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Sometimes you just need a feel-good movie and a good tearjerker, and writer/director Craig Brewer delivers both with Song Sung Blue. 

Named for the Neil Diamond song, this drama is not going the way of A Complete Unknown or the Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere route. Instead of a biopic about the American singer-songwriter behind "America" and "Sweet Caroline," Brewer explores the power of Diamond's music through the stranger-than-fiction story of the tribute band known as Lightning and Thunder. 

Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson star as this musical married couple, known offstage as Mike and Claire Sardina. They love each other as intensely as they love Diamond's music. Fitting, then, that their breathtaking story is full of the emotional highs and lows of some of his most beloved songs. 

What's Song Sung Blue about?  Credit: Focus Features

In Milwaukee, Mike Sardina (Jackman) and Claire Stengl (Hudson) are working as celebrity impersonators for state fairs and dive bars. Separately, they perform standards in a dusty variety act, but they dream of making something exciting of their own. For them, one good date spirals into a jam session, a marriage, and a creative partnership that lasts the rest of their lives. 

Song Sung Blue charts their story from their meet-cute backstage, through their musical courtship, co-parenting their kids from past relationships, and building a tribute band that makes them feel like rock stars as they bring unique life to Diamond's discography. 

The movie focuses mostly on Mike (who prefers to be called Lightning) and Claire, their romantic highs and their tragic lows — including a horrific freak accident that injures her, threatening to derail their band for good. Brewer also incorporates a touching subplot into this script about the developing sisterhood between step-siblings Angela (King Princess) and Rachel (Ella Anderson). Beyond that, Lightning and Thunder's family and story grow to envelope their collaborators and bandmates, allowing for a rich tapestry of characters to bring light and humor to the movie's darkest corners. 

Kate Hudson is absolutely extraordinary in Song Sung Blue. Credit: Focus Features

For much of her career, Hudson has been playing some variant of the dazzling girl, in such movies as 200 Cigarettes, Almost Famous, How to Lose A Guy in 10 Days, and an array of other rom-coms. Blonde, bouncy, and witty, she's endlessly youthful and radiant, even when facing tragedy or a smirking manchild. In Song Sung Blue, Hudson assumes a more mature role, while maintaining a distinct shimmer. 

Claire is not a glamorous party girl or a chic city socialite. She's a middle-aged mother of two who loves Patsy Cline songs and wearing sequins. Here, Hudson is radiant, the way of small-town women who don't have designer clothes and custom jewelry but department stores and thrift store finds, yet they shine all the same. As she sings her heart out, her cheeks are rosy and pronounced because of her wide smile. Her eyes sparkle along with her knitwear. And her Midwestern accent is the cherry on top. Hudson makes Claire not some fantasy of woman, but a real woman. I recognized her. I grew up around women like this, who knew horrific hardship and defiantly chose joy again and again. They were brave and loving and, at times, heartbroken. That is what Song Sung Blue is about. 

Props to Brewer; he lets this feel-good film get truly dark, as Claire's accident threatens to smother her inner light. Racked with pain, self-doubt, and anger, Claire becomes unrecognizable to her husband and kids. And through this, we witness a marriage pushed to its breaking point. Sometimes, however, it can be a shared passion that can save us. And for the Sardinas, it was Neil Diamond.

There's an elegance in that, as Diamond's songs can weave bittersweet stories, but what resonates with us is the choruses that are so radiantly joyful that strangers across a bar will join in with "Bah bah bah!" Good times never felt so good, indeed. 

Hugh Jackman offers a daring performance in Song Sung Blue. 

Where I swiftly fell for Hudson's Claire, Jackman's Lightning was a harder sell. Admittedly, for the first act, I was put off by his bravado. Lightning is a celebrity impersonator with the ego of a rock star and the entitled attitude that often accompanies it. Jackman's portrayal of this wannabe hit me initially as too broad, as if he was back on Broadway playing to the balcony seats. 

