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In the hours just before dawn, NASA's Perseverance rover adjusted its gaze toward the heavens and saw a brilliant point of light. 

That bright sparkle wasn't a morning star beaming from distant space, but something more mysterious — Mars' shiest moon, Deimos. The rover used one of its navigation cameras at a long-exposure setting to capture the new image. 

"It's definitely a mood," NASA said of the rare photo in a post on X. 

SEE ALSO: NASA rover captures an aurora from Mars surface for the first time Because the rover took the image in the dark with an almost one-minute exposure time, the scene appears hazy. Credit: NASA / JPL-Caltech

Mars has two moons, Phobos and Deimos, but scientists know relatively little about them — especially Deimos, the smallest of the two. Both moons are "blacker than coal and look like battered potatoes," according to the European Space Agency, which has studied the pair with its Mars Express spacecraft.  

Right now researchers aren't sure where the moons came from, and it remains a source of scientific debate. Some believe they could have been asteroids captured in orbit around the Red Planet. Others think they could be chunks of Mars itself, blown out by a giant collision billions of years ago. 

Nearly all of the images of Deimos, a city-sized moon at roughly 7.5 miles wide, have been taken just like this new one, from the Martian surface by rovers. Because the moon is tidally locked — meaning one full spin matches the amount of time it takes to complete its orbit of Mars — only one of its sides has been seen on the Red Planet. 

NASA's Perseverance rover was on its way to a new exploration site on the rim of Jezero crater, dubbed Witch Hazel Hill, when it conducted the Deimos photoshoot. Though Perseverance took the image on March 1, NASA just released it to the public. 

Because the rover took the image in the dark with an almost one-minute exposure time, the scene appears hazy. Many of the white dots in the sky likely aren't distant stars but digital noise. Some others could be cosmic rays, space particles traveling close to the speed of light, according to NASA. Two of the brighter specks are Regulus and Algieba, stars about 78 and 130 light-years away from the solar system respectively, in the constellation Leo. 

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Though little is known about Deimos, another European spacecraft recently captured unprecedented views of the moon's far side. The Hera mission, which will study the asteroid NASA intentionally crashed into three years ago, flew by the Red Planet on March 12, just 11 days after the rover looked up. 

Hera's flyby wasn't a detour but a necessary maneuver to put the spacecraft on the right trajectory toward its ultimate asteroid destination. Swinging within 625 miles of Deimos, Hera used Martian gravity to adjust its course. 

Queen cofounder Brian May, who is an astrophysicist when he isn't playing guitar, is among the team that processed the Deimos images. 

"You feel like you're there, and you see the whole scene in front of you," he said during a news conference in March. "The science that we get from this is colossal, and I think we're all like children."

Google I/O 2025 is nearly upon us. The tech giant's annual developers conference begins Tuesday, May 20, in Mountain View, California, and all things AI are on the menu.

As in years past, Google I/O is set to open with a company keynote (likely led by CEO Sundar Pichai) followed by a developers keynote. The company is expected to drop its biggest I/O news and announcements during these presentations.

If you're not attending I/O in person, here's how you can watch both keynotes live from the comfort of your own couch.

How to watch Google I/O 2025

Google will livestream both day one I/O keynotes on its official YouTube channel.

The opening company keynote is scheduled to start at 1 p.m. ET/10 a.m. PT. According to its description on the I/O website, the presentation will cover Google's latest moves to advance its mission, which is "to organize the world's information and make it universally accessible and useful."

Google's developer keynote will begin at 4:30 p.m. ET/1:30 p.m. PT and will showcase "how Google’s latest technologies and Gemini ecosystem enhance developer workflows, boost productivity, and enable innovative user experiences across Android devices, web browsers, and more."

What to expect at Google I/O 2025

Google dedicated a separate event to all of its Android updates last week, so with those out of the way, I/O is slated to be heavy on its latest AI ventures. That could include a formal launch of Google Search's AI Mode and possible agentic tools for Gemini.

Mashable's Chance Townsend has the full scoop on what to expect from Google I/O 2025.

TL;DR: This TSA-Approved Travel Lock includes Apple Find My App integration, so you can items safe, secure, and easily locatable, and now a four-pack is just $79.99 (reg. $119.96).

Traveling is nerve-wracking enough. Make sure you’re not also worrying about your belongings with help from this SmartLock, a TSA-approved travel lock. Aside from keeping your items locked up safely, it also works with the Apple Find My app so you can keep tabs on your luggage.

