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Today's NYT Strands hints will be easy if you like music.
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 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 September 30, 2026 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: An instrumental destinationThe words are related to music.
Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explainedThese words describe where you would buy an instrument and what you might find there.
NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?Today's NYT Strands spangram is horizontal.
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NYT Strands spangram answer todayToday's spangram is music store.
NYT Strands word list for September 30Piano
Guitar
Drums
Music store
Capo
Pick
Synth
Amplifier
Meet The Mashable 101: Our list of the content creators shaping the internet today
Looking for other daily online games? Mashable's Games page has more hints, and if you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now!
Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Strands.
Today's Wordle answer should be easy to solve if you like water.
If you just want to be told today's word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for today's Wordle solution revealed. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.
SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for September 30, 2026 Where did Wordle come from?Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once.
Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing.
What's the best Wordle starting word?The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be strategic in your approach, we have a few ideas to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N.
What happened to the Wordle archive?The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles was originally available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it, but it was later taken down, with the website's creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times. However, the New York Times then rolled out its own Wordle Archive, available only to NYT Games subscribers.
Is Wordle getting harder?It might feel like Wordle is getting harder, but it actually isn't any more difficult than when it first began. You can turn on Wordle's Hard Mode if you're after more of a challenge, though.
Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:Something that flows.
Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?The letter R appears twice.
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.
Today's Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with...Today's Wordle starts with the letter R.
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...
RIVER
Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be a new Wordle for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.
Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.
Reporting by Chance Townsend, Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.
Meet The Mashable 101: Our list of the content creators shaping the internet today
If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Wordle.
The Swan: Behind The Mirror is now streaming on Hulu. And if you needed to pause this reality-TV documentary for a rage break, you're not alone. Like Reality Check: America's Next Top Model, this critical look-back on a pop culture low point is full of jaw-droppingly outrageous revelations that demand a breather. And hey, we're here to breathe with you!
Celebrated documentarian Erin Lee Carr built her reputation exploring the complexities of controversial (and criminal) figures in films like Thought Crimes: The Case of the Cannibal Cop, Mommy Dead & Dearest, and I Love You, Now Die: The Commonwealth V. Michelle Carter. However, she's more recently explored where investigation and pop culture collide in Britney v. Spears, Fanatical: The Catfishing of Tegan and Sara, and The Swan: Behind the Mirror.
With her latest, Carr ushers audiences back to 2004, when Fox debuted The Swan, a new reality competition show that promised its subjects the chance to change their lives through 90 days of dieting, exercise, therapy, and free plastic surgery. However, few who signed on were prepared for the emotional manipulation producers would employ to ensure TV from which audiences couldn't look away.
For The Swan: Behind the Mirror, Carr sat down with 12 "swans" across the show's two seasons, as well as some of the series' producers, personal trainers, and Dr. Randal Haworth, an outspoken plastic surgeon who has plenty of wild takes across this new doc.
There's plenty of WTF reveals in this electrifying documentary. So, let's dig in.
The Swan contestants didn't know about the pageant when they signed on. Cindy in "The Swan: Behind the Mirror." Credit: HuluCreator and executive producer Nely Galán proposed The Swan as a makeover show that would allow average women to radically change their appearances, with the promise of a new and improved life. The participants — known as swans — were promised an expense-free overhaul that would include personal trainers, therapy sessions, dental surgery, and cosmetic surgery. However, the swans weren't told in advance about the pageant that would become the show's finale.
That idea came from Fox executive Mike Darnell, who senior producer Carl Buehl says described The Swan as a show where "We're going to take ugly chicks and make them hot."
Galán went with the idea, presenting it as an opportunity after the Season 1 Swans had signed on. "You ladies are going to get to be in a pageant," is how Cindy from Season 1 recalls the news being "dropped [like] a bomb on us."
"The Swan promised us therapy, plastic surgery," Kelly A said. "It did not promise us a pageant."
Kristy added, "None of that was mentioned before. Yeah, we did sign up to be filmed. Yes, we did sign up to share our stories. We didn't sign up for a pageant."
Making matters worse, the reality of the pageant wasn't fully revealed until after their surgeries. Then they learned that each woman would be coupled up with another swan in their big reveal, but only one of each twosome would go onto the pageant. The others would be cut from the show and sent home. This meant the sisterhood forming behind the scenes was threatened by a climactic competition.
Beth said of this, "These women were the ones who were supporting you after you had surgery. They were emotionally the ones available that were there for you. And then all of a sudden, it's my competition?"
Kristy reflected on the competition reveal, saying, "I don't know what fresh hell you live in where you think it's okay to bring these women into program under the guise that you're giving them the gift of a lifetime, and then immediately pit them against the very women that they bonded with this whole time to go to your backwoods beauty pageant. They didn't look at us and see us. They saw dollar signs."
Spoilers: These women would not be defined by the producers or brought down by The Swan. While there will be a lot of lows, tears, and shocking reveals along the way, The Swan: Behind the Mirror is ultimately about how these women came together to become a flock that continues to support each other. ("Flock around and find out, bitch!")
Swans felt powerless to say no. Tawyna in "The Swan: Behind the Mirror." Credit: HuluThis is a recurring revelation in The Swan: Behind the Mirror. First there was the pageant surprise. Then, when it came to consultations with the plastic surgeons, Tawnya recalled declining facial procedures and hearing from the other swans, "I didn't know you could say no."
The threat — said or implied — was that saying "no" meant being sent home.
Archival footage of The Swan reminds viewers how plastic surgeons, Dr. Randal Haworth and Dr. Terry Dubrow, pressured the women to get specific surgeries, including tummy tucks. Producer Jenna Baker confirmed the pressures applied, saying in her interview with Carr, "I'd say women had maybe 1% say over what procedures they had."
