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The Mini is a bite-sized version of The New York Times' revered daily crossword. While the crossword is a lengthier experience that requires both knowledge and patience to complete, The Mini is an entirely different vibe.

With only a handful of clues to answer, the daily puzzle doubles as a speed-running test for many who play it.

So, when a tricky clue disrupts a player's flow, it can be frustrating! If you find yourself stumped playing The Mini — much like with Wordle and Connections — we have you covered.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable SEE ALSO: How to play Pips, the newest NYT game

Here are the clues and answers to NYT's The Mini for Thursday, July 23, 2026:

AcrossInstrument in the bluegrass classic "Foggy Mountain Breakdown"

• The answer is Banjo.

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

Smart ___ (wise guy)

• The answer is Aleck.

Compete in a contest that's lost by blinking

• The answer is Stare.

Strongly disliked

• The answer is Hated.

One of eight on a chessboard, or five in a Mini crossword

• The answer is Row.

DownCriticize harshly

• The answer is Bash.

Where wedding rings are exchanged

• The answer is Altar.

"Cool beans!"

• The answer is Neato.

Preppy clothing brand

• The answer is J Crew.

Gave the green light

• The answer is OKed.

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

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

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

Samsung’s Galaxy Unpacked event revealed a new lineup of foldable phones, upgrades to the Galaxy Watches, including a new rugged Ultra watch and intelligent eyewear. See everything Samsung announced in 13 minutes.

Anyone on the hunt for online hookups will inevitably come across AdultFriendFinder. And for good reason: It's one of the longest-running, most popular adult dating sites around, with a massive three decades of experience when it comes to hooking up and adult content. AFF has over 80 million registered users across the globe, with some two million users active every week. It's essentially an adult site with a huge social network built in — a playground for horny adults everywhere who want to make a connection or quite simply get it on.

But once you're set up with your own account and profile, it doesn't take long to realize the free version is limited. The real fun is locked behind the paywall, so you'll need to upgrade your account to get the best out of the AFF experience. Here's a look at everything you should know about AdultFriendFinder's premium membership from a cost and billing perspective:

Opens in a new window Credit: AdultFriendFinder AdultFriendFinder   Learn More AFF membership tiers and costs

The good news about AFF's premium membership is that it gives you access to a stack of useful features, many of which you won't find on other dating sites. These features include unlimited one-on-one messaging, more detailed search functionality, and higher-res photos and videos. AdultFriendFinder actually offers two premium memberships, Gold and VIP, but to become a VIP, you need to opt into a Gold membership first, so it's worth exploring the Gold tier before upgrading all the way.

SEE ALSO: Is Hinge really 'designed to be deleted'? I tested it to find out.

A Gold membership will set you back $35.95 per month if you sign up for a single month, $26.95 per month if you commit to a three-month membership, or $19.95 per month if you commit to an entire year. VIP members don't gain any additional on-site functionality, but they do unlock exclusive perks that make them more visible to others, including a special VIP badge, access to a VIP lounge, and priority placement in search results.

Multiple payment options

AdultFriendFinder offers a wide variety of payment methods, far more than the typical online dating site. You can, of course, opt to pay with credit card (Visa, Mastercard, and Discover — sorry AmEX users), or with a bank transfer/direct debit payment, but you can also pay with a gift card or cash/check/money order (in the United States only), while residents of the United Kingdom can even pay via SMS order on their smartphones.

If you're especially cautious or privacy-minded, you might be interested in the gift card, money order, or SMS payment options. This withholds more of your personal data.

Watch out for the auto-renewal feature

One key thing to be aware of is that your premium AdultFriendFinder membership will automatically renew at the end of your billing cycle unless you disable this feature or use a one-time payment method, such as a gift card.

SEE ALSO: All your Tinder questions, answered

To disable the auto-renewal feature and prevent unwanted credit card billing, navigate to the My Stuff tab, scroll down to My Account, and then click Billing History & Credit Card Info. Under the Subscription and Product Status menu, you will see your premium memberships and an On/Off toggle for the Auto-Renew feature. Note that if you have more than one paid membership, such as both the Gold and VIP tiers, you need to toggle off the auto-renewal button for both memberships to prevent further charges.

Billing statement

Because discretion matters, especially to a lot of AdultFriendFinder users, it's worth knowing that the AFF billing statement is reasonably anonymous. The only wording that will appear on your bank or credit card statement is "FFNHelp.com*FRIENDF." 

Troubleshooting

If you have a question or concern about your bill that wasn't answered by any of the above, you can always reach out to the AdultFriendFinder support line toll-free at 888-575-8383.  

If you have ever worked with two or three monitors, you have probably run into the same problem. You arrange your workspace exactly the way you like it. Your editor sits on the main display, documentation is open on another monitor, and Slack, Discord, or a terminal stays visible on a third. Everything feels organized until you switch to another virtual desktop.

SAVE $20: As of July 23, the Nothing Ear (3) earbuds are on sale for $129 at Amazon. That's $20 off their list price of $149.

Opens in a new window Credit: Nothing Nothing Ear (3) $129 at Amazon
$149 Save $20   Get Deal

If you're shopping around for noise-canceling earbuds, but don't want to drop a ton of cash on some of the more high-end models, the Nothing Ear (3) earbuds are worth a look. These earbuds, released last year, feature smart hybrid Active Noise Cancellation at a much more approachable price. That's even more true now, as Amazon has them on sale.

As of July 23, the Nothing Ear (3) earbuds are marked down from $149 to $129, allowing you to pocket $20. It's a deal that applies to both the white and black variants, so you can save on your preferred color.

SEE ALSO: 16 summer hosting essentials that cost under $25 at Amazon

In terms of how much these earbuds will block out, the store page states that they provide up to 45 dB of Active Noise Cancellation. They also have a Transparency Mode that you can switch to if you'd prefer to be more aware of your surroundings while listening. On top of that, the battery on these earbuds can last up to 5.5 hours with ANC on during a single charge, or up to 22 hours with the charging case.

Speaking of the case, these earbuds also come with a cool integrated Super Mic feature. The store page notes that this is a dual-microphone system powered by specialized ambient-filtering mics, which allow voice messages and calls to be delivered clearly without busy background noise getting in the way. It can cut through up to 95 dB of noise.

If they've caught your eye, now is a great time to save on the Nothing Ear (3) earbuds at Amazon.