Right now, a four-pack of these handy locks is on sale for $79.99 (reg. $119.96), dropping them down to just $20 each.

This travel lock gives you one less thing to worry about on trips

Enjoy peace of mind knowing your suitcase is safe with SmartLock. This TSA-approved lock features easy-to-use dials to safeguard your belongings with your very own unique lock combination, so you can rest easy knowing your luggage is secure.

Having items stolen from your suitcase is one travel concern, but so is luggage theft. SmartLock tackles both, and it also serves as a tracker compatible with the Apple Find My app. It lets you pinpoint your luggage on a map right from the app. When it goes out of range, you’ll receive an alert. And if you can’t find it, you can use the Play Sound feature to track it down.

SmartLock also offers a Lost Mode, which lets you know if your lock has been found if you leave it behind so that it can be returned to you. There’s also a rugged cable to prevent unauthorized access.

Made of durable alloy construction, the SmartLock can withstand any rough handling the airport throws at it. And its replaceable battery lasts up to three months on a single charge, so you can take it on long vacations without worrying.

Get a four-pack of the SmartLock: TSA-Approved Travel Lock for just $79.99 (reg. $119.96) here for a limited time.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Opens in a new window Credit: KeySmart SmartLock: TSA-Approved Travel Lock with Apple Find My App Integration (4-Pack) $79.99
$119.96 Save $39.97 Get Deal

TL;DR: Simplify how you work with AI thanks to this lifetime subscription to 1min.AI’s Advanced Business Plan, now $79.97 (reg. $540) through June 1.

Cutting-edge technology can be intimidating. And if you’re new to AI, all the various platforms can be overwhelming. 1min.AI aims to change that, offering a convenient platform that brings them all together. Right now, you can secure a lifetime subscription to 1min.AI’s Advanced Business Plan for just $79.97 (reg. $540) through June 1.

One platform to rule all your AI tools

It’s hard to keep up with all the AI platforms popping up, much less know their individual strengths. If you want to take advantage of all their powers without constantly switching tabs, 1min.AI lets you do just that — taking advantage of ChatGPT, Gemini, Midjourney, Mistral, and more in one spot.

Need to create images? Want to optimize your website? Looking to have AI whip you up a blog post? 1min.AI can help with all of these tasks, making it a great tool for business owners. This lifetime subscription to the Advanced Business Plan gives you access to the prompt library, brand voice options, plenty of storage, and collaborative features for up to 20 colleagues.

If you’re looking for help with SEO, there’s no need to hire someone. 1min.AI lets you research up to 5,933 SEO keywords a month with this plan. It also comes with 4,000,000 monthly credits, enough to generate up to 1,112,500 words, create 1,186 images, upscale 741 photos, remove backgrounds from 74 images, transcribe more than 14,000 seconds of audio, and produce up to 37 videos each month.

Need more credits? It’s easy to earn free ones that never expire. For example, a daily visit to the web app unlocks 15,000 credits daily, reviews on the linked sites earn you up to 12,000,000 credits each, and a referral program can net you 20,000 credits when someone joins.

Lock in major savings on this lifetime subscription to 1min.AI’s Advanced Business Plan, now $79.97 (reg. $540) until June 1.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Opens in a new window Credit: 1minAI 1min.AI Advanced Business Plan Lifetime Subscription $79.97
$540 Save $460.03 Get Deal

TL;DR: Stay powered up anywhere with the Sungale 320W Portable Power Station, now only $219.99 (reg. $279.99).

You never know when you’re going to need power. Whether you’re prepping for emergencies or getting ready for a camping trip, the Sungale 320W Portable Power Station is ready to keep you charged up. And right now, this handy power backup is on sale for just $219.99, $60 off the usual price, for a limited time.

This petite charging station packs major power

Don’t be deceived by the petite size of the Sungale 320W Portable Power Station; this powerful 298Wh/93120mAh power station is ready to keep you charged up no matter where you are. It’s equipped with an impressive eight charging ports — three USB quick charge ports, one USB Type-C, two AC outlets, and three DC 12V ports — so you can keep everything from smartphones to mini-fridges to CPAP machines juiced up on the go or in the event of an emergency.

After providing power in a pinch, the Sungale 320W Portable Power Station offers three different recharging options. Recharge via AC outlet or car charger, which takes five to six hours, or via the included solar panel, which takes 10-20 hours for a full recharge.

