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SAVE $20: As of Oct. 9, the CMF Watch 3 Pro is on sale for $59 at Amazon. That's a 25% discount on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Nothing CMF Watch 3 Pro $59 at Amazon
$79 Save $20   Get Deal at Amazon

If you're on the hunt for a fitness tracker that won't stretch your budget, the CMF Watch 3 Pro is currently on sale at Amazon, making an already budget-friendly option even lighter on your wallet.

The watch typically retails for $79, but as of Oct. 26, it is available for just $59. According to camelcamelcamel, this is the lowest price for this watch. All four colorways are included in the deal: ash gray, light green, orange, and dark gray.

For a budget smartwatch, the CMF Watch 3 Pro packs in plenty of tools for tracking your training. It offers tracking for more than 130 sports and workout modes, with GOMORE-powered analysis covering aerobic and anaerobic performance, training load, and recovery.

It's also packed with a range of health stats, including a four-channel heart rate sensor, continuous heart rate tracking, and blood oxygen measurements. You can also keep tabs on your sleep with detailed stage analysis or use stress monitoring to get a better picture of your overall well-being.

This deal is live at Amazon right now, but only for a limited time.

TL;DR: The Pokémon TCG 30th Celebration Elite Trainer Box is on sale for $132.98 at Walmart, down from its previous price of $237.98.

Opens in a new window Credit: The Pokémon Company Pokémon TCG 30th Celebration Elite Trainer Box $132.98 at Walmart
$237.98 Save $105   Shop Now at Walmart

Amazon's $59.99 invitation-only listing for the Pokémon TCG’s 30th Celebration Elite Trainer Box is gone, but if you want to grab this coveted ETB right now for closer to market price, Walmart has knocked another $12 off.

As of Oct. 26, the Pokémon TCG 30th Celebration Elite Trainer Box is available for $132.98 at Walmart, compared to its $237.98 list price. With that $105 saving, you’re spending $11.98 less than the $144.96 Walmart deal we covered on Oct. 14.

This cheaper listing comes from the third-party Walmart Marketplace seller PrimeCardHouse, with free shipping. Keep in mind that while you don’t have to apply for an invitation to buy this one, the ETBs from this listing are non-returnable. 

SEE ALSO: The Pokémon TCG Delta Reign Booster Display Box is close to market price at Amazon — save over $15

The new Walmart price also makes for a much closer comparison with TCGplayer. The specialist trading card marketplace currently puts the 30th Celebration ETB's market price at $120.94, leaving Walmart just $12.04 above that mark.

This anniversary ETB packs nine 30th Celebration booster packs, each containing one of 30 special Pikachu rare cards to collect. You'll also get an exclusive full-art foil Nidorina promo, 16 foil Basic Energy cards, 65 card sleeves, dice, a coin, six dividers, a player's guide, and a Pokémon TCG Live code card.

It's kind of wild to think now, but Stephen King and Elon Musk used to have fairly light-hearted interactions on X (then Twitter).

Back in 2019, they were talking about the horror author owning a Tesla. Now, seven years later, there's no love lost between them whatsoever.

King and Musk's latest clash came on Sunday, after the Tesla CEO branded Democratic candidate for the US Senate in Texas, James Talarico, a "far-left extremist."

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

King reshared Musk's post and added his thoughts as to why Musk may be targeting Talarico in particular.

"Elon Musk is afraid of Talarico because he [Musk] has a lot of business in Texas," responded King. "It has nothing to do with principles or programs; for Musk, it's all about the Benjamins."

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

Musk, clearly prickled at being criticised by a man he once described as "one of the most creative people on Earth", hit back.

"Your mental model outside of short-sighted tribalism is pathetically stupid," he wrote.

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

It seems pretty clear that Musk doesn't like Talarico, who is currently in a very close midterms race with Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton. Filings have shown that the world's richest man contributed $150 million to the Texas race in support of Republicans, leading to Talarico calling him out directly at a recent rally and saying "Texas is not for sale."

