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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 MashableHere are the clues and answers to NYT's The Mini for Wednesday, January 8, 2025:
AcrossWord on the front door of the Midvale School for the Gifted, in a famous "Far Side" cartoonThe answer is Pull.
The answer is ATeam.
The answer is State.
The answer is Tenth.
The answer is Arse.
The answer is Pasta.
The answer is Utter.
The answer is Leans.
The answer is Latte.
The answer is Meh.
If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Featured Video For You The Wordle Strategy used by the New York Times' Head of GamesAre you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.
Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Mini Crossword.
SAVE $10: As of Jan. 8, the Apple Pencil (USB-C) is on sale for $69 at Amazon. That's a 13% saving on the list price.
Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple Pencil (USB-C) $69.00 at AmazonIf you got a new iPad for Christmas, or just fancy adding a new accessory to your lineup, Amazon's Daily Deals has treated you to another bargain on the Apple Pencil (USB-C).
As of Jan. 8, you can buy this helpful tool for $69, saving you 13% on list price. This specific stylus charges via a USB-C cable and attaches to your device magnetically for easy storage. It’s designed with pixel-perfect precision, low latency, and tilt sensitivity for a natural drawing and writing experience.
SEE ALSO: 9 new gadgets from CES 2025 that you can actually buy right nowIt weighs just 0.72 ounces, so it’s lightweight and comfortable to hold, as well as easy to carry around with you. It connects via Bluetooth and USB-C and requires an iPad running iPadOS 17.1 or later. Compatible iPad models include the iPad Mini A17 Pro, iPad Pro (12.9-inch, 3rd-6th generation), iPad Pro (11-inch, 1st-4th generation), iPad (10th generation), iPad Air (4th and 5th generation), and iPad mini (6th generation).
It's worth noting that this is not the latest model in the Apple Pencil range. Both the Pencil 2 and Pencil Pro have more recently been released. For a more advanced stylus, we recommend the Pro which boasts haptic feedback and magnetic charging. But for the basics, and a reduced price, you can't go wrong with this model.
Get this decent deal on Amazon now.
SAVE $70: As of Jan. 8, the Apple Watch Series 10 is on sale for $359 at Amazon. That's a saving of 16% on list price.
Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple Watch 10 $359.00 at AmazonThe latest Apple Watch, the Series 10, was released in 2024, bringing about a great upgrade on its predecessor. Since its release, it has seen several discounts, especially over Black Friday, bringing it down to its lowest price yet. And as of Jan. 8, the Apple Watch 10 is back down to its lowest-ever price. On Amazon, you can upgrade for just $359.
The Apple Watch 10 is a great choice for both function and style. It is the thinnest Apple Watch released so far but also has the biggest and most readable display. It also introduces Apple's first-ever wide-angle OLED display, meaning the watch remains clear and sharp when looking at it quickly or from awkward angles.
SEE ALSO: 9 new gadgets from CES 2025 that you can actually buy right nowIf you're looking specifically for health and fitness metrics, you'll be impressed. You get advanced health tracking including ECG readings, heart rate notifications, and ovulation estimates. In the Vitals app, you'll find detailed overnight metrics such as heart and respiratory rates, and sleep tracking. It even includes alerts for possible sleep apnea. For fitness enthusiasts, the Workout app lets you track a whole load of activities, along with tools to monitor workout intensity and aquatic tracking with depth and water temperature sensors. And with 18 hours of normal use (and fast charging that gives you 80% in 30 minutes), the watch is perfect for all lengths of activity.
Safety is also a top priority, so you can enjoy features including Fall Detection, Crash Detection, and Emergency SOS, along with a Check-In feature that automatically updates loved ones when you reach your destination.
Head to Amazon now to grab this deal.
Good news for anyone wanting to spew hate and make the world a worse place: Meta has amended its Hateful Conduct policy to be more permissive to bad behaviour, allowing divisive and discriminatory content to thrive on its platforms. Users on Facebook, Instagram, and Threads are now allowed to call gay people "mentally ill", women "property", and entire ethnicities "diseases".
SEE ALSO: Instagram blocked LGBTQ+ content by accident, Meta claimsThe tech giant made significant changes to its Hateful Conduct policy on Tuesday, lifting prohibitions against a wide range of divisive and harmful rhetoric. Notably, Meta's amended policy completely removed restrictions against dehumanising people on the basis of a "protected characteristic" by likening them to certain inanimate objects, filth, and diseases such as cancer. Users are also now permitted to state that protected characteristics don't or shouldn't exist, or are inferior.
