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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 SEE ALSO: How to play Pips, the newest NYT game

Here are the clues and answers to NYT's The Mini for Tuesday, Aug. 4, 2026:

AcrossPut in persistent hard work

• The answer is Grind.

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

The "A" of A/V

• The answer is Audio.

Buzzers by the trash

• The answer is Flies.

What was always seen blocking Wilson's face, on "Home Improvement"

• The answer is Fence.

Outer boundaries

• The answer is Edges.

DownPolitician's stumble

• The answer is Gaffe.

Was totally awesome

• The answer is Ruled.

What bar bouncers spend all night doing

• The answer is IDing.

Nephew's sister

• The answer is Niece.

Units of a vaccine

• The answer is Doses.

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

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

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

TL;DR: On Aug. 5, Nordstrom's Anniversary Sale includes up to 30% off select beauty tech tools from brands like Dermaflash, Omnilux, and Dr. Dennis Gross, while supplies last.

Nordstrom's Anniversary Sale is bringing exciting deals to beauty tech this week, with select tools discounted up to 30% off on Aug 5. Nordstrom hasn't confirmed exactly which specific products will be included, so if there's a device you've had your eye on, it's worth checking in to see what's part of the sale.

Some of the deals we can expect are from Dermaflash, Omnilux, and Dr. Dennis Gross, each bringing something different to the table.

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Dermaflash is known for at-home dermaplaning and skin-prep tools, including the Luxe+ (a sonic dermaplaning and peach-fuzz removal tool) and the Dermapore+ Ultrasonic Pore Extractor.

Omnilux is known for LED light therapy devices, including face masks, neck and décolletage devices, and targeted eye treatments — pricier, fancy skincare tech.

Dr. Dennis Gross is also known for LED devices, including the DRx SpectraLite FaceWare Pro and SpectraLite Eye Care Max Pro, both of which are built around light therapy for the face and eyes.

If you've succumbed to the LED mask trend, or any other skin care trend, and have been curious about trying it, now's a good time to invest — the beauty tech sale goes live on Aug. 5.

SAVE $15: As of Aug. 4, the Amazon Fire TV Stick HD is on sale for $19.99 at Amazon. That's a 43% discount on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Fire TV Stick HD $19.99 at Amazon
$34.99 Save $15.00   Get Deal

Streaming sticks are truly one of the easiest ways to upgrade your setup. Whether you're looking to upgrade an older, non-smart TV or if you just prefer a certain streaming interface like Amazon or Google, these devices make it much simpler to lock in for a summer of sport or the release of a new series.

And if you're looking for an affordable device, you'll be pleased to know that as of Aug. 4, the Amazon Fire TV Stick HD is on sale for under $20. Usually priced at $34.99, this popular streaming device is currently only $19.99 for the newest model.

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The new model will give you a range of upgrades, including a more modern interface and the ability to pin your favorite apps and streaming platforms. This model can also be powered directly from the TV, unlike older models that required access to a wall outlet. With the new Fire TV Stick, just plug it into your TV's HDMI port and connect it via USB-C cable for power.

After setup, you'll have access to all your favorite streaming apps and gaming platforms, including Netflix, Prime Video, and Xbox Game Pass.

Head to Amazon now to grab this Fire TV Stick deal.

The Trump administration has struggled over how to approach to “open source” models, which are freely available to download and favored by Chinese companies.

SAVE OVER $80: As of Aug. 4, the Sony WH-CH720N headphones are on sale for $98 at Amazon. That's a 46% discount on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Sony Sony WH-CH720N $98 at Amazon
$179.99 Save $81.99   Get Deal

Premium headphones often come with a premium price tag, so shopping around for a good deal is always a smart way to save some money. And as of Aug. 4, we’ve spotted a great discount on the Sony WH-CH720N headphones, dropping the price from $179.99 to just $98. That’s a saving of over $80, and you can choose between the white and pink colorways.

These wireless noise-canceling headphones from Sony are lightweight, weighing just 192 grams, making them Sony’s lightest overhead wireless headphones with noise-canceling tech. If you wear headphones for long periods of time throughout the day, they will remain comfortable.

