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One person can only eat so much. Sure, I push that limit regularly — I can eat more chicken wings than you — but the truth holds firm.
On Thanksgiving — the day dedicated to gratitude and gluttony — stomach space is at a premium. You’ve got to spend that gastric budget wisely. There’s no room for mediocrity on the plate.
All that sounds reasonable, right? Now comes the controversial part — this series is called Don't @ Me, after all. I’ve taken it upon myself to rank Thanksgiving dishes, and here’s why: you don’t need to waste your precious stomach space on anything less than greatness. This is the biggest eating day of the year; don’t squander it on food that doesn’t deliver.
Before we dive in, a couple of disclaimers:
I ranked 15 Thanksgiving staples, curated with input from a sizable sample of Mashable colleagues. Your family’s quirky favorite might not have made the cut.
This is my list based on my tastes. I’m not a professional chef, but I am an experienced home cook and erstwhile Internet Food Guy.
This list is definitive. Don’t like it? Tough. Make your own.
OK, let’s dig in — ranked in descending order.
15. SaladOftentimes, a Thanksgiving host feels the need to have something fresh and green on the table. That's all well and good. Salads can be great. But Thanksgiving is not the day for salads. And with all the work that's gone into the main dishes, you know the salad is a sad afterthought — likely some mixed greens and an under-seasoned vinaigrette.
14. Sweet potato casseroleNot a dessert. Not really a side. Sweet potato casserole exists only so the kids at the table can munch on burned marshmallows.
13. Green bean casseroleThis one-note, too-creamy dish was created by Campbell's to sell you cans of cream of mushroom soup. It's not bad, per se, but it's of its time: a '50s concoction of convenience. If you're craving something creamy and savory, there are far better options on the table.
It’s green bean casserole season and you’ll never get me to stop loving this slop.
— Veda Scott (@vedascott.bsky.social) November 26, 2024 at 10:14 AM 12. Dinner rollsSure, those Sara Lee dinner rolls taste fine enough. They're not offensive. But they're filling and completely plain. It's the biggest eating day of the year, and you're going for overly processed, mushy bread? No thanks.
11. Cranberry sauceI don't love cranberry sauce. Still, I respect it. Let's be real: It's a once-per-year dish, but it does yeoman's work. On a dinner plate filled with savory, buttery, and fatty dishes, it brings a bit of acidity and sweetness. A scoop or a slice of the canned stuff does wonders to break up — and enhance — the flavors of the star dishes.
ANNUAL REMINDER: Put your canned cranberry sauce in the fridge now to ensure that all the can-shaped ridges stay intact when you schloop it out of the can on Thursday.
— Gravy Crockett (@bostonjerry.bsky.social) November 25, 2024 at 12:18 PM 10. HamHam has a high floor but a low ceiling. It's unlikely you'll have a gross spiral ham. It's just as unlikely you'll have a life-changing ham. Ham's tagline might as well be: It's ham.
9. CornbreadI like cornbread, and it leaves so much room for creativity. A jalapeño and cheese cornbread? Freaking lovely. But on Thanksgiving, I want a small slice and not much more. It's solid. It's not a star.
8. Pecan pieFull disclosure: I'm not a dessert person. If you've got a sweet tooth, you'd probably have desserts higher on your list. That being said, I do love pecan pie. It's my second-favorite pie, behind only...
7. Pumpkin pieI love pumpkin pie. Give me a slice engulfed in a cocoon of whipped cream, and I'll be good for dessert. It's also a dish synonymous with Thanksgiving, which adds a bit of nostalgia.
I made this.
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Skip the salad and eat the collards. Granted, bad collard greens could be disappointing. But assuming they're cooked well, collard greens have that salty, unctuous bite while also breaking up the brownish hue of your plate.
5. Mac and cheeseLet's be clear: Mac and cheese is freaking delicious. Even bad mac and cheese is pretty good. It's pasta drenched in a gooey cheese sauce; there is nothing to dislike. But we're reaching the peak of the rankings here, and mac and cheese doesn't scream Thanksgiving to me. People eat it all year round. It doesn't feel as special as some of the other top dishes. Still, I will take a heaping scoop on my plate.
4. TurkeyTurkey gets a bad rap. Much of the food-focused internet will have you believe it's more an obligation than a feature at the Thanksgiving table. Everyone talks about it being dry, or bland, or whatever.
Let's test how safe this space really is... Turkey sucks. I'm not cooking one this year. We've suffered enough.
— Mike Nellis (@mikenellis.bsky.social) November 25, 2024 at 6:23 PMBut a well-roasted turkey is none of those things! It is buttery and herbaceous and the perfect protein that goes with the other stars of the table. Turkey drippings make gravy possible. Its leaner nature pairs well with creamy mashed potatoes and carb-forward stuffing. And, importantly, it simply is Thanksgiving. For better or worse, it has become the literal centerpiece of the meal. If you're not serving turkey, I'm not attending.
3. Mashed potatoesDo I have to sell you on the merits of mashed potatoes? They're freaking delicious. I love any style of mashed potato: creamy, rustic, red potato, an ultra-buttery pommes purée, whatever. And they're the perfect delivery vehicle for No. 2...
2. GravyIf your plate isn't swimming in gravy, you're doing it wrong. Gravy is the predominant flavor of Thanksgiving. It is the fatty, delectable lube that helps the meal ease into your gullet. It's not something you get to eat often, but on Thanksgiving, it is absolutely essential. It brings everything to life. Sure, it's a sauce and not really a dish, but it deserves this high ranking regardless.
Pregaming Thanksgiving by having gravy on my cereal for breakfast
— Stone Cold Jane Austen (@abbyhiggs.bsky.social) November 26, 2024 at 6:45 AM 1. StuffingStuffing was always the winner.
I don't fully comprehend why stuffing is limited to a Thanksgiving-only dish, but that's reality. In some ways, I enjoy that fact because I treasure gorging on stuffing annually. The stock-soaked bread, the fresh herbs, the crispy edges, maybe some crumbled sausage — it's so good, and it screams Thanksgiving. Stuffing is why you should not be filling up on dinner rolls. Every roll you eat is stomach space wasted on bland bread that could, instead, be devoted to the savory, gravy-soaked wonder that is stuffing.
Opinions vary on Thanksgiving food. I'm sure most folks would have edits to my list, but I hope we can all agree on one thing: Leave the salad for the other 364 days of the year.
The U.S. Army chose frigid, remote Greenland for a secretive Cold War project code-named "Iceworm." Years later, NASA detected the project's buried base, called Camp Century, deep beneath the accumulating ice.
A space agency research plane swooped over the remote Arctic region this year, using an advanced radar to scan the changing ice sheet below.
"We were looking for the bed of the ice and out pops Camp Century," Alex Gardner, a NASA cryospheric scientist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, said in a statement. "We didn’t know what it was at first."
SEE ALSO: NASA scientist viewed first Voyager images. What he saw gave him chills.Camp Century existed between 1959 until 1967 until being abandoned. Engineers used huge plows to dig trenches into the snow and ice, and then covered them with arched ceilings and more snow. The base grew to 26 buried tunnels stretched over two miles. "It included dormitories, a kitchen and cafeteria, a hospital, a laundry, a communications center, a recreation hall, a chapel, and even a barbershop," the Atomic Heritage Foundation wrote. They installed a power nuclear reactor at the site, too.
