Blogroll

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 Friday, Sept. 26, 2025:

AcrossWhat this clue is in

• The answer is Bold.

Rowing sport

• The answer is Crew.

Businesses where the tongue-twisted might order a 1-Across/5-Across?

• The answer is Cafes.

___ Bunny, "Space Jam" character

• The answer is Lola.

End of a cigarette

• The answer is Butt.

DownInclude secretly, as on an email

• The answer is Bcc.

Toothbrush brand

• The answer is Oral B.

Gaston's sidekick in "Beauty and the Beast" (French for "the fool")

• The answer is Lefou.

Resided (in)

• The answer is Dwelt.

Took a chair

• The answer is Sat.

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 the latest Mini Crossword.

Instagram has always been pretty precocious. Now, just ahead of its 15th birthday, we have a new measure of its global fame — and it is on a level far beyond the dreams of regular teenagers.

Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced Wednesday that the once-humble photo-sharing app, which he had the foresight to buy for a mere $1 billion in 2012, now has more than 3 billion active users. That's an extraordinary achievement, and not just because Instagram had barely cracked 30 million monthly active users at sale time.

Three billion is nearly 37 percent of the population of Earth. If it were a country, Instagram would be larger than India (which has the largest Insta audience), China, the U.S. and the E.U. combined. The Roman Empire, the British Empire, the American whatever-this-is — they can only dream of this level of conquest.

No empire, real or virtual (and these days who can tell the difference), has ever been forged this quickly. Even Instagram's older sibling, Facebook, only just hit 3 billion users in January, at the ripe age of 21. Instagram, launched on Oct. 6, 2010, is the true prodigy of the social media family. (WhatsApp is Meta's middle child; the company says it has 3 billion users too, but your mileage may vary on whether it counts as social media.)

Based on these growth numbers, there's every reason to believe Instagram will soon overtake big brother, and become synonymous with social media in the 2020s (and maybe even 2030s) the way Facebook was in the 2010s. (TikTok is on Insta's tail, but currently eating its dust with an estimated 1.6 billion active users.)

SEE ALSO: What to expect when you're expecting 8 billion internet users

Just as Alexander the Great was said to have wept when there was no more of the then-known world to be conquered, Zuckerberg may well lament that there are less than 5 billion smartphone users who could possibly download his app. (It's still banned in China, which Alexander couldn't reach either.)

Who counts as an Instagram 'user'?

But how does Zuckerberg's Meta count Instagram's "active users," anyway? And does it matter as much as the hype suggests?

It's an important question because Zuckerberg has been zigging and zagging on his metrics of late. In July, the company simply said that 3.48 billion people used the Meta "family of apps" — and that they did so every day. The last time Zuckerberg broke out Instagram's user number, on a quarterly call for investors and analysts in 2022, he pinned it at 2 billion monthly active users, which is the more frequently-used number. (MAUs are what we've used for TikTok and WhatsApp above.)

And Monthly Active Users (MAUs) is what Zuck meant this week, according to his Threads post. One that threw in a Breaking Bad GIF — "billions, with a b" — for extra swagger.

SEE ALSO: Who is actually using Threads?

So why switch from monthly to daily and back again? Is counting users as simple as receiving pings from servers when they log in, or is fuzzy math involved? Are we talking across all devices and web browsers, or smartphones only? Mashable reached out to Meta and asked them to walk us through the MAU-counting process, but the company is staying tight-lipped for now.

Still, there is some evidence to suggest that a Monthly Active User ain't what they used to be — and that counting the amount of time spent on the app may be a more relevant metric.

Take me, for an extreme example. Technically, I'm a Monthly Active User of Instagram. I'm part of the three billion-strong empire! But what that means is practice is that once or twice a month, I'll look someone up via their handle. I posted a grand total of two photos in 2024, and 15 in 2023, continuing a decline since 2020. According to Screen Time on my iPhone, my Instagram usage has dropped to an average 18 seconds a day.

Why? My feed has long felt too clogged with ads and algorithmic recommendations for me to truly enjoy it (and I'm far from alone on that front, especially given the controversial feed changes of 2024). The brand new redesign, which hides the post button and prioritizes DMs and Reels, makes Insta feel less friendly (at least to this user) than ever. It's a far cry from the app I loved in the 2010s (when at least one Mashable staffer declared an Instagram addiction, and I wasn't far off myself).

Why time on Instagram may be a better metric

Meta doesn't provide any kind of time-spent-on-app data for Instagram. Estimates from multiple online data services suggest it's around 32 minutes daily per Insta user, worldwide.

That might sound like a lot, but the number hasn't shifted since 2022. Previous to that, time on Instagram was increasing year on year. Now it may have flatlined.

SEE ALSO: President Trump finally inked a $14 billion TikTok deal to keep the app alive

TikTok is ahead of Insta here. The ByteDance app may have a billion-with-a-b fewer users overall, but those users spend an estimated average of 56 minutes every day on the app.

And that particular engagement figure is only going to become more relevant as the smartphone app market becomes saturated — as every single one of us downloads both apps on our phones, basically. The MAUs will encompass more and more of us, because who doesn't look at the occasional Reel or TikTok when their friends send one?

Minutes of usage per day may not be the only metric that matters, but it is a growing part of a complicated social media picture.

For now, perhaps the clearest snapshot of the social media landscape emerges if you multiply number of billion MAUs by daily average usage minutes. Do that math for TikTok, and you get 89. Do it for Instagram, you get 96.

The 'gram still wins, but TikTok is too close for comfort — close enough to take the swag out of Zuckerberg's boast.

This column reflects the opinions of the writer.

Only a few hundred light-years from the center of the Milky Way lies an enormous cloud of gas and cosmic dust coalescing to form new baby stars. 

Astronomers want to know why it's so fertile, especially when compared to the neighborhood. Despite having just 10 percent of the central region's star-making gas, the cloud, known as Sagittarius B2, accounts for half of all the area's stellar births, according to NASA. 

Getting to the bottom of that mystery may also give scientists new insights into the star-forming process as a whole. Stars create most of the chemical elements on Earth, including carbon and oxygen, which are essential for life. But even experts admit they have much to learn about the conditions necessary in space to create new stars. 

To study this mysterious nursery, scientists pointed the James Webb Space Telescope at it. The observations resulted in stunning new images of the galaxy's most massive star-forming cloud, just a short distance from Sagittarius A*, the supermassive black hole that defines the center. 

"Webb’s powerful infrared instruments provide detail we’ve never been able to see before, which will help us to understand some of the still-elusive mysteries of massive star formation and why Sagittarius B2 is so much more active than the rest of the galactic center," said Adam Ginsburg, one of the principal investigators, in a statement.

SEE ALSO: In another star system, a Pluto-like world survived until the bitter end

In April, a team of astronomers used Webb to look closer at Sagittarius C, another nearby cloud, but one with relatively few babies, to chisel away at the same question: If there's a lot of available star-forming ingredients in this region, why aren't there more newborn stars? Researchers now believe powerful magnetic fields may have something to do with it — perhaps countering star formation.

Webb was specifically designed to sense invisible light at stretched-out infrared wavelengths. In short, light stretches — or "redshifts" — over time and distance by the expansion of the universe. Those infrared waves can also pierce through the prevalent gas and dust in space that obscure the view of far and naturally dim light sources. 

Left: MID-INFRARED In mid-infrared light, Sagittarius B2 only reveals its brightest stars. The dark areas are not empty space but filled with such dense gas and dust that light is blocked from reaching the telescope. Credit: NASA / ESA / CSA / STScI / Adam Ginsburg / Nazar Budaiev / Taehwa Yoo / Alyssa Pagan Right: NEAR-INFRARED In near-infrared light, the diverse colors of stars in Sagittarius B2 are on full display, but less of its gas and dust shine through than can be seen in mid-infrared light. Credit: NASA / ESA / CSA / STScI / Adam Ginsburg / Nazar Budaiev / Taehwa Yoo / Alyssa Pagan

Infrared light passes through some of the region's thick clouds, allowing Webb to detect young stars and the warm dust around them. But one of the most intriguing aspects of the new study is what Webb still couldn't see. There are areas in the new images that appear dark. Scientists say they're not what they seem.

"These ironically empty-looking areas of space are actually so dense with gas and dust that even Webb cannot see through them," according to NASA. "These thick clouds are the raw material of future stars and a cocoon for those still too young to shine."

Researchers plan to do follow-up studies on the stars in Sagittarius B2 to learn more about their masses and ages. That information could help them understand how long the star-forming cloud has existed. Right now they can't say whether it's been going on for millions of years or an unknown process initiated it more recently. 

"Humans have been studying the stars for thousands of years, and there is still a lot to understand," said Nazar Budaiev, the other principal investigator, in a statement. "For everything new Webb is showing us, there are also new mysteries to explore, and it’s exciting to be a part of that ongoing discovery."

