Technology

SAVE 21%: As of Jan. 12, you can get the DJI Mic 3 (2 TX + 1 RX + charging case) for $259, down from $329. That's a 21% discount and $70 in savings.

DJI Mic 3 (2 TX + 1 RX + charging case) $259 at Amazon
$329 Save $70   Get Deal at Amazon

If your goal for 2026 is to finally launch that podcast or stop relying on your phone's built-in mic for videos, your first step is to invest in good audio. And right now, you can get a top-notch setup for $70 off.

As of Jan. 12, you can get the DJI Mic 3 (2 TX + 1 RX + charging case) for $259, down from $329. That's a 21% discount and matches the lowest price we’ve seen for this specific bundle.

SEE ALSO: The DJI Mic Mini is one of the best upgrades for content creators

When we reviewed the Mic 3, we gave it a 4.25 out of 5 score, largely because it’s such a versatile, set-and-forget tool for creators. It definitely makes some trade-offs: You can’t plug in an external lavalier mic anymore, and the transmitters lost their individual USB-C ports. However, the new adaptive gain control is a lifesaver. It automatically balances your volume, so if a guest suddenly shouts, the audio won't peak and ruin the whole take.

The hardware is tiny enough to fit in a pocket, and the charging case gets you about 28 hours of total battery life. It also records 32-bit float internally, which gives you enough data to "save" audio that was recorded too quiet or too loud in post-production.

Raspberry Pis are popular among DIYers, tinkerers, and homelabbers, but if you don't ask too much, you can also use them as a fairly capable mini PC as a replacement for a laptop or desktop. Here are 5 apps I use constantly.

One Piece's valiant Straw Hat Pirates are about to face their greatest foes yet: Baroque Works.

SEE ALSO: 2026 TV preview: All the TV shows you need to know, and where to stream them

A new trailer for Netflix's live-action adaptation of One Piece centers on the fearsome criminal syndicate Monkey D. Luffy (Iñaki Godoy) and his crew fill face in Season 2. And just from the teaser, it's clear that this secret society of assassins is not to be messed with.

Bridgerton's Charithra Chandran stars as Miss Wednesday, seen facing off against Nami (Emily Rudd). Also introduced in the trailer are Lera Abova as Miss All-Sunday, David Dastmalchian as Mr. 3, Camrus Johnson as Mr. 5, Jazzara Jaslyn as Miss Valentine, Daniel Lasker as Mr. 9, and Sophia Anne Caruso as Miss Goldenweek.

Joe Manganiello has been cast as Mr. 0, also known as Baroque Works leader Sir Crocodile, but the trailer keeps him in the dark.

What the trailer doesn't keep in the dark, though, are Baroque Works' formidable abilities — not to mention their impeccable attire. From taking out legions of guards with just a few words to hypnotizing people with paint, Baroque Works look like they're ready to put the fun in the Straw Hats' funeral. Oh, and did I mention there are wig guns? The trailer's worth watching in full for the wig guns alone.

One Piece Season 2 premieres March 10 on Netflix.

For years, Apple and Samsung have been neck and neck when it comes to global smartphone shipments. But now, the tide has turned in Apple's favor.

According to new data from tech market research firm Counterpoint, Apple was the world's number one smartphone maker in 2025, with a 20 percent market share. Samsung had a 19 percent market share, followed by Xiaomi, Vivo, and Oppo, with a 13, 8, and 8 percent market share, respectively.

Apple is number one again. Credit: Counterpoint

This is notable as Apple and Samsung had the same market share in 2023 (19 percent) and 2024 (18 percent).

SEE ALSO: Did the foldable iPhone just get leaked? Seems like it.

Counterpoint says Apple had a 10 percent year-over-year smartphone shipment growth, which was the highest among the top five smartphone brands. According to Counterpoint senior analyst Varun Mishra, this was due to Apple's "expanding presence and rising demand across emerging and mid‑size markets, supported by a stronger product mix."

