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On Nov. 13 from 5-7 p.m. local time, participating Lego stores across the U.S. and Canada are hosting a holiday make-and-take event. Attendees can build a miniature Lego Reindeer model and take it home at no cost. It doesn't get any more festive than that.

The set is not available for purchase and is limited to one build per guest on a first-come, first-served basis while inventory lasts.

The event is aimed at builders aged 6 and up, making it a great low-stakes Friday evening pitstop whether you're bringing kids along or just want a quick five-minute breather after a long week of meetings.

SEE ALSO: I found 19 early Black Friday Lego deals including Pokémon, Star Wars, and Lego advent calendars

The only real catch is the two-hour window with limited supply. That's a recipe for long lines and rapid stockouts, so we recommend getting to your local store early.

You should also be aware that free events like these are generally designed to pull foot traffic through the front doors before Black Friday. If you step inside to grab your Lego Reindeer, you will be surrounded by high-ticket holiday temptations. It's up to you to stay strong. There's no need to walk away with a Lego Death Star, right?

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Opens in a new window Credit: Microsoft The Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2024 for Windows + Windows 11 Pro Lifetime License Bundle $43.98
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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 November 10, 2026 Abracadabra meaning

Magic words.

Onomatopoeia meaning

The description of sound phonetically.

Apothecary meaning

A place to obtain medicine.

Foofaraw meaning

Making a fuss over a small matter.

Oxymoron meaning

A figure of speech that puts contradictory words together.

Protozoology meaning

The study of protozoa.

Haberdasher meaning

A person who sells men's clothing.

Beekeeper meaning

Someone who raises bees, likely to harvest honey and wax.

Scrivener meaning

A clerk who drafts official documents.

Hyperbole meaning

A large exageration.

Brouhaha meaning

A dispute, often physical in nature.

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Wainwright meaning

A person who makes and repairs wagons or carts.

Kerfuffle meaning

A dispute of some kind.

Invisibility meaning

Unable to be seen by the human eye.

Metonymy meaning

Referring to something by the name of something associated with it.

Hullabaloo meaning

A dispute or celebration.

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 yesterday's Connections.

The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult if you talk a good game.

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 November 10, 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: Happenings

• Green: Writing tools

• Blue: Bygone professions

• Purple: Lots of repeated letters

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Here are today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Hubbub

• Green: Literary devices

• Blue: Old-timey occupations

• Purple: Words with five of one vowel

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 #1248 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Hubbub: BROUHAHA, FOOFARAW, HULLABALOO, KERFUFFLE

• Literary devices: HYPERBOLE, METONYMY, ONOMATOPOEIA, OXYMORON

• Old-timey occupations: APOTHECARY, HABERDASHER, SCRIVENER, WAINWRIGHT

• Words with five of one vowel: ABRACADABRA, BEEKEEPER, INVISIBILITY, PROTOZOOLOGY

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 yesterday's Connections.

Today's NYT Strands hints will be easy if you're a chatterbox.

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

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

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

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

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for November 10, 2026 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Influentially online

The words are highly online.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words involve online content.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is horizontal.

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NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is Content creator.

NYT Strands word list for November 10

• Content creator

• Vlog

• Reaction

• Review

• Skit

• Tutorial

• Demo

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 yesterday's Strands.

Today's Wordle answer should be easy to solve if you prefer peace.

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

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for November 10, 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.

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

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 cessation of hostilities.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

No letters appear twice.

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

Today's Wordle starts with the letter T.

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...

TRUCE

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 yesterday's Wordle.

Booking a vacation sounds like one thing to hand off to an AI assistant, right up until it has to check the calendar, open a dozen tabs, and figure out whether the cheapest flight is still the cheapest once a carry-on is involved. Every one of those steps takes work, and when an AI agent is doing it, the cost can add up.

Meta has a new model built for that part of the job.

On Nov. 9, Meta's Superintelligence Labs introduced Muse Ember, which the company calls its smallest and most cost-efficient AI model yet. It's designed for the steps an agent might repeat dozens of times in a single assignment, like pulling details out of a document, calling another tool, or running a test after changing a line of code.

Muse is the app with the cute little avatar — named Jolly — that Meta has been promoting since September. The AI assistant can work across (some) apps with a user's permission. The app passed 5 million downloads in 22 days, and has already had many updates; last week, Meta started rolling out voice conversations and animated avatars for the assistant in the U.S.

Meta also uses the Muse name for a family of AI models. The company positions Muse Wonder as the model for its toughest problems and Muse Spark as a model for coding and other work that involves using tools. Ember is the cheaper option for repeatable tasks. Meta's pitch is that developers can use Wonder to plan a complicated job and hand off the individual steps to Ember. For now, Meta lists Ember as available through its Muse Code tool and developer API.

SEE ALSO: Meta launches Muse Wonder, catching OpenAI and Anthropic at the frontier What Muse looks like in action

In early testing shared by Meta, cloud storage company Box said it used Ember to check contracts clause by clause against a company’s negotiation rules and assign an overall risk rating. Meta says the model can take in up to a million tokens at once, enough to work through large sets of documents, and can handle images, audio, and video alongside text. That gives developers room to build an agent that can read a scanned contract or pull details from a meeting recording.

The price is what makes Ember interesting. On Artificial Analysis's benchmark, Ember and Anthropic's Claude Haiku 5.5 both rounded to a score of 36 at their highest reasoning settings. Ember cost about 14 cents per benchmark task, compared with 41 cents for Haiku, even though the two have the same standard rates of 10 cents per million input tokens and 50 cents per million output tokens. OpenAI's GPT-6 Luna scored 28 and cost about 15 cents per task at its highest setting.

In Meta's published results, Ember beat Haiku on a terminal coding test, while Haiku did better on a test that judged whether code changes were ready to merge. Meta added that it already has even cheaper models in training.

As the company continues to bet that AI assistants will take on more everyday tasks, developers will need an affordable way to handle all the little steps behind the scenes. A flight search, for example, can mean sorting through dozens of fares, each with its own rules. If Meta wants people to hand off that kind of chore every day, it has to make checking the carry-on policy cheap on its end, too.

A personal essay, a tutorial, or an argument that's been knocking around in someone's head for weeks can all find a home on Medium. Now the platform wants to be part of what happens before those pieces are ready to publish — when a writer is still sorting through notes or sending an early draft to a friend.