The camp is now buried under at least 100 feet (30 meters) of ice. But NASA's Uninhabited Aerial Vehicle Synthetic Aperture Radar, attached beneath its Gulfstream III research craft, is capable of sending out radio waves (which ping back and show what's underground) both directly beneath and to the side, revealing the base.
The image below shows Camp Century's long abandoned structures and tunnels under Greenland's sprawling ice.
NASA's Uninhabited Aerial Vehicle Synthetic Aperture Radar reveals Camp Century buried beneath Greenland's ice. Credit: NASA Crew use a pile-driver to install the foundation for water storage tanks at Camp Century. Credit: U.S. Army / Pictorial Parade / Archive Photos / Getty ImagesThe ultimate vision for Camp Century, however, was much greater. It was a secretive scheme to hide nuclear missile launchers beneath the ice.
"Using the model at Camp Century, Project Iceworm planned to build an additional 52,000 square miles of tunnels — three times the size of Denmark — with the possibility of extending it to 100,000 square miles," the Atomic Heritage Foundation explained. "The Army planned to deploy 600 missiles, each four miles apart in trenches similar to those at Camp Century, and to build 60 Launch Control Centers (LCCs)."
Camp Century — both its structures and infamous legacy of hazardous chemical and radioactive waste — might not stay buried forever. The Arctic is the fastest warming region on Earth, and Greenland is melting some 270 billion tons of ice into the sea each year as the planet warms. Research concluded that the ice now covering Camp Century may grow vulnerable in the centuries ahead — though exactly how quickly is uncertain.
“The question is whether it’s going to come out in hundreds of years, in thousands of years, or in tens of thousands of years," said James White, a scientist at the University of Colorado in Boulder. "This stuff was going to come out anyway, but what climate change did was press the gas pedal to the floor and say, 'It’s going to come out a lot faster than you thought.'"
TL;DR: Save 26% on a refurbished HP EliteDesk, a mini desktop that comes with Windows 10 Pro, a keyboard and mouse, and 256GB of storage while supplies last.
Opens in a new window Credit: HP HP EliteDesk 800 G5 Mini Desktop $279.97'Tis the season for a home office upgrade. Your laptop may have been a trusty device, but you may be holding your productivity back by not upgrading to a desktop.
Desktops may have been large and clunky in the past, but you can get the performance and battery upgrade of a desktop without the clutter. How? Just add this mini HP desktop to your office. This compact, refurbished HP EliteDesk brings power in its sleek design, and it's now available for $279.97, 26% off the usual price of $339.99.
Refurbished doesn't mean usedShopping refurbished is what makes it possible to get this mini HP desktop for less than $280. However, there's a clear distinction between refurbished vs. used — this HP EliteDesk was awarded a Grade 'A' rating, meaning it'll arrive in near-mint condition with minimal wear and at least 80% battery health. The only downside of shopping refurbished is that inventory is limited.
Desktop power in a compact designYour casual tasks and day-to-day work can get a performance boost with this EliteDesk's Intel Core i5 and 16GB of RAM. Run your Microsoft apps, Adobe Suite, or other programs simultaneously with minimal to no lag. You'll even be able to game on this mini desktop, and users can save photos, files, and other media locally, thanks to its 256GB SSD.
Adding to this desktop's enhanced processing and providing built-in security is Windows 10 Pro integration. This operating system is equipped with measures like BitLocker device encryption and Windows Information Protection services, features that aren't available on the free Home version of Windows 10.
Here's yet another pro of this desktop: the HP EliteDesk comes with a keyboard and mouse for increased productivity, so you'll only need to add a monitor. Plug in your peripherals through its variety of ports.
All of these features are housed in an unobtrusive, sleek profile. Whether you're adding this to your home office or office cubicle, this desktop won't take up much surface area.
Take advantage of this limited-time offer on this near-mint mini HP EliteDesk, now $279.97, while inventory is still available.
StackSocial prices subject to change.
TL;DR: Give the gift of convenience with the PowerBand Apple Watch Band with a built-in MagSafe-compatible charger for just $29.97 (reg. $49) during this Early Black Friday sale.
Opens in a new window Credit: WonderCube PowerBand: Apple Watch Band with Built-In MagSafe Charger $29.97When it comes to Apple Watch accessories, the PowerBand is about to blow your mind. This isn’t just another stylish watch strap, it’s a game changer with a hidden MagSafe-compatible charger built right into the band. Sleek, functional, and oh-so-convenient, it’s the perfect gift for any Apple Watch owner on your list.
Give the gift of convenience with the PowerBand Apple Watch Band with a built-in MagSafe-compatible charger for just $29.97 (reg. $49) during this Early Black Friday sale.
Gone are the days of lugging around bulky charging cables or forgetting your charger entirely. With the PowerBand, your Apple Watch can stay powered up wherever you go, thanks to a hidden USB charging mechanism tucked away inside the band. Simply flip it out when you need it, plug it into a USB outlet, and watch the power flow.
The PowerBand doesn’t just charge your watch; it looks and feels amazing, too. Crafted from a lightweight nylon weave, this band is breathable, soft, and highly elastic, giving you a snug fit that moves with you. Its pull-tab adjustment system means you can customize the fit on the fly — ideal for those all-day wear sessions or sweaty workouts.
And let’s not forget about its durability. The aluminum metal housing adds an extra layer of strength, so you won’t have to worry about wear and tear. It’s compatible with all Apple Watch series, making it a universal accessory for anyone who loves their Apple Watch.
Ideal for travelers, fitness enthusiasts, and busy professionals, it will be the gift they didn't know they needed.
Get the PowerBand Apple Watch Band with a built-in MagSafe-compatible charger for just $29.97 (reg. $49) through December 8.
StackSocial prices subject to change.
TL;DR: Get 1TB of cloud storage with a lifetime subscription to FolderFort for just $59.97 (reg. $251.64) ahead of Black Friday 2024.
Opens in a new window Credit: FolderFort FolderFort 1TB Cloud Storage Pro Plan: Lifetime Subscription $59.97 at the Mashable ShopIn the early days of Google Drive, it felt like your free cloud storage would never run out of space, but eventually it does. Suddenly, you have to pay a fair bit to back up your photos and save all your other files. Fortunately, Google Drive isn't the only place to save your files.
FolderFort is a Google Drive alternative that gives you a full 1TB of storage that you can access through any modern browser or mobile device, and you aren't paying for it every month. With a one-time fee of only $59.97, you get a lifetime subscription.
Head to the Mashable Shop to take advantage of this Black Friday cloud storage deal, which won't last for long.
Reliable cloud storage for lifeFolderFort lets you upload and access your files on all of your devices.
Yes, you'll always need an internet connection to access your files, and with some cloud providers, there's a chance the whole service might be down. But that's not really a problem with Folderfort, which guarantees a 99.9% uptime.
