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Elon Musk says he "got carried away" when working with the White House, and now thinks he shouldn't have continued running the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) for so long.

SEE ALSO: Elon Musk says he’ll give every kid in America a SpaceX share in 2027

President Donald Trump established DOGE within days of his inauguration last January, tasking vocal supporter Musk to lead it in reducing alleged government overspending. DOGE soon sent federal organisations into turmoil by taking sweeping measures such as laying off over 280,000 government workers and shutting down the U.S.' international aid agency.

Speaking on The Builders podcast on Tuesday, Musk agreed with host Walter Isaacson's suggestion that he appeared "intoxicated" by his proximity to power while working with the White House. Isaacson specifically referenced an incident last February in which the billionaire waved around a chainsaw while on stage at a conservative conference, calling it "the chainsaw for bureaucracy."

"Yeah, I think that's true," said Musk, indicating that he regretted being so public-facing. "I got carried away basically."

Musk gained significant attention for various stunts during his time working with the Trump administration, such as his infamous "Roman"/Nazi salute. He and Trump also co-hosted a Tesla ad together at the White House, with the president deriding Musk's critics and purchasing a $90,000 Tesla Model S Plaid.

"It was interesting to sort of go around with President Trump and go on Marine One and Air Force One and all that sort of stuff," said Musk. "It was a little bit [seductive]. I mean, it was kind of cool 'cause I'm just there in the Oval Office while all these like, big momentous decisions are being made and, you know, sometimes having some impact on what's being done.

"But I think maybe I should have been more in the background, and probably only had it last for, you know, a month or two. Because at that point you've sort of seen most of what there is to see within a month or two."

Musk had initially claimed DOGE would reduce government spending by at least $2 trillion, but such savings failed to materialise. The billionaire later revised DOGE's goal down to $150 billion, yet even then, many claimed savings were either exaggerated or could not be verified. 

Even so, Musk still seems to believe he could have eliminated the U.S. government's debts had he been given even more free reign.

"The problem is if you try to solve the deficit and stop wasteful spending, you make a lot of enemies in that situation," said Musk. "And President Trump is not, you know, he likes to be liked."

Musk declined to speak about exactly what happened when he eventually did leave DOGE last May, saying only that it was "a weird weekend." News of Musk's departure came just one day after he had heavily criticised Trump's tax bill, saying that it "increases the budget deficit, not just decreases it, and undermines the work that the DOGE team is doing." 

Trump and Musk had been fairly aligned prior to this point. Musk told The Builders that he had supported President Donald Trump's run for office out of a desire for a free market economy and "less bureaucracy," as well as interests such as "aspirationally sensible spending."

However, their disagreement about the tax bill sparked a fresh feud between the two, with the president and the billionaire soon attacking each other on their respective social media platforms Truth Social and X.

"Let's let sleeping dogs lie," Musk told Isaacson when asked about the split. "Let's not put a spade down in the backyard, type of thing. You never know what you're going to find."

Though DOGE's existence was always intended to be temporary, Musk departed well before its previously planned conclusion on July 4, 2026. The initiative quietly died after he left, and no longer existed by November 2025.

"I came to the conclusion that there was no way we were going to solve the deficit from within the government. Impossible," said Musk. "Maybe if the president made that his primary goal, we could do that…. I came to the conclusion that the only way we're going to solve the national debt is with AI and robots."

Musk has refocused his attention on his various tech companies since leaving DOGE, including SpaceXSI.

Today's Connections: Sports Edition will be easier for people who live in St. Louis.

As we've shared in previous hints stories, this is a version of the popular New York Times word game that seeks to test the knowledge of sports fans.

Like the original Connections, the game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight, and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier — so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.

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

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

The NYT's latest daily word game has launched in association with The Athletic, the New York Times property that provides the publication's sports coverage. The sports Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.

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

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

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

SEE ALSO: Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL. Here's a hint for today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

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

• Yellow: Playing H.O.R.S.E

• Green: Missouri sports

• Blue: Cheeseheads

• Purple: Blue teams

Here are today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

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

• Yellow: Basketball Shots

• Green: St. Louis Teams

• Blue: Packers WRs, Past and Present

• Purple: Blue____

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

Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today's puzzle before we reveal the solutions.

Drumroll, please!

The solution to today's Connections: Sports Edition #758 is...

What is the answer to Connections: Sports Edition today?

• Basketball Shots: ALLEY-OOP, DUNK, FADEAWAY, FREE THROW

• St. Louis Teams: BILLIKENS, BLUES, CARDINALS, ST. LOUIS CITY

• Packers WRs, Past and Present: ADAMS, DRIVER, GOLDEN, NELSON

• Blue____: DEVILS, JACKETS, JAYS, LINE

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

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

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

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

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

Released in August 2025, Pips puts a unique spin on dominoes, creating a fun single-player experience that could become your next daily gaming habit.

