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Looking for spoiler-free NYT Connections hints or just wondering why Connections is trending today? We've got what you need to understand the clues for today's puzzle without spoiling any of the answers.

Of course, Mashable has also provided daily hints and answers for Connections, Wordle, and Strands for years, so we can help you if that's also what you need.

While we are focused more on meanings than hints in this story, sometimes learning that many of the words have completely unrelated meanings is a clue in and of itself. Connections frequently includes clues that involve words within words and other visual clues.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for October 27, 2026 Attachment meaning

A digital file, document or image sent along with an email message.

Body meaning

The main part of a letter, article, book or email, separate from the header or signature.

Signature meaning

A unique mark written or created on a document to prove identity,

Subject meaning

A main theme of conversation, a book or an academic branch.

Attraction meaning

A feeling of liking, interest or drawing toward another person.

Crush meaning

A strong, often temporary or unexpressed romantic liking for someone.

Feelings meaning

The conscious, subjective experience of an emotion, physical sensation or opinion

Interest meaning

A feeling that accompanies or causes special attention to something or someone.

Curiosity meaning

A strong desire to learn, know,or discover something

Opportunity meaning

A favorable time, occasion or combination of circumstances that makes it possible to do, achieve or experience something you want or need.

Perseverance meaning

The continued effort to achieve a goal, complete a task or maintain a course of action despite difficulties, failures, setbacks or opposition

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Spirit meaning

The non-physical, vital essence of a person or living thing.

Coarse meaning

Consisting of a harsh, abrasive or non-smooth surface.

Rode meaning

.The past form of ride, used to describe sitting on, being carried by or controlling an animal or a vehicle.

Rout meaning

An overwhelming defeat in a battle, sports match or election

Weigh meaning

To ascertain the heaviness of by or as if by a balance.

Have you learned the meanings and still want the things? Check out the hints and answers for today's NYT Connections puzzle.

Are you also playing NYT Strands? Get all the Strands hints you need for today's puzzle.

Meet The Mashable 101: Our list of the content creators shaping the internet today

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

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

The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult if you've got butterflies.

Connections is the one of the most popular New York Times word games that's captured the public's attention. The game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.

If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for today's Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable What is Connections?

The NYT's latest daily word game has become a social media hit. The Times credits associate puzzle editor Wyna Liu with helping to create the new word game and bringing it to the publications' Games section. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.

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

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

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

SEE ALSO: NYT Pips hints, answers for October 28, 2026 Here's a hint for today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Love is in the air

• Green: Electronic communication

• Blue: Out of this world

• Purple: The way

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Here are today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Romantic Liking

• Green: Components of an Email

• Blue: NASA Mars Rovers

• Purple: Homophones of Paths

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 #1235 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Romantic Liking: ATTRACTION, CRUSH, FEELINGS, INTEREST

• Components of an Email: ATTACHMENT, BODY, SIGNATURE, SUBJECT

• NASA Mars Rovers: CURIOSITY, OPPORTUNITY, PERSEVERANCE, SPIRIT

• Homophones of Paths: COARSE, RODE, ROUT, WEIGH

Looking for Wordle today? Here's the answer to today's Wordle.

Are you also playing NYT Strands? Get all the Strands hints you need for today's puzzle.

Meet The Mashable 101: Our list of the content creators shaping the internet today

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

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

Today's NYT Strands hints will be easy if you're the class clown.

Strands, the New York Times' elevated word-search game, requires the player to perform a twist on the classic word search. Words can be made from linked letters — up, down, left, right, or diagonal, but words can also change direction, resulting in quirky shapes and patterns. Every single letter in the grid will be part of an answer. There's always a theme linking every solution, along with the "spangram," a special, word or phrase that sums up that day's theme, and spans the entire grid horizontally or vertically.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on 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 October 28, 2026 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Comedy club

The words describe making people laugh.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe where you'd go for a stand-up show.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is vertical.

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NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is Funny Business.

NYT Strands word list for October 28

• Slapstick

• Sketch

• Farce

• Burlesque

• Funny Business

• Improv

Meet The Mashable 101: Our list of the content creators shaping the internet today

Looking for other daily online games? Mashable's Games page has more hints, and if you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now!

Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

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

Today's Wordle answer should be easy to solve if you make food from scratch.

If you just want to be told today's word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for today's Wordle solution revealed. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for October 28, 2026 Where did Wordle come from?

Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once. 

Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing.

What's the best Wordle starting word?

The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be strategic in your approach, we have a few ideas to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N.

What happened to the Wordle archive?

The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles was originally available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it, but it was later taken down, with the website's creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times. However, the New York Times then rolled out its own Wordle Archive, available only to NYT Games subscribers.

Is Wordle getting harder?

It might feel like Wordle is getting harder, but it actually isn't any more difficult than when it first began. You can turn on Wordle's Hard Mode if you're after more of a challenge, though.

Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

Grain.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

There are no recurring letters.

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

Today's Wordle starts with the letter G.

The Wordle answer today is...

Get your last guesses in now, because it's your final chance to solve today's Wordle before we reveal the solution.

Drumroll please!

The solution to today's Wordle is...

GRIST

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be a new Wordle for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.

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

Reporting by Chance Townsend, Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.

Meet The Mashable 101: Our list of the content creators shaping the internet today

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

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

SAVE $400: As of Oct. 27, the 27-inch LG UltraGear OLED QHD Gaming Monitor (27GS93QE) is on sale for $499.99 at Amazon. That's down from its standard $899.99 list price — a 44% discount and its best price ever.

