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

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

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

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

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

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

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

SEE ALSO: NYT's The Mini crossword answers for February 6 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: Gentle or barely noticeable

• Green: Showing generosity

• Blue: Parts that extend upwards

• Purple: Iconic musicians' monikers

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: Delicate

• Green: Magnanimous

• Blue: Things with Necks

• Purple: First Names in Jazz

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 #606 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Delicate: FAINT, LIGHT, MILD, SOFT

• Magnanimous: GRAND, GREAT, LOFTY, NOBLE

• Things with Necks: BOTTLE, GIRAFFE, GUITAR, LAMP

• First Names in Jazz: CAB, COUNT, DIZZY, DUKE

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 February 6

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

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

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

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

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

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable SEE ALSO: NYT Connections today: Hints and answers for February 6 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 February 6, 2025 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

One's protégé.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

The letter P appears twice.

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

Today's Wordle starts with the letter P.

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...

PUPIL.

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 February 6

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.

Tweet may have been deleted

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.

Tweet may have been deleted

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: Sports moves, typically by an organization or GM

• Green: Where you play on the pitch

• Blue: Defensive moves in football

• Purple: Of the foul kind.

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: Transaction

• Green: Soccer positions

• Blue: Types of blitzes

• Purple: Foul __________

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 #136 is...

What is the answer to Connections Sports Edition today

• Transaction - DEAL, EXCHANGE, TRADE, TRANSFER

• Soccer positions - FULLBACK, GOALKEEPER, MIDFIELDER, STRIKER

• Types of blitzes - SAFETY, SIMULATED, ZERO, ZONE

• Foul _________ - BALL, OUT, POLE, TERRITORY

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for February 6 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for February 6 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: I'm a person of my word

These words are common names.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

Words are names that double as words.

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 FirstNames.

Featured Video For You Strands 101: How to win NYT’s latest word game NYT Strands word list for February 6

• Drew

• Will

• Chuck

• Jimmy

• Robin

• Chase

• Miles

• FirstNames

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.

Geraldine Viswanathan and Meredith Hagner go bride vs. bride in this You're Cordially Invited-themed version of Know Your Role.

You're Cordially Invited is now streaming on Prime Video.

The Silicon Valley giant also said it was reviewing other diversity programs and initiatives and would update them if they seemed risky or ineffective.

Hackers have discovered a new way to remotely take control of your computer — all through the Google Chrome web browser.

A report from cybersecurity company SquareX lays out the new multifaceted cyberattack, which the firm has dubbed "browser syncjacking."

Chrome profile takeover

At the core of the attack is a social engineering element, as the malicious actor first must convince the user to download a Chrome extension. The Chrome extension is usually disguised as a helpful tool that can be downloaded via the official Chrome Store. It requires minimal permissions, further cementing its perceived legitimacy to the user. According to SquareX, the extension actually does usually work as advertised, in order to further disguise the source of the attack from the user.

Meanwhile, secretly in the background, the Chrome extension connects itself to a managed Google Workspace profile that the attacker has set up in advance. With the user now unknowingly signed into a managed profile, the attacker sends the user to a legitimate Google support page which is injected with modified content through the Chrome extension, telling the user they need to sync their profile.

When the user agrees to the sync, they unwittingly send all their local browser data, such as saved passwords, browsing history, and autofill information, to the hacker's managed profile. The hacker can then sign into this managed profile on their own device and access all that sensitive information.

Chrome browser takeover

The attack up to this point already provides the hacker with enough material to commit fraud and other illicit activities. However, browser syncjacking provides the hacker with the capability to go even further.

Using the teleconferencing platform Zoom as an example, SquareX explains that using the malicious Chrome extension, the attacker can send the victim to an official yet modified Zoom webpage that urges the user to install an update. However, the Zoom download that's provided is actually an executable file that installs a Chrome browser enrollment token from the hacker's Google Workspace.

After this occurs, the hacker then has access to additional capabilities and can gain access to the user's Google Drive, clipboard, emails, and more.

Device takeover

The browser syncjacking attack doesn't stop there. The hacker can take one further step in order to not just take over the victim's Chrome profile and Chrome browser, but also their entire device.

Through that same illicit download, such as the previously used Zoom update installer example, the attacker can inject a "registry entry to message native apps" by weaponizing Chrome’s Native Messaging protocol. By doing this, the attacker basically sets up a connection "between the malicious extension and the local binary." Basically, it creates a flow of information between the hacker's Chrome extension and your computer. Using this, the hacker can send commands to your device.

