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TL;DR: Until Oct. 4, you can get Windows 11 Pro for only $10.

Opens in a new window Credit: Microsoft Microsoft Windows 11 Pro $9.97
$199 Save $189.03   Get Deal

Windows 10 is more than a decade old, and it’s really starting to show. Whether it’s the outdated interface or the lackluster security, there’s more than one reason to leave Windows 10 behind, but here’s another. Instead of upgrading to Windows 11 Home, you can skip straight to Windows 11 Pro while it’s on sale for just $9.97 (reg. $199).

Pro adds a whole suite of upgrades Microsoft left out of Windows 11 Home. BitLocker encrypts your entire drive, so files on a lost or stolen laptop stay locked away from whoever picks it up. For anyone who likes to experiment, Hyper-V runs virtual machines, letting you try another operating system on the same PC. Windows Sandbox operates on a smaller scale, opening an isolated environment where you can test an unfamiliar app without it affecting your main system. Work PCs also receive Azure AD support to connect to business networks and Microsoft’s identity management platform.

Upgrading brings the rest of the Windows 11 core experience. Snap layouts arrange open windows side by side for multitasking, and DirectX 12 Ultimate lets new games use your graphics hardware at full capacity. Signing in with your face or fingerprint relies on TPM 2.0 for hardware-level security. Copilot appears in the taskbar, where it can answer questions, summarize web pages, generate images, and write code.

Before buying, run Microsoft’s PC Health Check app to confirm your hardware qualifies. Windows 11 requires a 1 GHz processor, 4GB of RAM, 64GB of storage, UEFI firmware, and TPM 2.0.

Give your computer a well-earned upgrade. Through Oct. 4, you can get Windows 11 Pro for just $9.97.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: Through Oct. 4 at 11:59 p.m. PT, a lifetime subscription to the AdGuard Family Plan is $11 (reg. $169.99), and it covers up to nine devices.

Opens in a new window Credit: AdGuard AdGuard Family Plan: Lifetime Subscription $11
$169.99 Save $158.99   Get Deal

Setting up an ad blocker on one browser is easy. Doing it on your laptop, your phone, your tablet, and everyone else’s devices in the house is a different story. The AdGuard Family Plan puts it all under one umbrella of protection with a $11 lifetime subscription until Oct. 4.

One plan covers up to nine devices across Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android. You can put it on your work laptop, your phone, and the family iPad without buying separate licenses. Everyone in the household gets the same level of protection from a single account.

Once it’s running, AdGuard helps block banner, pop-up, and video ads while you browse. It also helps hide your activity from trackers and can block known malware and phishing sites. Parental controls let you restrict adult content on your kids’ devices.

The Family Plan is cheaper than AdGuard’s Personal Plan on the same page, which is $19.97 and covers fewer devices. Updates are included with your subscription.

A few things to know before you buy. This plan is for new AdGuard users only. You’ll need to redeem your code within 30 days of purchase. Your devices will also need Windows 7 or later, macOS 10.15 or later, iOS 12 or later, or Android 7 or later.

If you’ve been meaning to set up ad blocking everywhere, this is an easy way to do it for less than the cost of lunch. Get a lifetime subscription to the AdGuard Family Plan for $11 (reg. $169.99) through Oct. 4 at 11:59 p.m. PT.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: Through Oct. 4 at 11:59 p.m. PT, get a lifetime subscription to ChatPlayground AI’s Unlimited Plan for $54.97 (reg. $619). You can compare responses from 20+ AI models in one place.

Opens in a new window Credit: ChatPlayground AI ChatPlayground AI: Lifetime Subscription (Unlimited Plan) $54.97
$619 Save $564.03   Get Deal

Different AI models are good at different things. So you end up pasting the same prompt into three tabs to see which answer works best. Paying for several AI subscriptions makes it even harder to justify.

ChatPlayground AI brings those models into one dashboard. For a limited time, lifetime access is $54.97.

You can run a single prompt through ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, DeepSeek, Llama, Perplexity, and more, then compare the responses side by side. That makes it easier to see which model handles writing, coding, or research the way you want. You won’t need to bounce between apps to find out.

