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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 November 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.

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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.

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: Expert

Green: Unlock your phone

Blue: Types of pasta

Purple: Involves two things

Here are today’s Connections categories

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

Yellow: Area of Expertise

Green: Ways to Unlock A Device

Blue: Pasta Shapes

Purple: Double____

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 #526 is…

What is the answer to Connections today

Area of Expertise: CONCENTRATION, FIELD, FOCUS, SPECIALTY

Ways to Unlock A Device: FACE, FINGERPRINT, PASSWORD, PIN

Pasta Shapes: EAR, ELBOW, RIBBON, WHEEL

Double____: AGENT, DRIBBLE, JEOPARDY, STANDARD

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 yesterday’s Connections.

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As of Nov. 18, you can score up to 58% off select board games at Amazon. Shop Hasbro, Monopoly, and more.

SAVE UP TO 58%: As of Nov. 18, you can score up to 58% off select board games at Amazon.

With Thanksgiving coming up in just a week, you might be scrambling to find something for the kids to do (that doesn’t involve a screen) while relatives visit or to keep everyone occupied and entertained as you host friends and family for the upcoming holiday season.

Luckily, Amazon has a pretty sizeable selection of board games currently on sale — from family-friendly classics to the latest strategy and party games. And as of Nov. 18, you can score up to 58% off popular titles like Catan, Ticket to Ride, and Twister.

Here are the best board game finds that caught our eye:

Best board game deal overall

Why we like it

Operation is a game of skill and precision that’s fun for kids and adults. In this classic game (which I also had growing up), players use a pair of metal tweezers to carefully remove tiny plastic body parts from the patient’s body without touching the sides and setting off the buzzer. Each successful removal earns them a paper $50 or $100, and the player who racks up the most dough by the end of the game wins.

Pro tip: This also makes for a fun drinking game for older crowds!

Best runner-up board game deal

Why we like it

Twister is a party game that ties you up in knots (literally!). To play, you spin the wheel and twist your body to put your hands and feet on whatever color it lands on. It’s perfect for rainy days, family game nights, or any time you need a good laugh and a bit of a stretch, and with up to four players, it’s ideal for small groups or a double date. It’s also portable and 45% off right now, so you can’t lose (monetarily, at least).

Best budget board game deal

Why we like it

For just $5, you and your friends or family can get in on Sorry! — a classic that teaches strategy, planning, and friendly competition. This game board includes 12 pawns, 44 cards, and instructions. Just be warned: If you can’t take a joke or are a sore loser, this might not be the game for you.

More board game deals

Candy Land Kingdom Of Sweet Adventures — $8.99 $11.99 (save $3)

Guess Who? — $10.49 $16.99 (save $6.50)

Monopoly (Token Vote Edition) — $14.97 $21.99 (save $7.02)

the Uzzle — $49.99 $70.99 (save $21)

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Beyoncé is set to headline Netflix’s first-ever NFL Christmas Gameday, announced by the streaming service.

Beyoncé fans, consider this your Christmas gift. Say thank you.

The music monarch and Cowboy Carter icon is set to headline Netflix’s first-ever NFL Christmas Gameday, announced by the streaming service on Instagram on Sunday.

Netflix will show two NFL games on on Dec. 25 from 1 p.m. ET — Kansas City Chiefs vs. Pittsburgh Steelers and Houston Texans vs. Baltimore Ravens — with Beyoncé performing at 4:30 p.m. ET / 9:30 GMT between them.

In an absolute treat for fans, Beyoncé will perform songs from her latest album live from Houston, Texas; the first time the 11-time Grammy-nominated Cowboy Carter has been performed live. Plus, special guests featured on the album are set to join, with names TBC. It’s being produced by Netflix and Beyonce’s own Parkwood Entertainment.

Beyonce has plenty of NFL history on the shelf already; she headlined Super Bowl XLVII in 2013 with Destiny’s Child joining her onstage, and also Super Bowl XV in 2016, with Bruno Mars and Coldplay. It’s not her first Netflix foray either, with the artist landing a three-project deal with Netflix worth $60 million in 2019. Her 2018 Coachella performance behind-the-scenes film Homecoming: A Film By Beyoncé still one of the best music documentaries on the platform.