An ultra-bright LCD screen keeps track of the Sungale’s battery life and charging status. There’s also a built-in 4W LED flashlight that provides steady, strobe, and SOS modes if needed.

You can rest easy knowing it’s equipped with multi-safety protection against overcharge, overcurrent, short circuit, and temperature protection with built-in BMS. It’s also eco-friendly, with a gas-free design so you can enjoy a cleaner, safer experience.

Rest easy knowing you can enjoy power anywhere with the Sungale 320W Portable Power Station, now only $219.99 (reg. $279.99).

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Opens in a new window Credit: Alpha Digital Alpha Digital 320W Portable Power Station $219.99
$249.99 Save $30 Get Deal

TL;DR: If you’re in the market for a versatile device, this ASUS Chromebook is part laptop, part tablet, and on sale now for just $179.99 (reg. $329.99).

Sometimes you want to knock out some work on a laptop, and sometimes you want to relax with your favorite app on a tablet. The ASUS Chromebook CM30 lets you do both as a 2-in-1 device that lets you switch things up at a moment’s notice. And right now, you can secure one for just $179.99 (reg. $329.99).

This Chromebook goes from laptop to tablet in seconds

The ASUS Chromebook is a versatile device that is ready to keep up with your busy life. It’s powered by a MediaTek Kompanio 520 processor that lets you multitask efficiently, with 8 GB of RAM and 128 GB eMMC storage that offers plenty of space for files and apps. Speaking of apps, it runs on the Chrome OS operating system, giving you access to all the cloud-based ones you love.

With a 10.5-inch WUXGA touchscreen, the ASUS Chromebook offers plenty of real estate to watch your favorite shows or tackle work tasks, with crisp visuals and touchscreen technology. If you don’t feel like using your finger, there’s a built-in push-pop stylus you won’t have to worry about losing.

Want to go totally keyboard-less? It detaches easily thanks to its magnetic stand, so you can transition from laptop to tablet whenever you want. And dual 5MP cameras on the front and rear let you capture memories or connect with loved ones on a video call.

If you’re tough on your electronics, this ASUS Chromebook is a great option. It’s made from a military-grade, durable aluminum chassis that can withstand a lot, and you can rest easy knowing it’s equipped with rugged protection. There’s also 12 hours of battery life on a single charge to keep you powered all day.

You’re securing a 45% discount thanks to this model’s open box status, which means it was probably excess inventory from store shelves. It has been verified to be in new condition and put in clean packaging.

Score this amazing deal on a multi-tasking ASUS Chromebook for $179.99 (reg. $329.99) right here for a limited time.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Opens in a new window Credit: ASUS ASUS Chromebook CM30 (2024) Detachable Touchscreen 8GB RAM 128GB eMMC (Open Box) $179.99
$329.99 Save $150 Get Deal

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

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

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

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

Here are the clues and answers to NYT's The Mini for Tuesday, May 20, 2025:

Across"Pink ___ Club" (Chappell Roan hit)

• The answer is Pony.

Instrument that might be made with a comb and wax paper

• The answer is Kazoo.

How bedtime stories are often read

• The answer is Aloud.

On edge

• The answer is Tense.

Short Instagram video

• The answer is Reel.

DownLess colorful

• The answer is Paler.

Layer of the upper atmosphere

• The answer is Ozone.

Totally pointless

• The answer is No use (without a space).

Hit a high note in a high place, perhaps

• The answer is Yodel

Kit ___ bar

• The answer is Kat.

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

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

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

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

SAVE $140: As of May 20, the Dreame L10s Ultra Robot Vacuum is on sale for $459.99 at Amazon. That's a 23% saving on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: dreame Dreame L10s Ultra Robot Vacuum $459.99 at Amazon
$599.99 Save $140 Get Deal

We're obsessed with great robot vacuum deals here at Mashable, so that's why we need to tell you about the Dreame L10s Ultra robot vacuum. As of May 20, this impressive model is available for just $459.99, saving you $140 on list price.

So, what makes this deal so good? Well it vacuums, mops, empties itself, refills the water, adds cleaning solution, and does all of that automatically. When the vacuum is full of dust and dirt, it'll move the dust into a bag that you only need to empty every couple of months.

