Entertainment
What Have CoJ Readers Taught You?
“I need to thank the commenter who recommended the novel Beautyland,” wrote a reader named Julie. “I laughed and teared up and even threw the book down after reading a particularly killer line; I never want it to end. Can we do a post where everyone says, ‘I want to thank the CoJ commenter who…’ We can have a giant dogpile of gratitude and ‘Can you believe how lucky we are this site exists?!’”
Julie’s comment made me clutch my heart — and I couldn’t agree more with her sentiment that the CoJ community always shows up with humor and wisdom. Here are a few things I’ve learned from CoJ readers, and I’d LOVE to hear your answers, too.
* “Go first in the buffet line. Why does no one want to be the one to start it? I am always up for that task.” — Sydnee
* “My goal one year was to replace all my small, silly underwear with huge panties and BE OK WITH IT, and it’s still the best resolution I’ve made. My life changed when I bought undies two sizes too big. So comfy! No wedgies! This must be how men feel EVERY DAY OF THEIR DAMN LIVES! I’m a hardcore big panty evangelist.” — Jen
* “In heart-to-hearts, ask someone, ‘Do you want to vent, or are you looking for help?’ My mom did this, and it was so nice to talk freely without getting her two cents and also to get her sage advice when I did want it. It’s priceless to know that someone loves you enough to listen to you vent.” — Molly
* “Bless you, new moms. If you’re trying, you are doing a great job.” — Anonymous
“Westman Atelier Baby Cheeks blush sticks are pricey, no doubt, but I have the shade ‘poppet’ which translates to the prettiest naughtiest flush on my cheeks. (I have actually gotten rid of all of my other blushes.)” — Jade
* “My parents divorced when my sisters and I were young, and our lives changed financially for the worse as my mother refused alimony and just wanted ‘her girls.’ Growing up first-generation Latina during a time when Latina women rarely got divorced, I felt very lonely. But reading Little Women made me feel less alone, since the March girls went through their own trials, and poverty was also a huge theme in their lives.” — Mallory
* “When you need to chop an onion, place your cutting board on your stovetop and turn on the vent/fan. No tears!” — Lisa
* “I once read that we should think, ‘just like me sometimes.’ As in, ‘That person is being a jerk…just like me sometimes’ or ‘She is being completely unreasonable… just like me sometimes.’ A good reminder that none of us are perfect!” — Laura
Plus, a million books and movies and TV series! I recently finished The Husbands (“such a fun audiobook, especially with the British accents,” commented Riss), and Deadloch is up next.
What about you??? What have you gleaned from CoJ readers? ILYSM xoxo
P.S. Our best reader comments and readers share their tattoos, cozy corners, and gray hair. Plus, one reader’s introvert nook!
Entertainment
NYT Strands hints, answers for April 19, 2026
Today’s NYT Strands hints are easy if you’re constantly changing.
Strands, the New York Times‘ elevated word-search game, requires the player to perform a twist on the classic word search. Words can be made from linked letters — up, down, left, right, or diagonal, but words can also change direction, resulting in quirky shapes and patterns. Every single letter in the grid will be part of an answer. There’s always a theme linking every solution, along with the “spangram,” a special, word or phrase that sums up that day’s theme, and spans the entire grid horizontally or vertically.
By providing an opaque hint and not providing the word list, Strands creates a brain-teasing game that takes a little longer to play than its other games, like Wordle and Connections.
If you’re feeling stuck or just don’t have 10 or more minutes to figure out today’s puzzle, we’ve got all the NYT Strands hints for today’s puzzle you need to progress at your preferred pace.
NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Small change
The words are related to changes.
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Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained
These words describe fine-tuning.
NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?
Today’s NYT Strands spangram is vertical.
NYT Strands spangram answer today
Today’s spangram is There I Fixed It.
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NYT Strands word list for April 19
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There I Fixed It
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Adjust
-
Modify
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Alter
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Improve
-
Tweak
-
Refine
Looking for other daily online games? Mashable’s Games page has more hints, and if you’re looking for more puzzles, Mashable’s got games now!
Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Not the day you’re after? Here’s the solution to yesterday’s Strands.
Entertainment
Wordle today: Answer, hints for April 19, 2026
Today’s Wordle answer should be easy to solve if you can never sit down.
If you just want to be told today’s word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for today’s Wordle solution revealed. But if you’d rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.
Where did Wordle come from?
Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once.
Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing.
What’s the best Wordle starting word?
The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be strategic in your approach, we have a few ideas to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N.
What happened to the Wordle archive?
The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles was originally available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it, but it was later taken down, with the website’s creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times. However, the New York Times then rolled out its own Wordle Archive, available only to NYT Games subscribers.
Is Wordle getting harder?
It might feel like Wordle is getting harder, but it actually isn’t any more difficult than when it first began. You can turn on Wordle‘s Hard Mode if you’re after more of a challenge, though.
Here’s a subtle hint for today’s Wordle answer:
To rise.
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Does today’s Wordle answer have a double letter?
There are no recurring letters.
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Today’s Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with…
Today’s Wordle starts with the letter T.
The Wordle answer today is…
Get your last guesses in now, because it’s your final chance to solve today’s Wordle before we reveal the solution.
Drumroll please!
The solution to today’s Wordle is…
STAND
Don’t feel down if you didn’t manage to guess it this time. There will be a new Wordle for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we’ll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints. Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today’s Strands.
Reporting by Chance Townsend, Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.
If you’re looking for more puzzles, Mashable’s got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Not the day you’re after? Here’s the solution to yesterday’s Wordle.
Entertainment
Hurdle hints and answers for April 19, 2026
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
The edge.
Hurdle Word 1 answer
BRINK
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Hurdle Word 2 hint
Moody.
Hurdle Word 2 Answer
POUTY
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Hurdle Word 3 hint
America’s bird.
Hurdle Word 3 answer
EAGLE
Hurdle Word 4 hint
A platform.
Hurdle Word 4 answer
FORUM
Final Hurdle hint
Cheapskate.
Hurdle Word 5 answer
MISER
If you’re looking for more puzzles, Mashable’s got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
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