Want to learn more about getting the best out of your tech? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories and Deals newsletters today.

Multiple U.S. government departments launched official TikTok accounts this week, posting videos promoting the Trump administration to users on the popular video sharing app.

SEE ALSO: The White House has an official TikTok, and it's already getting dragged

Last Thursday, the U.S. Department of Justice stated that the ban against having TikTok on federal government devices is no longer in force due to the sale of TikTok's U.S. operations to a U.S.-government approved, majority-U.S. owned company earlier this year. 

In a memorandum of opinion to President Donald Trump, the Office of Legal Council's Assistant Attorney General T. Elliot Gaiser noted that the president had "instructed that employees of Executive Branch agencies may download TikTok onto their official devices, subject to the agency's discretion and consistent with all applicable workplace policies."

Said agencies have wasted no time in signing up to the app now that the ban has been removed, with the official White House TikTok (@whitehouse) following 17 new accounts this week. These accounts joined the White House's short preexisting follow list of Trump (@realdonaldtrump), Vice President J.D. Vance (@jd), and the Trump administration's Cabinet in general (@cabinet), all of which were already on TikTok despite the ban.

The new official U.S. government TikTok accounts the White House is now following are:

• The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (@hhsgov)

• The U.S. Department of Labor (@usdol)

• The U.S. Small Business Administration (@sbagov)

• The U.S. Department of Agriculture (@usdagov)

• The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (@dhsgov)

• The U.S. Department of Energy (@energy)

• The U.S. Department of Education (@usedgov)

• The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (@deptvetaffairs)

• The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (@nasa)

• The U.S. Department of Transportation (@usdot)

• The U.S. Department of the Interior (@interior)

• The U.S. Trade Representative (@ustraderep)

• The U.S. Department of Justice (@justicedepartment)

• The Federal Bureau of Investigation (@fbi)

• U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. (@seckennedy)

• U.S. Administrator for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Dr. Mehmet Cengiz Oz (@drozcms)

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development is also listed in the White House's follow list (@hudgov), however this TikTok page does not appear to be live at time of writing. 

Though these accounts have not yet posted many videos, the few that have been published largely take on the same grandiose tone and rhetoric that is the Trump administration's preferred form of communication. The Department of Education's first TikTok proclaims it will "make education great again," and features Trump climbing into a wrestling ring to AC/DC's "Back in Black." Similarly, the Department of Homeland Security's debut video is a montage of apparent immigration agents with blurred faces detaining people, set to Christopher Cross' "Ride Like The Wind." The video's description reads: "Deportations all day, all night."

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

U.S. lawmakers have claimed that TikTok is a tool for the Chinese government to spy on American users (though there is no evidence of this occurring), and accused it of stoking support for Palestine. In 2022, former president Joe Biden signed a law prohibiting TikTok on U.S. federal government devices, before banning it from the country entirely in 2024. Despite this, Biden still continued to operate a TikTok account himself.

However, though this TikTok ban had been scheduled to go into effect one day prior to Trump's 2025 inauguration, the new president repeatedly delayed its enforcement in hopes of negotiating a deal allowing it to stay. The U.S. government ultimately forced TikTok's Chinese parent company ByteDance to sell its U.S. operations to a new, majority-U.S. owned company earlier this year in order to keep it operating in the country.

Trump says he's "number one" on TikTok, and he's not about to let anything as inconvenient as the truth stop him from banging on about it — or stop him from pronouncing TikTok completely wrong.

"Ooh, number one on 'TicTac'?" says Daily Show host Desi Lydic in the monologue above, after playing a clip of the president flubbing the app's name. "Not to mention on 'Facebark' and 'Instagorp'. Let's see the master at work."

Cue a TikTok of Trump cheerfully talking about his TikTok numbers and the influence he has before randomly saying "stop communism" right at the end.

"What? Stop communism? Where did that come from? That TikTok was directed by M. Night Shyamalan," says Lydic. "Look, I know that doesn't seem like that would be very popular on TikTok, but don't forget, they love messy bitches."

It's not just Trump, either. Various US government departments are now on Tiktok, including the FBI.

Want more of the best of late night? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories newsletter.

SAVE UP TO $100: As of July 23, as part of a limited-time launch deal, the Vtoman FlashSpeed 2400 portable power station is on sale for $699.99 at Amazon, down from $799.99. The Vtoman FlashSpeed Pro 3600 is also discounted to $1,299.99 from $1,369.99, a 5% savings.

Opens in a new window Credit: Vtoman Vtoman FlashSpeed 2400 Portable Power Station $699.99 at Amazon
$799.99 Save $100   Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Vtoman Vtoman FlashSpeed Pro 3600 Portable Power Station $1,299.99 at Amazon
$1,369.99 Save $70   Get Deal

Vtoman just launched two new FlashSpeed power stations, and both are part of a limited-time launch deal.

The FlashSpeed 2400 is the budget-friendly pick of the two at $699.99, down from $799.99. The FlashSpeed Pro 3600 is on sale for $1,299.99, 5% off its usual $1,369.99, and packs a 3096Wh battery, a two-hour full charge, and under-20ms UPS switching.

The FlashSpeed 2400 is built around a 1408Wh battery and can push out 2,400W continuously (3,200W if you need a quick burst), which is enough juice to keep your fridge, medical equipment, power tools, laptops, and even your home office running during an outage — and it does all that while weighing just 41 pounds, so it's not a two-person job to move around.

Most power stations in this range take several hours to fill up, but the FlashSpeed 2400 can go from empty to full in about an hour thanks to its beefy 1,500W AC input. If you throw solar panels into the mix (it supports up to 600W), you can cut that down to under an hour.

The FlashSpeed Pro 3600 has a 3,096Wh battery and can push out 3600W continuously (6,000W if you need a quick spike), which is enough to run your fridge, an AC unit, a microwave, and power tools all at once — not just one appliance at a time like a lot of smaller units.

A full charge takes about two hours through a wall outlet, but if you pair that with solar panels, you can cut that down to just 80 minutes. There's also a sub-20-millisecond switchover built in, meaning sensitive electronics won't even notice a hiccup during an outage. The Vtoman weighs about 66 pounds but comes with a pull handle and smooth rollers, so one person can wheel it around with minimal hassle.

Grab the FlashSpeed 2400 for $699.99 or the FlashSpeed Pro 3600 for $1,299.99 at Amazon with Vtoman's limited-time launch deal.