Opens in a new window Credit: LG LG 27-inch UltraGear OLED Gaming Monitor (27GS93QE) $499.99 at Amazon
$899.99 Save $400   Get Deal at Amazon

If you've been waiting for a deal on high-end OLED, the 27-inch LG UltraGear Gaming Monitor (27GS93QE) is on sale for $499.99 at Amazon. That is a $400 discount, or 44% off its usual $899.99 tag, matching the lowest price we have ever tracked for the screen.

Speed is the main draw here, and LG built this panel to keep action silky smooth. The QHD 1440p resolution delivers crisp visuals, backed by an ultra-fast 240Hz refresh rate and a near-instant 0.03ms response time, virtually eliminating ghosting and motion blur during frantic shootouts. You also get official Nvidia G-Sync Compatibility and AMD FreeSync Premium Pro, which work together to eliminate distracting screen tearing and stutter when frame rates fluctuate.

Visual fidelity also gets a big boost thanks to self-lit OLED pixels. Certified with VESA DisplayHDR True Black 400 and an impressive 1.5 million-to-one contrast ratio, it delivers inky blacks and sharp details in dark scenes without washed-out gray tones. It also covers up to 98.5% of the DCI-P3 color spectrum for rich, vibrant hues, while an anti-glare, low-reflection coating keeps stray room lighting from ruining your focus.

The physical build is also just as flexible as the display. An ultra-thin, slim-bezel frame leaves plenty of room on your desk, and the included stand lets you adjust height, tilt, and pivot between landscape and vertical modes. You can switch through preset modes for FPS or RTS titles, and you get both HDMI 2.1 and DisplayPort 1.4 ports to hit 240Hz speed, whether you are plugged into a PC or a modern game console.

If you've been eyeing a high-refresh OLED upgrade, hit Amazon and grab this 27-inch display before the $400 discount disappears.

SAVE $500: As of Oct. 27, the wire-free Roborock RockMow X130H 4WD robot lawn mower is on sale for $1,999.98 at Amazon. That's down from its typical $2,499.99 list price — its best price to date.

Opens in a new window Credit: Roborock Roborock RockMow X130H 4WD Robot Lawn Mower $1,999.98 at Amazon
$2,499.99 Save $500.01   Get Deal at Amazon

Tending to a sprawling yard usually means giving up half your weekend, but Amazon has a steep markdown to help you take that time back.

The wire-free Roborock RockMow X130H robot lawn mower is down to $1,999.98, saving you $500 off its typical $2,499.99 sticker price. That 20% discount marks the best price ever for this heavy-duty model, making it a great time to automate your yard work before next season rolls around.

Setting it up does not require spending hours digging trenches to bury boundary wires. The mower can handle properties up to a full acre and lets you choose how to map your space. You can let the machine chart an open yard on its own, or steer it through the companion app like a remote-controlled car to set custom lines around flowerbeds and tricky landscaping. To keep from wandering off course, it pairs satellite positioning with four built-in cameras, allowing it to navigate reliably past tall fences, thick tree cover, and shaded corners.

SEE ALSO: Early Black Friday home improvement deals save big on power tools, smart lights, home security, and more.

Tough terrain is not an issue, either. It uses true four-wheel drive and a dynamic suspension setup to climb steep hills with slopes up to 80% and roll right over roots and bumps up to 3.15 inches tall. Active steering keeps it agile, so tight turns never rip up your grass. A wide 9.49-inch cutting deck lets you pick grass heights between 1.57 and 3.54 inches, while four intelligent sensors spot pets, stray patio furniture, and garden tools to steer clear of trouble.

You can also manage the whole routine from your phone. The app lets you create separate mowing schedules for different parts of your yard and includes a wildlife-safe setting to keep local animals protected. Built-in 4G service, a loud siren, a PIN lockout, and real-time GPS tracking round out the package, keeping the mower safe from curious hands while it keeps your lawn tidy on its own.

Grab the Roborock RockMow X130H robot lawn mower at its record-low $1,999.99 price before the deal ends.

TL;DR: Get lifetime Microsoft Project Professional 2024 license for Windows for just $49.97 (reg. $1,299.99).

Opens in a new window Credit: Microsoft Microsoft Project Professional 2024: Lifetime License for Windows $49.97
$1,129.99 Save $1,080.02   Get Deal

A project gets complicated when changing one deadline affects five other tasks. But there are ways to make your project life easier. Microsoft Project Professional 2024 for Windows is $49.97 (reg. $1,299.99) through Nov. 1, giving you a lifetime license for one PC and tools to manage those connections.

Pre-built templates provide a starting point, so you can focus on the work instead of building a plan from scratch. Set task dependencies, and Project can automatically populate start and end dates based on how those tasks relate.

The visual tools make detailed schedules easier to follow. Multiple timelines show different parts of a project, while task path highlighting in Gantt charts reveals relationships between activities. That visibility helps when you need to understand what a schedule change could affect.

What-if scenarios let you explore task assignments before committing to adjustments. Baselines then give you a reference point for comparing actual progress with the original plan, which is useful when a status update needs more substance than “we’re getting there.”

Built-in reports, including Burndown and Resource Overview, help communicate progress and resource information to stakeholders. Timesheets capture time spent on project and non-project work for payroll, invoicing, and other needs.

For connected workflows, Project supports synchronization with Project Online and Project Server. Microsoft Teams for Business integration can show colleagues’ presence and enable chats or calls, but it requires a separate Teams license.

