Technology

SAVE 20%: As of Aug. 6, you can get the Google Pixel 9a (unlocked) for just $399, down from $499, at Amazon. That's $100 off.

Google Pixel 9a 128GB Unlocked Phone (Obsidian) $399 at Amazon
$499 Save $100 Get Deal

If you’re an Android user and are looking to upgrade your device (or switch over from a non-Android device), Amazon’s got some pretty good deals on unlocked phones right now.

As of Aug. 6, you can get the Google Pixel 9a (unlocked) for $100 off at Amazon. Grab it for just $399, down from $499, for a 20% discount.

The Google Pixel 9a with Gemini is an AI-first phone — it has a built-in AI assistant (Google Gemini), special AI features in its camera settings (including “Add Me,” “Best Take,” and “Macro”), and more. It’s also unlocked, so you won’t have to commit to a specific carrier to use it, and it’s compatible with most major mobile networks, including Google Fi, Verizon, T-Mobile, and AT&T.

SEE ALSO: Is Google Gemini free? Yes, and here's everything you can do for free with Google AI.

Another cool feature of this phone is its theft and crash detection. If Google thinks your phone has been stolen, it’ll auto-lock to keep your info safe, or if the car you’re riding in gets into a car accident, the phone can automatically call for assistance, even if you can’t respond.

With an all-day battery, IP68 water and dust protection, and a scratch-resistant display, this phone is probably more durable than your current one. And at $399, it’s a steal.

Updated on Wednesday, Aug. 6 at 11:00 a.m. ET — Other outlets have also reported that Grok Imagine will readily produce sexual deepfakes. The Verge reported on Tuesday that the Grok Imagine "Spicy" setting produced nude deepfakes of Taylor Swift, unprompted. This isn't Elon Musk or X's first controversy involving Taylor Swift deepfakes; in January 2024, AI-generated deepfakes of Swift went viral on X, sparking a backlash against the platform.

Grok Imagine, a new generative AI tool from xAI that creates AI images and videos, lacks basic guardrails against sexual content and deepfakes. Even when specific celebrities are mentioned by name, Grok Imagine will readily produce sexual deepfakes.

xAI and Elon Musk debuted Grok Imagine over the weekend, and it's available now in the Grok iOS and Android app for xAI Premium Plus and Heavy Grok subscribers.

Mashable has been testing the tool to compare it to other AI image and video generation tools, and based on our first impressions, it lags behind similar technology from OpenAI, Google, and Midjourney on a technical level. Grok Imagine also lacks industry-standard guardrails to prevent deepfakes and sexual content. Mashable reached out to xAI, and we'll update this story if we receive a response.

The xAI Acceptable Use Policy prohibits users from "Depicting likenesses of persons in a pornographic manner." Unfortunately, there is a lot of distance between "sexual" and "pornographic," and Grok Imagine seems carefully calibrated to take advantage of that gray area. Grok Imagine will readily create sexually suggestive images and videos, but it stops short of showing actual nudity, kissing, or sexual acts.

Most mainstream AI companies include explicit rules prohibiting users from creating potentially harmful content, including sexual material and celebrity deepfakes. In addition, rival AI video generators like Google Veo 3 or Sora from OpenAI feature built-in protections that stop users from creating images or videos of public figures. Users can often circumvent these safety protections, but they provide some check against misuse.

But unlike its biggest rivals, xAI hasn't shied away from NSFW content in its signature AI chatbot Grok. The company recently introduced a flirtatious anime avatar that will engage in NSFW chats, and Grok's image generation tools will let users create images of celebrities and politicians. Grok Imagine also includes a "Spicy" setting, which Musk promoted in the days after its launch.

Grok's "spicy" anime avatar. Credit: Cheng Xin/Getty Images SEE ALSO: AI actors and deepfakes aren't coming to YouTube ads. They're already here.

"If you look at the philosophy of Musk as an individual, if you look at his political philosophy, he is very much more of the kind of libertarian mold, right? And he has spoken about Grok as kind of like the LLM for free speech," said Henry Ajder, an expert on AI deepfakes, in an interview with Mashable. Ajder said that under Musk's stewardship, X (Twitter), xAI, and now Grok have adopted "a more laissez-faire approach to safety and moderation."

"So, when it comes to xAI, in this context, am I surprised that this model can generate this content, which is certainly uncomfortable, and I'd say at least somewhat problematic? Ajder said. "I'm not surprised, given the track record that they have and the safety procedures that they have in place. Are they unique in suffering from these challenges? No. But could they be doing more, or are they doing less relative to some of the other key players in the space? It would appear to be that way. Yes."

Grok Imagine errs on the side of NSFW

Grok Imagine does have some guardrails in place. In our testing, it removed the "Spicy" option with some types of images. Grok Imagine also blurs out some images and videos, labeling them as "Moderated." That means xAI could easily take further steps to prevent users from making abusive content in the first place.

"There is no technical reason why xAI couldn’t include guardrails on both the input and output of their generative-AI systems, as others have," said Hany Farid, a digital forensics expert and UC Berkeley Professor of Computer Science, in an email to Mashable.

However, when it comes to deepfakes or NSFW content, xAI seems to err on the side of permisiveness, a stark contrast to the more cautious approach of its rivals. xAI has also moved quickly to release new models and AI tools, and perhaps too quickly, Ajder said.

"Knowing what the kind of trust and safety teams, and the teams that do a lot of the ethics and safety policy management stuff, whether that's a red teaming, whether it's adversarial testing, you know, whether that's working hand in hand with the developers, it does take time. And the timeframe at which X's tools are being released, at least, certainly seems shorter than what I would see on average from some of these other labs," Ajder said.