On Nov. 9, Medium launched TK, a free writing and note-taking app for people with a Medium account. TK has an AI assistant built into the editor that can answer questions or give feedback as writers draft. It also lets writers share work in small groups where others can leave comments, swap notes, or contribute writing of their own.

It's goal, according to CEO of Medium Tony Stubblebine, is to "craft writing that compounds into deep thinking, which creates influence across your entire world. What shape is that influence? We’re still figuring that out, but we know it starts with humans writing more."

"We’ve designed TK for three goals: Easy to write. Easy to think. Easy to feel like your writing matters," he added.

The launch comes as the internet has changed. Medium relies on Google to send readers to its articles (44 percent of their traffic, specifically), and Stubblebine said those referrals declined "When Google started taking away all the traffic." He warned the company in an interview with The Verge that "this hurts us, but it also hurts you." Though Medium is profitable since 2024, iterating must be done to compete with both other publishing platforms (like Substack) and social media.

Stubblebine's response is to give writers a way to reach readers without relying on Google. With TK, they can share drafts directly with people in private groups. 'We’re just going to take everything underground," he told The Verge.

Beyond Medium, in an analysis of March 2025 browsing data, Pew Research Center found that users clicked a traditional search result on 8 percent of Google visits with an AI summary, compared with 15 percent of visits without one.

SEE ALSO: AI 'writers' are mostly worthless right now. But that won't last.

For those who don't see the letters everyday (like me), "TK" is used by writers and editors to mark something in their work that's still to come, like a date that needs checking or a quote that needs dropping in. In Medium’s app, typing @TK calls up an assistant that can answer a quick question or find a paragraph the writer saved the day before. Medium says the assistant can also give headline and editorial feedback, compare drafts with Medium publications' style guides, and pull related notes into summaries that link back to the originals. Writers can import their Medium archives or bring over notes from Bear and Obsidian. An optional Claude integration lets an outside agent work with the notebook, too.

The human version of that feedback happens in what TK calls Libraries. A Library can be a space for a few friends to share work in progress, and Medium is also opening groups for journaling, getting feedback on drafts, and working toward a self-published book. A draft can stay private, go to a handful of readers, or eventually make its way to Medium's publishing platform. According to Stubblebine, "TK is the gym and Medium is the stage."

That division makes for an awkward question: The company wants people to do more of their own writing while putting AI a few keystrokes away from every unfinished sentence. Looking up a date is one thing, but asking AI for feedback on a paragraph can get a lot closer to outsourcing writing abilities. Medium adds that TK lets writers disclose which material came from AI and show the prompts and source material behind it, and maintains the service is not anti-AI, but pro-human:

"Much of the AI industry is betting that machines will do our thinking for us, and some of its leaders talk as if writing no longer matters. We’re betting the other way. We’re not anti-AI, we’re pro-human—and that’s why we built TK" - Medium CEO Tony Stubblebine wrote in the announcement.

Other publishing platforms are finding uses for AI, too. Substack can turn a podcast recording into an editable transcript or suggest short clips from a video for creators to share on Notes or Instagram. And as Mashable reported in July, Substack also gives readers "Scan for AI text" option. The tool, powered by Pangram, estimates how much of a published post was written by a human, generated by AI, or written with AI assistance.

The app comes in a literary world that has been inundated with AI. In a 2026 survey Medium conducted with The Harris Poll, 71 percent of writers said they'd used AI in their writing process in the previous three months, yet 69 percent said they distrusted AI-assisted writing from others. TK brings AI closer into the writing process than ever before. Having an assistant a few keystrokes away could make it easier to churn out more AI slop...or the app could do what Stubblebine hopes and get writers sharing rough drafts and working through ideas together. As someone who reads a lot of AI slop these days, I'll be hoping for the latter.

As Congress returns to Washington this week, the massive power demands of the AI boom have forced a reckoning over data center infrastructure.

The Senate is preparing for a pivotal procedural vote on legislation that would speed approvals for energy projects while requiring large data centers to shoulder more of the costs they impose on the power grid. The bipartisan bill would add much-needed regulations on data centers, but, as some politicians believe, may also encourage more data center construction.

Silicon Valley vs. a changed D.C.

In the sweeping and history-making midterm elections last week, voters didn't just elect a new generation of Democratic lawmakers. They also sent a pretty unmistakable message to Big Tech, particularly the artificial intelligence industry: Enough with the data centers already. Or, more bluntly, "get out of town."

Across the country, local communities are pushing to stop, restrict, or impose conditions on data center development. The election results reinforced that message, making clear that the AI gold rush is facing growing resistance.

For the last two years, Silicon Valley has busied itself building more, building bigger and doing it ASAP. If a tech giant wanted to drop a warehouse-sized data center into a community, local governments often offered tax breaks and other incentives, then told residents it was harmless and would mean more jobs.

Voters increasingly aren't buying it.

Democrats now find themselves in a pickle. Many campaigned on restricting data center development, responding to voters concerned about electricity costs, water consumption, and the impact these enormous facilities have on their communities. 

Now, the aforementioned pending legislation forces a stark about-face — since, as Reuters reports, some Democrats believe provisions in the proposed bill could encourage the creation of more data centers. If that comes to pass, incoming lawmakers would need to explain why those campaign promises to halt data center construction no longer apply. 

Can data centers be built responsibly?

There's a risk, too, in the new Democratic Congress pushing too forcefully for restrictions on AI, specifically on data centers. My well-seasoned brain believes AI companies will respond to restrictions not simply by complaining about the cost of doing business, but by slowing down the rollout of new technology.

Some of that slowdown will be unavoidable. Without enough data centers, electricity, and computing capacity, companies cannot expand indefinitely. But some of it could be strategic.

I suspect the message from Silicon Valley will be slightly PR-ish: If you don't want us building data centers, don't expect your ChatGPT, Claude, or Siri to keep getting faster, smarter, and more capable. That "hurry up and now" diagnosis for your sore knee might take a little longer.

SEE ALSO: Is this the only U.S. town to vote 'yes' on data centers?

Picture AI as something other than a magical cloud floating above our heads. Every time you ask an AI assistant to write an email, generate an image, or summarize a document, powerful chips in actual buildings are cranking away, consuming tremendous amounts of electricity and water and pressuring local power grids. 

