Technology

TL;DR: As of Nov. 6, the Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Elite Trainer Box is $79.95 at Amazon, down from $99.99. Alternatively, you could get it for free with a combination of AMEX and the Amazon Store Card $60 free credit for new customers.

Opens in a new window Credit: The Pokémon Company Mega Evolution Elite Trainer Box $79.95 at Amazon
$99.99 Save $20.04   Get Deal

This Pokémon TCG deal is boarderline ridiculous in the best way, so let's break it down. If you don't want to get involved with American Express or an Amazon Store Card, the Mega Evolution Elite Trainer Box is $79.95. That's a really solid deal ahead of Black Friday.

If you get approved for an Amazon Store Card (see if you qualify), you'll get an instant $60 gift card, making the ETB $19.95. Got an AMEX card? You could be eligible (see if you qualify) for a 30% further discount on the ETB.

SEE ALSO: Where to buy Pokémon cards in 2025 — avoid overpaying or missing out on new sets

Register your AMEX for the 30% discount then redeem your Amazon Gift Card to get the Mega Evolution Elite Trainer Box for free. Just to note that this isn't financial advice, I'm just telling you every possible way to get the best deal on this ETB. Also, any of these offers could change at anytime, so this product being anywhere near market value is not guaranteed.

Most valuable Mega Evolution Pokémon cards Credit: Mashable Photo Composite / The Pokémon Company

If you didn't manage to qualify for either promotions to get the ETB for free, you'll find just buying single cards to be cheaper than ripping open booster packs in the long run. Of course you could get lucky, but the chances are slim. Here's where to buy the top chase cards from Mega Evolution right now, including up-to-date value information to make sure you're getting the best deal:

1. Mega Gardevoir ex - 187/132
   Near Mint Holofoil: $392.99
   Market price: $5458.87
   Most recent sale: $397.24

2. Mega Lucario ex - 188/132
   Near Mint Holofoil: $505
   Market price: $508.96
   Most recent sale: $500

3. Mega Gardevoir ex - 178/132
   Near Mint Holofoil: $229.71
   Market price: $231.53
   Most recent sale: $225.97

4. Mega Lucario ex - 179/132
   Near Mint Holofoil: $213.99
   Market price: $244.20
   Most recent sale: $218

5. Mega Venusaur ex - 177/132
   Near Mint Holofoil: $173
   Market price: $174.87
   Most recent sale: $165

The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult to solve if you're fascinated with boats.

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 November 6, 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: What to consider before making a purchase

• Green: Security measures

• Blue: Found on the Titanic

• Purple: A love symnol

Here are today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Cost

• Green: Ways to unlock a device

• Blue: Parts of a ship

• Purple: Features of a cartoon Cupid

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 #878 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Cost: AMOUNT, FIGURE, PRICE, VALUE

• Ways to unlock a device: FACE, FINGERPRINT, PASSWORD, PIN

• Parts of a ship: AFT, DECK, FORE, MAST

• Features of a cartoon Cupid: ARROW, BOW, DIAPER, WINGS

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 November 6, 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 a pet name.

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 November 6, 2025 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for November 6, 2025 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: ___ City

The words are related to metropolises.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe altenate city names.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is vertical.

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is Nickname.

NYT Strands word list for November 6

• Emerald

• Motor

• Windy

• Nickname

• Eternal

• Music

• Golden

• Magic

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 look good.

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 November 6, 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 November 6, 2025 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

Likeness.

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 G.

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...

GUISE

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 November 6, 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’re looking for the final boss cleaning solution for hard surfaces, the Roborock F25 Ultra does not disappoint. I put the wet-dry vac through its paces, while making my kitchen smell absolutely horrible in the process, all for the sake of an accurate review.

Some people possess an innate talent for finding gifts on a budget. No matter the occasion (Christmas, anniversary, Valentine's Day, Mother's Day) or recipient (wife, husband, boyfriend, teens, in-laws), they somehow nail it every time — winning the unofficial "best gift-giver" award among those who are lucky to know them. If you're not the most intuitive gift-giver, fear not. We've put together a list of the best gift ideas for under $50. These unique, budget-friendly gifts won't break the bank, and you might even see some solid discounts on them if you're lucky.

GET IT FOR FREE: As of Nov. 6, the Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Booster Bundle is $55.01 at Amazon, a rare instance of Pokémon TCG selling near market value compared to TCGplayer. But if you successfully apply for an Amazon Store Card, you could grab a $60 gift card and get it for free.

Opens in a new window Credit: The Pokémon Company Mega Evolution Booster Bundle $55.01 at Amazon
$59.99 Save $4.98   Get Deal

This might be one of the best Pokémon TCG deals I've found. Not only is the Mega Evolutions Booster Bundle near market value at $55.01 on Amazon right now, but you could get it for free with credit to spare if you successfully apply for an Amazon Store Card that comes with a free $60 gift voucher.

SEE ALSO: Where to buy Pokémon cards in 2025 — avoid overpaying or missing out on new sets

I'm not in the business of providing financial advice, but this seems like an easy decision. Get the Store Card, get the gift card, use the gift card, don't use the store card. Simple. Of course this is easier said than done, and Amazon is banking on that, so a bit of discipline is needed to profit from this deal. Don't want the temptation? I get it.

But whether or not you're interested in the Amazon Store Card credit, the Booster Bundle for near market value at $55.01 is still worth your time. And you're getting your hands on it tomorrow thanks to Prime Delivery (Prime membership required), which is a sound deal to me.

Most valuable Mega Evolution Pokémon cards Credit: Mashable Photo Composite / The Pokémon Company

It's also a great time to buy single cards. Due to stock levels looking good across the board, prices are being driven down with fewer opportunities for sneaker-heads to make a quick buck. Here's where to buy the top chase cards for Mega Evolution right now, including up-to-date value data:

1. Mega Gardevoir ex - 187/132
   Near Mint Holofoil: $392.99
   Market price: $5458.87
   Most recent sale: $397.24

2. Mega Lucario ex - 188/132
   Near Mint Holofoil: $505
   Market price: $508.96
   Most recent sale: $500

3. Mega Gardevoir ex - 178/132
   Near Mint Holofoil: $229.71
   Market price: $231.53
   Most recent sale: $225.97

4. Mega Lucario ex - 179/132
   Near Mint Holofoil: $213.99
   Market price: $244.20
   Most recent sale: $218

5. Mega Venusaur ex - 177/132
   Near Mint Holofoil: $173
   Market price: $174.87
   Most recent sale: $165

The Democrats had a good night in the recent elections, with Zohran Mamdani winning the 2025 New York mayoral race — and nobody was unhappier about it all than Donald Trump.

"This was not a good night for the president, everything he touched was a loser," says Jimmy Kimmel in the clip above. "Trump hasn't been this embarrassed since he found out there was a Donald Trump Jr."

The host goes on to mock Trump for trying to suggest that Republicans may have fared badly because his name wasn't on the ballot, before drawing attention to Trump cryptically posting "...AND SO IT BEGINS" following election night.

"Which was either a response to Mamdani winning the mayoral race or he just sat down on the toilet, I don't know," says Kimmel. "I mean seriously, what is that supposed to mean?"