Protected characteristics are defined by Meta as "race, ethnicity, national origin, disability, religious affiliation, caste, sexual orientation, sex, gender identity, [or] serious disease."
Meta further removed its previous acknowledgement that hateful conduct on its platforms "creates an environment of intimidation and exclusion, and in some cases may promote offline violence."
Meta explicitly permits anti-LGBTQ contentEqually as notable as the restrictions Meta has removed is the content that it now explicitly allows, with harmful anti-LGBTQ rhetoric specifically permitted. In a video posted on Tuesday, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg stated that the company is removing restrictions that are "out of touch with mainstream discourse."
"We do allow allegations of mental illness or abnormality when based on gender or sexual orientation, given political and religious discourse about transgenderism and homosexuality and common non-serious usage of words like 'weird,'" wrote Meta.
The American Psychological Association (APA) is clear that being transgender or same-sex attracted are not mental disorders, as neither cause significant distress or disability. Each was removed from the APA's official list of mental illnesses in 2012 and 1973 respectively. In fact, the APA notes that it is discrimination and lack of acceptance in society which can lead to transgender people suffering from the actual mental disorders of anxiety and depression.
Such harmful ostracisation may often be expressed as, for example, allegations of mental illness or abnormality based on gender or sexual orientation.
"Despite the persistence of stereotypes that portray lesbian, gay, and bisexual people as disturbed, several decades of research and clinical experience have led all mainstream medical and mental health organizations in this country to conclude that these orientations represent normal forms of human experience," the APA states.
Meta's amended Hateful Conduct policy also explicitly allows content arguing that sexual orientation should preclude people from working in the military, law enforcement, or teaching, provided such arguments are based upon religious beliefs. Though at least there is such a caveat. Meta demands no such religious justification for the same discriminatory arguments based on gender.
Sarah Kate Ellis, President and CEO of LGBTQ advocacy organisation GLAAD, has stated that Meta's changes have given a "green light for people to target LGBTQ people, women, immigrants, and other marginalized groups with violence, vitriol, and dehumanizing narratives."
"With these changes, Meta is continuing to normalize anti-LGBTQ hatred for profit — at the expense of its users and true freedom of expression," said Ellis. "Fact-checking and hate speech policies protect free speech."
Meta declined to comment when reached by Mashable, nor advise whether it had consulted with any advocacy groups prior to amending its policy.
Meta aligns itself more closely with Trump in lead-up to inauguration View on ThreadsThese changes coincide with Meta's decision to eliminate fact-checkers and replace them with a Community Notes system. Zuckerberg claimed that fact-checkers have become "too politically biased," and that "what started as a movement to be more inclusive has increasingly been used to shut down opinions and shut out people with different ideas."
As noted above, many such opinions are actively harmful and have no basis in fact. Even so, Meta seems determined to platform such content, with Chief Global Affairs Officer Joel Kaplan stating in a blog post that they have been "limiting legitimate political debate and censoring too much trivial content and subjecting too many people to frustrating enforcement actions."
It appears that in Meta's estimation, subjecting users to enforcement of a conduct policy is less acceptable than subjecting them to dehumanisation.
"We’re getting rid of a number of restrictions on topics like immigration, gender identity and gender that are the subject of frequent political discourse and debate," wrote Kaplan. "It’s not right that things can be said on TV or the floor of Congress, but not on our platforms."
Some would argue that this is more an indictment on the state of Congress than justification for more divisive, harmful content on social media. But with highly divisive Republican leader Donald Trump resuming office as the U.S. President in less than two weeks, it benefits Meta to loosen its Hateful Conduct policy and try working its way into his good graces.
"The recent elections also feel like a cultural tipping point toward once again prioritising speech," said Zuckerberg. "So we're going to get back to our roots and focus on reducing mistakes, simplifying our policies, and restoring free expression on our platforms."
It seems reasonable to speculate that the changes to Meta's policy may also be designed to preempt a few moderation headaches. The issue of moderation was a significant topic of debate during Trump's first term, with elected officials often making statements on social media which fell afoul of the platforms' policies. Trump himself has frequently been accused of inciting violence by posting divisive rhetoric. Even so, Meta only took the step of suspending then-President Trump from Facebook and Instagram after the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol, eventually lifting his ban two years later when he was no longer in office.
