IT General

Of all of the new robot vacuums from CES 2026, Dreame probably has the most diverse batch. The two newest Dreame models that are available now, the Aqua10 Ultra Roller from August and the X60 Max Ultra that's open for preorders, offer exciting yet expected upgrades in the cleaning power department. But we were also formally introduced to the Dreame Cyber 10 Ultra: the fully-realized version of Dreame's robot vacuum with an arm first teased at CES 2025. It's set to go on sale later this year.

SEE ALSO: The best laptops of CES 2026

A robot vacuum with an arm has been done before. What we haven't seen is a robot vacuum with an arm that actually works well. While Dreame was still in the prototype stage last year at CES, Roborock was officially debuting the Saros Z70, which then hit shelves in March. While the claw machine-style arm went viral at first, the Saros Z70 ended up not being worth it. The list of items that could be picked up maxed out at slippers and socks, and even then, neither of those saw a solid success rate when I was testing the Saros Z70 at home. When the Saros Z70 did pick something up, it wasn't until after driving around aimlessly or blankly staring at the item for several minutes. And let me tell you: The wow factor of the arm wears off quickly when you consider how you could have picked up and put away that item in a fraction of the time that it took the vacuum.

The Dreame Cyber 10 Ultra should handily beat the Roborock Saros Z70

With those shortcomings in mind, the Dreame Cyber 10 Ultra has a crystal clear path to transcending the Roborock Saros Z70. The first promising difference in specs is the Cyber 10 Ultra's arm's strength: It can allegedly pick up items as heavy as 500 grams (just over one pound) compared to the Saros Z70's 300-gram limit. Upon first glance, the Dreame arm already looks sturdier than the Saros Z70's bony build.

The Dreame Cyber 10 Ultra. Credit: Dreame The Roborock Saros Z70. Credit: Roborock

The variety of items that the Cyber 10 Ultra can grab isn't totally clear yet, but if Dreame really didn't come to play, pet toys and kid toys should be at the tippy top of the "yes" list.

At Dreame's CES demo, Mashable Tech Editor Timothy Beck Werth got some footage of the Cyber 10 Ultra successfully picking up a small rubber-ish ball. It moved so slowly that I kept thinking the video was glitching, but it did work. Hopefully, that glacial pace can be attributed to some last-minute bugs, and that it's a swifter tidy-er upper by the time it's officially released to the public.

Credit: Timothy Beck Werth / Mashable Credit: Timothy Beck Werth / Mashable

Dreame's foldable arm is also supposedly able to pick up brush attachments and vacuum nozzles at its dock and use them to clean tricky spots that a robot vacuum can't reach, like in narrow gaps behind furniture. (This wasn't part of the CES demo.) Dreame's calling it "autonomous tool-utility technology," saying that the Cyber 10 Ultra will be able to "take out and use tools like a human and to execute with robotic perfection." I'm picturing the goal as being a capable replacement for handheld vacuum attachments. If it actually works as described, this could make the decision between a robot vacuum and a cordless stick vacuum much easier. But that's a huge "if."

Arm capabilities aside, the Dreame Cyber 10 Ultra will be an all-around more powerful vacuum than the Roborock Saros Z70. The Cyber 10 Ultra's 30,000 Pa of suction power surpasses the 22,000 Pa of the Saros Z70, though 22,000 Pa was an impressive feat last year at this time. For reference, the new Dreame X60 Max Ultra and Roborock Saros 20 models clean with 35,000 Pa, while 30,000 Pa matches the cleaning power of the new Narwal Flow 2 and Eufy Omni S2. Both mop with dual rotating pads and can wash and dry those pads in the base station.

If Dreame's arm is as unhelpful as the Saros Z70's was, I'll definitely be telling everyone to simply opt for one of those more practical premium robot vacuum and mop combos instead. We don't know how much the Dreame Cyber 10 Ultra will cost yet, but it'll likely cost more than the Dreame X60 Max Ultra's $1,699.99 price tag. The Roborock Saros Z70 originally debuted at a laughable $2,599.99, but has dropped as low as $1,299.99. Dreame would be wise to keep the Cyber 10 Ultra under $2,000.

Stair-climbing robot vacuums will probably take over CES 2027

Dreame and Roborock are also in a race to see who can officially release the first robot vacuum that can actually climb stairs — stairs as in actual staircases with steps up to 10 inches tall, not just small thresholds or floor type changes. Both brands teased the concept for theirs at CES 2026: The Dreame Cyber X (not to be confused with the Cyber 10 Ultra) and the Roborock Saros Rover. The Eufy MarsWalker is also in the mix. We don't have much intel on their releases past the fact that they exist, but CES 2027 seems like the most likely bet.

One of the first pairs of headphones I tested for Mashable was the Bose QuietComfort Ultras, the gold standard for the brand. They serve all-day comfort with stellar audio quality. By the time I got around to testing Bose's more affordable QuietComfort headphones, I wasn't expecting much, and certainly not to find my all-time favorite headphones.

I've had the Bose QuietComfort headphones for over a year, and I've used them daily since I got them. They're comfortable, have actually intuitive controls, and boast impressive noise cancellation and sound.

Bose QuietComfort Headphones $199 at Amazon
$349 Save $150   Shop Now at Amazon Shop Now at Walmart All-day comfort and battery life I love the Cypress Green QuietComfort headphones for a fun pop of color. Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

These are my go-to headphones for everything: going on afternoon walks, running errands, writing from a café, or traveling. They're reliable and, most importantly, comfortable. I can wear these headphones all day with earrings and my glasses on and not experience any ear fatigue. Bose says that the QuietComfort headphones are on-ear headphones compared to the QC Ultras' over-ear design, but I find that the comfort and fit are nearly identical; the most significant difference is just the price you pay for that comfort.

Being able to wear them all day is one thing, but having them run all day is equally important. These are reliable headphones. When I wear them for a couple of hours per day, I can go a couple of weeks without charging them. On a trip to New York, their battery lasted from the time I left my house at the crack of dawn, through the train ride into the city, and into the next day.

The best controls on any headphones I've used That little switch on the side is the best power button I've ever used on a pair of headphones. Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

I almost always hate the controls on over-the-ear headphones. Touch controls are often unreliable, and the small control buttons can be confusing if you're not looking directly at them. In fact, that was my biggest complaint about the Bose QuietComfort Ultras; I found the buttons on the headphones to be finicky, inconsistent, and confusing to use.

The standard QuietComforts have the perfect controls. The best part is that, rather than a power button, it's a switch. It sits on one of the ear cups, and you can tell when the headphones are on or off just by touch. For me, that means fewer instances of accidentally leaving them on and having the battery run out.

