Technology

Today's NYT Strands hints are easy if you keep up with the latest music.

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 30, 2025 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for December 30, 2025 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: 2025 Top Twenty

The words are related to music.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe popular tunes.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is diagonal.

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is Hit Songs.

NYT Strands word list for December 30

• Daisies

• Abracadabra

• Golden

• Hit Songs

• Manchild

• Ordinary

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 interior design.

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 30, 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 30, 2025 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

Interior garnishes.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

The letter E appears twice.

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

Today's Wordle starts with the letter D.

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...

DECOR

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 30, 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.

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

A leg.

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

SHANK

Hurdle Word 2 hint

To dodge.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for December 30, 2025 Hurdle Word 2 Answer

ELUDE

Hurdle Word 3 hint

A hand covering.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for December 30 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for December 30, 2025 Hurdle Word 3 answer

GLOVE

Hurdle Word 4 hint

A shack.

SEE ALSO: NYT Strands hints, answers for December 30 Hurdle Word 4 answer

HOVEL

Final Hurdle hint

Spoken words.

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

QUOTE

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

TL;DR: PromptBuilder is an AI tool that creates, refines, and organizes prompts for all sorts of AI tools, and a lifetime subscription is now on sale.

Opens in a new window Credit: PromptBuilder PromptBuilder - AI Prompt Engineer: Lifetime Subscription (Unlimited Plan) $199
$1,764 Save $1,565   Get Deal

Getting useful output from AI tools often depends more on the prompt than the model. PromptBuilder is a browser-based prompt assistant that takes short ideas and turns them into structured prompts for chat and image models, so you spend less time tinkering with wording. With support for 10 AI models, including options like ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini, it sits in front of the tools you already use instead of replacing them. It’s also only $199 for a lifetime subscription (reg. $1,764) during this limited-time sale.

Using PromptBuilder is easy. First, start by describing what you want in plain language. PromptBuilder turns that into a formatted prompt in seconds, or lets you pick from more than 1,000 templates for writing, coding, marketing, support messages, data work, and more. There’s also a prompt optimizer, so if you already have something that works, you can paste it in and refine it instead of starting from scratch every time.

Mashable Deals Be the first to know! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Loading... Sign Me Up By signing up, you agree to receive recurring automated SMS marketing messages from Mashable Deals at the number provided. Msg and data rates may apply. Up to 2 messages/day. Reply STOP to opt out, HELP for help. Consent is not a condition of purchase. See our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Thanks for signing up!

Prompts can be organized in a private library with tags, so you can keep separate sets for clients, projects, or channels and reuse them as needed. The same workspace can generate text prompts for chat models, social posts tailored to Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, or TikTok, and detailed image prompts for tools like DALL-E, Midjourney, or Stable Diffusion.

The Unlimited Plan gives lifetime access in a modern browser with no hard cap on prompt generations and a history of what you have created. That suits writers, marketers, developers, and support teams who use AI often and want repeatable results without guessing at phrasing every time.

Stop banging your head against the wall trying to find a prompt that works.

Get a PromptBuilder Lifetime Subscription on sale for $199.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

China is drafting new, stricter AI regulations that could set the country on its way to becoming the first to regulate the emotional repercussions of chatbot companions.

SEE ALSO: ChatGPT is changing the abortion landscape

Detailed in a new draft proposal written by China's Cyberspace Administration and translated by CNBC, the policy would require guardian consent for minors to engage with chatbot companions as well as sweeping age verification. AI chatbots would not be allowed to generate gambling-related, obscene, or violent content, or engage in conversations about suicide, self-harm, or other topics that could harm a user's mental health. In addition, tech "providers" must institute escalation protocols that connect human moderators to users in distress and flag risky conversations to guardians.

Chinese regulators say the aim is to focus not only on content safety but emotional safety, including monitoring chats for emotional dependency and addiction.

It's one of the first set of laws designed to control anthropomorphic AI tools specifically, experts say. To that end, the rules will apply to any AI tool designed to "simulate human personality and engage users emotionally through text, images, audio or video," CNBC reports.

