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Americans faced the stark reality of the TikTok ban Sunday as ByteDance blocked access to the app in the United States.

Users in the U.S. who open the app now are greeted with a popup that reads, "Sorry, TikTok isn't available right now."

Searches for "how to get around TikTok ban US," "how to bypass TikTok block," and "TikTok VPN" spiked immediately after the app went dark, according to Google Trends data.

SEE ALSO: As TikTok faces a ban, creators brace for an uncertain future Americans turning to VPN to get around TikTok block

VPNs are a great tool to hide your IP address by connecting you to a secure server in a location of your choosing. Theoretically, that means you would be able to use a VPN to retain access to TikTok. And while the cybersecurity risks of using TikTok have been well-documented, that isn't going to stop the most dedicated users.

The surge in VPN interest sparked so intensely as the ban went into effect that NordVPN issues were immediately reported, according to Ziff Davis-owned site Downdetector.

VPN not working for TikTok, many users report

Despite attempting to use a VPN to bypass the ban, users flooded social media early Sunday morning with memes and complaints that the tactic did not work for them.

Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deleted

Theories on how to get TikTok running in the US also began to circulate on social media. Some X users are reminding people to make sure the VPN is set to a country where TikTok isn't already banned, and others are saying that you have to use VPN to create a new account that isn't in the U.S.

While Mashable has not put any of these theories to the test, it's important to note that the best way to regain access to TikTok could simply be to wait. President-elect Donald Trump has said he will likely give TikTok a 90-day extension to avoid a permanent ban, NBC reports.

In the popup explaining the ban, TikTok notes that "President Trump has indicated that he will work with us on a solution to reinstate TikTok once he takes office."

Trump will be sworn into office on Monday, which means it's possible an extension arrives swiftly. Until then, creators and users alike have to adjust to life without TikTok.

TL;DR: Live stream the Philadelphia Eagles vs. Los Angeles Rams on YouTube TV, Peacock TV, or Sling TV.

NFL playoffs continue with Philadelphia Eagles vs. Los Angeles Rams. Back in November, the Eagles beat the Rams 37-20. The Eagles are atop their division, NFC East, with a record of 14-3. The Rams are also atop their division, the NFC West, with a record of 10-7. Live stream the game to find out who takes the victory.

When is Eagles vs. Rams?

Philadelphia Eagles vs. Los Angeles Rams takes place at 3 p.m. ET on Jan. 19. The two teams will face off at GEHA Field at the Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The game will air on NBC.

How to stream Eagles vs. Rams

We've found some of the best streaming services to consider for the Eagles vs. Rams:

Most live sport: YouTube TV Opens in a new window Credit: YouTube TV YouTube TV $49.99/month for your first two months (save $46) Get Deal

Philadelphia Eagles vs. Los Angeles Rams is available to live stream via YouTube TV or the NFL Sunday Ticket on YouTube TV (not to mention other NFL fixtures).

YouTube TV's base plan is $49.99 per month for two months for new subscribers ($72.99 per month regularly). The base plan includes over 100 live TV channels, including ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, ESPN, Fox Sports 1, and the NFL Network.

The NFL Sunday Ticket is an add-on for $209 per year, or four non-cancellable payments of $52.99. Sunday Ticket provides access to all NFL games, including out-of-market games and split-screen viewing.

No ads: Peacock TV Opens in a new window Credit: Peacock Peacock TV Get Deal

There are two tiers to NBC’s Peacock streaming service. The Premium plan is $7.99 per month, and the Premium Plus at $13.99 per month.

The advantage of the Premium Plus plan is no ads, but that doesn’t apply to live sporting events. Also, the Premium Plus plan provides 24/7 access to your local NBC channel. Peacock also offers a full year for the price of 10 months if the full year is paid upfront. Those rates are $79.99 for the Premium plan and $139.99 for the Premium Plus plan. 

College students can get Peacock’s premium plan for $1.99 per month. Students can get more information at PeacockTV.com/students.

Most affordable: Sling TV Opens in a new window Credit: Sling Sling TV Sports Plan Get Deal

Sling TV offers its Orange & Blue package of 48 channels at $55 per month that would serve your needs for locally available NFL games. Sign up to enjoy a first-month discounted rate of $27.50.