Beyond comparing models, the prompt engineering tools help you refine your outputs.

Image and PDF chat let you upload files for context-aware answers. Your chat history saves automatically, so you can pick up ongoing projects where you left off. You also get AI image generation and a Chrome extension that brings ChatPlayground into your browser.

The Unlimited Plan includes unlimited messages per month, which is helpful if you run many experiments. Your membership allows for priority support and early access to new features and models as they arrive.

If you already pay for multiple AI tools, this could simplify your setup. Get a lifetime subscription to ChatPlayground AI’s Unlimited Plan for $54.97 (reg. $619) through Oct. 4 at 11:59 p.m. PT.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Best early Prime Day iPhone deals: Best iPhone deal overall iPhone 18 Pro (256 GB) $0 (save $1,199.99) Get Deal Best iPhone 17 Pro deal iPhone 17 Pro (256 GB) $0 (save $1,299.99) Get Deal Best unlocked iPhone deal iPhone 16e (128GB) $539.99 (save $60) Get Deal Best refurbished iPhone deal Refurbished iPhone 14 (128 GB) $399.99 (save $20) Get Deal

Amazon hasn't released its latest early Prime Day iPhone deals page yet. (Right now, it's just filled with iPhone 16s that aren't on sale.) We don't usually see iPhone deals worth buying on Amazon unless they're "renewed," so if you're hoping to find a discount on a brand-new, unlocked iPhone from Bezos, you probably won't.

But that doesn't mean you can't find a good deal during the sale — it just won't be on Amazon. Right now, T-Mobile is offering new and existing customers a chance to get the iPhone 18 Pro for free (if you don't mind signing a contract). If you'd rather not be tied to a carrier, Best Buy and Amazon offer discounts on unlocked "refurbished" and "renewed" models.

SEE ALSO: The best iPhones to buy in 2026: Our top pick might surprise you

Now that you've heard my spiel, here are the best early Prime Day iPhone deals you can shop right now, and you can check out our Apple guide for discounts on AirPods and MacBooks.

Score Apple's brand-new $1,200 flagship for $0

Getting a $1,200 phone for nothing is a hard deal to pass up. Right now, T-Mobile is covering the full cost of the iPhone 18 Pro through 36 monthly bill credits. To get this deal, you'll need to either switch to an Experience Beyond 2.0 plan or trade in a relatively recent device, like an iPhone 16 or 15 Pro, on an eligible plan.

While T-Mobile says it accepts trade-ins in any condition, older phones like the iPhone 14 or 13 will bump you down to the $930 or $500 credit tiers. You'll also still have to pay the local sales tax on the full pre-credit retail price upfront, along with a $35 device connection fee. But if you're already planning to stick with T-Mobile for the next three years, it's an easy way to upgrade without paying full price.

Read our review of the iPhone 18 Pro Max.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple iPhone 18 Pro (256 GB) $0 at T-Mobile
$1,199.99 Save $1,199.99   Get Deal Trade in an older phone to grab the 17 Pro completely free

If you're not worried about having the latest and greatest, T-Mobile is giving away the iPhone 17 Pro using that exact same 36-month bill credit promo. You just need to switch to an Experience Beyond 2.0 plan or trade in an older phone.

The best part? Since last year's Pro model costs less upfront, trading in an older device like an iPhone 14 or 15 nearly covers the entire cost.

Read our review of the iPhone 17 Pro Max.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple iPhone 17 Pro (256 GB) $0 at T-Mobile
$1,299.99 Save $1,299.99   Get Deal Save $60 on an unlocked iPhone 16e — no contract required

Best Buy has the unlocked iPhone 16e marked down to $539.99 — a $60 discount. It comes with 128GB of storage and Apple Intelligence built right in. It's not a flagship Pro model, but it is one of the only brand-new, unlocked iPhones seeing an outright cash discount ahead of October's sale events.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple iPhone 16e (128GB) $539.99 at Best Buy
$599.99 Save $60   Get Deal Snag a like-new unlocked iPhone 14 for under $400