From there, the swans healed in isolation, leaning on each other, as the producers provided sparse medical aftercare and kept the contestants away from their friends and family for the 90-day production period. They were also pressured to get back in the gym, while still healing from surgeries. ("I can't control stupidity or stubborness," Haworth said of these workouts.)
Dr. Randal Haworth compares women to toilets, his dog, and victims. Dr. Randal Haworth in "The Swan: Behind the Mirror." Credit: HuluSpeaking about how he helped cast wannabe swans, Haworth told Carr, "They wanted to know who would make good TV — not in terms of their backstory. I'm just looking at their face. And my goal was as a plumber, can I perform early hyperaesthetic surgery on these people?"
Carr then interrupts him to note that plumber is a "weird" analogy, because "you're literally talking about toilets and women."
To this, Haworth responds, "That was unintended." He admits from there, he was searching for "drama" when it came to these physical transformations.
Later, he says, "[Getting a dog was] the only good thing that came out of my second marriage" because it taught him empathy. Getting a dog taught him empathy. Not his first marriage, or his second. "[My dog] taught me a lot about humans and how to be more empathetic."
But perhaps the most infuriating thing Haworth says in The Swan: Behind the Mirror occurs when he's confronted about how some swans feel harmed by the experience. To this, Haworth says, "There are no victims in life, there are only volunteers."
This callous statement ignores how the show was misrepresented to its participants.
The Swan's crew was trying to make the women cry on camera. Dore in "The Swan: Behind the Mirror." Credit: HuluThis might not seem like news nowadays, as audiences are more aware of how reality TV producers manipulate participants. However, military veteran Dore's story is a horrid example of such manipulation.
Producer Jenna Baker confirmed the "money shot" was "getting a swan to cry." For Dore, this meant that after surgery, a cameraman poked at an emotional wound. While she was looking at photos of her newborn nephew, he said, "So how does it feel that everybody else can have kids, and you can't have any?"
Dore retreated to the bathroom to escape the cameras. "It was despicable," she said of their tactics.
"These women were treated like a storyline, not like people," Baker reflected.
"I almost died for reality television."As featured in the film's opening and trailer, Season 2 swan Kari recalled a medical emergency during her surgery, though she still doesn't know exactly what happened.
Sitting alongside her sister Gina, she told Carr that a nurse who cared for her said the pain in her ribs suggested she had received chest compressions, which could mean her heart stopped on the table.
Dr. Randal Haworth has nude photos of The Swan Season 2 participants. Sisters, Kari and Gina, in "The Swan: Behind the Mirror." Credit: HuluAnd the consent around the taking of these photos is debatable at best.
Amy from Season 2 says she and other participants were brought into a garage at Dr. Haworth's office and photographed nude against a white backdrop. Several women expressed how they felt uncomfortable in the scenario. Kari recalled that no cameras from The Swan production were present, but her understanding was "if you don't do this, you go home."
Asked about this photo shoot, Haworth confirmed to Carr that it happened. "Thank you for reminding me," he told Carr. "I was working with Dah Len, who's a top photographer. He worked with Madonna. And we asked the girls if they would want to do before and after [shots]...for a big coffee table book that never saw the light of day."
Asked if the women consented to be photographed, he insisted they did. But Amy says that's not how she was approached about the shoot, and Kari expressed surprise about the supposed "super artsy" book — as Haworth put it.
"I still have those pictures," he noted. "It was an art project."
The Swan: Behind the Mirror is now streaming on Hulu. Look for more about the doc in the Oct. 2 episode of Say More, featuring documentarian Erin Lee Carr.
American Airlines just debuted a new feature on its app that makes it easier to snag your preferred seat (window, aisle, or even middle) — but there is no shortage of caveats.
The new feature allows flyers to select their seat characteristics after booking, so they don’t have to constantly check a cabin map. Should a flyer’s desired seat be unavailable at the time of booking but later open due to cancellations or others’ seat changes, the app will move the flyer into an eligible seat matching their preferences, free of charge.
SEE ALSO: American Airlines briefly grounded in U.S. by IT issueOpen your reservation in the app, scroll down to Trip options, then tap the Automatic Seat Change option and select your preference.
The feature's restrictions:Flyers must be AAdvantage members for access
Flyers must be on single-passenger reservations with an assigned seat
Flyers will not be moved to available seats in different cabins
Automatic seat changes stop 24 hours before departure
The Automatic Seat Change option is a boon for those very partial to a particular seat type. For those who put a lot of weight on which row they’re in, it’s not so great, as the app will move you around the cabin wherever your desired seat type becomes available (well, except to First or Business Class). You can at least ask it to stick to seats closer to the front or bulkhead seats.
American AI AirlinesThe app feature is a product of American’s ADEPT initiative, which utilizes AI tools and is "designed to recruit and develop early-career technology talent."
"Rather than starting with a technology and searching for a use, the team started with a known point of friction and designed the capability around the outcome that mattered most: making travel easier for the customer," according to an American Airlines statement.
America has a new generative AI chatbot. Well, not really, but President Trump is pushing for citizens to stop clicking through government websites and just ask a chatbot.
On Tuesday, the White House launched a revamped America.gov, an AI-powered portal meant to be a single front door to the federal government. Trump signed an executive order establishing America.gov during the event, describing the site as "a restoration of America's founding promise."
It works like most AI chatbots. You enter a query (strictly related to the federal government), and the chatbot searches it up. According to the site, America.gov searches information across roughly 29,000 government websites and returns answers based on official federal sources.
