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Anthropic's Claude Mythos is an AI that's so good at finding security flaws, the company opted not to release it publicly, instead giving access to a closed circle of security researchers and large organizations.

Now, we're getting first glimpses of just how powerful Mythos (currently available only to select partners, including Apple, as Claude Mythos Preview) can be. The Wall Street Journal reported that security researchers from a Palo Alto-based company called Calif used Mythos to find a crack in Apple's macOS.

SEE ALSO: DeepSeek V4 is here: How it compares to ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini

In a blog post shared by Calif on Thursday, the researchers called this the "first public macOS kernel memory corruption exploit on Apple M5," and explained, without going into all the technicalities, that the exploit can be used to give an unprivileged local user complete access to the device.

The exploit, the post explained, involves "two vulnerabilities and several techniques." But here's the kicker: Anthropic's Claude Mythos Preview helped them find the bugs, and assisted with exploit development.

"Mythos Preview is powerful: once it has learned how to attack a class of problems, it generalizes to nearly any problem in that class. Mythos discovered the bugs quickly because they belong to known bug classes," the post said.

Featured Video For You Moltbook's real risk isn't AI. It's your data

It's unclear whether the flaw Calif found has already been patched or not. As MacRumors pointed out, Apple's release notes for macOS Tahoe 26.5, which was released on Monday, do mention a fix for a bug that was submitted by Calif in collaboration with Claude and Anthropic Research, and Calif is mentioned in two other vulnerability reports.

However, in its blog post, Calif said it met with Apple "early this week," perhaps implying that the fix is yet to come. "Full technical details will be shared after Apple fixes the vulnerabilities and attack path," the post said.

An Apple spokeseperson gave the WSJ a canned response to the report, saying, "Security is our top priority, and we take reports of potential vulnerabilities very seriously."

Xreal first introduced the new R1 Gaming AR Glasses, part of a partnership with Asus ROG, at CES 2026, and they're now available to pre-order globally.

Gamers can pre-order the pricey smart glasses at Best Buy starting today for $849; they'll be available for pre-order through the Xreal online store starting May 17. Pickups from Best Buy will begin May 25.

Everything we know about the new ROG and Xreal R1 AR glasses These plug and play gaming glasses project a screen up to 171 inches. Credit: Xreal

The R1 was one of the coolest products I tested at CES 2026 — and I tested pretty much all of the smart glasses on display at the annual tech show. (At the time, I wrote, "I've seen a lot of cool products at CES, but Xreal has the coolest demo I've seen yet.") Plug them into a gaming handheld, Xbox console, or gaming PC, and these augmented reality glasses project a massive 171-inch virtual screen into the air. Unlike Xreal's other AR glasses, they're optimized for gaming specifically and come with an ROG Control Dock.

Xreal says the R1 is the world's first and fastest AR glasses with a 240Hz refresh rate (with boosted frame rate enabled). Back at CES, I got to play Elden Ring and other games using the glasses. I was impressed by the graphics, color clarity, smoothness, and overall speed, and I had no trouble believing they could achieve a 240Hz refresh rate. For comparison, the latest Viture Beast gaming glasses max out at 120Hz. The glasses also support Xreal's real-time 2D-to-3D conversion, which works surprisingly well in my testing.

The glasses weren't overly heavy on my face, which is always a concern with smart glasses.

Xreal is positioning the glasses as a premium product, and with an $849 price tag, they have to be. According to Xreal, the glasses work best when used with last year's ROG Xbox Ally X handheld gaming console.

A press release states:

"The R1 unlocks a new dimension of handheld gaming through synchronized dual-display functionality with ROG Ally. While the glasses project a 171-inch virtual battlefield, the Ally’s built-in display remains active to allows real-time adjustments to brightness, screen size, aspect ratio, visual effects, and more – all without interrupting gameplay."

I still need to test these glasses outside of a demo environment, and I'll have a full review to share in the weeks ahead. But for early adopters ready to take the plunge, you can pre-order the glasses at Best Buy starting today.

Opens in a new window Credit: Xreal Asus ROG Xreal R1 Gaming AR Glasses $849.99 at Best Buy
  Pre-order Here The Asus ROG Xreal R1 Gaming AR Glasses by the numbers The ROG Xreal R1 Gaming AR Glasses and control dock Credit: Xreal

• Display: Sony 0.55-inch micro-OLED displays

• Refresh rate: Up to 240Hz

• Resolution: 1920 x 1080

• Display size: 171-inch display from 4 meters away

• Field of view: 57 degrees

• Weight: 91 grams

• Peak brightness: 700 nits

• Connectivity: PCs, consoles, handhelds, Android, and iOS via USB-C

• Sound by Bose

• Electrochromic lenses

• Includes the ROG Control Dock

The standoff comes as Chinese firms increasingly turn to domestic chipmakers like Huawei, in a drive to reduce China’s dependence on Western technologies.

