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SAVE $150.04: As of Dec. 31, get the Dyson Ball Animal 3 vacuum for $299.95, down from its usual price of $449.99 at Amazon. That's a discount of 33%.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Dyson Ball Animal 3 vacuum $299.95 at Amazon
$449.99 Save $150.04   Get Deal

If one of your New Year's resolutions includes keeping a cleaner house or doing a big purge, a great vacuum is a must-have. You don't want to clean your place up only to have dirt and debris everywhere left over after your hard work. If you're ready to pick one up, Amazon has you covered these last moments of 2025 with a deal on a vacuum that can help you power through all your cleaning tasks for next year.

As of Dec. 31, get the Dyson Ball Animal 3 vacuum for $299.95, down from its usual price of $449.99 at Amazon. That's $150.04 off and a discount of 33%.

SEE ALSO: I found the best robot vacuums for every floor, budget, and level of laziness (after testing 30+ models)

This is a satisfyingly powerful upright vacuum that can handle just about any mess you throw at it. Whether you need help cutting through stubborn dirt, pet hair, or other nastiness in your carpet, it's built to tackle it all. Its suction comes from Dyson's radial root cyclone technology, which works in tandem with the vacuum's motorbar cleaner with detangling features to power through messes. Plus, it can automatically clear wrapped hair from the brush bar on its own.

With three suction modes, it's built to handle all types of floors, and the ball makes the vacuum itself simple to maneuver. It has a lengthy cord and whole-machine filtration to ensure all the dirt and dust particles you trap while working stay in the vacuum, so your house stays cleaner.

If you plan on improving your cleaning sessions in 2026, this vacuum is a no-brainer. Grab yours while it's still on sale.

SAVE 47%: As of Dec. 31, you can get the ZOBER large Christmas tree storage bag for just $9.99, down from $18.99, at Amazon. That's a 47% discount or a $9 price cut.

ZOBER large Christmas tree storage bag $9.99 at Amazon
$18.99 Save $9.00   Get Deal at Amazon

Deciding when to take down the Christmas tree is the ultimate post-holiday Rorschach test. For some, the tree is "clutter" the second the clock strikes midnight on the 26th. For others, aka the "cozy" crowd (hi, it's me), it's a homey hill to die on that stays until Feb. 2 (also known as "Candlemas").

SEE ALSO: See 2025 New Year’s Eve fireworks, 2026 countdown livestreams around the world

Whenever you do decide to admit the holidays are over, you’re going to need a way to shove that 9-foot symbol of joy into a crawl space, storage unit, attic, etc. And right now, you can get the ZOBER 9-Foot Large Christmas tree storage bag on sale for $9.99, down from $18.99, at Amazon. That's a 47% discount (or $9 off).

The bag is made of waterproof polyethylene plastic, so it'll protect your tree from dust, moisture, and whatever else is living in your attic. It features stitch-reinforced handles for easy carrying and a dual zipper that opens wide so you don't have to wrestle the tree back into its original cardboard box. Plus, there's a label card slot on the side, so you don't accidentally pull down the Halloween decorations next December.

For many people, New Year's resolutions begin with an app download. Fitness trackers and habit builders have become the default way we mark January as a turning point, especially in the wellness space.

But resolutions, even when mediated by gentle push notifications, still arrive loaded with expectation.

SEE ALSO: I ran the NYC Marathon wearing 7 fitness trackers and they all watched me throw up

As TikTok creator @notwildlin put it in a video with more than 210,000 views, while the New Year is framed as a "chance for renewal," an "opportunity," even a "portal," there’s a moment where that mindset can turn inward. "At some point, you have to stop being the first person to abandon yourself," he says.

SEE ALSO: Huberman husbands and the rise of self-optimization

"You can't keep throwing it all off the table and building it from scratch," he says in the video. "You are not a Phoenix, you're a human being. And the foundation that you built for yourself is not so insignificant that you should be so willing and eager to undermine it and to start over. You've done enough! You've done a lot!"

That tension becomes especially visible around fitness and wellness resolutions, which are often framed less around how we feel and more around how our bodies look — ideals that have long been shaped by white-supremacist beauty standards.

Still, if you’re entering the New Year with hope and curiosity about feeling better, there's an app designed to support that.

Strava

There's a reason Strava is so beloved by so many for so long. Part social media, part fitness tracker, Strava is a great way to track your workouts while staying connected with friends. Plus, with the premium subscription, you can compare your workouts week by week, month by month, and year by year.

SEE ALSO: With Strava, no one runs alone anymore. That's the problem.