In other words, Apple's strategy of expanding its lineup — the company launched a new entry-level phone, the iPhone 16e, in February 2025 — is working.

Featured Video For You Samsung first look: Go up close with Galaxy Z TriFold, the futuristic foldable only available in Korea

Samsung's shipments also grew, by 5 percent year-over-year, but it wasn't enough to catch up with Apple. Counterpoint says the growth was driven by the company's mid-range A series phones, as well as the Galaxy Fold 7 and Galaxy S25 in the premium segments.

Apple is rumored to be planning another large expansion of its phone lineup, which could extend its lead over the competitors, though Samsung is reportedly already hard at work at matching the devices Apple is working on.

Notably, while Apple is expected to debut a foldable iPhone later this year, Samsung is poised to launch its Galaxy Z TriFold in the coming months.

One of the first accessories people make or buy for a Raspberry Pi is a case. In fact, online sellers are happy to include one with your purchase, since surely you'll need one. The truth is, most of the time, you don't strictly need a case for your SBC. Going caseless is just fine, and can sometimes be the better choice.

SAVE $59.80: The RingConn Gen 2 is on sale at Amazon for $239.20, down from the list price of $299. That's a 20% discount.

Opens in a new window Credit: RingConn RingConn Gen 2 smart ring $239.20 at Amazon
$299 Save $59.80   Get Deal

Plenty of us made health and fitness resolutions for 2026. If you're working hard on reaching those goals, but have been wondering about snagging a fitness tracker, you have tons of options. For those who don't want to wear a watch, you have the option of a smart ring, and there's a model on sale today at Amazon that comes with a free health-tracking subscription.

As of Jan. 12, the RingConn Gen 2 smart ring is on sale for $239.20 in select colorway and size combinations. This sale price takes $59.80 off the normal price of $299. That works out to a 20% discount.

For those who don't love watches, a smart ring is a great solution to tracking health and fitness metrics. Many smart rings, like the Oura Ring 4, come with the additional cost of a monthly subscription, but that's not the case with the RingConn Gen 2. For no additional cost, the RingConn will give you access to health metrics like heart rate, sleep tracking, and fitness progress.

The RingConn also comes with some unique features that make it a standout in the market. For starters, its battery life can reach up to 12 days. Comparatively, Mashable's testing found the Oura Ring 4 to get a maximum of seven days of life before it needed to recharge.

SEE ALSO: Apple AirPods Max are on sale for under $450 at Amazon — save almost $100

The RingConn Gen 2 is also said to have the ability to detect sleep apnea. By monitoring breathing while sleeping, the RingConn Gen 2 can help ensure you're getting healthy sleep. This could be espeically useful for people who suspect they have sleep apnea but haven't gone for a sleep study yet. Of course, the ring cannot give a medical diagnosis but it could be a useful accessory to check in on sleep health.

You're free to swim, shower, and wash the dishes with the RingConn Gen 2 since it can handle water up to a depth of 100 meters. Keep in mind RingConn recommends that shoppers purchase the sizing kit first before deciding on an ideal size. The good news is the sizing kit only costs $1.30, which includes nine size options.

While the RingConn Gen 2 is on sale for under $240 at Amazon, set yourself up for health and fitness tracking that comes with no extra subscription fee. It's ideal for anyone who's not thrilled about wearing a watch that doubles as a fitness tracker.

SAVE $1,402: As of Jan. 12, the Samsung 77-inch S85F OLED 4K TV is on sale at Amazon for $1,597.99. That's over $1,400 off its list price and just $100 shy of its all-time low Black Friday price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung 77-inch S85F OLED 4K TV $1,597.99 at Amazon
$2,999.99 Save $1,402.00   Get Deal

Want to watch all the NFL playoff action on a gorgeous, massive screen? Now's one of the best times to upgrade your TV. For example, this 77-inch Samsung OLED from 2025 is about $1,400 cheaper than usual.

