Technology

Today's NYT Strands hints are easy if you love to pamper yourself.

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 7, 2025 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for December 7, 2025 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: You're styling!

The words are related to cosmetics.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe grooming treatments.

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 Beauty Salon.

NYT Strands word list for December 7

• Facial

• Extensions

• Beauty Salon

• Waxing

• Haircut

• Braiding

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're an instrumentalist.

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 7, 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 7, 2025 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

A wind instrument.

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 F.

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...

FLUTE

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 7, 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.

TL;DR: Upgrade a PC with this Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows lifetime license for just $34.97 (reg. $219.99).

Opens in a new window Credit: Microsoft Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows: Lifetime License $34.97
$219.99 Save $185.02   Get Deal

In need of a little fall pick-me-up? Give your PC a little productivity boost with this Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows lifetime license. This suite of eight helpful apps can give your device a total refresh, and right now it’s only $34.97 (reg. $219.99) — making the apps cost less than $5 each.

These days, purchasing a lifetime subscription to an app sets you back quite a bit. So this deal on Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows is a massive bargain — delivering eight quality Microsoft apps for under $5 each.

Boost your productivity with Microsoft Office Professional 2021

Whether you’ve got a 9-to-5 or you’re still in school, the Microsoft Office apps are here to help. This license includes eight different tools to help you tackle your to-do list, and some of them are old classics you’ve known and loved for decades.

Draft documents in Word, create a spreadsheet in Excel, craft a presentation in PowerPoint, and manage your emails in Outlook. You’ll also have Teams there to keep you connected to your coworkers, OneNote to take good digital notes, Access to help you manage databases, and Publisher to design professional documents.

If the year of this edition gives you pause, don’t worry. All the apps have been redesigned and are built to improve everyone’s workflow — from data analysts to designers. After your purchase, you’ll receive instant delivery and download, meaning the apps will be installed directly on your device, and you won’t need a cloud connection. (Just make sure your device is running Windows 10 or 11 before purchasing.)

Equip your computer with this Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows lifetime license for just $34.97 (reg. $219.99).

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Chromebooks have a good reputation for being low-maintenance computers with solid security and privacy. By and large, this is true. It's why we trust them for use by children and college students, or why some companies like to issue them to employees who only need a basic computer.

Smart plugs are among the most useful smart home devices you can buy. You can use a smart plug to turn almost any electrical device into a smart device that can be turned on and off remotely. With the right automations, however, smart plugs can offer something even more valuable: peace of mind.

I used to see the double dash (--) in Excel spreadsheets and wonder what it did. It's an essential shortcut to force Excel to treat TRUE and FALSE as the numbers 1 and 0, meaning you can easily sum or count the results of a logical test across a range. Now I know, and I want to share this powerful trick with you.

Smartphones used to have a stronger sense of personality. In the early days, it wasn't just the hardware that left an impression—the default wallpaper was a defining feature you'd see at the launch event and every ad that followed. Here are some of the most iconic smartphone wallpapers of all time, in no particular order.

On balance, USB-C has been pretty great. I would be the last person to suggest that we should go back to the bad old days of USB-A (insofar as we've actually left it) or, even worse, micro-USB.

SAVE $40: As of Dec. 6th, the Ninja Crispi air fryer and portable cooking system is $139, which is $40 off its list price of $179. 

Opens in a new window Credit: Ninja Ninja | Air Fryer | Crispi 4-in-1 Portable Cooking System | 4QT & 6 Cup Glass Containers $139 at Amazon
$179 Save $40   Get Deal

Black Friday has come and gone, and with it, most of the wallet-saving deals have retreated into the ether. That is almost all of those deals, but one: Ninja has its Black Friday deal on the Ninja Crispi air fryer. The Ninja Crispi is $40 off this weekend, for who knows how much longer. This air fryer features two glass bottoms in 4-quart and 6-cup capacities. This portable cooking system is an air fryer, in addition to baking, reheating, and something Ninja refers to as "Max Crisp," which is likely closely related to broiling.

The two different sizes offer unique capabilities for cooking different quantities of food at various speeds. For example, the 6-cup glass-bottom bowl can reheat some fries or veggies (who says potatoes aren't vegetables) in as little as 7 minutes, while the 4-quart glass-bottom bowl can bake a whole chicken and vegetables.

If the combination of a glass bottom and extreme heat gives you pause, don't worry, Ninja is already way ahead of you. The borosilicate glass (which the famously heat-resistant Pyrex brand's glass is made of) is thermal shock-resistant, and both glass bottoms come with heat-protected feet that allow the device to sit atop any material countertop you want (except plastic). The glass bottoms are also dishwasher safe.

No one wants to be spied on. A VPN is one piece of the cyber security puzzle to help protect your personal information—and you should install it on all of your devices.

This is a PSA: Please stop abusing your SSD. Mistreating it is easier to do than it might seem. We all do it to some extent, but if you do it too much, it'll eventually backfire.

Do you often feel uncomfortable with symptoms like nausea, dizziness, or headaches when you're traveling in your car or other moving vehicles? There are some tricks you can use to look at your phone without feeling sick.

