IT General

The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult to solve if you're a builder.

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.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable 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.

SEE ALSO: NYT Pips hints, answers for November 27, 2025 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: Flooding

• Green: Found on a PC

• Blue: Building instruments

• Purple: This puzzle is one

Here are today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Inundation

• Green: Main folders in a computer

• Blue: Woodworking tools

• Purple: Rhymes for New York Times games

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 #900 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Inundation: AVALANCHE, OUTPOURING, TIDAL WAVE, TORRENT

• Main folders in a computer: DESKTOP, DOCUMENTS, DOWNLOADS, MUSIC

• Woodworking tools: DRILLS, FILES, ROUTERS, SAWS

• Rhymes for New York Times games: CONFECTIONS, GRANDS, HURDLE, SWELLING SEA

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.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for November 27, 2025

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 today's Connections.

Today's NYT Strands hints are easy if you're an appreciative person.

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.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable

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.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for November 27, 2025 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for November 27, 2025 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: With gratitude

The words are related to an autumn holiday.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe things to be grateful for.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is horizontal.

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is Thankful.

NYT Strands word list for November 27

• Life

• Friends

• Family

• Food

• Thankful

• Community

• Work

• Health

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 today's Strands.

Self-hosting can save you a lot of money, even when the cost of your hardware is taken into account. I run most of my services on a cheap mini PC, and I've been able to ditch several subscriptions by self-hosting similar versions of the same services for free. There are some subscriptions, however, that I won't be getting rid of any time soon.

Black Friday season is in full swing and Amazon is already showing off with its epic deals. If your inbox is giving you hives from the influx of deals from every retailer, we're breaking down all of the details of Amazon's sale for you below — from when the sale starts and ends to what deals are worth adding to your cart.

Amazon Black Friday deals at a glance: Sony WH-1000XM5 Headphones $248 (save $151.99 + get $30 Amazon credit with code SONYX30) Get Deal Amazon Kindle $79.99 (save $30) Get Deal Anker Solix C1000 Gen 2 $349 (save $450) Get Deal Ninja Slushi $269.99 (save $100) Get Deal Sony ULT Field 5 $194.95 (save $155.04) Get Deal Amazon 65-inch QLED Mini-LED 4K Fire TV $894.99 (save $195) Get Deal

Black Friday is one of, if not the biggest shopping event of the year. What used to be a single day on the Friday after Thanksgiving has turned into a full-blown season that starts far before the holiday itself and extends through December. But we're not complaining. Having more time to sort out your finances and shop for less is a blessing in a time when everything is outrageously expensive.

Unlike its major competitors Walmart, Best Buy, and Target, Amazon doesn't have a physical storefront where you can wait in line to score doorbuster deals. And yet, it typically ends up having the best prices of every retailer regardless of it being online only. And honestly, nothing beats shopping from your couch with a turkey hangover on Black Friday.

Here's everything you need to know about the Amazon Black Friday 2025 sale, including the best deals already live.

When is Amazon's Black Friday sale?

The mega-retailer's Black Friday sale kicked off early on Thursday, Nov. 20 and will run through the end of the day Friday, Nov. 28 with plenty of deals on offer throughout. The banners will then switch over from Black Friday to Cyber Monday language on Saturday, Nov. 29 (yes, Amazon does do Cyber Monday as well) and the Cyber Monday sale will run through Monday, Dec. 1.

Best Amazon Black Friday ad highlights

Amazon doesn't release a traditional Black Friday ad like its competitors. Instead, it announces its plans for Black Friday in the form of a press release — and then proceeds to drop some of the best deals of the season when the time comes.

Officially, these are the categories Amazon highlighted in its press release, but it doesn't even include some of the top deals we've seen thus far (read on to shop those). Regardless, here's what Amazon's ad highlights include for its Black Friday sale:

• Up to 55% off select home products from Shark and kitchen appliances from Ninja

• Up to 50% off Amazon devices like the Echo Dot Max, Fire TV Stick lineup, Fire tablets, and Kindles

• Up to 50% off electronics from JBL and Canon

• Up to 45% off Bose audio

• Up to 40% off kitchen items from Vitamix, Staub, Nespresso, and more

• Up to 40% on select floorcare from Bissell and iRobot

• Up to 40% off home entertainment from Hisense, TCL, and LG

• Up to 40% on toys from Melissa & Doug, Little Tykes, Play-Doh, and Nerf

• Up to 35% on select Samsung and Google products

• Up to 80% off Kindle books and up to 65% off physical books

SEE ALSO: The 40 best Christmas gifts for the 2025 holiday season, hand-picked by our product reviewers Best Black Friday deals at Amazon

Amazon's Black Friday event is always packed with deals that range from today's best tech to kitchen appliances to toys all the kids want under the tree this year. This year is no different — we're already seeing record-low prices, beating or at least matching previous lows that we usually see during Prime Day events. We've rounded up some of the best deals we've seen at Amazon for Black Friday 2025 below, but be sure to follow along with our shopping team's full coverage for a wider range of products.

Opens in a new window Credit: Sony Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones $248 at Amazon
$399.99 Save $151.99 + get $30 Amazon credit with code SONYX30 Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Kindle $79.99 at Amazon
$109.99 Save $30   Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Anker Anker Solix C1000 power station $349 at Amazon
$799 Save $450   Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon 65-inch QLED Mini-LED 4K Fire TV $894.99 at Amazon
$1,089.99 Save $195   Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Kindle Unlimited get 3 months for $0.99 (save $34.98) Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Audible Premium Plus $0.99/month for 3 months + $20 Audible credit Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Sony Sony ULT Field 5 $194.95 at Amazon
$349.99 Save $155.04   Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Ninja Ninja Slushi $269.99
$369.99 Save $100   Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Insignia Insignia 75-inch QF QLED 4K Fire TV $399.99 at Amazon
$649.99 Save $250   Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Roborock Roborock Saros 10R $999.99 at Amazon
$1,599.99 Save $600   Get Deal Price check before you buy SEE ALSO: Best Buy's early Black Friday deals are live. As a shopping reporter, here's what I would buy now.

On first glance, a deal might look great, but it's worth a few extra seconds of research. To confirm you're actually getting a good deal, head to Camelcamelcamel to check on a product's price history. Just copy the Amazon URL into the price tracker and you'll get full stats. On occasion, Amazon can make a deal look better than it actually is by inflating the list price. On the flip side, we've also seen Amazon post the list price as something lower than the recommended MSRP which can spell an awesome deal for Amazon shoppers.

SAVE $250: The 13-inch Apple MacBook Air M4 (16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) is on sale for $949 in the Amazon Black Friday sale. This is $250 off and marks its lowest-ever price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple 13-inch Apple MacBook Air M4 (16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) $949 at Amazon
$1,199 Save $250   Get Deal

For those looking to pick up the latest Apple products, Black Friday is the time to do it. MacBook deals have been blowing us away this year, including this excellent offer on Apple's 13-inch MacBook Air M4 (16GB RAM, 512GB SSD), which has hit its lowest-ever price at Amazon.