With the most advanced lighting on the market, OLED TVs are typically the most expensive. Even as an entry-level OLED model, the S85F typically carries a $2,999.99 price tag (though Amazon has deflated it). Fortunately, though, you can get the Samsung 77-inch S85F OLED 4K TV for just $1,597.99 at Amazon as of Jan. 12. That's about 46% in savings and just $100 shy of its best-ever price from Black Friday.

Aside from a huge 77-inch screen, the S85F features a brilliant picture quality with vivid colors and deep contrast, solid gaming features (120Hz refresh rate, HDMI 2.1, FreeSync Premium), and AI tools like Click to Search, Live Translate, Adaptive Sound Pro, and Real Depth Enhancer. With the Tizen 9.0 platform, the latest version of Samsung’s smart TV platform, navigation is smooth and speedy. Plus, there are (of course) AI-based tools for content recommendations.

It's not quite as impressive as its higher-end siblings, the S90F and S95F, but it's pretty snazzy and an excellent value — especially when it's on sale. If you want a big screen with a bold picture and OLED lighting , the S85F is a strong contender.

Sexting can be pretty fun and downright hot if done right. The rub is that the act can also be an awkward minefield. Thoughts may cross your mind, like: Is now a good time to sext? What do I even say?

To answer these questions, we asked the sexperts. As it turns out, sexting (like sex itself) is an opportunity for you to liberate yourself, explore what you want in bed, and get to know your partner better.

SEE ALSO: Can't stop stalking your crush online? It may be limerence. How to sext

Sexting can benefit both you and your budding relationship (or hookup, or however you define it).

By sharing your desires and boundaries together, you're forging a deeper connection. Texting feels lower stakes than talking in person, especially if your relationship is new. Thus, it's a great option if you're shy about sex and have difficulty vocalizing what you want, said Casey Tanner, a certified sex therapist and then a sex expert for toy brand LELO.

Make no mistake, though: Sexting is legitimate communication, even if it's through screens.

Sending saucy messages back and forth can even be a kind of foreplay. It can build suspense and anticipation for when you see each other in person next, even if that won't be anytime soon.

How to ask for consent while sexting

Before anything else, get consent — both about sexting in general and for individual sessions.

Ask yourself if you trust your partner enough to sext, advised Edwina Caito, a head writer at sex/sex toy blog BedBible. Decide if you're comfortable with the activity in the first place.

If yes, Tanner offered more questions to self-reflect: Is your style more flirty, raunchy, or suggestive? Are you OK sending nudes, and if so, what body parts do you want to photograph?

Have conversations about these boundaries before your first roll around in the digital hay. Set ground rules, said Caito, whether they be time-related — such as, don't send nudes before 6 p.m. when someone may be at work — or about what kind of media and messages you will and won't send.

You can even set a boundary for which messaging services you prefer to use to sext. Apps like Snapchat and Signal have features like disappearing chats, and the former sends a notification when the other person screenshots your messages. Alternatively, turn on Instagram's vanish mode for the same features.

As sexuality educator Jamie J. LeClaire wrote for sex wellness shop Unbound's blog, set an expectation for language used in sexts, too. If you're uncomfortable with some words — say ones that describe genitalia — tell your partner, and encourage them to share any words they dislike in turn.

Furthermore, consent at one time doesn't extend to every time. Always make sure it's OK to send through a naughty text or photo before doing it. A tip from Unbound is having a go-to emoji that serves as a way to ask, "Is now a good time for you to receive some smut?"

And never, ever share messages or other media that a partner sent to you (unless they ask you to, that is).

Sexting is a lower-stakes way to express your desires to your partner. Credit: Bob Al-Greene / Mashable How to start sexting conversations

Tanner advised keeping your messages pithy if you're just starting out. "Keeping messages on the shorter side gives you a little more leeway to ease into something new," she said. "You also give yourself more space to reflect in between texts about what feels good and where your boundaries are."

Your first message can be coy while sparking your partner's interest and making them think (about you, or an experience you both had in the past).