If you want a reliable, no-nonsense iPhone without spending top-dollar, going refurbished is the smartest route. Best Buy has the unlocked 128GB iPhone 14 in "Refurbished Excellent" condition marked down to $399.99. It gives you a clean OLED display, solid camera setup, and long battery life for under $400 — no carrier sign-ups or monthly commitments attached.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Refurbished iPhone 14 (128 GB) $399 at Best Buy
$419.99 Save $20.99   Get Deal

IKEA's collaboration with Xbox is now live, offering nine new gaming-inspired furniture pieces and accessories. Called the YXSTABY collection, an IKEA spokesperson told Mashable the collaboration was named after a small locality in Sweden, which was chosen because it includes the four letters on the Xbox controller's buttons: X, Y, B, and A.

SEE ALSO: IKEA and Xbox have collaborated on a gaming furniture collection: Launch date, price, lineup

The YXSTABY collection was previously unveiled at Gamescom in August, showing off nine pieces co-designed by the teams at IKEA and Xbox. These range from an innocuous TV stand on castor wheels to a stool designed to look like a giant thumbstick from an Xbox controller. As such, there's a mix of products depending on how obvious you want the gaming references in your interior design choices to be. 

Credit: IKEA

One of the most attractive pieces is the YXSTABY Gaming D-pad controller platter, which is subtle enough that it doesn't immediately register as gaming-related. While intended to hold remote controls and gaming controllers, the platter could also be used for other items that need a dedicated tabletop space, such as fruit. The reflective stainless steel material does pick up fingerprints incredibly easily though, so it's best used for purposes that don't require too much handling.

Credit: IKEA

Another surprising item in the YXSTABY collection is the X-shaped green Gaming D-pad cushion. While its shape and colour may make it difficult to style in your home, Mashable's first impressions are that it's unexpectedly useful. The X configuration not only makes it comfortable and convenient to hug, but can also provide an excellent resting place for your arms. This offers great utility whether you're gaming, relaxing, or even if you have arm pain. (A family member with arm pain who tried out the Gaming D-pad cushion found it very helpful, and quickly expressed interest in getting one.)

The collection also includes the YXSTABY Gaming lounge chair, which bears design similarities to IKEA's popular POÄNG armchair. However, rather than wood veneer, the Xbox collaboration uses galvanised steel rods for its structure, features Xbox green stitching, and has a mesh pocket under the seat for stashing controllers. Mashable's brief testing during an IKEA event found that yes, if you pay attention you can feel stored items through the polyester padding when sitting on the chair, though fortunately it wasn't uncomfortable.

Credit: IKEA

While IKEA will carry most of the YXSTABY collection for a while, and has plans to expand its gaming-related offerings further, not all the products will be available for long. IKEA's spokesperson told Mashable that the YXSTABY Gaming thumb stick stool will only be available for a year, so it's a good idea to pick it up soon if you're interested.

IKEA and Xbox's YXSTABY collection is available from Oct. 1 in store at IKEA, and will be available online in the U.S. from Nov. 30. Availability varies by region, with Australians able to pick up the collection both in store and online now.

SAVE $900: As of Oct. 1, you can get $900 off the Dreame LiDAR robot lawn mower when you take advantage of an Amazon coupon. That brings the price down from $2,699.99 to $1,799.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Dreame Dreame LiDAR Robot Lawn Mower $1,799.99 at Amazon
$2,699.99 Save $900.00   Get Deal

With October Prime Day (Oct. 6-7) just around the corner, Amazon is already stacked with early deals. There's so much happening around this event that you'd be forgiven for missing a huge coupon deal on one of the most desirable gadgets in tech-land right now, the robot lawn mower.

As of Oct. 1, the Dreame LiDAR robot lawn mower is available for $1,799.99 with an Amazon voucher. All you need to do is check the voucher box on the listing, and you'll save a total of $900 off the regular list price of $2,799.99. This deal also comes with the Dreame LiDAR robot lawn mower 4-piece ultimate care kit for free (worth $275).