Sling TV’s sports channels feature ABC, ACC Network, Big Ten Network, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN3, ESPNews, ESPNU, FOX, FS1, FS2, NBC, NFL Network, and SEC Network.

How to watch Eagles vs. Rams from anywhere in the world

If you're abroad for this fixture, you might need to use a VPN to unblock your favorite streaming service. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in the U.S., meaning you can unblock live streams of the NFL from anywhere in the world.

Live stream Eagles vs. Rams from anywhere in the world by following these simple steps:

1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in the U.S.

4. Sign in to your favorite streaming service

5. Watch Eagles vs. Rams from anywhere in the world

ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including the U.S.

• Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection 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 includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee.

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Year Subscription + 3 Months Free) $99.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

TL;DR: Live stream Baltimore Ravens vs. Buffalo Bills on YouTube TV or Paramount+.

NFL playoff weekend wraps up with a matchup between the Baltimore Ravens and Buffalo Bills. Back in September, the Ravens beat the Bills 35-10. The Ravens are atop their division, AFC North, with a record 12-5. The Bills are also atop their division, AFC East, with a record of 13-4.

When is Ravens vs. Bills?

Baltimore Ravens vs. Buffalo Bills takes place at 6:30 p.m. ET on Jan. 19. The two teams will face off at Highmark Stadium in New York.

The game will air on CBS, where Jim Nantz is expected to do the play-by-play. Tony Romo will join him in the booth. Tracy Wolfson will be the sideline reporter.

How to stream Ravens vs. Bills

We've found some of the best streaming services to consider for Ravens vs. Bills:

Most live sport: YouTube TV Opens in a new window Credit: YouTube TV YouTube TV $49.99/month for your first two months (save $46) Watch Now

The Baltimore Ravens vs. Buffalo Bills is available to live stream via YouTube TV or the NFL Sunday Ticket on YouTube TV, as well as other NFL fixtures.

YouTube TV's base plan is $49.99 per month for two months for new subscribers ($72.99 per month regularly). The base plan includes over 100 live TV channels, including ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC, ESPN, Fox Sports 1, and the NFL Network.

The NFL Sunday Ticket is an add-on for $209 per year, or four non-cancellable payments of $52.99. Sunday Ticket provides access to all NFL games, including out-of-market games and split-screen viewing.

Most affordable: Paramount+ Essential Opens in a new window Credit: Paramount+ Essential Paramount+ Essential $7.99/month or $79.99/year Watch Now

Paramount+ offers its essential plan that comes with over 40,000 episodes and movies at just $7.99 per month. This plan would serve your needs for locally available NFL games. Sign up to enjoy a first-month discounted rate of $2.99.

Paramount+ Essential's sports channels feature BET, CBS, CBS News, CBS Sports, Comedy Central, Crime & Justice, ET, Nickelodeon, and more.

How to watch Ravens vs. Bills from anywhere in the world

If you're abroad for this fixture, you might need to use a VPN to unblock your favorite streaming service. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in the U.S., meaning you can unblock live streams of the NFL from anywhere in the world.

Live stream Ravens vs. Bills from anywhere in the world by following these simple steps:

1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in the U.S.

4. Sign in to your favorite streaming service

5. Watch Ravens vs. Bills from anywhere in the world

ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including the U.S.

• Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection 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 includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee.

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Year Subscription + 3 Months Free) $99.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The popular video app stopped working shortly before a federal law barring U.S. companies from hosting or distributing TikTok was set to take effect on Sunday.

It's official: TikTok, an app used by a third of American adults, is banned in the U.S. You can probably tell by the pop-up message you see if you try to open the app.

"Sorry, TikTok isn't available right now."

This pop-up isn't exactly a surprise. It comes after months of legal battles and political maneuvers, which reached a fever pitch on Friday, Jan. 17, when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled to uphold the ban, lining up with decisions other courts have made. Earlier this week, sources at TikTok told Reuters that anyone in the U.S. who opens the app will see a pop-up message that will take them to a website with information about the ban. It looks like TikTok made good on its plan.

SEE ALSO: As TikTok faces a ban, creators brace for an uncertain future

It's not the first time TikTok has sent a politically motivated pop-up message about the U.S. government's efforts to ban the app due to concerns over its Chinese ownership. In March 2024, the app asked users to call their representatives to ask for an end to the ban.