Strava is probably best suited for individuals who have a resolution tied to cardio, such as racing a 5K, biking to work once a week, or hiking 500 miles. It's great for keeping track of other workouts, including weightlifting or rock climbing, but the map tracking and mileage counter can't be beat.

Productive

This habit tracker is one of the most recommended in the self-improvement subreddit.

You can use the app to track almost any goal, from drinking a specific number of glasses of water daily to taking 10,000 steps. And you can see all of your progress over time, which makes it very fun — and validating! — to look at in March after you've really committed.

Hevy

There are numerous apps for tracking weightlifting progress, from Hevy to Fitbod to Boostcamp. Hevy provides a detailed breakdown of your progress over the year, including the number of times you lifted, the number of PRs you achieved, and the total number of reps you completed.

One user says it has "great watch integration," while others find the free version sufficient. But you may eventually want to upgrade to the paid version, depending on the number of custom workouts you plan to use.

Apple Fitness

If you're looking for a fitness app that tracks your workouts and gives you workouts to try, Apple Fitness is the way to go. This app works particularly well if you have devices within the Apple ecosystem. (If you don't, you might want to try the Peloton app, which also has great workouts.)

Calm

This app, along with apps like Headspace, is ideal if your fitness goals are more closely tied to the health and well-being of your brain. If you want to get started with more meditation in the new year, try an app like Calm.

SAVE UP TO $180: Several new and unlocked Apple iPhone models are on sale at Best Buy in its year end sale. Save as much as $180 on a new iPhone 14, 15, 16, 16e, or 16 Plus as of Dec. 31.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Shop unlocked Apple iPhone deals at Best Buy Save up to $180 Shop Now

Looking to start the new year with a new phone? Apple users are being blessed with a rare opportunity to score an unlocked iPhone at a discounted price.

Typically, you'll find unlocked phone deals on basically every brand except Apple when major sales like Prime Day or Black Friday happen — Samsung, Google, Motorola, and even the UK-based brand Nothing. Finding a meaningful discount on an unlocked iPhone, on the other hand, is practically unheard of. If you're looking for iPhone deals, you're usually still better off locking in a contract with a carrier or buying refurbished.

As of Dec. 31, however, Best Buy is offering a lineup of new, unlocked iPhones for up to $180 off in its year-end sale. While there are no brand-new iPhone 17 models in the sale, there are iPhone 16s, which honestly aren't too much different (and actually look better). There are also older iPhone 15 and iPhone 14 models available; they're still new (not refurbished) and unlocked. That means you don't need to coordinate a trade-in or data plan at a specific carrier, and you won't be carrier-locked when traveling abroad.

We've rounded up the best unlocked iPhone deals below — lock in the discount ASAP, as we can't guarantee it'll stick around long.

Best unlocked iPhone deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple iPhone 16 (128GB, Unlocked) $659.99 at Best Buy
$729.99 Save $70   Get Deal Why we like it

Released in September of 2024, the iPhone 16 was Apple's most appealing entry-level model in years. It doesn't skimp on features compared to its Pro and Pro Max siblings; the basic 16 features the new Camera Control button, a tougher display, improved zoom up to 2X, the Action Button (inherited from the 15 Pro and Pro Max), three gorgeous new colors (Ultramarine, Pink, and Teal), and Apple Intelligence. Mashable's reviewer writes, "I suspect I'd be 'complete' with the iPhone 16, which is a rare feeling when it comes to entry-level smartphones these days." At only $659.99, it's also a hard deal to pass up — especially when you compare it to the iPhone 17 base model, which costs an extra $140.

More unlocked iPhone deals

• Apple iPhone 15 (128GB, unlocked) — $499.99 $629.99 (save $130)

• Apple iPhone 16e (128GB, unlocked) — $549.99 $599.99 (save $50)

• Apple iPhone 15 (256GB, unlocked) — $549.99 $729.99 (save $180)

• Apple iPhone 14 (128GB, unlocked) — $549.99 $629.99 (save $70)

• Apple iPhone 16 Plus (128GB, unlocked) — $759.99 $829.99 (save $70)

• Apple iPhone 16 Plus (256GB, unlocked) — $929.99 $999.99 (save $70)

Best space heater deals at a glance Best overall space heater deal Shark TurboBlade Cool + Heat $249.99 (save $150) Get Deal Best oil heater deal Dreo Oil-Filled Radiatior 153 (Gray) $84.98 (save $15.01) Get Deal Best tower heater deal Lasko Oscillating Ceramic Tower Heater $69.99 (save $15) Get Deal Best whole-room space heater deal Vornado Velocity Cube 5 $107.99 (save $12) Get Deal Best space heater deal for small spaces Dreo Smart Wall Heater $89.99 (save $10) Get Deal

As we sit waiting for 2025 to end and 2026 to begin, a lot of us are dealing with a deep chill. It's cold all over the country, including in tropical Florida, where many of us flock to each winter for reprieve from the cold. Sure, we can re-watch "Heated Rivalry" to warm up, but you might also want to enlist the help of a space heater.

