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Today's NYT Strands hints are easy if you have a great sense of smell.

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 March 21, 2026 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Sniff sniff

The words are related to the face.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe a facial feature.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is vertical.

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is On the Nose.

NYT Strands word list for March 21

• Schnozzle

• Muzzle

• Snout

• On the Nose

• Honker

• Beak

• Proboscis

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're a smooth talker.

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 March 21, 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.

SEE ALSO: NYT Pips hints, answers for March 21, 2026 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

Slippery.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

There are no recurring letters.

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...

SLICK

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.

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: Make peace with PDFs thanks to this AcePDF Converter and Editor lifetime license, now just $25.50 with code MARCH15 through March 29.

Opens in a new window Credit: Acethinker AcePDF Converter & Editor: Lifetime License $25.50
$99.99 Save $74.49   Get Deal

There are apps for everything these days — and they usually come with a pricey monthly subscription fee. That’s where AcePDF Converter and Editor stands out, offering an affordable and permanent way to make peace with PDFs. Right now, you can secure a lifetime subscription for only $25.50 with code MARCH15 through March 29.

If you’re looking for an app that makes your life a little easier, it’s time to check out AcePDF Converter and Editor. It can help streamline your workflow, allowing you to manage PDFs and other documents efficiently.

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Not only does AcePDF make converting files a breeze, but it also leaves you with high-quality conversions that keep the original layouts, images, and hyperlinks. It simplifies the whole process — in just a few taps, you can convert a PDF into a Word, Excel, or JPG file. You can also convert an Excel or PPT file into a PDF just as simply.

AcePDF also includes built-in OCR technology that helps you extract text from image-based PDFs. Need to edit a PDF? That’s no problem either; you can add and enhance content on existing PDFs or fill out forms within the app. It’s also straightforward to easily merge, split, compress, and add watermarks if needed.

If you’re working with sensitive info, AcePDF makes it easy to encrypt and protect your content with passwords and an unlocking feature. Your lifetime subscription gives you access to AcePDF on two devices, too, so you can use it at work and home.

Get this AcePDF Converter and Editor lifetime license for $25.50 with code MARCH15 through March 29.

Want to see more deals? Visit the shop and use code MARCH15 to save an extra 15% sitewide through March 29. Exclusions apply.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Investors had sued Mr. Musk, claiming the billionaire tried to drive down the share price of the social media company, now called X, to renegotiate his $44 billion offer.

Following the Australian government's social media ban for kids under 16, governments around the world are looking into the possibility of similar style bans. 

These governments considering these social media bans now have at least one unlikely supporter: The CEO of Pinterest.

In a piece published for Time, Pinterest CEO Bill Ready has come out in full support for government bans on social media for users under the age of 16.

"Children today are living through the largest social experiment in history," Ready writes. "For years, kids around the world have been given unfiltered access to social media platforms. The companies building these platforms gave insufficient forethought about the consequences, the worst of which include exposing them to unknown strangers and fueling screen addictions."

Ready goes on to list additional effects that social media has had on children as "rising anxiety and depression, eroding concentration, and classrooms competing for attention."

SEE ALSO: Teens sue xAI for Grok's reported sexual image generation issues

The Pinterest CEO says that social media as it is today is not safe for children and blames tech companies for that. Ready says social media is designed to "maximize view time" of kids and pays little attention to their actual well-being. Ready likens the tech CEOs of today to the tobacco industry executives of decades ago.

Now, it might seem hypocritical of Ready to say this as Pinterest's own policies allow kids as young as 13 to sign up for the site. However, as Ready points out, Pinterest has made changes to its platform and removed all social features from Pinterest for users under the age of 16. Their profiles aren't discoverable, and these users can't receive messages, comments, or likes from strangers on Pinterest.

Interestingly, Ready says removing these features did not hurt Pinterest with that demographic.

