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TL;DR: Get a refurbished 2019 Apple MacBook Pro (i5 2.4GHz, 8GB RAM, 256 GB SSD) on sale for $424.97 until March 30 at 11:59 p.m. PT.
Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Refurbished 2019 Apple MacBook Pro (i5 2.4GHz, 8GB RAM, 256 GB SSD) $424.97This refurbished Touchbar MacBook Pro is geared up for work, creativity, or marathoning your comfort shows. And instead of paying $1,499, you can get this 2019 Apple MacBook Pro (i5 2.4GHz, 8GB RAM, 256 GB SSD) on sale for $424.97 — until our limited stock runs out.
What does the Touchbar do?The Touchbar adapts to the apps you're using. Use it for media controls when you're watching a movie, or a color picker when you're using a design app. It also adds some extra security with Touch ID, but that's not all this computer has going for it.
Under the hood, this MacBook Pro is powered by a 2.4GHz quad-core Intel Core i5 processor and 8GB of RAM. The 256GB SSD provides fast data access and boot times, with the option to expand storage up to 2TB if needed. Plus, with four Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) ports, you’ll have versatile connectivity options for charging, data transfer, and connecting external displays.
While this is technically a refurbished computer, you'd never know from looking at it. The grade "A" rating means it's in near-mint condition. Even the battery lasts for up to 10 hours on a full charge.
March 30 at 11:59 p.m. PT is the deadline to get a MacBook Pro on sale for $424.97.
StackSocial prices subject to change.
TL;DR: Secure lifetime access to this bundle of Microsoft Office and Windows 11 Pro for $54.97 for a limited time.
Opens in a new window Credit: StackCommerce The Ultimate Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows: Lifetime License + Windows 11 Pro Bundle $54.97Tired of constant software subscription renewals and unexpected service interruptions? With this Microsoft Office Professional 2021 and Windows 11 Pro Bundle, you can finally eliminate two of those headaches. You'll get lifetime access to both essential software tools for $54.97 — perfect for anyone looking for long-term cost savings and complete ownership of their productivity software.
With Microsoft Office 2021, you’ll have all the tools you need for productivity, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and more — all available offline, with no subscription fees. This suite provides everything from document creation to data analysis, making it perfect for professionals, students, and home users.
But here’s where things get even better: Windows 11 Pro comes with Copilot, an AI assistant that helps you streamline tasks, improve productivity, and make your workflow smarter. Copilot is integrated right into the Windows experience, helping you automate tasks, organize your workspace, and get more done without lifting a finger. With advanced security features like BitLocker encryption and seamless multitasking, Windows 11 Pro ensures you have a secure, efficient system.
So, why keep paying for something over and over again when you can own it for life?
This lifetime Microsoft Office Professional 2021 and Windows 11 Pro bundle is the ultimate deal for anyone who wants efficient software without the hassle, on sale for $54.97 for a little while longer.
StackSocial prices subject to change.
TL;DR: Never misplace your wallet again — grab the KeySmart SmartCard for only $29.97 (reg. $39) with free shipping.
Opens in a new window Credit: KeySmart KeySmart SmartCard $29.97If you're the forgetful type, you've likely been told to grab the AirTag to track your items (or already invested in it). Sure, it may have been revolutionary when it was first released, but there's a sleeker tracking alternative that might make you wonder why you're still shoving an AirTag in your wallet.
Meet the KeySmart SmartCard, a credit card-shaped tracker that works with the same Find My app as the AirTag, minus the awkward, bulging design. You can grab your own for only $29.97 with free shipping while supplies last.
How the SmartCard worksNever used an AirTag before? The SmartCard works similarly, but you don't need to be a rocket scientist to figure it out. It pairs with the iPhone Find My tracking app to help you find your belongings quickly. Check out what you'll be able to do with this alternative:
Track your wallet, luggage, or passport holder in real-time on the Find My app's map.
Find your items (if they're nearby) by having the SmartCard play a sound for easy location.
Create notifications for your items so you never leave home without them.
Unlike the AirTag, this wallet-friendly tracking card has a sleek, unobtrusive design — you might even forget you slipped it in your office swipe or cardholder until you need to find it. Plus, the SmartCard is Qi-wireless rechargeable and only needs to be powered up about every five months or so.
And since the SmartCard has an IPX8 waterproof rating (better than the AirTag's IP67 rating), you could throw it in your beach bag or hiking pack without worrying about it.
Find your items at all times with the KeySmart SmartCard, an AirTag alternative now available for just $29.97 with free shipping while supplies last.
StackSocial prices subject to change.
SAVE $69: While supplies last, you can get the Deeper Connect portable VPN router for $149.97 (reg. $219) with free shipping.
Opens in a new window Credit: Deeper Network Deeper Connect Air Portable VPN Travel Router $149.97You’ve been paying for a VPN for how long? Months? Years? That’s a lot of cash for something that just slows down your internet and locks you into another subscription. What if you could get the same, if not better, security and privacy without the monthly fees?