According to the price tracker camelcamelcamel, it's the lowest-ever price for this model.

The Dreame LiDAR Robot Lawn Mower lives up to the name — it's an absolute dream for garden lovers. Particularly garden lovers who are short of time, energy, or enthusiasm for doing the hard work of cutting the grass themselves.

It's a powerful machine that combines LiDAR with advanced Binocular AI Vision to navigate your garden. It maps out the space and has the smarts to recognize and avoid over 300 obstacles. It has various modes, edge-cutting technology, and the ability to adjust to different types of grass. Everything's controlled by an app, which is another way of saying that the Dreame LiDAR robot lawn mower does the work so you don't have to.

Get the Dreame LiDAR Robot Lawn Mower for $1,799.99 with an Amazon voucher, saving you $900.

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

• Apple iPhone 18 Pro — free at T-Mobile 

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

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

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

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

Idiot.

Hurdle Word 1 answer

MORON

Hurdle Word 2 hint

To inflict.

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

WREAK

Hurdle Word 3 hint

Determination.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for October 2, 2026 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Meanings for each word for Oct. 2, 2026 Hurdle Word 3 answer

MOXIE

Hurdle Word 4 hint

Old school dance.

Hurdle Word 4 answer

DISCO

Final Hurdle hint

Punctuation.

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

COMMA

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

If the divorce at the center of War is, as its title suggests, an all-out war, then the end of the show's first episode is one hell of an opening shot.

SEE ALSO: Yes, 'War's shocking episode 1 ending was inspired by Olivia Wilde's custody serving

Throughout the episode, actor Carla Duval (Sienna Miller) plots to serve her husband, tech mogul Morgan Henderson (Dominic West), with divorce papers. Little does she know, he's caught wind of her intentions and is planning a quick counter.

Carla's legal firm, Taylor & Byrne, decides to serve Morgan via email after the premiere of her latest film. However, Morgan's firm, Cathcarts & Sons, has something far more brutal in mind: serving Carla while she walks the red carpet at her premiere. It's a jaw-dropping moment, one that nods to how Jason Sudeikis' legal team served Olivia Wilde custody papers at CinemaCon.

"I was so excited to shoot that scene because of the level of hiding that she would have to do," Miller told Mashable in a junket interview. "It felt like acrobatics, to some degree. What a nightmare to be in that position, with everybody looking at you and having to hide how wounded you are."

West added: "It's delicious to play one thing when the audience knows something else is going on, and they're in on the secret. That's really fun to play, smiling while you're twisting a knife."

West and Miller dive deep into the scene in the interview above, along with series creator George Kay and director Ben Taylor.

New episodes of War premiere Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET on HBO and HBO Max.

At first glance, legal drama War is focused on the imploding marriage of actor Carla Duval (Sienna Miller) and tech mogul Morgan Henderson (Dominic West). But really, it's just as focused on the lawyers handling their divorce.

SEE ALSO: Yes, 'War's shocking episode 1 ending was inspired by Olivia Wilde's custody serving

War introduces two fictional rival law firms: Cathcarts & Sons and Taylor & Byrne. The former represents Morgan, while the latter represents Carla. Both firms come with an army of partners, each with their own agendas. It's a lot to keep track of, especially in the show's jam-packed first episode. But don't worry: We've got you covered with this guide to everything Cathcarts & Sons and Taylor & Byrne.

Who works at Cathcarts & Sons? Nina Sosanya, Pip Torrens, and Dominic West in "War." Credit: Sky / HBO

Cathcarts & Sons, mostly referred to as Cathcarts in War, is a true London institution. A storied past and deep pockets have helped it carve out a powerful space for itself in the legal world, and its partners are ready to put all that power to use in Morgan and Carla's divorce.

SEE ALSO: Archie Renaux breaks down 'War's game-changing mole twist

Heading up the charge are partners St. John Smallwood (Pip Torrens) and Beatrice Ubosi (Nina Sosanya). The former's caustic wit burns almost any opponent he cross paths with, while the latter's intimidating influence has earned her the nicknames of "Queen Bea" and "Her Majesty." More junior members of the firm involved in the case are David Schill (Miles Jupp) and Suzie Levitniik (Kartanya Maynard).

