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Today's NYT Strands hints are easy if you're always aware.

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 January 28, 2026 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for January 28, 2026 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Zen state

The words are related to calmness.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe calming down.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is vertical.

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is Mindfulness.

NYT Strands word list for January 28

• Focus

• Meditation

• Notice

• Mindfulness

• Relax

• Listen

• Breathe

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 unkind.

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 January 28, 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.

SEE ALSO: NYT Pips hints, answers for January 28, 2026 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

Evil.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

There are no recurring letters.

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

Today's Wordle starts with the letter C.

SEE ALSO: Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL. The Wordle answer today is...

Get your last guesses in now, because it's your final chance to solve today's Wordle before we reveal the solution.

Drumroll please!

The solution to today's Wordle is...

CRUEL

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

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

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for January 28, 2026

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

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

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

Welcome to your guide to Pips, the latest game in the New York Times catalogue.

Released in August 2025, the Pips puts a unique spin on dominoes, creating a fun single-player experience that could become your next daily gaming habit.

Currently, if you're stuck, the game only offers to reveal the entire puzzle, forcing you to move onto the next difficulty level and start over. However, we have you covered! Below are piecemeal answers that will serve as hints so that you can find your way through each difficulty level.

How to play Pips

If you've ever played dominoes, you'll have a passing familiarity for how Pips is played. As we've shared in our previous hints stories for Pips, the tiles, like dominoes, are placed vertically or horizontally and connect with each other. The main difference between a traditional game of dominoes and Pips is the color-coded conditions you have to address. The touching tiles don't necessarily have to match.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for January 28, 2026

The conditions you have to meet are specific to the color-coded spaces. For example, if it provides a single number, every side of a tile in that space must add up to the number provided. It is possible – and common – for only half a tile to be within a color-coded space.

Here are common examples you'll run into across the difficulty levels:

• Number: All the pips in this space must add up to the number.

• Equal: Every domino half in this space must be the same number of pips.

• Not Equal: Every domino half in this space must have a completely different number of pips.

• Less than: Every domino half in this space must add up to less than the number.

• Greater than: Every domino half in this space must add up to more than the number.

If an area does not have any color coding, it means there are no conditions on the portions of dominoes within those spaces.

SEE ALSO: NYT Strands hints, answers for January 28, 2026 Easy difficulty hints, answers for Jan. 28 Pips

Number (5): Everything in this space must add up to 5. The answer is 2-0, placed horizontally; 5-5, placed horizontally.

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

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

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

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

Medium difficulty hints, answers for Jan. 28 Pips

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

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

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

Number (9): Everything in this space must add up to 9. The answer is 3-4, placed vertically; 5-2, placed horizontally.

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

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

Greater Than (5): Everything in this space must be greater than 5. The answer is 6-0, placed vertically.

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

Hard difficulty hints, answers for Jan. 28 Pips

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

Number (5): Everything in this space must add up to 5. The answer is 5-1, placed vertically; 0-3, placed horizontally.

Number (5): Everything in this space must add up to 5. The answer is 0-3, placed horizontally; 2-6, placed vertically.

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

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

Greater Than (10): Everything in this space must be greater than 10. The answer is 2-6, placed vertically; 5-0, placed vertically.

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

Less Than (2): Everything in this space must be less than 2. The answer is 0-0, placed horizontally; 5-0, placed vertically.

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

TL;DR: Unblock Pornhub from the UK with a VPN. The best service for unblocking porn sites is ExpressVPN.

The world of porn has been rocked by age-verification laws, requiring individuals to provide proof of age in order to access adult content.

Earlier in 2025, more than a third of U.S. states introduced age verification laws for online adult content. Pornhub responded by blocking users from those locations, and now the same situation is taking place in France.

The same situation is not taking place in the UK, but it's no less frustrating. The UK's age-verification law came into effect on July 25, but in this case, Pornhub is complying with the UK's law. It's nice that there's no total ban, but these age-verification laws still raise serious privacy concerns. The prospect of handing over information to third-party systems and not knowing how these companies are handling or storing that data is naturally concerning to potential users. For these individuals, there is a workaround.

If you want to unblock porn sites like Pornhub for free from the UK, we have all the information you need.

How to unblock Pornhub for free in the UK

VPNs are useful tools that can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to secure servers in other locations. This straightforward process bypasses geo-restrictions so you can access sites like Pornhub from anywhere in the world.

Unblock Pornhub by following these simple steps:

1. Sign up for a VPN (like ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in a location that supports access to Pornhub

4. Visit Pornhub

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The best VPNs for unblocking porn sites are not free, but most do offer free-trial peiods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can unblock porn sites like Pornhub without actually spending anything. This is obviously not a long-term solution, but it does give you the opportunity to temporarily retain access to Pornhub before recovering your investment.

If you want to retain permanent access to sites like Pornhub, you'll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for bypassing content restrictions is on sale for a limited time.

What is the best VPN for Pornhub?

ExpressVPN is the top choice for unblocking porn sites like Pornhub, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries

• 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 streaming speeds free from throttling

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $139 and includes an extra four months for free — 61% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.95 (including money-back guarantee).

Unblock Pornhub for free in the UK with ExpressVPN.

While Donald Trump and his administration continue doubling down on spin and rhetoric after the second fatal shooting of a U.S. citizen by federal immigration officers in Minnesota, the White House is also heavily promoting the upcoming Melania doc.

The Amazon-produced documentary is the first film directed by Brett Ratner since multiple women accused him of sexual harassment or misconduct in 2017, and follows the First Lady in the days before Trump's second presidential inauguration in Jan. 2025.

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"It's a real peek behind the curtain at a woman picking out curtains," Stephen Colbert quipped on The Late Show on Tuesday night.

SEE ALSO: Jimmy Kimmel trolls Melania Trump over her new documentary

The host then took aim at Amazon MGM Studios for the colossal amount of money the Jeff Bezos-owned company reportedly dropped on the documentary.

"Amazon bribed a whopping $40 million for the movie and an additional $35 million for marketing, promotion and distribution," said Colbert. "So big box office, right? Wrong, social media has been flooded with images of theatres in major cities that haven't sold a single seat."

Is everyone hitting Send Help instead this weekend or...

Melania Trump's Amazon MGM Studios documentary is nearing release, and the First Lady has kick-started her promotional tour with an interview on Fox. But apparently all is not well behind the scenes.

"According to the writer Michael Wolff, Melania is bigly upset that the murders in Minneapolis are overshadowing the release of the $75 million bribe, I mean documentary, that Amazon made for her," says Jimmy Kimmel in the clip above. "Alex Pretti was killed on Saturday, the same day they had the VIP screening of the movie at the White House, and now, while she's promoting her film, she has to answer questions about it."