The standoff comes as Chinese firms increasingly turn to domestic chipmakers like Huawei, in a drive to reduce China’s dependence on Western technologies.

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.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for May 15, 2026

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

SEE ALSO: NYT Strands hints, answers for May 15, 2026 Easy difficulty hints, answers for May 15 Pips

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

Equal (4): Everything in this space must be equal to 4. The answer is 4-5, placed horizontally; 4-6, placed horizontally.

Number (7): Everything in this space must add up to 7. The answer is 4-6, placed horizontally; 1-3, placed horizontally.

Medium difficulty hints, answers for May 15 Pips

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

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

Not Equal: Everything in this space must be different. The answer is 3-3, placed horizontally; 1-5, placed horizontally; 4-2, placed vertically; 0-6, placed vertically.

Number (11): Everything in this space must add up to 11. The answer is 5-6, placed horizontally; 5-2, placed vertically.

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

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

Hard difficulty hints, answers for May 15 Pips

Number (10): Everything in this space must add up to 10. The answer is 5-3, placed horizontally; 5-6, placed vertically.

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

Number (10): Everything in this space must add up to 10. The answer is 5-1, placed vertically; 5-4, placed vertically.

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

Number (12): Everything in this space must add up to 12. The answer is 5-6, placed vertically; 0-1, placed horizontally; 6-4, placed vertically.

Equal (1): Everything in this space must be equal to 1. The answer is 2-1, placed vertically; 0-1, placed horizontally; 1-1, placed horizontally; 1-3, placed vertically.

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

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

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

Number (9): Everything in this space must add up to 9. The answer is 3-3, 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.

Today's Connections: Sports Edition will require some sports and pop culture knowledge.

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

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

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

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

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

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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.

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

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

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

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

• Yellow: Hockey homeland teams

• Green: Plays in Fin City

• Blue: Star Rockies

• Purple: Sounds like an NBA Hall of Famer

Here are today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

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

• Yellow: Canadian NHL Teams

• Green: Teams That Play in San Jose

• Blue: Colorado Rockies All-Stars, Historically

• Purple: Starts with a Basketball Hall of Famer

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 #599 is...

What is the answer to Connections: Sports Edition today?

• Canadian NHL Teams: CANCUCKS, FLAMES, JETS, OILERS

• Teams That Play in San Jose: BAY FC, EARTHQUAKES, SAN JOSE STATE, SHARKS

• Colorado Rockies All-Stars, Historically: ARENADO, STORY, TULOWITZKI, WALKER

• Starts with a Basketball Hall of Famer: BINGHAMTON, BIRDMAN, NASHVILLE, WEST SIDE

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.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent did not say when these talks would happen. There are fears in the United States and China about the threats from A.I., but neither side is willing to slow down its development.

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.

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

Small and round.

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

BEADY

Hurdle Word 2 hint

An eating utensil.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for May 15, 2026 Hurdle Word 2 Answer

SPOON

Mashable 101 Fan Fave: Nominate your favorite creators today

Hurdle Word 3 hint

Satan.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for May 15 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for May 15, 2026 Hurdle Word 3 answer

DEVIL

Hurdle Word 4 hint

To long for.

Hurdle Word 4 answer

YEARN

Final Hurdle hint

Premature.

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

EARLY

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: Watch Canada vs. Sweden in the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships for free on IIHF.TV. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships is starting with a number of really interesting matchups, including Canada vs. Sweden. We're not going to see all of the stars we saw over the Winter Olympics, but this is still a standout fixture involving some big names. Both teams will expect to advance to the knockout rounds, so a good start to this campaign is vital.

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

When is Canada vs. Sweden?

Canada vs. Sweden in the 2026 IIHF World Championships starts at 10:20 a.m. ET on May 15. This fixture takes place at the BCF Arena in Fribourg.

How to watch Canada vs. Sweden for free

Canada vs. Sweden in the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships is available to live stream for free on IIHF.TV.

IIHF.TV is not available in some locations due to regional broadcasting restrictions (blocked locations listed here), 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 a location with access, meaning you can stream the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships for free from anywhere in the world.

Live stream the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships for free by following these simple steps:

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

2. Download the app to your device of choice

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in a location with access

4. Connect to IIHF.TV

5. Watch the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.99 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but they do tend to offer pretty generous money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships without committing with your cash. This is obviously not a long-term strategy, but it gives you enough time to stream Finland vs. Germany plus every other fixture before recovering your investment.