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For sound, they feature Dual Noise Sensor Technology powered by Sony’s Integrated Processor V1 to help reduce interruptions from surrounding noise. They benefit from adjustable Ambient Sound mode and Adaptive Sound Control that automatically adjusts settings based on your environment. They also include Precise Voice Pickup Technology for clear hands-free calls.

Plus, enjoy up to 35 hours of battery life, with quick charging giving you up to one hour of playback from just a three-minute charge via USB-C.

Find this Sony deal at Amazon right now.

Whether you need a bit of artistic inspiration or a solid dose of silliness, Audity can be relied on to paint a smile on your face.

Character designer Audrey Hopkins has been thrilling her 13.2 million followers on TikTok with her whimsical and weird drawings on her Audity channel. There, she draws inspiration from movies, TV, music, and her husband, Richard Conley, to create wonderfully silly — and oft sexy — characters.

She's made a Soda Pop hunk inspired by KPop Demon Hunters, crafted illustrations of all 50 states as people, and re-imagined her hubby in a slew of creative ways, including merman and anime babe.

Hopkins also creates cartoon character mash-ups, like Beauty and the Beast's Lumiere with Child's Play's Chucky. And for those seeking similarly chaotic drawing challenges, she and Conley have created the WannaDraw app, which generates random pairings as a jumping-off point for users to doodle wild sketches all their own.

SEE ALSO: Audity credits her success to her muse and keeping things fun

In a joint interview in Mashable's Creator Hub at Vidcon 2026, Hopkins and Conley also revealed which tools of the trade they've employed in their content creation.

For those artists looking to take their digital drawing to the next level, this In My Bag is for you.

Audity's essentials for digital drawing

"First one that I definitely can't live without is definitely my iPad, that's what I draw on," Hopkins began.

To that Conley gently interjected, "iPad Pro."

2020 Apple iPad Pro (12.9-inch, Wi-Fi + Cellular, 128GB) - Silver (4th Generation) $0 at Amazon
  See It at Amazon See It at Best Buy

"Yeah, iPad Pro," she concurred, noting, "He does all the technical stuff for me. But yeah, my iPad Pro and my [Apple] pencil — which I lose constantly. I don't know why, but it always goes into the ether [once] you put it down."

From there, Conley noted, "and the very thick grip—"

"My pencil grip!" She chirped, finishing his sentence, "Dear God, without that pencil grip — I highly recommend anyone out there with an Apple pencil, get you a pencil grip."

Audity noted that drawing so much can cause muscle pain, and she's found the grip is an aid in reducing strain. "I've been having pretty bad carpal tunnel," she noted, "So I've been getting more braces and other things like that, and like compression stuff."

Her other big tool: their app, WannaDraw.

Credit: Ian Moore/Mashable Creator Hub/Savage Interactive/Apple How WannaDraw was created

Conley, the app's designer, explained Wanna Draw's origins, saying, "In 2020, Audrey did the random drawing generator series. And she was using just random gif images on Google Images. And she ran out of options after a few videos. We wanted to expand to a more complicated idea prompt/generator kind of thing. So we made an iPhone/Android app. It's been a lot. It's been a big learning process."

Hopkins added that she'd ask Conley, who has a background in web design, if he could build her a webpage to generate mash-up suggestions. It began as a gif. "Then people started asking where they could use it," she recalled.

They were approached by developers who showed an interest in building such an app. Hopkins noted Conley "had only ever made websites at that point." But rather than handing off their idea to an outside developer, he did the research at their kitchen table and learned how to make an app all their own.

Five years later, WannaDraw has over a million downloads, and while she writes the prompts, he's still the one maintaining Wanna Draw's tech side.

Conley said, "It's a two-person team, just her and I on the app. So it's a little silly, but it's —"

"Meant to be!" Hopkins interjected, finishing the thought. "You know? We're a little silly."

Dropout is an Audity essential

In our Creator Playbook interview, Hopkins shared that her dream project would be creating the character designs for Dropout's popular actual play series Dimension 20, created by Brennan Lee Mulligan. So, it's little surprise that she counts a Dropout subscription as an essential to her process.

