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TL;DR: The Apple iPhone 18 Pro is free right now with T-Mobile. To qualify for this offer, switch and bring your number or trade in an eligible phone in any condition on an Experience Beyond plan.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple T-Mobile: Apple iPhone 18 Pro for free   Shop Now

After months and months of speculation, rumors, and leaks, Apple finally announced new iPhones, Apple Watches, AirPods, and more. It's all very exciting, but it's the iPhones that really get the people going.

Like everyone else, we dug deep into all the specs and features to give you an insight into exactly what these new iPhones offer. Now that the dust has settled, the focus switches to deals.

The good news is that deals are aplenty. We've searched high and low for the best launch offers, but it's tough to ignore T-Mobile right now.

The Apple iPhone 18 Pro is available for free right now with T-Mobile. To qualify for this promotion, you can switch to an Experience Beyond plan and bring your existing phone number. Alternatively, you can trade in a qualifying phone (in any condition) on an Experience Beyond plan. The choice is yours.

The full savings are distributed as monthly credits over a 36-month payment plan. As long as you intend to stay locked into T-Mobile for three years, it's easily one of the best ways to score Apple's premier hardware without a major hit to your budget.

T-Mobile does require you to pay local sales tax on the phone's full retail value upfront, plus a standard $35 device connection fee per line at checkout. That's a minor inconvenience to score the latest iPhone without a huge upfront cost.

Score the iPhone 18 Pro for free this weekend from T-Mobile.

Early October Prime Day tech deals at a glance: Best earbuds deal Apple AirPods 4 $99 (save $30) Get Deal Best Amazon device deal Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Plus $24.99 (save $45 with code STREAM4K) Get Deal Best smartwatch deal Garmin vívoactive 6 (42mm) $229.99 (save $70) Get Deal Best laptop deal Apple MacBook Pro, 14-inch (M5 Max, 36GB RAM, 2TB SSD) $3,499 (save $600) Get Deal Best TV deal TCL 85-inch QM8L SQD-Mini-LED QLED 4K TV $2,497.99 (save $1,502) Get Deal Best gaming deal "The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time" (Nintendo Switch 2) $59.88 (save $10.11) Get Deal Best Memory Deal SanDisk 1TB Extreme Portable SSD $259.45 (save $40.54) Get Deal

Mashable's discerning reporters and editors are constantly testing the latest gadgets, from e-readers to headphones, laptops, phones, power stations, smart rings, and portable speakers. This year, many of our favorite products have been besieged by price hikes as a result of the ongoing memory crisis. Fortunately, Amazon is about to bring tech shoppers some relief in the form of Prime Big Deal Days, better known as October Prime Day.

Set for Oct. 6 and 7, Prime Big Deal Days is a 48-hour sale for members of Amazon's Prime program. Often referred to as "October Prime Day," it serves as Amazon's unofficial kickoff to the holiday shopping season. We've been covering the event since its inception in 2022, back when it was still called the Prime Early Access Sale. And this year, we'll be keeping an extra close eye on the best early Prime Day tech deals.

SEE ALSO: How to sign up for Amazon Prime in time for the next Prime Day

In the lead-up to the sale, Amazon is already offering some steep discounts on select devices from brands like Apple, TCL, Garmin, Beats, and Sony. After spending hours poring over these deals, we've identified the best early Prime Day deals that are so good, we'd buy them ourselves.

How do we pick these deals, you might ask? We look for products we recommend at record-low prices (or close to them). We use price-tracking tools like camelcamelcamel to see if Amazon's discounts are actually better than usual, then cross-check them with other retailers' listings to make sure they're not cheaper elsewhere. (Walmart and Target are both gearing up to host their own October sales, FYI.) You can add our picks to your cart with confidence.

Without any further ado, these are the best early October Prime Day deals we've spotted so far.

$99 AirPods (a Prime Day classic)

It wouldn't be an Amazon Prime event without some $99 AirPods. Apple's fourth-generation earbuds have excellent audio quality and a comfortable fit. and a five-hour battery life. The newer AirPods 5 sound even better and add ANC, but this pair is still a great option for iOS users on a budget. (Read Mashable's review.)

