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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 December 19 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for December 19 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Roll with it

These words are related to rock music.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

Words are different styles or sub-genres of rock'n'roll.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is horizontal.

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is Rocking.

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

• Punk

• Grunge

• Alternative

• Metal

• Glam

• Progressive

• Rocking

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.

The image, from northern Spain, showed a man with a white bag in the trunk of a car. The National Police said it helped them solve a missing-person case.

Sure, the aging International Space Station has a well-known, ongoing leak. But it's not nearly in danger of imminently crashing.

NASA responded to a post on X, formerly Twitter, claiming that the "ISS is going to crash soon via de-orbit," and included a screenshot from a 4chan post with a blurry graph showing altitude data. The space agency likely responded in an attempt to get ahead of a dubious post that's picking up decent traction (with nearly 9,000 likes and hundreds of shares by the afternoon of Dec. 18).

"The International @Space_Station continues to orbit the Earth as planned, and the crew aboard is safe. You can track the space station’s current path anytime at https://spotthestation.nasa.gov/tracking_map.cfm," NASA posted on X.

SEE ALSO: NASA scientist viewed first Voyager images. What he saw gave him chills.

The post is an example of the deluge of misinformation available on X. Indeed, X has a feature, Community Notes, that the platform says allows users to "collaboratively add context to potentially misleading posts" — and it can sometimes address egregious misinformation. But not always, and not immediately. Misinformation can thrive on the platform.

In this case, NASA's busy communications team thought it wise to respond. Such a response probably won't stop the conspiracy-minded — who can crave "knowledge" that makes them feel unique or superior — from sharing and amplifying the space station post, but perhaps it can inform some users and stem this particular wave of misinformation.

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NASA expects the space station to continue orbiting Earth and performing science through around 2031. A U.S. Deorbit Vehicle built by SpaceX will attach to the ISS and bring it down to Earth in a controlled, safe manner, specifically avoiding populated regions. In the 2030s, the space agency expects commercial space stations to take responsibility for providing a U.S. presence in low-Earth orbit.

You can often easily spot the space station, the largest structure ever built in space, when it passes above your home. Check out spotthestation.nasa.gov for an overhead sighting near you. It reflects lots of sunlight, making it the second-brightest object in the night sky after the moon.

You'll see, it's still there.

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has formally appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court to block the expected TikTok ban, which looms over the social media company as January approaches.

"The Constitution imposes an extraordinarily high bar on this kind of mass censorship. The Supreme Court should take up this important case and protect the rights of millions of Americans to freely express themselves and engage with others around the world," wrote deputy director of ACLU’s National Security Project Patrick Toomey. The amicus brief was submitted together by the ACLU, the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), and the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University.

TikTok and its allies have called the ban a violation of the First Amendment right to free speech, and the company has consistently denied any connections to Chinese government intelligence or the sharing of American users' data, which is the leading justification for the forced divestment of TikTok from Chinese ownership.

SEE ALSO: Get ready for these scams in 2025

Barring an intervention by the highest court, the ban, signed by President Biden in April, will go into effect Jan. 19. TikTok could still divest from its parent company, ByteDance, to comply with the law and halt an outright ban, but it has resisted any sale so far. This week, the District of Columbia Court of Appeals denied an emergency injunction submitted by TikTok that would delay the ban's effect until the Supreme Court could render an opinion under strict scrutiny. The Appeals court argued that highest scrutiny had been reached, and that national security interests justified the U.S. government's action.

The ACLU and its partners argue the court's reasoning is incorrect. "The D.C. Circuit failed to fully address the law’s profound implications for the First Amendment rights of the 170 million Americans who use TikTok," wrote the ACLU. "While the lower court’s decision correctly recognized that the statute triggers First Amendment scrutiny, it barely addressed users’ First Amendment interests in speaking, sharing, and receiving information on the platform. The court also perplexingly attempted to cast the government’s ban on TikTok as a vindication of users’ First Amendment rights, which it is not."

The ACLU has retained that the TikTok ban is a violation of federally protected rights, including free speech, calling the forceable sale "unconstitutional" in a statement released in March. A few months prior the civil rights organization argued that a ban on any such social media app would be "a dangerous act of censorship."

"Restricting citizens’ access to foreign media is a practice that has long been associated with repressive regimes," wrote Jameel Jaffer, executive director at the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University, "and we should be very wary of letting the practice take root here."

Two of Japan's auto giants, Nissan and Honda, are reportedly in early talks to merge, according to The Nikkei, in a bold move to strengthen their position against China’s growing clout in the electric vehicle (EV) market.

SEE ALSO: Tesla Model Q: Are the rumors about the new, affordable Tesla true?

While no concrete plans have emerged yet — and both companies remain tight-lipped on the subject — Japanese broadcaster TBS suggests that an official announcement of these discussions could come as early as next week.

Back in March, Nissan and Honda signaled their willingness to collaborate by agreeing to explore a strategic EV partnership. But, as the BBC points out, a full-blown merger of two of Japan’s automotive heavyweights would send ripples through both the political and economic landscape — a merger risks jobs and partnerships with other companies like French manufacturer Renault.

According to the BBC, Honda and Nissan have been steadily losing ground in China, a market that represented nearly 70 percent of global EV sales as of November. Despite their combined global sales of 7.4 million vehicles in 2023, both brands are struggling to hold their own against cost-effective EV Chinese manufacturers like BYD.

OpenAI is taking a big step towards making ChatGPT the "everything app" by being able to call ChatGPT on your phone.

