a man himself. Think of the smells!

House of the Dragon Season 3 is now streaming on HBO Max, with new episodes premiering Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on HBO and HBO Max.

The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult if you like a good drink.

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.

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.

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 shout out

• Green: Use the mouse

• Blue: The ocean's jewel

• Purple: A good drink

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Here are today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Announce

• Green: Things to click

• Blue: Associated with pearls

• Purple: Starting with alcoholic beverages

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 #1135 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Announce: BLARE, HERALD, SOUND, TRUMPET

• Things to click: BUTTON, ICON, LINK, MENU

• Associated with pearls: BUBBLE TEA, OYSTER, SWINE, WISDOM

• Starting with alcoholic beverages: ALEXA, MEADOW, PORTOBELLO, SAKES

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

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

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

Today's NYT Strands hints are easy if you come in a small package.

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.

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.

NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Small talk

The words are related to size.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe small things.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is horizontal.

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NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is Itsy Bitsy.

NYT Strands word list for July 20

• Microscopic

• Little

• Tiny

• Itsy Bitsy

• Minuscule

• Miniature

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 love the water.

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.

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:

Scuba.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

There are no recurring letters.

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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...

DIVER

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be a new Wordle for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints. Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.

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

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

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

Rhaenyra's Small Council in House of the Dragon is growing larger by the day.

The latest addition? Lady Sabitha Frey (Sarah Woodward), who appears to have been given a position mostly to compensate for Rhaenyra not giving her the already-promised Harrenhal.

"I had hoped a seat on the Small Council would suffice as recompense for House Frey's loyalty," Rhaenyra says, power-walking her way through the halls of the Red Keep.

"But Harrenhal was to be our recompense, payment for giving your Winter Wolves passage across the twins, promised by your own son!" snaps back Lady Sabitha.

She's eventually silenced by a withering look from Rhaenyra, and reluctantly accepts her seat. But hang on a minute, who is Lady Sabitha Frey again? And what exactly was the deal Team Black made with the Freys? Let's recap.

Who is Lady Sabitha Frey?

Lady Sabitha Frey is the head of House Frey. It's a while back now, but we have met her before. In Season 2, episode 5, Jace (Harry Collett) meets with her and her husband, Lord Forrest Frey (Kenneth Collard), to cut a deal with them.

Credit: Ollie Upton / HBO

During the meeting, Lady Sabitha Frey brings up the possibility of Harrenhal, to which Jace (RIP) says, "For that, Mother will want more than your crossing."

"What does her grace desire?" asks Sabitha.

"Bent knees," is Jace's response.

Flash back to Season 3, and you can kind of see why Lady Frey isn't too happy. As she reminds Rhaenyra, the Freys allowed the Starks to use their crossing. But instead of gifting them Harrenhal in return, Rhaenyra has offered it as a bounty for the head of Aemond (Ewan Mitchell).

If she's not going to keep up her end of deals like that, she'll likely risk losing allies to Team Green — Small Council seat or not.

House of the Dragon Season 3 is now streaming on HBO Max, with new episodes premiering Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on HBO and HBO Max.

There's a rich tradition of characters coming back from the dead in the House of the Dragon universe.

We've already seen it happen with Lord Corlys (Steve Toussaint), but now it appears that the Battle of the Gullet has unclaimed yet another victim.

So, who else didn't die, and how did they make it out alive?

What happens with Tyland Lannister in Season 3, episode 5?

After giving Aegon (Tom Glynn-Carney) a well-deserved tongue-lashing, Larys Strong (Matthew Needham) finally manages to convince him to board a ship to Essos and give up on the foolish idea of tracking down his brother Aemond (Ewan Mitchell).

But just as they've come to this agreement, they hear a voice: "What ship might that be?"

"Seven hells," responds Larys when he realises that the cloaked man in front of them is Tyland Lannister (Jefferson Hall), who was last seen being yeeted over the side of a different ship by Admiral Lohar (Abigail Thorn).

So, how did he survive, and what's he doing there?

How did Tyland Lannister survive?

We only get one more brief scene with Aegon, Larys, and Tyland in episode 5, but it does give us a little more information to work with. We don't know how Tyland managed to swim to safety wearing all that armour, or how he's managed to trek however many miles it is from where he washed ashore to where Larys and Aegon have ended up — but we do know that he's probably managed to use the Lannister's reputation to buy some safe passage

"I have men riding with me—," Tyland tells Larys.

"Sellswords," responds Larys. "Cheaply bought, by the look of them."

Tyland, it seems, has managed to pay for just enough protection to get himself this far. His end goal is clearly the Lannister seat of Casterly Rock – he wants Larys and Aegon to travel with him – but it doesn't look like he'll get that far. The scene ends with Aegon stabbing a man to death after he discovers his crown, which likely means the trio will be running for their lives in episode 6.

House of the Dragon Season 3 is now streaming on HBO Max, with new episodes premiering Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on HBO and HBO Max.

All men must die, but apparently that goes double if you're wearing a gold cloak.

House of the Dragon Season 3, episode 5 sees an already-embattled Rhaenyra (Emma D'Arcy) contending with a new threat from inside King's Landing: The systematic murder of her City Watch, who are having their throats and bowels slashed open at an alarming rate.

So, who is doing it, and why? Let's unpack.

What happens to the Gold Cloaks in Season 3, episode 5?

"Two of our Gold Cloaks were found dead in the streets this morning," says Daemon (Matt Smith) during a Small Council meeting. "Put to the blade by an unknown hand."

He's keen to get to the bottom of the problem himself, but while meeting with Ser Luthor (Tom Cullen), who heads up the Gold Cloaks, he finds two more of their number dead. This time it's happened in broad daylight, and they can't seem to find witnesses.

Later, just as Daemon has finished giving a speech to try and rouse the surviving Gold Cloaks, he gets word that someone has been apprehended. Under torture, the man confesses — but he says he acted alone, and never saw the face of the man who paid him.

"He said it was the king's work I was to be about," the man rasps. "Compliments of King Daeron Targaryen, he said. For killing traitors to his throne."

The assassin is killed, but Daemon's problems are only just starting. At the very end of the episode, he finds a large number of Gold Cloaks, including Ser Luthor, arranged dead around a dining table. "A FEAST FOR TRAITORS" has been daubed in blood on the wall.

Who is killing the Gold Cloaks, and why?

Even though we don't know how many assassins in Flea Bottom are doing the killing, we know who's behind it. Midway through the episode, after two Gold Cloaks have been murdered, we see a shot of a little girl walking up some steps and whispering into the ear of a man we haven't seen before. The man writes a note that he sends via raven, and which we then see being read by Ormund Hightower (James Norton).

The note reads: "Gold blood spilled. Three marked in the tally. The account lies open."

Later, Ormund shows Daeron (Benjamin Evan Ainsworth) a gold coin he's had made with Daeron's face on it. It's the same coin that Daemon later finds in the assassin's boot.

The conclusion? Ormund is paying a network of assassins in Flea Bottom to murder the City Watch as a way of adding to Rhaenyra's problems and weakening her defenses. His hope is probably that without the Gold Cloaks, people in the city are more likely to riot. And if there are problems within the walls of King's Landing, it only serves to strengthen his own position.

House of the Dragon Season 3 is now streaming on HBO Max, with new episodes premiering Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on HBO and HBO Max.

TL;DR: Live stream Spain vs. Argentina in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final for free on BBC iPlayer or ITVX. Access these free streaming platforms from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN, an Official Supporter of the FIFA World Cup 2026.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup has delivered weeks of electric entertainment. We've had controversy, moments of ecstasy, and incredibly displays of talent from the best players in the world. And now we're down to the final, where Spain and Argentina will battle it out for the trophy.

Argentina are defending champions, but have stuttered through the tournament, relying on late goals. Spain also struggled to hit their best form in the group stage, but they've built momentum through the knockout rounds, culminating in an impressive victory over favorites France in the semi-final stage.

We're expecting a fiery battle between two teams laden with stars.

If you want to watch Spain vs. Argentina in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Spain vs. Argentina?

Spain vs. Argentina in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final kicks off at 3 p.m. ET on July 19. This fixture takes place at the New York New Jersey Stadium.

How to watch Spain vs. Argentina for free

Spain vs. Argentina in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final is available to live stream for free on BBC iPlayer or ITVX.

BBC iPlayer and ITVX are geo-restricted to the UK, but anyone can access these free streaming platforms with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in the UK, meaning you can unblock BBC iPlayer and ITVX to live stream the 2026 World Cup final for free from anywhere in the world.

Live stream Spain vs. Argentina for free by following these simple steps:

1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (we recommend ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

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

4. Visit BBC iPlayer or ITVX

5. Watch Spain vs. Argentina for free from anywhere in the world

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The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but most do offer free-trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can access free live streams of the 2026 World Cup final without actually spending anything. This obviously isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream Spain vs. Argentina before recovering your investment.

ExpressVPN's regular 30-day money-back guarantee is not available for any subscriptions purchased during the Summer Tech Sweepstakes promotional period (July 11 to Aug. 11), but you do have a chance of winning an iPhone 17 Pro. ExpressVPN remains our top pick for sport, but you will need to pay the monthly rate. Alternatively, Proton VPN still offers that all-important money-back guarantee.

What is the best VPN for the World Cup final?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on BBC iPlayer or ITVX, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including the UK

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

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection speeds free from throttling

• Up to 10 simultaneous connections

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. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99. That covers you for the duration of the World Cup.

Live stream Spain vs. Argentina in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final for free.

TL;DR: Chipotle is giving away 100,000 free entrées during the 2026 World Cup final on July 19. During the match’s second hydration break, fans can watch a video on Chipotle’s Instagram, grab the code revealed at the end, and text it to 888-222 for a chance to claim free food.

Chipotle is bringing some free food to the biggest football match of the summer.

During the 2026 World Cup final on Sunday, July 19, the restaurant chain will give away 100,000 free entrée offers as part of this special giveaway.

The idea for this promotion comes from a long-running Chipotle fan joke. Some customers have been known to “accidentally” fill their complimentary water cups with lemonade at the drink station, and the restaurant has leaned into the joke on social media over the years.

“The best brand ideas start with a fan truth,” said Stephanie Perdue, Chipotle’s senior vice president of marketing.

How to get a free Chipotle entrée during the World Cup final

Getting the freebie is pretty simple:

1. Tune into the World Cup final on July 19

2. During the match’s second hydration break, head to Chipotle’s Instagram account (@Chipotle)

3. Watch the cup-shuffling game, where three identical Chipotle water cups move around the screen

4. Follow the cup hiding the lemonade and grab the code revealed at the end

5. Text the code to 888-222

The first 100,000 people to successfully text the code will receive a free entrée offer, valid on any regularly priced entrée (subject to availability) through July 24, 2026. The offer is available in the U.S. for fans 13 and older. Standard text and data rates may apply.

If you’re already watching the final, it’s worth keeping your phone nearby — your next Chipotle meal could be just a text away.

We're not sure why exactly, but we're the midst of a flurry of national food days. Fresh from National French Fry Day and National Hot Dog Day, it's now time to celebrate National Ice Cream Day. We're not in the business of picking favorites, but come on. We'll whisper it quietly, but this is our favorite. Not only is this ice cream we're talking about, but the free deals and limited-time promotions are elite.

Sunday, July 19, is National Ice Cream Day. We're already seeing special offers from Target, Dairy Queen, Baskin Robbins, and many more popular retailers. Clear your schedule, because ice cream is on the menu all weekend.

These are our favorite National Ice Cream Day deals in 2026.

Baskin Robbins

From National Ice Cream Day through July 25, rewards members get $5 off orders of $20 or more in-app or online. On July 26, members can score a buy-one-get-one free scoop.

Blue Bell Ice Cream

Grab the limited-time Chocolate Lava Cake flavor in honor of National Ice Cream Month before it sells out.

Blue Bunny

Use DoorDash’s DashMart grocery service to secure a "buy two, save $5 deal" on soft pints and mini swirls through July 26.

Dairy Queen

Rewards members can claim a free Dilly Bar with any purchase of $1 or more in the DQ app from July 13-19.

Dippin' Dots

Score a free mini cup of any flavor at participating locations during a specific two-hour window on National Ice Cream Day (check their online locator to find one near you).

DoorDash

DashPass members get a free Wendy's Frosty with a $20 purchase and a "buy two, save $4" deal on Häagen-Dazs from July 16-22.

Friendly’s

Get a free cone or dish of Friendly’s signature ice cream on July 19. There's no rewards membership or purchase required to qualify.

GoPuff

Grab two pints of Ben & Jerry's for $8, two pints of Halo Top for $10, or 30% off Snickers and Twix Ice Cream Bar packs. FAM members can score select premium pints for just $3.50.

Graeter’s

Use code ICECREAMDAY10 for 10% off online orders from July 17-19. Sweet Rewards members can also grab a $1.56 single-dip sugar cone in-store.

Häagen-Dazs

DashPass member can buy two, save $4 until July 22.

Jeni’s Ice Creams

Visit a scoop shop on July 19 to get a free pour of the signature Fudge Sauce or brand-new Caramel Sauce with any order.

Kilwins

Enter Instagram sweepstakes between July 19-31 for a chance to win "free ice cream for a year" (awarded as a $650 gift card).

Marble Slab Creamery

Loyalty members can redeem a free small ice cream on July 19.

Salt & Straw

Build your own custom pint (three scoops with fudge, whipped cream, sprinkles, and a cherry) for $12.50 from July 17-23, plus earn double loyalty points on July 19.

Stop & Shop

Scan your loyalty card at the in-store Savings Station kiosks from July 17-23 for a chance to win a free 1.5-quart container of store-brand ice cream.

Target

Score a buy one, get one 50% off deal on all ice cream from July 12-18.

Wendy’s

DashPass members can get a free Frosty with $20+ orders until July 22.

An artificial intelligence program used to classify prisoners' security levels in Ontario jails is disproportionately placing Black prisoners in maximum-security conditions, according to an investigation published by The Breach and a class action lawsuit filed against the province.

The reporting, by journalist Desmond Cole, examined the Security Assessment for Evaluating Risk (SAFER) tool, which has been used in Ontario jails since 2021 to assign prisoners a risk score based on factors including arrest and disciplinary history.

Citing government data analyzed by University of Toronto criminologist Scot Wortley, the outlet reported that Black people make up roughly 5 percent of Ontario's population but represented close to 27 percent of prisoners in maximum security between 2022 and 2025, while white people were significantly underrepresented in that category relative to their share of the population.

The class action, filed by law firm Koskie Minsky, alleges the province was aware the tool's reliance on historical justice-system data — which reflects documented racial disparities in policing and charging — could disproportionately harm Black prisoners, and that Ontario adopted mitigation measures for Indigenous prisoners without extending similar safeguards to Black prisoners. Internal ministry training documents cited by The Breach acknowledged that "assessments like SAFER would likely contribute to the overrepresentation" of Indigenous and racialized people in maximum security.

The Breach reported that neither Ontario's Ministry of the Solicitor General nor Grant Duwe, the researcher credited with designing SAFER, responded to requests for comment on the program's methodology or accuracy. An Ontario Ombudsman report referenced in the investigation noted it had received complaints about the tool's disproportionate impact on Black and Indigenous prisoners, and that a ministry review of the program is ongoing.

TL;DR: Sign up for a 7-day free trial of Apple TV+ through Prime Video Channels to watch select F1 races for free. Watch the Belgian GP for free with the Prime Video app.

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This season of F1 is strange for a number of reasons. The new regulations continue to result in a lot of uncertainty, which can lead to unpredictable racing. That's what we all want as fans, but even though every race has felt like a lottery, we've only had four race winners from two teams this season. That's exactly the sort of thing these new rules were designed to avoid.

What will we see from the Belgian GP? Will Kimi Antonelli recover to claim another victory? Or will Ferrari build on impressive wins at the Barcelona-Catalunya GP and British GP? I'd love to see a driver from another team make the leap. Verstappen and the McLaren duo must be chomping at the bit to claim maximum points.

If you want to watch F1 2026 for free from anywhere in the world, we've got all the information you need.

When is the Belgian GP?

The Belgian GP is the 10th race of the 2026 F1 season. Here's the full schedule from the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps:

• Practice 1 — 7:30-8:30 a.m. ET on July 17

• Practice 1 — 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. ET on July 17

• Practice 1 — 6:30-7:30 a.m. ET on July 18

• Qualifying — 10-11 a.m. ET on July 18

• Race — 9 a.m. ET on July 19

Fans can follow all the action from this race weekend without spending anything.

How to watch the Belgian GP for free

I subscribe to Amazon Prime for the fast shipping, exclusive Prime Day deals, and access to Prime Video. It's this access to Prime Video that becomes all-important for F1 fans.

It is now possible to sign up for a seven-day free trial of Apple TV+ through Prime Video Channels. F1 is exclusive to Apple TV in the U.S., so by accessing this free trial, you can watch select races for free this season. The subscription costs £9.99 per month after the trial ends, but you can cancel this renewal at any time. By cancelling ahead of the renewal, you can watch the Belgian GP this weekend without spending anything.

I subscribe to Amazon Prime, so am I really watching for free? It's up for debate, but Amazon Prime does offer a 30-day free trial period if you're new to the service. By signing up for this free trial and then gaining access to Apple TV through Prime Video Channels, you can truly watch select races for free this season.

If you've already used this hack to watch a race this season, there are some alternative workarounds.

