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Donald Trump's two-day White House hosting of Chinese president Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan has dominated headlines and late night shows this week, and Seth Meyers took "A Closer Look."

During Monday night's Late Night, the host used his deep dive segment to examine the presidential visit — namely a state dinner at the White House, during which Trump invited attendees "through that beautiful curtain in the back" for a peek at the construction site that is Trump's controversial $400 million ballroom.

"First of all, if someone invites you to go 'through that beautiful curtain in the back,' you need to get the out of there," said Meyers. "It's like the first scene in a horror movie that takes place in an antique store. Did you say you were looking for Hummel figurines? I believe I have some through the beautiful curtain in the back. Before we go, let me ask: Does anyone know you are here?"

Notably, Trump previously told reporters the ballroom will sit atop an underground military complex "because of a stupid lawsuit that was filed," referring to the National Trust for Historic Preservation's seek to pause construction of the White House ballroom (U.S. District Court Judge Richard Leon ruled construction of the ballroom must stop until the project is authorised by Congress, but work can continue for "the safety, security, and structural integrity of the White House.")

"Isn't this ballroom of yours supposed to include a bunch of top secret military facilities, and if it does, maybe don't do the tour with the heads of foreign governments?" said Meyers on Late Night. "Must be so easy to be a spy these days: This is Falcon. I'm on the premises, and I have eyes on the ballroom door. As planned, I will create a distraction, and then wait...hold up...sounds like he might just be giving us a tour."

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Most people don't go out of their way to get Android Auto — it's simply a perk in the vehicle they decided to buy. However, not all of us drive around with big screens built into our dashboards. Thankfully, you can probably add Android Auto to devices you already own.

TL;DR: Physical preorders for Nintendo's The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake are already $10 off at Amazon. Preorder for $59.88 and get a preorder price guarantee.

Opens in a new window Credit: Nintendo 'The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time' digital download for Switch 2 $59.99 at Amazon
  Shop Now Opens in a new window Credit: Nintendo 'The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time' for Switch 2 $59.88 at Amazon
$69.99 Save $10.11   Get Deal

We're edging closer and closer to the Nintendo Switch 2 remake of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. The official release date is Nov. 5, but Zelda fans are already buzzing thanks to the first-look gameplay footage.

Preorders for both the digital and physical copies are already available at Amazon. The digital version costs $59.99, while the physical edition was initially priced at $69.99 but has been reduced to $59.88 — great news for those of us who prefer to have the actual game in our hands.

There's another good reason to order from Amazon, as the retailed is offering a pre-order price guarantee. That means if the pre-order changes between now and when you're charged, you'll pay the lowest price point between when you order and when you receive the game.

If you're a serious Zelda fan, it's worth getting that preorder in soon.

Nintendo has revealed that the first print run of the physical edition will come with "special packaging that features textured foil cover art." That's one for the collectors, who will also love the Legend of Zelda-themed hardware coming this fall to mark the franchise's 40th anniversary. That will include a special-edition Switch 2 console, a Pro Controller, and a carrying case, all out Oct. 29.

The best deals this week, hand-picked by our shopping experts

• Apple iPhone 18 Pro — free at T-Mobile 

• Paramount+ — $0.99 for 2 months with code p2mcs26prem

• Pokémon 30th Celebration Elite Trainer Box — $89.99 (save vs. market price)

• Apple iPad Pro — $1,899 $2,099 (save $200)

• TCL 85-Inch Class QM8L Series TV — $2,497.99 $3,999.99 (save $1,502)

TL;DR: As of Sept. 28, the Pokémon 30th Celebration Elite Trainer Box is available for $89.99 at Amazon. That's under market price.

Opens in a new window Credit: The Pokémon Company Pokémon 30th Celebration Elite Trainer Box $89.99 at Amazon
  Shop Now

Pokémon fans are desperately hunting for anything from the new Pokémon 30th Celebration collection. Anyone who experienced the queues circling Target stores this weekend can attest to that.

With that in mind, we're truly surprised to see Amazon's latest deal on the Pokémon 30th Celebration Elite Trainer Box. It's wild that they still have stock, but it's even wilder that Amazon is listing this popular ETB for way under market price.

As of Sept. 28, the Pokémon 30th Celebration Elite Trainer Box is available for just $89.99 on Amazon. That's much cheaper than the market price listed by TCG Player.

Of course, there's a catch. You can't simply buy the Elite Trainer Box on Amazon. Instead, potential buyers must click the "request invite" button. If you're randomly selected, you’ll get an email to let you know that you’re eligible to buy Pokémon’s 30th Celebration Elite Trainer Box. The email will contain a purchase link that's valid for 72 hours.

These ETBs are selling incredibly quickly, so the "invitation to buy" system is clearly working for many shoppers. And even if your invitation request isn't immediately selected, Amazon will keep it on file and you might get another shot when it's restocked. 

The Elite Trainer Box includes nine Pokémon 30th Celebration booster packs, a full-art foil Nidorina promo, 16 foil Basic Energy cards, 65 sleeves, dice, a coin, dividers, a player’s guide, and a Pokémon TCG Live code. 

Score the Pokémon 30th Celebration Elite Trainer Box for $89.99 at Amazon — way below market price.

Trump welcomed Chinese president Xi Jinping to the White House recently, and Jon Stewart is shocked that there weren't more Republicans outraged by the meeting.

"You know what's sad? The only Republican with balls to say what a bad idea this summit is, is Donald Trump," says Stewart, showing old footage of Trump saying "I would not be throwing him a dinner."

"I'd be throwing him a banquet!" jokes Stewart, bringing up a photo of the two cheerfully shaking hands. "And there'll be flowers, and there'll be dancing, and afterwards we're all gonna go look at the ballroom! There'll be food, and people dressed up, and we're gonna talk about granite."