TL;DR: 100TB of lifetime cloud storage with Internxt for $1,399 — secure, private, encrypted, and accessible across all devices.

Opens in a new window Credit: Internxt Internxt Cloud Storage Lifetime Subscription: 100TB $1,399.99
$9,900 Save $8,500.01 Get Deal

Never see the words “storage full” again. With Internxt’s 100TB lifetime plan, you’ll have enough space to store a lifetime’s worth of files, photos, videos, and projects — without juggling external drives or pricey monthly subscriptions.

Most cloud plans make you think small: 100GB here, maybe 1TB if you pay a premium. But 100TB? That’s serious storage capacity. Whether you’re archiving work projects, housing a family photo collection, or managing massive media files, you’ll have room to breathe.

SEE ALSO: Score Microsoft Office for Windows as a lifetime license for under $50

And because Internxt is built with privacy-first technology, it’s not just about space — it’s also about peace of mind. Files are encrypted before they even leave your device, split into pieces, and stored securely across Internxt’s network. That means you’re the only one who can ever access them.

Features you’ll enjoy:

• 100TB for life — One payment, forever access.

• Post-quantum encryption — Built to withstand tomorrow’s computing power.

• Zero-knowledge security — Only you can unlock your files.

• End-to-end encrypted sharing — Send files safely without sacrificing privacy.

• Open-source transparency — Code is public for full trust.

• GDPR compliant — Verified and audited for your protection.

• Cross-platform access — Use it on Windows, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android, or web.

• User-friendly interface — Easy drag-and-drop uploads and previews.

If your files matter (and let’s face it, they definitely do), this is the kind of cloud plan that gives you the confidence to back up everything — and never think about storage limits again.

Get 100TB of Internxt Cloud Storage for just $1,399.99 (reg. $9,900) for a limited time.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Microsoft has always made wonderful hardware, and I've been a fan of the Surface line of devices for a long time now. Through the years, the design hasn't evolved very much. Surface introduced new form factors, such as the Surface Laptop and the (now-defunct) Surface Duo phone, but the garden-variety Surface Pro has been pretty consistent.

That's both a good thing and a bad thing. The good part is, the design is pretty great. It's a tablet with a detachable keyboard and a built-in kickstand that can position the device at basically any angle, which makes it versatile for drawing or just working like a normal Windows laptop.

SEE ALSO: The 7 best Windows laptops of 2025 will make Apple fans jealous

It's a bad thing because in all the time the Surface Pro has existed, Microsoft has never sold it with the keyboard cover. It's always a separate purchase, and it is here, too. (Mashable has complained about this before.) It absolutely boggles my mind that Microsoft can't figure out that a productivity tablet needs to have a keyboard in the box. I know, "Adam is complaining about no keyboard again," is basically an evergreen statement, and that's totally fair, but I will never not complain about this. You need to ship a keyboard in the box.

There's one other issue I have with the design that I will get into in a bit. For now, there's a lot to love here. I've been using the 13-inch Microsoft Surface Pro 11th Edition from mid-2024 as my main laptop for about two weeks, and here are my thoughts.

Opens in a new window Credit: Microsoft Microsoft Surface Pro 11, 13-inch (Snapdragon X Elite, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) $1,199.99 at Amazon
$1,499.99 Save $300 Shop Now Opens in a new window Credit: Microsoft Microsoft Surface Pro 11, 13-inch Keyboard $129.99 at Best Buy
$169.99 Save $40 Shop Now The Microsoft Surface Pro 11th Edition: Just the basics

The 13-inch Microsoft Surface Pro 11 starts at $1,199.99, but if you want to upgrade from a base Snapdragon X Plus processor to a zippy Snapdragon X Elite chip (and trust me, you do), you’ll need to pony up $1,499.99 — or more. That's expensive, but still a touch less than elite M4 Apple MacBook Pros and other high-end laptops. And unlike the MacBook Pro, the Microsoft Surface Pro 11 can function as a tablet and laptop in one.

The Surface Pro 11 is also a Copilot+ PC, meaning it has built-in AI features powered by Microsoft Copilot, which is itself powered by a custom version of ChatGPT.

Credit: Adam Doud / Mashable

• Type: Tablet with kickstand and detachable keyboard (sold separately)

• Processor: Snapdragon X Plus (10-core) or Snapdragon X Elite (12-core)

• Display: 13-inch 2880 x 1920 touchscreen with up to 120Hz refresh rate; LCD on Snapdragon Plus models and OLED on Snapdragon X Elite variants

• Memory: 16GB or 32GB RAM

• Storage: 256GB, 512GB, or 1TB SSD

• Ports: Two USB-C/USB4 ports, Surface Pro Keyboard port, and Surface Connect port

• Connectivity: WiFi 7 and Bluetooth 5.4; 5G upgrade available

• Colors: Platinum, Sapphire, Dune, and Black

A 12-inch Microsoft Surface Pro 11 with an eight-core Snapdragon X Plus chip and is also available as of mid-2025. It starts at $799.99. (This review only covers the flagship 13-inch model.)

Flippy keyboard Credit: Adam Doud / Mashable

The keyboard in particular takes some getting used to, but I really like it. The keyboard attaches to the bottom of the Surface Pro 11 using two little points that slot into the device. Then you flip up a flap that magnetically attaches to the front of the tablet, raising your keyboard to a comfortable typing level.

The keyboard itself is a little floppy, for lack of a better word. It's a little like typing on a raised piece of thin plywood. It's a tad bouncy, but I actually appreciate that kind of feedback. The keys have a great pitch and travel. If you like typing on a chiclet-style keyboard, this is a winner. Plus, it gets even better.

The Surface Pro 11's Bluetooth Flex Keyboard upgrade can switch to Bluetooth connection when it's detached. That's a fun addition to the keyboard that I first saw with a OnePlus tablet last year. Granted, my use cases for the Bluetooth keyboard are limited, but it's a "better to have it and not need it" kind of situation.

Plus, this year, the Flex keyboard has a space in it to store the Surface Pen (also sold separately), which is a great thing to have when you need it, and nice to stow away when you don't. Personally, I don't use the Surface Pen all that often — it's just not a part of my workflow — but I appreciate having it when I want to.

Software is coming along

Fortunately for Microsoft, Windows 11 is getting pretty good at working with unusual form factors, and while that's not as important for a device like the Surface Pro 11, it's still important because of its ability to switch between being a tablet and a "laptop." These days, the most important thing is dealing with the virtual keyboard.

More specifically, when I detach the keyboard, I'll usually want a virtual keyboard to appear. Microsoft muddies those waters when it introduced the Bluetooth-connected Flex Keyboard — you know that feature I was just extolling the virtues of? The problem I ran into was that the virtual keyboard popped up seemingly at random. Open search in the Windows 11 taskbar, and it didn't come up. Open an app like Notepad, and it does. It's a little hard to keep up with, to be perfectly honest.

Fortunately, the rest of the software is pretty solid — and it's standard Windows 11 fare. There's no bloatware or additional games installed, and that's likely because Microsoft runs its own show here. Still, I appreciate that.

I'm a little bit over the form factor Left: Credit: Adam Doud / Mashable Right: Credit: Adam Doud / Mashable

The design of the Surface Pro 11 has one flaw that's tricky to overcome — it's top-heavy. Unlike a traditional laptop, where most of the components (and the battery) are in the lower part of the clamshell, the Surface Pro 11 has to fit literally everything into the tablet itself. The "bottom half" of the Surface Pro 11 is just a keyboard cover, and it's fairly light at that. Also, that keyboard doesn't have a hinge, per se. It just flops open and lands on the table you presumably have in front of you. That becomes problematic if you, you know, don't have a table in front of you.

Maybe you're wondering, "Where would someone be working on a laptop without a table or desk? The places I routinely use a laptop without a table or desk include in bed, on the couch, on an airplane, at launch events, and in the car, and that's just in the last four weeks. The Surface Pro 11 struggles in all of those environments — or to be more accurate, I struggle to use the Surface Pro 11 in those environments.

Put simply, I'm a little over the design of the Surface Pro. At first, it seemed novel and fun, but in the years since, it has grown a little stale, at least for my use case.

Once you get past that, there's still a lot to like here. The hinge on the back of the tablet in particular is a lovely innovation. I have laid that tablet down to its lowest setting and drawn/used the Surface Pen on a number of occasions, and every time, I absolutely adore it. So, if you're into it, and you often sit at a desk or table to work, there's nothing to worry about here.

Fast performance Credit: Adam Doud / Mashable

The Surface Pro 11 I tested runs on the 12-core Snapdragon X Elite processor that debuted last year and is still super fast. The Snapdragon Elite X is built on ARM cores, and it may be the answer that Windows on ARM fans were waiting for. The fact that Microsoft launched its flagship hardware on the processor alone is enough to be positive about the chip. 