"When Pinterest removed social features for teens and made every account under 16 private…people said we’d lose the next generation of users," Ready writes. "But Gen Z says the opposite. Today, they make up over 50 percent of our users. Our experience shows that prioritizing safety and well-being doesn’t push young people away; it builds trust."

Ready goes on to say that if tech companies don't want more governments instituting these bans, they need to step up and prioritize kids' safety on their platforms. The Pinterest CEO also expressed support for a proposed bill in the U.S., the App Store Accountability Act. Under this bill, app stores would be required to verify users' ages when downloading apps.

"The cost of inaction is a generation of young people overwhelmed by anxiety and depression," the Pinterest CEO writes. "It’s time to raise the bar on safety and well-being for kids. We need clearer rules, better tools for parents, and stronger accountability for platforms and social media apps."

Many people first saw it on X: A most unusual, and unsettling, job posting. Some assumed it was a joke. Others were reminded of Cyberdyne Systems, the tech company in the Terminator franchise that accidentally invents Skynet.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

But over on LinkedIn, where they speak a different language, Anthropic had merely posted a listing looking for a Policy Manager, Chemical Weapons and High Yield Explosives. The job description added more details.

"This role offers a unique opportunity to shape how AI systems handle sensitive chemical and explosives information," it read. "You'll work with leading AI safety researchers while tackling critical problems in preventing catastrophic misuse. If you're excited about using your expertise to ensure AI systems remain safe and beneficial, we want to hear from you."

Mashable reached out to Anthropic, and the company provided more context.

"Our usage policies prohibit the use of Anthropic products or services to develop or design weapons," a company spokesperson told us. "This role is for the Safeguards team which is responsible for preventing misuse of our models."

The spokesperson stressed that Anthropic explicitly prohibits its AI or any of its technology to be used for weapons creation. Instead, the New York-based manager will be tasked with building and enforcing safeguards to ensure weapons are not made from Anthropic’s tech.

The company seeks to hire experts in sensitive fields who can ensure Anthropic's AI is kept from nefarious hands, the spokesperson said.

SEE ALSO: Anthropic's Claude overtakes ChatGPT in App Store

Anthropic recently found itself in a very public battle with the Department of War (a.k.a. the Department of Defense). The company says it's not budging in its demands that its AI not be used to build fully autonomous weapons or to establish mass surveillance on people.

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth responded to Anthropic’s conditions by declaring the company a supply chain risk to America’s national security, banning the Pentagon from using its tech after a six-month phase-out. The company then filed suit according to a March 5 note from Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei.

Meanwhile, some in the Pentagon are reportedly finding it hard to abandon Claude, Anthropic's AI model.

Back in February, Anthropic announced an update to its AI safety policy, also known as its Responsible Scaling Policy. The company stated it was forced to rethink its safety policies — considered by some to be the strongest in the industry — due to several factors, including the federal government’s emphasis on economic growth over safety regulations.

Whoever ends up in that policy manager role, then, will find themselves at the center of an explosive debate. Not to mention, potentially, the ability to help prevent a future Skynet threat.

We're now deep into tax season with most people filing between now and the April 15 deadline. This also means that we're now deep into scam season for fraudsters and cybercriminals.

Over the years, Mashable has covered countless scams during the tax season period that prey on individuals just trying to file their taxes.

This week, Google published a post sharing their own tools and tips to avoid getting scammed this tax season. As the company points out, Alloy's annual State of Fraud report found a 67 percent increase in fraud attempts. The most common? Tax-related refund update scams.

So, here's what Google is doing to help.

SEE ALSO: Why you shouldn't use ChatGPT to do your taxes Scam Detection on Pixel phones

Google says Pixel users experience 70 percent fewer spam calls thanks to Call Screen, a feature that detects and filters out spammers when they're calling your Pixel phone. 

However, Google has another new layer of protection that can even actively monitor the call in real-time and alert the user when the conversation is headed into scam territory. Scam Detection alerts is an opt-in feature in the Pixel's Phone app. Using AI, Scam Detection lets users know when conversations start sounding like scams and will send a notification, a sound alert, and vibration to the device to let the user know.