Mashable's testing reveals that Grok Imagine has much looser content moderation than other mainstream generative AI tools. xAI's laissez-faire approach to moderation is also reflected in the xAI safety guidelines.

OpenAI and Google AI vs. Grok: How other AI companies approach safety and content moderation Credit: Jonathan Raa/NurPhoto via Getty Images

Both OpenAI and Google have extensive documentation outlining their approach to responsible AI use and prohibited content. For instance, Google's documentation specifically prohibits "Sexually Explicit" content.

A Google safety document reads, "The application will not generate content that contains references to sexual acts or other lewd content (e.g., sexually graphic descriptions, content aimed at causing arousal)." Google also has policies against hate speech, harassment, and malicious content, and its Generative AI Prohibited Use Policy prohibits using AI tools in a way that "Facilitates non-consensual intimate imagery."

OpenAI also takes a proactive approach to deepfakes and sexual content.

An OpenAI blog post announcing Sora describes the steps the AI company took to prevent this type of abuse. "Today, we’re blocking particularly damaging forms of abuse, such as child sexual abuse materials and sexual deepfakes." A footnote associated with that statement reads, "Our top priority is preventing especially damaging forms of abuse, like child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and sexual deepfakes, by blocking their creation, filtering and monitoring uploads, using advanced detection tools, and submitting reports to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC) when CSAM or child endangerment is identified."

That measured approach contrasts sharply with the ways Musk promoted Grok Imagine on X, where he shared a short video portrait of a blonde, busty, blue-eyed angel in barely-there lingerie.

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

OpenAI also takes simple steps to stop deepfakes, such as denying prompts for images and videos that mention public figures by name. And in Mashable's testing, Google's AI video tools are especially sensitive to images that might include a person's likeness.

In comparison to these lengthy safety frameworks (which many experts still believe are inadequate), the xAI Acceptable Use Policy is less than 350 words. The policy puts the onus of preventing deepfakes on the user. The policy reads, "You are free to use our Service as you see fit so long as you use it to be a good human, act safely and responsibly, comply with the law, do not harm people, and respect our guardrails."

For now, laws and regulations against AI deepfakes and NCII remain in their infancy.

President Donald Trump recently signed the Take It Down Act, which includes protections against deepfakes. However, that law doesn't criminalize the creation of deepfakes but rather the distribution of these images.

"Here in the U.S., the Take it Down Act places requirements on social media platforms to remove [Non-Consensual Intimate Images] once notified," Farid said to Mashable. "While this doesn’t directly address the generation of NCII, it does — in theory — address the distribution of this material. There are several state laws that ban the creation of NCII but enforcement appears to be spotty right now."'

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

Once again, the U.S. is dealing with end-of-summer wildfire smoke. If past years are any indication, we could be battling smoke season for a few more months. If you're looking to mitigate the threat of smoke inside your home, adding an air purifier is a great idea. Heck, using one in every room is massively useful to make sure the indoor air is clean and safe. If you live with kids, older folks, or deal with health concerns like asthma or heart disease, it's even more important to protect your air from smoke, according to the American Lung Association.

Even if you keep your doors and windows closed when wildfire smoke arrives outside, it's easy for the microscopic particles to seep in under doors, in small cracks, or simply when you open the door to let the dog outside (and we all know that can be hundreds of times, thanks to the neighborhood squirrels). The Asthma & Allergy Association of America mentions using portable air purifiers can help keep your home's air clean, making it a healthier environment.

Since smoke season is apparently an annual event now, it's worth grabbing an air purifier to use at home, and you might even want to consider investing in several. Below, we've gathered five air purifiers that are on sale at Amazon that are worth buying. They all use HEPA filtration and come with a range of features that make them awesome to own, even if they aren't on sale.

Coway Airmega Mighty (AP-1513HH) Opens in a new window Credit: Coway Coway Airmega Mighty (AP-1512HH) $174.99 at Amazon
$239.99 Save $65 Get Deal Why we like it

The Coway Airmega Mighty is a cult-favorite air purifier, and for good reason. This beast of a purifier can filter up to 1,748 square feet even with its compact size. Normally, that large of a filtration area will require a much larger model, but Coway focuses on efficiency with the Airmega Mighty, which uses a four-stage filtration system including a HEPA filter. That means it'll be awesome for scrubbing your air of wildfire smoke, in addition to helping out with dust, dander, hair, and other small particles that can cause respiratory irritation.

When I tested models to compile Mashable's list of the best air purifiers for wildfires, the Coway Airmega Mighty earned the top spot. Plus, you can snag this sale price on the black or white model.

Blueair Pure 211i Max Opens in a new window Credit: Blueair Blueair Pure 211i Max $279.99 at Amazon
$349.99 Save $70 Get Deal Why we like it

Need to clean the air in a large room? The Blueair Pure 211i Max can filter the air in a 3,048 square foot-room in an hour. In a smaller room, like 635 square feet, that number drops to just 15 minutes. Blueair mentions this model uses the brand's HEPASilent technology, which focuses on filtration while also being whisper-silent. On a low setting, it registers just 23 decibels.

Blueair also nails the overall look of air purifiers, and the Pure 211i Max has a simple and modern design that fits into any room's look. Plus, you can link up the Blueair Pure 211i Max to Blueair's app for remote control of the purifier from your phone.