Note: The AirPods 4 dipped down to $69 last Black Friday, but $99 is their lowest price so far in 2026. Plus, they probably won't be in stock much longer now that their successors have launched; they already sold out once on Amazon earlier this week.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple AirPods 4 $99 at Amazon
$129 Save $30   Get Deal Take $600 off Apple's most powerful laptop

If you're a professional creative, developer, or AI enthusiast who needs a compact new laptop for work, you'd be hard-pressed to find a better option than the 14-inch, M5 Max-powered MacBook Pro. (The M5 Max is Apple's most powerful laptop chip to date.) The "base" configuration with 36GB of RAM and 2TB of storage got a $500 price increase back in June, which bumped it from $3,599 to $4,099. But right now, Amazon has it on sale for just $3,499 — a $600 savings. It's even cheaper than before.

I should mention that Amazon's MacBook Pro discounts have capped out around $400 during its past Prime events. Suffice to say, this is a very good deal that probably won't last long.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple MacBook Pro, 14-inch (M5 Max, 36GB RAM, 2TB SSD) $3,499 at Amazon
$4,099 Save $600   Get Deal Cheaper-than-ever Fire tablets

Two of Amazon's own Fire tablets are already on sale for record-low prices ahead of Prime Big Deal Days. Take your pick from the compact Fire HD 8 with 64GB of storage — our favorite Fire tablet overall — or the big-screened Fire HD 10 with 32GB of storage, nicer cameras, and a sharper display. (Both have 13-hour battery lives.) They're now up to 53% off for Prime members.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Fire HD 8 (64GB) $79.99 at Amazon
$129.99 Save $50.00 Prime membership required. Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Fire HD 10 (32GB) $72.99
$154.99 Save $82.00 Prime membership required. Get Deal 64% off a 4K streaming stick

Amazon's Fire tablets have been safe from price hikes so far, but the retailer made all of its Fire TV streaming sticks at least $5 more expensive in August. For its part, the 4K Plus model went from $49.99 to $69.99. Nevertheless, Amazon will sell it to you for just $24.99 right now if you enter the code STREAM4K at checkout. That matches its all-time low price from this summer's Prime Day sale and Black Friday 2025. It used to equate to a $25 savings, but now you're getting a whopping $45 off.

FWIW, this is Amazon's cheapest media player with support for Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos, Nvidia Geforce Now, and Alexa Home Theater (a surround sound feature that works with Echo devices).

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Plus $24.99 at Amazon
$69.99 Save $45 Enter code STREAM4K at checkout. Get Deal A new all-time low on an Apple Watch alternative

Garmin's vívoactive 6 is a lightweight fitness smartwatch with an AMOLED display and an 11-day battery life. It supports features like constant heart rate readings, stress tracking, and sleep coaching. Our friends over at Lifehacker, one of our sister sites, gave it a stellar 4.5/5 review, calling it "a great watch for somebody who wants to track their steps and activity."

The vívoactive 6 usually costs $50 more than Apple's entry-level smartwatch — the $249 Apple Watch SE 3 — but Amazon just put the pink dawn variant on sale for $229.99. At 23% off, it's never been cheaper before.

Opens in a new window Credit: Garmin Garmin vívoactive 6 (42mm) $229.99 at Amazon
$299.99 Save $70   Get Deal A huge discount on a huge QLED TV

The 65-inch TCL QM8L is the best QLED TV for most people, according to Leah Stodart, our former TV expert. She praised its "superb peak brightness, detailed picture quality, and fantastic glare handling." (QLED TVs in general "are ideal for people whose TV usage happens mostly in the daytime, especially watching sports," to quote her TV specs guide.)

The 85-inch QM8L just hit a new all-time low of $2,497.99 on Amazon, which is 38% off its suggested sticker price of $3,999.99. For comparison's sake, it's currently $2 more expensive at Best Buy and on TCL's website.

Opens in a new window Credit: TCL TCL 85-inch QM8L SQD-Mini-LED QLED 4K TV $2,497.99 at Amazon
$3,999.99 Save $1,502   Get Deal An affordable Fire TV

The best early Prime Day tech deals always include savings on Amazon's own devices, like this affordable Ember Fire TV. This TV has a high-definition HDR10+ display and doubles as an Alexa smart speaker for your home. The 28% discount drops the price to a very affordable $179.99, its lowest-ever price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Ember 40-inch 2-Series Fire TV $179.99 at Amazon
$249.99 Save $70   Get Deal Save $10 when you preorder the 'Ocarina of Time' remake

Nintendo's upcoming remake of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time for the Switch 2 will be one of the year's biggest gaming releases (after GTA 6, obviously). Preordering the physical edition will normally cost you $69.99 — it's $10 more than the digital version — but Amazon has it on sale for $59.88 ahead of its Nov. 5 launch. The first print run has special packaging with foil cover art, so don't dawdle.