SEE ALSO: Make 2026 the year your kid gets off their device

China's proposed rules mirror several provisions in a recently passed California AI law, known as SB 243, signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom in October. The law requires stronger content restrictions, reminders to users that they are speaking to a non-human AI, as well as emergency protocols for discussions of suicide. Some experts have critiqued the bill for not going far enough to protect minor users, leaving room for tech companies to dodge oversight.

Meanwhile, the Trump administration has stalled further AI regulation at the state level in favor of a "national framework on AI safety." The executive order withholds federal infrastructure funding from states that strengthen AI oversight. Federal leaders argue that increased regulation of AI will stall domestic innovation and put the U.S. behind China in the perceived global AI race.

If it feels like there's a lot of AI slop on YouTube, that's because there is a lot of AI slop on YouTube.

That's according to new research from video-editing company Kapwing (as reported by the Guardian), which found that more than one in every five videos that the YouTube Shorts algorithm shows new users is low-quality, AI-generated content, also known as AI slop.

SEE ALSO: Merriam-Webster names "slop" the word of the year, and boy was 2025 sloppy

One of the most interesting parts of the Kapwing study is that of the first 500 YouTube Shorts videos in a brand-new, untouched YouTube Shorts algorithm, 104 were AI-generated, and 165 were "brainrot" — a whopping 21 percent and 33 percent, respectfully. (Combined, that's 54% of content in total.) Per Kapwing, brainrot content refers to "nonsensical, low-quality video content that creates the effect of corroding the viewer’s mental or intellectual state." Brainrot content is often AI-generated, too.

Of course, the love of AI slop differs depending on the country. Kapwing found that AI slop channels in Spain have a combined 20.22 million subscribers, more than any other country, but has fewer AI slop channels among its top 100 channels than other countries. The U.S. has nine channels among its top 100 channels, and the third-most slop subscribers at 14.47 million.

YouTube isn't the only social media beast whose content is falling to the depths of AI slop despair, but the Kapwing study makes it clear that AI slop isn't going anywhere. As Mashable's Tim Marcin reported earlier this month, AI slop is taking over our feeds, from fake animals on surveillance tapes to heavy machinery cleaning barnacles off whales.

It seems certain at this point that laptop and smartphone prices are going to go up even more in 2026.

Case in point: modular PC maker Framework just announced yet another price hike on DDR5 RAM components. Framework says that it's charging customers "as close as possible to the actual purchase prices we have with our suppliers," and that it will now be charging roughly $10 per gigabyte.

Why? Demand for memory hardware, as a result of the AI boom, has led to a global memory shortage, which has in turn forced companies like Framework to raise their prices. Earlier this month, we reported that Samsung had warned its manufacturing partners that it was doubling prices on DDRM RAM, and laptop makers like Lenovo, Dell, and HP have all warned of looming price increases in the new year.

The most recent price hike from Framework adds $10 per GB for the 8GB, 16GB, and 32GB options, with prices going up even higher for RAM modules 48GB and up. And, again, this is yet another price increase on top of previous "price adjustments."

The Verge provided some examples of Framework's new memory pricing, with 8GB of RAM increasing from $60 to $80. Consumers will now pay $160 for the 16GB option instead of the previous price of $120. And 32GB of RAM now costs $320, up from $240.

The price increase really becomes substantial when you get to the larger memory options. In June, for example, 48GB of RAM cost $240. Now? A whopping $620. 

And, as Framework itself says, it doesn't look like the memory shortage is getting better next year.

"All indications we’ve received from suppliers is that prices will continue to increase going into early 2026," the company wrote in a blog post on its website. "We have absorbed and continue to absorb some of the price increases to be able to offer this new pricing, but it is very likely we’ll need to adjust module prices again within the next month."

In fact, without a major disruption, the AI industry will continue to affect the global memory supply well into 2027. Unfortunately for laptop and smartphone shoppers, in many cases, these memory-related price increases follow inflation and tariff-related price hikes from earlier in 2025.

So, if you've been wondering when is the best time to buy a new laptop, you probably don't want to wait too long.

Open-source software development is driven by global communities, and, in accordance with human nature, those communities will disagree, form factions, and push their own agendas. When two or more groups have a difference of opinion on something, they're going to compete to become the solution everyone accepts, and sometimes things get messy,

Software is an amazing thing. Without changing the hardware of your computer at all, new software holds the potential to provide better performance, quality, or both by being more efficient or implementing newer methods of achieving the same goal.

