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

TL;DR: Live stream the New York Giants vs. the Houston Texans for free. You can watch the NFL preseason games for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

It was a strong start to the preseason from both the Giants and Texans, with respective wins over the Lions and Steelers in Week 1. Both teams had standout performances, which means — while it’s only preseason competition — there are players to watch from both sides, who could do big things once the real season kicks off.

Tommy DeVito looked solid for the Giants and could be central to plays in this game against the Texans. Quarterback Daniel Jones also returns to action for the Giants following an ACL injury last season, which makes this game a test for Jones too.

The Texans meanwhile have quarterback C.J. Stroud and wide receiver Tank Dell, a sharp combo in their Week 1 games against the Steelers, while David Mills and Case Keenum look to prove their value as the Texans’ No. 2 quarterback.

If you want to watch the NFL preseason for free from anywhere around the world, here’s all the information you need.

When is the Giants vs. the Texans?

The New York Giants vs. the Houston Texans takes place at 1 p.m. ET on August 17. This fixture will be played at the NRG Stadium in Houston, Texas.

How to watch the Giants vs. the Texans for free

To watch the NFL preseason games for free, simply sign up for free trials with either DirecTV Stream, Hulu + Live TV, or fubo. You can register for free trials with each of these subscription-based platforms, one trial at a time, which will give you time to watch the remaining two weeks of the NFL preseason without spending anything. Just remember to cancel these trials before you incur any subscription costs.

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

All of these streaming services are geo-restricted to specific countries, so you’ll also need to first sign up for a VPN in order to access them. A VPN is a handy tool that can mask your real IP address (digital location) and then connect you to a secure server in another country, which allows you to bypass restrictions and unblock free 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, but the top VPN providers offer incentive deals such as free trial periods or money-back guarantees. Leverage these deals to gain access to NFL preseason live streams without spending anything in the long run. This is a short-term solution, but you’ll be able to watch the NFL preseason fixtures before 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%. The plan is available for a limited time and 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 Detroit Lions vs. the Kansas City Chiefs for free. You can watch the NFL preseason games for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

This year’s Super Bowl winners, the Kansas City Chiefs, are back in action this week in the preseason, hosting the Detroit Lions.

The Chiefs are among the favorites to win the Super Bowl again this season, though the Lions scored the win in these teams’ last meeting. Both the Chiefs and the Lions lost their Week 1 games, so they’ll be looking to notch up a win in Week 2.

The Chiefs also have an injury to cover, after wide receiver Marquise Brown dislocated his shoulder in his Chiefs debut last week.

The good news is, you can watch the NFL preseason action without spending anything. If you want to watch the NFL for free from anywhere in the world, here’s all the information you need.

When is the Lions vs. the Chiefs?

The Detroit Lions vs. the Kansas City Chiefs takes place at 4 p.m. ET on August 17. This fixture will be played at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium in in Kansas City, Missouri.

How to watch the Lions vs. the Chiefs for free

To watch the NFL preseason games for free, you’ll need to sign up for free trials at DirecTV Stream, Hulu + Live TV, or fubo. You can sign up for each trial to watch, week-by-week, which will give you enough time to watch each remaining weekend of the NFL preseason. Just remember to cancel your memberships to avoid incurring any charges once the free trials end.

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

All of these streaming services are geo-blocked to specific regions, but you can still access these platforms with a VPN, no matter where you are in the world. VPNs are useful tools that can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to secure servers in other countries, allowing you to unblock free streaming services from around the globe.

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 leading VPN services usually offer free trial periods or money-back guarantees. You can take advantage of these deals to gain access to live streams of the NFL preseason without committing with your cash in the long run. This is obviously a short-term solution, but it does give you time to watch NFL preseason fixtures before recovering your 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 on sale for $99.95 and includes a bonus three months at no extra cost — that’s an impressive 49% off for a limited time only. This plan also includes 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 Buffalo Bills vs. the Pittsburgh Steelers for free. You can watch the NFL preseason games for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The NFL preseason is now well underway, with a second weekend of games that includes the Buffalo Bills vs. the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The Bills took a heavy loss to the Chicago Bears in the first week, which is sometimes all the incentive a team needs to come out fighting the next week. The Steelers meanwhile — who lost in Week 1 to the Texans — are dealing with some injuries, including first round pick offensive tackle, Troy Fautanu.

But as always with preseason, it’s a chance to regroup, try some things on the field, and gain some momentum before the season kicks off for real.

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 in the world — here’s all the information you need.

When is the Bills vs. the Steelers?