Many people are switching to a VPN router as a more affordable and effective alternative. Think of it as a VPN that offers more security and features than a digital one, all with no recurring fees. We’re constantly selling out of these, but they’re currently in stock right now for $150 with free shipping (reg. $219).
How does it work?If you can connect your devices to WiFi, you can set up this VPN router. Plug it into your USB-C computer for power, connect it to your chosen network, and pair up to five devices.
Connect your smart TV to networks overseas, unblock streaming websites, and enjoy how the gadget simultaneously blocks pesky ads. We bet your overpriced digital VPN wasn’t doing that for you before. You may also notice faster speeds since these servers go up to 300Mbps.
Or, join servers from your laptop to stay secure when browsing on public WiFi. This router has over 150,000 servers, so plenty of options exist to protect your data.
Speaking of your protection, this device uses military-grade encryption and a decentralized private network to keep your online activity private. Most digital VPNs use centralized private networks (where your traffic passes through a single point), but a decentralized private network (where your traffic passes through tons of points) offers faster performance and enhanced security since there isn’t a single point of failure.
Get the Deeper Connect Air VPN router for $150 with free shipping before we sell out again (reg. $219). No coupon is needed to get this price.
StackSocial prices subject to change.
TL;DR: Grab Microsoft Office Pro 2021 at just $59.97 (reg. $219) and enjoy lifetime access to essential productivity tools.
Opens in a new window Credit: Retail King Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows: Lifetime License $59.97Grab Microsoft Office Pro 2021 for Windows at just $59.97 (reg. $219) and enjoy lifetime access to essential productivity tools.
What you get with your purchaseOne-time purchase, lifetime access — no monthly fees, just essential Office apps
Includes must-have tools like Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Access, Teams, and Publisher
Designed for Windows users — perfect for work, school, and personal projects
Boost productivity with reliable tools for documents, data management, and communication
Quick and easy setup that allows you to download it instantly and activate with your product key
No hidden fees — pay once and use Microsoft Office Professional 2021 forever
Skip the subscription headache — don’t miss this deal and get a lifetime license to Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows for $59.97. Sale ends March 30.
StackSocial prices subject to change.
TL;DR: A lifetime license for Microsoft Office 2024 Home for Mac or PC is on sale for £102.89 (reg. £118.74) until 23 February at 11:59 p.m. PT.
One of the only reasons to stick with Microsoft 365 was that it had the most recent versions of apps like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. The subscription is expensive, but the AI upgrades really save a ton of time.
Good news: that's not the only way to get updated Microsoft apps. Now, you can get Microsoft Office 2024 Home for Mac or PC as a one-time purchase, and it's marked down to £102.89 (reg. £118.74) for a limited time at the Mashable Shop.
Why rent software when you can buy?This device license lasts for life with no recurring costs of any kind. It connects directly to your Microsoft account and lets you use Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and OneNote on a PC or Mac.
All of these apps have been updated with the latest features. Microsoft Word now includes real-time co-authoring, which lets multiple users work on the same document simultaneously. You also get to use AI-powered suggestions to help streamline the writing process.
In Excel, dynamic data handling with new formulas like FILTER, SORT, and UNIQUE can be a serious time-saver for anyone working with complex data sets. That means Excel can now handle real-time updates, so your data visualisations and reports stay accurate and current without the need to manually refresh anything.
PowerPoint has received a major upgrade, too. You can record presentations with voice, video, and closed captions. That's a lot easier than manually inserting everything yourself after recording it on another app.
And don’t forget about OneNote. The updated app is designed for smoother collaboration so you can share notes and work with others way more efficiently.
You have until 11:59 p.m. PT on 23 February to get a lifetime license for Microsoft Office 2024 Home for Mac or Windows for £102.89 (reg. £118.74).
StackSocial prices subject to change.
Opens in a new window Credit: Retail King Microsoft Office 2024 Home for Mac or PC: One-Time Purchase £102.89 at the Mashable ShopTL;DR: Live stream Italy vs. France in the 2025 Six Nations for free on ITVX. Access this free live stream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.
Italy are coming off impressive victory over Wales in the last round of 2025 Six Nations fixtures, but can they step things up and beat France in Rome? It's a difficult task, but England showed how to give France problems in the last round of games.
If you want to watch Italy vs. France in the 2025 Six Nations for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.
When is Italy vs. France?Italy vs. France in the 2025 Six Nations starts at 3 p.m. GMT on Feb. 23. This fixture takes place at the Stadio Olimpico.
How to watch Italy vs. France for freeItaly vs. France in the 2025 Six Nations is available to live stream for free on ITVX.
ITVX is geo-restricted to the UK, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These handy tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in the UK, meaning you can unblock ITVX from anywhere in the world.
Live stream Italy vs. France from anywhere in the world by following these simple steps:
Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)
Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)
Open up the app and connect to a server in the UK
Visit ITVX
Live stream Italy vs. France for free from anywhere in the world
The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but most do offer free-trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch Italy vs. France without committing with your cash. This isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream this game before recovering your investment.
What is the best VPN for ITVX?ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on ITVX, for a number of reasons:
Servers in 105 countries including the UK
Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more
Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure
Fast connection speeds free from throttling
Up to eight simultaneous connections
30-day money-back guarantee
A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee.