The Netflix Christmas Day games will also stream through the NFL+ app and air on broadcast TV in team cities. It’s a major sports move for Netflix, which has announced NFL games for 2025 and 2026. The platform just streamed the high profile boxing match between Jake Paul and Mike Tyson, which saw issues during the match but nonetheless saw a reported 60 million households tuning in.

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Mashable visited the set of Netflix’s “Heartbreak High” Season 3, speaking to the cast as well as executive producer Carly Heaton.

It’s the last year of school at Netflix‘s Heartbreak High, with the bell soon set to ring for the series’ third and final season. Even so, it looks as though the social lives of Hartley High’s students won’t be getting any less complicated as they approach graduation.

Mashable visited Heartbreak High‘s set at South Sydney High School in late October to observe day three of filming for Season 3, wandering the grounds, having lunch with the cast, and learning what made the production uniquely Australian. Fittingly, there was a pervasive sense of sentimentality akin to a real school graduation, with both the cast and crew reflecting on their growth since first coming together to film Season 1 in 2021.

Heartbreak High sends you back to Hartley High School one last time

Located in Maroubra, South Sydney High School was only at two thirds capacity during Heartbreak High‘s first season, which left many areas open for the production’s use. Executive producer Carly Heaton speculates that most local students opted to attend one of the many private schools in the area, the public school being located in Sydney’s affluent Eastern Suburbs.

“Public school is very well subscribed in this country, it’s just particular socioeconomic bands [have different preferences], as I’m sure it’s the same everywhere,” says Heaton.

Enrollment at the school has risen in the years since, leaving Heartbreak High‘s crew with less room to work with for its final season. Fortunately, the production is now well-practiced at filming while class is in session and has become a familiar sight on school grounds, forgoing the large fences which cordoned off the production in Season 1. They also try to film outside school hours as much as possible.

“We’re a little bit more integrated with how the school works [compared to Season 1], but just being really sensitive right now,” Heaton tells us, noting that South Sydney’s Year 12 students are currently in the middle of doing their final Higher School Certificate (HSC) exams.

Heaton credits South Sydney’s principal Janice Neilsen with helping Heartbreak High‘s production run smoothly without disrupting the school’s normal operations. Neilsen also inspired some aspects of Hartley High’s principal Woodsy (Rachel House), her pet dog serving as the basis for the character’s own pup Joan of Bark. 

Real South Sydney students in green and white uniforms enjoy their lunch break as we walk through the school, some playing on half of the astroturfed volleyball court while the other side is taped off for the film crew. Children play handball in the concrete quad, one of the key features that solidified the production team’s choice of South Sydney as Heartbreak High‘s set.

“I think for us it was getting it to be quintessentially Australian,” says Heaton. “And for us that was a concrete quad. Sounds ridiculous, [but] that’s the memory we all have as kids.”

‘Heartbreak High’s third season aims to tackle even more classic elements of Australia’s education system, specifically those relating to graduating.

Heartbreak High‘s third season aims to tackle even more classic elements of Australia’s education system, specifically those relating to graduating. When the series left off last season, the students were at the end of their second term in Year 11. Season 3 jumps forward to the beginning of Term 4 in Year 12, with the group about to go through the rites of passage that come with leaving school.

This includes taking their HSC exams, but also more enjoyable activities such as Muck-Up Day, when graduating students get to play pranks and go a little wild (Nerf guns will certainly be involved, with Hartley High’s students set to cause some chaos). There’s Schoolies as well, when graduates take off for wild, alcohol-fuelled celebratory trips with their friends.

Then there’s looking towards the future, whether it’s applying to university, considering trade schools, entering the workforce, or whatever else fresh graduates may choose to do.

“All the different characters will have a journey they want to go on,” says Heaton. “Something we’re trying to be really conscious of is not dictating the hierarchy of choices for after a school career, and that’s something that the cast will grapple with, is what they want to be, what they want to do, and what the path is to get there, and do they have to decide now?”

Heartbreak High‘s final season is about consequences and class

Every season of Heartbreak High focuses on a theme, with Season 1’s being consent and Season 2 examining toxic masculinity. Bucking the trend, Heaton tells Mashable that the series’ third season actually has two themes: consequences and class.

“In Season 3, we’re like, ‘What are we going to talk about? What’s current? What’s pertinent for kids?’” says Heaton. “So at the end of the year, what is that experience like when you realise it’s going to come to an end and you’re not going to see these people every day. And what does that mean in becoming an adult and what are the consequences?”

