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.

Want more tech and digital culture news delivered to your inbox daily or sent straight to your device? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories newsletter or get Mashable push alerts today.

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

Hurdle Word 1 hint

Idiot.

Hurdle Word 1 answer

MORON

Hurdle Word 2 hint

To inflict.

Hurdle Word 2 Answer

WREAK

Hurdle Word 3 hint

Determination.

Hurdle Word 3 answer

MOXIE

Hurdle Word 4 hint

Old school dance.

Hurdle Word 4 answer

DISCO

Final Hurdle hint

Punctuation.

Hurdle Word 5 answer

COMMA

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

The best early Prime Day Pokémon deals:

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Best TCG ETB deal

Pokémon TCG 30th Celebration Elite Trainer Box

$89.99 (save vs. market price)

Get Deal

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Best Booster Bundle deal

Pokémon TCG: Mega Evolution Perfect Order Booster Bundle

$44.99 (save $15)

Get Deal

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Best Lego deal

Lego Pokémon Eevee (72151)

$47.95 (save $12.04)

Get Deal

---

Best video game deal

Pokémon Legends: Z-A (Nintendo Switch 2)

$50.99 (save $19)

Get Deal

---

Best book deal

Pokémon Deluxe Character Guide (Pokemon Pikachu Press)

$39.84 (save $20.15)

Get Deal

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Best TCG display box deal

Pokémon Card Game MEGA Expansion Pack 30th Celebration Display Box (Japanese)

$288 ($31.90)

Get Deal

Amazon’s October Prime Day is getting closer, and the early Pokémon deals are getting even better. There are fresh price cuts across the Pokémon trading card game, Nintendo Switch games, Lego sets, and books, including several offers that have either returned to previous lows or dropped even further since we last checked.

Prime Big Deal Days runs from Oct. 6-7, but there’s no need to wait for the main event to start saving. We're seeing the Perfect Order booster bundles below $45 plus more than $19 off Pokémon Legends: Z-A on Switch 2, and even discounts on Pokémon Lego.

These are the best early Pokémon Prime Day deals available right now.

A 30th Celebration Display Box at over $30 off

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Credit: The Pokémon Company

Pokémon Card Game MEGA Expansion Pack 30th Celebration Display Box (Japanese)

$288 at Amazon
$319.95 Save $31.95

 

Get Deal

If you're the type of Pokémon collector who just wants to appreciate the artwork instead of playing with the cards, this deal on the Japanese version of the expansion's display box is for you.

There's $31.90 knocked off the original $319.90 price, and with 20 packs per box, you'll save an extra $68.80 compared to buying 20 English packs on TCGplayer.

Perfect Order Booster Bundles now under $45

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Credit: The Pokémon Company

Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Perfect Order Booster Bundle

$49.99 at Amazon
$59.99 Save $10

 

Get Deal

Perfect Order is one of the Pokémon TCG expansions that's been fluctuating in price in recent months, but this early Prime Day deal has it under the $45 mark across various sellers. You can now buy the six-booster pack box for as low as $44.63 from third-party sellers, or spend an extra 26 cents on the Amazon listing to get yours delivered a day earlier.

At the lowest price, this means you'll be paying just $7.49 for every Perfect Order booster pack. Single boosters cost $9.99, but buying the Booster Bundle saves an extra $2.50 per pack.

More Pokémon TCG deals

• Pokémon TCG Mega Evolutions Perfect Order 3-Pack Blister (Chikorita) — $26.44 $29.99 (save $3.55)

• Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Pitch Black 3 Booster Pack Blister (Binacle) — $26.99 $29.99 (save $3)

• Pokémon TCG First Partner Illustration Collection — Series 2 — $38.99 $59.99 (save $21)

• Pokémon TCG Scarlet & Violet Journey Together Booster Bundle — $53.95 $59.99 (save $6.04) 

• Pokémon TCG 30th Celebration Greninja ex Box — $94.75 $99.99 (save $5.24)

The only Pokémon Lego set on sale

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Credit: LEGO

Lego Pokémon Eevee (72151)

$47.95 at Amazon
$59.99 Save $12.04

 

Get Deal

The 587-piece Lego Pokémon Eevee set is a posable display piece designed for adult builders. Unlike static figures, the ears, head, limbs, and angled tail are fully adjustable, so you can change up how it sits on your shelf. This is now back to its all-time low price for listings directly from Amazon (confirmed by the price tracker camelcamelcamel), making it a good time to grab it now rather than waiting to see if it drops further during the main sale.

(Note: Eevee is currently the only set in the Lego Pokémon lineup receiving a discount ahead of Prime Big Deal Days, but we've listed the most popular sets below so you can keep an eye on them if Amazon drops prices during the event.)

More Pokémon Lego deals

• Lego Pokémon SMART Play: Charmander and Geodude's Cavern Clash — $19.99

• Lego Pokémon SMART Play: Training House with Pikachu — $69.96

• Lego Pokémon SMART Play: Mewtwo's Lab Break — $69.96

• Lego Pokémon SMART Play: Umbreon vs. Garchomp Championship Battle — $79.96

• Lego Pokémon SMART Play: Cubone and Gengar's Spooky Showdown — $89.95

• Lego Pokémon Arcanine — $109.95

• Lego Pokémon SMART Play: Charizard vs. Jolteon Ultimate Battle — $119.99

• Lego Pokémon Rayquaza — $129.95

• Lego Pokémon Pikachu and Poké Ball — $199.95

• Lego Pokémon Venusaur, Charizard, and Blastoise — $649.99

$19 off Legends: Z-A on Switch 2

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Credit: Nintendo

Pokémon Legends: Z-A

$50.99 at Amazon
$69.99 Save $19.00

 

Get Deal

Set within Lumiose City, Pokémon Legends: Z-A lets you issue commands on the fly, compete in the nightly Z-A Royale tournament, and use the returning Mega Evolution mechanic to take down rampaging rogue Pokémon. A $19 discount on a major Nintendo Switch 2 title makes this an easy choice to pick up now rather than paying full retail.

More Pokémon Nintendo Switch game deals

• Detective Pikachu Returns — $46.92 $49.99 (save $3.07)

• Pokémon Legends: Z-A (Switch 1) — $49.44 $59.99 (save $10.55)

• Pokémon: Let's Go, Eevee! — $53.99 $59.99 (save $6)

• Pokémon Legends: Arceus — $54.26 $59.99 (save $5.73)

Best Pokémon book deal

Opens in a new window

Credit: Alex Irvine/Pokemon Pikachu Press

Pokémon Deluxe Character Guide (Pokemon Pikachu Press)

$39.84 at Amazon
$59.99 Save $20.15

 

Get Deal

For a hardbound, 336-page reference book celebrating 30 years of the franchise, the 34% markdown puts the Pokémon Deluxe Character Guide at its lowest Amazon price ever (confirmed with camelcamelcamel) — making this a must-buy for diehard Pokémon collectors.

This book not only features a foreword from The Pokémon Company CEO Tsunekazu Ishihara but also covers characters from every region in numerical order, with artwork from the games, anime, and trading card game. It works well as a coffee table display piece with its color-it-yourself cover, or just as a quick reference guide so you don't have to keep an online wiki open on your phone.

More Pokémon book deals

• Pokémon Timelines: A Journey Through the Animated Series — $9.87 $29.99 (save $20.12)

• Pokécology: An Illustrated Guide to Pokémon Ecology — $13.97 $14.99 (save $1.02)

Sam's club early Prime Day savings lineup:

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Best smart home deal

Night Owl Wired 4K Deterrence Security Camera (2-Pack)

$149 (save $30)

Get Deal

---

Best gaming monitor deal

Samsung 49-inch Curved Odyssey QHD Gaming Monitor

$699 (save $200)

Get Deal

---

Best laptop deal

Samsung Galaxy Book4 15.6-inch Laptop

$749 (save $150)

Get Deal

---

Best TV deal

Samsung 85-inch QN70FD Series 4K Neo QLED Smart TV

$1,198 (save $500)

Get Deal

October Prime Day is right around the corner, but you don't have to wait for Amazon to launch its fall sale to score huge tech discounts. Sam's Club is jumping the gun and dropping its own sale across TVs, security cameras, gaming monitors, and laptops.

If you are not already a member, you can snag an annual Sam's Club membership for 50% off right now, which pays for itself instantly once you see the savings on these setups.

Whether you are looking to upgrade your living room with an 85-inch screen, ditch monthly security camera subscription fees, or grab a powerful new laptop before the holidays, here are the absolute best early tech deals you can shop at Sam's Club right now.

Best smart home deal

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Credit: Night Owl

Night Owl Wired 4K Deterrence Security Cameras (2-Pack)

$149 at Sam's Club
$179 Save $30

 

Get Deal

Why we like it

With the Night Owl Wired 4K Deterrence Security Cameras, you get ultra-sharp 4K video with full-color night vision, plus built-in spotlights, loud sirens, and two-way audio so you can talk to guests or scare off unwanted visitors right from your phone. Smart AI detection means it only alerts you to people and cars, not passing stray animals, and all your footage stays privately stored on a local recorder rather than on a paid cloud server.

More smart home deals

• Cync Indoor Wi-Fi Smart Camera (2-Pack) — $29.86 $64 (save $34.14)

• Night Owl Wi-Fi Metal Floodlight Deterrence HD+ Camera (with 64GB MicroSD Card) — $119 $139 (save $20)

• Night Owl 4K Cameras with 2TB NVR Security System (8-Pack) — $399.91 $629 (save $229.09)

Best gaming monitor deal

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Credit: Samsung

Samsung 49-inch Curved Odyssey QHD Gaming Monitor

$699 at Sam's Club
$899 Save $200

 

Get Deal

Why we like it

This monster 49-inch curved display gives you the screen space of two QHD monitors side by side, without a bezel blocking your view. An ultra-fast 240Hz refresh rate and 1ms response time keep rapid action smooth and lag-free, while the dramatic curve wraps your entire field of view straight into the game. Add in intense brightness and HDR color support, and it is a massive, immersive upgrade for both competitive gaming and multitasking.

More gaming monitor deals

• Samsung 32-inch Odyssey G55C Curved QHD Gaming Monitor — $209 $249 (save $40)

• LG 32-inch UltraGear OLED UHD 165Hz Gaming Monitor — $799 $1,299 (save $500)

• LG 32-inch UltraFine evo 6K Nano IPS Black Monitor with Thunderbolt 5 — $1,299 $1,999 (save $700)

Best laptop deal

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Credit: Samsung

Samsung Galaxy Book4 15.6-inch Laptop

$749 at Sam's Club
$899 Save $150

 

Get Deal

Why we like it

The Samsung Galaxy Book4 is a sleek, everyday workhorse laptop that packs the Intel Core i7 processor, 16GB of RAM, and 512GB of fast SSD storage. It easily handles multitasking, streaming, and heavy browsing without breaking a sweat. The thin, lightweight design makes it super portable, while the spacious 15.6-inch Full HD display gives you plenty of screen space for work or movies. You also get long-lasting battery life and a microSD slot that lets you instantly expand your storage up to 2TB if you ever run out of space.

More laptop deals

• HP OmniBook 3 16" AI PC (Intel Core Ultra 5, 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD) — $679 $899 (save $220)

• ASUS Vivobook 15 Slim 15.6" Laptop (Intel Core i9, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) — $899 $999 (save $100)

Best TV deal

Opens in a new window

Credit: Samsung

Samsung 85-inch QN70FD Series 4K Neo QLED Smart TV

$1,198 at Sam's Club
$1,698 Save $500

 

Get Deal

Why we like it

A massive 85-inch screen for a little over a grand is already a sweet deal, but this Samsung TV brings real performance to back up that size. Its built-in AI processor automatically sharpens and brightens older, lower-resolution shows so they look crisp on a huge display, while deep contrast keeps blacks dark rather than washed-out gray. Gamers and sports fans will appreciate the buttery-smooth 144Hz refresh rate that cuts out annoying motion blur during fast action, and you get access to hundreds of free live TV channels right out of the box.

More TV deals

• Samsung 50-inch M70H Series Mini LED 4K Companion Smart Tizen TV — $327 $377.99 (save $50.99)

• Samsung 75-inch M70H Series Mini LED 4K Companion Smart Tizen TV — $547.99 $647.99 (save $100)

• TCL 75-inch Class QM63K Series QD-Mini LED Smart TV — $847.99 $897.99 (save $50)

• TCL 85-inch Q Series QD-Mini LED Smart TV (85QM63K) — $897.99 $1,197.99 (save $300)

• LG 77-inch Class OLED evo C6 Series 4K Smart TV — $2,599.99 $2,699.99 (save $100)

Welcome to your guide to Pips, the latest game in the New York Times catalog.

Released in August 2025, Pips puts a unique spin on dominoes, creating a fun single-player experience that could become your next daily gaming habit.

Currently, if you're stuck, the game only offers to reveal the entire puzzle, forcing you to move on to the next difficulty level and start over. However, we have you covered! Below are piecemeal answers that will serve as hints so that you can find your way through each difficulty level.

How to play Pips

If you've ever played dominoes, you'll have a passing familiarity with how Pips is played. As we've shared in our previous hints stories for Pips, the tiles, like dominoes, are placed vertically or horizontally and connect with each other. The main difference between a traditional game of dominoes and Pips is the color-coded conditions you have to address. The touching tiles don't necessarily have to match.

The conditions you have to meet are specific to the color-coded spaces. For example, if it provides a single number, every side of a tile in that space must add up to the number provided. It is possible — and common — for only half a tile to be within a color-coded space.

Here are common examples you'll run into across the difficulty levels:

• Number: All the pips in this space must add up to the number.

• Equal: Every domino half in this space must be the same number of pips.

• Not Equal: Every domino half in this space must have a completely different number of pips.

• Less than: Every domino half in this space must add up to less than the number.

• Greater than: Every domino half in this space must add up to more than the number.

If an area does not have any color coding, it means there are no conditions on the portions of dominoes within those spaces.

Easy difficulty hints, answers for October 1 Pips

Less than (4): Everything in this space must be less than 4. The answer is 1-0, placed vertically.

Number (10): Everything in this space must add up to 10. The answer is 6-4, placed horizontally.

Number (10): Everything in this space must add up to 10. The answer is 6-4, placed horizontally.

Equal (0): Everything in this space must be equal to 0. The answer is 1-0, placed vertically; 0-4, placed horizontally; 0-0, placed vertically.

Greater Than (4): Everything in this space must be greater than 4. The answer is 6-5, placed vertically.

Medium difficulty hints, answers for October 1 Pips

Number (4): Everything in this space must add up to 4. The answer is 4-5, placed horizontally.

Equal (1): Everything in this space must be equal to 1. The answer is 1-1, placed vertically.

Greater Than (9): Everything in this space must be greater than 9. The answer is 4-6, placed vertically.

Less than (4): Everything in this space must be less than 4. The answer is 3-5, placed horizontally.

Less than (7): Everything in this space must be less than 7. The answer is 6-0, placed vertically; 1-2, placed vertically; 4-1, placed vertically.

Less than (3): Everything in this space must be less than 3. The answer is 1-2, placed vertically.

Hard difficulty hints, answers for October 1 Pips

Number (1): Everything in this space must add up to 1. The answer is 1-2, placed vertically.

Number (1): Everything in this space must add up to 1. The answer is 1-3 placed vertically.

Number (2): Everything in this space must add up to 2. The answer is 2-3, placed vertically.

Number (2): Everything in this space must add up to 2. The answer is 2-6, placed vertically.

Number (5): Everything in this space must add up to 5. The answer is 5-3, placed vertically.

Number (2): Everything in this space must add up to 2. The answer is 1-2, placed vertically.

Number (3): Everything in this space must add up to 3. The answer is 1-3 placed vertically.

Number (3): Everything in this space must add up to 3. The answer is 2-3, placed vertically.

Number (6): Everything in this space must add up to 6. The answer is 2-6, placed vertically.

Number (5): Everything in this space must add up to 5. The answer is 5-1, placed vertically.

Number (0): Everything in this space must add up to 0. The answer is 0-0, placed horizontally.

Number (0): Everything in this space must add up to 0. The answer is 0-0, placed horizontally.

Number (3): Everything in this space must add up to 3. The answer is 3-6, placed vertically.

Number (5): Everything in this space must add up to 5. The answer is 5-6, placed vertically.

Number (1): Everything in this space must add up to 1. The answer is 5-1, placed vertically.

Number (6): Everything in this space must add up to 6. The answer is 6-1, placed vertically.

Number (0): Everything in this space must add up to 0. The answer is 0-2, placed vertically.

Number (6): Everything in this space must add up to 6. The answer is 3-6, placed vertically.

Number (6): Everything in this space must add up to 6. The answer is 5-6, placed vertically.

Number (0): Everything in this space must add up to 0. The answer is 0-6, placed vertically.

Number (1): Everything in this space must add up to 1. The answer is 4-1, placed vertically.

Number (1): Everything in this space must add up to 1. The answer is 6-1, placed vertically.

Number (2): Everything in this space must add up to 2. The answer is 0-2, placed vertically.

Number (2): Everything in this space must add up to 2. The answer is 2-5, placed horizontally.

Number (5): Everything in this space must add up to 5. The answer is 2-5, placed horizontally.

Number (6): Everything in this space must add up to 6. The answer is 0-6, placed vertically.

Number (6): Everything in this space must add up to 6. The answer is 6-6, placed horizontally.

Number (6): Everything in this space must add up to 6. The answer is 6-6, placed horizontally.

Number (4): Everything in this space must add up to 4. The answer is 2-4, placed horizontally.

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

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.

Want more tech and digital culture news delivered to your inbox daily or sent straight to your device? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories newsletter or get Mashable push alerts today.

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

Hurdle Word 1 hint

A poker term.

Hurdle Word 1 answer

BLUFF

Hurdle Word 2 hint

Copy, ___.

Hurdle Word 2 Answer

PASTE

Hurdle Word 3 hint

Stopwatch.

Hurdle Word 3 answer

TIMER

Hurdle Word 4 hint

To climb.

Hurdle Word 4 answer

MOUNT

Final Hurdle hint

Comedian.

Hurdle Word 5 answer

COMIC

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

The release of Grand Theft Auto VI is still weeks away, yet anticipation for the game is already fueling PlayStation 5 Pro shortages in Japan.

While the much-anticipated title from Rockstar Games will be available for multiple consoles, players seeking the ultimate GTA 6 experience may be eyeing Sony's most powerful console.

So, what's Sony's solution for the PS5 Pro shortage? A lottery that will determine who can buy the console. 

But, there's an extra catch. The PlayStation maker is requiring that consumers prove they've put in time playing on a PlayStation before they can even enter for a chance to buy a console.

To enter the Sony Store lottery in Japan, consumers must use a Sony account that shows at least 60 hours of confirmed playtime on PS4 or PS5 consoles between September 27, 2024 and September 27, 2026.

If users meet those requirements, they can apply to purchase one PS5 Pro through October 7. Lottery winners will be informed by October 26 and can then make their purchase. They'll receive the console in the first half of November.

GTA 6 comes out November 19.

The best early Prime Day gaming deals:

---

Best video game deal

Starfield (Standard Edition PS5)

$39.18 (save $10.81)

Get Deal

---

Best console deal

Nintendo Switch (Renewed)

$189.99 (save $40.50)

Get Deal

---

Best gaming monitor deal

Samsung 32-inch Odyssey G5

$199.99 (save $150)

Get Deal

---

Best gaming headset deal

HyperX Cloud III S

$129.99 (save $50)

Get Deal

---

Best gaming keyboard deal

Razer BlackWidow V4 X

$99.99 (save $30)

Get Deal

---

Best gaming mouse deal

Razer Basilisk V3

$34.98 (save $35.01)

Get Deal

Amazon’s October Prime Day is now less than a week away, and the early gaming deals are getting better with each day. We’re already seeing decent price cuts on PS5, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox games, as well as cheaper consoles, gaming monitors, headsets, mice, keyboards, and other setup upgrades ahead of the Oct. 6-7 sale.

Some of the strongest offers have already shifted since these deals first started appearing, so we’ve refreshed our picks to focus on what’s actually worth buying right now. That includes a sub-$200 renewed Nintendo Switch, the best deal on Starfield on PS5, and sizeable savings on gaming gear from HyperX, Samsung, Razer, and more.

We’ll keep updating this page as Prime Day gets closer, but these are the best gaming deals live right now.

Best video game deal

Opens in a new window

Credit: Xbox

Starfield (Standard Edition PS5)

$39.18 at Amazon
$49.99 Save $10.81

 

Get Deal

Why we like it

Starfield only made the jump to PS5 in April, and the Standard Edition is already at a sizable discount. The game is currently listed at $47.31 (usually $49.99), but an on-page coupon drops it to $39.18 at checkout — for a saving of $10.81 in total. This is the full base game rather than a trimmed-down edition, giving you Bethesda’s huge sci-fi RPG with deep character customization, ship building, and over 1,000 planets to explore.

More early Prime Day video game deals

PS5

• NBA 2K26 — $15.79 $19.99 (save $4.20)

• Sonic Superstars — $19.99 $29.99 (save $10)

• Red Dead Redemption — $24.99 $29.99 (save $5)

• Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 — $25.74 $49.99 (save $24.25)

• Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties — $39.06 $59.99 (save $20.93)

• Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds Amazon Exclusive Edition — $34.99 $69.99 (save $35)

• The Last of Us Part II Remastered — $37.49 $49.99 (save $12.50)

• The Last of Us Part 1 — $37.99 $69.99 (save $32)

• God of War Ragnarök — $39.99 $69.99 (save $30)

• MLB The Show 26 — $42.99 $69.99 (save $27)

• Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 — $44.75 $69.99 (save $25.24)

Nintendo Switch

• South Park: Snow Day! — $22.93 $29.99 (save $7.06)

• Assassin’s Creed: The Rebel Collection — $23.98 $39.99 (save $16.01)

• Sonic Origins Plus — $24.10 $39.99 (save $15.39)

• Sonic Frontiers — $24.99 $39.99 (save $15.00)

• Batman: Arkham Trilogy — $26.99 $29.83 (save $2.84)

• Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition — $32.85 $59.99 (save $27.14)

• Super Mario RPG — $34.87 $59.99 (save $25.12)

• Mario vs. Donkey Kong — $45.99 $49.99 (save $4)

Xbox

• Cuphead — $20.23 $39.99 (save $19.76)

• Sonic Superstars — $22.67 $59.99 (save $37.22)

• Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 — $23.47 $49.99 (save $26.52)

• Sonic X Shadow Generations — $24.82 $49.99 (save $25.17)

• Borderlands 4 — $24.91 $49.99 (save $25.08)

• Metaphor: ReFantazio Launch Edition — $29.54 $69.99 (save $40.45)

• DOOM: The Dark Ages — $39.95 $69.99 (save $30.05)

• Forza Motorsport — $38.48 $69.99 (save $31.51)

Best console deal

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Credit: Nintendo/Amazon Renewed Store

Nintendo Switch with Neon Blue and Red Joy-Con (Renewed)

$189.99 at Amazon
$330.49 Save $140.50

 

Get Deal

Why we like it

The standard Nintendo Switch is still hovering above $300, but Amazon Renewed is once again offering a much cheaper way into the platform. The Neon Blue and Red Joy-Con model is down to $189.99 in refurbished "Acceptable" condition, saving $140.50 off its $330.49 list price.