Meta has been attempting to endear itself to Trump in the lead-up to his second inauguration on Jan. 20. Zuckerberg dined with the president-elect late last year, the tech giant since confirming that it had donated $1 million to Trump's inaugural fund. This Monday Meta announced that three new members had been elected to its board of directors — including Dana White, Ultimate Fighting Champion (UFC) CEO and long-time friend and supporter of Trump.
"[Meta will] Work with President Trump to push back against foreign governments going after American companies to censor more," Zuckerburg declared Tuesday on Threads. "The US has the strongest constitutional protections for free expression in the world and the best way to defend against the trend of government overreach on censorship is with the support of the US government."
Zuckerburg further announced that Meta is moving its trust and safety and content moderation teams out of California, with U.S. content review now to be performed in Texas. The CEO claimed that "this will help remove the concern that biased employees are overly censoring content," though did not explain why he apparently believes that people in Texas are less biased than people in California.
UPDATE: Jan. 8, 2025, 8:53 p.m. AEDT This article has been updated with Meta's response to Mashable.
CES loves a flying car, doesn't it?
At this year's consumer tech showcase, we took a look at Xpeng Aero HT's Land Aircraft Carrier, and got inside the cockpit of the company's modular eVTOL (that's electric Vertical Take-Off and Landing for the uninitiated). An electric vehicle that's equally at home cruising the highway or soaring through the sky? Groundbreaking, sure — but also peak CES.
SEE ALSO: CES 2025 highlights: What we've seen so farLet’s clear one thing up: the massive, six-wheeled EV isn't technically a flying car. Xpeng's so-called "Mothership"— a minivan-like vehicle that gives off strong Cybertruck vibes — doesn't leave the ground. What it does do, though, is carry a two-seater eVTOL aircraft that actually takes to the skies. Still, it's undeniably cool. After chatting with co-founder and CEO Wang Tan, it’s obvious that Xpeng is all-in on its mission to give drivers the "freedom to fly."
Behold, the "Mothership" that holds the eVTOL. Credit: Emmett Smith / Mashable And it's open! Credit: Emmett Smith / MashableBecause the Mothership is a near-final prototype, we couldn't take a proper peek inside. But we did get to sit in the two-person aircraft itself, where Tan walked us through the basics. Xpeng's goal is to make flying as simple as possible. The controls are minimal — a one-handed joystick for maneuvering, automated flight systems for short, self-guided trips, and backup button controls conveniently placed on the center console.
Xpeng Aero HT's modular eVTOL seen at CES. Credit: Emmett Smith / MashableBut before you start dreaming of zipping through city skylines, pump the brakes. Xpeng envisions the eVTOL as more of a recreational escape, far from crowded urban spaces. And let’s be real—most drivers can barely handle two dimensions, let alone three. Oh, and you’ll need a Light Sport Aircraft license too.
The Mothership and eVTOL combo boasts a combined range of 1,000 kilometers — just over 620 miles. But here’s the kicker: the EV isn't just a ride; it's a mobile charging station for the eVTOL. Together, they form Xpeng's ambitious "phase 1" in the quest to make personal flight a reality. Phase 2? A car that actually flies.
So far, Xpeng claims over 3,000 intent orders and plans to start shipping in China by 2026. As for the price tag? Brace yourself — the Land Aircraft Carrier is expected to land somewhere around $300,000.
Hey, nobody ever said the future is cheap.
Mashable is on the ground live at CES 2025! We’re covering all the wildest and most important developments this week, so please keep checking back in with us. Want to submit a product you represent for our teams’ consideration as we identify the Best of CES? Here’s more info on how to do it.
TL;DR: Get a lifetime license for Windows 11 Pro on your PC for just £16 (reg. £159.49) through 12 January — an 89% discount.
Opens in a new window Credit: Retail King Microsoft Windows 11 Pro: Lifetime license £16.00Did you hear? Microsoft gave their latest and greatest operating system, Windows 11 Pro, an all-new 2024 feature update — enhancing Copilot AI, speeding up the platform code, and improving phone integrations. If you’ve been holding off on upgrading, now might be the time.
