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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. 13, 2025:

AcrossDoor handle

• The answer is Knob.

Talking about your ex on a first date, e.g.

• The answer is No No.

Like some minds, martinis and money

• The answer is Dirty.

"Should that be the case ..."

• The answer is If so.

Profound

• The answer is Deep.

DownButter ___

• The answer is Knife.

Like the god Tyr, for whom Tuesday is named

• The answer is Norse.

Winning

• The answer is On top.

Reason for blue decorations at a baby shower, perhaps

• The answer is Boy.

Accomplished

• The answer is Dip.

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.

Coming off a successful flight test in August, SpaceX will try to continue Starship's redemption story with its next launch.

This time, Elon Musk's space company will attempt a new landing strategy for the booster and a more aggressive test of the ship's heat shield, which protects it from the extreme heat while reentering Earth's atmosphere. The last phase of the flight will also incorporate a new banking maneuver.

The upcoming Flight 11 test could happen as early as 6:15 p.m. CT on Monday from Starbase, Texas, SpaceX's headquarters, which is also now an official city. Starship's hourlong flight is expected to conclude with a splashdown in the Indian Ocean. Whether it can achieve that unscathed remains to be seen. SpaceX suffered a string of failures and mishaps earlier this year, including an explosion on the test stand in June.

Anyone can watch a livestream of the launch either on SpaceX's website or on X.com, the social platform also owned by billionaire Musk. The broadcast will begin roughly 30 minutes before liftoff, but the exact time is subject to changes based on the rocket-fueling process and weather. 

"Over the course of a flight test campaign, success will continue to be measured by what we are able to learn," the company said. 

SEE ALSO: NASA astronaut class appears to be first without Black recruits in 40 years

NASA is counting on Starship, a 400-foot-tall, super-heavy-lift rocket and spaceship system, to put its first astronauts on the moon under a $4.2 billion contract. Though the U.S. space agency has its own rocket and spaceship, Starship is expected to ferry the crew from lunar orbit to the moon's surface for the last leg of the journey. 

That mission, Artemis III, will be the first human landing in a half-century and could happen as early as 2027, though development delays will likely cause the schedule to slip. SpaceX must first demonstrate it can refuel in space, and touch down on land — specifically, the moon's cratered south pole region. So far, its prototypes have only plopped down in water on Earth.

SpaceX conducts a static fire test of a previously used Super Heavy booster ahead of October's Starship flight test. Credit: SpaceX

Starship is also a passion project for Musk, who wants to eventually send humans to Mars and build a self-sustaining city on the Red Planet.

But how soon Starship can reach that level of safety and reliability is unclear. An explosion of a prototype on the ground this summer was a jarring image — and a sign that the vehicle is far from ready for people. SpaceX said the accident stemmed from a damaged high-pressure nitrogen tank, which caused the rocket to break apart and catch fire. No one was hurt, but the incident didn't help public opinion of the rocket's readiness for human spaceflight.

SpaceX’s last Starship test lifted off smoothly on Aug. 26. The booster completed a controlled descent back toward Earth and had a soft splashdown in the Gulf of Mexico, while the upper stage reached space. The ship then performed a payload demonstration, releasing eight mock Starlink satellites from a giant Pez-like dispenser. It then restarted one of its engines mid-flight. 

During reentry, Starship’s heat shield and body were deliberately pushed to their limits before performing a controlled landing in the Indian Ocean. 

"We probably gave it a little bit of extra time in the oven," said Dan Huot, a SpaceX spokesperson and launch commentator. 

SpaceX has new goals and maneuvers for Starship's hourlong flight test. Credit: SpaceX infographic

This upcoming test will expand on what the company learned from Flight 10, according to the company. The booster, which is being recycled from a previous flight, will use 24 Raptor engines and test a new way of landing at sea. Instead of returning to the launch pad, it will plunge into the Gulf of Mexico. 

During its descent, the booster will attempt to switch between different groups of engines to see how the rocket behaves. SpaceX says this data will help engineers prepare for future boosters that may use more engines for safety and precision.

The ship will again release eight dummy satellites and try to restart one of its engines while coasting in space. Then, as the ship returns, SpaceX will see how it weathers the stress and friction of reentry by removing some heat-protection tiles. 

The ship will perform a series of controlled turns to practice how future missions could steer back toward the launch site, according to SpaceX. If all goes to plan, it will splash down in the Indian Ocean.

TL;DR: Make scanning a breeze with a lifetime subscription to the iScanner App, on sale now for $24.99 (reg. $199.90) with code SCAN through November 2.

Whether you’re an entrepreneur handling important work documents or a busy parent keeping tabs on important forms for the kids, it’s important to have a scanner handy. iScanner App makes it easier than ever to digitize documents, transforming your iPhone or iPad into a scanning machine. And right now, you can score a lifetime subscription to this handy app for just $24.99 (reg. $199.90) with code SCAN until November 2.