You’ll need to be fine with some light cosmetic wear, but you’re still getting the full 6.2-inch Switch experience with detachable Joy-Con and handheld, tabletop, and docked TV play for plenty of both first-party Nintendo and third-party multiplatform games.

Best gaming monitor deal

Samsung 32-inch Odyssey G5 (G50F) Series QHD Gaming Monitor

$229.99 at Amazon
$349.99 Save $120

 

Get Deal at Amazon

Why we like it

Finding a 32-inch 1440p panel from a top-tier brand under $200 is a steal. You're getting a 180Hz refresh rate and a 1ms response time, plus G-Sync and FreeSync support to keep fast-paced action smooth and free of screen tearing. It also comes with a height-adjustable ergonomic stand right out of the box, so you can pivot, tilt, and swivel to your setup's needs — a practical feature most budget displays cut to trim costs.

More early gaming monitor deals

• msi Pro (MP243) 24-inch 1080p FHD Gaming/Office Monitor — $89.99 $109.99 (save $20)

• Sansui 24-inch curved 160Hz gaming monitor — $92.99 $119.99 (save $27)

• Samsung 27-inch Odyssey (G50F) QHD Gaming Monitor — $169.99 $279.99 (save $110)

• Samsung 32-inch Odyssey (G55C) 1,000R Curved Gaming Monitor — $189.99 $329.99 (save $140)

• LG 27-inch UltraGear OLED Gaming Monitor (27GS93QE-B) — $550.88 $899.99 (save $349.11)

Best gaming headset deal

Opens in a new window

Credit: HyperX

HyperX Cloud III S – Wireless Gaming Headset for Multi-Platform

$129.99 at Amazon
$179.99 Save $50

 

Get Deal

Why we like it

The HyperX Cloud III S is a wireless upgrade at $129.99, down $50 from its $179.99 list price — that's its lowest-ever price on Amazon (confirmed by price tracker camelcamelcamel). In exchange, you’re getting up to 120 hours of battery life over 2.4GHz, or as much as 200 hours through Bluetooth, alongside 53mm angled drivers and HyperX’s memory foam cushioning. It also works on PC, PS5, PS4, Nintendo Switch, Mac, and mobile devices, with both USB-A and USB-C connectors included for easier switching between platforms.

More early gaming headset deals

• Logitech G335 Wired Gaming Headset — $39.99 $69.99 (save $30)

• Razer BlackShark V2 X Gaming Headset (PC, PS4, PS5, Switch) — $39.99 $59.99 (save $20)

• HyperX Cloud III Wired Gaming Headset (PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S) — $69.99 $99.99 (save $30)

• SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7X Wireless Gen 2 Gaming Headset — $169.99 $199.99 (save $30)

• Logitech G Astro A50 Multi-Platform Wireless Gaming Headset — $284.99 $299.99 (save $15)

Best gaming keyboard and mouse deals

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Credit: Razer

Razer BlackWidow V4 X Mechanical Gaming Keyboard

$99.99 at Amazon
$129.99 Save $30.00

 

Get Deal

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Credit: Razer

Razer Basilisk V3

$34.98 at Amazon
$69.99 Save $35.01

 

Get Deal

Why we like it

Getting a top-tier wired mouse at half off makes the Razer Basilisk V3 an easy pick. It has 11 programmable buttons, a smart scroll wheel that toggles between tactile clicks and free-spin scrolling, and a thumb rest shaped for long gaming sessions.

If you're upgrading your keyboard too, the Razer BlackWidow V4 X has real tactile mechanical switches instead of those squishy membrane keys. It includes six dedicated macro keys, custom RGB lighting for each key, and a physical volume roller right above the number pad, so you don't have to tab out of your game to tweak audio.

More early keyboard and mouse deals

• Logitech G213 Prodigy Wired RGB Gaming Keyboard - Black — $39.99 $59.99 (save $20)

• SteelSeries Apex 3 RGB Gaming Keyboard — $49.99 $54.99 (save $5)

• Razer BlackWidow V4 X Mechanical Gaming Keyboard — $99.99 $129.99 (save $30)

• Logitech G305 Lightspeed Wireless Gaming Mouse — $29.99 $49.99 (save $20)

• Razer Basilisk V3 Customizable RGB Wired Ergonomic Gaming Mouse — $34.98 $69.99 (save $35.01)

• ASUS ROG Spatha X Wireless Gaming Mouse — $119.99 $169.99 (save $50)

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.

Want more tech and digital culture news delivered to your inbox daily or sent straight to your device? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories newsletter or get Mashable push alerts today.

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

Hurdle Word 1 hint

Gossip.

Hurdle Word 1 answer

RUMOR

Hurdle Word 2 hint

Caregiver.

Hurdle Word 2 Answer

NURSE

Hurdle Word 3 hint

Gloss.

Hurdle Word 3 answer

GLAZE

Hurdle Word 4 hint

The intern.

Hurdle Word 4 answer

GOFER

Final Hurdle hint

Each month has 12.

Hurdle Word 5 answer

MONTH

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

Welcome to your guide to Pips, the latest game in the New York Times catalog.

Released in August 2025, Pips puts a unique spin on dominoes, creating a fun single-player experience that could become your next daily gaming habit.

Currently, if you're stuck, the game only offers to reveal the entire puzzle, forcing you to move on to the next difficulty level and start over. However, we have you covered! Below are piecemeal answers that will serve as hints so that you can find your way through each difficulty level.

How to play Pips

If you've ever played dominoes, you'll have a passing familiarity with how Pips is played. As we've shared in our previous hints stories for Pips, the tiles, like dominoes, are placed vertically or horizontally and connect with each other. The main difference between a traditional game of dominoes and Pips is the color-coded conditions you have to address. The touching tiles don't necessarily have to match.

The conditions you have to meet are specific to the color-coded spaces. For example, if it provides a single number, every side of a tile in that space must add up to the number provided. It is possible — and common — for only half a tile to be within a color-coded space.

Here are common examples you'll run into across the difficulty levels:

• Number: All the pips in this space must add up to the number.

• Equal: Every domino half in this space must be the same number of pips.

• Not Equal: Every domino half in this space must have a completely different number of pips.

• Less than: Every domino half in this space must add up to less than the number.

• Greater than: Every domino half in this space must add up to more than the number.

If an area does not have any color coding, it means there are no conditions on the portions of dominoes within those spaces.

Easy difficulty hints, answers for September 30 Pips

Number (1): Everything in this space must add up to 1. The answer is 1-3, placed horizontally.

Number (1): Everything in this space must add up to 1. The answer is 1-5, placed horizontally; 6-0, placed horizontally.

Equal (6): Everything in this space must be equal to 6. The answer is 6-0, placed horizontally; 6-6, placed horizontally.

Number (10): Everything in this space must add up to 10. The answer is 1-5, placed horizontally; 4-5, placed horizontally.

Medium difficulty hints, answers for September 30 Pips

Number (11): Everything in this space must add up to 11. The answer is 5-3, placed vertically; 3-2, placed horizontally.

Less than (2): Everything in this space must be less than 2. The answer is 1-4, placed vertically.

Not Equal: Everything in this space must be different. The answer is 6-4, placed horizontally; 1-4, placed vertically; 5-2, placed vertically.

Less than (8): Everything in this space must be less than 8. The answer is 6-4, placed horizontally; 2-1, placed horizontally.

Number (2): Everything in this space must add up to 2. The answer is 3-2, placed horizontally.

Equal (4): Everything in this space must be equal to 4. The answer is 5-2, placed vertically; 2-2, placed horizontally.

Hard difficulty hints, answers for September 30 Pips

Number (6): Everything in this space must add up to 6. The answer is 4-2, placed horizontally; 4-3, placed horizontally.

Number (3): Everything in this space must add up to 3. The answer is 4-3, placed horizontally; 0-0, placed horizontally.

Equal (4): Everything in this space must be equal to 4. The answer is 4-2, placed horizontally; 4-4, placed vertically; 4-1, placed horizontally.

Number (9): Everything in this space must add up to 9. The answer is 4-4, placed vertically; 5-1, placed horizontally.

Number (2): Everything in this space must add up to 2. The answer is 4-1, placed horizontally; 5-1, placed horizontally.

Number (22): Everything in this space must add up to 22. The answer is 4-6, placed horizontally; 6-5, placed vertically; 6-2, placed vertically.

Less than (1): Everything in this space must be less than 1. The answer is 4-0, placed horizontally.

Greater Than (4): Everything in this space must be greater than 4. The answer is 6-5, placed vertically.

Number (9): Everything in this space must add up to 9. The answer is 4-0, placed horizontally; 5-4, placed horizontally.

Greater Than (4): Everything in this space must be greater than 4. The answer is 5-2, placed horizontally.

Not Equal: Everything in this space must be different. The answer is 3-1, placed horizontally; 3-2, placed horizontally.

Number (2): Everything in this space must add up to 2. The answer is 3-2, placed horizontally.

Equal (2): Everything in this space must be equal to 2. The answer is 6-2, placed vertically; 5-2, placed horizontally; 2-2, placed vertically.

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

Minecraft Dungeons II is now out for Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, and on Steam.

Unfortunately, based on Reddit posts and Google Search trends, some gamers trying to play the latest Minecraft action-RPG adventure are reportedly running into some issues on launch day. Specifically, error code 0064 may appear when attempting to boot up the game.

Users have speculated that it could be due to launch-day server overload or a Microsoft authentication issue. The good news? Google Search trends for the error code only spiked for a brief period of time on Sept. 29, so the issue may be resolved.

What could cause this type of error? As of now, it's unclear exactly what the cause of error 0064 is, but we can safely rule out some possibilities.

Gamers have reported the error 0064 issue across platforms, so it's likely not a bug specific to any one console.

Error 0064 is also reportedly hitting users as they attempt to sign in, so if you're already in the game, you should be safe.

However, if you're seeing the Error 0064 message, some gamers have shared that restarting the game or simply spamming the login button eventually worked for them.

Other potential fixes include logging in and out of your Microsoft account, or if you're on a PC, you can try repairing the Minecraft Launcher.

To repair the Minecraft Launcher on a Windows PC, follow these steps:

• Go to Windows Search and type in Minecraft Launcher

• Right-click on Minecraft Launcher when it shows up and select App Settings

• Press Terminate to close the launcher and then click on the Repair option

• When that's complete, reopen the Minecraft Launcher and select Minecraft Dungeons II

Users can also try uninstalling the game and reinstalling it, or contacting Minecraft Technical Support, if nothing else works.

SAVE $110: As of Sept. 29, the Samsung 27-inch Odyssey G5 is available for $169.99 at Amazon. That's a 39% saving on the regular list price of $179.99.

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Credit: Samsung

Samsung 27-Inch Odyssey G5

$169.99 at Amazon
$279.99 Save $110

 

Get Deal

There's no better time to stock up on gaming hardware than one of the major sale events — one of the few times you'll find discounts on top-quality gaming gear. And you don't have to wait long for the next moment to shop, as Amazon launches its October Prime Day on Oct. 6.

In fact, you don't have to wait at all because we're seeing gaming deals crop up already, including a generous discount on a Samsung monitor.

As of Sept. 29, the Samsung 27-inch Odyssey G5 is priced at $169.99. That's $110 off the regular list price of $279.99.

At 27 inches, this monitor is designed for modestly sized gaming setups. And it promises to bring that gaming space to life with plenty of visual-enhancing specs, including a QHD resolution, G-Sync compatibility for smooth gameplay, a Fast IPS panel, and an 180Hz refresh rate with a 1ms response time. It's also designed to improve your performance with its Virtual Aim Point feature — a crosshairs target that appears on the screen, allowing you to shoot with pinpoint accuracy.

If you're aiming for a gaming monitor upgrade, don't miss your chance to save $110 on the Samsung 27-inch Odyssey G5 — now priced at just $169.99 ahead of Prime Day.

The best deals this week, hand-picked by our shopping experts

• Apple iPhone 18 Pro — free at T-Mobile 

• Paramount+ — $0.99 for 2 months with code p2mcs26prem

• Pokémon 30th Celebration Elite Trainer Box — $89.99 (save vs. market price)

• Apple iPad Pro — $1,899 $2,099 (save $200)

• TCL 85-Inch Class QM8L Series TV — $2,497.99 $3,999.99 (save $1,502)

TL; DR: Starting Sept. 29, preorders for God of War Laufey are set to go live ahead of its Feb. 16, 2027 launch on PS5. Santa Monica Studio revealed exclusive preorder armor, the Digital Deluxe Edition contents, and fresh combat footage highlighting Faye's new transforming Serpent Bow.

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Credit: Playstation / Sony / Santa Monica studio

God of War Laufey

God of War Laufey preorders open on Sept. 29. Claim exclusive armor and in-game bonuses before the Feb. 16 launch.

Pre-order Here

Santa Monica Studio just pulled back the curtain on the next major chapter in the Norse saga, giving PlayStation fans a full breakdown of what to expect when preorders open today. God of War Laufey officially launches for the PS5 on Feb. 16, 2027. Preorders go live on Sept. 29, giving players their first chance to lock in physical and digital copies, along with extra in-game loot.

If you reserve any edition of the game before launch, you will receive a downloadable preorder pack containing the Last Wish Armor Set, the Phranque Golden Leaves Appearance cosmetic, and an in-game resource pack to jumpstart your adventure. Note that while these items are unlocked naturally through story progression, preordering gives you early access.

For players looking for extra gear, the Digital Deluxe Edition comes loaded with exclusive items:

• Dark Alchemy Gear — Includes the Dark Alchemy Armor Set, Dark Alchemy Blade, Dark Alchemy Bow Scales, and Dark Alchemy Catalyst.

• In-Game Resource Pack — Gives you extra crafting materials right out of the gate.

• Digital Extras — Includes the Official God of War Laufey Digital Soundtrack and a Digital Mini Artbook.

Santa Monica Studio also dropped fresh gameplay footage showing off Faye's main weapon: the Serpent Bow. This enchanted weapon transforms on the fly, making it easy to switch between sniping enemies from a distance and beating them up close.

How the bow fires depends entirely on how far you pull the aim trigger:

• Full-aim mode — Squeezing the trigger all the way down zooms in for extra accuracy and distance. Striking specific body parts slows enemies down, and you can charge up to five arrows at once to unleash a powerful volley.

• Half-aim mode — Lightly pulling the trigger lets you fire off quick bursts of arrows on the move. It is built for close-range fights, letting you pop enemies up into the air and keep combo chains going as you swap weapons.

You can customize the bow using swapable Scales — like the Dark Alchemy Scales included in the Digital Deluxe Edition — which change both the weapon's appearance and its gameplay perks. Paired with customizable sword blades, magic-channeling Catalysts, and stat-boosting armor, Faye’s kit offers tons of flexibility for different playstyles in the realm of the Everywhen.

Preorders for God of War Laufey open on Sept. 29 through the PlayStation Store and major retailers, ahead of its Feb. 16 release date.

The best early Prime Day deals on gaming monitors:

---

Best Budget Gaming Monitor deal

MSI PRO MP243L E14 24-inch FHD

$89.99 (save $20)

Get Deal

---

Best speed for FPS games

MSI 27-Inch MAG 274CF X24

$129.99 (save $10)

Get Deal

---

Best curved gaming monitor

Samsung 32-Inch Odyssey G55C

$189.99 (save $140)

Get Deal

---

Best sub-$200 gaming monitor

ASUS TUF Gaming VG27AQ3A 27-inch 1440p 180Hz

$199 (save $10)

Get Deal

---

Best High-Refresh 1440p Monitor

Alienware 27-Inch AW2726DL

$199.99 (save $30)

Get Deal

---

Best immersive monitor

Samsung 32-Inch Odyssey G5 G50F

$229.99 (save $120)

Get Deal

At Mashable, our tech reporters spend all year testing displays, PC hardware, and gaming gear. While we’ve watched component shortages and price hikes push hardware prices uncomfortably high over the last few months, Amazon is finally bringing PC gamers some relief with Prime Big Deal Days — better known as October Prime Day.

Running Oct. 6 and 7, Prime Big Deal Days is Amazon’s 48-hour event exclusively for Prime members. We’ve been covering this fall sale since its 2022 debut, using price-tracking tools like camelcamelcamel to verify that an "early deal" is a genuine price drop before we ever recommend it.

The price check is especially crucial for gaming setups, where outdated hardware can quietly bottleneck your entire system. If your GPU pumps out 144 frames per second but your monitor tops out at 60Hz, you are throwing away performance you paid for. Slow refresh rates and high response times can lead to motion blur, screen tearing, and delayed inputs in fast shooters like Valorant, Apex, or Call of Duty.

Upgrading your panel gets your display speeds back in sync with your PC. Whether you need a 280Hz eSports display for frame-rate gains, a 1440p workhorse for sharper visual detail, or a curved screen for immersive single-player games, early Prime Day deals have slashed prices across Samsung, Alienware, MSI, and more.

We rounded up the best early monitor deals live right now so you can upgrade your setup for less.

Fluid 144Hz frame rates for under $90

Finding a true 144Hz IPS display under $90 is rare, making the MSI PRO MP243L E14 an easy pick if you want fast gaming speeds on a tight budget. Jumping from a standard 60Hz or 75Hz screen to 144Hz removes distracting motion blur in fast shooters, while FreeSync support prevents screen tearing when your frame rate drops. The 24-inch 1080p panel delivers sharp pixel density with vibrant colors and wide viewing angles, making it just as solid for daily work or a cheap second display as it is for entry-level PC and console gaming.

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Credit: MSI

MSI PRO MP243L E14 24-inch FHD Gaming Monitor

$89.99 at Amazon
$109.99 Save $20

 

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Score a 0.5ms tournament display for cheap

If you spend most of your gaming hours in fast-moving tactical shooters like Valorant, CS2, or Apex Legends, sheer speed matters far more than ultra-high resolutions. The MSI MAG 274CF X24 pushes a massive 240Hz refresh rate alongside an ultra-fast 0.5ms response time on a budget-friendly panel. The high frame capacity eliminates screen tearing, ghosting, and input delay, making fast target tracking feel effortless.

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Credit: MSI

MSI MAG 274CF X24 (27-inch)

$129.99 at Amazon
$139.99 Save $10

 

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Leave flat screens behind for under $190

Most curved monitors use a subtle bend, but the Samsung Odyssey G55C packs an aggressive 1000R curve that matches the natural field of view of the human eye, pulling your peripheral vision directly into single-player RPGs, flight sims, and racing games. Bumping the screen size up to 32 inches can sometimes stretch out 1080p graphics, but its sharp 1440p QHD resolution keeps textures crisp and detailed across the entire display. Pair that panoramic curve with a fast 165Hz refresh rate, FreeSync screen-tearing protection, and built-in eye saver settings to cut blue light during late-night raids, and you get pure immersion that is worth spending on.

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Credit: Samsung

Samsung 32-Inch Odyssey G55C

$189.99 at Amazon
$329.99 Save $140

 

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Ditch 1080p blur with ASUS's 180Hz QHD monitor

Cracking the sub-$200 mark while offering both 1440p resolution and a fast 180Hz refresh rate makes the ASUS TUF Gaming VG27AQ3A an unbeatable budget upgrade. Stepping up from standard 1080p delivers 77% more screen workspace and much sharper text, while its Fast IPS panel maintains color accuracy across wide viewing angles. ASUS includes ELMB Sync (Extreme Low Motion Blur) alongside G-Sync and FreeSync support to eliminate screen tearing and ghosting in fast-moving shooters.

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Credit: ASUS

ASUS TUF Gaming VG27AQ3A 27-inch 1440p 180Hz

$199 at Amazon
$209 Save $10

 

Get Deal

Uncap your GPU’s frame rate at 1440p

Sub-$200 gaming monitors usually top out around 165Hz or 180Hz, but the Alienware AW2726DL pushes speed even further without sacrificing resolution. Delivering a blistering 280Hz refresh rate alongside sharp 1440p visuals, this 27-inch IPS panel eliminates motion blur and input lag in fast-paced competitive shooters like Valorant and Apex Legends. Combined with 1ms response times, vibrant colors, and a fully adjustable stand that tilts, swivels, and pivots, you get top-tier eSports frame rates from a premium brand at a budget price.

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Credit: Alienware

Alienware AW2726DL (27-inch)

$199.99
$229.99 Save $30

 

Get Deal

Drop your display bottleneck for 39% off

Samsung’s Odyssey G5 (G50F) delivers razor-sharp 1440p resolution, 1ms response times, and a fast 180Hz refresh rate to keep high-speed motion fluid and free of input lag. The Fast IPS panel keeps colors accurate across a wide 178-degree viewing angle, while G-Sync and FreeSync support prevent screen tearing when your frame rate dips. Both the 27-inch and 32-inch options feature integrated gamer-focused tools like Black Equalizer to spot enemies in dark shadows, along with a full-motion ergonomic stand that height-adjusts, tilts, swivels, and pivots into vertical mode.

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Credit: Samsung

Samsung 32-Inch Odyssey G5 G50F

$229.99 at Amazon
$349.99 Save $120

 

Get Deal

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Credit: Samsung

Samsung 27-Inch Odyssey G5 G50F

$169.99 at Amazon
$279.99 Save $110

 

Get Deal

Get an ultra-fast QD-OLED display for under $350

OLED displays used to command four-figure price tags, but MSI’s MAG 274QP QD-OLED X24 brings flagship-level panel technology down to a much more accessible price. Combining self-emitting OLED pixels with Quantum Dot color conversion, this 27-inch 1440p display delivers pure pitch-black levels, infinite contrast, and vibrant 10-bit color depth with zero backlight bleed. A blistering 240Hz refresh rate paired with an instantaneous 0.03ms response time makes fast-moving motion look blur-free.

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Credit: MSI

MSI MAG 274QP QD-OLED X24 27-Inch WQHD 240Hz

$349.99 at Amazon
$399.99 Save $50

 

Get Deal

Unlock 360Hz speed and infinite contrast for 8% off

If you want esports-grade speed without sacrificing brilliant picture quality, the MSI MPG 271QRX QD-OLED offers the best of both worlds. A blazing 360Hz refresh rate and near-instant 0.03ms response time make fast movement look smooth and blur-free in competitive games like Valorant and Apex Legends. Plus, its QD-OLED display delivers deep blacks, rich colors, and razor-sharp 1440p detail.

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Credit: MSI

MSI MPG 271QRX QD-OLED 27-inch QHD 360Hz

$579.99 at Amazon
$629.99 Save $50

 

Get Deal

Cut 30% off a massive 180Hz curved display

If you want to ditch multi-monitor setups for a single, seamless display, Samsung’s 40-inch Odyssey G7 (G75F) brings serious screen space. Its massive 21:9 ultrawide frame runs at a razor-sharp 5120x2160 resolution, wrapping your peripheral vision with a tight 1000R curve. Despite its huge size, it doesn't sacrifice speed — delivering a smooth 180Hz refresh rate, 1ms response time, and FreeSync Premium Pro support for fluid, tear-free gameplay in fast-action games.

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Credit: Samsung

Samsung 40-Inch Odyssey G7 (G75F) Series WUHD

$699.99 at Amazon
$999.99 Save $300

 

Get Deal

Welcome to your guide to Pips, the latest game in the New York Times catalog.

Released in August 2025, Pips puts a unique spin on dominoes, creating a fun single-player experience that could become your next daily gaming habit.