In this new year, new PC deal, you can upgrade to Windows 11 Pro for just £16. As an added bonus, each purchase gives you a license for two PCs.
What’s inside Microsoft’s OS updateMany people upgrade simply to get the new user design. Windows 11 looks much more futuristic than other versions, with new app icons, rounded corners, and an improved bottom taskbar. It almost looks like macOS.
You also get Copilot, the AI-powered assistant, fully integrated. This AI uses a custom version of GPT-4, so it’s like getting the paid version of ChatGPT included on your PC for help answering questions or getting help with basic tasks. It can even summarise web pages or change computer settings for you.
Unique features not found on the Home versionYou’re getting Windows 11 Pro, not Windows 11 Home, which is free for most users. This means you get extra features:
BitLocker device encryption: Keeps your data safe by encrypting your drive, so your files stay private if your device is lost or stolen.
Remote desktop access: Access your PC from anywhere, letting you work remotely on files and software.
Azure AD: Securely manage app and file access across devices.
Hyper-V: Run virtual machines to test software safely without affecting your main system.
Install Windows 11 Pro for £16 (reg. £159.49) before this price drop ends on 12 January at 11:59 p.m. PT.
StackSocial prices subject to change.
TL;DR: Unblock porn sites like xHamster with a VPN. The best service for unblocking porn sites is ExpressVPN.
The online world might seem like a open place that you can freely navigate, but it's actually full of restrictions. These can be frustrating, but there is something you can do to protect your online freedom.
There will be many locations around the world that will restrict your access to certain sites, including porn sites like xHamster. But all is not lost. If you're looking for the best way to unblock porn sites like xHamster from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.
How to unblock xHamster for freeVPNs can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure servers in other locations. This process bypasses geo-restrictions to secure access to porn sites like xHamster from anywhere in the world. It sounds complicated, but it's really not.
Unblock xHamster by following these simple steps:
Sign up for a VPN (like ExpressVPN)
Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)
Open up the app and connect to a server in a location that supports access to xHamster
Access xHamster from anywhere in the world
The best VPNs for unblocking porn sites are not free, but most do offer free trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can unblock porn sites and then recover your investment at a later date. This obviously isn't a long-term solution, but it works well if you're traveling to a location without access to your favorite sites.
What is the best VPN for porn?ExpressVPN is the top choice when it comes to unblocking porn sites like xHamster, for a number of reasons:
Servers in 105 countries
Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more
Strict no-logging policy
Fast streaming speeds free from throttling
Up to eight simultaneous connections
30-day money-back guarantee
A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee.
Unblock xHamster for free with ExpressVPN.
Oh hey there! If you're here, it must be time for Wordle. As always, we're serving up our daily hints and tips to help you figure out today's answer.
If you just want to be told today's word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for today's Wordle solution revealed. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.
SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable SEE ALSO: NYT Connections today: Hints and answers for January 8 Where did Wordle come from?Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once.
Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing.
What's the best Wordle starting word?The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be strategic in your approach, we have a few ideas to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N.
What happened to the Wordle archive?The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles was originally available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it, but it was later taken down, with the website's creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times. However, the New York Times then rolled out its own Wordle Archive, available only to NYT Games subscribers.
Is Wordle getting harder?It might feel like Wordle is getting harder, but it actually isn't any more difficult than when it first began. You can turn on Wordle's Hard Mode if you're after more of a challenge, though.
SEE ALSO: NYT's The Mini crossword answers for January 8, 2025 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:An early version of something written.
Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?No letters appear twice.
Today's Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with...Today's Wordle starts with the letter D.
SEE ALSO: Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL. The Wordle answer today is...Get your last guesses in now, because it's your final chance to solve today's Wordle before we reveal the solution.
Drumroll please!
The solution to today's Wordle is...
DRAFT.
Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be a new Wordle for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.
Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.
SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for January 8Reporting by Chance Townsend, Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.
If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Wordle.
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.
Tweet may have been deletedEach 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.
Tweet may have been deletedPlayers 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's The Mini crossword answers for January 8 Here's a hint for today's Connections categoriesWant a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:
Yellow: A part
Green: Noisemaker assistants
Blue: Gentle giants
Purple: A loud category
Need a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:
Yellow: Section
Green: Accessories for playing an instrument
Blue: Distinctive features of an elephant
Purple: Words misspelled in Nu Metal band names
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 #577 is...