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SEE ALSO: Stephen Colbert drops truths about the 'Melania' doc

Kimmel goes on to play footage of Melania speaking on Fox, confirming that both the president and her son Barron apparently liked the movie.

"Her son and her husband liked it," says Kimmel. "All the people in the movie are giving it rave reviews. That's enough for me. It is not, however, getting a positive response for some of the people who worked on the film. According to Rolling Stone, two thirds of the New York crew asked to have their names removed from the credits. Two is a lot of thirds."

TL;DR: Pokémon TCG: Prismatic Evolutions Booster Packs have dropped to just $12.96 at Amazon. That's a 32% discount on their usual $18.99 list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: The Pokémon Company Pokémon TCG: Scarlet and Violet Prismatic Evolutions Booster Pack $12.96 at Amazon
$18.99 Save $6.03   Get Deal

Get ready to build your binder with Eeveelution pulls for less than usual, because Amazon has dropped the price on boosters for one of Pokémon’s rarest expansions. As of Jan. 28, Pokémon TCG: Scarlet and Violet Prismatic Evolutions Booster Packs are down to $12.96 at Amazon, marking a 32% discount on their $18.99 list price. For one of the most in-demand sets of the Scarlet and Violet era, that’s a solid price cut indeed.

Like those for other expansions, each Prismatic Evolutions booster pack includes 10 cards, with chances to pull rare, ultra-rare, and special variant cards from a set that’s become especially popular thanks to its Eevee and Eeveelution focus. Pack artwork is randomized, and all cards are tournament-legal, making these boosters a good fit for both collectors and players looking to freshen up a deck.

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What really makes this deal stand out is how these packs of trading cards stack up elsewhere. On TCGplayer, individual Prismatic Evolutions booster packs are typically listed for more, and once seller fees and shipping are factored in, the total often ends up well above Amazon’s current asking price. Walmart listings also trend higher when packs are actually in stock, making Amazon the clear value pick right now.

Prismatic Evolutions has been tough to grab at a reasonable price thanks to high demand and frequent sell-outs. Single booster packs are a must-buy if you’re hoping to grab that valuable Special Illustration Rare Umbreon. 

For those keen on the upcoming expansion, you can pre-order the Pokémon TCG’s Ascended Heroes Tech Sticker Collections at their lowest-ever price on Amazon. Meanwhile, you can still grab the Pokémon TCG: Mega Venusaur ex Premium Collection Box for almost $22 off. 

Today's Connections: Sports Edition will be easier if you know your hockey.

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

Like the original Connections, the game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier — so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.

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

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable What is Connections: Sports Edition?

The NYT's latest daily word game has launched in association with The Athletic, the New York Times property that provides the publication's sports coverage. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.

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Each puzzle features 16 words and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise of anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there's only one correct answer.

If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake — players get up to four mistakes until the game ends.

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Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.

SEE ALSO: Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL. Here's a hint for today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

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

• Yellow: Tale of tape

• Green: Platforms

• Blue: Old homes

• Purple: Name included

Here are today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

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

• Yellow: Player bio information

• Green: Sports streamers

• Blue: Former MLB ballparks

• Purple: Ends in a Hall of Fame QB

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

Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today's puzzle before we reveal the solutions.

Drumroll, please!

The solution to today's Connections: Sports Edition #492 is...

What is the answer to Connections: Sports Edition today?

• Player bio information - ALMA MATER, HEIGHT, NUMBER, POSITION

• Sports streamers - NETFLIX, PARAMOUNT, PEACOCK, PRIME

• Former MLB ballparks - EBBETS, KINGDOME, THREE RIVERS, TIGER

• Ends in a Hall of Fame QB - FOREWARNER, HARBAUGH, HONEYMOON, OUTMANNING

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Here are the clues and answers to NYT's The Mini for Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2026:

AcrossRemove from a position of power

• The answer is Oust.

Not cool

• The answer is Unhip.

"Fine, see if ___!"

• The answer is I care.

Kind of bored

• The answer is Jaded.

Primatologist's subjects

• The answer is Apes.

DownKind of board

• The answer is Ouija.

Prepare to use, as a pen

• The answer is Uncap.

Desirable place to sit on a hot day

• The answer is Shade.

Pair on a bicycle

• The answer is Tires.

___ Xing (street sign)

• The answer is Ped.

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

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

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

SAVE OVER $300: As of Jan. 28, the Roborock Qrevo S5V robot vacuum and mop is on sale for $549.99 at Amazon. This 39% discount saves you $350 off its list price of $899.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Roborock Roborock Qrevo S5V Robot Vacuum and Mop $549.99 at Amazon
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If you've been thinking about buying a robot vacuum to help with cleaning around the house, now is a good time to shop because there are some great discounts available at Amazon. Better yet, if you've been looking for an option that also mops, the Roborock Qrevo S5V is something that deserves your attention.

As of Jan. 28, the Roborock Qrevo S5V robot vacuum and mop is marked down to $549.99 for a limited time at Amazon. It's usually listed for $899.99, so this deal saves you $350 overall. Featuring 12,000Pa suction and dual spinning mops, it's ready to tackle all the floors in your home.

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Thanks to its 12,000Pa suction, the Roborock Qrevo S5V can clear up bits of dirt, dust, or crumbs that have dropped on your floor. There's no need to worry about hair getting tangled up inside of it, either, as it features a rubberized floating main brush (and arc-shaped side brush for corners) that resists tangles while it cleans. And when it comes to mopping, it even features an extendable mop arm for cleaning in corners.

On top of that, the Roborock Qrevo S5V also comes with PreciSense LiDAR Navigation that helps it plot the most efficient route for cleaning in your home. If it checks all the boxes of what you've been looking for, now is your chance to grab the Roborock Qrevo S5V robot vacuum and mop for $549.99 at Amazon.

If you're curious to see what else is out there, check out our roundup of the best robot vacuums for our favorite recommendations.

SAVE $384: As of Jan. 28, the Samsung 49-inch Odyssey G93SC Series is on sale for $899.99 at Amazon. That's a 30% discount on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung 49-inch Odyssey G93SC Series $899.99 at Amazon
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If your gaming setup is in need of an upgrade, this Samsung 49-inch Odyssey G93SC Series deal at Amazon will improve your visuals and save you some money. As of Jan. 28, this gaming monitor is more than $300 off, down to $899.99 from $1,283. It's a great addition to any setup, with a curved screen and seriously impressive graphics.