And all that power costs mega cash. Utility rates, grid upgrades, and higher electricity bills have turned an abstract technology debate into something much more personal.

I don't blame communities for pushing back. Why should residents subsidize a multibillion-dollar technology company's expansion while wondering whether their electric bills will keep climbing? They're already fed up with rising gas and grocery prices and the cost of a new home.

But there's another side to this costly coin that Democrats shouldn't ignore. Data centers can bring economic benefits, too, provided technology companies invest in the communities that host them.

While data centers rarely employ local, low-skill workers directly, AI companies can bridge this gap by funding local infrastructure projects that immediately put the existing workforce to work. Furthermore, the resulting influx of permanent, high-salaried technicians injects new tax revenue into the community, triggering a powerful economic ripple effect for local restaurants and shops.

Communities shouldn't have to choose between protecting residents and benefiting from technological investment. Companies that want to build in these towns should contribute meaningfully to their economic well-being.

The risks of slowing down the AI gold rush

Government intervention, even when well-intentioned, can also produce unintended consequences that ultimately hurt consumers.

Just look at Europe. In 2024, Apple said it would hold back Apple Intelligence and other new features from EU customers, citing "regulatory uncertainties" tied to the Digital Markets Act. Regulators were trying to rein in Big Tech and protect competition. Whether you buy Apple's explanation or see it as a pressure tactic, European customers were left waiting while others got the shiny new toys.

This doesn't mean all regulation is bad. It's a reminder that lawmakers cannot promise to put a tight leash on an industry without potentially creating bottlenecks in the products and services it provides. That's precisely the dilemma Democrats now face.

If they make it too difficult or expensive to build data centers, AI companies will have fewer places to house the computing power necessary to expand their products. New features could take longer to arrive. More sophisticated applications could cost more.

And I wouldn't be surprised if the industry makes sure consumers understand exactly who's responsible. They'll be smug about it: "OK, you wanted restrictions. You got them. Now don't lose it when your AI assistant takes longer to answer. Or, we might have you paying a monthly fee."

It's a convenient argument for Big Tech, shifting attention away from an industry that hasn't always sought communities' permission or given much thought to ordinary consumers.

That's why Democrats need to be thoughtful about what comes next. Protecting communities, keeping electricity affordable, and demanding that tech companies pay their fair share are entirely reasonable goals. But a political victory over data centers could become a consumer defeat if lawmakers don't consider the consequences.

This article represents the opinions of its writer.

John Casey is a columnist at Raw Story, the Advocate, Daily Beast, and Outsports. He's also the author of Love: The Heroic Stories of Marriage Equality.

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Opens in a new window Credit: SEOAgent SEOAgent: Lifetime Subscription (Tier 1) $69
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Opens in a new window Credit: Microsoft Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2019 for Windows $15.98
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On Nov. 3, left-leaning Americans felt something that had lain dormant for a long time: hope.

The U.S. midterm elections resulted in historic wins, including Democrats flipping seats in several states. After the gut-punch of Trump's second win in 2024, and the subsequent human rights abuses and skyrocketing costs in the last two years, the "blue wave" (or bluenami, bluke, however you'd like to refer to it) swept over many of us like a calming balm. 

SEE ALSO: Midterms deliver clear message: 'The AI reckoning is here'

The election results haven't just caused democratic optimism (or millennial optimism). For some women who date men, it has also bubbled over into romantic optimism.

"I'm hopeful that with a shift in politics and culture, the values of individuals and groups will start to shift too," Bailey Cummings, a 27-year-old communications and marketing specialist based in Nashville, told Mashable over Instagram DM. 

Is heteropessimism fading?

The past few years have been less than stellar for heterosexuals. In 2019, writer and researcher Asa Seresin coined "heteropessimism," or feelings of shame, regret, and hopelessness when it comes to straight romance. The feeling seems to have only gotten worse since then, paving the way for 2025's "heterofatalism." The novelty of dating apps has long worn off, the debate over whether to engage in casual sex rages on, and having a boyfriend is embarrassing.

It doesn't help that young men and women have, at least in the past decade, held diverging ideological views. Men were becoming more conservative in the U.S. and elsewhere, and women more liberal. Politics are more polarized than ever, and the polarization carries over into our love lives.

"I'm on Hinge primarily, and if it says 'not political' or 'moderate' or 'conservative' in anyone's profile, regardless of their gender, I'm not gonna meet up with that person," said Ellie Rudy, a bisexual 27-year-old freelance journalist in Brooklyn.

Men under 30 had a 23-point shift to the right in the 2024 presidential election. But last Tuesday, they swung back nearly 40 points to the Democrats, the New York Times reported.

"After being told that men were basically a lost generation and that they'd been eaten up by the manosphere and Andrew Tate and were impossible to capture, we saw the opposite happen," journalist and author Liz Plank told Mashable.

Writer Magdalene J. Taylor proposed "hetero-optimism" in a New York Times op-ed back in May, but it's looking more relevant than ever.

That being said, Plank noted that while the results were uplifting, there's still a big divide between men and women.

The political gender divide

A 2024 Financial Times article argues that the #MeToo movement, which peaked in 2017 and 2018, was the trigger for the gender divide among Gen Z. In the years since, differences of opinion have expanded beyond the issue of sexual violence and into politics (like immigration), marriage, and children. 

Meanwhile, manosphere influencers like Andrew Tate sold a gender essentialist, traditional worldview to young men in which they are victims of feminism. Men, to Tate and others, should dominate women and be "alphas." 

These misogynistic talking points align with the online incel (involuntary celibate) community, which rose from a fringe movement into the mainstream consciousness, especially since 2020. Incel forums fostered the looksmaxxing trend and its totem, the influencer Clavicular, who was recently charged with rape. As Mashable's deputy digital culture editor Olivia Tauber wrote in Sept., Clavicular built a following by humiliating women.

Far-right influencers aligned themselves with Donald Trump, and it's easy to see why women reject this outlook.

"What we've seen lately is this dominant political model of, 'This is what it means to be a man, and you have to behave this way, and we don't necessarily believe that women have the same rights or the same freedom to different roles,'" Sarah Ketay, a social and health psychologist at the University of Hartford, told Mashable. "My personal take is that a lot of women don't appreciate that."