Software is coming along too. One of the last holdouts that I needed for the PC was Google Drive on ARM. Yes, most of Google Drive is done in the cloud, but its ability to sync files locally is massive for my workflow, so I'm thankful that it's here.

Another piece of software, DaVinci Resolve, was an early adopter of the Snapdragon processor. Coming from Adobe Premiere, it's been something of a challenge, but I've gotten used to the app very quickly. Most of the videos I produce are shorter, more geared toward Instagram or TikTok, but this computer is no slouch in that department.

Speaking of power and performance, our Geekbench 6 performance test clocked this Surface Pro 11 at a 13,469 multi-core score, which is fairly high against other laptops Mashable has tested recently, though not the highest. Compared to the 13.8-inch Surface Laptop, 7 with a Snapdragon X Elite chip, which notched a multi-core score of 14,548, it's a hair slower.

But along with that power comes longevity — something the Snapdragon X Elite was designed for. In our battery rundown test, the Surface Pro 11 offered 15 hours and 56 minutes of video playback (off of WiFi and Bluetooth and set to 50 percent brightness). That's worse than the Surface Laptop 7, which lasted almost 23 hours on a charge, but on par with the 14-inch M4 MacBook Pro.

Overall, I love what the Snapdragon X Elite brings to the table.

Is the Microsoft Surface Pro 11th Edition worth it?

Yes. The 13-inch Microsoft Surface Pro 11th Edition is lightweight, powerful, and has really great battery life. It can handle almost any task you can throw at it. It is also easily upgradable — the SSD is placed under a small door in the back that has toolless removal. That's the kind of user friendliness you don't often see in laptops this thin.

Credit: Adam Doud / Mashable

This is a great portable powerhouse, but it comes with a compromise in the design. This is not a traditional "laptop" that you can easily open on your lap. But if that's not your use case and you prefer the versatility of a tablet or 2-in-1, then this hybrid device is a smart pickup.

So, this is a great buy. It's not going to be a beast at gaming, nor will it export hour-long 8K videos easily. But chances are you don't need to do that. For everyone else, this is a versatile 2-in-1 that won't break the bank and provides great value. That's all you can ask for in a great computing machine.

Opens in a new window Credit: Microsoft Microsoft Surface Pro 11, 13-inch (Snapdragon X Elite, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) $1,199.99 at Amazon
$1,499.99 Save $300 Shop Now

TL;DR: Microsoft Office 2019 Pro Plus is yours for a one-time $29.97 — no subscription fees, just lifetime access to Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and more.

Opens in a new window Credit: Microsoft Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2019 for Windows $29.97
$229 Save $199.03 Get Deal

If you’ve been holding out on upgrading your PC with a full Microsoft Office suite because the newer versions are pricey or subscription-based, this is the offer to check out. For just $29.97, you can get a lifetime license to Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2019 for Windows — the version that still includes all the classics and a few more that the newest edition leaves behind.

Office 2019 may not be the shiniest release, but it’s updated, reliable, and built for anyone who just wants a powerful toolkit without recurring fees. Whether you’re running a small business, keeping your household organized, or handling work-from-home projects, this suite still covers everything you’ll need.

SEE ALSO: Score Microsoft Office for Windows as a lifetime license for under $50

Here’s what you’ll get in with this one-time payment:

• Word — Create and edit polished documents

• Excel — Analyze data with advanced charts, formulas, and tools

• PowerPoint — Build engaging presentations with new visual effects

• Outlook — Manage email, contacts, and calendars like a pro

• OneNote — Keep all your notes synced and organized

• Publisher — Design simple flyers, brochures, and more

• Access — Build and manage databases for work or personal projects

Office 2019 isn’t the forgotten version, either. Upgrades include enhanced inking tools across all programs, new data analysis capabilities in Excel, more advanced presentation tools in PowerPoint, and updated features in Outlook that make managing email and contacts smoother than ever.

No subscriptions, no hidden fees — just a classic (and updated) version of Office 2019 for a one-time $29.97 payment (reg. $229).

StackSocial prices subject to change.

The 63rd New York Film Festival kicks off Sept. 26, and with it comes a thrilling flood of premieres of some of the most-anticipated movies of the year.

At NYFF, new movies from Julia Roberts, George Clooney, Rose Byrne, Ben Stiller, Bradley Cooper, Park Chan-wook, and many more will play before an audience eager and yet hard to impress. But even if you won't be able to make to Manhattan for the premieres, you can keep an eye out for Mashable's coverage, which will include reviews and interviews, so you know what's a must-see and what's totally missable.

Before things kick off with the polarizing new film from Luca Guadagnino, Mashable's selected some of the most anticipated debuts of NYFF, and where you can see them soon.

1. After The Hunt

Opening night of NYFF offers the North American premiere of Luca Guadagnino’s latest drama. The provocative filmmaker behind Queer and Challengers returns with a twisted new tale of sex, desire, and betrayal.

Julia Roberts headlines as Alma Imhoff, a Yale professor of philosophy whose loyalties are called into questions when her protege (Ayo Edebiri) accuses Alma's colleague (Andrew Garfield) of sexual misconduct. This ambition drama goes beyond a he-said-she-said drama, probing societal influences of gender, race, sexual orientation, and generational divides to flesh out its trio of characters and their perspectives. Essentially, After the Hunt becomes a war of words and ideology, thought-provoking and unsettling.

Out of its world premiere at the Venice Film Festival last month, Guadagnino’s latest was jeered by critics. Will his challenging drama fare better with NYFF's audience? Based on early buzz, Mashable suspects so. — Kristy Puchko, Entertainment Editor

Starring: Julia Roberts, Ayo Edebiri, Andrew Garfield, Michael Stuhlbarg, and Chloë Sevigny

How to watch: After the Hunt opens in select theaters Oct. 10 before expanding nationwide Oct. 17.

2. Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere

Bruce Springsteen gets the movie biopic treatment with Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere. Writer/director Scott Cooper adapts Warren Zanes' book on Springsteen, Deliver Me From Nowhere, to focus on the story of when this American icon was on the brink of stardom, working on his seminal album Nebraska.

Stepping into the Boss' big shoes is The Bear's Jeremy Allen White. Teamed with Crazy Heart's helmer, White could deliver the performance of an already award-winning career. And in a time when art is in a battle for the soul of America, a movie about the blue-collar American rock star could not be better timed. By pouring out his heart and pain and politics, he created anthems that have carried us for decades. Can Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere capture that magic and that struggle? We can't wait to find out. — K.P.

Starring: Jeremy Allen White, Jeremy Strong, Paul Walter Hauser, Stephen Graham, Odessa Young, Gaby Hoffmann, Marc Maron, and David Krumholtz

How to watch: Springsteen: Deliver Me from Nowhere opens in theaters Oct. 24.

3. If I Had Legs I’d Kick You

Writer/director Mary Bronstein's daring dramedy first made waves out of Sundance 2025, where critics cheered and A24 bought the distribution rights. Now, it's gaining momentum through TIFF and NYFF.

Starring Rose Byrne, If I Had Legs I'd Kick You follows a middle-aged wife and mother who is at her wit's end thanks to the pressures of caring for her sick child, juggling the duties of an absentee husband as well as her job, and dealing with a house that is literally falling apart. In his review for Mashable, Siddhant Adlakha praised Byrne's performance, writing, "There isn't a single moment during which the torment driving Byrne's character to lash out isn't visible behind her eyes, begging to be recognized. It's a plea made all the more urgent by the fact that If I Had Legs, I’d Kick You feels in a constant state of hair-raising climax. And so, it grabs you by the collar and pulls you along for its harrowing plunge, forcing you to witness — and to understand — the worst yet most deeply human impulses a mother can have."* —K.P.

Starring: Rose Byrne, Conan O'Brien, Danielle Macdonald, Christian Slater, and A$AP Rocky

How to watch: If I Had Legs I'd Kick You opens in theaters on Oct. 10.

4. Stiller & Meara: Nothing Is Lost

Before Ben Stiller was headlining comedy blockbusters like Meet the Parents, his parents Jerry Stiller and Anne Meara were a comedy duo defining humor in 1960s and ’70s American culture.

As director and documentarian, their son looks back on Stiller and Meara, their highs and lows, and where the lines between their professional and personal lives blurred. Already, this is being called the most personal film of Ben Stiller's career. And it's easy to see why. — K.P.

How to watch: Stiller & Meara: Nothing Is Lost opens in select theaters Oct. 17 before premiering on Apple TV+ on Oct. 24.

5. Nouvelle Vague

If you love the French New Wave, you need to watch Nouvelle Vague, Richard Linklater's love letter to Jean-Luc Godard and his debut feature, Breathless. 