What is the answer to Connections todaySection: BRANCH, DIVISION, LIMB, WING
Accessories for playing an instrument: BOW, DRUMSTICK, MALLET, PICK
Distinctive features of an elephant: EAR, MEMORY, TRUNK, TUSK
Words misspelled in Nu Metal band names: BISCUIT, CORN, LINCOLN, STAINED
Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be new Connections for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.
SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for January 8Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.
If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Connections.
Connections: Sports Edition is a new 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. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.
Tweet may have been deletedEach 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.
Tweet may have been deletedPlayers 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.
Here's a hint for today's Connections Sports Edition categoriesWant a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:
Yellow: Slow run
Green: Results at the plate
Blue: They protect the net in U.S. soccer
Purple: Share the same first word
Need a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:
Yellow: Move at a slow pace
Green: Outcomes in an at-bat
Blue: U.S. soccer goalkeepers
Purple: Hand _______
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 #107 is...
What is the answer to Connections Sports Edition todayMove at a slow pace - AMBLE, JOG, LOPE, TROT
Outcomes in an at-bat - FIELDER'S CHOICE, HIT, STRIKEOUT, WALK
U.S. soccer goalkeepers - HOWARD, NAEHER, SCURRY, SOLO
Hand _____ - BALL, OFF, SHAKE, SPRING
Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be new Connections for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.
Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.
If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Connections.
If you're reading this, you're looking for a little help playing Strands, the New York Times' elevated word-search game.
Strands 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 MashableBy 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 January 8 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for January 8 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Time for an upgradeThese words are used to describe parts of your kitchen.
Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explainedWords are things you might upgrade in your kitchen.
NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?Today's NYT Strands spangram is horizontal.
NYT Strands spangram answer todayToday's spangram is KitchenRemodel.
Featured Video For You Strands 101: How to win NYT’s latest word game NYT Strands word list for January 8Backsplash
Countertop
Island
Sink
Oven
KitchenRemodel
Looking for other daily online games? Mashable's Games page has more hints, and if you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now!
Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Strands.
Sony and Honda are betting big on the AFEELA 1, the sleek new electric vehicle five years in the making that's turning heads at CES 2025. Not only did Sony Honda Mobility (SHM) spill the tea on pre-order details — and its jaw-dropping price tag— on Monday but the company's also letting attendees get a first taste of life inside this futuristic ride.
We scored a seat inside the AFEELA 1 Signature, the top-tier trim of the lineup that clocks in a massive $102,000. But don't let the sticker shock scare you off just yet — this EV is loaded with bells, whistles, and cutting-edge tech designed to make that price feel (almost) reasonable.
SEE ALSO: CES 2025 live updates: Here's what we know, from Nvidia to John Deere announcementsOne of the first things you’ll notice about the AFEELA? No door handles. It's a flex we've been seeing a lot in the EV world over the last few years, and SHM is fully on board. Instead of traditional handles, you're supposed to unlock the car through the AFEELA app on your phone. However, because the Las Vegas Convention Center WiFi was a mess, our guide had to go old-school — pressing a tiny button in the top corner to pop the door open manually. You can also just tap your phone to the door to open it as well.
Hilariously, someone at the briefing pointed out that the LiDAR cameras perched on top of the AFEELA are styled like cat ears. Yes, cat ears. It's oddly charming, and honestly? It kind of works.
Featured Video For You I Tried Xreal’s New One Pro AR Glasses at CESStep inside, though, and the vibe shifts from playful to premium. The interior is where SHM really flexes its vision for the AFEELA brand. The joint company's big mission has been to "redefine the relationship between humans and mobility," and it's doubled down on creating an interior that feels more like an immersive sanctuary than a car. It's all about the experience —and SHM's not holding back.
We're talking a full-panoramic touchscreen display that stretches across the entire dashboard, ambient lighting along the door trims, OLED screens mounted on the back of every seat, and —wait for it — a Sony PlayStation 5 controller, which you can use with PlayStation Remote Play to play video games in the car. (Yes, according to one of the PR reps, the controller does come with the car.) The touchscreen itself can switch between themes (like one inspired by Sucker Punch's Sony game Ghost of Tsushima), and nestled on the corners of the driver and passenger seats are displays showing real-time camera views from the rearview mirror.
