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TL;DR: Get your work done in one convenient spot with MobiOffice, on sale now for just $29.99 (reg. $119.97).

Looking for a one-stop shop when it comes to getting your work done? If you’re sick of hopping from app to app, MobiOffice has you covered. It’s a convenient hub that lets you create presentations, documents, spreadsheets, and organize your email. And it’s currently on sale for $29.99 (reg. $119.97).

You just need one app to handle all your work needs

Want to make your work life a little easier? MobiOffice gives you a convenient spot to get things done — unlike other office suites that make you jump from app to app. You can handle everything from work emails to budget spreadsheets in one place, thanks to four powerful tools within the app.

MobiOffice handles all your document needs, with easy-to-use templates and handy features like spell check and an AI-powered paraphraser. If you need to make a spreadsheet, MobiSheets can help, making data visualization a breeze for everyone from beginners to pros.

If you need to whip up a presentation, MobiSlides contains all the tools you’ll need to wow your colleagues. There are templates, animations, and more to make your information pop. When it comes time to send emails, you can keep tabs on those and your personal calendar within MobiMail.

Rounding out this suite? MobiPDF, a free PDF reader that makes working with these pesky file types much easier.

Get all your work tasks done without hopping around thanks to MobiOffice, on sale now for $29.99 (reg. $119.97).

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TL;DR: Give an old PC a makeover with the Adobe Acrobat Pro and Microsoft Office Professional 2019 License Bundle, on sale now for $89.99 (reg. $553).

Old computers, it’s time to rejoice. You’re about to see a lot more action thanks to the Adobe Acrobat Pro and Microsoft Office Professional 2019 License Bundle, which gives your PC a new lease on life with two powerful tools.

Get this three-year Adobe Acrobat license and a lifetime license to Microsoft Office Professional 2019 together for just $89.99 (reg. $553).

Give your old computer a new lease on life with this bundle

Looking for an easy and affordable way to give yourself a productivity boost? There’s no need to run out and buy a new computer — just let this bundle come to the rescue. It offers a total of eight apps geared toward helping you with your personal and professional tasks.

First up, a three-year license to Adobe Acrobat 2024 Pro, handy PDF editing software that makes these difficult files more manageable. This tool lets you create new PDFs from scratch, edit text on existing PDFs, and convert PDFs to Microsoft Word, Excel, or PowerPoint files.

Working with sensitive information? You can also password-protect your PDFs or redact confidential information with Adobe Acrobat 2024 Pro. It’s all straightforward thanks to this app’s new interface, which makes the PDF editing tools easy to find and use.

When you’re done working with PDFs, you can take advantage of the seven apps included with Microsoft Office Professional 2019. This license outfits your PC with Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote, Publisher, and Access, all redesigned with improved features and cloud connectivity.

Upgrade your computer with this Adobe Acrobat Pro and Microsoft Office Professional 2019 License Bundle, on sale now for $89.99 (reg. $553).

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It's another moon phase tonight, which means the moon will look around half full (or, half gone?). But what phase is it, and what does it mean? Let's find out.

What is today’s moon phase?

As of Monday, Oct. 13, the moon phase is Third Quarter. Tonight, only 53% will be lit up, according to NASA's Daily Moon Observation.

Third Quarter is also known as the Last Quarter. This occurs when then there is half a moon, but the left side is lit. First Quarter occurs when the right side is lit.

There's plenty to see on the moon's surface tonight, even with half of the moon in darkness. With just your naked eye, enjoy a glimpse of the Mare Imbrium, Aristarchus Plateau, and the Kepler Crater. If you want to take your moon gazing a bit more seriously, take out a pair of binoculars. With these, you'll see even more, including the Clavius and Alphonsus Craters and the Mare Humorum. And if you're lucky enough to have a telescope, you'll see all this plus the Apollo 14 and 15 landing spots, and the Reiner Gamma, a lunar swirl on the moon's surface.

When is the next full moon?

The next full moon will be on Nov. 5.

What are moon phases?