Do you constantly get less speed from your internet connection than you're paying for? It's normal for a connection to be a little slower than advertised, but I expect (and usually get) at least 90% of the rated speed on my own connection under ideal conditions. So, if you're getting less than that, there may be a few bad habits we all have sometimes holding you back.

When you're wandering through Home Depot you'll see all sorts of power tool brands, from Milwaukee to DeWALT, but Ryobi's bright tools are the most prominent. And while Ryobi's 18V ONE+ line is everywhere, fans have likely noticed similar tools that take a larger 40V battery, massive 80V packs, and more.

How much life should you expect from a laptop? This is a harder question to answer than you might think. At one point, the generational improvements in computer hardware were so drastic, that keeping a laptop for more than a year or two didn't make sense. Today, even entry-level laptops are powerful enough to effectively serve your needs indefinitely for normal day-to-day computing.

Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) CEO Dr. Lisa Su will help get CES 2026 underway on Monday, Jan. 5 by delivering a keynote address.

AMD is a major player in the tech world, if perhaps not a household name like Apple or Samsung. It's one of the preeminent chipmakers on the globe, making it increasingly powerful and important in the AI era. OpenAI, in fact, just announced a massive partnership with AMD in an effort to build out AI infrastructure.

AMD wrote on its site that Su will take the "CES stage in Las Vegas to highlight, alongside partners and customers, the AMD vision for delivering future AI solutions – from cloud to enterprise, edge and devices."

You can watch the keynote address on YouTube. It's scheduled to start at 9:30 p.m. ET on Monday, Jan. 5. We've also embedded the livestream below.

Mashable will be on the ground reporting at CES 2026 — make sure to follow our coverage. You can expect lots of news from the big stories to the weird gadgets.

The GOG PC game storefront is officially splitting from its parent company, CD Projekt, after its co-founder, Michal Kicinski, bought the platform for $25.2 million. This move includes the GOG Galaxy online gaming platform, so the company is losing GOG entirely.

LibreOffice might be a great way to view and edit documents on any platform, but it has never crossed into the realm of virtual reality. That's now changing, as LibreOffice is officially available on Meta Quest VR headsets.

Rising fuel costs have made efficiency more important than ever, and for many drivers, cutting hundreds of dollars from their annual fuel bill can make a real difference. Based on EPA estimates, this Japanese hybrid stands out for its ability to save drivers as much as $750 a year at the pump compared to similarly sized gas-powered vehicles. That kind of savings adds up quickly, especially for commuters and households watching long-term ownership costs.

If your pup could talk, what would they tell you? That they want to play fetch 24/7 and love it when you feed her people food? Yes, and yes.

As you’re setting healthy New Year’s resolutions for yourself, maybe it’s time to make some positive changes in your best buddy’s life, too. Right now, you can save 50% off your first box of human-grade The Farmer’s Dog pet food, so that’s a great start. Here’s how a fresh-food diet and healthy lifestyle can help keep their tail wagging for years to come. 

Opens in a new window Credit: The Farmer's Dog The Farmer's Dog Take 50% off your first box of human-grade pet food Get Deal Fresh food vs. processed kibble

While the picture on your go-to bag of dog food might suggest the kibble inside was made with a juicy chicken breast, the reality is likely different. Pet food production in the U.S. is held to alarmingly low quality standards, and even “premium” kibble brands can contain diseased chicken parts and starchy fillers. Yuck.

If that isn’t enough for you to switch from kibble to fresh, a new study from The Farmer’s Dog shows that fresh food can support healthier aging in dogs — and who doesn’t want more good years with their pup? 

What’s in The Farmer’s Dog?

The Farmer’s Dog makes fresh dog food that’s formulated by on-staff, board-certified veterinary nutritionists. Each batch is made from gently cooked, human-grade meats and vegetables, has no added fillers or preservatives, and is quickly frozen to lock in nutrients. 

Unlike bagged kibble that can sit on the shelf for months, The Farmer’s Dog is shipped right to your door while it’s still fresh and nutrient-dense.