As of today, you can call ChatGPT or message it in WhatsApp. By adding 1-800-ChatGPT, to your contacts list, you can call it and chat with it on a phone call. In the live demo, OpenAI shared how users can call ChatGPT on a road trip and ask it questions about sites and landmarks like the "Flintstone House."

SEE ALSO: How to try OpenAI's Sora right now

This was demoed on an iPhone, but OpenAI also shared how users can make calls with an old flip phone and a rotary phone, and lo-and-behold, ChatGPT picks up the phone and answers your questions.

ChatGPT works in WhatsApp in a typical chatbot fashion, where you can message it for information like a pesto recipe. Currently, this is text based, but interacting with ChatGPT on WhatsApp will soon come with support for images.

Calling with ChatGPT comes with 15 minutes of free calling for users with a phone plan in the U.S.

This story is developing...

Spotify Wrapped and its many dupes sucked this year on just about every platform — except Strava.

Spotify was the first company to take all of the data we gave it throughout the year, neatly package it into a shareable format, and give us a Wrapped that we all actually enjoyed. It started a phenomena of Wrappeds, which seemed to peak this year which such hits as "Asana Wrapped" and Vanguard retirement account Wrapped. But we owe all good Wrappeds to Spotify's impact.

Unfortunately, those are all the compliments I can give Spotify this year. Wrapped 2024 was a disappointment. We didn't get genres, potentially thanks to Spotify laying off key data scientists this year, and it was way too much AI and not enough real creativity. As one Reddit user wrote, "This year's wrap is what happens when you replace creatives with AI."

"Past years had fun, unique ideas, like telling you what city your listening habits were most similar to or giving you an MBTI-like listening type. This year we don’t have any of that, just a bunch of AI 'features' that aren't very good. They didn’t even do as well with basic stats — where are my top 5 genres or the number of genres I listened to? And the graphics are incredibly uninspiring," another user wrote on Reddit. "I don’t want AI, I want something creative."

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Spotify Wrapped was so bad that it has people considering moving to Apple Music, even though that Wrapped was pretty boring, too. But there was less AI, it was less annoying, and, frankly, there's less hype about it — so it's not quite as disappointing when it doesn't hit.

Earlier this week, we got another Wrapped people were looking forward to and then, immediately, disappointed by: Goodreads Wrapped. It was designed by what I have to assume was a raccoon wading through peanut butter to click the wrong buttons on the most boring Canva template to ever exist. Just look at this:

It's bad! Credit: Screenshot / GoodReads So bad! Credit: Screenshot / GoodReads

The images aren't built in the dimensions necessary to share on social media, which kind of defeats the purpose of designing a social-forward Wrapped. It was at least expected — all Goodreads does is disappoint its users. We're still waiting on Wrappeds from other book tracking apps like Fable and StoryGraph, which tend to have more interesting visuals, so hope is still alive for the readers in the chat.

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By my estimation, there was just one Wrapped that didn't disappoint: Strava Wrapped, also called Year in Sport. It has everything you want: Interesting visuals, fun takeaways like who likes your posts the most, your top sports, your total time working out, your total days active, your total distance and elevation, and more. It was good because it was simple and data focused. There was not a lot of AI junk or weird, useless millennial-coded drivel a la Spotify's Pink Pilates Princess. Nearly every single post on X or Reddit about Year in Sport is some version of "forget your Spotify Wrapped, Year in Sport was actually good."

SEE ALSO: With Strava, no one runs alone anymore. That's the problem. Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deleted

There's an argument to be made that we use these apps to better ourselves with our own data. Spotify and Goodreads show us how our music and book taste might lack diversity, which could encourage us to listen and read differently. Strava shows us how much work we actually put into our fitness this year. But, more realistically, these apps make living performative and competitive, ultimately watering down the reason we actually enjoy reading, running, or listening to music.

To that end: Wrappeds are intended to be shared. Maybe you are more evolved, and you post your Wrapped on social media without the need for validation. Maybe you don't imagine anyone responding, "Wow, you have incredible taste and your dedication to bettering yourself makes you definitively better than everyone else." Not me, though.

I would love to be evolved enough to say that I read, run, and listen to music purely for the beauty of art and love of the game. Unfortunately, like seemingly everyone else online, I'm a hungry little rat scouring my tiny world for as much attention as I can possibly gorge myself on. And I was given nothing to eat.

Take advantage of steep discounts on smartphones for those last-minute holiday deals. Check out our top picks below:

Best Smartphone Deals Best Smartphone Deal Google Pixel 9 Pro XL $849 (Save $250) Get Deal Best Folding Smartphone Deal Motorola razr+ $659.99 (Save $240) Get Deal Best Budget Smartphone Deal Samsung Galaxy A35 $299.99 (Save $100) Get Deal

There's about a week left until Christmas, and the holiday season is officially in full swing. Have you finished your shopping yet? If there's someone on your list who might want a new smartphone, there's still time to score a great deal. Or maybe you're looking to upgrade your own tech. If that's the case, you can snag a great new phone for less right now, no matter what it is you're looking for.

Whether you want to try a folding phone for the first time in years or a new Android device that won't break the bank, there are some excellent options you can go for right now that are on sale for great prices. We're talking Google, Motorola, and Samsung, all letting you save hundreds on some of their most interesting devices right now.

We've rounded up some of our favorites that you can save on right now below, so don't miss out and grab them while they're still discounted ahead of the new year.

