IT General

Donald Trump often rants about various late night hosts he doesn't like, with Jimmy Kimmel and Stephen Colbert being two of his favorite targets. But recently on his own Truth Social, the U.S. president turned his attention to Seth Meyers, calling him "the least talented person to 'perform' live in the history of television." (Meyers does not broadcast live, but tapes Late Night in the afternoons and early evenings.)

On Monday, Meyers host responded to Trump's targeted post during his show.

"The president jeopardising food assistance for tens of millions of Americans matters. What matters far less is when the president posts about me, which he did over the weekend, saying, among other things, that I may be 'the least talented person to 'perform' live in the history of television,' calling me a 'deranged lunatic,' and commenting that I 'talked endlessly about electric catapults in aircraft carriers,'" he says in the clip above.

"And look, in general I try to live by the New Yorkers' creed: When someone is ranting and raving about you, ignore them, chances are they're just going to move on and rant about something else. But there is one thing that I simply have to address: You can say I'm untalented, you can say I'm deranged, but I'm not the one who talks endlessly about catapults on aircraft carriers! You're the one who talks endlessly about catapults on aircraft carriers!"

Meyers then played a montage of Trump talking incessantly about catapults.

"Until you said something, I didn't even know that aircraft carriers had catapults! I'm not the talk-about-catapult guy. Just ask my friends. Oh, er, friends are, how would I describe this to you? OK, so they're like people who enjoy spending time with you independent of financial or legal favors you can grant them."

Coca-Cola has an indelible connection to the holidays here in the United States. The company's 1930s portraits of Santa Claus helped popularize the character as we know him today, and Coca-Cola commercials are a staple of the holiday season. Now, Coke is creating a new holiday tradition, even if AI critics really, really wish they wouldn't.

For the second year in a row, Coca-Cola has partnered with AI studio Secret Level to create a holiday ad using generative AI. The new "Holidays Are Coming" ad features Coke's classic Christmas motifs (polar bears, Santa Claus, red delivery trucks), as well as a menagerie of animated animals, all rendered using generative AI.

SEE ALSO: AI actors and deepfakes aren't coming to YouTube ads. They're already here.

But for AI haters, no amount of cute and cuddly cartoon bears, bunnies, koalas, otters, and capybaras can distract from the AI of it all.

On social media, AI video critics are fuming. But "Holidays Are Coming" is another clear sign that AI in advertising is a train that can't be stopped, especially considering the backlash to Coke's first AI video ad.

Last year, Coke released a similar "Holidays Are Coming" Christmas commercial with the help of Secret Level, the Los Angeles-based AI studio. The ad blended animation and photorealistic AI actors, which resulted in an uncanny valley effect. As Mashable wrote last November, the backlash turned Coca-Cola into the villain of the week online. Undeterred, the company is back with another AI video, which it hopes will inspire holiday cheer instead of holiday hate.

"The evolution of this kind of technology has allowed us to enhance our films and fine-tune our storytelling to create a piece of content that our customers are receptive to and that they will engage with," Pratik Thakar, Global Vice President & Head of Generative AI at The Coca-Cola Company, told Mashable by email. "Last year’s film performed exceptionally well and was a success with customers, which is what matters most to us."

Why AI in advertising entices brands despite backlash

Coca-Cola's original 1995 "Holidays Are Coming" commercial used three real 40-foot trucks decorated with 30,000 light bulbs, according to The Independent, and the commercial's earworm of a jingle was an instant hit. Primetime national commercials like this are usually expensive and time-consuming productions. But Jason Zada, the founder of Secret Level, says "it took about a month" to create this 90-second ad with a team of 20 people.

Generative AI promises to reduce the cost of animation by up to 90 percent, as the New York Times reported this year, and savings like that are simply too tempting to ignore.

"Last year, when they tested the ad with consumers and there was no mention of AI, it was one of the best testing ads in a very, very long time," Zada said. "So I think that the average consumer, the average person, will look at this, and it'll put a smile on their face, and it'll hopefully make them happy. Hopefully, they'll walk away and say, 'This is a great ad.'"