Live stream Italy vs. France in the 2025 Six Nations for free with ExpressVPN.
TL;DR: Live stream Pakistan vs. India in the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.
Almost every game from the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy is massive, but Pakistan vs. India is the biggest of the lot. It really doesn't get any better than this rivarly between two cricketing behemoths.
The world will stop for this huge game, and you can watch all the action unfold without spending anything.
If you want to watch Pakistan vs. India in the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.
When is Pakistan vs. India?Pakistan vs. India in the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy starts at 4 a.m. ET on Feb. 23. This ODI takes place at the Dubai International Stadium.
How to watch Pakistan vs. India for freeThe following platforms are offering coverage of the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy:
Australia — Prime Video (free with 30-day trial)
India — Disney+ Hotstar
New Zealand — Sky TV NZ
UK — Sky Sports
The 2025 ICC Champions Trophy is available to live stream for free in Pakistan. The free streaming platforms are geo-restricted to Pakistan, but anyone can access these free live streams with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Pakistan, meaning you can unblock free live streams of the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy from anywhere in the world.
Live stream the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy for free by following these simple steps:
Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)
Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)
Open up the app and connect to a server in Pakistan
Live stream Pakistan vs. India for free from anywhere in the world
The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but leading VPNs do tend to offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can access free live streams of the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy without actually spending anything. This obviously isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream Pakistan vs. India (plus every other 2025 ICC Champions Trophy game) before recovering your investment.
What is the best VPN for live sport?ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport, for a number of reasons:
Servers in 105 countries including Pakistan
Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more
Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure
Fast connection speeds free from throttling
Up to eight simultaneous connections
30-day money-back guarantee
A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee.
Live stream Pakistan vs. India in the 2025 ICC Champions Trophy for free with ExpressVPN.
Connections: Sports Edition is a new version of the popular New York Times word game that seeks to test the knowledge of sports fans.
Like the original Connections, the game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.
If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for the latest Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.
SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable What is Connections Sports Edition?The NYT's latest daily word game has launched in association with The Athletic, the New York Times property that provides the publication's sports coverage. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.
Tweet may have been deletedEach puzzle features 16 words and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise of anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there's only one correct answer.
If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake—players get up to four mistakes until the game ends.
Tweet may have been deletedPlayers can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.
Here's a hint for today's Connections Sports Edition categoriesWant a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:
Yellow: What different athletes play on
Green: 10 pins
Blue: Important to the Super Bowl outcome
Purple: Baseball positions and players
Need a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:
Yellow: Playing surface
Green: Bowling terms
Blue: Super Bowl LIX TD scorers
Purple: Fielders
Looking for Wordle today? Here's the answer to today's Wordle.
Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today's puzzle before we reveal the solutions.
Drumroll, please!
The solution to today's Connections Sports Edition #153 is...
What is the answer to Connections Sports Edition todayPlaying surface - FIELD, GROUNDS, PITCH, TURF
Bowling terms - BUMPER, GUTTER, LANE, POCKET
Super Bowl LIX TD scorers - DEJEAN, HURTS, SMITH, WORTHY
Fielders - CATCHER, CECIL, PRINCE, SHORTSTOP
Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be new Connections for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.
Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.
If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Connections.
If you're reading this, you're looking for a little help playing Strands, the New York Times' elevated word-search game.
Strands requires the player to perform a twist on the classic word search. Words can be made from linked letters — up, down, left, right, or diagonal, but words can also change direction, resulting in quirky shapes and patterns. Every single letter in the grid will be part of an answer. There's always a theme linking every solution, along with the "spangram," a special, word or phrase that sums up that day's theme, and spans the entire grid horizontally or vertically.
SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on MashableBy providing an opaque hint and not providing the word list, Strands creates a brain-teasing game that takes a little longer to play than its other games, like Wordle and Connections.
If you're feeling stuck or just don't have 10 or more minutes to figure out today's puzzle, we've got all the NYT Strands hints for today's puzzle you need to progress at your preferred pace.
SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for February 23 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for February 23 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Oh, this old thing?These words are things people spend a lot of money on.
Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explainedThe words are something an avid fan might collect.
NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?Today's NYT Strands spangram is vertical.
NYT Strands spangram answer todayToday's spangram is Collectibles.
Featured Video For You Strands 101: How to win NYT’s latest word game NYT Strands word list for February 23Plushie
Comic
Vinyl
Bobblehead
Stamp
Collectibles
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.
Connections is the one of the most popular New York Times word games that's captured the public's attention. The game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.
If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for today's Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.
SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable What is Connections?The NYT's latest daily word game has become a social media hit. The Times credits associate puzzle editor Wyna Liu with helping to create the new word game and bringing it to the publications' Games section. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.
Tweet may have been deletedEach puzzle features 16 words and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise of anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there's only one correct answer.
If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake—players get up to four mistakes until the game ends.
Tweet may have been deletedPlayers can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.