However, as Song Sung Blue played on, I understood. This wasn't a miscalibrated performance. Where everyone else in the movie is aiming for a softer, more grounded tone, Jackman is knowingly doing too much, because Lightning was a man who demanded to be seen and heard. This theatricality risks playing as insincere. But because Jackman never relaxes this tone, it becomes clear he sees Lightning as dreamer who is every moment being the frontman he dreams to be. This is how he lives the dream.

Once that hit me, Song Sung Blue became a tiny bit sadder. Not so much because this tribute band wouldn't hit Neil Diamond's level of fame. The film celebrates creative victories, even minor ones, with deep sincerity — because the expression and community is the point. I felt sad because I had misjudged Lightning, just as many in the first act did. His is an underdog story, bittersweet but inspirational. Jackman plays it to the rafters so we might understand this man's sheer moxie and determination. 

Song Sung Blue's supporting cast is stellar. 

Like in Brewer's comedic biopic Dolemite Is My Name, Song Sung Blue is sensationally cast. King Princess brings a touching fragility as Lightning's daughter, while Ella Anderson brings a burning resilience as Thunder's. Michael Imperioli is surprisingly funny as a frustrated Buddy Holly impersonator, but charming as Lightning's bandmate. Jim Belushi brings a working-class sensibility as an unlikely dreamer, helping produce Lightning's show, while Mustafa Shakir and Fisher Stevens bring heart while filling out the Sardinas' rich-in-friends world. 

All this makes for a feel-good movie that can be jarringly intense, because the bad times can come out of nowhere. (C'est la vie!) But like a great Neil Diamond song, Song Sung Blue will find its way into your heart, where it will linger.

Through thoughtful storytelling, an impeccable cast, and a smartly chosen soundtrack that places the performances of Diamond's songs thematically, Brewer creates a drama that is uplifting, heart-wrenching, and wondrous all at once. Bring tissues. Bring friends. And let Song Sung Blue hit you, rattle you, and leave you smiling. 

Song Sung Blue was reviewed out of AFI Fest. The movie is now in theaters.

UPDATE: Dec. 18, 2025, 2:14 p.m. This review was first published on Oct. 27, 2025, as part of Mashable's coverage of AFI Fest. It has been updated to reflect its theatrical premiere.

If you took a shot for every corporate euphemism in No Other Choice, you'd be circling back, going in a different direction, finding your services no longer required, rightsized, downsized, and as plastered as one of the characters.

The very title itself evades responsibility, a phrase used by big companies to hide behind intentional, cold decision-making. In this superb dark comedy-thriller, legendary South Korean director Park Chan-wook delivers a biting social commentary on the brutal job market and its associated hyper-competitiveness that sees candidates out for blood, literally.

SEE ALSO: 'No Other Choice' trailer: Park Chan-wook's latest is a black comedy about capitalism and murder

Based on Donald E. Westlake's 1997 novel The Ax and written by Park, Lee Kyoung-mi, Jahye Lee, and Don McKellar, the film presents an anti-capitalist fable about workplace politics, where merciless company restructuring drives a desperate family man (Squid Game's Lee Byung-hun) to violence — despite his lack of skills in that department. While not as ultraviolent as Park's lauded Vengeance Trilogy or as seductive as his recent Hitchockian film Decision to Leave, the director hypothesises the fallout of corporate redundancies through this bumbling self-made assassin — one whose inept, maddening decisions will make you consider the morality of it all.

Under pressure to provide, is murdering his way into a job the only option in this economy? 

No Other Choice sees a family man scorned in a hyper-competitive, capitalist reality. Son Ye-jin and Lee Byung-hun in "No Other Choice." Credit: BFI London Film Festival

In an unhinged, uncomfortably empathetic performance by Lee, the nucleus of the film is Yoo Man-soo, a hardworking, proud, and long-serving employee at specialist paper company Solar Paper. He's saved enough to buy his father's stunning house and provide his wife Mi-ri (Crash Landing on You's Son Ye-jin) and two kids a comfortable, upper-middle-class life, full of cello lessons, outdoor barbecues, and designer goods. It's all captured in a saturated golden light and dynamic cinematography from Kim Woo-hyung — with whom Park worked on The Little Drummer Girl series. But when Man-soo is suddenly fired after decades of company loyalty, bills stack up and pragmatic Mi-ri declares their need to adjust — and it's not just creature comforts that are sent packing but actual creatures too, including their pair of adorable, obedient golden retrievers.