The 13-inch Apple MacBook Air M4 (16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) has been marked down to $949 in Amazon's Black Friday sale. Usually it comes with a price tag of $1,199, so this deal saves you $250.

SEE ALSO: Black Friday 2025: Live updates on the latest deals from Amazon, Target, Walmart, and more

Whether you're picking it up for yourself or as a gift for someone over the holidays — we consider this model to be the best MacBook for students — this MacBook Air is a great investment. It's packed with the M4 chip for speedy performance alongside up to 18 hours of battery life to keep you going through the whole day. This particular model also comes with 16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD for storage.

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On top of that, this MacBook Air boasts a 13.6-inch Liquid Retina display that makes images look crisp and colorful, no matter if you're using it for work or play. The Air also has a slim, portable design that makes it very easy to take on the go, which is a nice bonus.

Don't miss out on the 13-inch Apple MacBook Air M4 (16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) down to its lowest-ever price at Amazon. And if you're looking for even more Apple deals available right now, check out our full breakdown of the 30+ best Black Friday Apple deals.

The best Black Friday MacBook Air deals at a glance: Best 13-inch deal Apple MacBook Air 13-Inch M4 $749 (save $250) Get Deal Best 15-Inch deal Apple MacBook Air 15-Inch M4 $949 (save $250) Get Deal

There’s no better time to buy a new laptop than Black Friday. Retailers hype up their customers by delivering some of the year’s best deals. MacBooks, for instance, have been the star of several recent Amazon sale events and this Black Friday is no different. 

We've found stunning Black Friday deals on both the 13- and 15-inch versions of the MacBook Air, which is recommended as the best all-round MacBook for most users by Mashable.

The best Black Friday 13-inch MacBook Air deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple MacBook Air 13-Inch M4 $749 at Amazon
$999 Save $250   Get Deal Why we like it

The MacBook Air 13-Inch gives you everything you get from its bigger brother but with a scaled down 13.6-inch display and a lighter build of 2.7lbs. Indeed, this model is super portable but doesn't give up any power whatsoever. Other features include Touch ID and Apple Intelligence. Something else it shares with the 15-inch version is $250 off the list price for Black Friday.

The best Black Friday 15-inch MacBook Air deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple MacBook Air 15-Inch M4 $949 at Amazon
$1,199 Save $250   Get Deal Why we like it

Powered by Apple's superb M4 chip and weighing just 3.3lbs, the MacBook Air 15-inch is an excellent all-rounder — particularly if you're someone who works on-the-go. It's built for creative tasks as well as everyday use and comes with 16GB of RAM and 256GB of storage — plenty for most people. The extra space on this version's 15.3-inch liquid retina display make it the better choice for creatives or regular streamers.

The Amazon-owned smart security camera brand Blink offers a wide range of cameras suitable for both indoor and outdoor use. After years of using Blink cameras and wishing for a higher-resolution option, the new Blink Outdoor 2K+ is finally here, and the picture quality is excellent.

The best Black Friday Fitbit deals at a glance: Best Budget Fitbit Deal Fitbit Inspire 3 $69.95 (save $30) Get Deal Best Mid-Range Fitbit Deal Fitbit Charge 6 $99.95 (save $60) Get Deal Best Premium Fitbit Deal Fitbit Sense 2 $179.95 (save $70) Get Deal

If you're hoping to start 2026 off fresh with some new health and fitness goals, a fitness tracker can help get you on the right track. Thankfully, Black Friday sales feature tons of excellent discounts for shoppers on a wide variety of models. And a number of Fitbit deals have really caught our eye.

We've found deals cross a range of price points. Not looking to drop loads of cash this year? Our favorite budget fitness tracker, the Fitbit Inspire 3, has dropped back to its lowest-ever price this Black Friday. Or, if you don't mind splashing out a bit, why not check out the more premium Fitbit Sense 2? It's $70 off for a limited time.

SEE ALSO: Black Friday 2025: Live updates on the latest deals from Amazon, Target, Walmart, and more

We've gathered together just a few of our favorite Fitbit deals from Black Friday below. If you're curious what other fitness tracker deals are available right now, check out our breakdown of the best Black Friday fitness tracker deals.

The best budget Black Friday Fitbit deal Opens in a new window Credit: Fitbit Fitbit Inspire 3 $69.95 at Amazon
$99.95 Save $30   Get Deal Why we like it

The Fitbit Inspire 3 has landed on our list of the top fitness trackers of 2025 as the best budget pick. Not only is this because of its low price point, but it also offers all of the basics for those looking for a low-maintenance fitness tracker. Our roundup notes that, "It has a comprehensive suite of health and fitness tracking features, a slim, low-profile design, and a straightforward user interface that makes it a great pick for most people."

Our review also has plenty of positives to note about the Fitbit Inspire 3. Writer Sam Stone said it, "packs so many great health metrics and fitness tracking into a small wearable." At the moment, Amazon has it marked back down to its lowest-ever price, and you can save on all of the available colors as well: midnight zen, morning glow, and lilac bliss.

The best mid-range Black Friday Fitbit deal Opens in a new window Credit: Fitbit Fitbit Charge 6 $99.95 at Amazon
$159.95 Save $60.00   Get Deal Why we like it

The Fitbit Charge 6 is another model that's landed on our list of top fitness trackers as the best mid-range pick. We said that "It offers fantastic value for what you pay, and packs in a lot of the features you'd expect from more high-end fitness trackers like a built-in GPS, 40 exercise modes to choose from, and heart rate connectivity with select exercise machines, just to name a few."

Amazon has the Fitbit Charge 6 marked down to $99.95 right now, which is incredibly close to its lowest-ever price of $93 (according to price tracker camelcamelcamel). All of its colors are marked down to this price as well, so you can choose between the porcelain, coral, or obsidian band.

The best premium Black Friday Fitbit deal Opens in a new window Credit: Fitbit Fitbit Sense 2 $179.95 at Amazon
$249.95 Save $70   Get Deal Why we like it

If you're looking to go all-out with a fancier fitness tracker, the Fitbit Sense 2 is also discounted at Amazon for Black Friday. It's a model that even tempted one of our writers away from the popular Garmin fitness trackers. Writer Lois Mackenzie said, "It prioritizes things like stress, sleep, and recovery just as much as steps and heart rate, which makes it stand out in a market that often focuses purely on smashing PRs."

She also notes that, in terms of Fitbit trackers, "if you want the best of the best, this is the model for you." So why wait to grab it? If you don't mind dropping the extra cash, you can score $70 off this sweet fitness tracker as part of Amazon's Black Friday sale. Similar to the models above, all colors are on sale at this price.

Still looking for more deals? See the biggest discounts at Amazon’s epic Black Friday sale and save up to 70% on popular gifts, gadgets, and more goodies.

SAVE $25: The Roku Streaming Stick 4K is on sale for $24.99 in the Amazon Black Friday sale. That's a 50% saving on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Roku Roku Streaming Stick 4K $24.99 at Amazon
$49.99 Save $25.00   Get Deal

Deals often come back around, especially during major shopping events like Black Friday. But when you see a deal that hasn't been around for three years, you know you've found something good. And that's exactly what Amazon's Black Friday sale is offering on the Roku Streaming Stick 4K.