Who works at Taylor & Byrne? Phoebe Fox, James McArdle, and Sienna Miller in "War." Credit: Sally Mais / Sky / HBO

Taylor & Byrne is a far newer firm than Cathcarts, founded by married couple Nicholas Taylor (James McArdle) and Serena Byrne (Phoebe Fox). The pair is expecting a child, and they're hungry to make a true name for themselves. Carla's case could be the one that rockets them to legal stardom, or it could tank them financially. Those sleek offices cannot be cheap!

Adding to the pressure of the case is the fact that Serena used to work with Beatrice at Cathcarts, so she's got an extra chip on her shoulder when it comes to going up against them.

Nicholas and Serena aren't in this alone. Like the Cathcarts team, they've got several associates working with them, including Michael Stefano (Nick Mohammed) and Nora Okafor (Akiya Henry), both of whom are only briefly introduced in episode 1. Other key members of the team are barrister Budgie (Celia Imrie) and training associates Saeed Masood (Shaheen Jafargholi) and Molly Giordano (Emma Laird).

The newest addition to the team is junior associate Johnny Warren (Archie Renaux). However, as the end of episode 1 reveals, he doesn't really work for Taylor & Byrne. Instead, he's a mole for Cathcarts, hired to send them any information about Carla's case. It's a dangerous move by a clearly bloodthirsty firm. Will Taylor & Byrne try to match Cathcarts' level of ruthlessness? Or will they attempt to keep as much of a moral high ground as they can in the midst of a dirty divorce?

New episodes of War premiere Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET on HBO and HBO Max.

All's fair in love and War, including espionage.

SEE ALSO: Yes, 'War's shocking episode 1 ending was inspired by Olivia Wilde's custody serving

HBO and Sky's legal drama introduces ambitious lawyer Johnny Warren (Archie Renaux). He's just moved back to London after working at a Manhattan law firm, and he's on the hunt for a job in family law. However, as the first episode goes on, that job seems increasingly elusive. The firms he's interviewing at aren't impressed by his slick confidence or his time in New York. According to his references, his time there was far less successful than he claims it was.

Still, by the episode's end, Johnny somehow winds up with a prime job at law firm Taylor & Byrne, helping represent actor Carla Duval (Sienna Miller) in her divorce from tech mogul Morgan Henderson (Dominic West). Unfortunately for him, he didn't land the position on merit alone. His hiring was actually orchestrated by Morgan's law firm, Cathcarts & Sons.

Knowing Johnny would be interviewing with Taylor & Byrne, Cathcarts offered him a job — not to work directly for them, but to be a spy within Taylor & Byrne's team. To make sure Johnny landed the job, Cathcarts' partner St. John Smallwood (Pip Torrens) called a friend at Johnny's old law firm and asked them to give Taylor & Byrne a glowing recommendation. That recommendation plus Johnny's reveal he was entertaining an offer from Cathcarts were all law partners Nicholas Taylor (James McArdle) and Serena Byrne (Phoebe Fox) needed to bring him onboard.

SEE ALSO: From Cathcarts and Sons to Taylor and Byrne, here's your guide to 'War's rival law firms

Johnny's new status as a mole is bad news for Taylor & Byrne, but it could be even worse news for Johnny. If his secret gets out, he could be blackballed from the profession he claims to love so much. Why take the risk?

"Desperation is the more straightforward answer," Renaux told Mashable in a junket interview. After all, Johnny spends the whole episode being rejected, then is made a laughingstock by his girlfriend Bella's (Honor Swinton Byrne) posh friends.

"He's from a sort of background of just hustling and fighting by any means possible," Renaux continued. "'I'm going to achieve my goals, and if it's going to have to be this way, so be it.' He's moving so fast, and things happen so quickly that he hasn't really got time to think."

Cathcarts could also see major blowback should anyone discover their ruse. As Morgan so rightly asks his team: "Are you out of your mind?"