1TB is a lot of space, and you might end up paying for storage you would never use if this were another cloud service. With FolderFort, you can upgrade or downgrade whenever you want. Don't pay for what you're not going to use.
Share files across all your devicesGoogle Drive and iCloud aren't the only places to keep your files safe.
There's no need to wait for Black Friday for this deal — get a lifetime subscription to FolderFort 1TB Storage for just $59.97 (reg. $251.64) now through December 1 at 11:59 p.m. PT.
FolderFort 1TB Cloud Storage Pro Plan: Lifetime Subscription | Only $59.97 at the Mashable Shop
StackSocial prices subject to change.
It's outrageous that in the same year that Italian filmmaker Luca Guadagnino gave audiences the high-tension love triangle of Challengers, he's also served up a Daniel Craig-fronted adaptation of William S. Burroughs' novella Queer. Both films were written by Justin Kuritzkes, and both offer bold explorations of love, lust, and longing, with steamy sex scenes that serve as punctuation. And yet, they are wildly unalike.
Challengers is a propulsive love story that zings back and forth its timeline, keeping the audience on their toes, just like its tennis-playing trio. Queer is a languid journey that meanders through flirtations, fucking, dream sequences, and willfully anachronistic music to chart a passionate but also baffling tale of unrequited love.
It's a marvel of a movie that feels as if it is precisely what it intends to be, and yet it's ultimately unsatisfying. Perhaps that's intended too?
Daniel Craig is a dynamic thrill-seeker in Queer. Credit: Yannis DrakoulidisEchoing elements of Burroughs' own life, Queer ushers audiences into 1950s Mexico City, where a band of American expats — many of whom are gay men — lounge about cafes, bars, and cheap motels looking for illicit thrills, be it booze, hard drugs, or casual sex. Wearing a white linen suit, a crisp fedora, and a crooked smile, William Lee (Craig) has a breezy American swagger with a hint of comic buffoonery that beckons to the English actor's acclaimed portrayals of Southern gentleman detective Benoit Blanc in Knives Out and roguish bomb-maker Joe Bang in Logan Lucky. Yet his Lee is distinctive, with an unapologetic sleaziness that's edged with gawping insecurity, which urges him toward playing the fool more often than not.
Craig is mesmerizing as Lee, swanning from catty gossip sessions to carnal encounters to body-rattling withdrawals and psychedelic splendors. It's easy to be beguiled by his charms, including a suave sex appeal made less intimidating by his tendency toward silliness. He smoothly seduces local trade and amuses scene queens like the chic John Dumé (Drew Droege, who became internet famous with his cheeky impersonations of Chloë Sevigny), and lovable loser/rousing raconteur Joe (Jason Schwartzman). And yet, Lee cannot firmly claim the love of his crush, a young discharged American Navy serviceman named Eugene Allerton (Drew Starkey).
The romantic interest of Queer proves its central mystery. Credit: Yannis DrakoulidisLee throws himself at his could-be paramour ardently, plying him with affection, booze, and even a flashy getaway when all else fails. Maybe a journey into the jungle to try the mind-altering psychedelic ayahuasca will unlock the gate that seems to stand between them.
The first act is an intoxicating portrait of Lee's Mexico City, rich in color, music, and romantic possibilities — or at least enthralling ones. In tender moments, Lee's dream of being intricately partnered with Eugene is expressed beautifully through simple dissolves. Footage of what is — the two sitting side by side in a movie theater — is overlaid faintly with what Lee wishes: to stroke Eugene's face, softly and publicly. More vivid dream sequences use jarringly bright red sets and stark female nudity to express Lee's doubts about Eugene's interest in the older man. But as his desperation to keep Eugene close intensifies, the audience might wonder what it is Lee is even fighting for.
Defined chiefly by his wandering eye and an interest in playing chess with a red-headed female acquaintance, Eugene is not a fleshed-out character but a sketch, unknowable between the slight lines that are his only details. Is he into Lee? Is he even queer? These are questions that might seem answered by the torrid love scenes between the two. But for every moment approaching intimacy, Eugene offers a follow-up that is at best casual, and at worst cruel.
Tall, white, preppy, and neatly pressed even when wearing a T-shirt, Eugene is presented visually as a tidier, younger version of Lee. Perhaps this is meant to echo that what Lee is chasing is not this man but his past, or a version of himself that was less ravaged by drugs, trauma, and heartache. Or perhaps the supremely unrumpled persona is all Lee can understand of this mysterious man.
Queer's third act is its biggest risk. Credit: Yannis DrakoulidisIn any case, as Lee drags a reluctant (and infuriatingly stoic) Eugene into the jungle to find a mythic medicine woman (Lesley Manville), Guadagnino's movie asks more patience of its audience than his most heralded offerings. In I Am Love, it's easy to see why Tilda Swinton could be seduced by such photogenic food. Call Me by Your Name captured the heat and sweetness of young love through a well-placed peach. Bones and All masterfully turned a tale of teenage cannibals into a sizzling subtextual queer romance, not despite of its gore but because of it. Then, Challengers sold the electrifying love triangle between its players through the breath-taking onscreen chemistry of Zendaya, Mike Faist, and Josh O'Connor. Queer, on the other hand, asks us to follow Lee to fight for a love that feels like an illusion.
Since the film's world premiere at the Venice Film Festival, critics have jeered Queer's turn from its vivacious first act to its lumbering third. Yet there's something in the film's aesthetic that gently warns of this change.
In the beginning, production design by Stefano Baisi paints Lee's Mexico City as a quaint yet deliciously seedy paradise, where towering windows in cafes and warm street lights allow for layers of lives to unfurl all at once, without feeling cluttered or claustrophobic. The palette of yellows, reds, and sickly greens favored by cinematographer Sayombhu Mukdeeprom as tracking shots follow Lee in slow motion down lively streets evoke the faded colors of pulp novels, promising decadent delights around every corner. Queer's soundtrack boasts smooth, smokey songs like Nirvana's "Come as You Are," Sinead O'Connor's cover of Nirvana's "All Apologies," and Radiohead's haunting "Talk Show Host." Through the jarring anachronism of this collection of songs, Guadagnino knowingly blends the nostalgic sentimentality of the film's visuals with the sharper-edged sounds of '90s pop disillusionment. Essentially, the visual and audio are thematically at war, reflecting Lee's inner doubts about his life and his lover.
Credit: Yannis DrakoulidisAt two hours and 15 minutes, Queer is a movie that indulges its protagonist more than its audience, following him through meandering mental exercises to an unfulfilling epiphany. Viewers may grow restless as Craig's charms are swallowed by Lee's raw need and his ruthless vices. Undeniably, the experience of living vicariously through Lee shifts from pleasurable to uneasy as the glamor is stripped away from this expat holiday, revealing crude realities like the decidedly unromantic subterfuge required to cop drugs in a new locale, or the subsequent toll of withdrawals on Lee's body — and Eugene's patience. That certainly seems to be Guadagnino's goal: not to tell a story of formative first love or world-altering romance, but the ugly truth of unrequited love. It's not easy to experience, but it is undeniably masterfully made. So, in the end, Queer is both visually lush, sexually explosive, and emotionally infuriating. It is not a journey that leaves our hearts full, but open and aching.