The two-quad-wide screen also gives you more than enough space and sharp detail, so every game feels far more immersive. The QD-OLED technology makes things pop, giving you truer colors and strong contrasts. And all of this is supported by DisplayHDR True Black 400 which makes sure dark scenes are exactly that.

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Performance-wise, it’s built for fast performance, with a 240Hz refresh rate, 0.03ms GtG response time, HDMI 2.1 and DisplayPort, plus G-Sync compatibility, so there's less tearing and stutter. Other practical features include Auto Source Switch Plus, Picture-by-Picture for running two inputs side by side at native resolution, and a USB hub as well as multiple other input options.

This gaming monitor deal is only available for a limited time, so head to Amazon now to save big.

While some politicians on the right have begun to criticise the Trump administration's response to ICE's deadly shooting of nurse Alex Pretti in Minneapolis on Saturday, other talking heads are refusing to shift their stance.

One of these is Newsmax's Greg Kelly, who recently attempted to argue that the phone Pretti can be seen holding in video footage "could be mistaken for a gun." In a clip played on The Daily Show, Kelly holds his own phone up as if it's a weapon, before saying, "That's crazy stuff."

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"I won't disagree with you there, that is crazy stuff," responds host Desi Lydic. "And if you think this couldn't be any stupider, never underestimate Greg Kelly."

Cue another clip of Kelly, this time telling the audience that his phone's background — a black, red and green pattern — can't be changed. "I think it's like, Black Lives Matter or something," says Kelly. "I do not support, but I can't get rid of it."

"That is the most Newsmax sentence of all time," says Lydic. "'I don't know what that is, but I do not support it.' It's amazing what you can get canceled for on the right. 'I don't support civil rights, I swear, it's a tech issue, you gotta believe me!'"

SAVE $151: As of Jan. 28, the Sony 55-inch Bravia 3 TV is on sale for $548 at Amazon. That's a 22% discount on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Sony Sony 55-inch Bravia 3 TV $548 at Amazon
$699.99 Save $151.99   Get Deal

Searching for a new TV to transform your movie nights and live sport experience? Check out this latest Amazon deal on the Sony Bravia 3, currently reduced by $151. The 55-inch TV is on sale for $548, but the 65-inch, 75-inch, and 85-inch models are all on sale as well. 

Everything is high quality with this TV thanks to its 4K quality. But it’s gaming that really shines. This TV is built to work especially well with the PlayStation 5, with features like Auto HDR Tone Mapping and Auto Genre Picture Mode that automatically optimize picture settings for both gaming and streaming without any manual setup.

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For streaming, it runs on Google TV, so apps and live channels are easy to access in one place. You’ll also get Google Assistant built-in, giving you hands-free control. 

For sound and picture quality, enjoy 4K HDR, Dolby Vision, and Dolby Atmos for a more natural-looking picture and fuller sound, and the Triluminos Pro display shows a wide range of accurate colors. It also upscales lower-resolution content.

Find this TV deal at Amazon now.

When you're not a diehard cinephile or gamer, it's easy to gaslight yourself into believing that your lackluster LED TV "isn't that bad." That was me up until a few months ago, when I finally made the call to replace my lifeless 2019 Roku TV with the 2025 TCL QM6K Mini LED TV. It falls in the middle between the cheap, most basic QLED TVs possible and the comically expensive, most premium QLED TVs possible, and is one of the internet's favorite budget QLED TVs. Here's how it went.

A decent TV from five years ago isn't a decent TV now

Our old TV only lasted so long as our go-to because neither my roommates nor I cared enough to pay for anything else. But even for people who aren't that picky about specs, it was becoming unwatchable. We were noticing that our weekly staple watches were looking wonky to the point of being distracting. Red, orange, pink, and tan hues were completely muddied on RuPaul's Drag Race, football games looked like they were in sepia, and dark scenes were borderline indecipherable. The screen looked like an Etch A Sketch in direct sunlight.

SEE ALSO: The 4 best streaming devices of 2026 make any TV smarter

Not to mention, the aging Roku interface had become agonizingly glitchy. When you avoid switching streaming apps out of fear that it'll send your TV into a coma, that's when you know it's time.

The QM6K speaks to "happy medium" shoppers

I wrote about the coolest TVs announced at CES 2026 at the beginning of January, but I realize that list won't be appealing to everyone. To a large chunk of prospective TV shoppers, fancy several-thousand-dollar flagship TV releases aren't all that riveting if they wouldn't be a realistic purchase budget-wise. (For reference, TCL's new TV doesn't come any smaller than 75 inches and starts at $6,999.99.) That doesn't mean you're not willing to spend a little extra to avoid settling for the most basic TV.

SEE ALSO: 2026 movie preview: All the films you need to know about right now

While I'm not overly picky about TV specs in real life, I'm well-versed in the technical breakdowns of the different types of TVs — TVs are one of my main coverage areas as a shopping reporter. Since brightness, color saturation, and affordability were our main concerns, QLED seemed like the better route over OLED. But as a horror movie head, I couldn't fully neglect black levels and dark room performance. That ruled out any ultra-cheap QLED. The independently controlled pockets of bulbs behind a mini LED QLED TV, however, could do the trick.

Setting up the TCL QM6K was quick and painless

We had the QM6K up and running within half an hour or so of opening the box. And much of that time was spent taking the old one off the TV mount and sticking an adhesive color-changing LED strip on the back of the new one. The old TV was recycled at Best Buy.

The TCL QM6K remote is lightweight and responsive. I wish you could customize the streaming buttons. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

The Google TV interface is extremely easy to navigate. Someone will have to log in with a Google account for setup, and they'll then be in charge of downloads or in-app purchases. I didn't mind being the one to log in until my recent ASMR watches on YouTube started popping up on our home screen's "recommended for you" section, considering I'm not even officially logged into YouTube on the TV. Why'd you have to expose me like that, Google TV?

How does the TCL QM6K perform in bright rooms?

When brightness is in question, any TV in my current apartment's living room has its work cut out for it. The natural light in here goes absolutely bonkers for much of the day, thanks to the southwest-facing wall being composed almost entirely of massive windows. The pull-down blinds barely do anything to mitigate the beam barging in.

The TCL QM6K's sports mode has been stellar, especially in broad daylight. During countless afternoon college or NFL games, one roommate or another has made a comment somewhere along the lines of "I can't believe how much better this looks than the old TV." The grass is accurately green but not blown out, team uniforms and fan merch are vibrant, the score bug is stark and legible, and the overall picture quality feels extremely clear. You don't have to squint to spot the ball or to read last names on jerseys to see who was involved in the play — it's just crisp. Not having to wait for the commentator to explain what just went down? Groundbreaking. Go birds.