Get Microsoft Project Professional 2024 for Windows for one $49.97 payment through Nov. 1.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Finding good Discord servers relevant to your interests can be tough unless you sift through Discord's own database or get an invite to one.

The popular messaging and chat service is looking to solve that problem with an obvious yet big change to the platform. Discord will now make public servers discoverable through Google Search.

On Tuesday, Discord announced that starting Nov. 16, 2026, all Discoverable Servers will receive a Server Web Page. These public Server Web Pages will include summaries of discussions happening in that public server. In addition, starting in mid-December, some messages within these servers will be made publicly accessible on the Server Web Page. There will be no need for visitors to join the server or even have a Discord account in order to see these messages.

SEE ALSO: Discord now checks your age based on your activity and other factors

On Discord, users can join public servers or private servers, which require an invite. Public servers can also be Discoverable Servers, meaning they are listed in Discord's searchable database of 63,000 Discoverable Servers, which anyone can join.

However, Discover servers, even Discoverable Servers, are not listed in Google Search, as servers don't have a public web page for Google to index. While public servers are open to anyone, users must join with their Discord account to see messages and discussions.

There are many reasons for Discord to make this change. In its announcement, the company explained how it will help some of its main user types — indie game developers, fandoms, and content creators — grow their communities and more easily spread their work. 

Other community platforms like Reddit have long benefited from search engine traffic as discussions on the platform tend to rank well for various user search queries on Google. Discord could also benefit from this.

However, Discord seems to be aware that some users on the platform have long valued its privacy stance. The company announced that both server owners and users on a server can opt out of making their content searchable by search engines.

Discord server admins can opt out of specific channels starting today, before anything goes live on Nov. 16, 2026. Admins can go to Server Settings > Web Presence on their public server and choose which channels to make searchable. Admins can opt out of every one of their server's channels. If an admin does not opt out, however, all public channels will be added to the Server Web Page when it goes live next month. Admins can also choose to turn off channel summaries on their Server Web Page.

In addition, users can opt out of having their messages displayed on the Server Web Page. Discord users can simply go to User Settings, then Data and Privacy, and then change their Channel Messages settings. Users cannot opt out of having their messages used in Channel Summaries on Server Web Pages. However, usernames and avatars won't be shown next to messages on these public Server Web Pages.

Private servers and DMs will remain completely private on Discord. Users do not need to change any settings for these features.

An overflowing inbox is stressful enough, but reading work emails with phrases like "Going forward" or "Not sure if you saw this" can send some workers over the edge, at least according to a new study.

ZeroBounce, an email validation platform, revealed the results of its survey of 2,000 American and European professionals on email vernacular. Specifically, the survey examined common email phrases and whether they are perceived as passive-aggressive.

The phrase that topped the list of most passive-aggressive email sayings? "Just to be clear." That statement was cited as the most passive-aggressive phrase by 21 percent of respondents, followed by "Per my last email" (14 percent), with "Kindly note" and "As previously discussed" tied for third place at 10 percent each.

SEE ALSO: AI job interviewers are going viral on TikTok

Other hated sayings included "Just checking in," "Not sure if you saw this," "Going forward," "For future reference," and "Friendly reminder."

ZeroBounce also asked respondents what passive-aggressive phrases they still use in their workday. Seen as necessary evils, apparently, "Thanks in advance," "Following up," "Just checking in," and "Any updates" were at the top of that list.

"People may not intend to sound passive-aggressive when they write an email," Liviu Tanase, founder and CEO of ZeroBounce, said in a statement. "But some phrases have picked up so much baggage that the reader perceives light hostility. 'Just to be clear' is a perfect example. It sounds neutral, but more than half of the professionals surveyed read something else into it."

The survey also examined phrases that go beyond being irritating and are instantly stress-inducing. The most stressful email phrases are "Need this ASAP" (56 percent), "Can we chat?" (40 percent), "Action required" (34 percent), and "Let's take this offline" (27 percent).

See the full survey results here, including data on how many unopened emails workers consider "too many."

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The Golden State Valkyries could win their first WNBA championship on Thursday morning. Watching them do it might require an awkward conversation with your boss: The WNBA announced Monday that Game 6 of the Finals against the Atlanta Dream will tip off at 12:30 p.m. ET on Oct. 29 — 9:30 a.m. in the Bay Area, where the Valkyries are based.

Valkyries guard Veronica Burton has a suggestion. "Call in sick. I recommend it," she said after Golden State’s Monday-night win, according to reporter Annie Costabile. That victory gave the team a 3–2 series lead and a chance to clinch a title in the franchise’s second season — provided its fans can clear their work calendars to watch.

The issue comes down to two teams needing the same arena. The Dream's usual home, Gateway Center Arena, holds approximately 3,500 spectators. Atlanta hosted Finals Games 3 and 4 at the roughly 17,000-seat State Farm Arena instead, selling out both games. Keeping Game 6 there, however, meant working around the Atlanta Hawks, who were already scheduled to host the Cleveland Cavaliers on Thursday evening.

The solution? A doubleheader. Move the WNBA game from 8 p.m. to 12:30 p.m. and delay the Hawks’ tipoff by an hour, from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. Commissioner Cathy Engelbert thanked the teams, leagues, arena, and broadcaster "for the collaboration and flexibility that made this move possible."

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Fans were less enthusiastic about the flexibility now required of them.