SEE ALSO: The 5 best self-emptying robot vacuums for hands-off cleaning in 2025

For making its way around your house, it uses smart navigation and cameras/sensors, allowing it to quickly map out your home, learning what kinds of floors and obstacles you’ve got, and figures out the best way to clean without bumping into everything.

The vacuuming power is strong enough to pull up hair and debris from carpets, and when it’s mopping, it knows to avoid rugs or to lift the mop pads out of the way. The mopping is also pretty thorough, and can lift up even heavy dirt and stains. It scrubs the floors with rotating pads and then cleans and dries those pads when it’s done, so they’re not just sitting there getting wet and gross.

Ready to give up manual vacuuming for good? Grab this great deal at Amazon now.

The best deals this week, hand-picked by Mashable's team of experts

• Roku Ultra 4K Ultimate Streaming Player (2024 Release) — $79.99 (List Price $99.99)

• Beats Pill Bluetooth Speaker — $99.95 (List Price $149.95)

• Roborock Qrevo Master Robot Vacuum and Mop — $899.99 (List Price $1599.99)

• Peloton Bike — $1,145.00 (List Price $1445.00)

• Apple AirTag (4-Pack) — $79.98 (List Price $99.00)

TL;DR: Scan anything, anywhere, with this lifetime subscription to iScanner, now $24.99 (reg. $199) with code SCAN.

Opens in a new window Credit: BP Mobile iScanner App: Lifetime Subscription $24.99
$199 Save $174.01 with code SCAN Get Deal

Raise your hand if you've ever had to rush to the library to print something. If most of us don't have the space for clunky printers, chances are we also don't keep a scanner at home. That's what iScanner is for.

This iOS app transforms your iPhone or iPad into a handy little scanner that works for basically any document type. It's also only $24.99 (reg. $199) for a lifetime subscription. 

No more wasted desk space

Even if you're one of the few with a physical scanner still in your presence, you can now clear some counter space thanks to iScanner. And while you're at it, you can throw away that dusty old filing cabinet, too. 

iScanner is the number one US-based scanning and document management tool, letting you knock items off your to-do list from anywhere. Need to save a receipt for taxes? Do you have a contract you need to digitize? You can scan any document using just the phone on your iOS device. 

Students, entrepreneurs, educators, and stay-at-home moms alike will all find endless uses for a scanner in your pocket. The AI-powered tools ensure your documents' borders are detected and automatically adjusted while also straightening scan pages and ditching curves and skews. 

Thanks to AI, you can also use iScanner to help you solve complicated math problems.  Or put its OCR technology to the test and let it help you decipher text in up to 20 languages.

Once things are scanned, the app becomes a full PDF editor and file manager. Edit your scans, including signing them, adding text, or auto-filling them with custom templates. Then, use the file manager's folder via drag and drop to keep them safe and organized. 

Scanning something confidential? You can also protect files and folders by locking them with a PIN. 

StackSocial prices subject to change.

FREE LEGO: On June 8, build a Lego Paddle model at participating stores and take it home with you for free. Find participating stores here.

Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Lego: Free Paddle for Father's Day Learn More

Lego has been running make and take events all year, providing fans with the opportunity to build and take home exclusive models like the Steering Wheel, Valentine's Day Heart, Mother's Day Bouquet, and Grogu. These events always cause a stir in the brick-building community, so we feel the need to make some noise about any new announcements.

The next make and take event is confirmed for June 8. Visitors to select Lego Stores on June 8 (from 12-2 p.m.) will have the chance to participate in a Father's Day Paddle make and take event. During this special event, participants can build and take home a Paddle model for free. This event is intended for participants aged 6+ years, and the model will be available on a first-come-first-serve basis while supplies last. You can check participating stores here.

SEE ALSO: Building the 'Twilight' Lego set was the therapy session I didn’t know I needed

The Paddle model is not available for purchase, so participants are getting their hands on an exclusive item for free. The only catch is that you can't stock up on these exclusive items. You are limited to one build per participant, but that feels fair to us.

Build and take home an exclusive Lego Paddle model for free on June 8.