No, the QM6K didn't tint the grass. It's just January in Denver. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable As immersive as I'll get until I go IRL and win both showcases. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

I think The Price Is Right is another great test of a TV's performance in a bright room. If I'm at home during the 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. ET time slot, that show WILL be on (just as my grandmother and elementary school Leah on a sick day intended).

The set is extremely colorful but also contains a lot of bright whites, which can get super blown out if the TV's panel can't balance the palette. There's something so joyful about seeing each contestant's facial expressions, so brightness can't be so extreme that faces aren't contrasted. I've seen countless dull TVs butcher the show's visual charm, but the QM6K has really done it justice.

How does the TCL QM6K perform in dark rooms?

Remember when I said I wasn't a cinephile? I still watch a shit ton of movies, I'm just not scrutinizing the technical aspects of the cinematography or anything. For me, the QM6K's crisp contrast and robust black levels produce a solid home theater vibe.

Since mini LED bulbs are organized into individually operating zones, every few inches of each scene benefits from more precise brightness control. The areas that need to stay deep and shadowy don't get blown out trying to brighten the light parts of the scene, and the areas that do need better lighting aren't too dark to see. The QM6K's 500 dimming zones don't hold a candle to TVs in the thousands, but most people seem to agree that the QM6K achieves amazing black levels and contrast for the price.

SEE ALSO: Best 65-inch+ TVs for watching in dark and bright rooms Horror movie head on a budget, at your service

I got my QM6K in October, and together we watched a scary movie almost every single day. (Shudder is still one of my top three most-watched streaming apps year-round.) My favorite horror sub-genre is found footage, which has inherently poor lighting to make the camcorder, webcam, or phone camera fantasy believable. And at least for my standards, dark scenes like that flourished on the QM6K's movie mode in my dimly-lit living room.

The "go into a sketchy house while trick-or-treating" segment in V/H/S Halloween comes to mind. The characters are running through a maze of pitch-black hallways with no lights but their flashlights, and that would have flopped on my old TV. But the QM6K didn't struggle to show me every nasty detail, which is only mildly traumatizing to this day. My yearly rewatch of Host was easily the most intense since my first watch in 2020. Unrelated to found footage or dark scenes, the gore, hoop skirt gowns, and glitzy ballroom scenes in The Ugly Stepsister looked exquisite — vibrant but natural, avoiding over-brightening so hard that the 1800s color palette showed up neon.

SEE ALSO: Put Dr. Kelson from '28 Years Later: The Bone Temple' on 'RuPaul's Drag Race'

Horror's not the only way to test how well a TV handles dark scenes. Every Game of Thrones fan who was watching the show as it aired remembers "The Longest Night" — or at least they remember being pissed off about it, because the episode was so dark that most people couldn't tell what was going on.

The cinematographer said that it was actually your TV that couldn't do the episode justice. Back in 2019, it was relatively uncommon to have a "nice" TV like today's capable QLED and OLEDs at home. But with the TCL QM6K now hanging on my wall, I had to head back to Season 8 to see the difference for myself. Fine, I'll rewatch my favorite show again for science. Twist my arm.

A scene with the color-changing light strip on. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable A scene with the color-changing light strip off. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

It turns out, the entire episode was more than an hour-long black blob with subtitles! All of the infamous dark screenshots from the 2019 Twitter spiral were wickedly defined this time around. I preferred movie mode to the slight brown haze of filmmaker mode, but I'm sure filmmaker mode is helpful in another context.

I didn't have to rely on subtitles to decipher intimate interactions between key characters — I could actually see the look in their eye. The dragons didn't blend in with the smoky sky. From the up-close carnage during clashes with the Dead to the heartbreaking deaths of a nauseating number of big characters, I really felt like I could see just about everything that the cinematographers intended. I have goosebumps thinking about being able to see what the hell is going on in House of the Dragon season 3 this summer.

SEE ALSO: The 11 best video games of 2025 Is the TCL QM6K good for gaming?

I don't really play video games besides Mario Kart and Animal Crossing. But someone else in my household is a huge PS5 player, so I had him bring his console out to the living room to compare the experience to his ancient bedroom TV.

Dark Souls III, Red Dead Redemption 2, and the Elden Ring DLC all played deliciously on the QM6K. When I sarcastically asked, "So this is better than your usual TV?" the immediate response was literally a laugh followed by, "Better isn't even a strong enough word." He specifically mentioned how instantaneous the response times felt (for reference, the TCL QM6K offers 4K at 144Hz, VRR, and ALLM). Even as a mere observer of Red Dead being played on each TV, it was hard not to be drawn in by the lush graphics on the QM6K.

Downsides

I wish that the QM6K had better glare reduction. The QM6K gets bright enough to overpower the most egregious glow coming from the windows or indoor lamps, but the screen is far from matte. Dark scenes do mirror your reflection back to you in certain lighting. It's still infinitely easier to see than my last TV, though.

The reflections got distracting sometimes, but the overall vibrancy made up for it. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

I compared my notes with reviews from CNET's Ty Pendlebury and PCMag's Will Greenwald. (CNET and PCMag are both owned by Mashable's parent company, Ziff Davis.) In terms of room for improvement, the general consensus is that the QM6K could be even brighter, especially if you really care about HDR. The color gamut could also be wider.

But for the most part, those criticisms stem from comparisons to higher-end TVs that are expected to be brighter and more colorful, anyway. Both Pendlebury and Greenwald spoke extremely highly about the QM6K's color accuracy, deep black levels, and overall picture quality for a TV in this price range.

Is the TCL QM6K worth it?

If you're not a stickler about TV specs, there's obviously no reason to spend a ton of money on an elite OLED TV. But not being a strict cinephile or gamer doesn't mean that you should settle for a no-frills TV just because it's cheap.

The TCL QM6K offers an incredible value between those two extremes, especially given the fact that every size can consistently be found for nearly 50% off. Once you make the switch from the old TV you've dealt with for years, I think you'll find that you actually notice TV specs more than you thought.

TCL QM6K 55-inch mini LED QLED TV $449.99 at Best Buy
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Since I got to go hands-on (and head-on) with the Samsung Galaxy XR last October, something has been needling at me. It was something I couldn't (ironically) wrap my head around, but all the same, I couldn't shake it. At CES 2026 in Las Vegas, I was finally able to pick up a review unit for the Galaxy XR and start wearing it outside of a closed demo, and it suddenly hit me.