These portable appliances can transform a chilly bedroom, office, or nursery into something cozy and comfortable. Even if you've put on your warmest down jacket and wool socks, a space heater can help you shed those layers and get back to feeling normal. Your pets will also love the extra warmth. If you're suffering from a winter chill, check out these hot deals on space heaters. Then tuck in with your new Kindle or Nintendo Switch 2 from Christmas, and enjoy the final few days of vacation.

Best overall space heater deal Opens in a new window Credit: Shark Shark TurboBlade Cool + Heat $249.99 at Amazon
$399.99 Save $150   Get Deal Why we like it

Why get a space heater that you'll need to find a place to store in warmer months when you could get a year-round heater and fan? The Shark TurboBlade Cool + Heat works to keep indoors at a comfortable temp all year long. Use it as a heater during winter months and switch to the versatile fan once spring and summer return.

I tested the Shark TurboBlade Cool + Heat for a few months earlier this year and loved its versatility. I'm always cold when I get up for work in the 5 a.m. hour, but that's much improved thanks to the heater function on the Shark TurboBlade. Extra points go to the heater and fan because of the incredible remote control, which allows me to turn on the heater in the other room while I'm still in bed.

Today's sale price of $249.99 matches the lowest we've ever seen at Amazon.

SEE ALSO: We tested the most popular Ninja appliances in our own kitchens. Here's what we found. Best oil space heater deal Opens in a new window Credit: Dreo Dreo Oil-Filled Radiatior 153 $84.99 at Amazon
$99.99 Save $15   Get Deal Why we like it

If you prefer to go the route of an oil-filled space heater, the Dreo Radiator 153 is a great model. Plus, it's on sale for under $85 today at Amazon. The Dreo Radiator 153 is a 1500W electric space heater that's designed to be ultra-quiet while saving you some money on your energy bill. Unlike tons of our gadgets these days, the Dreo Radiator is incredibly simple to use. It has two on-unit dials to control the temperature and heat level, including mid, low, and high.

An oil-filled heater is a great option if you live in a dry climate or suffer from dry skin during the winter. Since it doesn't use a fan, you won't be blowing air around. Another bonus on this model is the castors that make rolling it from room to room a no-hassle situation.

Best tower space heater deal Opens in a new window Credit: Lasko Lasko Oscillating Ceramic Tower Heater $69.99 at Amazon
$84.99 Save $15   Get Deal Why we like it

Tower space heaters are especially friendly if you prefer a unit that takes up minimal space, and Lasko makes some of the best models available. The Lasko Oscillating Ceramic Tower Heater comes packed with warm features that are designed to heat medium and large rooms. It measures 29 inches tall, comes with a remote control, and has an on-unit remote control storage area, so you're less likely to misplace the remote.

You can take advantage of the oscillation function so everyone in the room gets warm air pointed in their direction. Plus, the eight-hour timer is a great safety feature.

2025 was the year a lot of people gave in and made generative AI part of their lives, for better or worse.

A major factor contributing to its proliferation was the spread of easily accessible image generators from the likes of Google and OpenAI. In particular, plenty of folks found time to mess around in Google's Nano Banana image tool in 2025, and the company dedicated a blog post to revealing several of the most popular prompts users tried out this year.

You can check out the full list on Google's blog, but here are some of our favorite popular Nano Banana prompts from 2025, courtesy of Google itself.

SEE ALSO: Google Photos and Nano Banana are coming to Samsung TVs Trying on clothes

According to Google, lots of folks used Nano Banana to envision themselves wearing clothes they've never actually worn. Of all the ways to use AI image generation, this probably makes the most sense, to be honest. It can have actual, practical use in real life, or at the very least can just be amusing for a few seconds.

Surrounding yourself with dogs

One of the prompts Google shared involved people asking the generator to take an existing image and add a bunch of fake dogs around them. Admittedly, this seems less fun to me than actually being around a bunch of dogs in real life, but if you absolutely need to imagine yourself surrounded by friendly canines, this is a way to make your dream a reality. Sort of.

Photos of people with their younger selves

Apparently, some people gave Nano Banana current images of themselves alongside older images from their childhoods and asked the generator to create a photo where both versions of themselves hang out with each other. To each their own, I guess.