"If they get found out, they get struck off, basically, from the legal world," series creator George Kay told Mashable in a junket interview. "They've structured it in such a way that if they get discovered, they can say, 'Discovered about what? We know nothing about this guy.' There's little defense mechanisms in there."

War's creative team and cast consulted with a lawyers to get a real sense of the petty infighting that goes down between firms. Did the idea of Johnny's mole arc stem from any of those consultations?

"I don't think it has happened in real life, but it's the sort of idea lawyers have," Kay said. "It's where their mind would go, which is the real part of it."

New episodes of War premiere Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET on HBO and HBO Max.

Between honey traps and legal moles, War's first episode is already brimming with dramatic twists. It saves its best — and nastiest — for last.

SEE ALSO: Archie Renaux breaks down 'War's game-changing mole twist

The new legal drama follows the contentious, high-profile divorce between actor Carla Duval (Sienna Miller) and tech mogul Morgan Henderson (Dominic West). Throughout War's first episode, the pair each plot how to kick off the divorce proceedings, all while hiding their plans from the other. Carla's legal firm, Taylor & Byrne, opt to serve Morgan via email after the premiere of Carla's new film, The Milliner. Morgan's legal firm, Cathcarts & Sons, opts for something much filthier.

The episode ends with Carla and Morgan walking the red carpet at The Milliner premiere. As she signs autographs, a Cathcarts lawyer walks up to her and serves her with divorce papers.

Morgan serving Carla in public at an important career event immediately recalls how Jason Sudeikis' legal team served his ex-partner Olivia Wilde with custody papers in 2022. A process server served Wilde while she was onstage at CinemaCon, promoting her second feature film, Don't Worry Darling. In a 2026 appearance on the Call Her Daddy podcast, Wilde described the experience as "one of the most fucked-up things that I went through" and "incredibly traumatizing." In 2022, sources told Variety that Sudeikis "had no prior knowledge of the time or place that the envelope would have been delivered."

SEE ALSO: From Cathcarts and Sons to Taylor and Byrne, here's your guide to 'War's rival law firms

The parallel between Wilde's real experience and Carla's fictional one wasn't an accident.

"There's a nod to the Olivia Wilde serving at the end of the pilot of War," series creator George Kay told Mashable in a junket interview. "We had lots of chats in the writers' room about all of these kinds of crazy things that go on in celebrity divorces."

When Carla receives the divorce papers, she immediately puts on a brave face for the many cameras and fans lining the red carpet, none of whom know the contents of the envelope.

"I was so excited to shoot that scene because of the level of hiding that she would have to do," Miller told Mashable in a junket interview. "It felt like acrobatics, to some degree. What a nightmare to be in that position, with everybody looking at you and having to hide how wounded you are."

As for Morgan, who looks on as Carla's life implodes, West described his reaction as "smiling while you're twisting a knife."

The episode ends with the pair taking photos together as if nothing is wrong, holding it together in public before presumably tearing each other to pieces in private.

"The fact that they're successful in being able to hide it says a lot about them as characters, because I think I would have left my premiere at that point and gone and cried in a bathroom," Miller said. "But not these two, because they are formidable."

New episodes of War premiere Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET on HBO and HBO Max.

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 October 2, 2026 Back meaning

The rear part of an object or person.

Bankroll meaning

To provide money for a project.

Fund meaning

A pool of money or resources set aside for a specific purpose.

Support meaning

To bear the weight of something physically.

Index meaning

An alphabetical list in the back of a book used for references.

Little meaning

Small is size or amount.

Middle meaning

A central location that is halfway from two sides or boundaries.

Ring meaning

A circular band that's worn on the finger, typically made of silver or gold.

Common meaning

Happening often.

Routine meaning

A regular, fixed or customary way of doing things.

Standard meaning

A level of quality.

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.

Stock meaning

A share of ownership in a corporation.

Number meaning

A mathematical symbol, value or word that represents a quantity.

Real estate meaning

Property consisting of land and any permanent structures attached to it.

Rib meaning

A curved bone in the chest that protects the lungs.

Time meaning

The continuation of existence and events.