I don't think this thing is meant for me… or you.

It's cool, don't get me wrong. I'm excited about what it may bring, but for now, I don't have a lot of use for it. I think the primary reason for that is I'm not sure Samsung or Google knows who or what this is for, beyond one specific demographic, which I'll discuss later. It has some neat parlor tricks, for sure, but for the most part, as I explored the capabilities of this headset, I realized it's really just a big and bulky set of AR glasses.

I love AR smart glasses. I use them when I fly because I can get a large virtual screen with multiple windows floating in the air in front of me. The Galaxy XR has a few other tricks in its arsenal that I've had a chance to explore, but it's also missing some big things that really should be there in a true XR headset. I've spent two weeks with the Samsung Galaxy XR, and these are my thoughts.

Credit: Adam Doud / Mashable Hardware wins

The Samsung Galaxy XR headset is beautifully designed. More importantly, it is well-designed so it doesn't feel too heavy while wearing it. A big part of that is because Samsung did the smart thing and offloaded the battery into a battery pack that you slip into your pocket. Are you paying attention, Meta?

I have worn the Galaxy XR headset for hours at a time, and it hasn't bothered me too much, except that it was a relief when I was able to take it off. In fact, it's been great getting work done with it. The headstrap clamps to the back of your head with a knob to twist to adjust the fit. The only thing I would like would be the ability to adjust where the back of the strap lays on the back of my head. As it is right now, the strap goes straight back and sits too high. My ponytail may have something to do with that.

Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

The battery and its connector are also well-designed. I'd like to see pips on the battery to indicate how much battery is left, but that's about the only thing missing. Speaking of the battery, Samsung advertises around 2-3 hours of runtime on a single charge. I tested this, wearing the headset for two hours, and found this to be reasonably accurate. During that test I had a Google Doc, a browser with a few tabs, a streaming app, and my email open.

The headset plugs — and locks — into the battery using a USB-C connector, but it's proprietary to that battery pack. You cannot plug the headset into a different battery pack, but you can plug in and charge the headset while it's running, as long as you have a sufficiently powerful charger. Low-powered chargers will allow the headset to drain the battery more slowly. I found a 65W charger that I normally use for my laptop was enough to power the headset up while it ran.

The software, however... Credit: Adam Doud

When it comes to the software, Samsung has some of it right, but there's a lot that needs work. I'll start with the good. The overall interface is solid, including the gestures, hand tracking, and eye tracking. Moving windows around, resizing them, and placing them where you want; it's all intuitive. I think the gesture to open the launcher/multitasking — pinching your thumb and finger while your hand faces you — is the hardest to learn, and honestly, it's not that hard.

The app launcher looks a lot like what you get with XReal's Beam Pro, so I was already familiar with it. But the quick settings and toggles are all just icons that don't necessarily tell you what they are or what they do. They need work. I do like the option to "Tidy up" your windows. That button places all your windows side-by-side neatly so you can see them all. That gets handy when you've got too many windows open at once.

The headset has access to the entire Play Store, which is good. But some of those apps are "Not optimized for XR" which is fair enough, but to be perfectly honest, many of those apps that are optimized are really just floating rectangles. Now, if you want to talk about XR-optimized, let's talk about the MLB app.

This is an app that is XR ready and all in on 3D content. From highlights and video clips to the overall immersive interface, it's pretty remarkable, and it's not even baseball season. I'll be very interested to see what this looks like in April when I won't be inundated with video clips of Eveil Blue winning the World Series (#SourGrapes). But even that app is flawed. I ran into two big issues. First, I couldn't enter my username and password credentials; the box did not function. Also, the passthrough slider would not move, so I got stuck in baseball's VR environment. Don't get me wrong, it's a great place to be on a slow Sunday afternoon, and if I ever have a slow Sunday afternoon, maybe I'll partake.

Other apps don't display well. In the case of Paramount Plus, the video interface was washed out, and there was no way to darken it. 

Credit: Adam Doud

3D content is really killer. Apps like Google Photos can take any photo and "spatialize it," giving it depth. A couple of really great examples that I found were a photo I snapped of the strip in Las Vegas and a photo we took outside of my son's graduation. It's really remarkable, but the nature of 3D/spatialized content means it's hard to share it with others.

One surprise I found was the ability to pin apps to places — more or less. This is a feature that turned into a big use case when Apple introduced the Vision Pro. You could pin a timer above a stove while cooking, for example or Pin a virtual TV to your wall. When I first tested the Galaxy XR in October, I asked about that and I was told that it wouldn't be available. Well, it is. While sitting at my kitchen table, I opened my browser, a streaming app, and a document. Then, when I got up to walk into another room, the apps stayed where I left them, but there were some oddities that I didn't expect, and I'm not sure if they're good or bad.

The apps stayed in place regardless of where I went in my house, including different rooms. So as I stood in my bedroom, I could watch (and control) the streaming app I left open in my kitchen. For other apps, like my document editor, I could see the "back" of the app, backward letters and all. I think I'm into it.

Meanwhile, some apps nuked the rest of my layout. The Play Store, for example, would hide all other apps whenever I opened it, for no real reason. Other apps, like Google Maps in "immersive view" made sense to hide other apps. But the issue with immersive apps is there's really no real way to exit the immersive experience. The only way I could do it was by going back into the launcher and launching something else.

I found it to be a very inconsistent experience overall. It's mostly good and fun, but we come back to the question of why? I can have three apps open in front of me — great. But I can do that on an ultrawide monitor as well. So, what's the hook?

Immersive 3D is one big one. The ability to convert 2D into 3D on the fly is pretty neat, and I think it's a look at how things will be in the future. I'm not sure how long we'll be stuck with 2D screens at this point.

Some other notes Credit: Adam Doud

The virtual keyboard on the Galaxy XR is not great, and that's putting it very politely. I actually specifically ordered a Clicks Power Keyboard after the first time I tried to use the Virtual keyboard. It's bad. Connecting a Bluetooth keyboard helps, but every now and then, the Bluetooth lagged, which meant I couldn't type or backspace, and things just froze for a moment. It broke the experience.

Eye tracking is very good, as is hand tracking, but using them both at once needs a bit of refinement. There were times I had to extend my arm almost to its full length before the hand tracking took over from the eye tracking.

There are two buttons on the top of the headset I haven't mentioned yet. One summons Gemini, and the other is a volume rocker. Summoning Gemini is nice, and Gemini can help you with actions inside the headset, like "Gemini, how can I turn on the immersive environment?" which it helped me to do, but it could not help me take a screenshot, so I guess AI is just gonna AI.