She likes to have videos or music on while she draws, and Dropout has plenty that inspires her. "Dropout Subscription is a must, actually," she mused. "I watch their stuff a lot. I like consuming other really interesting things, and [supporting] people who make really unique types of media. Like, I feel like just being around and seeing other people who are super passionate about what they're doing is the thing that inspires me more than anything else," she said, then turned to Conley and added, "That and you!"

Catch up on Mashable's complete VidCon 2026 coverage for creator interviews, panel highlights, and reporting from the convention floor.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

TL;DR: Get Pok Pok Lifetime for $59.99 (reg. $250) and replace repetitive, ad-filled kids’ apps with award-winning, Montessori-inspired games that encourage creativity, problem-solving, and independent play.

Opens in a new window Credit: Pok Pok Pok Pok: Lifetime Subscription $59.99
$250 Save $190.01   Get Deal

If you’ve ever handed your toddler a tablet and instantly regretted it, Pok Pok might just restore your faith in screen time. This innovative, Montessori-inspired app turns digital play into something that actually feels okay for both kids and parents.

Designed for ages 2 to 8, Pok Pok replaces those noisy, overstimulating apps with calm, open-ended play that encourages creativity, independence, and curiosity.

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Kids explore a beautifully hand-drawn world filled with toys that grow alongside them — from early cause-and-effect puzzles to more advanced STEM-style challenges. It’s like a digital game sandbox for little minds.

Every sound, color, and motion in Pok Pok is crafted to feel soothing and natural — no flashing ads, no pressure to “win,” and no hidden purchases. It’s also fully COPPA-certified, meaning it meets strict safety standards for children’s digital content. Parents can relax knowing their kids are learning, not zoning out.

Pok Pok’s thoughtful approach hasn’t gone unnoticed. Pok Pok is the winner of the Academics’ Choice Smart Media Award and a 2023 App Store Award winner, recognition that reflects its focus on quality educational experiences rather than maximizing screen time.

Perfect for travel, quiet time, or rainy afternoons, Pok Pok runs offline, so playtime never depends on Wi-Fi.

At this low price, this lifetime subscription is the kind of tech investment that doesn’t come with a side of parental guilt — giving your child a fun, educational start in a calm digital space built just for them.

Get lifetime access to Pok Pok while it’s on sale for just $59.99 (reg. $250).

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: flowkey’s 5-year Classic Plan subscription is currently on sale for $79.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Flowkey flowkey Piano Learning App: Classic Plan (5-Year Subscription) $79.99
$899 Save $819.01   Get Deal

Learning piano isn’t something most people accomplish in a month or two. That’s why the flowkey Piano Learning App: Classic Plan offers five years of access for $79.99 (reg. $899), giving you plenty of time to build skills without worrying about another renewal.

While there are many piano learning apps, flowkey’s five-year plan offers an exceptionally long runway for anyone who wants to keep up with the hobby. Whether you’re starting as a beginner or picking the piano back up after years away, the app combines guided lessons with instant feedback to help you improve at your own pace.

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As you play, flowkey listens and lets you know whether you’ve hit the correct notes before progressing. Wait Mode, slow-motion playback, looping difficult passages, and separate right- and left-hand practice are all designed to help you achieve challenging sections instead of rushing through them.

The subscription also includes over 1,000 classical and public-domain songs alongside lessons covering music theory, chords, rhythm, hand positioning, and reading sheet music. Pieces are available at multiple skill levels, so you can continue practicing familiar music as your confidence grows rather than constantly switching to new material.

Since this 5-year subscription works across laptops, tablets, and phones, it’s easy to fit in practice whenever you have a few spare minutes. Better yet, this offer is available to both new and existing flowkey users, making it just as useful if you’ve already started learning and simply want to extend your access.

If you’ve been meaning to spend more time at the keyboard, the flowkey Piano Learning App’s Classic Plan is available for $79.99 (reg. $899), giving you years of structured lessons for less than the cost of a few in-person classes.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

SAVE $100: As of Aug. 4, Beats Solo 4 are on sale for $99.95 at Amazon. That's a 50% discount on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Beats Beats Solo 4 $99.95 at Amazon
$199.95 Save $100.00   Get Deal

If you're shopping around for a good deal on a pair of headphones, you can't skip this latest Amazon discount on the Beats Solo 4.

