Mashable

There's no new episode of Last Week Tonight this week, but John Oliver did return to YouTube for an all-important web exclusive: a second deep dive in to the formidable and ongoing Air Bud franchise.

In the 20-minute video above the host rants about the Golden Retriever-led film empire, leaving no water bowl unturned. He weaves through everything from the plot summary of the upcoming 2026 instalment Air Bud Returns and its associated canine casting call to the staggering number of movies in the franchise (14 plus two Christmas spinoffs).

It's a long and entertaining rant about the enduring might of Air Bud, but it can perhaps best be summarised by a question Oliver asks partway through: "Is this a money laundering scheme?"

SAVE OVER $10: As of Oct. 20, the Lego Ideas Tuxedo Cat set is on sale for $88.50 at Amazon. This is $11.49 off its list price of $99.99 and its lowest price yet.

Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Lego Ideas Tuxedo Cat $88.50 at Amazon
$99.99 Save $11.49   Get Deal

If you've been looking to pick up some Lego sets to work on this fall, there's already some excellent deals available, even before Black Friday sales officially kick off. This is especially true at Amazon, where some sets have even dropped to their lowest-ever prices, including the Lego Ideas Tuxedo Cat.

The adorable Lego Ideas Tuxedo Cat set is currently on sale for $88.50 at Amazon, an 11% price drop from its list price of $99.99. More importantly, though, it's the lowest-ever price. If you've been hoping to get it, now is a great time to do so and save some cash.

SEE ALSO: Lego is giving away free Witch models for Halloween — here’s how to get yours on Oct. 26

This set is a truly perfect pick-up for cat lovers. It's also recommended for adults aged 18 and up, but someone younger can piece it together with some help from an adult around them. The Lego Ideas Tuxedo Cat set comes with 1,710 pieces that create the adorable little feline, who also features a rotatable head with adjustable ears, paws, and tail so you can pose it how you like. It even comes with different eye colors, so you can choose between yellow or blue.

Even if you're shopping ahead of the holidays, this is a great gift for animal lovers. Don't miss out on the Lego Ideas Tuxedo Cat set at its lowest-ever price at Amazon.

This isn't the only set down to its best-ever price right now at Amazon. The Lego DREAMZzz The Never Witch’s Midnight Raven set is another that's currently down to its lowest-ever price there, and is a great spooky season Lego set to work on.

Happy Thursday and welcome to your guide to Pips, the latest game in the New York Times catalogue.

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

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

How to play Pips

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

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for October 18, 2025

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

SEE ALSO: NYT Strands hints, answers for October 18, 2025 Easy difficulty hints, answers for Oct. 20 Pips

Number (11): Everything in this space must add to 11. The answer is 0-6, placed vertically; 5-4, placed horizontally.

Number (10): Everything in this space must add to 10. The answer is 5-4, placed horizontally; 2-6, placed vertically.

Not Equal: Everything in this space must be different. The answer is 2-6, placed vertically; 3-0, placed vertically.

Number (9): Everything in this space must add to 9. The answer is 3-3, placed vertically; 3-0, placed vertically.

Medium difficulty hints, answers for Oct. 20 Pips

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

Greater Than (4): Everything in this red space must be greater than 4. The answer is 1-5, placed horizontally.

Greater Than (4): Everything in this orange space must be greater than 4. The answer is 0-5, placed horizontally.

Greater Than (4): Everything in this green space must be greater than 4. The answer is 4-5, placed horizontally.

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

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

Number (4): Everything in this space must add to 4. The answer is 0-2, placed horizontally; 4-6, placed vertically.

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

Greater Than (4): Everything in this light blue space must be greater than 4. The answer is 2-6, placed vertically.

Hard difficulty hints, answers for Oct. 20 Pips

Greater Than (6): Everything in this space must be greater than 6. The answer is 2-6, placed horizontally; 1-6, placed horizontally.

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

Number (13): Everything in this space must add to 13. The answer is 4-6, placed horizontally; 3-2, placed vertically; 4-3, placed vertically.

Greater Than (2): Everything in this space must be greater than 2. The answer is 4-3, placed vertically.

Not Equal: Everything in this space must be different. The answer is 4-6, placed horizontally; 6-0, placed horizontally; 2-1, placed horizontally; 3-5, placed horizontally.

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

Today's NYT Strands hints are easy if you love getting paid.

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

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

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

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

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for October 17, 2025 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for October 17, 2025 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: For the picking

The words are related to your mail.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe things that can be found on your paycheck.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is horizontal.