Ask America.gov what powers it has, and you won't get far. When Mashable asked which language models it runs on, the chatbot replied: "I do not publish which language models power America." (Yes, it calls itself "America.")
U.S. Chief Design Officer Joe Gebbia was more forthcoming on TV. He told CNBC's "Squawk Box" that the site is powered by artificial intelligence from Google's Gemini and Elon Musk's Grok.
How does America work?While an ambitious search engine, there's not much you can do with it. The site's About page describes the launch as Phase 1, focused on making it faster to access government information. Phase 2 is slated for 2027 and will add the ability to apply, enroll and track progress directly in the chat. Every answer, the site says, links back to the official government page it came from.
Credit: Mashable screenshotThe administration plans to expand the tool so people can begin or complete tasks such as renewing passports, enrolling in Medicare, checking student-loan information and reserving federal campsites. The site also says it will eventually help users find federal jobs, and a mobile app is on the roadmap. Those features are all promised for next year.
For now, the site advertises a handful of features:
Answers in English, Spanish, or French.
Voice input through a microphone icon.
Step-by-step guidance on tasks like passport renewals.
Help reading government documents. Users can upload a PDF of a form or letter, and the site says personal information will be automatically removed.
Naturally, one might have privacy concerns with a Trump-admin-backed AI chatbot. The site's "Why you can trust" section on the About page says it doesn't retain conversations, though some answers may be cached for up to 2 hours. Additionally, you don't need an account, and it says that it doesn't save names or IP addresses.
Those privacy features are well and good. How safe the website will be when users can eventually input personal, identifiable information for passport and medicare applications remains to be seen. The Guardian found in June that sites already deployed by the team behind America.gov were using commercial tools to track user behavior and data. Those tools did not appear to comply with the Privacy Act.
What is America?Speaking of who designed the website, America.gov is the flagship product of the National Design Studio (NDS). The studio was created by Executive Order 14338, which Trump signed on Aug. 21, 2025, to redesign how the public interacts with government online. The site itself is operated by the General Services Administration (GSA), the agency that handles much of the federal government's technology.
Both organizations have deep ties to Elon Musk's controversial "Department of Government Efficiency." That endeavor was quietly dissolved in May after Musk departed the executive office during a feud with Trump.
The GSA was one of DOGE's earliest and hardest-hit targets. The agency dismissed more than 1,000 employees and set a goal of cutting staff by 63 percent in its Public Buildings Service division. DOGE also shut down 18F, a technology consulting unit within the GSA. Ironically, 18F was a team of government technologists focused on making federal websites easier to use.
AI chatbots have been part of the GSA's story ever since. In early 2025, DOGE rolled out a custom AI-powered chatbot, GSAi, to around 1,500 government workers as it continued to slash the federal workforce. One employee at the time told WIRED the tool gave "generic and guessable answers."
NDS, meanwhile, has become what WIRED called a landing pad for DOGE veterans. The studio is led by Gebbia, the Airbnb cofounder and longtime Musk associate who joined DOGE in February 2025. Like DOGE, it sits inside the Executive Office of the President.
According to WIRED, NDS's head of engineering is Edward Coristine, the DOGE staffer known as "Big Balls," who was 19 when he joined the government. Akash Bobba, another young engineer from DOGE's early core, moved over as well. WIRED also reported that NDS jobs don't appear on USAJobs, the federal government's hiring portal.
One engineer interviewed by Coristine told WIRED the process felt like it had no real structure. According to the engineer, Coristine pitched the job as a search for "hardcore engineers who can ship." At the time, the engineer said, Coristine told them the roughly 30-person NDS team didn't include a machine-learning engineer.
What can America talk about?The administration says Americans can trust America because every answer comes "straight from the source." But on its first day, the answers tend to avoid anything politically inconvenient.
In Mashable's testing, it declined to answer questions that weren't directly related to federal government topics.
When Mashable asked who won the 2020 election, the chatbot said Joe Biden did. When asked whether Trump is in the Epstein files, the answer was yes. PBS NewsHour got the same results, finding that the site confirmed Trump's name is in the Epstein files and that Biden beat him in 2020. Appearing in the files is not itself evidence of wrongdoing, and Trump has denied any. The chatbot declined to comment on the U.S. stance on Israel and Palestine.
What utter woke nonsense. Credit: Mashable screenshotThe AP notes that when Trump spoke at the launch event on Tuesday, the site was changing its answers. When asked again by the AP about the 2020 election, America replied that it couldn't answer "political questions."
PBS News wrote that America said Barack Obama's 2009 inauguration drew more people than Trump's first inauguration in 2017. On the election question, Mashable can confirm that the America chatbot still says Biden won the 2020 election. Regarding the inauguration attendance claim, America told Mashable that Obama drew 1.8 million people to his 2009 swearing-in, but would not provide an attendance figure for either of Trump's. "Trump’s January 20, 2025, swearing-in was held in the Capitol Rotunda, not on the Mall, so it is not comparable as an outdoor crowd," the chatbot said.
On abortion, the chatbot gave a detailed response pertaining to laws in Texas. When asked for websites to access abortion drugs — legal to mail to Texas under its "shield laws" — the chatbot refused, stating that it can't give legal advice.
With Phase 2 set to launch in 2027, the America chatbot's ambitions include handling Americans' personal information and documents, such as Social Security numbers and birth certificates, to help them apply for passports and medical care. Whether Americans hand that information to a chatbot built by DOGE alumni and powered in part by Musk's AI may depend on who they trust to run it.