But for many artists, creative professionals, and filmmakers, generative AI is problematic, full stop. They say it's a bastardization of creative expression that relies on stolen intellectual property, wastes energy, and eliminates jobs. (One critic said of last year's ad: "[Coca-Cola] is 'red' because it’s made from the blood of out-of-work artists! #HolidayFactz.") As a result, many AI critics object to AI video in totality, not based on the merits of any particular effort. Even the smallest whiff of generative AI in filmmaking provokes a backlash. Yet despite the angry reaction online — and despite pushback from writers and actors' unions — Hollywood and Madison Avenue are forging ahead.

The NFL released an AI ad earlier this year, and how many other brands are using AI without disclosing it? I suspect far more than people realize.

AI video has evolved dramatically in the past year. Thanks to video models like Google's Veo 3 and LumaAI's Ray3, AI video can be largely indistinguishable from human-made content, for better or worse.

Zada emphasized that AI studios employ artists, too. A behind-the-scenes video released alongside the new ad shows some of the human effort that went into creating the campaign, he said.

"I think the misconception is that it's one person in their basement making these things. And I think that there's a lot of human artistry that went into this," Zada said in an interview with Mashable. "From hand drawing the original characters to, you know, a lot of the frame-by-frame animation in certain parts and even in the visual effects side of it...A lot of sketches went into creating all the original characters and trying to craft an original style that felt ownable." He also said Secret Level artists "prompt very ethically" to avoid borrowing any specific artists' style.

The ad is unlikely to do anything to sway AI boosters and critics from their positions.

While that battle plays out in agencies, boardrooms, and pitch meetings, expect to see more AI video ads on your TV in the years ahead.

Editor's note: The quotes in this article have been lightly edited for clarity and grammar.

This article reflects the opinion of the author.

Google Maps turn-by-turn navigation has made leaps and bounds since its humble beginnings back in 2009, but one thing was still missing: the ability to tell when you're in the wrong lane.

Now, thanks to AI, Google has apparently solved that problem. On Tuesday, the company announced it will be launching live lane guidance in Google Maps soon, though with quite a few caveats.

SEE ALSO: Google Photos and Maps logos are reportedly changing. See the new icons.

The feature will launch in Polestar 4 EVs in the U.S. and Sweden "in the coming months," Google said in a press release.

The system uses AI smarts to analyze lane markings captured by the car's front-facing cameras, and then integrates that with Google Maps' navigation. In practice, the system will detect when you're in the wrong lane relative to where you want to go, and notify you to switch lanes via audio and video cues.

It will only work on highways at first, though support for other road types is coming later. The company also said it will launch the feature in more cars in "partnership with key automakers," which probably means companies which have integrated Google UI into their cars, such as Polestar, Volvo, Honda, Nissan, and Ford, among others.

Featured Video For You Alef's flying car is taking the fiction out of sci-fi

SAVE OVER $10: As of Nov. 4, the Lego Art Mona Lisa set is on sale for $80.99 at Amazon. This is 19% off its list price of $99.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Lego Art Mona Lisa Building Set $80.99 at Amazon
$99.99 Save $19   Get Deal

We're just a few weeks away from Black Friday, but some retailers are starting celebrations early with a wide range of discounts to explore. For Lego fans, there have been some nice deals popping up lately, including a discount at Amazon right now on the Lego Art Mona Lisa set.

The Lego Art Mona Lisa set usually comes with a price tag of $99.99, but it's currently marked down 19% to $80.99. This allows you to save $19. It's also incredibly close to its lowest-ever price of $79.95 according to price tracker camelcamelcamel, so now is as good a time as any to add it to your virtual shopping cart.

SEE ALSO: Score a free Lego Snowman at Barnes & Noble from Nov. 7-9 — how to reserve your spot

The Lego art sets look like truly delightful builds. The Lego Art Mona Lisa set, in particular, is for adults aged 18 and older and comes with 1,503 pieces. These all come together to recreate the iconic Leonardo da Vinci piece in a brick-built format, complete with a gold colored frame and two sets of eyes that you can swap between. This piece is also designed to be hung on a wall, so you can show off your creation once you're finished.

Don't miss out on this Lego Art Mona Lisa set deal at Amazon ahead of Black Friday sales. And if you're looking for even more sets to pick up this holiday season, check out our roundup of the 24 best new Lego sets.

TL;DR: Get lifetime access to 1min.AI Advanced Business Plan for $74.97 (reg. $540) — your all-in-one AI platform for writing, design, audio, and more, powered by names like GPT, Claude, Gemini, and Llama.