SEE ALSO: NYT's The Mini crossword answers for February 23 Here's a hint for today's Connections categoriesWant a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:
Yellow: Actions involving friction
Green: Methods of keeping food fresh
Blue: Toppings for breakfast foods
Purple: Things people say they spill
Need a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:
Yellow: Rub Together
Green: Ways to Preserve Food
Blue: Breakfast Condiments
Purple: Proverbial Things That Are Spilled
Looking for Wordle today? Here's the answer to today's Wordle.
Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today's puzzle before we reveal the solutions.
Drumroll, please!
The solution to today's Connections #623 is...
What is the answer to Connections todayRub Together: GNASH, GRATE, GRIND, SCRAPE
Ways to Preserve Food: CAN, FERMENT, FREEZE, PICKLE
Breakfast Condiments: BUTTER, HOT SAUCE, JAM, SYRUP
Proverbial Things That Are Spilled: BEANS, GUTS, MILK, TEA
Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be new Connections for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.
SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for February 23Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.
If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Connections.
Oh hey there! If you're here, it must be time for Wordle. As always, we're serving up our daily hints and tips to help you figure out today's answer.
If you just want to be told today's word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for today's Wordle solution revealed. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.
SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable SEE ALSO: NYT Connections today: Hints and answers for February 23 Where did Wordle come from?Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once.
Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing.
What's the best Wordle starting word?The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be strategic in your approach, we have a few ideas to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N.
What happened to the Wordle archive?The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles was originally available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it, but it was later taken down, with the website's creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times. However, the New York Times then rolled out its own Wordle Archive, available only to NYT Games subscribers.
Is Wordle getting harder?It might feel like Wordle is getting harder, but it actually isn't any more difficult than when it first began. You can turn on Wordle's Hard Mode if you're after more of a challenge, though.
SEE ALSO: NYT's The Mini crossword answers for February 23, 2025 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:A playful aquatic mammal.
Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?The letter T appears twice.
Today's Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with...Today's Wordle starts with the letter O.
SEE ALSO: Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL. The Wordle answer today is...Get your last guesses in now, because it's your final chance to solve today's Wordle before we reveal the solution.
Drumroll please!
The solution to today's Wordle is...
OTTER.
Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be a new Wordle for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.
Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.
SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for February 23Reporting by Chance Townsend, Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.
If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Wordle.
TL;DR: Tackle creative and professional tasks faster with 1minAI’s lifetime Advanced Business Plan subscription for just A$156 (reg. A$847).
Opens in a new window Credit: 1minAI 1min.AI Advanced Business Plan Lifetime Subscription A$156.00 at the Mashable ShopIf your goal this year is to work smarter, not harder, you’re not alone. Between juggling creative tasks, content creation, and never-ending to-do lists, it’s easy to feel stretched thin. That’s where 1minAI steps can assist. Instead of piecing together tools from every corner of the internet, this all-in-one AI platform brings everything you need under one roof — from writing and editing to image creation and audio/video processing.
Whether you’re a small business owner, content creator, freelancer, or someone needing reliable help, 1minAI has everything in one place. You can chat with AI assistants powered by GPT-4, Claude, Gemini, and other models for smart, interactive problem-solving.
For just A$156 (down from A$847), you get a lifetime subscription to an ever-improving suite of AI tools designed to supercharge productivity and spark creativity. No ongoing subscriptions. No juggling multiple apps. Just streamlined efficiency whenever you need it.
At its core, 1minAI uses cutting-edge AI models to assist you with time-consuming tasks. Imagine overcoming writer’s block with AI-powered blog post generators or whipping up polished visuals with advanced image editing.
Need to summarize a lengthy PDF? 1minAI’s tools can handle that, too. The platform even offers AI-driven audio and video processing tools, so you can easily edit, transcribe, or translate media.
The beauty of 1minAI is its all-in-one convenience. Instead of paying separate subscriptions for writing tools, image generators, and PDF editors, you get everything bundled into one user-friendly platform. Need a blog post? Done. Want to upscale an image or remove its background? Easy. Need to translate an audio file? No problem.
Though it doesn't replace human creativity or judgment, it can enhance your work, handle repetitive tasks, and help spark new ideas. You’re still the creative genius.
Take this opportunity to get a lifetime Advanced Business Plan 1minAI subscription for just A$156 (down from A$847).
StackSocial prices subject to change.
The Mini is a bite-sized version of The New York Times' revered daily crossword. While the crossword is a lengthier experience that requires both knowledge and patience to complete, The Mini is an entirely different vibe.
With only a handful of clues to answer, the daily puzzle doubles as a speed-running test for many who play it.
So, when a tricky clue disrupts a player's flow, it can be frustrating! If you find yourself stumped playing The Mini — much like with Wordle and Connections — we have you covered.
SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on MashableHere are the clues and answers to NYT's The Mini for Saturday, February 22, 2025:
AcrossSize between sm. and lg.The answer is Med.
The answer is Tines.
The answer is Bandsaw.
The answer is Erdrich.
The answer is Tofurky.
The answer is Tunes.
The answer is LSD.
The answer is Mindful.
The answer is End run.
The answer is Desired
The answer is Tarot.
The answer is Sacks.
The answer is Bet.
The answer is Why.
If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.