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Overheating tools can really slow you down, and you might be to blame. Let’s take a look at some of the main reasons your brightly-colored bargain of a drill might be running hot and what you can do about it.

I love USB-C, but I also hate USB-C. We're in a weird relationship. But one label is the most frustrating of all — wattage. You see, it's entirely possible to have a USB-C cable that charges your device at 240W, but only moves data at 480Mb/s, so here's what you should look for instead.

The best early Prime Day deals on gaming monitors: Best Budget Gaming Monitor deal MSI PRO MP243L E14 24-inch FHD $89.99 (save $20) Get Deal Best speed for FPS games MSI 27-Inch MAG 274CF X24 $129.99 (save $10) Get Deal Best curved gaming monitor Samsung 32-Inch Odyssey G55C $189.99 (save $140) Get Deal Best sub-$200 gaming monitor ASUS TUF Gaming VG27AQ3A 27-inch 1440p 180Hz $199 (save $10) Get Deal Best High-Refresh 1440p Monitor Alienware 27-Inch AW2726DL $199.99 (save $30) Get Deal Best immersive monitor Samsung 32-Inch Odyssey G5 G50F $229.99 (save $120) Get Deal

At Mashable, our tech reporters spend all year testing displays, PC hardware, and gaming gear. While we’ve watched component shortages and price hikes push hardware prices uncomfortably high over the last few months, Amazon is finally bringing PC gamers some relief with Prime Big Deal Days — better known as October Prime Day.

Running Oct. 6 and 7, Prime Big Deal Days is Amazon’s 48-hour event exclusively for Prime members. We’ve been covering this fall sale since its 2022 debut, using price-tracking tools like camelcamelcamel to verify that an "early deal" is a genuine price drop before we ever recommend it.

The price check is especially crucial for gaming setups, where outdated hardware can quietly bottleneck your entire system. If your GPU pumps out 144 frames per second but your monitor tops out at 60Hz, you are throwing away performance you paid for. Slow refresh rates and high response times can lead to motion blur, screen tearing, and delayed inputs in fast shooters like Valorant, Apex, or Call of Duty.

Upgrading your panel gets your display speeds back in sync with your PC. Whether you need a 280Hz eSports display for frame-rate gains, a 1440p workhorse for sharper visual detail, or a curved screen for immersive single-player games, early Prime Day deals have slashed prices across Samsung, Alienware, MSI, and more.

We rounded up the best early monitor deals live right now so you can upgrade your setup for less.

Fluid 144Hz frame rates for under $90

Finding a true 144Hz IPS display under $90 is rare, making the MSI PRO MP243L E14 an easy pick if you want fast gaming speeds on a tight budget. Jumping from a standard 60Hz or 75Hz screen to 144Hz removes distracting motion blur in fast shooters, while FreeSync support prevents screen tearing when your frame rate drops. The 24-inch 1080p panel delivers sharp pixel density with vibrant colors and wide viewing angles, making it just as solid for daily work or a cheap second display as it is for entry-level PC and console gaming.

Opens in a new window Credit: MSI MSI PRO MP243L E14 24-inch FHD Gaming Monitor $89.99 at Amazon
$109.99 Save $20   Get Deal Score a 0.5ms tournament display for cheap

If you spend most of your gaming hours in fast-moving tactical shooters like Valorant, CS2, or Apex Legends, sheer speed matters far more than ultra-high resolutions. The MSI MAG 274CF X24 pushes a massive 240Hz refresh rate alongside an ultra-fast 0.5ms response time on a budget-friendly panel. The high frame capacity eliminates screen tearing, ghosting, and input delay, making fast target tracking feel effortless.

Opens in a new window Credit: MSI MSI MAG 274CF X24 (27-inch) $129.99 at Amazon
$139.99 Save $10   Get Deal Leave flat screens behind for under $190

Most curved monitors use a subtle bend, but the Samsung Odyssey G55C packs an aggressive 1000R curve that matches the natural field of view of the human eye, pulling your peripheral vision directly into single-player RPGs, flight sims, and racing games. Bumping the screen size up to 32 inches can sometimes stretch out 1080p graphics, but its sharp 1440p QHD resolution keeps textures crisp and detailed across the entire display. Pair that panoramic curve with a fast 165Hz refresh rate, FreeSync screen-tearing protection, and built-in eye saver settings to cut blue light during late-night raids, and you get pure immersion that is worth spending on.

Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung 32-Inch Odyssey G55C $189.99 at Amazon
$329.99 Save $140   Get Deal Ditch 1080p blur with ASUS's 180Hz QHD monitor

Cracking the sub-$200 mark while offering both 1440p resolution and a fast 180Hz refresh rate makes the ASUS TUF Gaming VG27AQ3A an unbeatable budget upgrade. Stepping up from standard 1080p delivers 77% more screen workspace and much sharper text, while its Fast IPS panel maintains color accuracy across wide viewing angles. ASUS includes ELMB Sync (Extreme Low Motion Blur) alongside G-Sync and FreeSync support to eliminate screen tearing and ghosting in fast-moving shooters.

Opens in a new window Credit: ASUS ASUS TUF Gaming VG27AQ3A 27-inch 1440p 180Hz $199 at Amazon
$209 Save $10   Get Deal Uncap your GPU’s frame rate at 1440p

Sub-$200 gaming monitors usually top out around 165Hz or 180Hz, but the Alienware AW2726DL pushes speed even further without sacrificing resolution. Delivering a blistering 280Hz refresh rate alongside sharp 1440p visuals, this 27-inch IPS panel eliminates motion blur and input lag in fast-paced competitive shooters like Valorant and Apex Legends. Combined with 1ms response times, vibrant colors, and a fully adjustable stand that tilts, swivels, and pivots, you get top-tier eSports frame rates from a premium brand at a budget price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Alienware Alienware AW2726DL (27-inch) $199.99
$229.99 Save $30   Get Deal Drop your display bottleneck for 39% off

Samsung’s Odyssey G5 (G50F) delivers razor-sharp 1440p resolution, 1ms response times, and a fast 180Hz refresh rate to keep high-speed motion fluid and free of input lag. The Fast IPS panel keeps colors accurate across a wide 178-degree viewing angle, while G-Sync and FreeSync support prevent screen tearing when your frame rate dips. Both the 27-inch and 32-inch options feature integrated gamer-focused tools like Black Equalizer to spot enemies in dark shadows, along with a full-motion ergonomic stand that height-adjusts, tilts, swivels, and pivots into vertical mode.

Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung 32-Inch Odyssey G5 G50F $229.99 at Amazon
$349.99 Save $120   Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung 27-Inch Odyssey G5 G50F $169.99 at Amazon
$279.99 Save $110   Get Deal Get an ultra-fast QD-OLED display for under $350

OLED displays used to command four-figure price tags, but MSI’s MAG 274QP QD-OLED X24 brings flagship-level panel technology down to a much more accessible price. Combining self-emitting OLED pixels with Quantum Dot color conversion, this 27-inch 1440p display delivers pure pitch-black levels, infinite contrast, and vibrant 10-bit color depth with zero backlight bleed. A blistering 240Hz refresh rate paired with an instantaneous 0.03ms response time makes fast-moving motion look blur-free.

Opens in a new window Credit: MSI MSI MAG 274QP QD-OLED X24 27-Inch WQHD 240Hz $349.99 at Amazon
$399.99 Save $50   Get Deal Unlock 360Hz speed and infinite contrast for 8% off

If you want esports-grade speed without sacrificing brilliant picture quality, the MSI MPG 271QRX QD-OLED offers the best of both worlds. A blazing 360Hz refresh rate and near-instant 0.03ms response time make fast movement look smooth and blur-free in competitive games like Valorant and Apex Legends. Plus, its QD-OLED display delivers deep blacks, rich colors, and razor-sharp 1440p detail.

Opens in a new window Credit: MSI MSI MPG 271QRX QD-OLED 27-inch QHD 360Hz $579.99 at Amazon
$629.99 Save $50   Get Deal Cut 30% off a massive 180Hz curved display

If you want to ditch multi-monitor setups for a single, seamless display, Samsung’s 40-inch Odyssey G7 (G75F) brings serious screen space. Its massive 21:9 ultrawide frame runs at a razor-sharp 5120x2160 resolution, wrapping your peripheral vision with a tight 1000R curve. Despite its huge size, it doesn't sacrifice speed — delivering a smooth 180Hz refresh rate, 1ms response time, and FreeSync Premium Pro support for fluid, tear-free gameplay in fast-action games.

Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung 40-Inch Odyssey G7 (G75F) Series WUHD $699.99 at Amazon
$999.99 Save $300   Get Deal

Sonos' headphones have gone "Ultra," like the Bose QuietComfort Ultra before them. But what does that mean, exactly?

Launched in 2024, the Sonos Ace were the company's first wireless, over-the-ear headphones. Now, the company has a new version, and the name itself – Sonos Ace Ultra – positions them above the old model and implies that these are really something special.

Well, in a way, they are, but it really depends on how you plan on using them. I've spent a week with the Sonos Ace Ultra headphones to see how they compare to the noise-cancelling competition, and I enjoyed the comfort, the surround sound, and the fact that they're connected to the Sonos speaker system in my house. For pure music listening, though, they're just OK.

Design: Mostly unchanged

The Sonos Ace Ultra looks pretty much the same as the old model. It's an understated look that's typical of Sonos gadgets, and you do get two new colors on offer: Sand and Agave (besides the old Soft White and Black). The unit Sonos sent me was in the Agave color, and I love it; it's a very subtle shade of green-blue that goes well with anything.

What is this, a cable for ants? Credit: Stan Schroeder/Mashable

Don't expect anything flashy. The Sonos Ace Ultra looks like a nice set of headphones, nothing more and nothing less. Apple's AirPods Max 2 have a shinier, more recognizable look, despite also being available in very subtle colors. Sonos's headphones are lighter than the AirPods Max 2 (322g vs 386g), which makes them comfier during longer listening sessions.

There are a couple of clever design decisions here. I love how the right cup has a lighter color inside than the left one, making it easier to recognize which is which.

The controls are fairly standard, with one exception. On the bottom of the left cup, you've got your Power button, which doubles as a Bluetooth pairing button. On the bottom of the right cup, there's a button that switches between active noise cancellation (ANC) mode, aware mode (which lets in outside sounds), and "everything off" mode. And above it there's a volume key that doubles as a content key, allowing you to swap audio with nearby Sonos speakers. That particular feature is one of the main selling points for these: If you're already invested in a Sonos audio system, these are the only headphones that let you easily bounce audio between the speakers and the headphones.

Finally, there's a USB-C port for charging, or for plugging in a USB-C to 3.5mm cable, which Sonos thankfully includes with the headphones. There's a USB-C to USB-C cable in the box, too, but it's ridiculously short and thus only useful for charging.

In terms of accessories, you get a semi-soft case that takes in those cables and the headphones while remaining very slim and light. The quality doesn't feel too great, though, and the zipper is finicky.

Good sound, but ANC has to be turned on

The one big difference the Ultra brings over the original Sonos Ace are the new custom, Sonos-engineered drivers. In theory, that should mean improved sound, but my impressions are mixed.

Finally, I know which side is right and which is left. Wait, which one is it again? Credit: Stan Schroeder/Mashable

Among all of the headphones I've tested, I've never seen headphones change their sonic signature so drastically when you switch between various listening modes. With noise cancellation or aware mode on, the sound is full and deep. But turn those features off, and the bass is gone completely, and the sound becomes flat and tinny.