“The other big driver was class,” Heaton continues. “That was a key driver of the original series, and something we hadn’t touched on too much yet. We had a little bit with the [St.] Bruno’s private school stuff, but that plays more of a role in this season. As you know, we ended the previous season with a bit of a school fire. So there’s a bit more reliance from the public school on the private school for resources.”

Unlike the U.S. or UK, Australian universities don’t offer generalist degrees. Prospective students must decide on a major during the application process, meaning Australian high school graduates’ choices carry a different weight. Of course, graduates’ choices will vary greatly depending not only on their personal interests, but also upon their differing individual circumstances. 

“There’s a lot of fear and I think tension around those end of year exams everywhere around the country,” says Heaton. “And [the show portrays] how they deal with it, and [asks] do you need to have it all sorted out at that age?”

Sitting at the cool kids’ table at Heartbreak High

We sit with the cool kids at lunch — or rather, they sit with us. Heartbreak High cast members Ayesha Madon, Chloé Hayden, and James Majoos join our aluminium picnic table for a casual chat as we take advantage of the on-set catering, the rice, chicken, and gado gado undoubtedly more nutritious than the meals from my old high school’s canteen.

Dressed in full costume as their characters Amerie, Quinni, and Darren respectively, the trio reminisce about getting started on Heartbreak High when they were comparatively less experienced actors.

“I feel like what was so cool and why we had that lightning in a bottle moment here was because [the production was] so willing to take a chance on new talent,” says Madon, wearing a cute green bodycon dress unlikely to fly in a regular high school. “Like, we learned to act on camera almost. Which was so vulnerable, but so amazing. I feel like the fact that it was all of our first thing, we weren’t jaded, we were so excited, and everyone was so dedicated to making this thing work.”

“There’s something really nice and comfortable about sitting with a character for five or so years and sitting with a show that’s really broken into some really cool spheres that we never expected globally,” says Majoos. “We’re such a close ensemble cast, and it’s really set the standard, I think, for whatever the next job will be.”

Majoos emphasises the collaborative nature of Heartbreak High‘s production, noting that while the writers are open to hearing the actors’ thoughts, the cast has faith they will do the characters’ justice.

“I think we feel really heard, and also we really trust our writers as well to sort of lead the way,” says Majoos.

This collaborative spirit extends beyond the writing room, demonstrated by the production’s consultation with Hayden on other aspects of the show as well. Hayden is a passionate disability rights activist who, like her character Quinni, has autism. Heartbreak High‘s representation of autism has been widely praised, with viewers finding it a frank, authentic depiction of people who have the disability.

“The way that I describe living with autism is, imagine if you’re at a rock concert next to the speakers but you couldn’t turn it off, it was just constant,” says Hayden. “I’ve always said that, like, autism isn’t a disability in the sense where we are disabled because of who we are. We’re disabled because of what society [has been created to be]. If society was created for autistic people instead of neurotypical people, you guys would be the disabled ones.”

Madon and Hayden are eventually whisked away to makeup, presumably for touch-ups since the latter is already sporting some very cool heart-shaped eye makeup. Spider’s actor Bryn Chapman Parish quickly takes their place, and is much more pleasant than the jerk he portrays on screen. 

“From the start, [the writers have] always been like, if there’s any line that kind of sticks in your mouth, doesn’t sound right, doesn’t sound like, I guess, young enough, youthful enough, then let us know,” says Chapman Parish, agreeing with his castmates’ statements on collaboration at Heartbreak High. The actor originally auditioned for the roles of Darren then Ca$h (Will McDonald), Heaton noting that “we knew we wanted him [but] we weren’t quite sure what for.”

“Heartbreak High has been a learning experience for us as well,” says Majoos. “We’re graduating with these characters and moving on into the unknown, and I think there’s a lot of that uncertainty that we can bring into this season, which I’m actually looking forward to.

“Everyone’s been learning together, which has been really, really, beautiful. It’s cliche, but unfortunately it’s so true: it has been an educational experience.”

Heartbreak High ditches school uniforms

Along with concrete quads, uniforms are an integral part of Australian high schools. Even so, Netflix’s Heartbreak High chose to follow the original ’90s series, ditching ties and blazers for more creative wardrobe options.