GET UP TO FOUR FREE IPHONES: T-Mobile is offering those who switch to their network, and with eligible trade-ins, a deal to get up to four free iPhone 17s and four lines on the Essentials unlimited plan for $25 per line (a total of $100 per month).

Opens in a new window Credit: T-Mobile iPhone 17 at T-Mobile: Get 4 For Free + 4 lines for $25/Line Via 24 monthly bill credits, four eligible trade-ins, and four new qualifying lines on the Essentials four line offer with AutoPay (plus taxes/fees and $35/line connection charge). Get Deal

Looking to score the new iPhone 17 for everyone in the family this holiday season? T-Mobile is here to help with an excellent offer on Apple's latest model, and we're not even in the midst of Black Friday just yet.

This deal allows you to get up to four free iPhone 17s when you switch to T-Mobile's network with eligible trade-ins, and get four lines on the company's Essentials unlimited plan for $25 per line or $100 total per month. It's worth keeping in mind that taxes and fees still apply alongside a $35 connection charge per line.

SEE ALSO: Target's Black Friday sale is starting three weeks early on Nov. 6

If you're curious about the trade-in value of your phone for this discount, T-Mobile has a helpful page (which you can check out here) that can show you what it's worth after you enter in your IMEI number. For example, through this offer, T-Mobile values the iPhone 12 Pro at $830. If you trade in a phone that's lower-spec than the iPhone 12 Pro — for example, the iPhone 6 — it'll trade in for $415. This offer is paid out in the form of 24 monthly bill credits.

We found the iPhone 17 to be "an excellent phone that matches the iPhone Pro models in many ways that matter." Our review from Mashable's Stan Schroeder said, "The iPhone 17 is the most sensible choice for most users. I actually think it compares better with the iPhone 17 Pro, as it offers all of the key features - great camera, beautiful display, 256GB of storage, fast performance, and long battery life — for less money."

With Black Friday around the corner, we're keeping an eye out for more exciting Apple deals as they appear. Check out our breakdown of 10 Apple deals that prove Black Friday 2025 is starting earlier than ever to see what has already dropped in price.

For the past two years, recommending the most comfortable pair of noise-cancelling headphones has been an easy task: I pointed people right to the Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones.

Though not an absolutely perfect pair of over-ear headphones, they did feel well on their way to that title, with excellent ANC, all-day wear, and a sound profile that could tackle most genres with ease. My wishlist for them? Even better (and more customizable) sound, improved battery life, more reliable connection and on-ear controls, and the option for passive playback.

With the second-generation Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones, which officially hit the market in October 2025, Bose has checked the box in two of those categories.

Bose QuietComfort Ultra (2nd Gen) specs and pricing The Bose QC Ultra 2 headphones, in driftwood sand. Credit: Bethany Allard / Mashable

The Bose QuietComfort Ultra (2nd Gen) headphones will cost you $449, putting them at the same price as the first-gen QC Ultras prior to the release of the second-gen headphones. The first-gen headphones did initially cost $429, but earlier this year, Bose raised prices across its lineup, bringing them to the $449 we've seen for much of this year. Here's what you'll get at that price point:

• 30 hours of battery life (23 hours with Immersive Audio, 45 with ANC off)

• Aware, Quiet, and Immersive listening modes

• New immersive audio Cinema Mode

• Adjustable ANC levels via app

• Adjustable three-band equalizer in app

• Wired lossless playback with USB-C

• Passive playback support with wired auxiliary cable

• SBC, AAC, and aptX Adaptive codec support

• Bluetooth 5.4

• Google Fast Pair and Spotify Tap

• Removable ear cups

• 10 microphones for ANC and calls

• Lay flat for low power mode

• 0.583 pounds

• Five available colorways: Black, desert gold, driftwood sand, midnight violet, white

This spec lineup is on par with other premium options, as is the headphones' pricing. The Sony WH-1000XM6 headphones, released earlier this year, are available for $449.99, and the JBL Tour M3, which hit shelves shortly before the Sonys, are $449.95. Of course, there are also more expensive options, like Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 at $479 (and another 2025 release), while the ever-popular Apple AirPods Max are still $549 at full price.

The comfort is still the star of the show

I wore these headphones for a couple hours, for entire workdays, for walks around the block, with my glasses, with earrings on — there was simply not a scenario where the fit didn't feel excellent.

The QC Ultras once again live up to their name. Credit: Bethany Allard / Mashable

Granted, that wasn't much of a surprise. The first-generation QC Ultra headphones were deemed the most comfortable headphones by three separate Mashable staffers. Considering how personal a pair of headphones' fit can be, I consider that a pretty impressive endorsement.

SEE ALSO: Review: Bose QuietComfort Ultra are the most comfortable headphones I've ever worn

Between the first gen and these headphones, I don't notice a massive difference in fit, but the ear cushion feels slightly firmer, while still remaining plush. I don't know how Bose managed that contradiction, but it offered the same amount of comfort while feeling more future-proof, but of course, only time will tell.

Speaking of future-proofing, much like the previous gen, the Bose ear cushions are also removable, meaning you can replace them as they start to lose any plushness or start to peel after years of use.

As for the rest of the design, it's largely the same as the first-generation headphones, with a power/Bluetooth button, multifunction button, and volume bar. The controls are nothing really to write home about, but they get the job done. On a pure aesthetic note, the shiny metal accent is a strong design choice (in my humble opinion) that helps these headphones stand out even more from their cheaper counterparts in Bose's lineup.

The best noise cancellation from Bose, but...

Bose tends to be at the top of the pack when it comes to active noise cancellation, and while these headphones are no exception, it's hard to say that they're definitively offering some of the best noise cancellation available right now.

It certainly doesn't help that the competition is stiff these days — Mashable Tech Editor Timothy Beck Werth said the ANC on Sony's WH-1000XM6 headphones is "as good as or better than any I've ever heard."

Having tested the XM6s myself, I can agree with that assessment, and while I think their ANC ekes out a small win over Bose is providing just a little more silence (and handling higher-pitched sounds better), Bose has a notable one-up in the form of its adjustable ANC. With the companion app, you can change your ANC level on a sliding scale, a feature that's completely absent from Sony headphones.

Adjustable ANC on headphones isn't a given. Credit: Bose / Screenshot

It works well. During days when I wanted to focus while working but was home alone, I used a lower ANC level to balance locking in with not feeling totally unaware of my surroundings. However, on days when a leaf blower or the sound of some vacuuming fought to break my focus, the highest levels of noise cancelling did the trick, though higher-pitched sounds, like the family dog barking, would break through. Even though that's to be expected, I do think the Sony XM^ headphones were more adept at handling sudden spikes in noise.

The sound is great, but could be even better

Generally, I'm happy with the way Bose headphones sound, and the second-gen QC Ultras are no exception. However, whereas these headphones are neck and neck with Sony in terms of having the best noise cancellation, the Sony XM6s are a full step ahead of the Bose headphones when it comes to sound quality.