These headphones regularly go on sale, but they rarely drop to $99.95. Not only is that a 50% discount and a saving of $100, but this is also the lowest-ever price for this model. However, there is a small catch. The only colorway available at this price is metallic pink. Other colors, including matte black and slate blue, are also on sale, but for the slightly higher cost of $129.95.

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But for under $100, you truly can't go wrong with these headphones. They have a custom acoustic architecture and updated drivers designed to deliver that powerful Beats sound. They also benefit from Personalized Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking for a more immersive listening experience.

They have an ultralight ergonomic design too, with a flex-grip headband and adjustable, angled ear cups for a secure fit. They're comfortable for all-day use, thanks to their UltraPlush ear cushions.

For battery life, expect up to 50 hours of use, with Fast Fuel delivering up to five hours of playback from a quick 10-minute charge. That's ideal for when you're heading out the door in a rush.

Ready to upgrade to great sound? These Beats headphones are available on sale at Amazon right now.

SAVE $150: As of Aug. 4, the Amazon Ember 75-inch QLED is on sale for $1,049.99. That's a 13% discount on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Ember 75-inch QLED TV $1,099.99 at Amazon
$1,199.99 Save $100   Get Deal

Big-screen TVs don't have to come with a big price tag.

Amazon's Ember range combines QLED picture quality with the Fire TV experience and built-in Alexa voice controls, so you can access streaming apps, smart home features, and more with ease. And right now, you can save on the massive Amazon Ember 75-inch QLED. As of Aug. 4, the list price has dropped from $1,999.99 to $1,049.99, saving you $150.

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This TV runs on the redesigned 2026 Fire TV experience, which gives you a brand-new interface with content categories, the ability to pin your most-used apps, and personalized recommendations from Alexa+. The TV also supports cloud gaming via Amazon Luna and Xbox Game Pass without a console, making it an ideal choice for gamers.

For the visuals, it benefits from a 4K QLED display with Dolby Vision, HDR10+ Adaptive, and full-array local dimming, so everything you watch is incredible quality. And thanks to its WiFi 6 support and the new quad-core processor, apps and streaming move fast and without buffering.

Plus, this TV also includes Amazon's new Omnisense technology. This means the TV uses built-in sensors to wake the display when someone enters the room, displaying artwork of your choice or resuming whatever you've been watching.

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

Snap held its Q2 2026 earnings call on Monday, with CEO Evan Spiegel speaking about the company's hopes and the public's response to its upcoming Specs AR glasses. 

Currently available for pre-order, Snap's Specs are scheduled to launch on Sept. 16 and will set buyers back the formidable sum of $2,195. It's an intimidating price tag which may scare off some consumers. Still, Spiegel believes Specs are the future of Snap. The company has invested significantly in the AR glasses, which have been in development for over 10 years, and sees Specs as an important milestone.

SEE ALSO: All about the Specs AR glasses, with Snap CEO Evan Spiegel

"Our largest long-term opportunity is Specs, a new kind of computer built into see-through glasses," Spiegel said early in Monday's earnings call. "Specs are designed for a future in which AI does more work on our behalf and people spend less time operating screens."

Despite this vision, it's unclear whether public anticipation for Specs' release is meeting Snap's expectations. When asked about pre-order volumes, Spiegel claimed there has been "a huge amount of interest" in the AR glasses since they were announced in June. Even so, he did not offer any exact numbers, leaving it ambiguous as to whether such interest has materially translated into pre-orders.

"What we're hearing from folks is really that they want to try Specs," said Spiegel. "It's obviously a high consideration purchase at $2,195." 

Featured Video For You Gen Z men are becoming more religious online

Spiegel noted that developers understood the "technical leaps" Snap has made with Specs. However, when it came to the general public's response, he focused on the importance of people getting to try the AR glasses after their September launch.

"I think for the broader public and consumers, it's going to be really important for folks to go hands-on," Spiegel continued. "I think Sept. 16 at our upcoming launch event will be an important starting point for that consumer-oriented journey. Certainly, a lot of exciting momentum around Spectacles and we're really looking forward to getting these in folks' hands so that they can experience the platform for themselves."