This is very odd. Typically, headphones sound best with all digital enhancements, including noise cancellation, turned off. But Sonos' Ace Ultra sounds so much better with noise cancellation, so turning it off almost never makes any sense. I couldn't even fix this by increasing bass volume in the equalizer in Sonos' app. The effect was there even when I connected the Ace Ultra to my iPhone or Mac via a wired connection.

Since I couldn't get a very good sound without noise cancellation, I mostly used the Ace Ultra with the feature turned on. And when it's on, the sound is pretty good. Slightly too much bass, a little low on detail in the mids and highs, but a great fit for heavy rock tunes such as Black Sabbath's 'War Pigs.'

My direct comparison headphones were Apple's AirPods Max, and they have a sound that's far more open and bright, with more details, but less bass. Whenever I put the Ace Ultra on after the AirPods Max 2, the sound turned dark and closed. Some may prefer this sonic signature, and to be fair, the AirPods Max do cost a hundred bucks more. But the difference is there.

Lossless audio support over Bluetooth is a cool addition, but being in the Apple world, none of my MacBooks or iPhones support the required Qualcomm aptX codec. You can get it with a dedicated audio transmitter, but for true lossless audio, the easier and better solution is to just connect the headphones to the source with a cable.

Despite my facial expression, I like the headphones. Credit: Stan Schroeder/Mashable

If you do that, you will get a slightly brighter, fuller, and more detailed sound on the Ace Ultra. In fact, the sound improves so much that it actually becomes better than what I get out of Apple's AirPods Max 2, with an equal wired connection. This leads me to believe that Sonos needs to work on the way it handles Bluetooth codecs, with the possibility of wireless sound improving further down the road.

The Ace Ultra truly shone when I switched to movies and live shows on the TV, thanks to excellent Dolby Atmos support. It's almost uncanny to walk around the room and hear the sound adjust to where you're turned. Watching the first season of Amazon's new show Neagly, I was startled by a knock on the door that appeared to come way to the right of me. The effect is stronger and perhaps even a tad better than on any of Apple's headphones.

Nominally, the Ace Ultra also supports Apple's Spatial Audio, but I couldn't get it to kick in when listening to Apple Music.

So...many...features

The Sonos Ace Ultra come with a ton of features — some specific to Sonos — that make them one of the most complete wireless headphones on the market. This includes active noise cancellation, support for Dolby Atmos and Spatial Audio, lossless audio support even over Bluetooth (thanks to the Qualcomm aptX codec), and WiFi connectivity, which gives you the ability to swap sound between the headphones and a compatible Sonos soundbar.

The Beam Ultra is the perfect companion for the Sonos Ace Ultra Credit: Stan Schroeder/Mashable

Noise cancellation is pretty good; on par with what you'd get from other headphones in this range. Aware mode will let outside noise in, and you can additionally enhance human voices in the Sonos app, but I still had to stop the music to hear what people around me were saying.

If you've got small kids or simply don't want to annoy the rest of your family with a movie, you can switch the sound from the soundbar (Sonos sent me the new Beam Ultra to try this out) to the headphones, and you can continue to enjoy the movie in all of its surround audio glory.

Now, using the Sonos app for any of this isn't strictly necessary, but sometimes my connection would drop or switching wouldn't work, and the easiest way to see what's up was in the app.

This is the same app, mind you, that caused so many problems for Sonos; following a major redesign, the app was so bad that the company spent many months fixing it, and apologized to customers for the app's performance.

These are probably the comfiest headphones I've ever tested. Credit: Stan Schroeder/Mashable

The app is better than it was at launch, but it is still another layer of potential trouble sitting in between me and my entertainment. Sometimes, the playback would stop for a few seconds, and just wouldn't resume on its own. Sometimes, I'd get lost in the app's many menus, and couldn't for the life of me find the thing I was looking for. Often, it felt easier to use Apple Music and find my content there, but then I felt cut off from the rest of my Sonos system (which, for the purpose of testing, consisted only of the headphones and the Beam Ultra).

It's not all bad, and parts of it can be attributed to the quirky mesh Wi-Fi network in my home, but the app is still not on par with the quality of Sonos' hardware.

A soundbar that goes up

Sonos sent me the new Beam Ultra to test together with the Sonos Ace Ultra headphones, probably because these two products play the handoff game well. While this review focuses on the headphones, here are a few notes on the Beam Ultra.

Compared to Beam (Gen 2), the Beam Ultra has better side-firing speakers, additional upward-firing speakers, and more bass output. Credit: Stan Schroeder/Mashable

It's an extremely simple, plug-and-play soundbar with Dolby Atmos and upward-firing speakers, meaning you'll get a nice, full surround sound just by plugging it into your TV. The soundscape it produces isn't the widest or the tallest, but it was plenty for my slanted-ceiling living room. Bass is well-defined, but there's not a ton of it. In short: It's good enough for most folks, but serious surround enthusiasts will want to consider additional left and right speakers, as well as a subwoofer.

In terms of connectivity, the Beam Ultra offers fairly little. You cannot plug additional speakers into it; it only has an HDMI eARC connector, which you'll probably use to connect it with your TV, and a USB-C line-in to connect it with an additional sound source. Bluetooth 5.3 and Wi-Fi are on board, and it works with AirPlay 2, so if your room is full of wireless Sonos speakers (or IKEA's Sonos-made Symfonisk speakers), you'll be able to tie it all together into a cohesive sound system.

Battery life for days, and you won't mind cause they're so comfy

The Sonos Ace Ultra has 35 hours of advertised battery life, a decent improvement over the 30 hours you got in the previous model. With pretty heavy usage over one week, I've only had to charge them once, which sounds about right. In other words, battery life isn't something you have to worry about with these.