Trying a new haircut

Imagining yourself with a different haircut or color is in the same vein as using AI to try on new clothes, in that it feels eminently useful in a way some of these other prompts maybe don't. It's no surprise that hair experimentation was popular on Nano Banana in 2025, and probably will be for as long as people feel like using AI image generation tools.

Creating fake holiday memories

One last kinda goofy example Google provided was people using Nano Banana to create phony holiday images of themselves. Why actually take a festive photo in front of a Christmas tree when you can make the computer generate one for you? There are plenty of reasons why you should maybe consider going for the real thing here, but 2025 proved that not everyone feels that way.

For a long period during the height of the NYT Games craze of 2020, new Wordle strategies appeared on the timeline like clockwork. But in the years since, players have honed their personal strategies in ways that have made keeping up with daily streaks a piece of cake.

That doesn't mean there's not more to mine from the game. This week, social media users came across an apparently foolproof way to whittle away at incorrect letters and make use of those anagram skills.

SEE ALSO: The 11 best video games of 2025

According to a viral X post by user and Wordle strategist @rudy_betrayed, you can start by popping in these five words: CHUNK, FJORD, VIBEX, WALTZ, and GYMPS. The post has already racked up 22,000 bookmarks.

[Note: That last word is defined by Oxford Languages on Google as "twisted silk, worsted, or cotton with cord or wire running through it, used chiefly as upholstery trimming." But it's also listed as a potential derivative of a derogatory phrase. While it's a high-value Words With Friends entry, it's not valid in the Merriam Webster Scrabble dictionary. It may work for the dictionary's dupe Quordle, though.]

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The strategy makes use of 25 unique letters in the game's first five rounds, only missing the ornery letter Q, giving users just one slot to guess the winning word. But according to the alphabet math and players who use the strategy, it's nearly impossible not to spot the word among the grey tiles.

There's still a bit of brainwork needed, of course, like parsing letter groups that have multiple anagrams. It's not going to always help if you don't know the word to begin with, because that's just how Wordle works. And, as many social media users argued in the post's quotes, maybe it's sucking the fun out of thing to try to "hack" the game in the name of a higher score.

But if you're a pretty good Wordler already — and especially if it's a week like "MYRRH" — this is definitely a trick worth trying.

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

SAVE $15: As of Dec. 31, get a $100 Uber Gift Card (Digital) for $85, down from its usual price of $100. That's a discount of 15%.

Opens in a new window Credit: Best Buy $100 Uber Gift Card (Digital) $85 at Best Buy
$100 Save $15   Get Deal

The new year is nearly upon us. That's right, 2026 is officially hours away, and this New Year's Eve is the time to celebrate. If you're heading out to any parties or planning to throw your own, however, you should of course keep safety in mind when it comes to transportation. That's where rideshares like Uber come into play. Whether you'll be sending people home or hailing a car yourself, you can save some cash on Uber rides now thanks to this deal at Best Buy.

As of Dec. 31, get a $100 Uber Gift Card (Digital) for $85, down from its usual price of $100. That's $15 off and a discount of 15%. Since this is a digital gift card, you can buy it online now and get your code via email before New Year's Eve celebrations officially kick off. Plus, it covers both Uber and Uber Eats if you decide you want to go somewhere or get some takeout.

SEE ALSO: Rough night? These movies will cure your New Year's Day hangover.

To use the gift card, wait for the code to arrive in your email after purchase, and enter it into the Uber app. Your gift card balance is as good as cash on Uber and Uber Eats and can be used for either service, just as if you were using a bank account or credit card.

If you want to give the gift card as a gift to help someone else get home OK on New Year's Eve or as a late holiday present, just share the code or forward your redemption email, and they can enter the code into the app.

Whatever you need to do to be safe this New Year's, make sure you do it — even if that means grabbing a discounted rideshare gift card. And there's always using it next year for your next adventure, too.

SAVE $50: As of Dec. 31, you can get the Oral-B iO Series 5 electric toothbrush for $99.99, down from $149.99, at Amazon. That's a 33% discount or $50 in savings.

Oral-B iO Series 5 $99.99 at Amazon
$149.99 Save $50.00   Get Deal at Amazon

If you’re trying to make healthy changes for the new year, starting with your dental routine is an easy way to do it. It’s one of those small daily habits that actually makes a massive difference in how you feel, and you don’t have to overhaul your entire life to see the results.

SEE ALSO: The best fitness resolution deals to snag before we ring in 2026

As of Dec. 31, the Oral-B iO Series 5 electric toothbrush is on sale for $99.99, down from $149.99, at Amazon. That's 33% off the list price or $50 in savings. It's also the lowest price we've tracked for this bundle.