If you want to retain permanent access to free streaming platforms 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 Ice Hockey World Championships?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for streaming live sport on free platforms, 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

• 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 Canada vs. Sweden in the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships for free with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: Watch Finland vs. Germany in the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships for free on IIHF.TV. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The memories of the ice hockey at the Winter Olympics are still fresh in our mind, but we're greedy for more. It's not like we don't have enough top-quality competition to enjoy right now, but if there's anyone out there who has time for more besides the NHL playoffs, the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships are starting.

The first game on the schedule is particularly interesting. Finland face off against Germany in Zürich. Both teams were dumped out at the quarter-final stage in the last edition of this competition.

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

When is Finland vs. Germany?

Finland vs. Germany in the 2026 IIHF World Championships starts at 10:20 a.m. ET on May 15. This fixture takes place at the Swiss Life Arena in Zürich.

How to watch Finland vs. Germany for free

Finland vs. Germany in the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships is available to live stream for free on IIHF.TV.

IIHF.TV is not available in some locations due to regional broadcasting restrictions (blocked locations listed here), 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 a location with access, meaning you can stream the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships for free from anywhere in the world.

Live stream the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships for free by following these simple steps:

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

2. Download the app to your device of choice

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in a location with access

4. Connect to IIHF.TV

5. Watch the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.99 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but they do tend to offer pretty generous money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships without committing with your cash. This is obviously not a long-term strategy, but it gives you enough time to stream Finland vs. Germany plus every other fixture before recovering your investment.

If you want to retain permanent access to free streaming platforms 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 Ice Hockey World Championships?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for streaming live sport on free platforms, 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

• 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 Finland vs. Germany in the 2026 Ice Hockey World Championships for free with ExpressVPN.

The Moon is now almost entirely out of view as we approach the New Moon, can you see anything tonight?

What is today’s Moon phase?

As of Friday, May 15, the Moon phase is Waning Crescent. Tonight, 4% of the moon will be be lit up, according to NASA's Daily Moon Guide.

There isn't enough visibility tonight to see anything on the Moon's surface. After the New Moon, visibility will start to return.

When is the next Full Moon?

There are two Full Moons in May, with the next due to take place on May 31.

What are Moon phases?

According to NASA, the Moon takes about 29.5 days to complete a full orbit around Earth, moving through eight distinct phases along the way. Although we always see the same side of the Moon, the changing angle of sunlight as it orbits creates the familiar full, half, and crescent shapes. In total, the lunar cycle is made up of eight main phases:

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 dog lover.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

SEE ALSO: NYT Pips hints, answers for May 15, 2026 Here's a hint for today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: To maneuver

• Green: Basketballers

• Blue: Same letters

• Purple: Canine breeds

Mashable 101 Fan Fave: Vote for your favorite creators today

Here are today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Navigate through, as a river

• Green: Multi-time NBA MVPs

• Blue: Non-palindromic words in a famous palindrome

• Purple: Homophones of kinds of dogs, familiarly

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 #1069 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Navigate through, as a river: CROSS, FORD, TRAVERSE, WADE

• Multi-time NBA MVPs: BIRD, CURRY, JAMES, JORDAN

• Non-palindromic words in a famous palindrome: ABLE, ELBA, SAW, WAS

• Homophones of kinds of dogs, familiarly: CIAO, PALM, PEEK, PITT

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 15, 2026

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're an animal lover.

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

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

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

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

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for May 15, 2026 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Weaselly wascals

The words are related to animals.

Mashable 101 Fan Fave: Vote for your favorite creators today

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe an animal family.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is vertical.

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is Mustelids.

NYT Strands word list for May 15

• Polecat

• Marten

• Otter

• Mustelids

• Wolverine

• Badger

• Ferret

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're religious.

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

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for May 15, 2026 Where did Wordle come from?

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

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

What's the best Wordle starting word?

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

What happened to the Wordle archive?

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

Is Wordle getting harder?

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

SEE ALSO: NYT Pips hints, answers for May 15, 2026 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

A belief.

Mashable 101 Fan Fave: Vote for your favorite creators today

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

The letter E appears twice.

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

Today's Wordle starts with the letter C.

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

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

Drumroll please!

The solution to today's Wordle is...

CREED

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.

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The A.I. company, which is in the middle of a court fight with Elon Musk, has been unhappy with how Apple has integrated ChatGPT into its devices.

Lawyers for Elon Musk and OpenAI made their closing arguments in the blockbuster federal trial on Thursday. Nine jurors are set to begin deliberations next week.

We hope you took advantage of that $499 MacBook Neo deal in the Apple Education Store, because if you're not actually a student or teacher, that discount is now closed off for you.

Apple's Education Store provides online discounts for students and educators. In the case of the already very competitively priced MacBook Neo, that discount was a whopping $100 off Apple's latest laptop. Previously, anyone could shop at the Apple Education Store, with Apple simply using an honor system with its users, allowing anyone to shop there with the assumption that they were a student or teacher.