Moon phases are a cycle that occur every 29.5 days, as the moon travels around Earth. The changes happen because the Sun, Earth, and Moon are always moving relative to each other. From here on Earth, the Moon can look full, partly lit, or even completely dark, but we always see the same side. What’s different each night is how much sunlight is hitting it.

The eight main moon phases are:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Here's a pro top for gamers: Success is all about small margins. Whether you are looking to invest in a new gaming mouse, keyboard, or monitor, the objective is the same. Hardware is made to improve your overall experience and therefore gain a competitive edge over other players. No matter how small the variables, you've got to be in it to win it.

The same goes for SSDs. Sure, they're little, but these devices can have a significant impact on your gaming system. And it's never not a good time for an upgrade. SSDs (solid state drives) have become the standard memory hardware for a reason and the technology moves — like the very best SSDs — at blazing speeds.

That's all very well, but it you don't know your SSDs from your RPGs, it's not easy to select the right model for you and your computer. That's why we're here to help. Keep reading for some useful information on solid state drives and a selection of the best SSDs available for gaming right now.

What is an SSD?

A solid-state drives is an all-electronic, non-volatile random access storage device. SSDs are used as the internal storage in smartphones, tablets, and laptops, and are increasingly often found instead of hard drives in desktop computers. This is because they work faster, meaning a device's operating system will boot up faster, programs will load quicker, and files can be saved almost instantly.

Do you need an SSD for gaming?

The short answer is "no, not necessarily". If you are already equipped with decent CPU, RAM, GPU, and storage, you should have no issue with your gaming system. However, if you are really looking to squeeze everything you can out of your experience, you could benefit from investing in a gaming-friendly SSD. Adding an SSD will result in faster game load times, improved game boot times, and smoother general gameplay. And what gamer doesn't want that? It's a no brainer.

Do you need an SSD for a PS5?

In this case, we say "yes, absolutely". The PS5 comes equipped with just 667GB of usable internal storage. Not only will that fill up in no time, but we're just really just scratching the surface of PS5 gaming. That means there's still a whole lot of games, campaigns, and data to come that you'll need extra storage to enjoy.

How does an SSD work?

Unlike a hard disc drive, an SSD is made up of two key components: A controller and flash memory chips. The SSD reads and writes data to these flash memory chips. If that all sounds confusing, here's a quick guide to some of the jargon:

• Endurance — This refers to the maximum data that can be written onto an SSD, generally measured by DWPD (drive writes per day).

• Flash memory — A type of non-volatile data storage. It essentially means that it retains data even when the power source is switched off.

• Heatsink — A heatsink transfers heat from your SSD. A heatsink may be built into your SSD, or can be bought separately.

• Read/write speeds — This is how fast the SSD takes to open a file on your device (i.e. read) and how fast it saves data on the SSD (writes). This is measured in MB/s (megabits per second). These speeds are sometimes measured in IOPS (input/output operations per second) depending on the manufacturer.

• SATA — Serial ATA is an interface that connects the SSD to your computer. It has typically been the standard connecting technology. SATA SSDs have max speeds of around 600 MB/s.

• PCIe — PCI Express is an alternative, faster interface used on later gen SSDs with speeds of 3,000 MB/s or more.

• NVMe — This is a high-speed transfer protocol. NVMe SSDs usually use PCIe, so SSDs are generally defined as either SATA or NVMe.

We know that's a lot to take in, but we promise it's not that complicated. Keep these points in mind when considering the options out there.

What is the best SSD for gaming?

You have plenty of options when it comes to SSDs. There are a lot of recognised brands that produce high-quality devices that can significantly improve your gaming experience. To help you find the best option for your system, we have lined up a selection of the best SSDs for gaming.

These are the best gaming SSDs in 2025.

A small but significant victory for OpenAI: the court order requiring the company to preserve all of its ChatGPT data indefinitely has been lifted.

The original May 13 order — which OpenAI vehemently opposed — stemmed from an ongoing lawsuit filed by the New York Times in 2023. The paper alleges that OpenAI trained its AI models on Times content without proper authorization or compensation. The NYT is one of several news publishers currently suing OpenAI and Microsoft for copyright infringement, including The Intercept, Alternet, and Mashable's own parent company, ZiffDavis.