Best smartphone deal Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Google Pixel 9 Pro XL $849.00 at Amazon
$1,099.00 Save $250.00 Get Deal Why we like it

This large and in charge Android phone is one of the most powerful Pixel devices, and it comes with an array of features that'll tempt even iPhone owners. With a triple rear camera array that allows for high-quality 8K video, built-in Google Gemini AI support, and a gorgeous screen, it's already ahead of the class. Mashable's Kimberly Gedeon also praised it as being "totally worth it" based on its lengthy battery life as well as its display and camera, so if you're looking for a long-lasting phone that's powerful enough to tackle your everyday tasks, this is it.

Best folding smartphone deal Opens in a new window Credit: Best Buy Motorola razr+ $659.99 at Amazon
$999.99 Save $340.00 Get Deal Why we like it

How long has it been since you've used a folding phone? The Motorola razr+ is a great throwback that you'll love whipping out of your pocket in front of people, but it's also genuinely a fun little phone. Mashable's RJ Andersen called it "worth considering" and a "worthy opponent" to the Samsung Galaxy Flip5, with a great external display, "solid specs" and a variety of aesthetically pleasing colors. If you loved your Razr back in high school, you'll love it even more today.

Best budget smartphone deal Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Samsung Galaxy A35 $299.99 at Amazon
$399.99 Save $100.00 Get Deal Why we like it

This budget-friendly Android phone is a great option if you're looking for something that can handle your day-to-day needs but with a few extra frills. It supports 5G, comes with an extremely bright AMOLED screen, and it's rated IP67 for protection from water, dirt, and dust. It has a respectable camera array, and it's speedy enough to tackle your favorite apps and games without too much heavy lifting. And it won't cost an entire rent check to procure, especially at this discount.

The company and its Chinese parent invoked the First Amendment in urging the justices to step in before a Jan. 19 deadline to sell or be shut down.

Florida Man won't be able to access the internet's biggest adult website soon.

Pornhub will block visitors from Florida starting Jan. 1, 2025, according to the porn site's parent company Aylo.

"You will lose access to Pornhub in 14 days," reads a pop-up message that displays on Pornhub for users accessing the site from the state of Florida.

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"Did you know that your government wants you to give your driver's license before you can access Pornhub?" the pop-up prompt continues. "As crazy as that sounds, it's true. You'll be required to prove you are 18 years or older such as by uploading your government ID for every adult content website you'd like to access."

Why has Pornhub banned Florida?

Pornhub's Florida ban is a response to Florida state law HB3, which Governor Ron DeSantis signed into law earlier this year. The law officially goes into effect at the beginning of 2025.

Florida's HB3 basically prohibits anyone under the age of 14 from having an account on a social media platform. However, the language in the bill can be construed to basically cover any online platform that serves material that can be considered "harmful to minors." 

Under the law, tech companies will be required to verify users' ages and delete any account belonging to users under the age of 14. If a child is 14 or 15 and wants to sign up for a social media platform, they would be required to get their parents consent. 

If a company fails to act based on the law, companies can be sued on behalf of the child and fined tens of thousands of dollars for allowing that child to set up an account.

Civil rights organizations like the ACLU have shared their opposition to the law, blasting it as "censorship."

“Unfortunately, the way many jurisdictions worldwide, including Florida, have chosen to implement age verification is ineffective, haphazard and dangerous,” reads a statement regarding Pornhub from Aylo, as first reported by Florida Politics. “Any regulations that require hundreds of thousands of adult sites to collect significant amounts of highly sensitive personal information is putting user safety in jeopardy. Moreover, as experience has demonstrated, unless properly enforced, users will simply access non-compliant sites or find other methods of evading these laws.”

Aylo says that the company supports age verification and restricting access to minors but believes this law goes about it the wrong way. The company has cited user safety and privacy issues as problems with the law's implementation as well as being an ineffective way to protect children from adult content.

Porn bans across the U.S.

Florida isn't the first state banned by Pornhub. Lawmakers in Republican-led states across the U.S. have passed strict age verification laws specifically targeting adult websites in recent years. 

Louisiana was the first state to require pornography websites to require visitors to upload ID before accessing the site in 2022. States like Arkansas, Alabama, Idaho, Indiana, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, North Carolina, Texas, Utah, and Virginia followed suit.

As a result, Pornhub has banned visitors from those states from accessing their website.

SAVE 14%: The AirFly SE Bluetooth transmitter is on sale at Amazon for just $29.99, down from the typical price of $34.99. That's a savings of $5 and the best discount we've ever seen at Amazon.

Opens in a new window Credit: Twelve South AirFly SE Bluetooth transmitter $29.99 at Amazon
$34.99 Save $5.00 Get Deal

We're about to enter some of the busiest travel days of the year. If you're lucky, your airline will have seat-back entertainment so you can get lost in a movie. But will you use those terrible wired headphones the airline provides? Nah. There's a better option.

As of Dec. 18, the AirFly SE Bluetooth transmitter is on sale at Amazon for just $29.99, down from the list price of $34.99. That's a savings of $5, or a 14% discount, and the lowest price we've ever seen at Amazon.

SEE ALSO: 50 last-minute gifts that will actually arrive on time

The AirFly SE turns any screen into a Bluetooth-enabled device, like your seat-back screen on an airplane or the treadmill at the gym. Just plug the AirFly SE into any 35mm headphone jack and connect your wireless earbuds or headphones to the dongle and, voila, a Bluetooth connection to something that otherwise can only accept wires. It can also be perfect for gaming devices.