Currently, if you're stuck, the game only offers to reveal the entire puzzle, forcing you to move on to the next difficulty level and start over. However, we have you covered! Below are piecemeal answers that will serve as hints so that you can find your way through each difficulty level.

How to play Pips

If you've ever played dominoes, you'll have a passing familiarity with how Pips is played. As we've shared in our previous hints stories for Pips, the tiles, like dominoes, are placed vertically or horizontally and connect with each other. The main difference between a traditional game of dominoes and Pips is the color-coded conditions you have to address. The touching tiles don't necessarily have to match.

The conditions you have to meet are specific to the color-coded spaces. For example, if it provides a single number, every side of a tile in that space must add up to the number provided. It is possible — and common — for only half a tile to be within a color-coded space.

Here are common examples you'll run into across the difficulty levels:

• Number: All the pips in this space must add up to the number.

• Equal: Every domino half in this space must be the same number of pips.

• Not Equal: Every domino half in this space must have a completely different number of pips.

• Less than: Every domino half in this space must add up to less than the number.

• Greater than: Every domino half in this space must add up to more than the number.

If an area does not have any color coding, it means there are no conditions on the portions of dominoes within those spaces.

Easy difficulty hints, answers for September 29 Pips

Less than (2): Everything in this space must be less than 2. The answer is 0-5, placed vertically.

Less than (2): Everything in this space must be less than 2. The answer is 0-2, placed vertically.

Less than (4): Everything in this space must be less than 4. The answer is 0-5, placed vertically.

Less than (2): Everything in this space must be less than 2. The answer is 0-3, placed vertically.

Equal (2): Everything in this space must be equal to 2. The answer is 0-2, placed vertically; 2-5, placed horizontally.

Greater Than (4): Everything in this space must be greater than 4. The answer is 2-5, placed horizontally.

Equal (3): Everything in this space must be equal to 3. The answer is 0-3, placed vertically; 3-4, placed horizontally.

Medium difficulty hints, answers for September 29 Pips

Equal (4): Everything in this space must be equal to 4. The answer is 4-5, placed horizontally; 4-4, placed horizontally.

Less than (7): Everything in this space must be less than 7. The answer is 4-5, placed horizontally; 0-5, placed vertically.

Number (1): Everything in this space must add up to 1. The answer is 1-2, placed horizontally.

Not Equal: Everything in this space must be different. The answer is 6-2, placed vertically.

Less than (12): Everything in this space must be less than 12. The answer is 0-5, placed vertically; 3-3, placed vertically.

Greater Than (8): Everything in this space must be greater than 8. The answer is 6-6, placed vertically.

Hard difficulty hints, answers for September 29 Pips

Number (4): Everything in this space must add up to 4. The answer is 4-3, placed vertically.

Less than (1): Everything in this space must be less than 1. The answer is 2-0, placed vertically.

Number (3): Everything in this space must add up to 3. The answer is 0-3, placed horizontally.

Equal (3): Everything in this space must be equal to 3. The answer is 3-3, placed horizontally; 3-5, placed vertically; 4-3, placed vertically.

Greater Than (5): Everything in this space must be greater than 5. The answer is 6-3, placed horizontally.

Greater Than (1): Everything in this space must be greater than 1. The answer is 6-3, placed horizontally.

Greater Than (3): Everything in this space must be greater than 3. The answer is 4-1, placed vertically.

Equal (5): Everything in this space must be equal to 5. The answer is 3-5, placed vertically; 5-5, placed vertically.

Less than (2): Everything in this space must be less than 2. The answer is 4-1, placed vertically.

Number (7): Everything in this red space must add up to 7. The answer is 1-6, placed horizontally.

Number (3): Everything in this space must add up to 3. The answer is 3-2, placed vertically.

Number (4): Everything in this space must add up to 4. The answer is 4-2, placed horizontally.

Number (9): Everything in this space must add up to 9. The answer is 1-1, placed vertically; 4-2, placed horizontally; 5-2, placed vertically.

Number (2): Everything in this space must add up to 2. The answer is 5-2, placed vertically.

Equal (4): Everything in this space must be equal to 4. The answer is 4-4, placed vertically.

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

SAVE $200: As of Sept. 28, the 85-inch TCL QM6K Series Mini-LED 4K TV is on sale for $897.99 at Amazon. Down from its typical price of $1,097.99, that's its best-ever price.

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Credit: TCL

TCL 85-Inch Class QM6K Series Mini LED QLED 4K HDR TV

$897.99 at Amazon
$1,097.99 Save $200

 

Get Deal

If you have been waiting to turn your living room into a private movie theater, Amazon just dropped a record-low deal on a massive screen. The 85-inch TCL QM6K Series Mini-LED 4K Smart TV is currently marked down to $897.99 from its typical $1,097.99 price tag. That is an 18% discount that knocks $200 off, bringing this latest-model display down to its best price ever.

Getting an 85-inch screen under the $900 mark is already a steal, but what makes this deal special is that TCL didn't skimp on picture quality to keep the price low. Instead of using old-school giant backlights that make dark scenes look washed-out and grey, this model packs thousands of microscopic LEDs directly behind the glass. Because these tiny lights can dim or brighten independently, bright objects stay sharp while dark backgrounds remain genuinely dark, preventing bright light from leaking into the dark corners of the screen.

It is also built to handle fast movement without turning into a blurry mess. The screen can refresh its picture up to 144 times every second, which means fast-moving footballs, racing cars, and current-gen video games stay buttery smooth. Whatever you choose to watch, the TV automatically adjusts its picture settings to match the exact movie or show format you are streaming, making sure colors pop without looking fake or overly harsh.

Rounding out the package is built-in Google TV software, which means all your favorite streaming apps like Netflix, Prime Video, and YouTube are on one easy-to-use home screen. You can control the TV using the included voice remote with Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa commands, and the onboard speakers are tuned by audio brand Onkyo with spatial surround sound built right in, so dialogue stays clear without requiring an immediate soundbar purchase.

Head to Amazon to score TCL's massive 85-inch Mini-LED 4K TV at its record-low price before it sells out.

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.

Want more tech and digital culture news delivered to your inbox daily or sent straight to your device? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories newsletter or get Mashable push alerts today.

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

Hurdle Word 1 hint

Taylor ___.

Hurdle Word 1 answer

SWIFT

Hurdle Word 2 hint

"I looked all over."

Hurdle Word 2 Answer

SCOUR

Hurdle Word 3 hint

Clingy.

Hurdle Word 3 answer

NEEDY

Hurdle Word 4 hint

Rubbish

Hurdle Word 4 answer

TRASH

Final Hurdle hint

Parched.

Hurdle Word 5 answer

DRIED

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

Welcome to your guide to Pips, the latest game in the New York Times catalog.

Released in August 2025, Pips puts a unique spin on dominoes, creating a fun single-player experience that could become your next daily gaming habit.

Currently, if you're stuck, the game only offers to reveal the entire puzzle, forcing you to move on to the next difficulty level and start over. However, we have you covered! Below are piecemeal answers that will serve as hints so that you can find your way through each difficulty level.

How to play Pips

If you've ever played dominoes, you'll have a passing familiarity with how Pips is played. As we've shared in our previous hints stories for Pips, the tiles, like dominoes, are placed vertically or horizontally and connect with each other. The main difference between a traditional game of dominoes and Pips is the color-coded conditions you have to address. The touching tiles don't necessarily have to match.

The conditions you have to meet are specific to the color-coded spaces. For example, if it provides a single number, every side of a tile in that space must add up to the number provided. It is possible — and common — for only half a tile to be within a color-coded space.

Here are common examples you'll run into across the difficulty levels:

• Number: All the pips in this space must add up to the number.

• Equal: Every domino half in this space must be the same number of pips.

• Not Equal: Every domino half in this space must have a completely different number of pips.

• Less than: Every domino half in this space must add up to less than the number.

• Greater than: Every domino half in this space must add up to more than the number.

If an area does not have any color coding, it means there are no conditions on the portions of dominoes within those spaces.

Easy difficulty hints, answers for September 28 Pips

Less than (2): Everything in this space must be less than 2. The answer is 1-4, placed vertically.

Equal (4): Everything in this space must be equal to 4. The answer is 1-4, placed vertically; 4-4, placed vertically.

Number (10): Everything in this purple space must add up to 10. The answer is 4-4, placed vertically; 6-3, placed vertically.

Number (8): Everything in this space must add up to 8. The answer is 6-3, placed vertically; 5-2, placed vertically.

Number (2): Everything in this space must add up to 2. The answer is 5-2, placed vertically.

Equal (0): Everything in this space must be equal to 0. The answer is 0-0, placed vertically.

Medium difficulty hints, answers for September 28 Pips

Greater Than (1): Everything in this space must be greater than 1. The answer is 4-1, placed horizontally.

Number (4): Everything in this space must add up to 4. The answer is 4-3, placed vertically.

Number (0): Everything in this space must add up to 0. The answer is 0-4, placed vertically.

Greater Than (10): Everything in this space must be greater than 10. The answer is 5-3, placed vertically; 4-3, placed vertically.

Greater Than (18): Everything in this space must be greater than 18. The answer is 0-4, placed vertically; 4-5, placed vertically; 6-3, placed horizontally.

Less than (8): Everything in this space must be less than 8. The answer is 3-1, placed horizontally; 6-3, placed horizontally.

Hard difficulty hints, answers for September 28 Pips

Equal (1): Everything in this space must be equal to 1. The answer is 1-3, placed vertically; 1-2, placed vertically; 1-1, placed horizontally.

Greater Than (4): Everything in this space must be greater than 4. The answer is 5-1, placed vertically.

Number (7): Everything in this red space must add up to 7. The answer is 4-0, placed vertically; 1-3, placed vertically.

Number (8): Everything in this space must add up to 8. The answer is 1-2, placed vertically; 2-4, placed horizontally.

Number (4): Everything in this space must add up to 4. The answer is 4-4, placed vertically.

Number (4): Everything in this space must add up to 4. The answer is 4-4, placed vertically.

Number (7): Everything in this space must add up to 7. The answer is 5-0, placed vertically; 2-2, placed horizontally.

Number (2): Everything in this space must add up to 2. The answer is 2-2, placed horizontally.

Number (1): Everything in this space must add up to 1. The answer is 5-1, placed vertically; 0-3, placed vertically.

Equal (3): Everything in this space must be equal to 3. The answer is 0-3, placed vertically; 3-3, placed vertically; 3-6, placed vertically.

Greater Than (9): Everything in this space must be greater than 9. The answer is 4-6, placed horizontally.

Greater Than (14): Everything in this space must be greater than 14. The answer is 5-4, placed horizontally; 3-6, placed vertically.

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

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.

Want more tech and digital culture news delivered to your inbox daily or sent straight to your device? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories newsletter or get Mashable push alerts today.

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

Hurdle Word 1 hint

Worth.

Hurdle Word 1 answer

VALUE

Hurdle Word 2 hint

Throat ball.

Hurdle Word 2 Answer

UVULA

Hurdle Word 3 hint

Crybaby.

Hurdle Word 3 answer

WHINY

Hurdle Word 4 hint

"Get up!"

Hurdle Word 4 answer

STAND

Final Hurdle hint

Professional groups.

Hurdle Word 5 answer

GUILD

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

Welcome to your guide to Pips, the latest game in the New York Times catalog.

Released in August 2025, Pips puts a unique spin on dominoes, creating a fun single-player experience that could become your next daily gaming habit.

Currently, if you're stuck, the game only offers to reveal the entire puzzle, forcing you to move on to the next difficulty level and start over. However, we have you covered! Below are piecemeal answers that will serve as hints so that you can find your way through each difficulty level.

How to play Pips

If you've ever played dominoes, you'll have a passing familiarity with how Pips is played. As we've shared in our previous hints stories for Pips, the tiles, like dominoes, are placed vertically or horizontally and connect with each other. The main difference between a traditional game of dominoes and Pips is the color-coded conditions you have to address. The touching tiles don't necessarily have to match.

The conditions you have to meet are specific to the color-coded spaces. For example, if it provides a single number, every side of a tile in that space must add up to the number provided. It is possible — and common — for only half a tile to be within a color-coded space.

Here are common examples you'll run into across the difficulty levels:

• Number: All the pips in this space must add up to the number.

• Equal: Every domino half in this space must be the same number of pips.

• Not Equal: Every domino half in this space must have a completely different number of pips.

• Less than: Every domino half in this space must add up to less than the number.

• Greater than: Every domino half in this space must add up to more than the number.

If an area does not have any color coding, it means there are no conditions on the portions of dominoes within those spaces.

Easy difficulty hints, answers for September 27 Pips

Equal (3): Everything in this space must be equal to 3. The answer is 3-3, placed horizontally; 3-4, placed vertically.

Number (10): Everything in this purple space must add up to 10. The answer is 3-4, placed vertically; 6-5, placed horizontally.

Greater Than (4): Everything in this space must be greater than 4. The answer is 6-5, placed horizontally.

Number (2): Everything in this space must add up to 2. The answer is 1-1, placed vertically; 0-2, placed horizontally.

Medium difficulty hints, answers for September 27 Pips

Equal (0): Everything in this space must be equal to 0. The answer is 3-0, placed horizontally; 0-0, placed horizontally.

Greater Than (4): Everything in this light blue space must be greater than 4. The answer is 6-5, placed horizontally.

Greater Than (4): Everything in this orange space must be greater than 4. The answer is 6-6, placed horizontally.

Equal (6): Everything in this space must be equal to 6. The answer is 6-6, placed horizontally; 6-5, placed horizontally; 6-1, placed horizontally.

Greater Than (4): Everything in this green space must be greater than 4. The answer is 0-5, placed horizontally.

Equal (4): Everything in this space must be equal to 4. The answer is 4-4, placed horizontally; 4-0, placed horizontally.

Number (1): Everything in this space must add up to 1. The answer is 6-1, placed horizontally; 0-5, placed horizontally; 4-0, placed horizontally.

Hard difficulty hints, answers for September 27 Pips

Equal (3): Everything in this space must be equal to 3. The answer is 3-1, placed horizontally; 3-3, placed vertically.

Number (3): Everything in this space must add up to 3. The answer is 3-1, placed horizontally; 2-6, placed vertically.

Number (8): Everything in this space must add up to 8. The answer is 2-6, placed vertically; 2-3, placed vertically.

Number (3): Everything in this space must add up to 3. The answer is 0-0, placed horizontally; 2-3, placed vertically.

Not Equal: Everything in this space must be different. The answer is 6-5, placed horizontally; 3-4, placed vertically.

Number (8): Everything in this space must add up to 8. The answer is 4-4, placed vertically; 2-2, placed horizontally.

Number (9): Everything in this space must add up to 9. The answer is 4-4, placed vertically; 5-0, placed vertically.

Number (6): Everything in this space must add up to 6. The answer is 4-2, placed vertically.

Number (1): Everything in this space must add up to 1. The answer is 5-0, placed vertically; 1-0, placed horizontally.

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

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.

Want more tech and digital culture news delivered to your inbox daily or sent straight to your device? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories newsletter or get Mashable push alerts today.

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

Hurdle Word 1 hint

A narcotic.

Hurdle Word 1 answer

OPIUM

Hurdle Word 2 hint

Trapped.

Hurdle Word 2 Answer

STUCK

Hurdle Word 3 hint

Tightly packed

Hurdle Word 3 answer

DENSE

Hurdle Word 4 hint

Two cents.

Hurdle Word 4 answer

INPUT

Final Hurdle hint

Perch.

Hurdle Word 5 answer

ROOST

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

The best early Prime Day Pokémon deals:

---

Best TCG deal

Pokémon TCG 30th Celebration Elite Trainer Box

$89.99 (save vs. market price)

Get Deal

---

Best Lego deal

Lego Pokémon Eevee (72151)

$47.99 (save $12)

Get Deal

---

Best video game deal

Pokémon Legends: Z-A (Nintendo Switch 2)

$53.99 (save $16)

Get Deal

---

Best book deal

Pokémon Deluxe Character Guide (Pokemon Pikachu Press)

$41.98 (save $18.01)

Get Deal

Amazon’s October Prime Day may still be on the horizon, but there are already plenty of Pokémon discounts to score on trading cards, Nintendo Switch games, books, and much more. Collectors everywhere have been focused on buying the 30th Celebration expansion, but this kind of sale is the perfect way to catch up on past collections.

Prime Day will run from Oct. 6-7, so be sure to keep this page bookmarked for plenty of other deals in the build-up to the sale going live. In the meantime, these are my favorite early Pokémon Prime Day deals you can buy right now.

Best Pokémon TCG deal

Pokémon TCG: 30th Celebration Elite Trainer Box

$89.99 at Amazon

 

Get Deal at Amazon Get Deal at Walmart

Why we like it

After temporarily jumping back up to $200+ due to low supply, the Pokémon TCG’s 30th Celebration ETB is back at $89.99 — still a massive $168.94 under TCGplayer’s estimated market price of $177.93. 

The catch is availability, as Amazon is selling the box through its invitation system. You need to hit "request invite" rather than buy it immediately. If Amazon selects your request, you'll receive a limited window to complete the purchase. 

If you’re successful, you’ll get this glorious box including nine 30th Celebration booster packs, a full-art foil Nidorina promo, 16 foil Basic Energy trading cards, 65 sleeves, dice, a coin, dividers, a collector's box, a player's guide, and a Pokémon TCG Live code. 

More Pokémon TCG deals

• Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Pitch Black 3 Booster Pack Blister (Binacle) — $22.89 $29.99 (save $7.10)

• Pokémon TCG Mega Evolutions Perfect Order 3-Pack Blister (Chikorita) — $23.63 $29.99 (save $6.36)

• Pokémon TCG First Partner Illustration Collection — Series 2 — $26.87 $59.99 (save $33.12)

• Pokémon TCG Scarlet & Violet Journey Together Booster Bundle — $52.95 $59.99 (save $7.04) 

• Pokémon TCG Scarlet & Violet Surging Sparks Booster Bundle — $74.65 $81.00 (save $6.35)

• Pokémon TCG 30th Celebration Greninja ex Box — $89.49 $99.99 (save $10.50)

Best Pokémon Lego deal

Lego Pokemon Eevee Building Set (72151)

$46 at Walmart
$59.99 Save $13.99

 

Get Deal at Walmart Get Deal at Amazon

Why we like it

The 587-piece Lego Pokémon Eevee set is a posable display piece designed for adult builders. Unlike static figures, the ears, head, limbs, and angled tail are fully adjustable, so you can change up how it sits on your shelf. While $47.99 isn't a huge drop from its $50 retail price, it's just a few cents off its all-time low of $47.95, making it a good excuse to grab it now rather than waiting to see if it drops further during the main sale.

(Note: Eevee is currently the only set in the Lego Pokémon lineup receiving a discount ahead of Prime Big Deal Days, but we've listed the most popular sets below so you can keep an eye on them if Amazon drops prices during the event.)

More Pokémon Lego deals

• Lego Pokémon SMART Play: Charmander and Geodude's Cavern Clash — $19.99

• Lego Pokémon SMART Play: Training House with Pikachu — $69.96

• Lego Pokémon SMART Play: Mewtwo's Lab Break — $69.96

• Lego Pokémon SMART Play: Umbreon vs. Garchomp Championship Battle — $79.96

• Lego Pokémon SMART Play: Cubone and Gengar's Spooky Showdown — $89.96

• Lego Pokémon Arcanine — $109.95

• Lego Pokémon SMART Play: Charizard vs. Jolteon Ultimate Battle — $119.99

• Lego Pokémon Rayquaza — $129.95

• Lego Pokémon Pikachu and Poké Ball — $199.95

• Lego Pokémon Venusaur, Charizard, and Blastoise — $649.99

Best Pokémon Nintendo Switch game deal

Pokémon Legends: Z-A

$0 at Amazon

 

Get Deal at Amazon

Why we like it

Set within Lumiose City, Pokémon Legends: Z-A lets you issue commands on the fly, compete in the nightly Z-A Royale tournament, and use the returning Mega Evolution mechanic to take down rampaging rogue Pokémon. At $53.99, a 23% discount on a major Nintendo Switch 2 title makes this an easy choice to pick up now rather than paying full retail.

More Pokémon Nintendo Switch game deals

• Detective Pikachu Returns — $46.92 $49.99 (save $3.07)

• Pokémon Legends: Z-A (Switch 1) — $49.44 $59.99 (save $10.55)

• Pokémon: Let's Go, Eevee! — $53.87 $59.99 (save $6.12)

• Pokémon Legends: Arceus — $54.49 $59.99 (save $5.50)

• Pokémon Legends: Z-A (Switch 2) — $59 $69.99 (save $10.55)

Best Pokémon book deal

Pokémon Deluxe Character Guide (Pokemon Pikachu Press)

$39.84 at Amazon
$59.99 Save $20.15

 

Get Deal at Amazon

Why we like it

For a hardbound, 336-page reference book celebrating 30 years of the franchise, a 30% markdown makes this a reasonable grab for collectors. It features a foreword from The Pokémon Company CEO Tsunekazu Ishihara and covers characters across every region in numerical order with artwork from the games, anime, and trading card game. It works well as a coffee table display piece with its color-it-yourself cover, or just as a quick reference guide so you don't have to keep an online wiki open on your phone.

More Pokémon book deals

• Pokémon Timelines: A Journey Through the Animated Series — $9.87 $29.99 (save $20.12)

• Pokécology: An Illustrated Guide to Pokémon Ecology — $13.97 $14.99 (save $1.02)

• Pokémon Deluxe Character Guide — $41.98 $59.99 (save $18.01)

The best early Prime Day gaming deals:

---

Best video game deal

Starfield (Standard Edition PS5)

$29.99 (save $20)

Get Deal

---

Best console deal

Nex Playground + 12-Month Play Pass Bundle

$354.87 (save $33.13)

Get Deal

---

Best gaming monitor deal

Samsung 32-inch Odyssey G5 (G50F) Series QHD Gaming Monitor

$199.99 (save $150)

Get Deal

---

Best gaming headset deal

HyperX Cloud II Gaming Headset

$49.99 (save $30)

Get Deal

---

Best gaming keyboard deal

Razer BlackWidow V4 X Mechanical Gaming Keyboard

$99.99 (save $30)

Get Deal

---

Best gaming mouse deal

Razer Basilisk V3 (Wired)

$34.98 (save $35.01)

Get Deal

Amazon’s October Prime Day is getting closer, and the retailer’s early gaming deals are now stretching well beyond discounted PS5, Nintendo Switch, and Xbox games. We’re also seeing price cuts on gaming monitors, headsets, mice, keyboards, and other setup upgrades ahead of the main sale on Oct. 6-7.

With that in mind, we’ve expanded this guide to cover the best gaming tech alongside the console deals already worth shopping. As always, we’re sticking to products with genuine reductions against their listed or typical prices, and we’ll keep updating our picks as more early Prime Day offers go live.

Best video game deal

Opens in a new window

Credit: Xbox

Starfield (Standard Edition PS5)

$29.99 at Amazon
$49.99 Save $20.00

 

Get Deal

Why we like it

Starfield only made the jump to PS5 in April, and the Standard Edition is already nearly half price. The game is currently listed at $47.33 (usually $49.99), but an on-page coupon drops it to $29.99 at checkout. That $20 savings marks the lowest price this version has ever seen on Amazon. This is the full base game rather than a trimmed-down edition, giving you Bethesda’s huge sci-fi RPG with deep character customization, ship building, and over 1,000 planets to explore.