As of Nov. 27, this streaming device is down to $24.99, which is a price we've not seen since November 2022 (according to camelcamelcamel). So, if you've been looking for an excuse to add Roku to your streaming setup, take this as your sign.

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The Roku Streaming Stick is the perfect companion for a non-smart TV, or a smart TV that doesn't run on the Roku OS. You just plug it into your TV's HDMI port, and when you turn on the TV you will be greeted with all your favorite streaming apps, live TV options, and apps all on the Roku system. It couldn't be easier. It also comes with a remote control that will become your sole control for your TV. No need to use different remotes to power it on or control the volume, the Roku remote will do it all.

You can even use it to plug into your laptop, if you want to keep watching while traveling. And with this option, you're getting all your shows in brilliant 4K quality, that's four times the resolution of regular HD.

Pick up this great streaming stick deal from Amazon's Black Friday sale. Still looking for more deals? See the biggest discounts at Amazon’s epic Black Friday sale and save up to 70% on popular gifts, gadgets, and more goodies.

SAVE $600: The EcoVacs Deebot X11 robot vacuum is on sale for $899.99 in the Amazon Black Friday sale. That's a 40% discount on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: EcoVacs EcoVacs Deebot X11 Robot Vacuum $899.99 at Amazon
$1,499.99 Save $600   Get Deal

Long gone are the days when Black Friday was limited to just one day. These days you have a whole month, sometimes even more, to grab some great savings ahead of Christmas. It also gives you more time to ponder your purchases, rather than rushing over 24 hours. This is especially important when choosing a big-ticket item like a robot vacuum. And one model that is definitely worth some extra attention is the EcoVacs Deebot X11 robot vacuum.

As of Nov. 27, this impressive robot vacuum has been reduced to its lowest-ever price (according to camelcamelcamel). Normally priced at $1,499.99, it's now down to $899.99. Yep, that's a huge $600 saving on list price. But what specifically are you getting in this model? Well, if you want a robot vacuum that can pick up dirt and mop, keep reading.

It has a strong, tangle-free vacuuming with 19,500Pa suction, so it can easily handle dirt, dust, and even pet hair on carpets and hard floors. Its mopping system is incredibly advanced and features the OZMO Roller 2.0, which scrubs floors and edges. To avoid making messes, it uses a triple-lift system that automatically raises the mop when it detects carpets or rugs.

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And like all the best self-emptying robot vacuums, the X11's OMNI Station handles most of the work for you. It automatically empties the dustbin, refills the mop solution, and washes the roller mop with hot water, keeping maintenance at an absolute minimum.

Pick up this great robot vacuum deal ahead of Black Friday.

The best Black Friday Garmin deals at a glance: Best budget Garmin deal Garmin Forerunner 55 $149.99 (save $50) Get Deal Best mid-range Garmin deal Garmin vívoactive 5 $184.99 (save $115) Get Deal Best premium Garmin deal Garmin epix Pro $538.98 (save $561.01) Get Deal

Black Friday is alive with deals. Robot vacuums, TVs, portable power stations, you name it, they've all seen incredible discounts. Fitness trackers have also seen some incredible lows, and as a huge fan of Garmin, I've been keeping my eye out for any standout deals.

Garmin prices can range hugely. You can grab an entry-level fitness tracker for just over $100, or you can go way up the ladder if you want all the bells, whistles, and crazy stats. There's something for every fitness goal.

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Here are my favorite Black Friday Garmin deals live right now.

The best budget Black Friday Garmin deal Opens in a new window Credit: Garmin Garmin Forerunner 55 $149.99 at Amazon
$199.99 Save $50   Get Deal Why we like it

If you love to run, the Forerunner range is your greatest companion. It's one of the most extensive Garmin ranges, with dozens in the lineup. The 55 is a more budget-friendly option, while still giving you advanced stats and training metrics. You'll get up to two weeks of battery life in smartwatch mode, and 20 hours in GPS mode, so it's powerful enough for endurance activities. You'll also get Garmin training metrics like suggested workouts, fitness level, and recovery time. And it's not just for running, you can also track a wide range of activities like swimming, Pilates, HIIT, and more.

Mashable Deals Be the first to know! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Loading... Sign Me Up By signing up, you agree to receive recurring automated SMS marketing messages from Mashable Deals at the number provided. Msg and data rates may apply. Up to 2 messages/day. Reply STOP to opt out, HELP for help. Consent is not a condition of purchase. See our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Thanks for signing up! The best mid-range Black Friday Garmin deal Opens in a new window Credit: Garmin Garmin vívoactive 5 $184.99 at Amazon
$299.99 Save $115   Get Deal Why we like it

For a fitness tracker that does a bit of everything, and does it well, you truly can't go wrong with the vívoactive 5. Now surpassed in the range by the vívoactive 6, this is still the same impressive watch, but cheaper. Get workouts ranging from running and swimming to yoga and Pilates, and enjoy metrics such as fitness age, stress tracking, and body battery. This model also has a wheelchair mode that tracks pushes rather than steps, as well as push and handcycle activities with preloaded workouts specifically for wheelchair users.

The best premium Black Friday Garmin deal Opens in a new window Credit: Garmin Garmin epix Pro $538.98 at Amazon
$1,099.99 Save $561.01   Get Deal Why we like it

The Garmin epix Pro is a mammoth fitness tracker, and a great option for advanced tracking. Ultrarunners and endurance athletes will really benefit from the advanced navigation sensors and preloaded maps, with multi-band reception giving you far more accurate positioning even when you’re deep in the woods or surrounded by tall buildings. Battery life is around 384 hours, and this is optimized by the multi-GNSS with SatIQ technology, which improves coverage in tricky environments while preserving power. It even has a built-in LED flashlight with different intensities and strobe to help assist your training during the night or early, dark mornings.

Still looking for more deals? See the biggest discounts at Amazon’s epic Black Friday sale and save up to 70% on popular gifts, gadgets, and more goodies.

The Mini is a bite-sized version of The New York Times' revered daily crossword. While the crossword is a lengthier experience that requires both knowledge and patience to complete, The Mini is an entirely different vibe.

With only a handful of clues to answer, the daily puzzle doubles as a speed-running test for many who play it.

So, when a tricky clue disrupts a player's flow, it can be frustrating! If you find yourself stumped playing The Mini — much like with Wordle and Connections — we have you covered.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable SEE ALSO: How to play Pips, the newest NYT game

Here are the clues and answers to NYT's The Mini for Thursday, Nov. 27, 2025:

AcrossEnjoyed a Thanksgiving meal

• The answer is Feasted.

Back half of a GOAT?

• The answer is All Time.

Sudden urge

• The answer is Impulse.

Santa's landing place

• The answer is Roof.

Abstain from eating

• The answer is Fast.

Tough guy

• The answer is Bruiser.

Ready to use without further assembly

• The answer is Turnkey.

Some pieces of [circled letters] at the Thanksgiving table

• The answer is Wings.

DownBilly ___ Williams, actor who played Lando Calrissian in "Star Wars"

• The answer is Dee.