The AirFly SE can get over 20 hours of life before it needs to recharge, so you'll be set for a long-haul flight or for your weekly schedule at the gym. Plus, the dongle can still be used while it's charging via a UBS-C cable.

You can control the volume from the AirFly dongle, and there's also an on/off toggle switch. Quick-pairing mode is also great for a speedy connection you don't have to mess with.

Instead of dealing with cheap airline-provided headphones, pack along the AirFly SE and connect to your seatback entertainment via Bluetooth to use your own earbuds or headphones. It's rare to see the AirFly SE discounted on Amazon at all, but this time it's the best price we've ever spotted — just $29.99.

Nvidia got PC gamers a questionable holiday gift this year: worse performance in their games.

That's according to testing done by Tom's Hardware, who found that playing PC games while running the recently launched Nvidia desktop app can reduce in-game frame rates by as much as 15 percent in some cases. Tom's Hardware tried this out with several different games, including Black Myth Wukong and Baldur's Gate 3, and found performance dips of varying degrees in all of them.

SEE ALSO: The 10 best video games you may have missed in 2024

So, what the heck is going on here? It turns out that the Nvidia app, which Nvidia launched last month to give users a one-stop shop for downloading new drivers and whatnot, has some AI-fueled "game filters" that are theoretically supposed to make games look a little better. These are turned on by default, and if they're on, they can reduce frame rates in games, even when the filters aren't being applied to the game in question.

Nvidia gave a statement to Tom's Hardware acknowledging the issue and giving simple instructions for how to turn the feature off and fix your performance problems:

1. Open the Nvidia app and go to Settings

2. Go to Features

3. Go to Overlay

4. Go to Game Filters and Photo Mode and turn off the game filters

Apparently, this will cure what ails you. Good luck, gamers.

SAVE 29%: As of Dec. 18, you can get a Bose TV speaker for just $199, down from $279. That's a 29% discount or $80 off.

Opens in a new window Credit: Bose Bose TV Speaker $199.00 at Amazon
$279.00 Save $80.00 Get Deal

December is usually a time to shop for friends and family, but there’s no harm in treating yourself to a little something as well. If you’re in the market for a high-quality TV speaker that won’t cost you a fortune, Amazon has some pretty good deals going on right now.

As of Dec. 18, you can snag a Bose TV speaker for just $199, down from $279. That’s a 29% discount, or $80 off the list price.

SEE ALSO: The best soundbars compensate for your flat-screen TV's flat-sounding speakers

This Bose TV speaker is built to amplify your favorite movies, shows, and sporting events with clear, immersive audio. It has two angled full-range drivers and Bluetooth capabilities so you can stream music, podcasts, and more. You can connect up to three devices (HDMI, optical in, and AUX in) and control it with the included remote.

At just two inches tall, it’s designed to sit in front of your TV without blocking the screen. You can also mount it on the wall; however, the wall brackets are sold separately.

Check out the best Amazon deals of the day as of Dec. 18: OUR TOP PICK Amazon 55-inch Omni Fire TV $339.99 (save $210 with Prime-exclusive code 55OMNI) Get Deal BEST BUNDLE DEAL Echo Dot with Echo Buds $44.99 (save $54.99) Get Deal BEST SMARTWATCH DEAL Garmin Forerunner 255S $239.84 (save $110.15) Get Deal BEST GAMING DEAL Amazon Luna controller $44.99 (save $25) Get Deal BEST EARBUDS DEAL Soundcore Space A40 noise-cancelling earbuds $44.99 (save $35) Get Deal

Last-minute shoppers have it easy in 2024. Not only are there plenty of gadgets still on sale at Amazon — some even at record-low prices — but many of them will still arrive by Christmas. Brands like Echo, Garmin, Anker, and more are still offering deals up to 55% on Dec. 18, and we've rounded up a few of the best ones.

Here are our top picks for the best Amazon deals of the day. If none of these are your cup of tea, be sure to take a peek at our selections from Dec. 16 and Dec. 17 as well. Most of those deals are still live, including nearly half-price Beats Studio Buds and a $40 price drop on the Fitbit Charge 6.

Our top pick: Amazon 55-inch Omni Fire TV Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon 55-inch Omni Fire TV $339.99 at Amazon
$549.99 Save $210.00 with Prime-exclusive code 55OMNI Get Deal

Currently $50 cheaper than Amazon's new 4-Series 4K Fire TV in the same size, the Omni Fire TV offers a very similar package. With a slim bezel, vivid 4K Ultra HD, HDR 10, HLG, and Dolby Digital Plus, and hands-free Alexa control, it's a great pick for a home theater experience that won't break the bank. With a compatible webcam, it even supports two-way video calling. Usually $549.99, Prime members can snag it on sale for just $339.99 with the code 55OMNI. That's a savings of 38%.

Not a Prime member? You can sign up for a free 30-day trial to snag this deal. Otherwise, it'll run you $369.99, which is still a pretty solid deal.

Echo Dot with Echo Buds Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Echo Dot (5th gen) with Echo Buds $44.99 at Amazon
$99.98 Save $54.99 Get Deal

Knock off two gifts from your list with this bundle deal that includes the fifth-generation Echo Dot and the Echo Buds. A $99.98 value, you can snag both at Amazon for just $44.99 as of Dec. 18. That's less than the cost of either device on its own at full price — or 55% in savings. The Echo Dot is designed to seamlessly add smart benefits into your daily routine. It's small enough to slide onto your nightstand or bookshelf and can be used to receive reminders, save recipes, set timers, schedule tasks, communicate with friends and family, light up your room, listen to music, or play some soothing white noise to help you fall asleep. The Echo Buds are a solid pair of budget-friendly wireless earbuds that sound great, are simple to use, can last up to 20 hours with the charging case, and seamlessly pair up with your other Alexa devices, including the Dot.