My recommendation is to go direct to Apple TV. This popular steaming service comes with a seven-day free trial for new subscribers. Alternatively, Apple One bundles Apple TV with Apple Music, Apple Arcade, Apple Fitness Plus, Apple News Plus, and 50GB of iCloud Storage for $19.95 per month after a one-month free trial.

The best Apple TV free-trial offer comes with purchases of new Apple devices. New subscribers can get three months of Apple TV for free after purchasing any eligible Apple product. If you're planning on buying something from Apple, you could gain access to Apple TV for a pretty large chunk of this season. You will obviously need to buy something, but if you were already in the market for an upgrade, this method makes a lot of sense.

How to live stream 2026 F1 for free in 2026

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Best Apple TV Deal

Apple TV

7-day free trial

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7-day free trial

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Apple One

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TL;DR: All 104 matches of the 2026 World Cup are available to watch for free on BBC iPlayer/ITVX. Access these free live streams from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN, an Official Supporter of the FIFA World Cup 2026.

The world is watching the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The best international sides from around the world are competing for arguably the biggest prize in sport. The final is now here after weeks of electric action, with Euro 2024 winners facing off against the defending champions. It's going to be a special contest between two talented sides.

If you're interested in watching the 2026 FIFA World Cup from anywhere in the world, we've got all the information you need.

What is the FIFA World Cup?

The World Cup is an international football competition between senior men's national teams. The 2026 World Cup has been expanded to 48 teams, split into 12 groups of four teams. The top two teams in each group and the eight best third-placed teams will progress to the knockout rounds.

The defending champions are Argentina. They won their third title at the 2022 World Cup after defeating France in an epic final.

When is the 2026 FIFA World Cup?

The 2026 World Cup is the 23rd edition of this famous competition. This year's tournament takes place from June 11 to July 19.

How to watch the 2026 FIFA World Cup for free

A number of streaming platforms are offering free coverage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup:

• Australia — SBS

• Austria — ORF and ServusTV

• Belgium — RTBF and VRT

• France — M6

• Germany — ARD and ZDF

• Ireland — RTÉ

• Italy — RAI

• Norway — NRK

• Netherlands — NOS

• Spain — RTVE

• UK — BBC iPlayer and ITVX (recommended)

These streaming services are geo-restricted, 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 another location, meaning you can livestream the 2026 FIFA World Cup for free from anywhere in the world.

Livestream the 2026 FIFA World Cup 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 the UK

4. Visit BBC iPlayer or ITVX (recommended)

5. Watch the 2026 FIFA World Cup 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 the 2026 FIFA World Cup without committing your cash. This is obviously not a long-term strategy, but it gives you enough time to stream this tournament before recovering your investment.

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

What is the best VPN for the FIFA World Cup?

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

• Servers in 105 countries

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

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is 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 a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99 (with money-back guarantee).

Live stream the 2026 FIFA World Cup for free with ExpressVPN.

France's National Gaming Authority (ANJ) has ordered the country's internet service providers to block access to Polymarket, the crypto-based prediction market.

This decision came after determining the platform was illegally promoting gambling and games of chance to French users. The blocking order, issued July 16 by the ANJ's president, applies to all Polymarket sites operated by ADVENTURE ONE QSS INC.

The regulator says it has tracked Polymarket's activity in France since November 2024. An earlier formal notice prompted the company to geoblock financial transactions from French users, but the ANJ said that the restriction was being circumvented. The agency noted that prediction markets are not authorized under French law and had already warned the public in February that using such platforms carries risks, including addiction and market manipulation.

The ANJ also pointed to an active investigation, opened in May by the Paris prosecutor's cybercrime unit, into allegations that weather-related bets on the platform were manipulated through compromised sensors. The regulator said Polymarket lacks a "Know Your Customer" identification system for its French and European users.

France joins a growing list of European countries — including Belgium, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, and Switzerland — that have restricted or blocked prediction markets. The ANJ said it blocked 1,290 URLs in 2025 under its administrative powers.

The action follows other recent controversies for Polymarket, including a Wall Street Journal investigation, reported by Mashable, that found the company paid influencers to promote fabricated betting wins on TikTok, and separate reporting on the platform's efforts to block VPN access amid legal pressure in the U.S.

Around the turn of the millennium, straight edge hardcore singer Bill Muir was asked by Japanese game developer Square (now known as Square Enix) to lend his vocals to a song for its upcoming RPG, Final Fantasy X. It seemed like just another recording session. Instead, it became the opening track to one of the most beloved games in the series. Twenty-five years later, "Otherworld" remains one of the most iconic video game openings ever made.

At first, Final Fantasy X lulls players into a familiar rhythm. Gentle music plays over the opening menus, evoking the orchestral soundscapes longtime fans had come to expect from the series. Then, just minutes into the game, Muir's ferocious vocals rip through the silence. As Tidus awakens and flashes back to his former life as a blitzball star in Zanarkand, "Otherworld" explodes onto the soundtrack, replacing tranquility with pounding guitars and raw aggression. It's a startling introduction that immediately announces Final Fantasy X isn't interested in playing by the series' established rules.

Muir, who was in his late twenties at the time, was living in Tokyo and performing with his band, xtillidiex (pronounced "Till I Die"), when he was asked to work on the song. A few months after the game's July 19, 2001, release in Japan, Muir got a taste of how much people loved the track.

"I remember being at a show, a later show for my band xtillidiex, as we were wrapping up and I was going to be leaving Japan, somebody having that song on as a ringtone,” Muir told Mashable over a video call from Los Angeles. "And I remember slowly turning and looking at that and being like, "Oh my goodness! Like, this [game] is a pretty big thing."

Most people who played Final Fantasy X shortly after its release were introduced to the song before social media and Shazam, which led to several rumors about its origins. Many people thought the song was by the heavy metal band Rammstein because of what Reddit users describe as an erroneous artist credit on the peer-to-peer file-sharing program Limewire — long before the days of legal music streaming, millennials turned to more illegal measures.

Others thought it was by The Black Mages, a rock band in which Final Fantasy composer Nobuo Uematsu was a member from 2002 to 2010. Either way, people were hooked, and they’re still talking about it a quarter of a century later.

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As of July 2026, "Otherworld" has close to 9 million streams on Spotify. A remastered version of the opening sequence, released in 2014, has 1.5 million views on YouTube. The song still appears on legendary video game music lists, and people continue to post on social media about it being one of the best video game openings.

In honor of the game's 25th anniversary, Square Enix is also releasing a remastered version of Final Fantasy X and its sequel X-2 for the Nintendo Switch on July 23.

The game follows Tidus after he appears to be transported 1,000 years into the future. During the "Otherworld" opening sequence, we see Tidus meeting a character named Auron (who, like his name suggests, emanates aura) and having flashbacks of Zanarkand being destroyed by a colossal, monstrous force called Sin. 

Tidus wakes up in Spira, where Sin is still wreaking havoc and destroying entire cities. He joins Yuna, a summoner who hopes to defeat Sin, and her ragtag group of guardians.

The Zanarkand ruins in Spira. Credit: Square Enix

While Final Fantasy X is often remembered for its groundbreaking graphics and cinematic cutscenes — few are as iconic as Yuna's Sending — it also stands out for its willingness to grapple with darker themes. Beneath its fantasy setting lies a story about grief, generational trauma, religious corruption, death, and the search for meaning in the face of inevitable loss. It wasn't the first Final Fantasy game to tackle those ideas, but it was the first video game I played that made the stakes feel genuinely existential.

That emotional depth resonated with millions of players. According to Square Enix, Final Fantasy X and Final Fantasy X-2 have sold a combined 20 million copies worldwide since their original releases in 2001 and 2003, making them among the best-selling entries in the franchise. Released on the PlayStation 2, Final Fantasy X also marked a major technical leap for the series, introducing fully voiced characters and pushing the console's graphical capabilities to create a more cinematic experience than fans had ever seen.

I was about nine or 10 years old and still riding the Kingdom Hearts high when I spotted Final Fantasy X at my local GameStop. I recognized Tidus from Kingdom Hearts, where he appears as a supporting character, and decided to give the game a chance. Up until then, my only experience with the series had been Final Fantasy III on the Nintendo DS, a relatively straightforward RPG with a whimsical fantasy world and a mellow, orchestral soundtrack. When I got home, I popped the PlayStation 2 disc into the console, my little brother settled in beside me, and hit start.

Just minutes later, we were frozen in front of the TV. As Tidus awakens in a dazzling CGI cutscene, the opening riffs of "Otherworld" crash through the speakers, replacing the serene music that had greeted us in the menus. My brother and I just stared. In an instant, Final Fantasy X announced itself as something entirely different — not just from the Final Fantasy games I'd played, but from almost every video game I'd experienced.

That sense of bold experimentation extended far beyond the opening cinematic. Final Fantasy X marked the first time longtime series composer Nobuo Uematsu shared scoring duties with other composers, bringing in Masashi Hamauzu and Junya Nakano to help shape the soundtrack. The collaboration resulted in one of the franchise's most eclectic scores, seamlessly blending orchestral pieces, piano ballads, ambient soundscapes, and hard rock to forge a musical identity unlike any other in the Final Fantasy series.

How an unexpected meeting at a Japanese restaurant led to Muir working with Square Enix

"Otherworld" was composed by Uematsu, who recruited translator and author Alexander O. Smith to write the lyrics, and vocalist Muir to sing the song. 

Muir said he first met Smith through a mutual friend in either 1999 or 2000, while he and his bandmates were putting together demo tapes at a restaurant. When Smith said he was interested in hearing some of the band’s music, Muir charged him 200 yen for a demo tape. 

"If I had really put together how important this would be in my life, I would have given him the tape. Instead, I charged him for the tape," said Muir.

Smith obliged and said that he worked for Square Enix and that they might be looking for someone to work on a song. A few months later, Smith emailed Muir, asking him if he wanted to come into the Square Enix office for an interview.

Muir said he showed up casually in a band tee with either ripped jeans or camo shorts, with his skateboard in hand, which he said was probably inappropriate for the setting. But somehow, that didn’t deter the folks at Square Enix from giving Muir a chance.

"They played me the song, which was nothing like the song as we know it now," said Muir.

He said that they initially played the song on a keyboard and had asked him if he would be willing to rap on the track, which he turned down. 

"I'm good to go for screaming, yelling, and maybe some angry muttering, and growling," Muir said he told them. "Weirdly, that didn't turn them off."

The rest was RPG history. They brought Muir to a full studio in a basement, where Muir met the band and went over the lyrics a couple of times before recording. He said that there wasn’t much direction from Uematsu and the team on how Muir could approach the song, so it was a very hands-off process.

"They knew what I could do at that point, and whatever I was going to do, I was going to do," said Muir. 

Muir added his own touch at the end of "Otherworld," and if you listen closely, the last few lyrics are a shoutout to his band, xtillidiex: "straight edge/til I die/my lost cause, lost cause, lost cause in this world."

Rebellions, and the legacy of "Otherworld" and Final Fantasy X

It was the first game in the series to feature full voice acting, a fully 3D-rendered world, and more complex, layered sounds. Since the PlayStation 2 had twice as many audio channels (48) as the PlayStation 1 (24), it could support a wider range of sounds and music, making it the perfect platform for a collaborative soundtrack by composers Uematsu, Masashi Hamauzu, and Junya Nakano.

"Seeing those visuals and the story and the music, it was like nothing else that was on the market at the time," said The Night Sky Prince, a digital creator who has been making content on Final Fantasy and other Japanese RPG games for over 10 years. 

The Night Sky Prince told Mashable that previous Final Fantasy games were associated with a more synth-heavy, orchestral sound, but that the new hardware enabled a more vocal, live-instrumental approach, challenging the preconceived notion of what "video game music" is.

He said that "Otherworld," in particular, is unique to the Final Fantasy series because of its proximity to metal and rock genres.

"I feel like that genre choice is very interesting, in part because it can kind of represent rebellion, which I feel kind of represents the dynamic of Tidus and Jecht's relationship quite a lot too," he said.

In a way, the soundtrack was Uematsu’s form of rebellion, or at least his way of breaking away from the previous ways he composed the Final Fantasy soundtracks. In a 2011 interview with RPGamer, Uematsu joked that Final Fantasy wasn't him, but "Otherworld" was. He said that since Final Fantasy X was released on the PlayStation 2, he finally had a way to express rock music, which is the foundation of his work.

Combined with Muir's refusal to rap the lyrics in favor of staying true to his hardcore roots, even if it meant losing the opportunity altogether, "Otherworld" became more than just an opening theme. It challenged expectations of what a video game soundtrack could sound like, especially within the Final Fantasy series. That uncompromising spirit is still part of what keeps drawing fans back to the track.

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The Night Sky Prince said it's one of the songs that he will frequently turn on when he’s at the gym because it's the "best song to listen to while doing a bench press."

"To this day, 'Otherworld' is the only track in all of music ever made that can get me out of a funk. ‘Go. NOW. If you want it,’ reminds me that I need to get off my ass and make things happen,” said Reddit user rogdesouza in a 2025 thread about the song. "I played this game over 20 years ago on the PS2, and it has stayed with me ever since."

Digital creator DizzieDee, who is also known for her content on Final Fantasy and JRPGs, posted about the song on X on June 8 of this year. She said that Final Fantasy X had the best opening of all time, and that “Otherworld” still feels rent-free in her head.

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More than two decades later, Final Fantasy X continues to inspire a new generation of players. Fans still post guitar, piano, and drum covers of "Otherworld" across TikTok and YouTube, while creators like Ollie Dreamer continue to argue that Final Fantasy X remains the best game in the franchise.

For YouTuber The Night Sky Prince, the game's longevity comes down to one thing: replayability.

"People really like the sort of cinematic, story-driven nature of Final Fantasy X. But Final Fantasy X also offered players a lot of customization with the sphere grid, weapon builds, and the combat system was incredibly deep," he said. "Because of that, even though the game was linear, players still felt a sense of choice, whether illusory or otherwise."

Its influence can still be felt throughout the series. Final Fantasy XIII expanded on the Sphere Grid's progression with its Crystarium system and introduced Eidolons that echo X's iconic god-like Aeons. Final Fantasy XVI, meanwhile, revisits many of the themes that made X so memorable, sending its protagonist on a deeply personal journey against seemingly godlike forces.

Perhaps the most memorable callback, though, comes near the end of Final Fantasy X. "Otherworld" returns during the climactic battle against Braska's Final Aeon, who is revealed to be Tidus' father, Jecht. By then, players also know that Jecht was Sin, the monstrous force introduced during the game's opening cinematic. The song that first welcomed players into Spira comes back one last time, transforming what began as a shocking introduction into a powerful full-circle moment about grief, sacrifice, and breaking cycles of violence.

Today, Muir is still forging his own path. Outside of music, he works as a registered nurse caring for veterans and has built an online following as "Sergeant Vegan," where he shares content on nutrition, fitness, and animal and human rights advocacy. He's also writing a memoir about his time living in Tokyo and touring with his band, and hopes to one day perform "Otherworld" for Final Fantasy fans.

Looking back, though, he's simply grateful to have played a small part in something that continues to resonate with players 25 years later.

"When that song kicked in, I remember just being like, 'Oh my God, this is amazing,'" Muir said. "Just the feeling that I've accomplished something… to be a part of something that big, it just feels really, really good."

Fans can pre-download and purchase a digital version of the remastered Final Fantasy X/X-2 on the Nintendo website.

FIFA is giving the World Cup final its first Super Bowl-style halftime show, and the lineup is almost as crowded as the pitch.

Justin Bieber, BTS, Madonna, and Shakira will headline the performance during Sunday’s final between Spain and Argentina at New York New Jersey Stadium. Burna Boy, conductor Gustavo Dudamel, and the PS22 Chorus featuring Coldplay will also appear, along with characters from Sesame Street and The Muppets. Coldplay frontman Chris Martin curated the show.

What time is the World Cup halftime show?

The World Cup final kicks off Sunday, July 19, at 3 p.m. ET, and the halftime show should begin sometime around 3:45 to 3:50 p.m. ET, assuming the match starts on time and there are no major delays. FIFA and Global Citizen have not announced an exact start time for the performance because, unlike the Super Bowl, soccer does not stop at a perfectly scheduled point. The first half lasts 45 minutes, but additional stoppage time will push halftime back by several minutes.

Viewers primarily interested in the music should tune in before 3:45 or risk missing the opening of the show.

The performance itself will last 11 minutes, but the full halftime break could reportedly be considerably longer since crews will need time to build and remove the stage. Broadcasters are preparing for the usual 15-minute interval to stretch to as long as 30 minutes.

Not everyone is thrilled about that possibility, especially given the sport’s history. Soccer’s rulemaking body, the International Football Association Board, normally limits halftime to 15 minutes and even rejected a 2021 proposal to extend it to 25, citing concerns about player welfare and the risks of keeping athletes inactive for too long.

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Some fans also see the extended break as another attempt to turn the World Cup into a Super Bowl-style American television spectacle, with the entertainment (and controversial ad breaks) becoming almost as important as the game.

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How to watch the World Cup halftime show

The halftime show will air as part of the World Cup final broadcast. English-language coverage is available on Fox, while the game can be streamed through Fox One and the Fox Sports app. Fox’s pregame coverage begins at noon ET, three hours before kickoff.

Spanish-language coverage will air on Telemundo and stream on Peacock. Peacock Premium and Premium Plus subscribers have access to all 104 World Cup matches live in Spanish, including the final and its halftime performance. You can also check out Mashable's guide to watching the 2026 World Cup online for free, which includes tips for global readers and VPN users.

The halftime show supports the FIFA Global Citizen Education Fund, which aims to raise $100 million to expand access to education and soccer programs for children around the world. FIFA says more than $50 million has already been raised, including $1 donated from every ticket sold during the tournament.

