Technology

Lately, AAA games have left me feeling a little uninspired. There’s a sameness to it all — big budgets, bigger expectations, and not a lot of heart. So when an AA game comes out of nowhere, clearly made out of a love for the game, it’s a real breath of fresh air.

That game is Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, the debut title from French studio Sandfall Interactive. A Western JRPG that proudly wears its Final Fantasy and Persona influences on its sleeve; it first turned heads at the Xbox Games Showcase back in June 2024. Since then, it’s quietly built momentum thanks to its gorgeous visuals and a combat system that fuses turn-based mechanics with real-time elements.

SEE ALSO: 'Bionic Bay' Review: A speedrunner's delight

After spending 24 hours with the game on PS5, I can confidently say that the hype is real, and the game delivers.

The greatest expedition ever Credit: Sandfall Interactive / Kepler Interactive

Make all the jokes you want about the name, but Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 isn’t trying to be subtle. The title actually makes sense once you get into it. Set in a surreal, living painting of a world, you play as Gustave (played by Daredevil: Born Again’s Charlie Cox), a citizen of the fractured city of Lumière and a member of a group known as Expedition 33.

In this universe, every year, a mysterious, god-like being called The Paintress paints a number onto her monolith. That number is the age of the people who will be erased from existence that year. They call it the gommage (French for "erased"). However, the catch is the number descends each year — and when the game starts, it’s 33.

That’s where Expedition 33 comes in. It's made up of volunteers who are all 32 years old, giving them exactly one year left before their number comes up. Every year, a new Expedition sets out in a last-ditch effort to stop The Paintress and break the cycle. And yeah, it’s been happening for a while (for about a century now, in fact).

As you’d expect, the latest Expedition doesn’t exactly go smoothly. Things go sideways almost immediately, thanks to the arrival of Renoir, a cryptic older figure who basically steamrolls the group. Gustave survives and ends up joining forces with the few remaining members: Lune, the mage and inquisitive scholar; Sciel, a calm and friendly fighter; and Maelle, Gustave's adopted sister/daughter and a 16-year-old who just wants to see the world while she still can.

You’ll meet a whole cast of odd, memorable characters on your journey, but I won’t spoil those moments here. Just know the writing hits. It balances weird, poetic world-building with grounded, emotional storytelling. Sure, it leans into the melodrama now and then, but it earns it.

They’re written with care — serious people with real motivations, not just vehicles for snappy dialogue. Gustave is just trying to find Maelle and make it home. Lune is focused on finishing the mission, no matter what. Sciel, who’s already lost her husband, seems oddly at peace with the idea of death and mostly just goes with the flow.

They don’t always agree, but when conflict comes up, they actually talk things through like adults. No sarcastic barbs, no forced jokes — just people under extreme pressure, trying to deal with it the best they can. I appreciated that the writers trusted you to pick things up without over-explaining.

I’ll admit, a few story beats near the end didn’t quite sit right with me. Not dealbreakers, but enough to make me pause and go, "hmm, really?" Still, I went along for the ride. For a game heavy on narrative, that’s one of the few complaints I can point to. As for the world itself, the game makes a point of never spelling anything out.

Everyone talks about Gesterals like it’s common knowledge (news to me), and apparently, every kid in Lumière was raised on the legendary exploits of Esquie — whatever that is. It’s all intentional, there's a bigger picture here, but let’s be clear: if you feel like the game hasn’t explained a single damn thing, you’re not wrong.

Fight for tomorrow Credit: Sandfall Interactive / Kepler Interactive

High fantasy has never really done it for me. Whether it’s a lack of imagination or just too much bad writing, the genre usually doesn’t click. Expedition 33 managed to change that. The world is so well-realized that I found myself fully immersed once the story settled in.

Expedition 33 is a turn-based action game with some light RTS mechanics. You take turns attacking enemies, but quick-time events can increase your damage during your moves. Timing also matters on defense—you’ll need to dodge and parry attacks to stay alive.