Requests

• The answer is Asks.

"Get what I'm saying?"

• The answer is See.

Give it a go

• The answer is Try.

"I should mention ...," for short

• The answer is Btw.

N.B.A. power forward ___ Hachimura

• The answer is Rui.

Large coffee dispenser

• The answer is Urn.

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

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

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to the latest Mini Crossword.

Another day, another Truth Social rant from the president.

In the Late Night clip above Seth Meyers runs through the latest headlines, one of which from the NYT focussed on the "signs of fatigue" Trump is reportedly experiencing in office as he grows older. Needless to say, the president wasn't happy — but Meyers was.

"President Trump criticised the New York Times in a post on Truth Social today for publishing an article that argues he has slowed down due to ageing, and called the newspaper a 'cheap RAG'," says Meyers. "And nothing says 'I'm not old' like calling a newspaper a cheap rag. That's definitely how young people talk. 'Those muckrakers!'"

TL;DR: Pokémon TCG's Mega Venusaur ex Premium Collection Box is available to pre-order now for $63.75 at Amazon, which is market value compared to TCGplayer's price of $61.69 including shipping. You'll also get Amazon's pre-order price guarantee which protects against overpaying.

Opens in a new window Credit: The Pokémon Company Mega Venusaur ex Premium Collection $63.75 at Amazon
$79.99 Save $16.24   Get Deal

Mega Evolution and Phantasmal Flames are absolutley killing it in the latest era of Pokémon TCG, and my boy Mega Venusaur ex is getting the love it deserves with its own Premium Collection that's available to pre-order on Amazon for $63.75. This is at market value vs. TCGplayer.

You'll get a mix of booster packs in this collection:

• 2 x Destined Rivals

• 4 x Journey Together

• 2 x Mega Evolution

With Mega Evolutions seemingly bringing back trainer Pokémon cards a la Destined Rivals and Journey Together, it's fitting to have these boosters with Mega Evolution.

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Mega Venusaur ex has an ability called Solar Transfer that allows trainers to move grass type energy around your Pokémon in play, which means it will only take two turns to build up the 4 x grass energy cost for Jungle Dump. This does 240 damage and heals 30 from Mega Venusaur.

If you pair this with Meganium you can double your grass energy, which turns one grass energy into two with Meganium's Wild Growth ability. That means you can build up and perform Mega Venusaur's Jungle Dump ability in one turn.

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TCGPlayer is kicking off a 10% cashback event, which boosts up to 16% providing you've been a TCGplayer subscriber for long enough. It kicks off at 9 a.m. ET on Nov. 28 and runs until 11 p.m. ET on Dec. 1. With sets like Mega Evolution finding a new floor when it comes to single card values, this is the best time to build your collection up:

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We're officially halfway through Stranger Things' fifth and final season. How are you feeling? Happy to be back in Hawkins? Terrified to find out the fates of Stranger Things' sprawling cast? Itching to know what happens next? I'm with you!

SEE ALSO: 'Stranger Things' Season 5 review: I'm already exhausted, but can't wait for more

Stranger Things Season 5, Volume 1 pulled out all the stops, from supersized episodes to massive set pieces involving armies of Demogorgons squaring off against the U.S. military. It is, to put it mildly, a lot. And you know what else is a lot? The number of questions I have for Volume 2!

From Will's (Noah Schnapp) new powers to Henry Creel/Vecna's (Jamie Campbell Bower) final plan, here are the 11 burning questions I'll be stewing over until Stranger Things returns on Christmas Day.

1. What is Vecna doing to the children of Hawkins? Winona Ryder, Finn Wolfhard, and Jake Connelly in "Stranger Things." Credit: Netflix

Volume 1 of Stranger Things Season 5 ended with Henry Creel/Vecna abducting all of the Hawkins children that our heroes were trying to save. It's off to the Upside Down with them, where he'll tie them to pillars in his lair, stick tentacles in their mouths, and feed them the same strange nasty goo he pumped into Will when he first came to the Upside Down.

But why in the world is he doing all this?

In Season 5, episode 4, titled "Sorcerer," Vecna says that he chose children to "reshape the world" because they make "perfect vessels." Vessels for what? For his own power? That seems like the most likely option, as Will now has access to Vecna's powers. But what will Vecna do with a crew of mini-me's? Send them out into our world to create a new extension of the Upside Down? The last thing this show needs is an army of creepy children. The army of Demogorgons is more than enough!

2. How did Kali/Eight arrive in the Upside Down?

Another bombshell from "Sorcerer" was the reveal that the Dr. Kay (Linda Hamilton) has been keeping Eleven's (Millie Bobby Brown) "sister" Kali/Eight (Linnea Berthelsen) in the Upside Down.

Only seen in Season 2, episode 7, "The Lost Sister," Kali has the ability to create powerful illusions. Following her escape from Hawkins Lab, she devoted her life to hunting down the employees who experimented on and tortured her and her fellow test subjects. What's been going on with her since the events of "The Lost Sister"?

SEE ALSO: 'Stranger Things' Season 5 brings back a major character — but not the one you think

Apparently, nothing great, since she's trapped in the Upside Down. But what led to her capture, and how long has she been imprisoned at the military base?

3. What is Dr. Kay's plan, anyway? Linda Hamilton in "Stranger Things." Credit: Netflix

Dr. Kay hasn't had much to do this season beyond threaten her employees and have one showdown with Hopper (David Harbour). None of that explains what she and the military are actually doing in the Upside Down, though. Are they trying to weaponize Kali's powers for themselves? Are they also hunting down Vecna?

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Whatever it is, why do they need to be in the Upside Down to do it? Building and then maintaining a base in a hostile dimension cannot be easy, so there's got to be some deeper reason other than cool factor, right?

4. Can Max and Holly escape Henry Creel's memories?

The good news: After a few episodes away, Max (Sadie Sink) is back! The bad news: She's still in a coma in the real world, and she's otherwise trapped in a prison of Henry Creel's memories. She's not alone, though. Nancy and Mike's (Natalia Dyer and Finn Wolfhard) little sister Holly (Nell Fisher) is there with her. Between the two of them, maybe they could find a way out?

However, following the kidnapping of all of Hawkins' children, the memory prison might be about to get a bit more crowded. Can Max and Holly save themselves and the rest of Vecna's victims, all while being trapped within his mind?

SEE ALSO: Here's how 'Stranger Things' connects to 'A Wrinkle in Time' 5. Why won't Henry go into the caves in his memories?

Max revealed that when Vecna discovered her and chased her through his memories, there was one place he wouldn't go: the caves where she ended up hiding. He seemed scared of the memory, and that reaction could clue Max and Holly into a weakness they could use against Vecna.

My red-yarn-on-a-corkboard theory? Vecna's fear of the caves is somehow tied to the photo of the Creel family, including Henry in his Boy Scout uniform, that Holly found while dancing around the Creel house. From the looks of the photo, the family was on a trip. Maybe something so horrible happened during that vacation that it made Vecna hesitant to even come close to the caves.