"How are we supposed to watch this game in the middle of the workday?? This is so strange to me," one commenter asked on Reddit's r/wnba. Another Atlanta-based commenter said they had planned to attend but now couldn't even watch live. "I’d rather them play at Gateway so at least folks could watch it in real time," they wrote.

Flavor Flav offered fans some help getting the afternoon off, posting a signed permission slip to give their bosses. "Consider it your contribution to gender equality," he wrote in the document.

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Commentators across sports offered their own (rather heated) opinions. To Richard Deitsch, host of the Sports Media Podcast, the timing threatened to undercut the moment the season had been building toward. "The prospect of crowning a champion on a Thursday afternoon is just brutal optics (and will be brutal television ratings.)," he wrote on X.

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The Ringer founder Bill Simmons sounded similarly exasperated with league leadership, writing, "People want to like this league!"

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Their frustration comes after a season of record audience growth for the WNBA. According to the league, 51 regular-season telecasts averaged at least one million viewers, up from 19 last year. Its social accounts generated four billion views, with engagement up 24 percent from 2025. The demand is there, which helps explain why making a potential championship game harder to watch has struck such a nerve.

For some critics, the decision also sends a message about how the players are valued. Former NFL player and commentator Emmanuel Acho called it "high-key disrespectful" to the sport and its athletes.

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In the Reddit discussion, some fans also questioned why a women's Finals game had to work around a men's regular-season matchup in the first place, with many finding the whole ordeal wildly "mysoginistic" and exposed a blaring double standard. "If this were a men’s game, this time would never even be considered," one Reddit commenter said. Another commenter in r/WNBATalks wrote, "If society was less misogynistic, it wouldn’t be an issue."

Women's sports creator and podcast host Coach Jackie also questioned the decision in a video posted to Instagram. "Somebody could become a WNBA champion over brunch? During lunch? While you’re in a Teams meeting? Did you think it through?" she asked.

The players, meanwhile, have been more measured. Dream guard Jordin Canada welcomed the chance to play in front of another State Farm Arena crowd, while teammate Allisha Gray kept her focus on what was at stake.

"It’s the Finals, you gotta do what you gotta do," Gray told the San Francisco Chronicle. "We can play at 8 a.m., 10 a.m., midnight, you have a championship to win."

X would like you to pay to promote your posts. And if you've managed to ignore the button offering that option, a giant hand may soon point it out for you.

Users across the Elon Musk-owned social media platform have been sharing screenshots of a hand appearing while they compose posts, directing their attention toward the Promote button. The animation is hard to miss, which appears to be the point.

"I just went to write a tweet and a massive hand popped up pointing to the promote button," The Verge’s Tom Warren wrote on X on Oct. 26.

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The button offers paid promotion, allowing users to spend money to get their posts in front of more people. X already offers tools for promoting posts without setting up an advertising campaign.

The hand is a particularly literal way of drawing attention to them. And it’s certainly getting noticed.

"Jumpscared the shit out of me," wrote one user. Another wrote, "I thought I’d been hacked!" describing his rather seasonal experience: "I wish I could explain how jarring this hand and animation was in the X app. It was truly shocking, almost like a Halloween gag, but I'm pretty sure it was real. I guess I see the promote button now."

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Others were less concerned with the hand's appearance than with where it was pointing. "The fact that it’s pointing at promote and not post is the real comedy here," wrote one user. Another account described the experience as getting "physically assaulted by the algorithm into buying ads." One put it plainly: "This should somehow be illegal."

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One startled user tagged @X and @grok to ask, "What is that hand? Is this a Halloween thing?" Grok replied, describing it as a new prompt encouraging users to pay for extra reach, adding that it was "Not confirmed as a Halloween prank, though the timing makes it feel like one."

That hand is a new X compose-screen nudge. A realistic (sometimes animated) arm pops up while drafting to point at the Promote button, encouraging you to boost the post for extra reach. It started rolling out in the last day or so and has jumped out at lots of people. Not confirmed as a Halloween prank, though the timing makes it feel like one. - Grok

One iOS user said the hand was more than a static graphic. "It’s animated, and you can move it around," they wrote, adding, "Hopefully it’s just a one-time popup."

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TBPN president Dylan Abruscato also shared his surprise at an arm appearing just as he was about to post. He called it the "most Nikita-coded thing I’ve ever seen," referring to the growth tactics associated with X's former product chief, Nikita Bier.

"So obstructive, yet so effective," Abruscato added.

The hand’s appearance coincides with a leadership change at X. Peter Sellis, a former product executive at Snapchat and Discord, announced on Oct. 26 that he was joining the company to lead product. (He hasn’t said whether he had a hand in this particular update. Get it?)

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It’s also unclear how widely the hand is appearing. One Android user said they hadn’t encountered it. Another user said it disappeared before they could capture it.

For now, the hand has succeeded in getting people to post about the Promote button. Getting them to actually pay to use it might require a different, more subtle approach.

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Apple's M6 Macs finally arrived on Tuesday, two weeks after the company's "Welcome Home" smart home launch. The announcement, part of another slate of press releases Apple dropped ahead of its private Pro and Tell event on Wednesday, Oct. 28, includes a new 14-inch MacBook Pro with M6, a refreshed iMac with M6, and a round of AI features for Apple Creator Studio, the company's subscription bundle of creative apps.

The timing isn't a surprise. When the M6 MacBooks were missing from the Oct. 13 home announcements, Mashable reported that Bloomberg's Mark Gurman still expected them in October. For the time being, though, outlets like MacRumors report that the expected touchscreen MacBook Pro won't be announced until Wednesday — so check back here after tomorrow for more details.