TikTok and food go hand-in-hand.
The platform hosts a diverse range of food-related content, from creators sharing recipes and reviewing food to those indulging in mukbangs and everything in between. Naturally, this has led to the emergence of various food trends.
SEE ALSO: The best memes of 2024 (so far)Interestingly, 2024 has seen a shift away from stunt food, a type of content that often featured bizarre, not-necessarily-tasty concoctions typically made in an air fryer. Instead, TikTok users are gravitating toward genuine cooking and exciting recipes. While these don't always become viral trends, the platform is brimming with quality food content. You can learn from a butcher how to save money on meat or discover how to build a beautiful salad from pantry staples. The focus has moved away from gimmicks like air-frying Oreos to more practical and inspiring culinary tips.
However, food trends, both good and bad, still make waves in 2024. As we reach the end of the year, here are some of the most notable trends.
Cottage cheese...everywhereWho could've guessed that 2024 would be the year of cottage cheese? Yet, here we are. TikTok is brimming with recipes for cottage cheese toast, cottage cheese bowls, cottage cheese protein cookie dough—practically anything you can think of. Cottage cheese has captured TikTok's imagination as a high-protein, relatively low-calorie, and tasty food. It's refreshing to see it used as a healthy, filling ingredient, a far cry from its '90s diet culture stigma.
I once thought I didn't like cottage cheese, but 2024 proved me wrong — the '90s just had terrible, diet-focused food.
Raw carrot saladRaw carrot salad recipes have racked up millions of views on TikTok. Typically, these recipes involve thin-sliced carrot ribbons, some acid, soy sauce, and great seasoning, resulting in lightly pickled carrots that are absolutely delicious.
Many videos tout the salad's benefits for gut and hormonal health. I can’t vouch for those claims, but I do love a raw carrot salad, and it’s great to see it become a trend in 2024.
Chipotle portions...so much about Chipotle portionsTikTok has become obsessed with the (seemingly) shrinking portions at Chipotle, causing such a stir that the CEO had to awkwardly address it in an interview.
Do I know if the portions have shrunk? No. Would it surprise me? Not at all. Large companies often look to maximize profits at customers' expense.
However, TikTok users have taken to filming Chipotle workers to try and get bigger portions or catch them skimping. It’s really rude to shove a camera in someone's face while they’re working, so please don’t do that.
Nonetheless, Chipotle portions have been a noticeable trend on TikTok this year.
Chamoy picklesNeon-red pickles? Sure, why not?
If you’ve missed it, chamoy pickles have become super popular on TikTok. Chamoy, a bright Mexican condiment often paired with fruit, is now being added to pickles. Some people take it a step further by stuffing the pickles with snacks like Flamin' Hot Cheetos and wrapping them in Fruit Roll-Ups. It sounds gross, but it makes for compelling TikTok content. While the chamoy pickle itself isn’t stunt food, stuffing it with snacks certainly is.
A whole cucumberApparently, sometimes you really do need to eat a whole cucumber. At least that's if you believe TikTok. As I wrote in August, this recipe idea from TikTok creator @logagm (Logan) is "actually an elite summer side dish." He went super viral with his initial video showing a recipe for, effectively, lightly marinated and umami-forward cucumbers.
SEE ALSO: TikTok's new cucumber recipe obsession is actually an elite summer side dishFrom there, Logan made a whole bunch of other whole cucumber recipes. Pretty soon, anyone and everyone was making a cucumber dish of some sort. There have certainly been worse trends on TikTok — most every dish Logan makes, especially, looks great.
Hear me out cakesOK, this trend is food but really isn't about the food. As Mashable explained in October, folks on TikTok skewered print-outs of characters into cakes, indicating they would hook up with those characters. Thus the hear me out.
SEE ALSO: The 'hear me out' cake TikTok trend, explainedSo, you might learn who on TikTok wants to hook up with Nemo's dad or Megamind and, for really no reason, cake was involved.
Onions boilsYou can never tell what TikTok will get obsessed with next. Case in point: onion boils. For a bit you couldn't scroll TikTok without seeing onion recipes. An onion boil is basically all the accoutrement you'd find in a seafood boil — lots of spices, lots of butter — stuffed and roasted inside a whole onion. The result is a gloopy, buttery onion. On its own, it seems a little gross, but over rice or potatoes, you might have a winner.
SEE ALSO: TikTok's latest food trend is an obsession with...onions? The dense bean saladTikTok got super into meal prepping bean salads this year, all thanks to creator Violet Witchel. She went viral for her weekly DBS — yes, it has an acronym — and it really was one of the food trends of 2024.
A DBS typically involves hearty, nutritious ingredients that will both fill you up and keep well in the fridge for a week. Here's one with sun-dried tomatoes, bell pepper, and shallot, for instance, that garnered some 11 million views.
Chili's cheese pullsIn what must be a corporate marketing exec's wildest dream, Chili's went viral in the latter parts of 2024 for its Triple Dipper meal deal. It's basically a promotion where you build a dinner out of appetizers for less than $20. Most notably, people became obsessed with the chain's mozzarella sticks and the truly impressive cheese pulls — you know, the thing where the cheese stretches — that were possible with the appetizer.
The virality on TikTok has had real world effects. Chili's reported a 14 percent hike in same-store sales, with the Triple Dipper accounting for 11 percent of Chili’s total business, CNN reported last month.
Search Triple Dipper on TikTok and you'll see countless videos with hundreds of thousands, if not millions of views. And honestly, the mozz sticks do look fantastic.
That's the beauty of food on TikTok. In January there was simply no way to predict that by the end of the year, Chili's would be on everyone's FYP. Never underestimate a good cheese pull, it would seem.
Want more of the best of 2024? Join Mashable as we look back at all the internet slang, TikTok songs, movies, memes, dating trends, hyped up hardware, scientific discoveries, social media apps, and more that have delighted and amazed us this year.
In an unspoken sort of way, Roomba has been crowned "the best" on the sole basis that it's the most established brand in the robot vacuum market. But Shark has always had competitive street cred when it comes to vacuums in general, and its newest rounds of robot vacuums make Shark a force to be reckoned with among Roombas and Roborocks.
Having tested the top botvacs from all of the top brands, I can easily narrow down the best three Shark robot vacuums that you should be eyeing heading into 2025.
Are Shark robot vacuums as good as Roomba?It's not the definitive one-word answer you were hoping for, but making an unequivocal call between the two brands without exploring the gray area just wouldn't make sense. As in the Instant Pot vs. Ninja Foodi debate, both vacuum brands are constantly growing their lineups, expanding their price ranges, and filling blind spots in which the other brand may have previously been the winner.