Featured Video For You The Wordle Strategy used by the New York Times' Head of GamesAre you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.
Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Mini Crossword.
Scientists have discovered that the supermassive black hole at the center of the Milky Way buzzes with activity, shooting out a nonstop stream of flares into space.
A new study using NASA's James Webb Space Telescope has revealed a variety of light coming from the black hole Sagittarius A* — or rather its accretion disk, the ring of rapidly spinning material that surrounds it.
While some flares are reminiscent of the ephemeral flickers of a candle, lasting just seconds, others are gigantic eruptions, blasting out a half-dozen incredibly bright jets on a daily basis.
These new findings, published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters this week, could help astrophysicists better understand black holes and how they interact with the gas and dust around them. They also may provide new insight into the evolution of the Milky Way.
"We saw constantly changing, bubbling brightness," said Farhad Yusef-Zadeh, the Northwestern University astronomer who led the study, in a statement. "And then boom! A big burst of brightness suddenly popped up. Then, it calmed down again. We couldn’t find a pattern in this activity. It appears to be random."
SEE ALSO: He found a Milky Way black hole 50 years ago, and finally got to see it The first image of Sagittarius A*, the black hole at the center of the Milky Way galaxy, released to the public in May 2022. Credit: Event Horizon Telescope CollaborationScientists at the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore, which runs Webb and the Hubble Space Telescope, are calling this the longest, most-detailed research of Sagittarius A*, pronounced "A-star," to date. The study is based on 48 hours of observation time in eight to 10-hour durations over the course of a year.
Black holes were little more than a theory 50 years ago — a kooky mathematical solution to a physics problem — and even astronomers at the top of their field weren't entirely convinced they existed.
Today, not only are supermassive black holes accepted science, they're getting their pictures taken by a collection of enormous, synced-up radio dishes on Earth. Supermassive black holes, millions to billions of times more massive than the sun, are thought to lurk at the center of virtually all large galaxies.
What we know is this: Falling into a black hole is certain death. Any cosmic stuff that wanders too close reaches a point of no return. But scientists have observed something weird at the edge of black holes' accretion disks, similar to the swirl of water around a bathtub drain. A tiny amount of that stuff can suddenly get rerouted. When that happens, high-energy particles can get flung outward as a pair of jets, blasting in opposite directions, though astronomers haven't quite figured out how they work.
The video above shows some of the Webb telescope data from April 7, 2024, covering 9.5 hours of observation, with a big flare appearing toward the end.
Yusef-Zadeh and team are trying to help get to the bottom of that. They've likened the new observations to solar flares, but capable of shining across 26,000 light-years of space. Webb saw brightness changes over short timescales, meaning they are coming from the black hole’s inner disk, not far outside its so-called event horizon, that previously mentioned point of no return.
Yusef-Zadeh speculates the biggest and brightest flares are like magnetic reconnection events, a process in which two magnetic fields crash and release accelerated particles, traveling near the speed of light. The shortest bursts may derive from minor disturbances in the accretion disk, similar to solar flares which occur when the sun's magnetic field jumbles, compresses, and erupts.
"Of course, the processes are more dramatic because the environment around a black hole is much more energetic and much more extreme," he said. "But the Sun’s surface also bubbles with activity."
The next step will be to observe Sagittarius A* for a longer, uninterrupted period of time to see if the flares repeat or are indeed random.
From time to time, the U.S. military shows glimpses of its X-37B spaceplane, which can travel to space for years at a time.
We just got another glimpse. The U.S. Space Force — which took the reins from the Air Force's expansive military operations in space in 2019 — has released a view the robotic craft took from Earth's orbit. You can see a portion of the X-37B and an outstretched panel above a view of a partially shadowed Earth.
"An X-37B onboard camera, used to ensure the health and safety of the vehicle, captures an image of Earth while conducting experiments in [highly elliptical orbit] in 2024," the Space Force posted on X. "The X-37B executed a series of first-of-kind maneuvers, called aerobraking, to safely change its orbit using minimal fuel."
SEE ALSO: A dramatic total lunar eclipse is coming. You don't want to miss it.This is the seventh mission of the X-37B, which orbits 150 to 500 miles above Earth to explore reusable space vehicle technologies and conduct long-term space experiments. The plane was originally built by Boeing for NASA, but the project transferred to the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, or DARPA, in 2004. At nearly 30 feet long, it's one-fourth the size of NASA's retired Space Shuttle.
An image of Earth captured by the U.S. Space Force's X-37B spaceplane. Credit: U.S. Space Force Tweet may have been deletedThe X-37B's "aerobraking" maneuver mentioned above involves using close passes by Earth's atmosphere to produce drag, ultimately allowing it to switch orbits without burning too much of its finite fuel.
"This novel and efficient series of maneuvers demonstrates the Space Force's commitment to achieving groundbreaking innovation as it conducts national security missions in space," former secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall explained in 2024.
But the spaceplane, which most recently launched in Dec. 2023, isn't coming back home just yet. The mission is "now continuing its test and experimentation objectives," the Space Force said. After that, the craft will plummet through our planet's atmosphere and land on a runway — an event the U.S. military has released images of in the past.
