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Score the Sonos Ace headphones for their lowest-ever price at Amazon — save over $100

Fri, 12/12/2025 - 07:35

SAVE OVER $100: As of Dec. 12, the Sonos Ace headphones have returned to their lowest-ever price of $279 at Amazon. This is $120 off their list price of $399.

Opens in a new window Credit: Sonos Sonos Ace Headphones $279 at Amazon
$399 Save $120   Get Deal

If a new pair of headphones have been on your holiday wishlist this year, or something you've been hoping to grab for someone else, Amazon has quite a few discounts on select models to check out. At the moment, that includes the Sonos Ace headphones, which have returned to their lowest-ever price of $279.

This deal saves you $120 on the Sonos Ace's usual list price of $399, which is a pretty nice discount. Since they're listed as a limited-time deal right now, it means they may not stay at this price for very long. Act fast to score them at this price before it goes back up.

SEE ALSO: The 60+ best Christmas gifts for 2025: Find unique gift ideas you'd never think of on your own

While the Sonos Ace headphones boast Active Noise Cancellation, for those who love to be fully immersed in what they're listening to, sound quality is where they really shine. Our review from Mashable's Miller Kern said, "Audio quality is Sonos’s wheelhouse and where the Ace headphones rise above competitors." They also boast Dolby Atmos and spatial audio, which Kern says of the latter is "immersive in a way I haven’t experienced from other headphones." On top of that, they offer up to 30 hours of battery with Active Noise Cancellation on.

Mashable Deals Be the first to know! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Loading... Sign Me Up By signing up, you agree to receive recurring automated SMS marketing messages from Mashable Deals at the number provided. Msg and data rates may apply. Up to 2 messages/day. Reply STOP to opt out, HELP for help. Consent is not a condition of purchase. See our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Thanks for signing up!

There's only a limited amount of time to take advantage of this offer, so act fast to save on the Sonos Ace headphones at Amazon

If you're still getting some shopping done ahead of the holidays, check out our breakdown of the 65 best tech gifts of the year to see more items we'd recommend gifting this year.

Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery: Whats on the book club list?

Fri, 12/12/2025 - 07:17

Writer-director Rian Johnson hits the books to craft the locked room mystery of Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery, and so does the Spring Book Club of the film's church. And if you're quick, you'll spy an entire whodunnit reading list onscreen to add to your TBR pile.

There's a scene crucial to debonair detective Benoit Blanc's (Daniel Craig) investigation into the "stuff of detective fiction" murder at Our Lady of Perpetual Fortitude, in which accused priest Jud Duplenticy (Josh O'Connor) helps him rifle through the parish office for clues. They find one, a simple piece of paper.

SEE ALSO: Why 'The Hollow Man' novel is crucial to 'Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery'

On the page, the priest and the detective find a list of the church's book club titles, and the parishioners seem to be having quite the classic whodunnit mystery binge. Not only does the list include the key "syllabus of how to commit the perfect crime," John Dickson Carr's The Hollow Man, but there's also enough Agatha Christie and Edgar Allan Poe to make an impossible crime seem possible.

Here's everything on the Our Lady of Perpetual Fortitude book club list — and there's some pretty major ties to the murder at the heart of Wake Up Dead Man (but no spoilers).

The Hollow Man by John Dickson Carr Credit: Mashable / Orion

American author John Dickson Carr's 1935 mystery novel, The Hollow Man, featuring his recurring investigator protagonist Gideon Fell, has become synonymous with determining the elements of an impossible crime. In Chapter 17, the detective gives his famous "locked room lecture" directly to the reader, detailing "the general mechanics" of how a murder — like, say, that of Monsignor Jefferson Wicks (Josh Brolin) — could be committed in seemingly impossible circumstances. In fact, Blanc himself uses this book to solve the case in Wake Up Dead Man, dubbing it "a syllabus of how to commit the perfect crime."

Whose Body? by Dorothy L. Sayers Credit: Mashable / Warber Classics

Published in 1923, the spectacularly named Whose Body? is the first of English crime novelist Dorothy L. Sayers' 14-book detective series. It introduces the iconic Lord Peter Wimsey, Sayers' aristocratic amateur detective. His first case? A London financier is murdered and left in a bathtub, naked but for a golden pince-nez. Hear that Wake Up Dead Man viewers? A bathtub.

The Murders In The Rue Morgue by Edgar Allan Poe Credit: Mashable / Vintage Classics

Netflix titles love a bit of Edgar Allan Poe, from Wednesday to The Fall of the House of Usher. In Wake Up Dead Man, there's a famous title from the American writer on the list, 1841 short story The Murders in the Rue Morgue. The tale features the first appearance of the character regarded as the first fictional detective, Poe's great C. Auguste Dupin, who had immeasurable impact on one Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and his own detective, Sherlock Holmes. The investigator is faced with a locked-door mystery, a brutal and grisly double murder with the last killer you'd ever suspect.

Featured Video For You 'The Thursday Murder Club's Helen Mirren reveals the word she hates to be called The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie Credit: Mashable / HarperCollins

Who among you crime fiction fiends doesn't know Hercule Poirot, Agatha Christie's famous Belgian, moustachioed detective or Miss Marple, her famous elderly, English, amateur detective. The British writer has two titles on the Our Lady of Perpetual Fortitude book club list, starring her leading investigators. Published in 1926, The Murder of Roger Ackroyd is an absolute masterpiece of a twisty crime novel, with Poirot pulled away from his vegetable garden to solve the murder of a wealthy widower. There's blackmail, clandestine meetings, mysterious footprints, and yes, the crime scene is a locked room.