SEE ALSO: As a Dyson stan, I wouldn't tell anyone to buy the Dyson 360 Vis Nav robot vacuumHowever, Shark typically does one thing better than Roomba: Making the best robot vacuum features affordable. Now that robot vacuums have firmly moved from the new-fangled The Jetsons vibe they gave off in 2017 to an appliance just as normal to have at home as an upright vacuum, a trifecta of standard cleaning features (outside of the regular vacuuming itself) has arisen that is kind of expected at this point in the robot vacuum game: These are mopping, smart room mapping, and automatic emptying.
iRobot and Shark both have several options that offer all three or some mix-and-match version of two. With Shark's debut of its Matrix robot vacuums in spring 2023 and then the fall 2024 release of its most automated robovac yet (the PowerDetect line with a NeverTouch Base), Shark is your best bet for securing more robot vacuum features at a lower price (compared to the prices on the Roombas with matching capabilities). There's also a high chance that any given Shark robot vacuum is on sale at any given time, especially if you're buying a robot vacuum on Black Friday. Below, we'll note the sale price we see most frequently in "The Good" section — so don't take that full price too seriously.
Shark really shines at spot cleaningSometimes, there's an unexpected mess that you want to clean without messing around with a map on the app. In those cases, Shark Matrix robot vacuums make spot cleaning much easier than Roombas do. Setting a zone for a one-time clean in the Shark app is as easy as dragging a square in the designated spot cleaning tab, compared to having to create and name an official cleaning zone on the map in the iRobot app. Most modern Shark robot vacuums also have a physical cleaning button if you want to pick the robot up and place it in the right area — an underrated feature that modern Roombas completely skip.
Though the list of Shark robot vacuums to choose from isn't as big as iRobot's is, comparing the differences between them on paper can still get confusing. That's why I've tested most of the main Shark robot vacuums in my own home to compare them to each other in an IRL setting — as well as compare them to other robot vacs from iRobot, Roborock, Eufy, and more that I put through the same standardized obstacle course. Here are the best three Shark robot vacuums that I've tested, and that I think you should eye on Black Friday 2024:
UPDATE: Nov. 26, 2024, 12:27 p.m. EST This article has been updated with the latest information about Black Friday 2024.
Black Friday has quickly morphed from a predominantly in-store experience to an online shopping craze that lasts an entire month. Even before pandemic circumstances deterred shoppers from heading to stores, things were starting to shift.
The day after Thanksgiving once marked the start of the holiday shopping season, but now, it's just the peak of a month-long deals bonanza. Target kicked things off this season on Nov. 7 with a new three-day Early Black Friday Sale. Best Buy and Walmart did something similar, dropping their initial early Black Friday deals on Nov. 8 and Nov. 11, respectively. Amazon was surprisingly the last to throw its hat in the ring, with its official Black Friday sale running from Nov. 21 through Cyber Monday on Dec. 2. Needless to say, it's been a month full of epic deals already.
SEE ALSO: All the best early Black Friday deals at Amazon, Target, Best Buy, and WalmartWith an overall hunger for savings amidst inflation-concerned customers, the questions arise in 2024 more than ever: What are the best Black Friday shopping tips? Should you wait until the big day to snag a deal? Will things be cheaper on Black Friday or Cyber Monday? How can you find the best deals?
Cyber Week is always chaotic, but getting organized and knowing what you're looking for will have you shopping like a well-oiled machine. We've got you covered with shopping tips for securing the best deals on Black Friday 2024 and beyond.
1. Plan your shopping wiselyWe'll spare you the sports references, but going into Black Friday without a game plan is risky as hell — and a great way to end up with buyer's remorse.
If you're unsure of what exactly you're looking for this season, you might want to take a glimpse at all of the major retailers' ad scans to get an idea of what's popular, what's getting discounted, and when the best time is to buy certain items. Make note that there are a ton of ad scans to sort through. To make your life a little easier, you can also just follow our mega list of deals from all major retailers instead. TL;DR: we already did the sorting for you.
While planning your attack, be sure to set a budget to prevent overspending. It's easy to get click-happy when you see all of the sparkly discounts in front of you.
2. Organize your Black Friday wishlistIt's no surprise that Amazon's Black Friday sale is the most highly-anticipated of the year. If you plan on shopping at Amazon this season, do yourself a favor and get your wishlist in order. Every product page on the retail giant's website has an "add to list" button. Do this with all of the gadgets and gizmos on your shopping list this season to organize everything, view it all at a glance, and even rank items based on priority. You'll be able to see which products have gone on sale and seamlessly scoop them up before they're gone.
SEE ALSO: Creating an Amazon wishlist is our go-to Black Friday shopping hack 3. Download apps from Walmart, Target, Amazon, and moreShopping from your phone? It'd be smart to download mobile apps from your favorite stores — Walmart, Target, and Amazon are three biggies that will be clutch. They'll obviously be plastering their biggest deals across the screen, making things organized and easy to navigate even on a bumpy commute or at a loud relative's house.
Not only will the apps help you out on the go, but they'll also give you access to exclusive app-only perks like wishlist alerts, personalized suggestions, scan-and-go features, and more. The Amazon app will even show you deals on recent items you've searched. It's like it knows you too well.
4. Take advantage of Alexa's exclusive featuresGot a newer Echo smart speaker? Surprise — you can take advantage of exclusive features. Open up your Alexa mobile app and turn on the advanced deal alerts feature (you'll find it under More > Settings > Notifications > Amazon Shopping), then check the Deal Recommendations and Shopping Recommendations. If you already have a wishlist organized and ready to go, you'll get a pop-up alert or a yellow ring light on your Echo speaker whenever Alexa finds out about an upcoming deal on one of the items on your list. Alexa will even let you know if an item on your wishlist is going on sale up to 24 hours before the sale goes live, so you can plan accordingly.
5. Visit CamelCamelCamel like it's your jobSo technically, it actually is our job to find the best deals, but we'll let you in on a little secret. When shopping for deals at Amazon, we always reference CamelCamelCamel to see the historical data on the sale prices for a particular item. At a glance, it allows you to see just how good that deal is (or isn't). Even if you're shopping elsewhere, you can get an idea of a product's price history before purchasing.
6. Utilize Buy Now, Pay Later when possibleIf you can't afford to pay for your Black Friday haul in one lump sum, don't be afraid to take advantage of Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) options. When used responsibly, BNPL apps (like Affirm) can help you nab the deals you want while still making your monthly rent. Just note that BNPL services use a "soft inquiry" to determine your credit. While this shouldn't affect your credit score, there's no promise that your payment history won't be reported to credit bureaus.
7. Bookmark Mashable's Black Friday pageNot all heroes wear capes. (It's us. We're the heroes.) Mashable's Black Friday page is the hub for pretty much every Black Friday sale that matters, with links to all of our coverage, like that massive master list of the best Black Friday 2024 deals plus spotlight deals broken down by retailer (Walmart, Amazon, Best Buy, Target, etc) as well as by categories like TVs, robot vacuums, or laptops. This will save you from wasting time trying to skim websites on your own and getting overwhelmed.
We'll be updating these lists regularly before, during, and after the Black Friday and Cyber Monday shenanigans, so check back for all the latest and greatest deals that drop. Stores also love to throw in sneaky coupon codes or freebies. These can be easy to miss when you're in a hurry to order, so we'll let you know when we spot one.
8. Sign up for the Mashable Deals newsletterNot about to be glued to the internet during family time? Cute — we will be, though. If you want to stay in the loop via email, we've got you covered. In the days surrounding the big sale, our regular newsletters will be filled with Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals that you may want to hop on.