Currently, if you're stuck, the game only offers to reveal the entire puzzle, forcing you to move on to the next difficulty level and start over. However, we have you covered! Below are piecemeal answers that will serve as hints so that you can find your way through each difficulty level.

How to play Pips

If you've ever played dominoes, you'll have a passing familiarity with how Pips is played. As we've shared in our previous hints stories for Pips, the tiles, like dominoes, are placed vertically or horizontally and connect with each other. The main difference between a traditional game of dominoes and Pips is the color-coded conditions you have to address. The touching tiles don't necessarily have to match.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for October 21, 2026

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

SEE ALSO: NYT Strands hints, answers for October 21, 2026 Easy difficulty hints, answers for October 21 Pips

Number (10): Everything in this space must add up to 10. The answer is 0-4, placed horizontally; 6-3, placed horizontally.

Number (5): Everything in this space must add up to 5. The answer is 6-3, placed horizontally; 2-4, placed horizontally.

Number (10): Everything in this space must add up to 10. The answer is 2-4, placed horizontally; 6-6, placed horizontally.

Greater Than (4): Everything in this space must be greater than 4. The answer is 6-6, placed horizontally.

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

Medium difficulty hints, answers for October 21 Pips

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

Equal (1): Everything in this space must be equal to 1. The answer is 1-1, placed horizontally.

Not Equal: Everything in this space must be different. The answer 5-2, placed horizontally; 0-1, placed horizontally.

Greater Than (7): Everything in this space must be greater than 7. The answer is 5-1, placed horizontally; 3-4, placed horizontally.

Greater Than (5): Everything in this space must be greater than 5. The answer is 3-4, placed horizontally; 2-6, placed horizontally.

Number (6): Everything in this space must add up to 6. The answer is 2-6, placed horizontally.

Number (8): Everything in this space must add up to 8. The answer is 4-4, placed horizontally.

Hard difficulty hints, answers for October 21 Pips

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

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

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

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

Greater Than (0): Everything in this space must be greater than 0. The answer is 0-4, placed horizontally.

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

Number (9): Everything in this space must add up to 9. The answer is 3-6, placed horizontally.

Number (3): Everything in this space must add up to 3. The answer is 1-2, placed vertically.

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

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

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

Greater Than (1): Everything in this space must be greater than 1. The answer is 5-2, placed horizontally.

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

Number (5): Everything in this space must add up to 5. The answer is 5-3, placed vertically.

Number (3): Everything in this space must add up to 3. The answer is 5-3, placed vertically.

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

Number (7): Everything in this space must add up to 7. The answer is 4-2, placed horizontally; 1-3, placed vertically.

Not Equal: Everything in this space must be different. The answer 3-4, placed horizontally; 1-5, placed vertically.

Number (3): Everything in this space must add up to 3. The answer is 1-3, placed vertically.

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

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

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

Ashy.

Hurdle Word 1 answer

SOOTY

Hurdle Word 2 hint

Reward.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for October 21, 2026 Hurdle Word 2 Answer

PRIZE

Hurdle Word 3 hint

Cold precipitation.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for October 21, 2026 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Meanings for each word for Oct. 21, 2026 Hurdle Word 3 answer

SLEET

Hurdle Word 4 hint

Jacked.

Hurdle Word 4 answer

STOLE

Final Hurdle hint

Stocking material.

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

NYLON

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

Living in a dense neighborhood used to mean dealing with noise and parking. Now it means your neighbors can slow down devices in your own home without ever touching them. Your neighbors don't even need to do this on purpose, which is part of what makes it hard to fight against.

I'm generally pretty good at coming up with the right words to find what I need on Google. But every now and then, I run into a question where I don't quite know the right vocabulary to type into a search bar, or where it would take a paragraph to explain what I'm looking for. That's usually when I realize I've been staring at a problem for 20 minutes that I could solve in two if I just pointed my camera at it. Here are five times Google Lens came to my rescue.

Infrared (IR) remote controls have been commonplace since the early 1980s, and are still around today. Despite the development of Wi-Fi, Zigbee, Thread, and Matter, my TV still works using this old technology. Infrared has some important benefits that modern protocols still can't match.

Most tool buyers don't think much about where the electronics live inside their gear. You pick up a drill, it works, and you move on. Ryobi's ONE+ system makes a different choice than most of the industry, putting battery-management logic in the pack instead of the tool. That sounds like a big deal, but it doesn't seem to change much.

Netflix puts out a pretty wide array of original shows, ranging from massively popular icons like Stranger Things to questionable and poorly rated shows like Hype House. Sometimes, though, Netflix puts out some brilliant masterpieces that don't quite reach mainstream popularity, instead garnering cult followings or, more sadly, fading slowly into obscurity.