SEE ALSO: Apple massively increases trade-in values for iPads and Macs. See the list.

In the meantime, Apple's M6 chip is the main upgrade here. Both machines keep their existing designs, and Apple's pitch leans hard on running AI locally. According to Apple, M6 adds two CPU cores and two GPU cores over its predecessor, puts Neural Accelerators in every GPU core, and pairs them with a new dual 16-core Neural Engine and up to 170GB/s of memory bandwidth. Apple frames the result as a platform for running large language models (LLMs) on-device while keeping data private.

It’s the same AI push Apple made with its home devices. As Mashable noted earlier this month, Gurman has argued the AI boom caught Apple off guard. Both Macs ship with macOS 27 Golden Gate, which brings Siri AI, Apple’s rebuilt assistant. Apple says it can draw on personal context from messages, email, and photos, answer questions on virtually any topic, and act across apps.

Here's everything Apple announced for the Mac on Oct. 27:

14-inch MacBook Pro with M6 Credit: Apple

The headline product is the 14-inch MacBook Pro, which gets M6's 12-core CPU. Apple says M6 features the world’s fastest CPU core. Apple claims the 12-core GPU is up to 30 percent faster at graphics and up to 25 percent faster at AI workloads than M5, while the Neural Engine is up to 1.9x faster. Owners of an M1 model could see bigger jumps: Apple cites up to 11x faster graphics and up to 13x faster AI performance.

Apple's AI benchmarks are the more telling numbers. It says LLM prompt processing delivers a first token up to 1.3x faster than the M5 model, with similar gains in Blender rendering and Xcode builds.

Battery life is rated at up to 24 hours, which Apple calls the longest ever in a Mac, and fast charging reaches 50 percent in 30 minutes with a 96W adapter. Memory starts at 16GB and tops out at 32GB. Wireless connectivity upgrades to Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6, and the laptop supports up to two external displays.

Speaking of displays, the MacBook Pro has a Liquid Retina XDR display (with up to 1,600 nits of peak HDR brightness and a nano-texture option), a 12MP Center Stage camera, six speakers, and the same ports, including HDMI, MagSafe 3, three Thunderbolt 4 ports, and an SDXC slot.

The 14-inch MacBook Pro with M6 starts at $1,999, or $1,899 with education pricing, and comes in space black and silver. Apple Upgrade leases start at $38.99 per month for 36 months. Pre-orders open Wednesday, Oct. 28, in the U.S. and 34 other countries and regions, with availability beginning Friday, Nov. 6.

iMac with M6

The iMac skips M5 entirely, jumping from M4 straight to M6. Apple says the CPU and GPU each gain two cores, with configurations offering up to 12 cores apiece, delivering up to 2x faster graphics than M4. Again, Apple’s big claim is the iMac’s ability to run AI locally. The company says the iMac runs on-device AI up to 5x faster than M4, including prompt processing in LM Studio. For anyone still on an Intel iMac, Apple reports an overall performance gain of up to 18x.

Connectivity gets some of the more practical upgrades. Wi-Fi 7 and Bluetooth 6 come standard, available 2.5Gb Ethernet is up to 2.5x faster than before, and Apple says SSD speeds have doubled. Up to four Thunderbolt 4 ports support two 6K external displays.

The rest of the iMac is unchanged, including the 24-inch 4.5K Retina display, 12MP Center Stage camera, color-matched accessories, and seven colors: blue, green, pink, yellow, purple, orange, and silver.

The iMac with M6 starts at $1,499 ($1,449 for education) with a 10-core CPU and GPU, and $1,699 ($1,599 for education) with a 12-core CPU and GPU. That base price matches what the M4 iMac currently sells for after a $200 increase in June, according to MacRumors. Apple Upgrade leases start at $28.99 per month for 36 months. Pre-orders open Wednesday, Oct. 28, with availability beginning Friday, Nov. 6.

Apple Creator Studio Credit: Apple

Apple also gave its new Macs more AI software to run. Apple Creator Studio adds intelligent assistants (in beta) to Logic Pro for Mac and to Keynote, Pages, and Numbers. Notably, Apple says those assistants are built on a combination of its own models and OpenAI’s. Keynote, Pages, and Numbers also gain Model Context Protocol (MCP) support, which lets third-party AI agents read documents, make edits, and run automated actions inside the apps.

Elsewhere, Final Cut Pro for Mac now includes MotionVFX's library of effects, transitions, and templates, and Pixelmator Pro adds Generate Fill for editing selected parts of an image using text prompts. Logic Pro's Stem Splitter can now separate drums.

The Creator Studio updates arrive in November at no additional cost for existing subscribers. The subscription costs $12.99 per month or $129 per year, with education pricing of $2.99 per month or $29.99 per year.

ICYMI: iPad mini with A20 Pro

Apple's week of announcements technically started Monday with the iPad mini, which Apple calls the tablet's "biggest update ever." The headline change is a larger 8.5-inch OLED display that fits in the same footprint, thanks to 24 percent thinner bezels. Apple says peak brightness reaches 1,200 nits, more than double that of the previous model, and a nano-texture option is available.

The A20 Pro chip follows the same local AI script as the M6. It has Neural Accelerators in each GPU core, and Apple claims up to 4.5x faster AI performance than the previous generation. The tablet is also thinner, at 5.4mm, and adds IP67 water and dust resistance, a 12MP front camera on the landscape edge, and Apple's N1 wireless and C2 cellular chips.