The Mashable Deals newsletter is also just a clutch thing to get in general. True, we're probably biased, but we really think this is one email you won't be annoyed with when it pops up in your inbox. You'll be sent a quick rundown of deals we think you'll care about, like the best Amazon deals of the day or really solid discounts on popular streaming services.
The Daily Mini Crossword is one of the many popular daily word games available on Mashable. Powered by Arkadium, the mini crossword offers a speed round of puzzle fun with clues that are sure to challenge experienced crossword enthusiasts.
But there's no need to let the challenge get in the way of your enjoyment! If moments are turning to minutes after getting stuck on a clue, find the answers you need to progress right here.
And when you're done, check out the many other word games you can play on Mashable, including a full-size crossword.
Also, if you get stuck on any other daily word games, such as Wordle, Connections, or Strands — we have you covered.
SEE ALSO: Hurdle hints and answers for November 27 SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on MashableHere are the clues and answers to Daily Mini Crossword for Wednesday, November 27, 2024:
AcrossFlatbread sandwichesThe answer is Wraps.
The answer is Crenate.
The answer is Recital.
The answer is Ace.
The answer is ETA.
The answer is Skillet.
The answer is Seville.
The answer is Repay.
The answer is Wrecker.
The answer is Receive.
The answer is Ani.
The answer is Patella.
The answer is Stately.
The answer is Crass.
The answer is Elate.
The answer is Lip.
If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Featured Video For You The Wordle Strategy used by the New York Times' Head of GamesAre you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.
Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Mini Crossword.
If you like playing daily word games like Wordle, then Hurdle is a great game to add to your routine.
There are five rounds to the game. The first round sees you trying to guess the word, with correct, misplaced, and incorrect letters shown in each guess. If you guess the correct answer, it'll take you to the next hurdle, providing the answer to the last hurdle as your first guess. This can give you several clues or none, depending on the words. For the final hurdle, every correct answer from previous hurdles is shown, with correct and misplaced letters clearly shown.
An important note is that the number of times a letter is highlighted from previous guesses does necessarily indicate the number of times that letter appears in the final hurdle.
If you find yourself stuck at any step of today's Hurdle, don't worry! We have you covered.
SEE ALSO: Hurdle: Everything you need to know to find the answers Hurdle Word 1 hintA field where rice is grown.
SEE ALSO: Mini crossword answers for November 27 Hurdle Word 1 answerPADDY
Hurdle Word 2 hintA prejudiced person.
SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for November 27 Hurdle Word 2 AnswerBIGOT
Hurdle Word 3 hintA good distance for a dash.
SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for November 27 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for November 27 Hurdle Word 3 answerFORTY
Hurdle Word 4 hintCalm, unmoving.
SEE ALSO: NYT Strands hints, answers for November 27 Hurdle Word 4 answerSTILL
Final Hurdle hintThe way unkind words – or a bee – might make you feel.
SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Games available on Mashable Hurdle Word 5 answerSTUNG
If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
'Tis the season for giving gifts to your loved ones — and yourself. Black Friday provides the perfect opportunity to get yourself a little something without the guilt. For book lovers, it's the right time to finally splurge on an e-reader. We know that it's hard to escape the magic of the print, but the convenience of an e-reader really makes up for it.
Kindles are the biggest names in e-readers but there's more out there than these Amazon devices. Kobo is challenging Amazon's reign with its line-up of e-readers that provide the same ease and convenience. However, no matter what e-reader you're in the market for, our top picks are on sale ahead of Black Friday. And PS: don't forget to stock your e-reader full of digital books.
Best Kobo e-reader deal Kobo Libra Colour $199.99 at AmazonYes, Kindles are the most common and popular e-readers available, but have you considered... anything else? Kobo's e-readers offer a tempting alternative to the Kindle. The Kobo Libra Colour is fantastic and having tested it alongside the Kindle Paperwhite, I'm a fan of both in equal measure.
Like the Kindle Paperwhite, it has a 7-inch screen, but it runs larger overall because it has one thing the Kindle does not: page-turning buttons. The buttons provide a nice grip for holding the Kobo Libra Colour. Out of all the e-readers I've tested, the Kobo Libra Colour is the easiest to use one-handed. Plus, it even offers a colorful display so you can enjoy graphic novels or multi-color in-book annotations.
Compared to the Kindle deals, Kobo's sale on e-readers is more conservative, however, we'll take what we can get from these rarely on-sale devices. You can find the Kobo Libra Colour for under $200 ahead of Black Friday. It's down to $199.99, knocking $20 off the price.
More Kobo e-reader dealsKobo Sage — $239.99 $269.99 (save $30)
Kobo Elipsa 2E — $349.99 $399.99 (save $50)
The new batch of 2024 Kindles is the fastest yet, turning pages quickly and with less delay when switching between books in your library. The Kindle Paperwhite and Signature Edition both have bright, high-contrast screens, so you can read in any environment. While I prefer the Kindle Paperwhite over the Signature Edition most of the time, right now you can't beat the SE's Black Friday price.
The Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition is 23% off, bringing it down to $154.99. That's some big savings ($45 to be exact) on a device that's usually $200. You get everything you love in the Paperwhite, lightweight and waterproof design, with the added benefits of double the storage, wireless charging, and auto-adjusting brightness.
More Kindle dealsKindle — $84.99 $109.99 (save $25)
Kindle Kids — $94.99 $129.99 (save $35)
Kindle Paperwhite — $129.99 $159.99 (save $30)
Kindle Essentials Bundle — $116.97 $161.97 (save $45)
Kindle Paperwhite Essentials Bundle — $184.97 $204.97 (save $20)
Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition Essentials Bundle — $237.97 $257.97 (save $20)
Kindle Colorsoft Essentials Bundle — $349.97 $384.97 (save $35)
Sure, you can load up your Black Friday cart with big ticket items like laptops and TVs, but the small stuff is just as fun. For us bookworms always looking to expand our library, there's nothing like a new book. Especially when you're not paying full price. If you're a dedicated e-reader user, the good news is a plethora of Kindle books are all on sale ahead of Black Friday. You can stuff your Kindle to the brim with new books for cheap.
However, if you're dedicated to the physical page, there's even better news. You can find big early Black Friday deals on physical books. Whether you're buying for yourself or others, we've rounded up all the best deals on books.
Best Black Friday book deal Opens in a new window Credit: Walmart 'Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West' by Gregory Maguire $10.00 at WalmartIt's safe to say that the Wicked craze is in full swing. Whether you're holding space for all the memes the press tour is delivering or already ready for your second in-theater watch, have you considered reading the source material? And we're not talking about The Wizard of Oz.
The musical is based on Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, the novel by Gregory Maguire, and if you, or the biggest Wicked fan in your life, are eager to dive deeper into the world, now is a great time to pick up a copy. Ahead of Black Friday, Walmart is offering 50% off the novel, bringing it down to $10.
Wicked not your thing? Don't sweat because the Black Friday book deals are endless. Explore more deals on fiction, non-fiction, YA, and cookbooks below.