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 today's Connections.

The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult if you're good with money.

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 October 2, 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: Money

• Green: Digits

• Blue: Usual

• Purple: Superior

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: Finance

• Green: Fingers

• Blue: Customary

• Purple: Prime ___

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 #1209 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Finance: BACK, BANKROLL, FUND, SUPPORT

• Fingers: INDEX, LITTLE, MIDDLE, RING

• Customary: COMMON, ROUTINE, STANDARD, STOCK

• Prime ___: NUMBER, REAL ESTATE, RIB, TIME

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.

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

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

Today's NYT Strands hints will be easy if you're sneaky.

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 October 2, 2026 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: On the sly...

The words are related to hiding.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe doing things undercover.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is horizontal.

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NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is Sneaking Around.

NYT Strands word list for October 2

• Shifty

• Furtive

• Sneaking Around

• Stealthy

• Devious

• Covert

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

On Wednesday, the New York Times reported that Meta has been treating its AI data centers as experimental facilities to claim billions of dollars in federal research tax credits, a strategy the company's own accountants reportedly flagged as legally risky. The savings reportedly grew from $700 million in 2023 to $3.9 billion in 2025.

How can a company worth $1.8 trillion be worried about saving $3.9 billion? Well, because the priorities of any publicly traded company are profits, then stock price, then market cap, then penny-pinching, and then the cycle repeats.

The Meta story underscores something simple: the people building the most powerful technology on Earth will push the rules when money is on the line. Yet they now ask us to trust them on safety, to believe they are putting financial gain aside to do the right thing.

Give me a break.

SEE ALSO: AI leaders say they want safety, but on whose terms?

Everyone is spinning over whether AI chatbots could go rogue. Will it happen? Can it be stopped? Is the threat real, or a hoax? Here's a better question: who do we trust to tell us the truth, and to act when it matters?

The canaries in the coal mine are chirping, and there's more than one bird. OpenAI announced it is shelving its newest model because it didn't quite meet the bar on safety. Anthropic's CEO has warned that, within a year, AI could be capable of directing a swarm of agents that takes over the internet. Even Pope Leo has told reporters that the concerns of AI experts are not fake news. Reports of AI escaping users' control are escalating, and surely there are more than we know about.

I spent 30 years in corporate America. In all that time, I never once saw a company do something that would hurt its performance and stock price simply because it was the right thing to do. Not once. That isn't cynicism; it's how incentives work, amplified by relentless pressure to cut costs and drive up profits.

So when AI leaders say they are deeply concerned, I believe they mean it. I just don't believe it will last. OpenAI shelved that model. Good. But was that goodness of heart, or fear of lawsuits, as stories of AI misbehavior multiply?

I can't imagine any of these companies willingly hobbling their stock price by holding back the next, better model while a competitor races ahead. Self-regulation only works if competitors cooperate, and cooperating against your own profit is a fairy tale. 

Every company in the AI race will have a reason to go one more step. The thirst for money, profit, and a higher stock price will win out every single time, even if humanity is at risk.

Yet self-regulation is exactly what President Trump endorsed yesterday after meeting with tech leaders. "There's a belief that there should be tremendous self-regulation," he said, pointing to existing oversight at the Justice Department and the FBI. He offered no coordinated government framework, which is precisely what this moment demands. He has also called fears of runaway AI a "hoax."

The AI lunch attendees all signed an AI agreement that Trump said is  "morally binding." If we are relying on morality to save the day, we are screwed.

The doomsday scenario

Consider what a serious AI failure could look like: drained bank accounts, disrupted hospitals, exposed medical data, scrambled supply chains, blackouts, grounded airlines and trains. There is no light switch and no single plug to pull. Stopping it would take coordination across agencies, deep technical expertise, and leaders who believe the threat is real enough to act before the damage is done.

SEE ALSO: Is an AI 'kill switch' a real thing?

That capacity lives in agencies that have lost enormous talent. FBI Director Kash Patel has thinned the agency's cyber and counterintelligence ranks through firings and reassignments. The Pentagon, under a defense secretary more worried about testosterone levels and height-weight measurements, has pushed out or lost at least 25 top leaders, with more to come, including the heads of both Cyber Command and the NSA. 