And, regardless of age, the Pew Research Center found in a 2024 report that men are more likely than women to associate with the Republican Party.

But despite whatever far-right influencers spew, men and women aren't actually that different, Ketay argued.

"What we found in social psychology is that men and women often want exactly the same thing. They want partners who are kind to each other, who pay attention to them, who care about them," Ketay said. 

The issues lie in how men are socialized, she continued. Generally, men are socialized to suppress their emotions except anger, and they're not taught to pay attention to how other people feel. This doesn't help heterosexual relationships. And these aren't inherent differences, Ketay said, but instead differences in how men and women are raised.

"Heterosexual relationships are actually at a disadvantage, not because of anything like biological, but because of how we're socialized," she said.

But there is good news: Positive qualities, like communication and awareness of other people's feelings, can be learned. And they don't have to be learned to be ready for a relationship, Ketay said; they can be learned while you're in one. 

"I hope people can be a little bit more optimistic," she said, and some are.

A cautious optimism

Rudy told Mashable that she's cautiously optimistic. While she is disappointed in men she personally interacts with and men as a larger group, she feels hopeful. Though, she did point out that she's encountered leftist men who vote Democrat but act misogynistic and homophobic behind closed doors.

"There's something that's particularly frightening about liberal men who initially can make women feel safe, and then once you get to know them better, you realize it's all just a facade," she said. She's also dating more women than men right now.

Another bi woman, 31-year-old New Jersey resident Kaitlyn Porter, told Mashable over DM she doesn't feel more hopeful, because this is just the beginning. "We are leaps and bounds before men treat women as equals. I think it's nice to see them voting for the collective, but there's so much more that needs to be done," said Porter, a State Judiciary staff member.

Plank said there's a pessimistic view of the election that men thought gas prices were too high and decided to vote left, and it's not an ideological shift. But there's also a more optimistic view: That white men have realized that what Black women and other women have been organizing for decades to achieve can benefit them as well (as Plank wrote on her Substack).

A bluer America is better for daters

While Plank believes men and women are in very different places, elections can give us a different understanding of a demographic we thought was unchangeable, or dynamics believed to be set in stone.

The 2026 midterms were a single election, and we don't know how it will impact us. But, given the policy platforms of the winners, there might be truth behind the "baby boom in 9 months" jokes.

"I think single straight women should feel more hopeful about all this!" Steffi Cao, a 28-year-old dating advice columnist and culture writer in New York City, told Mashable over Instagram DM.

Cao believes that the political divide between young, straight men and women is fueled by limited access to resources. These developments give her hope that change is possible. "Think about how the happiest countries are ones with strong social programs, and there's a correlation between marriage satisfaction and healthcare access," she said. Some Democrats, especially Michigan's Senator-elect Abdul El-Sayed, campaigned on Medicare for All this election cycle.

"I'm not saying that things will change overnight," she said, "but I am more hopeful that with these incoming structural changes, culture has more potential to shift as young men can realize it was never immigrants or women or trans athletes that were preventing them from their own success, but rather [the] system that promised them things and never delivered."

Ketay also mentioned that politicians and their social programs can help improve relationships and families. She cited New York City's free babysitting program, which provides childcare for a "parents' night out."

In recent years, singles have said that the rising cost of living is just another reason dating is harder. They can't afford dinner and drinks, let alone move out of their parents' home and buy their own. 

But maybe politicians who want to get money out of politics, provide free healthcare, and tax billionaires could balance the economic scales somewhat and make every aspect of American life — including finding a partner — that much easier. 

An old video game can look just the way it did years ago, right up until a door that used to open won't budge, a character stops responding when you try to talk to them, or the game freezes every time you load a saved level. That's one way to run into what programmers call "code rot." The game itself may have stayed the same while the platform it runs on keeps getting updates. Over time, parts of the game stop working altogether.

On Gen Z TikTok, anything can be "code rotted," from a report card full of failing grades to a slushie machine that won’t dispense the goods. The joke is that real life is starting to break down like an old Roblox game, especially when something that's supposed to go right just doesn't.

Creators write text overlays in the voice of someone who's just confirmed a long-held suspicion: A baffling homework assignment? "Yup yup yup i f*cking knew it this assignment is definitely code rotted." Can't log into your Google account? "google is coderotted. it's coderot." Puppy acting up? It's code-rotted, too.

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The phrase first gained traction on Roblox, specifically when some players revisited games they grew up with. In May, TikToker @planetaryequinox posted a clip of the apartments in Royale High, a school role-playing game, glitching in a loop. The game's developers said in an X post they'd received more bug reports from older areas and had already released several patches.

Later that month, another TikToker @forgottenfuture1 started a series revisiting older Roblox games, beginning with Greenwood Town, one of the first games they remembered playing. Users also found "code rot" in other games, like Fortnite and Genshin Impact.

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By October, a Despicable Me 4 TikTok filter had brought the "code rot" joke beyond Roblox. The filter is a mini-game where players steer Gru toward gates marked with different characters' faces. But in an Oct. 13 TikTok from @diaryofawimpykidfan01, Gru barrels straight through every gate as if the choices don’t matter. The creator called the filter "code-rotted," and the clip's eerie, slowed-down soundtrack made a glitch in a Gru mini-game feel like the opening of a horror movie.

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The joke borrows from something that really does happen online. The internet can feel permanent right up until an old bookmark leads to a 404, or an old forum thread still exists but the photos that made it useful have disappeared. That’s link rot, and it adds up. In a 2024 study, Pew Research Center found that 38 percent of the webpages it sampled from 2013 were inaccessible a decade later.

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There's a visual version of that decay, too, with a similar name. "Pixel rot" is used to describe images breaking down into visible blocks and smears. A familiar version is the meme that's been saved and reposted so many times that the text is barely legible. Each round of compression can strip away a little more detail, so a picture can stay in circulation long after it stops looking like the original. For more of a visual, see PetaPixel's 2020 experiment with repeated Instagram uploads.

"Code rot" joins a growing vocabulary among Gen Z and Gen Alpha slang for describing real life as though it were a video game. An "NPC" is a "non-playable character," or someone who’s acting like a background character in someone else’s story. And "XP" measures experience in a game, which is why streamer Sykkuno once joked that his XP bar was low when talking about his dating life.