Detect text scams with Circle to Search

One common scam during tax season comes in the form of text messages or DMs in messaging apps that claim to come from the IRS or have important information about your tax refund.

Google already has Scam Detection built into Google Messages on Android devices, but Circle to Search now provides another layer of protection. 

Simply long-press the home button on your Android device and circle the potentially fraudulent message or post. Circle to Search will fact check the message and let you know if its suspicious or not.

On iOS devices, this feature can be utilized with Lens via the Google app. Simply take a screenshot of the message, open Lens, and then tap on the screenshot for Google to make its determination.

SEE ALSO: Google wants to fill Fitbit with AI — and your medical records Google Safe Browsing

Google's Chrome web browser also has its own layers of protection for users with Google Safe Browsing

Simply go to Settings, then Privacy and Security, followed by Security, and select Enhanced protection. Google Safe Browsing will scan the websites you visit against a database of known threats and let users know if they are on a phishing website or other nefarious webpage.

Gmail alerts

When a known scam, spam, or malware gets delivered to your Gmail inbox, Google immediately flags that email to let users know about the malicious activity that awaits.

Gmail shows "high-visibility warning banners" that point out suspicious emails, links, and senders. The red or yellow banners are hard to miss and ensure one place that fraudsters can't take advantage of you is in your inbox.

Ad transparency

See an ad that seems too good to be true? 

Click the three-dot icon next to any ad in Google Search and head to the “About this advertiser” section. The advertiser's name, location, and whether they've been verified by Google all appears here.

Google's ad transparency tools will make sure scammers don't weaponize Search ads to carry out their schemes.

The real joy of Pokémon Pokopia for Nintendo Switch 2 is seeing all sorts of weird little creatures show up in your towns, but not all of them arrive in the most intuitive of fashions.

Take Hoppip, for example. This pink plant fella is in Pokopia, but at the moment only in a time-limited, event-centric way. If you want Hoppip in your Pokopia environment, there are a couple of things to know. Keep reading to find out.

SEE ALSO: Pokémon Pokopia: How to power up Rock Smash How to get Hoppip in Pokémon Pokopia

The main thing to know about Hoppip and its evolutions Skiploom and Jumpluff is that they're currently only available in Pokopia as part of the "More Spores for Hoppip" seasonal event, which is only available from now until March 25, per our friends at IGN. That means you've only got a few days at most to get this done.

Thankfully, there really isn't much to get done in order for Hoppip to grace your town with its presence. All you have to do is finish work on the Pokémon Center in Withered Wasteland, the game's opening area. This is part of the tutorial for Pokopia, so there's a good chance anyone reading this has already done that. If not, just keep following the main story quests until it's done.

SEE ALSO: 'Pokémon Pokopia': How to get the Suck ability to move water around

Once you have the Pokémon Center built, simply log into Pokopia during the day before the event runs its course. When your character wakes up, you should see a notification that a Pokémon is "the talk of the town," which means Hoppip has shown up. Go to that Pokémon Center we talked about earlier and you should find it, which kicks off the whole event. Participating in the event, which entails collecting cotton spores on Dream Islands, will net you some fun items that you can then use to create habitats to attract Skiploom and Jumpluff.

Congrats on becoming friends with Hoppip. If only we could all be so lucky.

Best early earbuds deals before the Big Spring Sale Best overall Apple AirPods Pro 3 $199.99 (save $49.01) Get Deal Best open earbuds deal Sony LinkBuds Clip $198 (save $31.99) Get Deal

Anyone hoping Amazon's Big Spring Sale would feature great earbuds deals, you're in luck.

The sitewide sale for Prime and non-Prime members alike doesn't kick off until March 25 (running through March 31), but a selection of deals are already live and very much worth looking it, including plenty on wireless earbuds. Though the sale is primarily focused on spring-focused savings like camping gear and cleaning supplies, markdowns on plenty of tech are cropping up, even if they're not officially affiliated with the sale.