The best deals this week, hand-picked by Mashable's team of experts

• Roku Ultra 4K Ultimate Streaming Player (2024 Release) — $79.99 (List Price $99.99)

• Beats Pill Bluetooth Speaker — $99.95 (List Price $149.95)

• Roborock Qrevo Master Robot Vacuum and Mop — $899.99 (List Price $1599.99)

• Peloton Bike — $1,145.00 (List Price $1445.00)

• Apple AirTag (4-Pack) — $79.98 (List Price $99.00)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

SEE ALSO: NYT's The Mini crossword answers for May 20 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: A balance sheet

• Green: Associated with farming

• Blue: Known for solving mysteries

• Purple: Things you sleep on

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

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

• Yellow: Account book

• Green: Seen in a barn

• Blue: Detectives of kid-lit

• Purple: Words before "Bed"

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 #709 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Account book: LEDGER, LOG, RECORD, REGISTER

• Seen in a barn: BALE, HORSE, PITCHFORK, TROUGH

• Detectives of kid-lit: BROWN, DREW, HARDY, HOLMES

• Words before "Bed": CANOPY, DAY, MURPHY, WATER

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

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for May 20

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for May 20 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for May 20 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Oh, of course!

The words are dining-related.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words are things you'd order at a restaurant.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is horizontal.

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is Fine Dining

Featured Video For You Strands 101: How to win NYT’s latest word game NYT Strands word list for May 20

• Salad

• Appetizers

• Dessert

• Fine Dining

• Soup

• Cheese

• Entree

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.

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

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

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable SEE ALSO: NYT Connections today: Hints and answers for May 20 Where did Wordle come from?

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

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

What's the best Wordle starting word?

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

What happened to the Wordle archive?

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

Is Wordle getting harder?

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

SEE ALSO: NYT's The Mini crossword answers for May 20, 2025 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

Produced.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

There are no recurring letters.

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

Today's Wordle starts with the letter B.

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

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

Drumroll please!

The solution to today's Wordle is...

BORNE.

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

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

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for May 20

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

• Yellow: A group

• Green: Found in the Windy City

• Blue: Where a Dominican baseballer has called home

  Purple: Basketball teams

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

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

• Yellow: Team

• Green: Chicago teams

• Blue: Teams Juan Soto has played for

• Purple: NBA teams with the first letter changed

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 #239 is...

What is the answer to Connections Sports Edition today

• Team - CLUB, SIDE, SQUAD, UNIT

• Chicago teams - BEARS, FIRE, SKY, WHITE SOX

• Teams Juan Soto has played for - METS, NATIONALS, PADRES, YANKEES

• NBA teams with the first letter changed - BUNS, GULLS, MEAT, SLIPPERS

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

What one might call a baby or small animal.

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

CUTIE

Hurdle Word 2 hint

A way to clean a floor.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for May 20, 2025 Hurdle Word 2 Answer

SWEEP

Hurdle Word 3 hint

Remarkable.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for May 20 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for May 20, 2025 Hurdle Word 3 answer

SUPER

Hurdle Word 4 hint

A way to describe a beach.

SEE ALSO: NYT Strands hints, answers for May 20 Hurdle Word 4 answer

SANDY

Final Hurdle hint

A type of wood.

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

CEDAR

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

The decision affects relatively few vehicles because the vast majority that General Motors sells there are made in that country.

The Take It Down Act, a controversial bipartisan bill recently hailed by First Lady Melania Trump as a tool to build a safer internet, is officially law, as President Donald Trump took to the White House Rose Garden today to put ink to legislative paper. It's the first high-profile tech legislation to pass under the new administration.

"With the rise of AI image generation, countless women have been harassed with deepfakes and other explicit images distributed against their will. This is wrong, so horribly wrong, and it’s a very abusive situation,” said Trump at the time of signing. "This will be the first ever federal law to combat the distribution of explicit, imaginary, posted without subject's consent... We've all heard about deepfakes. I have them all the time, but nobody does anything. I ask Pam [Bondi], 'Can you help me Pam?' She says, 'No I'm too busy doing other things. Don't worry you'll survive.' But a lot of people don't survive, that's true and so horrible... Today, we're making it totally illegal."

SEE ALSO: Caring for ourselves amid the Diddy trial and collective trauma exposure

The bill, which criminalizes publishing or threatening to publish nonconsensual intimate imagery, including AI-generated deepfakes and pornography, was passed by the House of Representatives in April, following a successful run through the Senate. It requires social media platforms to remove offending content within 48 hours and prevent users from posting duplicates, and allows the Federal Trade Commission to sue non-compliant platforms. The law also adds protections for victims and clarifies prosecution guidelines for police, according to CNN.