No corporate mindfulness workshop could assuage Man-soo's fears of eternal unemployment and the societal shame of it all. Meanwhile, Mi-ri gets her own job at a dentist's office, where the handsomeness of her new boss fuels Man-soo's jealousy and determination to reclaim his breadwinning pride.

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Suddenly, the perfect opportunity (or any opportunity at all) appears on the horizon at the rival Moon Paper, with Man-soo facing an intimidating ocean of potential candidates and AI-powered replacements. Not seeing a snowball's chance in hell of getting the position, he writes a shortlist of candidates (Park Hee-soon, Lee Sung-min) that could beat him to the job, intending to eliminate them — for good. That means luring them into applying for jobs at his fake company and killing his way back into employability, one by one.

Park Chan-wook subverts his signature vengeance mode to scrutinise morality and responsibility. Lee Byung-hun and Lee Sung-min in "No Other Choice." Credit: BFI London Film Festival

The quest for vengeance and self-satisfaction runs rivers of blood throughout Park's work, with revenge fueling his lauded 2000s triptych Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance, Oldboy, and Lady Vengeance. But where the protagonists of the Vengeance Trilogy had a particular set of skills and life-defining scores to settle, Man-soo of No Other Choice embodies both amateur killer-to-be and believer of himself as a Good Person. 

As the title suggests, Park's film is a hard lesson in individualist finger-pointing and evasive corporate euphemisms that sees its protagonist deflect any form of responsibility for his actions. Man-soo believes he has, after all, exhausted all options. Here, as in Park's line of retaliatory narratives, No Other Choice explores moral and ethical boundaries; Man-soo believes his behaviour is justified for the benefit of his family and his own sense of pride as provider.

With a spectacularly physical performance of pure desperation from Lee, Yoo Man-soo flails his way through violent encounters, one of which is darkly comedic (and stolen by the hilarious Yeom Hye-ran as a target candidate's wife), another gruesome and calculated. It's these scenes that see Park in glorious contained chaos mode, the master of escalating, brutal pandemonium within one set-piece. Park consistently shows Man-soo on the precipice of violence: The family man standing on the edge of an apartment roof holding a heavy pot plant above a competitor perfectly encapsulates the film's ongoing "Will he actually do it?" tension. Here, Park deploys Kim's stylised cinematography and bold editing by Kim Sang-bum to heighten the more operatic elements of the story. 

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As a viewer, we're simultaneously rooting for Man-soo and unnerved by his capacity for calculated manipulation and murder. No Other Choice poses the question: Would you kill for the life you want? In fact, the film doesn't even ask it, instead presenting a man believing himself forced into making such a decision due to cold, hard corporate strategy. It's out of his hands. It's a top-down decision. When you really consider it, Man-soo's simply delivering on blue sky thinking.

No Other Choice is now in theaters.

UPDATE: Dec. 18, 2025, 2:30 p.m. "No Other Choice" was reviewed out of BFI London Film Festival. This review, originally published Oct. 17, 2025, has been updated to include information about the theatrical release.

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

To assume.

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

INFER

Hurdle Word 2 hint

To get married in secret.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for December 25, 2025 Hurdle Word 2 Answer

ELOPE

Hurdle Word 3 hint

A zebra-giraffe.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for December 25 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for December 25, 2025 Hurdle Word 3 answer

OKAPI

Hurdle Word 4 hint

To defy.

SEE ALSO: NYT Strands hints, answers for December 25 Hurdle Word 4 answer

FLOUT

Final Hurdle hint

To bury.

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

INTER

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

It's day five of the lunar cycle, and the Christmas Day moon is starting to show us even more. Keep reading to find out what you can see tonight.

What is today’s moon phase?