Linklater reimagines Breathless's 20-day shoot, highlighting Godard's (Guillaume Marbeck) unconventional directing style and his relationship with actors Jean-Paul Belmondo (Aubry Dullin) and Jean Seberg (Zoey Deutch). He also loops in other key figures of the French New Wave, including François Truffaut (Adrien Rouyard) and Suzanne Schiffman (Jodie Ruth-Forest). In addition to paying tribute to the pioneers of the French New Wave, Linklater pays homage to the movement's style, shooting Nouvelle Vague in black and white on 35mm film.

Out of its premiere at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, Nouvelle Vague received a largely positive reaction from critics, who highlighted the earnestness and detailed recreations of key scenes from Breathless. For all you Godard heads out there, this one's for you. — Belen Edwards, Entertainment Reporter

Starring: Guillaume Marbeck, Zoey Deutch, and Aubry Dullin

How to watch: Nouvelle Vague opens in select theaters on Oct. 31 before debuting on Netflix on Nov. 14.

6. Sentimental Value

Director Joachim Trier and star Renate Reinsve's 2021 film The Worst Person in the World was a critical darling, earning Academy Award nominations for Best International Feature Film and Best Original Screenplay. Now, the pair look to run it back with the family drama Sentimental Value, co-written by Trier and The Worst Person in the World co-writer Eskil Vogt.

Reinsve and Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas star as estranged sisters Nora and Agnes Borg, who reconnect with their distant father Gustav (Stellan Skarsgård) following their mother's passing. A once-prominent film director, Gustav has written a script about his mother's life, and he wants Nora to play the lead. When she turns it down, he turns to an American actress named Rachel Kemp (Elle Fanning) instead, further complicating the Borgs' already fraught family dynamic. Brace yourself for a heart-wrenching peek into a dysfunctional family, one that earned raves out of 2025's Cannes Film Festival and picked up the prestigious Cannes Grand Prix. — B.E.

Starring: Stellan Skarsgård, Renate Reinsve, Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas, and Elle Fanning

How to watch: Sentimental Value opens in theaters Nov. 7.

7. No Other Choice

Park Chan-wook has brought audiences such mind-bending, heart-wrenching cinema as Oldboy, The Handmaiden, and Decision to Leave. His latest, No Other Choice, has already been gathering buzz out of film festivals in Venice, Toronto, and Busan.

Making its U.S. premiere at NYFF, No Other Choice stars Lee Byung-hun as a family man who seems to have it all figured out. He has a loving wife, two children, two dogs, a lovely home, and a job where he feels important. But once his factory begins favoring machinery over human workers, he's pushed into a job market that's a real killer. And by that I mean, he's tempted to kill the competition so he can secure a new job and keep his house.

A dark comedy about the bleeding evils of capitalism, No Other Choice should play well to audiences who embraced the Park-produced Snowpiercer and Bong Joon Ho's Parasite. However, this NEON release will deliver some twists that'll have your stomach churning. —K.P.

Starring: Lee Byung-hun, Son Ye-jin, Park Hee-soon, Lee Sung-min, Yeom Hye-ran, and Cha Seung-won

How to watch: No Other Choice opens in limited release on Dec. 25.

8. FATHER MOTHER SISTER BROTHER

Indie director Jim Jarmusch has forged his reputations on intimate and immaculately cool character-driven dramas like Dead Man, Broken Flowers, Only Lovers Left Alive, and the unconventional zombie dramedy The Dead Don't Die. He has a way of taking famous actors and transforming them in ways we've never seen before. So frankly, we're giddy about this combination of ensemble cast and Jarmusch before we even get to the plot.

As teased in the film's trailer, FATHER MOTHER SISTER BROTHER is a tale of a family told over three chapters, a cinematic triptych if you will. The settings range from Northeast U.S., Dublin, and Paris. And within that a cast of former Jarmusch collaborators like Adam Driver, Cate Blanchett, Indya Moore, and Tom Waits and new addition Vicky Krieps are sure to create a family drama, unique, poignant, and achingly cool. — K.P.

Starring: Tom Waits, Adam Driver, Mayim Bialik, Charlotte Rampling, Cate Blanchett, Vicky Krieps, Sarah Greene, Indya Moore, and Luka Sabbat

How to watch: FATHER MOTHER SISTER BROTHER opens in limited release on Dec. 24.

9. Jay Kelly

George Clooney and Adam Sandler team up with director Noah Baumbach for Hollywood satire Jay Kelly, about a suave movie star on the verge of a midlife crisis. Clooney plays the titular role, while Sandler stars as Jay's longtime manager Ron. The two embark on a trip across Europe to accept an award at a film festival, and along the way, they reminisce on their careers and relationships. Get ready for deep conversations, movie star ennui, and, if the trailer is anything to go by, some truly scenic landscapes.

Jay Kelly had its world premiere at the 2025 Venice International Film Festival, where it earned mostly positive reviews. Critics heaped praise on Clooney and Sandler's work, noting that the film's satire is softer than Baumbach's other work. Will Jay Kelly find a similarly positive response at NYFF? — B.E.

Starring: George Clooney, Adam Sandler, Laura Dern, and Billy Crudup

How to watch: Jay Kelly opens in select theaters Nov. 14 before debuting on Netflix on Dec. 5.

10. Pillion Harry Melling and Alexander Skarsgård co-starin "Pillion." Credit: NYFF

Craving something kinky and surprisingly sweet? Then you'll be excited for Pillion. In his directorial debut, writer/helmer Harry Lighton hits hard with his sensitive adaptation of Adam Mars-Jones'Adam Mars-Jone 2020 novel Box Hill.

Harry Melling, who many remember as spoiled-rotten Dudley Dursley in the Harry Potter movies, co-stars with Alexander Skarsgård is an unconventional romance. The former Potter kid plays a timid young gay man who finds himself tumbling into England's BDSM scene thanks to a domineering and very hot leather daddy, played by Skarsgård. Together, they forge a relationship that's full of kink, commands, and understanding. Sure, some will gasp at the onscreen sex and flourishing fetishes. But beneath the leather harnesses, Pillion has a radiant heart. —K.P.

Starring: Harry Melling and Alexander Skarsgård

How to watch: A24 will be releasing Pillion.

11. A House of Dynamite

Want to feel a deep sense of existential dread? Then make time for A House of Dynamite, the latest from Academy Award–winning director Kathryn Bigelow (The Hurt Locker, Zero Dark Thirty). 

A nail-biting thriller, A House of Dynamite centers on America's reaction to an incoming nuclear missile strike. No one knows who sent the missile; all they know is that they have 18 minutes to save the country from a devastating disaster. Bigelow brings viewers into the missile crisis in real time, repeating the same 18 minutes from the perspectives of officers in the Situation Room (Rebecca Ferguson and Jason Clarke), security advisors (Gabriel Basso and Greta Lee), and of course, the U.S. president himself (Idris Elba).

If A House of Dynamite's harrowing trailer wasn't enough to get you intrigued, let the response out of the film's premiere at the Venice International Film Festival sway you. Critics praised its intensity, and Bigelow and screenwriter Noah Oppenheim's ability to tap into anxieties about nuclear war. — B.E.

Starring: Idris Elba, Rebecca Ferguson, Gabriel Basso, Jared Harris, Tracy Letts, Anthony Ramos, Moses Ingram, Jonah Hauer-King, Greta Lee, and Jason Clarke

How to watch: A House of Dynamite opens in select theaters globally on Oct. 10 before debuting on Netflix on Oct. 24.

12. The Mastermind

Josh O'Connor is everywhere this fall! The Challengers star just hit theaters opposite Paul Mescal in the queer romance The History of Sound. In the upcoming Knives Out sequel, Wake Up Dead Man, he joins a star-studded cast for a fresh murder mystery. But in writer/director Kelly Reichardt's unconventional crime drama The Mastermind, he's front and center.

Set in the 1970s, this film has O'Connor playing a family man, with a nice house, respected parents, and a good job. But he yearns for something more. So naturally, he plots a heist of the local art museum. Despite the title, he's not as strategic as one might hope. And when things go sideways, this "mastermind" must scramble to get away with his freedom — even if it means sacrificing all else. A wryly comic tale of self-sabotage, The Mastermind is sure to thrill Reichardt fans and give O'Connor lovers a new side to the talented leading man. —K.P.

Starring: Josh O'Connor, Alana Haim, Hope Davis, John Magaro, Gaby Hoffmann, and Bill Camp

How to watch: The Mastermind opens in theaters in theaters on Oct. 17.

13. Scarlet Credit: Sony Pictures Classics

The New York Film Festival doesn't often showcase animated features. While the 2024 slate lacked them entirely, the 2023 slate did include Hayao Miyazaki's The Boy and the Heron, which went on to win the Oscar for Best Animated Feature. That means the bar is high for this year's animated entry, Mamoru Hosoda's (Belle) anime epic Scarlet.