TL;DR: Get a lifetime Microsoft Visual Studio Professional 2026 license for $27.97 (reg. $499.99) through Oct. 20.

Opens in a new window Credit: Microsoft Microsoft Visual Studio Professional 2026 $27.97
$499.99 Save $472.02   Get Deal

Most professional IDEs are sold as subscriptions, so you keep paying for as long as you use them. That includes most versions of Visual Studio Pro, but there’s a way around it. Right now, you can actually get Microsoft Visual Studio Professional 2026 for Windows as a lifetime license, and it’s on sale for $27.97 (reg. $499.99).

This version of Visual Studio adds AI to debugging and performance work. When you run the profiler or debugger, AI agents suggest fixes and can generate unit tests for the code in front of you. IntelliCode also looks at your own codebase, including your variable names, functions, and libraries, and finishes lines or whole blocks for you.

Large solutions load up to twice as fast, a change you’ll notice if your projects take a while to open. If you use Visual Studio 2022, there’s nothing to migrate. You can install 2026 next to it, and your current projects and extensions still work. Microsoft also split the IDE from the .NET and C++ build tools, so updating Visual Studio doesn’t change the tool versions your builds rely on.

Live Share lets coworkers code and debug in the same session without cloning your repo or installing your dependencies. You can use Visual Studio 2026 to build .NET MAUI mobile and desktop apps, Blazor web apps in C#, and .NET or C++ apps for Windows, Linux, and containers. You can install it on one PC running Windows 10, Windows 11, or Windows Server 2019 or 2022.

Pay for Visual Studio once instead of keeping up a subscription. Through Oct. 20 at 11:59 p.m. PT, you can get Microsoft Visual Studio Professional 2026 for just $27.97.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

I had a dream. A dream where I had a stable Ethernet connection in every corner of the house. But wiring up the whole place was impractical (and borderline impossible), so I've almost resigned myself to using Wi-Fi, which is famously unreliable in my area.

My homelab runs a lot of my house. My smart home, media streaming, photo library, and dozens of smaller apps are spread across two computers running Proxmox. As far as I could tell, everything was healthy, but to make sure, I asked Claude to access both devices and look for problems without changing anything. It found some serious issues that I'd missed for months because none of them had broken anything that I could see.

TL;DR: Pay once and download videos from streaming sites for life with this Windows lifetime license for SameMovie All-In-One Video Downloader, on sale now for just $99.99 (reg. $149.90).

Opens in a new window Credit: SameMovie SameMovie All-In-One Video Downloader: Lifetime License (Windows) $99.99
$149.90 Save $49.91   Get Deal

If you’re paying for multiple streaming services month after month, wouldn’t it be nice to have something to show for it? SameMovie All-In-One Video Downloader gives them all an added benefit, making it possible to download and keep content from Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, and more.

Right now, you can secure a Windows lifetime license for SameMovie All-In-One Video Downloader for just $99.99.

Whether you’ve got a big trip coming up that requires a lot of offline content or you’re simply sick of keeping tabs on which streamer is currently showing your favorite comfort show, SameMovie All-In-One Video Downloader is ready to make your streamers work for you.

With SameMovie, you can download videos from over 1,000 free and paid streaming services for offline viewing, including Netflix, Prime Video, Hulu, and more. Your downloads come in up to 1080p HD, 4K, or even 8K depending on the source video.

Play the files back on computers, phones, tablets, and TVs, making this a perfect pre-flight routine if you’re looking to load up on a full season of content. Keep multilingual audio tracks and 5.1 surround sound, with the subtitles embedded or saved as separate SRT or VTT files.

Supported devices offer ad-free downloads, and you can also extract MP3 or AAC audio. SameMovie includes a built-in browser if you’re looking to find titles by name or URL, too.

This lifetime license for Windows includes future updates and technical support if needed.

Stay entertained anytime with this Windows lifetime license for SameMovie All-In-One Video Downloader, on sale now for just $99.99.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

A Texas man sentenced to 60 years in prison for armed robbery is seeking to overturn his conviction based on the use of Flock cameras to track his movements.

The man, 37-year-old Charles Brownlee, was found guilty of five armed robberies in 2024. According to his legal team, authorities in the Dallas-Fort Worth area used Flock cameras to monitor his vehicle's movements and create a "pattern of life" to tie him to the crimes, reported the Texas Tribune.

SEE ALSO: Meta: We're sorry for banning No Kings Instagram account

Brownlee's legal team is arguing that this "pattern" was obtained through unconstitutional surveillance methods enabled by Flock camera networks. They contend police should have obtained a search warrant before accessing Flock databases, which surveil Texans via tens of thousands of Flock cameras across the state.