“The original didn’t have it, that was the main reason [Hartley High doesn’t have uniforms],” says Heaton, noting that they wanted to remain loyal to the first series in this regard. “But also it is quite aspirational, you know, seeing kids not have uniforms. Mind you, there is an Australian public school debating topic that’s perennial, I’m sure you’ve heard it in school, ‘Is it better to have uniforms or not?’ I think most people think it is better because you don’t have to think. You’re not judged.”

Climbing into the wardrobe trailer, we’re met with a long row of colourful outfits that are far more fashionable than most Aussie teenagers could realistically dream of. Heartbreak High has worked with Australian designers across the country such as Emily Watson, Sorry I’m Busy, Fantastic Baby Shakalaka, and Flux 2.0, making Hartley High’s students some of the most well-dressed teens in Sydney.

Darren even sported a fetching white corset top from well-known Australian designer Dion Lee during Season 1, a pricey garment that’s even beyond the budget of many full-time workers. (“[They] op-shopped it!” quips Heaton. “It was a good find!”)

“Collaborating with different designers is…a big part of it, and really trying to celebrate Australian designers and smaller designers,” says costume designer Rita Carmody. “From Melbourne to Adelaide, people have lent us their collections, and it’s been really joyful to sort of be able to play with it all.”

The time jump between seasons from Term 2 in Year 11 to Term 4 in Year 12 also allowed Carmody to evolve the students’ fashion sense.

“I think we have to really honour the inherent nature of each character, but then let them grow a bit and let the actors have more to explore,” says costume designer Rita Carmody. “So that’s the main part of the process — a lot of referencing and going through the old seasons.”

In addition to plain T-shirts bearing students’ scrawled farewell messages (an Australian custom), Carmody proudly presents a forest green garment covered in iron-on patches — Hartley High’s leaver’s jacket. Another Heartbreak High take on a classic Australian high school tradition, these garments were historically rugby jumpers with students’ nicknames on the back, but have since evolved to more closely mimic American varsity jackets. 

Heartbreak High finds an even more stylish in-between, Carmody collaborating with a Melbourne designer to customise one of his preexisting jackets “because all the ones from the uniform shops just look really average.” The result is fashionable enough that teens would probably still happily wear it outside of school events. No prizes for guessing what Amerie’s jacket says.

“Everyone’s got their own custom name [and an] Aboriginal flag on each one but in different places,” says Carmody, pointing out a patch of a “bin chicken,” a slang term for the Australian white ibis birds which are ubiquitous in Sydney. “So every jacket has different patches.”

Farewell Heartbreak High

We end our visit by watching the cast film a scene from Season 3, monitoring them through screens and headphones as they joke around between takes. The production is shooting in an area of the school dressed to look like a burnt out and off-limits construction site, the perfect place to hide from disapproving teachers’ eyes. It seems even their impending graduation isn’t enough to keep Hartley High’s students out of trouble.

While there is some concern that South Sydney students could leak details about Heartbreak High, a ban on phones was introduced in Australian public schools before filming began, offering the added benefit of helping keep the production’s secrets under wraps. Hartley High’s students are rarely seen on their phones either, with social media deliberately excluded from Heartbreak High to keep the drama and emotion in real life.

“Every day we’re having a little moment, a little tear about [it being] our last first whatever,” says Heaton. “‘This is our last cast read through!’ ‘This is our first last day!’ It’s like it’s one every day.”

According to Heaton, even those who weren’t with the production from the beginning recognise the camaraderie they’ve fostered on set. She specifically noted first assistant director Tony Gilbert, who hadn’t been involved in Netflix’s Heartbreak High reboot prior to its final season, but had worked on the original series in the ’90s.

“Everyone was going around getting all teary, and [Gilbert said], ‘I don’t have that in stories obviously, it’s my first season. But I worked on the original, and it was the same,'” Heaton recounts. “And he goes, ‘You guys are such a tight knit unit. I got a call from one of the cast members from the original the other day, and we’re still like that. And that’s what differentiates productions.'”

High school romances often don’t last, while friendships can dissolve absent routine binding them together. In reality, it wouldn’t be unlikely that Hartley High’s graduating class eventually lose touch as they launch themselves into life beyond concrete quads and canteens. 

Even so, these unruly students have proven they have no issue with bending the rules. Heartbreak High‘s cast and crew seem similarly determined to preserve the camaraderie they’ve found, proudly boasting of each other’s growing lists of achievements while nurturing their friendships off set.