More early Prime Day video game deals

PS5 games

• NBA 2K26 — $13.99 $19.99 (save $6)

• Persona 3 Reload — $19.40 $69.99 (save $50.59)

• Sonic Superstars — $19.99 $29.99 (save $10)

• Red Dead Redemption — $24.99 $29.99 (save $5)

• Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 — $25.74 $49.99 (save $24.25)

• Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Ties — $29.99 $59.99 (save $30)

• Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds Amazon Exclusive Edition — $34.99 $69.99 (save $35)

• The Last of Us Part II Remastered — $37.49 $49.99 (save $12.50)

• The Last of Us Part 1 — $37.99 $69.99 (save $32)

• Ghost of Tsushima Director's Cut — $37.99 $69.99 (save $32)

• God of War Ragnarök — $39.99 $69.99 (save $30)

• MLB The Show 26 — $42.95 $69.99 (save $27.04)

• Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 — $44.75 $69.99 (save $25.24)

Nintendo Switch games

• South Park: Snow Day! — $22.93 $29.99 (save $7.06)

• Assassin’s Creed: The Rebel Collection — $23.98 $39.99 (save $16.01)

• Sonic Origins Plus — $24.50 $39.99 (save $15.49)

• Sonic Frontiers — $24.99 $39.99 (save $15.00)

• Batman: Arkham Trilogy — $26.99 $29.03 (save $2.04)

• Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition — $32.90 $59.99 (save $27.09)

• Super Mario RPG — $36.90 $59.99 (save $23.09)

• Mario vs. Donkey Kong — $34.97 $49.99 (save $15.02)

Xbox games

• Cuphead — $20.23 $39.99 (save $19.76)

• Sonic Superstars — $21 $59.99 (save $38.99)

• Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 — $23.47 $49.99 (save $26.52)

• Sonic X Shadow Generations — $24.99 $49.99 (save $25)

• Borderlands 4 — $29.99 $49.99 (save $20)

• Metaphor: ReFantazio Launch Edition — $31 $69.99 (save $38.99)

• DOOM: The Dark Ages — $31.49 $69.99 (save $38.50)

• Forza Motorsport — $38.48 $69.99 (save $31.51)

Best console deal

Nex Playground + 12-Month Play Pass Bundle

$354.87 at Amazon
$388 Save $33.13

 

Get Deal at Amazon

Why we like it

Don't write this off as just a kids' toy. Mashable freelancer Tabitha Britt bought one a couple of years ago for Christmas, when it was sold out everywhere — she literally had to special-order it and wait two weeks for it to ship — and says it's still one of the most genuinely fun active setups you can buy. It's kind of like a Wii, but it uses an AI camera to track your movements, so you don't need a handheld controller to play.

(Note: Standard PS5, Xbox Series X, and Nintendo Switch systems are still at their full retail price, so we haven't included them here. We're keeping a close eye on console prices and will update this section the second actual markdowns go live.)

Best gaming monitor deal

Samsung 32-inch Odyssey G5 (G50F) Series QHD Gaming Monitor

$229.99 at Amazon
$349.99 Save $120

 

Get Deal at Amazon

Why we like it

Finding a 32-inch 1440p panel from a top-tier brand under $200 is a steal. You're getting a 180Hz refresh rate and a 1ms response time, plus G-Sync and FreeSync support to keep fast-paced action smooth and free of screen tearing. It also comes with a height-adjustable ergonomic stand right out of the box, so you can pivot, tilt, and swivel to your setup's needs — a practical feature most budget displays cut to trim costs.

More early gaming monitor deals

• msi Pro (MP243) 24-inch 1080p FHD Gaming/Office Monitor — $89.99 $109.99 (save $20)

• Sansui 24-inch curved 160Hz gaming monitor — $89.98 $119.99 (save $30.01)

• Samsung 27-inch Odyssey (G50F) QHD Gaming Monitor — $175.75 $279.99 (save $104.24)

• Samsung 32-inch Odyssey (G55C) 1,000R Curved Gaming Monitor — $249.79 $329.99 (save $80.29)

• LG 27-inch UltraGear OLED Gaming Monitor (27GS93QE-B) — $499.99 $899.99 (save $400)

Best gaming headset deal

HyperX Cloud II Headset

$49.99 at Amazon
$79.99 Save $30.00

 

Get Deal at Amazon Get Deal at Walmart Get Deal at Best Buy

Why we like it

The HyperX Cloud II has been around for years because the basic design just works. For $50, you get 53mm drivers, hardware-driven 7.1 virtual surround sound, and an aluminum frame built to take a beating. The memory foam ear pads stay comfortable during long gaming sessions, and the detachable noise-canceling mic keeps voice chat clear without getting in the way when you just want to listen to music.

More early gaming headset deals

• Logitech G335 Wired Gaming Headset — $29.99 $69.99 (save $40)

• Razer BlackShark V2 X Gaming Headset (PC, PS4, PS5, Switch) — $39.99 $59.99 (save $20)

• HyperX Cloud III – Wired Gaming Headset (PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S) — $69.99 $99.99 (save $30)

• Turtle Beach Stealth 600 Wireless Gaming Headset — $89 $109.99 (save $20.99)

• SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7 Wireless Gen 2 Gaming Headset — $169.99 $199.99 (save $30)

• Logitech G Astro A50 Multi-Platform Wireless Gaming Headset — $239 $299.99 (save $60.99)

Best gaming keyboard and mouse deals

Opens in a new window

Credit: Razer

Razer BlackWidow V4 X Mechanical Gaming Keyboard

$99.99 at Amazon
$129.99 Save $30.00

 

Get Deal

Opens in a new window

Credit: Razer

Razer Basilisk V3

$34.98 at Amazon
$69.99 Save $35.01

 

Get Deal

Why we like it

Getting a top-tier wired mouse at half off makes the Razer Basilisk V3 an easy pick. It has 11 programmable buttons, a smart scroll wheel that toggles between tactile clicks and free-spin scrolling, and a thumb rest shaped for long gaming sessions.

If you're upgrading your keyboard too, the Razer BlackWidow V4 X has real tactile mechanical switches instead of those squishy membrane keys. It includes six dedicated macro keys, custom RGB lighting for each key, and a physical volume roller right above the number pad, so you don't have to tab out of your game to tweak audio.

More early keyboard and mouse deals

• Logitech G213 Prodigy Wired RGB Gaming Keyboard - Black — $47.99 $59.99 (save $12)

• SteelSeries Apex 3 RGB Gaming Keyboard — $49.99 $54.99 (save $5)

• Razer BlackWidow V4 X Mechanical Gaming Keyboard — $99.99 $129.99 (save $30)

• Logitech G305 Lightspeed Wireless Gaming Mouse — $29.99 $49.99 (save $20)

• Razer Basilisk V3 Customizable RGB Wired Ergonomic Gaming Mouse — $34.98 $69.99 (save $35.01)

• ASUS ROG Spatha X Wireless Gaming Mouse — $119.99 $169.99 (save $50)

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.

Want more tech and digital culture news delivered to your inbox daily or sent straight to your device? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories newsletter or get Mashable push alerts today.

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

Hurdle Word 1 hint

A long, hooded winter coat.

Hurdle Word 1 answer

PARKA

Hurdle Word 2 hint

Put into practice.

Hurdle Word 2 Answer

ENACT

Hurdle Word 3 hint

Courageous.

Hurdle Word 3 answer

BRAVE

Hurdle Word 4 hint

Livid.

Hurdle Word 4 answer

ANGRY

Final Hurdle hint

Golden.

Hurdle Word 5 answer

HONEY

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

TL;DR: As of Sept. 24, the LG Ultragear OLED gaming monitor is now available for $499.99 at Amazon. That's a $400 saving on the list price of $899.99.

Opens in a new window

Credit: LG

LG Ultragear OLED Gaming Monitor

$499.99 at Amazon
$899.99 Save $400

 

Get Deal

Top-level gaming gear doesn't come cheap, so whenever you find a good deal on gaming hardware, it's a serious 1-up moment.

The good news for gamers is that we expect plenty of gaming deals as part of October Prime Day, which runs Oct. 6-7. Even better news is that some super early deals are already available, including a good selection of price drops on gaming monitors. For instance, check out the mega discount you can currently get on the LG Ultragear OLED gaming monitor, a 27-inch model from one of the best names in TV and monitor tech.

As of Sept. 24, the LG Ultragear OLED gaming monitor is available for $499.99 at Amazon. That's a total saving of $400 from the regular list price of $899.99.

There are plenty of reasons to pick up this deal — other than the $400 price reduction, that is. Not least of all is the OLED display, widely considered one of the best screen technologies. It's not quite 4K, but it delivers QHD resolution, a 240Hz refresh rate, 0.3ms response time, DisplayHDR True Black, and compatibility with both Nvidia G-Sync and AMD FreeSync Premium Pro.

At just $499.99, the LG Ultragear OLED gaming monitor is more than worth grabbing to upgrade your gaming setup. Get it now and save a massive $400 off the usual price of $899.99.

The best deals this week, hand-picked by our shopping experts

• Apple iPhone 18 Pro — free at T-Mobile 

• Paramount+ — $0.99 for 2 months with code p2mcs26prem

• Apple AirPods Pro 3 — $199 $249 (save $50)

• Apple iPad Pro — $1,899 $2,099 (save $200)

• TCL 85-Inch Class QM8L Series TV — $2,497.99 $3,999.99 (save $1,502)

TL;DR: As of Sept. 24, the Samsung 27-inch Odyssey G8 gaming monitor is now available for $699.99 at Amazon. That's a $250 saving on the list price of $949.99.

Opens in a new window

Credit: Samsung

Samsung 27-inch Odyssey G8 Gaming Monitor

$699.99 at Amazon
$949.99 Save $250

 

Get Deal

If you're a dedicated gamer, you'll know that top-quality hardware is the difference between winning and losing — spec absolutely matters when you're competing in fine margins. The problem is price. Good gaming hardware costs top dollar, which is why any gamer who knows their stuff is firmly locked in on major sales like October Prime Day.

Sure, we're still a few weeks out, with Prime Day officially set for Oct. 6-7, but there are already some gaming deals available — including gaming monitor deals we think are worth highlighting. That includes the Samsung 27-inch Odyssey G8 gaming monitor, a high-end model that goes beyond most other monitors thanks to 5K resolution.

As of Sept. 24, the Samsung 27-inch Odyssey G8 gaming monitor is available for $699.99 at Amazon. That’s a $250 discount from the regular list price of $949.99.

Sure, it's not the biggest monitor you'll find — there are some curved display options that are absolute beasts — but it's a great fit for mid-size gaming setups. And that's not to say it doesn't go big on spec, because it's loaded with features to improve both your gaming experience and performance: a 360Hz refresh rate, a 1ms response time, a Fast IPS panel, Nvidia G-Sync compatibility, HDR10+ plus AMD FreeSync.

At just $699.99, the Samsung 27-inch Odyssey G8 gaming monitor is a great value hi-spec addition for any gaming station — $250 is a significant saving. Don't miss your chance to level up with this deal.

The best deals this week, hand-picked by our shopping experts

• Apple iPhone 18 Pro — free at T-Mobile 

• Paramount+ — $0.99 for 2 months with code p2mcs26prem

• Apple AirPods Pro 3 — $199 $249 (save $50)

• Apple iPad Pro — $1,899 $2,099 (save $200)

• TCL 85-Inch Class QM8L Series TV — $2,497.99 $3,999.99 (save $1,502)

TL;DR: Launching Nov. 1 exclusively at Best Buy and direct from EverBoard, the EverBoard is a 21.5-inch tabletop digital console designed for up to six players. It packs licensed Hasbro classics like Monopoly, Connect 4, Chutes and Ladders, and Scrabble into a controller-free touchscreen

If your family game night usually ends with missing dice, lost cards, or arguments over house rules, a new digital tabletop console wants to save your game night. The EverBoard is an all-in-one digital game system launching at select Best Buy stores and online, built to bring family and friends around the same screen without the physical clutter. Built around a 21.5-inch touchscreen, the board supports up to six players at once — no extra controllers, plastic pieces, or mobile app downloads needed.

At launch, EverBoard is partnering with Hasbro to offer digital versions of classic favorites like Monopoly, Connect 4, Chutes and Ladders, and Scrabble. Players access these titles through EverPass, a monthly service with over 50 games out of the box.

But the real party trick here is the EverVibe Game Creator, an AI feature that lets you build original games using simple voice or text prompts. Instead of sticking to pre-made rules, you can describe a custom game idea out loud and watch the board generate a playable version right on the screen.

The physical hardware is built to fit almost any setup, offering four distinct modes that let you play flat on a table, propped up at an angle, locked vertically, or packed into a portable hardshell case for trips. Since the multi-touch screen registers inputs from all sides, anyone around the table can take their turn naturally.

Game night is officially getting an AI upgrade — look for the EverBoard at Best Buy and online starting Nov. 1.

TL;DR: Officially shipping across Europe and available in the U.S. for $99.99, the 8BitDo Ultimate 3 Lavender Dusk brings top-tier competitive features to Xbox, PC, and mobile. Packed with drift-free TMR joysticks and an eye-catching Rococo-inspired pastel shell, it blends high-end performance with a surprisingly gentle aesthetic.

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Credit: 8BitDo

8BitDo Ultimate 3 Lavender Dusk

$99.99 at Amazon

 

Shop Now

It's not every day a high-performance gaming controller gets described as "gentle, calm, and romantic," but 8BitDo somehow pulled it off.

Distributed across European territories courtesy of Game Outlet Europe and available direct-to-consumer in the U.S., the new 8BitDo Ultimate 3 Lavender Dusk special edition trades the hyper-aggressive, stealth-bomber look of typical pro pads for a soft, Rococo-inspired pastel scheme in natural lavender tones.

While the exterior looks soft and gentle, the internals are built purely for competitive play. At the center of the hardware upgrade are new Tunnel Magnetoresistance (TMR) joysticks. Unlike standard analog sticks that wear down and drift over time, these use magnetic sensors to guarantee long-term durability and pinpoint sensitivity.

Credit: 8BitDo

Even better, 8BitDo built physical "Force Rings" right around the base of the thumbsticks. Want tighter resistance for precise sniping in shooters? Dial the ring to increase tension. Need loose, lightning-fast flicks for racing or action games? Spin it back down.

The Hall Effect impulse triggers use contactless magnetic sensors with two-stage physical stops, allowing you to instantly convert them into hair-triggers for shooters. To expand your control options, 8BitDo paired the two remappable rear paddle buttons with extra high-speed L4 and R4 bumpers right beside the standard shoulder triggers.

PC gamers get a few exclusive perks, including 6-axis motion controls (gyro aiming) under 2.4GHz mode and an ultra-responsive 1,000Hz polling rate when plugged in via USB-C. For audio, a standard 3.5mm jack sits at the base for plugging in your wired headset.

Credit: 8BitDo

Credit: 8BitDo

The included zero-contact wireless charging dock keeps your setup clean, automatically powering down and charging the controller when docked, then waking it back up the second you lift it. You also get tri-mode connectivity to jump seamlessly between Xbox consoles, Windows PC, and mobile via low-latency 2.4GHz wireless, USB-C wired (supporting up to a 1,000Hz polling rate on PC), or Bluetooth.

Ready to trade boring black-and-green hardware for soft pastel perfection? Grab the 8BitDo Ultimate 3 Lavender Dusk before this special edition sells out.

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.

Want more tech and digital culture news delivered to your inbox daily or sent straight to your device? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories newsletter or get Mashable push alerts today.

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

Hurdle Word 1 hint

Where babies come from.

Hurdle Word 1 answer

STORK

Hurdle Word 2 hint

Throw.

Hurdle Word 2 Answer

CHUCK

Hurdle Word 3 hint

More accurate.

Hurdle Word 3 answer

TRUER

Hurdle Word 4 hint

Chompers.

Hurdle Word 4 answer

TEETH

Final Hurdle hint

It's getting old.

Hurdle Word 5 answer

STALE

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

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.

Want more tech and digital culture news delivered to your inbox daily or sent straight to your device? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories newsletter or get Mashable push alerts today.

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

Hurdle Word 1 hint

Incapable.

Hurdle Word 1 answer

UNFIT

Hurdle Word 2 hint

Boundary.

Hurdle Word 2 Answer

LIMIT

Hurdle Word 3 hint

Malice.

Hurdle Word 3 answer

SPITE

Hurdle Word 4 hint

Boat transport.

Hurdle Word 4 answer

FERRY

Final Hurdle hint

Stop it.

Hurdle Word 5 answer

BRAKE

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

TL;DR: As of Sept. 23, the Alienware 27 Gaming Monitor is available for $199.99 at Amazon. That's a $30 saving on the list price of $229.99.

Opens in a new window

Credit: Dell

Alienware 27 Gaming Monitor

$199.99 at Amazon
$229.99 Save $30

 

Get Deal

If you're anything like us, you'll check out the best gaming deals when a sale event like October Prime Day rolls around. That's because gaming hardware doesn't come cheap, so it's always worth scoping out the chance to upgrade for less.

October Prime Day is still two weeks away, officially running Oct. 6-7, but we've already spotted some early deals, including a good discount on the Alienware 27 Gaming Monitor. Alienware deals don't come around too often.

As of Sept. 23, the Alienware 27 Gaming Monitor is available for $199.99 at Amazon. That’s a $30 discount from the regular list price of $229.99.

At 27 inches, this is a great monitor for everyday gaming and compact gaming stations. It's not the biggest or highest spec monitor you'll find, but it's an excellent mid-level offering from Dell's dedicated gaming hardware range. Features include AMD FreeSync Premium and VESA AdaptiveSync for fluid gameplay, as well as 2,560 x 1,440 QHD resolution.

Pick up the Alienware 27 Gaming Monitor and save $30 — now just $199.99 ahead of October Prime Day.

The best deals this week, hand-picked by our shopping experts

• Apple iPhone 18 Pro — free at T-Mobile 

• Paramount+ — $0.99 for 2 months with code p2mcs26prem

• Apple AirPods Pro 3 — $199 $249 (save $50)

• Apple iPad Pro — $1,899 $2,099 (save $200)

• TCL 85-Inch Class QM8L Series TV — $2,497.99 $3,999.99 (save $1,502)

The best early Prime Day deals on gaming monitors:

---

Best Ultra-Budget 1080p Monitor

Acer 27-Inch KB272 G0bi

$99.99 (save $50)

Get Deal

---

Best speed for FPS games

MSI 27-Inch MAG 274CF X24

$129.99 (save $10)

Get Deal

---

Best High-Refresh 1440p Monitor

Alienware 27-Inch AW2726DL

$199.99 (save $30)

Get Deal

---

Best immersive monitor

Samsung 32-Inch Odyssey G5 G50F

$199.99 (save $150)

Get Deal

---

Best curved gaming monitor

Samsung 32-Inch Odyssey G55C

$234.67 (save $95.32)

Get Deal

If your GPU pumps out 144 frames per second but your monitor tops out at 60Hz, you are throwing away performance you paid for. Slow refresh rates and high response times mean motion blur, screen tearing, and delayed inputs in fast shooters like Valorant, Apex, or Call of Duty.

Upgrading your panel gets your display speeds back in sync with your PC. Whether you need a 280Hz eSports display for frame-rate gains, a 1440p workhorse for sharper visual detail, or a curved screen for immersive single-player games, early Prime Day deals have slashed prices across Samsung, Alienware, MSI, and Acer.

We rounded up the best early monitor deals live right now so you can upgrade your setup for less.

Best high-refresh 1440p monitor deal

Opens in a new window

Credit: Alienware

Alienware AW2726DL (27-inch)

$199.99 at Amazon
$229.99 Save $30

 

Get Deal

Why we like it

Sub-$200 gaming monitors usually top out around 165Hz or 180Hz, but the Alienware AW2726DL pushes speed even further without sacrificing resolution. Delivering a blistering 280Hz refresh rate alongside sharp 1440p visuals, this 27-inch IPS panel eliminates motion blur and input lag in fast-paced competitive shooters like Valorant and Apex Legends. Combined with 1ms response times, vibrant colors, and a fully adjustable stand that tilts, swivels, and pivots, you get top-tier eSports frame rates from a premium brand at a budget price.

Best immersive gaming monitor deal

Opens in a new window

Credit: Samsung

Samsung 32-Inch Odyssey G5 G50F

$199.99 at Amazon
$349.99 Save $150

 

Get Deal

Why we like it

Finding a massive 32-inch 1440p panel from a top-tier brand under $200 is already a steal, but Samsung loaded the Odyssey G5 G50F with solid performance hardware. The Fast IPS display gives you razor-sharp 1440p image detail with wide viewing angles, while its 180Hz refresh rate and 1ms response time keep fast motion smooth and tear-free. You also get an adjustable stand that tilts, swivels, and changes height out of the box — a luxury most budget displays leave out.

Best curved gaming monitor deal

Opens in a new window

Credit: Samsung

Samsung 32-Inch Odyssey G55C

$234.67 at Amazon
$329.99 Save $95.32

 

Get Deal

Why we like it

Most curved monitors use a subtle bend, but the Samsung Odyssey G55C packs an aggressive 1000R curve that matches the natural field of view of the human eye, pulling your peripheral vision directly into single-player RPGs, flight sims, and racing games. Bumping the screen size up to 32 inches can sometimes stretch out 1080p graphics, but its sharp 1440p QHD resolution keeps textures crisp and detailed across the entire display. Pair that panoramic curve with a fast 165Hz refresh rate, FreeSync screen-tearing protection, and built-in eye saver settings to cut blue light during late-night raids, and you get pure immersion that is worth spending on.

More gaming monitor deals

• MSI PRO MP243L E14 24-inch IPS FHD — $89.99 $109.99 (save $20)

• MSI MAG 272F 27-inch FHD 200Hz — $104.99 $129.99 (save $25)

• LG 24G411A-B 24-inch UltraGear FHD 144Hz IPS — $109.99 $129.99 (save $20)

• MSI MAG 274CF X24 27-inch FHD 240Hz — $129.99 $139.99 (save $10)

• KTC H27F7 27-inch FHD 240Hz Fast IPS — $139.99 $179.99 (save $40)

• Samsung 24-Inch Odyssey G3 (G30H) IPS FHD 200Hz — $169.99 $189.99 (save $20)

• ASUS TUF Gaming VG27AQ3A 27-inch 1440p 180Hz — $199.00 $209.00 (save $10)

• Alienware AW2725DM 27-inch WQHD Fast IPS 180Hz — $249.00 $269.99 (save $20.99)

• MSI MAG 274QP QD-OLED X24 27-Inch WQHD 240Hz — $349.99 $399.99 (save $50)

• MSI MPG 271QRX QD-OLED 27-inch QHD 360Hz — $579.99 $629.99 (save $50)

• Samsung 40-Inch Odyssey G7 (G75F) Series WUHD — $699.99 $999.99 (save $300)

Welcome to your guide to Pips, the latest game in the New York Times catalog.

Released in August 2025, Pips puts a unique spin on dominoes, creating a fun single-player experience that could become your next daily gaming habit.

Currently, if you're stuck, the game only offers to reveal the entire puzzle, forcing you to move on to the next difficulty level and start over. However, we have you covered! Below are piecemeal answers that will serve as hints so that you can find your way through each difficulty level.

How to play Pips

If you've ever played dominoes, you'll have a passing familiarity with how Pips is played. As we've shared in our previous hints stories for Pips, the tiles, like dominoes, are placed vertically or horizontally and connect with each other. The main difference between a traditional game of dominoes and Pips is the color-coded conditions you have to address. The touching tiles don't necessarily have to match.