Opens in a new window Credit: 1minAI 1min.AI Advanced Business Plan Lifetime Subscription $74.97
$540 Save $465.03   Get Deal

There are so many AI apps out there, but who has time (or budget) to juggle them all? That’s why 1min.AI can be a super helpful tool to help you cut through all the noise and streamline the way you use AI.

For a one-time payment of $74.97, you get lifetime access to dozens of powerful tools powered by today’s top AI models, including GPT-4o, Claude 3, Gemini Pro, and Llama 3.

SEE ALSO: Some AI browsers can bypass publisher paywalls, report says

Think of it as your complete creative and productivity hub. Need to write a blog post, summarize a report, or generate marketing copy in seconds? You can. Want to edit images, remove backgrounds, or enhance videos without opening five different programs? Easy-peasy with AI’s help.

You can even translate, summarize, interact with PDFs, or convert speech to text for quick content creation.

For entrepreneurs, marketers, and creators, 1min.AI solves a simple problem — too many tools, not enough time or resources. With weekly updates, unlimited creativity, and no recurring fees, it’s a platform built for anyone who wants to get more done with AI — efficiently and affordably.

Don’t miss lifetime access to 1min.AI Advanced Business Plan for $74.97 (reg. $540).

StackSocial prices subject to change.

SAVE 38%: The Samsung 65-inch Class OLED S95F 4K TV is on sale for $2,297.99 at Amazon. That's the lowest-ever price for this model.

Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung 65-Inch Class OLED S95F 4K TV $2,297.99 at Amazon
$2,997.99 Save $700   Get Deal

If there was one category that we'd really like to see blow up over Black Friday, it would be TVs. There are so many incredible ranges out there right now from top brands like Samsung, Hisense, and LG, and recent Prime Days have suggested that record-low prices are very much in the conversation.

In fact, we're already seeing some new models drop down to never-before-seen prices.

As of Nov. 4, the Samsung 65-inch Class OLED S95F 4K TV is on sale for $2,297.99 at Amazon. That's the lowest-ever price for this model according to price tracker camelcamelcamel. We don't need to tell you that this is a good deal. The numbers don't lie.

SEE ALSO: It's only October and Best Buy is already beating 2024's Black Friday prices — get a 50-inch 4K TV for $129.99

This stunning TV is powered by 128 neural networks to deliver AI-enhanced picture and optimized sound, meaning you get an exceptional 4K experience for streaming, gaming, live sports, and everything else. Samsung also claims that this TV delivers their brightest OLED with pixel-level pitch-blacks to provide dramatic contrast for vibrantly detailed picture.

There's a lot to watch right now. Stanger Things is fast approaching, the NFL and NBA seasons are in full swing, and festive movies are not far away. So why not upgrade your TV so you can enjoy everything you watch in the best way possible?

Get this record-low TV deal ahead of Black Friday.

Cafes, restaurants, and even towns have been banning influencers over the years. And while not actually prohibiting creators, London's famous Borough Market does require them to have filming permits, an existing policy that has recently gained attention through two online food reviewers' experience.

First reported by The Times on Tuesday, creators Gerry del Guercio and Paul Delany, who run food reviews on TikTok and Instagram as Bite Twice, were escorted from the food market by security while filming a review on their phones.

SEE ALSO: The Mashable 101: These are the creators shaping the internet in 2025

In a video posted to Instagram on Monday but filmed in May, the pair are in the middle of reviewing an apple crumble from TikTok-famous vendor Humble Crumble, which has a stand in Borough Market. Del Guercio and Delany are transparent on their page about paying for meals reviewed and turning up unannounced to venues, which is what they did for the Humble Crumble review. As they film each other's disappointed reactions to the hyped £9 dessert, they're interrupted by Borough Market security and escorted out of the venue.

"We were doing an 'Is viral food any good?' series and had been filming there on our phones and literally at the end when we had found a quiet corner a security guard came up and said 'no filming, can you leave,'" del Guercio and Delany told Mashable via email.

"We asked why and they said 'no filming.' It was all very vague. No info was given but we did look at the rules online and it does say just we didn’t know."

Meet The Mashable 101: the creators keeping the internet interesting. From meme-makers to movement-starters, these are the people powering our timelines today.