The iO Series 5 uses artificial intelligence to track where you're brushing in real-time through the Oral-B app, so you never miss a spot. It also features a visible pressure sensor that lights up to let you know if you're brushing too hard, too soft, or just right (a must-have for anyone worried about their gum health). With five different cleaning settings (including Daily Clean, Whiten, and Sensitive), you can personalize the experience to whatever your teeth need that day. Plus, this bundle includes three brush heads and a travel case.

Well, Hellfire Club, it's finally here.

The very, very end of Stranger Things, after almost 10 years and five seasons of the Duffer Brothers' smash Netflix series. We've ridden our bikes through Scoops Ahoy sundaes and Spider Monster battles in the Starcourt Mall, through Billy's Mind Flayer recruitment drive, all the way to shredding Metallica in the Upside Down and staring into the Abyss.

SEE ALSO: Gaten Matarazzo hoped 'Stranger Things' fans would be conflicted about Dustin in Season 5

The final battle against Vecna (Jamie Campbell Bower) looms for our Hawkins heroes, with the penultimate episode bringing everyone together in the Squawk radio station, ready to face the mind-bending villain once and for all. But when, exactly, can you settle in with your Demogorgon plushie for the last stand?

Featured Video For You Gaten Matarazzo on 'Stranger Things' 'SNL' shoutout, Dustin and Steve's big fight, and why AI is 'lame' What exact time does the Stranger Things finale air?

The series finale of Stranger Things premieres Dec. 31 at 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT on Netflix.

Of course, you can also watch it in the cinema (but by this time, you'll be lucky to get a seat).

If you're not into crowds, streaming the New Year’s Eve fireworks from home has become a bit of an annual hack. HUNTR/X gets it — ringing in midnight from your couch is highly underrated, toasting what was and could be ahead with an actual glass, not an overpriced plastic cup whose crappy contents are inevitably destined for the front of your shirt in the chaos.

Thankfully, digital streams of the iconic and deeply expensive fireworks from around the globe are easily accessible, from the iconic lit-up vista of Sydney Harbour to London's Thames affair. Here's a guide to where you can watch the countdowns live or on demand — this is your 2026, you can decide when midnight happens for you.

SEE ALSO: The 15 best British TV shows of 2025 and where to stream them New Year's Eve fireworks live streams

The key to figuring out New Year's Eve celebrations is knowing your timezones. Mashable's Chance Townsend spelled it out last year, writing:

Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) is the world’s standard time system and each location’s time zone is measured as an offset from UTC. For example, UTC+0 includes cities like London, meaning their clocks align exactly with UTC. Cities to the east, like Dubai (UTC+4), are ahead of UTC, celebrating earlier, while those to the west, like New York City (UTC-5), are behind, ringing in the New Year hours later.

Starting at UTC+14 in Kiritimati (a tiny island country in the Micronesia region of Oceania and the first to celebrate) and ending in Hawaii at UTC-10 (the last), this time zone progression lets us follow the global party as midnight strikes in each region.

You can also find a global list of live cams on Earthcam.com.

UTC +12:00

• Auckland, New Zealand

UTC +11:00

• Sydney, Australia

UTC +8:00

• Taipei, Taiwan

UTC +9:00

• Tokyo, Japan

• Seoul, South Korea

UTC +8:00

• Hong Kong

UTC +7:00

• Bangkok, Thailand

UTC +5:30

• Delhi, India

UTC +4:00

• Dubai, United Arab Emirates

UTC +2:00

• Athens, Greece

UTC +1:00

• Berlin, Germany

UTC 0:00

• London, United Kingdom

UTC -3:00

• Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

UTC -5:00

• New York City, United States

The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult to solve if you're preparing your resolutions.

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 December 31, 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: 2026

• Green: They swallow things

• Blue: The first capital of the US

• Purple: A waterway

Here are today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Happy New Year!

• Green: Places where things disappear

• Blue: Associated with Philadelphia

• Purple: Starting with bodies of water

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 #934 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Happy New Year!: BALL DROP, CHAMPAGNE FLUTE, FIREWORKS, NOISEMAKER

• Places where things disappear: BERMUDA TRIANGLE, BLACK HOLE, COUCH CUSHIONS, DRYER

• Associated with Philadelphia: BROTHERLY LOVE, CHEESESTEAK, LIBERTY BELL, ROCKY

• Starting with bodies of water: BAY LEAF, CHANNEL SURF, SEA BASS, SOUND BARRIER

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 December 31, 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 going in circles.