And of course, regardless of how Heartbreak High ends, high school breakups aren’t necessarily forever. Heaton, for one, would eagerly return for a Hartley High school reunion.

“Yeah!” Heaton exclaims at the idea. “It’d be hilarious.”

Heartbreak High Season 3 is coming in 2025. The first two seasons are streaming on Netflix.

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The changes mostly affect users under 13, and give parents a lot more control.

The gaming platform Roblox announced a suite of new safety features aimed at protecting young users and giving parents more control over their children’s accounts.

In a blog post published Monday, the company said that children under age 13 will no longer be able to directly message other Roblox users, outside of the games or experiences they play.

Roblox is also debuting a new built-in setting that restricts users younger than 13 from directly messaging other users in games and experiences, which parents can choose to change. Users under 13 will be able to share public broadcast messages in games or experiences by default.

Previously, this age group could send direct messages, both inside and outside games, and public broadcast within a game. Now, under 13 users can only do the latter. Online child safety advocates have argued that direct-messaging capabilities can make young users vulnerable to predation.

Parents and caregivers will also now have access to what Roblox describes as remote management. Instead of adjusting parental controls through their child’s account, adults who manage these settings can now link their own Roblox account to their child’s.

In order to link the two accounts, the adult has to verify themselves using government-issued identification or a credit card. Once verified, a parent will be able to manage their child’s settings via a parental control dashboard, from their own device and account. New options in that dashboard include the ability to review and approve requests to play certain categories of games based on their content maturity label, set screen-time limits, and monitor a child’s friend list.

“We believe that these built-in protections are a critical part of our goal of making Roblox safe for all users, by default,” Dina Lamdany, Roblox’s senior product manager for user settings and parental controls, said in a briefing for reporters.

Lamdany noted that the changes were part of a years-long effort to enhance safety on Roblox.

Roblox worked with the Family Online Safety Institute (FOSI) and the National Association for Media Literacy Education, among other partners, on creating the new features.

In a statement provided by Roblox to the media, Stephen Balkam, CEO of FOSI, described the enhanced parental controls as a “considerable leap forward.”

“By offering robust tools for non-intrusive monitoring and privacy, Roblox is providing families with the confidence they need to foster a secure and enriching online environment,” Balkam said.

Concerns about child predators on Roblox

Roblox, however, has also been under fire for disturbing revelations about predation and grooming that occurred or began on the platform.

Last November, a group of families filed a class-action lawsuit against Roblox for exposing underage users to inappropriate or explicit content and allowing them to engage in inappropriate encounters. The company disputed the allegations.

This summer, extensive reporting by Bloomberg Businessweek revealed how easy it can be for predators to meet and groom minors on Roblox. While the platform’s policies already prohibit sexual content, as well as romantic and flirtatious gestures, bad actors have developed strategies for coercing minors into sending them explicit child sexual abuse material. They also know how to evade moderation- and filter-based detection.

In one case, a 15-year-old girl met a popular Roblox game developer on the platform, in January 2022. The girl communicated with and received gifts from him over a period of months. In May, she left her home and was transported across state lines to meet him. The 22-year-old man, later identified as Arnold Castillo, sexually assaulted the teen multiple times before police rescued her.

In the wake of that case, Roblox implemented new safety practices and created roles related to child safety investigations and child exploitation moderation, according to Bloomberg Businessweek.

Roblox chief safety officer Matt Kaufman told reporters in a briefing about the new safety features that they were not in response to a specific incident, and that the company regularly updates its policy and safety systems. He noted that Roblox had introduced more than 30 improvements in 2024 so far.

The new safety features also include content labels that describe the maturity level of each game, instead of age-based labels. But users 13 and younger will encounter age-gating for certain experiences, based on user behavior sometimes demonstrated in those games.

Additionally, users under 13 won’t be able to access experiences designed primarily for socializing with users who are not on their friends list, or that allow free-form writing or drawing.

To access the platform’s most mature content, such as profanity, users have to declare themselves as 17 or older and verify themselves using a government ID.

If you are a child being sexually exploited online, or you know a child who is being sexually exploited online, or you witnessed exploitation of a child occur online, you can report it to the CyberTipline, which is operated by the National Center for Missing Exploited & Children.