True ice cream is a labor-intensive process that requires double boilers to make custard, on top of all the churning time. But innovation has brought convenience to the kitchen. Instant ice cream machines like the TikTok-famous Ninja Creami make ice cream easy for anyone to make at home

These appliances take a hint from blenders and spin a blade through a frozen mix, which breaks it up and mixes it up into a creamy, fluffy ice cream texture. These ice cream makers are even back on trend in 2026 as proteinmaxxing has people focused on their macros and sneaking protein in wherever they can, which means even in dessert. Right now, TikTok is full of Ninja Creami recipes that involve protein powders.

I've been using the Ninja Creami and Ninja Slushi for years, and I also tested the buzzy new Ninja Creami Scoop & Swirl. But in honor of National Ice Cream Day, I wanted to find the best ice cream maker for your countertop, too. So, I tested three buzzy models to find out if they're really worth it, and if the Ninja Creami is still king of the kitchen.

Today's Connections: Sports Edition will be easier if you watch soccer.

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.

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.

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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.

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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: Goalie

• Green: World Cup arenas

• Blue: World Cup scorers

• Purple: The best of the best

Here are today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

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

• Yellow: Prevent a Goal

• Green: Stadiums to Host World Cup Final

• Blue: World Cup Golden Ball Winners

• Purple: Golden___

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 #664 is...

What is the answer to Connections: Sports Edition today?

• Prevent a Goal: BLOCK, PARRY, SAVE, STOP

• Stadiums to Host World Cup Final: AZTECA, MARACANA, ROSE BOWL, SOCCER CITY

• World Cup Golden Ball Winners: FORLAN, MARADONA, MODRIC, ZIDANE

• Golden___: BALL, BOOT, GLOVE, GOAL

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 today's Connections.

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

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.

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.

Easy difficulty hints, answers for July 19 Pips

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

Number (12): Everything in this space must add up to 12. The answer is 5-6, placed vertically; 6-3, placed horizontally.

Less Than (4): Everything in this space must be less than 4. The answer is 6-3, placed horizontally.

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

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

Medium difficulty hints, answers for July 19 Pips

Greater Than (10): Everything in this space must be greater than 10. The answer is 6-3, placed vertically; 1-5, placed vertically.

Less Than (6): Everything in this space must be less than 6. The answer is 3-1, placed horizontally.

Number (7): Everything in this space must add up to 7. The answer is 6-3, placed vertically; 4-4, placed horizontally.

Number (7): Everything in this space must add up to 7. The answer is 3-0, placed horizontally; 4-4, placed horizontally.

Number (1): Everything in this space must add up to 1. The answer is 3-0, placed horizontally; 1-6, placed horizontally.

Greater Than (8): Everything in this space must be greater than 8. The answer is 1-6, placed horizontally; 3-4, placed horizontally.

Greater Than (3): Everything in this space must be greater than 3. The answer is 3-4, placed horizontally.

Hard difficulty hints, answers for July 19 Pips

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

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

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

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

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

Number (9): Everything in this space must add up to 9. The answer is 1-6, placed horizontally.

Number (7): Everything in this space must add up to 7. The answer is 1-2, placed horizontally.

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

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

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

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

Number (4): Everything in this space must add up to 4. The answer is 1-4, placed horizontally.

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

Less Than (4): Everything in this space must be less than 4. The answer is 0-1, placed horizontally.

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

Number (0): Everything in this space must add up to 0. The answer is 0-4, placed horizontally; 0-3, placed vertically.

Equal (1): Everything in this space must be equal to 1. The answer is 5-1, placed horizontally; 1-4, placed horizontally; 0-1, placed horizontally; 1-1, placed vertically.

Equal (3): Everything in this space must be equal to 3. The answer is 0-3, placed vertically; 3-3, placed horizontally.

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

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

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

Greater Than (4): Everything in this space must be greater than 4. The answer is 4-5, placed horizontally.

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

Millennials, the first computer generation, recall many a classroom lecture about the unreliability of Wikipedia. We were told to be wary of unverified forum posts. We were advised to seek out primary sources on the World Wide Web, and the place to start was Google. 

Now, as Gen Alpha enters AI-powered classrooms, can Google Search no longer be trusted?

A new report by child safety watchdog Common Sense Media concluded that Google's modernized, AI-powered Search poses an "unacceptable risk" to young Googlers. In fact, the report authors say, the generative AI search engine is so risky that students should stop using it completely until Google educators can turn the AI off.

Google's AI Search as classroom threat 

Child safety advocates have been urging schools to ditch classroom technology for years. As generative AI embeds itself in educational products, those cries have gotten louder. But while it's easy to see the potential harm in introducing something like ChatGPT to young students, it may not be as obvious that a simple Google search exposes young learners to AI.

Google launched AI Mode for Search last year. Unlike AI Overviews' rollout, AI Mode was available to everyone, immediately, including education accounts. Both Common Sense Media and other experts Mashable spoke to said this was alarming, primarily because Google's AI Mode is powered by Gemini models — models that are age-gated in other Google experiences, including on Google's educational technology suite. 

Google Search is a tentpole product for the tech giant and an essential tool for both educators and students, Robbie Torney, senior director of AI programs at Common Sense Media, explained. "Google is an outsized player in both the search space and the education space."

The company helmed a 1:1 device movement that saw the introduction of personal devices, like Chromebooks, in schools across the country. Google Workspace for Education now powers administrative suites and classroom resources. The company later became a major evangelist for AI implementation, introducing, and then ultimately rescaling, Gemini for Education. Google now boasts millions of Workspace for Education, Chromebook, and other Google educational product users ranging from Kindergartners to post-grads.

By making generative AI fundamental to Google's products — to the point where many users don't even realize they're using it — Google has eroded years of trust, sources told Mashable.

Googling isn't so simple anymore

For one, researchers have found Google's AI Overviews are prone to repeating misinformation, an early product sticking point that has not yet been resolved by the tech giant. Much like existing problems with chatbots, sources told Mashable, the product's design suggests an air of authority that can easily confuse adults, let alone children.

In addition, Common Sense Media found that Google's AI tools readily completed homework assignments for minor users. Experts suggest that this combination of misleading design, varying responses, and the agreeable nature of chatbots (including AI Mode) may lead students to unknowingly cheat. At the bare minimum, they say, searching on Google may be making learning harder.

"They are infusing AI in developmentally inappropriate ways through Search," explained Amanda Bickerstaff, deputy director of AI for Education. The organization works with educational institutions to build out AI literacy programs and reduce the potentially negative impact of generative AI tools on children's learning. 

Bickerstaff called AI Mode a backdoor for students to access unsafe generative AI experiences. It's also complicating educators' ability to enshrine literacy skills in the next generation, Bickerstaff explained, replicating some of the worst parts of chatbot design right in a previously reliable information environment. 

"There is no reason why a 10-year-old, 13-year-old, or even 15-year-old should see an AI Overview or have AI Mode," said Bickerstaff. "When teaching AI literacy, the first step is to be intentional. These modes are the opposite. You don't go to a search engine to get a chatbot answer, you go to search for real things."

According to Common Sense Media's report, AI Overviews and Google's new Search chatbot AI Mode could also pose mental health and safety risks to children.

Google does not offer the option to disable only AI features while keeping Search accessible. That means children can still be exposed to generative AI while at school even when guardrails are in place, simply by doing their schoolwork. Parents can turn off Search entirely or block Google.com for the child accounts they manage, Google explains. School administrators could theoretically do the same for Workspace for Education accounts, bricking the Google Search domain for all users. Bickerstaff sees this as putting educators between a rock and a hard place. "What are you going to say? That kids can't search the web?"

In a statement to Mashable following the report's release, Google said Common Sense Media's stress testing was narrow and ambiguous, and not an "effective way to measure product safety and helpfulness." Common Sense Media did not test Workspace for Education accounts, only consumer accounts. However, Google expressed that the AI-powered Search experience is the same for all users, said Torney.

Could AI Search be a legal nightmare for schools?

Because of this, sources Mashable spoke to said that it may be time to cut ties with Google.

"Google’s AI Overview and AI Mode are undermining kids’ education, supplying them with dangerous disinformation, and putting their very lives at risk," said David Monahan, campaign director for child safety nonprofit Fairplay for Kids. "If Google is not even willing to disable AI features for students, schools should stop using Google products altogether."

Common Sense Media's report could be a startling wake-up call for school districts, said Anya Meksin, deputy director of Schools Beyond Screens, a national coalition pushing for school policies that limit tech use in classrooms. Schools Beyond Screens recently spearheaded new tech use policies at Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) schools, including a screen time ban for kindergarten and first grade classes. 

Both Fairplay and Schools Beyond Screens are leading calls for years-long moratoriums on Gen AI use in schools. Meksin explained that advocates have already sounded the alarm about AI Search and other integrated Google products, not just chatbots.

"We are shocked by the way Big Tech has colonized public education with their products," Meksin said. "We have to treat this as an emergency. Education is the foundation of our democracy, and they are knowingly disabling our children from being able to fight back against these companies in the future."

School districts, including LAUSD, have struggled to address the problems posed by the reliance on classroom tech, often in violation of their own burgeoning AI policies, she explained. 

"School districts are instantly in violation of any policies put in place because of the speed of the technology and the way AI is embedded," said Meksin. For example, LAUSD's new policy bans students under 13 years of age from using generative AI in school. But through products like Chromebooks and Google Search on school computers, students can still interact with AI Mode. 

Over the last 20 years, K-12 schools have spent billions to outfit their classrooms with educational technology. Meksin said she was told by several districts that it would be impossible to fully disable such expansive services, including Google products like Chromebooks.  

"We find this position to be completely laughable," Meksin said. "School districts are liable for exposing children to products known to cause severe and lasting harm." She believes educational institutions could enter the same legal hot water as social media and AI companies. 

Google and its parent company Alphabet recently faced its first wrongful death lawsuit after a user died by suicide following conversations with Gemini. YouTube, also owned by Alphabet, was found guilty of negligent platform design and subsequent mental health harm to minor users. Torney likened the rollout of Google's AI features to the introduction of YouTube to classrooms, which has also come under fire from child safety advocates.

Instead of opening themselves up to greater liability, Meksin believes school districts should push for change from Big Tech — starting with stronger controls for embedded generative AI features now available on school devices. "As the largest purchasers of these products, districts have power. If Google refuses to comply, districts must cease using these products and void these contracts." 

The 2026 World Cup final is here at last. We've had weeks of epic contests between the best sides in the world, and it all comes down to this. It's the defending champions against the Euro 2024 winners for a shot at immortality. The likes of Lamine Yamal and Lionel Messi will battle it out for the trophy.

Here's all the information you need to watch the final.

FIFA World Cup schedule today: July 19

• World Cup Final: Spain vs. Argentina (New York New Jersey Stadium) — kickoff at 3 p.m. ET

How to watch FIFA World Cup games today

Watch Spain vs. Argentina

Argentina are the defending champions, but they've largely relied on late goals to make the final. Spain didn't hit their best form in the group stage, but they've built momentum with some big wins in the knockout rounds, including an impressive victory over favorites France. Neither side is coming into this clash as real favorites, and we expect the final to be decided by a moment of brilliance or a mistake.

Live coverage will be on Fox and Fox One. Peacock will carry the live Spanish-language coverage.

More live streaming options

Live TV cable replacement

Not interested in signing up for a standalone streaming service like Fox One or Peacock? You can sign up for a live TV cable replacement service, like YouTube TV or Hulu + Live TV.

These services carry over 100 live channels, but run off a WiFi connection. You'll get live access to Fox and FS1, plus a whole lot more. Here are some options to consider:

• YouTube TV — 10-day trial, then $67.99/month for 3 months

• Fubo Sports — 1-day trial, then $45.99/month for 1 month

• Hulu + Live TV — 3-day trial, then $89.99/month

Watch the World Cup for free with a VPN

It's possible to watch the World Cup for free on international services like ITVX, BBC iPlayer, NOS, or RTÉ. Our global World Cup watch guide can walk you through the process.

You will need a VPN to live stream the World Cup on these free streaming services. We recommend ExpressVPN — a Mashable-tested service and an Official Tournament Supporter of the FIFA World Cup in the U.S., Canada, and Europe — as our VPN of choice for sport. It offers servers in 105 countries, a user-friendly app available on all major devices, a speedy connection, and up to 10 simultaneous connections.

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This really isn’t about chasing trends; it’s more about giving your computer the modern foundation it deserves. Windows 11 Pro brings a sleeker UI, better multitasking, and enhanced security — all in a one-time lifetime license.

Think of it as the difference between driving a reliable car and suddenly upgrading to one with a smarter dashboard, smoother handling, and built-in security features.

For professionals, creators, and power users, this upgrade also unlocks features like Hyper-V, Windows Sandbox, BitLocker encryption, and seamless Azure AD integration — tools that make a real difference when you’re working across projects or managing sensitive data.

And yes, Windows 11 comes with Copilot, Microsoft’s AI-powered assistant that can summarize pages, change settings, or even help you generate code on the fly. It’s like having a co-pilot (literally) inside your OS.

But you don’t need convincing — you already know a smart upgrade when you see one. Get Windows 11 Pro for just $7.97 (MSRP $199) through July 19 at 11:59 p.m. PT.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

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.

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

Hurdle Word 1 hint

Rode over.

Hurdle Word 1 answer

DROVE

Hurdle Word 2 hint

Salt water.

Hurdle Word 2 Answer

BRINE

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Hurdle Word 3 hint

Bombardment.

Hurdle Word 3 answer

BLITZ

Hurdle Word 4 hint

Fabric.

Hurdle Word 4 answer

CLOTH

Final Hurdle hint

Tunes.

Hurdle Word 5 answer

MUSIC

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

Wondering what you're looking at on the Moon's surface? Wonder no more, with the help of NASA's Daily Moon Guide, we've broken down all the features you might be looking at when you look up tonight.

What is today’s Moon phase?

As of Sunday, July 19, NASA's Daily Moon Guide tracker tells us the Moon phase is in Waxing Crescent phase, with 29% of its surface visible.

You won't need any visual aids to be able to spot the Mares Crisium and Fecunditatis. However, if you do have binoculars or a telescope, you'll also be able to see the Endymion Crater.

When is the next Full Moon?

The next Full Moon will take place on July 29.

What are Moon phases?

The Moon completes one full cycle around Earth in about 29.5 days, moving through eight different phases along the way, NASA explains. Although the same side of the Moon always faces our planet, the amount of sunlight reflecting off its surface changes as it travels around Earth. This changing angle of illumination is what makes the Moon appear to transform throughout the month, from a thin crescent to a half-lit Moon and eventually a fully illuminated Full Moon, before starting the cycle again.

New Moon - The Moon is between Earth and the sun, so the side we see is dark (in other words, it's invisible to the eye).

Waxing Crescent - A small sliver of light appears on the right side (Northern Hemisphere).

First Quarter - Half of the Moon is lit on the right side. It looks like a half-Moon.

Waxing Gibbous - More than half is lit up, but it’s not quite full yet.

Full Moon - The whole face of the Moon is illuminated and fully visible.

Waning Gibbous - The Moon starts losing light on the right side. (Northern Hemisphere)

Third Quarter (or Last Quarter) - Another half-Moon, but now the left side is lit.

Waning Crescent - A thin sliver of light remains on the left side before going dark again.

The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult if you're good at reading people.

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.

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.

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: Electrical

• Green: To match

• Blue: Using the john

• Purple: Body language

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Here are today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Circuit components

• Green: Digital coupling verbs

• Blue: Things toilets do

• Purple: ___ face expressions

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 #1134 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Circuit components: BREAKER, FUSE, RELAY, SWITCH

• Digital coupling verbs: CONNECT, JOIN, PAIR, SYNC

• Things toilets do: DRAIN, FLUSH, REFILL, SWIRL

• ___ face expressions: GAME, LONG, POKER, STRAIGHT

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

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

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

Today's NYT Strands hints are easy if you like things large.

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.

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.

NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Big talk

The words are related to size.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe large things.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is horizontal.

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NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is Supersize it.

NYT Strands word list for July 19

• Giant

• Behemoth

• Leviathan

• Mammoth

• Colossum

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 today's Strands.

Today's Wordle answer should be easy to solve if you like to make food from scratch.

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.

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:

A way to make butter.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

There are no recurring letters.

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

Today's Wordle starts with the letter C.

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...

CHURN

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be a new Wordle for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints. Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.

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

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

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

Netflix paid over half a billion dollars for Ben Affleck's AI startup InterPositive, which he founded in 2022.

According to Variety, Netflix's Form 10-Q report with the Securities and Exchange Commission disclosed that it paid $587 million in cash for an acquisition in March. While the company they acquired goes unnamed in the report, the InterPositive acquisition was announced on March 5, and a Bloomberg report estimated that Netflix could have paid up to $600 million.

According to the March 5 deal announcement, Netflix viewed its acquisition of InterPositive as "investing in creator-led innovation that keeps filmmakers at the center of the process."

In that same announcement, Affleck wrote: "In 2022, I spent a lot of time observing the early rise of AI in production. As a filmmaker, I could see how these models came up short. For artists to apply these tools towards telling the stories we dedicate our lives to, they need to be purpose-built to represent and protect all the qualities that make a great story."

In a video released alongside the acquisition announcement, Affleck emphasized that InterPositive was "not about text prompting or generating something from nothing."

Instead, he explained, InterPositive's tools build a model specific to the film being made, which then gets employed during post-production for processes like mixing and coloring. According to Affleck, this would allow filmmakers to focus on performances in the moment.