SEE ALSO: The Marshall Monitor III headphones made me realize that mid-range headphones don't get enough love Sound that delivers — most of the time I can wear these headphones with glasses and earrings and experience no pinching or ear fatigue. Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

Sound is crucial, and the audio quality on the Bose QuietComforts is stellar. It showcases the epic haunting notes of Max Richter's "On the Nature of Daylight" and the thumping beats of Charli XCX's "Everything is Romantic" in equal measure. Plus, they immerse you in sound. While they don't have the spatial audio capabilities of the QuietComfort Ultra headphones, I don't miss it, as I find that their active noise cancellation is enough to keep me in the zone, and the audio feels robust.

The ANC on this pair of headphones is just right, too. It isn't the best I've ever experienced, which isn't entirely surprising since the ear cups aren't particularly snug; that's great for comfort, but less effective for passive noise cancellation. But I find that its ANC easily blocks out the noise of busy city streets and the clink and clatter of my local coffee shop.

It tends to falter in the presence of extremely loud noises. While wearing them on a train platform, the sound of the incoming train caused a staticky, high-pitched noise in the headphones.

The more affordable option is the better choice

A more expensive product doesn't always mean a better product, and I find that to be the case with the Bose QuietComfort Ultra and standard QuietComfort headphones. For $70 less than the Ultras, the standard QuietComforts are my preferred pick in the Bose lineup. They're comfortable and have intuitive controls and a long battery life.

While I think they're worth buying at full price, keep your eye out for sales. During Black Friday 2025, we saw them reach their lowest price ever of $159.

Bose QuietComfort Headphones $199 at Amazon
$349 Save $150   Shop Now at Amazon Shop Now at Walmart

Tesla's Model Y in the U.S. can now be bought with a third row of seats – but this is not the larger, six-seater Model Y L that the company is selling in China.

Instead, the third row of seats, which is a $2,500 option for the Tesla Model Y Premium and Performance trims, has simply been squeezed into the current Model Y's trunk.

Yes, it brings the total number of seats in the Model Y to seven, but most adults won't be able to sit in that third row, making it usable mostly for families with small kids.

In contrast, the Chinese Model YL has a larger wheelbase (making the car 186mm longer), and a pretty respectable amount of legroom in the third row. The difference is obvious even in Tesla's official images; check out the Model YL's third row pic below.

Now that's a respectable third row. Credit: Tesla

The seven seater Model Y configuration that Tesla now offers in the U.S. was offered in the U.S. and Europe in the past, and it didn't last very long; we'll see if this one fares any better.

SEE ALSO: Tesla will charge you $150 for puking or smoking in its robotaxis, report says

This is not the only change to the Model Y in the U.S., though. The company introduced a number of very subtle changes to the Premium and Performance trims (the Standard variant didn't get any of these).

The new Helix wheels do look a lot better than the old ones, we think. Credit: Tesla

These include new, 20'' Helix 2.0 wheels which are now dark grey instead of silver, darker interior headliner, black instead of silver badges on the back of the car, and a larger, 16-inch main display (up from 15.4 inches).

Riding the runaway success of Heated Rivalry, Rachel Reid is returning fans to the ice: The bestselling author announced that the next installment in her Game Changers series — reuniting beloved rivals-turned-lovers Ilya Rozanov and Shane Hollander — will be released Sept. 29, 2026.

The novel, titled Unrivaled, had its cover revealed exclusively by People, which reported that the seventh entry in Reid’s Game Changers series will focus on life after happily ever after.

(For fans of the screen adaptation who prefer to avoid spoilers, Unrivaled's plot details may reveal storylines for Season 2 and beyond.)

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Unrivaled finds Ilya and Shane in an entirely new phase of their relationship: Out, married, and even playing on the same team.

What is Unrivaled about?

Unrivaled continues the story of Rozanov and Hollander after the events of 2022's The Long Game (the sixth book in the hockey romance series), following the couple as they navigate life openly for the first time.

Now married and playing on the same team, the superstar hockey players face new challenges that come with visibility, public scrutiny, and shifting dynamics within the sport. The novel explores what comes after a hard-won happily-ever-after and how love holds up when it’s no longer hidden.

Here's the official synopsis:

A line has been drawn—and the hockey world is divided.

For the first time in their professional hockey careers, Ilya Rozanov and Shane Hollander have nothing to hide. For more than a decade, they kept their love a secret, but now they're out, married, and even playing on the same team. The support is incredible.

Most of the time.

They've gotten a lot of love from fans who are thrilled for them. But some people in the hockey world are still reeling from their relationship reveal, and the backlash—led by popular hockey podcast Top Shelf and the #TakeBackHockey movement—is getting louder.

Ilya and Shane are finally able to stand together in the light, the way they'd always wanted. And now they might be facing their biggest challenge yet.

Reid said she was eager to return to the fan-favorite couple, whose popularity has only grown thanks to the massive success of the Heated Rivalry TV adaptation.

"I'm writing this one for all the Hollanov fans, old and new," Reid told People exclusively. "I can't tell you how much the love my characters have received over the years means to me. It has been a blast writing these guys again, and revisiting the entire Game Changers cast."

Scrolling through social media, it’s clear fans are buzzing about Shane and Ilya's return.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. How can I preorder Unrivaled?

Unrivaled is set for release on Sept. 29, 2026. It's available to preorder now in multiple formats, including paperback, Kindle e-book, and Audible audiobook. A Barnes & Noble exclusive edition is also available, featuring a unique cover design, sprayed edges, and bonus content for collectors and fans.

Opens in a new window Credit: Barnes & Noble Unrivaled (B&N Exclusive Edition) (Game Changers, 7) $19.99 at Barnes & Noble
  Pre-order Here Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon / Harlequin Unrivaled (Game Changers, 7) $18.99 at Amazon
  Pre-order Here Opens in a new window Credit: Books-A-Million / Harlequin Unrivaled (Game Changers, 7) $18.99 at Books-A-Million
  Pre-order Here

The ice is set, the fans are watching, and Reid is back to give Hollanov fans exactly what they’ve been waiting for. Now the question is: What do we do until September?

For fans eager to tide themselves over, revisiting Heated Rivalry or diving into previous books in the series is the perfect way to keep the Hollanov excitement alive.

TL;DR: Upgrade an old PC with The Ultimate Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows and Windows 11 Pro Bundle, now just $39.97 (reg. $418.99).

Opens in a new window Credit: Microsoft The Ultimate Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows: Lifetime License + Windows 11 Pro Bundle $39.97
$418.99 Save $379.02   Get Deal

In need of a 2026 productivity boost? The Ultimate Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows and Windows 11 Pro Bundle can help, giving your old computer some fresh tools and a brand-new operating system to conquer any to-do list. Right now, you can score both Microsoft products for only $39.97 (reg. $418.99).

If you’ve got an old PC collecting dust in the corner, you can give it a new life with some help from this pair of Microsoft products. The Ultimate Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows and Windows 11 Pro Bundle equips your device with a suite of helpful apps and a new operating system to keep things running efficiently.