As of Thursday, Dec. 25, the moon phase is Waxing Crescent. According to NASA's Daily Moon Observation, 27% of the moon will be lit up tonight.

Without any visual aids, you can spot the Mares Crisium and the Fecunditatis tonight. If you add binoculars, you'll also see the Endymion Crater, and with a telescope, the Apollo 11 and 17 landing spots come into view.

When is the next full moon?

The next full moon will be on Jan. 3. The last full moon was on Dec. 4.

What are moon phases?

According to NASA, the Moon takes around 29.5 days to complete one full cycle. This is known as the lunar cycle. Throughout this time, it passes through a series of phases as it orbits Earth. Although the same side of the Moon always faces us, the amount of sunlight reflecting off its surface changes, which is why it can appear fully illuminated, partly lit, or completely invisible at different points in the cycle. This process is divided into eight main lunar phases:

New Moon - The moon is between Earth and the sun, so the side we see is dark (in other words, it's invisible to the eye).

Waxing Crescent - A small sliver of light appears on the right side (Northern Hemisphere).

First Quarter - Half of the moon is lit on the right side. It looks like a half-moon.

Waxing Gibbous - More than half is lit up, but it’s not quite full yet.

Full Moon - The whole face of the moon is illuminated and fully visible.

Waning Gibbous - The moon starts losing light on the right side. (Northern Hemisphere)

Third Quarter (or Last Quarter) - Another half-moon, but now the left side is lit.

Waning Crescent - A thin sliver of light remains on the left side before going dark again.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! 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 December 25, 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 December 25, 2025 Easy difficulty hints, answers for Dec. 25 Pips

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

Number (12): Everything in this space must add up to 12. The answer is 6-6, placed vertically.

Greater Than (1): Everything in this space must be greater than 1. The answer is 1-3, placed vertically.

Number (10): Everything in this space must add up to 10. The answer is 1-5, placed vertically; 5-0, placed vertically.

Less Than (1): Everything in this space must be less than 1. The answer is 5-0, placed vertically.

Medium difficulty hints, answers for Dec. 25 Pips

Less Than (3): Everything in this space must be less than 3. The answer is 0-3, placed vertically; 2-1, placed horizontally.

Greater Than (3): Everything in this space must be greater than 3. The answer is 2-1, placed horizontally; 3-4, placed horizontally.

Number (10): Everything in this light blue space must add up to 10. The answer is 3-4, placed horizontally; 6-6, placed vertically.

Number (10): Everything in this dark blue space must add up to 10. The answer is 6-6, placed vertically; 4-1, placed vertically.

Less Than (3): Everything in this green space must be less than 3. The answer is 4-1, placed vertically; 0-1, placed horizontally.

Equal (0): Everything in this green space must be equal to 0. The answer is 0-1, placed horizontally; 5-0, placed horizontally.

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

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

Number (5): Everything in this space must add up to 5. The answer is 0-3, placed vertically; 2-0, placed vertically.

Hard difficulty hints, answers for Dec. 25 Pips

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

Equal (2): Everything in this red space must be equal to 2. The answer is 6-2, placed vertically; 2-4, placed vertically; 2-2, placed horizontally.

Equal (4): Everything in this light blue space must be equal to 4. The answer is 4-1, placed vertically; 2-4, placed vertically; 4-4, placed horizontally.

Number (12): Everything in this space must add up to 12. The answer is 6-6, placed vertically.

Number (15): Everything in this space must add up to 15. The answer is 5-5, placed horizontally; 5-3, placed vertically.

Number (1): Everything in this space must add up to 1. The answer is 1-0, placed horizontally.

Number (0): Everything in this space must add up to 0. The answer is 1-0, placed horizontally; 0-3, placed vertically.

Number (4): Everything in this space must add up to 4. The answer is 4-1, placed vertically; 1-1, placed vertically; 1-5, placed horizontally.

Number (10): Everything in this space must add up to 10. The answer is 1-5, placed horizontally; 5-4, placed horizontally.