Borough Market has an existing policy which requires anyone filming or taking photographs "for professional purposes" to apply through an online form and wait for approval by email. The market also does not allow filming between 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on weekdays or at any time during the weekend.

In a statement, a Borough Market spokesperson told Mashable these rules have been in place for a time, but the venue is "in the process of reviewing our policy."

"We have a long history of working closely with the wider food community including chefs, established food writers and food influencers, and often feature their content on our website and digital channels," the spokesperson said.

"We value the role that food reviewers play in showcasing Borough Market and its traders. Our filming policy is designed to ensure that activity doesn’t cause disruption to stallholders or visitors and our security team is trained to ask for the relevant permission from anyone filming in the market.

"Our number one priority is to ensure that visitors are comfortable and at times we do need to alleviate the congestion which can happen around particularly popular sites within our market. This occasionally means we ask food reviewers to stop filming if they are causing congestion or haven't got the relevant permission."

Featured Video For You How Tini Younger perfected her viral mac 'n cheese and found a culinary career

Filming and photography policies within hospitality venues aren't new, they've just received increasing attention with the rise of online video reviews and the ever-rising wave of foodie creator content. As Meera Navlakha writes for Mashable, "It's true that no-camera rules are not a new phenomenon: as early as 2013, major restaurants began to enforce stricter regulations for those intent on documenting meals. The New York Times described these diners as the 'legions of amateur iPhone-wielding food lovers, who say what they do is a tribute — not to mention free advertising for the restaurants.' Over a decade later, the act of taking food pics has evolved into full-fledged careers for many."

Venues are increasingly specifying filming policies to include the words "influencer" and the like. For example, The National Trust, the UK's heritage charity, stipulates that "any influencer, social media auditor or citizen journalist who wishes to create paid-for or gifted content on social media must pre-book through the Filming and Locations Office." (Notably, this policy is specifically for paid content.)

As for Bite Twice? They're back to work and have already posted more food reviews on their socials, while being inundated with media requests. "Hasn’t stopped for last 24 hrs," they told us. "We all get our 5 mins I guess, already planning the next big story so it turns into 10 mins."

From YouTubers and TikTok stars to streamers and podcasters, Mashable talks to creators about how they built their platforms, the gear they swear by, and the trends they see coming next. Read more of our creator coverage and meet the Mashable 101 to discover the internet’s most exciting voices.

SAVE $25: As of Nov. 4, the Echo Spot is on sale for $54.99 at Amazon. This is 31% off its list price of $79.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Echo Spot $54.99 at Amazon
$79.99 Save $25.00   Get Deal

Black Friday sales are on the horizon, but the good news is select retailers are already offering some early deals to check out before everything officially kicks off. A few Amazon devices have seen some price drops, including the Echo Spot which is down to $54.99 right now.

This makes for 31% off its usual retail price of $79.99, allowing you to save $25. If you've had this smart alarm clock on your shopping list, now's a great time to grab it before Black Friday begins for real. All available colors are on sale, so you can choose between glacier white, black, and ocean blue.

SEE ALSO: Target's Black Friday sale is starting three weeks early on Nov. 6

This sleek little smart alarm clock can help you out with a lot throughout the day. The Echo Spot allows you to keep an eye on the time, but can also show you the weather for the day, check reminders you've set, and even show you song titles for when you're playing music through it. With Alexa, you can handle a lot of these by just using your voice.

No need to wait for Black Friday, score a sweet deal on the Echo Spot right now at Amazon. And while we wait for more deals to pop up, check out our breakdown of Black Friday deals we hope to see for another pick we're keeping an eye on.

President Donald Trump's decision to throw a Great Gatsby-themed Halloween party on the same day that SNAP benefits — a source of help for Americans on low incomes — expired has not gone down particularly well, and Jimmy Kimmel was quick to put it in the bluntest terms possible.

"What do you do when you have a terrible approval rating? You throw the most ill-timed, tone deaf Halloween party imaginable. Hours before millions of low income Americans are set to lose their SNAP benefits, Trump flew to Mar-a-Lago for a big Halloween bash with a Great Gatsby theme, which is a theme you would select only if you've never read The Great Gatsby," the host says in the clip above.

"You know throwing a party at your private golf club where the theme is rich white people hours before millions of Americans are set to lose their food assistance might be the Trumpiest Trump move of all time. It felt like the last big bash before the Epstein files come out."