Opens in a new window Credit: Nintendo "The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time" (Nintendo Switch 2) $59.88 at Amazon
$69.99 Save $10.11   Get Deal Deals on SanDisk memory products

The global memory crisis has led to rising costs for smartphones, laptops, and gaming consoles, but it's been a disaster for SD cards and hard drives. So, while the discounts aren't as huge as they were in past years, you can find savings on these memory products during October Prime Big Deal Days. We've found a bunch of early Prime Day deals on portable SSDs and hard drives, and we expect even more savings to come.

Case in point: The SanDisk Nintendo Switch 2 microSD Card Express is currently $40 off. Likewise, you can save $40 on the popular SanDisk Extreme portable SSD with 1TB of storage.

Opens in a new window Credit: SanDisk SanDisk microSD Express Card for Switch 2, 512GB $159.99 at Amazon
$199.99 Save $40   Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: SanDisk Sandisk 1TB Extreme Portable SSD $259.45 at Amazon
$299.99 Save $40.54   Get Deal Bose QuietComfort headphones and earbuds on sale

We've made so secret of the fact that we love Bose headphones and earbuds here at Mashable. The brand makes the most comfortable headphones we've ever tested, and the brand's popular QuietComfort line recently got refreshed.

Right now, you can get the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (Gen 2) or the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (Gen 2) for $50 off. Keep in mind that the headphones are not at a record-low price, so there's a chance they could get bigger discounts when Prime Big Deal Days starts on Oct. 6.

Opens in a new window Credit: Bose Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (Gen 2) $249.99 at Amazon
$299.99 Save $50   Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Bose Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (Gen 2) $399.99 at Amazon
$449.99 Save $50   Get Deal Shop the Nintendo Customer Appreciation Sale

Nintendo just got a massive tariff refund, and to pass along the savings, the brand is hosting a mega Customer Appreciation Sale through Sept. 26. So, while these aren't technically early Prime Day deals, they are a great opportunity to enjoy rare savings on Nintendo Switch games and hardware. Unfortunately, the Switch consoles and Switch 2 games aren't on sale, but we'll let you know if that changes when October Prime Day begins.

You can shop the sale at Amazon or Nintendo, but our top picks include the classic Metroid Dread and the wireless Nintendo Switch Pro Controller.

Opens in a new window Credit: Nintendo 'Metroid Dread' for Nintendo Switch (digital download) $41.97 at Amazon
$59.99 Save $18.02   Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Nintendo Nintendo Switch Pro Wireless Controller $55.97
$79.99 Save $24.02   Get Deal Early deals on iPads

Some of the best early Prime Day tech deals so far are on Apple's iPads, which are due for an upgrade any day now. If you don't mind a slightly older device and chip, you can pick up the Apple iPad Air (M4) with a cool $100 discount.

Check out all of the top October Prime Day iPad deals so far.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple iPad Air (M4), 11 inches $649 at Amazon
$749 Save $100   Get Deal

TL;DR: Watch England vs. Spain in the Nations League for free on ITVX. Access this free livestream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The first round of UEFA Nations League fixtures showcases some really interesting matchups, but England vs. Spain might be the best of the bunch. It's the World Cup winners against a team that narrowly missed out on the final. A string of star names are expected to feature in this clash at Wembley Stadium.

If you're interested in watching England vs. Spain in the Nations League from anywhere in the world, we've got all the information you need.

When is England vs. Spain?

England vs. Spain in the Nations League kicks off at 2.45 p.m. ET on Sept. 26. This fixture takes place at Wembley Stadium.

How to watch England vs. Spain for free

England vs. Spain in the Nations League is available to live stream for free on ITVX.

ITVX is geo-restricted to the UK, but anyone can secure access with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in the UK, meaning you can live stream England vs. Spain for free from anywhere in the world.