Victims of nonconsensual intimate imagery previously had little legal recourse against perpetrators, and lawmakers have been slow to agree on how to address revenge porn broadly, even as it is increasingly exacerbated by advancing tech like AI — previous attempts to create criminal or civil pathways for victims, like the DEFIANCE Act, have failed.

Digital rights organizations have been extremely critical of the new legislation, warning lawmakers that the act's broad takedown provisions and tight timeline may lead online service providers to more actively monitor users' speech and fuel censorship of legal content.

According to the AI overlords, this is the year of agentic AI.

You may have seen Google announce its "agentic era" with a web browsing research assistant and an AI bot that calls nail salons and mechanics for you. OpenAI leadership talked about agentic AI being a "big theme in 2025" and has already introduced a research preview of Operator, an agent that can perform tasks on your behalf, and Deep Research, which "conducts multi-step research on the internet for complex tasks." Microsoft just unveiled Microsoft Discover, an enterprise agentic AI tool for scientists. And your next smartphone could have agentic features that can send custom messages, create calendar events, or pull together information from across different apps.

If you've been nodding and smiling every time one of your tech friends mentions agentic AI, don't be embarrassed. This is a new entry in the AI glossary, but one that can no longer be ignored.

So what exactly is agentic AI?

"Agentic AI refers to a class of artificial intelligence systems designed to operate autonomously, perceive their environment, set goals, plan actions to achieve those goals, and execute those plans without continuous human intervention. These systems can learn and adapt over time based on feedback and new information."

That's according to — what else? — Google's AI chatbot Gemini.

Unlike generative AI, which is essentially a tool for creating some kind of output — code, text, audio, images, videos — agentic AI can autonomously perform tasks on a user's behalf. This is a step up from the standard AI chatbot experience. Instead of generating a response based on its training material, agentic AI can take additional steps, such as conducting internet searches and analyzing the results, consulting additional sources, or completing a task in another app or software.

You may have heard this term used interchangeably with AI agents, but agentic AI is a broader term that encompasses technology that may not be fully autonomous but has some agent-like capabilities. 

So, OpenAI considers Operator an AI agent because it has contextual awareness and can perform tasks for you like sending text messages. And its Deep Research tool is agentic AI because it can autonomously crawl the web and compile a report for the user, though its capabilities pretty much stop there for now.

Agentic AI is powered by more advanced reasoning models like ChatGPT o3 and Gemini 2.5 Pro Preview, which can break down complex tasks and make inferences. This brings large-language models like ChatGPT one step closer to mimicking how the human brain works. Unless you constantly retrain a generative AI model with new information, it can't learn new things, said Karen Panetta, IEEE Fellow and professor of engineering at Tufts University. "This other kind of AI can learn from seeing other examples, and it can be more autonomous in breaking down tasks and helping you with more goal-driven types of activities, versus more exploratory or giving back information."

When combined with computer vision, which is what allows a model to "see" a user's computer screen, we get the agentic AI everyone is so excited about.

Why is everyone talking about agentic AI? Google's new AI shopping experience could utilize agentic AI to make purchases on your behalf. Credit: Google

Agentic AI is not entirely new. Self-driving cars and robot vacuums could both be considered early examples of agentic AI. They're technologies with autonomous properties that rely on advanced sensors and cameras to make sense of their environment and react accordingly.

But agentic AI is having its moment now for a few reasons. Crucially, the latest models have gotten better and more user-friendly (although sometimes too friendly). And as people begin to rely on AI chatbots like ChatGPT, there's a growing interest in using these tools to automate daily tasks like responding to emails. With agentic AI, you don't need to be a computer programmer to use ChatGPT for automation. You can simply tell the chatbot what to do in plain English and have it carry out your instructions. At least, that's the idea.

Companies like OpenAI, Google, and Anthropic are banking on agentic AI because it has the potential to move the technology beyond the novelty chatbot experience. With agentic AI, tools like ChatGPT could become truly indispensable for businesses and individuals alike. Agentic AI tools could order groceries online, browse and buy the best-reviewed espresso machine for you, or even research and book vacations. In fact, Google is already taking steps in this direction with its new AI shopping experience.

In the business world, companies are looking to agentic AI to resolve customer service inquiries and adjust stock trading strategies in real-time.

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Are there risks involved with unleashing autonomous bots in the wild? Why, yes.