TL;DR: 2K just made it official: Victor Wembanyama, Caitlin Clark, and Derrick Rose are your NBA 2K27 cover athletes, each repping a different edition of the game. NBA 2K27 hits PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC, and Nintendo Switch 2 on Sept. 4, with early access starting Aug. 28 for Deluxe and Ultra buyers. Pre-orders are now live.

Victor Wembanyama, Caitlin Clark, and Derrick Rose are your NBA 2K27 cover athletes, and each one is fronting a different edition of the game.

Wembanyama, the San Antonio Spurs center and the NBA's first-ever unanimous Defensive Player of the Year, headlines the Standard Edition. Caitlin Clark, the Indiana Fever guard who's rewritten what's possible in the WNBA, becomes the first WNBA player to get her own global NBA 2K cover with the Deluxe Edition. And Chicago Bulls legend Derrick Rose, the youngest MVP in NBA history, closes out the trio on the limited-time Ultra Edition, marking his second cover after NBA 2K13.

What you'll be paying for each edition

• Standard Edition — The straightforward option, and the only one you can grab on Switch 2 ($69.99)

• Deluxe Edition — Comes with 100,000 VC, MyCAREER skill, and Gatorade boosts, jerseys for both Wembanyama and Clark, a batch of MyTEAM content, plus early access ($99.99)

• Ultra Edition — Everything Deluxe offers, plus an extra 35,000 VC, a Season 1 Pro Pass, a Rose-branded hoodie, and guaranteed premium MyTEAM cards ($149.99 digital-only on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC)

If you already own NBA 2K26, pre-ordering the Ultra on the same platform will get you a 10% discount through Sept. 3.

Credit: NBA 2K Credit: NBA 2K What to know before you buy

• Early Access kicks off at 9 a.m. PT on Aug. 28, and prices reflect 2K's suggested retail, so what you actually pay might vary by retailer.

• The preorder bonus offer runs through 10 a.m. PT on Aug. 17, and you'll need an NBA 2K account to redeem it.

Preorders are live now on the official NBA 2K27 site, and Switch 2 owners can wishlist the game ahead of launch. Mark your calendar for July 28 — that's when the gameplay trailer drops and we finally get to see Wembanyama, Clark, and Rose in action.

TL;DR: The Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Pitch Black Booster Display Box is on sale for $209.95 at Amazon, down from its $279.99 list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: The Pokémon Company Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Pitch Black Booster Display Box $209.95 at Amazon
$279.99 Save $70.04   Get Deal

Pitch Black has only just hit the Pokémon TCG market, but you can already buy the expansion’s biggest booster box at the lowest price-per-pack yet. 

As of July 23, the Pokémon TCG’s 36-pack Pitch Black Booster Display Box is now available at Amazon for the new low price of $209.95, thanks to a surprisingly large cut of $70.04 from its $279.99 list price — giving collectors a 25% discount in total. 

That’s not only the lowest price we’ve seen for the Pitch Black Display Box on Amazon (confirmed by our favorite price tracker, camelcamelcamel), but it also undercuts the box’s estimated market price of $210.08, as determined by the trading card marketplace seller TCGplayer.

This new price also works out to roughly $5.83 per booster before tax. That is a sizeable step down from the $6.54 per-pack price we covered during launch week.

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Better still, the listing is shipped and sold directly by Amazon rather than a third-party marketplace seller, getting you free delivery for Aug. 7-12 at the time of writing. One important detail to note is that Amazon marks the Booster Display Box as a final sale, so it cannot be returned after purchase. 

Inside this big box, you’ll find 36 sealed titular Pitch Black booster packs, each containing 10 random trading cards. The expansion includes more than 115 cards altogether, with over 20 Trainer cards and more than 35 Pokémon and Trainer cards featuring stunning special illustrations.

With three dozen packs to open, you stand a major chance at pulling one of its priciest chase cards (if you don’t want to just buy them separately at TCGplayer) — including SIR Mega Darkrai ex, SIR Morpeko ex, Mega Zeraora ex, SIR Gwynn, and SIR Misty’s Vitality. 

SAVE $300: As of July 23, the Samsung Galaxy S25+ is on sale for $699.98 at Amazon. That's a 30% discount on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung Galaxy S25+ $699.98 at Amazon
$999.99 Save $300.01   Get Deal

Samsung may have been busy unveiling its latest tech at Unpacked, but new releases often bring price cuts on existing models.

That includes the Samsung Galaxy S25+, on sale at Amazon for a limited time. As of July 23, this smartphone has dropped in price from $999.99 to $699.98, saving you $300. Currently, only the navy-colored 256GB phone is available at this low price.

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This smartphone combines advanced AI features with stellar performance and camera capabilities. It also has a built-in AI assistant that can handle multiple tasks. It runs on Samsung’s most powerful processor, so it is more than capable of handling demanding tasks like real-time call translation, video editing, and photo enhancements. 

And speaking of photo enhancements, the phone’s AI Camera features include tools to help make your images and videos better. This includes Audio Eraser, a tool that helps reduce unwanted background noise in videos. It also has improved portrait tools that help you to adjust skin tones and preserve natural textures.

This Samsung Galaxy S25+ deal is available at Amazon right now.

SAVE $210: As of July 23, the Eufy Omni C20 is on sale for $339.99 at Amazon. That's a 38% discount on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: eufy Eufy Omni C20 $339.99 at Amazon
$549.99 Save $210   Get Deal

Robot vacuums have come a long way from simply picking up bits of dust and crumbs. Newer models can now handle everything from vacuuming to mopping. Most even handle their own cleaning and maintenance, removing further work for you. One such model is the Eufy Omni C20, which is on sale as of July 23. Usually priced at $549.99, you can take it home for $339.99.

For picking up dirt, this robot vacuum uses BoostIQ technology to automatically adjust suction up to 7,000Pa across carpets and hard floors, helping remove dirt, crumbs, and even pet hair. Its Pro-Detangle Comb helps loosen hair caught around the roller brush during cleaning, saving you from having to detangle it by hand. And as it measures just 3.35 inches (85mm) tall, the robot can reach under low furniture, picking up dirt you might miss with a manual or cordless vacuum.

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It runs for up to 132 minutes on Standard mode before automatically returning to the dock to recharge. Once it's done, it will return to where it left off and resume cleaning.