In the earbuds space, Sony's latest releases like the LinkBuds Clip and WF-1000XM6 are on sale. Apple AirPods Pro 3 are receiving one of their best price reductions to date, and budget friendlier options like the EarFun Clip and Sony WF-C710N are also even cheaper than usual.

Check out all 15 of the best earbuds deals live already:

Best wireless earbuds deal Apple AirPods Pro 3 $199.99 at Amazon
$249 Save $49.01   See It at Amazon See It at Walmart Why we like it

The AirPods Pro 3 are still quite new, having only hit the market this past fall. The earbuds are undeniably the best Apple has released yet, featuring two times the noise cancellation power of the second-gen Pros, a well-rounded sound profile, eight hours of battery life per charge, a built-in heart rate monitor, and live translation features. In his review of the buds, Mashable contributor Adam Doud wrote, "Overall, the AirPods Pro 3 are a remarkable upgrade, even over the AirPods Pro 2, which were already very good."

Check out our full review of the Apple AirPods Pro 3.

More earbuds deals

• Sony WF-C510 — $46.95 $69.99 (save $23.04)

• OnePlus Buds 4 — $79.99 $129.99 (save $50)

• Sony WF-C710N — $88 $129.99 (save $41.99)

• Beats Studio Buds + — $99.95 $169.95 (save $70)

• Bose QuietComfort earbuds — $139 $179 (save $40)

• Google Pixel Buds Pro 2 — $169 $229 (save $60)

• JBL Live Buds 3 — $169.95 $199.95 (save $30)

• Apple AirPods Pro 3 — $199.99 $249 (save $49.01)

• Technics EAH-AZ100 — $247.99 $299.99 (save $52)

• Sony WF-1000XM5 — $248 $329.99 (save $81.99)

• Sony WF-1000XM6 — $298 $329.99 (save $31.99)

Best open earbuds deal Sony LinkBuds Clip $198 at Amazon
$229.99 Save $31.99   Get Deal at Amazon Why we like it

When it comes to open earbuds, it seems more and more options are coming out by the day. While the Bose Ultra Open earbuds are one of the most popular options, Sony's latest release, the Sony LinkBuds Clip, is worth a closer look. Like the Bose buds, they have a clip design built for maximizing comfort. Also like the Bose buds, they have excellent sound quality. Mashable contributor Simon Cohen wrote in his review of the buds, "With the possible exception of Bose’s Ultra Open Earbuds ($299), the LinkBuds Clip are the best [open earbuds] I’ve heard." On sale, they're also over $100 cheaper than the Bose buds, so second best in sound quality hardly feels like settling here.

Check out Mashable's full review of the Sony LinkBuds Clip.

More open earbuds deals

• EarFun Clip — $48 $69.99 (save $21.99)

• Nothing Ear(Open) — $99 $149 (save $50)

• Shokz OpenSwim Pro — $139.95 $179.95 (save $40)

The Trump administration on Friday released new guidelines for federal legislation on the technology, recommending some safeguards for children and consumer protections for energy costs.

Best Big Spring Sale Tablet Deals Best tablet deal Apple iPad Air (M4 chip, 128GB, WiFi) $559 (save $40) Get Deal Best Android tablet deal Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE $499.99 (save $100) Get Deal Best kids tablet deal Amazon Fire 7 Kids with six months Amazon Kids+ $59.99 (save $40) Get Deal

Amazon's Big Spring Sale kicks off on March 25. The seasonal sale, which runs through March 31, focuses on seasonal transition items – think cleaning supplies to freshen up your home and camping supples to get outdoors. However, it wouldn't be a sale without tech deals, too.

Ahead of the sale, we've spotted early savings on tablets, good timing considering Apple just dropped a brand new tablet. The Apple iPad Air with M4 chip just dropped this month, and the good news is, it's already on sale. But if iPads aren't your thing don't worry, there are plenty of other tablet deals to shop.

Here are all the best tablet deals to shop ahead of Amazon's Big Spring Sale.