Musk, meanwhile, has a large base of operations in Texas. It's easy to imagine why he'd want the state represented by someone matching his political ideology.

TL;DR: The Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Ascended Heroes Mega Meganium ex Box is on sale for $59.99 at Amazon, down from its $79.99 list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: The Pokémon Company Pokémon TCG Ascended Heroes Mega Meganium ex Box $59.99 at Amazon
$79.99 Save $20.00   Get Deal at Amazon

Amazon has taken another hefty chunk off the Pokémon TCG's Ascended Heroes Mega Meganium ex Box, letting you grab four booster packs from the hard-to-find, popular Mega Evolution expansion for less — even cheaper than the last time we covered this collection back in July.

As of Oct. 26, the Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Ascended Heroes Mega Meganium ex Box is available for just $59.99 on Amazon. Compared to its $79.99 list price, you're saving exactly $20 with this 25% discount. The box is incredibly close to its lowest-ever Amazon price.

This listing comes from the third-party seller Collectors Expedition, which also handles shipping — delivery is expected by Nov. 4 at the time of writing. Despite it being a third-party listing, this box still comes with Amazon’s 30-day refund or replacement window if there are any issues.

SEE ALSO: The Pokémon TCG 30th Celebration Elite Trainer Box is way under market price at Amazon — shop for $59.99

For that $59.99, you'll be getting four Ascended Heroes booster packs, one playable foil promo card featuring Mega Meganium ex, and an oversized lenticular version of the same card. That effectively works out at around $15 per booster pack, with both promotional cards thrown in on top.

If you’re after any of the expansion’s most valuable chase cards — like the $700+ SIR Mega Gengar ex, the $600+ SIR Pikachu ex, and the $400+ SIR Mega Dragonite ex — you can buy individual Ascended Heroes cards on TCGplayer. 

SAVE $28.01: As of Oct. 26, the 11-inch Lenovo Idea Tab bundle (256GB) is on sale for $229.99 at Amazon, down from its typical $258 list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Lenovo Lenovo Idea Tab (Folio Case and Lenovo Tab Pen) $229.99 at Amazon
$258 Save $28.01   Get Deal at Amazon

You can grab the Lenovo Idea Tab bundle on Amazon for $229.99, down from its usual $258 price tag. Best of all, you don't have to buy must-have accessories separately — Lenovo includes both the official Tab Pen stylus and a protective folio case right in the box.

The tablet features an 11-inch 2.5K screen with a smooth 90Hz refresh rate. It delivers sharp picture quality, and built-in eye-care protection helps reduce strain when you're staring at the display for hours. For sound, you get four built-in speakers tuned with Dolby Atmos, giving you clear audio for streaming shows, movies, and music.

SEE ALSO: Amazon’s all-new Kids Tablets ditch Fire OS for parent-managed Google Play — where to preorder

Behind the glass, you get 8GB of memory and 256GB of built-in storage to hold all your apps, class notes, and video downloads. It also supports Circle to Search with Google. You simply draw a circle around any image or text with your finger or the pen to get instant search answers or translations without having to leave the app you're in.

Battery life lasts up to 12 hours of video playback on a single charge, and the included 20W wall adapter helps refuel it quickly. It also comes preloaded with useful note-taking and math tools — including Lenovo AI Note, Squid, Nebo, and MyScript Calculator — plus Smart Connect so you can easily send files to your other devices without messy cables.

Grab this campus-ready setup on Amazon before the deal ends.

SAVE $82: As of Oct. 26, the Amazon Fire HD 10 tablet (32GB) is on sale for $72.99 on Amazon. That cuts the price by 53% and matches its Prime Day low.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Fire HD 10 (32GB) $72.99 at Amazon
$154.99 Save $82.00   Get Deal at Amazon

Amazon is running a limited-time deal on the Amazon Fire HD 10 tablet (32GB), slashing the price down to $72.99 from its typical $154.99 price tag. That marks a 53% discount, saving you $82 and matching its all-time Prime Day low.