SEE ALSO: 'Larper' is the internet's new favorite insult. Here's what it means.

For generations that grew up learning, playing, and making friends online, it makes sense that the internet would shape the words they use to understand the world around them. We'll see which gaming term makes its way into the group chat next.

From YouTubers and TikTok stars to streamers and podcasters, Mashable talks to creators about how they built their platforms, the gear they swear by, and the trends they see coming next. Read more of our creator coverage, sign up for our Trending Now and Top Stories newsletters or get Mashable push alerts to discover the internet's most exciting voices. 

By the time TikTok creator @wetsloppyswollen got to day eight of Skims' $148 advent calendar, she'd already opened a teddy bear keychain, hair ties, satin scrunchies, and a little foam toy with the Skims logo on it. Day eight was bobby pins, which would have been more of a surprise if day four hadn’t also been bobby pins. As one commenter put it, the whole thing was like a "box of pranks."

SEE ALSO: My favorite Advent calendars for 2026: Shop top picks from Papier, Red Bull, Lego, and more

The Nov. 6 video racked up 65 million views in just three days, and prompted many more shoppers to post their own unboxings. "Terrible!" beauty creator Kayla Ryan cried out to her 1.6 million followers. Some creators are also showing off other brands' advent calendars, like P. Louise and H&M's, to compare.

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By Nov. 8, Kim Kardashian's loungewear and lingerie brand was offering refunds.

"We understand that the calendar didn't meet expectations," a Skims representative told Entertainment Weekly on Nov. 9, adding that the company had contacted everyone who bought the box. Customers can return it for a full refund or keep it and take store credit. Despite the backlash, the advent calendar appears to be sold out — the demand is there. As it always is for Kim.

Though a surprise to many (well, most) purchasers, when Skims first released the box as part of its Holiday Shop on Oct. 29, under the "Fit & Fabric" dropdown page, shoppers could see exactly what was behind each door. Seven of the 12 days were devoted to hair accessories, including two packs of satin scrunchies, two packs of bobby pins, and a pair of headbands made from bra elastic. Four more doors held keychains, including one with a comb and another with a fuzzy compact mirror, and the last item in the mix was the Skims squishy. The original product URL now redirects to the brand's accessories page.

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Nevertheless, disclosure isn't exactly the issue here. On social media, people posted mock unboxings and compared the contents to what they might find under their couch cushions or on the floor of their car. "Not the SHEIN advent calendar being better than skims," wrote one TikTok commenter. Some online are replacing the word "SKIMS" with "SKAMS."

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Some fans and customers defended Kim: Beauty creator Glamzilla argued that the calendar was for "fans of SKIMS" who’d get a kick out of opening a little something from the brand each day. One X user wrote, "Tbh I was mad about it until I saw it’s literally labeled as an accessories advent calendar. They made it very obvious there would be no clothes (all advent calendars are scams imo though)."

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But something that might go over well with a Skims superfan can play very differently on social media, where anyone can watch all 12 doors open and decide for themselves whether the box was worth $148.

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As brands get better at making products people want to unbox on TikTok, they still owe the people who actually buy them a little respect. In this case, that means giving even the most devoted Skims fans something worth getting excited about.

From YouTubers and TikTok stars to streamers and podcasters, Mashable talks to creators about how they built their platforms, the gear they swear by, and the trends they see coming next. Read more of our creator coverage, sign up for our Trending Now and Top Stories newsletters or get Mashable push alerts to discover the internet's most exciting voices. 

On Sunday, chipmaker Nvidia posted an odd press release from its founder and CEO Jensen Huang on its website's newsroom page.

The press release, titled "A Message to Our Company," was also emailed to the company's employees. "I owe my family and all of you an apology. I was unfaithful to my wife. My actions hurt her and our children. There is no excuse for what I did. I am deeply sorry."

Why did Huang, who leads one of the most valuable companies in the world, share this personal information through official corporate communications? It's because the woman he had an affair with has been accused of working as a spy for China, according to reports from the New York Times and the Financial Times.

And this goes beyond just a public relations scandal. With Huang being a leading figure in the AI industry, Nvidia being the major supplier of computing power for the AI boom, and the AI arms race between the U.S. and China, Huang's affair is also an issue of national security.

What we know

The New York Times and the Financial Times reported over the weekend that Jensen Huang had an affair with Alice Huang (no relation), a Chinese citizen and top executive at the Singapore-based data center company Megaspeed, a major purchaser of Nvidia's chips.

According to the outlets, U.S. intelligence agencies believe that Alice Huang had been recruited by China's Ministry of State Security as a spy.

U.S. surveillance of Alice Huang found that she had been in regular communication with an American citizen, who was later identified as Jensen Huang, the founder and CEO of Nvidia, according to the New York Times. The Megaspeed executive reportedly wanted the Nvidia CEO to lobby the Trump administration to loosen chip export controls. Huang reportedly did exactly that.

This discovery was treated as such a high-level national security risk that Secretary of State Marco Rubio himself helped draft a classified memo this spring warning the Trump administration of Huang's relationship with a spy working for China’s top intelligence agency, the New York Times reported.

The company said it has "no reason to believe that either national security or Nvidia secrets were compromised," per a statement from the company's board of directors posted to the Nvidia website on Sunday. The board also said that it had opened its own independent investigation into the relationship and what did and didn't occur.

The Associated Press reported today that China has denied that Alice Huang works for its government as a spy, calling the accusations a "smear campaign."

What we don't know

Aside from the affair being confirmed by Huang himself, and U.S. intelligence reportedly believing that Alice Huang is a spy for the Chinese government, there's a lot that we don't know.

We still don't know what Jensen Huang knew about Alice Huang, or to what degree he was or was not influenced. We don't know what Nvidia's CEO may have told Alice Huang and what information, if any, was compromised. If information was exchanged, we don't know what was passed to the Chinese government.

In addition, Alice Huang's current whereabouts are completely unknown, according to the Wall Street Journal. She was last confirmed to have been in China in 2024, right around the time U.S. intelligence agencies began investigating her. Pictures from 2025 of the two together surfaced recently, according to the Wall Street Journal.