You don't even need to tell it where to go; the iPath Laser Navigation helps it map efficient routes and store up to three floor maps for multi-level homes. Plus, you can control everything through the Eufy Clean app. Use it to set schedules, create No-Go Zones, and select room or zone cleaning modes.

Head to Amazon to grab this great robot vacuum deal.

SAVE $70: As of July 23, the Beats Solo 4 are on sale for $129.95 at Amazon. That's a 35% discount on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Beats Beats Solo 4 $129.95 at Amazon
$199.95 Save $70   Get Deal

Shopping for premium headphones can be expensive, so keeping an eye out for deals is always a good idea.

If you've not spotted it yet, Beats Solo 4 are currently on sale at Amazon for $70 off. This brings the price down from $199.95 to $129.95, a 35% discount. This deal isn't limited to one colorway — pick from all available options, including classic matte black, a more stylish slate blue, or metallic pink.

With a name as reliable as Beats, you won't be surprised to hear you'll get great sound quality with these. Nonetheless, they have updated drivers and custom acoustic architecture, all designed to deliver powerful sound. There's also Personalized Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking for a more immersive listening experience.

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They're well-designed headphones, with an ultralight, ergonomic design featuring a flex-grip headband and adjustable, angled ear cups for a secure fit. Plus, they have UltraPlush ear cushions, so they're designed for all-day use and comfort. And they'll last all day, thanks to the 50 hours of battery life. They even have Fast Fuel charging, which gives you up to five hours of playback from just a quick 10-minute charge.

This Beats deal is available at Amazon right now.

SAVE $18: As of July 23, the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Select is on sale for $21.99 at Amazon. That's a 45% discount on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Fire Stick 4K Select $21.99 at Amazon
$39.99 Save $18.00   Get Deal

A streaming device is one of the easiest ways to breathe new life into an older TV, giving you access to popular streaming services without the need for an upgrade.

Amazon's Fire TV Sticks are some of the best available, and as of July 23, the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Select is on sale. Normally $39.99, this device is now priced at $21.99, saving you $18. This is for the newest 2026 release, which includes upgrades such as a modern design and new recommendations from Alexa+.

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With this particular Fire Stick, you'll get support for 4K Ultra HD playback with HDR10+, so everything you watch will be in great quality. Setup is nice and easy: just plug the device into a compatible TV and connect to WiFi. When connected, your TV will run on Fire OS, and the included remote will control your TV's volume and power.

Of course, you'll now also have access to a wide range of streaming services, including Prime Video, Netflix, YouTube, Disney+, and many more. Besides streaming, this Fire TV Stick supports Xbox Cloud Gaming, allowing you to play compatible Xbox Game Pass titles directly on the TV with a Game Pass subscription.

This is a limited-time deal at Amazon, so if you want to upgrade your streaming setup, don't miss out.

For nearly three decades, astronomers tracked a 1,250-foot-wide object relatively close to Earth that they thought was an asteroid. 

It looked like one. It followed the expected path. Telescopes saw no glowing cloud of gas or dust tail sweeping behind it. Then, the space rock, called 1998 SH2, drifted from its usual orbit that gravity alone predicted. 

Something was giving it a tiny push. Astronomers eventually realized that the culprit was likely gas escaping from its surface — a faint version of the same process that powers a comet.

When NASA-led researchers pointed some of the world's most powerful telescopes at 1998 SH2, they finally found the evidence: a barely visible cloud and a wispy tail. The object that astronomers had cataloged as an asteroid for years had finally given up its secret. It was a "dark comet" — a weakly active snowball — in disguise. 

The discovery doesn't just correct the label for one object. It suggests astronomers may need to rethink the definitions for asteroids and comets. For generations, scientists have separated these two groups by what they see: asteroids look like bare, rocky bodies, while comets reveal themselves through glowing tails that form when their ice turns into gas near the sun. But 1998 SH2 shows that some comets may be so faint that they masquerade as asteroids. That could mean the solar system is teeming with many more hidden comets than astronomers ever realized.

SEE ALSO: Astronomers say there isn't a word for this weird new space object

Because of this, some astronomers are arguing that it may be time for the community to shift from trying to classify space rocks based on what they look like to what they do. 

"Asteroids and comets are classically differentiated based on their orbits, composition, and observed cometary tails and activity levels," the authors wrote in their Nature Astronomy paper. "However, in recent years, a continuum of hybrid objects [has] become more apparent, eroding the traditional boundaries between these two classes."

Comets native to the solar system, such as NEOWISE seen here over Jean, Nevada, in 2020, are identified typically by their glowing heads and long, bright tails of vaporized ice. Credit: David Becker / AFP / Getty Images

Their study subject, now to be designated as Comet P/1998 SH2, is the first whose motion — as opposed to visual evidence — initially predicted its comet-like activity. 

The object made its "close" approach — still about 2 million miles away — in Aug. 2025. As gas escaped from the surface, it acted like a tiny thruster, propelling the small body and gently nudging its trajectory. That subtle change gave astronomers a clue that something unusual was happening, said Davide Farnocchia, a navigation engineer who led the study from NASA's Center for Near-Earth Object Studies, in a statement.

The researchers then used targeted observations from telescopes in Hawaii and Chile to confirm their suspicion. The barely-there clues were easy to miss, which helps explain why the object spent years misidentified. 

The distinction matters because comets and asteroids would likely respond differently to attempts to redirect them if they ever posed a threat to Earth. Understanding what these objects really are is crucial for planetary defense.

The discovery also offers a possible clue about other mysterious objects that have puzzled astronomers, including the 2017 interstellar visitor, 1I/'Oumuamua. Credit: European Southern Observatory / M. Kornmesser illustration

Since 2016, scientists have only designated about a dozen or so objects as "dark comets." 

"The possibility that a number of potentially hazardous objects currently classified as asteroids could turn out to be comets could increase the relative Earth impact risk from comets," the authors wrote.

The discovery also offers a possible clue about other mysterious objects that have puzzled astronomers, including the interstellar visitor 1I/'Oumuamua, which accelerated slightly as it passed through the solar system in 2017, without revealing an obvious tail. Local Comet 1998 SH2 demonstrates that an object can release enough gas to affect its motion while remaining nearly invisible to telescopes. 

"This work shows the importance of continuously tracking near-Earth objects," Farnocchia said.