The Murder at the Vicarage by Agatha Christie Credit: Mashable / HarperCollins

Miss Marple's first appearance was in Christie's 1930 novel The Murder at the Vicarage, a murder mystery set in the small English town parish of St Mary Mead — big Wake Up Dead Man vibes. In this whodunnit, the town's local magistrate and churchwarden is widely hated by everyone in the village — and then he turns up dead in his study. Everyone has a motive, and no one is safe from the watchful eye of Miss Marple.

Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery is streaming on Netflix Dec. 12.

Jimmy Kimmel gleefully mocks Trump over his Gold Cards

Fri, 12/12/2025 - 07:00

Donald Trump has launched Gold Cards, a method for rich people to pay $1 million to get a fast-track visa to the U.S. — and Jimmy Kimmel has thoughts.

"This is a card that will allow wealthy foreigners to live here. For a million bucks you get legal visitor status, you get a pathway to citizenship, and a presidential pardon for one major crime of your choosing," Kimmel jokes in the clip above. "It might be time to update that inscription on the Statue of Liberty. Never mind your poor and tired, give us a million bucks, you're in."

The Jimmy Kimmel Live! host goes on to play footage of Trump's Secretary of Commerce, Howard Lutnick, speaking to Fox about how the cards will bring "the best people" to America.

"That's right, the best people are the rich people," says Kimmel. "It's what Jesus always said. It's in the Bible, he says it's easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle if you pay the needle a million dollars. Rich people are the finest people there are, that's why God made them rich. And I say it's about time our immigration system ran like the rewards program at one of Trump's bankrupted casinos."

NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for December 12, 2025

Fri, 12/12/2025 - 06:13

Today's Connections: Sports Edition will be easier if you know your canines.

As we've shared in previous hints stories, this is a 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.

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

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

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

SEE ALSO: Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL. Here's a hint for today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

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

  • Yellow: Leisure activities

  • Green: Info

  • Blue: Gently struck

  • Purple: Pup categories

Here are today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

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

  • Yellow: Bar games

  • Green: Ways to catch up on the game

  • Blue: Descriptors for a softly hit baseball

  • Purple: Dog show groups

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 #445 is...

What is the answer to Connections: Sports Edition today?
  • Bar games - DARTS, POOL, POP-A-SHORT, SHUFFLEBOARD

  • Ways to catch up on the game - BOX SCORE, HIGHLIGHTS, REPLAY, STORY

  • Descriptors for a softly hit baseball - BLOOPER, DRIBBLER, DUCK SNORT, TEXAS LEAGUER

  • Dog show groups - SPORTING, TERRIER, TOY, WORKING

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be new sports 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.

NYT Mini crossword answers, hints for December 12, 2025

Fri, 12/12/2025 - 06:00

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 Mashable SEE ALSO: How to play Pips, the newest NYT game

Here are the clues and answers to NYT's The Mini for Friday, Dec. 12, 2025:

AcrossBullet ___ (insect known for its painful sting)
  • The answer is Ant.

Setting for the children's book "Good Night, Gorilla"
  • The answer is Zoo.

Mixed-breed dogs
  • The answer is Mutts.

Language that gave us the words "democracy" and "philosophy"
  • The answer is Greek.

Untidy
  • The answer is Messy.

DownBrilliant shade of blue
  • The answer is Azure

Classroom jottings
  • The answer is Notes.

"100%," in slang
  • The answer is Totes.

Longtime movie studio now owned by Amazon
  • The answer is MGM.

Chicago W.N.B.A. team
  • The answer is Sky.

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

Are 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.

This hilarious clip of Conan OBrien blaming Jason Bateman for his parents deaths is going viral

Fri, 12/12/2025 - 05:55

"You know what's weird. I swear to God, this is how I grieve."

That's Conan O'Brien explaining the hilariously dark message chain he had with Will Arnett and Jason Bateman in the days after the deaths of his parents, which the two break down in the Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend podcast clip above.

In a nutshell, what started as a jokey rivalry with Bateman over a party invite escalated to O'Brien blaming Bateman for the death of his father immediately after his dad had passed away.

"I'm a sick person," says O'Brien. "But I remembered very much wanting to connect, and it was so comforting to me to screw around with you guys at that moment. It just was. And if that makes me a madman, so be it."

The Fitbit Inspire 3 has returned to its lowest-ever price at Amazon — save $30 for a limited time

Fri, 12/12/2025 - 05:35

SAVE $30: As of Dec. 12, the Fitbit Inspire 3 has dropped back to its lowest-ever price of $69.95 at Amazon. This is $30 off its list price of $99.95.

Opens in a new window Credit: Fitbit Fitbit Inspire 3 $69.95 at Amazon
$99.95 Save $30   Get Deal

2026 is almost here, and if you're setting some fitness goals for the new year, a fitness tracker can help you stay on course. Our favorite budget pick, the Fitbit Inspire 3, is one option worth checking out, especially since it has returned to its lowest price of $69.95 at Amazon for a limited time.