That's not to say these headphones don't sound really, really good. They pick up details well across the spectrum of lows to highs, with different genres sounding rich. Whether I was listening to Chappell Roan's classic-rock sounding "The Subway," Tomorrow x Together's synth and bass-heavy "Danger," or the sweeping orchestral and rock arrangements of the Demon Slayer soundtrack (I'm still in my Infinity Castle era), these headphones never sounded muddied.

The Bose equalizer is limited compared to other brands. Credit: Bose / Screenshot

Still, I can't shake the sense that they could (and should) sound even better than they do. Part of the issue feels like the rather limited three-band equalizer and four equalizer presets, which, at $449, feel like they perform below what I expect at this price point (especially in direct comparison to what Sony offers).

When taken in conjunction with the excellent wear and ANC, the sound stands out less egregiously, but on its own, this is one area where I hope to see more improvement from Bose in the future.

As for the other ways you can customize the listening experience, these headphones come with a Quiet, Immersive, and Aware mode. My most used mode by far was quiet, which was excellent. The aware, or transparency, mode had less of a noticeable hiss in the background than the first-gen headphones, but I still just prefer to take the headphones off when I need to hear someone talking (something about talking to someone with over-ear headphones on simply feels wrong to me!). Finally, although I think the spatial audio (or immersive audio, as Bose calls it) is also improved over the first gen, I can't help but feel like it sounds too echoey, losing some of the richness of Bose's sound profile. However, it's worth noting that I tend not to be a huge fan of spatial audio.

Cinema mode

Bose also introduced Cinema Mode with these headphones, which is a new immersive audio setting designed to enhance your movie listening experience. I watched scenes from Jaws, Star Wars, and Interstellar, and while there was slightly more resonance, overall I found myself underwhelmed — this mode mainly felt louder above all else.

The most noticeable changes

In my several years of testing and using Bose headphones, I've had two major gripes: one specific to the QC Ultra line, and one a more general observation with Bose headphones as a whole.

Wired playback

Specific to the QC Ultras, the first gen of the headphones didn't offer passive playback. While you could use the 2.5mm aux cable to play music back, you had to have the headphones turned on. While I get that most of us (myself included) don't use wired playback on a regular basis, this just felt like a weird oversight I hadn't really encountered on other headphones, and one that I didn't expect to pop up on headphones that cost this much.

SEE ALSO: The best noise-cancelling headphones for flying: 8 picks to improve your travel experience

With the second-gen, Bose not only fixed this issue but also added playback via the USB-C cable, which can also be used to charge the headphones while they're in use. Now, you can plug them in on a flight, even if you're totally out of juice, either with the aux cable or to charge them up with the USB-C cable. (Note that you will need some battery life for the latter option – I had to make sure the headphones were powered on in order for them to work).

The USB-C connection lets you charge your headphones and stream audio simultaneously. Credit: Bethany Allard / Mashable Connection and wear detection

As a brand, I find that Bose's pairing can generally be less consistent than that of other brands. That often applies to its multipoint connection: when more than one device is connected, despite all of its headphones technically being multipoint-enabled, the audio stream can sound choppy, or in egregious cases, require reconnecting to the device in order to properly play. With Bose devices that feature wear detection, their functionality could suffer due to lag.

With these headphones, Bose addressed both of these issues head-on, and well. I didn't experience a single instance of choppy connection (despite leaving the multipoint connection toggled on throughout the entire testing period), which on its own had me floored. Not one to be impressed by a premium brand finally meeting the bare minimum standards, I have to give Bose its flowers when it comes to the wear detection.

The low power mode lay flat mode was a surprisingly useful feature. Credit: Bethany Allard / Mashable

The headphones have two different kinds of wear detection: a standard on-head detection and a lay flat mode. The on-head detection can be toggled to automatically play and pause music or answer calls. I didn't experience I single instance where I took the headphones off and my music didn't pause shortly after. I was even more impressed with the lay flat mode, which automatically disconnects the headphones from Bluetooth and puts them in a low power mode when you lay them flat. Obviously, this wouldn't be a very functional mode if the headphones didn't easily reconnect after being laid down, but thankfully, they reliably disconnected and reconnected every time I tested this feature.

Better battery life

Though not so much a gripe of mine in the past, Bose did upgrade the battery life from 24 hours on the first-gen QC Ultras to 30 hours on the second-gen model. The extra six hours do help for anyone who hasn't yet made plugging in their headphones a habit, and is basically the standard for premium headphones these days, so this was a welcome improvement. You can also get up to three hours of battery after 15 minutes of charging.

Are the Bose QuietComfort Ultra (2nd Gen) headphones worth it?

Though these aren't the most exciting launch of the year, they are undeniably a well-rounded pair of headphones. I definitely wouldn't recommend an upgrade to any existing QC Ultra headphones users, but if you're buying into the line for the first time, the blend of comfort, noise cancellation, and sound is hard to beat, especially if you're keen on all-day wear. However, if you're an audiophile first and foremost, I recommend checking out other options, like the Sony WH-1000XM6.

Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones (2nd Gen) $449 at Amazon
  Shop Now at Amazon

We're a few weeks away from Black Friday, right? Wrong, Black Friday is very much up and running with major retailers already dropping their Black Friday ads and early-access deals. We understand if that doesn't immediately sound like great news. This busy shopping season requires careful planning and a good dose of stamina, but if you're willing to commit, you can walk away with everything on your wishlist for a fraction of the list price.

And you're not alone over Black Friday. We've very much got your back at this time of year, and that starts by checking out all the Black Friday ads dropped by leading retailers like Best Buy, Target, and Lowe's. The latter is planning to drop a wide range of impressive hardware and DIY deals through Black Friday and beyond. You can check out Lowe's Black Friday ads here.

SEE ALSO: Best Buy Black Friday ad: The best deals you can buy online early

We recommend making a list of your top priorities, tracking price history, and then planning your time to pounce. Or alternatively, you could let us do all the work for you. We've gone ahead and investigated the Lowe's Black Friday ads to paint a picture of what's already available to buy in 2025:

Best early Black Friday tool deals

• Craftsman Folding Utility Knife with On-Tool Blade Storage — $16.98 $21.99 (save $5.01)

• DeWalt Elite Series 1/4-in x Impact Driver Bit Set 100-Piece — $39.98 $44.98 (save $5)

• Werner Load Capacity Step Ladder — $69 $139 (save $70)

• Craftsman 6-Gallon Portable Electric 150 PSI Pancake Air Compressor — $99 $169 (save $70)

• Craftsman V20 20-Volt 1-Pack Lithium-ion (4.0 Ah Battery and Charger) — $99 $149 (save $50)

• DeWalt 20-Volt Max 6-1/2-in Cordless Circular Saw with Brake (Tool Only) — $129 $159 (save $30)

• Kobalt 24-Volt 2-Pack Lithium-ion (4.0 Ah Battery and Charger) — $149 $159 (save $10)

• Little Giant Ladders Multi M14 Load Capacity Telescoping Multi-Position Ladder — $154 $194 (save $40)

• DeWalt Portable Jobsite Table Saw — $649 $699 (save $50)

Best early Black Friday grills and outdoor cooking deals

• VEVOR Outdoor Kitchen Pull-Out Drawer Modular Outdoor Kitchen Cabinet — $122.42 $158.99 (save $36.57)