Number (12): Everything in this space must add up to 12. The answer is 0-3, placed vertically; 3-3, placed horizontally; 5-3, placed vertically.

Not Equal: Everything in this space must be different. The answer is 5-4l, placed horizontally; 3-4, 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.

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

Connections is the one of the most popular New York Times word games that's captured the public's attention. The game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.

If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for today's Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable What is Connections?

The NYT's latest daily word game has become a social media hit. The Times credits associate puzzle editor Wyna Liu with helping to create the new word game and bringing it to the publications' Games section. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.

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Each puzzle features 16 words and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise of anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there's only one correct answer.

If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake—players get up to four mistakes until the game ends.

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

SEE ALSO: NYT Pips hints, answers for December 25, 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: Over-the-top

• Green: To make something

• Blue: Pointed

• Purple: Musical notes

Here are today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Ornate, as prose

• Green: Create

• Blue: Things with stems

• Purple: Comprised of solfege (Do-Re-Mi)

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 #928 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Ornate, as prose: EXCESSIVE, FLOWERY, MELODRAMATIC, PURPLE

• Create: COIN, FASGION, HATCH, MAKE UP

• Things with stems: CHERRY, FLOWER, MUSICAL JOTE, WINE GLASS,

• Comprised of solfege (Do-Re-Mi): LAREDO, MIRE, RETIRE, SOLTI

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 December 25, 2025

Are you also playing NYT Strands? Get all the Strands hints you need for today's puzzle.

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

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to today's Connections.

Today's NYT Strands hints are easy if you love Christmas caroling.

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 December 25, 2025 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for December 25, 2025 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Caroler's count

The words are related to the holidays.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe popular holiday songs.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is horizontal.

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is Christmas Days

NYT Strands word list for December 25

• Drummers

• Christmas Days

• Maids

• Ladies

• Lords

• Swan

• Pipers

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.

Today's Wordle answer should be easy to solve if you love geometry.

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 December 25, 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 December 25, 2025 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

A geometrical figure.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

There are no recurring letters.

Today's Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with...

Today's Wordle starts with the letter P.

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...

PRISM

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 December 25, 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.

SAVE 47%: As of Dec. 24, the Roku Streaming Stick HD (2025 Model) is on sale for $15.99, down from $29.99, at Amazon. That’s a 47% discount or a $14 price cut.

Roku Streaming Stick HD (2025) $15.99 at Amazon
$29.99 Save $14.00   Get Deal at Amazon

If you've been looking for a way to simplify your TV setup without adding more cord clutter, a streaming stick is a great way to do it for less than the price of a movie ticket. It’s one of those easy upgrades that makes a huge difference in a guest room or kitchen where you don't want a bulky cable box taking up space.

SEE ALSO: The 4 best streaming devices of 2025 make any TV smarter

As of Dec. 24, the Roku Streaming Stick HD (2025 Model) is on sale for $15.99, down from $29.99, at Amazon. That’s a 47% discount or a $14 price cut. It's also just 99 cents more than its all-time low price, making it a perfect time to snag one if you've been on the fence.

This newest 2025 model is designed to be out of sight; it plugs directly into the back of your TV and can even be powered by your TV's USB port, so you don't have extra wires hanging down to a wall outlet. It comes with a Roku Voice Remote that lets you search for shows and control your TV’s power and volume, and it works with Alexa, Apple AirPlay, and HomeKit, making it easy to stream content directly from your iPhone or control your TV with your voice.

SAVE $16: As of Dec. 24, get the Amazon Fire TV Stick HD for $18.99, down from its usual price of $34.99. That's a discount of 46%.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Fire TV Stick HD $18.99 at Amazon
$34.99 Save $16.00   Get Deal

Looking for a quick and easy way to add streaming capabilities to your TV? All you need is an Amazon Fire TV Stick. They're already affordable enough on their own without a sale, but there's a great deal on one right now that you can snap up that takes one to nearly 50% off just in time to kick off the new year.

As of Dec. 24, get the Amazon Fire TV Stick HD for $18.99, down from its usual price of $34.99. That's $16 off and a discount of 46%.