The Fitbit Inspire 3 usually retails for $99.95, so this deal saves you $30 overall. It's also the same discount price we saw over Cyber Monday, so now is a great time to make a move on it before the price goes back up.

SEE ALSO: From AirPods to espresso machines, everything the Mashable shopping team bought during Black Friday and Cyber Monday 2025

As mentioned before, the Fitbit Inspire 3 is our favorite budget fitness tracker, though not just for its more affordable price tag. It also boasts a "comprehensive suite of health and fitness tracking features, a slim, low-profile design, and a straightforward user interface that makes it a great pick for most people." Some of these features include all-day activity tracking, 24/7 heart rate tracking, automatic exercise tracking, always-on wellness tracking, and much more.

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Amazon has the Fitbit Inspire 3 listed as a limited-time deal, so this discount price may not stay for long. Act fast to grab it while it's still at its lowest-ever price.

If you're picking this up as a gift for the holidays and looking for even more ideas while shopping around, have a look at our breakdown of the 60+ best Christmas gifts for 2025 to see some suggestions worth grabbing right now.

The Roku Streaming Stick Plus is back on sale at Amazon — save over $10 right now

Fri, 12/12/2025 - 05:22

SAVE $10.99: As of Dec. 12, the Roku Streaming Stick Plus is on sale for $29 at Amazon. That's a 27% saving on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Roku Roku Streaming Stick Plus $29 at Amazon
$39.99 Save $10.99   Get Deal

The Roku Streaming Stick Plus is back on sale at Amazon, and it's the perfect timing for the festive season. It's one of the most popular streaming devices on the market, and for good reason. Enjoy easy access to movies, TV shows, gaming apps, and even more for less. As of Dec. 12, this TV stick is down to $29, a saving of $10.99 on list price.

It couldn't be easier to set up, either. Plug the TV stick into your TV's HDMI port (if you have a laptop with an HDMI port, you can even use it on the go). Another bonus of the Roku Stick Plus is it doesn't need to be powered by a wall outlet, as it's powered by the TV. And that's all you need to do. When you turn your TV on, it will now run on the Roku OS, meaning all of your favorite shows and apps are accessible right on the home screen.

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You'll now be able to control your TV and the Roku itself with one remote (which comes with voice search). You also get over 500 free live TV channels, including news, sports, and weather. And with the Plus model, you'll be watching all of this in brilliant 4K picture and vivid HDR color.

Get this Roku deal from Amazon now.

The AirTag 4-pack is over $20 off at Amazon — save on this functional stocking filler

Fri, 12/12/2025 - 05:20

SAVE $24.02: As of Dec. 12, the Apple AirTag four-pack is on sale for $74.98 at Amazon. That's a 24% discount on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple AirTag 4-Pack $74.98 at Amazon
$99 Save $24.02   Get Deal

Apple AirTags are back on sale, and just in time for a pre-Christmas stock up. As of Dec. 12, you can get the pack of four for only $74.98, a saving of $24.02. That works out at just over $18 per AirTag.

If you haven't come across AirTags before, prepare to be amazed. These are small tracking devices that make it easy to keep track of your stuff by linking your keys, wallet, luggage, or backpack to the Find My app. All you do is attach one to your item of choice, and start tracking its whereabouts. As you can imagine, this is a lifesaver for people who are forever losing their keys or passport.

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The AirTag can even play a sound through a built-in speaker, so for example, if your keys are down the side of the couch cushions and you can't see it, the noise will help you be able to locate it. And don't worry about it running out of battery while your item is missing, because AirTag batteries last over a year. After this, pop the battery out and replace it with another CR2032 coin cell.

AirTags also support Lost Mode and allow you to share location details with third parties like airlines (for when your luggage doesn't leave the tarmac), while keeping all communication encrypted and anonymous.

Find this AirTag deal at Amazon right now.

60+ of the best Harvard University courses you can take online for free

Fri, 12/12/2025 - 05:18

TL;DR: A wide range of online courses from Harvard University are available to take for free on edX.

Do you have big plans to do absolutely nothing over the festive period. We get it. It's been a long year, and you deserve some rest.

But believe it or not, there are some people out there who refuse to rest. These people are "built different." They see the holidays as an opportunity to learn, develop, and grow. Does this sound like you? We've got a special opportunity that you should grab with both hands.

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A wide range of online courses from some of the top educational institutions in the world are available for free on edX. You could become a student of somewhere prestigious like Harvard University without actually spending anything (or stepping foot outside). Harvard University is offering free online courses on popular topics like AI, cybersecurity, game development, personal development, law, and so much more.

We have checked out everything on offer and lined up a standout selection of online courses to get you started. These are the best free online courses from Harvard University in December 2025:

It's important to flag that these free courses don't include certificates of completion or graded assignments/exams. But you can still enroll at any time and start learning at your own pace.

Find the best free online courses from Harvard University with edX.

Apple HomePad specs revealed in new leak

Fri, 12/12/2025 - 05:15

Apple's long-rumored smart home accessory, sometimes dubbed the HomePad, has just become a little more real.

Macworld was able to obtain "leaked internal Apple code," finding several references to the new gadget (no reference to its name, though, but HomePad does have a nice ring to it.)

In a pre-release iOS 26 build, this smart home hub is referenced by the codename J490. It's listed as having Apple's A18 chip inside, as well as a front-facing, ultra-wide camera with Center Stage. The camera will be limited to 1080p video, similar to the cameras on iPads and Macs.

