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Free daily crosswords, mahjong, sudoku, solitaire, and more

Here at Mashable, we’ve always been all about the stuff people love doing online. 

It’s why we make it our business to cover the trends that are entertaining, delighting, and surprising the internet most, week in and week out.

It’s the reason so many of the stories at Mashable are delivered with a little humor – and a lot of fun. 

It’s also the reason we offer tips and strategies around playing some of our readers’ most beloved online games each and every day. 

And we’re not stopping there. As your friends on the internet, we’re happy to share some great news that we hope will bring more smiles to the faces of our fans: Games are coming to Mashable. 

If solving your Sudoku, finding just the right seven letters to complete your crossword, or guessing the Wordle after a single stab in the dark has ever brought you joy, our Mashable Games hub is for you.

Through a partnership with creator Arkadium Games, we’re bringing you 50 of the most popular games the platform has to offer – from Mahjong to Sudoku, from Solitaire to Hurdle (and crossword puzzles, too!). 

Best of all, they’re all free of charge for you to play as long and as many times as you please at games.mashable.com. 

Whether you’re a newbie or a vet to any of the games on the Mashable Games hub, we invite you to spend some time exploring, to find your favs, and to come back for more. 

Get started with one of our gaming guides below…

Your Ultimate Guide to Hurdle with Mashable

Your Ultimate Guide to the Free Crossword with Mashable 

…or dive right in and start playing now! Then email our EIC, Alesha Williams Boyd, and let us know how it’s going: alesha.boyd@ziffmedia.com. We want to hear from you. 

Happy gaming! Enjoy!
Mashable Team

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Unleash your Minecraft creativity with digital downloads of both Java and Bedrock Editions for just $24.99 (reg. $29).

TL;DR: Get digital downloads of both Java and Bedrock versions of Minecraft for just $24.99 (reg. $29) for a limited time.

Minecraft has captivated millions of players worldwide with its endless possibilities, creative freedom, and unique blend of exploration and survival. Whether you love building intricate structures, battling mobs, or exploring vast worlds, Minecraft offers something for everyone.

With the Minecraft: Java & Bedrock Edition bundle, you can access both versions of the game for just $24.99 (reg $29) for a limited time—giving you the best of both worlds. 

By purchasing the Minecraft bundle, you get access to two distinct versions of the game, each with its own unique features and advantages. 

Java Edition is exclusive to desktop platforms (Windows, macOS, and Linux) and is known for its extensive modding capabilities, which allow players to customize their gameplay. This version is particularly popular among those who enjoy tinkering with mods, creating custom skins, and engaging in the vibrant community-run servers.

However, the Java Edition requires more powerful hardware to run smoothly, especially with mods. It is also limited to playing with other Java users and does not support cross-play with other platforms.

Bedrock Edition is designed for versatility and accessibility, running on a wide range of devices, including consoles, mobile phones, and even Chromebooks. This edition offers a smoother experience even on lower-spec devices, and it supports cross-play, allowing players to connect and play together across different platforms.

The Bedrock Edition also features the Minecraft Marketplace, where players can purchase add-ons, skins, and custom worlds. While it doesn’t offer the same level of modding freedom as Java, Bedrock’s broader compatibility makes it an excellent choice for players who want to enjoy Minecraft on multiple devices.

Don’t miss out on this opportunity to expand your Minecraft world for less.

Pick up the Minecraft Java & Bedrock Edition bundle for just $24.99 (reg $29).

StackSocial prices subject to change.

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Stephen King posted another Dark Tower hint on X (formerly Twitter).

Last week, Stephen King took to X (formerly Twitter) to share some Dark Tower fan art — along with a comment that immediately caught fans’ attention.

“Mid-world is still there,” wrote the author, referring to the universe in which his eight-book series is set. “The tower still stands.”

Over the weekend, he did it again. The author shared an image posted by a fan account for Roland Deschain, the series’ main character. The image showed a road sign reading “Crimson King Dr” (the Crimson King is one of the main antagonists in the books).

Tweet may have been deleted

“He lives,” King wrote.

Given that the Crimson King’s fate at the end of the series is uncertain – due to various complicated factors that would require an article of their own to explain – King’s comment is especially interesting.

Is he just teasing us with all these Dark Tower posts, or are they building to something? News of the Mike Flanagan TV adaptation? Or could there be another book in the works?

It wouldn’t necessarily be that surprising. King likes returning to previous characters and worlds, and has already returned to the Dark Tower universe with another novel – The Wind Through the Keyhole – that was published eight years after the core series had ended.

There’s no mention of anything Dark Tower-related on his official site, but maybe that’ll soon change.