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First up in this bundle is a Microsoft Office Professional 2021 lifetime license packed with eight tools to help you tackle both personal and professional tasks. From drafting a document in Word, to building a budget in Excel, or staying in touch in Teams, you’ll receive both new and old Microsoft Office staples.

Your license also includes OneNote, PowerPoint, Outlook, Publisher, and Access. All the tools in this Microsoft Office license have been redesigned and are ready to help out everyone, from designers to data analysts.

This bundle doesn’t just include apps — it gives you a whole new operating system to work with thanks to Windows 11 Pro. This OS was made with the modern professional in mind, so you can rest easy knowing you’ll enjoy an improved workflow with features like a seamless interface, snap layouts, a more powerful search experience, and improved voice typing.

Windows 11 Pro also takes your cybersecurity seriously — you’ll have biometric logins and enhanced antivirus protection with this upgrade.

Get The Ultimate Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows and Windows 11 Pro Bundle for only $39.97 (reg. $418.99).

StackSocial prices subject to change.

I think I speak for everyone when I say that streaming prices are getting out of hand. Every year, the monthly fees go up, as does the number of services you need to watch the shows and movies you love.

Fortunately, a good chunk of these streamers will let you test the water before diving in and paying full price for their service. These trials give you the opportunity to sample the streaming library to decide whether it's right for you — or even binge-watch a whole season of a show for free. And watching something for free is a special type of dopamine hit.

SEE ALSO: The 10 best TV shows of 2025, and where to stream them now

A few big dogs in the streaming world — Disney+, Peacock, Paramount+ — no longer offer free trials, following in the footsteps of Netflix and HBO Max. But plenty of other major streaming services (as well as smaller, lesser-known services) let you try before you buy. Here's a list of all of the streaming services that offer free trials in 2026, including our top picks.

Best free trial: Hulu Opens in a new window Credit: Hulu Hulu (30-Day Trial)   Get Deal Why we like it

One of the oldest streaming services around, Hulu still remains a top dog. It's home to Mashable's favorite show of 2024, Shōgun, as well as two of our favorite shows of 2025, Dying for Sex and The Lowdown. Besides its own original content, Hulu is also the streaming home of FX, where you'll find episodes of ABC shows the day after they air, and the place to watch 20th Century Studios, Neon, and Searchlight Pictures films straight from the theater.

It was one of the most affordable streamers at just $7.99 per month, but it underwent two price hikes in as many years, making it now one of the most expensive streamers at $11.99 per month (with ads). Where Hulu truly stands out amongst the crowd, however, is its extremely generous free trial. If you've never subscribed to Hulu before, you can try it out for an entire month before having to pay anything.

Runner-up: Prime Video Opens in a new window Credit: Prime Video Prime Video (30-Day Trial)   Get Deal Why we like it

Prime Video can sometimes be an afterthought, as it's just one perk of an Amazon Prime membership. However, the streaming service is actually home to plenty of excellent shows — like one of our favorite shows of 2025, Overcompensating, and two of our favorites from 2024, Mr. and Mrs. Smith and Fallout — as well as hit movies like Hedda, Sinners, Challengers, Wicked, Conclave, and Blink Twice.

It's $14.99 per month if you choose to subscribe to Prime or just $8.99 per month for Prime Video on its own. Either way, you'll get a free 30-day trial to kick things off. And the best part is that it's not just for newbies; returning Prime members are eligible for free trials as well.

Every streaming service that offers a free trial in 2025Acorn TV

• Trial length: 7 days

• Price: $8.99 per month

AMC+

• Trial length: 7 days

• Price: starting at $6.99 per month

Apple TV+

• Trial length: 7 days

• Price: $12.99 per month

BET+

• Trial length: 7 days

• Price: starting at $5.99 per month

Britbox

• Trial length: 7 days

• Price: $10.99 per month

Cinemax

The Cinemax trial is only available via Prime Video as an add-on.

• Trial length: 7 days

• Price: $9.99 per month

Criterion Channel

• Trial length: 7 days

• Price: $10.99 per month

Crunchyroll

• Trial length: 7 days

• Price: starting at $7.99 per month

Discovery+

• Trial length: 7 days

• Price: starting at $5.99 per month

DirecTV Stream

• Trial length: 5 days

• Price: starting at $84.99 per month

Disney+

Though Disney+ does not offer a free trial on its own, it’s included in Hulu + Live TV. So, you can try it for free with that trial.

• Trial length: 3 days through Hulu + Live TV

• Price: $89.99 per month for Hulu + Live TV; $11.99 per month for Disney+

ESPN

Though ESPN does not offer a free trial on its own, it’s included in Hulu + Live TV. So, you can try ESPN Select for free with that trial. There is no trial for ESPN Unlimited.

• Trial length: 3 days through Hulu + Live TV

• Price: $89.99 per month for Hulu + Live TV; $12.99 per month for ESPN Select

Fox One

• Trial length: 7 days

• Price: starting at $19.99 per month

FrndlyTV

• Trial length: 7 days

• Price: starting at $6.99 per month

Fubo TV

• Trial length: 5 days

• Price: starting at $55.99 per month

Hallmark+

• Trial length: 7 days

• Price: $7.99 per month

Hulu

• Trial length: 30 days

• Price: starting at $11.99 per month

Hulu + Live TV

• Trial length: 3 days

• Price: $89.99 per month

MGM+

• Trial length: 7 days

• Price: $7.99 per month

MLB.TV

• Trial length: 7 days

• Price: starting at $29.99 per month

MovieSphere+

The MovieSphere+ trial is only available via Prime Video as an add-on.

• Trial length: 7 days

• Price: $4.99 per month

Mubi

• Trial length: 7 days

• Price: $14.99 per month

NBA League Pass

• Trial length: 7 days

• Price: starting at $16.99 per month

Paramount+

Though Paramount+ no longer offers a free trial directly (as of Jan. 15, 2026), a free trial of Walmart+ will unlock a free month of streaming.

• Trial length: 30 days

• Price: $12.95 per month for Walmart+; starting at $8.99 per month for Paramount+

Peacock

Though Peacock no longer offers a free trial directly, a free trial of Instacart+ will unlock two free weeks of streaming, or a free trial of Walmart+ will unlock a free month of streaming.