Elsewhere Jon Stewart was similarly disgusted by the party, making his feelings clear on The Daily Show.

FREE BITCOIN: Fold and Steak ’n Shake have teamed up to offer $5 in Bitcoin when customers order the new Bitcoin Steakburger or Bitcoin Meal.

Opens in a new window Credit: Steak 'n Shake Steak 'n Shake: $5 in Bitcoin with Bitcoin Steakburger or Bitcoin Meal   Learn More

Steak ’n Shake is not afraid to get a little weird. Not long ago, the American fast food chain was offering free Labubu in a bid to get customers through the door. Now, Bitcoin is on the menu.

Fold, the Bitcoin consumer financial services company, and Steak ’n Shake have come together to launch a limited-time promotion that pays customers $5 in Bitcoin with any order of the new Bitcoin Steakburger or Bitcoin Meal. This campaign is live across Steak ’n Shake locations nationwide (check out participating locations here).

SEE ALSO: Lego is giving away a free Boombox model. Here’s how to get yours.

So how does it work? Customers pick up a Bitcoin Meal, upload their receipt at bitcoinmealdeal.com, and get a code for $5 in Bitcoin redeemable through the Fold app. Steak ’n Shake will even stamp the Bitcoin logo on your burger bun.

The catch is that you're limited to one redemption of this special promotion per Fold account, but that's not really a catch is it? This isn't a magic Bitcoin tree from which you can pluck free cryptocurrency whenever you fancy a burger. That's not how the world works.

Grab your burger and 0.000048 Bitcoin from Steak ’n Shake.

While AR/XR glasses often do more, their primary use case is as a wearable, private monitor. The RayNeo Air 3s Pro provides exactly that, with a vibrant 201-inch virtual display. Although it has fewer features than other such glasses, its quality, and low price, still stand out.

SNAP benefits, which help people on low incomes in the U.S. buy groceries, expired last Friday on the same night that President Donald Trump hosted a lavish Halloween party at Mar-a-Lago themed around The Great Gatsby — and Jon Stewart was as disgusted as you'd expect.

"That's what he was doing this weekend. He wasn't working for the American people. That was just some Hollywood Babylon shit that once and for all shows that Donald Trump doesn't give a f*** about even looking like he gives a f***," says Stewart in The Daily Show clip above. "On the very night SNAP benefits ended, Trump threw a Great Gatsby-themed ode to decadence and hedonism that even Jeffrey Epstein would have thought was a little over the top.

"There were dancers, costumes, champagne, a wonderful celebration where the theme was apparently gross income inequality. The slogan of the party, as people were losing their food benefits was, I shit you not, 'A little party never killed nobody.' Did you even read The Great Gatsby?!"

SAVE OVER $70: As of Nov. 4, Beats Studio Buds are on sale for $79.94 at Amazon. This is $70.01 off their list price of $149.95.

Opens in a new window Credit: Beats Beats Studio Buds $79.94 at Amazon
$149.95 Save $70.01   Get Deal

It's officially November, and that means we're inching closer to the Black Friday. Many retailers have already been offering early deals (as Black Friday seems to take over the whole month now), and Amazon has quite a few discounts worth exploring at the moment. If you've been on the hunt for some upgraded earbuds, the Beats Studio Buds are back down to their lowest-ever price at Amazon.

As of Nov. 4, Beats Studio Buds have dropped to $79.94, a 47% discount from their list price of $149.95. According to price tracker camelcamelcamel, this is their best price yet, so now is a great time to add them to your shopping cart.

SEE ALSO: Target's Black Friday sale is starting three weeks early on Nov. 6

No matter if you're searching for earbuds to keep you busy on your upcoming travels or for workouts, the Beats Studio Buds feature a comfortable fit and up to eight hours of battery life to keep you entertained. The high-quality sound they offer is further boosted by Active Noise Canceling and Transparency mode, which help to either block out sounds around you or keep you a bit more aware of your surroundings without missing a beat.

These earbuds are also IPX4 sweat and water-resistant. So whether you're breaking a sweat or caught in a storm, you won't have to worry about them being damaged in the midst of it all.

Why wait for Black Friday? Score the Beats Studio Buds back at their lowest-ever price at Amazon. Until the big sale event kicks off, we're keeping an eye out for more deals as they appear. If you're curious about other earbud deals that may pop up, check out our breakdown of Black Friday deals we hope to see.