As reported by Deadline in April, a 2024 patent application filed by Affleck stated that InterPositive's technology would yield "substantial" savings. It could potentially "replace" costs tied to everything from background artists to splinter film units to reshoots, leading to a "20% reduction in schedule and physical production," as well as a 50% reduction in VFX cost.

A new Disney princess might be getting the live-action treatment soon: Princess Tiana, from 2009's The Princess and the Frog.

On Friday, Deadline reported that Emmy and Oscar nominee Colman Domingo (Euphoria, Sing Sing) and Tony-nominated director Robert O'Hara (Slave Play) are in talks to co-write a live-action film centered on Tiana.

Originally voiced by Anika Noni Rose, Tiana is a determined waitress from New Orleans who hopes to one day open her own restaurant. Her grand plan gets derailed when she's turned into a frog alongside Maldonia's cursed Prince Naveen (voiced by Bruce Campos). So begins an adventure through the Louisiana bayou, with the two eventually falling in love. By the end of the film, the pair return to their human forms and get married. That's not all: Tiana's dreams finally come true with the grand opening of her restaurant, Tiana's Palace.

However, Domingo and O'Hara's film, still in extremely early days, reportedly won't just be a live-action retread of The Princess and the Frog, the way most of Disney's live-action projects are. Instead, it is set to be an original spin-off story, similar to Beauty and the Beast spin-off Gaston, also in development.

The original take on a beloved character could be just what Disney needs as it continues with its live-action projects. 2026's Moana and 2025's Snow White both floundered at the box office, suggesting audiences are growing tired with the constant remakes of classics. However, 2025's Lilo & Stitch did earn over $1 billion, so the appetite for live-action versions of certain properties remains.

True to its source material, Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey is headed for an epic opening weekend at the box office.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, The Odyssey raked in $17.6 million from domestic Thursday night previews and is on track for a $117 million opening weekend. That would make it the best domestic opening for a live-action film this year, surpassing Michael, which took in $97 million and went on to cross the $1 billion mark worldwide in July. The two best domestic openings of the year belong to animated films: Toy Story 5 ($160 million) and The Super Mario Galaxy Movie ($131.7 million).

A $117 million opening would also be the best opening for an R-rated film in 2026, overtaking Backrooms ($81.4 million). It would also be the best opening for an R-rated movie from Universal Pictures, a record formerly held by Fifty Shades of Grey ($85.1 million).

The Odyssey's opening weekend box office is also set to surpass that of Nolan's prior film, Oppenheimer ($82.4 million), making it his biggest since The Dark Knight Rises, which still holds a commanding lead with $160 million.

Based on The Odyssey's reported production cost of $250 million and reported marketing cost of $125 million, Forbes estimates that after theaters take their cuts, it will take between $625 to $750 million for The Odyssey to break even. However, given Nolan's track record, The Odyssey is sure to have massive legs, especially in premium, if exclusive, formats like IMAX 70mm. Screenings for that format in particular are sold out for weeks into the future, and have been since tickets for The Odyssey went on sale last year.

Clearly, the demand for The Odyssey is there. Could it be Nolan's third film to break $1 billion, following in the footsteps of The Dark Knight and The Dark Knight Rises?

The Odyssey is now in theaters.

Can wildfire smoke get into your house?

Yes. It won't be visibly hazy like it is outside, but particulate matter like wildfire smoke — 20 to 30 times smaller than a human hair — can seep into your home in several different ways. Many air purifiers have sensors that provide live air quality metrics from the room they're in, including PM2.5 (particulate matter).

Indoor air still isn't innately clean when there's not a major air quality event happening. Indoor air pollution can be caused by cleaning products, cooking smoke, or microplastics embedded into dust or pet dander. It's all the more reason to keep an air purifier running 24/7 at home, regardless of whether you have allergies or not.

Just how bad is wildfire smoke for our health?

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, wildfire smoke can cause breathing issues, headaches, lethargy, coughing, and wheezing, to name a few ill effects. This applies to everyone after repeated exposure, not just "sensitive groups."

Even if you feel fine, smoke particles are small enough to get into our bloodstream. According to Yale Medicine, that means they also have access to other organs like the heart and the liver. Over time, exposure to PM 2.5 might lead to an increased risk of cancers, heart attack, and cognitive issues. Particulate matter like smoke can also mess with your skin barrier and trigger oxidative stress, actively working against your skincare routine.

Those who have asthma, heart disease, or diabetes are at an increased risk of getting sick. Kids and pregnant people are also considered high-risk when it comes to getting sick from wildfire smoke.

Wildfire smoke also affects the health of our pets. It can irritate their eyes, make it hard for them to breathe, or damage their tiny respiratory systems. The American Veterinary Medical Association says that if we can see or feel the effects from smoke, our pets can as well. That's especially true for pets with cardiovascular or respiratory issues.

The benefits of an air purifier

If your neighborhood gets socked in with wildfire smoke, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recommends you keep windows and doors closed. Even still, it’s possible smoke can seep in under doors, through cracks, or from vents in the kitchen and bathroom. Running a portable air purifier can help cut down on harmful particles that might enter your home. 

Air purifiers work by sucking in the room’s air and sending it through a filtration system.

Most high-quality air purifiers do so with a HEPA filter (High Efficiency Particulate Air) in addition to a few other filters. A pre-filter is a great addition, and it looks similar to a screen with a fine weave. These help capture dust and hair, which leaves the more-important HEPA filter cleaner and less clogged up from larger debris that can float around in the air. A HEPA filter is capable of removing 99.97% of tiny particulate matter in the air that we can’t see, but can cause us discomfort, according to the EPA. That includes wildfire smoke, cigarette smoke, pollution from nearby traffic, pollen, and dust.

A briefing on particulate matter: PM 10 and PM 2.5

When shopping for an air purifier, you’ll see many models explain that they capture particulate matter, or PM. For the most part, that’s stuff in the air that you don’t really want to inhale. We measure PM by its diameter. Either with an on-unit display or in the app, most air purifiers will track the level of PM 10 and PM 2.5 in the air. To help get a baseline of understanding, a single strand of human hair measures between 50 and 70 microns in diameter, according to measurements from the EPA.

• PM 10: Particulate matter that measures 10 microns in diameter includes dust, pollen, mold, and some wildfire smoke particles.

• PM 2.5: These tiny particles measure 2.5 microns in diameter, which is true of the majority of particles emitted from wildfire smoke. 

Since PM is so small, it can enter our bloodstream and nestle itself deep in the lungs, according to Yale Medicine.

Do air purifiers help with allergies and viruses?

Since HEPA filters are designed to scrub the air of potentially harmful particles, they can also help cut down on pollen, dust, and even viruses. The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America says using a HEPA filter can reduce airborne allergens that wind up indoors. That can be from an open window, your clothes you wore to the park, or even when the dog comes home from a walk.

An air purifier with a HEPA filter can also be helpful during cold and flu season. Not all virus particles are large enough to get captured by HEPA filters. However, many are launched into the air via a cough or sneeze so those virus particles are traveling within a larger particle (what the CDC calls a respiratory droplet) which can get filtered out by a HEPA. By no means does using an air purifier mean you won’t get ill if you hang out in a room with a sick person all day, but it might reduce the likelihood.

TL;DR: The 2026 Nations Championship is available to watch for free on ITVX. Access these free live streams from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

This is shaping up to be a special year for sport.

The schedule has been ridiculously busy this year. We've hardly had time to breathe between the Winter Olympics, T20 World Cup, and World Cup, and now the world of rugby has dropped a totally new competition to grab its share of the spotlight.

The Nations Championship is changing the game. This fresh tournament promises to deliver six rounds of elite matchups between top international sides followed by a blockbuster Finals Weekend. It feels like the Rugby World Cup without the filler.

If you're interested in watching the 2026 Nations Championship from anywhere in the world, we've got all the information you need.

What is the Nations Championship?

The 2026 Nations Championship is an international rugby union competition featuring 12 men's teams. The teams are divided into two pools of six (Northern Hemisphere and Southern Hemisphere). Over two international windows, each team plays all the teams in the opposite pool once. Every team plays three games at home and three away.

After six rounds, a finals series will be contested over three days with each team matched against the same ranked team in the other pool to decide final placements.

When is the 2026 Nations Championship?

The 2026 Nations Championship is the first edition of this competition. This year's tournament runs from the first round of fixtures on July 4 to the final on Nov. 29.

How to watch the 2026 Nations Championship for free

The 2026 Nations Championship is available to live stream for free on ITVX.

ITVX is geo-restricted to the UK, 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 the UK, meaning you can livestream the 2026 Nations Championship for free from anywhere in the world.

Livestream the 2026 Nations Championship 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 the UK

4. Visit ITVX

5. Watch the 2026 Nations Championship for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window

Credit: ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan)

$12.99 only at ExpressVPN

Get Deal

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 the 2026 Nations Championship without committing your cash. This is obviously not a long-term strategy, but it gives you enough time to stream multiple weekends before recovering your investment.

ExpressVPN's regular 30-day money-back guarantee is not available for any subscriptions purchased during the FIFA World Cup between June 10 and July 11. ExpressVPN remains our top pick for sport, but you will need to pay the monthly rate until that offer comes back into play. Alternatively, Proton VPN still offers that all-important money-back guarantee.

What is the best VPN for ITVX?

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

• Servers in 105 countries

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

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection speeds free from throttling

• Up to 10 simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee (after FIFA World Cup)

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 the 2026 Nations Championship for free with ExpressVPN.

Here at Mashable, we're constantly testing the best laptops based on an exhaustive in-house methodology that combines real-world use with performance benchmarking. In the past two years alone, we've tried over 80 different models across a range of price points.

To determine which of them fit the bill for college students, specifically, I researched the top 10 public universities' hardware recommendations for the upcoming fall 2026 semester. These include processor types, operating system support, RAM and storage minimums, and other spec requirements for different majors. I honed my guidance based on the common threads I noticed.

I also gave special preference to laptops that are long-lasting and portable enough to be toted around campus, and those that are competitively priced for the current market. Laptops aren't cheap right now, but a solid splurge can last you well past graduation. (Take advantage of student discounts whenever possible.)

Based on this analysis, I eventually settled on six top picks that make the best laptops for college students. Whether you're a humanities student, a STEM major, or still undeclared, I'm confident that at least one of my options will be your ideal machine. You can read more about these picks and my research below.

What to look for in a college laptop, based on my research

A Windows laptop with a mid-tier Intel Core or AMD Ryzen 7 processor is suitable for most college students. Credit: Haley Henschel / Mashable

Six of this year's 10 top-ranking public universities tell their incoming students to purchase Windows 11 laptops or MacBooks that are less than two years old. I wouldn't go any older than that for the sake of future-proofing.

Most of those schools tell their students to purchase laptops with 16GB of RAM and 512GB of SSD storage at minimum. (Liberal arts majors might be able to get away with 256GB of storage, but you'll probably have to supplement that with an external hard drive.) More RAM and storage is better if your budget allows; more is mandatory if you're an engineering, design, or computer science major. Students in those fields are generally advised to get a laptop with at least 24GB to 32GB of RAM and 1TB of storage.

You can approach your processor options in a similar way. For Windows laptops, most schools suggest a mid-range CPU like an Intel Core/AMD Ryzen 5 at minimum, and a mid- to high-end Intel Core/AMD Ryzen 7 or 9 chip for more demanding workloads. Several schools recommend tacking on a dedicated GPU for such coursework, too (i.e, Nvidia GeForce RTX/Radeon RX graphics). On the Apple side, the MacBook Air and Pro with the base M5 chip are go-to recs for most students.

Two schools tell their students not to buy ARM-based Windows laptops (with Qualcomm's Snapdragon processors) because they can't run certain software natively, and because they don't support older peripherals like university printers and scanners. One software example is AutoCAD, a popular 2D and 3D design app that engineering and design students rely on heavily. I love a lot of ARM laptops because they're fast and long-lasting, and I will say that their compatibility is improving every year. Still, I've opted to keep them off my list of 2026 picks out of an abundance of caution; stick with Intel and AMD CPUs for now.

Be sure to budget for an extended warranty with accidental damage protection, as suggested by over half of the top 10 public universities. For reference, AppleCare+ for Mac costs $67.99 to $139.99 a year for students, depending on the MacBook model.

What type of laptop should college students buy?

Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

This is a question that only your college can answer for sure, as laptop type recommendations can vary by major. For example, the University of Virginia and the University of California, Davis approve MacBooks for their general student populations, but their engineering departments tell certain tracks to avoid them. Likewise, UCLA's Anderson School of Management hardware requirement page says, "Mac computers are acceptable to use as primary computers for study at Anderson. However, please note that some elective course software is only available for Windows. Students are responsible for ensuring compatibility and configuring their Macs accordingly."

I can say for sure that you probably shouldn't buy a Chromebook. Three schools in my research pool discouraged them for some or all majors, and one school — the University of Florida — only recommended them "as supplemental devices." I included a Chromebook in a previous version of this guide as a secondary option for note-taking, but price increases amid the ongoing RAM shortage have made many of them just as expensive as Apple's budget MacBook Neo (if not more so), which is a much nicer and more powerful computer, relatively speaking.

Do you need your own laptop for college?

Yes, you should have your own laptop at college. Most universities let students temporarily borrow laptops through their libraries and/or tech desks. However, these loaners are available on a first-come, first-served basis and wiped upon return (i.e., you can't save anything on them long-term).

I wouldn't rely too heavily on your school's computer lab, either, because you can't take bring those desktops to class or your dorm. Ultimately, owning your own laptop is way more convenient and ensures you'll have the exact specs needed for your major's coursework.

How to choose an LED face mask: Look at wavelength first

There are some ways to tell that a red light face mask won't be effective before you buy it and use it for a few months.

Wavelength is the first factor anyone will tell you to consider. You want to find products that emit light within the therapeutic window, or the range of wavelengths that can be effective when treating common skin conditions. There is now an abundance of evidence that specific wavelengths of red light can be effective for:

• Reduction of fine lines, dark circles, and crow's feet

• Improving skin texture

• Fighting wrinkles

• Boosting collagen production

• Reducing inflammation and redness

To be effective, the light coming from the mask must penetrate different layers of your skin. There are optimal wavelengths for each type of light a face mask emits, and any reputable brand will put their mask's wavelengths front and center in the listing. These carefully chosen ranges are strong enough to penetrate your skin, but gentle enough to avoid over-activating delicate face skin.

Red light does its work in the middle layer (dermis) of your skin, requiring wavelengths between 630 and 633 nm to reach past the top layer. There, red light stimulates cells to produce rejuvenating proteins like collagen and elastin, evening out surface redness, and preventing scarring or post-pimple red spots.

The Shark CryoGlow's Better Aging routine combines red and near-infrared light. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

The Shark CryoGlow's Skin Clearing routine uses a special sequence of red, near-infrared, and blue light. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

Most red light masks also use near-infrared red light therapy, which requires longer wavelengths to travel further than regular red light. Near-infrared light between 830 and 850 nm reaches into tissue under the dermis to further stimulate cell turnover, firm skin, and heal deep-seated spots or stubborn dark circles.

Blue light operates on the top layer (epidermis) of your skin, so its ideal wavelength is shorter than either red light standard. Blue light at 415nm has an antimicrobial effect, ideally killing the bacteria that cause acne before a breakout starts. If hellbent bacterial acne makes it past the blue light phase — or if you're also dealing with hormonal or cystic acne not caused by bacteria — red light swoops in to neutralize inflammation and speed up the healing process.

The thing is, most mainstream LED face masks hit those wavelength marks. So, how do you choose between masks if their wavelength numbers are all the same?

The importance of irradiance

Irradiance is another major element that determines whether or not a red light mask actually works. While wavelength refers to the length the light can travel, irradiance refers to the amount of light energy that's actually reaching your skin per session (not just the intensity of light being generated at the bulb). If wavelength numbers are correct but irradiance is low, the mask will still be kind of a dud.

Irradiance is officially expressed as milliwatts per square centimeter. The optimal irradiance range for a red light face mask is pretty wide (anywhere between 30 to 100 mw/cm²), though many brands don't directly provide that number.

Most brands do note the length of each session, which is one way to quickly gauge irradiance without getting into calculations. Dr. Mamina Turegano sums it up best on her YouTube account: "Higher irradiance means more effective energy delivery per minute of use." Longer sessions don't automatically mean that results will be more powerful — a mask with sessions that last for less than 10 minutes has higher irradiance than a mask with sessions that last for 20 to 30 minutes. Since a mask with lower irradiance needs to sit on your face for longer, you might be less likely to keep up with wearing it.

Are bulb count and bulb placement a big deal?

The number of bulbs and the placement of bulbs inside the mask can also impact efficacy, especially if you're expecting results on a specific area of your face. Masks with more bulbs packed evenly across the face will provide more even coverage across every inch of your face than masks with more sporadically-placed bulbs. Some masks provide more light sources overall by emitting both red and blue light simultaneously from every single bulb, like the Shark CryoGlow. This would be a better option for full-face acne prevention than masks with blue and red LEDs only concentrated in certain spots, like the Dr. Dennis Gross DRx SpectraLite.

What red light masks work?

Of course, you probably didn't come here for a science lesson. You want to know which red light masks Mashable's testers used and loved.

After trying out 10 different products, we ultimately found five that we can recommend. These masks delivered visible results for our product testers.

Remember: Consistency is essential for the best results (or any results). You'll need to wear your mask consistently for at least 1-2 months.