The military clearly wants to promote the X-37B's successes — without revealing too much about its outer space exploits.
An unassuming loophole might be giving the U.S. government and its private contractors free rein to withhold evidence of unidentified craft traveling well above our skies — in outer space.
That's the argument made by former Capitol Hill policy advisor and attorney Dillon Guthrie, published this January in the Harvard National Security Journal, a publication run by Harvard Law School. Guthrie spent three years as a legislative assistant to Senator John Kerry covering national security issues and later worked directly for the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He describes this UFO loophole as a kind of "definitional gap."
"Congress has redefined what were formerly called 'unidentified flying objects' [UFOs] to first 'unidentified aerial phenomena' [UAP in 2021], and then the following year to 'unidentified anomalous phenomena' [also UAP]," Guthrie told Mashable.
As Americans have been learning a lot lately in the age of Elon Musk's DOGE, the devil is in the details when it comes to the nation's large and complex federal bureaucracies. And an antiquated, mid-century sci-fi concept like "unidentified flying objects" packed a lot of assumptions into one short acronym. That's a reality lawmakers determined would hinder good faith efforts to seriously investigate more credible cases of UAP reported by U.S. military personnel in recent years.
Did the Navy pilots who witnessed the now notorious 2015 "GoFast" UFO, for example, really see something that was aerodynamically "flying"? Or was it just floating, like a balloon? Was it or any other strange airborne sighting truly a hard physical "object"? Or were these cases all something more amorphous and temporary, like the plasmified air of ball lightning?
SEE ALSO: Aliens haven't contacted us. Scientists found a compelling reason why.As a term, UAP has offered a more broad and empirically conservative bucket for some of these still as-yet-unexplained events, categorizing them in a way that is not just more palatable to scientists and government officials; it has also made it harder for secretive U.S. defense and intelligence agencies to dodge the new annual reporting requirements now mandated by Congress, as part of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). Or, that's the idea, in theory.
A careful study of the NDAA's most recent definition for UAP, as Guthrie noted in his new article, indicates that "data of any unidentified, spaceborne-only objects may be exempt."
"Under that current statutory definition, there are three kinds of unidentified anomalous phenomena," Guthrie told Mashable. "The first are airborne objects, or phenomena, that are not immediately identifiable. The second are submerged objects [or phenomena] that are not immediately identifiable — so, these would be unidentified objects in the 'sea domain,' or underwater."
"And then there's this third category of UAP, which are 'transmedium objects,'" he continued, "those that are observed to transition between, on the one hand, space and the atmosphere, and, on the other hand, between the atmosphere and bodies of water."
"Just under that strict reading of the definition," Guthrie said, "there is no spaceborne-only UAP."
NASA's UAP independent study team during a public meeting on May 31, 2023 at the space agency's headquarters. Credit: NASA / Joel KowskyAny U.S. intelligence agency or branch of the military, in other words, that tracked a spacecraft circling (but respecting) Earth's border would be free to legally withhold that incredible hard data from Congress. And dozens of very recent cases like this may very well exist: Last November, the Defense Department's official UAP investigators with its All-domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO) disclosed that no less than 49 of last year's 757 cases in their annual unclassified report involved strange sightings of UAP in outer space.
AARO's 2024 report emphasized, however, that "none of the space domain reports originated from space-based sensors or assets; rather, all of these reports originated from military or commercial pilots or ground observers." But, Chris Mellon — formerly a minority staff director for the Senate Intelligence Committee and a deputy assistant secretary of Defense for Intelligence under Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush — believes that this lack of sensor data is likely "a failure of reporting."
"Why is it that none of America's unparalleled space surveillance systems captured and reported what these pilots observed?" Mellon asked in an essay for the technology news website The Debrief this month.
"Did these systems actually fail to capture any data, or is this another case," the former Pentagon official continued, "in which the information is simply not being shared with AARO or Congress? If the pilots and ground observers were mistaken, cross referencing with these systems could help confirm that as well."
A Ground-Based Electro-Optical Deep Space Surveillance (GEODSS) System site located on Diego Garcia island in the British Indian Ocean Territory. Credit: U.S. Space Force Tweet may have been deletedMellon, a longtime advocate for transparency on UAP, recounted his own past government service experience supervising one of these systems, the Ground-based Electro-Optical Deep Space Surveillance (GEODSS) stations now managed by the U.S. Space Force. First established in the 1980s to effectively spy on spy satellites and other foreign orbital platforms, GEODSS can track objects as small as a basketball sailing 20,000 miles or more above Earth's surface.
"Many years ago, I asked a colleague visiting the Maui GEODSS site to inquire if the system had recorded anything 'unusual' in the night skies lately," Mellon recalled. "Sure enough, just a month or so earlier, the system recorded what appeared to be 4–5 bright objects traveling parallel to the horizon."
GEODSS personnel reportedly were baffled. These gleaming objects appeared to be at once too slow and consistent in their trajectory to be meteors but too fast, hot and high up in space to be any known aircraft.