The iPad mini starts at $699 for Wi-Fi and $849 for Wi-Fi + Cellular (education pricing starts at $649), and comes in midnight and starlight. Pre-orders open Wednesday, Oct. 28, with availability beginning Friday, Nov. 6.

Do you know someone who basically lives at the local climbing gym? Are you friends with a person whose only personality trait is taking their dog hiking? Or maybe your partner is obsessed with the idea of living in a van (#vanlife) and traveling the country?

If any of these groups sound like you or someone you know, you've been exposed to the granola lifestyle. Similar to gorpcore, folks who fit the granola aesthetic are typically into camping, hiking, and kayaking, and have probably talked about moving to Colorado one day (guilty). They love to be outdoors, sip craft beer, and of course, wear Patagonia fleece sweaters.

Outdoorsy folk have taken to TikTok with the hashtags #granolagirl, #granolaboy, and #granolacheck over the last few years to show off their adventurous, outdoor-oriented lifestyles. For many, getting into nature was a direct response to feeling cooped up during the lockdowns of the early pandemic. But that trend is here to stay.

How to shop for an outdoorsy gift

For people who are unsure about adventure gear themselves but still want to find the perfect granola gift this holiday season, we chatted with outdoor expert and REI soft goods Lead and Virtual Outfitter Mike Kreis for some outdoor gear shopping tips.

SEE ALSO: The best camping gear for dogs: We've tried (and loved) these 8 products

Kreis suggests that you consider how long your giftee has been into their activity, whether it's hiking, skiing, camping, or climbing. "The longer they have been doing the activity, the more gear they will have," he says.

If your gift recipient already owns some gear, Kreis says it's best to go for nonessentials. "I always like to go with items that aren't necessarily needed for the activity, as they most likely have that," he says. So opt for a portable charger, a cozy outdoor blanket, or extra camp cooking gadgets. Really, anything that can make outdoor life more comfortable will make a great gift.

If you find yourself shopping for the outdoorsy person in your life, look no further. We've rounded up 30 of the best presents out there, whether their version of adventure is having a picnic in the park or roughing it in the back country.

Kai Cenat had barely gotten his hands on Apple's new iPhone Duo before another foldable caught his attention. The surprise? It was a Samsung.

During a livestream from Japan that accumulated millions of views, the streamer spotted a fan's folding phone and asked, "Is that the iPhone Duo?" When the owner explained that it was a Samsung, Cenat responded with a startled "What!"

"Wait, they been had this? I might have to switch to Samsung," he says in a viral clip.

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For Samsung users watching, the answer to that first question was an emphatic yes. And they were more than happy to catch him up.

SEE ALSO: Apple iPhone Duo review: This changes everything

"Apple fans watching Kai discover Samsung features that have existed for years are about to have a rough day" one user wrote on X. "It’s crazy how ignorant normies are," another wrote, while one user said, "everyone starting to realize Apple is washed and overpriced; Samsung actually feels like an upgrade worth the value and the features alone make it worth it."

"Just imagine when he finds out they have a trifold," another user pointed out.

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The snark comes with some history. Samsung unveiled its original Galaxy Fold in February 2019 and put it on sale that September, seven years before Apple’s first foldable arrived. Both follow the same basic idea — a phone with an outer screen that opens like a book to reveal a larger, tablet-like display, with room to run apps side by side. Samsung’s first Fold could already display three apps at once, while the iPhone Duo supports two side by side, with picture-in-picture video available too.

Samsung has released several generations since then, with its current lineup including the Galaxy Z Fold 8 and Z Fold 8 Ultra.

Comparing the Duo with the standard Fold 8, Mashable Tech Editor Timothy Beck Werth noted that Samsung's phone is thinner, lighter, and $100 cheaper at its starting price. Cameras were his biggest complaint about the Samsung, particularly its 10MP selfie camera. But after testing the Duo, Senior Editor Stan Schroeder found that Apple’s under-display FaceTime camera produced heavily processed, smudgy selfies, too.

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Apple introducing more people to foldables could actually benefit Samsung, and Cenat's viral interaction is a prime example of how. Samsung says European sales of its Fold 8 and Fold 8 Ultra rose 45 percent compared with a year earlier, while Google search interest in Samsung foldables jumped 260 percent between Sept. 6 and 12 — the week Apple announced the Duo.

SEE ALSO: The iPhone Duo could be boosting Samsung Galaxy foldable sales

Whether Cenat actually switches remains to be seen. For now, he’s given Samsung fans something almost as satisfying as a new customer: an iPhone owner asking what he's been missing.

Apple is giving the public a taste of its new AI features and powerful devices ahead of tomorrow's "Pro And Tell" event.

The tech giant already announced a new M6-powered, 14-inch MacBook Pro and a new iPad Mini 8, complete with an OLED screen and an internal A20 Pro chip.

And for creators, Apple is sprucing up its Creator Studio to bring more integrated editing tools and even AI assistants to its creative app lineup.

SEE ALSO: The new Apple M6 Macbook Pro is live — how to preorder Apple adds MotionVFX to Final Cut Pro

Final Cut Pro will be getting a major upgrade with the addition of MotionVFX, a library of effects, templates, graphics, and tools for rotoscoping, tracking, and color grading, the company announced. Users will be able to access the Content Hub directly in Final Cut Pro, including "Apple-curated stock videos, photos, and backgrounds to fill gaps, add polish, or spark new ideas without leaving their workflow."