Shark NeverChange Compact Pro Air Purifier Opens in a new window Credit: Shark Shark NeverChange Compact Pro Air Purifier (Winter Fog) $129.99 at Amazon
$179.99 Save $50 Get Deal Why we like it

The Shark NeverChange Compact Pro Air Purifier is great if you're looking to keep the air clean in your bedroom or your office. It sits perfectly on a desk or a nightstand while using HEPA filtration and Shark's awesome Clean Sense IQ display. This Shark air purifier is designed for rooms that are up to 250 square feet, which means it could also be a great model to take to the dorm if you're heading off to college soon.

Shark makes the NeverChange Compact Pro in tons of fun colors, but you'll need to go with the Winter Fog option to score this $129.99 sale price. On Mashable's list of the best air purifiers for wildfire smoke, the Shark Compact Pro earned the accolade of the best option for a small bedroom.

GermGuard Air Purifier (AC4825) Opens in a new window Credit: GermGuard GermGuard Air Purifier (AC4825) $79.76 at Amazon
$119.99 Save $40.23 Get Deal Why we like it

If you prefer the look of a tower fan that serves as an air purifier, the GermGuardian Air Purifier is a great option, and it has a nice discount at Amazon. Instead of paying the list price of $119.99 from the manufacture Guardian Technologies, Amazon has it discounted to just $79.76, which means you can save $40.23.

This GermGuard purifier helps clean your indoor from smoke, pollen, dander, and odors. Plus, it uses a UV-C light to help cut down on germs, viruses, and mold, which can all pose serious health risks. Grab this model to help with wildfire smoke in the summer and germs come fall and winter.

Levoit Sprout Air Purifier Opens in a new window Credit: Levoit Levoit Sprout Air Purifier $239.99 at Amazon
$279.99 Save $40 Get Deal Why we like it

Levoit designed the Spout air purifier to be used in nurseries for infants or young kids, but it's so cool that I would support using this model in any room. This model blew me away when testing for the best air purifier for wildfire smoke, and it's become my favorite model. The Levoit Sprout comes with a higher price than most, but clip today's on-page coupon at Amazon, and this model can be on its way to your doorstep for $239.99 instead of the normal price of $279.99.

What's so cool about the Levoit Sprout? For starters, there's a built-in nightlight, and it serves as a white-noise machine. Sure, those are both great features for a kids' room, but I absolutely love the light for evening reading on my Kindle, and the white noise has been wonderful.

On top of this, the Levoit Sprout tracks and measures air quality in a more advanced way than I've seen on any other model. You get a real-time AQI number in addition to metrics on CO2 levels, VOCs, humidity, and temperature, to name a handful. If you pay attention to air quality numbers in your home or even if you're just curious, the Levoit Spout is the air purifier for you.

Grok Imagine, xAI's new generative AI tool, created explicit deepfakes of Taylor Swift — and without being specifically prompted to do so, according to The Verge. Mashable reported yesterday that Grok Imagine lacks even basic guardrails around sexual deepfakes, and our testing produced similar results as The Verge.

The Verge's Jess Weatherbed discovered that Grok Imagine "spit out full uncensored topless videos" the very first time she used the tool. She didn't ask the bot to depict Swift topless, but once she turned on Grok Imagine's "spicy" mode, the bot churned out a video in which Swift tore off her clothes and began dancing in a thong.

As Weatherbed noted, Grok Imagine wouldn't generate full or partial nudity if requested; instead, the tool produced blank squares. The "spicy" mode — a preset that churns out NSFW content — does not always result in nudity, but it did present Swift "ripping off most of her clothing" in several videos.

SEE ALSO: Grok Imagine lacks guardrails for sexual deepfakes

This isn't the first time Elon Musk's X has been associated with deepfakes of Swift. In January 2024, AI-generated, pornographic images depicting Swift went viral on X, drawing criticism. This happened despite the fact that X explicitly forbids posting nonconsensual nudity and "synthetic, manipulated, or out-of-context media" that deliberately deceive users or claim to depict reality.

xAI's policies similarly prohibit "depicting likenesses of persons in a pornographic manner." And as Mashable's Timothy Beck Werth reported yesterday, Grok Imagine "lacks industry-standard guardrails to prevent deepfakes and sexual content."

Mashable repeatedly reached out to xAI, but we have not received a response.

Deepfakes have become a growing concern for lawmakers, but laws against this type of behavior and content are still in their infancy. In a 2023 study, 98 percent of deepfakes online were pornographic; of those videos, 99 percent depicted women. Globally, governments have looked to tackle what has been dubbed a digital age crisis. President Donald Trump recently formalized the Take It Down Act, a controversial piece of legislation that makes it a federal crime to publish or threaten to publish nonconsensual intimate images.

GET FOUR FREE PHONES: As of Aug. 6, you can get up to four free iPhone 15 Plus smartphones (whether you’re a new or existing customer) when you sign up for an Unlimited Welcome, Plus, or Ultimate plan with Verizon.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple iPhone 15 Plus $0 at Verizon
$830 Save $830 Get Deal

Back-to-school season is in full swing — I’ve seen countless commercials, ads, and banners plastered across every retailer’s site imaginable. Now, Verizon is getting in on the savings with a pretty impressive iPhone deal.

As of Aug. 6, you can get up to four free iPhone 15 Plus smartphones (whether you’re a new or existing customer) when you sign up for an Unlimited Welcome, Plus, or Ultimate plan with Verizon. So, you can basically get everyone in the family a brand-new phone for just the activation cost.