This handy app turns your phone into a scanner

There are endless reasons you need a scanner in your life, and if you don’t have one you know the inconvenience of searching for a way to upload a document at the last minute. iScanner App makes those frustrations a thing of the past, making it easier than ever to scan something quickly with your iPhone or iPad.

Need to upload your signature? Want to safeguard a handwritten note? Just grab your device and point the camera at the page you need to scan. iScanner takes it from there, with AI-powered features that can automatically detect and adjust the borders of your document, without any curves or distortions.

If you need to polish up your scan, iScanner has editing tools like color correction and noise-removing features. You can even take advantage of iScanner’s ability to solve math problems and translate text in up to 20 different languages.

After scanning, iScanner can serve as your own document manager. Organize your files with the drag-and-drop functionality and sort them into folders. It also serves as a PDF editor, allowing you to sign, add text, auto-fill documents with custom templates, and much more within these difficult file types.

Act fast to score a lifetime subscription to the iScanner App, on sale for $24.99 (reg. $199.90) with code SCAN now through November 2.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Opens in a new window Credit: iScanner iScanner App: Lifetime Subscription $24.99
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TL;DR: Get your work done in one convenient spot with MobiOffice, on sale now for just $29.99 (reg. $119.97).

Looking for a one-stop shop when it comes to getting your work done? If you’re sick of hopping from app to app, MobiOffice has you covered. It’s a convenient hub that lets you create presentations, documents, spreadsheets, and organize your email. And it’s currently on sale for $29.99 (reg. $119.97).

You just need one app to handle all your work needs

Want to make your work life a little easier? MobiOffice gives you a convenient spot to get things done — unlike other office suites that make you jump from app to app. You can handle everything from work emails to budget spreadsheets in one place, thanks to four powerful tools within the app.

MobiOffice handles all your document needs, with easy-to-use templates and handy features like spell check and an AI-powered paraphraser. If you need to make a spreadsheet, MobiSheets can help, making data visualization a breeze for everyone from beginners to pros.

If you need to whip up a presentation, MobiSlides contains all the tools you’ll need to wow your colleagues. There are templates, animations, and more to make your information pop. When it comes time to send emails, you can keep tabs on those and your personal calendar within MobiMail.

Rounding out this suite? MobiPDF, a free PDF reader that makes working with these pesky file types much easier.

Get all your work tasks done without hopping around thanks to MobiOffice, on sale now for $29.99 (reg. $119.97).

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Opens in a new window Credit: MobiSystems MobiOffice Premium Plan: Lifetime Subscription $29.99
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TL;DR: Give an old PC a makeover with the Adobe Acrobat Pro and Microsoft Office Professional 2019 License Bundle, on sale now for $89.99 (reg. $553).

Old computers, it’s time to rejoice. You’re about to see a lot more action thanks to the Adobe Acrobat Pro and Microsoft Office Professional 2019 License Bundle, which gives your PC a new lease on life with two powerful tools.

Get this three-year Adobe Acrobat license and a lifetime license to Microsoft Office Professional 2019 together for just $89.99 (reg. $553).

Give your old computer a new lease on life with this bundle

Looking for an easy and affordable way to give yourself a productivity boost? There’s no need to run out and buy a new computer — just let this bundle come to the rescue. It offers a total of eight apps geared toward helping you with your personal and professional tasks.

First up, a three-year license to Adobe Acrobat 2024 Pro, handy PDF editing software that makes these difficult files more manageable. This tool lets you create new PDFs from scratch, edit text on existing PDFs, and convert PDFs to Microsoft Word, Excel, or PowerPoint files.

Working with sensitive information? You can also password-protect your PDFs or redact confidential information with Adobe Acrobat 2024 Pro. It’s all straightforward thanks to this app’s new interface, which makes the PDF editing tools easy to find and use.

When you’re done working with PDFs, you can take advantage of the seven apps included with Microsoft Office Professional 2019. This license outfits your PC with Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote, Publisher, and Access, all redesigned with improved features and cloud connectivity.

Upgrade your computer with this Adobe Acrobat Pro and Microsoft Office Professional 2019 License Bundle, on sale now for $89.99 (reg. $553).

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Opens in a new window Credit: StackSocial Adobe Acrobat Pro + Microsoft Office Professional 2019 License Bundle $89.99
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You’ve likely been told to “just be yourself” at work—but that’s not always good advice. What feels authentic to you may harm how others perceive your competence, reliability, or professionalism. Here are five behaviors that feel real but may damage your reputation.   Sharing political beliefs. Saying exactly what you think may feel honest, but it […]

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It's another moon phase tonight, which means the moon will look around half full (or, half gone?). But what phase is it, and what does it mean? Let's find out.