The conditions you have to meet are specific to the color-coded spaces. For example, if it provides a single number, every side of a tile in that space must add up to the number provided. It is possible — and common — for only half a tile to be within a color-coded space.

Here are common examples you'll run into across the difficulty levels:

• Number: All the pips in this space must add up to the number.

• Equal: Every domino half in this space must be the same number of pips.

• Not Equal: Every domino half in this space must have a completely different number of pips.

• Less than: Every domino half in this space must add up to less than the number.

• Greater than: Every domino half in this space must add up to more than the number.

If an area does not have any color coding, it means there are no conditions on the portions of dominoes within those spaces.

Easy difficulty hints, answers for September 23 Pips

Number (0): Everything in this purple space must add up to 0. The answer is 0-4, placed vertically.

Number (0): Everything in this red space must add up to 0. The answer is 0-6, placed horizontally.

Number (0): Everything in this green space must add up to 0. The answer is 4-0, placed horizontally.

Number (12): Everything in this space must add up to 12. The answer is 0-6, placed vertically; 6-3, placed horizontally.

Number (8): Everything in this space must add up to 8. The answer is 0-5, placed vertically; 6-3, placed horizontally.

Number (7): Everything in this space must add up to 7. The answer is 4-0, placed horizontally; 3-0, placed vertically.

Number (0): Everything in this purple space must add up to 0. The answer is 3-0, placed vertically.

Medium difficulty hints, answers for September 23 Pips

Equal (6): Everything in this space must be equal to 6. The answer is 6-0, placed vertically; 6-5, placed horizontally.

Equal (5): Everything in this space must be equal to 5. The answer is 6-5, placed horizontally; 5-1, placed horizontally.

Less Than (3): Everything in this space must be less than 3. The answer is 5-1, placed horizontally; 0-3, placed vertically.

Number (3): Everything in this space must add up to 3. The answer is 6-0, placed vertically; 3-5, placed horizontally.

Equal (5): Everything in this space must be equal to 5. The answer is 3-5, placed horizontally; 5-0, placed horizontally.

Less Than (6): Everything in this space must be less than 6. The answer is 5-0, placed horizontally; 0-3, placed vertically.

Number (5): Everything in this space must add up to 5. The answer is 2-5, placed horizontally.

Hard difficulty hints, answers for September 23 Pips

Number (2): Everything in this space must add up to 2. The answer is 5-2, placed horizontally.

Number (11): Everything in this space must add up to 11. The answer is 5-2 placed horizontally; 6-3, placed vertically.

Number (4): Everything in this space must add up to 4. The answer is 4-6, placed vertically.

Number (8): Everything in this space must add up to 8. The answer is 6-3, placed vertically; 5-3, placed vertically.

Equal (6): Everything in this space must be equal to 6. The answer is 4-6, placed vertically; 6-6, placed vertically.

Equal (3): Everything in this space must be equal to 3. The answer is 5-3, placed vertically; 3-1, placed horizontally.

Number (1): Everything in this space must add up to 1. The answer is 3-1, placed horizontally.

Less Than (4): Everything in this space must be less than 4. The answer is 5-1, placed horizontally; 0-3, placed vertically.

Number (0): Everything in this space must add up to 0. The answer is 0-6, placed horizontally.

Equal (4): Everything in this space must be equal to 4. The answer is 3-5, placed horizontally; 5-0, placed horizontally.

Number (5): Everything in this space must add up to 5. The answer is 1-4, placed vertically; 3-5, placed horizontally.

Equal (1): Everything in this space must be equal to 1. The answer is 1-1, placed vertically.

Less Than (2): Everything in this space must be less than 2. The answer is 0-0, placed vertically.

Equal (6): Everything in this space must be equal to 6. The answer is 6-1, placed vertically; 0-6, placed vertically; 6-2, placed vertically.

Less Than (3): Everything in this space must be less than 3. The answer is 1-5, placed vertically.

Greater Than (3): Everything in this space must be greater than 3. The answer is 1-5, placed vertically.

Greater Than (0): Everything in this space must be greater than 0. The answer is 6-1, placed vertically.

Greater Than (1): Everything in this space must be greater than 1. The answer is 6-2, placed vertically.

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

This has been an astoundingly brutal year for Xbox, and the carnage continued on Tuesday.

Microsoft's gaming division announced in a blog post that it's laying off 268 people across its first-party studios, on top of 1,600 roles that were cut in July. According to Xbox executive Matt Booty, Tuesday's cuts bring us to roughly 75 percent of all currently planned cuts to Xbox's payroll, which means more layoffs are presumably coming.

For the employees who do remain, Xbox is also reshuffling its development deck to a severe degree. Perhaps most notably, the celebrated Halo franchise is now under the control of Xbox subsidiary Activision, maker of Call of Duty. Halo Studios, which was created with the sole purpose of making Halo games, will live on as a support studio for the time being. Age of Empires developer World's Edge and Sea of Thieves developer Rare are also under the Activision umbrella now.

Beyond that, Elder Scrolls and Fallout developer Bethesda has taken Pentiment and Avowed developer Obsidian under its wing. Mobile game developer King is fusing with Microsoft Casual Games, too. Lastly, Playground Games and Turn 10 will join forces to be the stewards of both the Fable and Forza franchises. Many of those partnerships already existed in a sense, as Obsidian had worked with Bethesda before, while the same is true of Playground and Turn 10, but they're seemingly more formalized now.

The blog post also addressed some of Xbox's former subsidiaries. The studios Compulsion, Double Fine, and Undead Labs have all escaped the Xbox ecosystem, but agreements for Hellblade developer Ninja Theory fell through, and Xbox is exploring a possible closure. Dishonored developer Arkane is still in negotiations with Xbox to potentially be spun off.

While some Xbox fans may have found optimism in the recent leadership changes at the company, but so far the Asha Sharma era has been defined almost entirely by layoffs and studio closures. That's to say nothing of the recent harsh limits imposed on Game Pass streaming and the ongoing BDS boycott of the Xbox brand over the past year and a half. Needless to say, things are not going well from the outside looking in.

Welcome to your guide to Pips, the latest game in the New York Times catalog.

Released in August 2025, Pips puts a unique spin on dominoes, creating a fun single-player experience that could become your next daily gaming habit.

Currently, if you're stuck, the game only offers to reveal the entire puzzle, forcing you to move on to the next difficulty level and start over. However, we have you covered! Below are piecemeal answers that will serve as hints so that you can find your way through each difficulty level.

How to play Pips

If you've ever played dominoes, you'll have a passing familiarity with how Pips is played. As we've shared in our previous hints stories for Pips, the tiles, like dominoes, are placed vertically or horizontally and connect with each other. The main difference between a traditional game of dominoes and Pips is the color-coded conditions you have to address. The touching tiles don't necessarily have to match.

The conditions you have to meet are specific to the color-coded spaces. For example, if it provides a single number, every side of a tile in that space must add up to the number provided. It is possible — and common — for only half a tile to be within a color-coded space.

Here are common examples you'll run into across the difficulty levels:

• Number: All the pips in this space must add up to the number.

• Equal: Every domino half in this space must be the same number of pips.

• Not Equal: Every domino half in this space must have a completely different number of pips.

• Less than: Every domino half in this space must add up to less than the number.

• Greater than: Every domino half in this space must add up to more than the number.

If an area does not have any color coding, it means there are no conditions on the portions of dominoes within those spaces.

Easy difficulty hints, answers for September 22 Pips

Less Than (3): Everything in this space must be less than 3. The answer is 1-2, placed vertically.

Number (1): Everything in this space must add up to 1. The answer is 1-2, placed vertically; 0-0, placed horizontally.

Equal (5): Everything in this space must be equal to 5. The answer is 3-5, placed vertically; 5-5, placed horizontally.

Greater Than (5): Everything in this space must be greater than 5. The answer is 6-5, placed horizontally.

Greater Than (4): Everything in this space must be greater than 4. The answer is 6-5, placed horizontally.

Medium difficulty hints, answers for September 22 Pips

Greater Than (3): Everything in this space must be greater than 3. The answer is 4-5, placed vertically.

Number (11): Everything in this space must add up to 11. The answer is 4-5, placed vertically; 6-6, placed horizontally.

Number (6): Everything in this space must add up to 6. The answer is 6-6, placed horizontally; 0-1, placed vertically.

Number (7): Everything in this space must add up to 7. The answer is 0-1, placed vertically; 6-1, placed horizontally.

Equal (1): Everything in this space must be equal to 1. The answer is 1-2, placed horizontally; 6-1, placed horizontally.

Number (2): Everything in this space must add up to 2. The answer is 1-2, placed horizontally; 0-5, placed horizontally.

Equal (5): Everything in this space must be equal to 5. The answer is 0-5, placed horizontally; 3-5, placed vertically.

Hard difficulty hints, answers for September 22 Pips

Equal (4): Everything in this space must be equal to 4. The answer is 3-4, placed vertically; 4-2, placed horizontally.

Less Than (3): Everything in this space must be less than 3. The answer is 4-2, placed horizontally.

Equal (3): Everything in this space must be equal to 3. The answer is 3-2, placed horizontally; 3-3, placed vertically; 3-6, placed horizontally; 3-1, placed vertically.

Greater Than (4): Everything in this space must be greater than 4. The answer is 3-6, placed horizontally

Number (1): Everything in this space must add up to 1. The answer is 3-1, placed vertically; 0-6, placed horizontally.

Number (6): Everything in this space must add up to 6. The answer is 0-6, placed horizontally.

Number (6): Everything in this space must add up to 6. The answer is 5-1, placed vertically.

Equal (1): Everything in this space must be equal to 1. The answer is 1-1, placed vertically.

Number (2): Everything in this dark blue space must add up to 2. The answer is 1-4, placed vertically; 1-2, placed horizontally.

Number (2): Everything in this green space must add up to 2. The answer is 1-2, placed horizontally.

Number (7): Everything in this space must add up to 7. The answer is 1-4, placed vertically; 3-5, placed horizontally.

Number (11): Everything in this space must add up to 11. The answer is 3-5, placed horizontally; 6-5, placed vertically.

Number (10): Everything in this space must add up to 10. The answer is 6-5, placed vertically; 5-4, placed vertically.

Number (8): Everything in this space must add up to 8. The answer is 5-4, placed vertically; 6-4, placed horizontally.

Number (6): Everything in this space must add up to 6. The answer is 6-4, placed horizontally.

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

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.

Want more tech and digital culture news delivered to your inbox daily or sent straight to your device? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories newsletter or get Mashable push alerts today.

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

Hurdle Word 1 hint

Foot bone.

Hurdle Word 1 answer

ANKLE

Hurdle Word 2 hint

Angry.

Hurdle Word 2 Answer

UPSET

Hurdle Word 3 hint

A split.

Hurdle Word 3 answer

CRACK

Hurdle Word 4 hint

Compassion.

Hurdle Word 4 answer

MERCY

Final Hurdle hint

Divine blood.

Hurdle Word 5 answer

ICHOR

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

Hideo Kojima has spoken about his shocking split with Sony, revealing that the company not only ended their long-running partnership over a Zoom call, but it also gave no reason for doing so. Though the lauded video game auteur said his mind "went blank" in shock when he was told the news, he insisted that he doesn't hold any grudge.

Speaking to The Washington Post via an interpreter, the Kojima stated that he was "shocked and surprised" by Sony's seemingly sudden decision, which was made public earlier this month. Kojima had been partnered with publisher Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE) since leaving Konami and establishing his own studio over a decade ago. As such, Sony's unilateral cancellation of this collaboration was completely unexpected, leaving Kojima worried about the future of Kojima Productions and its employees. 

A Sony representative reportedly delivered the unwelcome news in a June video call which included Kojima, his translator Aki Saito, and Kojima Productions' president Shinji Hirano. According to Kojima, Sony did not provide a reason for its decision.

"We couldn’t understand it," Kojima told The Washington Post. "[Former SIE CEO] Jim Ryan had already retired, but I thought this was a project that Sony Interactive Entertainment and I had agreed to team up on and make together.... I didn't think Physint would be on the list of being cancelled."

Kojima Productions' debut game Death Stranding and sequel Death Stranding 2: On the Beach were both Sony PlayStation exclusive titles at launch. The studio has since been working on horror game OD in collaboration with Jordan Peele, as well as stealth action game Physint featuring Bill Skarsgård. However, while OD was being made in partnership with Microsoft's XBox, Sony's decision to pull its support placed Kojima's entire studio in jeopardy. 

"I didn’t have any anger or sadness," said Kojima, speaking on his reaction to the news. "I was just thinking, 'What should I do?' It’s a big problem for us and I couldn’t tell staff at the time…. We’re an independent studio. That means if they can’t fund us, our studio could collapse."

Fortunately, it didn't come to that, with XBox stepping in to become Kojima Productions' new partner instead, including publishing Physint. In an interview with IGN, Kojima said that he had approached multiple potential partners and received positive reactions. However, he ultimately decided on Xbox due to its ability to provide funding as well as other resources such as technical and marketing support.

"I approached Xbox and they were great," Kojima told IGN. "They could support us technically. And also we've been working on OD with them, so we already had a connection. I made a proper pitch of Physint to them. And then their first reaction was like, 'This pitch was fantastic. Never seen a pitch like this!' And that's how it started with Xbox."

Kojima was then able to inform Kojima Productions' employees of the studio's new partner, keeping the issue under wraps until it had already been resolved. With the exception of leaders in the Physint development team, most workers only found out about the change the this month, the day before Xbox was announced as their new partner.

"The biggest thing was, [Xbox are] not thinking of just funding a game," said Kojima. "They're thinking about movies and anime. It's more about the IP. Let's create a new IP."

Despite the unfortunate way Kojima and Sony's partnership ended, the Metal Gear creator stated that he holds no ill-will toward the company. Even so, he did wish the separation had been handled slightly differently, as he had no prior warning that it was coming.

"I'm not fighting with Sony," he told IGN. "We're not in a dispute. But what I want to say is that we've been together for 30 years and we have this relationship. So if this was the conclusion, I would've wanted to hear it a little earlier [than the June meeting].... [But] I've always been a big Sony fan. I've been using a Walkman. All my cameras are Sony. So I have no bad feelings towards them."

Shortly after the separation became public, Bloomberg reported that Sony's decision was driven by concerns that Kojima's project was missing deadlines and on track to significantly exceed its budget, according to sources close to the matter. Kojima Productions has since responded to this report, stating that it should be taken "with a dose of scepticism."

"Make no mistake, this was a serious situation for the studio with a range of potentially significant implications," the studio said in a written statement. "While we recognise that the article may have caused alarm, we want to reassure you all, for the record: that the studio is in a healthy, profitable state, development for Physint continues to move forward with Xbox, and our relationship with PlayStation remains strong.​"

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.

Want more tech and digital culture news delivered to your inbox daily or sent straight to your device? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories newsletter or get Mashable push alerts today.

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

Hurdle Word 1 hint

To ascend.

Hurdle Word 1 answer

CLIMB

Hurdle Word 2 hint

To groom.

Hurdle Word 2 Answer

PREEN

Hurdle Word 3 hint

Madness.

Hurdle Word 3 answer

MANIA

Hurdle Word 4 hint

To unpack.

Hurdle Word 4 answer

UNBOX

Final Hurdle hint

To jerk.

Hurdle Word 5 answer

LURCH

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

Welcome to your guide to Pips, the latest game in the New York Times catalog.

Released in August 2025, Pips puts a unique spin on dominoes, creating a fun single-player experience that could become your next daily gaming habit.

Currently, if you're stuck, the game only offers to reveal the entire puzzle, forcing you to move on to the next difficulty level and start over. However, we have you covered! Below are piecemeal answers that will serve as hints so that you can find your way through each difficulty level.

How to play Pips

If you've ever played dominoes, you'll have a passing familiarity with how Pips is played. As we've shared in our previous hints stories for Pips, the tiles, like dominoes, are placed vertically or horizontally and connect with each other. The main difference between a traditional game of dominoes and Pips is the color-coded conditions you have to address. The touching tiles don't necessarily have to match.

The conditions you have to meet are specific to the color-coded spaces. For example, if it provides a single number, every side of a tile in that space must add up to the number provided. It is possible — and common — for only half a tile to be within a color-coded space.

Here are common examples you'll run into across the difficulty levels:

• Number: All the pips in this space must add up to the number.

• Equal: Every domino half in this space must be the same number of pips.

• Not Equal: Every domino half in this space must have a completely different number of pips.

• Less than: Every domino half in this space must add up to less than the number.

• Greater than: Every domino half in this space must add up to more than the number.

If an area does not have any color coding, it means there are no conditions on the portions of dominoes within those spaces.

Easy difficulty hints, answers for September 21 Pips

Equal (1): Everything in this space must be equal to 1. The answer is 1-1, placed horizontally.

Number (1): Everything in this space must add up to 1. The answer is 1-5, placed horizontally.

Greater Than (5): Everything in this space must be greater than 5. The answer is 1-6, placed horizontally.

Equal (5): Everything in this space must be equal to 5. The answer is 1-5, placed horizontally; 5-5, placed horizontally.

Equal (1): Everything in this space must be equal to 1. The answer is 1-6, placed horizontally; 0-1, placed horizontally.

Medium difficulty hints, answers for September 21 Pips

Equal (0): Everything in this space must be equal to 0. The answer is 0-0, placed horizontally; 0-1, placed horizontally.

Greater Than (4): Everything in this space must be greater than 4. The answer is 6-2, placed horizontally.

Number (6): Everything in this space must add up to 6. The answer is 6-2, placed horizontally; 4-4, placed horizontally.

Greater Than (3): Everything in this space must be greater than 3. The answer is 4-4, placed horizontally.

Equal (1): Everything in this space must be equal to 1. The answer is 0-1, placed horizontally; 1-4, placed horizontally.

Greater Than (3): Everything in this space must be greater than 3. The answer is 4-4, placed horizontally.

Greater Than (7): Everything in this space must be greater than 7. The answer is 5-5, placed vertically.

Equal (2): Everything in this space must be equal to 2. The answer is 2-2, placed vertically.

Hard difficulty hints, answers for September 21 Pips

Number (6): Everything in this space must add up to 6. The answer is 6-5, placed vertically.

Number (10): Everything in this space must add up to 10. The answer is 6-5, placed vertically; 5-2, placed horizontally.

Less Than (3): Everything in this space must be less than 3. The answer is 5-2, placed horizontally.

Number (1): Everything in this space must add up to 1. The answer is 1-5, placed horizontally.

Number (4): Everything in this space must add up to 4. The answer is 4-0, placed horizontally.

Number (0): Everything in this space must add up to 0. The answer is 4-0, placed horizontally.

Number (0): Everything in this space must add up to 0. The answer is 0-5, placed horizontally.

Number (6): Everything in this space must add up to 6. The answer is 0-5, placed horizontally; 1-6, placed vertically.

Number (6): Everything in this space must add up to 6. The answer is 0-6, placed horizontally.

Equal (5): Everything in this light blue space must be equal to 5. The answer is 1-5, placed horizontally; 5-5, placed vertically.

Equal (0): Everything in this green space must be equal to 0. The answer is 0-6, placed horizontally; 0-1, placed horizontally.

Number (1): Everything in this space must add up to 1. The answer is 0-1, placed horizontally.

Number (12): Everything in this space must add up to 12. The answer is 1-6, placed vertically; 6-4, placed vertically.

Number (9): Everything in this red space must add up to 9. The answer is 3-3, placed vertically; 3-6, placed horizontally.

Equal (6): Everything in this space must be equal to 6. The answer is 3-6, placed horizontally; 6-6, placed horizontally.

Equal (4): Everything in this space must be equal to 4. The answer is 4-4, placed horizontally; 6-4, placed vertically.

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

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.

Want more tech and digital culture news delivered to your inbox daily or sent straight to your device? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories newsletter or get Mashable push alerts today.

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

Hurdle Word 1 hint

Madness.

Hurdle Word 1 answer

CHAOS

Hurdle Word 2 hint

A large vehicle.

Hurdle Word 2 Answer

TRUCK

Hurdle Word 3 hint

To splash.

Hurdle Word 3 answer

SPILL

Hurdle Word 4 hint

The start.

Hurdle Word 4 answer

ONSET

Final Hurdle hint

Smallest finger.

Hurdle Word 5 answer

PINKY

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

Welcome to your guide to Pips, the latest game in the New York Times catalog.

Released in August 2025, Pips puts a unique spin on dominoes, creating a fun single-player experience that could become your next daily gaming habit.

Currently, if you're stuck, the game only offers to reveal the entire puzzle, forcing you to move on to the next difficulty level and start over. However, we have you covered! Below are piecemeal answers that will serve as hints so that you can find your way through each difficulty level.

How to play Pips

If you've ever played dominoes, you'll have a passing familiarity with how Pips is played. As we've shared in our previous hints stories for Pips, the tiles, like dominoes, are placed vertically or horizontally and connect with each other. The main difference between a traditional game of dominoes and Pips is the color-coded conditions you have to address. The touching tiles don't necessarily have to match.

The conditions you have to meet are specific to the color-coded spaces. For example, if it provides a single number, every side of a tile in that space must add up to the number provided. It is possible — and common — for only half a tile to be within a color-coded space.

Here are common examples you'll run into across the difficulty levels:

• Number: All the pips in this space must add up to the number.

• Equal: Every domino half in this space must be the same number of pips.

• Not Equal: Every domino half in this space must have a completely different number of pips.

• Less than: Every domino half in this space must add up to less than the number.

• Greater than: Every domino half in this space must add up to more than the number.

If an area does not have any color coding, it means there are no conditions on the portions of dominoes within those spaces.

Easy difficulty hints, answers for September 20 Pips

Number (1): Everything in this space must add up to 1. The answer is 1-4, placed vertically.

Equal (0): Everything in this space must be equal to 0. The answer is 0-0, placed vertically; 0-6, placed vertically.

Number (8): Everything in this space must add up to 8. The answer is 4-2, placed vertically; 1-4, placed vertically.

Number (9): Everything in this space must add up to 9. The answer is 0-6, placed vertically; 3-1, placed vertically.

Number (1): Everything in this space must add up to 1. The answer is 3-1, placed vertically.

Medium difficulty hints, answers for September 20 Pips

Greater Than (3): Everything in this space must be greater than 3. The answer is 6-5, placed vertically.

Greater Than (3): Everything in this space must be greater than 3. The answer is 4-2, placed horizontally.

Equal (2): Everything in this space must be equal to 2. The answer is 4-2, placed horizontally; 2-3, placed horizontally; 2-5, placed vertically.

Less Than (3): Everything in this space must be less than 3. The answer is 1-6, placed horizontally.

Number (9): Everything in this orange space must add up to 9. The answer is 2-3, placed horizontally; 1-6, placed horizontally.

Number (9): Everything in this dark blue space must add up to 9. The answer is 6-5, placed vertically; 4-4, placed vertically.

Number (9): Everything in this purple space must add up to 9. The answer is 2-5, placed vertically; 4-5, placed horizontally.

Number (9): Everything in this red space must add up to 9. The answer is 4-5, placed horizontally; 4-4, placed vertically.

Hard difficulty hints, answers for September 20 Pips

Less Than (3): Everything in this space must be less than 3. The answer is 1-0, placed vertically.