• Trial length: 14 days through Instacart+; 30 days through Walmart+

• Price: $99 per year for Instacart+; $12.95 per month for Walmart+; starting at $7.99 per month for Peacock

Prime Video

• Trial length: 30 days

• Price: $14.99 per month for Amazon Prime; $8.99 per month for Prime Video only

Shudder

• Trial length: 7 days

• Price: starting at $7.50 per month

Starz

• Trial length: 7 days

• Price: starting at $10.99 per month

Sundance Now

• Trial length: 7 days

• Price: $6.99 per month

YouTube TV

• Trial length: 5 or 10 days

• Price: $82.99 per month

Where to pre-order Lego Star Wars Smart Play sets: Lego Star Wars Smart Play: Throne Room Duel and A-Wing $159.99 at Amazon Pre-Order Here Lego Star Wars Smart Play: Luke’s Red Five X-Wing $89.99 at Amazon Pre-Order Here Lego Star Wars Smart Play: Darth Vader’s TIE Fighter $69.99 at Amazon Pre-Order Here

CES is always one of the most exciting weeks in the world of tech. This year we got announcements of new smart glasses, a $9,000 smart purse, and plenty of robots. But on a more practical level, we got a major Lego upgrade with the arrival of Lego Smart Play sets.

We didn't need another reason to be obsessed with building Lego sets, but the Danish brand has gone ahead and provided it. The Lego Smart Play system introduces an interactive aspect to a build with sounds, lights, and behaviors that add a new layer of fun. Plus, all you need to enter this new realm is a single Smart Play brick.

Mashable Tech Editor Timothy Beck Werth attended the Lego announcement ahead of the official CES kickoff in Las Vegas. Lego demonstrated highlights of the new smart bricks and Beck Werth wrote, "With a single smart brick, the CES demo brought Lego creations, characters, and playsets to life. Lego cars revved their engines, a Lego duck quacked and even snored when placed on its side, and a Lego airplane pilot exclaimed 'woah!' to being flipped upside down."

Lucky for us Star Wars fans, the new Smart Play sets debut with a Star Wars theme. The three builds launch the first two days of March and they're all available for preorder at Amazon. Here are the details.

Lego Star Wars Smart Play: Throne Room Duel and A-Wing Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Lego Star Wars Smart Play: Throne Room Duel and A-Wing $159.99 at Amazon
  Pre-order Here

The largest of the Lego Star Wars Smart Play builds takes us back to an iconic scene from Return of the Jedi. The 962-piece Lego Star Wars Smart Play: Throne Room Duel and A-Wing recreates the legendary Luke Skywalker lightsaber battle with Darth Vader. But unlike a standard Lego build, this Smart Play set will hum like a real-life lightsaber battle would. The set also comes with five Lego Smart Tags which add to the interactive experience with extra lights and sounds.

The Lego Star Wars Smart Play Throne Room Duel was on-hand at CES 2026. Credit: Mashable

Each Smart Brick battery life is about 45 minutes and the set comes with the charger you'll need to continue playing. The Star Wars build comes with a release date of March 1.

Lego Star Wars Smart Play: Luke’s Red Five X-Wing Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Lego Star Wars Smart Play: Luke’s Red Five X-Wing $89.99 at Amazon
  Pre-order Here

Enter Luke's world with this 581-piece build that's a great showcase of the new Lego Smart Play features. A Smart Play block on Luke's X-Wing means it'll come with lifelike sounds and lights like engine sounds, lights, and even repair noises. Smart Luke Skywalker and Smart Princess Leia minifigures are on hand for more interactive and responsive play.

The Lego Star Wars Smart Play: Luke’s Red Five X-Wing at CES. Credit: Mashable

The Lego Star Wars Smart Play: Luke’s Red Five X-Wing comes with a price of $89.99 and has a release date of March 1.

Lego Star Wars Smart Play: Darth Vader’s TIE Fighter Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Lego Star Wars Smart Play: Darth Vader’s TIE Fighter $69.99 at Amazon
  Pre-order Here

The most affordable of the new Lego Star Wars Smart Play sets is Darth Vader's TIE Fighter build with a price tag set at $69.99. The set has 473 pieces which features Darth Vader, his TIE Fighter, a fuel station, a Rebel Fleet Trooper, and more. In terms of the smart features and interactive additions, you'll get motion-activated engine sounds, lights, and laser-shooting because it simply wouldn't be Star Wars without those sounds. It also has refueling and repair sounds for the TIE.

The Lego Star Wars Smart Play: Darth Vader’s TIE Fighter on display at CES. Credit: Mashable

Like the other Lego sets, this comes with a March 1 release date. This set is designed for Lego builders aged eight and up.

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 Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026:

AcrossInternet company that popularized chat rooms

• The answer is AOL.

With 7-Across, "Hey, don't blame me!"

• The answer is Thats.

See 4-Across

• The answer is On You.

Director of 2026's "The Odyssey"

• The answer is Nolan.

Marketing creations

• The answer is Ads.

DownLots and lots

• The answer is A ton.

[Gulp!]

• The answer is Oh no.

Signature hit for Eric Clapton

• The answer is Layla.

Mushroom-headed character in the Mario games

• The answer is Toad.

N.B.A. team from the hottest major city in the United States

• The answer is Suns.

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 today's Mini Crossword.

Today's Connections: Sports Edition will be easier if you know west coast schools.

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: Regionally specific

• Green: Swordplay

• Blue: Hoops homes

• Purple: Same first name

Here are today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

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

• Yellow: Teams that play in New York State

• Green: Fencing terms

• Blue: College basketball venues

• Purple: Bills

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 #477 is...

What is the answer to Connections: Sports Edition today?

• Teams that play in New York State - BILLS, ISLANDERS, METS, SABRES

• Fencing terms - EN GARDE, EPEE, FOIL, PISTE

• College basketball venues - HINKLE, PALESTRA, PAULEY, THE PIT

• Bills - COWHER, PARCELLS, RUSSELL, SELF

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.

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 January 13, 2026

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 January 13, 2026 Easy difficulty hints, answers for Jan. 13 Pips

Less Than (5): Everything in this space must be less than 5. The answer is 4-2, placed vertically.

Number (5): Everything in this space must add up to 5. The answer is 4-2, placed vertically; 3-6, placed horizontally.

Equal (6): Everything in this space must be equal to 6. The answer is 3-6, placed horizontally; 6-1, placed vertically.

Less Than (1): Everything in this space must be less than 1. The answer is 6-0, placed vertically.

Equal (1): Everything in this space must be equal to 1. The answer is 5-1, placed vertically; 6-1, placed vertically.

Medium difficulty hints, answers for Jan. 13 Pips

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

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

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

Equal (6): Everything in this space must be equal to 6. The answer is 6-6, placed vertically; 6-2, placed vertically; 6-0, placed horizontally.

Less Than (2): Everything in this space must be less than 2. The answer is 6-0, placed horizontally.

Equal (5): Everything in this space must be equal to 5. The answer is 1-5, placed vertically; 5-6, placed vertically.

Less Than (3): Everything in this space must be less than 3. The answer is 6-2, placed vertically.

Less Than (1): Everything in this space must be less than 1. The answer is 6-0, placed vertically.

Greater Than (5): Everything in this space must be greater than 5. The answer is 5-6, placed vertically.