What can the hacker do from here? Pretty much anything they want. The attacker will have full access to the user's computer files and settings. They can create backdoors into the system. They can steal data such as passwords, cryptocurrency wallets, cookies, and more. In addition, they can track the user by controlling their webcam, take screenshots, record audio, and monitor everything input into the device.

As you can see, browser syncjacking is nearly completely unrecognizable as an attack to most users. For now, the most important thing you can do to protect yourself from such a cyberattack is to be aware of what you download and only install trusted Chrome extensions.

OpenAI's ChatGPT web search feature is now available for everyone, even those without an account.

On Wednesday, OpenAI posted on social media platform X to announce that the ChatGPT search feature had officially been rolled out to all users without the need to sign up or log in.

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The ChatGPT web search feature launched in late October last year. It is integrated directly into OpenAI's ChatGPT AI chatbot at chatgpt.com. 

Users simply click the search button to use the search function. ChatGPT then answers their query in a typical conversational AI chatbot fashion. However, ChatGPT also includes relevant information from the Internet, including photos and links citing where it sourced its information. The links are presented in a search engine-esque way.

SEE ALSO: OpenAI launches 'deep research' AI agent for ChatGPT

When the search feature initially launched, it was only available to paying ChatGPT subscribers. In December of last year, OpenAI rolled out ChatGPT search to all users who were already logged into an account. Now, anyone can use ChatGPT search without an account.

A recent report from search engine optimization company Semrush found that while Google still has billions more search users than ChatGPT,  OpenAI's chatbot product was starting to send more and more search traffic to third-party websites.

It will be interesting to observe how users change their online search habits as new options, such as ChatGPT search, become more widely available.

The Google Gemini app now includes a reasoning model that shows its "thought process."

On Wednesday, the tech giant announced the availability of Gemini 2.0 Flash Thinking Experimental on Gemini's desktop and mobile versions. In addition to making its reasoning model, 2.0 Flash Thinking, more accessible to users, Google shared other announcements related to the Gemini family: the launch of Gemini 2.0 Pro, expanded access to Gemini 2.0 Flash in AI Studio and Vertex AI, and a low-cost model called Flash-Lite.

SEE ALSO: Google deletes policy against using AI for weapons or surveillance Tweet may have been deleted

Over at Google, it looks like business as usual, as the company stays on the course of advancing its AI strategy of incrementally adding more capabilities to its Gemini family. But the introduction of Gemini 2.0 Flash-Lite is interesting timing given DeepSeek's disruption last week. DeepSeek spooked the AI industry with its R1 model that's just as capable as competitor models, but made for a fraction of the cost, upending beliefs that more money equals better models.

Google has previously released a cost-efficient model called 1.5 Flash, and CEO Sundar Pichai downplayed DeepSeek's impact on Google in its Q4 2024 earnings call on Tuesday, saying, "For us, it's always been obvious" that models could become more cost-efficient over time. That said, Google plans to spend $75 billion in capital expenditure, which is a huge uptick from $32.3 billion in 2023.

Google's announcements today seem to cover all the bases of AI development: reasoning models, advanced models, and low-cost models.

Announced in December, 2.0 Flash Thinking rivals OpenAI's o1 and o3-mini reasoning models in that it's capable of working through more complex problems and showing how it reasons through them. Previously, it debuted in AI Studio but now has broad availability in experimental mode as a dropdown option in the Gemini app.

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There's also a version that integrates with YouTube, Google Maps, and Google Search. With this version, the model might opt to search the web for answers, pull up relevant YouTube links, or query Google Maps instead of relying solely on its own training data.

For example, if you ask 2.0 Flash Thinking without app integration, "How long would it take to walk to China?" it would rely on its own knowledge base to reason through the vagueness and various factors involved. But in the version with the aforementioned apps, it immediately goes to Google Maps for answers (as laid out in its "thinking.")

The Gemini 2.0 Pro release is the most noteworthy announcement in terms of technical advancement. According to Google, 2.0 Pro is its most capable model, best for coding and handling complex tasks (not to be confused with 2.0 Flash Thinking, which can also handle complex problems but shows its work.) Gemini 2.0 Pro is available as an experimental version to Gemini Advanced subscribers and in AI Studio and Vertex AI.

Gemini 2.0 Flash-Lite has a 1 million token context window and multimodal input and runs at the same speed and price as the earlier 1.5 Flash version, so it packs a punch for its size. Flash-Lite is available in preview mode on AI Studio and Vertex AI.