It's unclear how wide the potential fallout of this international incident will be. Will Jensen Huang be indicted? Will he be forced to step down as CEO of Nvidia? If so, who is next in line to lead the California-based company, which has a current market cap of over $4.2 trillion?

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.

Get your Kohl's Cash ready: the Black Friday Kohl's ad scan is here.

Here's what you need to know: Kohl's savings event starts Nov. 22 both in stores and online, five days before the actual day of Black Friday on Nov. 27. While the sale runs through Monday, Nov. 30, shoppers can save up to 50% off, plus an extra 20% off with coupons. And because it's Kohl's, shoppers are also able to earn $15 of Kohl's Cash for every $50 spent.

SEE ALSO: Everything to know about Black Friday 2026: Best deals, sale dates, how to shop smart, and more

Across their catalog, there will be deals on apparel, electronics, kitchen appliances, toys and games, beauty products, and even vacuums. Looking for a preview on what to shop? We have you covered.

Note: Kohl's hasn't confirmed specifically what will be on sale in some categories. Products with a 🔍 emoji are ones we hope to see go on sale (or receive a better deal than it has currently) within confirmed product categories. All other products have been announced officially as deals.

Best beauty deal Opens in a new window Credit: Shark Shark CryoGlow 🔍 $349.99 at Kohl's
  Get Deal at Kohl's Why we like it

The Shark CryoGlow is Mashable's favorite red light mask, period. While pricey (as a red light mask is wont to be), it is one of the more accessible options in a product category that can easily run into the $450 plus category. Still, we recommend picking it up on Black Friday because it doesn't go on sale often, so this it is one of the best times to buy it. Treat yourself or a loved one with a mask that can emit blue, red, and infrared light, work on well as acne as it does anti-aging, offer a soothing under eye experience with the chilling pads, and generally be extremely easy to use.

More beauty deals

Shark Beauty will be available for up to 30% on select styles. Coupons will not apply.

• Shark Depuffi — $199.99 🔍

• Shark SilkiPro Wet to Dry hair straightener — $249.99 🔍

• Shark FlexStyle — $299.99 🔍

• Shark FacialPro Glow — $399.99 🔍

Best kitchen deal Opens in a new window Credit: Ninja Ninja Slushi XL $299.99 at Kohl's
$349.99 Save $50   Get Deal at Kohl's Why we like it

Easy frosé year round? Cola slushies on-demand? Say less. We tested the original Ninja Slushi, and it can deliver on slush-ifying nearly any drink (as long as it contains sugar). This XL version isn't on sale until Black Friday, but the $50 price cut it's slated to receive makes it an easy get for any frozen drink fiends, whether it be for a gift or for adding a little extra something to your holiday gatherings. The deal doesn't stop there, either – in addition to the price cut, a purchase of the Ninja Slushi XL comes with $75 of Kohl's Cash.

More kitchen and home deals

Select kitchen appliances will be up to 50% off, plus an additional 20% off with coupon.

• Bissell Little Green mini cordless vacuum — $69.99 $129.99 (save $60)

• Cuisinart Hot and Iced Brew Coffee Center 2-in-1 coffeemaker — $99.99 $229.99 (save $130, plus additional 20% off with coupon, and earn $15 Kohl's Cash)

• Ninja Crispi — $159.99 $179.99 (save $20) 🔍

• KitchenAid Artisan Stand Mixer (5 quart) — $349.99 $499.99 (save $150) 🔍

Best tech deal Opens in a new window Credit: Beats Beats Pill $129.99 at Kohl's
$149.99 Save $20   Get Deal at Kohl's Why we like it

The Beats Pill is Mashable's favorite Bluetooth speaker to grab on sale, and though it's $20 off at the time of writing, we suggest waiting until Kohl's Black Friday deals properly arrive. Why? Well, this speaker is almost never at its full price, so the $129 sale price is the more accurate list price. We're betting on the Black Friday savings to bring it more down to below $110 or even $100. The speaker itself has a sleek look, great room filling sound, and actually works well to make calls on thanks to the built-in mic.

More tech deals

Select electronics will be on sale for up to 50% for online products only.

• JBL Clip 5 — $79.99 🔍

• Victrola Re-Spin suitcase record player — $99.99 🔍

• Beats Studio Pro — $249.99 $399.99 (save $50) 🔍

• Garmin vívoactive 6 Smartwatch — $299.99 🔍

Toy and games deals

• Tonies Playtime Puppy Toniebox 2 starter set — $99.99 $149.99 (save $50)

• Save up to 40% on select Lego sets

Raanan Hershberg is a comic’s comic, known for sharp, long-form premises, ruthless self-awareness, and a distinct refusal to bend entirely to the internet’s whims. Over years grinding through the New York stand-up scene, making specials like Brave and Jokes from the Underground, and co-hosting Your Favorite Movie Sucks, he has built a reputation for comedy that digs into the messy, uncomfortable gray areas of modern life.

In this in-depth conversation, Hershberg sits down to discuss the development of his latest hour, Did You Like Me?, the modern reality of social media virality, and why protecting your artistic integrity matters more than ever.

In this episode, Hershberg takes a sobering look back at early 2000s "punching-down" material, the guilt of edgy comedy, and turning domestic arguments into sharper, honest material.

Hershberg then dives into the illusion of truth in stand-up, why audiences naturally suspend disbelief, how breaking the fourth wall creates bigger laughs, and the art of admitting when a joke is a lie.

Hershberg also addresses the dreaded algorithm trap: why chasing short viral clips compromises a comic’s voice, the line between smart promotion and writing for social media, and why virality often comes from people completely misunderstanding the joke.

Catch Raanan Hershberg performing his hour Did You Like Me? live at the 2026 New York Comedy Festival and watch his specials—including his award-winning short film Memory Room—available now on YouTube.

Follow Raanan Hershberg:

• Instagram: @raanancomedy

• Tickets & Tour Dates: punchup.live/raanan/tickets

• Podcast: Your Favorite Movie Sucks

After a record-breaking theatrical run over the summer, The Odyssey will finally be available to watch at home this month. You'll still have to wait a bit to stream it, but dedicated fans can purchase the film at digital on-demand retailers soon.