Hard difficulty hints, answers for Jan. 13 Pips

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

Equal (1): Everything in this space must be equal to 1. The answer is 1-6, placed vertically; 1-0, placed vertically; 1-1, placed horizontally; 1-3, placed horizontally.

Equal (3): Everything in this space must be equal to 3. The answer is 1-3, placed horizontally; 3-0, placed vertically.

Number (4): Everything in this space must add up to 4. The answer is 0-2, placed vertically; 2-5, placed horizontally.

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

Less Than (2): Everything in this space must be less than 2. The answer is 1-0, placed vertically.

Greater Than (4): Everything in this space must be greater than 4. The answer is 6-6, placed horizontally.

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

Number (0): Everything in this space must add up to 0. The answer is 0-0, placed horizontally; 3-0, placed vertically.

Number (11): Everything in this space must add up to 11. The answer is 2-5, placed horizontally; 4-6, placed horizontally.

Number (4): Everything in this space must add up to 4. The answer is 4-6, placed horizontally.

Number (7): Everything in this space must add up to 7. The answer is 3-4, placed horizontally.

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

Greater Than (4): Everything in this space must be greater than 4. The answer is 3-5, placed horizontally.

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

Mattel has launched its first ever autistic Barbie, the latest addition to its diverse Barbie Fashionistas collection.

Designed in partnership with the Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN), the new Barbie is intended to reflect real autistic people's experiences, with Mattel stating that it "invites more children to see themselves represented" in the doll.

"Barbie has always strived to reflect the world kids see and the possibilities they imagine, and we’re proud to introduce our first autistic Barbie as part of that ongoing work," said Mattel's global head of dolls Jamie Cygielman.

As such, the autistic Barbie comes wearing a loose fitting lavender and white striped dress, flat-soled shoes, and pink noise-cancelling headphones — clothing informed by the sartorial choices people may make when managing sensory processing issues. As fitting her focus on fashion, Barbie's headphones are colour coordinated with her tablet (which shows symbol-based apps designed to enable communication without speaking) and her fidget spinner (which actually spins).

Credit: Mattel

Barbie's body also features articulated elbow and wrist joints so she can stim, while her gaze is deliberately shifted slightly off-centre. Mattel states that this design choice "reflects how some members of the autistic community may avoid direct eye contact." Her hair is also worn loose, "as autism can impact fine motor skills."

"It is so important for young autistic people to see authentic, joyful representations of themselves, and that’s exactly what this doll is," said ASAN executive director Colin Killick. "We're honored to see this milestone come to life, and we will keep pushing for more representation like this that supports our community in dreaming big and living proud."

Mattel has further announced it will donate over 1000 autistic Barbie dolls to various U.S. children's hospitals that provide special services for autistic children.

This autistic Barbie isn't the first doll in the Barbie Fashionistas collection with a disability. The company previously released a Barbie with Down syndrome in 2023, as well as both a blind doll and one with type 1 diabetes last year. The Barbie Fashionistas collection includes over 175 dolls, spanning across different skin tones, body types, and disabilities.

Autistic Barbie is available now for $10.99 at Amazon and Target, and $10.97 at Walmart.

If you like playing daily word games like Wordle, then Hurdle is a great game to add to your routine.

There are five rounds to the game. The first round sees you trying to guess the word, with correct, misplaced, and incorrect letters shown in each guess. If you guess the correct answer, it'll take you to the next hurdle, providing the answer to the last hurdle as your first guess. This can give you several clues or none, depending on the words. For the final hurdle, every correct answer from previous hurdles is shown, with correct and misplaced letters clearly shown.

An important note is that the number of times a letter is highlighted from previous guesses does necessarily indicate the number of times that letter appears in the final hurdle.

If you find yourself stuck at any step of today's Hurdle, don't worry! We have you covered.

SEE ALSO: Hurdle: Everything you need to know to find the answers Hurdle Word 1 hint

It has a spiral shell.

SEE ALSO: Apple’s new M3 MacBook Air is $300 off at Amazon. And yes, I’m tempted. Hurdle Word 1 answer

CONCH

Hurdle Word 2 hint

A Kansas City footballer.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for January 13, 2026 Hurdle Word 2 Answer

CHIEF

Hurdle Word 3 hint

Competently.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for January 13 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for January 13, 2026 Hurdle Word 3 answer

APTLY

Hurdle Word 4 hint

A style of pants.

Hurdle Word 4 answer

SLACK

Final Hurdle hint

To mirror.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Games available on Mashable Hurdle Word 5 answer

MIMIC

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

SAVE 37%: As of Jan. 12, you can get the Magic: The Gathering Final Fantasy Play Booster Box on sale for $132.98 at Amazon. That's a 37% discount off its $209.79 list price and $76.72 in savings.

Magic: The Gathering - Final Fantasy Play Booster Box (30 Packs) $132.98 at Walmart
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Bringing the entire Final Fantasy saga to your tabletop usually comes with a pretty steep "collector's tax," but Amazon is currently cutting that price by $76.

As of Jan. 12, you can get the Magic: The Gathering Final Fantasy Play Booster Box on sale for $132.98 at Amazon. That's a 37% discount off its $209.79 list price and $76.72 in savings. To give you some perspective on why this is a win, the current market value for this display is hovering around $143.80. Grabbing a box for about $11 under the market rate (especially with Prime shipping) is a solid find for a set this popular.

SEE ALSO: The Magic: The Gathering Avatar The Last Airbender Jumpstart Booster Box is close to market value on Amazon

The box contains 30 Play Boosters, which are packs designed to build out your collection and play Limited games like Draft or Sealed with friends. Inside each pack, you’ll find 14 cards, including 1–4 cards of rarity Rare or higher and a guaranteed traditional foil. If you’re lucky, you might even snag a Foil Borderless Mythic Rare, which only appears in about 1% of boosters.

CES is never subtle, and 2026 was no exception.

The annual tech showcase in Las Vegas offers genuine glimpses of where consumer technology is headed, alongside futuristic concepts that exist solely because someone figured out how to make them.

SEE ALSO: CES 2026: Capture video with the AI-tracking, subscription-free XbotGo Falcon

Over the week, Mashable reporters fanned out across the showroom floor, private demo rooms, and off-site showcases to test what actually mattered. From neurotech headphones that measurably improved reaction times to wildly ambitious hardware concepts from Lenovo, CES 2026 offered no shortage of devices worth paying attention to.

If you weren’t there to wade through the noise, demos, and occasional sensory overload, here are TK highlights that capture the best, weirdest, and wildest moments from CES 2026.

1. Neurable’s brain-sensing headphones Credit: Chance Townsend / Mashable

Neurable’s EEG-powered gaming headset was one of the rare CES demos where the results felt measurable rather than theoretical. In testing the headphones, I found that my reaction time noticeably improved after using Neurable’s PRIME system, even under less-than-ideal demo conditions.