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Here’s the answer for “Wordle” #1157 on August 19, as well as a few hints, tips, and clues to help you solve it yourself.

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 August 19’s Wordle solution revealed. But if you’d rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

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.

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

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 used to be available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it. Unfortunately, it has since been taken down, with the website’s creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times.

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.

Here’s a subtle hint for today’s Wordle answer:

Non-imperial unit of measurement.

Does today’s Wordle answer have a double letter?

The letter E appears twice.

Today’s Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with…

Today’s Wordle starts with the letter M.

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…

METER.

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

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

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

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“Industry” actor Ken Leung discusses Eric’s growing fascination with Yasmin in Season 3. Interview.

One of the elements of Industry Season 3 that most intrigued Ken Leung was the brand-new dynamic between his character, Eric Tao, and Marisa Abela’s Yasmin Kara-Hanani.

“Before we shot anything, I was told that something would happen between Eric and Yasmin,” Leung told Mashable in a video interview. “For everything that happens on the show, and things that I could imagine or predict, that kind of came out of nowhere. Up until then, Eric has nothing to do with Yasmin, and suddenly they were going to come together in some way, so I was most curious about how that was going to happen.”

The catalyst for Eric and Yasmin’s sudden proximity in Industry is none other than their shared connection to Harper Stern (Myha’la), Eric’s former protégé and Yasmin’s frenemy. When Eric fired Harper at the end of Season 2, that left Pierpoint & Co. with a huge seat to fill — and who else should fill it but Yasmin?

However, it’s clear right from the Season 3 premiere that Eric and Yasmin’s relationship won’t be anything like Eric and Harper’s. He’s unsympathetic towards her status as tabloid fodder and unimpressed by her performance. In his mind, Yasmin is devoid of Harper’s drive and hunger, hampered by external forces that make her a liability to Pierpoint.

The difference between Harper’s and Yasmin’s respective backgrounds and approaches to work were key for Leung’s understanding of how Eric would view Yasmin. “Harper is a known entity. The reason Eric is attracted to her is that he recognizes something in her of himself. Yasmin is the other side of that,” Leung explained. “She is a complete unknown. She’s not your typical grad. She has personal wealth; she doesn’t know why she’s there, or what she wants — or it doesn’t seem like she does. So she’s a big question mark.”

Yasmin’s “unknowable” qualities begin to reveal themselves to Eric later in the premiere, during the pair’s impromptu cocaine-fueled night out with Yasmin’s lawyer (Fiona Button). The HR violations pile sky-high as Yasmin, rocking a barrister wig, bares her soul to Eric. She confesses she finds Eric terrifying, while Eric says he feels like they’ve “just skipped several awkward stages of a relationship.” Pierpoint’s HR department should be bursting into the room any second now, right?

At the crux of this coked-up conversation is the sense that Yasmin and Eric can be equals now on the trading floor. “Let’s try to remember that feeling when we’re sober,” Yasmin implores Eric.

She holds Eric to that request in episode 2, after he reproaches her for manipulating rumors about Lumi’s IPO launch. “Why don’t you just talk to me how you talked to me last night,” she tells him. “You know, like I’m a human being.”

This is the exchange that truly changes Eric’s mind about Yasmin, according to Leung. “Lo and behold, she steps up to Eric in a way that we maybe don’t expect. She has the wherewithal to say, ‘Drop the bullshit. Stop this show you’re putting on all the time,'” Leung said. “In that moment, Eric sees that this unknown entity has an element of known. It pulls him in gradually to the point where she becomes an obsession.”

That Eric’s “obsession” with Yasmin coincides with his separation from his wife is no accident. Eric has leapt back into the dating pool, is having casual sex (including with Yasmin’s lawyer), and has started using drugs again. Basically, he’s acting like the young grads all the way back in Season 1, even as he joins the ranks of partner at Pierpoint.

“With Eric’s struggles with aging out of this young man’s business, [Yasmin] represents something new and something young,” Leung said. “She represents everything he’s desperately trying to recapture and hold on to.”

Industry is now streaming on Max, with new episodes airing Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on HBO and Max.

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Connections is a New York Times word game that’s all about finding the “common threads between words.” How to solve the puzzle.

Connections is the latest New York Times word game 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 August 19’s Connections solution. But if you’d rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

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.

Tweet may have been deleted

Each puzzle features 16 words and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise of anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there’s only one correct answer. If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake—players get up to four mistakes until the game ends.