Best Tablet Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple iPad Air (M4 chip, 128GB, WiFi) $559 at Amazon
$599 Save $40   Get Deal

Read our full review of the Apple iPad Air (M4).

Apple's latest iPad drop is the iPad Air with M4 chip. It's one of the retailers speediest, most efficient tablets, scoring 13,176 on the Geekbench 6 test, which puts it ahead of most laptops. When Apple released the new iPad Air, they didn't raise the price, keeping the midrange tablet at $599. However, it already receive a price cut at Amazon.

Ahead of the Big Spring Sale, get the Apple iPad Air with M4 chip for just $559. While that's only $40 in savings and less than 10% off its list price, it's still a great deal considering it's a brand new tablet.

So while we might like this deal best, if you want some bigger savings, there are plenty more deals to shop.

More tablet deals

iPads

• Apple iPad, 11-inch (A16 chip, 128GB, WiFi) — $299 $349 (save $150)

• Apple iPad Air, 11-inch (M4 chip, 256GB, WiFi) — $649.99 $699 (save $49.01)

• Apple iPad Pro, 13-inch (M5 chip, 256GB, WiFi) — $1,199 $1,299 (save $100)

• Apple iPad Pro, 13-inch (M4 chip, 512GB, WiFi) — $1,299.99 $1,499 (save $199.01)

Android

• TCL Tab 10 Gen 4 — $159.99 $199.99 (save $40)

• Samsung Galaxy Tab A11+ (5G) — $239.99 $279.99 (save $40)

• Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite with 64GB SD Card — $264.58 $293.98 (save $29.40)

• TCL NXTPAPER 11 Plus — $269.99 $369.99 (save $100)

• TCL NXTPAPER 14 — $359.99 $469.99 (save $100)

• Samsung Galaxy Tab Active 5 — $409.98 $499.99 (save $90.01)

• Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE with 256GB SD Card — $419.99 $499.99 (save $80)

• Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE — $499.99 $599.99 (save $100)

• Samsung Galaxy Tab S10+ (5G) — $999.99 $1,149.99 (save $150)

Kids tablet

• Amazon Fire 7 Kids with six months Amazon Kids+ — $59.99 $99.99 (save $40)

• Amazon Fire HD 10 Toy Story Anniversary Edition — $175.99 $219.99 (save $44)

At a number of companies, employees compete on leaderboards to show how much A.I. they’re using. They’re racking up big bills along the way.

A quick look at the best cordless vacuum deals ahead of Amazon's spring sale Best vacuum deal for homes with pets Shark PowerDetect Pet Plus Clean & Empty $399.99 at Amazon (save $200) Get Deal Best budget stick vacuum deal Shark Pet IX141 $149.00 at Amazon (save $150.99) Get Deal Best wet dry cordless vacuum deal Roborock F25 Ace Combo $459.99 at Amazon (save $290) Get Deal

Take it from someone who tests multiple robot vacuums each month: Not even the best robot vacuum AI features are immune to screwing up. If you're inclined to just do the job yourself — or if the concept of a robot vacuum with a camera sketches you out — at least make the chore enjoyable. A ton of cordless stick vacuums are already on sale ahead of Amazon's Big Spring Sale, which runs from March 25 to 31 in 2026.

SEE ALSO: Robot vacuums vs. stick vacuums: Shopping advice from someone who has both

Our favorite cordless vacuum deals so far are all vacuums that someone at Mashable has tested at home and loved. But my favorite cordless vacuum brand to test is missing. Amazon typically isn't a reliable spot to find good deals on Dyson vacuums, even though Amazon's deals on other Dyson products can be quite good. I'm crossing my fingers for deals on the Dyson V12 Detect Slim and maybe even the new Dyson PencilVac Fluffycones — but the most worthwhile Dyson deals would pop up at Dyson.com, not Amazon.

Below, I'm tracking the best cordless vacuums on sale at Amazon pre-Big Spring Sale, including deals on cordless wet and dry vacuums.