PRIME functions like a short guided meditation, backed by live brain data, which visualizes focus and cognitive load in real-time. Neurable executives framed it as “training your brain the same way you train muscle memory,” and while it’s not magic, the improvement felt tangible enough to stand out in a show full of empty promises.

2. Lenovo's rollable, extendable laptops

Lenovo’s rollable laptops were less about practicality and more about proving the company can still do things no one else is willing to attempt. As reported in Mashable’s hands-on story, the concepts include displays that physically extend upward or outward at the push of a button, transforming a standard laptop into something closer to a desktop monitor.

Credit: Lily Kartiganer / Mashable

Lenovo reps described them as explorations of “adaptive screen real estate,” but the real appeal was watching the mechanics work smoothly in person. They’re still concepts, but unusually polished ones, the kind that feel closer to shipping than Lenovo is letting on.

3. Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold

Samsung’s Galaxy Z TriFold wasn’t the most practical phone at CES, but it was arguably the most audacious. Tech Editor Timothy Beck Werth got hands-on with the device and described it as the closest thing yet to sci-fi foldables, unfolding into a tablet-sized display while still managing to fold down into something pocketable.

Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable Credit: Timothy Werth / Mashable

Samsung positioned the TriFold as a glimpse of what’s possible rather than a mass-market product, especially given its rumored $2,500 price. It’s a flex, but a deliberate one.

4. ROG Xreal R1 AR gaming glasses Credit: Xreal / Asus ROG

Xreal’s unreleased ROG Xreal R1 gaming glasses landed in that rare CES sweet spot where a product feels one generation away from normal. They're the world's first AR glasses with a 240 Hz display, and part of a partnership between Xreal and Asus ROG. In Mashable’s demo, the glasses were lighter, sharper, and less gimmicky than earlier wearable displays, offering clearer visuals and fewer compromises in terms of comfort and latency.

They’re still niche, but unlike past attempts, these didn’t feel like something you’d only tolerate for five minutes on a show floor.

5. TDM Neo Headphones

TDM’s Neo headphones are classic CES energy in physical form. With a simple twist, the earcups rotate outward and transform the headset into a pair of portable speakers, a feature that exists solely because someone decided it should. Mashable’s coverage framed them as equal parts impractical and delightful, with surprisingly good sound quality for an accessible price.

You don’t need them, but watching the transformation happen is undeniably fun, and sometimes that’s enough.

6. Lego Smart Brick

Lego showing up at CES with something genuinely new wasn’t on my bingo card, but here we are. As Matt Binder and Timothy Beck Werth reported, Lego’s new Smart Play system adds sensors, lights, and sound to what are otherwise normal-looking bricks, reacting to movement, color, and placement in real-time.

In demos, cars revved when pushed, ducks quacked when flipped, and entire builds responded without a screen in sight. Lego calls it the biggest evolution to the brick since the minifigure, which sounds like marketing hype until you see kids racing smart Lego cars to a finish-line trophy that knows who won. “Lego Smart Play is the next exciting chapter in our Lego System in Play,” said Lego CMO Julia Goldin, and for once, that doesn’t feel like an exaggeration.

7. Lollipop Star

CES wouldn’t be CES without a product that makes you stop mid-walk and ask, "Wait, what?" Enter Lollipop Star, a literal lollipop that plays music through bone conduction while you suck on it. Yes, really. As Stan Schroeder explains, the electronics are hidden in the stick, sending vibrations through your jaw straight to your inner ear.

At $8.99 a pop, this isn’t meant to replace your headphones, but it’s also impossible not to respect the commitment to the bit. The company has partnered with pop artists so each flavor comes with its own song, which somehow makes it even more absurd.

8. Lepro's AI soulmate Ami Credit: Chance Townsend / Mashable

AI companions aren’t new, but Lepro’s Ami stood out by being unapologetically physical and deeply strange. From my experience on the showfloor, Lepro openly markets Ami not just as an AI assistant, but as an AI soulmate for lonely remote workers.

The device itself is a curved OLED cylinder with cameras for eye tracking and depth, designed to make its animated avatar feel "in the room." I remain skeptical of AI companionship as a concept, but watching people linger at Ami’s booth, even without a proper demo due to the noise, made the appeal clear. Unlike chatbots buried in apps, Ami demands space on your desk and your attention. If we’re going to have AI companions at all, this is at least the most honest version of that idea.

9. Jackery Solar Mars Bot

The power station brand Jackery is celebrating its 10th anniversary, and it brought some new inventions to CES 2026, including the Solar Mars Bot. This is essentially an autonomous roving power station, which can seek out the sun and recharge itself when it's low on power.

This bot followed our tech editor around the crowded convention floor, and we were impressed with its retractable solar panels.

TL;DR: Type in total comfort with the Keychron K3 QMK Wireless Mechanical Keyboard, on sale now for $74.99 (reg. $94.99).

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Whether you have a desktop set up at a desk in your home office or you work anywhere on your laptop, what you type on matters. The Keychron K3 QMK Wireless Mechanical Keyboard offers comfort without skimping on productivity, with a slim design that enables seamless typing. Right now, you can bring one home for just $74.99 (reg. $94.99).

Let the Keychron K3 QMK Wireless Mechanical Keyboard help you knock out your to-do list comfortably and efficiently. Type smoothly and precisely on the innovative Keychron Milk POM Low-Profile Mechanical Switches, which are 33% slimmer than standard profiles while still offering great tactile feedback with every touch. The keyboard also offers three adjustable angles for ergonomic wrist support.

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This sleek keyboard is wireless and supports Bluetooth 5.2, allowing seamless connection to up to 3 devices. It also includes wired USB-C connectivity if you prefer to plug in. It’s also ultra-slim and actually one of the thinnest wireless mechanical keyboards on the market. Presets with over 22 RGB backlight settings allow for customizable backlight control.

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It may sound intimidating, but H&R Block Tax Software gives you step-by-step guidance to file your state and federal returns. Get help claiming more than 350 credits and deductions, and if questions pop up, you can consult the help center packed with more than 13,000 articles. You’ll also have access to AI Tax Assist if you need further help.

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On Monday, Apple announced a huge new deal with Google — the AI version of Siri will be powered by Google Gemini. Not long after, Google achieved something very few other Big Tech companies have.

Specifically, Google's parent company Alphabet became just the fourth company to hit a $4 trillion stock market valuation, following Nvidia, Apple, and Microsoft, per CNBC.

The other three companies all reached that threshold less than a year ago, so this is a recent phenomenon in the stock market. It should be noted that Apple and Microsoft are both back below the $4 trillion line, so Google could easily lose this honor at any time, for any reason.

So, how much money is four trillion dollars?