Greater Than (3): Everything in this space must be greater than 3. The answer is 5-2, placed vertically.

Equal (0): Everything in this space must be equal to 0. The answer is 1-0, placed vertically; 0-4, placed vertically; 0-0, placed vertically; 0-6, placed horizontally.

Greater Than (3): Everything in this space must be greater than 3. The answer is 0-4, placed vertically

Number (8): Everything in this space must add up to 8. The answer is 5-2, placed vertically; 0-6, placed horizontally.

Number (10): Everything in this space must add up to 10. The answer is 5-5, placed horizontally.

Less Than (2): Everything in this space must be less than 2. The answer is 0-5, placed vertically.

Greater Than (4): Everything in this space must be greater than 4. The answer is 0-5, placed vertically.

Equal (1): Everything in this space must be equal to 1. The answer is 1-4, placed vertically; 1-1, placed vertically.

Greater Than (3): Everything in this space must be greater than 3. The answer is 1-4, placed vertically

Number (5): Everything in this space must add up to 5. The answer is 3-2, placed vertically.

Greater Than (4): Everything in this space must be greater than 4. The answer is 5-5, placed horizontally.

Number (9): Everything in this red space must add up to 9. The answer is 5-1, placed horizontally; 6-2, placed vertically; 2-0, placed horizontally.

Less Than (2): Everything in this space must be less than 2. The answer is 2-0, placed horizontally.

Equal (2): Everything in this space must be equal to 2. The answer is 6-2, placed vertically; 2-2, placed vertically.

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

SAVE $100: As of Sept. 19, the Alienware 34-inch QD-OLED curved gaming monitor (AW3425DW) is on sale at Amazon for $699.99, down from $799.99. That's 13% in savings.

Opens in a new window

Credit: Alienware

Alienware 34-inch QD-OLED Curved Gaming Monitor (AW3425DW)

$699.99 at Amazon
$799.99 Save $100

 

Get Deal

Gaming is an expensive hobby (especially in the thick of a global memory crisis), so any day you can save some money on hardware is a good day. Whether you're hoping to boost your refresh rate or enhance your visual experience, this weekend is the perfect opportunity to snag the Alienware AW3425DW monitor at a discount.

As of Sept. 18, the Alienware 34-inch QD-OLED curved gaming monitor (AW3425DW) is on sale for $699.99 at Amazon. That's $100 in savings or about 13% off its list price of $799.99.

The 34-inch Alienware AW3425DW monitor features a steep 1800R curved OLED panel that wraps the game around your field of vision. The ultrawide curve will take a bit of getting used to, but your games will feel more immersive than ever. It also packs high-performance specs like a smooth 240Hz refresh rate, 0.03ms response time, an aiming point editor called AlienVision, and a height-adjustable stand that tilts and swivels. It can reach 1,000 nits of peak brightness for HDR content and includes a built-in USB hub, G-Sync, and FreeSync Premium Pro certifications.

While it's technically over a year old now, it's still a solid pick with a striking design. And the $100 discount certainly makes it more attractive than a brand-new model.

Just when you thought all was quiet on the VR headset front, here comes the Steam Frame from Valve.

Steam Frame was initially announced by Valve, the parent company of the popular Steam gaming platform, in Nov. 2025. This was after years of rumors about the company developing a VR headset. Now, as of Sept. 18, the Steam Frame is finally available.

Here's what the reviews have to say about it.

First of all, I think the most notable thing to mention is what everyone seems to be talking about. The overall product is very well designed and makes playing VR games very easy to do. 

"The Steam Frame gets a whole lot right," said Jacob Ridley in PC Gamer's Steam Frame review. " It's comfortable and straightforward. Above all else, it's convenient."

"What used to slow me down with other headsets is mostly a thing of the past," Ridley explains. "I place the Steam Frame on my head and pick a game to play; VR has never been easier."

On top of that, while the Steam Frame is a VR headset, it also lets users play non-VR games on a large virtual screen. Users can play games in their Steam library using the Steam Frame. The headset acts as a big monitor.

"The Steam Frame is a fascinating VR headset," said IGN's Jacqueline Thomas. "In my time with it, I’ve spent almost an equal amount of time playing traditional non-VR games as I have VR games. In a lot of ways, it's become a replacement for my gaming monitor, one I can take around the house with me."

In Kotaku, Zack Zwiezen focused on how the Steam Frame excelled as a wireless PC gaming headset, saying it worked better than any other headset he had used for streaming games from his PC.

"I played everything using this setup and it worked without fail," Zwiezen writes. "It was so seamless and perfect that I quickly forgot I wasn’t connected to a cable. Being able to play a high-end VR game without any wires attached to me or any noticeable lag or streaming errors was revelatory, and it's easily Valve’s biggest win with the Steam Frame."

Chis Person of gaming outlet Aftermath went as far as to call the Steam Frame "one of the most exciting pieces of hardware I’ve seen in the space in years." Person went on to say that the VR headset "is doing massive amounts of hard work to unify several different use cases into a single open platform."

Seemingly every outlet that reviewed the device had glowing things to say about what they all essentially agreed was a Steam Deck with a VR / AR component. 

However, just as most outlets were united on the positives, they all seemed to have the same criticisms, too.

CNET's Scott Stein seemed to summarize the issues with the Steam Frame most succinctly, running through the device's battery life issues, buggy performance, and lack of game support at launch.

"Cook away, Valve. I’ll be curious to see what happens next," Stein said. "But right now, it’s something most people should wait on unless they want to go on an experimental journey too."

As for why they might wait, all of the reviewers seemed to agree that pricing and the gaming industry's current appetite for VR were good reasons to hold off.

The Steam Frame starts at $1,059 for the 256GB model and $1,299 for the 1TB version, making the economics of buying one a major issue, as gaming site Rock Paper Shotgun's James Archer pointed out.

On top of that, the gaming world seems to have come to an agreement that the push for VR didn't really pan out last time around and, as a result, VR game development has been lackluster.

"I have no idea who it's for in 2026," Kotaku put right in the headline of its review.

"It’s a strange time to be selling a new VR headset, and maybe an even stranger time to be buying one," Rock Paper Shotgun's Archer explained in the opening paragraph of his review, stating that the "supply of original virtual reality games has slowed to a dribble."

Devindra Hardawar of Engadget echoed the other reviewers' praise and criticism, but argued that the biggest issue for the Steam Frame is timing.

"While the Steam Frame is ultimately a solid standalone VR experience," Hardawar said. "It's hard to stomach its exorbitant price, as well as the fact that it's arriving far too late to inject much life into the declining state of VR."

Overall, it appears the Steam Frame is a great work-in-progress VR product that is being stymied by the fact that the broader virtual reality world just isn't the big thing right now.

SAVE ALMOST $700: As of Sept. 18, the LG 45GX900A-B 45-Inch Ultragear gaming monitor is on sale for $1,000.21 at Amazon. That's a 41% discount on the list price.

Opens in a new window

Credit: LG

LG 45GX900A-B 45-Inch Ultragear Gaming Monitor

$1,000.21 at Amazon
$1,699.99 Save $699.78

 

Get Deal

Looking to freshen up your gaming setup? How about a new monitor?

Right now at Amazon, you can get a great deal on the LG 45GX900A-B 45-Inch Ultragear gaming monitor. Normally $1,699.99, it's now down to $1,000.21 for a limited time. This deal saves you just shy of $700. It's a curved gaming monitor with a huge 45-inch display, so it's a great option if you're looking for a more immersive gaming experience.

This monitor also has a 240Hz refresh rate and 0.03ms response time, which helps keep gameplay fast and smooth. It also benefits from AMD FreeSync Premium Pro and NVIDIA G-SYNC compatibility, reducing screen tearing and stutter.

The display will impress too, with its 800R curve, 21:9 aspect ratio, and up to 1,300 nits peak brightness. Plus, built-in OLED technology helps to create deep blacks and vivid color, with up to 98.5% DCI-P3 coverage, a 1.5M:1 contrast ratio, and DisplayHDR True Black 400.

It also comes packed with many gaming-focused features, including Dynamic Action Sync, Black Stabilizer, an FPS Counter, and Crosshair.

This gaming monitor deal is available at Amazon now, so don't miss out.

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.

Want more tech and digital culture news delivered to your inbox daily or sent straight to your device? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories newsletter or get Mashable push alerts today.

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

Hurdle Word 1 hint

On the hunt.

Hurdle Word 1 answer

PROWL

Hurdle Word 2 hint

To rejoice.

Hurdle Word 2 Answer

EXULT

Hurdle Word 3 hint

Subtract.

Hurdle Word 3 answer

MINUS

Hurdle Word 4 hint

A mixture.

Hurdle Word 4 answer

COMBO

Final Hurdle hint

Unease.

Hurdle Word 5 answer

QUALM

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

Welcome to your guide to Pips, the latest game in the New York Times catalog.

Released in August 2025, Pips puts a unique spin on dominoes, creating a fun single-player experience that could become your next daily gaming habit.

Currently, if you're stuck, the game only offers to reveal the entire puzzle, forcing you to move on to the next difficulty level and start over. However, we have you covered! Below are piecemeal answers that will serve as hints so that you can find your way through each difficulty level.

How to play Pips

If you've ever played dominoes, you'll have a passing familiarity with how Pips is played. As we've shared in our previous hints stories for Pips, the tiles, like dominoes, are placed vertically or horizontally and connect with each other. The main difference between a traditional game of dominoes and Pips is the color-coded conditions you have to address. The touching tiles don't necessarily have to match.

The conditions you have to meet are specific to the color-coded spaces. For example, if it provides a single number, every side of a tile in that space must add up to the number provided. It is possible — and common — for only half a tile to be within a color-coded space.

Here are common examples you'll run into across the difficulty levels:

• Number: All the pips in this space must add up to the number.

• Equal: Every domino half in this space must be the same number of pips.

• Not Equal: Every domino half in this space must have a completely different number of pips.

• Less than: Every domino half in this space must add up to less than the number.

• Greater than: Every domino half in this space must add up to more than the number.

If an area does not have any color coding, it means there are no conditions on the portions of dominoes within those spaces.

Easy difficulty hints, answers for September 17 Pips

Number (2): Everything in this space must add up to 2. The answer is 0-5, placed vertically; 1-1, placed horizontally.

Number (7): Everything in this red space must add up to 7. The answer is 0-5, placed vertically; 2-3, placed vertically.

Number (7): Everything in this orange space must add up to 7. The answer is 2-3, placed vertically; 4-3, placed horizontally.

Number (0): Everything in this space must add up to 0. The answer is 0-4, placed vertically.

Greater Than (2): Everything in this space must be greater than 2. The answer is 4-3, placed horizontally.

Less Than (5): Everything in this space must be less than 5. The answer is 0-4, placed vertically.

Medium difficulty hints, answers for September 17 Pips

Equal (5): Everything in this space must be equal to 5. The answer is 4-5, placed vertically; 2-5, placed horizontally.

Equal (3): Everything in this space must be equal to 3. The answer is 3-3, placed vertically.

Less Than (4): Everything in this space must be less than 4. The answer is 2-5, placed horizontally; 1-1, placed vertically.

Equal (2): Everything in this space must be equal to 2. The answer is 2-0, placed vertically; 2-2, placed horizontally.

Number (4): Everything in this space must add up to 4. The answer is 1-3, placed horizontally.

Number (1): Everything in this space must add up to 1. The answer is 1-1, placed vertically; 2-0, placed vertically.

Hard difficulty hints, answers for September 17 Pips

Equal (5): Everything in this space must be equal to 5. The answer is 5-1, placed vertically; 5-5, placed horizontally.

Number (9): Everything in this space must add up to 9. The answer is 3-6, placed vertically.

Number (4): Everything in this space must add up to 4. The answer is 1-4, placed horizontally.

Number (5): Everything in this space must add up to 5. The answer is 5-1, placed vertically; 1-1, placed vertically; 1-4, placed horizontally; 1-6, placed vertically.

Number (0): Everything in this space must add up to 0. The answer is 0-6, placed vertically; 4-5, placed horizontally.

Number (11): Everything in this space must add up to 11. The answer is 1-6, placed vertically; 5-3, placed horizontally.

Number (3): Everything in this space must add up to 3. The answer is 5-3, placed horizontally.

Number (4): Everything in this space must add up to 4. The answer is 4-5, placed horizontally.

Number (11): Everything in this space must add up to 11. The answer is 4-5, placed horizontally.

Greater Than (1): Everything in this space must be greater than 1. The answer is 2-5, placed horizontally.

Equal (2): Everything in this space must be equal to 2. The answer is 2-5, placed horizontally; 2-0, placed vertically.

Number (0): Everything in this space must add up to 0. The answer is 2-0, placed vertically; 0-4, placed horizontally.

Greater Than (3): Everything in this space must be greater than 3. The answer is 0-4, placed horizontally.

Not Equal: Everything in this space must be different. The answer is 1-2, placed horizontally; 0-3, placed vertically; 4-6, placed horizontally.

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

SAVE OVER $250: As of Sept. 16, the LG 52-inch Ultragear evo G9 curved gaming monitor is on sale for $1,446.99 at Amazon. That's $253 off its full price of $1,699.99.

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Credit: LG

LG 52-inch Ultragear evo G9 5K2K Curved Gaming Monitor

$1,446.99 at Amazon
$1,699.99 Save $253

 

Get Deal

The next Prime Day sale event, Prime Big Deal Days, has officially been announced for Oct. 6-7. While that's still a few weeks away, Amazon isn't waiting until then to drop deals. There are already plenty of excellent savings available at the retailer, including a big price cut on the LG 52-inch Ultragear evo G9 curved gaming monitor.

If your PC setup needs a monitor upgrade, this discount is well worth a look. As of Sept. 16, this monitor has dropped from its list price of $1,699.99 to $1,446.99, making for $253 in savings. It won't be available for long, though, as it's marked as a "limited time deal." So now is the time to make a move if this massive 52-inch 5K2K display has got your attention.

With its large 52-inch size and 1,000R curve, this LG monitor offers plenty of screen space for your favorite games. They'll look great thanks to the WUHD (5120×2160) display with VESA DisplayHDR 600, which brings out sharp details, bright colors, and high contrast in on-screen images.

It also boasts a 240Hz refresh rate, so the action stays fluid and smooth on screen, alongside a 1ms (GtG) response time that helps reduce ghosting. On top of that, it comes with AMD FreeSync Premium, which helps prevent screen tearing and stutter from throwing you off.

If it's caught your eye, don't let it pass you by. Act fast to save on the LG 52-inch Ultragear evo G9 curved gaming monitor at Amazon.

Want to learn more about getting the best out of your tech? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories and Deals newsletters today.

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.

Want more tech and digital culture news delivered to your inbox daily or sent straight to your device? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories newsletter or get Mashable push alerts today.

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

Hurdle Word 1 hint

Binding.

Hurdle Word 1 answer

TYING

Hurdle Word 2 hint

A slight smile.

Hurdle Word 2 Answer

SMIRK

Hurdle Word 3 hint

__ Cent.

Hurdle Word 3 answer

FIFTY

Hurdle Word 4 hint

Found at a playground.

Hurdle Word 4 answer

SLIDE

Final Hurdle hint

Surprised.

Hurdle Word 5 answer

ABACK

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

Taking leave from work for significant video game releases is a time-honoured tradition. Unsurprisingly, the highly anticipated launch of Grand Theft Auto VI (GTA 6) has fans eagerly planning to request time off to play from the moment it launches on Nov. 19.

It's tempting to drop everything and immediately dive in when you've looked forward to a game for years. However, GTA 6 is big enough that taking leave around this date is likely to raise some eyebrows. If you're going to do so, it's important to think carefully about how to go about it, so as to maximise your chances of success.

Your boss probably knows why you're asking for leave

Grand Theft Auto VI launches on a Thursday, just two days before the weekend. As such, many people are planning to take both Nov. 19 and 20 off, giving them four free days to commit crimes in the fictional state of Leonida. Others are extending their time off, setting aside a week or more to play the game. With the Thanksgiving public holiday on Nov. 26, taking five days of leave from Nov. 19 to 25 can give you eight days of uninterrupted GTA 6 time.

However, whether these leave requests will be approved is a different story.

GTA 6 is one of the most eagerly anticipated video games to come out in recent years. The first new Grand Theft Auto title in 13 years, it continues a video game series that has had massive cultural impact since it first launched in 1997. It even won The Game Awards' Most Anticipated Game award two years running.

As such, there is a good chance that your boss has heard of GTA 6, and knows exactly what a Nov. 19 leave request means. What's more, with so many people looking forward to GTA 6, it's likely that others in your workplace are either considering or have already done so. Fan website GTA 6 Calculator even built a leave agreement generator, which creates a joke document outlining terms allowing workers "to fully immerse himself/herself in playing the game, while maintaining minimum professional obligations."

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In a recent Reddit post to Australian corporate subreddit r/auscorp, user u/instanityxsl claimed that their boss had gone so far as to warn employees about requesting leave around GTA 6's launch date.

"In our last team meeting the team leader was saying 'just so you know any leave around Nov 19th may require further explanation for approval, we’ve seen a large number of leave applied for this date and we’re understaffed. HR knows why this is happening. It’s that GT game,'" u/instanityxsl stated. "I was planning on taking 19th to 27th off, but a lot of people from other teams have applied [for] annual leave on these days and it’s flagged as unusual."

While Australians generally receive four weeks of paid annual leave per year, workers in the U.S. aren't legally guaranteed any paid leave at all. As such, taking time off to play a video game may be an even trickier proposition stateside. 

You don't have to give a reason, but don't lie

Leave policies vary significantly among employers in the U.S., as there are few statutory requirements. While you need to tell your boss why you're requesting time off when taking family or medical leave, the handling of other leave requests is largely left up to your employer's discretion. This includes how much time you're permitted to take off, whether you need to provide an explanation, and how much notice is required.

Your best bet is to consider your individual circumstances, and how a leave request may be received depending upon your workplace culture and policies, current workload, and relationship with your boss. This includes talking with your boss early on. As always, giving them as much notice of your leave as possible enables them to plan around your absence, which can help achieve the outcome you want. 

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Whether to disclose the reason for your request is up to your judgement. There is no legal obligation to tell your employer what you plan to do during your time off. However, if they already suspect that GTA 6 is the reason behind your Nov. 19 leave request and directly ask you, attempting to skirt the question is unlikely to do you any favours. It's best to be honest, and let the chips fall as they may. A few days of gaming isn't worth jeopardising your work relationships.

Such a confession won't necessarily destroy your application's chances, either. While some employers will no doubt be unsympathetic to fans' excitement, a few people on social media have reported explicitly GTA 6-related leave requests being approved. Redditor u/ddc431 even claimed that they will be closing their 18-person company for launch day, after several people requested the day off.

"if some of them are already spending an actual vacation day on this, and let's be real the rest of us are gonna be useless that day anyway, why am i making everyone pretend to work," u/ddc431 wrote. "so i just said screw it, we're closing. everyone. paid day, and it does NOT count as holiday. nobody loses a vacation day over it."

Other employers have identified GTA 6's release as a motivational tool. Last month, several U.S. Army combat engineers in Georgia were offered a four days of leave to play Grand Theft Auto VI as an incentive for reenlisting. Those who chose to reenlist between Aug. 1 and Nov. 14 would be eligible for the pass, which was "specifically designated to coincide with the highly anticipated release of the video game Grand Theft Auto VI." At least 44 of the 130 eligible soldiers have reportedly taken up the offer.

Meanwhile, Redditor u/Perfect-Pension545 said they may turn launch day into a relaxing day of gaming in the office.

"I’ve also considered having a 'work day' that is anything but that — projector, GTA, drinks and good food," u/Perfect-Pension545 wrote. "Staff can either come in and socialise and play the game or take the day off."

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An understanding employer is the best-case scenario. Unfortunately, even if you craft the most reasonable and considered request for leave on GTA 6's launch day, there's no guarantee that it will be approved. In such cases, being willing to delay your leave slightly may help you get the next best thing. Perhaps your boss expects your office to be particularly busy on Nov. 19 (which may be the case if others have already asked for some GTA 6-filled time off). You could instead proposed delaying your leave until Nov. 23, allowing you to dive into GTA 6 over the weekend and keep playing through Monday.

Though it may be disappointing not to spend launch day playing, waiting a day or two could ultimately offer you a better experience.

Should you just wait until the weekend?

Many people are keen to jump on GTA 6 as soon as it drops. However, there are some benefits to waiting until the weekend. 

GTA 6 is unlikely to suffer from the same server issues that Grand Theft Auto Online did in 2013. The multiplayer game was plagued with issues at launch, with players struggling to connect to its overloaded servers. In contrast, GTA 6 is a single-player game, so fans needn't fear that similar server issues will lock them out on launch day. GTA 6 is also available for preload, so you won't even have to endure downloading huge files at sluggish speeds on Nov. 19, provided you plan ahead.

Even so, it's likely that GTA 6 will likely still require some updates on launch day. Day-one patches are the norm in video games, allowing developers to update a game after it has been certified for consoles. With millions of players expected to boot up GTA 6 on launch day, any patch may take a while to download. Waiting until after the rush could save you some strife, while also giving GTA 6 developer Rockstar Games a little extra time to patch any issues that pop up on day one. 

Of course, this isn't a reason not to request leave for Grand Theft Auto VI if that's what you'd prefer. For those diving into big games on launch day, the energy and excitement of experiencing it alongside other fans for the first time can be akin to watching live sports rather than catching a replay. Just consider what you'd like to prioritise for your first GTA 6 session, and what will make this long-awaited launch feel most thrilling to you.

Fortunately, there's no reason to fret even if you can't get the time off. The fact that GTA 6 is a single-player game means that you won't miss anything if you can't boot it up right at midnight. Whether it takes you a day, a week, a month, or even a year to get to it (knock on wood), GTA 6 will still be there waiting for you.

Welcome to your guide to Pips, the latest game in the New York Times catalog.

Released in August 2025, Pips puts a unique spin on dominoes, creating a fun single-player experience that could become your next daily gaming habit.

Currently, if you're stuck, the game only offers to reveal the entire puzzle, forcing you to move on to the next difficulty level and start over. However, we have you covered! Below are piecemeal answers that will serve as hints so that you can find your way through each difficulty level.

How to play Pips

If you've ever played dominoes, you'll have a passing familiarity with how Pips is played. As we've shared in our previous hints stories for Pips, the tiles, like dominoes, are placed vertically or horizontally and connect with each other. The main difference between a traditional game of dominoes and Pips is the color-coded conditions you have to address. The touching tiles don't necessarily have to match.

The conditions you have to meet are specific to the color-coded spaces. For example, if it provides a single number, every side of a tile in that space must add up to the number provided. It is possible — and common — for only half a tile to be within a color-coded space.

Here are common examples you'll run into across the difficulty levels:

• Number: All the pips in this space must add up to the number.

• Equal: Every domino half in this space must be the same number of pips.

• Not Equal: Every domino half in this space must have a completely different number of pips.

• Less than: Every domino half in this space must add up to less than the number.

• Greater than: Every domino half in this space must add up to more than the number.

If an area does not have any color coding, it means there are no conditions on the portions of dominoes within those spaces.

Easy difficulty hints, answers for September 16 Pips

Greater Than (4): Everything in this space must be greater than 4. The answer is 1-6, placed vertically

Less Than (4): Everything in this space must be less than 4. The answer is 1-0, placed vertically.