• Royal Gourmet Offset Smoker W Black Barrel Charcoal Grill — $125.99 $138.23 (save $12.24)

• COWSAR Black 2-Burner Liquid Propane Gas Grill — $149.99 $299.99 (save $150)

• Royal Gourmet 3-in-1 Grill and Griddle Combo Station with Lid Portable Liquid Propane Grill — $149.99 $159.99 (save $10)

• COWSAR Stainless Steel and Black 2-Burner Liquid Propane Gas Grill — $169.99 $449.99 (save $280)

• COWSAR Stainless Steel and Black 3-Burner Liquid Propane Gas Grill — $239.99 $599.99 (save $360)

• COWSAR Silver Stainless Steel 3-Burner Liquid Propane Gas Grill 1-Side Burner — $249.99 $494.99 (save $245)

• Royal Gourmet Tabletop Gas Griddle with Removable Standing Cart and Hood 4-Burner Liquid Propane Flat Top Grill — $249.99 $269.99 (save $20)

Best early Black Friday holiday decoration deals

• Joyfy 36-in Freestanding Candy Cane Door Decoration with White LED Lights — $23.09 $32.98 (save $9.89)

• GE 4-ct Staybright LED Random Sparkle Jumbo Light Bulb Pathway Markers — $29.98 $39.98 (save $10)

• Puleo International 24-in Pre-lit Indoor/Outdoor Green Fir Artificial Christmas Wreath — $35.99 $44.99 (save $9)

• Veikous 59.2-in Freestanding Snowman Yard Decoration with Clear LED Lights — $69.99 $95.01 (save $25.02)

• Veikous 6-ft Pre-lit Flocked White Artificial Christmas Tree with White LED Lights — $98.50 $123.23 (save $24.73)

• Veikous 6-ft Aspen fir Pre-lit Artificial Christmas Tree with White LED Lights — $129.99 $194 (save $64.01)

• Veikous 7.5-ft Pine Pre-lit Flocked White Artificial Christmas Tree with White LED Lights — $159.99 $233.20 (save $73.21)

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 November 6, 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 November 6, 2025 Easy difficulty hints, answers for Nov. 6 Pips

Number (6): Everything in this space must add to 6. The answer is 3-4, placed vertically; 3-0, placed vertically; 4-1, placed horizontally.

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

Number (2): Everything in this space must add to 2. The answer is 4-1, placed horizontally; 0-1, placed vertically.

Number (8): Everything in this space must add to 8. The answer is 3-4, placed vertically; 4-1, placed horizontally.

Medium difficulty hints, answers for Nov. 6 Pips

Equal (2): Everything in this purple space must be equal to 2. The answers are 6-2, placed horizontally; 2-5, placed vertically; 2-0, placed horizontally; 2-3, placed vertically.

Less Than (6): Everything in this space must be less than 6. The answer is 2-5, placed vertically.

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

Equal (0): Everything in this red space must be equal to 0. The answers are 2-0, placed horizontally; 0-0, placed vertically; 3-0, placed horizontally.

Equal (1): Everything in this dark blue space must be equal to 1. The answers are 1-1, placed horizontally.

Hard difficulty hints, answers for Nov. 6 Pips

Equal (1): Everything in this purple space must be equal to 1. The answers are 1-1, placed vertically; 1-3, placed horizontally.

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

Equal (2): Everything in this light green space must be equal to 2. The answers are 4-2, placed horizontally; 3-2, placed horizontally; 2-2, placed vertically.

Equal (0): Everything in this dark blue space must be equal to 0. The answers are 4-0, placed vertically; 0-0, placed horizontally; 0-6, placed vertically.

Equal (3): Everything in this orange space must be equal to 3. The answers are 3-2, placed horizontally; 1-3, placed horizontally; 3-4, placed vertically; 5-3, placed vertically.

Number (8): Everything in this space must add to 8. The answer is 5-4, placed vertically; 3-4, placed vertically.

Greater Than (4): Everything in this space must be greater than 4. The answer is 0-6, placed vertically.

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

Black Friday really is just around the corner. Forget all the other festive celebrations that take place around this time of year. This is the one that really matters, because this is your opportunity to treat yourself. You deserve the best, and Black Friday can help you get the best for less.

You probably know this by now, but there's no need to wait for the last Friday of November to get all your shopping done. Sure, some great limited-time offers will likely drop on the big day, but major retailers have stretched this shopping holiday out to cover all of November and more. That's good news for shoppers with some stamina, because deal seekers can already search for Black Friday ads and early-access deals with popular retailers like Home Depot.

SEE ALSO: Best Buy Black Friday ad: The best deals you can buy online early

Home Depot has joined the likes of Best Buy and Walmart by announcing its Black Friday plans, and the schedule is reassuringly straightforward. Home Depot's early Black Friday sale runs from Nov. 5-26. And then the official Home Depot Black Friday sale takes place from Nov. 27 (online only) to Dec. 3. We recommend checking out the Home Depot ad for a snapshot of what's included.

Last year, Home Depot gave away free cordless power tools with the purchase of select tool or battery kits by Milwaukee, Dewalt, Makita, Ridgid, and Ryobi. This promotion was one of the most popular offers of Black Friday 2024, so we're hoping for more of the same this time around.

To get a sense of what's already available to buy online and what's still to come from Home Depot's Black Friday offering, we have dived headfirst into the ad to provide you with our favorite earlydeals of 2025:

Best early Black Friday tool deals

• DeWalt Max Fit Telescoping Ratcheting Multi-Bit Combination Screwdriver Set (10-Piece) — $13.97 $19.97 (save $6)

• Husky Stubby Ratchet and Socket Set (46-Piece) — $19.97 $29.97 (save $10)

• Husky BITE SAE/Metric Non-Slip Hex Key Set (18-Piece) — $19.97 $29.97 (save $10)

• DeWalt TOUGHSYSTEM 2.0 10-Compartment Deep Small Parts Organizer — $44.98 $49.98 (save $5)

• Husky 3-Ton Low Profile Floor Jack with Quick Lift — $139 $199 (save $60)

• DeWalt Atomic 20-Volt MAX Lithium-Ion Cordless Combo Kit — $169 $249 (save $80)

• Ryobi SPEED BENCH Mobile Workstation — $179 $199 (save $20)

• Ryobi ONE+ 18V 8 in. Cordless Oil-Free Pole Saw — $179 $199 (save $20)

• Milwaukee M12 Cordless Hammer, Drill, Impact Driver Combo Kit — $319 $369 (save $50)

• Husky Tool Storage 9-Drawer Mobile Workbench Cabinet — $348 $448 (save $100)

• DeWalt 20V MAX 15-Degree Electric Cordless Roofing Nailer — $369 $419 (save $50)

• Milwaukee M18 18-Volt Cordless Combo Kit (9-Tool) — $649 $1,199 (save $550)

• Ryobi ONE+ 18V 12 Tool Combo Kit — $649 $799 (save $150)

• Ryobi Electric Cordless Riding Mower — $4,999 $5,999 (save $1,000)