"Congress is planning a total ban of TikTok," the pop-up message read. "Speak up now — before your government strips 170 million Americans of their Constitutional right to free expression. This will damage millions of businesses, destroy the livelihoods of countless creators across the country, and deny artists an audience. Let Congress know what TikTok means to you and tell them to vote NO."

SEE ALSO: If TikTok is banned in the U.S., this is what it will look like for everyone else

Despite the ban, TikTok is still fighting to be reinstated. If the ban gets reversed, TikTok sources told Reuters that it would be able to restore service "in a relatively short time," and TikTok CEO Shou Chew is cozying up to President-elect Donald Trump in hopes that he might reverse the app. President Joe Biden won't enforce the ban, punting that decision to Trump. Within a few hours of that announcement, Chew released a statement video on TikTok thanking Trump "for his commitment to work with us to find a solution that keeps TikTok available in the United States."

While we aren't sure what Trump will do with regards to TikTok, he did invite the CEO to his inauguration on Monday. The notification users received Saturday night ended with this statement:

"A law banning TikTok has been enacted in the U.S. Unfortunately, that means you can't use TikTok for now. We are fortunate that President Trump has indicated that he will work with us on a solution to reinstate TikTok once he takes office. Please stay tuned!"

The party symbolized the euphoria of the tech industry on the cusp of the Trump presidency. The guest list included Mark Zuckerberg, Sam Altman, Miriam Adelson and the vice president-elect, JD Vance.

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 deleted

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

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

Tweet may have been deleted

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

SEE ALSO: NYT's The Mini crossword answers for January 19 Here's a hint for today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: A collection or pool of money or resources

• Green: Legal terms for documents or proceedings submitted in court

• Blue: Natural features of Earth's surface

• Purple: Objects and concepts associated with lights or a sea creature

Featured Video For You Connections: How to play and how to win Here are today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Fund

• Green: Court Filing

• Blue: Landforms

• Purple: They Have Rays

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 #588 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Fund: KITTY, POOL, POT, PURSE

• Court Filing: ACTION, CASE, CLAIM, SUIT

• Landforms: BASIN, BLUFF, CAPE, PLAIN

• They Have Rays: AQUARIUM, GEOMETRY, SUN, TAMPA BAY

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 19

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.

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 19 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 19, 2025 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

Term for boat athlete.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

There is one letter that appears twice.

Today's Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with...

Today's Wordle starts with the letter R.

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...

ROWER.

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 19

Reporting 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: 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 deleted

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

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

Tweet may have been deleted

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

Here's a hint for today's Connections Sports Edition categories

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

• Yellow: Not precise

• Green: Positions on the ice

• Blue: HOFers who played in the Bay Area

• Purple: Leader of the Bills

Featured Video For You Connections: How to play and how to win Here are today's Connections Sports Edition categories

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

• Yellow: Inaccurate

• Green: Ice hockey positions

• Blue: Giants Hall of Famers

• Purple: Associated with Josh Allen

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 #118 is...

What is the answer to Connections Sports Edition today

• Inaccurate - AWAY, OFF THE MARK, OUTSIDE, WIDE

• Ice Hockey Positions - CENTER, DEFENSEMAN, GOALTENDER, WINGER

• Giants Hall of Famers - MARICHAL, MAYS, MCCOVEY, OTT

• Associated with Josh Allen - 17, BUFFALO, QB, WYOMING

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 Mashable

By providing an opaque hint and not providing the word list, Strands creates a brain-teasing game that takes a little longer to play than its other games, like Wordle and Connections.

If you're feeling stuck or just don't have 10 or more minutes to figure out today's puzzle, we've got all the NYT Strands hints for today's puzzle you need to progress at your preferred pace.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for January 19 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for January 19 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: I get the message

These words are functions of an inbox.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

Words are actions you might take when you get a message.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is vertical.

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is EmailLabel.

Featured Video For You Strands 101: How to win NYT’s latest word game NYT Strands word list for January 19

• Inbox

• Sent

• Trash

• Drafts

• Spam

• Snoozed

• Starred

• EmailLabel

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.