TL;DR: Hisense’s PX4 Pro 4K triple laser UST projector is now available for $3,997.97 at Amazon. It can project an 80- to 200-inch screen with TriChroma RGB laser technology, Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos, and gaming features like FreeSync Premium.

Opens in a new window Credit: Hisense Hisense PX4 Pro Projector $3,997.97 at Amazon
  Shop Now

Hisense is bringing the big-screen experience home with its latest projector. The company has officially launched the Hisense PX4 Pro 4K Home Theater ultra-short-throw (UST) Projector, a premium projector designed to deliver a cinema-style setup without needing a dedicated theater room. It’s now available at Hisense and Amazon, starting from $3,997.97.

The PX4 Pro uses Hisense’s TriChroma RGB laser technology, which uses separate red, green, and blue lasers to create richer, more accurate colors. That means movies, sports, and games look vibrant and closer to real life.

It’s also built to work well in rooms that aren’t entirely dark. With 3,500 ANSI lumens of brightness, the PX4 Pro can deliver a clear picture during the day, while Hisense’s CineBlack Pro system improves contrast and helps reveal more detail during darker scenes.

For a complete home theater setup, the PX4 Pro supports IMAX Enhanced, Dolby Vision, and Dolby Atmos audio tuned by Devialet, with built-in up-firing speakers that create immersive sound without needing a separate soundbar or speaker system.

SEE ALSO: T-Mobile is giving away the new Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 for free — how to claim

Gamers get plenty of upgrades, too. The PX4 Pro is the first UST laser projector certified for FreeSync Premium and supports features like low-latency gaming, variable refresh rate, and 2K gaming at up to 240Hz. That means fast-paced games should feel smoother, with less lag and fewer distracting visual hiccups.

Get the Hisense PX4 Pro projector on Amazon for $3,997.97 and bring the theater home.

TL;DR: Get lifetime Youbooks AI access for just $32.97 (reg. $540) through July 26 and create publish-ready non-fiction books using multiple AI models, built-in research, and commercial publishing rights.

Opens in a new window Credit: Youbooks Youbooks AI Non-Fiction Book Generator: Lifetime Subscription $32.97
$540 Save $507.03   Get Deal

Writing a non-fiction book usually takes months of research, outlining, drafting, and editing. For entrepreneurs, creators, consultants, and educators, finding that kind of time isn’t always realistic — even when they have plenty to say.

Youbooks AI was made to help significantly speed up that process. Through July 26, you can get a lifetime subscription for $32.97, giving you an AI-powered platform designed specifically for creating long-form, non-fiction books.

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Unlike AI tools that focus on short-form content, Youbooks is built around the entire publishing process. It combines the strengths of multiple AI models—including ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and Llama—to help generate cohesive manuscripts of up to 300,000 words. It also performs real-time web research as you write, allowing your content to incorporate current facts and supporting information as it’s generated.

The platform is highly customizable, too. You can upload your own documents, transcripts, research, or notes to ground the book in your expertise, while storing writing samples that help the AI match your preferred tone and style throughout the manuscript.

Each subscription includes 250,000 monthly credits, support for up to 100 style samples and 100 source documents, plus the ability to export completed books in DOCX, EPUB, and Markdown formats. Better yet, you retain full commercial rights, so you’re free to publish or sell what you create.

Whether you’re writing a business guide, an educational resource, a niche publication, or a thought leadership book, Youbooks is designed to shorten the journey from idea to finished manuscript.

Youbooks AI Lifetime is available for $32.97 (reg. $540), only through July 26, offering a practical way to turn your expertise into a publish-ready book.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Looking for something great to watch at home? Streaming subscribers are spoiled for choice between Hulu, Netflix, HBO Max, Disney+, Apple TV, Prime Video, Shudder, Paramount+, Peacock, and more. And that's before you even look at the vast libraries of movies and television programs within each streamer!

Don't be overwhelmed or waste an hour scrolling through your services to determine what to watch. We've got your back, whatever your mood. Mashable offers watch guides for all of the above, broken down by genre: comedy, thriller, horror, documentary, and animation, among others. But if you're seeking something brand new (or just new to streaming), we've got you covered there, too.

17. Stuart Fails to Save the Universe

The Big Bang Theory is one of the most popular sitcoms of all time, so it's no big surprise that its spin-off is also very highly anticipated. Stuart Fails to Save the Universe follows the down-and-out comic book store owner from the original show, Stuart Bloom (Kevin Sussman), who's forced to team up with some other well-known faces from the original show in order to try and reverse the apocalypse. This one looks like it'll splice the type of comedy familiar to The Big Bang Theory viewers with more than a hint of sci-fi and multi-dimensional mayhem. — Sam Haysom, General Assignment Editor, UK

Starring: Kevin Sussman, Brian Posehn, Lauren Lapkus, and John Ross Bowie

How to watch: Stuart Fails to Save the Universe is now streaming on HBO Max.

16. Ransom Canyon, Season 2

Netflix's cheesy small town Texas drama Ransom Canyon is back for more ranching and romance, as Staten (Josh Duhamel) and Quinn (Minka Kelly) figure it all out. Based on Jodi Thomas' books, April Blair's series sees the grieving rancher and local dance hall owner/reluctant musician as our will-they-won't-they longtime friend-zoners. Season 1 was focused on Staten coming out of self-exile after tragedy, Quinn struggling to save her venue, a couple of love triangles, dodgy land deals, and a dramatic reveal. It's giving daytime soap with Netflix money, if you're into that. — Shannon Connellan, Senior Editor, General Assignments

Starring: Josh Duhamel, Minka Kelly, Eoin Macken, Lizzy Greene, Garrett Wareing, Marianly Tejada, Jack Schumacher, and James Brolin

How to watch: Ransom Canyon Season 2 is now streaming on Netflix.

15. A Killer Among Friends, Season 2

A lot of ID shows allow you to pick a category of crime. Deadly Women is about ladies who kill. Fear Thy Neighbor focuses on oft-fatal confrontations between neighbors. Fatal Vows centers on married couples who take the "to death to us part" bit to a violent extreme. And yes, A Killer Among Friends is about a murder mystery where the killer will be in the victim's friends' group.