The dodge and parry system ended up being one of my main frustrations. Enemy attack timings often felt like they were tuned specifically to be annoying. Late-game bosses, in particular, use fake-outs and stuttered attack patterns, making reacting in time unnecessarily difficult. The design reminded me of Elden Ring, where bosses seem capable of reacting to your inputs and adjusting their combos mid-animation. The fact that I accidentally played half the game in Quality mode at 30FPS didn’t help. It made those already tight windows feel even worse.

SEE ALSO: 'Andor' Season 2 review: The best Star Wars show goes out with a brilliant bang

Performance on PS5 was mostly solid, aside from a few technical hiccups. Sound design was inconsistent — cutscene transitions were occasionally off, and during battles, the music would sometimes cut out entirely, like the audio file ran out and wasn’t set to loop. It's not a dealbreaker, but noticeable enough to mention.

Combat in Expedition 33 will feel familiar to anyone who’s played a classic JRPG. On their turn, each party member can use items, perform a basic attack, or trigger special abilities that consume Attack Points (AP). Every character also has a large skill tree, allowing you to shape their playstyle to fit your preferences.

Gustave plays like a paladin — he can hit hard but also brings passive buffs to support the team. His signature ability, Overcharge, builds energy in his mechanical arm with each attack. Once it hits 10 charges, he can unleash a powerful electric strike for serious damage.

Credit: Sandfall Interactive / Kepler Interactive

Lune fills the mage role. She has access to healing spells but leans heavily into elemental damage. Her special system, Stain, lets her stack magical effects, which she can later convert into boosted attacks or stronger healing.

Maelle acts as the rogue archetype. She uses different stances to increase her damage output, though each stance also raises the amount of damage she takes in return. She’s high risk, high reward.

Sciel rounds out the group as a warrior. Her mechanic, Foretell, is built around Sun and Moon cards. She applies these effects in battle, then consumes them to enter a Twilight phase, which temporarily boosts her damage, sometimes doubling or even tripling it.

You can only bring three characters into battle at a time, so party composition does matter — but it doesn’t take long to figure out who pulls their weight and who can sit out. The enemy design is one of the game’s real highlights. The Paintress’s creations, known as Nevrons, shift in form depending on the environment, and the art direction here is genuinely impressive.

SEE ALSO: Nintendo Switch 2 preorder retailer guide: Best Buy, Gamestop, Walmart and more

In one early area, Flying Waters — a visually striking inverted seafloor with an ocean suspended above you — the Nevrons resemble crab-like sea creatures with antique diving helmets. They don’t exactly switch up their attack patterns much, but they look cool as hell and fit the surreal tone of the game perfectly.

The worst of the bunch are flying enemies. You can’t hit them with standard attacks or most skills. Instead, you have to use a mechanic called Free Aim, which lets you manually target and shoot enemies. It’s also the only way to hit weak points or apply marks, which makes targets more vulnerable to follow-up damage. Every shot costs AP, so it’s not something you can spam without consequences.

The issue is when the game leans too hard into this. Some areas are stacked entirely with flying enemies, and since they can’t be touched by normal attacks or skills, your options become frustratingly limited.

Credit: Sandfall Interactive / Kepler Interactive

The last major layer of Expedition 33’s combat system comes in the form of Pictos and Luminas. Pictos are passive upgrades you can equip — each character gets three slots. These range from basic boosts like acting first in combat or increasing healing effectiveness to more strategic ones like earning extra AP for pulling off a perfect dodge.

Then there’s Luminas, which is where things start to get interesting. After winning four battles with a Picto equipped, you unlock the option to permanently add it to a character using Lumina points. So, if you’re using the “Dodger” Picto, which gives +1 AP on a perfect dodge, you can burn a Lumina point to keep that bonus forever, even while equipping a different Picto in its slot.

Lumina points themselves can be upgraded at camps using items you collect throughout the world. It’s a solid system that rewards experimentation without locking you into one build. The more you play around with it, the stronger your team gets and the more flexibility you have in fights.