Personalized plans and portions

Keeping your pup at a weight that your vet deems healthy is another way to support your dog’s well-being — and The Farmer’s Dog plans can help you with that. Each plan is tailored to meet your pup’s particular needs, based on their weight, body condition, activity level, and other factors. The food is also delivered in pre-portioned packs, so there’s no guesstimating on your part.  

Want to help your pup feel their best in 2026 and beyond? Start by saving 50% on your first box of The Farmer’s Dog, then give them fresh veggies like mini-carrots as healthy treats, take them on plenty of walks, and always remind them they’re a very good dog.

Are you tired of brilliant ideas vanishing before you can save them? Do you often spend hours searching through your scattered digital notes? Well, let me show you three lightning-fast ways to capture and actually find your thoughts later on Android.

Samsung has a more sentimental vision for AI in your living room. In a Monday press release, the company announced plans to bring Google Photos to its Samsung AI TV lineup, transforming televisions into oversized digital frames that showcase your most meaningful memories.

The integration, currently slated to begin rolling out in 2026, is positioned as a first-of-its-kind experience. Samsung says its TVs will be the first to support Google Photos’ Memories feature on the big screen, offering curated photo stories organized by people, places, and moments. Instead of digging through your phone to relive a vacation or birthday, those highlights could soon greet you directly from your couch.

SEE ALSO: Samsung debuts smart home speaker that looks like a giant eye

Samsung is framing this partnership less as a utility and more as an emotional upgrade to the TV experience. In the release, Kevin Lee, executive vice president of Samsung’s Visual Display Business, described the goal as helping families "rediscover and relive cherished moments" together — language that leans heavily into nostalgia and togetherness rather than raw specs or performance.

Beyond Memories, Samsung and Google plan to roll out additional features later in 2026. These include AI-powered creation tools that can remix photos, apply stylized templates, or even transform still images into short videos, as well as personalized photo slideshows generated around themes like travel or hobbies.

All of this is designed to be integrated into Samsung’s broader Vision AI Companion system, allowing photos to appear contextually throughout the day rather than being confined to a single app.

Visiting Austin, Texas and planning to hop into a Tesla robotaxi after a night at the bar? Just don't barf inside the autonomous vehicle or that ride may cost you an extra $150.

According to a report from longtime Tesla influencer Sawyer Merritt, Tesla has rolled out a new cleaning fee system for its robotaxi service, which is currently only available in Austin. Basically, if you make a mess in a robotaxi, it's going to cost you a pretty penny.

Merritt reports that Tesla now has two tiers of potential fees for cleaning up a Tesla after a ride. If a rider makes a "moderate mess," which is described as "food spills, significant dirt and minor stains" then they will be charged an extra $50 for their ride.

However, if a rider makes a "severe mess," which is described as "biowaste or smoking in the vehicle," then that charge is bumped up to an extra $150 for the ride.

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

"We prioritize maintaining a clean and comfortable environment for all riders and promoting responsible rider behavior," Tesla said in a statement to Merritt. "To address incidents where vehicles require additional cleaning after a trip, we will assess the type and severity of the mess and apply the appropriate fee. Once a fee is assessed, you’ll receive an email notifying you that additional cleaning was required for the vehicle after your trip. An updated ride receipt will also be available under the Ride History section of the Robotaxi app. If you believe a charge was made in error, call the Customer Support team and follow the prompts for option 7."

While fee specifics have not yet been posted by Tesla on their Robotaxi Rider Rules page, it does say that dirtying a vehicle will result in an "additional fee" at "Tesla's discretion."

Gizmodo compared Tesla's robotaxi cleaning fees with other car sharing and car rental services. Waymo, the most comparable autonomous car service to Tesla's, charges $50 for a cleaning if the rider self-reports the mess to the company. If they don't report it, Waymo charges $100 for the first incident and then "up to the cost of cleaning" if there are future cases. Recurring incidents can also affect a user's account with Waymo. The largest fine Gizmodo found was a $400 fee for smoking inside a Hertz vehicle.

Tesla's robotaxi service, although promoted as an autonomous experience, actually very much requires human intervention. Texas requires that Tesla provide a human safety monitor be present inside the robotaxi for certain types of trips. And, while we're on the topic of cleaning fees, you can guarantee that a human is going to have to scrub that vomit out of the robotaxi seat.