"Site personnel had no idea what the objects were and, in those days, had no incentive to acknowledge or report the data," according to Mellon. "That incident occurred in the 1990s, when the GEODSS system was far less capable than it is today."
And, as Guthrie told Mashable, the full suite of America's space monitoring, missile defense and early warning platforms could easily be recording critical, perhaps world-changing evidence about UAP — which could reveal if it's another nation's advanced spacecraft, something mundane, or something truly unknown. Data from these systems — including the Space Fence, NORAD's Solid-State Phased Array Radars (SSPAR), the Space-Based Infrared Monitoring System (SBIRS), and others — could also be kept under wraps based on just this one technicality.
"If there are no requirements to report on spaceborne-only UAP," Guthrie said, "then there are no requirements by elements of the defense and intelligence communities to report on those objects using these especially sensitive space collection sensors."
"Our ballistic missile defense people were very concerned."The now well-known 2004 USS Nimitz "Tic Tac" UFO incident, made famous by The New York Times in 2017 and testified to under oath in Congress, included the monitoring of similar objects in space, according to veteran Navy radar operator Kevin Day. Then a senior chief petty officer supervising radar efforts onboard the USS Princeton, a guided-missile cruiser with the Nimitz carrier strike group, Day told Mashable that crew tasked with looking out for ICBM warheads saw these unexplained tracks moving up at 80,000 feet.
"Our ballistic missile defense people were very concerned," Day told Mashable.
Greater engagement with these kinds of potential UAP risks does not appear to be on the way from some of the United States’ best unclassified collection tools — the worldwide network of astronomical observatories and satellites managed by NASA. Despite much fanfare around NASA’s announcement of a dedicated director of UAP research in 2023, the position has been left quietly vacant since September 2024, according to a recent statement from the space agency’s press office.
Guthrie chalks the crux of this problem up to "an absence of overarching political oversight."
"There have been so many agencies that have been alleged to have been or currently be involved in the UAP matter," he explained. "It's all too easy for any of these agencies to pass the buck."
Tweet may have been deletedGuthrie hopes lawmakers will take-up the advice offered by former Pentagon official Luis Elizondo, who told Congress last November that it should "create a single point-of-contact responsible for a whole-of-government approach to the UAP issue."
"Currently, the White House, CIA, NASA, the Pentagon, Department of Energy, and others play a role, but no one seems to be in charge," Elizondo added, "leading to unchecked power and corruption."
Beyond redefining the strict legal definition of what UAP means, or even creating a new acronym that would bring "clarity to this issue," Guthrie argues that this more centralized, whole-of-government approach could also help close-up these kinds of loopholes.
"Breaking down those stovepipes," as Guthrie put it, "and along with those stovepipes the ability of a particular agency to just say, 'Oh, we don't feel the need to further act on this matter.'"
The fight to ban TikTok is far from over.
It started in 2019, when U.S. legislators first started banning TikTok from government devices, but it reached a fever pitch in 2024 when then-President Joe Biden signed a bill into law that would ban TikTok unless it divested from its parent company, ByteDance. This all happened because of a fear that TikTok poses a national security threat since its parent company is based out of China and subject to Chinese intelligence laws which could theoretically force ByteDance to give its data to the Chinese Communist Party, a U.S. adversary.
The ban eventually made its way to the Supreme Court, with First Amendment Rights activists swarming to oppose the ban, since Americans have a First Amendment right to receive information from abroad, including propaganda. The Court eventually ruled to uphold the TikTok ban in a unanimous decision. And the ban did go into effect (for about 12 hours). That is, until now-President Donald Trump said he would extend the period of time before the law goes into effect. Now, the app is running and back on App Stores — at least, until Trump's extension runs out on April 5.
TikTok says it likely won't sell, but the only way to stop a U.S. ban now is for another company to step up and buy it. Most of the details about these talks aren't public, and we won't know for sure who's at the helm of the short-form video app until the deal is signed, but that doesn't stop rumors from flying. For instance, for a while we all thought Elon Musk, the CEO of X, SpaceX, and Tesla, was going to buy TikTok, but that was before he came out and said he didn't have any plans. Here's who might actually be in the talks to buy TikTok:
OracleLast month, it was reported that the software company Oracle, along with a group of other outside investors, would be taking control of the app. According to NPR, who got the exclusive on the deal, it was being negotiated by Trump's White House and would allow ByteDance to retain a minority stake in the company; Oracle would oversee the app's algorithm, data collection, and software updates. Trump later denied he was working on a deal with Oracle, Reuters reported, but maintained that he was working with "very substantial people" about a deal. Trump even said he would "like Larry [Ellison] to buy it," referring to Oracle chairman.
MrBeastYouTube and TikTok star Jimmy Donaldson, who you probably know as MrBeast, is apparently looking to buy TikTok along with a group of investors.
“Okay fine, I’ll buy Tik Tok so it doesn’t get banned,” he posted on X in January. Albeit spelling TikTok incorrectly, his lawyers confirmed to CNN that he was serious.