The 13th-generation tablet won a Mashable Choice Award, earning 4.5/5 stars in our review for its standout value as a casual entertainment hub. It trims 30 grams off the older model and uses strengthened aluminosilicate glass to keep the screen protected against everyday drops. Our reviewer noted the design feels feather-light in hand, making the 10.1-inch 1080p Full HD display easy to hold while binge-watching in bed or on a treadmill.

SEE ALSO: Amazon’s all-new Kids Tablets ditch Fire OS for parent-managed Google Play — where to preorder

The tablet runs on an upgraded octa-core processor paired with 3GB of RAM — delivering 25% faster speeds than the older edition — and packs up to 13 hours of battery life. You get 32GB of onboard storage, which expands up to 1TB using a microSD card for offline movies and books. The front camera also jumps from 2MP to 5MP, which our testing found offers a noticeably clearer picture for Zoom, Facebook Messenger, or Alexa video calls.

The built-in Silk browser streams YouTube without lag alongside pre-loaded services like Prime Video. If you just need an easy, inexpensive screen for streaming your shows, casual gaming, and hands-free Alexa tasks, it delivers way more value than you'd expect.

Snag the Amazon Fire HD 10 tablet on Amazon before this limited-time deal ends.

SAVE $599.02: As of Oct. 26, the Anker Solix C2000 Gen 2 portable power station is on sale for $899.98 at Amazon. That is a 40% discount on a 2,048Wh emergency backup powerhouse.

Opens in a new window Credit: Anker Anker Solix C2000 Gen 2 $899.98 at Amazon
$1,499 Save $599.02   Get Deal at Amazon

Amazon is running a limited-time deal on the Anker Solix C2000 Gen 2 portable power station, marking it down to $899.98 from its regular $1,499 list price. That saves you $599.02 and lands it $50 above its Prime Day low.

At the core of the unit is a 2,048Wh LiFePO4 battery pack built for extended use. For portable setups, the frame measures 18.1 × 9.8 × 10.1 inches and weighs 41.7 lb, making it smaller than most competing 2kWh options. The compact build makes it much easier to toss into a car trunk or carry around a campsite.

SEE ALSO: The best early Black Friday portable power station deals to shop right now

For everyday power delivery, the station handles 2,400W continuous output and surges up to a 4,000W peak. That gives it enough muscle to run multiple heavy appliances simultaneously, including window AC units, RV air conditioners, and kitchen gear.

Its standby mode draws only 9W, which allows the station to keep a dual-door refrigerator powered for up to 32 hours straight on its own. If you need more runtime for multi-day outages, the system can be scaled up. You can connect an expansion battery to double the capacity to 4kWh, extending that same dual-door fridge's runtime to 64 hours.

Recharging the battery is fast thanks to six different charging methods. Plugged into both AC wall power and solar panels, the station charges from empty to 100% in 58 minutes. For vehicle charging, it supports 800W UltraFast alternator charging to reach a full top-off in three hours, which is eight times faster than using a standard car 12V socket.

Grab the Anker Solix C2000 Gen 2 on Amazon before this limited-time discount ends.

TL;DR: Watch PSG vs. Lyon in Ligue 1 for free on CazéTV. Access this free livestream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

Ligue 1 has started slowly for PSG, but make no mistake: they are coming. PSG confidently beat Barcelona in the last round of Champions League fixtures, proving to any doubters that they are still the same dominant force. Now they face Lyon, the team that topped the standings before this weekend's fixtures.

If you're interested in watching PSG vs. Lyon in Ligue 1 from anywhere in the world, we've got all the information you need.

When is PSG vs. Lyon?

PSG vs. Lyon in Ligue 1 kicks off at 3:30 p.m. ET on Oct. 26. This fixture takes place at the Parc des Princes.

How to watch PSG vs. Lyon for free

PSG vs. Lyon in Ligue 1 is available to live stream for free on CazéTV.

CazéTV is geo-restricted to Brazil, but anyone can secure access with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Brazil, meaning you can live stream PSG vs. Lyon for free from anywhere in the world.