The case is thin, light, and portable. Feels kinda cheap, though. Credit: Stan Schroeder/Mashable

The long battery life matters most for long listening sessions, and the Sonos Ace Ultra are incredibly plush and comfy; possibly the most comfortable over-the-ear headphones I've ever worn. If you ever wear down the padding on the cups, don't worry, it's magnetically attached and easily replaceable.

Voice calls are good, too

Sonos Ace Ultra have 10 mics which it uses to pick up your voice during voice calls, as well as noice cancellation. In general, I had no trouble with voice calls, everything came through well and the people on the other side told me they can hear me fine.

Should you buy them?

The Sonos Ace Ultra costs $449, which puts them in a slightly uncomfortable position. For music listening, you can get better-sounding headphones at that price point. They do come with a ton of features, battery life is great, surround audio is pretty amazing, and the ability to take over the TV's sound is very handy in certain situations. But the entire experience across the Sonos app and the headphones can be quirky. I'd say you should consider them, but only if you're a Sonos fan.

Sonos Ace Ultra Over-Ear Headphones with Noise Cancellation - Black $449 at Amazon
  Shop Now at Amazon

Dakota Johnson always has an impressively deadpan sense of humour, and she puts it to good use in radio appearance above.

Joining host Greg James for a round of BBC Radio One's "Unpopular Opinion", the Verity star fields opinions from callers on everything from "I love a traffic jam" to "mugs should only ever be made in three sizes".

Perhaps the biggest target of her straight face is James, though, whose theme song in particular is met with confusion and an amusing lack of enthusiasm.

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Whether you're looking for a kid-friendly tablet or a compact laptop replacement, there are plenty of excellent options out there. If you're not exactly sure which tablet you should buy, we've got one simple question to help narrow down your search: Are you an Apple person? We tested the entire iPad lineup, and though iPads are our preferred tablets in 2026, we also love some of the best tablets from Lenovo, Samsung, and Microsoft. So, whatever your preferences, we've got a tablet to recommend.

It hasn't been the best year for tech prices either. With RAMaggedon, nearly all tech brands have raised prices on their products. Tablets have not been immune, and many of the models on this list were impacted. While we still stand by our picks, no one likes rising prices.

What's new in this guide?

• August 2026, we added the Lenovo Legion Tab Gen 5 to this guide as the best tablet for gaming.

• June 2026, we added the Lenovo Yoga Tab as our new favorite Android tablet. The Amazon Fire HD 8 was also added as our favorite Amazon Fire tablet.

• March 2026, we updated this guide to include the iPad Air with M4 chip, replacing the previous Air model. We also added the iPad Pro (M5) as the best iPad for professionals, as well as the OnePlus Pad Go 2 as the best budget Android tablet.

The best streaming deals to watch "Hokum" at a glance: Buy or rent it Buy or rent "Hokum" on Prime Video $9.99 or $5.99 Shop Now Buy or rent it Buy or rent "Hokum" on Apple TV $9.99 or $5.99 Get Deal Buy or rent it Buy or rent "Hokum" on Fandango $9.99 or $5.99 Get Deal Stream it as of Oct. 10 Hulu annual subscription $124.99 per year (save $24.89) Get Deal Stream it as of Oct. 10 Hulu and Disney+ bundle $11.99/month for 6 months ($12.99/month thereafter) (save $12.99/month) Get Deal Stream it as of Oct. 10 Hulu and Disney+ Student bundle $6.49 per month (save $6.50 per month) Get Deal Stream it as of Oct. 10 Hulu (with ads) free for select T-Mobile customers (save $11.99 per month) Get Deal

It's been a pretty epic year for horror, but one of the major standouts is Damian McCarthy's Hokum, starring Adam Scott. And now it's finally coming to the streaming world, so you can scream from the comfort of your couch.

Mashable's Kristy Puchko caught the SXSW premiere of Hokum earlier this year and called it "a seriously scary masterpiece" in her review, confessing that she screamed herself hoarse in the theater. Not only did we name it one of our favorite horror films of 2026, but it also cracked the top five on our list of the best films of the year (so far) in general.

It hit theaters in May and made its digital debut in June, so it's been a fairly long wait. If you haven't seen it yet (or you can't wait to see it again), you can finally stream Hokum at home in October. Here's what you need to know.

What is Hokum about?

Hokum follows Ohm Bauman (Scott) as he travels to a remote hotel in Ireland to scatter his parents' ashes where they spent their honeymoon. But before he can get the job done, he becomes consumed by the mystery of a missing woman and the local lore of the haunted honeymoon suite at the inn.

Check out the full trailer:

How to watch Hokum at home Credit: NEON

Hokum opened in theaters nationwide on May 1, 2026. It's been a bit of a wait, but it's now officially available to watch at home in a couple of different ways. As of Oct. 10, 2026, you can buy it or rent it on digital retailers for as low as $5.99 or stream it. I've broken down the details below.

Buy or rent on digital

Hokum made its at-home debut via video-on-demand retailers on June 2, 2026. You can purchase it for your digital library for $9.99 or rent it for $5.99.

Here are some quick links to buy the film on digital:

• Apple TV — $9.99 to buy, $5.99 to rent

• Fandango at Home — $9.99 to buy, $5.99 to rent

• Prime Video — $9.99 to buy, $5.99 to rent

Stream it on Hulu

Hokum will finally make its streaming debut on Hulu on Oct. 10, 2026, just in time for spooky season. If you don't already have a Hulu subscription, we have some bad news. Unfortunately, Hulu just underwent another price hike, bringing a basic subscription with ads up to $12.49 per month. There are some ways you can save, though, and we've rounded up the best ongoing Hulu streaming deals below.