Project Liberty and Kevin O'LearyCanadian investor and Shark Tank star Kevin O’Leary said he would "love to work with Trump" on a deal to buy TikTok, according to CNBC. He also joined in on a bid along with Project Liberty Founder Frank McCourt on "The People’s Bid for TikTok," which offered ByteDance $20 billion in cash.
Steven MnuchinFormer Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin told CNBC in March 2023 that he started an investor group to buy the app but didn't give any details. He helped Trump broker a deal in 2020 that would have Oracle and Walmart take a large stake in TikTok but obviously that didn't pan out.
Perplexity AI and the U.S. GovernmentThe U.S.-based search engine Perplexity AI put in an offer to create a new U.S. holding company called "NewCo" and then to merge with TikTok, Reuters reported. The holding company would mean the U.S. government would get up to half of the new company in future, which could lead to some pretty serious First Amendment concerns.
MicrosoftAccording to Reuters, Microsoft is also in talks to buy TikTok. The details aren't public.
Bobby KotickAs IGN reported in March 2024, the former Activision CEO Bobby Kotick reportedly wanted to buy TikTok. The details aren't public and it's unclear if that reported interest has turned into anything solid.
RumbleThe Twitch rival is also thought to be interested in buying TikTok, and even put in an offer in March 2024.
AmazonIn 2024, Forbes reported — with the assistance of a former TikTok employee — that Amazon was also in talks to buy the app. The details here aren't public.
The U.S. government's sovereign wealth fundTrump has suggested that a sovereign wealth fund in the U.S. could buy TikTok, the BBC reported. This could lead to some First Amendment concerns with regard to what kind of content is policed on the app. Content moderation is one thing on a private social media app, but would hold a whole host of issues when the moderators are a government organization.
There are a number of compelling reasons to catch the looming March 13-14 total lunar eclipse, which will be visible in the entire lower 48 states and greater Americas.
Perhaps the best one is that no two such eclipses are the same. That means, weather permitting, you'll witness something unique.
Total lunar eclipses occur when the sun, Earth, and moon are in alignment, allowing Earth to cast a shadow on the moon and block most sunlight from reaching the lunar surface. But our planet's atmosphere still allows red wavelengths of light to squeeze through, illuminating the moon in reddish, rusty, orangish, or crimson colors. Crucially, both the fickle conditions in Earth's atmosphere, and how deeply the moon passes through Earth's shadow, impact how light is ultimately projected onto the moon. This means different, and even unexpected, light shows.
"It's part of the thrill," Bennett Maruca, an astronomer at the University of Delaware who has witnessed a number of total lunar eclipses, told Mashable. "You don't know exactly what you're going to get."
SEE ALSO: NASA scientist viewed first Voyager images. What he saw gave him chills.Totality — meaning when the moon is totally within Earth's shadow — will begin at 11:26 p.m. PDT on March 13, 2025 / 2:26 a.m. EDT on March 14 / 06:26 UTC, lasting for 65 minutes. And the reddening progresses over hours, as the moon gradually moves into the Earth's shadow. (Technically, the eclipse starts with slight dimming on March 13 at 8:57 p.m. PDT / 11:57 p.m. EDT / 03:57 UTC). So, weather permitting, you'll have ample opportunity to see these bloody colors in action.
During a total lunar eclipse, the sun, Earth, and moon are in alignment. Credit: NASA Scientific Visualization Studio A map showing how the Americas will have the opportunity to witness a total lunar eclipse on March 13-14, 2025. Credit: NASAThe first major factor at play in the amount of light and coloration illuminated on the moon is what's transpiring in our atmosphere, as sunlight must pass through our skies.
"Dust and clouds can affect the ultimate color of the moon during this event, which means that each total lunar eclipse ends up being somewhat unique and ultimately 'reflective' of the state of our own planet's weather," Eric Edelman, the planetarium director at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University's Jim and Linda Lee Planetarium, told Mashable.
For example, if there's lots of dust in the atmosphere — such as expansive dust clouds from the Sahara desert — you'll generally get a redder eclipsed moon, Edelman noted. Storms play a role in impacting how the penetrating light hits the moon, too. And volcanic eruptions — which can blast prodigious amounts of ash and gas high into the atmosphere — can dim lunar eclipses, as volcanic particles impede light that would otherwise get refracted towards the moon.
"It can be quite surprising."The other significant player in the moon's illumination is how far the moon travels into Earth's shadow (called the "umbra," and visualized in the short NASA video below). When passing closer to the shadow's center, the moon is illuminated with the darkest colors — to deep browns and even purples. When passing nearer to the shadow's edge, the moon is illuminated with rusty, orange colors. The coming March 2025 eclipse, then, may be more on the rusty spectrum.
But the moon won't be all the same color. Our expansive natural satellite, some 2,159 miles across, will be illuminated by different parts of Earth's shadow, meaning it will display some of those darker colors, as well as the lighter rusty colors. "That's one of the cool things about this eclipse," noted Maruca. "You see the color gradient."
Witnessing totality will mean a late night, or early morning, for many of us. But Maruca emphasizes it's worth it. It'll be a one-of-a-kind space light show. And you don't know exactly what you're going to get.
"It can be quite surprising," Maruca said.
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