SEE ALSO: The iPhone is on top of the world. Why are Apple execs exiting?

Perhaps more notably, the device will also have Face ID biometrics, which could be used to recognize users and set profiles depending on who's interacting with the device.

Apple Intelligence will also be on board, and this includes a more advanced version of Siri which can keep up a natural conversation with the user.

The device is listed as coming in 2026; previous rumors pointed to a possible launch next spring.

Macworld said they were able to find references to another, "never-before-seen" smart home product, codenamed J229. Details are slim on this one, besides it having multiple sensors, a built-in camera. Notably, it's not identified as a standalone device but an accessory.

A few months ago, Bloomberg's Mark Gurman wrote that Apple is working on an in-home security camera that's designed to work together with the smart home hub, as well as a smart doorbell with facial recognition. The mysterious new device could be one of these, though it's probably coming later; the end of next year "at the soonest," Gurman wrote.

How to unblock XNXX for free

Fri, 12/12/2025 - 05:01

TL;DR: Unblock porn sites for free with a VPN. The best service for unblocking porn sites is ExpressVPN.

The online world is full of content restrictions and blockades. It might not always seem like that, but look around. More and more restrictions on your movement are coming into force.

Porn naturally comes with a lot of restrictions, but there's really nothing wrong with adults visiting their favorite sites at entirely appropriate moments. When the time is right, you should be able to bypass content restrictions to access sites like XNXX from any network and location. And fortunately, you can do exactly that with a quick and easy hack.

If you want to unblock porn sites like XNXX from anywhere in the world, we've got all the information you need.

How to unblock XNXX for free

VPNs are useful tools that can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to secure servers in other locations. This straightforward process can bypass geo-restrictions to access porn sites like XNXX from anywhere in the world.

SEE ALSO: How to unblock Pornhub for free

Unblock porn sites like XNXX by following these simple steps:

  1. Sign up for a VPN (like ExpressVPN)

  2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

  3. Open up the app and connect to a server in a location that supports access to XNXX

  4. Visit XNXX

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for bypassing content restrictions are not free, but leading VPNs do tend to offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can unblock porn sites like XNXX without actually spending anything. This obviously isn't a long-term solution, but it does mean you can retain access to porn sites when temporarily away from a secure network.

If you want to retain permanent access to everything the online world has to offer, you'll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for porn is on sale for a limited time.

What is the best VPN for porn?

ExpressVPN is the best service for fast and reliable unblocking of porn sites like XNXX, for a number of reasons:

  • Servers in 105 countries

  • Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

  • Strict no-logging policy

  • Fast streaming speeds free from throttling

  • Up to eight simultaneous connections

  • 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $139 and includes an extra four months for free — 61% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month subscription for just $12.95 (including money-back guarantee.)

Unblock XNXX for free with ExpressVPN.

Ice giant planets Uranus and Neptune might not be full of ice after all

Fri, 12/12/2025 - 05:00

Scientists may have missed the mark when they started referring to Uranus and Neptune as the "ice giant" planets of the solar system decades ago. 

Like giving a certain short-armed dinosaur a name that means "terrible lizard king," calling these planets "icy" hasn't aged well. New research from a team at the University of Zurich in Switzerland suggests the nickname was a misnomer, with the two blue worlds in distant space potentially being made of more rock than ice. 

The cold and remote planets originally earned their label of "ice giants" to contrast their interiors from those of Jupiter and Saturn, the so-called "gas giants" rich in hydrogen and helium. Uranus and Neptune are much smaller than their gassy counterparts but also bigger than the terrestrial worlds of Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars. 

But little is known about these two medium-size outer planets, which are the least-explored category of worlds in our solar system. NASA's Voyager 2 is the only spacecraft to have visited them, flying by Uranus in 1986 and Neptune in 1989. 

"This name is rather misleading since it implies that the planets are water-dominated in composition," Ravit Helled, an astrophysicist who initiated the study, told Mashable. "The name 'ice giants' also gives the impression that the planets are solid but in fact the materials in the deep interiors can be in liquid state."

SEE ALSO: Scientists may have discovered a wild new type of cosmic explosion

The work has implications for the study of exoplanets — worlds that exist around stars other than the sun — and shows that more observations and theory are needed before jumping to conclusions about internal composition. The team's challenge to the "ice giants" category appears in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics

To reach their findings, the researchers built a new way to model what could lie deep within Uranus and Neptune without relying on strict assumptions. They started with many random guesses about how dense each layer might be, according to the paper. Then, they used a step-by-step computer process to adjust those guesses until they matched real measurements of each planet’s gravity. Crucially, the guesses had to follow known rules for how materials behave under pressure and heat.

Their results show that both planets could have very different internal makeups. Some models present a water-dominated scenario, while others look rich in rock. There is no single clear answer about what these planets are mostly made of. 

If the planets were more rocky, that might mean they formed closer to the sun, then migrated farther away. Some scientists have suspected this to be the case, Helled said.

"Many studies on dynamics suggest that Uranus and Neptune formed closer to the sun," she said. 

All of the workable composition models include moving, churning layers made of electrically charged water, called "ionized water." These layers could help explain the strange, lopsided magnetic fields seen around both planets, Helled said. The temperatures inside could stay high enough that hydrogen, helium, and water remain mixed rather than separating.