Season 1 offered a series of grim stories, told by the friends who lived through them. Home videos, family photos, interrogation footage, and interviews with still-stunned survivors give a personal look at these crimes, with a humane touch. Season 2 will offer more six true crime narratives that will leave you rattled... and maybe taking a closer look at your group chats. Jennifer Love Hewitt hosts. —Kristy Puchko, Entertainment Editor

How to watch: A Killer Along Friends Season 2 is now on ID and HBO Max.

14. Solo Traveling with Tracee Ellis Ross, Season 2

Tracee Ellis Ross' travel show is back for more solo adventures through Northern Thailand, Australia, and Switzerland. The actor and Pattern Beauty founder saw a successful season with the first Solo Traveling installment, with Roku claiming it's the streamer's most-watched unscripted show ever. If you've ever thought about seeing the world on your own, there might be a few ideas in here for you — surfing in Melbourne, anyone? — S.C.

How to watch: Solo Traveling with Tracee Ellis Ross Season 2 is now on Roku.

13. The Walking Dead: Dead City, Season 3

Walking Dead fans who've stuck with the franchise for 16 years, there's a new season of Dead City to feast upon. With new showrunner Seth Hoffman behind the wheel, AMC's spinoff series sees longtime enemies Maggie (Lauren Cohan) and Negan (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) back for more gruesome and grisly action in Manhattan. I've personally never forgiven Negan for killing Maggie's husband Glenn (Steven Yeun) in The Walking Dead, but it seems survival makes people process shit differently. — S.C.

Starring: Lauren Cohan, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Gaius Charles, Željko Ivanek, Mahina Napoleon, Lisa Emery, Logan Kim, Dascha Polanco, and Keir Gilchrist

How to watch: The Walking Dead: Dead City Season 3 debuts on AMC+ on July 26.

12. K-Pop Shark Heroes

If you love KPop Demon Hunters and sharks, well, this Shark Week special is for you.

Kicking off Discovery's annual barrage of shark-focused content, K-Pop Shark Heroes features Rei Ami (the singing voice of Huntr/x's Zoey) and Ken Jeong (voice of the band's manager Bobby) team up to celebrate these oft-misunderstood creatures of the deep. As teased in the clip above, Ami and Jeong took to the sea to learn about sharks off the coast of Korea. While Jeong was happy to stay on the ship, Ami got into the water to get up close and personal. — K.P.

Starring: Rei Ami and Ken Jeong

How to watch: K-Pop Shark Heroes premieres on July 26 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on Discovery.

11. President Curtis

This Rick & Morty spinoff centers on the brash and egotistical Andre Curtis, president of the United States (Keith David), who's had plenty of beef with the mad scientist and his idiot grandson. President Curtis functions as a sort of X-Files but if it were a comedy.

Considering Rick and Andre hate each other, it makes sense that the president would be going on monster-of-the-week missions without him. Created by Rick and Morty co-creator Dan Harmon and producer James Siciliano, President Curtis has a familiar energy and irreverent tone. Plus, it's less bleak than the current season of Rick and Morty. For those who are hankering for outrageous jokes and sci-fi action, President Curtis will serve. — K.P.

Starring: Keith David, Stephanie Beatriz, and Jim Rash

How to watch: President Curtis premieres July 26 at 11:30 p.m. ET/PT on Adult Swim, and streams the next day on HBO Max.

10. Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu

The Mandalorian and Grogu is the first Star Wars film since The Rise of Skywalker, but it's less a triumphant return to the film screen than a nostalgia-fueled whimper. The film sees Mandalorian Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) and his ward Grogu on their biggest mission yet, one that gets them embroiled with Imperial warlords and villainous Hutts alike.

Unfortunately, the ensuing adventure is a letdown that not even a stellar, Grogu-centric swamp sequence can save. As I wrote in my review, it's "a slog: an unwieldy adventure full of illegible action and the creeping sense of dread that we've seen this all before. Not even Din and Grogu's sweet bond can Force lift it to success." — Belen Edwards, Entertainment Reporter

Starring: Pedro Pascal, Sigourney Weaver, Jeremy Allen White, Martin Scorsese, and Jonny Coyne

How to watch: Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu is now streaming on Disney+.

9. Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, Season 4

The crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise has faced an array of challenging missions, personal dramas, and more lust than much of the Star Trek franchise has allowed for. What's coming next for Captain Pike, Hot Spock, and their friends? We don't know. But we're giddy to find out. — K.P.

Starring: Anson Mount, Ethan Peck, Jess Bush, Christina Chong, Celia Rose Gooding, Melissa Navia, Babs Olusanmokun, Bruce Horak, Rebecca Romijn, and Martin Quinn

How to watch: Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 4 is now streaming on Paramount+, with new episodes weekly.

8. Nirvanna the Band the Show and Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie

Canadian comedic duo Matt Johnson and Jay McCarrol won fans up North for their offbeat brand of humor with two seasons of Nirvanna the Band the Show. The mockumentary followed the funny duo, who make up Nirvanna the band, as they tried to achieve their dream of performing at Toronto's Rivoli, a quaint venue in Toronto's West End.

Next came Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie, which gave their initial conceit a sci-fi twist. When Matt and Jay's pursuit of that Toronto's Rivoli spotlight goes awry, they time travel to 2008. Hilarious hijinks ensue. And Americans can now watch it all on Hulu. — K.P.

Starring: Matt Johnson and Jay McCarrol

How to watch: Nirvanna the Band the Show and Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie debut on Hulu on July 24.

7. Masters of the Universe

He-Man (Nicholas Galitzine) is back, he's live-action, and he's really fun! Masters of the Universe imagines a scenario in which a young Prince Adam of Eternia is jettisoned from his kingdom after the villainous Skeletor (Jared Leto) invades. As Adam grows up on Earth, he speaks endlessly of noble heroes like Ram Man (Jon Xue Zhang), Mekaneck (James Wilkinson), and Fisto (Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson) — much to the bewilderment of the humans around him. But when fate brings him back to his kingdom, he'll need to rally down-and-out warriors like Man-at-Arms Duncan (Idris Elba) to defeat Skeletor. Spoilers: He has the power!

In my review, which I'm told caused ire on X, I wrote, "Masters of the Universe is a wonderfully entertaining adventure that dodges the pitfalls that makes so much IP adaptations tedious. [Director Travis] Knight delivers a colorful film with a point of view, not just a sales pitch. The nostalgia delivers thrills without treating its source material as a sacred text above critique or silliness. The cast is terrifically game to embrace Knight's playfulness, especially Elba in bumbling rogue mode. Galitzine shoulders the fight scenes and humor with aplomb, while Leto channels his over-the-top tendencies into a gloriously outrageous villain." — K.P.