On paper, Scarlet is a gender-bending twist on William Shakespeare's Hamlet. In reality, it's far, far stranger, asking, "What if, after his death, Hamlet found himself in a fantasy afterlife where he would have to fight legions of dead soldiers (and maybe even a dragon) in order to get revenge on his uncle Claudius?" Well, that's exactly what happens to Hosoda's heroine, Danish princess Scarlet (voiced by Mana Ashida). It's as bonkers as it sounds, backed up by stunning visuals to match. — B.E.

Starring: Mana Ashida, Masaki Okada, and Koji Yakusho

How to watch: Scarlet hits theaters Dec. 12.

14. Is This Thing On?

As a filmmaker, Bradley Cooper is entranced by tales of show business. Following his Lady Gaga-headlined remake of A Star is Born and the Leonard Bernstein biopic Maestro, he has co-written and helmed Is This Thing On? — a dramedy in which co-writer Will Arnett plays a stand-up finding his way in the NY comedy club scene. But that's not all.

After years together, married couple Alex (Arnett) and Tess (Laura Dern) are splitting up. It's amicable, sure, but it's still an emotional minefield. So where better to work out his feelings and issues about a failed marriage and co-parenting than in front of an audience with a two drink-minimum?

It's a concept and setting that should play well to the hometown audience (and critics). So, a fitting film for NYFF's closing night. — K.P.

Starring: Will Arnett, Laura Dern, Andra Day, Bradley Cooper, Amy Sedaris, Sean Hayes, Christine Ebersole, Ciarán Hinds, and Scott Icenogle

How to watch: Is This Thing On? will open in theaters on Dec. 19.

* denotes that this blurb appeared in a previous Mashable list.

UPDATE: Sep. 25, 2025, 5:00 a.m. EDT Since its original publish date in 2022, this review has been updated to reflect my experience at the three year mark of using this Dyson every day. At the original time of writing, the Dyson V12 Detect Slim's retail price was $649.99, but has since gone up on both Dyson's website ($729.99) and at Walmart ($699.95). Dyson has not made a public statement as to whether or not tariffs have affected the pricing of its products.

If you think your hard floors are clean just because you vacuum regularly, you're wrong. That's what I learned after just a few days with the Dyson V12 Detect Slim. And after nearly three years of using it as my trusty backup whilst testing a ton of other vacuums, I stand by my statement that the V12 Detect Slim is one of the best stick vacuums on the market. Use the table of contents to skip down to my latest update.

Dyson stick vacuums have led the market in terms of innovation for years. And I appreciate that those innovations never feel too high-tech and far-fetched to actually work well in daily life — a recurring theme for some fancy robot vacuums recently. No, the upgrades seen in the best cordless Dyson vacuums are as practical as they are novel.

SEE ALSO: Roborock Saros Z70 review: If you think you need the robot vacuum with an arm, no you don't

But Dyson's best feature has nothing to do with the cyclonic suction itself. Rather, the new feature — a laser — highlights microscopic pieces of debris that the human eye would miss, ultimately leading to a deeper clean by showing you the spots that need attention. New cleaning paranoias unlocked!

The Dyson V12 Detect Slim costs between $649.99 and $729.99 at full price (the MSRP has fluctuated since release) and as low as $399.99 on sale. Either way, it's a pretty budget-friendly way to bring home some of Dyson's high-end cleaning tech without getting uncomfortably close to the $1,000 mark.

The price difference can be attributed to scaling back on a few things compared to the next model in the family tree, the V15 Detect: a downgrade in battery life (60 minutes versus 120 minutes), a skimpier dust bin (0.1 gallons versus 0.5 gallons), a weaker motor (150 Air Watts versus 240 Air Watts of suction power), and fewer attachments. It still comes with two interchangeable cleaner heads: the Laser Slim Fluffy and the Motorbar.

Everything that comes in the box. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

The V12 Slim is also the most affordable Dyson stick vacuum with a digital display. This shows helpful intel like how many minutes remain before you need to charge, warnings about blocked airways, and a piezo counter that reports on the size and amount of particles encountered. Dyson calls it "scientific proof of a deep clean."

As one of Dyson's smallest-capacity stick vacuums, the V12 Slim doesn't look like it holds much. But for a 1,500-square-foot apartment with three roommates, I was pleasantly surprised to only have to empty the bin once a week or so.

I wish the V12 Detect Slim's button was closer to my thumb. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable photo composite The dustbin is easy to dump directly into the trash can, but dust bunnies get stuck sometimes. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable photo composite

For what it's worth, the downsizing in bin size is what keeps the V12 Detect Slim so delightfully lightweight and easy to operate. Weighing in at 5.2 pounds, it's more than three pounds lighter than the Dyson Gen5outsize that my mom has. That beast feels so cumbersome compared to my dainty V12 Detect Slim — it's just such a breeze to grab off its wall dock and whip around the apartment.

The Dyson Unveiled event on Sept. 4 revealed a handful of new Dyson vacuums, including one that will allegedly be even thinner and lighter than the V12 Detect Slim. The Dyson Pencil Vac has quite the unique design that I can't wait to try IRL, but it won't be released in the U.S. until 2026 — and will probably be more expensive than the V12 Detect Slim.

This laser made me feel like shit about the status of my floors in the best way possible

We're all regretfully aware of the fact that dust is technically a concoction of things like sloughed-off skin cells, hair, and dust mites — so even if you stay on top of vacuuming the obvious stuff like everything bagel crumbs or tumbleweeds of pet fur, other stuff is constantly gathering behind the scenes. The thing is, it's barely visible to the naked eye.

SEE ALSO: I'm constantly testing Roombas at home — here's my Roomba buying guide for 2025

As a chronic daily vacuumer, I was the last person I expected to be shocked by how much dust and hair congregates on my floor in less than 24 hours. Naturally, one would think their floors are pretty damn clean if they're vacuumed literally every day. The laser says "sike."

It highlighted hair, fur, dust, and even minuscule shards of glass in spots that genuinely look spotless, like a black light illuminating glow-in-the-dark details on a bowling alley carpet. One rule: The lights stay OFF during sex vacuuming with the laser. It's the only way to get the full experience of watching microscopic pieces of dust light up like teeth and white T-shirts in the indoor roller coaster.

This layer of dust congregated in, like, a day. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable I SWEAR our hardwood floors look spotless when not under the laser. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

The laser saved our feet from rogue pieces of a broken mirror that weren't big enough to spot with the naked eye. As for the saving of my roommate's soul from seven years of bad luck, stay tuned.

My mother is the one person I know whose reaction to what's hiding on the floor might be even more visceral than mine. I brought the V12 Slim along on a visit to my parents' house and told her to let the laser rip on her textured tile kitchen floor. "This is the most depressing thing I've ever seen," I heard her say as she witnessed so many more pieces of dander and tufts of cat fur than you'd ever notice with a casual glance.

SEE ALSO: Will the laser-equipped Dyson Spot+Scrub Ai solve Dyson's robot vacuum problem?

But after you've spent a few good minutes rocking in the fetal position whilst ruminating over what you've been stepping on all this time, it's really satisfying to visualize just how thorough of a job this vacuum is doing.

Most of us know the space underneath our bedroom furniture or behind the couch is a breeding ground for dust bunnies. We pretend we don't know, but we do. But if you ever do feel so inclined to give those "out of sight, out of mind" spots a much-needed sweep, the laser head makes it easy to see what you're doing.

Not me airing my dust bunny petting zoo on the internet! Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

The laser fluffy head ditches the tennis ball-sized ball that the motorized head uses to swerve around (it's like the mini version of the Big Ball that corded Dysons have). Instead, it takes on a bendy straw design. This keeps its profile low and allows the whole vacuum to lie almost parallel to the floor, depending on how close to the ground you feel like getting. I was able to push it under furniture where even the slimmest robot vacuum definitely couldn't fit. Its soft, bristly approach laps up specs of dust similarly to how a cloth or Swiffer pad would, rather than relying on sheer suction to pull them up. After going over a particularly dirty spot, you can take a second look with the laser to ensure the pieces you saw before are gone.

While the fluffy head's wheelhouse is bare floors, it does a decent enough job on carpets and rugs that I didn't bother to swap heads unless I was strictly vacuuming plush carpet. I actually preferred it on the flat weave rugs in my apartment that toyed with the Motorbar. When my cat, Sansa, knocked her container of catnip off the coffee table (classic), the fluffy head picked up most of the leaves in one or two passes.

The V12 also automatically boosts suction when it encounters extra dirty spots, and the shift is audible. Past the satisfying visuals, it's comforting to hear how hard it's working, too.

No, the laser doesn't highlight invisible debris on carpet, but I wish it did.