Your perfect grid on your Instagram profile might soon be gone — if it isn't already.

Instagram is rolling a big change this weekend: rectangles instead of squares. That means your carefully curated grid could be a mess as the dimensions of the content shift on your profile.

"I know some of you really like your squares. And square photos are sort of the heritage of Instagram," Instagram chief Adam Mosseri said in an Instagram story. "But at this point, most of what’s uploaded, both photos and videos, are vertical in their orientation. And it just is a bummer to overly crop them. I know it's a change. I know it's a bit of a pain, but I think it's a transitional pain."

That change is apparently creating some havoc already on grids everywhere. What once was a perfect image created by squares is a jumbled mess. Lots of folks noticed their favorite artists' Insta pages now looked odd, for instance.

Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deleted

Instagram has been warning of this change for some time now. It began testing vertical grids in August and now it appears the change is really coming for everyone.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, a billionaire tech guy, has cozied up further to President-elect Donald Trump like, well, just about every other billionaire tech guy.

In fact, he cozied up to Trump by trolling Democrats who sent a letter over concerns that Altman was...cozying up to Trump. Democratic Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Michael Bennet sent a letter to Altman worrying he was attempting to "cozy up to the incoming Trump administration" to "avoid scrutiny, limit regulation, and buy favor." The letter noted that Altman donated $1 million to Trump's inaugural fund.

SEE ALSO: OpenAI's Sam Altman sued by sister, alleging years of sexual abuse

How do we know about this letter? Well, Altman posted it to X, writing, "funny, they never sent me one of these for contributing to democrats..."

Tweet may have been deleted

Altman followed up by writing: "it was a personal contribution as you state; i am confused about the questions given that my company did not make a decision."

Altman is far from the only tech guy to give money and/or lavish praise on Trump. As Mashable has noted in previous coverage, Amazon's Jeff Bezos, Meta's Mark Zuckerberg, and Tesla's Elon Musk, among other tech power players, are all set to attend the inauguration. TikTok's CEO went out of his way to praise the president-elect ahead of the looming ban. Pretty much everyone in the tech world has lurched rightward into Trump's waiting arms.

SEE ALSO: The bros’ new clothes: How Big Tech lurched to the right

So of course Altman would troll Democrats online — that's exactly what folks on the right love to do.

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

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

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

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable

Here are the clues and answers to NYT's The Mini for Saturday, January 18, 2025:

AcrossWorked in Microsoft Word

• The answer is Typed.

With 14-Across, comedy writer who takes a road trip with Will Ferrell in a 2024 Netflix documentary

• The answer is Harper.

Pseudonyms

• The answer is Aliases.

Director Burton

• The answer is Tim.

"Oh, there ___ again!"

• The answer is I go.

10-legged marine crustacean

• The answer is Sea crab.

See 6-Across

• The answer is Steele.

Like the firstborn of two children

• The answer is Elder.

Down"___ all there is to it!"

• The answer is Thats.

Ivy Leaguers in Connecticut

• The answer is Yalies.

Man or mandrill

• The answer is Primate.

Org. concerned with clean air and water

• The answer is EPA.

Wished for

• The answer is Desired.

Lavishly entertain (with)

• The answer is Regale.

Not drinking any alcohol

• The answer is Sober.

Collectible cartoon image sold at Disney World

• The answer is Cel.

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 Games

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

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

Most small galaxies that stopped making new stars in the early universe never resumed operations. Something caused their celestial factories to shutter. 

But researchers have used the James Webb Space Telescope, a collaboration of NASA and its European and Canadian space counterparts, to zero in on a dwarf galaxy that bucked the trend, rebooting its star formation after a billions-of-years-long hiatus. 

The dwarf galaxy, known as Leo P and about 5.3 million light-years from Earth, is offering new insights into galaxy evolution and the factors necessary to keep galaxies growing and churning out new stars.  

"We have a measurement like this for only three other galaxies — all isolated from the Milky Way — and they all show a similar pattern," said Kristen McQuinn, the principal investigator on the study, in a statement.