Final Cut Pro's workflow will be streamlined, too, including new keyframe editing options and the ability to combine edit sessions across multiple apps.

Logic Pro gets Liquid Glass, AI tools

Apple will bring its new Apple Intelligence model to its suite of creative apps, including Pixelmator Pro's new Generate Fill, which allows users to generate automatic edits and content fills with text-based prompts.

Music editors in Apple's Logic Pro should prepare for a new Liquid Glass interface and an OpenAI collaboration introducing a music-intelligent AI assistant.

The AI, a combination of Apple and OpenAI models, "automatically analyzes, classifies, and tags added sounds so creators can easily search their entire collection or drag in a loop to surface matching audio," Apple explains. There's a new Browser tool to match that centralizes clips, edits, and effects, as well as a new Voice Memos Studio Sound that automatically reduces ambient noise in iPhone recordings and uploads them to Logic Pro.

Apple is also adding new "Producer Packs" with clips and sounds from famed producers, like Sergio George.

Apple's AI assistant can help with graphic design

The company's AI assistant will also be available on Keynote, Pages, and Numbers to help design and animate slides, draft and edit written content, and build custom charts or graphs.

Credit: Apple

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Out of all the kitchen products we've put to the test, these 12 are the ones we'll always recommend — over and over again. Here's why we love them.

Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Denis Villeneuve will bring his epic trilogy to a conclusion this December with Dune: Part Three. And the final trailer gives fans an intense look at Villeneuve's bold adaptation of Frank Herbert’s novels. Based on Dune Messiah, the film follows Timothée Chalamet's Paul Atreides as he confronts the consequences of becoming Emperor.

Mashable's resident Dune expert Belen Edwards wrote of the film's previous trailer, "Dune: Part Three takes place 17 years after the end of Dune: Part Two, which saw Paul become Emperor, meet his future wife Princess Irulan (Florence Pugh), and lose his lover Chani (Zendaya). In a huge deviation from Frank Herbert's novels, Chani fled into the desert after witnessing Paul's brutality, setting up a major rift between the two."

In the trailer above, Paul attacks Irulan, who confesses Chani is involved in an assassination attempt. The footage also features Robert Pattinson as Scytale, "a shape-shifting Face Dancer from the genetically altered Bene Tleilax order." Anya Taylor-Joy returns as Paul’s sister Alia, now grown up with powers of her own.

But that’s not all. Dune: Part Three promises pulse-pounding action, heart-wrenching drama, and a confrontation between former lovers that could change the future of their universe.

Dune: Part Three hits theaters and IMAX Dec. 18.

Apple is currently in the midst of releasing brand-new iPads and new Macs. Looking to upgrade to a new tablet or computer now? Then you're in luck.

Apple just bumped up the trade-in values for previous generations of iPads and Macs, as first noticed by MacRumors.

This week, just as Apple launched the new iPad mini, M6 MacBook Pro, and M6 iMac, the company also increased how much consumers could get back when trading in their old devices. Is Apple trying to sweeten the deal for customers in order to sell more new iPads and Macs? Possibly, though Apple hasn't said whether that factored into the higher trade-in offers.

But, this is good news for Apple fans looking to upgrade.

So, how much can you get for trading in your current iPad or Mac model now? Here's a list of the previous and new maximum valuations for each device below. (Your actual offer depends on your device's model and condition.)

Macs

Macs and MacBooks received the largest increases in maximum trade-in value. Here's what you can get now.

• MacBook Pro: From up to $1,315 to up to $1,435

• MacBook Air: From up to $705 to up to $795

• iMac: From up to $385 to up to $440

• Mac mini: From up to $620 to up to $645

• Mac Studio: From up to $1,460 to up to $1,700

• Mac Pro: From up to $2,195 to up to $2,560

The iMac Pro remains the only listed Mac model unchanged with a maximum trade-in value of $340.

iPads

The iPad trade-in values didn't increase by as much as those for Apple's computers. However, there was a trade-in value increase nonetheless.

• iPad: From up to $280 to up to $300

• iPad mini: From up to $320 to up to $340

• iPad Air: From up to $510 to up to $525

• iPad Pro: From up to $905 to up to $915

As a general reminder, Apple's trade-in program is mostly about convenience. Even with the trade-in value increases, you may be able to resell your device through resale marketplaces for a higher payout.

Subway is attempting to hijack your midday break with an aggressive dose of 2014 nostalgia.

To celebrate National Sandwich Day (Nov. 3), Subway has officially launched a BOGO Footlong deal running until Nov. 8. Alongside this generous promo, Subway is resurrecting the cult-favorite Fritos Chicken Enchilada Sub. I've probably eaten at Subway a couple of times in my life, but free subs are enough to convince me to make a return.

The BOGO promo applies across most standard Footlong builds, including the returning Fritos Chicken Enchilada Sub. If you missed the original 2014 run, this viral sandwich packs rotisserie-style chicken drenched in enchilada sauce, melted Monterey Cheddar, shredded lettuce, tomatoes, red onions, a drizzle of smoky Baja Chipotle sauce, and a generous layer of crunchy original Fritos corn chips.

Credit: Subway

Qualifying for the BOGO deal is straightforward: Sub Club members can score a free Footlong of equal or lesser value with the purchase of another Footlong. You just need to order through the Subway app or online, and the offer will be automatically added to your app wallet.

The BOGO discount is only triggered on digital orders placed through the Subway app or Subway.com. If you turn up at a store expecting the free sub, you'll walk away disappointed.