With this deal, you’ll get the 128GB version of the iPhone 15 Plus (which is usually enough space for most people). It’s available in black, blue, green, pink, and yellow, and has a 6.7-inch Super Retina XDR display. As for the cameras, there’s a 48MP main camera and dual 24MP and 48MP rear cameras.

SEE ALSO: Update your iPhone and Chrome now to fix critical vulnerability

Of course, there are some stipulations. The activation fee is $40 for each new line (plus any sales tax and service fees), and it’s a bill credit deal. So, the discount on each phone is applied to your monthly bill. You’ll also have to keep your account in good standing, and you can’t switch to another carrier or an ineligible plan for the full 36 months. If you do, you’ll have to pay the remaining balance on your phones.

Even with all of the fine print, this is a pretty good deal for a family looking to upgrade their smartphones. If you only need one phone, Verizon is also offering a free iPhone 16 or iPhone 16 Pro with an eligible device trade-in, or you can get the Samsung Galaxy S25+ for free if you’re an Android user.

SAVE $82.01: As of August 6, get the LG 65-inch Class UA77 Series LED AI 4K TV for $416.99, down from its usual price of $499. That's a discount of 16% and the lowest price we've seen.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon LG 65-inch Class UA77 Series LED AI 4K TV $416.99 at Amazon
$499 Save $82.01 Get Deal

Looking to grab a new TV to spruce up your entertainment space? A 65-inch display should do nicely. It's understandable, however, if you don't want to spend a whole paycheck on one. That's why this Amazon deal on an LG 4K TV, one that brings the set down to the lowest price we've seen, is such a good find.

As of August 6, get the LG 65-inch Class UA77 Series LED AI 4K TV for $416.99, down from its usual price of $499. That's $82.01 off and a discount of 16%. It's also the lowest price we've seen.

SEE ALSO: Best 65-inch+ TVs for watching in dark and bright rooms

This 4K UHD TV boasts bright, crisp visuals powered by its Alpha 7 AI processor, which offers better brightness, sound, and additional detail with 4K upscaling and Dynamic Tone Mapping. It also supports HDR10 Pro for more saturated hues and a better image overall, with a special picture and sound wizard available for you to further customize the visuals to your liking.

You can use the TV without having to add a streaming stick or box as well, as it comes with WebOS loaded. It allows you to access your favorite streaming apps as well as over 350 free LG Channels and on-demand titles without the need for extra hardware.

If you're a gamer, you'll appreciate the lack of screen tearing with VRR and the LG Game Optimizer, as well as four HDMI 2.0 ports for connectivity that makes it easy to get game consoles up and running without breaking a sweat. There are plenty of uses for this TV, whether you're into watching movies and TV shows, playing games, or whatever you like to do in your living room. For under $500, it's a bargain no matter how you slice it.

SAVE $200: As of Aug. 6, the 15-inch Apple MacBook Air (M4, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) is on sale for $1,199 at Amazon and Best Buy. That's 14% off its $1,399 MSRP and its lowest price to date.

Shop now: Amazon Apple MacBook Air, 15-inch (M4, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) $1,199 (save $200) Get Deal Best Buy Apple MacBook Air, 15-inch (M4, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) $1,199 (save $200) Get Deal

Now continues to be an excellent time to buy a new MacBook Air: Every configuration of Apple's lightweight M4-powered laptop is on sale for a record-low price thanks to some $200 discounts at Amazon and Best Buy. That's not a huge surprise, as the back-to-school season is ripe for laptop deals of all kinds. But the quality and quantity of these offers is particularly impressive, especially when you stack them against the Apple Store's education pricing.

The 13-inch MacBook Air with 256GB of storage is the cheapest option at $799, but if you'd like more screen space and a bit more storage, the 15-inch, 512GB variant is marked down to just $1,199 at both retailers. That's a $200 savings, down 14% from the laptop's usual sticker price of $1,399.

SEE ALSO: The 41 best back-to-school laptop deals on MacBooks, Chromebooks, and more

For comparison's sake, the same 15-inch model is only $100 off in the Apple Store for college students — though it does come with your pick of a free accessory worth up to $199, like AirPods Pro 2 or a Magic Mouse. Decide for yourself if you'd prefer a bigger monetary discount upfront or more total savings in the form of a freebie.

The 15-inch M4 MacBook Air was crowned our favorite MacBook earlier this year, offering a premium design and an all-day battery life for a great price. It also scored incredibly well in our performance benchmark, proving to be faster than about 90% of models in our laptop testing database. Read our full review.

Writer-director Mary Bronstein and star Rose Byrne dissect the anxieties of motherhood in A24's upcoming dramedy If I Had Legs I'd Kick You.

The film introduces Linda (Byrne), a mother on the verge of a nervous breakdown. She's trying to understand her young daughter's (Delaney Quinn) illness, her husband is always traveling, and her waterlogged bathroom has collapsed into her bedroom. On top of all that, she's feuding with her exasperated therapist (Conan O'Brien), who tells her in the trailer that no, he won't be answering the emails she sends him about her dreams.

SEE ALSO: 'If I Had Legs, I'd Kick You' review: Rose Byrne stuns in nauseating thrill ride about motherhood

If I Had Legs I'd Kick You had its world premiere at 2025's Sundance Film Festival, to critical acclaim. The accolades didn't stop there, though, as the film also played 2025's Berlin International Film Festival, where it was in competition for the Golden Bear for best film. Byrne took home the Silver Bear for Best Leading Performance. The film is also slated to screen at 2025's upcoming Toronto International Film Festival and New York Film Festival, positioning it as a possible awards contender.