In a new order filed on Oct. 9, federal judge Ona T. Wang released OpenAI from its obligation to "preserve and segregate all output log data that would otherwise be deleted on a going-forward basis." With a few exceptions, the company is no longer required to maintain logs past Sept. 26.

The initial preservation order had allowed NYT to investigate its claims of copyright infringement. OpenAI, however, argued that the requirement was an "overreach" — one that could compromise user privacy and data security. The company ultimately lost that fight, with Judge Wang ruling that ChatGPT users are "non-parties" to the lawsuit. By July, the plaintiffs had begun combing through the preserved logs, which largely consisted of ChatGPT outputs.

Although the preservation order has now been rescinded, any logs saved under it remain accessible. OpenAI is also still required to retain logs linked to accounts specifically flagged by the New York Times.

Disclosure: Ziff Davis, Mashable’s parent company, in April filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in training and operating its AI systems.

What’s the solution for someone trying to sober up, still wants to hang in beer culture, but also kind of misses being drunk? According to Saturday Night Live, it’s simple: non-non-alcoholic beer.

In the fake commercial, Andrew Dismukes plays a chipper spokesperson and family man who proudly drinks non-alcoholic beer so he can "do the right thing" while still kicking back with the guys. But before long, he realizes something’s missing — namely, the part where you actually get drunk.

Enter non-non-alcoholic beer: the first "alcohol-free" beverage that’s somehow over 90 percent alcohol.

Of course, things take a darkly funny turn. Just like the "CouplaBeers" sketch from Season 50, our happy host’s drinking problem quickly shines through. His buddy (Kam Patterson) points out his breath smells like gasoline, and his wife (Ashley Padilla) starts to worry he’s fallen off the wagon.

The commercial’s big selling point: "Now I can drink and drive." Cue the horrified laughter.

You know a show has crossed into the pop-culture mainstream when it lands a spoof on Saturday Night Live. And that’s exactly what’s happened to Netflix’s glossy murder melodrama The Hunting Wives.

For the uninitiated, the show follows Brittany Snow (played here by Chloe Fineman) as a young woman from the East Coast who relocates to East Texas with her husband after a deadly drunk-driving accident. Once there, she becomes infatuated with her husband’s boss, played in the real series by Malin Akerman — and by Amy Poehler in the sketch — as the two spiral into a mess of drugs, secrets, and a young girl’s murder.

It’s got all the ingredients of a deliciously trashy Netflix hit, somewhere between You and Yellowstone. But what it’s really famous for — and what SNL zeroes in on — is just how gay the whole thing is. "Millions of Americans tuned into season one of The Hunting Wives, the straight-but-lesbian, horny Republican murder drama," the sketch’s narrator declares.

The parody nails every hallmark of the show: the overly sensual "teaching moments" between the lead women, gratuitous thigh-touching, terrible wigs, and — because it’s still a sudsy thriller at heart — wildly inappropriate relationships between adults and barely legal teens.

Even Aubrey Plaza pops up as a new arrival to the neighborhood, an actual lesbian whose presence isn’t exactly welcomed by the Hunting Wives themselves.

Saturday Night Live continues its 51st season with a sharp take on the bizarre, roundabout Senate Judiciary Committee hearing featuring President Trump’s attorney general, Pam Bondi.

Bondi, played by this week’s host Amy Poehler, sits before Congress to face an avalanche of alleged transgressions from the Trump administration — including the Epstein Files, the deployment of troops in American cities, and the indictment of former FBI chief James Comey.

Unsurprisingly, just like in real life, SNL’s Pam Bondi has no answers.

"Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God?" asks Senator Grassley, played by James Austin Johnson. Bondi replies with a resounding "no."

Instead, the attorney general comes armed with insults for each Committee member. When that fails, she calls in backup: former SNL stalwart Tina Fey, nearly unrecognizable under layers of MAGA makeup, as Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.