Live stream PSG vs. Lyon for free by following these simple steps:

1. Sign up for a streaming-friendly VPN (we recommend ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in Brazil

4. Visit CazéTV

5. Watch PSG vs. Lyon for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.99 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but they do tend to offer generous money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch PSG vs. Lyon without committing your cash. This is obviously not a long-term strategy, but it gives you enough time to stream this fixture (plus Premier League action) before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for Ligue 1?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on CazéTV, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries, including Brazil

• Easy-to-use app available on all major devices, including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection speeds free from throttling

• Up to 10 simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and usually offers a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99.

Live stream PSG vs. Lyon for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

Anthropic is reportedly being sued for allegedly training its AI on Elvis Presley's music without permission.

Billboard reports that owners of Presley's intellectual property rights filed the lawsuit on Friday, claiming that Anthropic used 274 of the rock icon's songs to train its Claude AI models. Such songs allegedly included hits such as "Can't Help Falling in Love," "Don't Be Cruel," "Return to Sender," and "(You're the) Devil in Disguise."

SEE ALSO: Anthropic’s AI safety bill would pause AI models if 50+ people could die

The complaint alleges that Claude's generated content now adapts or copies Presley's discography without appropriate licensing or consent, and accuses Anthropic of having "built its entire business model on infringing copyrights at an unfathomable scale." The lawsuit specifically described instances in which users could request Claude recreate and update Presley's songs.

"These renders keep landing very close to the originals: same structure, same hooks reused with light rewording, and full sets of verses/choruses/bridges," read the filing. "That's edging past 'inspired by' into reproducing the copyrighted song, even when the words are swapped out."

Anthropic has refuted the allegations, a spokesperson stating, "We disagree with the claims and intend to defend this case fully."

The plaintiffs are requesting a permanent injunction to prevent Anthropic from using Presley's songs, as well as damages of up to $150,000 for each work allegedly infringed upon. At 274 works, that would be a fine of up to $41.1 million.

Anthropic has been the target of multiple prior lawsuits alleging unauthorised use of intellectual property. Sony Music Publishing and Warner Chappell Music sued Anthropic in August, claiming that it had conducted a "brazen campaign of illegally torrenting, scraping, and downloading copyrighted works on a massive scale." In July, Anthropic settled a $1.5 billion class action lawsuit in which authors accused it of illegally downloading pirated books. Universal Music Group has sued Anthropic for copyright infringement twice, filing this January as well as in October 2023.

If you like playing daily word games like Wordle, then Hurdle is a great game to add to your routine.

There are five rounds to the game. The first round sees you trying to guess the word, with correct, misplaced, and incorrect letters shown in each guess. If you guess the correct answer, it'll take you to the next hurdle, providing the answer to the last hurdle as your first guess. This can give you several clues or none, depending on the words. For the final hurdle, every correct answer from previous hurdles is shown, with correct and misplaced letters clearly shown.

An important note is that the number of times a letter is highlighted from previous guesses does necessarily indicate the number of times that letter appears in the final hurdle.

Want more tech and digital culture news delivered to your inbox daily or sent straight to your device? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories newsletter or get Mashable push alerts today.

If you find yourself stuck at any step of today's Hurdle, don't worry! We have you covered.

SEE ALSO: Hurdle: Everything you need to know to find the answers Hurdle Word 1 hint

A hole where a small piece of ground was removed.

Hurdle Word 1 answer

DIVOT

Hurdle Word 2 hint

To improve writing.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for October 26, 2026 Hurdle Word 2 Answer

EMEND

Hurdle Word 3 hint

A feeling of fear or anxiety.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Meanings for each word for Oct. 26, 2026 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Meanings for each word for Oct. 26, 2026 Hurdle Word 3 answer

DREAD

Hurdle Word 4 hint

A meal often had in the middle of the day.

Hurdle Word 4 answer

LUNCH

Final Hurdle hint

A smell that indicates something aged, perhaps moldy.