Weapons are upgradeable, too, but honestly, this felt like the least interesting part of character progression. As you find or level up weapons, they’ll come with passive bonuses and elemental effects — some useful, some situational. It’s worth swapping them out depending on who you’re fighting, but compared to the depth of Pictos, Luminas, and the skill trees, the weapon system doesn’t leave much of an impression.

Exploring the continent Credit: Sandfall Interactive / Kepler Interactive

The world outside of Lumière is a freaky little place that feels both alien and familiar. Floating islands hang in the sky, surrounded by swirling clouds and strange glowing light. Forests and fields mix with ancient ruins and overgrown tech, creating a space that feels lived-in but mysterious. One area is filled with calm meadows and flowers, while another is littered with massive broken machines and glowing coral-like structures.

It’s a strange mix, but it works. The environments feel like they’re telling a story even when nothing is happening. One moment you're standing in a peaceful glade carpeted in violet wildflowers, and the next you're navigating a biomechanical graveyard littered with the remnants of titanic constructs and crystalline growths. It’s a visual fever dream, but with just enough grounded naturalism to make you believe you could actually step into it

Exploration will undoubtedly draw many comparisons to Final Fantasy X, and it’s pretty spot-on. The areas look big and open at first glance, but they’re mostly linear, with a few branching paths here and there. Sometimes, you’ll find a side character tucked away or stumble into a group of unsettling mime-like enemies that feel like they wandered in from someone’s nightmare. But don’t expect wide-open zones or massive side quests early on.

Between these areas, you travel across a tilt-shifted overworld map. It’s a nice visual change, and it’s not just for show — the overworld has enemy encounters and scattered NPCs you can interact with. Most of them are Gestrals, odd little creatures modeled after those wooden drawing mannequins. They’re a bit dim but extremely friendly, and they live for combat. You can trade with them and sometimes challenge them to fight for bonus loot.

The overworld stays pretty restricted until Act 3, where it finally opens up and offers a bunch of optional dungeons and extra areas to explore. Until then, it’s more about moving from point A to B, meeting a few oddballs, and occasionally punching them for treasure.

While exploring the continent, you’ll occasionally be able to set up camp. This is where you can rest, upgrade Luminas, and enhance your weapons with the help of the Curator — a skeletal, hollow-like figure who rescues Maelle early on and eventually takes up residence in your camp after leaving The Manor. He’s vaguely unsettling to look at, but he makes my weapons hit harder.

Camp is also where you can check in with your party members. Don’t expect Baldur’s Gate 3-level character interaction here. Dialogue is limited, and most of the deeper camp-related content doesn’t even unlock until well into Act 2. Can’t say much more without spoiling it, but just know that even when it opens up, the camp system is more of a light touch. Still, it’s a nice moment of calm between the heavier parts of the game, giving you a chance to connect with the group more groundedly.

Jeu magnifique, magnifique

Despite the sound issues, Expedition 33’s music rules. The orchestral strings, the moody piano motifs—it all just works. The soundtrack elevates every moment, whether it’s a quiet walk through a dreamlike landscape or a boss fight that’s making you question your reflexes and life choices.

Visually, the game is just as strong. Beyond the high fantasy setting, it leans heavily into Belle Époque-era France, the supposed golden age of the nation from 1874 and 1914. So yes, if it wasn’t obvious already, this game is unapologetically French. Lumière, the main city, is essentially just Paris with a new name. ("Lumière" literally means "light," and Paris is the City of Lights — subtle, it is not.)

Even in Performance mode on PS5, the game looks great. The world design is gorgeous, full of painterly detail, with environments that feel like they were made to be PC wallpapers. The paint-themed aesthetic extends to the characters and enemy design, which often draws directly from art history. Don’t be surprised when a YouTube video essay titled "An Art Historian Plays Clair Obscur" drops a year from now.