Who, me? Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable The Motorbar is great for heavy debris, but sometimes too strong for its own good

The Motorbar cleaner head is the go-to for thick carpeting. It's half an inch thicker than the slim head, optimizing air flow for stronger suction. The conical shape digs deeper into carpet fibers than the soft design of the fluffy head, using special anti-tangle spirals designed to tear hair out of carpet fibers and push them into the bin without wrapping around the head. In my three-year window with this vacuum, I have noticed that thick wads of hair do start to spool at either side of the fluffy head if it hasn't been flipped over recently.

I was most impressed by the Motorbar's success rate on kibble on my parents' medium-pile carpet. (This mess was self-inflicted because the cats' bowls live on tile, but vacuums are better put to the test on a surface where crumbs can stick like Velcro.) In my experience, the most a vacuum typically interacts with heavier debris is pushing it around or sucking it up, then shooting it out the back of the cleaning head — or glossing over it completely.

Not all suction is strong enough to pull up large pieces of debris, especially on the first pass. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable The Motorbar will probably eat your bath mats, even on the lowest power setting. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable photo composite

I drove the V12 Detect Slim right through the middle of the pile and watched a pristine path form behind it, clearly showing where the vacuum had and hadn't been. Not a single piece of food was left after just one pass.

While I'd still prefer the fluffy head's fibers to lick up tiny specs of dust, I found the Motorbar to be really effective on heavy debris like soil on my hardwood floors. It's a godsend each time my roommates and I decide to re-pot plants inside.

The Motorbar is tough on dense piles of dirt. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

However, the Motorbar's beastliness was also its downfall on some floor types. A flat weave floor runner, a low-pile bath mat, and a furry rug all tripped the Motorbar up to the point where it stopped spinning completely. At that point, you have to turn it off and back on to resume spinning. People on Reddit have been bitching about their Dyson literally being too powerful for years, too, so the laser head is a nice chill alternative.

With these attachments, a dedicated hand vacuum is obsolete

Starting with the best, the motorized hair screw tool is essentially a mini version of the full-sized motor head with the same anti-tangle conical brush bar designed to target long hair and fur. This little beast is so powerful that no one would be surprised if it were a separate, extra purchase, so it's nice that Dyson includes it. (Mini motorized attachments aren't often included with cheaper cordless vacuums.) But if you have pets that sit on the furniture or car seats, motor-driven cleaning for smaller spaces is almost as crucial as the full-sized cleaning heads themselves.

Though the V12 Detect Slim's dust sensor has pointed out how much cat fur collects on my floor, I swear that just as much is matted down into the fibers of the cat tree. The mini hair screw tool's compact size allowed me to get close to the curved edges, where my ChomChom is too wide and stiff.

The dust bin was basically empty before I used the vac on the cat tree. Just sayin'. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable The mini Motorbar was great at combing crumbs off of velvet furniture, which is sometimes stubborn. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

My apartment is only one level, but it's not hard to see how the mini motorized tool could come in clutch for carpeted staircases that collect fur where a full-sized vacuum can't provide the flexibility to nail the corners. Obviously, that detailing is something even the best robot vacuums can't provide.

The other included attachments, a crevice tool and a combination tool with a wide nozzle and brush, can be found in just about every cordless vacuum box, regardless of price or brand, but are useful nonetheless. The skinny extender gets precise with where it's pointing and is great for squeezing between cushions, sweeping out crevices in the car, or tending to those nasty baseboards.

The McDonald's fries salt living in my cupholders has met its match. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable Downsides: It's not the most heavy-duty, but that's OK

If anything, large homes (more than 2,500 square feet, maybe) with multiple pets that shed heavily might consider bumping up to a Dyson with a larger dustbin and longer battery life. You can squeeze just under an hour out of the V12 Detect Slim on one charge if it's on low power mode, but that's hard to maintain when the vac automatically works harder on areas it senses to be dirtier.

Being so compact, the V12 Detect Slim has an inherently smaller motor than the more expensive V15 Detect or Gen5 Dyson vacuums. The dustbin also holds way less — but again, that's how it remains so agile. I only think the pared-back cleaning performance would be a dealbreaker if you're tending to a large home with heavy foot or paw traffic.

Three-year update: My sidekick is still kicking

I got my V12 Detect Slim in the summer of 2022, and as I write this, it's now the fall of 2025. No exaggeration: I'm confident that I have used this vacuum just about every single day since then, barring the windows when I was away from home for more than a night.

I'm not vacuuming every room in the house every single day, of course (though that sounds like a dream in my sick and twisted mind). Our daily routine involves sweeping the zone of tracked kitty litter around two litter boxes, the crumby area around the cats' food bowls, and the stretch of hardwood near the kitchen counter. I've since adopted another cat, too, and my V12 Detect Slim is still more than enough to keep up with two cats.

Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

The compact build and nimble cleaning head just make it so easy to scoot right up against walls really quickly, with the laser blatantly pointing me in the direction of the visible debris. It's such a snappy, intentional process that it's sometimes painful to leave the mess for all of the robot vacuums I'm testing. If someone's ever wondering whether they should get a robot vacuum or a stick vacuum, I always advise that they consider how motivated they'll realistically be to keep up with manual vacuuming. The V12 Detect Slim is one of those stick vacuums that you genuinely want to use.

In the past three years, I have yet to experience any loss of suction or other functional issues with my Dyson — just some unfortunate chipped orange paint. That's probably because I use handheld mode to sweep out the drawer area of my automatic litter box, which involves me jamming the vac into a narrow slot and accidentally scraping it against the opening.

Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

Dyson's own FAQ says that you can expect most cordless stick vacuums to last between two to five years. I can definitely see my V12 Detect Slim reaching the five-year mark at least, and I know why it has lasted so much longer than my old V10 did. I'm going to hold your hand when I say this: You probably need to wash your cordless vacuum's filter way more often than you are. I rinse the layer of cat hair out of the filter once per month, scrub the fluffy laser roller with dish soap, and deep clean the gunk from the dust bin, past just dumping it into the trash can. For more specifics, check out my Dyson cleaning guide — step-by-step pictures included.

Is the Dyson V12 Detect Slim worth it?

Yes, the Dyson V12 Detect Slim will make a great addition to most households. I would recommend it to just about anyone — I've actually done so several times in real life, with a passion tantamount to when I insist that someone watch one of my favorite shows.

Between the dust-detecting laser, low profile, flexible swerving mechanism, and less-hostile suction on finicky rugs, I almost always find myself reaching for the Laser Fluffy Slim head over the Motorbar head. This says a lot about whether to opt for the V12 Detect Slim over a cheaper Dyson that doesn't come with the laser head. In most situations, I'd also choose the Dyson V12 Detect Slim over any Shark stick vacuum.

The Dyson V12 Detect Slim isn't Dyson's cheapest or fanciest vacuum, yet it's still one of the best cordless vacuums you can buy in 2025. It provides proof of a debris-free floor — and the peace of mind that comes with that — for hundreds of dollars less than its siblings, and that's why I'm still sold on it three years later.

TL;DR: Live stream the 2025 AFL Grand Final for free on 7Plus. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

Aussie Rules is a fast-paced and physical game that provides entertainment to millions of fans every week, but the game hasn't exactly traveled well outside of Australia. This situation should change, because we're confident that the rest of the world would absolutely love footy.

The AFL Grand Final is Australia’s most-watched sporting event of the year, and if you're interesting in giving this sport a chance, this could be the perfect opportunity to see what all the fuss is about. And you don't have to spend anything to watch all the action this year.

If you want to watch the 2025 AFL Grand Final for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

What is the AFL Grand Final?

The AFL Grand Final is an Australian rules football match that determines the winners of the Australian Football League season. The game traditionally takes place at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on the last Saturday in September. It attracts one of the largest audiences in Australian sport, with a capacity crowd of up to 100,000.

When is the 2025 AFL Grand Final?

The 2025 AFL Grand Final is the 130th edition of the annual grand final of the Australian Football League. This year's game takes place on Sept. 27 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

How to watch the 2025 AFL Grand Final for free

The 2025 AFL Grand Final is available to live stream for free on 7Plus.

7Plus is geo-restricted to Australia, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These tools can hide your digital location and connect you to a secure server in Australia. This simple process makes it look like you're connecting from Australia, so you can access 7Plus from anywhere in the world.

Watch the 2025 AFL Grand Final from anywhere in the world by following these simple steps:

1. Sign up for a streaming-friendly 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 Australia

4. Sign up for 7Plus

5. Watch the 2025 AFL Grand Final from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but they do tend to offer free trials or money-back guarantees. By making the most of these offers, you can secure access to the 2025 AFL Grand Final without committing with your cash. This obviously isn't a long-term solution, but it does mean you can unblock 7Plus and then recover your investment after the AFL Grand Final.