TL;DR: Get a one-year Autodesk AutoCAD subscription for $338.97 (reg. $2,095) through Sept. 29. That’s a savings of more than $1,700.
Opens in a new window Credit: Autodesk Autodesk AutoCAD: 1-Year Subscription $338.97AutoCAD doesn’t usually come cheap, which is why this flash sale is worth a look. For a limited time, a one-year subscription costs $338.97 (reg. $2,095). At 83% off, it’s a lot easier to justify, whether you’re a working architect, an engineering student, or someone who finally wants to draft that deck addition properly.
AutoCAD does both precise 2D drafting and 3D modeling. You get professional tools for dimensions, annotations, layers, and layouts, plus solid, surface, and mesh modeling for product, architecture, and engineering work. Native DWG support means you can open, edit, and share the file format most CAD teams already use.
SEE ALSO: 30+ early October Prime Day deals: We found live offers on Apple, Nintendo, and Garmin this weekendThe newer AI features are where it gets interesting. Smart Blocks detect, create, and replace reusable blocks, so you’re not redrawing the same elements over and over. Markup Assist interprets markups, and Activity Insights tracks drawing history. Both help when several people are revising the same project.
What else is included?
Specialized toolsets for architecture, mechanical, electrical, MEP, Plant 3D, Map 3D, and Raster Design
AutoLISP, scripts, APIs, and macros for automating repetitive tasks
Cloud collaboration through Autodesk Docs
Customizable tool palettes, workspaces, templates, and shortcuts
There are a few things to know before you buy.
This is a one-year subscription, not lifetime access, and it covers one device. It runs on Windows 10 and 11, and on Macs with macOS Ventura, Sonoma or Sequoia, so check the full system requirements first. It’s open to new and existing Autodesk users, and you’ll need to redeem your code within 30 days of purchase.
Get a one-year Autodesk AutoCAD subscription for $338.97 (reg. $2,095) through Sept. 29.
StackSocial prices subject to change.
First Meta gave us Jolly. Now, OpenAI is letting you name your own little AI guy.
Less than a week after Meta introduced the cheerful mascot for its Muse AI assistant, OpenAI introduced Dots at its 2026 DevDay conference. Dots is an always-on AI agent represented by your choice of various colorful little characters.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed."Dots are frontier intelligence that have your back," OpenAI wrote in its announcement. "Powered by GPT‑6 Astra, they have their own cloud computer, learn from feedback over time, and can work towards your goals 24/7."
SEE ALSO: OpenAI introduces Dots, a new always-on AI agent, at Dev Day 2026 Meet the little guys doing the big jobs Credit: OpenAIOpenAI’s launch materials show Dots in pink, blue, green, yellow, and purple, with different appearances. One dot wears glasses, while another headphones, and another a bow-tie. The examples are named Iggy, Felipe, Todd, Alfred, and Jojo, but you can give your own Dot whatever name you like.
The company calls Dots "an extension of you" and describes agents learning how you think and what good work looks like to you. Users can message them in ChatGPT, Slack, and Teams, or hop on a voice call.
For anyone juggling deadlines and unfinished projects, the appeal of having something that remembers the context and keeps the work moving. A familiar character gives that promise a cute face you can return to...and trust.
It also raises a question for the person connecting their accounts: How much confidence are they placing in the agent’s abilities, and how much comes from the feeling of familiarity? A name and a colorful avatar can make an interaction feel far more comfortable before a user has much experience actually judging the work.
SEE ALSO: From Clippy to Jolly: Why tech keeps putting a cute face on its products Dots still needs supervision Credit: OpenAIOpenAI says users choose which apps their Dots can access and can set rules governing when they act independently or ask for approval. Users can inspect a Dot’s computer and follow its progress. The company says background "proactive research" uses read-only tools, and certain sensitive tasks, such as changing a password, remain with the user.
"Dots can still make mistakes, so always review consequential work," OpenAI writes.
Altman and OpenAI are pulling from a familiar strategy. After all, it’s a lot easier to ask users to trust an AI agent with their life when it looks like a little guy in a beret.
Disclosure: Ziff Davis, Mashable’s parent company, in April 2025 filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in training and operating its AI systems.
Minecraft Dungeons II is now out for Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, and on Steam.
Unfortunately, based on Reddit posts and Google Search trends, some gamers trying to play the latest Minecraft action-RPG adventure are reportedly running into some issues on launch day. Specifically, error code 0064 may appear when attempting to boot up the game.
Users have speculated that it could be due to launch-day server overload or a Microsoft authentication issue. The good news? Google Search trends for the error code only spiked for a brief period of time on Sept. 29, so the issue may be resolved.
What could cause this type of error? As of now, it's unclear exactly what the cause of error 0064 is, but we can safely rule out some possibilities.
Gamers have reported the error 0064 issue across platforms, so it's likely not a bug specific to any one console.
Error 0064 is also reportedly hitting users as they attempt to sign in, so if you're already in the game, you should be safe.
However, if you're seeing the Error 0064 message, some gamers have shared that restarting the game or simply spamming the login button eventually worked for them.
Other potential fixes include logging in and out of your Microsoft account, or if you're on a PC, you can try repairing the Minecraft Launcher.
To repair the Minecraft Launcher on a Windows PC, follow these steps:
Go to Windows Search and type in Minecraft Launcher
Right-click on Minecraft Launcher when it shows up and select App Settings
Press Terminate to close the launcher and then click on the Repair option
When that's complete, reopen the Minecraft Launcher and select Minecraft Dungeons II
Users can also try uninstalling the game and reinstalling it, or contacting Minecraft Technical Support, if nothing else works.