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

MUSTY

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

The Full Moon reaches its peak on October 26 just after midnight in ET, meaning some parts of the US will see it become full just after midnight, while others will experience the peak on the evening of October 25.

If you want to spot some lunar features on the Moon's surface, here's what you might be able to see.

What is today's Moon phase?

As of Monday, Oct. 26, NASA's Daily Moon Guide tracker tells us the Moon is in the Full Moon phase, with 100% of its surface visible.

Tonight, without the use of visual aids you should be able to spot the Copernicus Crater, Tycho Crater, and the Mare Crisium. If you have binoculars you'll also see the Endymion Crater, the Alphonsus Crater, and the Grimaldi Basin. Finally, if you have a telescope, you'll also see the Apollo 15 and 16 landing spots, and the Caucasus Mountains.

When is the next Full Moon?

The next Full Moon will take place on November 24.

What are Moon phases?

The Moon takes around 29.5 days to travel around Earth, and its appearance changes throughout the month. As it moves around our planet, we see different amounts of its sunlit side, from a slim crescent to the quarter phases and eventually a Full Moon. It then begins the cycle again. As NASA explains, these phases are caused by the Moon's changing position relative to Earth and the Sun.

The eight 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.

Looking for spoiler-free NYT Connections hints or just wondering why Connections is trending today? We've got what you need to understand the clues for today's puzzle without spoiling any of the answers.

Of course, Mashable has also provided daily hints and answers for Connections, Wordle, and Strands for years, so we can help you if that's also what you need.

While we are focused more on meanings than hints in this story, sometimes learning that many of the words have completely unrelated meanings is a clue in and of itself. Connections frequently includes clues that involve words within words and other visual clues.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for October 26, 2026 Chilling meaning

Gravely disturbing.

Managing meaning

To be responsible for organizing.

Not bad meaning

Fairly good.

Same old meaning

Behavior that remains the same.

Prayer meaning

To address a higher being.

Welcome meaning

To greet hospitably.

Wrestling meaning

An unarmed tussle between two people.

Yoga meaning

A Hindu theistic philosophy teaching.

Herding meaning

Bringing animals together into a group.

Hound meaning

A part of the hand.

Sporting meaning

Interest in athletic sports.

Want more tech and digital culture news delivered to your inbox daily or sent straight to your device? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories newsletter or get Mashable push alerts today.

Toy meaning

Something for a child to play with.

Halloweek meaning

Week of Halloween.

Hosted meaning

Provide the space and other things necessary.

Jawn meaning

Philly slang.

Psychs meaning

Happily excited or full of eager anticipation.

Have you learned the meanings and still want the things? Check out the hints and answers for today's NYT Connections puzzle.

Are you also playing NYT Strands? Get all the Strands hints you need for today's puzzle.

Meet The Mashable 101: Our list of the content creators shaping the internet today

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.

The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult if you like dogs.

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.

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

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 26, 2026 Here's a hint for today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: How are you

• Green: Mats

• Blue: Dog jobs

• Purple: Sounds like a horror movie

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Here are today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Responses to "How Are You?"

• Green: Kinds of Mats

• Blue: AKC Dog Breed Groups

• Purple: Horror Movies with Last Letter Changed

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 #1233 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Responses to "How Are You?": CHILLING, MANAGING, NOT BAD, SAME OLD

• Kinds of Mats: PRAYER, WELCOME, WRESTLING, YOGA

• AKC Dog Breed Groups: HERDING, HOUND, SPORTING, TOY

• Horror Movies with Last Letter Changed: HALLOWEEK, HOSTED, JAWN, PSYCHS

Looking for Wordle today? Here's the answer to today's Wordle.

Are you also playing NYT Strands? Get all the Strands hints you need for today's puzzle.

Meet The Mashable 101: Our list of the content creators shaping the internet today

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 will be easy if you like to host.

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 26, 2026 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Please, be my guest!

The words are dinner parties.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe words for having guests over.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is vertical.

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NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is Hospitality.