What is the best VPN for 7Plus?

ExpressVPN is the best service for streaming live sport, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including Australia

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

• Strict no-logging policy

• Fast connection speeds free from throttling

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This heavily discounted plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for $12.95 (with money-back guarantee).

Watch the 2025 AFL Grand Final for free with ExpressVPN.

Kindles are the It Girl of the e-reader market. Of course, they have the power of Amazon behind them, but their status isn't unwarranted. Having tested my way through almost all the e-readers on the market, it's clear that Kindles simply are the best (even if Kobo e-readers are close competition).

But which Kindle is the best? Because yes, there is more than one. There's the entry-level Kindle, Kindle Colorsoft, Kindle Paperwhite, Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition, Kindle Scribe, plus several kids' models. Last year, the line-up got an update, and we can safely say that the new Kindle Paperwhite 12th generation is the best option.

The new Kindle Paperwhite remains as good as ever, even though it's missing some updates we were hoping for. It's quick, lightweight, and easy to use. Here's why the Kindle Paperwhite is the best e-reader of the moment.

SEE ALSO: The best Kindle for every type of reader Kindle Paperwhite price and specs The Kindle Paperwhite is a full-inch bigger than the standard Kindle model. Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

The 2024 Amazon Kindle Paperwhite costs $159.99 for the ad-supported device, while the model without lock screen ads costs $179.99.

In the past, Amazon has offered different storage options for each Kindle model, but 16GB is the new standard, and to upgrade to 32GB, you have to opt for the Signature Edition. Now, the only choice you have to make when purchasing the Kindle Paperwhite is whether to have ads or go ad-free.

No matter which version you go for, these are the specs for the 2024 Paperwhite.

• 7-inch display, up to 94 nits brightness and 300 ppi resolution (up from 6.8 inches on the 2021 model)

• USB-C charging port with up to 12 weeks of battery life

• 16GB of storage

• IPX8 waterproof rating can be fully submerged in water for up to one hour

• Comes in black, raspberry, and jade

It's fast, with a vibrant screen

Before testing the 2024 Kindle Paperwhite, I thoroughly enjoyed the prior model, and I didn't think there was much to improve upon. It was already a quick-moving e-reader that made reading more convenient. However, the most significant upgrades come to the performance and screen.

The latest Kindle moves fast. The previous generation was already quick, so the 25 percent increase in speed isn't quite noticeable if you're moving from there, but it still improves the reading experience with far less loading in between page turns or stalling when opening and exiting books.

SEE ALSO: Kobo's first crack at a color e-reader should have Amazon worried

While the brightness and resolution specs haven't changed from the previous model, the screen on the 2024 model does look higher resolution, edging closer to the resolution of a tablet and away from the classic, dim e-reader. The Paperwhite's screen still sports a matte finish that is as easy to read outside on a sunny day as in a dark bedroom.

The battery life can't be beat

I don't think there is another device in my house that can go months without charging. My smartphone, smartwatch, laptop, and tablet all require daily charging. My smart ring and headphones can sometimes last up to a week, but months?! That's unheard of. Yet, the Kindle Paperwhite manages to do it.

Having tested the previous model, the new Kindle Paperwhite offers a couple of extra weeks of battery life. On average, I need to charge my Kindle Paperwhite every two to three months, and that's with near-daily use.

Building a library is cheap and convenient You can buy or borrow books to build your Kindle collection. Credit: Samantha Mangino

You might not believe me when I say buying a $160 device makes your reading habit cheaper, but trust me when I tell you it will. The cost of a Kindle Paperwhite is the same as about five to six hardcover books, but luckily, Kindle e-books are a lot cheaper. If you plan on buying books from the Kindle store, eventually, the Kindle will earn itself in savings. Plus, your purchases earn you points through the Kindle Rewards system, where every 300 points is turned into $3 in Kindle book credits. But there are even more affordable ways to read.

Another affordable reading option is the Kindle Unlimited program. The subscription program lets users borrow books for as long as they want for a monthly fee of $11.99. You don't need a Kindle to use the program, as long as you have the Kindle app you can subscribe. However, with the purchase of a Kindle, you gain access to a free three-month trial.

Amazon also has a First Reads program where Prime members get free early access to editor-selected e-books. During Prime Day months, members get to select two free books.

Plus, you can read library books with Libby on the Kindle Paperwhite.

Is it the best e-reader for Libby?

In my opinion, Libby is the best app to ever exist. It connects you with digital loans from your local libraries, bringing e-books to your phone, tablet, or e-reader.

You can use Libby across all Kindle devices as the integration is the same on all models. But is the Kindle Paperwhite the best e-reader for Libby? It's got some competition from Kobo's e-readers.

To get your Libby books on a Kindle Paperwhite, you have to use the Libby app on your phone to then send the books to your Kindle. In terms of ease, Kobo has the Kindle slightly beat, as Overdrive (Libby's parent company) is integrated directly into the e-readers.

However, the Kindle Paperwhite will be the best e-reader for Libby if you have multiple library cards. If you're borrowing on different accounts, it doesn't affect how you send your books to the Kindle. Unfortunately, the Kobo only supports one library account at a time, meaning you have to sign in and out of your account depending on where you're borrowing from.

The library interface is clunky

As much as I love how easy it is to read library books on my Kindle, they can also make the Kindle library clunky. After you read a library book and the loan expires, you won't be able to read the book. However, the cover still appears in your Kindle library.

Just like I want my books tidy IRL, I want them organized on my e-reader, too. There's no filter to hide your library books on the Kindle. Instead, if you want to hide the expired titles, you need to make a collection in your Kindle library to separate your library books from those you own.

The Paperwhite is better than the Signature Edition for this one reason

I have spent weeks with both the Paperwhite and the Signature Edition, and despite the SE's extra features, I prefer the Paperwhite. The reason is the ad-free lock screen. Yes, ads are annoying. However, the lock screen with ads forces you to swipe past the screen when you turn it on. This is different from the SE's screen, which automatically pushes past the lock screen when you hit the power button.

On its face, that sounds super convenient, saving you a step. That is, until you throw the Signature Edition in your bag and pull it out to discover you've lost your page in your book because it accidentally turned on. Meanwhile, this was never an issue with the Paperwhite, which stayed locked while I was on the go.

This issue will be on any ad-free Kindle, not just the Signature Edition. You can add a PIN as a workaround, but like many users, I'd rather just swipe.

All these updates, but there's still room for improvement

From the previous model, the Kindle Paperwhite remains our favorite e-reader. However, it's missing a few upgrades that I was really hoping to see. Amazon should have moved the power button to the top of the Kindle rather than keeping it on the bottom. I hit the power button while holding the device constantly because of its placement. It could be fine if the Kindle had an internal gyroscope like the Kobo Libra Colour does, and the Kindle could rotate the page, but alas, another missing feature.

Another perk the Kobo Libra has over the Kindle is page-turning buttons. Amazon devastated users by discontinuing the Kindle Oasis in June 2024, taking away the only Kindle with page-turning buttons. I was hopeful that meant this new batch of Kindles would feature buttons, but they're noticeably absent. While the buttons aren't necessary — the Kindle's touchscreen is plenty responsive — having the buttons is just a better reading experience, which is why, in terms of ergonomics, the Kobo Libra is much better.

None of these missing features are dealbreakers, but they do remind us that the Kindle Paperwhite isn't perfect.

What's the difference between the Kindle Paperwhite 12th generation and the 11th generation?

If you're the proud owner of a Kindle Paperwhite 11th generation, should you upgrade to the Kindle Paperwhite 12th generation? Unless your Kindle Paperwhite 11th generation is totally malfunctioning, you probably don't need to upgrade, as the differences between the generations are minuscule.

The 12th generation is meant to run faster than the 11th generation, which it does, but the difference is barely noticeable. What is noticeable is the size difference. The 12th generation is .2-inches larger than the 11th generation, meaning you'll also need to get a new case for the new generation.

Is the Kindle Paperwhite worth it? Here are our final thoughts. You can't beat the displays on the Kindle Paperwhite. Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

The Kindle Paperwhite is not just the best Kindle but the best e-reader overall. It's compact and lightweight, just the right size for toting around. The screen strikes the balance of tech and paper, and the adjustable warmth makes reading in the evening better for your eyes. With the release of the 2024 model, it's the fastest Kindle yet, which is good news. When you turn the physical page, it never buffers, so digital readers deserve the same.

While Amazon still leaves some to be desired, it remains the best e-reader you can buy. It's $10 more expensive than the last model, but is still a good value.

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (2024) $159.99 at Amazon
Shop Now Featured Video For You Kindle Paperwhite vs. Kobo Clara Colour: Which one is better?