A couple of examples Caito gave to get things rolling are:

• "I'm lying in bed and can't stop thinking about you."

• "I can't stop thinking about what we did the other night."

Another option is to ask your partner questions, like:

• "What would you do if you were here right now?"

• "What was your favorite part about the other night?"

These texts are suggestive enough to gauge how your partner feels at the moment and get the conversation going. Feel free to be more direct if that's your style, though. You can let your partner know that, say, you've just gotten out of the shower and haven't put anything on yet. There's also the classic, "What are you wearing?"

Tips for great sexting

Now that you're engaging in textual coitus, where do you go from here?

Be as explicit as you want to be. You don't need to even refer to actual body parts if you don't want to, euphemistically or not. "I'm so wet" has the same impact as literally describing the state of your crotch, for instance.

Caroline Spiegel, founder of audio porn site Quinn, suggests contextualizing your sexy messages by telling your partner how you feel about them, what you want to do with them, and what you believe are their hottest features.

You can ask your partner to share fantasies, but don't feel pressure to reveal everything about your sexuality in one go, said Tanner. Texting your partner that they'll "just have to wait and see" can be just as tantalizing as revealing your desires.

To that end, you don't need to talk about activities you don't want to do. Instead, guide the conversation back to what gets you going, said Caito.

Compliment your partner, said Spiegel, to show you're really paying attention to them. Some examples she said are:

• "I love the way you look at me when you…"

• "I can't stop thinking about that time when you said…"

Another tip of Spiegel's is to use your partner's actual name as opposed to a pet name. "You might be surprised how hot it is to be called by your real name in a spicy context," she said.

How to send sexy voice notes and videos

Texts are great, but you can also incorporate different mediums to produce a multimedia sexting experience.

With iMessage and WhatsApp, for instance, you can send sexy voice notes. "I hear all the time from women how they wish their boyfriends or significant others would send audio notes or videos instead of dick pics," said Spiegel.

SEE ALSO: How to have sober sex

Hearing your partner's voice can be encouraging ("such a hot photo"). Cursing can also go a long way.

You can send photos and videos as well, or even take it to FaceTime if texting just isn't enough. And, of course, GIFs and emoji are easy options if words just can't express what you want to get across.

Caito also suggested an app-controlled sex toy your partner can handle if you're long-distance...but it's a toss-up on whether they'll work. As former Mashable reporter Jess Joho found, Bluetooth sex toys may have more connectivity problems than they're worth.

As with physical sex, it may take time to get in a sexting groove with a partner, and that's OK. The more you communicate your desires, whether vocal or over text, the easier it'll get.

Sexting can be a place to explore fantasies and get creative, said Tanner — all from the comfort of your fingertips.

This article was first published in 2021 and republished in 2026.

SAVE 35%: As of Jan. 12, you can get the Samsung 57-inch Odyssey Neo G9 (G95NC) Series dual 4K UHD curved gaming monitor for $1,499.99, down from $2,299.99, at Amazon. That's a 35% discount or $800 in savings.

Samsung 57-inch Odyssey Neo G9 (G95NC) Series dual 4K UHD curved gaming monitor $1,899.99 at Amazon
$2,299.99 Save $400.00   Get Deal at Amazon Get Deal at Walmart

If you've been looking for an excuse to justify upgrading your gaming setup, this deal on Samsung's most ambitious monitor might be it.

As of Jan. 12, the 57-inch Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 (G95NC) is on sale for $1,499.99 at Amazon. That's a 35% discount off its $2,299.99 list price and $800 in savings. While this isn't the lowest we've seen this model go for (it's currently $100 more than its all-time lowest price), $800 is nothing to sneeze at.

SEE ALSO: Acer debuted 3 new gaming monitors at CES 2026 — should you upgrade?

According to Samsung, the Odyssey Neo G9 is the world's first Dual UHD monitor with a 7680 x 2160 resolution. It uses Quantum Mini-LEDs with 2,392 local dimming zones, which means you'll get incredibly deep blacks and a 1,000-nit peak brightness.