The Buffalo Bills vs. the Pittsburgh Steelers takes place at 7 p.m. ET on August 17. This fixture will be played at Acrisure Stadium in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

How to watch the Bills vs. the Steelers for free

To watch the NFL preseason games for free, you’ll need to sign up for free trials at DirecTV Stream, Hulu + Live TV, or fubo. You can sign up for each of these free trials, one at a time, which will give you enough time to watch the remaining weekends of the NFL preseason for free. But don’t forget to cancel your memberships before incurring any subscription charges.

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

As all these streaming services are geo-blocked within specific regions, you’ll need to sign up for a VPN to access them. VPNs are very useful tools that can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to secure servers in other countries, enabling you to unblock free streaming services from around the globe.

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 usually offer free trial periods or money-back guarantees. Simply take advantage of these deals to gain access to the NFL preseason live streams without committing any cash in the long run. This is obviously a short-term solution, but it does give you enough time to watch NFL preseason games before you recover your 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 includes a bonus three months at no extra cost. That’s an impressive discount of 49% but for a limited time only. This plan also gives you 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 Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. the Jacksonville Jaguars for free. You can watch the NFL preseason games for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have been enjoying one of the best periods in franchise history, following four consecutive seasons in the playoffs, three consecutive NFC South titles, and a best-ever streak of 9-8 last season. Can the Buccaneers repeat that success in 2024? The preseason could give fans a flavour of what’s to come. And last week they notched up a preseason win over the Bengals.

The Jacksonville Jaguars also scored a win last week, with their quarterbacks leading a victory over the Super Bowl winners, the Kansas City Chiefs. It’s the first step in improving on a disappointing end to last season for the Jaguars. Can they show further improvements against the Buccaneers in this Florida showdown?

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 Buccaneers vs. the Jaguars?

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. the Jacksonville Jaguars takes place at 7:30 p.m. ET on August 17. This fixture will be played at the EverBank Stadium in Jacksonville, Florida.

How to watch the Buccaneers vs. the Jaguars for free

To watch the NFL preseason games for free, you can sign up for free trials with DirecTV Stream, Hulu + Live TV, or fubo. You can 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 trials before you incur any 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 countries, so you’ll need to first sign up for a VPN in order to access them. If you’ve never used one before, a VPN is a handy tool that can mask your real IP address (digital location) and then connect you to a secure server in another country, allowing you to bypass 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, but the leading VPN providers usually offer incentive deals such as free trial periods or money-back guarantees. Leverage these deals to gain access to NFL preseason live streams, and without spending a dime in the long run. This is a quick fix solution, but you’ll be able to watch the NFL preseason fixtures before recovering your 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%. The plan is available for a limited time and also includes a bonus three months at no additional cost, along with 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.

Read More 

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

TL;DR: Live stream the Atlanta Falcons vs. the Baltimore Ravens for free. You can watch the NFL preseason games for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The second week of the NFL preseason sees the Baltimore Ravens host the Atlanta Falcons, which follows losses for both teams in the first week of preseason.

The Ravens had a great run last season, winning the AFC North and clinched No. 1 seed, before losing to the eventual Super Bowl winners, the Kansas City Chiefs, in the AFC Championship game. Last week’s loss was clumsy. Sure, it’s only preseason, but are they looking to come back fighting in Week 2?

The Falcons meanwhile suffered a trio of injuries in Week 1, which will shake up the defensive line in their showdown at the Ravens’ home stadium.

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, and from anywhere around the world, we have all the information you need.

When is the Falcons vs. the Ravens?

The Atlanta Falcons vs. the Baltimore Ravens takes place at 12 p.m. ET on August 17. This fixture will be played at the M&T Bank Stadium Stadium in Baltimore, Maryland.

How to watch the Falcons vs. the Ravens for free

To watch the NFL preseason games for free, you’ll need to sign up for free trials with DirecTV Stream, Hulu + Live TV, or fubo. You can register for each of these free trials, one at a time, which will give you time to watch the three remaining weeks of the NFL preseason for free. But don’t forget 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 need to sign up for a VPN to access them. VPNs are handy tools that can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to secure servers in other countries, enabling you to unblock free streaming services from around the globe and 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 names tend to offer deals such as free trial periods or money-back guarantees. Simply sign up to take advantage of these deals and gain access to NFL preseason live streams, all without committing any cash in the long run. This is obviously a short-term solution, but it gives you all the time you need to watch NFL preseason games before 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, which means an impressive discount of 49% for a limited time only. The plan includes a bonus three months at no extra 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.

Read More 

Watch Chicago Sky vs. Los Angeles Sparks in the WNBA from anywhere in the world.

TL;DR: Watch Chicago Sky vs. Los Angeles Sparks in the WNBA with WNBA League Pass. Avoid blackouts and watch the WNBA from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The 2024 season of the WNBA is well underway, and the Chicago Sky and Los Angeles Sparks are set to go head-to-head. Both teams have had strong performances so far, with the next match anyone’s game.