Anthropic, one of the biggest AI companies in the world, is currently gearing up to go public. As the Claude-maker prepares for a potential blockbuster IPO later this year, Reuters has got its hands on the company's prospectus, which lays out Anthropic's financials and risks for investors.
According to the prospectus obtained by Reuters, Anthropic made $4.6 billion in revenue in 2025. That's twelve times its growth in the previous year.
But there's bad news, too: The AI company lost more than it brought in last year, Reuters reported. A lot more.
Anthropic reportedly lost a whopping $42 billion in 2025. Of that net loss, $8.06 billion was spent on operating costs in 2025, far higher than its 2024 operating costs of $2.98 billion, according to Reuters. In addition, the documents Reuters reviewed stated that compute and infrastructure costs from Anthropic's AI lab amounted to an additional $7.33 billion.
Anthropic is hardly alone in spending more than it takes in, however. In July, after pouring money into AI development, Google reported its first quarter of negative cash flow since the company went public.
The AI industry is in the midst of a massive infrastructure build-out, with an estimated trillion dollars being spent on AI data centers, energy, and other resources in 2026 alone. Axios recently reported that the industry as a whole is expected to spend $10 trillion through 2032.
So, it's hardly surprising that Reuters reported that Anthropic's capital expenditures will only balloon in the years ahead. The IPO prospectus seen by Reuters stated that the company plans to spend $518 billion on "cloud, computing and infrastructure obligations" over the next few years. To make matters even more concerning for potential investors, about 80 percent of that $518 billion is allocated to non-cancelable deals.
Anthropic is currently eyeing a public offering that would put the company at a $2 trillion valuation.
SAVE $110: As of Sept. 29, the Samsung 27-inch Odyssey G5 is available for $169.99 at Amazon. That's a 39% saving on the regular list price of $179.99.
Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung 27-Inch Odyssey G5 $169.99 at AmazonThere's no better time to stock up on gaming hardware than one of the major sale events — one of the few times you'll find discounts on top-quality gaming gear. And you don't have to wait long for the next moment to shop, as Amazon launches its October Prime Day on Oct. 6.
In fact, you don't have to wait at all because we're seeing gaming deals crop up already, including a generous discount on a Samsung monitor.
As of Sept. 29, the Samsung 27-inch Odyssey G5 is priced at $169.99. That's $110 off the regular list price of $279.99.
At 27 inches, this monitor is designed for modestly sized gaming setups. And it promises to bring that gaming space to life with plenty of visual-enhancing specs, including a QHD resolution, G-Sync compatibility for smooth gameplay, a Fast IPS panel, and an 180Hz refresh rate with a 1ms response time. It's also designed to improve your performance with its Virtual Aim Point feature — a crosshairs target that appears on the screen, allowing you to shoot with pinpoint accuracy.
If you're aiming for a gaming monitor upgrade, don't miss your chance to save $110 on the Samsung 27-inch Odyssey G5 — now priced at just $169.99 ahead of Prime Day.
The best deals this week, hand-picked by our shopping expertsApple iPhone 18 Pro — free at T-Mobile
Paramount+ — $0.99 for 2 months with code p2mcs26prem
Pokémon 30th Celebration Elite Trainer Box — $89.99 (save vs. market price)
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)
The Brick is a trendy app-blocking device that makes it easier to stay off your phone; one Mashable writer used it to cut her screen time in half. It's a rather plain little gadget that's gray and blocky — pretty brick-like, some might say — but now, you can change that.
Brick has just launched Brick Cases, some colorful snap-on shells for its eponymous device. They're priced at $39 each and sold exclusively in the U.S. through Brick's website, the company announced on Instagram Sept. 22.
View this post on InstagramThere are four Brick Case styles available, each with names that reference activities you should be doing instead of staring at a screen:
Catch Rays (butter yellow)
Unwind (brick red)
Look Up (a cloudy sky pattern)
Get Outside (a mossy green color with a grass-textured surface)
According to an FAQ on Brick's website, the Brick Case is merely an aesthetic upgrade for the Brick and doesn't change how it functions. "Swap colors and textures to match your space or your style — because Bricking is personal and now it looks like it," it reads.
Personalize your screen time companion. Credit: BrickNote that the Brick Case only works with the latest version of the Brick, not the original model. The device got a minor redesign with rounder edges and a new logo this summer. (Any Brick purchased from getbrick.com after July 30 of this year is considered an "upgraded Brick.")
The Brick contains an NFC chip that can block certain apps when you tap your phone to its surface. To "unbrick" your phone, you must tap it against the Brick again. Compared to traditional screen-time apps, "the physical limitation of the Brick adds an extra barrier," writes Mashable's Samantha Mangino, "making it especially effective at preventing you from overriding your screen time and staying truly distraction-free."
The Brick works with iPhones running iOS 17 or later and Android phones running Android 12 or newer. It's pricey for what it is at $59 — adding a case makes it almost $100 (!) — but sharing it between multiple users ups its value. Read Mangino's full review of the Brick for more.
Opens in a new window Credit: Brick Brick Case $39 at getbrick.comWhen it comes to watching sports, the playoffs are the best part of any season. That's also true for the WNBA, which kicked off with its first round on Sunday, with some star-studded Game 1 bouts. And even though the playoffs have only just begun, it's only taken 1 game for things to get weird already.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.Three of the four higher seeds won as expected. The fourth result was the biggest upset the first round can produce: the No. 8 seed beating the No. 1 seed on its home floor. Add a historic performance from 4-time league MVP A'ja Wilson, a franchise-first win in the Bay, and a fresh round of league awards, and there's a lot to catch up on before the Game 2s tip off tonight.