Best Amazon cordless stick vacuum deal Shark PowerDetect Pet Plus Clean & Empty IP3253 $399.99 at Amazon
$599.99 Save $200   See It at Amazon Why we like it

There are actually two great Shark stick vacuum deals live at Amazon: The $249 Shark Clean & Empty model is probably the most affordable self-emptying stick vacuum you'll find this season. The other, which I'm highlighting here, is probably the most powerful self-emptying stick vacuum you'll find. $399.99 for that title is more than reasonable.

Though I'm constantly recommending the lightweight Dyson V12 Detect Slim for dust and pet hair on hard floors, the Shark PowerDetect is easily the beastliest vacuum I've tested on carpet — you can literally feel the vigorous double brushroll system digging into the floor. The Clean & Empty Sharks automatically empty the dustbin every time they're hung on the dock to charge, so you won't have to deal with emptying the larger dock dustbin for at least 45 days (it's much longer in my experience). Past the mega convenience, an always-empty dustbin provides visible proof of just how much gunk the PowerDetect has sucked up in the area you're currently sweeping.

More cordless stick vacuum deals at Amazon

• Black+Decker Powerseries 20V Max — $119.99 $149.99 (save $30)

• Shark Pet IX141 — $149 $299.99 (save $150.99)

• Levoit LVAC-200 — $149.94 $199.99 (save $50.05)

• Bissell PowerClean FurGuard — $199.99 $299.99 (save $100)

• Shark Clean & Empty BU3521 — $249 $399.99 (save $150.99)

• Shark Stratos IZ862H — $299.99 $499.99 (save $200)

• Roborock H60 Hub with auto-empty dock — $329.99 $599.99 (save $270)

Cordless wet dry vacuum deals at Amazon

• Mova M10 — $199 $349 (save $150)

• Dreame H12 — $309.99 $379.99 (save $70)

• Dreame Aero Pro — $379.99 $449.99 (save $70)

• Roborock F25 Ace Combo (stick vacuum + cordless mop) — $459.99 $749.99 (save $290)

• Roborock F25 Ultra Steam — $499.99 $799.99 (save $300)

• Tineco Floor One Switch S6 (stick vacuum + cordless mop) — $549 $799 (save $250)

Free promotions often come with a catch. Sure, you can get some limited-edition merch or a brand-new device, but most of the time you need to spend some cash to qualify. Can you claim that this type of "free giveaway" is free at all? It's a grey area, at best.

But sometimes you really can get something for nothing: Dairy Queen recently gave away cones for free, Krispy Kreme handed out green doughnuts for St. Patricks Day, and Ben & Jerry's has confirmed that it's running its free cone day once again in 2026. And Rita's is doing something similar by offering a truly free giveaway to celebrate the first day of spring.

SEE ALSO: Dunkin' is giving away free ring boxes on National Proposal Day — how to claim yours today

On March 20, customers who visit one of Rita's 600+ locations across the U.S. can get a free 6-ounce Italian Ice. You can choose from a number of flavors, including the new Mystery Peeps Italian Ice Flavor.

Rita’s expects to serve about one million cups of its signature Italian Ice during this promotion. To be one of those lucky million, find your nearest Rita's location and set out in search of your free ice on March 20. We're all feeling the spirit of spring right now, so what better way to celebrate?

A review of the betting market’s social media feeds found it has published hundreds of false and misleading posts.

Pokémon officially turned 30 a few weeks ago (feel old yet?), but the merch drops are still going strong. Case in point: PopSockets just launched its brand new Pokémon Day and Night collection on March 19.

As the name implies, the lineup gives you two distinct aesthetics to choose from: pastel, sun-soaked designs or moody, dark-purple galaxy themes.

SEE ALSO: 10 of the coolest and weirdest 'Pokémon Pokopia' builds we've seen so far

PopSockets went all out with a full ecosystem of MagSafe accessories that feature four fan-favorite creatures: Mew, Gengar, Espeon, and Umbreon.