I'm pretty loyal to my Nutribullet blender, which is now over a decade old and survived my college years and multiple apartment moves. I wasn't surprised to see the brand expand its horizons into ice cream maker territory. Instant ice cream makers, like the Ninja Creami, which differ from traditional ice cream makers that focus on churning, are all the rage, making homemade ice cream a breeze. No more cooking custards on the stovetop or worrying about hours of churning.

But can a blender brand break into ice cream territory? These instant ice cream makers aren't so different from blenders, using blades to break up frozen confections to create deliciously creamy homemade treats. But how does Nutribullet's Chill ice cream maker fare in a crowded market already dominated by the Ninja Creami? Exceptionally well, if I do say so.

Nutribullet Chill at a glance:

The components of the Nutribullet Chill include the 16-ounce pint, blade block, and motor base. Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

Nutribullet, the brand behind beloved blenders, has debuted the Chill ice cream maker. It's a simple but powerful ice cream maker with five presets that produces creamy, smooth frozen desserts in just minutes. For those looking for mix-ins, the machine doesn't have a preset for it, and be prepared for noise, as it's extremely loud.

It's not too big for small spaces and is thoughtfully designed

The blade block attaches to pint containers and then slides into the Nutribullet Chill ice cream maker. Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

As a product reviewer with access to a whole world of kitchen gadgets, I have to be picky about what stays in my kitchen because there's only so much counter and cabinet space. While I love the Ninja Creami Scoop and Swirl, it stays in storage most of the time because I just don't have the space for it. But the Nutribullet Chill ice cream maker might just be the device that earns some kitchen real estate.

The whole device comes in three parts: the ice cream maker base, the blade block, and the blade cover. The base is smaller than a kitchen stand mixer, taking up very little square footage as it's taller than it is wide. It's decently hefty at 10.5 pounds, but it is fairly easy to maneuver on the kitchen counter. When not in use, I can easily tuck it away on the counter without losing too much space.

The Nutribullet Chill takes up less space on my counter than my stand mixer. Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

The blade is sort of a plunger shape and screws onto the top of the pint containers. The blade attachment and pint container are then placed on the base, upside down, as the blade rises and spins through the ice cream.

It's a fascinating design choice compared to other instant ice cream makers I've tried, like the Ninja Creami or Cuisinart FastFreeze, which has a blade spinning down from the top. However, its unique design definitely works.

Perfectly creamy texture on the first try

The ice cream maker's efficacy ultimately comes down to how well it spins the ice cream, and the Nutribullet Chill does an exceptional job. I made four different mixes on this machine: a classic vanilla ice cream, a dairy-free protein ice cream, a chocolate hazelnut frozen yogurt, and a strawberry frozen yogurt with fresh fruit.

The vanilla ice cream appeared a little melted while the dairy-free chocolate had a Wendy's Frosty-like texture. Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

In most of Nutribullet's recipes, they recommend blending your concoctions before freezing — not entirely surprising from a blender company.

Across the board, the machine processed all of the flavors I made well. The textures were smooth and creamy, but to varying degrees of success. The vanilla ice cream was the least successful as it was surprisingly melted and loose in texture; however, I don't discredit the machine, it may have been a matter of the recipe, as other recipes fared much better.

The Nutribullet Chill makes exceptional frozen yogurt. Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

The dairy-free protein ice cream had a lovely, fluffy texture, almost like a Wendy's Frosty. The frozen yogurts were the highlights, though, developing a texture between a hard and soft serve. As a frozen yogurt aficionado, I was extremely pleased with the results, excited about my next batch.

None of the mixtures needed a respin, and it was ready after just one spin cycle, which is better than most ice cream makers I've tested. But it's also for the best since it doesn't have a respin option.

Five pre-built settings — but no option for mix-ins or re-spins

The Nutribullet Chill comes with five pre-programmed settings: ice cream, sorbet, gelato, smoothie bowls, and frozen yogurt. Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

Preloaded with five settings, the Nutribullet Chill comes ready to make ice cream, sorbet, gelato, smoothie bowls, and frozen yogurt. The different settings worked well for their designated types, but I did feel a few were noticeably missing.

I expect a respin sitting on preprogrammed devices in case it doesn't come out the right texture. However, Nutribullet may not need it, since all the recipes turned out well. But the most egregiously missing setting was a mix-in setting, which most ice cream mixes I've tested recommend.

Checking in with what the brand recommends, Nutribullet says to add in your mix-ins before freezing, which get blended and incorporated in when it processes. I took that route with the strawberry frozen yogurt, which had fresh fruit mixed in that got fully blended. If you want chunks mixed into your ice cream, then you'll have to fold those in after.

It sounds like a truck and gets...hot?

One thing that I've come to expect with instant ice cream makers is the machines' volume — they're extremely loud. The Nutribullet Chill is the loudest ice cream maker I've tested, and while I can't measure its specific decibels, I can say that it shocked me, sounding like a garbage truck was in my house, and making me wonder if I should be wearing earplugs while using it. Apartment dwellers, be warned — I'm lucky to have some very understanding neighbors.

Be warned, the shaft of the blade comes out hot to the touch after use. Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

What was most shocking was that for an ice cream maker, it gets pretty hot. The blade block has a metal shaft that slides into the machine, and after use, the shaft gets very hot. The ice cream maker has multiple "shaft hot" warnings (I know, I know), but it still surprised me how warm it was, and I wondered how that heat might affect the texture of the frozen treats, especially since the vanilla ice cream turned out so melted.

A total breeze to clean

Maybe I'm still salty about having to clean the Cuisinart FastFreeze, but cleaning the Nutribullet Chill components is a breeze. Luckily, nothing on the motor base needs cleaning, but the blade block, blade cover, and pint containers are all top-rack dishwasher safe. This was a pleasant surprise, considering most ice cream maker parts are not dishwasher-safe.

But if you don't have a dishwasher, don't fear. I hand-washed all the parts and found them very easy to clean.

Is the Nutribullet Chill worth it?

The Nutribullet Chill ice cream maker is a worth competitor to the Ninja Creami. Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

The Nutribullet Chill ice cream maker is a worthy rival of the Ninja Creami. It whips up perfectly creamy, smooth ice cream with no icy or watery texture. Be prepared for noise, as it's the loudest ice cream maker I've tested, but it's a nice option for people in smaller spaces, too.

If you just want the basics, making ice cream, sorbets, and frozen yogurt, then the Nutribullet Chill is a great machine and $30 cheaper than the Ninja Creami. But if you're looking for mix-ins or a milkshake option, the Creami may be more your speed.

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If last week's trailer for Dune: Part Three wasn't enough to tide you over until the film's Dec. 18 release, you're in luck. You might be able to catch exclusive footage from Denis Villeneuve's sci-fi epic before screenings of The Odyssey.

Roughly four minutes of footage from Dune: Part Three will play before IMAX 70mm screenings of The Odyssey. The large film format is The Odyssey director Christopher Nolan's preferred way for audiences to see the movie, and only 41 theaters in the world are capable of screening it.

If you're one of the lucky few who snagged tickets to these sold-out screenings, you'll be able to head back to the universe of Dune a little bit sooner. Just be sure to get to the screening on time! However, if you got tickets to any other format, including non-70mm IMAX, you'll tragically be Dune-less for a little while longer.

Last year, The Odyssey pulled a similar marketing tactic, showing six minutes of footage before IMAX 70mm re-releases of both Sinners and One Battle After Another. While that footage was exclusive to the 10 theaters showing those re-releases, the same footage later screened in front of all IMAX showings of Avatar: Fire and Ash. Hopefully, Dune: Part Three will keep following The Odyssey's playbook and similarly broaden its footage to more screenings.

What happens in the Dune: Part Three footage that plays before The Odyssey?

Javier Bardem in "Dune: Part Three." Credit: Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

Now, what if you didn't get IMAX 70mm tickets to The Odyssey, but desperately want to know what happens in it? You've come to the right place.

Earlier this year, at CinemaCon, Warner Bros. screened footage from a battle sequence in Dune: Part Three. The same footage screened again, in IMAX, at July 8's trailer release event, at which Villeneuve said "a glimpse of this scene" would play before The Odyssey.

Having seen the extended footage, I can confirm it is spectacular. It depicts a fleet of ships flying down to an unnamed planet. Onboard the ships is an army of soldiers, including Fremen leader Stilgar (Javier Bardem), ready to wage war in the name of now-Emperor Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet). The planet they head towards is a far cry from Arrakis: cloudy, muddy, and rainy as can be. For some of the Fremen in the group's ranks, this is their first time seeing water fall from the sky, making it a monumental occasion.

That wonder dissipates once the soldiers land and the planet's surface becomes a horrifying war zone. A gargantuan gun tower rises from the ground. Lasers mow down Stilgar's soldiers. An explosion shakes the ground (and the theater). The entire sequence is grimy and visceral and loud, reminiscent of classic war movies like Saving Private Ryan. It marks a major shift from the sandy battles of the first two Dune films, making it a perfect introduction to the darker horrors of the galaxy under Paul's rule.

A shortened version of this sequence is what plays before The Odyssey, so all of the details above may not be present before those screenings. However, come December, everyone headed to Dune: Part Three will be able to catch this battle in all its terrible, thundering glory.

The Odyssey is now in theaters. Dune: Part Three hits theaters Dec. 18.

Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey follows one of literature's most famous and most laborious voyages home. In Homer's epic tale, Odysseus (Matt Damon) is challenged by the gods, the elements, and a fair few mythological creatures on his way home from the Trojan War.

Many of these myths will be easy to spot for classical mythology enthusiasts and newcomers alike, with goddess of war and wisdom Athena (Zendaya) being Odysseus' constant companion, the nymph Calypso (Charlize Theron) keeping Odysseus marooned for almost a decade, and the mighty cyclops Polyphemus (Bill Irwin) crunching his way through the more known moments of the poem.

But what of the hinted-at, untold stories buried in The Odyssey? What of Circe's (Samantha Morton) bird sister, of the fallen soldier Sinon (Elliot Page), and the ill-fated sisters Helen and Clytemnestra (Lupita Nyong'o)? I'm going to drag out my uni textbook, Barry B. Powell's Classical Myth, as well as Edith Hamilton's Mythology, alongside Emily Wilson's translation of Homer's The Iliad and The Odyssey (the latter of which Nolan leaned on), and more, to give you a little overview.

What happened with Helen and her sister, Clytemnestra?

Lupita Nyong'o attends "The Odyssey" London premiere. Credit: Jeff Spicer / Getty Images for Universal Pictures

As both Helen of Sparta/Troy and her sister Clytemnestra, Lupita Nyong'o plays two of Greek mythology's major female, human players, both of whom suffer enormously at the hands of men. But what actually happened between the scenes we get in The Odyssey?

Let's start with Helen. She's is married to King Menelaus of Sparta (Jon Bernthal), but her abduction by Trojan prince Paris, son of King Priam, sparks the Trojan War. She's "the face that launched a thousand ships," according to Christopher Marlowe. However, in Nolan's The Odyssey, Helen's face has been scarred, a mark of physical abuse, possibly by her husband, possibly by her captors.

The blame laid on Helen for the Trojan War reeks of misogyny. Wilson writes in her Odyssey translation, "In The Iliad, Helen tells Priam she wishes she had 'chosen death' rather than leave her husband for Paris… In The Odyssey, a much more self-possessed and cheerful Helen declares that the Greeks made war 'for the sake of’ her face — a formulation that suggests that the woman’s appearance is the men’s supposed motive, but does not imply that it, let alone its owner, can be blamed for their actions." In The Odyssey film, Helen is back on her Spartan throne beside Menelaus, and it's here they're visited by the young Telemachus (Tom Holland).

And now, to Clytemnestra, Queen of Mycenae. In The Odyssey film, we learn the wife of King Agamemnon remained ruling their kingdom during the Trojan War. However, before he set sail, the king murdered their daughter Iphigenia as a sacrifice to Artemis, goddess of the hunt and the moon. This isn't detailed in Homer's Odyssey, but it's in Aeschylus' Oresteia. We see these flashbacks in Nolan's film, as well as Agamemnon's fate, which is in Homer's poem. We learn that Clytemnestra schemes with her lover, Aegisthus, to murder Agamemnon in vengeance on his return from Troy, as the dead king himself tells Odysseus of his plight in Hades.

In The Odyssey poem, Clytemnestra also kills Cassandra, the Trojan priestess abducted by Agamemnon after the war. Per Wilson's translation, Agamemnon tells Odysseus, "You must never treat your wife too well. Do not let her know everything you know. Tell her somethings, hide others." OK, guy. Enjoy the underworld.

Who is Sinon, the soldier played by Elliot Page?

Elliot Page attends "The Odyssey" London premiere. Credit: Jeff Spicer / Getty Images for Universal Pictures

Not a character from Homer's Odyssey, Sinon (Elliot Page) can instead be found in the Aeneid, the epic poem by Roman poet Virgil. An Achaean soldier who fought alongside the Greeks in the Trojan War, Sinon is tasked with staying behind to convince the Trojans to take the colossal horse inside the city walls. Virgil writes, "When Sinon, favour'd by the partial gods, Unlock'd the horse and op'd his dark abodes; Restored to vital air our hidden foes, Who joyful from their long confinement rose."

Nolan does a couple of things here, namely Page's Sinon does not know the Greeks are inside the horse, instead thinking it's a genuine gift. It's the major betrayal he calls Odysseus out for in Hades. "You lied to me," he says, having drunk from the sacrificial blood puddle that enables him to speak as a shade. "I needed you to believe," Odysseus replies. In the Aeneid, Sinon volunteers for the job, which Odysseus kind of hints at him doing in Nolan's film, but the key thing here is Sinon thought the horse was empty. It's unclear how the Greek army hid inside it without him knowing. 

In his film, Nolan makes Sinon an Ithacan shepherd boy, who is pressured by the wealthy Antinous (Robert Pattinson) to take his place in the Trojan War. Avoiding conscription by trading tokens with the boy who Odysseus would later betray will come back to bite Antinous in the ass. But just know that Sinon and Antinous aren't associated in Homer's Odyssey or Virgil's Aeneid.

Who is Circe's sister, turned into a bird, in The Odyssey?

Samantha Morton attends "The Odyssey" London premiere. Credit: Jeff Spicer / Getty Images for Universal Pictures

In Nolan's Odyssey, Odysseus' encounter with Circe (Samantha Morton) is a standout scene. A sorceress who can transform anyone she so wishes into animals, Circe quite literally molds Odysseus' men into pigs, stretching their jaws and shaping their bodies into porcine forms as they greedily throw back her stew. 

However, these aren't the only humans Circe has transformed. Her hut entrance is guarded by a lion, tiger, leopard, and panther, who could be humans, though Homer writes in The Odyssey of Circe's home, "Round it were mountain wolves and lions, which she tamed with drugs," so they very well could be actual animals. Italian Renaissance artist Dosso Dossi painted Circe and Her Lovers in a Landscape, with the sorceress surrounded by seven animals — so if you thought those big cats were once men, you're not the only one.

However, another transformed human becomes very clear during Circe's meeting with Odysseus, when she speaks of her sister, referring to a caged raven on the table. "We get on better this way," she says, indicating that she has used her transfiguration magic on her own sibling. 

But who is Circe's sister? In Greek mythology, that would be Pasiphaë, the wife of King Minos and mother of the formidable Minotaur, the half-man, half-bull creature that stalks Minos' labyrinth on Crete, according to Powell's Classic Myth. There's no mention of a woman-turned-bird in this story, however. It's a stretch, but The Odyssey could be referencing another myth. The brutal Athenian story of sisters Procne and Philomela, recounted by Roman poet Ovid in Metamorphoses, sees the women turned into a swallow and a nightingale by the gods after they murdered Procne's son Itys, and served him to his father, Tereus, for dinner — it was an act of vengeance, but wow. However, Circe's sister bird in The Odyssey film is a raven, so it's probably a coincidence. 

The Odyssey is now in cinemas.

Critics have been singing the praises of Christopher Nolan's much-anticipated adaptation of The Odyssey, not only for its ambition but also for its astounding execution. The British American filmmaker looked to an ancient Greek epic to unfurl a joltingly sharp critique of contemporary American politics. And it turns out that casting Matt Damon in the lead role was Nolan's secret weapon for this cutting commentary. 

Damon, who'd previously appeared in Nolan's Oppenheimer and Interstellar, stars as Odysseus, a lauded hero of the Trojan War whose journey home is packed with peril. The Odyssey is the story of his quest to get home, but in Nolan's hands, not one that regards him purely as a noble hero. So, why cast Matt Damon?

Let's get into it. 

The Odyssey begins with Odysseus as a good man and a kind king. 

Matt Damon (center) is Odysseus in "The Odyssey." Credit: Melinda Sue Gordon / Universal Pictures

In a move sure to rile so-called Odyssey traditionalists, Nolan's film starts with a bard (Travis Scott) theatrically singing an antiquated song of Odysseus. He uses heightened language to emphasize the extraordinary elements of the story, but he is cut off by Odysseus' long-waiting wife Penelope (Anne Hathaway), who's had enough of this telling. 

Notably, this mention of Odysseus is not his visual introduction to the film. Instead of a flashback to the Trojan War, we hear those who knew him personally speak of his worth, like the smarmy suitor Antinous (Robert Pattinson), who recounts Odysseus teaching the boys of his kingdom to hunt. Close-up shots of Odysseus' strong arms prepping and plucking his bow reveal his physical might. However, Nolan still doesn't show the face of his protagonist yet.