Today's Wordle answer is difficult simply because one uncommon letter could leave you with more guesses than chances to guess.

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 October 11, 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 October 12, 2025 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

An injury.

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 W.

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...

WOUND

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 October 12, 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.

The NYT Connections puzzle today isn't too hard as long as you don't overthink it.

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.

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

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 October 12, 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: Longstanding

• Green: Opposite of ending

• Blue: Feathered friends

• Purple: Same first word

Featured Video For You Connections: How to play and how to win Here are today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: For all time

• Green: Establishes

• Blue: Birds

• Purple: Happy ____

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 #854 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• For all time: ETERNAL, EVERLASTING, FOREVER, PERMANENT

• Establishes: BEGINS, INSTITUTES, LAUNCHES, PIONEERS

• Birds: KITE, ROBIN, SWALLOW, SWIFT

• Happy ____: DAYS, ENDING, RETURNS, TRAILS

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 October 12, 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.

TL;DR: Get a lifetime subscription to the AdGuard Family Plan for just $15.97 with code FAMPLAN (MSRP $169.99) through 11:59 p.m. PT on Oct. 12 and protect 9 devices from ads, trackers, and online threats.

Tired of dodging pop-ups, dealing with slow-loading websites, and feeling like your every move online might be tracked? You’re not alone. The internet should be a safe, smooth, and private space. The AdGuard Family Plan can help you smooth things out, digitally speaking.

For just $15.97 with promo code FAMPLAN, you’ll get lifetime protection for up to nine devices. Whether it’s your phone, tablet, or laptop, AdGuard blocks intrusive ads, prevents trackers from snooping on your data, and shields your family from possible malicious websites.

Ads aren’t just annoying; they slow down your browsing, eat up your data, and sometimes even carry malware. And if you’ve got kids online, you want to make sure they’re safe from inappropriate content. The AdGuard Family Plan does all that and more. With built-in parental controls, you can filter out harmful sites and ensure your family’s online experience is both secure and enjoyable.

With up to 9 devices covered, the AdGuard Family Plan is ideal for households where everyone’s connected. And because it’s a one-time payment for lifetime access, you’ll never have to worry about recurring fees or annoying subscription renewals.

So, whether you’re protecting your own devices or your whole family’s, AdGuard makes it easy to have a more peaceful online experience. Say goodbye to annoying ads and hello to a safer, faster internet.

Don’t miss the opportunity to save on a lifetime of AdGuard Family Plan protection while it’s just $15.97 (MSRP $169.99) with code FAMPLAN through Oct. 12 at 11:59 p.m. PT.

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Opens in a new window Credit: AdGuard AdGuard Family Plan: Lifetime Subscription $15.97
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TL;DR: Learn piano for life with Skoove Premium Piano Lessons, only $109.97 (MSRP $299.99) while you can.

These days, you don’t need a classroom or a strict schedule to learn piano. Skoove Premium Piano Lessons lets you learn on your own terms, right from the comfort of your own home. All you need is the Skoove app, a keyboard, and a phone, tablet, or laptop.

Currently, you can secure a lifetime subscription to Skoove Premium Piano Lessons for just $109.97 (MSRP $299.99).

Piano lessons that work around your schedule

If you’ve ever wanted to pick up an instrument, Skoove Premium Piano Lessons lets you fit it into your busy schedule. There are no specific times or appointments to make — just grab your keyboard, open the app, and start playing. It’s ready to school total newbies and skilled pianists alike.

Over one million people are taking advantage of Skoove’s flexibility. There are more than 400 lessons and thousands of instructional videos in the app, and thanks to the power of AI, Skoove can listen to your playing and recognize your notes. It provides real-time feedback, and if you have any issues, there are music instructors available for more guidance.

You get to learn piano using music you actually like — from pop songs by Adele to classical tunes from Beethoven. And monthly updates ensure you never run out of fresh music to play.

Keep improving your piano skills for life with this lifetime subscription to Skoove Premium Piano Lessons for just $109.97 (MSRP $299.99).