Starring: Nicholas Galitzine, Camila Mendes, Alison Brie, James Purefoy, Morena Baccarin, Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson, Charlotte Riley, Jared Leto, and Idris Elba

How to watch: Masters of the Universe is now streaming on Prime Video.

6. King of the Hill, Season 15

Hank Hill is back with his friends, family, and Arlen neighbors for a fresh season of political satire and poignant comedy.

After years away, Season 14 aged up the characters, introducing Hank and Peggy as restless retirees and Bobby as a restauranteur with a flare for fusion. With Season 15, Bobby and Connie are dating again, and encountering mature obstacles to their rekindled romance. Meanwhile, Hank and the Alley Gang are getting into misadventure involving magnetic fishing, an electric car, and cuddling. Plus, Bill's got a new roommate, Peggy's all fired up over golf, and Hank goes to Comic-Con.

Cheers to Mike Judge and company for finding fresh terrain for the Hills to crack us up! — K.P.

Starring: Mike Judge, Kathy Najimy, Pamela Adlon, Johnny Hardwick, Stephen Root, and Toby Huss

How to watch: King of the Hill Season 15 is now streaming on Hulu.

5. A Toxic Love Story

This might be the most bonkers true crime documentary Netflix has released. And yes, I have seen Maternal Instinct, Should I Marry a Murderer?, The Crash, and Unknown Number: The High School Catfish.

Directed by Alexandra Lacey (The Twister: Caught in the Storm), A Toxic Love Story begins with a married couple who's happily living nearly Disneyland and expecting twins, when their lives are disrupted by a jealous ex. Threatening emails with religious imagery give way to a plot to have the wife attacked. But the deeper investigators dig into this love triangle, the wilder the story gets. — K.P.

How to watch: A Toxic Love Story is now streaming on Netflix.

4. Pressure

This World War II drama is mostly set far from the battlefields, and yet it reveals the pivotal decisions that led to a successful D-Day.

SEE ALSO: 'Pressure' review: Andrew Scott is low-key hilarious in this World War II drama

Based on true events, Pressure reveals the story of Scottish meteorologist James Stagg (Andrew Scott), who was chosen to advise General Dwight D. Eisenhower (Brendan Fraser) on how impending weather could impact their attack strategy. Told over the course of a few tense days, Pressure is a fascinating look at how science, international allies, and nature can impact human history. And much like Conclave, another Focus Features release, Pressure has a brilliant undercurrent of humor and humanity. Don't miss it.* — K.P.

Starring: Andrew Scott, Brendan Fraser, Kerry Condon, Chris Messina, and Damian Lewis

How to watch: Pressure begins streaming on Peacock on July 24.

3. Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender

This feature-length film takes place between Michael Dante DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko's Avatar: The Last Airbender animated series, and its sequel, The Legend of Korra.

Aang and his friends are all grown up, and facing new challenges in maintaining balance between nations. As the last airbender, Aang (Eric Nam) is collecting artifacts from the nomadic culture when he's accosted by some non-benders, who are seeking a relic that could change their fates. The mystery to make sense of this long-lost relic also involves a forgotten Avatar, and her warrior Tagah (Dave Bautista). With the help of Katara (Jessica Matten), Sokka (Román Zaragoza), Toph (Dionne Quan), and Zuko (Steven Yeun), Aang will look to uncover this lost part of his history. But along the way, there'll be elemental battles and big twists. However, this long-awaited movie won't hit like the original series or its spinoff — partially because nearly all the character voices have been recast. — K.P.

Starring: Eric Nam, Dave Bautista, Jessica Matten, Román Zaragoza, Dionne Quan, Taika Waititi, Geraldine Viswanathan, Ronny Chieng, Ken Jeong, Dee Bradley Baker, Steven Yeun, Freida Pinto, and Ke Huy Quan

How to watch: Avatar Aang: The Last Airbender premieres on Paramount+ on July 25.

2. Disclosure Day

Steven Spielberg, the American icon behind E.T., Close Encounters of the Third Kind, and War of the Worlds, returned to the topic of extraterrestrials with Disclosure Day. Don't let the dry name fool you. Like his previous alien efforts, this thriller focuses on everyday Americans whose lives are turned upside down as they realize we're not alone in the universe.

Emily Blunt stars as a TV weather reporter who has an unique link to these visitors, alongside a frenetic mathematician played by Josh O’Connor. Together, they hope to spill top secret tea about what scientists have learned about aliens to a worldwide audience. But a grim private security force — run by a sneering Colin Firth — will do anything to stop that.

In my rave review, I cheered, "On its surface, Disclosure Day is about aliens. But beneath that, it's about us — or more specifically, how Spielberg sees humanity itself. And while he has more faith in us than I do, I hope he's right." — K.P.

Starring: Emily Blunt, Josh O’Connor, Colin Firth, Eve Hewson, and Colman Domingo 

How to watch: Disclosure Day is now available for rental and purchase on Prime Video.

Best of streaming this week: The Dink

Jake Johnson and Mary Steenburgen team up for a pickle ball comedy, directed by Josh Greenbaum (Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar, Will & Harper). It's a buddy comedy about a former tennis phenom (Johnson), known for his hard-hitting returns, and a divorcee (Steenburgen) seeking to find herself in a new hobby. They have nothing in common, but a need to see themselves in a new light.

In my review, I cheered, "Greenbaum smartly blends different styles of comedy to craft a movie that'll be a crowd-pleaser. There are bits in here weird enough to exist in the wacky and wondrous world of Barb and Star. Then there are riffs of physical comedy or a serene absurdity that feels in line with the comedy of Will Ferrell and Harper Steele. Johnson plays more broadly, expertly hitting every beat with aplomb. Steenburgen offers support with stinging one-liners and lively reactions." — K.P.

Starring: Jake Johnson, Mary Steenburgen, Ben Stiller, Chloe Fineman, Christine Taylor, Patton Oswalt, Martin Kove, Ed Harris, Andy Roddick, and John McEnroe

How to watch: The Dink debuts on Apple TV on July 26.

(*) denotes a blurb came from a prior list.

TL;DR: Pick up your Costco Gold Star Membership for $65 and receive a $50 Digital Costco Shop Card through Aug. 2.