Best fiction dealsAmerican Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis — $5.88 $17.95 (save $12.07)
Before the Coffee Gets Cold by Toshikazu Kawaguchi — $7.39 $19.99 (save $12.60)
Bel Canto by Ann Patchett — $8.09 $19 (save $10.91)
Beloved by Toni Morrison — $6.23 $17 (save $10.77)
Eleanor Oliphant Is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman — $6.60 $18 (save $11.40)
Final Girls by Riley Sager — $7.76 $19 (save $11.24)
Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah — $6.28 $17.99 (save $11.71)
The Great Believers by Rebecca Makkai — $6.92 $19 (save $12.08)
The Guest List by Lucy Foley — $6.51 $16.99 (save $10.48)
Hell Bent by Leigh Bardugo — $7.94 $19.99 (save $12.05)
Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi — $6.60 $18.80 (save $12.20)
The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien — $27.50 $75 (save $47.50)
The Iliad translated by Emily Wilson — $16.49 $39.95 (save $23.46)
The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien — $40.37 $90 (save $49.63)
The Lost Apothecary by Sarah Penner — $7.99 $27.99 (save $20)
Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia — $5.53 $17 (save $11.47)
The Midnight Feast by Lucy Foley — $11 $30 (save $19)
The Midnight Library by Matt Haig — $8.99 $18 (save $9.01)
Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro — $6.66 $17 (save $10.44)
The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead — $6.01 $16 (save $9.99)
The Only One Left by Riley Sager — $7.83 $28 (save $20.17)
The Pairing by Casey McQuiston — $9.49 $20 (save $10.51)
Piranesi by Susanna Clarke — $6.33 $17.99 (save $11.66)
Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman — $6.99 $19 (save $12.01)
The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman — $6.68 $18 (save $11.32)
Trust by Hernan Diaz — $5.87 $28 (save $22.13)
Under the Whispering Door by TJ Klune — $6.67 $19.99 (save $13.32)
The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron — $6.14 $20 (save $13.86)
The Demon of Unrest by Erik Larson — $10.81 $35 (save $24.19)
Sonny Boy by Al Pacino — $17.50 $35 (save $17.50)
Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action by Simon Sinek — $9.10 $31 (save $21.90)
The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion — $6.61 $18 (save $11.39)
The Complete Calvin and Hobbes by Bill Watterson — $83.33 $225 (save $141.67)
Magic Tree House Boxed Set by Mary Pope Osborne — $19.97 $39.96 (save $19.99)
Percy Jackson and the Olympians Box Set by Rick Riordan — $17.76 $44.95 (save $27.19)
The School for Good and Evil Box Set by Soman Chainani — $31.97 $71.94 (save $39.97)
Cook This Book: Techniques That Teach and Recipes to Repeat by Molly Baz — $19.29 $32.50 (save $13.21)
Dishoom by Shamil Thakrar, Kavi Thakrar, and Naved Nasir — $12.86 $35 (save $22.14)
The Essential New York Times Cookbook by Amanda Hesser — $19.26 $55 (save $35.74)
The Korean Vegan Cookbook by Joanne Lee Molinaro — $15.65 $35 (save $19.35)
Maangchi's Big Book Of Korean Cooking by Maangchi — $19.07 $40 (save $20.93)
Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Julia Child — $12.90 $45 (save $32.10)
Mi Cocina: Recipes and Rapture from My Kitchen in Mexico by Rick Martínez — $12.83 $35 (save $22.17)
More is More: Get Loose in the Kitchen by Molly Baz — $13.13 $35 (save $21.87)
Start Here: Instructions for Becoming a Better Cook by Sohla El-Waylly — $14.52 $45 (save $30.48)
SAVE OVER $75: As of Nov. 27, the PlayStation 5 Fortnite Cobalt Star bundle is on sale for $424 in Walmart's Black Friday sale. This saves you $75.99 off its original list price of $499.99.
Opens in a new window Credit: PlayStation PS5 'Fortnite Cobalt Star' Bundle $424.00 at WalmartWalmart's Black Friday sale features some wonderful deals for gamers. There have been quite a few bundle deals in particular that have caught our eye, including on the sleek PS5 Slim console. If you've been hoping to grab one of these, and are also a big Fortnite fan, we've got a fantastic P5 bundle deal just for you.
The PS5 Slim Fortnite Cobalt Star bundle has dropped from its original price of $499.99 to $424. That saves you $75.99 on list price for Black Friday.
SEE ALSO: Get $300 off this impressive gaming laptop in Amazon's Black Friday saleAlongside the PS5 Slim Disc Edition console — which comes with a massive 1TB SSD to house all your favorite games and a DualSense wireless controller to get started playing them right away — the star of this bundle is the Fortnite inclusions. With your purchase you'll get a variety of cosmetics and an abundance of V-Bucks. Check out the full list of items below:
Cobalt Snowfoot Outfit (with LEGO Style)
Sapphire Star Back Bling
Indigo Inverter Pickaxe
Weathered Snow Stripes Wrap
Cobalt Crash Drums
Krackle Boost (Gold Painted Style)
Discotheque Wheels (Gold Painted Style)
Stella Trail (Gold Painted Style)
1,000 V-Bucks
This bundle deal is an excellent investment for the Fortnite fan you know who's been hoping to get a new PS5 console. Don't miss out on this Black Friday PS5 Slim Disc Edition Fortnite Cobalt Star bundle at Walmart.
There are plenty more gaming deals to check out this week as well. Alongside Walmart, Target, Best Buy, and Amazon are all offering incredible Black Friday deals throughout this week in the lead-up to the big day. Have a look at our breakdowns for each to learn about some of the biggest offers available in their respective sale events.
SAVE $125: As of Nov. 27, the Braun IPL Skin i·expert is on sale for $474.93 in the Amazon Black Friday sale. That's a 21% discount off the list price.
Opens in a new window Credit: Braun Braun IPL Skin i·expert $474.93 at AmazonBlack Friday sales cover just about everything, including tech, clothing, and even cosmetic items. And that stretches to a range of IPL devices, too.
IPL is one of the best long-term solutions for hair removal that can be done at home. It stands for Intense Pulsed Light and is a hair removal process that uses light pulses to target hair follicles, so it reduces hair growth over time. It's not a laser, but works similarly by focusing on the pigment in hair. It's a relatively painless, long-term solution for hair removal.
SEE ALSO: Get $300 off this impressive gaming laptop in Amazon's Black Friday saleLaser hair removal is different as it uses a concentrated single wavelength of light, making it more precise and powerful. IPL, on the other hand, uses a broad spectrum of light, covering a larger area but with less intensity. IPL is slightly less effective but is gentler on the skin and can be done from home. And it's much cheaper.
If you're thinking of investing in an IPL device, you'll find so many to choose from. But as of Nov. 27, the Braun IPL Skin i·expert is currently reduced for Black Friday at Amazon. Known for its hair removal devices, Braun is always a great choice, and this bundle is now priced at $474.93. The package includes the actual device, a Venus razor, four changeable smart heads, and a vanity travel case. It's also at its lowest-ever price at Amazon.
The Braun device benefits from skin tone sensors, a handy tool that optimizes the power of every flash to your skin tone. It's also sensitive on the skin, and for those awkward-to-reach places, there are different attachments to make sure you're getting the most out of the treatment.