Equal (4): Everything in this space must be equal to 4. The answer is 4-4, placed horizontally.

Less Than (1): Everything in this space must be less than 1. The answer is 1-3, placed horizontally.

Equal (3): Everything in this space must be equal to 3. The answer is 1-3, placed horizontally; 3-5, placed horizontally.

Less Than (6): Everything in this space must be less than 6. The answer is 3-5, placed horizontally.

Medium difficulty hints, answers for September 16 Pips

Greater Than (3): Everything in this space must be greater than 3. The answer is 6-1, placed vertically.

Number (3): Everything in this space must add up to 3. The answer is 3-1, placed horizontally.

Equal (1): Everything in this space must be equal to 1. The answer is 6-1, placed vertically; 1-5, placed horizontally; 3-1, placed horizontally.

Equal (5): Everything in this space must be equal to 5. The answer is 1-5, placed horizontally; 5-5, placed horizontally.

Less Than (3): Everything in this space must be less than 3. The answer is 0-1, placed vertically.

Equal (4): Everything in this space must be equal to 4. The answer is 4-4, placed horizontally; 4-1, placed horizontally.

Equal (1): Everything in this space must be equal to 1. The answer is 4-1, placed horizontally; 0-1, placed vertically.

Hard difficulty hints, answers for September 16 Pips

Not Equal: Everything in this space must be different. The answer is 3-2, placed vertically; 1-5, placed horizontally.

Number (7): Everything in this space must add up to 7. The answer is 2-2, placed vertically; 3-5, placed horizontally.

Number (4): Everything in this space must add up to 4. The answer is 4-5, placed horizontally.

Number (10): Everything in this space must add up to 10. The answer is 4-5, placed horizontally; 5-6, placed vertically.

Number (11): Everything in this space must add up to 11. The answer is 3-5, placed horizontally; 5-6, placed vertically.

Number (15): Everything in this space must add up to 15. The answer is 5-5, placed horizontally; 5-2, placed vertically.

Number (4): Everything in this space must add up to 4. The answer is 5-2, placed vertically; 4-2, placed horizontally.

Number (4): Everything in this space must add up to 4. The answer is 4-2, placed horizontally.

Less Than (5): Everything in this space must be less than 5. The answer is 4-1, placed horizontally.

Number (2): Everything in this space must add up to 2. The answer is 4-2, placed horizontally; 1-6, placed vertically; 0-0, placed horizontally.

Number (14): Everything in this space must add up to 14. The answer is 1-6, placed vertically; 4-4, placed vertically.

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

Part Steam Deck, part VR headset and, yes, it plays Half-Life Alyx. Here’s everything I’ve discovered so far.

Read more about the Valve Steam and the latest gaming news:
Xbox Game Pass imposes strict monthly hour limits on cloud gaming
Valve suffers massive 12TB leak, revealing a decade of Steam game files
Valve's Steam Machine officially has a price, and it's a doozy

Timecode chapters
00:00 Valve Steam frame
00:33 A portable Steam Deck for your face
00:57 Design
01:17 Ergonomic pack
01:47 A challenge for glasses wearers
02:19 Viewing experience
03:09 Foveated streaming
03:41 Standalone features
04:11 VR and processor
05:11 Half-Life: Alyx
05:54 Controller covered in sensors
06:43 Pass-through cameras
07:28 Modular design
08:00 Linux and customizability
08:18 Not all games will work
08:50 How is it as a Steam Deck
10:13 Early products and valve
11:00 Expect more later
11:26 The future of VR, headsets and the Steam Frame

Video credits
Host: Scott Stein
Scripted by: Scott Stein
Producer: Numi Prasarn
Camera: Numi Prasarn
Video editor: Mitch Chang
Thumbnail designer: Cole Kan

TL;DR: EA Sports NHL 27 is out now on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. The newest entry brings 32 rebuilt arena atmospheres, real-world data playbooks, a fresh broadcast duo featuring John Buccigross and Darren Pang, and the long-awaited return of the 32-team online Connected Franchise.

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Credit: EA Sports

NHL 27 (PS5)

$69 at Amazon

 

Shop Now

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Credit: EA Sports

NHL 27 (Xbox)

$69.99 at Amazon

 

Shop Now

If you've been waiting for a reason to jump back into virtual hockey, EA Sports just dropped NHL 27 worldwide on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. The game is available in two editions: a $69.99 Standard Edition for the base game, and a $99.99 Deluxe Edition that adds 4,600 NHL Points, HUT Packs, and day-one digital bonuses.

Whether you're a casual player looking to throw hits on the weekend or a strategist eager to run a 32-team online league with your friends, this year’s entry comes with serious upgrades.

Who’s on the mic?

Out with the old, in with the new. ESPN’s John Buccigross takes over play-by-play duties alongside former NHL goalie and TNT analyst Darren Pang. That means every big save or missed open-netter comes with Pang's signature color analysis and high-energy breakdowns in crisp digital surround sound.

Real-world NHL EDGE data powers every team's AI behavior. That means every squad executes its real-life tactics — from high-speed rush plays to aggressive forechecking — instead of sharing generic strategies. You can even grab real-world NHL coaches in Hockey Ultimate Team (HUT) to boost your squad’s chemistry based on authentic coaching systems.

The big upgrades on and off the ice

EA completely overhauled all 32 home venues from the ice up. Expect authentic goal songs, unique crowd chants, team-specific jumbotrons, and dynamic arena lighting that matches real-world game-night energy. Upgraded broadcast graphics, sharper camera angles, and dynamic crowd reactions give every matchup a cleaner, modern feel from puck drop to the final horn.

Beyond the visual overhaul, the most requested feature in community history is finally back. Connected Franchise lets you build an online league with up to 31 of your friends, complete with 32 human-controlled teams, full-season schedules, custom trade rules, flexible roster management, and deep commissioner tools.

If you're an EA Play member, you can also test the waters with a 10-hour free trial before buying. Subscriptions knock 10% off digital orders, bringing the Deluxe price down to $89.99, and toss in 3,000 bonus Chel Coins with Season Pass XP multipliers.

Ready to take your couch rivalry online? Pick up NHL 27 today and start building your 32-team franchise.

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.

Want more tech and digital culture news delivered to your inbox daily or sent straight to your device? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories newsletter or get Mashable push alerts today.

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

Hurdle Word 1 hint

Speeds.

Hurdle Word 1 answer

ZOOMS

Hurdle Word 2 hint

Diameter.

Hurdle Word 2 Answer

GIRTH

Hurdle Word 3 hint

Stranger.

Hurdle Word 3 answer

ODDER

Hurdle Word 4 hint

Problem.

Hurdle Word 4 answer

ISSUE

Final Hurdle hint

Another sense.

Hurdle Word 5 answer

SIXTH

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

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.

Want more tech and digital culture news delivered to your inbox daily or sent straight to your device? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories newsletter or get Mashable push alerts today.

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

Hurdle Word 1 hint

A lost cat.

Hurdle Word 1 answer

STRAY

Hurdle Word 2 hint

They sound the same.

Hurdle Word 2 Answer

RHYME

Hurdle Word 3 hint

Cutting.

Hurdle Word 3 answer

AXING

Hurdle Word 4 hint

A great lake.

Hurdle Word 4 answer

EERIE

Final Hurdle hint

Fatty.

Hurdle Word 5 answer

PIGGY

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

Welcome to your guide to Pips, the latest game in the New York Times catalog.

Released in August 2025, Pips puts a unique spin on dominoes, creating a fun single-player experience that could become your next daily gaming habit.

Currently, if you're stuck, the game only offers to reveal the entire puzzle, forcing you to move on to the next difficulty level and start over. However, we have you covered! Below are piecemeal answers that will serve as hints so that you can find your way through each difficulty level.

How to play Pips

If you've ever played dominoes, you'll have a passing familiarity with how Pips is played. As we've shared in our previous hints stories for Pips, the tiles, like dominoes, are placed vertically or horizontally and connect with each other. The main difference between a traditional game of dominoes and Pips is the color-coded conditions you have to address. The touching tiles don't necessarily have to match.

The conditions you have to meet are specific to the color-coded spaces. For example, if it provides a single number, every side of a tile in that space must add up to the number provided. It is possible — and common — for only half a tile to be within a color-coded space.

Here are common examples you'll run into across the difficulty levels:

• Number: All the pips in this space must add up to the number.

• Equal: Every domino half in this space must be the same number of pips.

• Not Equal: Every domino half in this space must have a completely different number of pips.

• Less than: Every domino half in this space must add up to less than the number.

• Greater than: Every domino half in this space must add up to more than the number.

If an area does not have any color coding, it means there are no conditions on the portions of dominoes within those spaces.

Easy difficulty hints, answers for September 14 Pips

Greater Than (1): Everything in this space must be greater than 1. The answer is 6-2, placed horizontally.

Equal (4): Everything in this space must be equal to 4. The answer is 4-6, placed horizontally; 4-5, placed vertically.

Equal (6): Everything in this space must be equal to 6. The answer is 4-6, placed horizontally; 6-2, placed horizontally; 6-6, placed horizontally; 6-1, placed vertically.

Medium difficulty hints, answers for September 14 Pips

Number (6): Everything in this space must add up to 6. The answer is 0-0, placed vertically; 3-6, placed horizontally.

Number (5): Everything in this space must add up to 5. The answer is 4-0, placed horizontally; 1-4, placed vertically.

Less Than (2): Everything in this space must be less than 2. The answer is 1-2, placed vertically.

Number (2): Everything in this space must add up to 2. The answer is 1-2, placed vertically.

Number (7): Everything in this space must add up to 7. The answer is 4-0, placed horizontally; 3-6, placed horizontally; 4-2, placed vertically.

Number (8): Everything in this space must add up to 8. The answer is 1-4, placed vertically; 4-4, placed vertically.

Number (2): Everything in this space must add up to 2. The answer is 4-2, placed vertically.

Hard difficulty hints, answers for September 14 Pips

Number (1): Everything in this space must add up to 1. The answer is 1-3, placed vertically.

Equal (3): Everything in this space must be equal to 3. The answer is 1-3, placed horizontally; 3-5, placed vertically.

Number (10): Everything in this space must add up to 10. The answer is 3-5, placed vertically; 5-4, placed horizontally.

Number (4): Everything in this space must add up to 4. The answer is 5-4, placed horizontally.

Number (3): Everything in this space must add up to 3. The answer is 3-2, placed vertically.

Equal (0): Everything in this space must be equal to 0. The answer is 0-0, placed horizontally; 0-4, placed vertically.

Equal (2): Everything in this space must be equal to 2. The answer is 3-2, placed vertically; 2-4, placed horizontally; 2-5, placed vertically.

Equal (4): Everything in this space must be equal to 4. The answer is 2-4, placed horizontally; 0-4, placed vertically; 4-3, placed vertically.

Number (5): Everything in this space must add up to 5. The answer is 2-5, placed vertically.

Number (3): Everything in this space must add up to 3. The answer is 4-3, placed vertically.

Number (3): Everything in this space must add up to 3. The answer is 1-2, placed vertically.

Number (15): Everything in this space must add up to 15. The answer is 6-4, placed vertically; 5-0, placed vertically.

Equal (0): Everything in this space must be equal to 0. The answer is 5-0, placed vertically; 0-3, placed vertically.

Number (5): Everything in this space must add up to 5. The answer is 1-6, placed vertically; 0-3, placed vertically; 1-4, placed vertically.

Greater Than (4): Everything in this space must be greater than 4. The answer is 1-6, placed vertically

Number (4): Everything in this space must add up to 4. The answer is 1-4, placed vertically.

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

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.

Want more tech and digital culture news delivered to your inbox daily or sent straight to your device? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories newsletter or get Mashable push alerts today.

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

Hurdle Word 1 hint

Rounded.

Hurdle Word 1 answer

CURVY

Hurdle Word 2 hint

A collection.

Hurdle Word 2 Answer

GROUP

Hurdle Word 3 hint

A large animal found in Alaska.

Hurdle Word 3 answer

MOOSE

Hurdle Word 4 hint

Simpson patriarch.

Hurdle Word 4 answer

HOMER

Final Hurdle hint

To look into.

Hurdle Word 5 answer

PROBE

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

Welcome to your guide to Pips, the latest game in the New York Times catalog.

Released in August 2025, Pips puts a unique spin on dominoes, creating a fun single-player experience that could become your next daily gaming habit.

Currently, if you're stuck, the game only offers to reveal the entire puzzle, forcing you to move on to the next difficulty level and start over. However, we have you covered! Below are piecemeal answers that will serve as hints so that you can find your way through each difficulty level.

How to play Pips

If you've ever played dominoes, you'll have a passing familiarity with how Pips is played. As we've shared in our previous hints stories for Pips, the tiles, like dominoes, are placed vertically or horizontally and connect with each other. The main difference between a traditional game of dominoes and Pips is the color-coded conditions you have to address. The touching tiles don't necessarily have to match.

The conditions you have to meet are specific to the color-coded spaces. For example, if it provides a single number, every side of a tile in that space must add up to the number provided. It is possible — and common — for only half a tile to be within a color-coded space.

Here are common examples you'll run into across the difficulty levels:

• Number: All the pips in this space must add up to the number.

• Equal: Every domino half in this space must be the same number of pips.

• Not Equal: Every domino half in this space must have a completely different number of pips.

• Less than: Every domino half in this space must add up to less than the number.

• Greater than: Every domino half in this space must add up to more than the number.

If an area does not have any color coding, it means there are no conditions on the portions of dominoes within those spaces.

Easy difficulty hints, answers for September 12 Pips

Less Than (4): Everything in this space must be less than 4. The answer is 3-1, placed vertically.

Less Than (1): Everything in this space must be less than 1. The answer is 0-5, placed horizontally.

Equal (1): Everything in this space must be equal to 1. The answer is 3-1, placed vertically; 1-4, placed vertically.

Number (10): Everything in this space must add up to 10. The answer is 1-4, placed vertically; 6-6, placed horizontally.

Not Equal: Everything in this space must be different. The answer is 0-5, placed horizontally; 4-2, placed vertically; 6-6, placed horizontally.

Medium difficulty hints, answers for September 12 Pips

Equal (0): Everything in this space must be equal to 0. The answer is 0-0, placed vertically; 0-2, placed horizontally.

Equal (0): Everything in this space must be equal to 0. The answer is 0-0, placed vertically; 0-3, placed horizontally.

Number (4): Everything in this space must add up to 4. The answer is 0-2, placed horizontally; 1-1, placed vertically.

Equal (3): Everything in this space must be equal to 3. The answer is 0-3, placed horizontally; 3-3, placed horizontally.

Number (3): Everything in this space must add up to 3. The answer is 6-3, placed horizontally; 3-3, placed horizontally.

Less Than (2): Everything in this space must be less than 2. The answer is 0-6, placed horizontally.

Equal (6): Everything in this space must be equal to 6. The answer is 6-3, placed horizontally; 0-6, placed horizontally.

Hard difficulty hints, answers for September 12 Pips

Greater Than (3): Everything in this space must be greater than 3. The answer is 4-1, placed vertically.

Greater Than (4): Everything in this space must be greater than 4. The answer is 6-1, placed vertically.

Equal (1): Everything in this space must be equal to 1. The answer is 4-1, placed vertically; 1-1, placed horizontally; 6-1, placed vertically; 1-3, placed vertically.

Greater Than (1): Everything in this space must be greater than 1. The answer is 1-3, placed vertically.

Number (4): Everything in this space must add up to 4. The answer is 4-0, placed vertically.

Number (6): Everything in this space must add up to 6. The answer is 2-4, placed horizontally.

Equal (3): Everything in this space must be equal to 3. The answer is 3-3, placed horizontally.

Less Than (4): Everything in this space must be less than 4. The answer is 2-5, placed vertically.

Greater Than (4): Everything in this space must be greater than 4. The answer is 2-5, placed vertically.

Greater Than (3): Everything in this space must be greater than 3. The answer is 4-3, placed horizontally.

Equal (3): Everything in this space must be equal to 3. The answer is 4-3, placed horizontally; 3-5, placed vertically.

Greater Than (4): Everything in this space must be greater than 4. The answer is 3-5, placed vertically.

Greater Than (9): Everything in this space must be greater than 9. The answer is 6-4, placed horizontally.

Greater Than (10): Everything in this space must be greater than 10. The answer is 5-6, placed horizontally.

Less Than (2): Everything in this space must be less than 2. The answer is 0-3, placed vertically.

Number (12): Everything in this space must add up to 12. The answer is 0-3, placed vertically; 3-6, placed vertically.

Number (2): Everything in this space must add up to 2. The answer is 2-3, placed vertically.

Number (15): Everything in this space must add up to 15. The answer is 2-3, placed vertically; 6-6, placed vertically.

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

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.

Want more tech and digital culture news delivered to your inbox daily or sent straight to your device? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories newsletter or get Mashable push alerts today.

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

Hurdle Word 1 hint

Each one.

Hurdle Word 1 answer

EVERY

Hurdle Word 2 hint

A safe.

Hurdle Word 2 Answer

VAULT

Hurdle Word 3 hint

Moving images.

Hurdle Word 3 answer

VIDEO

Hurdle Word 4 hint

Taking legal action.

Hurdle Word 4 answer

SUING

Final Hurdle hint

Rumbled.

Hurdle Word 5 answer

SHOOK

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

TL;DR: Minecraft Dungeons II releases on Sept. 29, for PC, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, and Switch 2. Pre-ordering either the $29.99 Standard Edition or the $49.99 Deluxe Edition before Sept. 28 unlocks the Twisted Cape, Twisted Chicken pet, and two hero skins.

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Credit: Minecraft

Minecraft Dungeons II — Standard Edition

$29.99 at Minecraft

 

Pre-order Here

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Credit: Minecraft

Minecraft Dungeons II — Deluxe Edition

$49.99 at Minecraft

 

Pre-order Here

Put down the diamond pickaxe and unsheathe your sword — Minecraft Dungeons II drops on Sept. 29, and digital pre-orders are officially open.

The sequel expands on the original in a ton of exciting ways. Mojang Studios and Double Eleven are sending players on a brand-new quest across the Overworld and beyond to stop a mysterious evil threatening two different worlds. You can tackle the campaign entirely solo or grab up to three buddies for local couch co-op or online cross-play.

Along the way, you'll clash with hordes of aggressive mobs, craft legendary builds using upgraded armor and weapons, and master deep combat mechanics designed to test your party.

If you are planning to jump into the action on day one, choosing the right version comes down to how much extra loot you want in your inventory.

Standard Edition: $29.99

The Standard Edition is the simple choice for gamers who just want the core campaign without any extra filler. At $29.99, it gets you full access to the base game on launch day alongside the Minecraft Launcher setup. Even with the base version, anyone who pre-orders before Sept. 28 scores a batch of launch-window cosmetics to customize their character.

Preorder bonuses for both editions include:

• Twisted Cape

• Twisted Chicken Pet

• Two additional hero skins

Deluxe Edition: $49.99

If you know you are going to sink dozens of hours into grinding gear, the Deluxe Edition packs a massive punch for $49.99. For the extra twenty bucks, you get access to two future DLC expansion packs as soon as they drop down the line. On top of post-launch story content, it grants instant access to the Minecraft Launcher, the ethereal Soul Cape cosmetic, an aquatic Blub Pet companion, and four Deluxe hero skins.

Whichever version fits your budget, lock in your order before Sept. 28 so you don't miss out on that mutated chicken pet on day one.

TL;DR: The ASUS TUF Gaming 32-inch curved monitor (VG32VQM5AZ) is on sale for $189 at Amazon for a limited time, knocking $60 off its $249 price.

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Credit: ASUS

The ASUS TUF Gaming 32-Inch 240Hz Curved Gaming Monitor

$189 at Amazon
$249 Save $60

Get Deal

A high-speed curved gaming monitor for under $200 is already a pretty sight for your gaming budget, but the fact that it’s a deal on a model from a top-tier brand like ASUS is even better. 

As of Sept. 11, the 32-inch ASUS TUF Gaming monitor (VG32VQM5AZ SKU) is $189 at Amazon as a limited-time deal, knocking $60 off its $249 list price for a 24% discount. The new monitor is sold and shipped by Amazon, and free 30-day returns are included as well. 

For what’s now this TUF Gaming monitor’s lowest price with the retailer (confirmed with price tracker camelcamelcamel), you get a 31.5-inch Full HD panel with a 1500R curve — giving the display a more enveloping shape than ASUS' flatter TUF alternatives. The top spec here is its top overclocked speed of 240hz alongside a minimum 0.5ms GTG response time.

That’ll not only keep your rounds of Fortnite or whatever single-player game you’re playing feel more fluid, but the added AMD FreeSync Premium for variable refresh rates — and ELMB Sync — will altogether reduce ghosting and tearing to make your display feel far less choppy. 

To keep anything you play or watch extra eye-popping in terms of pure visuals, this monitor covers 120% of the sRGB color gamut and supports HDR, with Shadow Boost available to lift detail in darker parts of a scene or level. 

To round out the package, the DisplayWidget Center even lets you tweak settings with a mouse instead of repeatedly digging through the monitor's physical controls.

Want to learn more about getting the best out of your tech? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories and Deals newsletters today.

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.

Want more tech and digital culture news delivered to your inbox daily or sent straight to your device? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories newsletter or get Mashable push alerts today.

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

Hurdle Word 1 hint

Spiteful.

Hurdle Word 1 answer

CATTY

Hurdle Word 2 hint

To dawdle.

Hurdle Word 2 Answer

DILLY

Hurdle Word 3 hint

To change.

Hurdle Word 3 answer

AMEND

Hurdle Word 4 hint

A composition.

Hurdle Word 4 answer

ETUDE

Final Hurdle hint

A Christmas plant.

Hurdle Word 5 answer

HOLLY

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

Welcome to your guide to Pips, the latest game in the New York Times catalog.

Released in August 2025, Pips puts a unique spin on dominoes, creating a fun single-player experience that could become your next daily gaming habit.

Currently, if you're stuck, the game only offers to reveal the entire puzzle, forcing you to move on to the next difficulty level and start over. However, we have you covered! Below are piecemeal answers that will serve as hints so that you can find your way through each difficulty level.

How to play Pips

If you've ever played dominoes, you'll have a passing familiarity with how Pips is played. As we've shared in our previous hints stories for Pips, the tiles, like dominoes, are placed vertically or horizontally and connect with each other. The main difference between a traditional game of dominoes and Pips is the color-coded conditions you have to address. The touching tiles don't necessarily have to match.

The conditions you have to meet are specific to the color-coded spaces. For example, if it provides a single number, every side of a tile in that space must add up to the number provided. It is possible — and common — for only half a tile to be within a color-coded space.

Here are common examples you'll run into across the difficulty levels:

• Number: All the pips in this space must add up to the number.

• Equal: Every domino half in this space must be the same number of pips.

• Not Equal: Every domino half in this space must have a completely different number of pips.

• Less than: Every domino half in this space must add up to less than the number.

• Greater than: Every domino half in this space must add up to more than the number.

If an area does not have any color coding, it means there are no conditions on the portions of dominoes within those spaces.

Easy difficulty hints, answers for September 11 Pips

Number (3): Everything in this space must add up to 3. The answer is 3-4, placed horizontally.

Greater Than (3): Everything in this space must be greater than 3. The answer is 4-5, placed horizontally.

Number (6): Everything in this space must add up to 6. The answer is 3-3, placed horizontally.