How to watch 'The Odyssey' at a glance: Watch on Nov. 17 Preorder The Odyssey' on Prime Video $19.99 Shop Now Watch on Nov. 17 Preorder 'The Odyssey' at Apple TV $19.99 Shop Now Watch on Nov. 17 Preorder 'The Odyssey' on Fandango $19.99 Shop Now Watch later Peacock Premium yearly subscription $129.99/year (save $25.89) Get Deal Watch later Peacock Premium for Students and Young Adults $6.99/month for 12 months (save $6/month) Get Deal Watch later Peacock Premium for First Responders and Medical Professionals $7.99/month (save $5/month) Get Deal Watch later Peacock Premium for Active Military and Veterans $7.99/month (save $5/month) Get Deal Watch later Peacock Premium for Teachers $7.99/month (save $5/month) Get Deal Watch later Instacart+ (includes Peacock Premium for free) $99.99/year (save $129.99/year) Get Deal Watch later Walmart+ (includes Peacock Premium for free) $98/year (save $129.99/year) Get Deal

Raking in $626 million domestically and $1.8 billion globally, Christopher Nolan's adaptation of Homer's ancient Greek epic poem became his highest-grossing film of all time, as well as Universal Pictures'. Mashable Entertainment Reporter Belen Edwards called it "nothing short of masterful" in her review. Other critics and audiences alike have raved about it (it currently holds a 94 percent on Rotten Tomatoes). I can't say I'm surprised, though. With an all-star cast that features Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong'o, Samantha Morton, Zendaya, John Lenguizamo, and Charlize Theron, it was bound to be a cinematic phenomenon.

Check out the official trailer below.

The beloved adaptation is set to return to IMAX screens in December for those who want to experience it again in its full glory, but if you don't want to wait, you can catch it from your couch starting Nov. 17. Here are all the streaming details you need to know to watch The Odyssey.

How to watch The Odyssey at home Credit: Universal Pictures

The Odyssey will be available to watch at home this month. You can preorder at Amazon, Fandango, or Apple TV. If you can wait a little longer, it will also be streaming. See all the details below.

Buy or rent it on digital

The Odyssey is set to make its digital debut on Nov. 17, 2026. This means you can buy the movie from on-demand retailers for $19.99 (or likely rent it for around $14.99).

Here are some quick links to preorder the film on digital. Note that these prices will likely drop a few weeks after its digital debut.

• Apple TV — preorder for $19.99

• Fandango — preorder for $19.99

• Prime Video — preorder for $19.99

When and where is The Odyssey streaming?

While no specific streaming date has officially been announced, we can make an educated guess that The Odyssey will make its streaming debut on Peacock in February. We'll update this story with the latest information once it's revealed.

Christopher Nolan’s last film, the Oscar-winning Oppenheimer, debuted on digital exactly four months after its theatrical release. The Odyssey has followed its exact same timeline so far. If it follows a similar streaming schedule as well, the director's latest epic will hit Peacock in early February 2027.

The best Peacock streaming deals

Peacock subscriptions start at $8.99, but the cheapest tier won't grant you access to theatrical releases. Instead, you'll need at least Peacock Premium to watch The Odyssey when it's released. A Premium subscription will run you $12.99 per month. Fortunately, there are a few different ways you can save some money on a subscription, which we've rounded up below.

Best Peacock deal: Save up to $39 on an annual subscription Opens in a new window Credit: Peacock Peacock Premium annual subscription $129.99 per year or $199.99 per year (save 17%) Get Deal

The best way to save money on a streaming subscription on any given day is by opting for the annual plan instead of the monthly plan. Paying for a year of Peacock Premium or Premium Plus up front saves you up to $39.89 per year.

Peacock Premium (with ads) costs $12.99 monthly, which adds up to $155.88 for 12 months. If you pay for the annual plan, however, it'll only cost you $129.99 — a savings of $25.89. Likewise, the Premium Plus plan costs $19.99 per month, which adds up to $239.88. The annual plan, on the other hand, costs just $199.99 — a savings of $39.89. You'll essentially be getting two months of streaming for free by opting for an annual subscription.

Best Peacock deal for Xfinity customers: Free Peacock Premium for eligible accounts Opens in a new window Credit: Peacock / Xfinity Peacock Premium Free for select Xfinity customers Learn More

Free is our favorite price. If you're an Xfinity customer and have yet to check if you get Peacock for free, I highly recommend heading to Xfinity.com for more details. Here's a brief breakdown:

• Xfinity Internet customers who are Diamond or Platinum Xfinity Rewards members can get Peacock Premium for free by redeeming a reward for it. Sign in at xfinity.com/rewards and choose Peacock as a reward. Then, wait for your email (it may take a few hours) with instructions on activating the offer.

• NOW TV customers can also receive Peacock Premium as part of their service.

• New customers with Xfinity Internet and an X1 TV Box, Flex streaming TV Box, or a Xumo Stream Box from Xfinity can get Peacock Premium for free for six months.

Best Peacock deal for students and young adults: Save $6/month Opens in a new window Credit: Peacock Peacock Premium for Students $6.99/month (save $6/month) Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Peacock Peacock Premium for young adults $6.99/month for 12 months (save $6/month) Get Deal

Both students and young adults (ages 18 to 24) can slash $6 per month off a Peacock Premium subscription all year long. Verify your student status or age through SheerID and generate a unique promo code to knock the price down to just $6.99 instead of $12.99. You can renew the offer yearly if you still meet the criteria, but you may have to prove verify your student status or age each time.

Best for first responders, medical professionals, military, and teachers: Save $5/month Opens in a new window Credit: Peacock Peacock Premium for First Responders and Medical Professionals $7.99 per month (save $5 per month) Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Peacock Peacock Premium for Military $7.99 per month (save $5 per month) Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Peacock Peacock Premium for Teachers $7.99/month (save $5 per month) Get Deal

First responders, medical professionals, teachers, and military personnel can all unlock Peacock Premium subscriptions (with ads) for a discounted rate of $7.99 per month by verifying professional status through SheerID. If you continue to meet the verification qualifications, then you can renew your subscription at a discounted rate each year. Prices are subject to change.

Best for Instacart users: Free Peacock Premium with Instacart+ subscription Opens in a new window Credit: Instacart / Peacock Peacock Premium annual subscription Free for Instacart+ subscribers (save $129.99/year) Get Deal

An Instacart+ membership ($99 per year) unlocks a free Peacock Premium subscription ($129.99 per year value) on top of free grocery delivery, lower fees, and credit back on eligible pickup orders. You'll even get a free two-week trial to kick things off. The cost of Instacart+ is already a better deal than Peacock Premium for the year.

