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NYT Strands hints, answers for February 8, 2026

Today’s NYT Strands hints are easy if you love an alcoholic beverage.

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: Make it fancy

The words are related to drinks.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe ways to adorn a drink.

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 Cocktail Garnish

NYT Strands word list for February 8

  • Twist

  • Olive

  • Sprig

  • Celery

  • Cocktail Garnish

  • Shrimp

  • Cherry

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.

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Entertainment

NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for February 8, 2026

The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult to solve if you like a strict regimen.

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.

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.

Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.

Here’s a hint for today’s Connections categories

Want a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:

  • Yellow: To stuff down

  • Green: Same ole

  • Blue: Protected info

  • Purple: Not one

Here are today’s Connections categories

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

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 #973 is…

What is the answer to Connections today

  • Suppress: GAG, INHIBIT, MUZZLE, SILENCE

  • Same old stuff: DRILL, GRIND, HABIT, ROUTINE

  • Features of a strong password: LENGTH, NUMBER, SYMBOL, UPPERCASE

  • Words after “Two”: BIT, CENTS, FACED, TIMER

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.


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Wordle today: Answer, hints for February 8, 2026

Today’s Wordle answer should be easy to solve if you like to immerse yourself in things.

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 implant.

Does today’s Wordle answer have a double letter?

The letter E appears twice.

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

Today’s Wordle starts with the letter E.

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…

EMBED

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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Apple’s 2017 MacBook Air is now 80% off

TL;DR: A quality refurbished Apple MacBook Air (2017) with 8GB RAM and 128GB SSD is on sale for $199.97 — 80% off the regular $999 price until Feb. 15 at 11:59 p.m. PT.


$199.97

$999
Save $799.03

 

Buying a laptop does not have to mean spending four figures, especially for straightforward needs. If you want a reliable Mac for everyday tasks and are open to a previously owned laptop, this quality refurbished Apple MacBook Air (2017) is price-dropped to $199.97 (reg. $999) through Feb 15 at 11:59 p.m. PT.

The 1.8GHz Intel Core i5 processor and 8GB of RAM provide ample performance for daily workloads. A 128GB solid-state drive ensures quick boot times and fast file access, while the 13.3-inch widescreen display (1440 x 900) offers comfortable viewing for writing, browsing or streaming. Intel HD Graphics 6000 supports smooth video playback, and built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth meet the demands of a connected life.

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With a rated 12-hour battery, the MacBook Air remains a solid option for working away from an outlet, whether that is a few hours at a coffee shop or a full day of classes. It is also compatible with macOS Monterey 12, which means access to modern features and security updates without needing the latest hardware.

A refurbished laptop is not for everyone, and it is worth knowing what you are getting. This laptop is listed as quality refurbished, which means it may show light scuffing or minor cosmetic wear on the case. This MacBook is designed to perform as expected, making it a practical choice if you care more about value and function than having a pristine exterior. Buying refurbished can offer significant savings over new models, and each device is inspected and tested to ensure it meets functional standards. For budget-minded shoppers, this is a chance to experience Apple’s build quality and user experience without the big price tag.

This offer is great for students, browser-based remote workers, or anyone seeking a dependable secondary computer for writing, email, and streaming.

This 2017 MacBook Air delivers the familiar macOS experience. Get it for $199.97 (reg. $999) through Feb 15 at 11:59 p.m. PT.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

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