NYT Strands word list for October 26

• Welcome

• Invite

• Meet

• Receive

• Host

• Entertain

Meet The Mashable 101: Our list of the content creators shaping the internet today

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 a bit of a nerd.

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 26, 2026 Where did Wordle come from?

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

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

What's the best Wordle starting word?

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

What happened to the Wordle archive?

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

Is Wordle getting harder?

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

Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

A patchy clothing item.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

The letter E appears twice.

Want more tech and digital culture news delivered to your inbox daily or sent straight to your device? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories newsletter or get Mashable push alerts today.

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

Today's Wordle starts with the letter G.

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...

GEEKY

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.

Reporting by Chance Townsend, Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.

Meet The Mashable 101: Our list of the content creators shaping the internet today

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.

TL;DR: Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows is $27.97 (reg. $219.99) through Nov. 1.

Opens in a new window Credit: Microsoft Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows: Lifetime License $27.97
$219.99 Save $192.02   Get Deal

This is your last chance to ditch Microsoft 365’s subscription fees for good. Until tomorrow, Nov. 16, at midnight, you can grab a lifetime license to Microsoft Office 2021 for way less than its usual retail price. Simply pay once, download the full software suite, and never worry about renewals again.

We know what you’re thinking, but rest assured, this isn’t some stripped-down lite version either. It’s the real deal. Whether you’re writing reports, crunching numbers, building presentations, managing emails, or wrangling databases, the lifetime version of Microsoft Office has you covered.

It’s a one-time download for one Windows PC, so once it’s yours, it’s yours. The full pro-level toolkit, minus the stress of a subscription. Plus, with instant license delivery and free customer support, getting started is as painless as your new spreadsheet workflow.

No more “trial expired” pop-ups. No more surprise charges. Just the latest versions of Microsoft’s best apps, ready to support all of your work and personal needs.

Download Microsoft Office for Windows while it’s on sale for $27.97 until Nov. 1 at 11:59 p.m. PT (reg. $219.99). No coupon is needed.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Across the nation, there appears to be growing frustration with the explosion of AI-generated advertising plaguing small-business storefronts and restaurant interiors. Last Thursday, Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro signed the Artificial Intelligence Deceptive Advertising Act into law, mandating that all ads, from million-dollar television commercials to printed flyers passed out on the street, contain a disclosure label in the same format as the ad itself.

SEE ALSO: Hackers find a way to turn users' own AI agents and Downloads folders against them

The purpose of the bill is to combat false or misleading advertising, which is much easier to engage in with the help of AI-generated content. The bill, as introduced, states:

"An advertiser may not create and disseminate or cause to be created and disseminated an advertisement that uses synthetic content in a manner that creates a false consumer perception about the nature, origin or authenticity of the goods or services being advertised, without clear and conspicuous disclosure. A disclosure under this section must state that the advertisement contains content that was modified or generated using artificial intelligence."

And because it applies to all advertising shown in Pennsylvania, it will impact, for example, television commercials created in other states or advertisements made in other countries, so the consequences of this bill will be far-reaching. 

According to reporting by The Verge, though, critics of the bill wonder how effective it will be, given the imprecise nature of some of the language used. As The Verge notes, language like "significantly modified" is subjective and open to wide ranges of interpretation, while extensive exceptions made for "parody, satire, commentary, or criticism" offer advertisers legal wiggle room. 

Whatever the ultimate impacts of the bill or the future interpretations by the court system, it represents another attempt by elected representatives to respond to the overwhelming will of voters to bring artificial intelligence under legislative control, so we expect this bill to initiate a trend.

Android users, listen up: Google is quietly verifying and attaching your phone number across all your signed-in Google accounts, according to reporting from Android Authority. The policy change happened between August and October of 2025, under the "Verify phone numbers automatically" setting, which must now be opted out of rather than opted into.

What does this mean in practice? All Google accounts used on your phone are going to be associated with your phone number, whether you want them to be or not, including accounts you add in the future. Furthermore, because Google periodically attempts to re-verify phone numbers, you could incur carrier charges associated with that verification process.