Here's what happened on day one, and what to watch this week.
No. 8 Liberty makes historyThe New York Liberty went into Minneapolis and beat the Minnesota Lynx 91-75 in a shocking blowout of the championship favorites. Per BK Reader, New York is now the first No. 8 seed in WNBA history to win a playoff game against a No. 1 seed. Before Sunday, the eighth seeds were 0-11 against the top seeds in the postseason.
Liberty Forward Breanna Stewart finished with 34 points and 12 rebounds, marking her third career 30-point playoff double-double, per ESPN. Stewart was given plenty of room to work as Lynx players Napheesa Collier, Natasha Howard, and Nia Brodie had each picked up four fouls. Plus, New York shooting 52 percent from three didn't hurt either.
On the other side, newly minted Rookie of the Year Olivia Miles had a rough playoff debut, finishing with 11 points on 3-of-12 shooting.
To be clear, the Liberty's win is not a case of the Lynx just having a bad day. The Liberty won the 2024 title (beating, yes, the Lynx in the Finals), and the roster is stacked with All-Stars and a former MVP in Stewart. With first-time head coach Chris DeMarco at the helm, the team had a bumpy year, plagued by injuries early in the season. In mid-July, with the team sitting at 13-12, the Liberty would finish the season 13-6, for an overall 26-18 record, to grab the W's final playoff spot. It was a crowded playoff race, too, with just four games separating the Liberty from fourth-place Atlanta.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. A'ja Wilson absolutely cooked the FeverIf you needed a reminder about who the real star of the WNBA is, the defending champion Las Vegas Aces delivered just that. Vegas beat the Indiana Fever 102-85 behind a performance from A'ja Wilson that, per ESPN, had never been done before in the league.
"The four-time MVP is the first player in WNBA postseason history to have 20-plus points, three-plus blocks and two-plus steals in a half, and the first player in WNBA history — regular season or postseason — with 35 points, 15 rebounds and a 75% FG." - ESPN's Kareem Copeland
Wilson finished with 38 points, 16 rebounds, and four blocks, including 22 points in the first half, where she won one-on-one matchups against Caitlin Clark, Kelsey Mitchell, and Aliyah Boston. Wilson's co-stars Jackie Young (21 points, 10 assists) and Chelsea Gray (14 points, eight assists) made sure Indiana couldn't just let Wilson get hers and lock down everyone else. The Aces dropped 62 points in the first half alone.
Indiana, despite its name, just couldn't find a rhythm. The Fever's backcourt — Clark with 15 and Mitchell with 12 — shot for a combined 10-for-33 from the field. Boston, listed as questionable with a lower leg injury, still put up 18 points and eight rebounds.
Fever fans, understandably, are not having a good week.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.But a vocal chunk of the wider WNBA fandom is openly rooting for an Indiana exit, less out of dislike for the team than out of exhaustion with the Caitlin Clark discourse that has dominated the league's online conversation for three seasons running.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. The rest of Day 1:(4) Atlanta Dream 92, (5) Washington Mystics 77: Atlanta won thanks to a lopsided third quarter, DeWanna Bonner's veteran scoring, and 26 points from Rhyne Howard. The Dream trailed 41-36 at the half, then outscored Washington 29-12 in the third, with Bonner scoring 11 of those. Washington also turned it over 22 times to Atlanta's seven, which undercut a 25-point night from Sonia Citron.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.(2) Golden State Valkyries 104, (7) Dallas Wings 80: Golden State won thanks to hot three-point shooting, a balanced attack, and defense that kept everyone not named Paige Bueckers quiet. The Valkyries hit 16 threes at a 48.5 percent clip, led by four from Cecilia Zandalasini. Bueckers scored 21 in her playoff debut, but no other Wings player topped 11. It's the first playoff win in Valkyries history.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. How to watch the WNBA playoffs Game 2 matchupsTuesday, Sept. 29
Las Vegas Aces at Indiana Fever (Aces lead 1-0), 6:30 p.m. ET, Prime Video
Minnesota Lynx at New York Liberty (Liberty lead 1-0), 8:30 p.m. ET, USA Network and CNBC
Wednesday, Sept. 30
Atlanta Dream at Washington Mystics (Dream lead 1-0), 7 p.m. ET, ESPN
Golden State Valkyries at Dallas Wings (Valkyries lead 1-0), 9 p.m., ET ESPN
Any necessary Game 3 matchups shift back to the higher seed's home court: Liberty-Lynx and Fever-Aces on Thursday, Oct. 1, and Mystics-Dream and Wings-Valkyries on Friday, Oct. 2, with times still to be announced. ESPN-network games stream on the ESPN app, and live TV services like YouTube TV, Fubo, and DirecTV carry ESPN, USA, and CNBC.
The semifinals start Sunday, Oct. 4, and the Finals tip off Saturday, Oct. 17, on NBC and Peacock.
How the WNBA playoffs workNew to the W, or just here because of the Liberty upset? Here's the quick version.
The top eight teams in the league make the playoffs, regardless of conference, and are seeded one through eight by record. The first round is a best-of-three series in a 1-1-1 format: the higher seed hosts Games 1 and 3, and the lower seed hosts Game 2. That's why the Liberty, despite being the 8-seed, gets to play at home on Tuesday.
The semifinals are best-of-five, and the Finals are best-of-seven. This will be the second year of the newly expanded WNBA Finals as a best-of-seven series, with 2025's Finals ending in a 4-0 sweep by the Las Vegas Aces over the Phoenix Mercury.