What is today’s moon phase?

As of Monday, Oct. 13, the moon phase is Third Quarter. Tonight, only 53% will be lit up, according to NASA's Daily Moon Observation.

Third Quarter is also known as the Last Quarter. This occurs when then there is half a moon, but the left side is lit. First Quarter occurs when the right side is lit.

There's plenty to see on the moon's surface tonight, even with half of the moon in darkness. With just your naked eye, enjoy a glimpse of the Mare Imbrium, Aristarchus Plateau, and the Kepler Crater. If you want to take your moon gazing a bit more seriously, take out a pair of binoculars. With these, you'll see even more, including the Clavius and Alphonsus Craters and the Mare Humorum. And if you're lucky enough to have a telescope, you'll see all this plus the Apollo 14 and 15 landing spots, and the Reiner Gamma, a lunar swirl on the moon's surface.

When is the next full moon?

The next full moon will be on Nov. 5.

What are moon phases?

Moon phases are a cycle that occur every 29.5 days, as the moon travels around Earth. The changes happen because the Sun, Earth, and Moon are always moving relative to each other. From here on Earth, the Moon can look full, partly lit, or even completely dark, but we always see the same side. What’s different each night is how much sunlight is hitting it.

The eight main moon phases are:

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

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

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

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

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

Waning Gibbous - The moon starts losing light on the right side. (Northern Hemisphere)

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

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

Here's a pro top for gamers: Success is all about small margins. Whether you are looking to invest in a new gaming mouse, keyboard, or monitor, the objective is the same. Hardware is made to improve your overall experience and therefore gain a competitive edge over other players. No matter how small the variables, you've got to be in it to win it.

The same goes for SSDs. Sure, they're little, but these devices can have a significant impact on your gaming system. And it's never not a good time for an upgrade. SSDs (solid state drives) have become the standard memory hardware for a reason and the technology moves — like the very best SSDs — at blazing speeds.

That's all very well, but it you don't know your SSDs from your RPGs, it's not easy to select the right model for you and your computer. That's why we're here to help. Keep reading for some useful information on solid state drives and a selection of the best SSDs available for gaming right now.

What is an SSD?

A solid-state drives is an all-electronic, non-volatile random access storage device. SSDs are used as the internal storage in smartphones, tablets, and laptops, and are increasingly often found instead of hard drives in desktop computers. This is because they work faster, meaning a device's operating system will boot up faster, programs will load quicker, and files can be saved almost instantly.

Do you need an SSD for gaming?

The short answer is "no, not necessarily". If you are already equipped with decent CPU, RAM, GPU, and storage, you should have no issue with your gaming system. However, if you are really looking to squeeze everything you can out of your experience, you could benefit from investing in a gaming-friendly SSD. Adding an SSD will result in faster game load times, improved game boot times, and smoother general gameplay. And what gamer doesn't want that? It's a no brainer.

Do you need an SSD for a PS5?

In this case, we say "yes, absolutely". The PS5 comes equipped with just 667GB of usable internal storage. Not only will that fill up in no time, but we're just really just scratching the surface of PS5 gaming. That means there's still a whole lot of games, campaigns, and data to come that you'll need extra storage to enjoy.

How does an SSD work?

Unlike a hard disc drive, an SSD is made up of two key components: A controller and flash memory chips. The SSD reads and writes data to these flash memory chips. If that all sounds confusing, here's a quick guide to some of the jargon:

• Endurance — This refers to the maximum data that can be written onto an SSD, generally measured by DWPD (drive writes per day).

• Flash memory — A type of non-volatile data storage. It essentially means that it retains data even when the power source is switched off.

• Heatsink — A heatsink transfers heat from your SSD. A heatsink may be built into your SSD, or can be bought separately.

• Read/write speeds — This is how fast the SSD takes to open a file on your device (i.e. read) and how fast it saves data on the SSD (writes). This is measured in MB/s (megabits per second). These speeds are sometimes measured in IOPS (input/output operations per second) depending on the manufacturer.

• SATA — Serial ATA is an interface that connects the SSD to your computer. It has typically been the standard connecting technology. SATA SSDs have max speeds of around 600 MB/s.

• PCIe — PCI Express is an alternative, faster interface used on later gen SSDs with speeds of 3,000 MB/s or more.

• NVMe — This is a high-speed transfer protocol. NVMe SSDs usually use PCIe, so SSDs are generally defined as either SATA or NVMe.

We know that's a lot to take in, but we promise it's not that complicated. Keep these points in mind when considering the options out there.

What is the best SSD for gaming?

You have plenty of options when it comes to SSDs. There are a lot of recognised brands that produce high-quality devices that can significantly improve your gaming experience. To help you find the best option for your system, we have lined up a selection of the best SSDs for gaming.