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Opens in a new window Credit: Skoove Skoove Premium Piano Lessons: Lifetime Subscription $109.97
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TL;DR: Windows 11 Pro is just $9.97 (MSRP $199) until 11:59 p.m. PT tonight — the smartest way to modernize your PC with a clean UI, better multitasking, and improved security.

Some upgrades just feel right. This is one of them.

If your PC has been running a little sluggish or you’ve been meaning to bring your system up to speed, Windows 11 Pro is just $9.97 (MSRP $199) through 11:59 p.m. PT tonight — a rare, time-sensitive offer that rewards quick, savvy decisions.

This isn’t about chasing trends; it’s more about giving your computer the modern foundation it deserves. Windows 11 Pro brings a sleeker UI, better multitasking, and enhanced security — all in a one-time lifetime license.

Think of it as the difference between driving a reliable car and suddenly upgrading to one with a smarter dashboard, smoother handling, and built-in security features.

For professionals, creators, and power users, this upgrade also unlocks features like Hyper-V, Windows Sandbox, BitLocker encryption, and seamless Azure AD integration — tools that make a real difference when you’re working across projects or managing sensitive data.

And yes, Windows 11 comes with Copilot, Microsoft’s AI-powered assistant that can summarize pages, change settings, or even help you generate code on the fly. It’s like having a co-pilot (literally) inside your OS.

But you don’t need convincing — you already know a smart upgrade when you see one.

Get Windows 11 Pro for just $9.97 (MSRP $199) through Oct. 12 at 11:59 p.m. PT.

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It's the moon's last night in Waning Gibbous before we're at a half moon. There's less and less visible each night, but keep reading to see what you can see tonight, Oct. 12.

What is today’s moon phase?

As of Sunday, Oct. 12, the moon phase is Waning Gibbous. Tonight, only 64% will be lit up, according to NASA's Daily Moon Observation.

If you look closely enough, without any visual aids, you can spot the Aristarchus Plateau, the Mare Imbrium, and the Mare Vaporum. Add binoculars to see the Grimaldi Basin, the Apennine Mountains, and the Alps Mountains. And if you have a telescope, you'll also see the Apollo 12 landing spot, Reiner Gamma, and Schiller Crater.

When is the next full moon?

The next full moon will be on Nov. 5.

What are moon phases?

NASA tells us the Moon goes through eight phases as it makes its 29.5-day trip around Earth. The changes happen because the Sun, Earth, and Moon are always moving relative to each other. From here on Earth, the Moon can look full, partly lit, or even completely dark, but we always see the same side. What’s different each night is how much sunlight is hitting it.

The eight main moon phases are:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

If you're building a gaming PC from scratch or upgrading your current set-up, there's a list of basic hardware that's absolutely essential: The monitor, the keyboard, the PC itself (of course). But don't sleep on the importance of the graphics card. This powerful component is responsible for everything you see when you're gaming or using the PC in any capacity, and a great graphics card — or, indeed, a dud one — can be the difference between an incredible or lacklustre gaming experience.

But getting the right graphics card is sometimes easier said than done. There is just so much tech available — all with the rapidly-accelerating specifications and capabilities — and there's so much to consider in terms of what works for your computer and its compatibility. It’s all too easy to get blinded by science and muddled by jargon.

Fear not, PC gamers. We can help put you in the picture with the best graphics cards on the market. And just in case you’re new to the world of PC gaming, or you need a refresher, we've put together a quick guide on everything you need to know, along with a selection of the best graphics cards you can buy right now.

What is a graphics card?

A graphics card aka GPU is one of the most important parts of any PC. It works alongside the CPU (or processor) to turn data into images. The best graphics cards process data at a faster rate and make those images sharper and more realistic. Modern graphics cards are capable of processing incredible 3D images with an almost non-existent lag between the commands you physically input with your controller or keyboard and the resulting action on the monitor.

Do you really need a graphics card?

If you’re a reasonably enthusiastic PC gamer, then yes. Games are becoming increasingly sophisticated, with ever improving 4K and ray tracing, so you’ll need the hardware to keep up with the pace. PC gamers are familiar with upgrading their machines regularly and the graphics card is the key component in next gen-level gaming. However, if you're just using your computer for everyday tasks, such as web browsing, emails, and video streaming, a specialised GPU is probably unnecessary.