AFEELA does not come with a traditional hood ornament. Instead it features a customizable LED display. Credit: Mashable / Chance TownsendThe whole setup is undeniably extra, and it only gets wilder. The car boasts a sound system so loud it might actually qualify as a health hazard, which the rep used to blast music and — get this — screen an episode of Solo Leveling on Crunchyroll. I wish I was making that up. As if that weren't enough, the AFEELA is loaded with apps no one asked for but somehow make sense in modern EV universes. Zoom for your next web chat? Sure, why not — Teslas have it too. TikTok and YouTube? Of course. It's becoming standard, we guess. Because if you're already succumbing to brain rot, you might as well do it in style.
The car boasts a sound system so loud it might actually qualify as a health hazard...There's also an AI assistant that SHM says it wants to function as a friend to drivers, which is why is called an "AI Agent" and not an assistant. Unfortunately, AFEELA’s "friendliness" wasn’t on full display during our demo, thanks to its shy streak (read: the convention center WiFi was seemingly on strike by this point). So, for now, we’ll have to take SHM’s word for it.
We didn't get to see the AFEELA in motion — which, fair enough, given the general chaos of CES — but SHM wasn't shy about hyping up its Full Self-Driving capabilities. The car is currently rated at Level 2+ (out of 6) on SAE International's levels of driving automation, which means semi-automated driving with some driver intervention is still required. Ambitious as ever, SHM says it's aiming for Level 4 — High Driving Automation — where the car would basically drive itself without human help. But let's be real, that dream is still stuck in development purgatory and not ready for prime time — Mercedes-Benz beat Tesla to become the first to sell Level 3 autonomous cars in the U.S. in April 2024; Level 4 is still the horizon.
All things considered, the first look at the AFEELA 1 Signature was thrilling, even for someone who neither drives nor has a snowball's chance of affording one. For now, pre-orders are only open to California drivers, with SHM citing the state's superior EV infrastructure as the reason.
On the CES floor, SHM showed off the AFEELA 1 Signature, retailing for a cool $102,900, while its slightly less bougie sibling, the AFEELA 1 Origin, will go for $89,900. The Signature is slated to ship in mid-2026, while the Origin lags behind with a 2027 release.
There are a slew of AR glasses, VR headsets, and other high tech eyewear at CES 2025. Almost every device has some sort of AI implementation or camera embedded into the glasses, which provides the users with an array of capabilities – probably more than they would ever intend to use on a regular basis.
But, the keyword here is "almost." And that's because of Chamelo Eyewear, a smart glasses company that's focusing on practicality.
SEE ALSO: CES 2025 highlights: What we've seen so farChamelo brought a number of its latest products to CES, but all of the company's smart glasses focus on one main feature: Changing the tint on your sunglasses.
Also at CES was Chamelo's Chief Brand Officer, former New York Knicks player and two-time NBA All-Star Stephon Marbury. Unlike some other celebrity endorsements or collaborations, you can tell Marbury really uses Chamelo glasses. As you can see in our video interview above, Marbury broke down how Chamelo smart glasses work and their use cases with the passion and knowledge of a startup founder.
Chamelo offers your standard sunglasses, smart glasses for athletes, and its latest prescription lenses product Aura Rx. There's no camera screen, no audio recording, no fancy AI capabilities. The smart glasses can simply adjust the level of tint and the color of your smart glass lenses with the push of a button. Anyone who regularly wears glasses will actually use these tint features for everyday practical use.
The company also has an audio version of its product called the Music Shield, which simply adds an audio speaker to Chamelo's tint-changing glasses. Only the individual wearing the glasses can hear the music being pumped out of the handles.
This feature appeared to work well when Mashable tried it out on CES' showroom floor. Though Chamelo's glasses were playing music, I couldn't hear it until I placed the device on my head. Similarly, I couldn't hear the music playing on the pair Marbury was wearing either. The showroom floor is admittedly a loud environment, so it may have been difficult to pick up any sound leakage, but if there was any it seemed minor.
At an event where many companies try to outdo others with complex, never-before-seen features, it's good to see companies like Chamelo focus on the practical use-cases for their products.
Mashable is on the ground live at CES 2025! We’re covering all the wildest and most important developments this week, so please keep checking back in with us. Want to submit a product you represent for our teams’ consideration as we identify the Best of CES? Here’s more info on how to do it.