In his review out of Sundance, Mashable writer Siddhant Adlakha heaped praise on If I Had Legs I'd Kick You, writing that, "it’s a deeply anxiety-inducing work, whose high-strung energy is owed to a daring audio-visual approach that ought not to be sustainable, but ends up hair-raising and hilarious in the long run. The result, in a word, is excellent."

The film also stars Danielle Macdonald and A$AP Rocky.

If I Had Legs I'd Kick You will play at the Toronto International Film Festival and the New York Film Festival. It hits theaters Oct. 10.

In a move that aligns with the growing trend of location sharing on apps and devices, Instagram has announced Map, a new opt-in feature allowing users to share their location with friends, similar to options already available on platforms like Snapchat and Apple’s "Find My."

Starting today, Aug. 6, the feature will be available to users in the U.S., offering a convenient way to coordinate meetups with friends and explore local hotspots that your favorite creators have shared or engaged with. When you open the Instagram app, you can see which friends are nearby by clicking on the "Map" circle on your messages page. The circle expands into an interactive map, so you can follow your friends and see their location-based content.

SEE ALSO: You can no longer go live on Instagram unless you have 1,000 followers

While location sharing has become a common tool for keeping track of loved ones, planning in-person events, or seeing what your ex is up to (which we don't recommend), Instagram's new feature offers robust controls and flexible privacy settings. Whether you want to check out a friend's favorite local café or join a live event nearby, the new functionality aims to enhance social connections while keeping personal data secure.

Credit: Instagram Key features and privacy controls

By default, Instagram’s location-sharing feature is off, and location updates only occur when the app is open, so users retain full control over when and how their location is shared. The app offers various options, from sharing your whereabouts with a select group of friends (such as those on your Close Friends list) to hiding your location entirely from specific users or places.

This new tool also allows users to explore location-based content shared by their friends or favorite creators.

However, this trend of discovering local spots via social media has had a notable downside — like when your favorite neighborhood spots get overwhelmed by social media-driven attention, turning once-quiet locales into overcrowded influencer traps.

A new way to stay connected

Instagram's move into the location-sharing space is a response to increasing demand for more dynamic ways to connect with others. These days, it's all about sharing experiences in real-time, and there's something satisfying about knowing that a post is grounded in where you actually are.

Though, just be careful; while it’s fun to feel connected, you don’t always want the world to know exactly where you are.

Reposts are coming to Instagram.

If this seems familiar to you, it's because it is. It looks like this feature will work pretty much exactly how the feature works on TikTok, complete with its own "reposts" tab on users' profiles and everything. Similar to TikTok, reposts will show up in your friends' feeds and in the cursed "friends" tab on Reels — which has now expanded globally.

Up until now, users have had two options for sharing other users' posts: share it on their Instagram Story, which is only live for 24 hours, or collaborate on a post, which requires approval from both users.

SEE ALSO: Instagram's Edits is slowly catching up to CapCut

It's easy to understand the reasoning here. Instagram is pushing Reels on its users, and reposts are a surefire way to encourage engagement on Reels. The feature launched globally today, but Instagram has been testing it out for a while. In June, Meta confirmed to TechCrunch that it was testing the ability for users to repost posts. Before that, users had noticed the company testing the feature as far back as 2022.

Of course, as TechCrunch noted in its post about the test, not everyone will be excited about the change. When Instagram launches anything new, it's frequently met with a chorus of naysayers who range from those who simply don't like change to those who (reasonably) don't want their feed bogged down with yet another feature — on top of Stories, Reels, Notes, DMs, Blends, Tags, and so, so many ads.

SAVE OVER $20: As of Aug. 6, the Lego Icons Back to the Future Time Machine set is on sale for $170 at Walmart. This is $29.99 (or 15%) off its list price of $199.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Lego Icons Back to the Future Time Machine $170 at Walmart
$199.99 Save $29.99 Get Deal

Between exciting new sets releasing and great deals popping up, it's a good time to be a Lego fan. When it comes to savings, we've found quite a few deals lately that are worth a look. This includes a discount on the Lego Icons Back to the Future Time Machine set at Walmart, which is a great pick-up if you're a fan of the films.

The Lego Icons Back to the Future Time Machine set is listed for $199.99, but Walmart's offering it for $170 right now. This allows you to save $29.99, which is a nice little deal to take advantage of while it's still live.

SEE ALSO: The best new Star Wars Lego sets dropping this month

This Back to the Future set is an excellent fit for adults, as it's recommended for ages 18 and up, and comes with a whopping 1,872 pieces. With these, you'll be able to construct three different versions of the iconic DeLorean: the first features a lightning rod and plutonium chamber, the second has the Mr. Fusion generator and hover conversion function, and the third has whitewall tires and a circuit board. It also has interchangeable license plates, so you can fit it with the OUTATIME plate.

The car boasts so many features for fans to enjoy, including gull-wing doors and a hood that open, wheels that fold down, a light-up flux capacitor, and a dashboard has the dates from the film printed on it. You'll even get Doc and Marty McFly minifigures that have little accessories like a hoverboard, banana, and soda. Once completed, it's sure to be an excellent display piece. Don't miss out on nearly $30 off the Lego Icons Back to the Future Time Machine set at Walmart.

If you're looking for more great Lego deals right now, Walmart's also offering a discount on the Lego Harry Potter Flying Ford Anglia that's worth checking out, too.

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

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

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

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

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

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for August 4 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for August 4 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Paint me a picture

The words are art-related.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words are things artists paint.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is vertical.

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is Still Life.