Prices run anywhere from $20 to $50. You've got $45 MagSafe cases for all four characters (along with a few matching wallets) split between the two themes: a dark, cosmic look for Gengar and Umbreon, and bright pastel colors for Mew and Espeon. The grips range from $35 to $50; our fave is the Tidepool Dome Mew Aura Sphere. They even threw in some $40 magnetic PowerPacks (so your phone doesn't die while playing Pokémon GO), along with $30 suction mounts and a few beaded phone wristlets.

Where to buy the PopSockets x Pokémon collection

You don't have to wait around for this one. The entire Day and Night collection is available to shop right now directly on the PopSockets website.

Opens in a new window Credit: Pokémon Pokémon Day and Night Collection   Shop Now

Best Apple AirTag deals in Amazon's Big Spring Sale: Best deal overall Apple AirTag (1st Gen, 4-Pack) $63 (save $36) Get Deal Best runner-up deal Apple AirTag (1st Gen) $24 (save $5) Get Deal

Amazon’s Big Spring Sale isn’t officially underway until March 25, but we’re already seeing some pretty promising price drops across multiple categories. Of course, we’re holding out to see if Amazon’s going to gift us with additional Apple deals (we’re seeing $250 price cuts on MacBooks and $100 off Apple Watches, after all), but there’s no denying the Apple AirTag deals are worth jumping on.

Best deal overall Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple AirTag (1st Gen, 4-Pack) $63 at Amazon
$99 Save $36   Get Deal Why we like it

The Apple AirTag (2nd Gen) is still at full price ($29 each or $99 for a four-pack), but you can get a four-pack of 1st Gen AirTags for just $63 right now. This is a big deal because last year (during the actual sale), this bundle was $69.99. With the current discount, you'll be getting each tag for just $15 a pop.

These little trackers are total lifesavers for anyone who's always misplacing their keys or wants some peace of mind by stashing one in their checked luggage. (I use them to keep tabs on my dogs when I'm visiting my parents.) You can track your stuff directly in the Find My app, and if you’re nearby, your iPhone can lead you straight to the exact cushion your wallet is hiding under.

Apple AirTag accessory deals to peruse

• QyQa Airtag Holder (4-Pack) — $8.98 $9.98 (save $1)

• MOLOSLEEVE Airtag Holder Air Tag Case with Keychain (4-Pack) — $9.99 $12.99 (save $3)

• Belkin Apple AirTag Secure Holder with Carabiner — $14.99 $19.99 (save $5)

• SPGUARD AirTag Holder Case with Keychain (4-Pack) — $22.99 $28.99 (save $6)

Deals on AirTag alternatives

• Ultrabeka Ultra-Thin Wallet Tracker — $15.99 $19.99 (save $4)

• UGREEN FineTrack Tracker Tags (iOS Only) (4 Pack) — $19.98 $25.99 (save $6.01)

• Samsung Galaxy SmartTag2 — $20.99 $29.99 (save $9)

If there's two things in life that we truly love, it's food and free stuff. Combine those two things together and you're onto a real winner.

If you know where to look, you can find free food promotions all over the place: Dairy Queen gives away free cones, Ben & Jerry's hands out free ice cream, Krispy Kreme offers up free doughnuts, and then there's the long list of promotions tied to significant events like St. Patricks Day or March Madness. This latest giveaway falls into the latter category.

National Proposal Day takes place on March 20. To celebrate, Dunkin' is giving away limited-edition “I Dough” ring boxes at participating locations nationwide (while supplies last). This offer is only available on March 20, so cancel your plans and head to your nearest location. This is your one opportunity to score ring box with a Wedding Cake Munchkins donut hole — a glazed blueberry donut hole topped with wedding cake-flavored sprinkles. 