6. Will Karen and Ted Wheeler survive? Nell Fisher and Cara Buono in "Stranger Things." Credit: Netflix

Season 5, episode 2, titled "The Vanishing of...," saw Karen and Ted (Cara Buono and Joe Chrest) fall victim to the Demogorgon that stole Holly away. It slashed them to pieces, but not before Karen managed to wound it with her wine bottle, making her the ultimate wine mom and ultimate badass.

SEE ALSO: 'Stranger Things' Season 5 steals a key scene from 'The Umbrella Academy'

The Wheelers somehow managed to survive these incredibly brutal injuries and are now at the hospital. But will their conditions remain stable as we head into Volume 2? Here's hoping so, because Nancy and Mike really don't need any more trauma.

7. What's the deal with the big, fleshy wall in the Upside Down? Millie Bobby Brown and David Harbour in "Stranger Things." Credit: Netflix

A new development has appeared in the Upside Down: a massive, perfectly circular wall around Hawkins, with Hawkins Lab directly at its center. The wall by itself is cool enough, all fleshy tendrils and bizarre sacs of fluid. However, by the time we get to Volume 2, I'm going to need more details on this mysterious, totally not Game of Thrones-inspired wall.

8. Is Will going to come out? Noah Schnapp and Maya Hawke in "Stranger Things." Credit: Netflix

Stranger Things has been building to Will coming out as gay for multiple seasons now, and since this season is the show's last chance, the question remains, how are they going to do it?

So far this season, Robin (Maya Hawke) has been acting as a kind of queer mentor for Will, giving him pep talks about not being afraid of who he truly is. It's these words that he remembers as he embraces his Vecna-style powers in the last minutes of "Sorcerer." In tying together Will's queer identity and him mangling Demogorgons, Stranger Things creates a jumbled metaphor that doesn't quite stick the landing. However, it also sets the stage for a new version of Will who accepts all parts of himself, meaning he may finally open up to his friends come Volume 2.

9. What's going to happen with Will's new powers? Noah Schnapp and Jamie Campbell Bower in "Stranger Things." Credit: Netflix

Of course, Will will also have to grapple with the fact that he's now basically mini Vecna. That could be great news for the fight against Vecna, as an Eleven-Kali-Will team-up would give Team Hawkins some considerable psychic firepower.

SEE ALSO: 'Stranger Things' mind-bending Season 5, Volume 1 ending, explained

However, could Vecna manipulate his ties to Will to force him over to his side? Will seems pretty powerful now, but he's had all of two minutes to practice using his new abilities. Vecna's been doing this for years. Can Will really hold his own against the very being that gave him this power?

10. Can we finally put the Nancy, Jonathan, and Steve love triangle to rest? Natalia Dyer and Charlie Heaton in "Stranger Things." Credit: Matt Kennedy / Netflix

Look, I like Nancy. I like Jonathan (Charlie Heaton). And I like Steve (Joe Keery). What I don't like is Stranger Things constantly throwing them into a love triangle that has been settled since Season 2.

This season does makes moves to get past it, like Steve giving Jonathan some hard truths about how strange he acts when Steve interacts with Nancy. Also, Jonathan is planning to propose, so Jancy is seeming as endgame as can be (even if it's felt like that for several seasons now). But at this point, I'm burned out on the Jancy/Stancy of it all, even if I appreciate Jonathan and Steve's budding romance. More of that please! And more of Nancy's detective skills!

11. Who is going to die?

Look, we're all wondering it after every episode. With such a large cast and such a formidable foe as Vecna, it's almost impossible that everyone escapes this season alive. So, who will Stranger Things fans be saying goodbye to in Volume 2 and the finale?

My money is primarily on side characters, as Stranger Things loves nothing more than to introduce a beloved new face, only to kill them in the same season. See: Barb (Shannon Purser), Bob (Sean Astin), and Eddie (Joseph Quinn). This time around, could the show have brought back Kali only to kill her? Are kids like Derek (Jake Connelly) or Holly, who's taken on a new importance this season, in danger? Will Karen and Ted succumb to their injuries after their (frankly, improbable) survival?

Or will Stranger Things go big and take out some of the members of the main party? I'm always scared for Steve, but things aren't looking good for Hopper, either. He's still got the explosive vest on, and he's clearly ready to make the ultimate sacrifice for Eleven.

Stranger Things Season 5, Volume 1 is now streaming. Volume 2 premieres Dec. 25 at 8 p.m. ET, and the series finale premieres Dec. 31 at 8 p.m. ET.

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SEE ALSO: The best Black Friday streaming bundle has arrived: Get Disney+ and Hulu for only $4.99/month

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Look up "jam-packed" in the dictionary, and you'll find Stranger Things Season 5, Volume 1's finale, titled "Sorcerer."

SEE ALSO: 'Stranger Things' Season 5 review: I'm already exhausted, but can't wait for more

The fourth episode in Stranger Things' final season threw everything at the giant fleshy wall in the Upside Down... and then some. Max (Sadie Sink) made her triumphant comeback, revealing she's been living in a prison of Henry Creel/Vecna's (Jamie Campbell Bower) memories this whole time. Kali/Eight (Linnea Berthelsen) returned after several seasons away. And Vecna and his Demogorgons burst back into Hawkins to kidnap all the town's children for Vecna's new nefarious plan.

But the most exciting — and dare I say, strangest — development of the entire episode was none other than Will Byers (Noah Schnapp) unleashing psychic powers of his own, in a final sequence that had me glued to my screen. So what are Will's powers, how did he get them, and what's next for him in Stranger Things? Let's break it down.

What are Will's powers in Stranger Things Season 5?

Throughout Season 5, Will has been forced time and again into Vecna's Upside Down hive mind. That means he's been able to see through Vecna's eyes, and through the eyes of the Demogorgons that Vecna has loosed on his victims. Every time he's had a vision, Will has been a passive participant. But in "Sorcerer," after Vecna ridicules him for being weak, Will decides to show that no, actually, he's not weak. As the Demogorgons threaten his friends, Will seizes control of the hive mind. He holds the Demogorgons still in mid-air, then proceeds to lift them up and mangle their bodies, exactly as Vecna did to his murder victims in Season 4. That means Will shares Vecna's telepathic powers, putting him on the same playing field as Vecna, Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown), and Kali. He's moved on from his days of spooky neck goosebumps, and he's in the big leagues now.

So, how did Will get these powers? Noah Schnapp in "Stranger Things." Credit: Netflix

Will got these powers as part of his connection to Vecna, which goes all the way back to the beginning of Stranger Things. As we learn in Season 5, episode 1, Vecna interacted with Will during his time in the Upside Down in Season 1. He stuck one of the Upside Down's tentacles in an unconscious Will's mouth and then began pumping him full of what looks like nasty Upside Down goo. That's how Will ends up coughing up an Upside Down slug at the end of Season 1. It's also how he became connected to the Upside Down hive mind.

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As of Season 5, Vecna is repeating the tentacle process with Holly Wheeler (Nell Fisher) and the other Hawkins children he's captured. As he explains to Will in the "Sorcerer" finale, he chose children to "reshape the world" because they are "easily broken, easily reshaped. Controlled. The perfect vessels. And you, Will, you were the first. And you broke so easily."