Are graphics cards only for gamers?

Graphics cards are widely associated with gaming and that’s where most of the power lies. However, graphics cards can be important for creative professionals and designers too, with processing capabilities for video editing and decoding, 3D rendering, and graphic design-based apps. If you're upgrading your GPU for creative design work, check that it’s made to handle those tasks. Some graphics cards are for gaming only.

What is VRAM?

You're no doubt familiar with regular RAM (random access memory). VRAM is the graphics card equivalent (it stands for video random access memory) and is a core component with the graphics card. It effectively stores all the data your GPU needs to create images in a "pool". Different graphic cards have different VRAM gigabyte capabilities. A standard 8GB will be sufficient for gaming at 1080p but you'll need something more powerful for 4K gaming or tasks such as video editing. In that case look for 16GB of VRAM or more.

Will every graphics fit your computer?

Not necessarily. It depends on the size of the PC or laptop. Not to mention the fact that more powerful graphics cards can actually be quite big. Be sure to check out the measurements before you buy a GPU, as well as your machine capacity. But that's not the only thing you need to look out for when it comes to compatibility. Be sure that the PC can supply the GPU's power requirements (or PSU wattage to use the proper computer jargon) and that the PCle slots are compatible.

What is PCIe?

PCIe stands for peripheral component interconnect express. In layman's terms, it's a connection point to the motherboard and allows the transfer of high-speed data. In other words, this is the interface where you connect your graphics card. All the GPUs listed below are PCIe 5.0, the most advanced version in consumer tech.

Does Nvidia make the best graphics cards?

A cursory glance at online reviews would suggest that to be the case. Nvidia GeForce GPUs lead the pack, certainly in the mid-range and premium end of the market. That doesn’t mean you have to pay big bucks for the best Nvidia GeForce GPU. Top competitor AMD offer good options, particularly at lower price points.

What are third party graphics cards?

This is when another manufacturer uses the GPU of a top brand — such as Nvidia and AMD — to create its own version. These are perfectly acceptable and in some cases more readily available. When Nvidia drops a new product, for instance, they can be like GPU gold dust. In which case it’s easier to get a third party version.

What is the best graphics card?

That’s really for you to decide, based on the specifications and requirements of your PC setup. What we can tell you, however, is that we’ve done the work of researching for you. We've scanned the internet and reviews to find the best options for every gamer.

These are the best graphics cards in 2025.

Today's Connections: Sports Edition requires some knowledge of cards.

As we've shared in previous hints stories, this is a version of the popular New York Times word game that seeks to test the knowledge of sports fans.

Like the original Connections, 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 the latest 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: Sports Edition?

The NYT's latest daily word game has launched in association with The Athletic, the New York Times property that provides the publication's sports coverage. 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: Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL. Here's a hint for today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

Want a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:

• Yellow: Teams in the City of Lakes

• Green: Shorthand soccer teams

• Blue: Gold medal gymnasts

• Purple: Words with bodily functions

Featured Video For You Connections: How to play and how to win Here are today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

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

• Yellow: Minnesota Teams

• Green: Premier League Teams, Familiarly

• Blue: First Names of U.S. Women's Gymnasts

• Purple: Ends in a Body Part

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: Sports Edition #384 is...

What is the answer to Connections: Sports Edition today?

• Minnesota Teams - LYNX, TWINS, VIKINGS, WILD

• Premier League Teams, Familiarly - CITY, FOREST, VILLA, WOLVES

• First Names of U.S. Women's Gymnasts - JADE, JORDAN, SIMONE, SUNISA

• Ends in a Body Part - BACKFLIP, BUCKEYE, CHAMPIONSHIP, METCALF

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be new sports Connections 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.

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.

Happy Friday and 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 October 11, 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 October 11, 2025 Easy difficulty hints, answers for Oct. 12 Pips

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

Equal (2): Everything in this space must be equal to 2. The answer is 3-2, placed horizontally; 2-2, placed vertically; 2-0, placed horizontally; 2-1, placed vertically.