Live stream England vs. Spain for free by following these simple steps:

1. Sign up for a streaming-friendly VPN (we recommend ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in the UK

4. Visit ITVX

5. Watch England vs. Spain for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.99 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but they do tend to offer generous money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch England vs. Spain without committing your cash. This is obviously not a long-term strategy, but it gives you enough time to stream this fixture before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for ITVX?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on ITVX, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries, including the UK

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

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection speeds free from throttling

• Up to 10 simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and usually offers a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99.

Live stream England vs. Spain for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: Sign up for a 7-day free trial of Apple TV+ through Prime Video Channels to watch select F1 races for free. Watch the Azerbaijan GP for free with the Prime Video app.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Apple TV Prime Video Channel Watch the Azerbaijan GP for free with a 7-day trial Shop Now

Kimi Antonelli tops the F1 standings coming into an electric weekend of action in Azerbaijan. The talented Italian secured a dramatic victory in the Spanish GP, extending his lead over teammate George Russell.

McLaren continues to show pace after the last round of updates, but Norris now has a mountain to climb. The defending champion is over 100 points behind Antonelli, a margin that's probably too great. Still, Norris will be aiming to cut the deficit at the Baku City Circuit.

SEE ALSO: ExpressVPN review: A stylish VPN service with proven privacy and a large U.S. presence

If you want to watch F1 2026 for free from anywhere in the world, we've got all the information you need.

When is the Azerbaijan GP?

The Azerbaijan GP is the 15th race of the 2026 F1 season. Here's the full schedule from the Baku City Circuit:

• Practice 1 — 4:30-5:30 a.m. ET on Sept. 24

• Practice 2 — 8-9 a.m. ET on Sept. 24

• Practice 3 — 4:30-5:30 a.m. ET on Sept. 25

• Qualifying — 8-9 a.m. ET on Sept. 25

• Race — 7 a.m. ET on Sept. 26

Fans can follow all the action from this race weekend without spending anything.

How to watch the Azerbaijan GP for free

Amazon Prime delivers fast shipping, Prime Day discounts, and access to the Prime Video library.

For F1 fans in the U.S., Prime Video is absolutely key this season. Apple TV holds exclusive U.S. broadcasting rights for F1, and you can sign up for a seven-day free trial of Apple TV directly through Prime Video Channels.

That trial gives you access to select races for free, including this weekend's Azerbaijan Grand Prix. The subscription rolls over to $12.99 per month after the seven-day trial, but you can disable the automatic renewal and still stream the entire race weekend for free.

Of course, if you're already paying for Amazon Prime, calling it "completely free" is questionable. But if you don't have an active membership, Amazon offers a 30-day free trial for new users. Stacking that Prime trial with the seven-day Apple TV channel trial means you're truly spending nothing to stream this weekend's race.

If you've already made use of this method, you still have a few workarounds:

• Apple TV: New standalone subscribers qualify for a direct seven-day free trial through Apple's app.

• Apple One: If you want more than just streaming, the Apple One tier packages Apple TV alongside Apple Music, Apple Arcade, Apple Fitness+, Apple News+, and 50GB of iCloud storage — and it comes with a full one-month free trial ($19.95 per month after the promotional period).

• Apple: The most generous Apple TV offer is tied to new hardware purchases. Buying an eligible iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Apple TV grants new subscribers three months of free service. You obviously have to spend money on hardware, but if you were already planning an upgrade, it effectively unlocks a massive chunk of the F1 season for free.

How to live stream 2026 F1 for free: Best Apple TV Deal Apple TV 7-day free trial Shop Now Best Prime Video Deal Apple TV Prime Video Channel 7-day free trial Shop Now Best Apple One Deal Apple One 30-day free trial Shop Now

This season of F1 is unlike any other. Every season of F1 has a number of fascinating storylines to follow, but due to a major set of regulation changes, there's so much uncertainty right now. And uncertainty can lead to exciting racing.

Mercedes looked totally dominant in the early stages of the season, but now McLaren has cut the gap.

If you are interested in watching F1 2026 for free from anywhere in the world, we've got all the information you need.

What is F1?

Formula One (F1) is the highest class of international open-wheel single-seater racing. A season consists of a series of races held in multiple countries and on multiple continents, either on purpose-built circuits or on closed public roads.

Lando Norris is the defending champion. McLaren won the Constructors Championship in 2025.

When is F1 in 2026?