Tweet may have been deleted

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

Here’s a hint for today’s Connections categories

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

Yellow: Types of music

Green: Things at a hot dog station

Blue: Body exercises

Purple: Words that are also maybe Pixar movies

Here are today’s Connections categories

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

Yellow: Music Genres

Green: Bratwurst Go-Withs

Blue: Yoga Poses

Purple: Starting with Pixar Movies

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 #435 is…

What is the answer to Connections today

Music Genres: BLUES, COUNTRY, FOLK, ROCK

Bratwurst Go-Withs: BRAT, BUN, MUSTARD, SAUERKRAUT

Yoga Poses: CHAIR, MOUNTAIN, TREE, WARRIOR

Starting with Pixar Movies: COCONUT, SOULMATE, UPDO, WALLET

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.

Is this not the Connections game you were looking for? Here are the hints and answers to yesterday’s Connections.

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

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Answers to each clue for the August 18, 2024 edition of NYT’s The Mini crossword puzzle.

The Mini is a bite-sized version of The New York Times‘ revered daily crossword. While the crossword is a lengthier experience that requires both knowledge and patience to complete, The Mini is an entirely different vibe.

With only a handful of clues to answer, the daily puzzle doubles as a speed-running test for many who play it.

So, when a tricky clue disrupts a player’s flow, it can be frustrating! If you find yourself stumped playing The Mini — much like with Wordle and Connections — we have you covered.

Here are the clues and answers to NYT’s The Mini for Sunday, August 18, 2024:

Across

“Oh, and another thing …”

The answer is Also.

Part of the plane that’s last to get off, usually

The answer is Rear.

Fruit with orange flesh and a large pit

The answer is Mango.

Celebrity

The answer is Star.

Have a relaxed get-together

The answer is Hang.

Down

Where the funny bone is found

The answer is Arm.

What a dog may be let off at a dog park

The answer is Leash.

“Miracle on 34th Street” figure

The answer is Santa.

Instrument with pipes

The answer is Organ.

Association: Abbr.

The answer is Org.

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

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Curiosity Stream is an educational streaming service with thousands of documentaries, series, and more, and a lifetime subscription is marked down to $159.97.

TL;DR: Get your fill of educational and documentary content with a lifetime subscription to Curiosity Stream, on sale for $159.97 (reg. $399.99). 

Now that the Olympics have wrapped, it’s time to pass the torch to a new type of content. If you’re craving something more substantial than the usual TV fare, why not dive into something that feeds your brain? Sure, Netflix and Hulu have a few documentaries to offer, but their selection can feel pretty limited, especially if you want to marathon a library of high-quality docs. 

Time for Curiosity Stream to step up to the podium. This educational streaming service is loaded with a vast library of high-quality documentaries and docuseries that cover everything from nature and technology to true crime, history, science, and philosophy. There are even a few documentaries about the Olympics, and a lifetime subscription is $159.97 (reg. $399.99). 

Watch and learn

Curiosity Stream is a documentary streaming service that provides unlimited access to thousands of documentaries, films, series, and shows. It’s a lot to take in at first, but Curiosity Stream gives you a few ways to sort the content. You can check out curated collections on different topics.

Some recent collections include documentaries on deep space, prehistoric life, extraordinary women, and feel-good films. There’s even kid-friendly content for families. The extensive library is continually refreshed with new content each week, so there’s always something new to watch.

Love falling asleep to a familiar voice? Search for your favorite narrators. Curiosity Stream has some popular voices like Sir David Attenborough, and you can even find some major celebrities narrating docs. Harrison Ford and Nick Offerman have both narrated Curiosity Stream docs, and wait until you see who else is on there. 

You can access your Curiosity Stream on multiple devices, and it even supports a range of device types. Watch docs on Android, iOS, Apple TV, or Xbox, among other devices. 

Learn with your eyes closed

Give the Olympics the gold-medal follow-up it deserves. Get high-quality documentaries at your fingertips forever. 

Get a Lifetime Subscription to Curiosity Stream for $159.97. 

StackSocial prices subject to change. 

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Live stream the NFL for free from anywhere in the world.

TL;DR: Live stream the New Orleans Saints vs. the San Francisco 49ers for free. You can watch the NFL preseason games for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

It’s only preseason, which as football fans know, is really just an an exhibition. Even so, the 49ers are one of the top picks to win the Super Bowl but dropped their preseason opener to the Tennessee Titans. And the preseason games can be important for figuring out the roster — particularly for the 49ers, who have some injury problems.

The Saints, however, had a promising opening week in preseason with a narrow win over the Cardinals. The win came via a last ditch 37-yard field goal from rookie Charlie Smyth, while rookie quarter back Spencer Rattler — who led the winning drive — also impressed fans. Can the Saints do it again against the 49ers this weekend?

The good news is that you can watch the NFL preseason action without spending anything. If you want to watch the NFL preseason for free, no matter where you are around the world, we have all the information you need.