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is Checklist.

Featured Video For You Strands 101: How to win NYT’s latest word game NYT Strands word list for October 20

• Number

• Address

• Amount

• Signature

• Routing

• Memo

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 the latest Strands.

Today's Connections: Sports Edition is easy if you're a Chicago sports fan.

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.

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: 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: Windy City teams

• Green: Weight classes

• Blue: AAC

• Purple: Types of rooms

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

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

• Yellow: Chicago Teams

• Green: With "Weight," Combat Sports Divisions

• Blue: American Conference Teams

• Purple: ___Room

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 #392 is...

What is the answer to Connections: Sports Edition today?

• Chicago Teams - BEARS, BULLS, CUBS, SKY

• With "Weight," Combat Sports Divisions- BANTAM, FEATHER, FLY, HEAVY

• American Conference Teams - BLAZERS, CHANTICLEERS, GREEN WAVE, PIRATES

• ___Room - DRESSING, FILM, GREEN, LOCKER

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 the latest Connections.

Today's Wordle answer should be easy to solve if you're currently in an ethereal state of mind.

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

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for October 17, 2025 Where did Wordle come from?

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

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

What's the best Wordle starting word?

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

What happened to the Wordle archive?

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

Is Wordle getting harder?

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

SEE ALSO: NYT Pips hints, answers for October 17, 2025 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

A state of purgatory.

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 L.

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...

LIMBO

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

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

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for October 17, 2025

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

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

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

The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult to solve if you know some chemistry.

Connections is the one of the most popular New York Times word games that's captured the public's attention. The game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.

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

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

The NYT's latest daily word game has become a social media hit. The Times credits associate puzzle editor Wyna Liu with helping to create the new word game and bringing it to the publications' Games section. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.

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

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

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

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

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

SEE ALSO: NYT Pips hints, answers for October 17, 2025 Here's a hint for today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Affected by something

• Green: In the stars

• Blue: Chemistry symbols

• Purple: Types of corn, spiritual or edible

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

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

• Yellow: Affliction

• Green: Represented by Constellations

• Blue: Periodic Table Symbols

• Purple: ___Corn

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 #862 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Affliction: BUGBEAR, COMPLEX, DEMON, HANG-UP

• Represented by Constellations: BIG BEAR, CENTAUR, HUNTER, LYRE

• Periodic Table Symbols: AS, BE, I, K

• ___Corn: A, CAPRI, POP, UNI

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

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for October 17, 2025

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

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

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

If you missed the news of a major Amazon Web Services (AWS) outage this morning, Alexa's apparently indestructible alarm might have given you a clue.

On Monday, according to Downdetector, a worldwide internet issue connected to AWS affected a huge amount of internet platforms after 3 a.m. ET including Amazon's online storefront, streaming platform Prime Video, Ring doorbells, and the company's virtual assistant Alexa. And it's the latter that has users reporting various issues with not only setting, but particularly switching off alarms within the app.

(Disclosure: Downdetector is owned by Ziff Davis, which also owns Mashable).

There's an AWS outage this morning impacting lots of services; it started around 07.30 UK time. People who use services like Alexa as their alarm clocks have just had a helpful reminder that using a device reliant on connectivity to carry out a task that doesn't need connectivity is not a good idea.

— Duncan Hothersall (@dhothersall.bsky.social) 20 October 2025 at 09:15 SEE ALSO: AWS outage update: Amazon, Alexa, Snapchat, Reddit, more hit by massive outage

Some users online reported being unable to set alarms through the Alexa app (if they hadn't set up a routine already).

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Other users were sadly awoken by their Alexa alarms as usual, with no excuse to not show up to work today.

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But the majority of users online reported being unable to turn their Alexa alarms off for long periods.

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So, if you spent the morning screaming at your Alexa to turn off the damn alarm, just know you're not alone in experiencing a horrendous start to a Monday. Might be time to go back to the ol' wind-up alarm clock? As for other services impacted by the AWS outage, other people have strong feelings about it all.

For what it's worth, Amazon posted in a company dashboard at 6:35 a.m. ET, "The underlying DNS issue has been fully mitigated, and most AWS Service operations are succeeding normally now."

Mashable reached out to Amazon for further comment and was directed to the AWS Health Dashboard.

Featured Video For You The tech startup on a mission to decarbonise concrete

As the internet reels from a massive outage Monday morning, thousands of Reddit users are continuing to report problems with the platform.

Over the last four hours, there has been a massive Google Trends spike as people look up a message they are receiving while using Reddit that informs them their request rate has been limited.