Pro tip: Sign up for your trial of Instacart+ when The Odyssey debuts on Peacock so you can watch it for free. Just be sure to cancel before you're charged the full amount. Setting a calendar alert is highly recommended.

Best for Walmart shoppers: Free Peacock Premium for Walmart+ members Opens in a new window Credit: Walmart Walmart+ $98 per year Get Deal

A Walmart+ membership is one of the best ways to score streaming services for free. A $98 Walmart+ subscription unlocks either Peacock Premium or Paramount+ Essential as a free perk — and you can switch every few months. Since Peacock Premium is a $129.99 value, the $98 Walmart+ membership is already a better deal than paying for Peacock on its own. With Walmart+, you'll also get free shipping with no order minimums, fuel discounts, a Scan & Go checkout tool, and early access to deals during Walmart's major shopping events.

Nintendo appears to have made the right call in remaking The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time for Switch 2, at least from a hearts-and-minds perspective.

The visually resplendent remake, which hit store shelves last week, has already set two records on Metacritic in just a few days. For starters, it has the highest aggregate score (96 out of 100) of any game to be released in 2026 so far. That was established when reviews went up a week ago, though, so it's not necessarily news at this point. However, as Forbes noted, Ocarina for Switch 2 has achieved another gaudy Metacritic milestone: It's now the highest-rated game by user scores in the site's history, with an all-time record score of 9.6 out of 10.

SEE ALSO: 6 good, bad, and weird changes in 'The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time' for Switch 2

For reference, the original Ocarina of Time for Nintendo 64 is the highest-rated game by critics in the history of Metacritic, with a score of 99 out of 100, a record it's held for a long time.

More than 8,750 users have submitted scores for Ocarina on Metacritic, so that score isn't necessarily being affected by a small sample size. It should absolutely be noted and emphasized that Metacritic does not require a verification of purchase for a user to submit a review score, so it's theoretically possible that some people are adding numbers to the mix in either direction without having played the game.

The Ocarina remake has also only been in the general public's hands for a little more than four days at the time of publication, so these takes are coming in piping hot, and people could change their minds over time.

We also would be remiss not to mention that Grand Theft Auto VI launches on Nov. 19, so there's a chance (albeit a small one) that Ocarina doesn't sit atop the user review throne for very long.

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Govee holiday lights deals at a glance Best outdoor lights deal Govee Icicle Lights (33 feet) $109.99 (save $120) Get Deal Best Christmas tree lights deal Govee Christmas Lights 2-in-1 $159.99 (save $40) Get Deal Best holiday decor deal Govee Christmas Cone Tree Lights $149.99 (save $40) Get Deal Best outdoor Christmas lights projector deal Govee Outdoor Christmas Projector Light $109.99 (save $40) Get Deal

Over the weekend, two of my neighbors put up their Christmas lights. One even did so with the garage door open and Christmas music tunes playing that filled the cul de sac. I'm not upset about the Christmas vibes in November, but even if you think it's too early, now is a great time to consider if your lights need an upgrade this year before the selection gets picked over.

Lucky for us, Amazon has tons of Govee Christmas lights on sale for both outside the house and inside. Plus, the sale extends to Govee's permanent outdoor lights which means this could be the last time you have to climb onto the roof to get them on the house.

Well ahead of Black Friday, check out these Govee deals at Amazon to get a head start on the holiday cheer.

Best outdoor lights deal Opens in a new window Credit: Govee Govee Icicle Lights (33 feet) $109.99 at Amazon
$229.99 Save $120.00   Get Deal at Amazon Why we like it

Go with the classic icicle lights this winter. The 33-foot strand of Govee Icicle Lights has 400 LEDs and over 78 preset scenes for holidays beyond Christmas. Plus, the IP67 waterproof rating means you can leave them up year-round if you'd like.

Since you can control the lights with the Govee app or with voice command, you'll never have to go outside in the dark to turn them on.

Best Christmas tree lights deal Opens in a new window Credit: Govee Govee Christmas Lights 2-in-1 $159.99 at Amazon
$199.99 Save $40   Get Deal at Amazon Why we like it

New this year, the Govee Christmas 2-in-1 lights are a delight. The set includes a 99-foot strand of 300 LED lights and a 26-foot strand with silver ornaments and 20 lights. The two strands work as one to wrap around your tree. Each of the 20 ornament lights projects a snowflake display and Govee makes it easy to decide on colors thanks to the 130 preset scenes.

Best holiday decor deal Opens in a new window Credit: Govee Govee Christmas Cone Tree Lights $149.99 at Amazon
$189.99 Save $40   Get Deal at Amazon Why we like it

Great for the yard or inside, the 7.5-foot Govee Christmas Cone Tree is certainly easier to maintain compared to a live tree and easier to store than an artificial Christmas tree. The Govee Christmas Cone Tree has 370 LED lights that come with an IP67 waterproof rating. In addition to the endless lighting scenes in the Govee app, you can also set the lights to sync with music for a great holiday party.

Best outdoor Christmas lights projector deal Opens in a new window Credit: Govee Govee Outdoor Christmas Projector Light $109.99 at Amazon
$149.99 Save $40.00   Get Deal at Amazon Why we like it

Instead of climbing onto the roof to get your house in the holiday spirit with lights, stay on the ground and install the Govee Outdoor Christmas Projector Light. It's capable of lighting up your home with a display that measures up to 32 feet, covering up to 1,500 square feet. It's easy to swap between any of the 16 patterns and it's capable of handling temperatures as low as -4 degrees Fahrenheit.

More Govee holiday lights deals

• Govee C9 String Lights (39 feet) — $99.99 $119.99 (save $20)

• Govee Christmas Sparkle String Lights (99 feet) — $109.99 $149.99 (save $30)

• Govee Outdoor Lights Set Holly-Jolly Christmas Bundle — $179.99 $299.99 (save $120)

• Govee Permanent Outdoor Lights 2 Pro (200 feet) — $639.99 $799.99 (save $160)

• Govee Permanent Outdoor Lights Prism (200 feet) — $689.99 $859.99 (save $170)