It offers a 240Hz refresh rate and a 1ms response time. It’s also one of the first major displays to support DisplayPort 2.1, though you'll need a high-end graphics card to actually push that many pixels at such a high speed.

Just a heads-up: this thing is a beast. It weighs about 42 pounds and is over four feet wide, so you’ll want to make sure your desk can actually handle it before you hit buy.

Are you thinking about buying a new external SSD? We all seem to be constantly in need of more storage, but I'd caution against heading straight for a pre-built external SSD.

Pluribus star Rhea Seehorn took home Best Female Actor (TV Series - Drama) at the 83rd Golden Globe Awards, giving a delightfully candid speech.

"My speech says, 'Get a prescription for beta blockers,' but I did not. Sorry! I'm going to do my best. I'm sorry, I'm just a little shocked, I think my stomach is still over there," said Seehorn.

SEE ALSO: Rhea Seehorn breaks down why 'The Left Hand of Darkness' is so important to 'Pluribus'

Seehorn also thanked Pluribus/Breaking Bad/Better Call Saul creator Vince Gilligan, and paid tribute to her fellow nominees Britt Lower (Severance), Bella Ramsey (The Last of Us), Helen Mirren (MobLand), Keri Russell (The Diplomat), and Kathy Bates (Matlock).

"Getting your name read with Bella Ramsey, Britt Lower, Helen Mirren, Kathy Bates, and Keri Russell, I'm astonished by all your performances. I appreciate being listed with you,” she said. "I've been to a lot of these parties that get pretty scary for someone like me sometimes, and the women in this room have been incredible in the last couple of weeks. Thank you for that."

It's a long-awaited moment for Seehorn, who had been nominated twice for Emmys for her role in Better Call Saul without a win. She recently took out a Critics Choice Award win for Pluribus, with the Emmys looking pretty good.

Check out the whole list of Golden Globes award winners and nominees.

Excel is the backbone of modern life, powering everything from your personal mortgage calculations to complex corporate budgets. However, a workbook is only as reliable as the person who built it—even seasoned pros make simple mistakes that lead to massive discrepancies. It's time to fix your formulas before they fail you.

Home Assistant is great, but it can suck up time like almost nothing else. Change one small thing, and suddenly you have to edit multiple automations to get things working again. With a little forward planning, however, you can save yourself hours of wasted time.

It always stuns me how easily we slide back into the routine of the new year. But I don't mind, because that routine means I get to queue up some movies to get me through the weeks. And since Paramount+ is on my beat, I've got a few this week that offer a mix of comfort food and something thought-provoking.

The Golden Globes has wrapped for another year, and as always the awards show brought its mixture of amusing moments, emotional moments, and upsets.

From Timothée Chalamet beating out Leonardo DiCaprio and George Clooney to win his first Globe to Teyana Taylor's emotional acceptance speech, we've rounded up some of the must-see moments below...

SEE ALSO: The complete list of winners at the 2026 Golden Globes Celebrities wearing pins to protest ICE Credit: Michael Tran / AFP via Getty Images

A number of Golden Globes attendees, including Mark Ruffalo, Wanda Skyes and Natasha Lyonne, wore pins to the ceremony with the words "BE GOOD" in black caps against a white background — a protest against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) after 37-year-old mother Renee Good was fatally shot by an ICE agent in Minneapolis last week.

"We need every part of civil society, society to speak up," anti-ICE pin organiser, Nelini Stamp of Working Families Power, was quoted as saying by NPR. "We need our artists. We need our entertainers. We need the folks who reflect society."

Nikki Glaser roasting celebrities and the government

Nikki Glaser also brought some politics to the awards show, roasting the U.S. Justice Department along with many of the celebrities in attendance.

"Yes, the Golden Globes: without a doubt, the most important thing that's happening in the world right now," she said. "I cannot believe the amount of star power we have in this room tonight. It's insane. There are so many A-listers. And by A-listers, I do mean people who are on A-list that has been heavily redacted."