Garmin Forerunner 255S Opens in a new window Credit: Garmin Garmin Forerunner 255S GPS running smartwatch $239.84 at Amazon
$349.99 Save $110.15 Get Deal

A gift for the runner in your life that'll really wow them, the Garmin Forerunner 255S is on sale for a record-low of $239.84 at Amazon as of Dec. 18. That's 31% in savings. The Forerunner 255S offers in-depth training and recovery insights to help runners of all types reach their goals. It can last for 12 days in battery mode and up to 26 in GPS mode, and packs a built-in triathlon feature and over 30 different activity profiles. It also features training readiness scores, personalized suggested workouts for race prep based on the race and course you input, morning reports with an overview of sleep, recovery, and training outlook, and more. And of course, when you're not in training mode, it also serves as a solid smartwatch.

Amazon Luna controller Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Luna controller $44.99 at Amazon
$69.99 Save $25.00 Get Deal

"An excellent gamepad that provides the optimal Luna game-streaming experience," as our friends at PCMag (which is also owned by Ziff Davis) wrote in their review, the Amazon Luna controller is on sale for only $44.99 as of Dec. 18. That's 36% off its usual cost. The biggest standout with this controller is its separate WiFi connection, which reduces input lag as you play. Technically, it's just an optional add-on for the Luna gaming experience, but PCMag called it a "must-have" and even granted it a coveted Editors' Choice award.

Soundcore Space A40 noise-cancelling earbuds Opens in a new window Credit: Anker Soundcore Space A40 noise-cancelling earbuds $44.99 at Amazon
$79.99 Save $35.00 Get Deal

Our sister site PCMag also tested out the Soundcore Space A40 earbuds, writing that they "deliver quality active noise cancellation and balanced, detailed audio for a modest price" in their review. These buds offer 50 hours of audio playback, a fast-charging feature that gives you an additional four hours of battery life from 10 minutes of charging, and adaptive noise cancellation you can customize inside the app. On sale for only $44.99 — down from the usual $79.99 — it's hard to beat these budget-friendly buds. Snag 'em for their lowest price on record as of Dec. 18.

None of these deals catching your eye? Check out Amazon's daily deals for even more savings.

SAVE 40%: As of Dec. 18, you can get 40% off Calm gift cards. Gift a lifetime subscription for $239.99, or an annual subscription for $41.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Calm Calm Lifetime Subscription Gift Card $239.99 at Calm
$399.99 Save $160.00 Get Deal

If you’re still scrambling to find the perfect gift for your friends and loved ones this holiday season, you might want to consider giving a digital gift. This way, you won’t have to physically shop for anything, and your giftee can enjoy the present as soon as you send it.

SEE ALSO: The very best digital gifts and subscriptions you can send via email

As of Dec. 18, you can get 40% off Calm gift cards. Just purchase the Calm gift card online, choose to get a certificate (that you can print out) or send it digitally via email, and let your giftee use their code for a year or a lifetime subscription to Calm.

The regular price for a Calm gift card is $69.99 for an annual Premium subscription and $399.99 for a lifetime subscription. With the 40% discount, you can get the annual subscription for $41.99 and the lifetime subscription for $239.99.

SEE ALSO: 50 last-minute gifts that will actually arrive on time

Calm Premium offers access to hundreds of guided meditations, Sleep Stories, exclusive music tracks, and more to help with relaxation, mindfulness, and sleep. The Premium membership also includes a Calm Masterclass and access to all Calm Body programs.

During a time that’s often filled with stress and, for some, grief, giving the gift of a Calm membership could be exactly what someone needs to find a moment of peace and a chance to reset their mind and body.

SAVE UP TO 53%: You still have time to order awesome kids' presents that arrive before Dec. 25, including toys like National Geographic STEM kits and tech like the Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+ Kids Edition.

Best last-minute kids' presents Best STEM kit deal National Geographic Amazing Reactions Chemistry Set $26.99 at Amazon (save $13) Get Deal Best kids' tablet deal Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+ Kids Edition $169.99 at Samsung (save $100) Get Deal Best smart speaker deal Amazon Echo Dot Kids $27.99 at Amazon (save $32) Get Deal

Welcome to crunch time. We're exactly one week away from Dec. 25, which means that if you didn't finish shopping yesterday, today is the next best option. Thankfully, you still have time to order great gifts for kids that'll arrive on time to get wrapped and placed under the tree.

Of course, many kids have big opinions about what they'd like for the holidays, but there's plenty to choose from that's on sale today, including tech and toys. Here are some perfect gifting options if you're still shopping for the kids on your holiday list this year.

Best STEM kit deal Opens in a new window Credit: National Geographic National Geographic Amazing Reactions Chemistry Set $26.99 at Amazon
$39.99 Save $13.00 Get Deal Why we like it

With over 100 science experiments, the National Geographic Amazing Reactions Chemistry Set is a perfect gift for the curious kiddo in your life. This Amazon-exclusive set is for any kid who loves the science fair or enjoys figuring out how things work. From chemical reactions to crystal growing to fizzy combination, the chemistry set is a great hands-on gift. Plus, it's a gift to parents since the kit is sure to keep kids occupied during winter break from school.