Finally, the Passthrough video is good, but not amazing. It's very grainy, similar to what the MetaQuest 3S is capable of. I can easily navigate my home and even cook and eat wearing the headset, but the grain is noticeable.

What does it all mean?

Overall, I'm left with the impression that this is a developer-focused device. It's not bad for consumers, but more developers need to get on board to make the experience worth it. But even more than that, I don't think the future is wearing computers on your face. I think the future is wearing glasses on your face that can do all of this. That's going to be the winning formula.

I mentioned XReal a few times during this revie,w and there's a good reason for it. Rumors abound that XReal is working closely with Google on Project Aura and that what we're going to see is largely the Galaxy XR, but in a glasses form factor. That's the dream.

We're not there yet, but the Galaxy XR is a necessary step in that direction. There is some really great tech in this headset, and it's comfortable enough to wear for literal hours. But at the end of the day, it's not the consumer product you should be looking forward to. It's a foot in the door so developers can start making apps that will make Android XR and project Aura incredible. If you can wait that long, you probably should, but if you want a taste of the future in an imperfect form factor, Galaxy XR is waiting for you.

Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung Galaxy XR $1,799.99 at Samsung
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SAVE $500: The DJI Mini 5 Pro Fly More Combo is on sale at Amazon for $1,099, down from the normal price of $1,599. That's a 31% discount that matches the record-low price at Amazon.

Opens in a new window Credit: DJI DJI Mini 5 Pro Fly More Combo $1,099 at Amazon
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Despite the FCC ban on foreign drones, you can still get yourself a DJI drone. The fine print of the ban explains that any drone already in the country are excluded from the new legislation, which means they're fair game for ownership and operation. However, that means stock is dwindling, so if you're searching for a DJI drone, check out this latest deal.

The DJI Mini 5 Pro Fly More Combo is on sale for $1,099 at Amazon, marked down from the standard price of $1,599. That's a 31% discount that takes a hefty $500 off the price. It also matches the record-low price at Amazon.

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The DJI Mini 5 Pro is a premium drone and the Fly More Combo makes it just that much more appealing. The bundle includes the DJI Mini 5 Pro drone itself, the DJI RC 2 camera-drone remote controller, a set of filters, three DJI Mini 5 Pro Intelligent Flight batteries, three propeller sets, a shoulder bag, and more. Boiled down, this is everything you'd want for an epic drone set-up.

In terms of performance, the DJI Mini 5 Pro is a stellar model. It has a one-inch CMOS camera with 4K HDR filming at 60fps. You can also go with 4K 120fps for slow-motion filming. DJI also made this model especially appealing for night flying thanks to the 360 degree Nightscape Omnidirectional Sensing and Nighttime return-to-home function. DJI's ActiveTrack 360° technology is a must-have feature if you'll be filming moving subjects like a cyclist, skier, or surfer.

While it's still in stock and on sale for a record-low price, snag the DJI Mini 5 Pro Fly More Combo. The bundle is packed with advanced accessories while still being a perfect model for beginners.

SAVE $100: The M4 Mac Mini is on sale at Amazon for $499, down from the normal price of $599. That's a 17% discount.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple M4 Mac Mini (2024, 256GB) $499 at Amazon
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Silicon Valley is going wild for the 2024 M4 Mac Mini, but it's not for the reason you might think. No, it's not being used as a traditional desktop computer in the way we assume. People are using it to run the latest AI assistant, Clawdbot. With a cute lobster mascot, the Clawdbot hype is driving up sales and snatching up stock of the Mac Mini with an M4 chip. Before it becomes impossible to find in-stock, check out this sale price.

As of Jan. 28, the M4 Mac Mini is on sale at Amazon for $499, marked down from the standard price of $599. That's a 17% discount that takes a hefty $100 off the normal price.

Why use a Mac Mini for running Clawdbot? The answers are pretty similar to why you'd want a Mac Mini in the first place. Like the name implies, it's a tiny beast that has 16GB of unified memory and 256GB SSD. Plus, you can leave it running at all times with no issue. If you live in the Apple ecosystem and plan to adopt Clawdbot, a dedicated Mac Mini could be an awesome sidekick.

SEE ALSO: Clawdbot is a viral AI assistant: What it is, how to try it

This 2024 version of the Mac Mini comes with Apple's powerful M4 chip, two USB-C ports, a headphone jack, ethernet, HDMI, and Thunderbolt 4 ports. All of that is housed in the compact five inch by five inch Mac Mini housing. This size makes it simple to add to your current desktop setup or take along on the next work trip.

If you're looking for the smallest possible personal assistant, running Clawdbot on a Mac Mini might be your best option. Before demand reaches even higher levels, snag the M4 Mac Mini from Amazon while it's on sale for $499. That's $100 off the normal price.

NASA plans to launch four astronauts on a 10-day flight around the moon and back, testing a new spaceship on the agency’s first crewed mission beyond Earth orbit since 1972.

The mission, called Artemis II, will send a crew in the Orion capsule to verify that its life-support, navigation, communications, and flight systems work as designed in deep space. The astronauts are Reid Wiseman, Victor Glover, and Christina Koch of NASA, and Jeremy Hansen of the Canadian Space Agency. 

The flight follows the success of Artemis I, a 25-day uncrewed test in 2022, and represents a required step before NASA attempts to land astronauts on the lunar surface later this decade.

Artemis II could launch in mere days — as early as Feb. 6 — depending on a crucial rocket fueling test on the launchpad at Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida. If all goes to plan, the mission could set a new record in spaceflight history for the farthest distance humans have ever traveled, looping about 4,600 nautical miles beyond the moon. 

"None of us were born during Apollo, and so this is our opportunity to inspire a generation of kids to get involved in future space exploration," said Rick Henfling, NASA's entry flight director for the mission. "Maybe one of those kids who was inspired by what we do on Artemis II becomes that person who sets the first footprints on the surface of Mars."

SEE ALSO: Artemis 2 crew could be the first to ever lay eyes on these lunar areas Day 1: Launch and Earth orbit

Artemis II will launch aboard NASA's Space Launch System rocket, producing more than 8.8 million pounds of thrust. As the rocket climbs through the atmosphere, it will shed its solid rocket boosters and protective hardware.

About eight minutes after liftoff, the rocket’s core engines will shut down and separate, leaving Orion, which the crew has dubbed Integrity, attached to an upper stage. That stage will fire to place the spaceship into orbit around Earth.