Suffice to say, the game hits like crack in all the right ways.

Is Clair Obscure: Expedition 33 worth it? Credit: Sandfall Interactive / Kepler Interactive

Expedition 33 isn’t perfect — combat can be frustrating, especially with the parry system and flying enemies, and some of the deeper mechanics don’t fully open up until later in the game. But what Sandfall Interactive has built here is something genuinely unique.

The story is slow-burning but rewarding, with grounded, well-written characters who don’t deflect with quips. The world is strange, stylish, and unapologetically French, backed by a gorgeous soundtrack and painterly visuals that make even the quiet moments feel intentional.

It’s not perfect, but it's bold, weird, and full of heart. If you're into character-driven RPGs with a distinct vibe and don’t mind a few rough edges, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 is absolutely worth your time.

I used to download and unzip files with a browser and file manager until I realized I could do it all from the terminal, without clicking or switching windows. I now use just six commands all the time. Here’s what they are and why they’re worth memorizing.

Wednesday Addams is back to torment the citizens of Jericho alongside the students of Nevermore Academy for another semester, with Netflix releasing the first teaser trailer for Wednesday Season 2.

Back in the braids for Tim Burton's series is spooky star Jenna Ortega, alongside Catherine Zeta-Jones and Luis Guzmán as Wednesday's parents Morticia and Gomez Addams, Emma Myers as teen werewolf Enid Sinclair, Fred Armisen as everyone's favourite freaky uncle Fester Addams, and Joy Sunday as teen siren Bianca Barclay.

In the horror-packed trailer, Wednesday very much fails an airport security check with every blade and weapon in the book, reunites with her Nevermore roomie and a very creepy doll, casually wields an axe, appears to be playing some kind of school sport?!, and generally "does her best work in the dark." Click click!

Wednesday Season 2 will launch in two parts on Aug. 6 (Part 1) and Sept. 3 (Part 2) this year on Netflix.

On many roads across the U.S., this is a familiar scene: Drivers talk, text, click, scroll, read, and even film themselves to make social media content — all while piloting what is essentially a dangerous, or deadly, machine.

Maybe you are even among these drivers. After all, your phone and its apps are built to keep you engaged. And that console on your dashboard constantly needs your attention with its alerts about slowdowns, incoming calls, and missed messages.

A new survey commissioned by the location-based service and app Life360, which tracks driver behavior, puts some numbers to the problem of chronically online drivers. You might be surprised to learn that it affects every generation, not just the youngest motorists.

SEE ALSO: Smooth, silent, strange: What it's really like to hail a robotaxi

The survey results, paired with Life360's own proprietary data, indicate that some drivers are taking shocking risks on the road in order to stay on their phone. Even if they get to their destination without harming themselves or someone else, scientific research has shown that the human brain simply can't safely manage the simultaneous demands of driving and phone.

How bad is distracted driving, really?

Life360's recent survey of 1,000 U.S. drivers between the ages of 16 and 65 found that more than a third texted, 19 percent scrolled through social media, and 16 percent watched online videos while driving, with varying degrees of frequency.

These figures were higher for Gen Z drivers; 13 percent of them said they frequently viewed online videos behind the wheel, while only 4 percent of all respondents did the same. Similarly, while only 7.5 percent of all participants texted often on the road, that jumped to 16.5 percent of Gen Z drivers. Only roughly a third of Gen Z drivers rarely or never texted.

But older respondents were also guilty of the same behavior — they just do it less frequently.

Between 5 and 6 percent of Millennials in the survey admitted to frequently texting, scrolling, and watching while driving. Overall, between 6 and 29 percent of Gen X respondents text, scroll social media, and watch online videos, frequently, often, or occasionally.

Though less than a percent of Baby Boomers texted frequently or often while driving, 20 percent of them did so occasionally.

Life360's analysis of its own data from 55 million opted-in users, over the period between January 2024 and early April 2025, also provides insight into aggressive driving patterns, which may be affected partly by delayed or sudden reactions due to being distracted.