The National Geographic Amazing Reactions Chemistry Set usually sells for $39.99, but it's currently 33% off at Amazon, which means you'll pay just $26.99 for the set.

Best tablet deal Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+ Kids Edition $169.99 at Samsung
$269.99 Save $100.00 Get Deal Why we like it

With an 11-inch screen and durable design, the Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+ Kids Edition is great for kids who like to watch shows, play games, or read books on a tablet. The tablet comes with a puffy cover in either yellow, red, or blue, two tethers to help kids keep a good handle on the tablet, stickers, and three pens to use with the tablet.

While the tablet typically costs $269.99, it's on sale at Samsung for just $169.99 which means you'll be savings an impressive $100.

Best smart speaker deal Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Echo Dot Kids $27.99 at Amazon
$59.99 Save $32.00 Get Deal Why we like it

With options of either a dragon or an owl, the Amazon Echo Dot Kids is a great smart home device for a kids' bedroom. The smart speaker allows kids to tune into their favorite music and stories, but it can also help them set up an independent schedule. Kids can use the Echo Dot to ask Alexa homework questions or tell her to set an alarm or control lights. They can also ask for updates on the weather to help plan their outfit for the day.

The Amazon Echo Dot Kids comes with plenty of parental controls, and it's also backed by Amazon's 2-year worry-free warranty, which states that if the devices breaks within the first two years of ownership, Amazon will replace it for free.

More last-minute kids' gifts that'll arrive before Dec. 25

• National Geographic Jumbo Crystal Growing Kit — $12.99 $16.99 (save $4)

• Play-Doh Kitchen Creations Ice Cream Party Set — $12.99 $16.99 (save $4)

• Melissa & Doug Yellowstone National Park Grizzly Bear Games and Play Set — $14.99 $37.99 (save $23)

• National Geographic Diamond Painting Solar System Night Light — $15.99 $19.99 (save $4)

• Nation Geographic Dinosaur Terrarium Kit — $16.49 $19.99 (save $3.50)

• National Geographic Rock Bingo Game — $17.49 $24.99 (save $7.50)

• Amazon Echo Pop Kids — $22.99 $49.99 (save $27)

• Amazon Echo Show 5 Kids — $49.99 $99.99 (save $50)

• Amazon Kindle Kids — $109.99 $129.99 (save $20)

• Amazon Fire 10 HD Kids tablet — $109.99 $189.99 (save $80)

• Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Kids — $144.99 $179.99 (save $35)

It was Christmas Day night and I couldn't sleep. Not through excitement for continued Twixmas celebrations, but because I knew I had a difficult and almost certainly heartbreaking conversation ahead of me.

My self-esteem was at an all time low and a situationship of mine had developed into an emotionally torturous interaction. Sex with a good friend meant catching unreciprocated feelings. Despite the friendship, he'd gone quiet and ghosted me during a winter lockdown. It felt terrible. Rotating all possibilities, my mind searched for answers during this period of silence. My inner critic used the situation as a stick to beat me with, evidence of all my shortcomings, proof that I was deficient in other people's eyes (not just my own).

SEE ALSO: The best dating apps and sites for this cuffing season

When he got back in touch to search for guilt absolution, to make sure his reputation remained unscathed in our friendship group, I was confused by his intentions and, I'll admit, I hoped he'd had a change of heart. Things came to a long overdue head as I sat next to my parents' Christmas tree sipping a gin and tonic — I knew I needed to end my misery and ask him what he wanted from me. Deep down, I realised the answer possibly wasn't going to be what my heart wanted, but I needed to be set free from this waiting room of sorrow. My anxiety was mounting to unbearable levels and I knew I couldn't put off the conversation any longer. So, on Boxing Day morning, I rolled over in bed and awoke to a message from him, apologising yet again for his behaviour. I sighed in recognition of what I needed to do.

After I'd sent the dreaded message, I sat in silence waiting for the inevitable. When his message arrived, the contents weren't surprising to me — but that didn't make it any less painful. And though I was free from the turmoil, that's when anxiety gave way to heartbreak, a feeling that wasn't exactly what I'd hoped to be dealing with over Christmas, a time of year I usually love. A neverending stream of tears rolled down my face as I sat watching my favourite films with my family. My mum looked at me with pity and concern, as I muffled tragic sniffs on the sofa. It was, as you can imagine, not a great time. And no amount of pigs in blankets or Terry's Chocolate Oranges would make me feel better (though you can't say I didn't try!).

Heartbreak, sadly, doesn't take a day off when it's a special occasion.

Heartbreak, sadly, doesn't take a day off when it's a special occasion. And the holidays can be particularly difficult when you're in the throes of a breakup, or the ending of a situationship. As writer Annie Lord, author of Notes On Heartbreak, tells me, "It's pretty horrible because everyone's so loved up during Christmas."

"There are couples everywhere, holding hands at the Christmas markets, looking for rings in shops, and when you turn on the TV they're still there, kissing in cozy cottages in The Holiday, declaring their love in Love Actually. I think the coldness makes people want to cozy up with someone they love," she says.

Just because it's hard doesn't mean you have to put up with it, though. Mashable spoke to psychotherapists for tips on coping with heartbreak during the holidays.

Limit your time on social media

If there's anything guaranteed to make you want to throw your phone at the wall, it's seeing endless pics of engagement rings with the caption "so, this happened!" You simply don't need to see it right now.