SEE ALSO: Astronomers just witnessed a whole galaxy 'turn on the lights' in real-time The James Webb Space Telescope zeroed in on dwarf galaxy Leo P to study its star-formation history. Credit: NASA GSFC / CIL / Adriana Manrique Gutierrez illustration

Astronomers have learned that galaxies tend to start out small and grow larger by collecting gas and merging with other galaxies. But most dwarf galaxies that made stars before the so-called Epoch of Reionization never got back to business after. 

Reionization was an era of major transition that occurred more than 13 billion years ago.  It was when the baby universe transformed from a neutral state to one filled with free electrons and protons. 

Prior to it, the gas in the primitive universe was mostly opaque. That's why scientists refer to the period before as the cosmic "dark ages." Researchers are trying to better understand the processes that allowed the universe to become fairly transparent. 

Because most of the tiny galaxies turned off their star-making activity in the first few billion years after the Big Bang, many scientists have thought reionization was the reason. But that understanding may be skewed by biased data.

Researchers used Webb to take pictures of Leo P, gathering data for some 15,000 stars. Credit: NASA / ESA / CSA / K. McQuinn / J. DePasquale

Most studies have focused on small galaxies nearby, making it difficult to conclude whether it was reionization or some other environmental factors, like the influence of neighboring large galaxies, including the Milky Way. Galaxies in denser clusters are surrounded by hot gas, stymying the collection and cooling of gas needed to churn out new stars. 

That's why McQuinn's team picked Leo P, a more isolated galaxy than the 80-or-so tiny ones within our region of space, known to astronomers as the "local group." The findings, presented at the 245th meeting of the American Astronomical Society in Maryland this past week, are published in The Astrophysical Journal. 

Leo P — the P stands for "pristine" — is mostly composed of hydrogen and helium, the same primitive material that emerged out of the Big Bang. Given that most of the chemicals in the universe are thought to have come from exploded dead stars, scientists have rationalized that the firstborn stars must have been almost entirely formed of these original elements.

Reionization was an era of major transition that occurred more than 13 billion years ago. Credit: NASA / STScI

The researchers used Webb to take pictures of Leo P, gathering data for some 15,000 stars. By measuring their brightness and color, astronomers could estimate the stars' ages. This allowed them to map out the stellar birth rate over time. 

The team speculates that high heat in the galaxy may have suspended star formation. Then, as the universe cooled down, stars began to form again. But why would Leo P experience a renaissance that many others galaxies of its kind wouldn't?

Perhaps it's not just the mass of the galaxy that mattered but whether it was close to larger galaxies, too.

The team intends to study four more isolated dwarf galaxies to see if they share similar star-forming history.

The once-fringe writer has long argued for an American monarchy. His ideas have found an audience in the incoming administration and Silicon Valley.

TikTok’s cultural footprint in America is huge. Why is its potential disappearance being met with a shrug?

The spy agency is trying to give its teams better tools and make it easier for the private sector to develop technology for their secretive work.

The sight of Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos and Mark Zuckerberg sitting together at Donald Trump's inauguration — as they reportedly will do Monday — would be a shock for their 2016 selves.

Back then, these titans of the tech world were way to the left of Trump, whose political stances put him about as far to the right as Republicans get, then and now.

Musk, once a vocal Barack Obama supporter, voted for Trump's opponent Hillary Clinton in 2016. The Bezos of that year blasted candidate Trump for "eroding democracy." Zuckerberg didn't make an endorsement, but the issues he put his money behind at the time — social justice, inequality, easing the immigration process — put him squarely on the Democratic side of the political line.

The most vocal tech world supporter of Trump in 2016, Paypal co-founder Peter Thiel, was seen as an outlier back then: Silicon Valley was solid blue. Now the outlier is Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, who hasn't donated to Trump's inauguration fund and won't be attending.

All the other big names in tech will be there: Apple's Tim Cook, Google's Sundar Pichai, Microsoft's Satya Nadella, OpenAI's Sam Altman, and TikTok's Shou Chew, have all donated $1 million or more, and all save Altman will be in attendance.

What happened? It wasn't just that these men were made so much richer by a stock market rally following Trump's election in November. A similar rally happened in November 2016 as well, and it didn't make tech CEOs any less reluctant at a Trump Tower meeting with the president-elect. That was the roundtable where Thiel's smile stood out in a sea of grimaces.