While Vecna's plans to reshape the world, likely in the image of the Upside Down, haven't fully become clear yet, the mention of the children as "vessels" is particularly fascinating. Are the children going to be vessels for Vecna's power? More eyes for him to see through? If so, that means Will was the original Vecna host. And in "Sorcerer," he realizes that his relationship with Vecna isn't a one-way street. If Vecna can divert his power through Will, then Will can grab hold of it and use it for himself.

SEE ALSO: 11 burning questions we have for 'Stranger Things' Season 5, Volume 2

The trigger for Will to realize this in "Sorcerer" comes from a pep talk Robin (Maya Hawke) gives him in the episode. Throughout the season, Robin has realized that Will is also queer, and that he's having a hard time accepting himself (and that Mike isn't romantically interested in him). In one heart-to-heart, she tells him that, in order to come into her own, "I just needed to stop being scared of who I really was."

These are the words Will remembers as he freezes the Demogorgons. They also cue a flashback montage of his friendship with Mike (Finn Wolfhard), starting from their very first meeting as toddlers. (Yes, the Byers bowl cut is around, even then.) Between Robin's words and Will making a big show of his powers, the scene is positioned as Will coming into his own as a person. Yet the sequence is muddled: Robin's words are specifically tied to Will's queerness, but Stranger Things is positioning them in a different context that makes them lose their power somewhat. Is the show conflating Will embracing his queerness with him embracing his powers? It's a bizarre move in an otherwise galvanizing closer to the episode.

What's next for Will and his powers?

Will having Vecna-style abilities bodes well for the Hawkins party, as they now have another powerful (if untrained) psychic user on their side. However, could Vecna wrest back control of his powers from Will? And then use him as a vessel of his powers in the real world? There are still a lot of unanswered questions as to how this could play out.

The most intriguing element going forward may be less about the fate of Hawkins, and more about what these new powers mean for Will as a character. The episode's title, "Sorcerer," is a reference to Will's new abilities. As Mike tells him earlier in the episode, Will's Upside Down connection makes him the equivalent of a Dungeons & Dragons sorcerer. That means that unlike a wizard, who gains magical powers from study, he's actually innately magical.

Will's original Dungeons & Dragons character, Will the Wise, was actually a wizard. But now that Will is metaphorically jumping into a different Dungeons & Dragons class and going full sorcerer mode, could that represent a total transformation from who he once was, both in terms of accepting his queerness and his powers?

Volume 1 of Stranger Things Season 5 is now streaming on Netflix. Volume 2 premieres Dec. 25, and the series finale premieres Dec. 31, both at 8 p.m. ET.

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Over its five seasons, Stranger Things' protagonists have drawn from the lore of Dungeons & Dragons to make sense of the supernatural happenings in Hawkins. The monsters they face become Demogorgons and the Mind Flayer, while their greatest foe takes on the name of Dungeons & Dragons' formidable lich Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower).

SEE ALSO: 'Stranger Things' Season 5 review: I'm already exhausted, but can't wait for more

But Season 5 introduces a new fictional lens through which Stranger Things' characters process their bizarre circumstances: Madeleine L'Engle's classic science fiction and fantasy novel A Wrinkle in Time. Published in 1962, A Wrinkle in Time tells the story of 13-year-old Meg; her brilliant younger brother, Charles Wallace; and her kind classmate Calvin. The trio embarks on an epic adventure to different planets in hope of finding Meg and Charles Wallace's vanished father.

Given that L'Engle's novel is a beloved work of young adult genre fiction, it makes sense that it would eventually wind up in Stranger Things, a series whose characters love all things fantasy and sci-fi (and are constantly traveling to a different dimension). As we learn in Season 5, Mike and Nancy Wheeler's (Finn Wolfhard and Natalia Dyer) younger sister Holly (Nell Fisher) loves A Wrinkle in Time, and it winds up being a key element of how she understands the reality-bending adventure she winds up on. Let's break it down.

Stranger Things turns Mrs. Whatsit into Mr. Whatsit. Nell Fisher in "Stranger Things." Credit: Netflix

The first connection between Stranger Things and A Wrinkle in Time is the appearance of Holly's new imaginary friend, Mr. Whatsit. The name comes from Mrs. Whatsit, one of Meg and Charles Wallace's three mysterious neighbors. (The other two are Mrs. Which and Mrs. Who.) In the novel, Mrs. Whatsit is a kindly, eccentric old woman who loves a good scarf. But she's also a supernatural being of immense power: She was once a star who blew herself up in the fight against the forces of evil. Now, her true form is that of a winged centaur.

SEE ALSO: 11 burning questions we have for 'Stranger Things' Season 5, Volume 2

Similarly, Holly's Mr. Whatsit is not what he seems. He's not just a dapperly dressed young man. He's actually Henry Creel, aka Vecna. I don't know about you, but I'd take a flying pegasus over a tentacle monster any day!

As a malicious being, Vecna couldn't be farther from A Wrinkle of Time's Mrs. Whatsit. Yet the two do still have a few things in common. Both live in a mysterious old house — shout out to the Creel House! — and end up transporting children to different realities. In Mrs. Whatsit's case, that means using a tesseract, or a folding of space-time, to send Meg, Charles Wallace, and Calvin across the universe. In Vecna's case, that means using Demogorgons to kidnap children to the Upside Down, then keep them hostage in his own, seemingly idyllic memories of Creel House. Again, I know which one I'd rather choose!

Mr. Whatsit is just a kindly mask that Vecna puts on in order to entice the children of Hawkins into his frightening schemes. Once Holly learns the truth, courtesy of Max (Sadie Sink), she not only drops the connection to her beloved Mrs. Whatsit, she also thinks up a new Wrinkle in Time connection to better comprehend what's happening to her.

What is Camazotz, and how does it tie to Stranger Things? Sadie Sink and Caleb McLaughlin in "Stranger Things." Credit: Netflix

When Holly runs into Max in the woods outside Creel House, Max reveals that the two of them are in Vecna's memory world, which is where her consciousness has been living since she entered a coma at the end of Season 4.

"[We're] in a memory, which exists within a world of 1,000 memories," Max tells Holly. "I know it may look nice, but it's not. This place, this world, it's a prison. Henry's prison."

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Holly immediately draws a connection to Camazotz, the "dark planet" where A Wrinkle in Time's climax takes place. When Meg, Charles Wallace, and Calvin arrive on Camazotz, they discover that it's perfectly ordered: Houses are cookie-cutter replicas, and everyone acts the same as one another.

Beneath this eerie veneer of perfection lurks a sinister truth. Everyone on Camazotz is under the control of IT, a giant brain with enormous telepathic powers. IT's powers recall those of Vecna, while the plight of everyone on Camazotz is similar to Vecna's hive mind of the creatures within the Upside Down. His memory world is also the same as Camazotz: seemingly perfect, but actually evil.

Now that Holly and Max are a team, could the two manage to fight their way out of Vecna's memory world? Given that one of Season 5, Volume 2's episodes is called "Escape From Camazotz," it's clear they're going to make an attempt. Expect more Camazotz chaos (and more A Wrinkle in Time references) in the episodes to come.