Fiona Yassin, family psychotherapist and founder and clinical director of The Wave Clinic, says it's a good idea to limit your social media use so you're not bombarded with what your friends and internet pals are up to during this period. "When we see others having fun on social media and we feel we are not, it can trigger negative emotions like loneliness and isolation," says Yassin.

Here are some tips on how to limit your Instagram usage and TikTok usage.

SEE ALSO: Why social media algorithms hurt after a breakup Give yourself time to grieve

The holidays are a time that champions joy. And that can be particularly challenging when you feel, well, pretty rotten. Giving yourself permission to feel sad is important in validating the difficult emotions you'll be (understandably!) feeling during this time.

"Don't feel like you're ruining other people's good time."

Dr. Elena Touroni, a consultant psychologist and co-founder of The Chelsea Psychology Clinic, says, "A big break up is comparable to grief, particularly if that person was very embedded in your life. Instead of rushing out to date again and trying to 'get over it,' be gentle with yourself and give yourself time and space to process the loss."

Also, don't feel bad for feeling sad. "Don't feel like you're ruining other people's good time," author Lord says. "You are not a burden. It's an honour to be able to be there for people when they need it."

If you've been ghosted, Mashable has some tips on how to move on.

Featured Video For You 'I was cloaked.' What it's like to be blocked and stood up by your Hinge date. Surround yourself with people you love

Heartbreak is a universal emotion and chances are, everyone around you right now will have gone through it at some point in their life. Opening up to others about what you're going through can make you feel less alone.

"Speak to your parents or any older members of your family. Most of the time they have been through this before and they survived, knowing this can give you hope," says Lord. "Christmas means you're often surrounded by your family and friends. Celebrate the love you get from them, a love that is often less intense or glamorous, but a lot more enduring than romantic love."

Want more sex and dating stories in your inbox? Sign up for Mashable's new weekly After Dark newsletter.

Going home or to safe spaces can sometimes give you an opportunity to reconnect with your younger self. "Going home can be quite grounding," she adds. "You're surrounded by all this stuff from when you were younger which can put things into perspective. I remember finding an old diary of mine where I was crying over a guy and though I was now upset about another one, I could still see that I was dealing with it in a much better way."

Not everyone has access to a support network at this time of year. If your heartbreak is impacting your mental health or if you're experiencing a mental health crisis, please talk to somebody.

You can reach the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988; the Trans Lifeline at 877-565-8860; or the Trevor Project at 866-488-7386. Text "START" to Crisis Text Line at 741-741. Contact the NAMI HelpLine at 1-800-950-NAMI, Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m. ET, or email info@nami.org. If you're based in the UK, contact the Samaritans (116 123). If you don't like the phone, consider using the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline Chat at crisischat.org. Here is a list of international resources.

Try some grounding techniques

As a practical daily means to cope with heartbreak, Yassin recommends equipping yourself with some grounding techniques, which can be helpful for people to manage and work through emotions they wish they weren't feeling. Grounding techniques are exercises or activities that help you refocus on what's happening in the present moment, distracting yourself from triggers, anxious feelings, or difficult emotions.

"By using grounding techniques, we are not saying that we will not deal with or process the emotions and sensations, but we are saying that right now, at this moment, this is not going to intrude in what I’m doing," says Yassin. "Walking can be really good to bring you back into the moment. When we walk and put one foot in front of the other we are actually stimulating both sides of the brain in a process called Bilateral Stimulation (BLS) which can feel soothing for some." Here are six free grounding meditations to help you get started.

Repetitive activities like cross-stitch or crochet can have a soothing effect for some, while others like to keep themselves in motion. "Journaling or watching a good movie can also be effective grounding techniques," says Yassin. Touroni also recommends journaling as it "helps get difficult thoughts and feelings down on paper so you can gain greater clarity and a new perspective." Check out Mashable's non-intimidating guide to journaling to get started.

Look after your physical needs

When you're feeling low, it can be difficult to muster the energy to look after ourselves. Taking care of your immediate physical needs can be a way of making yourself feel a little better, despite not being able to shift the difficult emotions that come with heartbreak. Make sure you're hydrated, eating, and getting plenty of rest.

"Make sure you’re doing activities that keep you both physically and mentally healthy e.g. regular exercise, eating healthy, nutritious meals etc.," Touroni says. "Avoid turning to substances to numb any difficult thoughts and feelings. They might provide relief in the short-term but are likely to make things harder in the long run."

Can't sleep? Here are some tips on tangible things you can do to help you drift off.

Don't rush into another relationship

Heartbreak can also be accompanied with feelings of panic, especially if you have been contending with anxious thoughts about "running out of time." If you can resist some of these feelings and try to reassure that anxious voice in your head, know that you are allowed to take time to heal, and that you are enough on your own.

Yassir advises against rushing into another relationship straight away— often referred to as a "rebound". "People that rebound tend to be those who are already struggling around interpersonal relations and relationships. Build a relationship with yourself before having a relationship with someone else. It’s unlikely a rebound relationship will be healthy if you don’t give yourself the time and space to be able to work out what you’re feeling."

SEE ALSO: What are the rules for blocking someone after a breakup? Don't read into their texts

As the queen of reading-into-text-messages, I feel highly qualified in saying that it's completely natural to want to search for signs of hope in any contact you might have had from the heartbreak-inflicter. But this habit can also prolong your agony and make it difficult to accept what's really happening.

"If they message you 'Happy Christmas' don't start thinking it signals anything."