Rose Byrne's joke about her husband

Rose Byrne's husband Bobby Cannavale wasn't in attendance, but when she picked up her award for Best Female Actor (Motion Picture – Musical or Comedy) for her performance in If I Had Legs I'd Kick You, she made sure to shout him out.

"He couldn't be here because he's getting a bearded dragon, and he went to a reptile expo in New Jersey," she said. "So thank you, baby."

Ryan Coogler thanking audiences for "showing up"

Sinners picked up awards for best original score and cinematic and box office achievement on Sunday. In his acceptance speech, writer/director Ryan Coogler thanked the audience.

"It was an honour on this movie to know it was getting a theatrical release," said Coogler. "We would remind people every day, in the dog days of summer, in New Orleans, like, 'Hey, big movie, people gonna see this, big theatre.' We didn't know that they would show up, so we just want to say thank you that they did. It meant the world to us."

Featured Video For You Ryan Coogler and Michael B. Jordan on 'Sinners' unique spin on vampirism Timothée Chalamet beating out a "stacked" category to win his first globe.

Timothée Chalamet thanked everyone involved in the making of Marty Supreme, and even managed to squeeze a pretty great joke in.

Teyana Taylor's emotional speech

After winning the award for Best Supporting Female Actor for her role in One Battle After Enough, Teyana Taylor gave a powerful speech.

"To all my brown sisters and little brown girls watching tonight: Our softness is not a liability, our depth is not too much, our light does not need permission to shine, we belong in every room we walk into, our voices matter, and our dreams deserve space," said Taylor.

Check out the complete list of Golden Globes 2026 winners.

Switching to Linux has exposed me to dozens of great apps I never even knew existed before. Here are some of my favorites that improve my productivity and cut out some web apps that I've been stuck with forever.

The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult to solve if you don't break an oath.

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 January 12, 2026 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: Cozy pieces

• Green: Knowledge tiers

• Blue: A pledge

• Purple: Spare change

Here are today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Living room furniture

• Green: Experience levels

• Blue: Promise

• Purple: Ending in U.S. coins

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 #946 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Living room furniture: ARMCHAIR, BOOKCASE, CONSOLE, FOOTSTOOL

• Experience levels: EXPERT, INTERMEDIATE, NOVICE, PROFICIENT

• Promise: AGREEMENT, COMPACT, HANDSHAKE, UNDERSTANDING

• Ending in U.S. coins: CEFTAZIDIME, HEADQUARTER, MONEYPENNY, PUMPERNICKLE

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 January 12, 2026

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.

KPop Demon Hunters remains forever shining with the smash-hit Netflix film taking home Golden Globes for Best Animated Feature Film and Best Original Song for eternal banger "Golden."

Directors Maggie Kang and Chris Appelhans accepted the award on Sunday night alongside producer Michelle Wong, shouting out their relatable female characters like HUNTR/X's Rumi, Mira, and Zoey.

"Thank you to the Golden Globes and for everyone who believed that a movie so deeply rooted in Korean culture could resonate with a global audience," said Kang onstage. "Through this film, we really wanted to depict female characters the way that we know women, which is really strong and bold, really silly and weird, and really hungry for food — and sometimes a little thirsty."

Damn right! Couch! Couch! Couch! Couch!

Watch Ejae's acceptance speech for "Golden" and check out the whole list of Golden Globes award winners and nominees.

Today's NYT Strands hints are easy if you're job hunting.

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 January 12, 2026 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for January 12, 2026 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Appeal to a hire power

The words are related to work.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe job hunting info.

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 Resume.

NYT Strands word list for January 12

• Education

• Resume

• Awards

• Skills

• Name

• Contact

• Experience

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 to test things out.

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 January 12, 2026 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 January 12, 2026 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

A test run.

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 T.

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...

TRIAL

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 January 12, 2026

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.