With an agent operating on your behalf, there's always a risk of it sending a sensitive email to the wrong person or accidentally making a huge purchase. And then there's the question of liability. "Am I going to be sued because I went and had my agent do something?" Panetta wondered. "Say I'm working as an officer of something, and I use an AI agent to make a decision, to help us do our planning, and then you lose that organization money." 

The major AI players have put safeguards in place to prevent AI agents from going rogue, such as requiring human supervision or approval for sensitive tasks. OpenAI says Operator won't take screenshots when it's in human override mode, and it doesn't currently allow its agent to make banking transactions.

But what about when the technology becomes more commonplace? As we become more comfortable with agentic AI, will we become more passive and lax about oversight? Earlier in this article, we used Google Gemini to help define agentic AI. If we become dependent on AI tools for even simple learning, will human beings get dumber?

Then there's the extensive data access we have to give agents. Sure, it would be convenient for ChatGPT to automatically filter, sort, or even delete emails. But do you want to give an AI company full access to every email you've ever sent or received?

And what about bad actors that don't have such safeguards in place? Panetta warns of increasingly sophisticated cyberattacks utilizing agentic AI. 

"Because the access to powerful computing now is so cheap, that means that the bad actors have access to it," she said. "They can be running simulations and being able to come up with sophisticated schemes to break into your systems or connive you into taking out this equity loan." 

AI has always been a double-edged sword, with equally potent harms and benefits. And with agentic AI getting ready for primetime deployment, the stakes are getting higher.

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

Memorial Day marks the unofficial start of summer, which means barbecues, extended vacations, and lots of time outside. Get in gear with our top picks for everything you need to have the best time ever. Think of these as your summertime essentials: All the best tools, gadgets, and seasonal upgrades for your home, yard, and beyond.

23andMe had all the signs of a success story. The unicorn brand became synonymous with consumer-facing genetic testing, went public, and was once valued at $6 billion.

But then, it all came tumbling down. Sales for 23AndMe kits began to fall, attempts to raise new funds hit a wall, the company struggled to find a product that would bring in recurring revenue, and it was still dealing with the fallout from a major data breach.

23andMe filed for bankruptcy and put its assets up for sale in March 2025. But, more concerning than the success or failure of a particular company, was this question: What would happen to 23andMe's vast trove of highly personal customer data? We aren't just talking about usernames and birthdays. 23andMe has DNA profiles for millions of users.

Well, now we know who bought 23andMe and, most importantly, now owns all the DNA data from the company's customers.

Meet Regeneron Pharmaceuticals

On Monday, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals announced that it would acquire most of 23andMe's assets for $256 million. According to Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, the acquisition includes 23andMe's Personal Genome Service, Total Health and Research Services business lines, and the trove of customers' DNA samples and genetic data. 

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Regeneron Pharmaceuticals will not, however, be acquiring 23andMe's online doctor and telehealth service known as Lemonaid Health, which will be shuttered.

Based in Tarrytown, NY, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals is a biotechnology company that researches and develops medicines for cancer, cardiovascular disease, and other diseases. The company is currently valued at more than $64 billion.

Regeneron Pharmaceuticals placed a bid for 23andMe as part of a court-supervised sales process. The bid requires Regeneron Pharmaceuticals to comply with the company's existing privacy policies and applicable laws.

Conspiracy-minded consumers might revolt at the idea of a big pharma brand acquiring their DNA profile. However, in a press release, Regeneron has promised "to comply with the Company’s privacy policies" and "process all customer personal data in accordance with the consents, privacy policies and statements, terms of service, and notices currently in effect." Further, the company assured customers it has "a proven track record of safeguarding personal genetic data, and we assure 23andMe customers that we will apply our high standards for safety and integrity to their data." A court-appointed expert will also submit a report about potential privacy and security impacts to the court by June 10.

If the name "Regeneron" sounds familiar, it may be because the company received mainstream attention in 2020 after the company created an experimental treatment for COVID-19 called REGN-COV2. President Donald Trump was treated with the drug when he was infected with COVID-19 in October of that year.

While 23andMe's demise is certainly notable, a most lasting debate will undoubtedly be had regarding the sale of 15 million customers' genetic data.

“Your DNA and your family health history should not be a corporate asset,"  said J.B. Branch, Big Tech accountability advocate for the consumer rights advocacy group Public Citizen, in a statement. "Of course, Regeneron will promise to ‘respect consent’ and ‘uphold privacy policies.’ Those are bare minimal legal requirements. But time and again these companies fail consumers."