The 2026 F1 season is the 77th edition of the championship. This year's championship features 24 Grands Prix events held all over the world between March and December:

1. Australian Grand Prix — March 8

2. Chinese Grand Prix — March 15

3. Japanese Grand Prix — March 29

4. Miami Grand Prix — May 3

5. Canadian Grand Prix — May 24

6. Monaco Grand Prix — June 7

7. Barcelona-Catalunya Grand Prix — June 14

8. Austrian Grand Prix — June 28

9. British Grand Prix — July 5

10. Belgian Grand Prix — July 19

11. Hungarian Grand Prix — July 26

12. Dutch Grand Prix — Aug. 23

13. Italian Grand Prix — Sept. 6

14. Spanish Grand Prix — Sept. 13

15. Azerbaijan Grand Prix — Sept. 26

16. Singapore Grand Prix — Oct. 11

17. United States Grand Prix — Oct. 25

18. Mexico City Grand Prix — Nov. 1

19. São Paulo Grand Prix — Nov. 8

20. Las Vegas Grand Prix — Nov. 21

21. Qatar Grand Prix — Nov. 29

22. Abu Dhabi Grand Prix — Dec. 6

It's important to note that these dates are only for race days. The Chinese, Miami, Canadian, British, Dutch, and Singapore GPs will host a sprint race.

How to watch F1 for free

For the first time, Apple TV has made an entire F1 race weekend available for free to viewers in the U.S., with live coverage of the Austrian Grand Prix from June 26–28. Fans can watch every session live on Apple TV — including practice, qualifying, and Sunday’s Grand Prix — with no subscription required.

In the U.S., F1 is now exclusive to Apple TV. If you want access to the whole season, an Apple TV subscription costs $12.99 per month or $99 per year.

Apple TV Opens in a new window Credit: Apple TV Apple TV (7-day free trial) Apple TV comes with a 7-day free trial for new subscribers. This is a sneaky trick, but you could sign up to watch the next F1 race and then cancel your subscription before you need to spend anything. This obviously isn't a long-term fix, but it does give you the opportunity to live stream select F1 race weekends for free. Shop Now Apple TV Prime Video Channel Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Apple TV Prime Video Channel (7-day free trial) Already an Amazon Prime member? You're in luck. You can sign up for a 7-day free trial of Apple TV+ through Prime Video Channels. This lets you watch select F1 races live with the Prime Video app. The subscription typically costs £9.99 per month after the trial ends, but you can cancel at any time. That means you can watch select races without actually spending anything. Shop Now Apple One Opens in a new window Credit: Apple One Apple One (30-day free trial) Apple One bundles Apple TV with Apple Music, Apple Arcade, Apple Fitness Plus, Apple News Plus, and 50GB of iCloud Storage for $19.95 per month after a one-month free trial. Time it right and this trial could provide access to up to four race weekends for free. You do need to be a new or returning subscriber to each of the included services to get the free trial. Shop Now

It's worth noting that the best Apple TV free-trial offer comes with purchases of new Apple devices. New subscribers can get three months of Apple TV for free after purchasing any eligible Apple product, including iPhones, iPads, Macs, or Apple TVs. This special offer goes live for 90 days after the new device is activated — that's a good chunk of the season.

If you like playing daily word games like Wordle, then Hurdle is a great game to add to your routine.

There are five rounds to the game. The first round sees you trying to guess the word, with correct, misplaced, and incorrect letters shown in each guess. If you guess the correct answer, it'll take you to the next hurdle, providing the answer to the last hurdle as your first guess. This can give you several clues or none, depending on the words. For the final hurdle, every correct answer from previous hurdles is shown, with correct and misplaced letters clearly shown.

An important note is that the number of times a letter is highlighted from previous guesses does necessarily indicate the number of times that letter appears in the final hurdle.

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.

If you find yourself stuck at any step of today's Hurdle, don't worry! We have you covered.

SEE ALSO: Hurdle: Everything you need to know to find the answers Hurdle Word 1 hint

A narcotic.

Hurdle Word 1 answer

OPIUM

Hurdle Word 2 hint

Trapped.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for September 26, 2026 Hurdle Word 2 Answer

STUCK

Hurdle Word 3 hint

Tightly packed

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for September 26, 2026 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Meanings for each word for Sept. 26, 2026 Hurdle Word 3 answer

DENSE

Hurdle Word 4 hint

Two cents.