It's a different setup from the NBA, which sends eight teams from each conference (sorted in part by its play-in tournament) and plays every round as a best-of-seven series. The NBA did once have a shorter first round, though. From 1984 to 2002, the first round was best-of-five, then went to seven games in 2003. The change was seen as beneficial for higher-seeded teams as it decreased the likelihood of an upset.
A short series means there's very little room for a bad night, which is exactly why a single Game 1 like Sunday's can flip an entire bracket.
September is a big month for Big Tech events, where companies showcase their latest products. And now, OpenAI has just joined the party with DevDay 2026 in San Francisco.
The AI giant held its annual DevDay event on Tuesday and had a slew of announcements to make. OpenAI recently released GPT-6 Astra, an advanced new model, but it's also facing demands for much stricter regulation after its AI agents hacked third-party systems.
The biggest news of the day was the launch of Dots, a new AI agent to rival Meta's Muse AI.
Here are all the biggest announcements from OpenAI DevDay 2026.
Dots Credit: OpenAIApparently, every AI company needs cartoon mascots nowadays.
OpenAI is taking a page out of Meta's book, and it's not just the animated characters. Dots are OpenAI's always-on AI personal assistant product, a la Meta's Muse.
According to OpenAI, Dots work and complete tasks across existing context and connected applications. As users work with their Dots assistant, it will learn from user feedback and improve on said tasks over time. Being an always-on AI agent, Dots work in the background via a secure cloud computer as users go about their day, OpenAI said.
For now, Dots are available to users on the Pro and Business Premium enterprise plans. The new AI agents began rolling out to eligible users today.
GPT-6.1 SolOpenAI also announced an upgraded version of GPT-6 Sol, the model that can be viewed as a more cost-efficient version of GPT-6 Astra, OpenAI's most powerful model.
OpenAI says GPT-6.1 Sol has "exceptionally strong performance on agentic coding, computer use and professional work." It's nearly as intelligence as Astra but costs less than a quarter the price.
Here's how the pricing breaks down:
GPT 6.1 Sol costs $2 per million input tokens
$0.10 per million cached input tokens
$10 per million output tokens
If you thought OpenAI's $200 per month plan was expensive, wait until you hear about Ultrafast.
OpenAI announced a new $500 per month plan called Pro 500. The new plan includes access to Ultrafast, a feature that allows OpenAI's Codex and Work apps to work on tasks faster. Ultrafast allows Codex and Work to generate up to 300 tokens per second, or 8 times faster.
"Ultrafast is our premium speed tier for workloads where speed matters most," OpenAI said.
The feature is also coming to the API, which will provide 6 times the standard speed.
ChatGPT SpaceAI collaboration will now happen in a new dedicated space, aptly called ChatGPT Space. Colleagues can work together on ChatGPT Space, sharing context, and their Dot AI assistants can access this shared knowledge.
More of OpenAI's DevDay announcements can be found at the DevDay 2026 website.
Disclosure: Ziff Davis, Mashable’s parent company, in April 2025 filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in training and operating its AI systems.
The Apple iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max were officially released on Sept. 18 (the foldable iPhone Duo won't be available until next month). And when you buy a new phone, that usually means buying a new phone case. The best iPhone 18 Pro cases will protect your phone when it inevitably slips out of your hands and tumbles to the ground, risking your $1,200 investment.
A lot of case companies started selling burgundy and glacier blue iPhone 18 Pro cases before the phones were even announced, and you can now find hundreds (thousands?) of stylish and cute iPhone 18 Pro cases for sale online. Whether you're looking for a cheap $12 clear case, a classic PopSockets grip case, or a more fashion-forward Velvet Caviar case, I've found the top options for iPhone shoppers. I also checked Apple's official collection of iPhone 18 Pro Max cases for you.
SEE ALSO: The best iPhones to buy in 2026: Our top pick might surprise youIf you're upgrading from the iPhone 17 Pro, there are two things you need to know. You can save up to $1,200 on the iPhone 18 Pro thanks to preorder deals, and your iPhone 17 Pro case will fit the 18 Pro just fine. Apple kept the measurements and button layouts exactly the same.
The best iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max cases so far Opens in a new window Credit: Pitaka Pitaka Edge iPhone 18 Pro Max Case $59.99 at AmazonOK, so you've reviewed the best iPhone 18 Pro cases and picked out your favorite, but you're not done yet. Apple rolled out a bunch of new accessories and cases for the iPhone 18, and brands like PopSockets have hundreds of grips, stands, wallets, and accessories.
Here are some of the top phone grips, screen protectors, and other goodies to pair with your new iPhone.
Opens in a new window Credit: Spigen Spigen GlasTR EZ FIT Screen Protector for iPhone 18 Pro $19.99 at AmazonAt Dev Day 2026, OpenAI's annual tech conference, the company made more than 20 announcements, but none bigger than the launch of Dots, always-on AI agents "built to handle everything."
The launch of Dots comes shortly after the launch of Apple's new Siri AI app and, more recently, Meta's Muse AI. Muse has jumped to the top of the app store charts. Like Muse, OpenAI said that each user's Dot runs on its own private and secure cloud computer, and also like Muse, Dots comes with cute little guys as its mascot.
"Dots are frontier intelligence that have your back," reads an announcement blog post from OpenAI. "Powered by GPT‑6 Astra, they have their own cloud computer, learn from feedback over time, and can work towards your goals 24/7. Through our ecosystem of plugins, they can readily connect to over 4,000 apps, giving them the tools to help wherever you need them."
Credit: OpenAIIn recent weeks, AI industry leaders have laid out a vision in which everyone will have their own personal AI agent handling all manner of tasks. Agentic AI has progressed rapidly in 2026 with the introduction of OpenClaw (originally known as Clawdbot, then Moltbot). As Mashable has reported, AI agents with control over a user's apps, devices, and data can accomplish a wide variety of tasks, but the greater their access, the greater the potential cybersecurity risk.