Best early Black Friday home deals

• StyleWell Faux Fiddle Leaf Fig Tree in White Pot — $39.88 $119 (save $55)

• RYOBI ONE+ 18V Cordless Wet/Dry Vacuum — $49.97 $79.87 (save $30)

• Home Decorators Collection Bellkirk Round Gold Metal Accent Table — $64 $119 (save $55)

• Home Decorators Collection Hand Woven Ivory Boucle Round Pouf Ottoman — $69.88 $149 (save $79.12)

• Ring Starter Set with Battery Doorbell and Indoor Cam — $69.99 $139.99 (save $70)

• Gorilla Ladders Reach Aluminum Multi-Position Ladder — $189 $289 (save $100)

• Serta Mattress Sleep to Go Queen Firm — $299 $599 (save $300)

Best early Black Friday appliance deals

• NinjaFlip Toaster Oven and Air Fryer — $149 $219 (save $70)

• Vissani Manual Defrost Chest Freezer with LED Light — $189 $239 (save $50)

• Shark PowerPro Bagless Cordless HEPA Filter Portable Stick Vacuum Cleaner for Multisurfaces — $199 $329.99 (save $130.99)

• GE High-Efficiency Top Load Washer — $568 $849 (save $281)

• GE Burner Element Free-Standing Electric Range in Stainless Steel with Crisp Mode — $678 $999 (save $321)

• GE Profile Smart UltraFast Electric Washer and Dryer — $1,798 $2,699 (save $901)

• LG 3 Door French Door Refrigerator — $1,798 $3,099 (save $1,301)

The Mini is a bite-sized version of The New York Times' revered daily crossword. While the crossword is a lengthier experience that requires both knowledge and patience to complete, The Mini is an entirely different vibe.

With only a handful of clues to answer, the daily puzzle doubles as a speed-running test for many who play it.

So, when a tricky clue disrupts a player's flow, it can be frustrating! If you find yourself stumped playing The Mini — much like with Wordle and Connections — we have you covered.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable SEE ALSO: How to play Pips, the newest NYT game

Here are the clues and answers to NYT's The Mini for Thursday, Nov. 6, 2025:

AcrossOn the chill side ... or a homophone of 1-Down

• The answer is Low key.

Big brand of tater tots

• The answer is Ore-Ida.

Numbers puzzle with a repetitive name

• The answer is KenKen.

"Oof, not my best showing!"

• The answer is I stink.

DownThor's mischievous brother ... or a homophone of 1-Across

• The answer is Loki.

Materials mined in Minecraft

• The answer is Loki.

Played one's turn

• The answer is Went.

"Don't Go Breaking My Heart" singer ___ Dee

• The answer is Kiki.

Biblical garden

• The answer is Eden.

Sharply tug

• The answer is Yank.

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

Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to the latest Mini Crossword.

We know you might not want to hear it, but Black Friday is very much upon us. The beast of a shopping holiday has been looming menacingly on the horizon for some time, but it will not be contained any longer.

Leading retailers are already dropping their Black Friday ads and early-access deals. We know that shopping fatigue is a real thing at this time of year, so why not beat the rush and all the associated stress and get your shopping done early this year? You know it makes sense.

SEE ALSO: Target Black Friday ad: The best deals you can buy online early

Best Buy is one of the premier shopping destinations over the Black Friday period, and its savings-packed ad suggests that this year could be its biggest ever.

Best Buy was the first leading retailer to announce its 2025 holiday plans, with early Black Friday deals dropping as early as Halloween (Oct. 31). Best Buy will drop early Black Friday deals throughout November before its official Black Friday sale officially kicks off on Nov. 20. This 10-day sale is live through Nov. 29, followed immediately by its Cyber Monday event on Nov. 30 that runs for 48 hours through Dec. 1. Mark these dates in your diary.

Want to make the most out of Best Buy's Black Friday campaign? We've checked out all the best Black Friday deals and doorbusters from the Best Buy Black Friday ad that you can already buy online.

Best early Black Friday TV deals50- and 55-inch TVs

• Samsung 50-inch U7900 Series 4K TV — $229.99 $299.99 (save $70)

• Insignia 55-inch F50 Series 4K Fire TV — $189.99 $349.99 (save $160)

65-inch TVs

• Insignia 65-inch F50 Series 4K Fire TV — $279.99 $449.99 (save $170)

• Samsung 65-inch QN90F Series Neo QLED Mini LED 4K TV — $1,499.99 $2,499.99 (save $1,000)

70- to 77-inch TVs

• Samsung 70-inch U7900 Series 4K TV — $399.99 $569.99 (save $170)

• Insignia 75-inch F50 Series 4K Fire TV — $379.99 $599.99 (save $220)

• Toshiba 75-inch M550 Series QLED 4K Fire TV — $449.99 $779.99 (save $330)

• Samsung 75-inch Q6F Series QLED 4K TV — $599.99 $899.99 (save $300)

• TCL 75-inch QM5K Series 4K QD-Mini LED TV — $599.99 $1,199.99 (save $600)

• Samsung 75-inch QN90F Series Neo QLED Mini LED 4K TV — $1,799.99 $2,999.99 (save $1,200)

• LG 77-inch Class G5 Series OLED 4K TV — $3,499.99 $4,499.99 (save $1,000)

85-inch TVs

• Samsung 85-inch QN90F Series Neo QLED Mini LED 4K TV — $2,299.99 $4,499.99 (save $2,200)

Best early Black Friday soundbar deals

• Insignia 2.0 Channel Soundbar — $34.99 $59.99 (save $25)

• Insignia 5.1.2 Channel Home Theater Soundbar — $149.99 $229.99 (save $80)

• Samsung B-series 3.1 Channel Soundbar HW-B650 — $199.99 $399.99 (save $200)

• Samsung Q-Series 5.1.2 Channel Soundbar HW-QS750F — $699.99 $899.99 (save $200)

• Samsung Q-series 11.1.4 Channel Soundbar HW-Q990D — $999.99 $1,999.99 (save $1,000)

Best early Black Friday headphone and earbud deals

• Anker Soundcore P30i — $24.99 $49.99 (save $25)

• Bose Ultra Open Earbuds — $199 $299 (save $100)

• Bose QuietComfort Headphones — $199 $359 (save $150)

Best early Black Friday laptop deals

• Acer Chromebook 315 (Intel Celeron N4500, 4GB RAM, 64GB eMMC) — $119 $229 (save $180)

• Asus Chromebook Plus CX14 (Intel Core 3 N355, 8GB RAM, 128GB eMMC) — $249 $429 (save $180)

• HP OmniBook X Flip 16 (Intel Core Ultra 9 288V, 32GB RAM, 2TB SSD) — $999.99 $1,529.99 (save $530)

Best early Black Friday gaming dealsGaming headsets

• Logitech Astro A10 Wired Gaming Headset (Xbox, PC) — $49.99 $69.99 (save $20)

• Logitech G535 Lightspeed Wireless Gaming Headset (PS5, PC) — $59.99 $99.99 (save $40)

• Razer BlackShark V2 Pro Wireless Gaming Headset (Xbox) — $129.99 $199.99 (save $70)