Self-driving cars are one thing. At this point, we've been there, seen that.
But, driverless tractors are a whole other thing entirely.
You may not think of John Deere, best known for manufacturing farming and other agricultural equipment when you think of the Consumer Electronics Show. But, John Deere has been leading the charge when it comes to technological advancements in the farm, construction, and other heavy machinery industries.
At CES 2025, John Deere delivered another set of innovations in the space: A fleet of autonomous vehicles.
While you can check out the John Deere CES 2025 press conference in full here, Mashable went over to the John Deere booth to check out John Deere's "autonomy journey" ourselves.
Credit: MashableJohn Deere's autonomous 9RX tractor for large-scale agriculture uses "16 individual cameras arranged in pods to enable a 360-degree view of the field," according to the company. John Deere says that its autonomous tractor can help farmers "step away from the machine and focus their time on other important jobs."
The autonomous vehicles can also help farmers with improving safety and can help manage labor shortages, according to the company.
The autonomous 5ML orchard tractor for air blast spraying features Lidar sensors to help cover the more dense areas found in orchards. The 460 P-Tier autonomous articulated dump truck (ADT) can be used to handle repetitive construction tasks found in quarry operations like transporting building material around a site, according to John Deere.
Credit: MashableThe autonomous battery electric mower can take care of mowing the lawn without an operator. It features two cameras on the front, left, right, and rear. This provides 360-degree coverage for commercial landscaping needs, according to the company.
Credit: Mashable
Mashable is on the ground live at CES 2025! We’re covering all the wildest and most important developments this week, so please keep checking back in with us. Want to submit a product you represent for our teams’ consideration as we identify the Best of CES? Here’s more info on how to do it.
"Mark, Meta, welcome to the party," said X CEO Linda Yaccarino in response to Tuesday's announcement that Meta is replacing fact-checkers with Community Notes.
In a keynote interview with journalist Catherine Herridge at CES 2025, the first thing Herridge asked about was Meta's pivot to the feature that allows users to add notes to posts that might be misleading or inaccurate.
"Think about it as this global collective consciousness, keeping each other accountable at global scale in real time. And it couldn't be more validating than to see that Mark and Meta realized that," responded Yaccarino.
"When you think about Community Notes, Mark and Meta realized that it's the most effective, fastest fact-checking, without bias... also it inspires great behavior. Human behavior is inspired because when a post is noted, it's dramatically shared less, so that's the power of Community Notes," she continued before welcoming Meta and CEO Mark Zuckerberg to the proverbial party.
Despite Yaccarino's depiction of Community Notes as a success story for X, the reality of the program is much different. A 2023 Mashable investigation found several posts with accurate Community Notes were seen by a fraction of users. A 2024 report from the Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH) came to a similar conclusion finding "74 percent of accurate community notes on U.S. election misinformation never get shown to users" and that "posts without Community Notes promoting false narratives about U.S. politics have garnered billions of views, outpacing the reach of their fact-checked counterparts by 13 times."
SEE ALSO: I read all the community notes on Elon Musk's X account. Here's what I learned.So while Community Notes may be a good idea in theory, it hasn't effectively decreased the rampant spread of misinformation and toxic content on X.
Yaccarino said she's excited for Meta's content moderation pivot, but not everyone shares that sentiment. Groups like the aforementioned CCDH, Free Press, and the Real Facebook Oversight Board have spoken out about Meta's shift, saying it's a regressive approach to content moderation and will lead to more misinformation and hateful content on the platform.
"By abandoning its fact-checking program in favor of a discredited 'community notes' system, Meta is turbocharging the spread of unchallenged online lies, worsening the spread of hate, and creating more risks to our communities, democracy, public health, and the safety of our kids," CCDH founder and CEO Imran Ahmed said in a press statement on Tuesday.
"Meta is now saying it’s up to you to spot the lies on its platforms, and that it’s not their problem if you can’t tell the difference, even if those lies, hate, or scams end up hurting you. Rather than stepping up to the challenge of responsible platform governance, Meta is retreating from accountability. This is huge step back for online safety, transparency, and accountability, and it could have terrible offline consequences in the form of real-world harm."
UPDATE: Jan. 8, 2025, 7:00 p.m. UTC Added statement from the Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH).
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