Paypal co-founder Peter Thiel, left, and Apple CEO Tim Cook display very different reactions to Donald Trump speaking after his 2016 election. Credit: Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images

The process of tech leaders learning to love Trump may have begun piecemeal during his first administration. But it only really kicked into high gear over the course of 2024, with a speed and ferocity that has left many observers' heads spinning. No wonder President Biden, in his farewell address, warned of a tech-led "oligarchy" that may threaten democracy itself.

To understand what happened, let's take a look at the three richest tech bros, who also happen to be the three wealthiest men in the world, and the journey they took from opposing Trump in 2023 to sitting together at his inauguration in 2025.

Elon Musk

Nowadays, of course, Musk is so central in Trump's camp that he is sometimes described as the incoming "co-president." He donated $250 million, spoke at Trump rallies, called himself "Dark MAGA," and clearly put more than a thumb on the scale for Trump on Twitter/X throughout the fall of 2024.

Musk's America PAC seized the @America account from its original owner, and even now faces a fresh lawsuit from Pennsylvania's Attorney General over that PAC's dubious $1 million lottery for swing state voters.

But it's important to remember that Musk wasn't always this far right, and his turn towards Trump came fairly recently. Yes, he joined Trump's business council in 2017, but he also quit when Trump withdrew the U.S. from the Paris Climate accords. Back then, the Bay Area-based Burning Man attendee was still happy to support Pride month.

Musk drifted rightwards during the pandemic years, when he moved Tesla HQ to Texas and, according to reports, began feuding with his trans daughter. The drift seems to have accelerated when he bought Twitter in 2022, started tweeting about the "woke mind virus," and endorsed the GOP (unsuccessfully) in that year's midterm elections.

Even then, Musk was no Trump fan. In 2023 he helped launch Florida governor Ron DeSantis' presidential campaign in a disastrous Twitter Spaces. Musk's statement that Trump should "sail into the sunset" prompted a brief feud with the former president. "I could have said, "drop to your knees and beg," and he would have done it," Trump responded, recalling an Oval Office meeting in his first term.

Then came 2024, and three key events. First, DeSantis dropped out in January. Then on May 31, Donald Trump's conviction in a New York courtroom over hush money payments that possibly swung a close 2016 election his way. Musk fumed that the charges were "trivial" and politically motivated. By then, perhaps not coincidentally, Trump was already talking to Musk about a possible advisory role — and we were starting to learn just how many federal agencies were investigating Musk.

SEE ALSO: Why Elon Musk is skipping around on stage for Donald Trump

But the deal was sealed in July when Trump survived a shooting in Butler, Pennsylvania. Musk "fully endorsed" Trump on Twitter that day, then made his first appearance with Trump on his return to Butler in October.

By then, Trump had already promised Musk his Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, the advisory group that Musk is set to lead along with fellow billionaire Vivek Ramaswamy. The latest reports on DOGE say that Musk will have an office inside the White House itself.

Notably, Musk did not have to drop to his knees and beg for any of this. Which leads us to wonder: who is really on whose leash here?

Jeff Bezos

In the 2016 election, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos was one of Trump's most outspoken critics in the tech world. A month after Trump entered the White House, Bezos' Washington Post unveiled its pointed new slogan, echoing its owner's warnings: "Democracy dies in darkness." Bezos and the Post's coverage continued to earn Trump's ire.

Two years later, in an equally pithy Medium post, Bezos attacked Trump ally David Pecker, head of the company that owns the National Enquirer, for what Bezos said was blackmail over nude photos of the billionaire.

But a curious thing had started to happen by then. With his growing wealth, which spiked in the late 2010s, plus his new marriage and new yacht, Bezos started to develop a serious case of Rich Guy Brain. By 2022, his tone on social media had changed entirely, becoming much more Musk-like. No longer was Bezos skewering his Trumpian opponents for literally threatening to expose his ass; instead, he was discussing compliments on his ass.

Finally came the moment that Bezos' opposition broke. His top lieutenant at the Post told staffers there would be no presidential endorsement in 2024 — which, if democracy was still at risk, seemed a curious case of fence-sitting. (Indeed, the Post staff had prepared a Kamala Harris endorsement that was effectively spiked.)