• JBL Quantum 910X Wireless Gaming Headset (PS5, Xbox, Switch, PC) — $229.99 $329.99 (save $100)

Gaming mice

• Logitech Pro X Superlight 2 SE Wireless Gaming Mouse — $89.99 $139.99 (save $50)

Best early Black Friday smartwatch and fitness tracker deals

• Fitbit Inspire 3 — $69.95 $99.95 (save $30)

• Fitbit Charge 6 — $99.95 $159.95 (save $60)

• Fitbit Versa 4 — $119.95 $199.95 (save $80)

• Fitbit Sense 2 — $179.95 $249.95 (save $70)

• Google Pixel Watch 3 (Bluetooth/WiFi, 45mm) — $199.99 $299.99 (save $100)

Best early Black Friday vacuum dealsRobot vacuums

• eufy C10 — $199.99 $479.99 (save $280)

• eufy L60 — $249.99 $559.99 (save $310)

• eufy Omni C20 — $349.99 $749.99 (save $400)

Stick vacuums

• Dyson V9 Motorbar — $269.99 $599.99 (save $330)

Best early Black Friday kitchen deals

• KitchenAid 5.5-quart Bowl-Lift Stand Mixer — $299.99 $499.99 (save $200)

Best early Black Friday unlocked phone deals

• Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold (256GB) — $1,499 $1,799 (save $300)

• Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold (512GB) — $1,619 $1,919 (save $300)

SAVE $20: As of Nov. 6, the Amazon Fire Stick 4K Max is on sale for $39.99 at Amazon. That's a 33% discount on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Fire Stick 4K Max $39.99 at Amazon
$59.99 Save $20   Get Deal

We can never ignore a deal on an Amazon Fire TV Stick, and as of Nov. 6, the 4K Max model is back under $40.

This model does the same as previous Fire Stick models, but it's bigger and better. And right now you can save $20 with the new list price of $39.99. It hasn't been priced cheaper than this all year, so this really is a great deal.

SEE ALSO: What's new to streaming this week? (Nov. 7, 2025)

It works the same way as other streaming sticks in the range: you plug it into your TV's HDMI port, plug it into a wall socket, and use the remote to navigate your new Fire OS. And you won't need to switch between two remotes, as once you set this up, the Fire TV Stick remote will be the only one you need. It can control the device but also your volume and switch your TV on and off.

This is also the first of Amazon's streaming sticks that benefits from the Fire TV Ambient Experience. This is a feature that lets you display over 2,000 pieces of art and photography on your TV screen when you're not watching. It adds a pretty aesthetic vibe to your living room. It also has 16GB of storage, which is double the standard 4K version. This is ideal if you plan to download lots of apps and games.

You can get the Amazon Fire TV Stick for $20 off at Amazon right now.

Since I was a kid, I’ve been obsessed with sports management simulation games — to an absurd degree. Whether it was Total Extreme Wrestling, Out of the Park Baseball, Draft Day Sports: College Basketball, World of Mixed Martial Arts, Eastside Hockey Manager, or Front Office Football Nine, I’ve played (or at least tried to play) them all.

All that to say: this micro-genre of very niche video games is my true love. Football Manager is no different. I’ve poured thousands of hours into various editions of Sports Interactive's iconic series and formed hundreds of parasocial bonds with players who, technically speaking, don’t exist. (They’re real to me, dammit.)

SEE ALSO: 'Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment' is fine. It's also the most disappointing Switch 2 exclusive.

Despite what you might think of a glorified spreadsheet simulator, these games aren’t grindy — they’re meditative. They reward patience and planning, demanding long-term vision, whether you’re clawing your way up from the lower leagues or assembling a squad for a run in Europe.

But Football Manager 26 demands a different kind of patience, one that asks longtime fans like me to accept unnecessary change to get to the good stuff. There’s brilliance here, buried somewhere under the clutter, but finding it requires faith bordering on masochism. In other words, the new UI/UX overhaul makes it harder to enjoy what’s otherwise an exciting evolution in gameday presentation.

After around 20 hours, I’m left wanting more — or at least wanting to look at something else. Which brings me to the question no fan wants to ask after a two-year wait: was this really worth it? Don’t we, the faithful, deserve something better?

Football Manager 26 has a new engine, new look Credit: Screenshot: Chance Townsend / Sports Interactive

On build alone, Football Manager 26 is a massive upgrade — it’s the first in the series to run on the Unity engine. That shift, though, came with major internal challenges, which is why the originally planned Football Manager 25 was scrapped in February last year. It marked the first true cancellation in the series' history, something we hadn’t seen since Championship Manager 4’s delay decades ago, which, fittingly, was also caused by an engine change.

So, after two long years since Football Manager 24, we’ve finally arrived at the Unity-powered future of the franchise. And it looks...fine. You’d expect that extra development time to deliver flashy new bells and whistles — and yes, there are some, particularly in the new Match Day presentation. But beyond that? The rest feels, well, kinda meh.

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Let’s start with the 3D manager and player models, a weak spot that has haunted the series for years, and sadly, that hasn’t changed. When creating my manager, the models are still rough around the edges, and the hairstyles appear to have been hastily sculpted in Blender. I’m not expecting EA FC levels of hair physics or texture, but could we at least get more than three Black hairstyles — Fade, Dreadlocks, and Afro — all with identical, receding hairlines? The same issue plagues the creation of female managers, where options boil down to 10 variations of the same middle-parted bob and maybe two natural styles for Black women — one of which looks suspiciously like a stretched-out rectangle glued to the model’s head.

Minor gripes, sure, but this stuff matters because immersion is what makes Football Manager special. It’s the beating heart of the experience, the thing that turns a spreadsheet simulator into a living football world.

Credit: Screenshot: Chance Townsend / Sports Interactive

Speaking of immersion, I genuinely appreciate how Football Manager 26’s revamped manager creation system leans harder into your character’s lore to shape their stats. In previous editions, you’d simply select your coaching badges, level of playing experience, and management style focus — choices that translated into skill points to distribute across attributes like Attacking, Motivating, or People Management. It was a precise, hands-on way to define your manager’s identity and, more importantly, their reputation, which influenced everything from which jobs you could land to how the board responded to requests and even how players approached contract negotiations.

Now, that sense of control is gone. You can't manually allocate points anymore; attributes are locked in based on the reputation presets you choose. The familiar 1–20 numerical scale has been replaced by circular icons that fade from red ("unsuited") to green ("outstanding"). Reputation is now determined through a three-step process: first, selecting the peak of your playing career, from Global Superstar to Amateur; second, identifying any non-playing roles within the football world, whether as a coach, scout, or pundit; and third, deciding how well-known you are in that space. These decisions set your baseline Coaching and Mental attributes, though the latter has been pared back — "Level of Discipline" is now "Authority," while "Player Knowledge" and "Youngster Knowledge" have been quietly removed.

To further tweak your manager's strengths, you then select “Tendencies,” which is a nice touch — I like having more narrative context behind my avatar. But the trade-off is a loss of flexibility. It feels like SI has simplified an already simple system. If immersion is what defines why I love Football Manager, then simplification is what defines my growing frustration with Football Manager 26’s new UI.