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Reddit's own status page confirms they are investigating an "elevated level of errors" as of 6:24 a.m. ET.

The issues follow directly on the heels of a massive internet outage seemingly linked to an Amazon Web Services outage. In the wake of the outage, users reported issues with dozens of sites across the internet, according to Downdetector.

(Disclosure: Downdetector is owned by Ziff Davis, which also owns Mashable.)

Reddit was impacted by issues around the same time, reporting degraded performance as it deals with issues in "Reddit infrastructure."

This is a developing story. More details will be provided as they become available.

SAVE $6.57: As of Oct. 20, the Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Elite Trainer Box is $92.48 at Amazon, down from $99.99 and near market value on TCGPlayer.

Opens in a new window Credit: The Pokémon Company Mega Evolution Elite Trainer Box $92.48 at Amazon
$99.99 Save $7.51   Get Deal

Looking for your Mega Evolution fix? People are already refreshing their screens for Phantasmal Flames preorders, but I've been keeping my eye on one of the best Pokémon TCG era starts in recent memory. Mega Lucario, Mega Venusaur, Mega Gardevoir, and more are here with standard ex and Secret Art Rares in this absolute banger of a base set. That's why the Gardevoir Mega Evolution Elite Trainer Box lowering to $92.48 at Amazon is such a big deal. That's near market value on TCGPlayer (over by $1, but prime shipping is worth the extra in my opinion).

If you were around for the X and Y era of Pokémon TCG, Mega Evolution was frankly ridiculous. Every EX card from the time was a basic Pokémon, so no need for evolution, just Mega Evolution and Spirit Link cards to help you play them sooner. People's decks were ridiculous, with many forgetting about Common and Uncommon cards.

SEE ALSO: Where to buy Pokémon cards in 2025 — avoid overpaying or missing out on new sets

Mega Evolution is far more balanced this time around, with the usual evolution mechanics being in place, bar the exception of Pokémon like Absol who would have a basic ex card as it doesn't evolve by normal means.

This ETB has all the usual gubbins, with the Promo Illustration Rare Alakazam in the Gardevoir variant alongside themed card sleeves, dice, card dividers, eight booster packs, and a tidy box to store your bulk cards in.

Most valuable Black Bolt and White Flare Pokémon cards Credit: Mashable Photo Composite / The Pokémon Company

Mega Evolution is off to a strong start, which means prices are still high, but have calmed down somewhat since launch. Here's the top five right now, which you could just click on and buy if you didn't fancy spending a fortune on sealed product for a gold Hyper Rare Lucario ex:

1. Mega Gardevoir ex - 187/132
   Near Mint Holofoil: $503.99
   Market price: $564.49
   Most recent sale: $499

2. Mega Lucario ex - 188/132
   Near Mint Holofoil: $537.99
   Market price: $553.53
   Most recent sale: $530.10

3. Mega Gardevoir ex - 178/132
   Near Mint Holofoil: $279.99
   Market price: $305.92
   Most recent sale: $285.94

4. Mega Lucario ex - 179/132
   Near Mint Holofoil: $294.97
   Market price: $298.44
   Most recent sale: $387.90

5. Mega Venusaur ex - 177/132
   Near Mint Holofoil: $244.99
   Market price: $202.49
   Most recent sale: $187.70

SAVE $80: As of Oct. 20, the Apple Watch SE is on sale for $169 at Walmart. That's $80 off its list price of $249.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple Watch SE (2nd Gen) $169 at Walmart
$249 Save $80   Get Deal

Even before Black Friday deals start dropping, there are already some discounts on Apple products worth checking out as we get closer to November. If you've been eyeing up one of the brand's smartwatches, the Apple Watch SE has received a nice discount at Walmart right now.

The Apple Watch SE (2nd Gen, GPS, 40mm) with a starlight aluminum case and lake green sport loop has dropped to $169 at Walmart. This is $80 off its list price of $249. The model with a midnight aluminum case and an ink sport loop is also on sale at the retailer for a few cents more at $169.99, if you'd prefer that option instead.

SEE ALSO: Mashable readers know best — here's what our readers bought during October Prime Day

If you're not looking for all of the fancy features that come with Apple's higher end smartwatches, the Apple Watch SE 2 covers the basics, with health and fitness features to keep you updated on your day-to-day activities. On the fitness side, these include an activity tracker, insights into workout performance, and for swimmers, 50 meter water resistance. And on the health side, this smartwatch boasts heart rate and sleep tracking alongside safety features like Fall Detection, Crash Detection, and Emergency SOS.