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Answers to each clue for the November 18, 2024 edition of Arkadium daily mini crossword on Mashable.com.

The Daily Mini Crossword is one of the many popular daily word games available on Mashable. Powered by Arkadium, the mini crossword offers a speed round of puzzle fun with clues that are sure to challenge experienced crossword enthusiasts.

But there’s no need to let the challenge get in the way of your enjoyment! If moments are turning to minutes after getting stuck on a clue, find the answers you need to progress right here.

And when you’re done, check out the many other word games you can play on Mashable, including a full-size crossword.

Also, if you get stuck on any other daily word games, such as Wordle, Connections, or Strands — we have you covered.

Here are the clues and answers to Daily Mini Crossword for Monday, November 18, 2024:

Across

Pair of slope surfers

The answer is Skis.

Kind of column

The answer is Spinal.

Full of candy

The answer is Pinata.

Seventh of eight

The answer is Uranus.

The vertical counterpart of stair treads

The answer is Risers.

Beach birds

The answer is Tern.

Down

Halloween store and airline

The answer is Spirit.

Carries out phosphorylation

The answer is Kinase.

Comparatively cockamamie

The answer is Inaner.

Sixth of eight

The answer is Saturn.

Cowboy boot attachment

The answer is Spur.

Laddie’s love

The answer is Lass.

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

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

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

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“Wicked” stars Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo sang a recap for “The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon.”

“Wicked” stars Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo sang a recap for “The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon.”

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As of Nov. 18, Target Circle members can buy two board games and get one free with this limited-time offer.

BOARD GAME BOGO: Until Nov. 23, Target Circle members can buy two board games, and get one free.

With Black Friday fast approaching, top retailers are dropping a range of early deals in anticipation of the sale event. Target has been featuring some very exciting offers throughout the month, especially for its Target Circle members. If you’re looking to save just a little bit extra right now, they’re offering a board game BOGO deal for Target Circle members that’s definitely worth jumping on if you’ve been looking to build out your game night collection.

Right now, Target Circle members can take advantage of a buy two, get one free deal on select board games. This offer includes popular releases like Azul, Ticket to Ride, Codenames, Wingspan, among many others. This deal also applies to puzzles and activity toys, so it’s worth checking out the full selection to see what items you can use this BOGO deal on ahead of the holidays.

To make this offer even better, you can pair select options with a limited-time bonus for Target Circle members where you can score 25% off one board game. This expires on Nov. 20 and the board game BOGO deal expires on Nov. 23, so you’ll want to act fast to scoop up the games that catch your eye.

Don’t miss out on this excellent limited-time board game BOGO deal for Target Circle members.

Black Friday is right around the corner as well, so there are soon to be even more board game deals available across several more retailers. While Target’s offering some nice early deals, it’s also worth checking out Walmart and Best Buy to see their early Black Friday sales. Amazon has announced when their sale is happening too, so you can mark your calendar for the big shopping event.

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Hints and answers to today’s Hurdle all in one place.

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

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

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

If you find yourself stuck at any step of today’s Hurdle, don’t worry! We have you covered.

Hurdle Word 1 hint

A sheet of fabric used in theatre to cast shadows, usually as a backdrop.

Hurdle Word 1 answer

SCRIM

Hurdle Word 2 hint

Pumpkins are a prominent example of this type of plant.

Hurdle Word 2 Answer

GOURD

Hurdle Word 3 hint

Excess that is often disposed or recycled.

Hurdle Word 3 answer

WASTE

Hurdle Word 4 hint

Comfortable giving orders.

Hurdle Word 4 answer

BOSSY

Final Hurdle hint

A lineup – or a type of stone.

Hurdle Word 5 answer

SLATE

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

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Answers to each clue for the November 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 Monday, November 18, 2024:

Across

___ Martin, frequent collaborator with 1-Down

The answer is Steve.

Parts of irrigation systems

The answer is Hoses.

Beginning

The answer is Onset.

Backup camera’s place on a car

The answer is Rear.

Make an attempt

The answer is Try.

Down

Martin ___, frequent collaborator with 1-Across

The answer is Short.

Stuff in a printer cartridge

The answer is Toner.

Common kind of test for a literature class

The answer is Essay.

Make a sudden turn

The answer is Veer.

Jokey suffix with best

The answer is Est.

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

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

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

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