The interior of Uranus could be more icy, left, or more rocky, right. Credit: Keck Institute for Space Studies / Chuck Carter illustration

The outer layers also differ. Uranus appears to have more hydrogen and helium near the surface than Neptune. The region that produces Uranus' magnetic field likely lies deeper inside the planet than the comparable region in Neptune.

But knowing their true nature will require dedicated missions to the planets, the researchers say. A spacecraft could measure their gravitational fields and atmospheric compositions. For now, it's safe to say the interior structures of medium-size planets are more complex than once thought, and it might be time to retire the "ice giant" moniker. 

"We could keep using this name," Helled said, "as long as people understand that this does not necessarily reflect the planetary composition and material state."

Scan anything, anywhere with this app — now $42 for life

Fri, 12/12/2025 - 05:00

TL;DR: Make scanning a breeze with this lifetime subscription to SwiftScan VIP for just $41.99 (reg. $199.99) with code SCAN through Dec. 21.

Opens in a new window Credit: SwiftScan SwiftScan VIP: Lifetime Subscription $41.99
$199.99 Save $158   Get Deal

No home office? No problem. Gone are the days when you needed a whole separate room to hold your computer and all the necessary equipment — you can now scan things right from your phone or tablet with just a few taps on an app. SwiftScan VIP lets you digitize documents from anywhere.

Right now, a lifetime subscription can be yours for just $41.99 (reg. $199.99) with code SCAN through Dec. 21.

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Take back some counter space and kick your old, chunky scanner to the curb when you switch to SwiftScan VIP. This app transforms your smartphone or tablet into an on-the-go scanning device. All you need is your device to digitize anything from a child’s work of art to your signature on an important document.

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Make 2026 the year you finally learn piano with this AI-powered app

Fri, 12/12/2025 - 05:00

TL;DR: Learn something new with this lifetime subscription to Skoove Premium Piano Lessons, now just $109.97 (reg. $299.99).

Opens in a new window Credit: Skoove Skoove Premium Piano Lessons: Lifetime Subscription $109.97
$299.99 Save $190.02   Get Deal

Want to learn an instrument in 2026? How about piano? It’s easier than ever with Skoove Premium Piano Lessons. This innovative app helps you learn to play from home, and all you need is your favorite device and a piano or keyboard.

Right now, you can score major savings on a lifetime subscription to this app and get it for just $109.97 (reg. $299.99) just in time for the new year.

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Make 2026 the year you learn piano with Skoove Premium Piano Lessons. This app brings the lessons to your home, with AI-powered instructions and technology that hears what you’re playing, recognizes your notes, and provides real-time feedback so you can continuously improve. All you need to add is the keyboard or piano.

More than one million people are already learning to play with help from Skoove Premium Piano Lessons. You can use the app on any device, from smartphones to tablets or laptops, and learn from anywhere. Pick your level, with beginner to advanced level options, and even choose your favorite music to learn — from Adele and the Beatles to Beethoven.

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Master piano at home with this lifetime subscription to Skoove Premium Piano Lessons, now just $109.97 (reg. $299.99).

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Paul Mescal movies ranked by Sad Boyness

Fri, 12/12/2025 - 05:00

In a few short years, Paul Mescal has gone from rising Irish actor to major movie star with an Academy Award nomination to his credit. His vulnerable turns in Normal People, Aftersun, and All of Us Strangers have secured him a spot in the hallowed halls of Internet Boyfriends. But what sets Mescal apart from Ryan Gosling, Timothée Chalamet, Pedro Pascal, and Jonathan Bailey is his supreme ability to Sad Boy.

SEE ALSO: 'Hamnet' review: Paul Mescal and Jessie Buckley burn in William Shakespeare tragedy

It's not just that he can cry. Mescal's blue eyes can carry an ocean of sadness. His voice can tremble at an octave that makes our hearts drop. His smile, even when wide, can read as a desperate lie. He is so good at playing heartache and grief that he's essentially made "sad boy" a verb. As in, Paul Mescal can Sad Boy like no other.

So, in celebration of the wide release of Hamnet, another film in which Mescal has come to break hearts and spike tissue sales, Mashable's team has surveyed his filmography to rank his movies, TV show appearances, and short films on a scale of zero to five Sad Boys. To be clear, this ranking is not about how sad the title is; it's about how sad Mescal is in it — so, when you plan your own Mescal movie marathon, you know how to hydrate and gear up with tissues appropriately.

Here are our Paul Mescal Sad Boy rankings, in order of release.

Normal People (2020)

The role that introduced the world to Mescal, Normal People's Connell set the bar high for Paul Mescal's future Sad Boys. Yes, he's charming and smart, but he also nurses a deep sadness and struggles to communicate his emotions, be it his affection for Marianne (Daisy Edgar-Jones) or his grief over losing his friend Rob (Éanna Hardwicke).

When Connell's feelings finally do spill over in a monologue to a therapist in episode 10, it's nothing short of extraordinary. Here, Mescal lays bare all of Connell's depression and insecurities. It's riveting and raw, and it's the perfect groundwork for Mescal's future Sad Boy roles. If we were just rating Normal People off that scene, it would earn five Sad Mescals, no questions asked. But since Connell has his fair share of happy moments, especially with Marianne, we'll settle for four Sad Mescals. — Belen Edwards, Entertainment Reporter

Credit: Ian Moore / Mashable

How to watch: Normal People is now streaming on Hulu.