No better time than now to score the Apple Watch SE (2nd Gen, GPS, 40mm) with a starlight aluminum case and lake green sport loop for $169 at Walmart.

As mentioned before, this isn't the only Apple deal to cross our radar recently. At the moment you can also score a great deal on a four-pack of AirTags at Amazon and the AirPods Pro 2 are back down to their $169.99 Prime Day price there as well.

SAVE $140: As of Oct. 20, the Amazon Fire TV 4 Series 50-inch is on sale for $259.99 at Amazon. That's a 35% discount on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Fire TV 4 Series 50-inch $259.99 at Amazon
$399.99 Save $140   Get Deal

It's the season for movies, nights in, and discounts on great TVs. No one wants to go into the fall season with an old, outdated TV, so Amazon's Daily Deals is overflowing with TV discounts you'll love, like this latest on the Amazon Fire TV 4 Series 50-inch. As of Oct. 20, this TV is down to $259.99, saving you $140. This price is for the 50-inch model only.

If you've ever used the Fire OS before, you'll know what a great interface it is. It's easy to use, looks good, and saves you time searching through all your TV shows and movies. And this TV benefits from that and so much more. This TV, as you'd expect, has Alexa built-in. Just press the Alexa button on the remote and use it to control your TV with your voice.

SEE ALSO: This stunning Samsung Class QLED Q8F TV has hit its lowest-ever price — save $300 at Amazon

The picture quality won't disappoint either, with 4K Ultra HD, HDR10, HLG, and Dolby Digital Plus, meaning everything you watch or play will be super crisp and clear. And of course, you'll have full access to any streaming service you subscribe to including Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+, and more.

Get this TV deal for its best-ever price at Amazon now.

A worldwide issue related to Amazon Web Services (AWS) on Monday caused a huge amount of internet platforms to stop working — with strong reactions from people online.

As Mashable's Eric Miller reports, citing Downdetector, internet services including Amazon's storefront, Prime, Alexa, Ring, AT&T, Venmo, Robinhood, Canvas, Slack, and Lyft went down shortly after 3 a.m. ET.

(Disclosure: Downdetector is owned by Ziff Davis, which also owns Mashable.)

SEE ALSO: AWS outage: Amazon, Alexa, Snapchat, Fortnite, more reportedly down in massive outage

Social media and messaging platforms Snapchat, Reddit, and Signal, gaming platforms including Roblox, Fortnite, and Steam, and major streaming services including Prime Video, HBO Max, Disney+, and Hulu were also affected. Mashable has a full list of the platforms and services impacted by the outage.

Spikes on Downdetector's homepage showing AWS-powered platforms. Credit: Mashable screenshot: Downdetector

In an update posted on a company dashboard at 5:01 a.m. ET Monday, AWS stated it had "identified a potential root cause for error rates for the DynamoDB APIs in the US-EAST-1 Region," which was "related to DNS resolution." After working to resolve the issue, AWS reported at 5:27 a.m. ET, "We are seeing significant signs of recovery. Most requests should now be succeeding."

Then, at 6:35 a.m. ET, AWS posted, "The underlying DNS issue has been fully mitigated, and most AWS Service operations are succeeding normally now." However, it added that "some requests may be throttled while we work toward full resolution."

Mashable reached out to Amazon for further comment and was directed to the AWS Health Dashboard.

Companies and brands affected including Epic Games' Fortnite and British bank Lloyds posted on X they were investigating the impact of the outage.

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Individual company leaders, including Signal president Meredith Whittaker, also acknowledged the outage on social media.

PSA: we're aware that Signal is down for some people. This appears to be related to a major AWS outage. Stand by.

— Meredith Whittaker (@meredithmeredith.bsky.social) 20 October 2025 at 09:00

Instantly, users flocked to still functioning social media sites including X and Bluesky to lament their lack of access, vent about their malfunctioning Alexa alarms, or drop the requisite run-into-the-sunset post that always comes with an internet outage.

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aws outage i guess that means its time for me to go to sleep

— hailey (@hailey.at) 20 October 2025 at 09:25

There's an AWS outage this morning impacting lots of services; it started around 07.30 UK time. People who use services like Alexa as their alarm clocks have just had a helpful reminder that using a device reliant on connectivity to carry out a task that doesn't need connectivity is not a good idea.

— Duncan Hothersall (@dhothersall.bsky.social) 20 October 2025 at 09:15

This story is developing...