The best Hulu streaming dealsBest Hulu deal for most people: Hulu annual subscription Opens in a new window Credit: Hulu Hulu (with ads) annual subscription $124.99 per year (save $24.89) Get Deal

An annual Hulu plan is your best bet for cutting back on the cost of a subscription. You'll pay for a year up front for $124.99 (which breaks down to $10.42 per month) instead of $149.88. That's about 17% or just shy of $25 in savings. It's not the biggest discount ever, but every dollar counts.

Best bundle deal: Get Hulu and Disney+ for 50% off Opens in a new window Credit: Hulu / Disney+ Hulu and Disney+ (with ads) $11.99 per month for 6 months (save $12.99/month) Get Deal

The Disney bundle plans are still the best deals in the streaming world, despite recently increasing in price. For a limited time, you can sign up for a six-month subscription to both Hulu and Disney+ for only $11.99 per month (reg. $24.98 per month). That means you'll get one streaming service completely for free for six months. After the six-month promotional period, you'll pay just a dollar more per month — still a damn good deal if you ask me.

Best for students: Save 50% on the Hulu and Disney+ Student bundle Opens in a new window Credit: Hulu Hulu and Disney+ Student bundle (with ads) $6.49 per month (save $6.50 per month) Get Deal

College students can slash 50% or $6.50 per month off the Hulu and Disney+ bundle with ads. Sign up through the Student promotional page and verify your college email address via SheerID, then the price will drop from $12.99 to just $6.49 per month. The deal is valid as long as your student status can be verified.

Best for T-Mobile users: Hulu (with ads) free for select customers Opens in a new window Credit: T-Mobile / Hulu Hulu (with ads) free for select T-Mobile customers Get Deal

The only way you can get Hulu for free in 2026 is through T-Mobile's Go5G Next and Experience Beyond plans (you'll also get Netflix for free and Apple TV+ for $3). If you're already on one of these plans, head over to the T-Mobile promo page and choose "redeem now" to claim the offer. Just enter your T-Mobile number and account details to sign up for Hulu.

The best Amazon Prime offers: Amazon Prime Free for 30 days Get Deal Prime for Young Adults $7.49/month (free trial available) Get Deal Prime Visa Card $150 gift card at sign-up (earn 5% back at Amazon) Learn More

Amazon is bringing back its members-only Prime Big Deal Days sale this October, and the big event is just days away. While Prime Day officially takes place in June or July, most of us simply call this annual fall sale October Prime Day.

Amazon has confirmed that you need an active Prime membership to access the Prime Big Deal Days sale. Normally, Prime memberships cost $139 per year, or $14.99 per month, but you may qualify for a free 30-day trial for Amazon Prime, which means you can shop the best October Prime Day deals and enjoy perks like free shipping and grocery delivery at no cost.

If you don't have an active Prime membership — or if your membership hasn't been active for 12 months — you can claim your free trial right now.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Prime Claim 30-day free trial (normally $14.99/month) Shop Now

Keep scrolling to learn about all the benefits included in the 30-day free trial. We'll also answer common questions about Prime Big Deal Days so you'll have everything you need to take advantage of this members-only shopping event.

Who qualifies for the Amazon Prime free trial?

If you don't have an active Prime membership — or if your old account has been inactive for 12 months — then you should automatically qualify for the 30-day free trial. To sign up, visit amazon.com/prime. If you qualify, you should see a message that says, "We're giving you a free 30-day trial of Prime." If you don't see this message, look for a button that reads, "Start your free 30-day trial."

How much does Prime cost? And what kind of benefits are included?

Prime normally costs $14.99 per month, but young adults and college students qualify for a 50% discount. Here's how the pricing works:

• 30-day free trial

• $14.99 per month after the trial ends

• Young people pay $7.49 in the Prime for Young Adults membership

• You can also save $40.88 by paying $139 per year upfront

The most famous benefits of Amazon Prime include free 2-day delivery and free returns. Many products are available with 1-day and same-day shipping in some areas. In addition, your $14.99/month membership includes access to the Prime Video streaming service.

Other benefits included in the membership and 30-day free trial include:

• Free Same-Day Delivery on $25+ grocery orders in selected areas

• Access to Amazon Music

• Access to Amazon Photos (unlimited photo storage and 5GB of video storage)

• Free Grubhub+ membership, including $0 delivery fees, lower service fees, and exclusive savings

• Amazon Prime Fuel Savings lets you save 10 cents a gallon on fuel at more than 7,500 gas stations

• Exclusive access to offers on Amazon services and sales events like Prime Day and Prime Big Deal Days

Apply for the Amazon Prime Visa to earn cash back

Amazon also offers a Prime Visa card for qualifying Prime members. With the Prime Visa, you can enjoy exclusive rewards, such as:

• $150 gift card at sign-up

• Earn unlimited 5% back on Amazon purchases

• Earn unlimited 5% back at Whole Foods (online or in-store)

• Shop with points at Amazon

You can apply for the Prime Visa card at Amazon.

What is Prime Big Deal Days, aka October Prime Day? Credit: Amazon

Since 2022, Amazon has hosted a fall sale for Prime members, officially called Prime Big Deal Days. In recent years, this shopping event has become the unofficial kick-off to the Black Friday shopping season. For early bird shoppers, it's a chance to get a head start on holiday shopping (and save some money in the process).

When is Prime Big Deal Days 2026?

The sale will take place over 48 hours on Tuesday, Oct. 6 and Wednesday, Oct. 7, with opportunities to save across 35 different categories and deals on popular products from Apple, Bose, Dyson, Lego, Levi's, Nike, Samsung, Sony, and tons more brands. Amazon's own devices and services will also see huge discounts, including Echo speakers, Fire TVs, eero routers, Audible, and Kindle Unlimited.

In fact, a ton of early Prime Day deals are already live. However, if you want to save hundreds of dollars on OLED TVs or try Audible for free, you'll need to be a Prime member.

Do you need to be a Prime member to shop the October Prime Day sale?