Credit: Screenshot: Chance Townsend / Sports Interactive

It’s not just that the new UI is bad to look at — though, for the record, I'm not exactly a fan of the purple and blue gradient either — it's that you can feel the design philosophy behind it. This isn't a UI made for longtime players; it's one built to simplify things for newcomers. That philosophy has been in motion since the first reveal of the now-cancelled Football Manager 25, which aimed to unify the series across all platforms. Now that FM has fully embraced its mobile and console ambitions, the result is an interface that looks and feels like it was made for a tablet first, PC second.

Everything has that iPad app aesthetic — modular pop-up windows, tiny text, oversized spacing — and on a larger monitor, it's straight-up punishing on the eyes. Many of the player and agent interactions now are styled as text messages. The intent is clear: make the game more accessible. However, in doing so, Football Manager 26 has compromised the identity of a series that once prided itself on depth and detail.

If I were to hand out thrones and roses for Football Manager 26, I’d start by giving credit where it’s due: I like that the developers took a more modern approach to the UI design. It’s clean, sleek, and visually in step with other contemporary sims. I also appreciate the intent behind it — a genuine effort to streamline the experience and get players onto the pitch faster.

And…that’s about it for the roses.

Football Manager offers death by a thousand dropdowns

I'm trying not to sound hyperbolic when I say the new UI changes kind of ruin what I love about Football Manager. For many of us, calling FM a "spreadsheet simulator" isn’t an insult — it’s the point. The joy comes from immersion: years upon years of data, history, statistics, and stories. I want to live in that data, to get lost in the archives of players and clubs and see how football's alternate history unfolds. But the new interface makes that harder. The game now feels actively resistant to exploration, bogged down by redundant windows, tabs, and submenus that bury simple information behind too many clicks.

Credit: Screenshot: Chance Townsend / Sports Interactive

Case in point: in one of my saves managing Cheonan in the South Korean K League 2, I wanted to check the K League 1 table. In FM 2024, this was easy — just click the arrow next to the league logo and jump straight up to K League 1. In FM 26, that quick action has turned into a labyrinth. I now have to hover over "Competitions" → "Asia" → "South Korea" → "Men's" and then select "K League 1."

It’s death by a thousand dropdowns.

Things that were once instantly accessible on the left-hand panel — competitions, scouting, finances — are now buried behind layered menus and pop-up windows, making me wonder what exactly was happening in the design meetings. Even viewing the competitions your team is involved in, once a one-click affair under "Competitions," now requires a trek through Portal > Overview > Stages before you can even search for the competition you want.

A lot of what made FM’s interface efficient and customizable is simply gone in Football Manager 26. Basic functions like reloading skins, clearing cache, or changing attribute colors have vanished, along with small quality-of-life settings that let players decide how menus behaved — like where the back button led or what default screen club, nation, or player pages opened to. Even long-standing visual tools like the attribute graph, passmaps, heatmaps, and scatter plot numbers have either been buried behind tiny pop-ups or removed entirely. The same goes for player comparison, role attribute highlights, staff comparison, and several key finance and training options.

Match Day and squad management haven’t escaped either. Essential navigation tools, such as the spacebar-to-messages shortcut, Match Day calendar, and standings, as well as the normal sideline camera, are gone. You can't filter or toggle replays like before, match stats during highlights are limited, and useful interface details — the little "i" next to player names, the quick fitness hearts, or the "Best XI" and "Where Are They Now?" features — have all disappeared. Even staples like the Development Centre, loan and international reports, and deadline day have been watered down.

When a game built on data suddenly hides that data behind friction, it loses its soul. And for a series as detail-obsessed as Football Manager, that’s not just a UI issue — that’s an identity crisis.

Match Day Experience still sings in Football Manager 26 Credit: Screenshot: Chance Townsend / Sports Interactive

Sorry you had to hear me bitch and moan about navigating the UI, but it had to be done. Now, let's move on to the meat and bones of the Football Manager experience.

If half the fun of FM is getting buried in data to build the perfect squad, then the other half is crafting the perfect tactic. And thankfully, in Football Manager 26, that part still sings. After lamenting the lack of granularity in manager creation, it's refreshing to see that tactical customization has instead been expanded. The new In- and Out-of-Possession tactics system provides players with far greater control over shape, structure, and tactical fluidity, along with more streamlined (yet deeper) player roles.

In previous editions, both phases of play were baked into a single tactic. Player roles had fixed "modifiers" such as Defend, Support, or Attack, and these came with hidden, unchangeable instructions. So if you wanted a full-back who attacked aggressively but still challenged for the ball defensively, you had to settle for Full-Back (Attack) or Wing-Back (Attack) and hope everything behaved roughly the way you envisioned.

Now, that's changed. You can assign dual roles — one for when your team is in possession, and another for when they're not. That means your Full-Back (Attack) on offense can become a Pressing Full-Back out of possession. It's a meaningful shift that makes your tactics feel alive, adapting dynamically to the game's flow.

As someone who's not exactly a tactical savant, I love this system. I'm a simple man who runs a 4-3-3 and calls it a day — but now, when defending, I can drop my three central midfielders into defensive midfield roles to add extra cover, especially since my full-backs love to bomb forward. It feels intuitive, flexible, and genuinely rewarding.

Credit: Screenshot: Chance Townsend / Sports Interactive

New to Match Day is the Instant Result button, a longtime feature of custom skin mods that were often buggy or unstable. In past games, you couldn’t actually simulate matches unless you took a "vacation," and even then, those wins were credited to your assistant coach. Personally, I’ve always been an Instant Result user — without it, playing through a single season could easily take 20–25 hours. With it, that drops to around eight–10 hours, and depending on how deep the addiction runs, I can crank out two full seasons in a week.

That said, I might be rethinking my stance now that the new Unity engine makes the in-game action genuinely pleasant to watch. "Pretty" might be overstating it, but FM 26 looks significantly better.

Credit: Screenshot: Chance Townsend / Sports Interactive

Lighting is improved, camera angles are more dynamic, and player animations have been overhauled. Granted, those animations can still be janky — it’s painfully clear that these are 3D models with limited physics whenever there’s physical contact. Players clipping through each other during tackles or dribbles remains a jarring sight.

Still, I don’t have many major complaints when it comes to actually sitting through a match. Compared to older editions, FM 26 is easily the best-looking entry yet — for both the men's and women's sides of the game. Even better is during moments where the game is simming the action, there's a 2D match engine that shows the flow of the game, making it easier to see what's going on between highlights.

Women's Leagues are here in Football Manager 26 Credit: Screenshot: Chance Townsend / Sports Interactive

One major thing I haven’t mentioned yet is the inclusion of Women’s Football in the game for the first time. It's been teased since 2021, with SI acknowledging it would take years to integrate the women's game properly — and now, it's finally here. I quite like it. As with any new league, the challenge lies in learning how this side of the football world operates compared to what you already know. The database of players is completely new to me, but I appreciate how FM handles it: the stats system treats men’s and women’s attributes on equal footing. A "20" in any skill means the same thing, regardless of gender — it's not scaled down or adjusted to make women appear inferior.