SEE ALSO: Shop the best streaming deals: Prime Video and Roku add-ons for Paramount+, Apple TV+, and more

The Fire TV Stick is incredibly simple to set up. All you need to do is plug it into any HDMI port on your TV, and it's ready to go. It offers full HD streaming options with access to over 400,000 free movies and TV episodes from apps like Prime Video, Tubi, Pluto TV, and other streaming services. All you have to do is find something you want to watch.

Navigate with the included Alexa-enabled voice remote, so you can just ask Alexa to cue up what you want to watch or choose it yourself. You can access apps like Netflix, Prime Video, Peacock, and more straight from the streaming stick, and even use music subscription services as well. What's more, the streaming stick can connect to your smart home hub with Alexa, so you can control lights and other appliances straight from the stick.

If you're ready to add a little smart entertainment to your TV and your home in general, this is a great streaming device to do it with. And it's winter break, so haven't you earned some streaming time to yourself?

TL;DR: Give kids a gentler screen time solution with this lifetime subscription to Pok Pok, now just $39.97 (reg. $250) with code PLAY20 through Jan. 11.

Opens in a new window Credit: Pok Pok Pok Pok: Lifetime Subscription $39.97
$250 Save $210.03   Get Deal

Screen time is inevitable these days, but for children, it’s important to introduce it wisely. If you’re looking for a gentle option, Pok Pok is the way to go. This low-stimulation app is non-addictive and made for children ages 2 to 8, providing an educational and entertaining screen time option on tablets or smartphones.

Right now, you can get a lifetime subscription to Pok Pok for just $39.97 (reg. $250) with code PLAY20 through Jan. 11.

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Pok Pok is an award-winning app that gives kids a healthy dose of screen time. Made with Montessori-based learning in mind, a child-centered educational approach that emphasizes hands-on learning, independence, and natural development, it offers a low-stimulation approach that kids will be able to navigate on their own.

With hand-drawn animations and low-stimulation sound effects that are made in-house, Pok Pok was made with children ages 2 to 8 in mind. It offers a calm app experience while teaching important topics like STEM, numbers, and language. There’s no winning or losing, and no rules, levels, or objectives.

The open-ended play model keeps kids engaged, and there are no ads to worry about. Pok Pok is COPPA-certified, so your kids won’t be tricked into making any purchases.

This lifetime subscription unlocks access to unlimited games. You’ll also receive regular updates, often with new seasonal and cultural content. And your purchase includes an exclusive gift mailed to your home.

Give the kids in your life a better screen time option with this lifetime subscription to Pok Pok, now $39.97 (reg. $250) with code PLAY20 through Jan. 11.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Steam and Valve are having a massive outage that is preventing anyone from accessing the digital store and playing games. This hits right when many people are hoping to squeeze in some holiday gaming on Christmas Eve.

Raspberry Pis are one of the most popular computers among tinkerers, and I use mine constantly for one thing or another. Despite their enduring popularity, they do have some downsides.

With NVIDIA’s RTX 50-series graphics cards, PhysX support was dropped. Recently, NVIDIA decided to bring PhysX support for select games back—but does it even matter?

SAVE $90: The DJI Mic Mini is on sale at Amazon for $79, down from the list price of $169. That's a 53% discount and a record-low price at Amazon.

Opens in a new window Credit: DJI DJI Mic Mini (two transmitters + one receiver) $79 at Amazon
$169 Save $90   Get Deal

If you were online at all this year, you saw content creators either wearing or holding the DJI Mic Mini. Videos and streams on TikTok, YouTube, Twitch, and Instagram all had DJI mics all over the place. For years now, DJI has been a go-to brand for content creators, and the DJI Mics are a must-have for creators. If you could use an upgrade, check out this Amazon deal.

As of Dec. 24, the DJI Mic Mini is on sale at Amazon for $79, marked down from the list price of $169. That's a 53% discount that takes $90 off the normal price. It's also a record-low price at Amazon.