Hey man, I don't know what message you're trying to send by plastering extremely realistic-looking billionaire faces onto robot dogs — that's between you and your higher power, or lack thereof — but no thanks. I'm good, actually, thanks for offering.

I actually do not need to witness Elon Musk's smirking visage attached to a robot that then defecates AI-generated Polaroids to the audience. I've got errands to run.

Look at these damn things.

The exhibit at Art Basel Miami Beach is called “Regular Animals.” Created by digital designer and artist Mike Winkelmann, who goes by Beeple, it features robot dog versions of Mark Zuckerberg, Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, Andy Warhol and Pablo Picasso, according to Storyful.

[image or embed]

— The Wall Street Journal (@wsj.com) December 5, 2025 at 11:22 AM

“Regular Animals”, an art installation by Beeple 🤮 at Art Basel in Miami, features billionaire-faced robodogs that take photos of spectators & then “defecate” the so called “artistic impressions”, some of which link to NFTs. Printed “Excrement Samples” sell for $100k. Creepy af innit?

[image or embed]

— trish (@omerta22.posts.art) December 4, 2025 at 2:13 PM

The art installation I'm referring to is called Regular Animals, located in Miami during Art Basel. It's a creation by Mike Winkelmann, aka Beeple, the artist who sold his NFT art for $69 million during the 2021 NFT boom.

The penned-up billionaire dogs include Musk, Mark Zuckerberg, and Jeff Bezos, as well as art-world figures like Andy Warhol, Pablo Picasso, and Beeple himself. It's unnerving and weird to see the hyper-realistic faces wandering around on the picture-pooping dogs. Some folks might be tempted to draw some meaning from the installation. Not me, I've got laundry to do. No thanks.

When you secure excellent components for your PC, you expect things to run smoothly. Smooth frames, fast loading times, the works. So when you've shelled out for an awesome GPU and still have game stuttering, it can be immensely frustrating, but the problem might be something less obvious.

SAVE $189: As of Dec. 6th, this Pre-Lit Dunhill Fir artificial Christmas tree is 66% percent off, coming in at $99. This is down from the National Tree Company’s list price of $289.99 on Amazon. 

Opens in a new window Credit: National Tree Company Store National Tree Company 7 ft Pre-Lit Dunhill Fir Full Artificial Christmas Tree $99.99 at Amazon
$289.99 Save $190   Get Deal

It's Dec. 6th, which means that Thanksgiving has come and gone, Black Friday and Cyber Monday spun in like the Tasmanian Devil and spun back out, and now we're more than one-fifth of the way through 25 days of Christmas. It's that time of the holiday season when many windows are filling up with the lights of beautifully decorated trees and/or menorahs. If you don't have a tree quite yet or if you've been on the fence, this weekend, the National Tree Company has a deal you might be interested in. The NTC has its Pre-Lit DunHill Fir artificial Christmas tree on sale for 66% off. 

This particular Pre-Lit artificial tree measures 7.5 ft in height with a 55-inch diameter at its base. When it comes to being "Pre-Lit", that means that the tree is wrapped with lights before packaging, offering you a stress-free setup. The tree comes replete with 700 white light bulbs for sparkling holiday-season ambiance, on full-bodied branches designed to look as real as possible. The tree also features attached drop-down branches, allowing you to set it up quickly once you take it out of the box. 

The instructions indicate that one should spend about 45-60 minutes fluffing and pulling apart the branches so they look extra real. 

If you buy something, you should own it. Amazon is, by far, the biggest name in the eBook market, but the company puts tight DRM restrictions on these eBooks so you can't take them outside the Kindle ecosystem.

NotebookLM may just be an assistant to many people, but this is just the most basic functionality. You can take advantage of its system to do whatever you want, and that means it can be a way to have fun.

If you're like me, you use Discord for communication all day long. Those hours of use mean Discord has the opportunity to soak up lots of data about you and your use of the app. A few settings keep the collection at bay.

Google's Pixel watches are rolling out an improved always-on display.

Tech site 9to5Google spotted that with Wear OS 6, the Pixel Watch has added always-on capabilities for media controls (such as controlling your music) as well as the timer app. Previously, these sorts of tools would blur after a certain amount of time. Now, they remain on the screen, with the display having been slightly changed from its previous iteration.

That could mark a major improvement for people who use their watch to, say, time a workout or track what they're cooking. Mashable named the Google Pixel Watch 4 the best Android smartwatch of 2025 — so it's an improvement on an already good product. Tech Editor Timothy Beck Werth wrote it was "elegant enough to wear to the office, but comfortable and smart enough to monitor workouts." Senior reporter Christianna Silva, meanwhile, wrote in their review that the "Pixel Watch 4 is a true runners' watch, and it's gorgeous too."

SEE ALSO: Review: The new Pixel Watch 4 is a true runners' watch, and it's gorgeous too

So now, if you're a serious runner doing sprints on a track, you won't need to fiddle with the display to check your times. That's a small change that could have a big impact.

A truly smart home isn’t one that you control with your voice or phone, but one that is fully automated. Presence detection is key to creating an environment that anticipates your next move, whether that’s turning on a light in a cupboard or understanding exactly who is in which room.