Opens in a new window Credit: Costco Costco 1-Year Gold Star Membership + a $50 Digital Costco Shop Card $65
  Get Deal

For many households, a Costco trip becomes part of the weekly routine. Whether it’s stocking up on groceries, picking up household essentials, filling the tank at a Costco Gas Station, or stopping by a Costco Tire Center, Gold Star Members have access to a wide range of support in one place.

For a limited time, eligible new members can join with a Costco Gold Star Membership for $65 and receive a $50 Digital Costco Shop Card* as part of Costco’s 50th anniversary promotion. Previously, this promotion included a $40 Digital Costco Shop Card*, making the current promotion a little more rewarding while the membership price remains the same.

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A Costco Gold Star Membership includes shopping at more than 500 Costco warehouses across the U.S., online access at Costco.com, member pricing at participating Costco Gas Station locations, and services available through Costco Tire Center locations.

Another benefit that’s easy to overlook is the included Household Card, which allows another adult (18 or older) living in your home to shop with the membership as well.

You’ll also find products from brands including Kirkland Signature™, Dyson, KitchenAid, LG, and many others throughout Costco warehouses and online.

If you’ve been considering becoming a Gold Star Member, this limited-time promotion adds a $50 Digital Costco Shop Card* to a membership many households already make part of their regular shopping routine.

Don’t miss getting your Costco Gold Star Membership + a $50 Digital Costco Shop Card through Aug. 2.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

You have to have sympathy for millennials, the generation born between 1981 and 1996, because they've basically been speed-running the tech revolution since they were teenagers. They were the first cohort of young people to have cellphones, and most of them were in their twenties when the original iPhone came out, so they're true digital natives, as at home with apps as prior generations were with typewriters and rotary phones. 

But that familiarity has come at a cost: dating app burnout. If millennials were the first generation to swipe their way through their local singles, they were also the first generation to experience cuffing season on the apps, or be ghosted and haunted — heck, millennials practically wrote the modern dating app glossary because they experienced it first.  

SEE ALSO: The best hookup apps for 2026: I swiped until my thumb hurt

And now, unsurprisingly, they're experiencing fatigue with the conventional swipe-based approach to online dating. Millennials are tired of swiping through dozens of profiles each day; they're tired of having a million fleeting conversations that follow the same basic template, only to go nowhere; and they're actively looking for quality rather than quantity in their dating lives. 

That's where "slow dating" comes in. 

What is slow dating?

"Slow dating" is a deliberate, conscious effort to eschew the fast pace of regular dating apps and give each new single and their profile more time and attention than the swipe-based dating economy typically allows. 

Sara Konrath, a social psychologist and OkCupid dating consultant, put it this way in an interview with Business Insider: "Just like the slow food movement is a reaction to cheap and unhealthy fast food, the slow dating movement is a reaction to quick and meaningless hookups that can be made easy by dating apps." In other words, it's a way of prioritizing the depth of connection with another person rather than having more fleeting experiences." 

“It’s based on a desire for people to slow things down, get to know one another without so much pressure and focus on high-quality connection and closeness," Konrath said. "Slow dating also often means that the sexual intimacy stage of the relationship comes later, after getting to know one another.”

If you've often felt swept up by passion, only to have it come crashing down weeks later, leaving you unfulfilled and feeling blindsided, it might be time to give slow dating a try. 

Can you use apps to "slow date"? 

While the typical dating app — think Tinder, above all — definitely promotes a faster approach to dating, it is absolutely possible to use dating apps in a "slow" way. You can force yourself to only swipe so many times a day, or spend longer talking to each match before you come to a conclusion about them, or restrict your dating app usage to one or two days a week. 

Above all, you should try to limit the number of people you're talking to at any given time. An underrated cause of dating stress is having to individually assess multiple potential partners, constantly evaluating their level of interest, whether or not they're being flakey or honest about their intentions, and then multiplying your disappointment by the number of missed connections or dropped conversations.

In a landmark survey of dating apps and mental health conducted by Forbes, where an astonishing 78 percent of all app users reporting experiencing burnout, the two leading causes of dating app fatigue were "Failure to find a good connection with someone" (40 percent of respondents) and "Being disappointed by people (i.e. being ghosted or lied to)" (35 percent of respondents). And here's the crazy thing: dating apps make both of these experiences almost inevitable, because by design they promote quantity of connections over quality of connection. 

"Slow dating" was designed to solve that problem. 

What are the best online services for slow dating?

If you're experiencing major swipe fatigue and want to cure your burnout without giving up on online dating entirely, give these dating services a try, and remember that it isn't just the app or site itself but how you use it (and don't use it!) that will determine your success. 

Coffee Meets Bagel

One of the best ways to beat swipe fatigue is to let the app do the difficult work of filtering people out. Coffee Meets Bagel uses a proprietary algorithm to curate a list of potential matches ("bagels) for you every single day at noon, and if the other person reciprocates your interest, you get a seven-day chat window to make something happen.

It might be counterintuitive, but having the app remove just a little bit of your agency actually frees up your psychic energy to focus on the matches in front of you, effectively promoting a slow dating approach.

Hinge

The fan-favorite option, Hinge works by replacing traditional, short dating app bios with elaborate, self-selected prompts (a minimum of three per profile), and making these profiles public-facing, meaning anyone can respond to your prompts or comment on your photos without you having to match them first.

Even better, the app uses a sophisticated algorithm to generate one "Most Compatible" potential match per day, someone the app thinks is highly likely to vibe with you based on your own swiping habits. 

By placing greater emphasis on personality through the prompts and removing the mutual swipe barrier to communication, Hinge does a great job of lowering the stakes and giving daters the time and space they need to evaluate others properly rather than hastily. 

Match

No surprise here, since Match recently topped our best dating apps for serious relationships ranking.

First, it has a massive user base pre-selected for more substantive dating. Next, it uses a comprehensive questionnaire, including basic lifestyle questions (age, location, sexual preference) paired with "Core Values," the things you consider essential not only in yourself but in a partner, and then curates a list of Daily Matches for you to evaluate based on your answers. 

And unlike Hinge, Tinder, and a great many other dating services, it's not free to use, which actually works in a slow dater's favor, since it ensures that all your potential matches share your same commitment to taking dating seriously.

If you're a single millennial still looking for love but wary of dating apps, it's time to give slow dating a try.