Damon's face isn't revealed until his loyal servant Eumaeus (John Leguizamo) tells Odysseus' son Telemachus (Tom Holland) how the king saved the puppy Argos from being pitched off a cliff. Here, cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema tilts his camera up from the fluffy pup being held in strong hands to Damon's face, which is licked by the grateful doggo. 

In screenwriting, this scene might be described as the "save the cat" moment, in which the film's protagonist does something the audience likes, making us more inclined to root for him. That it's literally saving a dog feels like Nolan's version of a wry filmmaking joke. Beyond that, this scene introduces Odysseus not as an epic warrior but as a good man who taught the youth of his community and cared for a helpless animal. In that respect, of course you cast Matt Damon. 

Matt Damon is the modern American hero. 

Matt Damon is Odysseus and Zendaya is Athena in "The Odyssey." Credit: Melinda Sue Gordon / Universal Pictures

Yes, yes, this is a Greek story — one in which everyone speaks in American accents, in a modern dialect. Far from this being a decision to pander, Nolan's translation uses elements of American culture (including our accent, diction, and most well-known actors) in his anti-colonizer critique. He does so by setting up The Odyssey like a traditional American action movie. 

It's not enough that Odysseus is strong and brave. We also need to see his soft side. Like John McClane fights for his wife in Die Hard, Bryan Mills for his daughter in Taken, and John Wick for his puppy in John Wick, Odysseus has loved ones he cares for and will protect at all costs. 

And rather than choosing a gruff American action icon for this role, Nolan chose the '90s star who changed the genre with The Bourne Identity. With his boyish charm, Damon brought a new kind of action hero to prominence, one who could be hard-hitting and wide-eyed all at once, shifting things away from the stoic James Bond model.

Many jokes have been made online about how between Saving Private Ryan, The Martian, and now The Odyssey, untold fortunes have gone into getting Matt Damon home. But even this recurring element in the actor's filmography reflects how audiences see him, cling to him, and root for him. He's our guy, a good guy, even when things get violent or bleak. Of course, Damon has occasionally subverted this expectation. Yet even in Martin Scorsese's Boston mob thriller The Departed, where Damon plays a corrupt cop, his all-American good looks and winsome charm are used as a terrific façade for his character's devious nature. 

Simply put, audiences love Matt Damon and expect to like him in movies. Nolan knows that. In an interview with Brut, he said, "He's a movie star who is capable of bringing the audience with him into his way of seeing the world. And as a filmmaker that lets you to leave the character's rough edges. It lets you have the character be more challenging. Because you're confident that the audience trusts Matt. They go with him. So you can sort of use that, challenge that relationship with the audience a bit."

Because he cast Damon as Odysseus, audiences will expect this translation of the character to reflect Damon's usual niche of hard-hitting good guy. Flashbacks before Troy show this king of Ithaca hunting honorably, by plucking his bow as a warning to his prey. Besides cuddling a puppy, Odysseus is also seen canoodling with his wife, and having a tough conversation about what it means to go to war with Troy, for their family and their country. 

This is Damon in his comfort zone — or perhaps our comfort zone for him. But as the story shifts to Odysseus' years-long journey home, red flags arise. 

The Odyssey reveals Odysseus is its anti-hero. 

Director Christopher Nolan on the set of his film "The Odyssey." Credit: Melinda Sue Gordon / Universal Pictures

Sailing home, Odysseus and his three ships stop at islands to refresh their provisions. But they are shocked when a humble village is abandoned as they approach. While the soldiers interrogate an old man, thatch roofs burn in the background. Nolan curiously skips over Odysseus' men setting the blaze, but shows the results as Odysseus marvels that he and his men weren't greeted as guests like Zeus' law demands. But are they guests? 

Again and again, Odysseus and his men show up unannounced and armed to the teeth. Yet they are offended when they're perceived as threats. They also have the attitude of colonizers, where everything is theirs for the taking. Perverting Zeus' law to treat others as you would like to be treated, they expect others to treat them as they want to be treated, and respond with violence when those expectations aren't met. 

Consider the cyclops (Bill Irwin). They show up on his island. They invade his home, which they recognize by pointing out the fire in the cave and the cheese hanging high on its walls. Without even waiting for the resident to return, Odysseus begins eating the cheese. (As a cheese lover, I may have gasped in alarm. That's not your cheese, sir!) His men await for more sheep, presumably to slay them for their meat. But instead, they become a meal for the returning cyclops. 

Though in Homer's Odyssey, Odysseus and the monster speak to each other, Nolan's protagonist never even considers this creature so different-looking from him could possibly speak. His ignorant sense of superiority will cost him. He and his men defer to violence. Even when they are on the brink of escape, Odysseus fires on the already blinded cyclops again.

It's cruelty, and it's something that Circe (Samantha Morton) senses as soon as they roll up onto her island. When Eurylochus (Himesh Patel) intrudes on her and her cottage, she surrenders immediately, offering all of the soldiers soup. Of course, then she uses her magic to turn them into pigs, insisting to Odysseus this is who they really are — greedy pigs who take, take, take without mercy.

At this point, Odysseus begins to understand how he and his solders are perceived by those they accost. And while he's able to cajole Circe into giving the men back their human forms, they will later be doomed by their sense of entitlement when they eat the cattle of Helios. 

The sack of Troy in Christopher Nolan's "The Odyssey." Credit: Melinda Sue Gordon / Universal Pictures

Through Odysseus' story, Nolan delivers an incisive critique of American exceptionalism. Wherever Odysseus and his soldiers go, they expect to be embraced as guests and liberators, even when their arrival is unwelcome, disruptive, and violent. They expect to be treated with honor and kindness, even if they don't offer that in return. 

Finally, when Odysseus reflects on what happened at Troy, we see the truth of this war. A ten-year siege — which began for murky reasons — ends in senseless slaughter of women, including one played by Zendaya. Where Odysseus brushes off most of the trauma he's caused over his years away, her decapitation haunts Odysseus for years to come, as hers is the face he sees when he calls upon Athena. 

Here, in a grizzled gray beard and racked with remorse, Damon delivers the strongest leg of his performance. In these scenes, it's not enough to be tough. He is weighed down not only by age and exhaustion, but also by the guilt for what hell his actions have wrought for others. He wears the rags as disguise, but also, arguably, to suffer under the same cruelty and disrespect that he has subjected others to.

Early on in the film, Damon embraces his standard persona, a winsome good guy who can be tough when toughness is required. Then, over the course of The Odyssey, we the audience are challenged to overlook our affection for Damon to see what sins his charisma is covering. 

This protagonist is no hero, but a thief, a liar, a colonizer, and a killer. If Nolan had cast an actor more known for playing villains, the third-act reveal of Odysseus' trespasses wouldn't be so disturbing. Casting might have telegraphed it. Instead, by choosing Damon, Nolan creates a brilliant bait and switch. We come in expecting another Hollywood movie in which a handsome American action star plays a good guy with a gun (or in this case, a bow and arrow), who knocks down all the foreign baddies to protect his home and family. Then, Nolan subverts this expectation, not only by chipping away at Odysseus' reputation through revealing a critical perspective of his actions and so-called enemies, but also by grounding the audience in the chaos he has caused at home. 

His wife, loyal and strong, is preyed upon by gold-digging, power-hungry fools. His son is threatened by this lot, while his servant is beaten, and his dedicated dog is literally left on a pile of shit to die. And why? As Odysseus returns home, aged, battered, and dressed as a beggar, this is the question he and his audience is left to answer. What does it mean to have sacked Troy? What is the bloodspilling and the lost years worth? What does it really mean to be a hero? 

Through using Damon, a movie star audiences have happily related to for decades across genres, Nolan urges us not just to take in the shock and awe of Odysseus' journey, but to reflect on how this translates to our lives right now. 

The Odyssey is now playing in theaters and IMAX.

TL;DR: Geeky Sex Toys limited-edition Pokémoan Collection goes live on July 21 at 7 p.m. ET. (Note: These will sell out.)

Becoming a Pokémon "master" just got a brand-new meaning...

In 2016, Geeky Sex Toys released a small collection of Pokémon-inspired sex toys (which they very cheekily named "Pokémoan"), and it sold out instantly. (Because, like, of course it did.)

Now, 10 years after its first launch, Geeky Sex Toys is blessing Pokéfans with a brand-new, limited-edition collection of sex toys. I'm not a Pokémon fan per se (cue collective gasps, I know), but I always thought that Pikachu and Rapidash were super cute. And, after taking a peek at this collection, I have to say I'm coming on to Bulbasaur.

The new lineup includes four toys:

• Bulbypulse ($169): Bulbypulse is an air-pulse suction toy that features eight patterns and three speeds. It also has a pretty impressive runtime of two hours and 30 minutes (do with that what you will).

• Charmybuzz: ($169): Charmybuzz is a curved G-spot vibrator. It has eight patterns and five speeds, with a runtime of two hours and 15 minutes.

• Squirtyblast ($169): Squirtyblast (my fave name of them all) is a flexible-head wand vibrator with rumbly power. A rumbly wand is the best wand, IMO. It has eight patterns, five speeds, and a runtime of an hour and 20 minutes. Pro tip: Try deep, G-spot stimulation followed by clitoral stimulation to help yourself squirt.

• Pikyplug ($69.00–$100.00): The Pikyplug is a non-vibrating, tapered, silicone butt plug. It comes in three sizes (hence the pricing structure). The Small is 7 inches long / 4 inches circumference, the Medium is 8.5 inches long / 5 inches circumference, and the Large is 12 inches long / 7 inches circumference.

The new lineup includes four toys. Credit: Geeky Sex Toys

Each individual toy comes with a unique, 350gsm holographic trading card and a magnetic charging cable. You'll also get a hard case with the vibrating toys, but it doesn't look like the butt plug comes with one. (They're all IPX7 waterproof too, so you can take them into the bath or shower.) The site limits two of each toy per customer.

If you want to go all out, you can buy the Ultimate Collectors Edition box set on sale for $399. (This is a total steal; if you do the math, buying each toy individually is way over that price.) The full collector set includes all four toys packed in a hard case, plus an exclusive fifth "Master Bedroom" holographic card.

You'll have to act fast if you want to add these to your collection, though. The limited first-edition drop goes live on July 21 at 7 p.m. ET, and there are only 151 public collector sets available worldwide. Want to be one of the first ones to know when it goes live? You can sign up for "early access" by entering your email on the site. (At the time of writing, 299 people had already signed up.)

TL;DR: T-Mobile is giving away the iPhone 17 for free this weekend. Here's how to qualify for this limited-time offer.

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Credit: Apple

Apple iPhone 17

Free when you trade in your eligible phone on an Experience More or Experience Beyond plan.

Shop Now

Everyone is talking about Samsung right now.

Samsung Unpacked is taking place on July 22, and everyone is prepping for Samsung's next batch of foldables to launch. It's an exciting time for Android users, but what about Apple fanatics? Are they supposed to just sit back and watch Samsung get all the attention? No, they should check out T-Mobile's latest batch of free deals on iPhones:

• Apple iPhone 17 — free when you trade in your eligible phone on an Experience More or Experience Beyond plan.

• Apple iPhone 17 Pro — free when you switch to T-Mobile and bring your number on an Experience Beyond plan (no trade-in needed).

T-Mobile isn't simply handing over new iPhone without some strings attached. The world doesn't work that way. Instead, the retail cost of your new phone is offset by 24 consecutive monthly bill credits. Your monthly statement will show a standard charge for financing the phone, which is immediately balanced out by an equal credit.

What's happening here is you are signing up for a 24-month commitment with T-Mobile. If you decide to cancel your service, switch to another carrier, or upgrade to the iPhone 18 before the end of the 24-month contract, the remaining unpaid balance will become due immediately. You will also need to cover the standard upfront taxes and a one-time $35 activation fee, but that's a small price to pay for an iPhone that "has never been better."

Score the Apple iPhones 17 for free this weekend with T-Mobile.

The 2026 World Cup final is what everyone is focused on right now, but before we get there, England and France will compete for third place. Both sides suffered disappointing defeats at the semi-final stage, so they'll be desperate to head home on the back of a win.

Here's all the information you need to watch this third-place playoff.

FIFA World Cup schedule today: July 18

• Third-Place Playoff: France vs. England (Miami Stadium) — kickoff at 5 p.m. ET

How to watch FIFA World Cup games today

Watch France vs. England

Both teams would much rather be competing in tomorrow's fixture, but the World Cup is cruel. The third-place playoff is always a weird event, because nobody really wants to play. That being said, we're hopeful for a competitive matchup between two sides that performed really well over the course of the tournament. Expect some changes from both teams.

Live coverage will be on Fox and Fox One. Peacock will carry the live Spanish-language coverage.

More live streaming options

Live TV cable replacement

Not interested in signing up for a standalone streaming service like Fox One or Peacock? You can sign up for a live TV cable replacement service, like YouTube TV or Hulu + Live TV.

These services carry over 100 live channels, but run off a WiFi connection. You'll get live access to Fox and FS1, plus a whole lot more. Here are some options to consider:

• YouTube TV — 10-day trial, then $67.99/month for 3 months

• Fubo Sports — 1-day trial, then $45.99/month for 1 month

• Hulu + Live TV — 3-day trial, then $89.99/month

Watch the World Cup for free with a VPN

It's possible to watch the World Cup for free on international services like ITVX, BBC iPlayer, NOS, or RTÉ. Our global World Cup watch guide can walk you through the process.

You will need a VPN to live stream the World Cup on these free streaming services. We recommend ExpressVPN — a Mashable-tested service and an Official Tournament Supporter of the FIFA World Cup in the U.S., Canada, and Europe — as our VPN of choice for sport. It offers servers in 105 countries, a user-friendly app available on all major devices, a speedy connection, and up to 10 simultaneous connections.

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Credit: ExpresVPN

ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan)

$12.99 only at ExpressVPN

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TL;DR: Live stream France vs. England in the 2026 FIFA World Cup for free on BBC iPlayer. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN, an Official Supporter of the FIFA World Cup 2026.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup has only a couple of games left to play. The focus is firmly on the final, but there's the small matter of the third-play playoff to contest before the showpiece event.

Truthfully, neither team will want to play in this game. Both sides suffered agonizing defeats at the semi-final stage, and they'd probably rather be heading home. That being said, there's still the chance to see some of the stars of this tournament compete for pride. We're hoping to see more from the likes of Mbappé and Bellingham before everything wraps up.

If you want to watch France vs. England in the 2026 FIFA World Cup from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is France vs. England?

France vs. England in the 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off at 5 p.m. ET on July 18. This fixture takes place at the Miami Stadium.

How to watch France vs. England for free

France vs. England in the 2026 FIFA World Cup is available to live stream for free on BBC iPlayer.

BBC iPlayer is geo-restricted to the UK, 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 the UK, meaning you can unblock BBC iPlayer to live stream the 2026 World Cup for free from anywhere in the world.

Live stream France vs. England for free by following these simple steps:

1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (we recommend ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

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

4. Visit BBC iPlayer

5. Watch France vs. England for free from anywhere in the world

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Credit: ExpressVPN

ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan)

$12.99 only at ExpressVPN

Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but most do offer free-trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can access free live streams of the 2026 World Cup without actually spending anything. This obviously isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream France vs. England (plus the World Cup final) before recovering your investment.

ExpressVPN's regular 30-day money-back guarantee is not available for any subscriptions purchased during the Summer Tech Sweepstakes promotional period (July 11 to Aug. 11), but you do have a chance of winning an iPhone 17 Pro. ExpressVPN remains our top pick for sport, but you will need to pay the monthly rate. Alternatively, Proton VPN still offers that all-important money-back guarantee.

What is the best VPN for BBC iPlayer?

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

• Servers in 105 countries including the UK

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

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection speeds free from throttling

• Up to 10 simultaneous connections

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. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99. That covers you for the duration of the World Cup.

Live stream France vs. England in the 2026 FIFA World Cup for free.

Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey draws from the literature of antiquity, but there's an art history reference in the film that's relatively more recent. And deeply gory.

In a major moment from Homer's epic poem, Odysseus (Matt Damon) is heading home from the Trojan War with his men when they stop by an island for food and supplies. It's here they find themselves trapped in the sheep-filled cave of the mighty Polyphemus (Bill Irwin), a towering cyclops who casually changes up his daily diet of homemade artisanal cheese for a bloody feast of weary Ionian soldiers.

The Odyssey's production design of Polyphemus is terrifying and weird: a colossal, awkward, human-like form with twisted facial features including a solitary, rotated eye. Snatching up Odysseus' crewmates like popcorn, the cyclops stands for a moment crunching on a newly headless man, his bleeding body limp in the creature's hand.

It's this moment that art history nerds (hi) might connect with a familiarly gory scene, of a wild god feasting upon a torso: Francisco Goya's early 1820s masterpiece, Saturn Devouring His Son.

Francisco Goya's "Saturn Devouring His Son." Credit: Fine Art Images / Heritage Images/ Getty Images

Nolan has confirmed the cyclops was inspired by the 19th-century Spanish artist's famous work, which depicts a violent moment from ancient Greek myth. As detailed in Barry B. Powell's Classical Myth, Zeus' dad Cronus (called Saturn by the Romans), was the leader of the Titans, powerful beings who sired the Olympian gods. Cronus' mum Gaia (Terra) and dad Ouranos (Uranus) had a prophecy that he would be overthrown by one of his divine children — Poseidon, Demeter, Hestia, Hera, or Hades. So, what did Cronus do? He ate them.