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However, starting this week, Apple changed its Apple Education Store policy. Apple is now verifying that a consumer is actually connected to an educational institution before allowing them to make a purchase.

Many companies offer discounts for educators and students, first responders, and other groups, and these types of third-party verification tools are a common industry practice.

Apple is utilizing the services of a third-party company known as Unidays, which verifies that the user is eligible to buy from the Apple Education Store.

According to Apple, users who are allowed to make a purchase in the Education Store include "current and newly accepted college students and their parents, as well as faculty, staff, and homeschool teachers of all grade levels."

When making a purchase, Unidays will verify that the buyer is connected to a specific educational institution. For example, a student will have to provide documentation that they are enrolled in a school in order to get verified and make a purchase from the Education Store. 

Unidays verification process is instant for most; however, some users may have to wait up to 24 hours for the company to complete its verification process.

Apple previously worked with Unidays in 2022 when it instituted a similar verification process for the Education Store. However, user complaints led Apple to drop the verification step until now.

Along with the verification change, Apple also added Apple Watch discounts to the Education Store for the first time last week. But, without the Education Store discount, many Apple users may find cheaper deals on Apple products from third parties like Amazon, Best Buy, and B&H, and not directly from Apple.

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The prestigious Cannes Film Festival is underway in France, with high-profile stars from The Fast and the Furious franchise dominating headlines so far. However, the Chinese tech company DJI also took advantage of the opportunity to make its own debut — the DJI Osmo Pocket 4P camera.

Cannes may seem like a strange place for a drone and camera company, but the company wants to pivot from the creator space into Hollywood productions. Pictures of the Osmo Pocket 4P show two lenses, which would set it apart from other cameras in the Osmo Pocket line.

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DJI Osmo Pocket gimbal cameras already have a cult following among creators, and the company recently launched the Osmo Pocket 4. However, the Osmo Pocket 4P is designed specifically for cinematic productions, DJI said in a press release sent to Mashable.

"Following the global success of its predecessor, the Osmo Pocket 4P builds on a growing movement in which compact cameras are reshaping how stories are created and shared," reads the release. "Its Cannes debut highlights its potential to influence the future of cinematic vlogging, inspire a new generation of mobile-first filmmakers, and lead global trends in portrait-driven visual storytelling."

Gimbal cameras have long been used in Hollywood productions, and the Osmo Pocket brought the technology to video bloggers, influencers, and creators of all kinds.

DJI says the Osmo Pocket 4P will offer cinematic-quality HDR video and 10-bit D-Log2 color performance for professional color grading.

DJI didn't provide any details on a possible release date or pricing, but a company spokesperson said the camera would be available through DJI's online store and retail partners. As with other recent DJI releases, it may come late to the United States due to DJI's ongoing problems with the FCC and the U.S. drone ban.

Credit: DJI

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Brick just updated its app to highlight a feature that makes me love this little gadget even more.

Imagine this nightmare: You've done your evening skincare, brushed your teeth, and tucked yourself into bed only to realize you left on a lamp across the room. That's the horror I feel when I forget to Brick my phone before bed and have to get up, walk to the kitchen, and tap it against my Brick in another room.

But when this happened last night, I noticed a change in the Brick app. Now, the button on the home page of the Brick app says "Tap or hold to Brick." So, I held the button and my phone was Bricked — I didn't even need to get out of bed.

Brick, the screen-time device that uses a physical NFC tag to block apps on your phone, cut my screen time in half. Plus, multiple people can use it, meaning my wife and I can share one. The Brick has become so popular that "Bricking" is now a verb.

Hold to lock: What's changed with the Brick? Now, you have the choice Brick your phone remotely. Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

Previously, you had to tap your phone against the Brick to lock it. Now, you have a second option. You can still tap to lock, or you can just hold the button down within the app, and it will lock. This means when you're on the go and need to focus, you can remotely Brick your phone.

I reached out to Brick, and a spokesperson said that while this feature has always been available, the company updated the app to make this functionality more obvious to users. The change was necessary, I think. Several Mashable staffers are devoted Brick users, and we weren't aware of this feature previously.

Now you can Brick your phone without physically tapping it against a Brick. Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

However, this doesn't change how you unlock your phone when it's Bricked. To Unbrick your phone, you still have to physically tap it against your Brick. Not surprising because the alternative would make Brick no different from any other screen time app out there.

So with this update, the only thing to be careful of is locking your phone when you're away from it and getting locked out of an important app. Luckily, you can always use one of your five emergency unbricks.

Opens in a new window Credit: Brick Brick phone blocker $59 at Brick
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