These are the best gaming SSDs in 2025.

Over the years, the Steam client has become exceptionally flexible when it comes to managing your game files, and that includes game installations on external drives. It's as simple as plugging in your drive, and adding it as a library under the "Storage" section of Steam's settings.

I love a good used gadget deal, and I have no issue buying stuff from places like Facebook marketplace for a good bargain, but when it comes to "refurbished" products you're often getting nothing more than an exterior wipe-down of the device and a very limited discount versus buying the same thing new.

If you have a mechanical keyboard, you’ve probably thought about mixing keycap sets—whether it’s a few accent keys or a full mix, it’s a fun way to make your board unique. However, before you begin, let’s go over a few key points to ensure your mix is just right.

Home Assistant is powerful open-source smart home software that can control and automate a huge number of smart devices. Unlike popular smart home ecosystems such as Alexa and Siri, Home Assistant isn't locked to any specific devices or protocols; you can use it with virtually any smart home device you want.

Television has the power to entertain and inform, but it’s a medium driven mainly by what audiences want to watch. Something controversial or provocative, whether a rousing season finale or an important historical event, can easily become a ratings hit. The allure has made television both essential for our understanding of the world and fragile because of how easily it can be manipulated.

I don't use Safari on my Mac; I use Chrome instead. I'm frequently tempted to make the switch—I generally prefer using the default or ‘official’ app, especially on macOS because everything tends to integrate so well. But I'm sticking with Chrome; here’s why.

About a decade ago, I used to daily drive a custom Android ROM called CynanogenMod. In its settings app, there were in-built switches for cutting off any app’s internet access. Sadly, native Android still doesn’t have this feature, even in the latest version 16 update. Let me show you a workaround and why you might want to use it.

Believe it or not, the first ever 3D movie I saw was the original Avatar, and boy did that set a high bar for what 3D movies can be. During the peak of the last 3D movie fad, it was mainly a cinema experience for me. 3D TVs and Blu-rays were just too expensive for me back then, but these days people can hardly give their 3D movies away.

A small but significant victory for OpenAI: the court order requiring the company to preserve all of its ChatGPT data indefinitely has been lifted.

The original May 13 order — which OpenAI vehemently opposed — stemmed from an ongoing lawsuit filed by the New York Times in 2023. The paper alleges that OpenAI trained its AI models on Times content without proper authorization or compensation. The NYT is one of several news publishers currently suing OpenAI and Microsoft for copyright infringement, including The Intercept, Alternet, and Mashable's own parent company, ZiffDavis.

In a new order filed on Oct. 9, federal judge Ona T. Wang released OpenAI from its obligation to "preserve and segregate all output log data that would otherwise be deleted on a going-forward basis." With a few exceptions, the company is no longer required to maintain logs past Sept. 26.

The initial preservation order had allowed NYT to investigate its claims of copyright infringement. OpenAI, however, argued that the requirement was an "overreach" — one that could compromise user privacy and data security. The company ultimately lost that fight, with Judge Wang ruling that ChatGPT users are "non-parties" to the lawsuit. By July, the plaintiffs had begun combing through the preserved logs, which largely consisted of ChatGPT outputs.

Although the preservation order has now been rescinded, any logs saved under it remain accessible. OpenAI is also still required to retain logs linked to accounts specifically flagged by the New York Times.

Disclosure: Ziff Davis, Mashable’s parent company, in April filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in training and operating its AI systems.

There was a time when the first thing you did after getting a new Android phone was to throw a new launcher on it. Nova Launcher, Go Launcher, Apex Launcher, Action Launcher, ADW Launcher, and C Launcher come to mind. Today, however, outside enthusiast circles, people don’t seem to care about the launcher on their Android phone.

What’s the solution for someone trying to sober up, still wants to hang in beer culture, but also kind of misses being drunk? According to Saturday Night Live, it’s simple: non-non-alcoholic beer.

In the fake commercial, Andrew Dismukes plays a chipper spokesperson and family man who proudly drinks non-alcoholic beer so he can "do the right thing" while still kicking back with the guys. But before long, he realizes something’s missing — namely, the part where you actually get drunk.

Enter non-non-alcoholic beer: the first "alcohol-free" beverage that’s somehow over 90 percent alcohol.

Of course, things take a darkly funny turn. Just like the "CouplaBeers" sketch from Season 50, our happy host’s drinking problem quickly shines through. His buddy (Kam Patterson) points out his breath smells like gasoline, and his wife (Ashley Padilla) starts to worry he’s fallen off the wagon.

The commercial’s big selling point: "Now I can drink and drive." Cue the horrified laughter.

Much like cars, phones are a necessary part of modern life. It's time to approach buying them the same way.