SAVE $40: As of Sept. 26, the Shokz OpenSwim Pro are on sale for $139.95 at Amazon. That's a 22% saving on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Shokz Shokz OpenSwim Pro $139.95 at Amazon
$179.95 Save $40 Get Deal

Headphones and earbuds have advanced hugely in the last few years, from open-ear designs to buds you can wear while sleeping. It seems that the sky is truly the limit when it comes to audio innovation. And that applies to swimming headphones, too. We all know that exercise is better with a good beat, but who knew this was possible when swimming? Thanks to the Shokz OpenSwim Pro, it truly is.

And as of Sept. 26, these headphones are now on sale for $139.95, a $40 saving on list price. And that's not all, it's also the lowest they have ever been priced at Amazon, so this really is a great deal.

SEE ALSO: Snag the Nothing Ear (Open) headphones for $99 at Amazon

So, how do they work? Well, most importantly, they have an IP68 waterproof rating. This means they can be submerged in water up to two meters deep for two hours. And the open-ear design uses bone conduction technology to transmit the sound to your ears. Instead of sending sounds through the eardrum, the headphones create vibrations that travel along the cheekbones and reach the inner ear directly. You still hear your music loud and clear, but you also hear things that are happening around you.

For use in and out of the water, you'll get up to nine hours of battery life. If you're running out of juice, plug it in for a 10-minute quick charge to get three hours of listening time.

Get this Shokz deal at Amazon now.

SAVE $60: As of Sept. 26, the Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+ is on sale for $209 at Amazon. That's a 23% saving on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+ $209 at Amazon
$269.99 Save $60.99 Get Deal

Prime Day deals are just over a week away, but some standout discounts have already dropped.

There's already a lot to consider, including the Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+ for $60 off at Amazon. As of Sept. 26, you can take this tablet home for the reduced price of $209. This price is for the 128GB tablet-only option. It's also available in graphite and silver colors.

SEE ALSO: The Segway Cube 2000 portable power station is over $1,000 off at Amazon — a new record-low price

This is the perfect tablet for watching shows or scrolling on social media, thanks to its bright 11-inch screen. It also has quad speakers with Dolby Atmos, so the sound quality is impressive too. And with 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage (which is expandable with a microSD), there’s plenty of power and space for all your apps, shows, and games.

It's kid-friendly, too. The Samsung Kids app makes sure that all accessible content is safe and engaging, and the slim, durable design makes it easy for kids to carry with them.

And if you’d rather watch on the big screen, this tablet allows you to cast seamlessly with Smart View. Plus, with Galaxy connectivity, you can even take calls and reply to texts directly from your tablet.

Upgrade with this great tablet deal now.

As a somewhat recent subscriber to Paramount+, I am still exploring the depths of the streaming service's offerings. So I was delighted to scroll upon the three titles below, each I managed to binge over the course of a weekend.

During this time of year, weekends are for two things: college football (Geaux Tigers) and streaming whatever is up next on my watch list. I won’t lie, though. Most of my weekends are spent consuming content, and I love it. How else am I going to bring you such awesome recommendations?

Today's Connections: Sports Edition requires some knowlegde on golf and one of the great American cities.

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.

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: 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: Fighting words

• Green: Have a ball

• Blue: Lions and tigers

• Purple: The great indoors

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: Bloodsport

• Green: Hole in one

• Blue: The Motor City

• Purple: Welcome to the thunder _______

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 #368 is...

What is the answer to Connections: Sports Edition today?

• Combat Sports Settings - CAGE, MAT, OCTAGON, RING

• Golf Brands - CALLAWAY, COBRA, PING, TAYLORMADE

• Detroit Sports Greats - BING, HOWE, KALINE, SANDERS

• ______ Dome - ASTRO, KING, SILVER, SUPER

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.

As companies find ways for AI to automate routine tasks, entry-level roles are at risk of disappearing. But instead of eliminating these jobs, you can redesign them to develop talent, strengthen culture, and create long-term value for your organization. Here’s how to start. Make tasks about learning, not repetition. Stop assigning juniors the work AI […]

257257

I've been using Netflix for more than a decade, so it's safe to say I've watched much of its catalog. It means I've seen some of the best TV shows ever created, but also that I've sat through my fair share of duds. I'm not getting that time back, so let me save you from making the same mistakes.

Ever wondered why the moon looks different tonight than it did last night? It's not random; the moon is actually moving through a cycle of eight phases known as the lunar cycle. The cycle lasts around 29.5 days, and happens as the Sun lights up different parts of the moon whilst it orbits Earth.

Cool, right? Keep reading to see where the moon is as of Sept. 26 in the lunar cycle.

What is today’s moon phase?

As of Friday, Sept. 26, the moon phase is Waxing Crescent, and according to NASA's Daily Moon Observation, there is 19% visible.

It's day five of the lunar cycle, and the moon well and truly feels like it's coming back to us. With just your naked eye, look to the top right of the moon to see the Mare Crisium. If you avert your gaze to the middle right of the moon, you'll also see the Mare Fecunditatis. If you're in the Southern Hemisphere, these will be positioned towards the bottom left.

Much like last night's viewing, you'll also catch a glimpse of the Endymion Crater with binoculars or a telescope.

When is the next full moon?

The next full moon will be on Oct. 6. The last full moon was on Sept. 7.

What are moon phases?

NASA tells us that moon phases are part of a 29.5-day cycle of the moon’s orbit. This changes the angles between the Sun, Moon, and Earth. Moon phases are how the moon looks from Earth as it goes around us; sometimes it looks full, sometimes it looks like it's disappeared entirely, but we always see the same side of the moon, it's just how much of it is lit up by the Sun that changes depending on where it is in its orbit.

This is how we get full moons, half moons, and moons that appear completely invisible. There are eight main moon phases, and they follow a repeating cycle:

New Moon - The moon is between Earth and the sun, so the side we see is dark (in other words, it's invisible to the eye).

Waxing Crescent - A small sliver of light appears on the right side (Northern Hemisphere).

First Quarter - Half of the moon is lit on the right side. It looks like a half-moon.

Waxing Gibbous - More than half is lit up, but it’s not quite full yet.

Full Moon - The whole face of the moon is illuminated and fully visible.

Waning Gibbous - The moon starts losing light on the right side.

Last Quarter (or Third Quarter) - Another half-moon, but now the left side is lit.

Waning Crescent - A thin sliver of light remains on the left side before going dark again.

Happy Saturday 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 September 20, 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 September 19, 2025 Easy difficulty hints, answers for Sept. 26 Pips

Less Than (3): Everything in this space must be less than 3. The answer is 6-0, placed horizontally.

Equal (6): Everything in this space must be equal to 6. The answer is 6-6, placed horizontally; 6-0, placed horizontally; 6-3, placed horizontally; 6-4, placed vertically.

Greater Than (3): Everything in this space must be greater than 3. The answer is 6-4, placed vertically.

Medium difficulty hints, answers for Sept. 26 Pips

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

Number (9): Everything in this space must add to 9. The answer is 3-4, placed horizontally; 5-1, placed horizontally.

Number (10): Everything in this space must add to 10. The answer is 6-1, placed vertically; 4-2, placed horizontally.

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

Number (15): Everything in this space must add to 15. The answer is 6-5, placed horizontally; 5-5, placed horizontally.

Number (3): Everything in this space must add to 3. The answer is 5-1, placed horizontally; 4-3, placed horizontally.

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

Hard difficulty hints, answers for Sept. 26 Pips

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

Not Equal: Everything in this space must be different. The answer is 3-4, placed vertically; 3-5, placed vertically.

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

Less Than (2): Everything in this space must be less than 2. The answer is 1-0, placed vertically.

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

Less Than (2): Everything in this space must be less than 2. The answer is 1-4, placed vertically.

Equal (4): Everything in this space must be equal to 4. The answer is 3-4, placed vertically; 4-2, placed vertically; 1-4, placed vertically

Equal (0): Everything in this space must be equal to 0. The answer is 1-0, placed horizontally; 0-0, placed horizontally; 0-6, placed vertically.

Number (22): Everything in this space must add to 2. The answer is 2-6, placed vertically; 0-6, placed vertically; 5-5, 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.

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.

The NYT Connections puzzle today shouldn't be hard to solve if you like the great outdoors.

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 September 2, 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: Mixing in the kitchen

• Green: Subtle

• Blue: Furry beasts

• Purple: Unclean

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: Stir vigorously

• Green: Hard to make out

• Blue: Kinds of bears

• Purple: Dirty ___

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 #838 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Stir vigorously: BEAT, CREAM, WHIP, WHISK

• Hard to make out: DIM, FAINT, LIGHT, PALE

• Kinds of bears: BLACK, BROWN, POLAR, SUN

• Dirty ___: BLONDE, POOL, RICE, WORD

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 September 2, 2025

Are you also playing NYT 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.