Life360 found that Gen Z drivers indeed speed 84 percent more often than Baby Boomers, and that speeding and rapid acceleration both peak for users around age 20. The company also saw an 8 percent year-over-year nationwide increase in trips with rapid acceleration between January 2024 and January 2025.

More than 3,200 Americans were killed in crashes that involved distracted drivers in 2023, according to the latest data from the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration.

The trick distracted drivers play on themselves

Dr. Paul Atchley, a professor of psychology at the University of South Florida who studies distracted driving, says the simple truth is that driving wears the human brain out.

"We're used to driving, so it seems easy, but frankly, there's a lot going on during the process of getting from point A to point B safely as a driver," says Atchley, who was not involved in Life360's survey and research. "When you try to combine that with a secondary task that also requires a lot of your brain, your brain has to make compromises."

As a result, a distracted driver scans the environment less well, doesn't perceive objects, and can be slower to react, or not react at all.

Atchley says drivers continue to pick up their phones on the road because of a concept called "perception as the grand illusion."

Typically, when someone is behind the wheel, their expansive field of vision can make it feel like they're observing everything. The reality, however, is that the brain processes only a fraction of what someone sees.

So when a distracted driver doesn't notice the pedestrian at the crosswalk and there's no accident, they have no evidence to counter their perception as a grand illusion. Instead, they start to believe that "they drove perfectly well," Atchley says.

Yet years of research shows this generally just isn't true. Even asking a hands-free voice-command assistant to compose and send a text message while driving distracts the brain long enough that it takes 27 seconds to regain full attention.

"These infotainment systems can present the same kinds of distracting information that you get with your phone." - Dr. Paul Atchley, professor of psychology at the University of South Florida

Atchley says drivers are also fooled by interactive consoles in their cars. His own research on console-based systems found that people were far more willing to interact with them, even for the same type of activity they'd do with a handheld phone. They believed them to be safety-tested, but that's not the case, according to Atchley.

"These infotainment systems can present the same kinds of distracting information that you get with your phone," he says.

Atchley says there's a small percentage of drivers who simply can't limit their phone use while in the car. For those individuals, he recommends restricting their access to a connected device every time they drive, by turning it off or putting it out of reach.

"Once that phone's in the car...it's very difficult for a driver whose brain is trying to pay attention to the road and doesn't have a lot of willpower left over to not interact with it," Atchley says.

For all drivers, he says that any activity on a phone or hands-free system that takes longer than two seconds — or the amount of time you'd spend turning the AC on or switching radio stations — just isn't safe.

I grew up with video games, and every now and then, I feel tempted to own a gaming PC or home console. The thing is, as a parent of two young kids, I wouldn't actually get time to play them—so I've fully embraced mobile gaming instead.

Lexus just pulled the wraps off the 2026 ES at Auto Shanghai 2025, and it's safe to say—nobody saw this coming. Once the understated "girl next door" of the lineup, the ES has transformed into one of the most striking sedans Lexus has ever designed.

Tesla's quarterly results are in, and it seems the panic alarm finally went off.

Analyst expectations for Tesla's first quarter of 2025 were already pretty grim, but Tesla handily beat them with a 71 percent drop in profit and a 20 percent drop in car sales, with the only thing keeping the company in the green for the quarter being $595 million in carbon credit sales.

While the sales drop can partially be attributed to the launch of Tesla's updated Model Y, it's now obvious that Musk's political engagement, which includes running the so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), has been giving potential Tesla buyers pause. DOGE, which is supposed to be cutting unnecessary government expenses, has instead wreaked havoc inside the federal government, with fairly little to show for it.

Musk's endorsement of far right political options probably isn't helping either, especially in Europe, where Tesla sales have plummeted in recent months.

It seems that Musk is finally getting the message — partially, at least. During Tesla's earnings call on Tuesday, he said his time allocation to DOGE would drop "significantly" starting in May. Musk also said he plans to allocate "far more" of his time to Tesla.