When is the Saints vs. the 49ers?

The New Orleans Saints vs. the San Francisco 49ers takes place at 8 p.m. ET on August 18. This fixture will be played at the Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California.

How to watch the Saints vs. the 49ers for free

To watch the NFL preseason games for free, sign up for free trials with either DirecTV Stream, Hulu + Live TV, or fubo. You can register for free trials with each of these streaming platforms, one trial at a time, which will give you time to watch the remaining weeks of the NFL preseason for free. But be sure to cancel these trials before you incur any subscription charges.

Alternatively, you can register at DAZN, which is showing the NFL preseason for free to viewers outside the US, Canada, and China.

Because all these streaming services are geo-blocked to specific countries, you’ll also need to sign up for a VPN to access them. A VPN is a handy tool that can mask your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in another country, allowing you to unblock free streaming services from around the globe and therefore access region-specific streaming platforms.

Access free live streams of the NFL by following these simple steps:

Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

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

Open up the app and connect to a server in a location with free coverage of the NFL preseason

Visit DirecTV Stream, Hulu + Live TV, fubo, or DAZN.

Watch the NFL preseason for free from anywhere in the world.

The best VPNs for streaming are not actually free to use, but the top VPN services do tend to offer deals such as free trial periods or money-back guarantees. All you need to do is sign up and take advantage of these deals to gain access to NFL preseason live streams — and all without committing any cash in the long run. It’s a short-term solution, but the trial period will allow you to watch the NFL preseason action before you have to recover any initial investment.

What is the best VPN for the NFL?

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

Servers in 105 countries

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

Strict no-logging policy so your data is always secure

Fast connection speeds

Up to eight simultaneous connections

30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is currently on sale for $99.95, which means an impressive saving of 49% for a limited time. The plan also includes an extra three months at no additional cost, plus a year of unlimited cloud backup and a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Live stream the NFL preseason for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

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Live stream the NFL for free from anywhere in the world.

TL;DR: Live stream the Green Bay Packers vs. the Denver Broncos for free. You can watch the NFL preseason games for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

It might be “American” football but NFL action has never been more popular outside of North America, which is why fans around the globe want to know how to catch all the action — even this week’s preseason games.

Among the games being played this weekend is the Green Bay Packers vs. the Denver Broncos. The Packers are following a promising 2023 season, which saw them reach the divisional round in the playoffs. The Broncos, however, continued a disappointing streak of failing to reach the playoffs.

Both teams notched up wins in the first week of preseason, and have their sights on kicking off the proper 2024 season with some momentum.

If you want to watch the NFL preseason games for free, no matter where you are around the world, here’s all the information you need.

When is the Packers vs. the Broncos?

The Green Bay Packers vs. the Denver Broncos takes place at 8 p.m. ET on August 18. This fixture will be played at the Empower Field at Mile High in Denver, Colorado.

How to watch the Packers vs. the Broncos for free

You can watch the NFL preseason games for free by signing up for free trials with DirecTV Stream, Hulu + Live TV, or fubo. Simply register for free trials with each of these subscription-based platforms, one trial at a time, which will cover the remaining weeks of the NFL preseason. Just remember to cancel these memberships before the trial ends and you incur subscription costs.

Alternatively, you can register at DAZN, which is showing the NFL preseason fixtures for free to viewers outside the U.S., Canada, and China.

All of these streaming services are geo-restricted to specific regions, which means you’ll need to first sign up for a VPN in order to access them. If you’ve never used a VPN before, it’s a handy tool that can obscure your real-world IP address (digital location) and then connect you to a secure server in other countries, allowing you to sidestep geo-restrictions and unblock streaming services from around the world.

Access free live streams of the NFL by following these simple steps:

Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

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

Open up the app and connect to a server in a location with free coverage of the NFL preseason

Visit DirecTV Stream, Hulu + Live TV, fubo, or DAZN.

Watch the NFL preseason for free from anywhere in the world.

The best VPNs for streaming are not free themselves, but VPN services usually offer sweetener deals that include free trial periods or money-back guarantees. Simply leverage these deals to gain access to NFL preseason live streams, and it won’t cost you a dime in the long run. This is obviously a quick fix solution, but you can watch all the NFL preseason action before you recovering any upfront investment.

What is the best VPN for the NFL?

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

Servers in 105 countries

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

Strict no-logging policy so your data is always secure

Fast connection speeds

Up to eight simultaneous connections

30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is currently on sale for $99.95 — an overall saving of 49% but for a limited time only. Within that plan you get a bonus three months at no additional cost, plus a year of unlimited cloud backup, and a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Live stream the NFL preseason for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

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