Mashable Lead Shopping Reporter Bethany Allard tested out the viral DJI Mic Mini and mentioned it's one of the best upgrades for content creators. "If you need any degree of portability with your mic setup, the DJI Mic Mini offers a lot of versatility, and for a great value," Allard wrote. "That makes it a solid option for making vlogs and TikToks, and for anyone who feels less than confident with their tech skills — once I plugged the receiver into my phone, the mics connected easily and started working with the camera app automatically."

SEE ALSO: The Nintendo Switch 2 Mario Kart World bundle is on sale at Best Buy, and you can get it before Christmas

In addition to being easy to use, the DJI Mic Mini sounds great. In Allard's testing, it did great in noisy environments. But keep in mind it only has a USB-C phone adapter, so those who rely on the iPhone's Lightning port won't be able to use the included adapter for the receiver.

Before this sale price expires, upgrade your content creator journey with the DJI Mic Mini. Its features are worth the normal price of $169, but the sale price of $79 is something spectacular.

SAVE 57%: As of Dec. 24, you can get the Blink Video Doorbell system (which includes the Sync Module) for just $29.99, down from $69.99, at Amazon. That's a 57% discount or a $40 price cut.

Blink Video Doorbell Wireless (2nd Gen, White) + Sync Module Core $29.99 at Amazon
$69.99 Save $40   Get Deal at Amazon

If you’ve been wanting to see who's at your door or just want to keep an eye on those after-Christmas package deliveries, now's the time to invest in a doorbell camera.

SEE ALSO: Blink is a Mahable Readers' Choice Award winner: What our readers said about the security camera brand

As of Dec. 24, you can get the Blink Video Doorbell system (which includes the Sync Module) for just $29.99 at Amazon. That's a 57% discount off its $69.99 list price and matches the record-low it first hit back in October.

You can choose to set it up wire-free using the included AA lithium batteries, which are rated to last up to two years, or hardwire it to your existing doorbell chime. It features head-to-toe HD video so you can actually see packages on the ground, infrared night vision, and two-way audio so you can talk to visitors through the app. It also works with Alexa, so you can get alerts on your Echo devices or even see a live view on an Echo Show whenever you'd like, just by asking.

SAVE $159: As of Dec. 24, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones are on sale for just $269.99 at Amazon in the limited-edition deep plum shade. That's 37% in savings and their best price ever.

Opens in a new window Credit: Bose Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones $269.99 at Amazon
$429 Save $159.01   Get Deal

Bose dropped the second iteration of its legendary noise-cancelling headphones, the QuietComfort Ultras, in October, and they came with an even steeper price tag. But here's the thing: They're really not that much better than their predecessors. If you've had your eye on Bose headphones, but don't want to drop $449 on the latest pair, we recommend snagging the OG QuietComfort Ultras while they're on sale for their best price ever.

As of Dec. 24, you can pick up the Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones in the limited-edition deep plum shade for only $269.99 at Amazon. That's 37% or $159 off their list price and even cheaper than on Black Friday.

The OG Ultras are the most comfortable headphones on the market for most people. Two of Mashable's shopping reporters tested them and noted that they can easily be worn all day without earaches, even while wearing glasses and jewelry. The battery life even accompanies that all-day comfort; with noise cancellation turned on, the QuietComfort Ultras headphones will last from 18 to 24 hours per charge.

These headphones also deliver pretty good noise cancellation, excellent sound quality, foldable earcups, and plenty of color options. Of course, if you want the best deal, you'll have to settle for the deep plum.

The newer version basically follows the same design, but adds wired lossless playback, reliable detection, and an even better battery life. They're currently on sale for $399, so we'll leave it up to you if you think those features are worth an extra $129.

Spoiler warning: This story discusses major Jujutsu Kaisen manga events, including character deaths that have not yet appeared in the anime ahead of its third season premiere on Jan. 8, 2026.

Every year on Christmas Eve, I brace myself before opening my apps.

Not because of an influx of schmaltzy holiday content, but because I’m a Jujutsu Kaisen fan, and Dec. 24 is a day of collective mourning. My feed knows it. My algorithm knows it. And judging by the endless stream of edits, fan art, and softly devastating posts, so does everyone else.