Drifting (2020)

Written and directed by Robert Higgins and Patrick McGivney, Drifting is a 14-minute short film about two Irish boys who've been friends their whole lives. However, growing up can mean growing apart. In their small Midlands town, Cian (Mescal) is content to hit the same pub for drinks and trouble, night after night, year after year. But Pat (Dafhyd Flynn) yearns for a new scene.

Mescal drapes Cian in a cocky attitude with a pugnacious edge. But beneath this bad boy surface is a Sad Boy whose laughter hides an ache he can't explain. However, at only 14 minutes, the sadness begins to bloom right before the credits roll. — Kristy Puchko, Entertainment Editor

Credit: Ian Moore / Mashable

How to watch: Drifting is now streaming on YouTube.

The Rolling Stones, "Scarlet" (2020)

A music video may not seem like a place for Mescal sadness. And yet this Rolling Stones' video begins with no music, just Mescal — with his Irish accent intact — teary, calling himself "a little bit drunk" and apologizing before saying, "I love you." This too sounds like an apology in his delivery, which is straight to camera, enhancing its impact. Then the song begins.

However, from there, Mescal offers a lot of smiles, jaunty dancing, boyish charm, and a bit of a strip tease. There's brooding and tears too. It's an emotional rollercoaster with more highs than lows. — K.P.

Credit: Ian Moore / Mashable

How to watch: The Rolling Stones' "Scarlet" can be streamed on YouTube.

Phoebe Bridgers, "Savior Complex" (2020)

The Sally-Rooney-Taylor-Swift-Phoebe-Bridgers-Fleabag cinematic universe went supernova when Paul Mescal starred in the music video for Phoebe Bridgers' "Savior Complex," directed by Phoebe Waller-Bridge. (Huge day for all Bridge-adjacent Phoebes out there.) Prior to the video, Mescal and Bridgers had exchanged messages on social media about Normal People and interviewed one another on Instagram Live, making "Savior Complex" a watershed moment for the very online. The pair went on to date, although they are no longer together.

Mescal's role in the actual video is less prototypical Sad Boy and more general Tortured Man. He's a grifter who fakes injuries and steals a car, all while running from the most precious white dog who has nothing but affection for him, even after everything he's done. If anything, the dog is the real Sad Boy here. (Also, just a very Good Boy.) — B.E.

Credit: Ian Moore / Mashable

How to watch: Phoebe Bridgers' "Savior Complex" is now streaming on YouTube.

The Lost Daughter (2021)

As far as Mescal's role in Maggie Gyllenhaal's psychological thriller The Lost Daughter goes, Will is as far from Sad Boy as you can get, really. A 24-year-old Irish business student working summers on a Greek island, he might be behind in his studies, but he's working a cruisy job in paradise, hanging out with Olivia Colman's Leda and having an affair with Dakota Johnson's Nina. He's complicated, but not deeply sad. Probably the one character in the film who isn't tormented by their past and present, really. But the film does have both Mescal and his Hamnet co-star Jessie Buckley in it, so it's Sad Boy-adjacent by way of casting. — Shannon Connellan, UK Editor

Credit: Ian Moore / Mashable

How to watch: The Lost Daughter is now streaming on Netflix.

God's Creatures (2022)

Haunting and downright bleak, God's Creatures is an underrated gem in Mescal's discography. The film focuses on Aileen (a terrific Emily Watson), whose estranged son Brian (Mescal) returns to Ireland after a stint in Australia. When Aileen's coworker Sarah (Aisling Franciosi) accuses Brian of sexual assault, Aileen finds herself torn between her family and doing what's right. As Aileen reckons with her tangle of guilt and maternal love, Mescal turns in a performance that oozes less with sadness than straight-up menace. — B.E.

Credit: Ian Moore / Mashable

How to watch: God's Creatures is now streaming on Tubi.

Aftersun (2022)

It's fitting that Mescal earned his first Academy Award nomination for one of his saddest roles to date, playing father Calum on vacation with his daughter Sophie (Frankie Corio) in Charlotte Wells' Aftersun

Seen through young Sophie's eyes and adult Sophie's (Celia Rowlson Hall) memories and VHS tapes, Calum is almost unknowable to her: a loving father burdened with a pain young Sophie couldn't understand. The implication that Calum died by suicide following the the trip adds a further layer of tragedy to the film, and Mescal plays every aspect of it flawlessly. To this day, I can't hear "Under Pressure" without feeling emotionally shattered — that's the power of Mescal and Aftersun. — B.E.

Credit: Ian Moore / Mashable

How to watch: Aftersun is now streaming on Pluto TV.

Carmen (2022)

In Benjamin Millepied's Texas-set reimagining of Bizet's tragic opera, Carmen, Mescal's Sad Boy level is right up there. As Aidan, a Marine with PTSD, Mescal plays a man whose "eyes are sad but produce no tears," as the film describes it. Aidan meets the titular love of his life (Melissa Barrera) as she attempts to cross the Mexican border, and the violence that ensues causes them both deep trauma and puts them on the run together. There's much forlorn gazing across the Texan landscape and nightclub dance floors, Romeo and Juliet-level foreshadowing, and significant brooding. Mescal even sings and plays a melancholy original on acoustic guitar. Mescal's Aidan watching Barrera's Carmen performing "Tú y Yo" with tears in his eyes? SAD. — S.C.