Today's Wordle answer should be easy to solve if you're planning a wedding.

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.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for November 4, 2025 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.

SEE ALSO: NYT Pips hints, answers for November 4, 2025 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

A site.

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 V.

SEE ALSO: Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL. 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...

VENUE

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.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for November 4, 2025

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 today's Wordle.

Today's NYT Strands hints are easy if you love a cinephile.

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 4, 2025 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for November 4, 2025 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: F-I-L-M

The words are related to cinema.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe short-named films.

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 Four Letter Movies.

NYT Strands word list for November 4

• Jaws

• Cars

• Clue

• Heat

• Four Letter Movies

• Milk

• Dune

• Hulk

• Babe

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.

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

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.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

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.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

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 4, 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: To lead

• Green: A covering

• Blue: Found on a digital document

• Purple: A musical instrument

Here are today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Steer

• Green: Thin layer

• Blue: File extensions

• Purple: ___ Guitar

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 #877 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Steer: DIRECT, DRIVE, GUIDE, PILOT

• Thin layer: COAT, FILM, LEAF, SHEET

• File extensions: DOC, MID, TIFF, ZIP

• ___ Guitar: AIR, ELECTRIC, RHYTHM, SLIDE

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 4, 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.

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

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

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

How to play Pips

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

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for November 4, 2025

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

SEE ALSO: NYT Strands hints, answers for November 3, 2025 Easy difficulty hints, answers for Nov. 4 Pips

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

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

Number (5): Everything in this red space must add to 5. The answer is 2-5, placed horizontally; 1-3, placed horizontally.

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

Medium difficulty hints, answers for Nov. 4 Pips

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

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

Equal (5): Everything in this space must be equal to 5. The answers are 5-6, placed vertically; 2-5, placed vertically; 5-4, placed horizontally.

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

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

Hard difficulty hints, answers for Nov. 4 Pips

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

Number (0): Everything in this space must add to 0. The answer is 2-0, placed horizontally; 0-4, placed vertically; 0-0, placed vertically.

Equal (5): Everything in this space must be equal to 5. The answers are 4-5, placed horizontally; 5-5, placed vertically; 2-5, placed vertically; 5-1, placed vertically.

Equal (3): Everything in this space must be equal to 3. The answer is 3-5, placed vertically; 3-1, placed vertically; 3-4, placed horizontally.

Number (2): Everything in this orange space must add to 2. The answer is 3-1, placed vertically; 1-4, placed horizontally.

Number (8): Everything in this space must add to 8. The answer is 3-4, placed horizontally; 1-4, placed horizontally.

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

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

Equal (6): Everything in this space must be equal to 5. The answers are 1-6, placed vertically; 2-6, placed horizontally; 6-6, placed horizontally; 6-4, placed vertically.

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

Best National Sex Toy Day deals: Best deal overall Namii 2 $101.15 (save $17.85) Get Deal Best runner-up deal Le Wand Rechargeable Vibrating Massager $116.99 (save $63) Get Deal

Black Friday may be the day to get the best deals on tech, but Nov. 4 (aka National Sex Toy Day) is one of the best times to fill your cart with pleasure products. This is like the pre-game before the holiday season officially kicks off, and tons of retailers are offering steep discounts on a variety of goodies, including vibrators, anal toys, male sex toys, and more.

To help you find the best deal, here’s a shortlist of retailers running National Sex Toy Day sales.

Best deal overall Opens in a new window Credit: biird Namii 2 $101.15 at biird
$119 Save $17.85 Use code NSD at checkout Get Deal Why we like it

Biird is hands-down one of my favorite sex toy retailers of all time. Its products are chic, beautifully packaged, and super effective at getting the job done. And right now (through Nov. 5), you can get up to 15% off sitewide with the code NSD.

What to buy: Biird has so many bangers that it’s hard for me to choose just one, but if I had to pick, I’d recommend the Namii 2. It’s an updated version of the Namii (which is one of my favorite clitoral suckers, ever). It has seven suction strengths, six vibration modes, and a bigger mouth for a broader range of stimulation. You can get it in mint, lilac, and sakura pink. It also comes with a super-cute charging base that doubles as a night light, a storage pouch, a travel charger, a cable, and a fun little sticker.