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

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

Medium difficulty hints, answers for Oct. 12 Pips

Greater Than (5): Everything in this space must be greater than 5. The answer is 6-2, placed horizontally.

Number (10): Everything in this space must add to 10. The answer is 0-5, placed vertically; 3-5, placed horizontally.

Equal (3): Everything in this space must be equal to 3. The answer is 0-3, placed horizontally; 3-5, placed horizontally; 1-3, placed horizontally; 3-2, placed vertically.

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

Number (2): Everything in this space must add to 2. The answer is 1-5, placed horizontally; 1-3, placed horizontally.

Number (7): Everything in this space must add to 7. The answer is 1-5, placed horizontally; 3-2, placed vertically.

Hard difficulty hints, answers for Oct. 11 Pips

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

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

Equal (4): Everything in this space must be equal to 4. The answer is 4-4, placed vertically; 4-5, placed vertically.

Not Equal: Everything in this space must be different. The answer is 5-1, placed horizontally; 4-0, placed vertically; 6-0, placed vertically; 4-2, placed vertically.

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

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

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

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

Not Equal: Everything in this space must be different. The answer is 2-6, placed vertically; 4-6, placed vertically; 5-3, placed horizontally.

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

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

Today's NYT Strands hints are easy if have the right deck.

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 October 12, 2025 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for October 12, 2025 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Follow suit

The words are related to cards.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe card games.

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 Trick Taking.

Featured Video For You Strands 101: How to win NYT’s latest word game NYT Strands word list for October 12

• Whist

• Bridge

• Euchre

• Pinochle

• Spades

• Hearts

• Trick Taking

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.

Following San Diego Comic-Con this summer, New York Comic-Con brought even more exciting announcements. Here's a running list of TV and movie trailer drops and sneak peeks you need to know about.

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is a prequel to Game of Thrones, taking place a century before the events of the original series. Based on novellas by George R.R. Martin, A Knight of Seven Kingdoms will follow shabby knight Sir Duncan the Tall (Peter Claffey) and his squire, Egg (Dexter Sol Ansell).

How to watch: A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms premieres January 18 on HBO Max.

Marvel's Wonder Man miniseries teaser

Marvel dropped a teaser for Wonder Man, an eight-episode miniseries. The trailer is pretty meta, with talk of an in-universe reboot of a Wonder Man movie. "I know your question is, 'Why one more superhero film?'" a reclusive director character says in an interview. "Everyone is tired of superheroes" — saying what many fans watching the teaser must be thinking. According to Entertainment Weekly, the series itself will be pretty meta as well, with the actual hero auditioning to be the movie version of Wonder Man.

"Have you given any thought about casting?" the interviewer asks, with the final shot of the teaser being Wonder Man (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) staring at his phone, watching.

On Marvel's website, it states that Wonder Man premieres in December, but Entertainment Weekly reported that it's shifted to January.

How to watch: Wonder Man premieres on Disney+ in January 2026.

Invincible Season 4 gets a release date

At SDCC in July, creator Robert Kirkman updated fans about Invincible Season 4, like that Matthew Rhys will be voicing Dr. David Anders/Dinosaurus. Kirkman also revealed that Grand Regent Thragg, ruler of the Viltrum Empire, would debut — and now as of NYCC, we know who will voice him: Lee Pace, Variety reported. An entire trailer dropped, as well as a release date (March).

How to watch: Invincible Season 4 premieres on Amazon Prime in March 2026.

Mercy trailer drops

Chris Pratt and Rebecca Ferguson star in this new sci-fi movie, Mercy, from Amazon MGM, releasing in January. "Mercy" is an advanced AI who acts as judge, jury, and executioner according to the trailer. (Not totally terrifying or topical at all!) Pratt plays Detective Raven, who helped develop the program, now on trial for murdering his wife. If he can't prove his innocence in 90 minutes to Mercy (Ferguson), the AI will kill him.