"Flock’s surveillance database indiscriminately collects a vast trove of locational data about Americans who drive or ride in cars. By capturing, storing, retrieving, and indexing this data, Flock gives police the power to find almost anyone and reconstruct their movements," wrote Brownlee’s legal team in a brief submitted to the 5th Circuit Court.

Brownlee previously sought to toss the Flock data before going to trial, but the judge denied the request.

In a case earlier this month, a federal judge ruled the use of Flock camera databases to track a drug trafficking suspect's movements across state lines was unconstitutional. The woman at the center of the case was found in possession of methamphetamine after a Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) officer ran her plate number through Flock databases and deemed her recent travels suspicious.

"Freedom from persistent, dragnet-style surveillance while in public is not a foreign concept in our society, and it is a reasonable expectation that society already accepts," Judge Sara E. Hill wrote in her decision at the time.

I have an extra Android Auto Wireless adapter with a USB-C to USB adapter. Since I recently upgraded to a different one, I figured I could make some use of the adapter portion of it. What better way to do that than hook random stuff up to my phone and tablet and see what works? So I tested basically every USB device I had with my phone and tablet. My benchmark for most of these tests is how well a device works, whether it has any input lag, and how long I can use it before it drains my battery.

Fall is here, and if your yard is starting to become overgrown by leaves, having a proper leaf blower that can actually handle heavier debris, like dry clippings on your driveway, can make getting yard chores done a lot easier. Ryobi's 40V HP Cordless Leaf Blower Bundle delivers all the power you need, and then some, as it has enough power to blast through damp leaves and even compacted grass, all without the need of straining over a pull start—or the hassle of mixing fuel. Right now, you can grab this complete kit (which includes a battery and charger) from The Home Depot and save 20% off an already affordable price.

Your car will soon know more about you. Google is rolling out Personal Intelligence in Gemini to both Android Auto and cars with Google built-in, giving your ride details that can save you time.

With the arrival of the next-generation, AI-focused Googlebooks, it's natural to wonder how the Chromebooks that have been around for over a decade compare, and if it's still worth considering one over a new Googlebook. Optimized for artificial intelligence, with native Android integration and new cross-device services, Googlebooks promise to be the future of Google laptops, but that doesn't mean they're the best choice right now.

You Can See Everything has the internet in a chokehold. Since that teaser first dropped, people have been fascinated by the very idea that comedian Nathan Fielder made a documentary about infamous Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes. Then came a flood of praise from critics. Wild rumors about the movie's contents sprung up online. Finally, last weekend, the public had the chance to see if You Can See Everything lived up to the hype, and they came out in force.

Making $15 million its opening weekend, You Can See Everything broke a record for the best opening of a documentary in a decade, according to Deadline. That record was briefly held by Melania, which made $7.1 million earlier this year. Making this achievement all the more remarkable, You Can See Everything is playing in fewer than 1,000 theaters across the U.S. and is nearly three hours long.

SEE ALSO: Let's talk 'You Can See Everything' spoilers: An explainer for Nathan Fielder's Elizabeth Holmes documentary

And the hype is not dying down. Fans are not only taking to social media to talk spoilers but also urging others not just to see the movie, but to see it in theaters. But not for the reasons you might think.

Often, when critics say "see it in theaters," we mean that the cinematic spectacle a filmmaker has created deserves to be seen on the biggest screen possible with a top-notch immersive stereo system to match. When fandoms urge folks to go to theaters, they might also mean that a big box office could lead to more movies like this being made. But You Can See Everything fans have a different reason: This film demands to be experienced in a crowd.

This sentiment can be found on numerous posts on Threads, ranging from minor spoilers to major ones. Then there are brief, spoiler-free reviews, like this one:

Credit: Threads screenshot

Meanwhile, on X, similar sentiments of enthusiasm were echoed.

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On TikTok, some posted video of the lobby, following their screenings, where audience members stood around in groups to converse. While user Tyler Dema shared how watching You Can See Everything with a crowd was a terrific and unique experience. He explained, "Watching You Can See Everything in an theater packed with people is undoubtedly the way that god and Nathan Fielder intended it to be. We were all gooped and gasping and guffawing together. It...really gave you a sense of community at what a wild journey we all took together. It was beautiful."

This reflected my own experience at the film's New York Film Festival premiere, from which I wrote in my review, "As a movie, it's a hell of an experience. Personally, I gasped, shouted, laughed, and even gagged." What I left out is that I wasn't alone. The theater was booming with vocal explosions. And to be a part of that, all you have to do is go to the theater and experience it for yourself.

You Can See Everything Is Now playing in theaters.

Despite its age, the Wii Remote can still be a useful device. It includes Bluetooth connectivity, motion sensors, an infrared camera, and multiple physical buttons. These features make it a great option for interacting with your smart home, and there are a few ways that you may be able to get your Wii Remote to control Home Assistant.