How to get a Dunkin’ "I Dough" ring box 

Interested in this limited-time promotion? Here's how to get your hands on the Dunkin' ring box:

• Visit a participating Dunkin’ location on March 20 (National Proposal Day) 

• Order a 25- or 50-count of Munchkins Donut Hole Treats 

• Receive a complimentary “I Dough” ring box  

If you go a step further and actually propose with this ring box (why wouldn't you?), you could win a Vera Wang bridal experience. 

From March 20 to April 3, post your proposal video on Instagram or TikTok, tag Dunkin' or Vera Wang, and use the hastag #DunkinVeraWangcontest to be in with a chance of winning a bridal salon experience at Vera Wang’s flagship location in New York City or Beverly Hills. This includes a gown with a custom embroidered detail inspired by your go-to Dunkin’ order. It's something different, at least.

Amazon is launching a phone for the first time in over a decade.

This is according to a Reuters report, which cites four people familiar with the matter. The new phone is internally known as "Transformer," and the company wants to make it a "mobile personalization device" that syncs with Amazon's smart assistant Alexa.

SEE ALSO: Apple's iPhone Fold may come later than we thought

The idea, according to the report, is for the phone to make interacting with various Amazon services easier. This includes buying from Amazon, watching Prime Video, or listening to Prime Music. Of course, AI would be in the middle of it all, though Alexa may not be the "primary operating system" of the phone. We're not quite sure what that means, but it seems to imply that Amazon might rely on another company's AI to run things on the phone.

If this sounds familiar, you might be thinking of Amazon's Fire Phone, which launched in 2014 and was pulled from the market roughly a year later.

Remember the Fire Phone (pictured)? It barely lasted a year before Amazon pulled it off the shelves. Credit: Christina Ascani / Mashable

While the Fire Phone has been a massive flop for Amazon, things are very different now. The Fire Phone's primary claim to fame was a pseudo 3D user interface, and artificial intelligence was nowhere near as smart as it is these days.

The report says that the new Amazon phone is still in early stages, and may be scrapped by Amazon entirely. The anticipated launch date, price of the phone, or the revenue Amazon hopes to generate selling the phone, are all unknowns at this point.

Featured Video For You Is ChatGPT Changing the Way We Write?

The time to be on the fence about artificial intelligence is over. That's according to Daniel Kwan, co-writer/co-director of Everything Everywhere All at Once, founding member of the Creators Coalition on AI, and producer of the upcoming documentary The AI Doc: Or How I Became an Apocaloptimist.

Every day, decisions are being made by the biggest CEOs in the AI space. And it can feel like the everyday folk don't have a say. But that's a common misconception that Kwan and The AI Doc: Or How I Became an Apocaloptimist filmmakers, including co-director Charlie Tyrell and producer Ted Tremper, aim to overturn with this Focus Features documentary. While at SXSW, The AI Doc team came by our Say More studio to dig into the film's information and how it's structured to communicate a lot in an actually accessible way.

SEE ALSO: Win tickets to see 'The AI Doc' early at Mashable's advanced screenings

In my review out of SXSW, I cheered, "The AI Doc: Or How I Became an Apocaloptimist compiles a mountain of big ideas, opposing theories, and talking head interviews. But it does so within a personal framing that keeps this discussion deeply human."

Documentarian Daniel Roher interviewed OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, Google DeepMind CEO and co-founder Demis Hassabis, and Anthropic CEO and co-founder Dario Amodei, along with scads of experts and engineers, to explore both sides of the AI debate. But the human thread of the film is about how his fears about becoming a first-time parent inform how he's responding emotionally and psychologically to all he learns.

For more on The AI Doc, look for Mashable's recording of The AI Panel: Or What Being an Apocaloptimist Looks Like, which featured Kwan, Tremper, and co-producer Diane Becker, along with me, Mashable Entertainment Editor Kristy Puchko, as moderator.

And for your chance to see The AI Doc: Or How I Became an Apocaloptimist early and at no charge, check out Mashable's advanced screenings in L.A. and New York.

The AI Doc: Or How I Became an Apocaloptimist opens in theaters on March 27. Look for more Mashable coverage out of SXSW.