As the rocket climbs through the atmosphere, it will shed its solid rocket boosters and protective hardware. Credit: NASA infographic

Orion will move from an initial low orbit into a highly oval-shaped orbit that stretches tens of thousands of miles from the planet. NASA designed the path to keep the crew just close enough to return quickly if problems arise.

After the spaceship separates from the upper stage, the astronauts will take manual control and maneuver toward the departing stage, using it as a target. Flight controllers in Houston will monitor the test, which will help prepare crews for docking operations that will be needed near the moon in future missions.

Later, flight controllers will wake up the crew for a crucial step in the mission. The spaceship will need to fire its engine to raise the low point of its orbit, getting into position for the departure burn the next day. 

"It's actually right in the middle of the night," said Jeff Radigan, NASA's lead flight director for the mission. "Unfortunately, physics cannot be defied."

Day 2: Systems checks and departure burn

While still flying around Earth, the crew will test Orion's life-support system, which must provide breathable air and maintain safe cabin conditions on longer missions.

The Artemis II astronaut crew, clockwise from top: Victor Glover, Jeremy Hansen, Reid Wiseman, and Christina Koch. Credit: NASA

NASA will also test communications and navigation by briefly flying Orion beyond the reach of GPS and near-Earth relay satellites, relying instead on the agency’s Deep Space Network.

Then, Orion's main engine will fire for a maneuver known as translunar injection, or TLI. The burn will send the spaceship on a four-day trajectory toward the moon and place it on a free-return path that loops around the moon and heads back to Earth. That means once Orion heads toward the moon, gravity from Earth and the moon will naturally bend the spaceship's course back home, even if later engine burns fail.

"The burn that gets us going to the moon is also our deorbit burn," astronaut Koch said. "Wrapping our heads around that is very interesting. Before we go into some of our entry sims, we talk about how, 'Hey, there's no canceling the countdown on this, we are re-entering.' But the truth is we are re-entering before and at the moment we do TLI, and recognizing that our team has to be ready for that full mission as soon as we buy in." 

Days 3–5: Journey toward the moon

As Orion travels away from Earth, the crew will continue evaluating spacecraft systems. The astronauts will practice emergency procedures, test radiation-protection measures inside the capsule, and carry out demonstrations planned for future missions.

Along the way, small engine burns will adjust Orion's course. Late on Day 5, the spaceship will enter the moon's sphere of influence, where lunar gravity becomes stronger than Earth's pull.

The Artemis II mission will take four astronauts on a 10-day voyage around the moon. Credit: NASA infographic Day 6: Lunar flyby and far-side observations

Orion will pass between 4,000 and 6,000 miles above the lunar surface, depending on the launch date. From the spaceship windows, the moon will appear roughly the size of a basketball held at arm's length, NASA mission leaders say.

As Orion flies behind the moon, the crew will lose contact with Earth. During that expected communications blackout, the astronauts will photograph and observe the moon's far side. This is when the crew could exceed the distance record set during the Apollo 13 mission for the farthest humans have traveled from Earth. 

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"For the 45 minutes that we're closest to the lunar surface, we are also going to be out of contact," said Glover, the mission's pilot. "I would love it if the entire world … could come together and just be hoping and praying for us to get that acquisition of signal and be back in touch with everybody."

Days 7–9: Heading back home

After rounding the moon, Orion will begin its return to Earth without a major engine burn. The spaceship will rely on the combined gravity of the Earth and moon to guide it home along a fuel-efficient path.

The crew will continue system tests, including additional manual-piloting exercises and radiation-shielding demonstrations. Small correction burns will refine the trajectory for reentry.

Day 10: Reentry and crew recovery

As Orion approaches Earth, its service module will separate and burn up in the atmosphere, exposing the crew capsule's heat shield. The capsule will re-enter at high speed, heating to about 3,000 degrees Fahrenheit as superheated plasma briefly blocks radio communications.

After slowing down, Orion will deploy parachutes to reduce its speed for splashdown off the coast of San Diego, California. Inflatable airbags will right the capsule if it lands upside down or on its side.

U.S. Navy teams will recover the capsule and crew, typically within two hours.

"I'm going to say this is my favorite part of the mission," said Daniel Flores, NASA test director and landing recovery team member. "We have our friends flying around the moon. This is when we get to bring our friends back home to their families."

Last season, long-running hit British series Taskmaster welcomed American comedian Jason Mantzoukas to the series' house, allowing him to create comedic chaos in pursuit of the Greg Davies-head-shaped trophy. Last week, Davies and his assistant (and the show's creator) Alex Horne came to New York City, where they ended their Taskmaster Live On Stage USA tour, which was sold out. But Mashable was there. (Also look for the pair on an upcoming episode of Say More!)

What did we learn? Well, the show began with a Q&A moderated by comedian Josh Gondelman, who presented a mix of his own questions with those from the audience. Below are insights into how Taskmaster gets made, the gripes fans still hold with the Taskmaster's "pettiest" decisions, and a bit of premonition about Horne and a pair of hot pants.

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After Gondelman, who did a superb job moderating and keeping up with Horne and Davies' ribald banter, the Taskmaster and his assistant returned to the stage in costume. Their casual street clothes swapped for black suits. Davies sat in a throne. (Horne noted he was not provided one.) Then, they gave the audience a chance to join them onstage. Three tasks were offered, involving figuring out Davies' cellphone number, throwing a paper airplane, and memorizing a very long pattern of colors. The three victors, joined by Saturday Night Live's Alex Moffat and Dropout's Lisa Gilroy, all competed in tasks to win a mini version of the Taskmaster trophy.

It was an incredible show that lasted nearly three hours. Here's what we learned: 

What's the smallest, pettiest decision that the Taskmaster is secretly proud of? Josh Gondelman interviews Greg Davies and Alex Horne at "Taskmaster Live" in New York City. Credit: Mashable / Kristy Puchko

"It started, I suppose, with the potato in the hole," Horne said, as the audience cheered in recognition of the Series 2 Taskmaster episode, in which comedian Joe Wilkinson managed to get a "hole in one" by throwing the potato accurately. However, he stepped on the "red green," and so was disqualified.

Horne said, "I mean, that's a small, petty decision, but it had huge ripples that we still are greeted with today."

Davies concurred, "I still get people sending me shitty messages. People are still angry about it, and it was what...a decade ago?"

In terms of controversial calls, Horne also mentioned the Mark Watson bonus point that was denied in Series 5. The comedian was tasked with texting the Taskmaster every day for the next five months. Watson missed one day. He was not awarded points because of this failure, causing a stir among fans. Horne noted at the live event that the one day Watson missed was because he was on an island, where there was no cell phone (or mobile) reception.