Credit: Ian Moore / Mashable

How to watch: Carmen is available for rental or purchase on Prime Video.

All of Us Strangers (2023)

In writer/director Andrew Haigh's soul-scorching adaptation of Taichi Yamada's novel Strangers, Paul Mescal stars opposite Andrew Scott as a pair of neighbors in a largely empty apartment building, both of whom are desperate for connection. After a rocky start, the two form a hot and loving relationship. But a horrible secret threatens to ruin things.

SEE ALSO: 'All of Us Strangers' is a gift to queer Gen Xers

One of our favorite movies of 2023, All of Us Strangers offers Mescal as a lost young man yearning for love. His love scenes with Scott have an electrifying chemistry. But there's a volatile vulnerability to Mescal's performance here that makes his first scene unnerving, and his final absolutely heart-wrenching. Even just thinking back on it now, I'm tearing up. As Siddhant Adlakha wrote in his review for Mashable, "Andrew Scott and Paul Mescal lead the hottest, saddest movie this year." It might be that balance that makes his finale all the more devastating. — K.P.

Credit: Ian Moore / Mashable

How to watch: All of Us Strangers is now streaming on Hulu.

Foe (2023)

The saddest thing about Foe isn't Mescal himself, but rather the fact that a sci-fi movie starring him, Saoirse Ronan, and Aaron Pierre simply fails to take off. Mescal plays Junior, who lives with his wife Hen (Ronan) on a remote farm on a dying Earth. When Junior is chosen to go to space, company OuterMore plans to make an exact AI replica to remain on Earth with Hen. They just need to observe the couple in order to make it perfect. So begins a wave of interrogations in which Junior is at turns bewildered, aggressive, and possessive, but never truly full Sad Boy. — B.E.

Credit: Ian Moore / Mashable

How to watch: Foe is now streaming on Prime Video.

Gladiator II (2024)

When the casting for Ridley Scott's sequel to Gladiator was announced, Paul Mescal seemed an odd choice. A renowned and talented actor to be sure, but this ingendude doesn't have the macho ferocity of Russell Crowe, who headlined the first film. However, Scott seemed to use Mescal's Sad Boy supremacy to build a non-toxic masculinity thread into the story of another gladiator taking on a viciously oppressive system.

As I wrote in my review for Mashable, "Mescal has packed on added brawn for the role of a warrior, but the boyish vulnerability radiant in his critically heralded performances in the indie dramas Aftersun and All of Us Strangers shines through. He doesn't just put on a scowl and seek bloody vengeance on those who killed his beloved wife (May Calamawy). He also talks about his feelings to his mother (a returning Connie Nielsen). And even as he battles, he carries with him not just a sword but a woeful expression that violence is his only resort. There's a tragedy even in victory, in part because it's been 20 years since Maximus fought for Rome to be freed, and change has not come, a heavy burden that Mescal carries with every step." — K.P.

Credit: Ian Moore / Mashable

How to watch: Gladiator II is now streaming on Paramount+.

Saturday Night Live, Season 50, Episode 8 (2024)

We don't have a Happy Mescal scale, but if we did, Mescal's SNL hosting gig would be at the tippy-top. Over the course of the show, Mescal poked fun at being labeled "daddy," gamely played up his Irishness, went full pirate, and donned a ridiculous neon suit, complete with a Devo helmet. But the highlight was indisputably Mescal's starring turn in the Gladiator II musical sketch. Not only did Mescal showcase his impressive pipes, he also danced while decapitating fellow gladiators, spat a Lin-Manuel Miranda-style rap, and did his best impression of Elphaba's "Defying Gravity" riff. The smile on his face says it all: That is one joyous Mescal. — B.E.

Credit: Ian Moore / Mashable

How to watch: Saturday Night Live is now streaming on Peacock.

The History of Sound (2024)

Suppressed longing, deep grief, and lifelong love all fuel Oliver Hermanus' The History of Sound, with Mescal's character a man of few words but intense emotion. The film follows the deep love between the intensely stoic Lionel (Mescal) and the overtly charming David (Josh O'Connor), who meet in 1917 in Boston while singing old songs around the piano, right before Lionel is deployed to fight in World War I. Two music academics, they later travel the American East collecting recordings of folk songs, as their romance deepens behind closed doors. Mescal's Lionel endures loneliness, grief, isolation, oppressed sexuality, and the agony of long-lost love, thus Sad Boy levels in The History of Sound are high. — S.C.

Credit: Ian Moore / Mashable

How to watch: The History of Sound is now streaming on MUBI.

Hamnet (2025)

Get your tissues ready. Mescal's performance as William Shakespeare, a man engulfed by unimaginable grief, in Chloé Zhao's Hamnet will tear you to pieces. Based on Maggie O'Farrell's novel, the drama sees Mescal alongside Jessie Buckley as history's own star-crossed lovers Will and Agnes, who suffer the devastating loss of their 11-year-old son Hamnet years before the playwright penned his famous tragedy Hamlet. Mescal's raw, unrelenting, and completely human interpretation of Shakespeare's loss as a father and process as a writer comprehending it all will break you, put you back together again, and stay lodged in your throat long after you've watched.