Both men's and women's leagues load into the game together and can't be separated. So if you start a save in countries like England or France, you'll automatically have both their domestic leagues running simultaneously. That said, there are differences between the two experiences. SI clearly tried to reflect the real-world dynamics of women’s football — lower transfer fees, smaller budgets, more player movement, and shorter contracts. Even injury trends are represented realistically, with women being more prone to long-term ACL injuries compared to men.

Beyond that, though, much remains the same. The familiar issues persist: broken player interactions ("What do you mean this player wants a new contract with four years left on his deal?") and repetitive press conferences that start to feel like déjà vu after your tenth match week. I have over 1,000 hours in FM 24, and it's the same conversations. Please, lord, make it stop.

Is Football Manager 26 worth it?

Yes — but with an asterisk the size of a Match Day tactics board. The foundation here is undeniably strong. The move to Unity has given FM its biggest technical leap in years; the in-match presentation is genuinely improved, and the inclusion of women’s football finally delivers on a promise SI made long ago. Tactics feel smarter and more flexible, and there’s a level of polish under the hood that suggests real ambition for where the series is headed.

However, for every step forward, FM 26 takes a step sideways — largely due to a frustrating new UI that prioritizes simplicity over depth. The new UI is sleek, much like an empty apartment, but it strips away the intuitive complexity that made FM such a joy to get lost in. Longtime players will feel that friction immediately; the sense of immersion that once pulled you into its spreadsheets and stat lines now feels diluted, hidden behind extra clicks and menus that just don’t need to exist.

And yet, despite my complaints, I know I’ll keep playing. Because that’s the thing about Football Manager: it gets its hooks in you. You can gripe about the interface all day, but the moment you find that one wonderkid or pull off a last-minute equalizer in a cup final, the magic returns.

So yes, Football Manager 26 is worth it — not because it's perfect, but because even at its most frustrating, it still captures the beauty, chaos, and heartbreak of football better than anything else out there.

Tech billionaire and commercial astronaut Jared Isaacman is trying to stem the fallout from a leaked document describing sweeping changes he has proposed for NASA, defending the plan as an incomplete rough draft. 

Some industry stakeholders and bureaucrats have interpreted the plan, known as "Athena," as an effort to cancel major projects, such as SLS, NASA's mega moon rocket, and Gateway, a future lunar space station. Critics have also speculated the plan seeks to shutter some of the agency's 10 campuses. 

President Donald Trump previously tapped Isaacman, the first civilian to perform a spacewalk during a SpaceX mission he personally funded, to lead the U.S. space agency, then abruptly withdrew that nomination in May. The decision to pull Isaacman followed a public spat between Trump and SpaceX founder Elon Musk, who had originally urged the president to select the 42-year-old entrepreneur. 

In a 2,000-word post on X, Isaacman said on Tuesday that his plan had been mischaracterized and distorted by reporters. He called the leak a political maneuver that risked undermining confidence in NASA at a critical juncture. 

Three hours later, Trump announced on his own social media platform, Truth Social, that he was nominating Isaacman for NASA administrator — again.

The controversy unfolds as NASA endures the federal funding lapse, with thousands of civil servants furloughed and most projects on hold. Only essential mission operations — astronaut safety on the International Space Station and the monitoring of active spacecraft — continue under contingency rules. The government shutdown has compounded concerns within the agency, where uncertainty over leadership has left many workers demoralized and rudderless.

"Personally, I think the 'why' behind the timing of this document circulating — and the spin being given to reporters — is the real story," Isaacman said on X. 

SEE ALSO: Astronomy students discover a tiny nearby galaxy hid an enormous secret

The confidential 62-page document, first reported by Politico, was drafted by Isaacman's team earlier this year while he awaited Senate confirmation. The plan, according to reports, laid out a series of changes that many people have viewed as potentially destructive to existing programs and contracts. 

Isaacman, who founded the Shift4 credit card-processing company, confirmed the document’s authenticity but called it outdated and "intended to be a living document refined through data gathering post-confirmation." He said only one printed copy was distributed and that it was a distilled version from a longer plan that had over 40 more pages.

Jared Isaacman became the first private citizen to do a spacewalk during SpaceX's Polaris Dawn mission on Sept. 12, 2024. Credit: SpaceX / X screenshot

The proposal, he wrote, centered on five priorities: reorganizing NASA’s bureaucracy to empower engineers and reduce red tape; expanding astronaut flight opportunities and lunar missions; strengthening partnerships with industry to build a sustainable "orbital economy"; leveraging NASA’s expertise to accelerate scientific discovery; and investing in advanced technologies, such as artificial intelligence and nuclear propulsion.

Isaacman pushed back on claims that the plan sought to eliminate major programs or close NASA centers. He said it merely explored shifting resources and questioned whether existing infrastructure aligned with mission needs.

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"The report never even remotely suggested that America could ever do without the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Personally, I have publicly defended programs like the Chandra X-ray Observatory, offered to fund a Hubble reboost mission," he said, "and anything suggesting that I am anti-science or want to outsource that responsibility is simply untrue."

The businessman also voiced support for acting NASA Administrator Sean Duffy, who is simultaneously the transportation secretary, saying reports of friction between them have been overblown. Both men have expressed interest in overseeing the agency. Duffy had advocated for folding NASA into the Department of Transportation, which would allow him to continue leading it, according to the Wall Street Journal. 

Jared Isaacman testifies during a Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee confirmation hearing on April 9, 2025, before President Donald Trump withdrew the nomination. Trump announced he is renominating Isaacman for the job on Nov. 4, 2025. Credit: Kent Nishimura / Bloomberg / Getty Images

In the backdrop of this scrimmage for control is a renewed space race — this time between the United States and China. NASA has a plan to return humans to the surface of the moon as early as 2027 with Artemis III. But given the tendency for mission timelines to face delays, that may put the astronaut landing neck and neck with China's plan to put the first taikonauts on the moon in 2030. 

Right now SpaceX holds a $4.2 billion contract to supply a moon-lander version of Starship to NASA for the mission. But the spacecraft seems to be running years behind schedule. Duffy, who has promised the United States will get there before China, recently reopened the Artemis III lander contract, much to Musk's chagrin. NASA is now evaluating accelerated plans from both SpaceX and Blue Origin, its competitor founded by Jeff Bezos. 

Meanwhile, many have assumed Isaacman's close ties with Musk will mean favoritism toward SpaceX, regardless of timeline, cost, or concept. Isaacman says he has no loyalties to any aerospace vendors.

"This isn’t an election or campaign for the NASA Administrator job," Isaacman said.

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TL;DR: If you’re looking for a mega-powerful MacBook Pro, you may want to snatch this one up on sale for just $539.99 (reg. $2,799).

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple MacBook Pro 16-Inch 2019 (Refurbished) $539.99
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When it comes to powerful and portable devices, it’s pretty tough to beat the MacBook Pro. This particular model also features upgrades that take it to a whole new level — making it the perfect device for those with demanding workloads.

SEE ALSO: The 8 best Windows laptops of 2025: See how our top-tested picks compare

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