Featured Video For You The tech startup on a mission to decarbonise concrete

UPDATE: Oct. 20, 2025, 10:47 a.m. UTC Added additional AWS dashboard update.

UPDATE: Oct. 20, 2025, 12:00 p.m. UTC Added additional AWS update.

SAVE $50.95: As of Oct. 20, the Beats Fit Pro are on sale for $149 at Amazon. That's a 25% discount on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Beats Beats Fit Pro $149 at Amazon
$199.95 Save $50.95   Get Deal

When you're on the hunt for a new pair of earbuds, the vast amount of choice can be overwhelming. Do you want noise cancellation, earbuds to help you sleep, or a pair that are designed to last for high intensity sports? Whatever you're looking for, there'll be hundreds of products to choose from. But if you're looking for a pair that does a bit of everything, and does everything well, don't skip the Beats Fit Pro.

I've been using these earbuds for over two years, and if they ever break, I'll be replacing them with the same model immediately. They're reliable, produce great sound, and can last without needing a charge for weeks. But the reliability is the biggest pro for me. Through the years I've gotten through many, many pairs of earbuds. Whether it's water damage from rain, the sound crackling, or the left earbud that always stops working, they've never lasted more than a year. These earbuds are different.

SEE ALSO: Pixel Buds 2a review: Google's new mid-range earbuds are a little too... mid?

They've withstood long days of travel, marathons, rain, and so much more. And still work as good as they did on day one. And if you're an Apple user, these integrate with your iPhone in the same way AirPods do, so it's incredibly easy to look at settings, adjust noise cancellation, and check the battery.

And as of Oct. 20, they're on sale at Amazon. The new price of $149 will save you $50.95, and in my opinion, they're worth it. Get these earbuds from Amazon while they're still on sale.

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 Monday, Oct. 20, 2025:

AcrossSound from a mouse

• The answer is Click.

Many-headed serpent killed by Hercules

• The answer is Hydra.

View from a cruise ship window

• The answer is Ocean.

"See ya later!"

• The answer is Peace.

Animal whose antlers can grow up to an inch per day

• The answer is Elk.

DownDice, e.g.

• The answer is Chop.

French for "high school"

• The answer is Lycee.

10 out of 10

• The answer is Ideal.

Sound from a bat

• The answer is Crack.

"Citizen ___"

• The answer is Kane.

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

Featured Video For You The Wordle Strategy used by the New York Times' Head of Games

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 today's Mini Crossword.

SAVE $70: As of Oct. 20, the Anker Solix C300X portable power station is on sale for $199.99 as part of Best Buy's Deal of the Day. This is $70 off its list price of $269.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Anker Anker SOLIX C300X Portable Power Station $199.99 at Best Buy
$269.99 Save $70   Get Deal

The weather may be a little bit colder, but fall is still a great time to be outdoors. If you're itching to be sat around a bonfire on a camping trip during this time, a portable power station is worth having with you to keep your devices charged up. While some can be quite pricy, Best Buy is offering a great discount at the moment on the Anker Solix C300X portable power station.

As of Oct. 20, the Anker Solix C300X portable power station is on sale at Best Buy for $199.99. This is $70 off its usual price of $269.99, but there's a catch. This offer is part of Best Buy's Deal of the Day program which, as its name implies, means the deal only lasts through the rest of today. So you'll have to act fast to grab it at this discounted price.

SEE ALSO: Mashable readers know best — here's what our readers bought during October Prime Day

Alongside a portable size and adjustable strap to make carrying it around nice and easy, the Anker Solix C300X features 288Wh and a 300W output that can charge up to seven devices at one time. It even boasts a quick recharge of 90 minutes via USB-C or three hours if you use solar. Whether you want to take it with on a camping trip or keep it around your home as backup power, this compact power station packs a punch.

This deal only lasts today, so don't miss out on the Anker Solix C300X portable power station on sale at Best Buy.

If you're curious what other power stations are worth picking up, check out our breakdown of the best portable power stations to see our top picks that we believe are worth your time and money right now.

SAVE OVER $30: As of Oct. 20, the Apple AirTag four-pack is on sale for $64.99 at Amazon. That's a 34% saving on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple AirTag 4-Pack $64.99 at Amazon
$99 Save $34.01   Get Deal

It's hard to believe that almost two weeks later, there's still the odd Prime Day deal hanging around. But we're definitely not complaining about it, and if you need to add more AirTags to your collection, then you won't be complaining either.