If you were to convert the $4 trillion into one dollar bills and stack them on a football field, the resulting pile would be about half a mile high, roughly equivalent to the Burj Khalifa in Dubai. If you were to simply stack one bill on top of the other, the resulting pile would reach far past the moon.

SEE ALSO: Apple picks Google Gemini over ChatGPT for Siri's AI overhaul

The news comes just hours after Google announced a multi-year collaboration with Apple that will make Google's Gemini AI model the backbone for Apple's future AI efforts. As CNBC noted, Alphabet's shares went up by about 1 percent after the news dropped, so it seems like that was more of a "the fly that broke the camel's back" situation than something monumental that got Alphabet to $4 trillion by itself.

Anyway, between Google's continued search dominance and its growing AI and hardware businesses, it seems like Alphabet is doing just fine.

SSD prices have been rising sharply lately, in part due to global memory shortages and high demand. For many PC users, upgrading storage has become a pricey proposition, which makes now the perfect time to get creative and make the most of the space you already have.

Cheers to Netflix. Hot on the heels of HBO Max's Heated Rivalry making streaming steamy, the service gives us His & Hers, a miniseries with sex, smoking hot stars, and a climax that has audiences screaming. Totally different vibes, though, as this is less a romantic drama with occasional hockey scenes and more a crime thriller where violence is guaranteed along with vengeance. 

Adapted from Alice Feeney's mystery novel into a 6-episode series, His & Hers stars Tessa Thompson and John Bernthal as an estranged married couple who are weirdly brought back together by a homicide in their hometown of Dahlonega, Georgia. Anna Andrews is a news reporter based in Atlanta who's determined to make this murder big news, while he's police detective Jack Harper, tasked with solving the case. As each investigates, they not only get in each other's way, but also unearth each other's dark secrets. Could it mean one of them is the murderer? 

Below, we'll dig into the case's suspects and red herring, and the ending, where the killer was revealed and viewing audiences went wild. Spoilers ahead! 

Do Anna or Jack have a hand in the killings in His & Hers?  Credit: Netflix

Filmmaker William Oldroyd has previously made such critically heralded movies as Lady Macbeth and Eileen, both of which involve deadly women and dangerous partnerships. So, as the secrets begin to spill in this Dahlonega murder case, you may well have had meta reasons to suspect Jack and Anna. After all, that's the kind of story Oldroyd seems to favor. And from the start, the show itself gives you plenty of reasons to suspect either character. But things get tricky as the bodies pile up. 

The first victim in the His & Her murder spree is rich white local Rachel Hopkins (Jamie Tisdale), who has a bad reputation and ties to both Jack and Anna. The brooding cop was the secret lover Rachel met out in the woods, where her corpse was found. So, had her cuckolded husband guessed right, and she said something so nasty during sex that it got her killed? Or, did Anna axe the woman who was not only sleeping with her husband, but also tormented her to a hellish (and frankly criminal) degree when they were friends back in high school?

What might have initially seemed a crime of passion or jealousy soon looks like one of vengeance as Rachel's bff Helen Wang (Poppy Liu) turns up murdered in the school where they were once a part of the same friend group — along with Jack's screw-up sister Zoe (Marin Ireland). But when Zoe also turns up dead, Jack's policing partner, Priya Patel (Sunita Mani), begins to suspect the long-lost girl from this toxic circle, Catherine Kelly, could be the sneaking killer. 

Catherine Kelly was a red herring.  Rebecca Rittenhouse as Lexy Jones. Credit: Netflix

In flashbacks over the course of the series, His & Hers reveals that Rachel, Helen, and Zoe weren't just any mean girls. They were downright vicious, luring their friends Anna and Catherine to the woods for a horrible 16th birthday party. Essentially, Helen nonconsensually pimped out Anna and Catherine to three men, who crashed the party to commit sexual assaults on the teen girls. That would definitely give Catherine motive to kill Rachel, Helen, and Zoe, who watched while it happened. But where's Catherine been all these years?

The B-plot for Anna was all about her rivalry with bubbly blonde anchorwoman Lexy Jones, who took Anna's spot at the news desk while she was on bereavement leave. In their professional battle, Anna used some pretty unprofessional mean girl tactics, like asking that Lexy's husband, Richard Jones (Pablo Schreiber), be her cameraman, and then promptly seducing him. But it turns out Richard was more loyal to Lexy than we thought. 

However, Lexy didn't just come to Dahlonega to steal the murder story from Anna. She seemingly did it to wreak some revenge of her own, because Lexy is Catherine Kelly, slimmed down, dyed blonde, renamed, and seething with rage. It seems she and Richard plotted together to get Anna to the Kelly home, remote and private, for a deadly end. Anna calls Jack for help, and ends up facing off with the incensed couple. But before Catherine can kill Anna, Catherine is shot dead by Detective Patel. That happens with nearly a half an hour to go on the show. So what else can there be to reveal? 

Well, for starters Anna finally is able to tell Jack what happened to her when she was 16. From there, Jack and Anna reunite and adopt Zoe's orphaned daughter. A flash-forward shows them back at home in Dahlonega. They are a family again, ready and willing to care for each other, their upcoming baby, and Anna's mother, Alice (Crystal Fox), who's been suffering from dementia. Little do they know, Alice is more than capable of caring for herself. And she's capable of much, much more. 

Who is the serial killer of His & Hers?  Crystal Fox plays Anna's mother Alice in "His & Hers." Credit: Netflix

It's Alice, Anna's seemingly dementia-addled mother, who killed Rachel, Helen, and Zoe. 

In episodes 1 through 5, much of Alice's screentime was her making confused mistakes, like preparing eggs with shells in them or forgetting that Jack and Anna had separated. Anna got reports that her mother would wander at night. Her cognitive issues seemed another element of loss that Anna was eager to avoid, in part because of the guilt she may hold for leaving her family after the pain of her own child's unexpected death. 

However, Anna finds out how intense Alice's love for her is when she comes across a curious letter midway through episode 6. 

Through voiceover, Anna muses on whether anger is a destructive force or a sustaining one as she finds an envelope sitting on her vanity that has her name written on it. "It all comes down to how you use your anger, and who you aim it at," she muses as she unfolds delicately handwritten pages. 

"There are at least two sides to every story," the letter begins, "Yours and mine, ours and theirs. His and hers. Which means someone is always lying."  

Notably, this quote is how Anna's voiceover begins in episode one, after she's gotten home late at night, soaked, and scrambled to clean herself and her apartment. Early on, that made Anna seem suspicious. But later, it's clear she was distraught not because she'd just killed Rachel, but because she'd accidentally caught her husband cheating with her ex-bestie, while she was grieving the loss of their daughter. Who could possibly understand the pain Alice was in at that moment? Her mom. 