This may suggest that pre-order numbers haven't yet reached the volume Snap had been hoping for. Even so, the company is confidently backing Specs as the next big revolutionary product, and trusting that it will prove itself at launch. Spiegel stated that there is a significant opportunity to create the "next computing platform," referencing the introduction of desktop computers to office jobs.

Snap CFO Doug Hott also spoke about Specs during the earnings call, stating that the company is currently focused on product quality, customer experience, and ecosystem.

"I think looking forward on Sept. 16, we'll be sharing a lot more about all the different ways people can use Specs, how they fit into people's lives, and we're just really excited to get Specs into folks' hands later this year," said Hott.

Snap announced $1.6 billion in revenue this quarter — a 19 percent increase year over year, which was above expectations. Even so, the company still operated at a net loss of $164 million in Q2. Snap laid off 16 percent of its workforce earlier this year, with Spiegel stating that it aimed to lower its annual costs by $500 million before the year's end.

TL;DR: Live stream select Premier League fixtures for free on CazéTV. Access these free live streams from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

We've been treated to some truly special sporting moments this summer, but nothing really came close to the 2026 World Cup. This tournament delivered in so many ways: we saw huge performances from big names like Haaland, we got shock results like Cape Verde stealing a draw from eventual champions Spain, and there was heaps of controversy, as usual.

Now that domestic seasons are returning, are we fatigued from a summer of sport? Absolutely not. We're impatient for rivalries to be renewed in some of the most competitive leagues in the world. And if we're talking truly unpredictable action from elite clubs in incredibly passionate stadiums, it's tough to beat the Premier League.

How will Arsenal cope with the pressure of being champions? Will Manchester City bounce back from the loss of iconic manager Pep Guardiola? Can Manchester United finally compete at the top end of the standings again? There are so many questions to be answered as the Premier League returns.

If you want to watch the 2026-27 Premier League for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

What is the Premier League?

The Premier League is the highest level of the English football league system. The league is contested by 20 clubs, with each team playing 38 fixtures: two against each other, one home and one away.

The defending champions are Arsenal.

When is the Premier League?

The opening match round of the 2026/27 Premier League season will start on Aug. 21. The season runs until the final round of fixtures on May 30.

How to watch the Premier League for free

CazéTV will be showing select Premier League fixtures for free on their YouTube channel.

These free live streams are geo-restricted to Brazil, but anyone can bypass these restrictions with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Brazil, meaning you can unblock free live streams of the Premier League from anywhere in the world.

Access free live streams of the 2026-27 Premier League by following these simple steps:

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

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

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

4. Visit CazéTV

5. Watch Premier League fixtures 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 leading VPNs do tend to offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can gain access to free live streams of the Premier League without committing your cash. This is obviously not a long-term solution, but it does give you time to watch select fixtures (plus coverage of Ligue 1 and La Liga) before recovering your investment.

If you want to retain permanent access to free live streams all season, you will need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for live sport is on sale for a limited time.

What is the best VPN for CazeTV?

ExpressVPN is the best service for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream for free on CazéTV, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries, including Brazil

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

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is always 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 — 80% 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 a money-back guarantee).

Live stream the Premier League for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

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

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

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

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

Intoxicated.

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

BOOZY

Hurdle Word 2 hint

To protest.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for August 4, 2026 Hurdle Word 2 Answer

DEMUR

Mashable 101 Fan Fave: Nominate your favorite creators today

Hurdle Word 3 hint

A path.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for August 4 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for August 4, 2026 Hurdle Word 3 answer

TRAIL

Hurdle Word 4 hint

Correct.

Hurdle Word 4 answer

RIGHT

Final Hurdle hint

Practical joke.

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

PRANK

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

Today's Connections: Sports Edition will be easier if you've ever watched hockey or baseball.

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

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

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

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

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

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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: Pitching staff

• Green: Midwest mascots

• Blue: Incomplete NHL team

• Purple: Black and Gold

Here are today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

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

• Yellow: Baseball Pitching Roles

• Green: Big Ten Teams

• Blue: Second Words in NHL Team Names

• Purple: Pittsburgh Steelers

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 #680 is...

What is the answer to Connections: Sports Edition today?