He will not, however, leave DOGE completely, as long as the president would like him to stay, and "as long as it's useful".

During the call, Musk also complained about Trump's tariffs on China, which hurt Tesla's profits, as well as claiming that the increasingly widespread Tesla boycotts are the work of those who oppose Musk's work at DOGE.

As for Tesla's future plans, Musk was surprisingly timid. In June, the company will launch "fully autonomous" taxi rides in Austin, Texas, but they won't be Tesla Cybercabs. Instead, the company will launch the autonomous rides with Tesla Model Ys. Musk also said that Tesla Optimus robots will be working in Tesla factories by year's end, though the humanoid robot is also affected by Trump's tariffs.

SEE ALSO: Tesla reportedly delays cheaper Model Y again as earnings call looms

Overall, however, Musk is still very bullish about the prospects of his company. "I continue to believe that Tesla, with excellent execution, will be the most valuable company in the world by far," he said.

Few laptops have as much of a legacy as the ThinkPad. It first started as an IBM product, and while the lineup is managed by Lenovo today, they are still awesome pieces of hardware. Now, if you need a keyboard with a nub in your life, there's a few new ThinkPads. And they all look great.

20 years ago, a 19-second video in crisp 240p changed everything. You might not remember it, but a humble video simply titled "Me at the zoo" quietly marked the dawn of a new era. Oh, how far we've come since then.

You can't just throw away batteries in the trash, nor can you recycle them with normal bottles and plastic. Make sure to recycle them properly for the environment.

SAVE $12: As of April 23, the Lego Botanicals Artificial Wildflower Bouquet is on sale for $47.99 at Amazon. That's 20% off its list price of $59.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: LEGO Lego Botanicals Artificial Wildflower Bouquet $47.99 at Amazon
$59.99 Save $12 Get Deal

Lego sets are always a fun gift idea. Personally, I'm a big fan of Lego, and it's always great to see the new sets coming out. Some of the cutest sets from Lego are the various floral arrangements, and right now you can score a nice deal on the Lego Botanicals Wildflower Bouquet. With Mother's Day coming up, this is a fun gift idea to scoop up.

The Lego Botanicals Artificial Wildflower Bouquet has received a 20% discount at Amazon, dropping its price from $59.99 to $47.99. This deal is very close to its lowest-ever price of $47.95, so there's no better time than now to add it into your shopping cart.

SEE ALSO: Lego is giving away Grogu models for free to celebrate Star Wars Day. Here’s how to get yours.

Complete with 939 pieces, this set offers a beautiful variety of wildflowers, including cornflowers, lavender, Welsh poppies, cow parsley, leatherleaf ferns, gerbera daisies, larkspur, and lupins. It's an arrangement bursting with color and even comes with 16 individual stems so you can set them up in a vase.

This Lego set is a great gift to work on together this Mother's Day. Don't miss out on 20% off the Botanicals Wildflower Bouquet set at Amazon.

Lego has even more to offer this Mother's Day, too. If you visit a select Lego Store on April 27 (from 12-2 p.m.), you could have the opportunity to participate in a Lego Mother's Day Flower model make and take event to get a cute flower set for free.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

SEE ALSO: NYT's The Mini crossword answers for April 23 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: Found on a Redwood

• Green: Features of common house pets

• Blue: SNL is full of these

• Purple: The second half is the same

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: Parts of a tree

• Green: Canine/feline features

• Blue: Comedic routine

• Purple: __Pole

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 #682 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Parts of a tree: BRANCH, LEAF, ROOT, TRUNK

• Canine/feline features: FUR, MUZZLE, PAW, TAIL

• Comedic routine: ACT, BIT, GAG, SKETCH

• __Pole: BEAN, FLAG, MAY, TAD

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 April 23

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

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

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

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 April 23 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 April 23, 2025 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

A gas found in Earth's atmosphere.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

The letter O appears twice.