Yes. According to Amazon's announcement, only Prime members with an active subscription can participate in this sale.

Is Amazon Prime worth it?

This writer says yes. I've been an Amazon Prime member for at least five years, and I've never let my membership lapse. I'm an active user of Prime Video, and I regularly purchase household necessities (and plenty of non-necessities) on Amazon to take advantage of the free shipping.

Today's Wordle answer should be easy to solve if you like to swim.

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

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for September 29, 2026 Where did Wordle come from?

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

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

What's the best Wordle starting word?

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

What happened to the Wordle archive?

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

Is Wordle getting harder?

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

Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

Underwater swimming.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

No, there are no recurring letters.

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

Today's Wordle starts with the letter S.

The Wordle answer today is...

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

Drumroll please!

The solution to today's Wordle is...

SCUBA

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

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

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

Meet The Mashable 101: Our list of the content creators shaping the internet today

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

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

The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult if you know animated films.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

SEE ALSO: NYT Pips hints, answers for September 29, 2026 Here's a hint for today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Not in a crowded space

• Green: Geographical

• Blue: Related to titles

• Purple: Words within words

Want more tech and digital culture news delivered to your inbox daily or sent straight to your device? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories newsletter or get Mashable push alerts today.

Here are today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Secluded

• Green: River features

• Blue: First words of Pixar films

• Purple: Phrases hiding Greek letters

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 #1206 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Secluded: HIDDEN, REMOTE, SECRET, TUCKED AWAY

• River features: DELTA, DRAINAGE BASIN, MOUTH, STREAM BED

• First words of Pixar films: FINDING, INSIDE, MONSTERS, TOY

• Phrases hiding Greek letters: FREEZE TAG, HOME GAME, MODEL TANK, ORAL PHASE

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

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

Meet The Mashable 101: Our list of the content creators shaping the internet today

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

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

Looking for spoiler-free NYT Connections hints or just wondering why Connections is trending today? We've got what you need to understand the clues for today's puzzle without spoiling any of the answers.

Of course, Mashable has also provided daily hints and answers for Connections, Wordle, and Strands for years, so we can help you if that's also what you need.

While we are focused more on meanings than hints in this story, sometimes learning that many of the words have completely unrelated meanings is a clue in and of itself. Connections frequently includes clues that involve words within words and other visual clues.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for September 29, 2026 Delta meaning

A letter of the Greek alphabet.

Hidden meaning

Something not clearly visible

Inside meaning

Something not outside

Model tank meaning

A recreation of the military vehicle.

Monsters meaning

Creatures, frequently scary.

Finding meaning

The process of discovering.

Secret meaning

A fact unknown to others, perhaps by design.

Toy meaning

Something that is used for play.

Freeze tag meaning

A child's game.

Oral phase meaning

A term linked to Freudian psychoanalysis.

Mouth meaning

A body part that, for a person, includes lips, teeth, and a tongue. It can also mean where a river ends.

Want more tech and digital culture news delivered to your inbox daily or sent straight to your device? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories newsletter or get Mashable push alerts today.

Remote meaning

Isolated.

Stream bed meaning

The bottom of a waterway.

Tucked away meaning

Stashed.

Home game meaning

When a sports team competes at their stadium or arena.

Drainage basin meaning

Where water runs down and eventually collects.

Have you learned the meanings and still want the things? Check out the hints and answers for today's NYT Connections puzzle.

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

Meet The Mashable 101: Our list of the content creators shaping the internet today

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

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

Today's NYT Strands hints will be easy if you know anatomy.

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

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

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

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

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for September 29, 2026 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Have a heart

The words are related to matters of the heart.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe matters related to an actual human heart.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is horizontal.

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NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is Cardiovascular.

NYT Strands word list for September 29

• Pulse

• Cardiovascular

• Vein

• Artery

• Atrium

• Blood

• Pressure

Meet The Mashable 101: Our list of the content creators shaping the internet today

Looking for other daily online games? Mashable's Games page has more hints, and if you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now!

Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Strands.

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

Released in August 2025, 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 on to 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 with 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 29, 2026

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

SEE ALSO: NYT Strands hints, answers for September 29, 2026 Easy difficulty hints, answers for September 29 Pips

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

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

Less than (4): Everything in this space must be less than 4. The answer is 0-5, placed vertically.

Less than (2): Everything in this space must be less than 2. The answer is 0-3, placed vertically.

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

Greater Than (4): Everything in this space must be greater than 4. The answer is 2-5, placed horizontally.

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

Medium difficulty hints, answers for September 29 Pips

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

Less than (7): Everything in this space must be less than 7. The answer is 4-5, placed horizontally; 0-5, placed vertically.

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

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

Less than (12): Everything in this space must be less than 12. The answer is 0-5, placed vertically; 3-3, placed vertically.

Greater Than (8): Everything in this space must be greater than 8. The answer is 6-6, placed vertically.

Hard difficulty hints, answers for September 29 Pips

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

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

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

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

Greater Than (5): Everything in this space must be greater than 5. The answer is 6-3, placed horizontally.

Greater Than (1): Everything in this space must be greater than 1. The answer is 6-3, placed horizontally.

Greater Than (3): Everything in this space must be greater than 3. The answer is 4-1, placed vertically.

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

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

Number (7): Everything in this red space must add up to 7. The answer is 1-6, placed horizontally.

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

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

Number (9): Everything in this space must add up to 9. The answer is 1-1, placed vertically; 4-2, placed horizontally; 5-2, placed vertically.

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

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

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

Today's Connections: Sports Edition will be easier for people who like baseball.

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. The sports 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 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 before 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: Baseball's first GOAT

• Green: Winter sports stars

• Blue: Movies

• Purple: Midwest rivalries

Here are today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

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

• Yellow: Babe Ruth Nicknames

• Green: Famous Winter Olympians

• Blue: Kevin Costner Sports Films

• Purple: Big Ten Rivalry Trophies

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 #736 is...