• Baseball Pitching Roles: ACE, CLOSER, OPENER, SETUP

• Big Ten Teams: BADGERS, DUCKS, GOLDEN GOPHERS, HUSKIES

• Second Words in NHL Team Names: JACKETS, KNIGHTS, LEAFS, WINGS

• Pittsburgh Steelers: HIGHSMITH, METCALF, QUEEN, WATT

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

How to play Pips

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

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for August 4, 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 August 4, 2026 Easy difficulty hints, answers for August 4 Pips

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

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

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

Number (4): Everything in this space must add up to 4. The answer is 0-1, placed vertically; 3-1, placed horizontally; 1-1, placed horizontally.

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

Medium difficulty hints, answers for August 4 Pips

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

Number (7): Everything in this space must add up to 7. The answer is 6-5, placed horizontally; 2-3, placed vertically.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Hard difficulty hints, answers for August 4 Pips

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

Less Than (2): Everything in this space must be less than 2. The answer is 1-4, placed vertically.

Number (4): Everything in this space must add up to 4. The answer is 6-3, placed horizontally; 1-2, placed horizontally.

Number (7): Everything in this space must add up to 7. The answer is 1-1, placed vertically; 6-3, placed horizontally; 0-5, placed vertically.

Number (9): Everything in this space must add up to 9. The answer is 1-4, placed vertically; 1-2, placed horizontally; 3-5, placed vertically.

Greater Than (4): Everything in this space must be greater than 4. The answer is 0-5, placed vertically.

Greater Than (4): Everything in this space must be greater than 4. The answer is 3-5, placed vertically.

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

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

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

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

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

The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult if you love the Concrete Jungle.

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 Pips hints, answers for August 4, 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: Same shape

• Green: The Big Apple

• Blue: "Step on it!"

• Purple: Same shape

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Here are today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Long cylindrical things

• Green: Iconic NYC sights

• Blue: Things with pedals

• Purple: V-Shaped things

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 #1150 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Long cylindrical things: CIGARETTE, FOAM ROLLER, POOL NOODLE, PRETZEL ROD

• Iconic NYC sights: BODEGA, PIGEON, SUBWAY STATION, TAXI CAB

• Things with pedals: PIANO, SEWING MACHINE, SWAN BOAT, UNICYCLE

• V-Shaped things: ANGLE BRACKET, CHEVRON, GOOSE FORMATION, PEACE SIGN

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for August 4, 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 have a strong immune system.

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 August 4, 2026 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Staying healthy

The words are related to healthcare.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe medical remedies.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is vertical.

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

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is Pharmacy.

NYT Strands word list for August 4

• Medicine

• Immunization

• Pharmacy

• Counter

• Refill

• Consult

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 have a good eye.

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 August 4, 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 August 4, 2026 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

A pattern.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

There are no recurring letters.

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

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

Today's Wordle starts with the letter M.

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...

MOTIF

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

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

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

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

Game Freak’s enduring legacy is being the developer of the Pokémon franchise alongside Nintendo. While that certainly has its perks like keeping the office lights on, it shouldn’t be surprising that Game Freak wants to branch out. It’s been done so over the years with smaller games like Giga Wrecker Alt, Little Town Hero, and Tembo the Badass Elephant.

Now, Game Freak is back with the action-adventure game Beast of Reincarnation. It’s the studio’s biggest game yet, but is it big enough to step out from Pokémon’s massive shadow?

The combat is sublime, along with its breathtaking art direction and intriguing open-world zones. However, Beast of Reincarnation is muzzled by its confusing story pacing and dull cast of characters.

Not Nier enough Credit: Game Freak / Screenshot by George Yang

Beast of Reincarnation follows a young girl named Emma as she travels through a post-apocalyptic Japan to stop the titular monster from rising again and spreading a corruption called Blight. Much like Stellar Blade, Beast of Reincarnation attempts to emulate the profound themes of existentialism, artificial intelligence, sentience, and humanity found in the excellent Nier: Automata. But they fail to understand what made Yoko Taro’s masterpiece so compelling: the characters.

Emma isn’t exactly a riveting character up until the last few moments of the story. At that point, there’s a giant exposition dump explaining about how the world came to be. Characters that you met halfway through the story suddenly come back towards the end, and they somehow have some crucial involvement. The jarring pacing doesn’t really allow for much personal development of the side characters, let alone Emma’s.