In fact, Cronus threw back his kids whole, which is important later in the story (Zeus, who was born in secret, managed to get his dad to vomit up his siblings and they indeed rose up against the Titans). But in Goya's painting, Saturn/Cronus has not eaten his brood whole. With those wild eyes open, he's ripped the head and arms off one of his children and is snacking away on the torso like a baby with a teething rusk. It's pure madness.

And this is exactly how Nolan has Polyphemus feast on the Greek soldiers in The Odyssey. Like a child. A wild child of gods. Which, incidentally, is what Polyphemus is — the son of sea god Poseidon and oceanid or sea nymph Thoosa.

It's no wonder Nolan had Goya's gruesome visual on his mood board. Back to the original ancient text, Homer's description of the cyclops' feast (translated by Emily Wilson) is just as grisly, as he writes, "Leaping up high, he reached his hands towards my men, seized two, and knocked them hard against the ground like puppies, and the floor was wet with brains. He ripped them limb by limb to make his meal, then ate them like a lion on the mountains, devouring flesh, entrails, and marrow bones, and leaving nothing."

Flemish artist Peter Paul Rubens also did a horrifically figurative version of Saturn Devouring His Son earlier in the 17th century, a moment of infanticide and child cannibalism which can't really be unseen.

So, when you're watching The Odyssey, think of Goya's bloodthirsty, paranoid Saturn and one of the most gory snackscapades in art history.

The Odyssey hits theaters July 17.

TL;DR: Save $195 and own Microsoft Office 2024 Professional Plus for $54.99 with a lifetime license for one Windows PC — no recurring subscription fees.

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Credit: Microsoft

Microsoft Office 2024 Professional Plus for Windows: Lifetime License

$54.99
$249.99 Save $195

 

Get Deal

Monthly subscriptions make sense for some software. But if you use the same Windows PC every day and simply want Microsoft Office installed and ready to go, paying once can be the simpler option.

That’s what makes Microsoft Office 2024 Professional Plus worth a look. You can currently grab a lifetime license for $54.99 (reg. $249.99), giving you permanent access to Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote, and Access on one Windows PC.

The important thing to know is that this version uses a device-linked license, not one tied to your Microsoft account. That’s the trade-off that helps keep the price lower. If you’re buying Office for a computer you plan to keep for a while, that may be a perfectly reasonable compromise.

You’ll also avoid recurring Microsoft 365 payments while still getting the productivity apps most people use every day. Whether you’re building spreadsheets, writing reports, creating presentations, or managing email, the core experience is designed for long-term stability.

It also includes Dark Mode and is built to perform well on a wide range of hardware without requiring an ongoing subscription.

If your goal is simple — a full Office suite on one Windows PC with no recurring fees — this is an easy way to get there.

Get Microsoft Office 2024 Professional Plus for a one-time $54.99 (reg. $249.99).

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: Get five years of interactive piano lessons with the flowkey five-year Classic Plan for $64.97 (reg. $899) through July 19 at 11:59 p.m. PT.

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Credit: Flowkey

flowkey Piano Learning App: Classic Plan (5-Year Subscription)

$64.97
$899 Save $834.03

 

Get Deal

Maybe you’ve always wanted to learn piano but never got past a few YouTube tutorials or a dusty keyboard that has taken up residence in your family’s garage. flowkey, a musican learning software, is designed to make practicing less intimidating, pairing interactive lessons with instant feedback so you can build skills at your own pace. You can get a five-year Classic Plan while it’s price-dropped to $64.97 (reg. $899) through July 19 at 11:59 p.m. PT.

Instead of watching someone else play, flowkey listens while you practice and responds in real time. Wait Mode won’t advance to the next section until you’ve played the correct notes, while Slow Motion lets you work through difficult passages without feeling rushed. If one section keeps tripping you up, the Loop feature makes it easy to repeat it until playing it feels natural to you.

This software also utilizes synchronized sheet music along with videos of professional pianists, making it easier to connect what you’re seeing on the page with what your hands should be doing. Lessons cover the basics of reading music, chords, rhythms, and hand positioning before progressing to more advanced techniques.

Once you’ve built some confidence, there’s plenty to play. flowkey includes arrangements for beginners through advanced players, with music from composers such as Bach, Beethoven, Chopin, Debussy, Brahms, and Mozart. You can even practice with each hand separately before doing everything together, which can make the more challenging pieces feel less daunting.

This five-year subscription works across laptops, tablets, and phones, so you can practice wherever your piano or keyboard is. The app is also available in 11 languages, making it accessible to a broad range of learners.

For beginners or returning players looking for structured lessons and real-time guidance, flowkey offers an accessible way to build confidence over the next five years.

Get flowkey’s Classic Plan for $64.97 (reg. $899) through July 19 at 11:59 p.m. PT.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: New users can get a one-year Rosetta Stone Sapphire subscription — 25 languages, pronunciation feedback, and real conversation practice — for $127.20 (reg. $159).

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Credit: Rosetta Stone

Rosetta Stone Sapphire: 1-Year Subscription

$127.20
$159 Save $31.80

 

Get Deal

If you want to learn languages, it’s best to go to a trusted source. Rosetta Stone has over 30 years of expertise, coupled with new technology that helps you travel like a local. A one-year subscription to the Sapphire platform covers all 25 of its offerings, and for a limited time, you start for $127.20 (reg. $159).

Rosetta Stone Sapphire builds fluency through the Dynamic Immersion® method, which teaches you via context, imagery, listening, reading, and speaking — instead of boring drills you’ll give up on by next week. There’s also TruAccent speech recognition that can help improve your pronunciation thanks to advanced technology designed for language learners. This one-year subscription gives you access to their structured programs in Spanish, German, Mandarin, Arabic, and more.

Rosetta Stone’s quick-hit lessons let you work at your own pace. You can also learn across platforms, with synced progress across your desktop, smartphone, and tablet.

Practice conversations in practical topics like travel, social, and everyday scenarios, go over more than 500 flashcards, and access personalized learning tools geared toward the topics you want to learn most, all on this convenient platform.

New users can grab a year of Rosetta Stone Sapphire and all 25 languages for $127.20 (reg. $159) for a limited time.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

If you're on a budget, don't panic. You don't need to shell out hundreds of dollars a year on dating apps to find a genuine connection. Dating itself is already expensive enough, so why should the apps eat at your wallet, too? While some platforms roll out premium tiers that cost as much as a car payment (looking at you, Grindr), you don't have to resort to dating an AI just to save cash. Some of the best dating apps are still free to download and use, and even though some are only free for women, we found $0 options for everybody.

But you do have to be smart about which apps you download. Some platforms claim to be "free" but immediately lock basic communication behind a paywall. Take eharmony, for example — you can spend 20 minutes on their quiz only to realize you can't even unblur a match's photo or send a message without paying. Other niche options are disappearing entirely, like Match Group's queer dating app Archer, which shut down in June.

What dating apps are completely free?

The good news is that mainstream staples like Tinder, OkCupid, and Hinge still have functional free tiers that let you match and chat without spending a dime. Lex is also a great option for the queer community.

We tested out the best free dating apps to find the ones that really work. Use them to find your forever partner, a casual encounter, or something in between — all without handing over any cash.

Note: All the dating sites in this guide offer a functional free membership option that allows you to talk and match with people at no cost. Though most offer paid premium upgrades, these aren't apps like Match or eharmony, where you need to pay just to read a message. And if you're being pressured to send money to someone on a dating app, block them immediately — you might be dealing with a romance scammer.

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.

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

Hurdle Word 1 hint

Flashy.

Hurdle Word 1 answer

GAUDY

Hurdle Word 2 hint

Assertive.

Hurdle Word 2 Answer

PUSHY

Mashable 101 Fan Fave: Nominate your favorite creators today

Hurdle Word 3 hint

Human.

Hurdle Word 3 answer

WIGHT

Hurdle Word 4 hint

Cruel.

Hurdle Word 4 answer

HARSH

Final Hurdle hint

Gorge.

Hurdle Word 5 answer

GULLY

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

TL;DR: As of July 18, the DJI Mini 5 Pro Fly More Combo on sale for $989 at Amazon. That's the first time we've seen this beginner-friendly bundle drop below $1,000.

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Credit: DJI

DJI Mini 5 Pro Fly More Combo

$989 at Amazon
$1,599 Save $610

 

Get Deal

We're keeping a close eye on DJI drone deals. That's largely because these drones are firm favorites of content creators, but it's also because there are restrictions on DJI products in the U.S.

The new rules only restrict future imports. That means buyers can still purchase and use drones that are already in stock with retailers like Amazon. There will come a time when stock starts to disappear. At this point we expect prices to climb. That time has not come yet, because you can still find record-low prices on top models, including the DJI Mini 5 Pro.

As of July 18, the DJI Mini 5 Pro Fly More Combo on sale for $989 at Amazon. We've never seen this beginner-friendly bundle drop below $1,000, so if you're interested in buying, this is the time to strike.

The DJI Mini 5 Pro is an ultra-light, palm-sized foldable drone. It delivers 42GB of internal storage, a 1-inch CMOS sensor that records 4K/60fps HDR video, and a 225° flexible gimbal that lets you take vertical shots and video from multiple angles.

The nightscape omnidirectional obstacle sensor with forward-facing LiDAR helps detect obstacles. It also has an upgraded ActiveTrack 360° which keeps the subjects of your shot in frame. It's all you need to start flying and shooting content right out of the box.

Get this DJI drone deal from Amazon this weekend.

After days of almost complete darkness, the Moon is finally illuminated enough to spot some features on its surface once again. What can you see when you look up tonight?

What is today’s Moon phase?

As of Saturday, July 18, NASA's Daily Moon Guide tracker tells us the Moon phase is in Waxing Crescent phase, with 19% of its surface visible.

Without any visual aids, tonight you can spot the Mares Crisium and Fecunditatis. With binoculars or a telescope, you'll also add the Endymion Crater to your view.

When is the next Full Moon?

The next Full Moon will take place on July 29.

What are Moon phases?

The Moon completes one full cycle around Earth in about 29.5 days, moving through eight different phases along the way, NASA explains. Although the same side of the Moon always faces our planet, the amount of sunlight reflecting off its surface changes as it travels around Earth. This changing angle of illumination is what makes the Moon appear to transform throughout the month, from a thin crescent to a half-lit Moon and eventually a fully illuminated Full Moon, before starting the cycle again.

New Moon - The Moon is between Earth and the sun, so the side we see is dark (in other words, it's invisible to the eye).

Waxing Crescent - A small sliver of light appears on the right side (Northern Hemisphere).

First Quarter - Half of the Moon is lit on the right side. It looks like a half-Moon.

Waxing Gibbous - More than half is lit up, but it’s not quite full yet.

Full Moon - The whole face of the Moon is illuminated and fully visible.

Waning Gibbous - The Moon starts losing light on the right side. (Northern Hemisphere)

Third Quarter (or Last Quarter) - Another half-Moon, but now the left side is lit.

Waning Crescent - A thin sliver of light remains on the left side before going dark again.

The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult if you're a sports fan.

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.

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.

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: Foul

• Green: POV

• Blue: Virtual earnings

• Purple: Burst

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

Here are today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Commit a basketball violation

• Green: Belief

• Blue: Things tracked in video games

• Purple: Words after "Pop"

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 #1133 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Commit a basketball violation: CARRY, DOUBLE DRIBBLE, GOALTEND, TRAVEL

• Belief: ATTITUDE, MIND, OPINION, VIEW

• Things tracked in video games: HEALTH, LIVES, SCORE, TIME

• Words after "Pop": CULTURE, FLY, QUIZ, TART

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

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

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

Today's NYT Strands hints are easy if you're a healthy eater.

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.

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.

NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: A healthy breakfast

The words are related to food.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe a morning dish.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is horizontal.

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

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is Bowl of Granola.

NYT Strands word list for July 18

• Sweet

• Oaty

• Nutty

• Crunchy

• Bowl of granola

• Salty

• Wholesome

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 today's Strands.

Today's Wordle answer should be easy to solve if you love to dine out.

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.

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:

Restaurant seating option.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

The letter O appears twice.

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

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

Today's Wordle starts with the letter B.

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...

BOOTH

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be a new Wordle for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints. Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.

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

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

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

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

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.

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.

Easy difficulty hints, answers for July 18 Pips

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

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

Greater Than (4): Everything in this space must be greater than 4. The answer is 3-5, placed horizontally.

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

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

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

Medium difficulty hints, answers for July 18 Pips

Not Equal: Everything in this space must be different. The answer is 2-1, placed vertically.

Less Than (4): Everything in this space must be less than 4. The answer is 1-1, placed horizontally.

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

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

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

Number (7): Everything in this space must add up to 7. The answer is 1-1, placed horizontally; 3-3, placed vertically.

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

Hard difficulty hints, answers for July 18 Pips

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

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

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

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

Number (1): Everything in this space must add up to 1. The answer is 1-4, placed vertically.

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

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

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

Number (4): Everything in this space must add up to 4. The answer is 1-4, placed vertically.

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

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

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

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

Number (5): Everything in this space must add up to 5. The answer is 5-0, placed vertically.

Number (3): Everything in this space must add up to 3. The answer is 3-0, placed vertically.

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

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

Number (0): Everything in this space must add up to 0. The answer is 5-0, placed vertically.

Number (0): Everything in this space must add up to 0. The answer is 3-0, placed vertically.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Summer's hottest ticket is an IMAX 70mm screening of The Odyssey.

People have spent hundreds of dollars, undertaken road trips, and even planned pregnancies around the possibility of seeing Christopher Nolan's latest film in IMAX 70mm. Sure, you may think Odysseus' (Matt Damon) journey home to Ithaca was hard, but did he ever face the struggle of having the AMC app crash repeatedly while trying to get The Odyssey tickets?

The intense buzz comes down to a major aspect of The Odyssey's marketing push: the many film formats you can see it in. The Odyssey is the first movie to be shot entirely with IMAX film cameras, so Nolan's preferred way for people to watch the film is IMAX 70mm. With this massive film format, viewers can see The Odyssey at its highest resolution, with the fullest image possible, shot in a square-like 1.43:1 aspect ratio. Other formats, including standard 70mm or 35mm, have smaller aspect ratios. That means they cut off a sizable chunk of the IMAX frame. While the movie will still rock, you'll lose head room on close-ups, as well as the sheer vastness of the landscapes Nolan and cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema are capturing.

So, in order to quite literally see the most of The Odyssey, you've got to go to a theater capable of screening IMAX 70mm film. However, there are only 41 movie theaters in the world capable of screening that format, as IMAX has not built new IMAX film projectors in decades. IMAX CEO Richard Gelfond told Variety that "we build new projectors every day, but film projectors using this film — it’s just not practical.” He did, however, note the desire for growth thanks to demand.

Of those 41 movie theaters able to show IMAX 70mm films, 25 are in the United States (eight of which are in California alone). There are nine in Canada, three in the United Kingdom, three scattered across Europe, and one in all of Australia. No theaters in Asia, Africa, or South America are able to screen The Odyssey in its intended format, turning the format that Nolan and his cast are encouraging viewers to go see into a very exclusive — and very Western — affair. (Not to mention costly. Tickets range from $18 and $33, depending on the theater, making it more expensive than other formats.)

Do you really only want to see a sliver of this? Credit: Melinda Sue Gordon / Universal Pictures

Exclusivity breeds status, and the scarcity of IMAX 70mm screens has turned The Odyssey screenings into full-on status symbols. When IMAX 70mm tickets went on sale a full year in advance, they sold out within the hour. People are reselling their tickets for close to a thousand dollars. On opening day, AMC, Fandango, and the official IMAX site kept kicking me out when I tried to search for New York screenings, even weeks after opening weekend, due to high demand. (This even includes the occasional 2 and 3 a.m. screenings.) Clearly, people don't just want to see The Odyssey. They want to see The Odyssey in its most premium, most expensive format, which has also been touted as its most definitive form.

Other blockbusters have taken a page from The Odyssey's IMAX 70mm playbook. Dune: Part Three, out Dec. 18, dropped IMAX 70mm tickets for its opening weekend way back in April. Like with The Odyssey, tickets sold out almost instantly. It was the Eras Tour Ticketmaster war for people with AMC A-List and A24 totes.

On the one hand, this booming interest in IMAX 70mm format is a positive sign for the future of moviegoing. It's brought conversations about film formats fully into the mainstream, and it's part of a box office upswing in 2026, one that's also been propelled by big-name biopics (Michael), high-profile sequels (The Devil Wears Prada 2), animated franchises (Toy Story 5), and low-budget horror hits (Obsession).

On the other hand, when so few people are able to catch a film in the format it was meant to be watched in, it creates an inevitable divide in the audience. There are those who have access, and those who don't. Or in The Odyssey's case, those who saw the film's full frame, and those who only saw a percentage of it.

As the IMAX 70mm format continues to be a draw, especially when paired with the right filmmakers and cast, here's hoping there will be greater efforts to make it more accessible in the long run. After all, no one should have to undertake an odyssey just to see The Odyssey.

The Odyssey is now in theaters.

High school can't last forever, but Heartstopper will in spirit, with the beloved teen Netflix series taking a wholehearted victory lap with its final chapter.

And reader, it's been a wonderful ride.

After three sublime seasons, the series says its last "hi" with a joyous and moving 90-minute film that sends Charlie Spring (Joe Locke), Nick Nelson (Kit Connor), and their friends into their awaiting futures. So, how does Heartstopper Forever leave the Paris Crew, and how far have we come since we first arrived at Truham Boys School?