How to watch: Mercy will be released in theaters on January 23.

The Vampire Lestat extended first look

The Vampire Lestat, Season 3 of the AMC+ Interview With The Vampire adaptation, takes a bite at Anne Rice's second book in her Vampire Chronicles series. While Interview focused on Louis de Pointe du Lac's (Jacob Anderson) journey from human to vampire, The Vampire Lestat stars his (former) vampiric lover, Lestat de Lioncourt (Sam Reid) — in case the title didn't make that obvious. While the first trailer dropped last year at SDCC, fans will have to wait until next year for the entire season to drop, so AMC+ must've felt merciful to give fans an extended look at the 2025 NYCC.

How to watch: The Vampire Lestat premieres in 2026 on AMC+.

Adventure Time: Fionna and Cake drops Season 2 trailer

Fans at New York Comic Con got their first glimpse of Season 2 of Adventure Time: Fionna and Cake, the beloved alternate-universe duo’s next chapter. This time around, the pair set off on fresh adventures following their multiverse-hopping journey in Season 1.

The new ten-episode season premieres Thursday, Oct. 23, on HBO Max. New episodes will air weekly through Dec. 25.

Release dates for new seasons of Spider-Man, X-Men '97, and Daredevil: Born Again

Marvel Animation has given fans a clearer timeline for when to expect new seasons of its acclaimed Disney+ series: Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, X-Men ’97, and Daredevil: Born Again.

Season 2 of the animated web-slinger is set to debut in fall 2026, featuring the return of a classic-suit Daredevil and the introduction of Venom to the series.

Marvel also confirmed that X-Men ’97 has been renewed for a third season, with Season 2 arriving in summer 2026. Fans in attendance were also treated to an early look at Daredevil: Born Again Season 2, which premieres in March 2026 and marks the long-awaited MCU return of Krysten Ritter’s Jessica Jones.

First look at Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 4

Paramount+ has unveiled the latest installment of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, the hit Trek spinoff continuing the adventures of Captain Christopher Pike and the starship Enterprise. Where they’ll go next is anyone’s guess — but adventure, as always, awaits.

In the new clip premiered at New York Comic Con, the crew finds themselves trapped in a perilous, disorienting storm that puts both their ship and their resolve to the test.

No release date has been announced yet, but Paramount confirmed back in June that Strange New Worlds has been renewed for a fifth and final season.

Check back for more developments as NYCC continues.

Save $55: As of Oct. 11, Walmart.com has the Fitbit Charge 6 on sale for 30% off. It costs $104.45, down from its list price of $159.95. 

Opens in a new window Credit: Fitbit Fitbit Charge 6 Fitness Tracker with Heart Rate $104.45 at walmart
$159.95 Save $55.50 Get Deal

This weekend, Walmart.com has an excellent deal going on the Fitbit Charge 6. If you’re someone who likes to jog, hike, or bike among the changing leaves of fall, consider scoring a new Fitbit to track your progress.

The Fitbit Charge 6 has the most accurate heart rate tracking technology yet, according to the brand. Firstly, the device is packed full of fitness and health monitoring features that I will break down in a second. The device is also an excellent smartwatch; stay connected to Google Maps, Google Wallet, and get call, text, and app notifications as much (or as little) as you’d like. 

The Fitbit also offers some fun aesthetic features, including different band colors (black, white, or coral). The vibrant touchscreen has watch faces that are fully customizable. The brand offers wrist straps in two sizes: small (140 mm–180 mm) or large (180 mm–220 mm). The battery life can last up to 6 days on one charge and is water-resistant for up to 50m.

As for the health features, there are many. The Fitbit Charge 6 features ECG and irregular heart rhythm notifications, oxygen saturation monitoring (Sp02). The device also offers notifications for an unusually low or high resting heart rate. You can also utilize your Fitbit Charge 6 for sleep wellness with smart wake alarms, nightly sleep scores, and on-wrist guided mindfulness sessions. Purchase of this model also includes a premium membership that gives users access to guided workouts, meditation sessions, and “deeper wellness insights”.