Volume 1 of Stranger Things Season 5 is now streaming on Netflix. Volume 2 premieres Dec. 25, and the series finale premieres Dec. 31, both at 8 p.m. ET.

Looking for something great to watch at home? Streaming subscribers are spoiled for choice between Hulu, Netflix, HBO Max, Disney+, Apple TV, Prime Video, Shudder, Paramount+, Peacock, and more. And that's before you even look at the vast libraries of movies and television programs within each streamer!

Don't be overwhelmed or waste an hour scrolling through your services to determine what to watch. We've got your back, whatever your mood. Mashable offers watch guides for all of the above, broken down by genre: comedy, thriller, horror, documentary, and animation, among others. But if you're seeking something brand new (or just new to streaming), we've got you covered there, too.

Mashable's entertainment team has scoured the streaming services to highlight the most buzzed-about releases of the week and ranked them from worst to best — or least worth your time to most watchable. Whether you're looking for heart-warming holiday fun, stranger-than-fiction stories, teen drama, bloody horror, or the return of Stranger Things, we're here for you.

13. Is It Cake? Holiday, Season 2

Mikey Day is back once more with the pressing (and titular) question: Is it cake?

Contestants on this bonkers baking show endeavor to recreate real-word items with such fastidious precision that the guest judges will be baffled when asked to pick the frosted fake. Is It Cake? Holiday also brings some gingerbread spice to the competition, as every episode will have a festival theme. 

Bakers will have to make treats that encapsulate a favorite holiday memory, pay homage to their favorite Yuletide traditions, or construct a confectionery that's suitable for a store window. The stars weighing in on their winning (or losing) bakes will be Wendi McLendon-Covey, Dustin Milligan, Kel Mitchell, Kristen Bell, Pierson Fode, Lamorne Morris, Lacey Chabert, King Bach, and Michael Urie. — Entertainment Editor, Kristy Puchko

How to watch: Is It Cake? Holiday Season 2 is now streaming on Netflix.

12. Jingle Bell Heist

If you like your holiday rom-com with a dash of "Eat the rich" crime thriller, you'll be downright jolly about Jingle Bell Heist. 

Connor Swindells and Olivia Holt star as two disgruntled hourly employees of a glowering department store owner who's a real grinch. So naturally, they decide to steal from the rich and give to themselves with a heist right out of Home Alone 2: Lost In New York. Rob the store on Christmas Eve, when the cash registers and safes should be bursting with moolah. But wouldn't you know it, they fall in love along the way. And if their hearts are growing three sizes, what room will their Santa suits have for ill-gotten gains? — K.P.

Starring: Olivia Holt, Connor Swindells, Lucy Punch, and Peter Serafinowicz

How to watch: Jingle Bell Heist debuts on Netflix on Nov. 26.

11. The Shuffle

There are some artifacts of pop culture so inexplicable they seem retroactively like an example of mass hysteria. Perhaps the "Super Bowl Shuffle" felt like such a token to you? 

In 1985, the Chicago Bears’ were closing in on the  big game, and so took an unusual tack in intimidating their opponents. They released a music video of a rap song all about their team. 

According to the press release from HBO, "The song peaked at number 41 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 and earned a Grammy nomination in 1987 for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals. Additionally, within months of its release, home video sales of The Super Bowl Shuffle made it the second-highest selling music video of all time, behind Michael Jackson’s Thriller."

And now there's a documentary about it. — K.P.

How to watch: The Shuffle debuts on HBO on Nov. 25.

10. It's Florida, Man, Season 2

True crime meets comedy in this star-studded series, inspired by the popular Florida Man meme (and all the news items that kept it rolling). Show creators Mark Herwick and Jeff Tomsic unearth stranger-than-fiction stories of moonshined-up gator hunters, Skunk Ape searchers, a real-life Goldilocks and the Three Bears scenario, and an unreal story of how smoking joints rolled in Bible pages might have sparked a cross comeuppance. 

SEE ALSO: 'It's Florida, Man' review: A mean meme gets a dose of humanity

The Florida folk who lived these stories share them in their own words, while famous folks — like Johnny Knoxville, Tiffany Haddish, Taika Waititi, and Haley Joel Osment recreate them through willfully goofy reenactments. However, be warned. The salty and sweet balance of comedy and empathy that made season 1 so compelling is off with this new batch. Some episodes are great, unfurling wild stories with little apologies, as the teller themselves do. Others take a hard turn to make a PSA-like point about broader cultural issues, and it's almost as jarring as those animated epilogues on '80s cartoon shows where Optimus Prime would switch from battle bot mode to lecturing kids about peer pressure. While surely well intentioned, such heavy-handed resolutions serve more as a cringey recompense than a convincing throughline.  — K.P.

Starring: Adam DeVine, Edi Patterson, Tiffany Haddish, Haley Joel Osment, Bert Kreischer, Nick Swardson, Johnny Knoxville, Shea Whigham, Taika Waititi, Rita Ora, Holmes, David Koechner, Joel Kim Booster, Chet Hanks, Milan Carter, Nick Thune, Swoozie Kurtz, Johnny Pemberton, Ryan Mirvis, Brian Sacca, Ping Wu, Olivia Taylor Dudley, Frankie Quiñones, Hassie Harrison, Joseph Ruud and Michael McDonald

How to watch: It's Florida, Man Season 2 debuts on HBO Max on Nov. 28.

9. Regretting You

Author Colleen Hoover returns to the big screen with Regretting You, a romantic drama about a mother (Allison Williams) and her daughter (McKenna Grace) finding love in the wake of devastating grief.

Critics lambasted Regretting You, but general audiences took more kindly to it. Will you find these romances trite or charming? You can check the film out on digital starting this week to find out for sure. — Belen Edwards, Entertainment Reporter

Starring: McKenna Grace, Mason Thames, Allison Williams, and Dave Franco

How to watch: Regretting You is now available for rental or purchase on Prime Video, Apple TV, and Fandango at Home.

8. Words + Music

Based on Audible’s acclaimed audio series of the same name, Words + Music is a docuseries that features legendary musicians sharing stories about the songs that defined their careers. Then, for your listening pleasure, the likes of Elvis Costello, Sheryl Crow, John Legend, and Alanis Morissette will play these beloved songs, to really drive home what they mean to the artists — and to us. 

Shot in a studio with masterful acoustics and an eye toward cinematography, Words + Music offers an intimate-feeling concert that fans can enjoy from the comfort of their couch. — K.P.

How to watch: Words + Music premieres on MGM+ on Nov. 30.

7. Maxton Hall, Season 2 finale

Season 2 of Prime Video's wildly popular Maxton Hall — The World Between Us comes to an end this week. But we're guessing there's still a lot of angst to go before enemies-to-lovers pairing Ruby Bell (Harriet Herbig-Matten) and James Beaufort (Damian Hardung) get their happy ending. From Mortimer (Fedja van Huêt) being the absolute worst to the strange text Lexington (Thomas Douglas) received at the end of Season 2, episode 5, things are looking tough for the BellFort ship. — B.E.