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

Today's Wordle starts with the letter O.

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...

OZONE.

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 April 23

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

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

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

Are you looking for a board game that can be 3D printed at home? Whether you're avoiding spending money or just want to be able to say that you've made your own game, these are some of the best board games to print at home.

Ford has announced three fresh recalls through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The move affects various popular models, including the F-150, Expedition, and Lincoln Navigator.

SAVE OVER $40: As of April 23, the Sony WF-C700N earbuds are on sale for $78 at Amazon. That's 35% off their list price of $119.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Sony Sony WF-C700N Earbuds $78 at Amazon
$119.99 Save $41.99 Get Deal

A good pair of earbuds are a must if you listen to music, audiobooks, podcasts, and more — especially if you have travel plans this year, as they can keep you entertained on any sort of journey. If you've been on the hunt for a new pair, there are some worthwhile deals floating around right now. This includes a discount on the Sony WF-C700N earbuds, which have returned to their lowest-ever price at Amazon.

The Sony WF-C700N earbuds are 35% off, which has dropped their price from $119.99 to $78. They're currently listed as a limited-time deal, so if they've caught your eye you'll want to act fast to pick them up at their lowest-ever price.

SEE ALSO: The 8 best earbuds to buy in 2025 from Bose, Sony, and more

Sony's WF-C700N earbuds are worth the investment. Boasting up to 15 hours of battery with the charging case and a comfortable fit, these earbuds will keep you entertained for ages, making them a great fit for any long trips you have coming up. They also have noise-canceling features, so you can remain immersed in what you're listening to without anything leaking in.

This limited-time deal won't last for long, though. Score the Sony WF-C700N earbuds back at their lowest-ever price at Amazon.

If you'd prefer to have over-ear headphones, you can also take advantage of some great deals on Sony's WH-1000XM4s and Sony ULT WEAR headphones.

The HyperX Pulsefire Saga Pro is a pretty run-of-the-mill gaming mouse when it comes to specs, but that's not what makes it special. With a wide range of 3D printable files, this mouse can be customized like none I've ever used before, and I absolutely love that.

SAVE $30: As of April 23, the JBL Flip 6 portable speaker is on sale for $99.95 at Amazon. That's 23% off its list price of $129.95.

Opens in a new window Credit: JBL JBL Flip 6 $99.95 at Amazon
$129.95 Save $30.00 Get Deal

If you're planning some trips this year, whether it's to the pool or out camping, a portable speaker can be a great traveling companion to keep you busy with music and more. The good news is there has been a wide range on sale lately, so you can save on something new. One of our favorites at the moment is this deal on the JBL Flip 6, which has dropped below $100.

The JBL Flip 6 portable speaker is currently listed for $99.95, a 23% price drop from $129.95. Several different color options are on sale as well, so you can choose between black, blue, camo, green, grey, pink, red, teal, and white. On top of the deal, select speaker colors also come with a 90-day free trial of an Amazon Music Unlimited Individual Plan. This offer is only available to new subscribers.

SEE ALSO: The 8 best Bluetooth speakers, tested

JBL's Flip 6 speaker boasts powerful sound and a compact build that's perfect for taking on any journeys you go on. No matter the location, it's also waterproof and dustproof to handle some of the elements around it. And with up to 12 hours of battery life, you can keep the tunes going for longer between charges.

Make your outdoor adventures even more fun with the JBL Flip 6 portable speaker. Don't miss out on 23% off at Amazon.

If you prefer to listen to music, audiobooks, and podcasts on your own, there are some great headphone deals available right now. Over at Amazon, you can also score discounts on Sony's WH-1000XM4s and the Sony ULT WEAR headphones.

Astronomers have accidentally found a planet with a debris trail like a comet that stretches up to 5.5 million miles in space. 

This strange exoplanet, located 140 light-years away from Earth in the constellation Pegasus, appears to be rapidly falling apart. Its blistering host star is so close, the radiation is effectively melting it down, leaving behind a long tail of dust. 