SEE ALSO: New 'Jujutsu Kaisen' Season 3 trailer reveals January 2026 release

For Jujutsu Kaisen fans, Christmas Eve is a holy day of remembrance.

If you’re even loosely connected to the fandom, you’ve probably noticed it by now: the sudden return of best friends–turned–diametrically opposed soulmates, Geto Suguru and Satoru Gojo, to the timeline. Side-by-side edits. Manga screenshots. Subtle references that say everything without saying too much.

The reason is simple and painful. In the Jujutsu Kaisen timeline, the real Geto Suguru dies on Dec. 24. One year later, on that same date, Satoru Gojo meets his fate in the manga. And thus, the unofficial SatoSugu Day was born.

Geto's death is already well-known to anime viewers; it has been animated, discussed, dissected, and mourned openly for years. Gojo's death, however, remains one of the manga’s most devastating and closely guarded spoilers, especially with the anime's fast-approaching third season premiere in January. That's why scrolling through my feed feels like walking into a quiet wake.

Here are just a handful of the posts I've favorited today:

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(And a special shout-out to this heartbreaking edit, which I cannot embed due to copyright restrictions, but I will link to because it's that good.)

Geto and Gojo's cursed relationship sits at the emotional core of Jujutsu Kaisen. They’re not just powerful jujutsu sorcerers or fan favorites; they’re a tragedy in parallel motion. Former best friends. Ideological opposites. Two people shaped by the same world who responded to it in completely different ways. Their bond and its unraveling are what give the story its weight long before Yuji Itadori enters the frame.

So when Christmas Eve rolls around, fans don't just mourn two characters; they mourn what could have been. The friendship that fractured. The future that never arrived. The way fate, in Jujutsu Kaisen, feels both cruel and intentional.

What fascinates me most is how specifically the fandom marks this day. It exists entirely online, sustained by fans who recall the date and return to it every year, much like muscle memory.

And maybe that’s why it hits so hard. Dec. 24 is supposed to be comforting. Instead, for fans like me, it’s a reminder of how deeply a story can burrow into your emotional life. How fictional characters can leave real marks. How shared grief, even over something imagined, can feel real when thousands of people are feeling it at once.

With the anime's anticipated Culling Game arc set to arrive in January, this Christmas Eve feels especially charged. There's an awareness that soon, the mourning won’t be confined to manga readers anymore.

If you told me 20 years ago that CDs would be so obsolete that they're now just coming back in style, I'd have laughed. But CDs aren't the only type of storage media that's completely outdated.

Internet sleuths easily bypassed the Justice Department’s redactions in the recently released cache of files on disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein, according to the Guardian and the New York Times.

While some used Photoshop to get around the redactions, others simply copied and pasted the redacted text into a word processing document to reveal the hidden sections, the reports found. The easily uncovered redactions seemed to indicate the files were "hastily censored," according to the Times.

SEE ALSO: 'SNL' Weekend Update goes after redacted Epstein files

CNN reported on Tuesday that the DOJ was scrambling to find volunteers to help redact the latest files on Epstein. Per the report, a lawyer in the Southern District of Florida's U.S. Attorney’s Office emailed the entire district on Tuesday, requesting help with an emergency request from the Deputy Attorney General’s office. "We need [Assistant United States Attorneys] to do remote document review and redactions related to the Epstein files," the email stated, according to CNN. The request noted that SDF needed assistance over the next few days, indicating more files on Epstein may be released during the Christmas holiday.

Some of the redacted text uncovered by the internet sleuths revealed details of civil lawsuits involving Epstein, including how he and his associates sexually abused children, according to the Guardian. Payments to young models and actresses were also described in the redactions, the Guardian found.

The Epstein files were released as part of the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which compels the DOJ to release all unclassified documents related to Jeffrey Epstein's investigations and associates. The agency has a microsite containing the files they have released, though it hasn't been updated since Dec. 19.