Hurdle Word 4 answer

INPUT

Final Hurdle hint

Perch.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Games available on Mashable Hurdle Word 5 answer

ROOST

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

The Full Moon is finally here, and this one has a name you might recognize: the Harvest Moon. It reaches its fullest point on Saturday, September 26, but it'll look full for a couple of nights around that date too.

What is today’s Moon phase?

As of Saturday, Sept. 26, NASA's Daily Moon Guide tracker tells us the Moon is in the Full Moon phase, with 100% of its surface visible.

There's so much to see tonight, with or without visual aids. With just your naked eye, you'll be able to see the Mare Crisium, Mare Fecunditatis, and the Oceanus Procellarum. If you have binoculars, they'll also help you see the Posidonius Crater, the Alphonsus Crater, and the Mare Frigoris. And, if you have access to a telescope, you'll see the Apollo 12 and 16 landing spots, and the Schiller Crater.

When is the next Full Moon?

The next Full Moon will take place on October 25 or 26, depending on your timezone.

What are Moon phases?

The Moon goes through a repeating cycle as it orbits Earth, taking roughly 29.5 days to complete. During that time, the amount of its sunlit side visible from Earth changes, giving us the different lunar phases. It starts with a slim crescent, grows to a half Moon and eventually reaches the Full Moon, before beginning the cycle again. NASA explains that which phase we see depends on where the Moon is in relation to Earth and the Sun.

The eight 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.

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 26, 2026 Fold meaning

To double a material over itself.

Press meaning

To push or apply force to something.

Starch meaning

A white carbohydrate found in foods like potatoes and rice.

Wash meaning

To clean something or someone using water and usually soap.

Burl meaning

A round, knobby growth on a tree where the grain has grown in a deformed pattern.

Grain meaning

The small, hard seed of a food grass.

Knots meaning

A fastening made by looping and tying cord, rope or fabric together.

Rings meaning

Circular lines or areas.

Gum meaning

A flavored, soft substance made for chewing over a long period without being swallowed.

Mint meaning

An aromatic green plant used in foods, teas and candies.

Mouthwash meaning

A liquid used to rinse the mouth, freshen breath and kill bacteria.

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.

Spray meaning

Tiny drops of water near the air.

Beans meaning

The edible seed of various plants.

Cat meaning

A small, furry four-legged animal typical kept as a house pet.

Cucumber meaning

A long, rounded fruit with green skin and white flesh.

Customer meaning

A person who buys goods or service from another person or business in exchange for money.

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 the latest Connections.

The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult if you're a dentist.

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 26, 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: Bad breath

• Green: Look presentable

• Blue: Knock on ___

• Purple: Chill out

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: Breath fresheners

• Green: Things done to a dress shirt at the laundry

• Blue: Features of wood

• Purple: "Cool" things, in expressions

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 #1202 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Breath fresheners: GUM, MINT, MOUTHWASH, SPRAY

• Things done to a dress shirt at the laundry: FOLD, PRESS, STARCH, WASH

• Features of wood: BURL, GRAIN, KNOTS, RINGS

• "Cool" things, in expressions: BEANS, CAT, CUCUMBER, CUSTOMER

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 the latest Connections.

Today's NYT Strands hints will be easy if you're light as a feather.

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 26, 2026 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: A breath of fresh air

The words are related to weather.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe air movements.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is vertical.

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NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is Gentle Wind.

NYT Strands word list for September 26

• Gust

• Whiff

• Breeze

• Puff

• Gentle Wind

• Zephyr

• Current

• Flurry

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 the latest Strands.

Today's Wordle answer should be easy to solve if you have a way with words.

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 26, 2026 Where did Wordle come from?

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

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

What's the best Wordle starting word?

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

What happened to the Wordle archive?

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

Is Wordle getting harder?

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

SEE ALSO: NYT Pips hints, answers for September 26, 2026 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

A sad poem.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

Yes, the letter E appears twice.

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

Today's Wordle starts with the letter E.

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...

ELEGY

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 today's Wordle.

If your desktop or laptop keeps lighting up in the middle of the night without you touching it, the cause is almost always traceable. It's a common complaint, and one that tends to get written off as a glitch or a haunted machine, when in reality Windows almost never wakes itself up without a specific trigger behind it.