Scientists say the rocky world, labeled BD+05 4868 Ab, is losing about one Mount Everest's worth of rock material with each orbit. At that rate, it may completely disintegrate in 1 million to 2 million years.

A team of MIT-led researchers discovered the planet with NASA's TESS mission — short for Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite — a probe designed to find new worlds as they pass in front of their host stars. The findings are published in the Astrophysical Journal Letters.

"We weren't looking for this kind of planet," said Marc Hon, the paper's lead author, in a statement. "I happened to spot this signal that appeared very unusual."

SEE ALSO: A star was wrongly accused of a cosmic crime: devouring its own planet A team of MIT-led researchers discovered the planet with NASA's TESS mission — short for Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite — a probe designed to find new worlds as they pass in front of their host stars. Credit: NASA illustration

Only three other planets with tails, all discovered more than a decade ago, are known. But this one stands out for the length of its tail and how bright its star is, making it easier to study with powerful telescopes. The research team intends to follow up with James Webb Space Telescope observations this summer to study the tail's features and decipher what minerals make up the planet. 

One thing they already know about the tail is that its dust particles are surprisingly large — the size of sand grains. Without this gargantuan tail, scientists may not have known the planet was crumbling. The tail had been blocking some of the star's light after the planet passed in front of it, which caused the star to dim in unexpected ways. Those dimmings were uneven and appeared to change each time the planet zipped by.

"We got lucky with catching it exactly when it's really going away," said Avi Shporer, one of the paper's co-authors, in a statement. "It's like on its last breath."

Exoplanet BD+05 4868 Ab is about the size of Mercury and wraps around its star once every 30.5 hours — meaning its year is only slightly longer than a day on Earth. That's possible in part because the planet is roughly 20 times closer to its star than Mercury is to the sun. At that distance, the planet’s surface is perhaps 3,000 degrees Fahrenheit and covered in magma. 

The team believes the star has whittled away the planet over billions of years. Its diminutive size means it doesn’t have enough gravity to hold onto its material, thus compounding the effect.

Researchers are now sifting through TESS data, hoping to find more planets with tails like BD+05 4868 Ab. They may have stumbled upon a unique way to directly study the interior composition of a rocky planet. Such work could give astronomers a better understanding of the diversity of other terrestrial planets like Earth in the galaxy.

"Sometimes with the food comes the appetite," Shporer said.

SAVE $63: As of April 23, the Garmin vívoactive 5 is on sale for $236.92 at Amazon. That's a 21% discount on list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Garmin Garmin vívoactive 5 $236.92 at Amazon
$299.99 Save $63.07 Get Deal

The Garmin vívoactive 5 is a go-to watch if you're looking for impressive fitness and lifestyle tracking, and even better, it's currently on sale. As of April 23, this model is currently priced at $236.92, saving you $63.

The watch was released in late 2023, bringing a stark upgrade from the previous modelIt is no longer the newest in the range, with the release of the vívoactive 6 this year. However, if having the latest in the range doesn't matter to you, then this is an excellent choice.

Unlike the vívoactive 4, the 5 benefits from a bright AMOLED display, making colors incredibly vibrant and stand out more. It also has a much-improved battery life, boasting 11 days when in smartwatch mode.

Stats-wise, this is as impressive as you would expect from a Garmin. It's packed with advanced health-tracking features, including heart rate monitoring, SpO2 tracking, stress tracking, and in-depth sleep insights. The sleep insights have also had an upgrade from earlier models, now featuring sleep coaching.

And if you're purchasing for sports tracking, this includes running, cycling, swimming, and lots more. It is worth noting, however, that unlike some of the higher-end watches in Garmin's lineup, the vívoactive 5 is missing more advanced features such as training status and training readiness. For statistics like these, you'll want to look at the Forerunner range. But if these aren't as important to you, this is a fantastic option full of useful stats and tracking abilities.

Head to Amazon to grab this great Garmin deal.