The Justice Department has seen more than 10,000 departures, many in cybersecurity. FEMA, which we'd need if grids fail or water systems are infiltrated, has endured deep staffing and funding cuts.

And what if AI disrupts our health care system and we all get sick? We have a worm-brained health secretary who has overseen a massive loss of brainpower while focusing on anti-vaccine measures instead of outbreaks. Between March 2025 and mid-2026, the CDC's active civil service workforce fell 30 percent, from roughly 12,700 employees to fewer than 8,900.

Those who remain are not necessarily incompetent, but hard-won expertise in how systems break — and how to contain a digital fire — is walking out the door. If AI is as capable as its creators insist, it can presumably see that too. A rogue system wouldn't need to defeat our defenses. It would just need to outpace them.

So which should we fear more? An AI that goes wrong, or an industry with every incentive to keep racing, paired with a government too depleted to intervene? There is no right answer, and that should keep us all up at night.

This article represents the opinions of its writer.

John Casey is a columnist at Raw Story, the Advocate, Daily Beast, and Outsports. He's also the author of Love: The Heroic Stories of Marriage Equality.

Samsung has a reputation for packing its Galaxy phones with a deluge of features, arguably more than any other Android phone maker, and many of them don't get the spotlight they deserve. As a result, a lot of people overlook a good chunk of their Samsung phone's features just because they aren't talked about, which is a shame because some of them can be super useful in a variety of situations. Here are five One UI features that most owners end up ignoring, but if you own a Galaxy phone, you really shouldn't.

As usual, true-crime documentaries and series pretty much dominated the September lineup across the major streaming services, but the month did have a few surprises that provided a nice break from all the murder and scandal. And while the month wasn't perhaps as solid as August, Netflix more than pulled its own weight, as did HBO Max, Prime Video, and Peacock—a couple might even make the grade for best-of-the-year lists.

TL;DR: The Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Booster Display Box is on sale for $353.99 at Amazon, down from its $378.88 typical price.

Opens in a new window Credit: The Pokemon Company Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Booster Display Box (36 packs) $353.99 at Amazon
$378.88 Save $24.89   Get Deal

The base Mega Evolution set is rapidly becoming one of the most expensive in the modern Pokémon TCG right now, but a new Amazon price cut has brought the 36-pack Display Box down by nearly $25 ahead of Prime Day.

As of Oct. 1, the Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Booster Display Box is $353.99 at Amazon through third-party seller Collectors Expedition. That trims $24.89 from the list price, a discount of roughly 7%, with free delivery currently included.

With 36 booster packs inside, you’re paying approximately $9.83 per pack before tax. Each booster contains 10 random trading cards, leaving you with 360 cards to open across the full display.

SEE ALSO: The best early Prime Day deals on Pokémon, including 30th Celebration trading cards for below market price

Amazon still isn’t the cheapest place to buy the box if you’re open to buying it elsewhere. Walmart is also selling the same 36-pack Mega Evolution Booster Box for $344.95 with free shipping, while TCGplayer sellers have gone considerably lower with English unopened copies available for as little as $308 shipped. That’s only a cent above its current market price of $307.99.

If you’re hoping to pull a particular card, you can buy any single Mega Evolution Pokémon card right now on TCGplayer — including the stunning golden MHR Mega Lucario ex. 

While the Raspberry Pi used to rule the kingdom of low-cost homelab hardware, that arena is now dominated by thin clients. They're cheap, powerful (comparatively), and easy to find. Here's why a $50 thin client should be your first homelab purchase and not a Raspberry Pi.

I've been building Excel dashboards for years, and my method has changed almost as much as Excel itself. One day I'll build one with formulas, the next I'll use only refined PivotTables, and increasingly, I'll ask AI to do the heavy lifting. But recently, I've found myself getting into a bit of an AI prompt trap. Is it better to give it more information and direction? Should I get into a back-and-forth conversation? Or should I just keep things simple?