Best early Black Friday Lego deals Best Lego Advent Calendar deal Lego Disney Princess Advent Calendar $30 (save $14.99) Get Deal Best Lego Icons deal Lego Icons Poinsettia $42.99 (save $7) Get Deal Best Lego Pokémon deal Lego Pokémon Eevee $47.99 (save $12) Get Deal Best Lego Botanicals deal Lego Botanicals Succulents $32.99 (save $17) Get Deal Best Lego stocking stuffer deal Lego Snowman Ornaments $10.28 (save $2.71) Get Deal Best Lego Star Wars deal Lego Star Wars Anzellan Starship $45.49 (save $29.50) Get Deal

Listen up, builders. We still have weeks to go before Black Friday, but Legos are already on sale. From Pokémon builds to stunning floral arrangements, there's something for everyone in the world of Lego.

SEE ALSO: Early Black Friday home improvement deals save big on power tools, smart lights, home security, and more.

If you've shopped for Legos in the past, you understand sales can vanish quickly, as does availability. Before prices and stock change, check out our favorite deals below.

Best Lego Advent calendar deal Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Lego Disney Princess Advent Calendar $30 at Amazon
$44.99 Save $14.99   Get Deal at Amazon Why we like it

It's time to grab Advent Calendars for 2026. If you have a Lego princess in your life, snag the Lego Disney Princess Advent Calendar while it's on sale for just $30. This year's calendar comes with adored princesses like Moana, Cinderella, and Mulan.

More Lego Advent Calendar deals

• Lego Friends Advent Calendar — $25 $34.99 (save $9.99)

Best Lego Icons deal Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Lego Icons Poinsettia $42.99 at Amazon
$49.99 Save $7   Get Deal at Amazon Why we like it

During Prime Day in October, we all got treated to a great discount on the Lego Icons Project Hail Mary build. Consider yourself lucky if you managed to snag that deal before it went out of stock. While that set is currently sitting at full price, we do have the festive Lego Icons Poinsettia on sale as an early Black Friday treat.

The holiday centerpiece is a great Thanksgiving project for kids and adults that'll look great on display throughout the holiday season. The potted poinsettia measures about eight inches in height and width and about 6.5 inches deep.

More Lego Icons deals

• Lego Icons Tranquil Garden — $103.99 $109.99 (save $6)

• Lego Icons Tropical Aquarium — $446.82 $479.99 (save $33.17)

Best Lego Pokémon deal Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Lego Pokémon Eevee $47.99 at Amazon
$59.99 Save $12   Get Deal at Amazon Why we like it

The Lego Pokémon collab only launched in early 2026, but we already have discounts. The undeniably adorable Lego Pokémon Eevee is the perfect holiday gift for any fan of building with small bricks who also loves Pokémon. That's probably something like 90% of the global population.

The Lego Pokémon Eevee is designed for more advanced builders, and Lego recommends it for those over the age of 18. It's also available for one to three builders to work together via the Lego Build Together feature.

More Lego Pokémon deals

• Lego Pokémon Pikachu and Poké Ball — $183.18 $199.99 (save $16.81)

Best Lego Botanicals deal Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Lego Botanicals Succulents $32.99 at Amazon
$49.99 Save $17   Get Deal at Amazon Why we like it

Featuring nine succulents and buildable pots for each, the Lego Botanicals Succulents is a cheery addition to any space. Keep them all together or spread them around the house, the set has 771 pieces in total. One of Lego's most popular Botanicals builds, the set is on sale for the lowest price we've ever seen at Amazon, and we're still well ahead of Black Friday.

More Lego Botanicals deals

• Lego Botanicals Rocking Plants — $19.97 $22.99 (save $3.02)

• Lego Botanicals Flowering Cactus — $27.95 $34.99 (save $7.04)

• Lego Botanicals Hibiscus Flower — $55.95 $69.99 (save $14.04)

• Lego Botanicals Flower Arrangement — $62.04 $109.99 (save $47.95)

Best Lego stocking stuffer deal Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Lego Snowman Ornaments $10.28 at Amazon
$12.99 Save $2.71   Get Deal at Amazon Why we like it

For those who aren't looking for a giant build or something small that's perfect for a stocking, the Lego Snowman Ornaments are on sale for $10.28. The duo of snowmen are perfect for Lego beginners that can either hang on the Christmas tree or sit on a fireplace mantle as part of the holiday display. Since the set is small and not too spendy, it's already a great gift exchange item.

Best Lego Star Wars deal Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Lego Star Wars Anzellan Starship $45.49 at Amazon
$74.99 Save $29.50   Get Deal at Amazon Why we like it

Down the to the best price we've ever seen at Amazon, the Lego Star Wars Anzellan Starship build is the perfect decor for any fan of the franchise. The 701-piece build is meant for kids (or adults) ages nine and up. Three Lego Star Wars mini figures will hop into the Starship and take flight.

More Lego Star Wars deals

• Lego Star Wars AT-RT Attack — $35.99 $44.99 (save $9)

• Lego Star Wars Smart Play: Mos Eisley Cantina — $53.99 $79.99 (save $26)

• Lego Star Wars Smart Play: Darth Vader’s TIE Fighter — $55.99 $69.99 (save $14)

• Lego Star Wars Smart Play: Millennium Falcon — $79.95 $99.99 (save $20.04)

• Lego Star Wars Grogu (Mandalorian Apprentice) — $103.99 $129.99 (save $26)