It's been four glorious years for Heartstopper, one that's seen each season arrive with its signature leaf illustrations swirling back into fans' hearts. The first season hit Netflix in 2022, based on English writer and illustrator Alice Oseman's Tapas/Webtoon/Tumblr hit 2016 webcomic. Fans of Oseman's work found their beloved characters brought to life by Connor, Locke, and the crew, with the actors now synonymous with the series. "We built it, and it built us," William Gao's Tao says in the film, and it's accurate on many levels.

When I reviewed the first season of Heartstopper, I compared it to its teen show brethren, writing, "Heartstopper lies on the sugary sweet end of the teen dramedy series spectrum, worlds apart from Euphoria and Skins, younger but just as delightful as Sex Education, with a new gay love story akin to Love, Victor. But it doesn’t shy away from a poignant examination of queer identity amid steadfast heteronormativity." Of course, the show has evolved by Heartstopper Forever as its protagonists (and cast members) have grown up; however, it remains true to this curious and compassionate core.

The film, based on the sixth and final graphic novel and set over one final year of high school, is a joyous, heartbreaking, and true-to-form final hurrah, with a teen love story for the ages right at its heart.

Nick and Charlie have been through it.

Joe Locke and Kit Connor in "Heartstopper Forever." Credit: Samuel Dore / Netflix

In Season 1, we met anxious 14-year-old student Charlie Spring (Locke), who was into The Strokes and his toxic, manipulative, closeted classmate, Ben Hope (Sebastian Croft). At the time, he was in a constant state of self-doubt, an experience that intensified over Seasons 2 and 3, with the latter an immensely challenging time in Charlie's struggle with anorexia, self-harm, anxiety, and body dysmorphia, with Locke giving sensitive insight into this very interior struggle. In Heartstopper Forever, Charlie is still managing this, but he's campaigning to make school a safer place for young queer students, where constant bullying made his life hell. Essentially, Charlie has become the person he needed.

We also met 16-year-old "rugby king" Nick Nelson (Kit Connor), who started to question his sexuality — and his friends — when sparks flew between him and Charlie. Season 2 saw a tremendous performance from Connor, as Nick dealt with the complexities of exploring his bisexuality and coming out, with the show also acknowledging biphobia, bi-erasure, and the anxiety of not feeling "queer enough." Nick's experience in this season resonated with me deeply, with Charlie clarifying the complication in one quote: "I think there's this idea that when you're not straight, you have to tell all your friends and family immediately. Like you owe it to them. But you don't." The season was reminiscent of Connor's own experience, who said he felt forced to publicly discuss his sexuality after fan pressure.

By Heartstopper Forever, Nick has fallen head over heels for Charlie, become proud and curious about his sexuality, and dealt with the complexities of caring for someone you love who has an eating disorder. In the film, however, Nick's not doing well, with his dependence on Charlie and fear for his boyfriend's well-being making the future apart seem an excruciating fate. Reader, I absolutely connected with Nick in Heartstopper Forever, like facing a brutal mirror of my adolescent drama. Nick getting messy drunk and not dealing with his feelings? Yeesh, relate. Nick getting jealous over Charlie being flirted with and becoming deeply possessive? Shit. Nick spewing up his guts while yelling at someone he loves? GET OUT OF MY HEAD.

Heartstopper Forever sees Nick and Charlie dreaming of privacy and their own place, free from interruption. But they are also learning they will be OK without each other, a lesson not easy to learn when you're 18. Or 25. Or 40.

Heartstopper Forever sees the Paris Crew all grown-up.

Corinna Brown and Kizzy Edgell in "Heartstopper Forever." Credit: Samuel Dore / Netflix

Of course, Heartstopper has spent as much time developing its supporting characters as it has its leads. Charlie's best friends Tao (William Gao), Elle (Yasmin Finney), and Isaac (Tobie Donovan) have all explored their sense of identity, dreams, and terrifying confessions of love.

An always-measured Finney has seen Elle keep her head up amid gender dysphoria and anti-trans hate, finding her own path through artistic self-expression. "It feels like the whole world is against me," she told Tao in Season 3, reflecting the very real abuse, harassment, and discrimination young trans people face on a daily basis in the UK. In Heartstopper Forever, Elle is still burdened by this topical bigotry, asking her friends to show up to Pride for her, saying, "I just wanna be myself, to be free, to be happy." Is it too much to ask?

Yasmin Finney and William Gao in "Heartstopper Forever." Credit: Samuel Dore / Netflix

When he hasn't been sacrificing himself on the altar of dignity to win his best friend Elle's heart, Tao has kept his friends above water, with Gao's frantic energy a welcome buoy through the series' more serious moments. And the quiet legend of the series, the book-loving Isaac, realised his asexuality in Season 2 and experienced loneliness among his coupled-up friends.

Charlie's cool and deadpan sister Tori (Jenny Walser), the protagonist of Oseman's first novel Solitaire, has become Heartstopper's moral compass and supreme "look after him or you die" pep-talk queen. Tara (Corinna Brown) and Darcy (Kizzy Edgell) living out and free together as a couple, not "GOOD MATES" as everyone first assumed, has been powerful to watch. Darcy explored their gender identity and tried new pronouns in Season 3, while dealing with an unsupportive family life.

And Imogen (Rhea Norwood) has had a similar arc to Nick, as a straight-passing, popular jock hesitant to explore her own sexuality. By Heartstopper Forever, seeing Imogen's love for herself as a lesbian is a delight.

Heartstopper remains one of TV's best spaces for compassionate conversation.

The crew: Yasmin Finney, Joe Locke, Tobie Donovan, and William Gao in "Heartstopper Forever." Credit: Samuel Dore / Netflix

I'll be honest with you. Heartstopper has always made friendship, teenage vulnerability, and questions of identity its horizon, and it's always shocked me, the maturity and compassion that these teen characters have. The audacity, to have emotionally healthy conversations with each other in late adolescence! Growing up, I didn't have the vocabulary to talk to my friends about identity, queerness, and mental health, which meant watching Heartstopper as an adult honestly felt like a fantasy series. It's the show I wish I'd had as a teenager, when heteronormativity made me bury myself.

Heartstopper has never been about over-the-top twists, instead making cinematic moments of friendship and found family, the power of showing up for each other, of feeling included, seen, and loved. Despite Charlie suggesting they might be "too old for this cringy stuff," there's plenty of sweet scenes involving DIY bedroom forts, hidden notes in photo prints, and impromptu pasta-fuelled sleepovers. For fans, there are flashbacks to Nick and Charlie's first class together, the famous snowball scene, and a return to the room where Heartstopper's pivotal pash happened. "They should put a plaque on the wall: This is where Nick and Charlie had their first kiss," Charlie says.

Joe Locke and Kit Connor in "Heartstopper Forever." Credit: Samuel Dore / Netflix

Heartstopper has long relished the joy, terror, and fireworks of new love and hormones. The show has matured over the seasons, going from innocent games of spin the bottle and dancing around to Julia Jacklin, Wolf Alice, or Maggie Rogers in the living room, to the apprehension, awkwardness, and chemistry of first sexual experiences and the world-ending devastation of first real heartbreaks.

But what makes Heartstopper a defiant show is its insistence on care, of characters turning up for each other, making mistakes, and showing compassion. It's the kind of gentle space viewers deserve, where characters explore their sexuality and identity, experience first love, and build friendships that celebrate their truest selves.

I haven't just loved Heartstopper. I've needed it.

Heartstopper Forever is now streaming on Netflix.

If you feel like you'd like to talk to someone about your eating behavior, in the U.S. you can call the National Eating Disorder Association's helpline at 800-931-2237. You can also text "NEDA" to 741-741 to be connected with a trained volunteer at the Crisis Text Line or visit the nonprofit's website for more information.

In the UK, you can contact Beat through webchat, email, or phone — England (0808 801 0677), Scotland (0808 801 0432), Wales (0808 801 0433) Northern Ireland (0808 801 0434). The helplines are open 3 p.m. to 8 p.m, Monday to Friday.

TL;DR: The GoCable is an 8-in-1 keyring cable that can charge almost any device, and it’s on sale now for $29.99 (reg. $49.99).

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Credit: GoCable

GoCable 8-in-1 EDC 100W Cable

$29.99
$49.99 Save $20.00

 

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Your phone, your laptop, and maybe a camera or a pair of Headphones all want a different cable, so you end up carrying three of them, but that’s no way to treat your pockets. The GoCable 8-in-1 EDC is a single keyring cable that can charge virtually any modern device, and it’s on sale right now for $29.99 (reg. $49.99).

Designed as an everyday carry essential, it combines ultra-fast charging with genuinely useful built-in tools, all wrapped in a compact, tangle-free design that clips neatly onto a bag, belt loop, or keychain.

With 100W charging capabilities (when paired with a compatible power source), the GoCable can power everything from phones and tablets to laptops, drones, and cameras.

Universal connectors mean you’re covered whether you’re using USB-C or Apple’s Lightning. No more digging through tangled cords or carrying three different cables just in case.

What makes this cable especially useful are all the thoughtful little extras. An LED power display shows your real-time charging status. The magnetic wrap keeps things neat and frustration-free. There’s even a built-in bottle opener and a safe-proof cutter for impromptu moments like opening a package on the fly or cracking a drink at a picnic.

For how much it can do, you might be surprised by how tiny this cable actually is. At just 5.9 inches long, it’s small enough to pop in your pocket but big enough to comfortably keep your devices charged.

Stop packing your pockets with a different cable for every device. Pick up a GoCable 8-in-1 100W Cable while they’re on sale for $29.99.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

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

Gemini users who were hoping to see the launch of Gemini 3.5 Pro at Google I/O 2026 left disappointed. At the May developers' conference, the company launched a lighter-weight Gemini 3.5 Flash model for everyday use. However, Google CEO Sundar Pichai assured the audience that Gemini 3.5 Pro would follow in June.

"We are also excited for 3.5 Pro,” Pichai said at a pre-Google I/O media briefing. “We are using it internally. It's showing great improvements. We are still testing and refining it, and it will roll out to everyone next month."

As of July 17, there's still no sign of the model.

Our big Guessing Game is back! Enter now for a chance to win an Apple Watch.

So, where is Gemini 3.5 Pro?

Yesterday, Bloomberg published a report on the delayed launch, with reporters Julia Love and Davey Alba writing that "The delay has caused frustration among Google engineers, AI researchers, and managers, who are concerned the company risks losing its edge in the market to rivals Anthropic and OpenAI."

Mashable reached out to Google with questions about the Gemini 3.5 Pro launch timeline, and the company provided the same statement it shared with Bloomberg.

"We’re shipping quickly across a wide range of models while keeping them highly cost-effective for customers. We’re currently testing 3.5 Pro, an upgraded Flash model, and other models with partners, and we’re productively engaged with the U.S. government on model testing and broader frameworks."

While a one-month delay isn't normally a massive problem, the AI industry has been moving at lightning speed in recent months. The longer Google waits to release Gemini 3.5, the higher the performance bar it has to clear to maintain equal footing with its rivals. According to Bloomberg, even Meta has released a new model that outpaces Google Gemini.

Bloomberg's report suggests that there are two reasons driving the delay of Gemini 3.5 Pro. The first is bureaucratic. Because of the size of Google's organization and the number of products integrated with Gemini, delays are inevitable compared to leaner AI startups. Second, Bloomberg found that Google leaders are worried that Gemini 3.5 Pro may not be competitive with their rivals' recent releases.

Since Google I/O 2026, Anthropic announced it was launching its most advanced model ever, Claude Mythos Preview. The AI company said the model had such advanced cybersecurity capabilities that it would only be shared with trusted partners. Anthropic eventually did release a version of Claude Mythos called Fable 5 on June 9.

On July 9, OpenAI announced its own next-generation model with advanced cybersecurity coding abilities, GPT‑5.6 Sol.

This week, Chinese AI lab Moonshot released Kimi K3, a massive open-source model with 2.8 trillion parameters. Early testers say it has similar capabilities as Fable 5 and GPT-5.6 Sol, only with a much lower cost.

Without a new frontier model of its own, Google has taken a tumble down AI leaderboard rankings, despite its massive advantages in the AI arms race. Google not only has unprecedented access to the world's data, but it can also put its AI tools directly into the hands of billions of Android users worldwide.

Gemini 3.5 Pro may be launching soon, but while Google readies the model for release, the competition is racing ahead.

Apple sued OpenAI, accusing the company of stealing its trade secrets. But what now? CNET’s Bridget Carey breaks down what to expect next — and how it might impact OpenAI’s hardware plans.

Samsung recently confirmed it will share news about its latest foldable phones at the July 22 Galaxy Unpacked event in London, where the tech world expects the company to release three new devices: the Galaxy Z Flip 8, the Galaxy Z Fold 8, and the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra.

However, the Korean tech company hasn't confirmed the existence of these devices, which is why it's so weird to see the unreleased flagship Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra listed for sale online. What's even weirder? The foldable phone listed for sale features football legend Lionel Messi's face emblazoned on the case with 24-karat gold plating, and it carries a $13,130 price tag.

The product first appeared in a July 15 press release in which a company called Caviar announced a new limited-edition "Legends" collection. Caviar makes custom and bespoke designs on iPhones, Samsung Galaxy smartphones, and other gadgets. A promo for the collection states, "The portrait of the Argentine captain is integrated into the back panel of the Samsung Fold 8 folding flagship, whose complex engineering mirrors the multi-faceted genius of Messi’s play."

The Legends collection features a Cristiano Ronaldo-themed iPhone and a Messi-themed Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, and the press release and product listing include pictures of the custom design. Under the "Warranty" section of its site, the company writes, "Caviar guarantees the authenticity and quality of all products purchased through Caviar."

Credit: Caviar

Credit: Caviar

"The launch of this unique collection coincides with the upcoming FIFA World Cup final and the release of the new Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra. The tournament holds special significance as it marks the final World Cup where both of these legendary players will compete," the press release states. "The collection is strictly limited, with only 19 pieces available worldwide."

Typically, Samsung devices leak heavily ahead of their official launches, but Samsung has yet to release any official images of the rumored smartphones. Beyond an announcement about a new Flex Titanium display, Samsung has kept quiet about the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra's release, price, and specifications.

At this time, it's unclear if Caviar based on the design on official photos of the unreleased smartphone, or if the images are purely concepts based on rumored details about the phone. The launch could also be a calculated marketing strategy, piggybacking off Galaxy Unpacked anticipation to promote a little-known design brand.

Mashable reached out to both Samsung and Caviar with questions about the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra product listing on Caviar's website, and we'll update this story if we receive additional information.

Credit: Caviar

Apple’s MacBook Neo certainly shook up the entry-level laptop market when it arrived in March, but Dell already had plans to do the same with its budget-friendly XPS 13. Here’s how these two match up and which you should get.

Former Apple employees who now work at OpenAI have been put on notice.

According to a new report from Financial Times, Apple has sent legal preservation letters to roughly 40 former employees, which request that they save any documents or communication that could be relevant to their prior employer.

Last week, Apple filed a lawsuit against OpenAI alleging that two former employees who went on to work for the AI giant shared Apple's trade secrets. Apple believes that this confidential information was used by OpenAI to develop the consumer hardware products that the AI company is currently working on.

OpenAI has denied the allegations, of course. However, in its lawsuit, Apple said that it believes this is "just the tip of the iceberg."

So, what do these new legal letters mean? It appears that Apple believes that there may be more former employees who misused confidential company information besides Tang Yew Tan and Chang Liu, the two employees whom Apple is currently suing. The legal letters could also serve as a warning from Apple, putting former employees on notice that Apple is watching their work closely. Based on the Financial Times report, the employees could also be subject to discovery requests as the lawsuit unfolds.

Tan is Apple's former Vice President of Product Design and currently works at OpenAI as the company's Chief Hardware Officer. Liu was formerly an iPhone engineer at Apple and left the company to join OpenAI at the beginning of the year. 

According to Apple, more than 400 former employees now work at OpenAI. As more details emerge, it'll be interesting to find out Apple's reasoning in targeting these specific OpenAI employees, who make up about 10 percent of its former workers who jumped to the AI company.

Still seeking proof of life outside our solar system? Buckle up, because we're one step closer.

A new paper, published today in Science, outlines the discovery of a potentially Earth-like atmosphere surrounding a nearby exoplanet that may provide clearer proof that other rocky masses can sustain the building blocks of life.

"This is the first time that we're seeing a rocky, Earth-like planet that could still have an atmosphere," said study co-author and University of Florida assistant professor of astronomy Jason Dittmann in a recent press release.

Dittman was part of the team that discovered the exoplanet, LHS 1140b, in 2016. LHS 1140b resides in the habitable zone of a nearby red-dwarf star and can only be observed during brief periods of the year due to its orbit. LHS 1140b is also quite old, which typically means most of the planet's atmosphere would have already been lost to space.

But using X-ray data from Chile's Magellan Clay telescope during two observation periods in 2024 and 2025, scientists pinpointed helium gas escaping the planet, indicating that the planet may have an atmosphere replenishing its gases. The composition of the planet's inner atmosphere is still unknown to scientists.

The confirmation of atmospheres that regulate climate on rocky planets has been a white whale for astronomers, who have so far observed only airlessness or faint atmospheric remnants.

"Because there’s helium there, and because the helium is escaping, the question is: Is it a bare rock with no atmosphere that sometimes burps up some gas that then immediately escapes, or is there a steady-state atmosphere there that will leak out stuff like the Earth does from time to time?" Dittmann said.

Should the findings be confirmed in further studies, LHS 1140b will check off at least two of the three life-sustaining boxes (an atmosphere and a rocky surface) that scientists look for in non-Earth planets. All that's left is that liquid gold: water.