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

• Jewelry

• Pitcher

• Fruit

• Still Life

• Guitar

• Book

• Sunflowers

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 today's Strands.

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

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

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable SEE ALSO: NYT Connections today: Hints and answers for August 4 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 August 4, 2025 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

To moan.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

There are no recurring letters.

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

Today's Wordle starts with the letter G.

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...

GROAN.

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 August 4

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.

The conversation around Sydney Sweeney's American Eagle jeans ad doesn't appear to be slowing down, with President Trump now having weighed in on social media regarding the criticism the ad has received.

"In a post yesterday on TruthSocial, President Trump said, 'Sydney Sweeney, a registered Republican, has the hottest ad out there. It's for American Eagle and the jeans are flying off the shelves. Go get 'em, Sydney,'" says Seth Meyers in the Late Night clip above. "Oh my God, he's so happy there's a current, young, famous person who votes Republican. I feel so bad for Kid Rock right now. You know he's getting left on read this week."

Meyers isn't the only host who's responded to the right wing reaction to the ad. Earlier in the week, Daily Show host Desi Lydic also shared her thoughts on the Republicans who've been defending it.

TL;DR: Learn piano from home with a lifetime subscription to Skoove Premium Piano Lessons, now just $109.97 ($299.99).

Opens in a new window Credit: Skoove Skoove Premium Piano Lessons: Lifetime Subscription $109.97
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Need a new party trick? Learn how to play a Beatles song or an Adele ballad on the piano before the holiday season with some help from Skoove Premium Piano Lessons. All you need is a keyboard and your tablet, smartphone, or laptop to get started.

Right now, a lifetime subscription to these interactive lessons can be yours for just $109.97 ($299.99).

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This app can teach you piano in the comfort of your home, thanks to the power of AI. It listens to you play, recognizes your notes, and even provides real-time feedback so you can improve as you play. If you ever get stuck, there are also music instructors on hand ready to provide one-on-one support.

Unlike the boring piano lessons of yesteryear, Skoove lets you learn by playing radio hits and classical tunes alike. There are more than 400 interactive lessons and thousands of instructional videos on the app ready to help you learn at your own pace. It’s easy to start as a beginner or pick up where you left off in your piano training.

Discover your new favorite hobby with a lifetime subscription to Skoove Premium Piano Lessons, now only $109.97 ($299.99).

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Fall back in love with your DVD collection with a little help from DVDneXtCOPY DVD Ripper. This software makes it easy to convert your trusty DVDs into popular video and audio formats you can enjoy on tablets, smartphones, and more.

If your favorite content is copy-protected, don’t worry — DVDneXtCOPY can rip any disc or file type, removing all protections so you can enjoy unrestricted ripping. From there, choose from more than 1,000 file formats, like MP4,MPV, AVI, MOV, MP3. You can even transform 2D DVDs into 3D MKV H.265, 3D M2TS, or 3D MKV HDR10 files, making them compatible with VR, media players, and 3D TVs.

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Watch your DVDs more conveniently forever with this lifetime subscription to DVDneXtCOPY DVD Ripper for just $29.99 (reg. $59.99).

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Like with any new release, the launch of the Nintendo Switch 2 saw plenty of third-party brands come out of the woodwork to push their lines of cases and other accessories — many rushed out with questionable quality as a result. 

tomtoc, however, has a strong reputation for delivering laptop sleeves and iPad covers and has been in the business since 2016. The popular brand has also been making products for the Nintendo Switch family for quite a while now. Following the success of their cases for the Switch OLED, tomtoc’s slimline Switch 2 case builds on what made its original so handy — offering prime protection, taking up as little space as possible, and looking good at the same time.

tomtoc vs. everything else

There are three types of cases Switch 2 buyers can grab: ones big enough to transport their whole setup (dock and all), mid-way chunkier products that offer mesh pouches for extra Joy-Cons and other accessories, or minimalist cases designed to house only the console.

After trying it out for several weeks, I can say that the tomtoc Nintendo Switch 2 carrying case is all about the latter, and then some. Working as a precision-fit lightweight shell, the case is made to fit around the console snugly, moulded around the triggers, joysticks, and buttons.

Credit: Mashable/tomtoc/Nintendo

Lightweight and slim, tomtoc’s Switch 2 case has been perfect for me as someone who travels on the regular — since it can easily slide right into my laptop pouch or rucksack without taking extra space away from the ASUS TUF A16 laptop I use for work on the road and at home. 

If you were planning to take your Switch 2 on a week-long trip with four-person Mario Kart World sessions in mind, a bulkier bag or case for extra controllers and even your dock might be a better fit.

However, for solo adventures or day-to-day commutes where your bag space is already limited, tomtoc’s case is just right. The only necessary addition is a non-intrusive cartridge pouch that can hold 12 physical Switch 1 or Switch 2 cartridges. So, you can still hop between Donkey Kong Bananza and Tears of the Kingdom if you wish. 

Credit: Mashable/tomtoc/Nintendo

It could technically be slightly slimmer, but the added millimetres to its width and slots for the Joy-Con triggers and buttons are essential for its soft-shock absorption while travelling. Otherwise, without that extra room, those physical features of the console would be more prone to damage.

Premium quality and protection

The interior is made of a nice, felt-like soft plush material, making the act of actually removing Switch 2 feel a little more luxurious. Does this matter? No. Does this feel nice? Yes.

The hard exterior clamshell-style case itself is made from “Military-Standard-Drop-Test-Protection” materials that are lighter than EVA. 