Crystal Fox plays Anna's mother Alice in "His & Hers." Credit: Netflix

Like mother like daughter, her mom was in the cemetery too, quietly watching her love. She witnessed Anna witnessing Jack banging Rachel. And while this might have been reason enough to ambush Rachel, Alice had more reasons. 

In a thorough series of flashbacks, episode 6 reveals how Alice got away with murders. Phrases previously played out in the voiceover take on new meaning as her daughter comes to understand what really happened. 

For years, Alice was happy to see her daughter thrive as a news anchor. She was proud of her marriage and motherhood. Then the baby Charlotte died while Alice was watching her. 

Heartbroken, Anna fled her husband, house, hometown, and mother for parts unknown. In her absence, Alice made regular visits to Charlotte's grave, both in mourning and in hopes of seeing Anna there. And as Anna took time off from her news broadcast, Alice turned to a box of Anna's old self-tapes for some way to see her. In seeking Anna, she ended up discovering things about Rachel. 

While in the cemetery at night, she spotted Rachel meeting up with her fling of the week on the dirt road nearby. Then, after six months of rationing out watching Anna's old tapes, Alice found the video shot on Anna's 16th birthday, where Rachel lured her and Catherine to the woods. 

All these years later, Alice watched her daughter rescue Catherine, only to be abandoned and raped while Rachel, Helen, and Zoe watched and sang "Happy Birthday." (Taking a beat because all that happened and Anna still married Zoe's brother! I'm not sure if that's a testament to true love or deep denial, because how are you going to family events with that woman stumbling in like nothing happened?!)

Anyhow, it was on the anniversary of Charlotte's death that Anna came to the cemetery, and like her mother before her, saw not only the baby's grave but also Rachel having car sex. But this time, it was with Jack.

How Alice got away with murder in His & Hers.  Crystal Fox plays Anna's mother Alice in "His & Hers." Credit: Netflix

"I wanted to shout at you, 'Leave this place. Come home to me now,'" Alice's letter continues, as the flashback shows Anna in the graveyard, drop-jawed in agony. "Your Momma's here now. [Rachel] can't hurt you anymore." The flashback then reveals how Alice came out of the woods after Jack had driven off. "Whoever said two wrongs can't make a right lacked imagination, and a sharp knife," Alice writes as the murder of Rachel plays out onscreen. 

A professional cleaning woman, Alice knew how to clean up after herself. She clipped the fingernails to get rid of her DNA. She stripped off her own clothes, bloodied from Rachel's wounds, and walked naked home, in the rain, in the dark, in the street. No one stopped her. 

She notes all the elements of her identity that urged others to look away from her. "No one expects a woman to be a serial killer," her letter goes on, "Add the sin of age, mistake determination for dementia, there I am, the picture of frailty." While her naked wandering at night drew attention from the authorities, no one expected this habit to be dangerous to anyone but Alice, who faked dementia as a smokescreen. 

Beyond this, flashbacks show how Alice worked as a cleaning woman at the Kelly home. So, she recognized the glowed-up "Lexy" on the news, and Alice still had a key to the family house, just as she did the school, where she killed Helen. "Like back doors and the workers who use them, we're usually forgotten, ignored, invisible," she muses as the Black woman who's long been ignored by folks younger, wealthier, and whiter (or closer in proximity to whiteness) than herself.  

Alice goes on to note not everything went to plan at first. She'd plotted to kill Rachel, Helen, and Zoe for the rape they brought upon Anna. Catherine she planned to frame by leaving evidence in the Kelly home. "I thought prison for abandoning you that night was fair." 

Masterful multitasker she is, Alice also notes that Catherine being the killer would give Anna "a juicy story" and assure Lexy would no longer be a professional rival. And to make sure Anna would find her way to Catherine, it was Alice who canceled Richard and Anna's hotel reservation — not Lexy/Catherine! 

Why does Alice go on a killing spree? Tessa Thompson plays Anna in "His & Hers." Credit: Netflix

It wasn't just revenge. It was Alice's path to restorative justice, vigilante style thought it may be. 

Alice rightly deduced Jack would save Anna — though she admits Patel fatally shooting Catherine was not part of the plan. "But I'd be lying if I said I lost any sleep over it," she writes. 

"Killing Rachel brought you home. Killing Helen kept you here," Alice continues, before delivering maybe the wildest revelation, "And killing Zoe gave you the family you lost." 

Yep. Alice murdered Zoe — who knew her and smiled as she approached her in the tub — not only for revenge, but so Anna could adopt Zoe's neglected daughter as her own. 

Why does Alice confess to Anna?  Crystal Fox plays Anna's mother Alice in"His and Hers." Credit: Netflix

Alice sees this all as a life lesson that Anna can apply to raising her own children. 

"I'm writing this now, baby, because soon you'll be a mother again," she concludes in the letter, "Love my grandbabies as I've loved you. Teach them the value of hard work and planning. Prepare them for a life both ugly and beautiful, unpredictable, always changing — except for one thing. Show them that a mother's love never dims, never weakens." 

All this sounds lovely. It's the kind of speech that could play over a montage of a mom's long commute, scrubbing floors, and hugging her children. However, Alice's montage also includes scenes from the murders she committed for her daughter. Here is Alice puncturing Rachel's tire, so she'd be stranded and defenseless. There Alice is holding Zoe down in the bathtub, as she thrashes helplessly below the bloody water. 

And as Alice signs off with "All my love, my precious girl," she and Anna make eye contact. A tear runs down Anna's cheek, but she smiles at her mom, seemingly in appreciation. And His & Hers ends. 

Will there be a His & Hers Season 2?  Jon Bernthal plays a police detective in "His & Hers." Credit: Netflix.

Well, narratively Oldroyd leaves us on a curious cliffhanger. Anna nows knows the truth. But will she ever tell it? Having finally broken down the lies between her and Jack, will she hide another? Or will she tell him and risk him trying to collar his mother-in-law? Or perhaps the couple could figure out their path forward with this troubling truth while exploring a new case together? 

Well, that currently seems unlikely. Feeney's His & Hers was a standalone novel. So unlike the recent mystery thriller The Housemaid, which is based on a novel that has a follow-up in The Housemaid's secret, Feeney hasn't penned a clear path forward for Anna and John. 

Plus, Netflix released this as a limited series, suggesting one season is all that was intended. So, it is unlikely His & Hers will see a Season 2. 

His & Hers is now streaming on Netflix.

CES 2026 is officially in the books.

There was a lot of news at the big Vegas tech convention, with highlights including everything from new foldable phones to talks on the future of AI to all kinds of smart glasses. And, yes, as is tradition at CES, there were plenty of truly odd gadgets, too.

At 6 p.m. ET, you can join journalists from Mashable, IGN, and CNET for a live recap of our favorite tech trends we saw on the ground at CES. We'll be discussing all the products we expect to hit it big this year. If you miss the live video podcast, you can still watch the livestream on YouTube to catch up on all things CES.