Grab this Black Friday deal before it sells out.
The Mini is a bite-sized version of The New York Times' revered daily crossword. While the crossword is a lengthier experience that requires both knowledge and patience to complete, The Mini is an entirely different vibe.
With only a handful of clues to answer, the daily puzzle doubles as a speed-running test for many who play it.
So, when a tricky clue disrupts a player's flow, it can be frustrating! If you find yourself stumped playing The Mini — much like with Wordle and Connections — we have you covered.
SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on MashableHere are the clues and answers to NYT's The Mini for Wednesday, November 27, 2024:
Across"This is only a ___"The answer is Test.
The answer is Shake.
The answer is Organ.
The answer is Nolte.
The answer is Sweet.
The answer is Throw.
The answer is Eagle.
The answer is Skate.
The answer is Tenet.
The answer is Sons.
If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Featured Video For You The Wordle Strategy used by the New York Times' Head of GamesAre you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.
Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Mini Crossword.
SAVE $300: As of Nov. 27, the ASUS ROG Strix G16 is on sale for $1,099.99 in the Amazon Black Friday sale. That's a 21% saving on list price, and the lowest it has ever been on Amazon.
Opens in a new window Credit: ASUS ASUS ROG Strix G16 $1,099.99 at AmazonIf a new gaming laptop has been on your wishlist for a while, Black Friday is your chance to pounce. With just under a week left of Amazon's discounts, you'll find surprising deals on laptops of all sorts, including impressive gaming rigs like the ASUS ROG Strix G16.
Released earlier this year, this powerful gaming laptop is currently at its lowest-ever price at Amazon. Reduced by $300, you can buy now from $1,099.99. This discount is exclusive to the newer 2024 model.
SEE ALSO: The Apple Watch 10 is at its lowest-ever price in the Amazon Black Friday saleThe ASUS ROG Strix is a solid gaming laptop, with a sleek design and strong performance. It's a great option if you're new to the world of gaming. It's built with impressively powerful hardware, including high-end graphics cards and processors. The Strix series also has great cooling features, customizable RGB lighting, and plenty of ports for additional gear. Not to mention, it looks cool. With a 17-inch screen and a 16:10 aspect ratio, you can enjoy high-quality and immersive gaming.
With this laptop, you also get a free Xbox Game Pass. The 90-day pass will give you access to over 100 games to try out.
Head to the Amazon website to grab this great deal.
Connections: Sports Edition is a new version of the popular New York Times word game that seeks to test the knowledge of sports fans.
Like the original Connections, the game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.
If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for the latest Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.
SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable What is Connections Sports Edition?The NYT's latest daily word game has launched in association with The Athletic, the New York Times property that provides the publication's sports coverage. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.
Tweet may have been deletedEach puzzle features 16 words and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise of anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there's only one correct answer.
If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake—players get up to four mistakes until the game ends.
Tweet may have been deletedPlayers can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.
SEE ALSO: NYT's The Mini crossword answers for November 27 Here's a hint for today's Connections Sports Edition categoriesWant a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:
Yellow - An important quality for competitors
Green - College towns
Blue - Gold-seeking athletes
Purple - Shared last name
Need a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:
Yellow - Determination
Green - Big Ten Cities
Blue - Winter Olympians
Purple - ____ Smith
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 #65 is...
What is the answer to Connections Sports Edition todayDetermination: DESIRE, INTENT, RESOLVE, WILL
Big Ten Cities: ANN ARBOR, LINCOLN, MADISON, PISCATAWAY
Winter Olympians: BLAIR, OHNO, STREET, VONN
____ Smith: EMMITT, JR, OZZIE, SOPHIA
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.
SAVE $70: As of Nov. 27, the Apple Watch Series 10 (GPS, 42mm) is on sale for $329 in the Amazon Black Friday sale. That's an 18% discount on the list price.
Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple Watch Series 10 (GPS, 42mm) $329.00 at AmazonLooking for a new smartwatch upgrade? Amazon's Black Friday sale is the perfect place to search. With incredible deals across TVs, tablets, and more, you've got until Dec. 2 to make the most of the discounts. And the latest to catch out eye is the Apple Watch 10 (GPS, 42mm), currently reduced to its lowest-ever price. As of Nov. 27, you can buy it for $329 ($70 off list price)
The Apple Watch Series 10 is a great update on the 9. It comes with the same stats, metrics, and data but much better. In terms of health and fitness metrics, the Series 10 boasts advanced health tracking including ECG readings, heart rate notifications, and ovulation estimates.
SEE ALSO: Save 30% on the Fitbit Google Ace LTE kids smartwatch this Black FridayWhile slightly smaller than the 46mm model, the 42mm option still offers a vibrant, high-quality display and full functionality, making it perfect for those preferring a smaller, more nifty smartwatch.
In the Vitals app, you can find detailed overnight metrics such as heart and respiratory rates, and sleep tracking. It even includes alerts for possible sleep apnea. For fitness enthusiasts, the Workout app lets you track a whole load of activities, along with tools to monitor workout intensity and aquatic tracking with depth and water temperature sensors. And with 18 hours of normal use (and fast charging that gives you 80% in 30 minutes), the watch is perfect for all lengths of activity.
Style-wise, the Series 10 is the thinnest Apple Watch so far but it also has the biggest and most readable display. It also introduces Apple's first-ever wide-angle OLED display, meaning the watch remains clear and sharp when looking at it quickly or from different angles.
Head to the Amazon website to grab this deal.
SAVE $100: As of Nov. 27, the Oura Ring Gen3 Heritage is on sale at Amazon for $349. That's a 22% discount on the list price.
Opens in a new window Credit: Oura Oura Ring Gen3 Heritage $349.00 at AmazonThe discounts are just getting started, but Amazon's Black Friday event has officially kicked off. Running from Nov. 21 through to Dec. 2, there are plenty of deals and savings to be had across TVs, headphones, tablets, and much more. And if health tracking is your thing, you'll love this discount on the Oura Ring Gen3 Heritage. As of Nov. 27, you'll find it reduced to its lowest-ever price at Amazon, just $349. This price is for the size seven, but there are discounts across all sizes.
Smart rings are the latest tracking devices that allow us to monitor our health stats, and one of the biggest names in this field is the Oura Ring. A tracker that provides overall well-being and recovery stats, it allows users to access their data via an app. Similar to some of our favorite smartwatches, but hidden away in a sleek, normal-looking ring.
SEE ALSO: Save 30% on the Fitbit Google Ace LTE kids smartwatch this Black FridayThe Oura Ring 3 is perfect for sleep tracking, heart monitoring, and checking activity levels. It can even record your body temperature and heart rate variability (HRV). However, it's not a dedicated sports tracker. While it can monitor your heart rate during activities and assess recovery, it lacks GPS and advanced sports-specific features, so pairing it with a running app or smartwatch will give you a more comprehensive outlook on your health and well-being.
It's also worth noting that after a month of free access to an Oura Membership, a subscription fee of $5.99 per month is required.
Head to Amazon to grab this Black Friday deal.
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