Just last week, a group of large banks warned that as customers hand over their devices and financial information to AI agents such as Dots, OpenClaw, and Muse, there is a growing risk of AI-enabled scams and fraud.
How do Dots work?OpenAI announced that Dots will operate on its own private cloud, meaning users won't have to set up their AI agent on a local device.
"Dots can do nearly anything using their own cloud computer, their own browser, and the apps you’ve connected. You can open your dot’s computer at any time to inspect its work. Dots can connect to other devices in addition to their own, and you can also give your dot permission to connect and use your laptop, where it can then be useful directly alongside you."
OpenAI said that guardrails are built into the AI agents to protect users from "harmful behavior." In addition, OpenAI said that a monitoring system will be on guard of safety concerns, allowing the company to pause a Dot's work.
Before a Dot takes a sensitive action, such as changing a password, the company's auto-review system will check in with the user. Companies will also be able to create custom dots to serve their organization's needs.
Who can try Dots? Credit: OpenAIOpenAI said that Dots would begin rolling out immediately, but the new AI agents will only be available on the company's $100/month Pro plan and for Business Premium users. Dots will not be available in the European Economic Area, Switzerland, and the UK, OpenAI said. (Siri AI faces similar geographic restrictions due to Europe's stricter AI regulations.)
Customers on Pro and Business Premium plans will have access to their first Dot at no extra cost. In addition, OpenAI said that conversations with Dots will not count toward users' ChatGPT usage limits. However, on an FAQ page, the company clarified this is only in effect "for the next month".
Disclosure: Ziff Davis, Mashable’s parent company, in April 2025 filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in training and operating its AI systems.
Singapore's government is trying its hand at matchmaking again.
The country's Government Technology Agency (GovTech) has launched FirstDate, a pilot dating service for singles aged 21 to 35. For now, it's open only to public officers, according to the service's website. Applications close Oct. 5.
FirstDate is designed as an alternative to endless swiping. Instead of browsing a stream of profiles, users fill out a questionnaire about their interests, habits, values, and preferences. The service then sends them one match per cycle (the time it takes to mutually accept and presumably meet up). Each match includes a compatibility score, a brief description of the person, and a personal note.
SEE ALSO: The best hookup apps for 2026: I swiped until my thumb hurtThe matching relies on the Gale-Shapley algorithm, a well-known mathematical method for pairing people based on their ranked preferences. It's the same approach used in some school admissions and medical residency matching systems. Most notably, the Match Group-owned Hinge also uses a version of it for its app — and Hinge is the top dating app in Singapore, according to SimilarWeb, followed by Tinder and Bumble.
Once matched, both people receive a text message and have 72 hours to accept the match. Contact details are exchanged only if both say yes. Couples who meet up can try "Date Quests," suggested activities meant to break the ice. Afterward, users get a short survey asking how things went, including whether they actually met in person. GovTech's site acknowledges that compatibility on paper doesn't guarantee chemistry.
Every account is verified through Singpass, the national digital ID system, which is meant to weed out fake profiles. A user's profile is only visible to their match. GovTech says user data complies with government security standards and won't be sold or shared with third parties except where required or permitted by law. Users can deactivate their accounts and request that their data be deleted.
The pilot arrives as Singapore's birth rate hits a new low, according to the Singaporean newspaper The Straits Times. The country's total fertility rate fell to 0.87 children per woman in 2025, down from 1.24 a decade earlier. In April, the government announced a new workgroup tasked with addressing falling birth rates, which is expected to report its findings by early 2027, The Straits Times reported.
It's also not the first time the government has played matchmaker. In 1984, Singapore set up the Social Development Unit to help university graduates meet and marry. Its successor, the Social Development Network, shut down its website in 2023. More recently, the Ministry of Social and Family Development helped organize For Real Fest, a Gen Z friendship festival that started in 2024 and was pitched as a response to youth loneliness, according to The Straits Times.
Whether FirstDate expands beyond the civil service will likely depend on how the pilot goes. For now, GovTech is asking its early users to tell it whether anything sparked.
Earlier this September, Channel 4 released an NSFW clip from its upcoming comedy It Gets Worse that set the internet ablaze.
SEE ALSO: NSFW clip of 'daddy' Andrew Scott has internet in a chokeholdIn the clip, series creator Leo Reich plays Ethan, an unsure 24-year-old who hooks up with a therapist (Andrew Scott). Scott's therapist tells Ethan "you're just a hole for daddy" before spitting in his mouth, reigniting every Fleabag viewer's Hot Priest thirst in the process. Immediately, the internet wanted to know: How could they watch more?
Where is It Gets Worse streaming?It Gets Worse is set to premiere on Channel 4 in the UK on Oct. 14, coinciding with its premiere at the BFI London Film Festival. American audiences will have to wait a bit longer to catch it, as It Gets Worse hits Paramount+ in early November.
Produced by A24, the series follows three young people spiraling about their worsening adulthoods. In addition to Scott, it features a stacked list of guest stars, including Lena Dunham and Amelia Dimoldenberg.
It Gets Worse is one of three British series from A24 that will call Paramount+ home, the streaming service announced today. The other two series are Major Players, an original drama about two girls hoping to start a women's soccer team, and The Ministry of Time, an adaptation of Kaliane Bradley’s bestselling novel about a civil servant who must help a time-traveling Victorian-era polar explorer get used to the modern world. Neither series has a streaming date yet.
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