It also doesn’t help that the English voice acting isn’t the best. It’s understandable that Emma is supposed to be an emotionless individual, given that she was an outcast due to her sickness. But Emma, and the rest of the cast, for that matter, sound incredibly bored throughout the entire journey. How can I get immersed if the characters themselves sound like they don’t even want to be there?

The subtitles are also astronomically tiny, with no options to make them bigger. This made it harder to follow the story, especially if you chose the Japanese voice acting instead.

A beautiful apocalypse Credit: Game Freak

Despite the underwhelming story, I enjoyed my time traveling through post-apocalyptic Japan in between cutscenes. While Beast of Reincarnation isn’t a true open-world, there’s plenty of places to explore. There are 12 distinct zones that you can travel between, with different environments showing off rustic forests, giant craters, and flooded dilapidated city ruins.

But what impressed me more was Beast of Reincarnation’s verticality. Since Emma is immune to the Blight, she’s able to manifest her plant-like powers through her hair to reach towering heights. I had a lot of fun scaling tall structures and creating ledges over the top of enemies so I could take them out unaware, Assassin’s Creed-style.

Emma’s canine companion, Koo, can also sniff out items and collectibles as they pass by, marking them. While some players might see this as cheapening the exploration, I found it to be really convenient and respectful of my time. In particular, I appreciated Koo’s sleuthing when it came to finding Dragon Shrines all across the different maps. When you accumulate enough, Emma is rewarded with extra stims to heal herself during battle.

Credit: Game Freak / Screenshot by George Yang

The game’s visuals are gorgeous, too. The realistic art direction is a departure from the cartoony and cute creatures we’ve seen Game Freak create for Pokémon. Sure, humanity has died out, but the hostile golems and blight-inflicted malefacts consisting of giant bears, birds, and deer still make the world feel lively. The emphasis on plant life also makes the environments feel hopeful, like a Studio Ghibli movie, rather than the catastrophic dread of a game like The Last of Us.

However, I wish boss battles were more unique. Many of them are against giant creatures called Nushi, but they all have almost the same attack patterns and even designs. I got tired of fighting the nearly identical huge four-legged creatures after the third time.

More bite than bark Credit: Game Freak / Screenshot by George Yang

Thankfully, the combat gives Beast of Reincarnation the much-needed claws, sinking into you and keeping you entertained. Though it might initially feel like a Soulslike at first because of the sharp difficulty curve, the game eventually provides you with more skills, opening the combat up to feel more like a straightforward action game.

There’s a heavy emphasis on parrying, similar to Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. Every time Emma successfully parries, her Entanglement meter fills up, which allows her to unleash devastating attacks with her hair. And when breaking an enemy’s stamina, she can perform flashy finishers. The flow of battle feels very satisfying, fast-paced, and fun.

Upon successfully parrying attacks, you activate the special abilities of Emma’s various katanas. There’s one where she recovers a portion of her health for a few seconds upon a successful parry, which was immensely helpful, especially during boss fights. My personal favorite katana was a late-game one that dealt additional poison and electric damage. I loved watching the crackling purple lightning strikes crash down whenever I swung my sword.

Credit: Game Freak / Screenshot by George Yang

While Koo fights autonomously, you can pull up a menu that slows down time and issue direct commands to him to use his own special attacks, such as summoning vines to immobilize enemies for Emma to unleash fury on, or conjuring a flowerbed that gradually restores her HP. It’s very similar to Final Fantasy VII Remake trilogy’s “Classic” combat mode. It’s a beneficial feature that lets you have more control over Koo’s actions, and thematically strengthens the camaraderie between them.

At $60, Beast of Reincarnation is a good value for a 25-30 hour experience. By thoroughly exploring the world, you can get even more mileage out of it. It’s also available on Xbox Game Pass via the Ultimate tier.

You can play the game on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, and PC.

Beast of Reincarnation (PS5 and Xbox Series X) $59.99 at Amazon
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With up to nine devices covered, the AdGuard Family Plan is ideal for households where everyone’s connected. And because it’s a one-time payment for lifetime access, you’ll never have to worry about recurring fees or annoying subscription renewals.

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