"If they message you 'Happy Christmas' don't start thinking it signals anything," says Lord. "They're probably just trying to be polite. At the same time if you're the one who ended the relationship don't send a text, it will confuse your ex."

A good rule of thumb is to assume that there is never a hidden meaning to their messages. If a person wants something badly enough, they'll find a way to make sure their meaning and intention are fully understood. Tell yourself that if they want to communicate something important, they will likely do so in an explicit manner.

Cut yourself some slack

When you're feeling sad, the last thing you need is another voice inside your head telling you what a misery you are. Your inner critic can rear their annoying head during this time to convince you that you're bringing down the vibe, but most people understand that heartbreak truly is the worst.

"Be really kind to yourself," advises Lord. "Don't get annoyed if you don't get off the sofa for the entire day, that's what Christmas is for and everyone's doing it too. It might feel like in doing these things you're going backward, but you're not you're getting somewhere because stewing and feeling miserable is all part of the process."

Talk to someone

If you're really struggling, don't suffer in silence. Speak to a mental health professional if you can. Shout is a 24/7 free mental health service in the UK (Text SHOUT to 85258). If you're in the U.S., text "START" to Crisis Text Line at 741-741.

"If you find yourself stuck in the same recurring relationship patterns, it could be a sign to dig a little deeper," Touroni advises. "Negative early life experiences can sometimes impact the types of relationships we form — and choose —in later life. If you suspect there are things in your past that you haven’t dealt with, therapy is a great place to start this process."

Lean on your support network and don't bottle up your feelings. "If you’re struggling, reach out to friends and family," Touroni adds. "These are the moments when we need their support the most, and the right people will want to be there for you."

If you're nursing a bruised or shattered heart this Christmas, know that you're not alone. And know that it won't be forever. Take care of yourself.

This article was first published in 2022 and republished in 2024.

SAVE UP TO 25%: Now through Dec. 23, you can save up to 25% off select items during Instacart’s ‘Tis a Big Deal Week. Shop Sephora, Best Buy, The Home Depot, Kohl’s, Petco, and more.

Opens in a new window Credit: Instacart Instacart’s ‘Tis a Big Deal Week Save up to 25% Shop Now

The holiday shopping season is almost over, but that doesn't mean it's too late to find some great deals on last-minute gifts. With just a week to go until Christmas, Instacart has announced its second annual Holiday Deal Week, where you can get up to 25% off select products from major retailers like Petco, Kohl’s, Best Buy, and others.

SEE ALSO: Give yourself the gift of time with 50% off a Shipt annual membership

If you don’t have an Instacart membership, the company’s also offering a limited-time deal where you can get two weeks of Instacart+ (formerly Instacart Express) for free. This’ll get you $0 grocery delivery fees on orders of $10 or more (usually, it’s $35), in addition to other perks, like a one-year subscription to New York Times Cooking and free Peacock Premium.

Once the two-week trial is up, you can either cancel or opt to pay $99/year or $9.99/month for the Instacart+ membership.

To shop the deals, visit the Instacart app or website, add the items you want to your cart, and watch the savings add up. You can also send a gift directly to friends and family by entering their address and selecting “make it a gift” at checkout.

SAVE $130: The Samsung Galaxy Buds2 Pro are on sale for $99.99 (normally $229.99) as a Dec. 18 Bonus Deal of the Day at Best Buy — a 57% discount on their $229.99 MSRP.

Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung Galaxy Buds2 Pro $99.99 at Best Buy
$229.99 Save $130.00 Get Deal

We're getting a little down to the wire, here, but Best Buy might have just dropped one of the season's best deals on a sub-$100 stocking stuffer for Samsung users.

The tech retailer has the Samsung Galaxy Buds2 Pro on sale for just $99.99 (normally $229.99) as of its Bonus Deals of the Day for Dec. 18. That's a massive 57% savings and what appears to be their lowest price ever. At the time of writing, they were available for pickup as soon as Dec. 24 or available for delivery soon as tomorrow, depending on the color. Choose from graphite, white, or bora purple variants.

SEE ALSO: From studying to working out, these are the best earbuds of 2024

A 2022 release, the Galaxy Buds2 Pro are still Samsung's current flagship earbuds. Their "strong audio quality and stronger active noise cancellation" make them an excellent buy for those who own other Galaxy devices, according to Mashable Tech Reporter Alex Perry, who gave them a 4/5 rating at launch. He thought Apple's Beats Fit Pro had a slight edge over them due to their broader compatibility, and the fact that they're $30 cheaper at full price. But if you've committed to the Samsung ecosystem, Best Buy's one-day deal pretty much neutralizes the competition.

Amazon and Samsung's website were technically matching Best Buy's offer when we checked, but only if you bought the Galaxy Buds2 Pro in used condition or traded in an older audio device, respectively. Elsewhere, they were sold out at Target and full price at Walmart.

Oops, you did it again. You waited until the last minute to get a gift. You love your parents, boyfriend/girlfriend, friends, and that coworker who always has work tea — but when you're stressing over the perfect gift for said special person, time gets away from you. Finding a last-minute gift that's actually meaningful is hard, to be quite honest. But there are still ways to get personalized or sentimental gifts even in a time crunch. Depending on how last-minute you're pushing it, there are actually some really neat gifts you can get. This is especially true if you're an Amazon Prime member and get free one- and two-day shipping, plus some overnight delivery options. The safest bets include online services, subscription services, and stuff with digital delivery. And in a year when everything is more expensive than we're used to, a simple gift card isn't boring — it's a lifesaver. Check out some unique last-minute gift options below.