"He did not fulfil the brief," Davies said sternly on stage. He added that another Taskmaster contestant, who he wouldn't name, once bellowed at him, "Your judgments are unfair. ASK MARK WATSON!" 

What would Greg and Alex wear if they were competing on the show? 

Horne answered quickly, saying, "Little denim shorts for me. Nothing else."

To this, Davies quipped, "Little denim hot pants? If he was wearing that, I would just wear a smile." (Unexpectedly, this became foreshadowing for the game portion of live event. But I'll get to that.)

More sincerely, Davies later answered, "You know what I would wear? A caftan. I'll say this, if it were up to me, and it was more socially acceptable, I would only wear a caftan. I like the freedom it affords me. And I think it would make me — um, uh — good."

"What happened to that sentence?" Horne teased. 

"Sometimes it's good to go general," Davies shrugged. 

Is the Taskmaster surprised by the contestants' series-long outfit choice?  "Taskmaster Live" in NYC in full swing. Credit: Mashable/Kristy Puchko

The audience member who asked this question was especially curious about the "Phil Wang" look, referring to when said comedian turned up to the Taskmaster house in Series 7 wearing a yellow bodysuit with a black stripe down the side, reminiscent of Bruce Lee's Game of Death costume. (Which, yes, was later referenced in Quentin Tarantino's Kill Bill with the tracksuit worn by Uma Thurman's heroine.)

Anyhow, to this query, Davies said, "Do you want a serious answer to that? Yes, I have seen the costumes [ahead of the taping in front of a studio audience] because I will have a look at some of the longer videos before we do the studio show. Because if I don't, then we miss loads of funny things that they said due to the audience making noise. So, I won't pretend like I don't see some of them. But I only see them like, the day before, and we [meaning he and Horne] don't discuss them. I don't plan what I'm going to say. So… in a long-winded answer to your question, I did see Phil Wang's [outfit] previous [to taping]."

Do Taskmaster contestants have any control of the edit when having to create filmed tasks, like the "Tree Wizard" video? 

Horne explained that while the contestants have creative freedom over the production of challenges — like Romesh Ranganthan's famous "Tree Wizard" video from Series 1 — they are not involved in the edit.

"Suddenly the contestants become both the director and producer of that segment of the show," Horne explained of shoots at the Taskmaster house, "But they never get to see [the final result] before the show. They have to give us the editing control. So the answer is yes, they have full control, but they have to leave it in our capable hands." 

What's Alex Horne's favorite task?  Greg Davies and Alex Horne ready to get the game going in "Taskmaster Live" in NYC. Credit: Mashable/Kristy Puchko

OK, this wasn't the question. It was actually more about how contestants know what the parameters are for a challenge. ("It's on the card," one audience member yelled in response.) However, Horne took the opportunity to talk about how he enjoys seeing what people come up with, referencing Series 1 twice. 

"We want people to explore all sorts of things. And I think the 'Tree Wizard' task is a good example," Horne said, referring to Taskmaster Series 1, episode 2, "Pie Whisperer," a fan favorite. "Because in that same one: do something backwards, which looks great when you play it backwards. And Roisin Conaty just walked backwards, spitting. It just looked amazing; it looked like a piece of art to me. Put it black and white, and she did it with dignity. They're not always trying to get a laugh. They're trying to create little bits and bobs."

From there, Horne continued, "One of my favorite early tasks was when they had to throw a tea bag into a cup. And I think they're 20 minutes. Actually, this is one where we definitely didn't stop the clock. But Tim Key immediately said, 'I need a dog ball thrower.' And there's a pet shop about eight minutes away, so someone has to go there and back within the 20 minutes [allowed for the task.] We got it, and did it, and that was very exciting for me," adding, "The house is located within a shopping area. And I think that's good." Turning to Davies, he said, "I'm trying to use your technique."

What's the worse things Alex Horne has eaten on Taskmaster. 

Davies joked they do fewer food-related tasks now because "Alex got chocolate cake in his butthole."

Horne rejected that, noting, "That was a tipping point in my life…but it was Liza Tarbuck who had brought in a cake that was not a food task. She made that a food task."

Horne then explained, "We try not to be as irresponsible as we used to. We don't waste as much food as we used to, because people watch the show, and we don't want to send the wrong message. But I do think food tasks are funny. So there are still some, but yeah, just on a slightly smaller scale." 

To that, Horne noted an extra fun fact: "The three worst things I've eaten: bin juice, burnt pornography, quinoa." 

Who do Greg and Alex want to play them in the "eventual biopic of their lives"?

Horne said Shane MacGowan of the Pogues, to which Davies quipped, "That is the journey your teeth are going on."

Then, the Taskmaster answered for himself, saying. "Regardless of when it's made, what age I am at, what age is being played, I will be played by Dwayne Johnson."

Alex Horne looks good in hot pants. 

The first task for the live show contestants was to present the Taskmaster with the worst clothing. Now, the professional comedians had an advantage here as they had three months to prepare, where the fans selected from the crowd had to pester fellow attendees for a spoonbill sweater and a white t-shirt. (The third used her own shoe, which earned her the disdainful nickname "Clean Shoes" from Davies.) 

However, even if they'd had more time, it's hard to imagine a better choice than Gilroy's. She explained how on the Venice Beach boardwalk in Los Angeles, there's an array of souvenir shops that sell T-shirts and shorts that you can have custom-made vinyl letters printed upon. Full disclosure: I own several such tees from this boardwalk, including one that has a picture of a young Arnold Schwarzenegger and reads "Come with me if you want to lift." Gilroy's choice was funnier. 

She presented a photo of shorts hanging in the shop entrance, and booty shorts that's bottoms read "Mike's Bitch" and "Chris's Property" was a bright red pair with white piping that read "Greg's Lil' Slut." Naturally, she got the five points. Then, Horne was asked to put them on. He ran offstage and returned in the shorts, which were honestly fetching, even paired with a white dress shirt and black blazer. Then, he turned to the audience and bent over to fully display the phrase on his bum: "Greg's Lil' Slut." 

Alex Horne flashes "Greg's Lil' Slut" hot pants, while Greg Davies and Lisa Gilroy look on at "Taskmaster Live." Credit: Mashable / Kristy Puchko

Horne ran back offstage to repants. But thankfully, photo-taking was allowed. 

How to watch: Taskmaster Series 1-6 can be found on Pluto TV. Taskmaster Series 10-19 can be found on YouTube. All series of Taskmaster can be bought on Prime Video.

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