Strands, the New York Times' elevated word-search game, requires the player to perform a twist on the classic word search. Words can be made from linked letters — up, down, left, right, or diagonal, but words can also change direction, resulting in quirky shapes and patterns. Every single letter in the grid will be part of an answer. There's always a theme linking every solution, along with the "spangram," a special, word or phrase that sums up that day's theme, and spans the entire grid horizontally or vertically.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable

By providing an opaque hint and not providing the word list, Strands creates a brain-teasing game that takes a little longer to play than its other games, like Wordle and Connections.

If you're feeling stuck or just don't have 10 or more minutes to figure out today's puzzle, we've got all the NYT Strands hints for today's puzzle you need to progress at your preferred pace.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for December 31, 2025 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for December 31, 2025 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: One good turn deserves another

The words are related to twirling.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe circular motions.

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 Round and Round.

NYT Strands word list for December 31

• Round and Round

• Circle

• Whirl

• Orbit

• Rotate

• Spin

• Pirouette

Looking for other daily online games? Mashable's Games page has more hints, and if you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now!

Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to today's Strands.

Today's Wordle answer should be easy to solve if you're an emergency worker.

If you just want to be told today's word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for today's Wordle solution revealed. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for December 31, 2025 Where did Wordle come from?

Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once. 

Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing.

What's the best Wordle starting word?

The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be strategic in your approach, we have a few ideas to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N.

What happened to the Wordle archive?

The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles was originally available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it, but it was later taken down, with the website's creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times. However, the New York Times then rolled out its own Wordle Archive, available only to NYT Games subscribers.

Is Wordle getting harder?

It might feel like Wordle is getting harder, but it actually isn't any more difficult than when it first began. You can turn on Wordle's Hard Mode if you're after more of a challenge, though.

SEE ALSO: NYT Pips hints, answers for December 31, 2025 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

Found atop a police car.

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 S.

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...

SIREN

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be a new Wordle for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.

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

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for December 31, 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 first Full Moon of 2026 is keeping the supermoon streak alive. After a string of them to end 2025, we get one more to kick off the new year. October, November, and December all saw beautiful, large moons in the sky, and January will be no different.

A supermoon is really what the name suggests, a Full Moon that appears bigger and brighter in the sky than usual, perfect for late-night stargazing. There's lots happening with the January Full Moon, so keep reading to find out what it means.

When is the January Full Moon?

January's full Moon will occur on Saturday, Jan. 3. Time and Date estimates it will peak at 5:02 a.m. ET.

What is the January full Moon called?

Full Moons all have their own names, and January's is traditionally known as the 'Wolf Moon'. Time and Date explains that this is because wolves were typically thought to be more active, and howling, in January.

January's Full Moon is also another supermoon, the fourth in a row. It will appear bigger and brighter in the sky because it sits closer to Earth in its orbit. A supermoon occurs when the Moon reaches its full phase at or near lunar perigee, the point where it comes closest to our planet, which creates a noticeably larger view, Royal Museums Greenwich tells us.

When is the next Full Moon?

The next Full Moon is predicted to occur on Feb. 1, 2026.

What are the lunar phases?

The Full Moon is just one of eight phases in the Moon’s 29.5-day orbit around Earth. All of the different phases show how much of its surface is lit up from our point of view. We always see the same side of the Moon, but as it moves around Earth, the sunlight falls on it differently, so that's why sometimes we see it looking full, sometimes half, and sometimes it looks like it has disappeared completely.

The 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.

• 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.

Today's Connections: Sports Edition will be easier if you know American baseball.

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: Movies

• Green: Major stars

• Blue: Venues

• Purple: Letter subtraction

Here are today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

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

• Yellow: Sports films of 2025

• Green: MVPs of 2025

• Blue: SEC football stadiums

• Purple: Starts with an MLB team in singular form

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 #464 is...

What is the answer to Connections: Sports Edition today?

• Sports films of 2025 - F1, HAPPY GILMORE 2, MARTY SUPREME, THE SMASHING MACHINE

• MVPs of 2025 - A'JA WILSON, CONNOR HELLEBUYCK, SHAI GILGEOUS-ALEXANDER, SHOHEI OHTANI

• SEC football stadiums - BRYANT-DENNY, JORDAN-HARE, KYLE, SANFORD

• Starts with an MLB team in singular form - ANGEL REESE, RAY ALLEN, RED AUERBACH, TIGER WOODS

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.