Don’t want to miss out? If you want to watch Chicago Sky vs. Los Angeles Sparks in the WNBA from anywhere in the world, keep reading because we have all the information you need.

When is Chicago Sky vs. Los Angeles Sparks?

Chicago Sky vs. Los Angeles Sparks in the WNBA starts at 5 p.m. ET on Saturday, Aug. 17. This fixture takes place at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.

How to watch Chicago Sky vs. Los Angeles Sparks

WNBA fans can live stream the 2024 season from anywhere in the world with the WNBA League Pass.

However, it’s important to note that the WNBA League Pass may not show locally televised games live in the participating teams’ local areas. However, not to worry, fans can get past these geo-restrictions by using a VPN. These helpful tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) so you’ll be able to connect to secure servers in other locations, so you can bypass blackouts to watch every WNBA League Pass game live, barring games hosted by Amazon Prime Video.

Access every WNBA League Pass game 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 no broadcast deals for the WNBA

Log in to WNBA League Pass

Stream every WNBA game live (except games hosted by Amazon Prime Video)

What is the best VPN for the WNBA?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for hiding your real IP address and streaming more sport, 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 secure

Fast connection speeds free from throttling

Up to eight simultaneous connections

30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee.

Stream Chicago Sky vs. Los Angeles Sparks in the WNBA from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

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Here’s the answer for “Wordle” #1155 on August 17, 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 17’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:

Extreme weather event.

Does today’s Wordle answer have a double letter?

There are no reoccurring letters.

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

Today’s Wordle starts with the letter S.

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…

STORM.

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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The NYT Strands hints and answers you need to make the most of your puzzling experience.

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

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

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

NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Carle classic

These words are delicious to some.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

The answers are related to a legendary children’s book.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today’s NYT Strands spangram is horizontal.

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today’s spangram is HungryCaterpillar.

NYT Strands word list for August 17

Leaf

Apple

Pickle

Salami

HungryCaterpillar

Watermelon

Looking for other daily online games? Find one you might like – or hints for another game you’re already playing – on Mashable’s Games page.

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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 17’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: Linguistics

Green: Macking on someone

Blue: Healer tools

Purple: Interior decoration

Here are today’s Connections categories

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

Yellow: Spoken Communication

Green: Canoodle

Blue: First Aid Kit Items

Purple: House Styles

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 #433 is…

What is the answer to Connections today

Spoken Communication: DIALECT, LANGAUGE, SPEECH, TOUNGE

Canoodle: FRENCH, KISS, MAKE OUT, NECK

First Aid Kit Items: BANDAGE, DRESSING, SCISSORS, TAPE

House Styles: COTTAGE, CRAFTSMAN, PRAIRIE, RANCH

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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Fede Álvarez’s “Alien: Romulus” includes an Easter egg that’s become a bit of a tradition in the franchise: the drinking bird.

Movies in the Alien franchise are always filled to the brim with references to each other, and Alien: Romulus is no exception. In Fede Álvarez’s Alien sequel/Aliens prequel, there’s a subtle bit of set decoration that’s become a tradition in the franchise: the drinking bird.

In one of the very first scenes in Alien: Romulus, mine worker Rain Carradine (Cailee Spaeny) and her android brother Andy (David Jonsson) are dining in a Weyland-Yutani company canteen. Sitting on their table is a drinking bird. The kind of toy sometimes found on office desks, the drinking bird was patented in 1945 by American scientist Miles V. Sullivan and is now sold in varying quality on Amazon by the bucketload.

It’s a dual-bulbed glass bird on a fulcrum, which uses thermodynamics to dip its beak into a glass of water repeatedly. Plus, they usually have a fancy little hat, because this is a place of business.

The drinking bird, which is sometimes referred to as the dippy bird, shows up in several of the Alien films, comics, and video games, including Alien³, Alien vs. Predator, and Alien: Covenant, and the game Alien: Isolation. It’s an homage to the very first shot of Ridley Scott’s 1979 Alien, when the camera is careening through the Nostromo ship and catches sight of two drinking birds sitting on the ship’s dining table, dipping away. In fact, the toy birds are on the table during the film’s famous chestburster scene, idly sitting by while Gilbert Kane (John Hurt) has a baby Xenomorph punch out of his chest during dinner.

In Alien: Romulus, the drinking bird takes on a meaning of its own beyond the obvious fan service, as a symbol of the overworked, indentured mining workers of the Weyland-Yutani colony. Unable to break the regimented monotony of their cog-like roles, Rain and her friends seek escape and enrichment elsewhere — but are seriously doomed for even trying. They are the birds, people.

It’s not the only Easter egg or franchise nod in Álvarez’s film, but it’s a good one.

Alien: Romulus is now showing in cinemas.

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