I've spent a lot of time replacing Google apps and services with alternatives, and have moved on from Google Maps, Chrome, Photos, and even Search. But the one Google app that I keep coming back to is Waze. I keep it installed on my phone and use it in Android Auto, and there are four specific reasons why.

Back in 1996, Ryobi promised they would never change their 18V battery mount. Thirty years later, the batteries still fit, the power tools never die, and my garage looks like an explosion at a tennis ball factory. That awful neon lime green color is everywhere, but I love it.

Quite a weekend is in store for U.S. Netflix subscribers, but also for TV lovers in general, as not only does Saturday Night Live kick off its 52nd season on Saturday (here are some SNL-based movies to get you in the mood). But Netflix has got some seriously excellent and iconic television to binge the heck out of.

My favorite use for an old router? Turning it into a basic Ethernet switch. The thing is ... that's super boring. Pretty much everyone does that.

TL;DR: Microsoft Visio Professional 2024 turns processes and data into clear diagrams, and a lifetime license for Windows is on sale for $49.97 through Oct. 4.

Opens in a new window Credit: Microsoft Microsoft Visio Professional 2024: Lifetime License for Windows $49.97
$579.99 Save $530.02   Get Deal

Complex processes are hard to explain in a paragraph, but most diagramming software charges a recurring fee for the privilege of drawing them out. Microsoft Visio Professional 2024 turns data, processes, and workflows into visuals anyone can follow. Normally, a lifetime license would cost $579.99, but during this limited-time flash sale, you can pick one up for only $49.97.

Flowcharts, process maps, floor plans, network diagrams, and organizational charts all start from pre-built templates, so a blank canvas is never the first thing you face. More than 250,000 shapes are included, enough for nearly any field, whether the job is a quick flowchart or a detailed engineering layout. Updated shapes, refreshed styles, and a new search bar make it faster to find the right element than digging through menus.

Data linking separates Visio from a regular drawing app. Pull numbers from Excel, SQL Server, or another database, and your diagram updates on its own as that data changes. That means you can keep a network map or dashboard up to date without constantly having to enter new data.

There are even real-time collaboration tools, so your whole team can work on the same diagram and see changes in real time. If you’re already running Microsoft 365, you can even connect Visio, embed a diagram in PowerPoint, Word, or Teams, and store the file in OneDrive or SharePoint.

Stop paying every year to draw the same diagrams. Take advantage of this flash sale and get a Microsoft Visio Professional 2024 lifetime license on sale for $49.97. Sale ends Oct. 4 at 11:59 p.m. PT.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

If you're not careful, self-hosting can change from an interesting hobby into a second job. You'll find forums and pages full of people recommending all sorts of services that are finicky or difficult to maintain.

Taylor Swift is looking back, and this time, she has an apology to make.

On Friday, Swift released The Life of a Showgirl: The Encore, an expanded edition of her 2025 album featuring four new songs: "Patient Zero," "Cleveland!," "Pink Clouding," and "Babylon." And while Swifties are already busy parsing all four tracks for clues, "Pink Clouding" has prompted two particularly pressing questions: What exactly does "pink clouding" mean? And who is Swift singing about?

The answer to the first question is surprisingly specific. The second is much more complicated.

What does "pink clouding" mean?

"Pink clouding," sometimes called "pink cloud syndrome," is a term associated with addiction recovery. It describes a period of euphoria, optimism, and excitement that some people experience during the early stages of recovery. Think of it as a kind of honeymoon phase in which things suddenly feel possible again, and a person may feel unusually confident about what's ahead.

But the pink cloud doesn't necessarily last. As the initial euphoria wears off, the more difficult realities of maintaining recovery can come back into focus.

It's worth noting that "pink cloud syndrome" isn't a formal medical diagnosis. Rather, it's a term commonly used within recovery communities to describe an experience some people have in early sobriety.

Swift doesn't suggest that she's using "pink clouding" literally in the song. Instead, the phrase becomes a metaphor for another kind of intoxicating high: the rush of a new relationship entered before you've fully recovered from the last one.

And suddenly, all that pink starts looking a little less rosy.

What are Taylor Swift's "Pink Clouding" lyrics about?

"Pink Clouding" begins like a love song. Swift fills its opening moments with shades of pink — magenta, fuchsia, rosewood — recalling the overwhelming color and intensity of a new romance. Then comes the catch: Swift admits that neither person knew at the time that she was lying. Not necessarily about wanting the relationship, but about how ready she was for it.