The precision moulding around the Switch 2 makes this case truly space-efficient Credit: Mashable/tomtoc/Nintendo

While the case feels almost weightless, and even almost hollow, this case has still done a solid job of not only protecting my Switch 2 whilst travelling, but through several 4-5 foot drops onto the hardwood floor of my apartment. 

Lastly, what makes tomtoc stand out among other Switch cases is the high-quality effort put into its presentation in tandem with its slim design. The team could have just picked a plain and simple black or blue SKU and shipped it out, but tomtoc offers nine colour options to fit in with your style, with some unique options that should suit just about everyone.

The grey case I picked out fit in nicely with the ‘sleek but not too loud’ aesthetic I was going for, but the yellow colouring of the tomtoc logo still gives it that extra splash of personality. 

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SAVE OVER $100: As of Aug. 6, Beats Solo 4 headphones are on sale for $94.95 at Woot. This is 53% off their list price of $199.95.

Opens in a new window Credit: Beats Beats Solo 4 $94.95 at Woot
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If you've been hoping for some more exciting deals to drop on headphones following the summer sale events, Woot's here to make your day. The retailer (which is owned by Amazon) has a great deal at the moment on Beats Solo 4, allowing you to save over 50% on list price.

As of Aug. 6, the cloud pink (it's the only color on offer) Beats Solo 4 headphones are marked down 53% to $94.95. This is over $100 off their list price of $199.95. According to Amazon price tracker camelcamelcamel, the lowest price these have ever hit on Amazon is $97.99. There's no better time than now to grab them if they've been on your radar.

SEE ALSO: We put the top 10 headphones of 2025 to the test

If you're looking for headphones to keep you company on long journeys, the Beats Solo 4 boast a lightweight and comfortable fit that you can wear as long as you like. What's even better is these headphones can last for a long time, too, with a battery life of up to 50 hours. And alongside high-quality sound, they even feature Personalized Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking, which allows you to hear sounds as if they were coming from all around you for a more immersive feel.

Woot's deals only last for a limited time (in this case, it's 27 more days or until they're sold out), so if this deal on the Beats Solo 4 has caught your eye, now is the time to grab them. And if you're looking to save on more high-quality headphones, Best Buy's also offering a discount on the Bose QuietComfort headphones right now.

Wednesday Season 2 got off to a strong start, upping the horror elements and banishing Season 1's pesky love triangle.

The season's first four episodes also answered some of our burning questions from the end of Season 1. Who is Wednesday's (Jenna Ortega) stalker? None other than fangirl Agnes DeMille (Evie Templeton). Who is Nevermore's new principal? The spirited Barry Dort (Steve Buscemi). Would Hyde Tyler Galpin (Hunter Doohan) return? Yes, even breaking out of Willow Hill Psychiatric Hospital by the end of Season 2, Part 1.

SEE ALSO: 'Wednesday' Season 2, Part 1 review: Does more macabre means more fun?

However, despite gifting all these answers, Wednesday Season 2, Part 1 still left us with several more questions to ponder. (As any good mystery should.) So as we prepare for the month-long wait until Part 2, let's take a look at the 10 biggest questions we have going into the final episodes of Wednesday Season 2.

Is Enid actually going to die? Emma Myers in "Netflix." Credit: Jonathan Hession / Netflix

Wednesday received a horrifying vision of her roommate Enid Sinclair's (Emma Myers) death in Wednesday Season 2's very first episode, and since then we've been waiting on pins and needles (a punishment I'm sure Wednesday would love inflicting on her enemies) to see if that vision would come true. So far, so good. By the end of Part 1, Enid is alive and kicking.

However, things don't look so good for her heading into Part 2.

Remember, in episode 2, Wednesday visited Tyler in the Willow Hill Psychiatric Hospital, where he vowed that he'd murder Enid the next time he saw her. At the time, that threat seemed fairly low-level given that Tyler was imprisoned in a very secure cell. However, at the end of episode 4, he's managed to escape — and Enid is first on his kill list. Things aren't looking good for Nevermore's bubbliest werewolf.

Will Wednesday get her psychic powers back? Jenna Ortega in "Wednesday." Credit: Jonathan Hession / Netflix

After spending a whole summer honing her psychic abilities, Wednesday loses her powers after seeing a vision of Enid's death. She believes she can get them back by re-examining Goody's spellbook, but there's one big problem there: Morticia (Catherine Zeta-Jones) has burned it.

Will Wednesday take the loss of the book as an opportunity to try and find a psychic to guide her? Or will she continue to push herself and drive herself to madness, like her Aunt Ophelia? Speaking of...

Did Wednesday free Ophelia from Willow Hill? Jenna Ortega in "Wednesday." Credit: Netflix

All season-long, Morticia has talked about her younger sister Ophelia: How she went mad from her psychic visions, how she was sent to Willow Hill by their mother, and how she's been missing for 20 years. But what if she wasn't really missing? What if, during her time at Willow Hill, she was forcibly brought into LOIS (Long-term Outcast Integration Study)? Willow Hill faked all the other subjects' deaths, so it stands to reason they'd fake a disappearance too.

With that in mind, I'm fairly sure that the last LOIS subject Wednesday frees from Willow Hill (played by Frances O'Connor) is actually Ophelia. First, she seems to be in the correct age range. Second, Wednesday takes great pains to separate her from the other LOIS subjects. She doesn't try to kill LOIS mastermind Judi Stonehurst (Heather Matarazzo) — instead, she sticks by Wednesday's side as they try to make their escape. Was this asylum escape also a twisted family reunion? Only in the Addams Family.