Starring: Harriet Herbig-Matten, Damian Hardung, Sonja Weißer, Ben Felipe, and Fedja van Huêt

How to watch: Maxton Hall's Season 2 finale debuts on Prime Video on Nov. 28.

6. The First Omen

This movie has no right to be as good as it is. But it's possible you missed it in 2024, when it came out, because The First Omen released not long after the similarly nun-themed horror Immaculate. However, while that Sydney Sweeney vehicle veered away from graphic violence in some pretty confounding spots, The First Omen isn't afraid to get gory. As I wrote in my review, "If you're after a movie about a tormented nun that really goes for the gusto, The First Omen should be your pick."

Set in 1971, Rome, The First Omen plays as a prequel to Richard Donner's iconic religious horror hit The Omen. Nell Tiger Free stars as a ward of the Catholic Church who has been invited to a convent where young mothers and their children are cared for. However, shortly after arriving, she begins to notice strange things in this sacred place. And even if you've seen The Omen, you'll find surprises along the path of this poor novitiate. Referring back to my review, "In the end,The First Omen offers generous splashes of gore, jump scares, and dread. So if you're seeing something more spooky than scary, or more haunting than horrifying, this religious thriller will scratch that itch with a long, putrid claw." — K.P.

Starring: Nell Tiger Free, Tawfeek Barhom, Sônia Braga, Ralph Ineson, and Bill Nighy

How to watch: The First Omen debuts on Hulu on Nov. 30.

5. Bugonia

Following The Favourite, Poor Things, and Kinds of Kindness, leading lady Emma Stone and filmmaker Yorgos Lanthimos reteam once more for Bugonia, their remake of Jang Joon-hwan's 2003 South Korean film Save the Green Planet!

SEE ALSO: Emma Stone reveals how 'Good Luck, Babe' wound up in 'Bugonia'

Stone stars as a high-powered pharmaceuticals CEO whose rich and busy life is derailed when she's kidnapped by a conspiracy theorist (Jesse Plemons) who is convinced she is an extraterrestrial committed to the destruction of humanity. 

A gnarly and cerebral game of cat-and-mouse follows, all of it with Lanthimos' unique brand of dark humor. Critics have cheered his latest collaboration with Stone, but if you've seen the film on which this one is based, some of the fun of being surprised will be spoiled. So, fair warning. — K.P.

Starring: Emma Stone, Jesse Plemons, Aidan Delbis, Stavros Halkias, and Alicia Silverstone

How to watch: Bugonia is now available for rent or purchase on Prime Video and Apple TV.

4. Left-Handed Girl

Netflix has such flashy, star-studded fare that Left-Handed Girl might be easy to overlook. But don't miss out, because this coming-of-age story is uniquely tender, funny, and tense. Additionally, a prestigious indie filmmaker had a hand in its creation, and it has some Oscar potential of its own. This is the solo directorial debut of Taiwanese American filmmaker Shih-Ching Tsou, who is a longtime collaborator with Oscar–winning writer/director Sean Baker (Anora). Tsou and Baker co-wrote the screenplay, and Baker also edited and produced the film. Left-Handed Girl, which has been selected as the Taiwanese entry for Best International Feature Film at the 98th Academy Awards, feels like a sister film to Baker's The Florida Project, which followed a young girl and her single mom who find joy while living in poverty. 

Left-Handed Girl follows a family of three — a mom and her two daughters — as they move to Taipei for a new life. Working at a noodle shop stall in the night market, they swiftly become part of the community. But temptations for cheap thrills and sticky-fingered fun are everywhere, and could irrevocably harm the girls' reputations. While there's dramatic and tragic turns in this drama, its ending is ultimately uplifting, reflecting the earnest humanity that Baker's known for. Don't overlook it. — K.P.

Starring: Janel Tsai, Shih-Yuan Ma, Nina Ye, Brando Huang, Akio Chen, and Xin-Yan Chao

How to watch: Left-Handed Girl debuts on Netflix on Nov. 28.

3. The Beatles Anthology

This is The Beatles Anthology like you've never seen it before. Originally broadcast in 1995, this documentary series featured an in-depth look at how John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr went from dive bars in Hamburg to rocking the world stage. 

While this title has been released in various incarnations — three feature-film length segments, an eight-part documentary series — its latest boasts nine episodes. The first eight have been remastered ​​by Apple Corps' production team, working with Peter Jackson's WingNut Films and Park Road Post teams along with Giles Martin, who has created new audio mixes for the majority of the featured music. The ninth episode includes never-before-seen footage the band coming together between 1994 and 1995 to work on The Anthology, as they reflect on their work together. So, for any Beatles lover, this is a must-watch. — K.P.

Starring: John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr

How to watch: The first three episodes of The Beatles Anthology debut on Disney+ on Nov. 26.

2. The Ugly Stepsister

If you loved The Substance, don't overlook The Ugly Stepsister.This gnarly body horror movie reimagines Cinderella by focusing on the fairytale heroine's much-maligned stepsister Elvira (Lea Myren). Writer/director Emilie Blichfeldt delivers not only a deeply empathetic tale of a young girl grappling with a princely crush, sibling rivalry, and crippling societal pressures to conform to cruel beauty standards, but also the grisly scenes to back up its social critique.

SEE ALSO: 'The Ugly Stepsister' review: What if 'Wicked' and 'The Substance' had a grubby baby?

In my rave review for Mashable out of Sundance, I cheered, "The Ugly Stepsister is a deranged and dizzying achievement, folding in a classic story with a bitingly modern satire and bold body horror. Blichfeldt weaves these elements together to make a film that feels both of this moment but aesthetically nostalgic... And yet, her journey, as gross and grim as it is, is threaded with a ribbon of exhilaration, rebellion, and even defiant joy. Simply put, The Ugly Stepsister is savagely brutal and yet strangely beautiful."* — K.P.

Starring: Lea Myren, Thea Sofie Loch Næss, Ane Dahl Torp, and Flo Fagerli

How to watch: The Ugly Stepsister is now streaming on Hulu.

1. Stranger Things, Season 5, Volume 1

It's been over three years since Stranger Things Season 4 introduced audiences to the terrifying new villain Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower) and brought Kate Bush back to the charts. Now, Stranger Things' fifth and final season is finally upon us. Can it live up to the hype?

Season 5 picks up a little over a year after the end of Season 4, with Hawkins under military quarantine and Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) in hiding from the government. With Vecna rearing his tentacled head once more, our heroes will have to make one last stand to save the world. What follows is Stranger Things at its most maximalist, with supersized episodes and battles that are undoubtedly overstuffed, yet still treats thanks to the show's compelling web of characters. Here's hoping they all survive, right? Right?! — B.E.

Starring: Winona Ryder, David Harbour, Finn Wolfhard, Millie Bobby Brown, Gaten Matarazzo, Caleb McLaughlin, Natalia Dyer, Charlie Heaton, Noah Schnapp, Sadie Sink, Joe Keery, and Maya Hawke

How to watch: Stranger Things, Season 5, Volume 1 is now streaming on Netflix.

(*) denotes a blurb came from a prior list.