Equal (5): Everything in this space must be equal to 5. The answer is 4-5, placed horizontally; 5-2, placed vertically.

Less Than (3): Everything in this space must be greater than 3. The answer is 1-2, placed vertically.

Equal (2): Everything in this space must be equal to 2. The answer is 5-2, placed vertically; 1-2, placed vertically.

Medium difficulty hints, answers for September 11 Pips

Equal (1): Everything in this space must be equal to 1. The answer is 1-5, placed horizontally; 1-6, placed vertically.

Number (10): Everything in this space must add up to 10. The answer is 1-5, placed horizontally; 5-2, placed horizontally.

Greater Than (1): Everything in this space must be greater than 1. The answer is 5-2, placed horizontally.

Number (8): Everything in this space must add up to 8. The answer is 3-6, placed vertically; 2-1, placed vertically.

Number (8): Everything in this space must add up to 8. The answer is 1-6, placed vertically; 2-4, placed vertically.

Number (4): Everything in this space must add up to 4. The answer is 2-1, placed vertically; 3-4, placed horizontally.

Equal (4): Everything in this space must be equal to 4. The answer is 3-4, placed horizontally; 2-4, placed vertically.

Hard difficulty hints, answers for September 11 Pips

Number (3): Everything in this space must add up to 3. The answer is 1-3, placed horizontally.

Number (3): Everything in this space must add up to 3. The answer is 3-3, placed vertically

Number (1): Everything in this space must add up to 1. The answer is 1-1, placed vertically.

Number (6): Everything in this space must add up to 6. The answer is 1-3, placed horizontally; 2-2, placed horizontally; 3-0, placed vertically.

Number (3): Everything in this space must add up to 3. The answer is 2-2, placed horizontally; 1-0, placed vertically.

Number (9): Everything in this space must add up to 9. The answer is 3-3, placed vertically; 6-0, placed vertically.

Number (5): Everything in this space must add up to 5. The answer is 1-1, placed vertically; 4-0, placed vertically.

Equal (0): Everything in this space must be equal to 0. The answer is 3-0, placed vertically; 1-0, placed vertically; 0-0, placed horizontally; 6-0, placed vertically; 4-0, placed vertically; 0-2, placed vertically; 0-5, placed vertically.

Less Than (3): Everything in this space must be less than 3. The answer is 0-2, placed vertically.

Greater Than (3): Everything in this space must be greater than 3. The answer is 0-5, placed vertically.

Not Equal: Everything in this space must be different. The answer is 6-2, placed vertically; 5-1, placed vertically; 3-4, placed vertically.

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

GTA 6 is just a few months away, and if you haven't already dropped $80 on a pre-order, then what are you waiting for?

If you're hoping to play GTA 6 as part of your Xbox Game Pass subscription, then I have some bad news for you: Grand Theft Auto VI will not be included in Xbox Game Pass at launch. Unfortunately, the same goes for PC gamers. So, if you're a casual player who was hoping to avoid buying a $600 gaming console just to play GTA 6, Xbox Game Pass isn't the solution.

Will GTA 6 be added to the Xbox Game Pass library at a later date? Probably! In fact, previous GTA games have been included in the subscription. However, even if GTA 6 is eventually added to the Xbox Game Pass, it could be awhile. And don't forget that Xbox Game Pass is going to impose strict monthly limits on cloud gaming in November, the same month GTA 6 is released.

Xbox Game Pass is a monthly subscription service that provides gamers with online console multiplayer access along with a library of titles. Xbox Game Pass actually includes quite a selection of games, depending on your plan. For example, the $22.99 per month Game Pass Ultimate plan includes more than 500 titles, including a selection of launch-day games, and doesn't require an Xbox console.

Not all games are added to Xbox Game Pass. Many popular titles do eventually get added, but usually not from day one.

Strauss Zelnick, the CEO of GTA developer Rockstar Games' parent company Take-Two, addressed the organization's view of game subscription services during a GamesIndustry.biz live event in 2022.

"We've supported various subscription services and we're happy to do so," Zelnick said at the time. "Our scepticism has been around making frontline console products available day and date with subscription. That doesn't make any sense to us, because economically speaking, we don't think consumers are prepared to pay for that. And we can't afford to turn our business upside down in a way that doesn't make sense economically. There always has to be an intersection between what the consumer wants and what the publisher is able to do. And you know, it doesn't make sense to do that for our properties."

Rockstar Games' GTA 6 predecessor, Grand Theft Auto V, has been included in the Xbox Game Pass numerous times over the years. GTA 5 was available on Game Pass in 2020, 2021, 2023, and 2025, and usually stayed on the service for a few months before being removed.

GTA 5's most recent stint on Xbox Game Pass ended on April 15, 2026.

With that said, GTA 5 was released all the way back in 2013, and its first inclusion in Xbox Game Pass was more than six and a half years later.

So, will gamers have to wait nearly seven years for GTA 6 to be added to Xbox Game Pass or other cloud gaming subscriptions? We just don't know. But one thing is certain: if you want to play GTA 6 when it launches later this year, you're going to have to buy it outright and play on either an Xbox or PlayStation console.

Warning: This story contains bloody video game images that some readers may find disturbing.

Developer Insomniac Games found massive success with Marvel’s Spider-Man, as well as its Miles Morales spin-off and direct sequel. Now, the PlayStation studio has taken another stab at another Marvel hero, the angry and animalistic Wolverine.

Insomniac Games attempts to inject Marvel’s Wolverine with what made its web-slinging previous adventures so resonant with audiences, namely its powerful storytelling, to resounding results. While the combat initially starts off one-dimensional, it eventually opens up with more options and sinks its claws into you.

Team X vs X-Men

Credit: Marvel / Insomniac Games

Marvel’s Wolverine follows the titular character’s journey with Team X as they fight for a better future where mutants can live without being feared or discriminated against. What the story and setup do well is feel familiar yet distinct from other Wolverine-related media.

Team X consists of some lesser-known characters, such as Wolverine’s mentor figure, Nathaniel Essex (Mister Sinister), and the brilliant scientist Walter Langkowski (Sasquatch). They feel like stand-ins for Charles Xavier (Professor X) and Hank McCoy (Beast), who are often used for those equivalent roles. This approach to cast selection for Team X gives Marvel’s Wolverine its own unique sense of identity since audiences have become so accustomed to seeing X-Men.

Of course, there are also recognizable names, including Jean Grey, Mystique, Sabretooth, and Bolivar Trask. They’re more or less similar to their comic book counterparts, which helps fans, whether hardcore or casual, get acquainted with them more easily. My main exposure to Marvel is through the MCU. Even though I don’t read comics at all, I knew enough about Marvel lore and its characters to stay absorbed with Insomniac’s world here.

Credit: Insomniac Games / Screenshot by George Yang

The story in Marvel’s Wolverine is rather poignant as well. It deals with heavy themes such as genocide, betrayal, and trauma, which are the ingredients of any competent X-Men story. Each of our heroes has their own personal demons to deal with, and the story allows us to authentically and emotionally connect with their inner turmoil.

It’s all couched in a cinematic globetrotting journey. Unlike Spider-Man and New York, Wolverine isn’t tied down to any specific city. As a result, Team X’s expedition takes them to places like Canada, Japan, and the fictional Southeast Asian country Madripoor. The art design and environments shine, delivering a fresh change of scenery every few hours.

'Wolverine' lets you go feral

Credit: Insomniac Games / Screenshot by George Yang

The combat in Marvel’s Wolverine is straightforward and fast-paced. It’s heavily melee-focused with Wolverine gauging his claws into every orifice of his enemies. When I say it’s bloody, it’s bloody. The amount of red liquid that comes spewing out and the flying dismembered limbs really gives the moment-to-moment gameplay a real visceral and satisfying feeling.

You’ll often be fighting multiple enemies at once, balancing between parrying and unleashing relentless assaults on them. You have to rein in your own bloodthirstiness and know when to momentarily take a breather to fend off an incoming attack from the side. You’d be surprised how easy it is to get overwhelmed when you’re surrounded. This prevents you from endlessly spamming attacks.

Wolverine also has a Rage meter that builds up by playing aggressively. Starting at Rage Tier 2, he can come back from death once by depleting the remaining meter. And at Rage Tier 3, Wolverine’s attacks deal significantly more damage. The combat might come off as button-mashy, but the Rage meter provides structure, flow, and a goal to aim for when trying to clear a room full of enemies.

Credit: Insomniac Games / Screenshot by George Yang

At first, the combat feels a bit too simplistic and repetitive. But that’s alleviated by the excellent progression systems. As Wolverine levels up, he can learn a variety of skills such as counters, jump attacks, and tackles. Furthermore, the collectibles scattered throughout the stages are vital. Material Chests let you unlock more suits from Wolverine’s extensive media history, which in turn increases his maximum HP. Finding Whisky Bottles and completing timed trials in Nightmare Doors expand his Adaptations, which grant him passive abilities, like automatic health regeneration at a certain threshold or extending the timing window of parries. So even though Marvel’s Wolverine isn’t an open-world game like Marvel’s Spider-Man, it’s always worth exploring every nook and cranny on each stage.

However, the biggest oversight is the poorly implemented stealth mechanics. Like many other action-adventure games, Wolverine can sneak around in grass and if he gets close enough, kill them in one strike without alerting nearby enemies. Unfortunately, his range is very limited, and the targeting feels off. Larger stages leave more wiggle room for him to pounce around, but in smaller arenas, it’s just a nonstarter. It feels like many of the stages just aren’t built adequately for stealth. It’s really only helpful for picking off a few enemies before you inevitably get spotted. At the start of every encounter, you might as well just jump in guns blazing…or claws out.

Again, again, again!

Credit: Insomniac Games / Screenshot by George Yang

After completing the story, the game allows you to replay levels to pick up any collectibles you may have missed the first time around. Additionally, New Game Plus increases Wolverine’s level cap to make him stronger and unlocks new Adaptations. While a linear action-adventure game like Marvel’s Wolverine doesn’t have as much replayability as an open-world game would, there’s enough warranted here for repeated playthroughs, especially on higher difficulties.

As with many other PlayStation first-party games, Marvel’s Wolverine boasts a large suite of accessibility options. These include motion sensitivity sliders, colorblind options, and audio cues. Also, if the gore proves too much, you can toggle the dismemberment and blood off in the gameplay settings. They’re boons for all sorts of players, even if you don’t have any disabilities. For example, the High Contrast Background setting makes your surroundings grey while keeping interactable objects bright. This makes it easier to hunt down collectibles.

My final verdict: I didn't want to put this game down, and it's a bloody good time.

Marvel's Wolverine

$69 at Amazon

 

See It at Amazon

TL;DR: The Samsung 34-inch Odyssey G5 ultra-wide gaming monitor is on sale for $279.99 at Amazon, down from its $399.99 list price.

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Credit: Samsung

Samsung 34-inch Odyssey G5

$279.99 at Amazon
$399.99 Save $120

Get Deal

If you want more room for games without setting up two separate monitors, Samsung’s 34-inch take on the Odyssey G5 is back under $300 at Amazon. The ultra-wide variant gives you a much broader 21:9 display than a regular gaming monitor, along with a deep curve and a refresh rate that still reaches well beyond 144Hz. 

As of Sept. 10, this specific 34-inch model of the Samsung Odyssey G5 (G55T) is $279.99 at Amazon, down by $120 from its $399.99 list price as part of a limited-time deal. That comes to a 30% saving, with Amazon selling and shipping the monitor directly — free 30-day returns also being included.

The extra width is probably the main reason to pick this version over the smaller Odyssey G5 models like the 27-inch G5.  

The 34-inch VA panel with a 3440x1440 Ultra-WQHD resolution and 21:9 aspect ratio grants you more horizontal space for racing games like Forza Horizon 5, RPGs in the realm of Baldurs Gate 3, or just having other windows open alongside whatever you’re playing.

Samsung also uses a 1,000R curve for this particular version, which bends the screen much further around your viewing position than a flatter display. Despite the larger size, the G5 still offers a 165Hz refresh rate and 1ms MPRT response time, so fast-moving games shouldn’t feel sluggish. 

A favorite usual feature of ours that we’ve seen more among Samsung monitors, too — AMD FreeSync Premium is supported for reducing tearing and stutter, with low frame-rate compensation also included. That’s along with HDR10 adding a little more range to brighter and darker areas of the picture, while HDMI and DisplayPort cover all the main connections you’re likely to need.

Want to learn more about getting the best out of your tech? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories and Deals newsletters today.

TL;DR: At IFA 2026, TCL expanded its lineup with two flush-mounted Designer Series TV lines running Google TV: the A300L 4K QLED and the A400U 4K QD-Mini LED (both starting at $799.99). Both models sit just 1.1 inches off the wall and include a flush wall mount in the box, and double as digital art galleries.

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Credit: TCL

TCL A300L 4K QLED Designer Series

Starting from $799.99

Shop Now

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Credit: TCL

TCL A400U 4K QD-Mini LED Designer Series

Starting from $799.99

Shop Now

TCL is aiming straight at Samsung's home decor dominance with a fresh double-barrel expansion to its flush-mounted lineup. Running Google TV, the new A300L 4K QLED and A400U 4K QD-Mini LED both sit flat against your drywall at just 1.1 inches deep.

They feature an ultra-matte, anti-glare screen engineered to minimize reflections, so that displayed digital art resembles printed canvas. The TVs include a dedicated flush wall mount right in the box, alongside a curated Art Library, AI art generation, and personal photo modes to keep your living room looking sharp when you're not streaming.

Built for viewers who want a display that handles gaming and fast motion just as well as decor, the A300L 4K QLED delivers a native 144Hz refresh rate, Motion Rate 480 processing, Dolby Vision, HDR10+, and four HDMI ports with eARC.

Audio is powered by a built-in 20W Onkyo system supporting Dolby Atmos. It comes out of the box with an off-white bezel plus a light-wood magnetic frame that snaps on in seconds to match your furniture.

It is available in 55-inch, 65-inch, and 75-inch sizes, with the 85-inch option landing soon.

For those who refuse to compromise on picture depth, the A400U 4K QD-Mini LED steps up to TCL's Halo Control System and Local Dimming Pro+. It combines a high-contrast HVA panel with a 23-bit backlight controller to eliminate haloing around bright objects.

Besides its ultra-thin art profile and reflection-cutting matte finish, you get a 144Hz native panel, Game Accelerator 288 for low-lag gaming, and dedicated 4K/144Hz inputs on HDMI 1 and 2. Audio also gains DTS:X passthrough alongside Dolby Atmos, making it a true flagship display disguised as living room decor.

It is available in 55-inch, 65-inch, 75-inch, and 85-inch configurations.

Head over to TCL or Amazon to check out the new A300L and A400U Designer Series as they land at US retailers.

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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.

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

Hurdle Word 1 hint

To glorify.

Hurdle Word 1 answer

EXALT

Hurdle Word 2 hint

To cut.

Hurdle Word 2 Answer

SHEAR

Hurdle Word 3 hint

To mess up.

Hurdle Word 3 answer

BOTCH

Hurdle Word 4 hint

A gorge.

Hurdle Word 4 answer

GULCH

Final Hurdle hint

Madness.

Hurdle Word 5 answer

CRAZE

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

Welcome to your guide to Pips, the latest game in the New York Times catalog.

Released in August 2025, Pips puts a unique spin on dominoes, creating a fun single-player experience that could become your next daily gaming habit.

Currently, if you're stuck, the game only offers to reveal the entire puzzle, forcing you to move on to the next difficulty level and start over. However, we have you covered! Below are piecemeal answers that will serve as hints so that you can find your way through each difficulty level.

How to play Pips

If you've ever played dominoes, you'll have a passing familiarity with how Pips is played. As we've shared in our previous hints stories for Pips, the tiles, like dominoes, are placed vertically or horizontally and connect with each other. The main difference between a traditional game of dominoes and Pips is the color-coded conditions you have to address. The touching tiles don't necessarily have to match.

The conditions you have to meet are specific to the color-coded spaces. For example, if it provides a single number, every side of a tile in that space must add up to the number provided. It is possible — and common — for only half a tile to be within a color-coded space.

Here are common examples you'll run into across the difficulty levels:

• Number: All the pips in this space must add up to the number.

• Equal: Every domino half in this space must be the same number of pips.

• Not Equal: Every domino half in this space must have a completely different number of pips.

• Less than: Every domino half in this space must add up to less than the number.

• Greater than: Every domino half in this space must add up to more than the number.

If an area does not have any color coding, it means there are no conditions on the portions of dominoes within those spaces.

Easy difficulty hints, answers for September 9 Pips

Greater Than (1): Everything in this space must be greater than 1. The answer is 3-2, placed horizontally.

Greater Than (4): Everything in this space must be greater than 3. The answer is 1-5, placed horizontally.

Number (9): Everything in this space must add up to 9. The answer is 3-2, placed horizontally; 6-0, placed vertically.

Equal (0): Everything in this space must be equal to 0. The answer is 6-0, placed vertically; 0-1, placed horizontally.

Number (4): Everything in this space must add up to 4. The answer is 1-5, placed horizontally; 1-1, placed horizontally; 0-1, placed horizontally.

Medium difficulty hints, answers for September 9 Pips

Greater Than (1): Everything in this space must be greater than 3. The answer is 2-3, placed vertically.

Number (6): Everything in this space must add up to 6. The answer is 1-3, placed vertically; 6-5, placed vertically.

Number (6): Everything in this space must add up to 6. The answer is 2-3, placed vertically; 3-0, placed horizontally.

Number (0): Everything in this space must add up to 0. The answer is 3-0, placed horizontally.

Less Than (6): Everything in this space must be greater than 6. The answer is 5-4, placed horizontally.

Equal (5): Everything in this space must be equal to 5. The answer is 5-5, placed vertically.

Equal (3): Everything in this space must be equal to 3. The answer is 1-3, placed vertically; 3-5, placed horizontally.

Equal (5): Everything in this space must be equal to 5. The answer is 5-4, placed horizontally; 3-5, placed horizontally.

Hard difficulty hints, answers for September 9 Pips

Number (11): Everything in this space must add up to 11. The answer is 2-6, placed horizontally; 5-0, placed vertically.

Equal (3): Everything in this space must be equal to 3. The answer is 3-3, placed vertically; 3-4, placed vertically.

Greater Than (3): Everything in this space must be greater than 3. The answer is 3-4, placed vertically.

Number (2): Everything in this space must add up to 2. The answer is 5-0, placed vertically; 0-0, placed horizontally; 2-4, placed vertically.

Greater Than (3): Everything in this space must be greater than 3. The answer is 2-4, placed vertically.

Number (3): Everything in this space must add up to 3. The answer is 1-3, placed horizontally.

Equal (1): Everything in this space must be equal to 1. The answer is 1-1, placed horizontally; 1-0, placed vertically; 1-3, placed horizontally.

Equal (0): Everything in this space must be equal to 0. The answer is 1-0, placed vertically; 0-6, placed vertically.

Number (11): Everything in this space must add up to 11. The answer is 0-6, placed vertically; 5-6, placed vertically.

Greater Than (3): Everything in this space must be greater than 3. The answer is 5-6, placed vertically.

Equal (2): Everything in this space must be equal to 2. The answer is 2-2, placed vertically.

Number (13): Everything in this space must add up to 13. The answer is 4-4, placed vertically; 5-1, placed horizontally.

Number (1): Everything in this space must add up to 1. The answer is 5-1, placed horizontally.

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

Last week, the White House unveiled a new government website called Arcade.gov, which hosted five web-based games that promoted President Trump's agenda. Following accusations of racism and veiled threats of potential legal action, only four of those games are now visible on Arcade.gov.

"Build the Wall," a Tetris clone that promoted an anti-immigrant ideology and challenged players to  "protect the border from the coming horde" is no longer on the Arcade.gov website.

The White House launched the arcade website last Thursday through a series of social media videos spoofing classic game console opening screens from companies like Nintendo and Sega. The five playable games on the site were all knockoffs of titles like Flappy Bird.

However, the website's Tetris clone, "Build the Wall," received the most attention for its virulently anti-immigrant messaging.

Just one day later, the team behind Tetris issued an official statement distancing itself from the game and floating potential legal action.

"At Tetris, we believe in the power of connection and bringing people together, not dividing them," Tetris said in a statement posted to its official social media accounts. "To our fans everywhere: we love you, we see you, and we’re grateful to have you in our community."

"P.S. The Tetris Company was not involved in the creation of 'Build the Wall'," the statement continued. "P.P.S. We take copyright infringement very seriously."

It's unclear if The Tetris Company officially took action against the White House's knockoff puzzle game. However, it does seem that the threat spooked the Trump administration enough to have the game removed.

Zelda is turning 40 this year, and Nintendo is showing up for the celebration. In a video presentation, Nintendo just announced a handful of special edition hardware options to go alongside the new Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. While the game launches on Nov. 5, fans can snag the Nintendo Switch 2 The Legend of Zelda 40th Anniversary Edition system on Oct. 29.

The Zelda makeover of the Nintendo Switch 2 pays homage to Link's classic colors of gold, black, and green. In addition to the console itself, Nintendo is also dropping a matching display stand and carrying case with a screen protector. Of course, all of them showcase the iconic Triforce design. There's also a truly stunning Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller coming with a Zelda makeover.

Immediately added to Christmas wish list: the new Zelda Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller. Credit: Nintendo

These launches are all part of Nintendo's 40th anniversary celebration of Zelda, which will feature plenty of merch drops and live events that'll continue on into 2027.

Updated on Sept. 11: Unfortunately, the Nintendo Switch 2 'The Legend of Zelda 40th Anniversary Edition' consoles sold out immediately. You can check these links to see if any new inventory has become available, and we're also monitoring these retailers for restocks.

Shop Nintendo Switch 2 Consoles:

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Shop Amazon

Nintendo Switch 2 The Legend of Zelda 40th Anniversary Edition

$519.99

Pre-Order Here

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Shop Best Buy

Nintendo Switch 2 The Legend of Zelda 40th Anniversary Edition

$519.99

Pre-Order Here

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Shop Walmart

Nintendo Switch 2 The Legend of Zelda 40th Anniversary Edition

$519

Pre-Order Here

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Shop GameStop

Nintendo Switch 2 The Legend of Zelda 40th Anniversary Edition

$519.99

Pre-Order Here

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Shop Nintendo

Nintendo Switch 2 The Legend of Zelda 40th Anniversary Edition

$519.99

Pre-Order Here

TL;DR: The Samsung 27-inch Odyssey G5 (G50F) QHD gaming monitor is on sale at Amazon for $169.99, down from its $279.99 list price.

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Credit: Samsung

Samsung 27-Inch Odyssey G5 (G50F) Series QHD Gaming Monitor

$169.99 at Amazon
$279.99 Save $110

Get Deal

Getting into 180Hz gaming doesn't necessarily mean you need to spend OLED-levels of money, especially when one of Samsung's most affordable Odyssey monitors has gotten a huge price cut once again.

As of Sept. 8, the Samsung 27-inch Odyssey G5 (G50F model) is available on Amazon for $169.99 as part of a limited-time deal. That's $110 below its $279.99 list price, which equals a 39 percent savings on the QHD gaming monitor. 

Amazon is handling both the sale and shipping itself, with free delivery showing for Sept. 9 at the time of writing; this new deal is only 99 cents off its lowest-ever price, which Mashable confirmed when checking the price tracker camelcamelcamel.