Entertainment
Netflix's New Plan To Totally Take Over A Formally Independent Media Space
By Robert Scucci
| Published
It’s official. Last Podcast on the Left is coming to Netflix. I first heard the news on Wednesday, January 21 during the weekly Side Stories episode, when series host Marcus Parks announced that the true crime comedy podcast would be showing up on Netflix feeds by the end of the month. In this case, the long-running series is part of a licensing play, meaning the video episodes from the back catalog will simply be available to stream on Netflix for subscribers, while regular listeners can continue using Spotify or their podcast apps as usual.
In other words, if you don’t have Netflix, you can still tune in week after week to listen to Last Podcast on the Left. But if you’re a diehard Netflix junkie, you can now catch the show there without changing your media consumption habits.
While this is great news for Marcus Parks, Henry Zebrowski, and Ed Larson, it also points to a much larger shift in the media landscape as we move further into 2026. That shift is Netflix making a serious push to dominate the podcast space.
Last Podcast On The Left Reaching A Wider Audience
Hosted by Marcus Parks, Henry Zebrowski, and Ed Larson, Last Podcast on the Left is a true-crime and comedy podcast covering everything from serial killers and alien invasions to government conspiracies and just about any other macabre subject imaginable. The series debuted in 2011, clocked in over 1,100 episodes, and has only continued to grow in popularity over the years.
I’ve always gravitated toward the “Heavy Hitter” series, where they spend multiple episodes unpacking the lives and crimes of figures like BTK, Ted Bundy, Jeffrey Dahmer, John Wayne Gacy, and Aileen Wuornos. That said, the show has been a part of my weekly listening routine for over a decade at this point, and I’m glad to see what started out as a bootstraped project continue to flourish. If you have a dark sense of humor and enjoy learning about the worst people and events in history while three dudes work out their shtick through exhaustive research, it’s hard to beat. I’m hopeful this Netflix deal helps the show reach a wider audience without compromising its integrity or legacy.
Licensing Existing Properties Vs Netflix Originals
Personally, I breathed a sigh of relief when Marcus Parks clarified that Last Podcast on the Left’s involvement with Netflix was strictly a licensing arrangement. It’s still the same show, just using Netflix’s infrastructure and reach to capture a new audience. Alongside that, the group has also hinted at additional projects that will land on the streaming platform in the coming months, which should broaden their scope as podcasters, media personalities, and content creators. It feels like a rare win-win kind of situation, especially since ownership of the show was not transferred in the process.
On a much broader scale, Netflix plans to go hard on podcasts in 2026 by partnering with Spotify, iHeartMedia, and Barstool Sports as a way to distribute already existing shows to the streaming sector. On the flip side, this also means Netflix is beginning to produce its own podcasts to fill their ever-growing content slate. As of this writing, Bridgerton: The Official Podcast will operate as a companion piece to the hit series and is scheduled to debut on January 29, 2026.
Beyond that, it’s still unclear what original podcast concepts not tied to already existing IPs will look like, especially when filtered through committee decisions and the kind of focus-group feedback Netflix productions are known for. Netflix has already announced The Pete Davidson Show, and The White House with Michael Irvin recently saw its debut, but it feels inevitable that scripted podcasts are probably coming next. If that happens, I’m genuinely curious about how Netflix plans to hold the attention of distracted viewers who may not be listening to a word anyone is saying.
Entertainment
NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for April 19, 2026
The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult if you have a sweet tooth.
Connections is the one of the most popular New York Times word games that’s captured the public’s attention. The game is all about finding the “common threads between words.” And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we’ve served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.
If you just want to be told today’s puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for today’s Connections solution. But if you’d rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.
What is Connections?
The NYT‘s latest daily word game has become a social media hit. The Times credits associate puzzle editor Wyna Liu with helping to create the new word game and bringing it to the publications’ Games section. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.
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Each puzzle features 16 words and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise of anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there’s only one correct answer.
If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake—players get up to four mistakes until the game ends.
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Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.
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Here’s a hint for today’s Connections categories
Want a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:
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Yellow: Lippy
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Green: Gowns
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Blue: Played in Vegas
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Purple: Sweet treats
Here are today’s Connections categories
Need a little extra help? Today’s connections fall into the following categories:
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Yellow: Cheeky
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Green: Dress measurements
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Blue: Cards in Texas Hold ‘Em
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Purple: Last words of candy brands in the singular
Looking for Wordle today? Here’s the answer to today’s Wordle.
Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today’s puzzle before we reveal the solutions.
Drumroll, please!
The solution to today’s Connections #1043 is…
What is the answer to Connections today
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Cheeky: ARCH, FRESH, SASSY, WISE
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Dress measurements: BUST, HIPS, LENGTH, WAIST
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Cards in Texas Hold ‘Em: FLOP, HOLE, RIVER, TURN
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Last words of candy brands in the singular: CAP, DUD, KID, MINT
Don’t feel down if you didn’t manage to guess it this time. There will be new Connections for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we’ll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.
Are you also playing NYT Strands? Get all the Strands hints you need for today’s puzzle.
If you’re looking for more puzzles, Mashable’s got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Not the day you’re after? Here’s the solution to yesterday’s Connections.
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
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Modify
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Alter
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Improve
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Tweak
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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.
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