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 December 30, 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 December 31, 2025 Easy difficulty hints, answers for Dec. 31 Pips

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

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

Number (18): Everything in this space must add up to 18. The answer is 2-6, placed horizontally; 6-3, placed horizontally; 6-0, placed horizontally.

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

Number (3): Everything in this space must add up to 3. The answer is 6-3, placed horizontally.

Medium difficulty hints, answers for Dec. 31 Pips

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

Number (11): Everything in this space must add up to 11. The answer is 5-6, placed horizontally; 3-3, placed vertically.

Number (7): Everything in this space must add up to 7. The answer is 5-6, placed horizontally; 1-6, placed horizontally.

Equal (6): Everything in this space must be equal to 6. The answer is 6-6, placed vertically; 1-6, placed horizontally.

Hard difficulty hints, answers for Dec. 31 Pips

Greater Than (1): Everything in this space must be greater than 1. The answer is 2-4, placed horizontally.

Equal (4): Everything in this red space must be equal to 4. The answer is 2-4, placed horizontally; 4-5, placed horizontally; 4-3, placed vertically.

Equal (5): Everything in this light blue space must be equal to 5. The answer is 4-5, placed horizontally; 5-6, placed horizontally; 5-3, placed vertically.

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

Equal (3): Everything in this dark blue space must be equal to 3. The answer is 1-3, placed horizontally; 4-3, placed vertically; 5-3, placed vertically; 3-3, placed horizontally.

Number (12): Everything in this space must add up to 12. The answer is 2-6, placed vertically; 6-3, placed horizontally.

Number (3): Everything in this space must add up to 3. The answer is 6-3, placed horizontally.

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

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

Number (5): Everything in this space must add up to 5. The answer is 0-5, 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.

Donald Trump's golden smartphone won't be arriving anytime soon.

Trump Mobile, announced in June and run by the president's children Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump, has yet again delayed shipping of its flagship device, the T1, according to a report by the Financial Times.

SEE ALSO: Trump Mobile shares T1 model, but something doesn't look right

Speaking to the news publisher, Trump Mobile's customer service team blamed this year's U.S. government shutdown for the phone's delay — without further detail. This follows a previously unaddressed delay in November, in which the Trump Mobile team quietly removed shipping dates from its website as the deadline sailed by and began listing refurbished Samsung and Apple phones.

In fact, the T1 was originally set to ship in August, was then pushed to October, went AWOL in November, and will now be shipped...sometime in 2026? Maybe?

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Currently still available for preorder on the Trump Mobile website, the smartphone retails for $499 and is set to run on its "47 plan" including unlimited talk, text, and data for $47.45 a month (Trump is the 45th and 47th U.S. president). Down payments cost $100, with a message on the website fittingly reading, "Getting in line is easy."

In June, Trump Mobile was pitched by the Trump Organisation's trademark licensing arm DTTM Corporation as "a transformational, new cellular service designed to deliver top-tier connectivity, unbeatable value and all-American service for our nation’s hardest-working people" — with emphasis on the American-made element. Following Trump's chaotic global tariffs odyssey earlier this year, the president's aim of bringing manufacturing back into the U.S. has seen pressure on Big Tech leaders like Apple to produce their devices in America instead of China — though whether the T1 could actually entirely be made in America is a major question mark.

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 Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025:

AcrossMany a participant in the 2025 "6-7" trend

• The answer is Kid.

Like 2025, to the French?

• The answer is Fini.

The last one was minted in 2025

• The answer is Penny.

The O's in XOXO

• The answer is Hugs.

"Real" ones became required in 2025

• The answer is IDs.

DownNo ___ (2025 protest)

• The answer is Kings.

Travelers' lodgings

• The answer is Inns.

Home project inits.

• The answer is DIY.

Drake and Kendrick Lamar had a high-profile one

• The answer is Feud.

The 2025 Super Bowl champion Eagles, on scoreboards

• The answer is Phi.

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.

Like every year, a slew of new TVs are waiting to be unveiled at CES. Unlike every other year, the big TV brands seem to have quite similar ideas on how to innovate. To sum it up, everyone and their mother is releasing an RGB TV, and CES 2026 is setting the stage for Samsung, LG, Hisense, and more to duke it out in very direct head-to-head comparison.

Typically, there's a decent amount of variety between the new TVs from each brand: In 2025, LG's main thing was an expansion of its best-in-class OLED TVs, TCL went hard on mini-LED, and Samsung's claim to fame was a Neo QLED version of The Frame. Of course, there will be no shortage of new OLEDs and QLEDs in 2026. But the suddenly-crowded RGB TV market is easily the most noteworthy plot point.