What is the answer to Connections: Sports Edition today?

• Babe Ruth Nicknames: BABE, BAMBINO, COLOSSUS OF CLOUT, SULTAN OF SWAT

• Famous Winter Olympians: ALYSA LIU, APOLO OHNO, MARIT BJØRGEN, PICABO STREET

• Kevin Costner Sports Films: BULL DURHAM, DRAFT DAY, FIELD OF DREAMS, TIN CUP

• Big Ten Rivalry Trophies: FLOYD OF ROSEDALE, OLD OAKEN BUCKET, PAUL BUNYAN'S AXE, VICTORY BELL

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 yesterday's Connections.

What does it take to run one of the internet's most wholesome animated empires? Apparently, a lot of spicy chips.

Jenine Pastores and Josh Jackson are the creators behind Tubby Nugget, the tiny animated character whose relentless optimism and goofy sense of humor have helped him amass more than 14 million followers online. What started as an inside joke between the couple has since expanded into plushies, music videos, live events, and an increasingly ambitious animation operation.

SEE ALSO: How Tubby Nugget grew from a doodle into a beloved internet brand

But when Mashable asked Pastores and Jackson what creator essentials they couldn't live without, Pastores had one immediate problem with the premise. "You know what's funny? We make it from home," she said. "So I'm like, what's in our bag?"

As it turns out, quite a bit. There's the iPad Jackson uses to draw Tubby, Pastores's increasingly chaotic system for capturing ideas, an emergency kit worthy of a grandma's purse, and enough glasses wipes to theoretically last Jackson years — if he could stop losing them.

And, most importantly, there are snacks.

Tubby Nugget's creators share the essentials behind their wholesome empire. Credit: Ian Moore/Mashable/Getty Images/Grupo Bimbo Takis (but only as many as Josh allows) Takis 18 pc / 1 oz Variety Pack, Assorted Flavored Mixed Rolled Tortilla Chips – (5) Fuego, (5) Blue Heat, (4) Nitro, (4) Crunchy Fajitas $9.47 at Amazon
$9.97 Save $0.50   See It at Amazon

"It's gonna sound very Tubby Nugget, but it's snacks," Pastores said. "I feel like we cannot work without snacks."

For Pastores, that generally means spicy chips. Specifically, Takis. Unfortunately, Jackson has appointed himself the household's unofficial Takis regulator. "She eats a lot of Takis, and I often have to ration it for her because it gives her a stomachache," Jackson said.

Pastores immediately objected. "You want to know what he does to me? He hides the Takis on the top shelf because I can't reach it."

"Even with a ladder, she can't reach it," Jackson added.

"You didn't have to hear that part," Pastores said. "It's really sad."

Jackson's system has become surprisingly sophisticated. He portions the Takis into a small bowl rather than giving Pastores access to the entire bag. "I'm like, 'You can eat this many Takis,'" he said.

"No!" Pastores replied.

"This whole segment is gonna be Josh roasting me about my Takis obsession," she said. "You guys heard it first. Honestly, any spicy chips. It's pretty bad, but I love it. It's delicious."

An iPad and Procreate Apple iPad 11" A16 128GB Wi-Fi Tablet (Silver, 2025) $427 at Amazon
$449 Save $22   See It at Amazon See It at Walmart

There is, thankfully, some actual creator tech on the list. Jackson uses an iPad and Procreate to draw Tubby Nugget, making the device one of the more obvious necessities in their creative workflow.

"Josh draws everything on Procreate," Pastores said.

"Yeah, it's pretty essential," Jackson added. "It's what we do."

For a character that now exists across social media, merchandise, music videos, and the real world, a major part of the Tubby Nugget operation still comes down to Jackson sitting down and drawing on an iPad.

A journal and some extremely chaotic Apple Notes Artfan Bullet Dotted Journal $11.86 at Amazon
  See It at Amazon

Pastores needs somewhere to capture an idea whenever inspiration hits. "My journal, in case I have ideas," she said. "That's really important. My journal is very important to me."

She still keeps a physical journal, but increasingly, her ideas end up somewhere considerably less organized: the Notes app on her phone.

"I did start transitioning to using my Apple Notes," she said. "But it's like the nonsensical Apple Notes where it's just like, 'fire in kitchen.'"

No further explanation of "fire in kitchen" was provided.

A grandma-level emergency kit

Pastores describes herself as "a grandma with my purse," and she has the supplies to prove it. "I have my favorite pill box, which has every single pill imaginable that I might need," she said, listing staples like Advil, Benadryl, and Allegra.

Jackson considered this a perfectly legitimate creator essential. "No, it is important. It is important," he said. "Most people are like, 'My camera,' and you're like, 'My pills.'"

Not every tool of the creator trade needs a charging cable.

So many glasses wipes Metene Lens Cleaner Wipes, Pre-Moistened Electronic Glasses Wipes, 300 Count $13.48 at Walmart
$25.99 Save $12.51   See It at Walmart

Jackson's essential is simple: glasses wipes. The problem is keeping track of them. "The man loses his glasses wipes constantly," Pastores said. "He has ordered the 12-pack maybe like 12 times."

Jackson disputed the frequency somewhat. "Two times a year, I order like a 12-pack of glasses wipes because every six months I lose all of them."

Pastores eventually finds them. "They're just all over our house," she said.

For now, Jackson's actual glasses remain decidedly low-tech. But when Mashable asked whether he'd ever try smart glasses, he was intrigued by one possibility.

"Maybe if we could do a Tubby AR and a real-life Tubby could be floating," Jackson said.

The pair already has a Tubby Nugget Snapchat filter, which got them thinking. "We have to work on this," Pastores said.

"Maybe Tubby AR," Jackson replied.

Add it to the bag.