SEE ALSO: Anthropic’s Claude can now send Gmail emails without asking first

It might seem like a shady practice, especially because it was set to function by default, but there's also a good rationale for allowing Google to do this, as it improves the sharing functionality across your Google accounts, and makes things like phone recovery much easier, in the event that you lose your phone and want to restore a new phone to the old one's settings. There's also a slew of quality-of-life features, from faster sign-ins to emergency location services, that work better or faster with this feature enabled. 

Of course, there's also an incentive for Google as well, since connecting all your Google accounts via phone number helps to optimize their ad performance, allowing them to show you more targeted advertisements across your devices or accounts. 

If you do decide you would rather opt out of this functionality on your Android phone, navigate to Settings, select Google then All Services and choose Privacy & Security. Once here, you need to select the "Phone number verification" page and de-select "Verify phone numbers automatically" to disable this feature.

We're less than a month away from the release of a new iteration of the Apple TV, packed with the kind of computing power once reserved for desktops, so it only makes sense that it should learn some new tricks.  

Yesterday, we learned about one of those new tricks when Instagram was re-listed on the Apple App Store as available for iPhone, iPad, and Apple TV. But this isn't the first time Instagram has flirted with the big screen. Initial testing of the new form factor began in late 2025 on Amazon Fire TVs and rolled out to Samsung TVs in mid-2026, so Apple is actually the last to adopt the new TV app.

SEE ALSO: An AI image of Mia Goth sparks Instagram fan account controversy

The most visible change as part of this new TV adoption is Instagram having to offer not only the portrait-style videos common to most phone and tablet designs but also horizontal, landscape videos to accommodate TV aspect ratios. As part of its migration to streaming services and smart TVs, Instagram is also exploring new video form factors, including longer-form video, episodic videos, live streaming, and even subscriptions, which would bring it into closer competition with YouTube, the internet's premier video content service. 

Meta, parent company of Instagram, is betting that its famously addictive short-form video content will translate well to the big screen, where it can be enjoyed more communally, and it's working closely with creators to make the experience of uploading or streaming on Instagram as painless as possible. 

It might seem like a risky bet, but if Meta can grab even a fraction of YouTube's massive audience, it will more than pay off.

TL;DR: Live stream Green Bay Packers vs. Detroit Lions for free on TVNZ. Access this free livestream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The Green Bay Packers vs. Detroit Lions game is one of the most exciting NFL games scheduled for today.

The Packers (4-2) are on a hot streak, winning three in a row. And while the Lions (3-2) have been up-and-down — they currently sit at the bottom of the NFC North — they're coming off a bye week and have reinforced their faulty defense with the returning safety Brian Branch. The Lions' offense is also in good shape. This is a Week 7 showdown not to miss.

If you want to watch Packers vs. Lions in the NFL for free from anywhere in the world, here's all the information you need.

When is Packers vs. Lions?

Packers vs. Lions starts at 4.25 p.m. ET on Oct. 25. This fixture takes place at Ford Field.

How to watch Packers vs. Lions for free

Packers vs. Lions in the NFL is available to live stream for free on TVNZ.

TVNZ is geo-restricted to New Zealand only, but anyone can secure access with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in New Zealand, meaning you can live stream Packers vs. Lions for free from anywhere in the world.

Access free live streams of the NFL by following these simple steps:

1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (we recommend ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in New Zealand

4. Visit TVNZ

5. Watch Packers vs. Lions for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.99 at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but they do tend to offer generous money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch Packers vs. Lions without committing your cash. This is obviously not a long-term strategy, but it gives you enough time to stream this fixture (plus more NFL action) before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for the NFL?

ExpressVPN is the best service for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream the NFL, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries, including New Zealand

• Easy-to-use app available on all major devices, including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is always secure

• Fast connection speeds free from throttling

• Up to 10 simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and usually offers a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99.

Live stream Green Bay Packers vs. Detroit Lions for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.