As of Oct. 20, the Apple AirTag four-pack is still at its Prime Day price of $64.99, saving you $34.01 on list price. They've only ever been slightly cheaper than this, reaching $64.49 in March 2025. So, for 50 cents above its lowest-ever price, you really can't go wrong.

SEE ALSO: Add a pop of color and productivity to your life with this yellow 11-inch Apple iPad deal

If you've not come across AirTags before, your life is about to change for the better. AirTags are Apple tracking devices for your most beloved items. They can be stuck on, placed inside, or added to a keyring on anything you lose regularly (common culprits are keys, phones, and passports). Once attached, you can then track said device with the Find My app. If your item is showing nearby but you can't see it, the tags all have a small speaker built-in so you can play a sound to try and locate it.

They're rated IP67 for both water and dust resistance, so for really bad accidents you can still track it, and if you lose something really far away (i.e. luggage that doesn't make it on your plane), it will still remain visible in your app. This is because millions of Apple devices are in the Find My network, helping it remain trackable.

Pick up this AirTag deal before it goes back up in price.

SAVE $50: As of Oct. 20, the Echo Show 8 is on sale for $99.99 at Amazon. That's a 33% discount on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Echo Show 8 $99.99 at Amazon
$149.99 Save $50.00   Get Deal

Smart home hubs are an everyday essential at this point. Everything from your vacuum to your lightbulbs can now be controlled by tech, and there's no going back.

If you're a fan of Amazon's smart home devices, you need to check out this deal on the Echo Show 8, your new smart home hub.

SEE ALSO: Amazon’s Ring is expanding police access to doorbell footage

As of Oct. 20, this device is reduced by $50, bringing the price down to under $100 for a limited time. This price is for both colors, white and charcoal. If you're wondering what the Echo Show 8 does, the answer is so much. It's a touch-screen-controlled device that can act as a hub for all your other devices. It also comes into its own as a device perfect for video calls, reading new recipes, or even streaming your favorite Netflix show.

And when not in use, Amazon Photos can transform it into a digital photo frame and will display a carousel of your favorite pictures. Friends and family can even connect too, adding their own pictures for you to see.

This Echo deal has a limited-time stamp, so get it before it runs out.

TL;DR: New members can join Sam’s Club for just $15 (reg. $50) and enjoy a year of savings, member perks, and premium access.

Opens in a new window Credit: Sam's Club Sam's Club Membership (1-Year with Auto-Renew) $15
$50 Save $35   Get Deal

The holidays are around the corner, and with them come all the accompanying deals. You can currently grab a one-year Sam’s Club membership for only $15 (reg. $50), just in time for pre-holiday parties, gift-getting, and all the fun and flavor that comes with this magical season.

Whether you’re stocking up on snacks for the kids or loading the trunk for big gathering, this is the moment to make your dollar go further.

SEE ALSO: Pokémon TCG Black Bolt Elite Trainer Box crashes to market value at Amazon

This is a spending season. Between all the home, school, and work happenings, plus your regular grocery runs, the costs stack up. But with Sam’s Club, you can buy smarter. Load up on bulk snacks (for the kids who snack through their days off), beverages, cooking essentials, and new decor — all at member-only pricing.

And with the irregularity of gas prices? Sam’s Club fuel discounts can come in clutch. Members enjoy savings at the pump, making any road trip a bit easier on your budget.

Members can expect more than just a place to buy massive packs of granola bars and toilet paper (though those don’t hurt). You’ll unlock exclusive deals on travel, access to prescriptions, and the convenience of Sam’s Club Tire & Battery Center for automotive essentials. Planning a last-minute vacation? Your membership might even save you money on rental cars and hotels.

Plus, the Sam’s Club Scan & Go™ feature lets you skip the checkout line entirely. Scan items with your phone as you shop and breeze right out—perfect for anyone who wants convenience with their cost-cutting.

This is an opportune time to get a one-year membership to Sam’s Club with auto-renewal for just $15 (reg. $50) when you order through Oct. 31.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

The story above from The Graham Norton Show may only be 90 seconds long, but we certainly learn a lot from it.

The lessons include, 1) If you visit Jenner Lawrence's house, you may be fed food from the trash, 2) That Robert Pattinson does not mind eating food from the trash, and 3) Jennifer Lawrence is capable of a pretty great Robert Pattinson impression.

We're guessing the food she talks about giving Pattinson – which he has while crashing one of her girls' nights after wrapping a film nearby – was still in containers and not just scraped into the garbage can, but still — it's certainly a vivid image.