Why is Principal Dort so obsessed with Morticia's mother? Joanna Lumley in "Wednesday." Credit: Owen Behan/Netflix

Throughout Wednesday Season 2, Part 1, Principal Dort has been on a one-man mission to get Morticia's mother Hester Frump (Joanna Lumley) to donate to Nevermore. And look, I get it. I've seen Absolutely Fabulous, I understand the fan girling over Lumley. But why in the world is Dort so hellbent on securing her donation in particular? Is it just because she's really, really rich? Or is there a darker reason why he's targeting her?

What's really going on with the Nevermore gala fundraiser? Steve Buscemi in "Wednesday." Credit: Helen Sloan / Netflix

While we're on the subject of Dort and his fundraising tactics, why is he so invested in this fundraiser, to the point that he blackmails teen siren Bianca Barclay (Joy Sunday)? Something shadier is going on here beyond just trying to raise money for the Nevermore gala, and I'm going to need Part 2 to tell us exactly what it is, stat.

Who was Principal Dort talking to on the phone? Steve Buscemi in "Wednesday." Credit: Helen Sloan / Netflix

I'm not done with Dort just yet, because that man is ringing all the alarm bells! On top of blackmailing Bianca, Nevermore's principal has another suspicious moment in episode 4, when Bianca and Ajax (Georgie Farmer) overhear him on the phone in his office telling someone: "I've always had your back, you've always had mine. So relax. I've never been more confident about anything. I have it under control."

You have what under control, Dort? The school, or some dark secret project? Let's throw some crazy theories out there. I'll start. Maybe he's in cahoots with Judi, and, like her, is a Normie who received Outcast powers through the LOIS program. Maybe he infiltrated the school to find new Outcast test subjects, and the gala is a way to gather them all in one place. I'm onto you, Barry! I might not be correct, but I know something is up!

Where does Bianca's mother fit into all this? Joy Sunday in "Wednesday." Credit: Netflix

An interesting subplot of these first four episodes has been the arrival of Bianca's mother Gabrielle (Gracy Goldman) in Jericho after the Morning Song cult was shut down. As of the end of Part 1, cult leader Gideon Sterling is on the run from the FBI. We don't have a lot of details on what befell the cult or why Gabrielle fled, but now that she's stashed away in an old classroom at Nevermore, here's hoping we get some more information on her plight soon.

What happens when Slurp is fully de-zombified? Isaac Ordonez in "Wednesday." Credit: Netflix

Pugsley Addams (Isaac Ordonez) started his time at Nevermore with a bang — or should I say, a zap. The youngest Addams resurrected the corpse of a former Nevermore student and got his own personal zombie in Slurp (Owen Painter).

However, the more Slurp eats (both of Nevermore's cafeteria mystery meat and human brains), the less zombified he gets, until he's even able to talk during the big Willow Hill prison break sequence. At the rate he's going, he'll be back to human in no time — so what in the world will happen then?

We do know, according to Ajax's ghost story in episode 1, "The Tale of the Skull Tree," that Slurp was buried in the exact spot as the protagonist: the boy who invented a mechanical heart for himself and then grew up to become one of Nevermore Academy's brightest minds — though his ambition led to his death there. Will we learn more when Slurp's brain completes?

Where is Lady Gaga in Wednesday Season 2?

Netflix had already announced that Lady Gaga would only be appearing in Wednesday Season 2, Part 2, but that doesn't make her absence here sting any less. She'll be playing Nevermore teacher Rosaline Rotwood, who somehow isn't around for any of the mayhem of the first half of the season. I'm sure she'll deliver come Part 2 though, and maybe we'll even be blessed by a Lady Gaga needle drop. (I'm thinking "Zombieboy" for a Slurp scene, obviously.)

As reported by Variety, Lady Gaga will also be releasing a new song, titled "Dead Dance," tied to the release of Part 2. New banger incoming! And perhaps we'll get a new iconic Wednesday dance scene to go along with it? After all, Wednesday's dance in Season 1, originally set to The Cramps' "Goo Goo Muck," found viral fame online when set to a sped-up version of Lady Gaga's "Bloody Mary."

Where the heck is Cousin Itt?

This question harkens back to our Season 1 question round-up, but it bears repeating. So far, Wednesday Season 2 has given the entire Addams Family, including Uncle Fester (Fred Armisen), far more to do. It's also introduced new faces in Grandmama Hester and potentially Ophelia.

But one legendary Addams is missing, and that's Cousin Itt! Where is this magnificent hairball, and when will he be swooshing onto our screens? If not within the next few episodes, we can keep our fingers crossed for him to pop up in the already-announced Season 3. Come on, Wednesday, we need Itt!

Wednesday Season 2 Part 1 is now streaming on Netflix. Part 2 premieres Sept. 3.

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

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

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

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

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

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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 Mini crossword answers, hints for August 6, 2025 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: Diamond posts

• Green: Not an animal

• Blue: Specific player

• Purple: Same second word

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

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

• Yellow: Baseball positions, abbreviated

• Green: "GOAT"

• Blue: Associated with Travis Kelce

• Purple: ___ Knight(s)

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 #317 is...

What is the answer to Connections Sports Edition today

• Baseball positions, abbreviated - 2B, C, P, SS

• "GOAT" - ALL, GREATEST, OF, TIME

• Associated with Travis Kelce - CHIEFS, NEW HEIGHTS, SWIFT, TE

• ____ Knight(s) - GOLDEN, HILARY, PHIL, UCF

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

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

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

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