The year of RGB TVs and the inevitable OLED x mini-LED collab

For most of the 2020s, new TVs announced at CES have mostly fallen under one of two categories: fancy new OLED or fancy new mini-LED. TV innovation at CES this year finally deviates from those two buzzwords, though they both walked so RGB TVs could run.

Did you know that the bulbs in most QLED or mini LED TV backlights are only emitting white or blue light? This isn't visible to the viewer, of course. It's actually the layer of quantum dot crystals sandwiched on top that are reflecting white or blue light into all of the colors that appear on the TV screen. RGB TVs do things a little differently on the backend. "RGB" refers to thousands of microscopic red, green, and blue LEDs lighting the TV — these true red, green, and blue light sources are said to cover 100 percent of the color gamut (or the full possible spectrum of visible colors) and greatly expand the TV's color accuracy.

SEE ALSO: What to look for when buying a TV, as told through this easy TV specs guide

Each of those red, green, and blue LEDs are individually controlled like OLED pixels, offering much more precision than even the most densely-packed mini LED dimming zones can offer. So, micro RGB TVs shouldn't fall victim to mediocre contrast and imperfect black levels like many non-OLED TVs do, while simultaneously achieving higher peak brightness than OLED can provide.

Remember that the main trend here is RGB technology itself — the term "Micro RGB" is merely the marketing name that Samsung and LG are using. So far, Hisense is going with "RGB mini-LED" while Sony is rumored to have coined "True RGB." We expect other top TV brands to reveal their version of RGB at CES 2026 as well (TCL launched two RGB TVs in China in Sept. 2025 that could make their U.S. debut at CES.) Regardless of nomenclature, as long as RGB is involved, just think "the most colorful TV you've ever seen."

Big TVs are getting bigger, small TVs are getting better

Brands are likely to load the 85- to 100-inch (or bigger) end of the spectrum with their 2026 flagship TVs, whereas TVs near the 100-inch mark were more of an outlier in previous years. Samsung's CES TV lineup, much of which got leaked in early December, shows a new 98-inch version of The Frame. Even wilder, LG's 2026 Micro RGB line is apparently only available in 75, 86, and 100 inches. 

It's hard to fathom a 75-inch TV being the smallest option, considering 65 inches has been a staple size in the TV market forever. Mashable currently recommends 65-inch TVs as the best size for most people, but will that be considered "small" soon?

But you're not being left in the dust if your living room or bedroom requires a smaller TV footprint. We're continuing to see the yassification of small TVs, a trend currently represented with 32-inch and 43-inch versions of Samsung's The Frame or 42-inch and 48-inch versions of LG's flagship C5 OLED TV. So far, Samsung has confirmed that it's extending its premium Micro RGB tech to a 55-inch model in 2026, and it wouldn't be surprising if other brands offered similarly versatile sizing. Ahead of CES, Hisense just released the S5 DécoTV, a 32-inch QLED TV that's much more affordable than the smallest The Frame TV.

SEE ALSO: If dark scenes are too dark on your TV, play around with these settings

The aforementioned Samsung TV leak also alludes to some slightly more affordable OLED TVs on the horizon, including a 55-inch S85H model allegedly priced around $1,000. That'd end up being slightly cheaper than the current sale price on the 42-inch version of Samsung's premium S90F OLED.

That's a prime example of the classic trickle down TV tech that we've seen with QLED and mini-LED over the past few years. Both of those started out as novel high-end TV technologies only to be found in the most expensive bracket. But as QLED and mini-LED panels gradually got easier and cheaper to manufacture, the tech was eventually tweaked over time to come in more budget-friendly forms. 2026 could be the year that OLED TVs get a taste of real accessibility, as Samsung is probably far from the only brand entering a more budget-friendly take on OLED.

New art TVs have the Frame Pro shaking in its boots

It seems like Samsung is taking a break from The Frame at CES 2026 after announcing the Frame Pro at CES a year ago. Naturally, LG is taking the opportunity to slide in with its very first iteration of an art TV (finally). Announced on Dec. 30, the LG Gallery TV will feature the hallmark glare reduction finish that separates art TVs from regular TVs, plus the expected ambient light sensor. It'll feature LG's MiniLED tech and full-array local dimming — a major blow to The Frame Pro's edge-lit mini-LED lighting. The full selection of artwork will require a $5/month LG Gallery+ subscription, matching the monthly price for the Samsung Art Store.

That's not the only Frame Pro competitor we could meet this year. The TCL Nxtvision A400 Pro, another new art TV with local dimming zones instead of edge lighting, is already available in China, and could be officially announced for the U.S. at CES. Will Hisense throw in a new CanvasTV, too?