Best runner-up deal Opens in a new window Credit: Le Wand Le Wand Rechargeable Vibrating Massager $116.99 at Le Wand
$179.99 Save $63.00   Get Deal Why we like it

Le Wand is iconic. Full stop. The only reason I’ve put it as a runner-up is because biird never has sales, and Le Wand is pretty generous with its discounts. On National Sex Toy Day, you can get up to 50% off select Le Wand toys, or you can shop the Clearance Sale (up to 80% off) if you’d rather have something that isn’t brand-specific. Wand attachments are also on offer (up to 40% off), and there’s a pretty wide selection of wand and mini vibrators to choose from, too.

What to buy: There’s a lot going on at Le Wand right now, so if you’re feeling a little decision paralysis, take a quick second to think about what gets you going (suction, vibration, internal, external, etc.) and then browse for toys within that category. If you’re looking for a new wand vibrator (that’s what Le Wand is known for — it’s literally in the name), then I recommend the Le Wand Rechargeable Vibrating Massager. It’s powerful, has tons of positive reviews, 10 distinctive, rumbly vibration speeds, and 20 vibration patterns to explore.

More National Sex Toy Day deals

• Babeland: Get up to 60% off wand vibes or get 15% off a single full-priced item with code YESPLEASE

• Bellesa boutique: Get up to 80% off sitewide with code SAVE80

• B-vibe: Get up to 85% off select sex toys

• Good Vibes: Get up to 70% off select sex toys, up to 40% off anal plugs, and 50% off the Good Vibes Radiant Rose

• Kiiroo: Get up to 70% off select sex toys

• LELO: Get up to 50% off select toys, plus a free gift

• Lovehoney: Get up to 70% off select sex toys, plus get a free gift when you spend $89

• Lovers: Get 25% off Evolve, Playboy Pleasure, Zero Tolerance, and Gender X toys with the code EVOLVED25

• ZALO: Get 15% off sitewide with code ZALOLOVE

• Zumio: Get 40% off sitewide

The coolest tech gifts may look like the most boring box in the present pile... until they're unwrapped. But in a second, you'll both unlock a new favorite memory: They get to gush over owning one of the most sought-after gadgets of the year, and you get to watch their face light up.

Our tech gift guide for 2025 includes some of the best new releases of the year from Apple, Nintendo, GoPro, and Razer, most of which we personally reviewed. We're obviously loving the latest upgrades, like the AirPods Pro 3 and the long-awaited Nintendo Switch 2. But even if you're not shopping for an early adopter, we've still found some awesome under-the-radar gadgets that'll speak to their niche interests. The skincare enthusiast on your list may not care about the new fleet of Echos that Amazon just announced, but they will freak over the Shark LED face mask.

To find the best holiday gifts for the techies in your life, Mashable's tech and shopping reporters have come together to curate a guide to our favorite gift-worthy gadgets of the year — the true 'I can't believe you got this for me' gifts. So, whether you're splurging on an iPad or searching for stocking stuffers, here are 40+ of the best tech gifts for 2025.

Today's Connections: Sports Edition is easy if you have some knowledge on college basketball.

As we've shared in previous hints stories, this is a version of the popular New York Times word game that seeks to test the knowledge of sports fans.

Like the original Connections, 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 the latest 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: Sports Edition?

The NYT's latest daily word game has launched in association with The Athletic, the New York Times property that provides the publication's sports coverage. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

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.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

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: Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL. Here's a hint for today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

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

• Yellow: High-motor guy

• Green: Blue blood basketball teams

• Blue: Portland's first son

• Purple: Types of fouls

Here are today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

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

• Yellow: Energy

• Green: Men's College Basketball Teams with the Most Championships

• Blue: Associated with Damian Lillard

• Purple: Foul____

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: Sports Edition #407 is...

What is the answer to Connections: Sports Edition today?

• Energy - PEP, VERVE, VIGOR, ZIP

• Men's College Basketball Teams with the Most Championships - KENTUCKY, UCLA, UCONN, UNC

• Associated with Damian Lillard - 0, DAME TIME, TRAIL BLAZERS, WEBER STATE

• Foul____ - OUT, SHOT, TERRITORY, TIP

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be new sports 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? See hints and answers for today's Strands.

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.