More than 200,000 Post subscribers cancelled their subscription in disgust. Still, Bezos seemed unmoved. This time he penned a piece explaining that newspaper endorsements didn't matter. It was, he said, a complete coincidence that Trump was visiting his space company Blue Origin the same day.

After the election, Bezos continued his shift towards Trump. In a December interview he said the incoming president was "calmer" and had "grown a lot over the last eight years." Time will tell whether that's true, or whether Bezos has simply shifted to the side of Dark MAGA.

Mark Zuckerberg

Unlike Musk and Bezos, who moved Trumpwards all at once, the Facebook founder seems to have slalomed back and forth in his attempts to placate Republicans in Washington since Trump first took office.

Prior to Trump's first election, Zuckerberg was easily the most liberal of this Big Tech trio. As a New York Times investigation during election season noted, he helped found Fwd.us, an advocacy group dedicated to giving undocumented immigrants a path to citizenship. The Zuckerberg-Chan initiative spent nearly half a trillion dollars on causes such as legalizing drugs, reducing the number of people in U.S. prisons, and promoting universal healthcare.

But then in the immediate aftermath of the 2016 election, Zuckerberg quickly tossed aside claims that unchecked fake news on Facebook had contributed to Trump's victory. He later regretted that stance, but not enough to avoid being dubbed Misinformer of the Year in 2017 by the watchdog group Media Matters for America.

Zuckerberg's response to Trump's first election was twofold: he minimized the presence of news posts in Facebook feeds, which unintentionally contributed to a widespread crash in readership for media entities. And he set up a fact-checking service, which often earned the ire of conservative groups. The fact-checking service was nuked in January 2025, pleasing the incoming Trump administration.

Often wanting to appear amenable to conservative concerns about the news feed and which stories get promoted, Zuckerberg made repeated changes to the algorithm that boosted pro-GOP voices. When internal data showed right-wing news sites like the Daily Caller were getting more interactions on Facebook than anyone else, Zuckerberg nixed the release of that data.

The more amenable he is, however, the more conservative voices (including Musk) complain — an old tactic called "playing the ref." Now Zuckerberg has morphed again, apologizing even for his donation to election integrity groups in 2020. Most recently, he told Joe Rogan that corporate America needs more "masculine energy."

What that means for the social media giant remains to be seen, but America is certainly about to get a lot more oligarch energy from Zuck and his fellow tech bros.

Armored isopods crawl on the seafloor, feasting on fallen carrion. And they can grow quite big.

So big, in fact, scientists reference the largest types as "supergiants." Biologists have identified a new such species, Bathynomus vaderi, named for its resemblance to Star Wars' Darth Vader — though, rest assured, these deep sea animals aren't evil Siths.

They reach a foot long, making them appear as striking 14-legged critters. And in recent years, they've apparently become a delicacy in Vietnam, as they're caught by ocean trawlers.

"Some go as far as claiming it’s more delicious than lobster, the 'king of seafood,'" notes a press release about the discovery from Pensoft Publishers, a science literature publisher. "Some outlets and restaurants even advertise the sale of these 'sea bugs' online on various social media platforms, including how best to cook them!" the release added.

SEE ALSO: The deep sea footage scientists filmed in 2024 is jaw-dropping

The research has been published in the science journal ZooKeys. The four Bathynomus vaderi specimens described came from dealers in coastal Quy Nhơn in south-central Vietnam, and were fished from the South China Sea.

The new identification underscores the great biodiversity of the ocean — much of which we know little about or have yet to find.

"That a species as large as this could have stayed hidden for so long reminds us just how much work we still need to do to find out what lives in Southeast Asian waters," the release noted.

One of the study's authors, Nguyen Thanh So, holding another species of "supergiant" isopod in October 2024. Credit: Peter Ng

Two Bathynomus vaderi indiviuals. Credit: Rene Ong

Ocean research organizations are now vigilantly documenting and mapping the deep sea. Scientists want to shine a light — literally and figuratively — on what's down there.

The implications of knowing are incalculable, particularly as deep sea mineral prospectors prepare to run tank-like industrial equipment across parts of the seafloor. For example, research expeditions have found that ocean life carries great potential for novel medicines. "Systematic searches for new drugs have shown that marine invertebrates produce more antibiotic, anti-cancer, and anti-inflammatory substances than any group of terrestrial organisms," notes the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

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