"Met the magenta sunrise

Fuchsia forever intertwined

Threw the rosewood on the fire

Neither of us knew at the time

That I was a liar"

Throughout the song, Swift describes the intoxicating feeling of being wanted and of making promises to someone, while simultaneously revealing that she had entered the relationship wounded by someone else. She says this previous person had left her emotionally depleted and describes her new partner as having met her at a particularly bad moment.

"He cut me crimson, bled me dry

He crossеd my heart, I hoped to die (Hopеd to die)

Ripped all my orchids from the vine

You met me at a cursed time

I told you I was fine"

That's where the title begins to click into place. Swift had convinced herself that she was fine. She could fall in love again. She could make promises. She could experience the thrill of being wanted by someone new. She was, in her words, "pink clouding from the thrill of it."

Years later, however, Swift looks back on that relationship differently. Much of the song is framed as an apology to someone she believes she hurt. She worries that she may have left lasting scars on a "good person" who didn't deserve the way she treated them.

"I hope you realized my kind of trouble wasn't worth it

And the way I treated you, you never deserved it

And I swear to God, to this day

I wake up scared that I left scars on a good person"

It's an extremely self-critical perspective for a breakup song, and not unlike Speak Now's "Back to December." The heartbreak Swift is examining isn't primarily her own. She's reckoning with the possibility that, while she was chasing the emotional high of something new, someone else believed the relationship was more permanent than she did.

By the end, the metaphor has completely flipped. The pink cloud isn't simply where Swift was floating when the relationship began. It's where she fears she left the other person when she came back down.

Who is Taylor Swift's "Pink Clouding" about?

Swift hasn't said. And despite what your TikTok For You page may tell you over the next several days, there isn't enough in the lyrics to definitively identify the person she's addressing. That hasn't stopped Swifties from trying.

One of the most prominent theories to emerge following the song's release is that "Pink Clouding" could be about Tom Hiddleston, whom Swift briefly dated in 2016. The fling may have lasted only three months, but at least it gave us those iconic Fourth of July photos.

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The theory largely hinges on the timeline Swift appears to describe. In "Pink Clouding," she sings about entering a relationship shortly after being badly hurt by someone else, only to later recognize that she wasn't emotionally prepared for what came next. For fans, that immediately called to mind another song in the Swift canon: "Getaway Car."

Why do fans think "Pink Clouding" is about Tom Hiddleston?

Swift and Hiddleston were romantically linked in the summer of 2016, shortly after the end of Swift's relationship with Calvin Harris. Their whirlwind romance played out very publicly — from Rhode Island to Rome — before ending a few months later.

Swift has never explicitly confirmed that "Getaway Car," from 2017's Reputation, is about Hiddleston. But the song has long been interpreted by fans as Swift's account of entering a new relationship as an escape from an old one, and knowing, on some level, that a romance born as a getaway wasn't likely to last. Now, some Swifties are hearing "Pink Clouding" as a much more remorseful companion piece.

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There are obvious thematic parallels. Both songs describe the exhilarating beginning of a relationship, shadowed by what came immediately before. Both acknowledge that the relationship may have been doomed by its circumstances. But where "Getaway Car" treats that inevitability almost mischievously, "Pink Clouding" looks back at the person on the other side of it with regret. The narrator isn't asking why the relationship failed. She's asking whether she hurt someone who didn't deserve it.

That doesn't prove the song is about Hiddleston. Other fans have floated different former partners, including Taylor Lautner, Harry Styles, and Joe Alwyn, and Swift herself has not publicly identified the song's subject.

The more revealing question may not be who Swift is singing about, but why she's returning to this particular emotional dynamic now.

"Pink Clouding" is not all that interested in identifying the person left behind but rather in examining the uncomfortable clarity that comes after the cloud disappears. Something can have felt real in the moment, Swift seems to suggest, while still being shaped by feelings you didn't yet understand.

And sometimes you don't realize someone else got hurt until long after you've landed back down to earth.

Motorola makes great phones like the Razr Fold, but its U.S. presence is... bleak. Beyond foldables, you're limited to value-for-money budget Android phones and just one current mid-tier model, the Edge. There's not much variety in conventional phones, and no option at all if you want a flagship.