As Mashable Entertainment Editor Kristy Puchko wrote in her review of Hamnet out of TIFF, "'Where is he?' Will says, and in that simple question, Mescal channels a mix of dread, hope, and fear that could bring down the Globe Theatre. It's not booming. That's not Zhao's way. It's delivered strong but raw, quavering. It is what pain sounds like when stripped of Hollywood shine. It's too human for an Oscar reel. It's too heartbreaking."

Essentially, you'll never look at the famous "to be or not to be" soliloquy the same way. — S.C.

Credit: Ian Moore / Mashable

How to watch: Hamnet is now in theaters.

Why The Hollow Man novel is crucial to Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery

Fri, 12/12/2025 - 05:00

The central locked room mystery of Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery sees writer-director Rian Johnson drawing on a long literary history. The film takes many cues from the likes of authors including Agatha Christie and Edgar Allan Poe, but one particular novel is crucial to the core puzzle: John Dickson Carr's The Hollow Man.

The American author's 1935 mystery novel, which features his recurring investigator protagonist Gideon Fell, functions as a key text in Benoit Blanc's (Daniel Craig) investigation into the murder at Our Lady of Perpetual Fortitude. But what exactly is this important book?

SEE ALSO: Netflix's 'Wednesday' is full of Edgar Allan Poe references. Here's a bunch. What is The Hollow Man in Wake Up Dead Man?

Early on in Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery, new Chimney Rock resident and priest Jud Duplenticy (Josh O'Connor) is reckoning with the impossible crime that is the murder of Monsignor Jefferson Wicks (Josh Brolin). Stabbed in the back in a small room with only one way in or out, in front of an entire congregation? It's "the stuff of detective fiction," as Blanc declares, the famous detective now on the case.

In his clue-gathering, Blanc mentions Carr's novel The Hollow Man and the methods of Gideon Fell, Carr's fictional detective. And according to a list Father Jud finds in the church office, The Hollow Man just so happened to be the Spring Book Club title for Our Lady of Perpetual Fortitude — it seems the killer was inspired by the novel.

Featured Video For You Andrew Scott on crafting the iconic 'Ripley' in Netflix's new mystery series The Hollow Man gives "a syllabus of how to commit the perfect crime." Credit: Orion / Mashable

In The Hollow Man, a murderer shoots a professor and vanishes from a locked room, then kills another victim in a public street with witnesses and without leaving footprints in the snow. However, there's one very famous chapter, 17, which has become synonymous with defining the elements of an impossible crime. Here, Carr has Fell giving this famous "locked room lecture" to the reader, describing "the general mechanics" of how a murder (like Wicks') could be committed in impossible circumstances.

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Blanc describes The Hollow Man in Wake Up Dead Man as "a syllabus of how to commit the perfect crime," as Fell maps out a number of scenarios, including the following:

1. It is not murder, but a series of coincidences ending in an accident which looks like murder.

2. It is murder, but the victim is impelled to kill himself or crash into an accidental death.

3. It is murder, by a mechanical device already planted in the room, and hidden undetectably in some innocent-looking piece of furniture.

Carr would deploy the locked room framework in many novels, like The Problem of the Wire Cage (a murder on a tennis court) and The Crooked Hinge and Castle Skull (murders which at first appear supernatural).

Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None, Edgar Allan Poe's The Murders in the Rue Morgue (both also on Our Lady of Perpetual Fortitude's book club list), Gaston Leroux's The Mystery of the Yellow Room, Soji Shimada's The Tokyo Zodiac Murders, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes and The Adventure of the Speckled Band and The Adventure of the Crooked Man — all locked room mysteries, impossible crimes that it would take a real Jonathan Creek to solve.

Or, a Benoit Blanc.

Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery will open in select cinemas on Nov. 26, then debut on Netflix on Dec. 12.

The Anker Solix C300 power station is over $80 off at Amazon

Fri, 12/12/2025 - 04:27

SAVE $84.06: As of Dec. 12, the Anker Solix C300 is on sale for $214.94 at Amazon. That's a 28% discount on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Anker Anker Solix C300 $214.94 at Amazon
$299.99 Save $85.05   Get Deal

Portable power stations don't have to cost thousands of dollars. Of course, if you're looking for a powerful unit to power your whole house for days on end, these options will naturally be a little pricier. But if you're just looking for something to keep you online during a sticky situation or camping vacation, this deal on the Anker Solix C300 is a perfect budget option.

As of Dec. 12, you can get this model for $214.94, saving you $84.06. With this option, you can power up to eight devices at once, with ports including three AC (300W), one car socket (120W), two USB-C (140W), one USB-C (15W), and one USB-A (12W).

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It delivers 300W of output (600W surge) with a 288Wh capacity and includes fast 140W two-way USB-C charging. And this design is about 15% smaller than comparable models and comes with an optional strap, making it a nice, portable option to carry around with you.

It also supports solar charging with 60W or 100W Anker panels, should you wish to upgrade, and you can also recharge it to 80% in around 50 minutes from a wall outlet or use solar, a car, or the PD 3.1 USB-C port. Inside, it boasts a long-lasting LiFePO4 battery, rated for 3,000 cycles, along with smart temperature management, impact resistance, and a five-year warranty, so you know you're getting your money's worth.

Find this Anker power station deal at Amazon now.

Bose QuietComfort earbuds are down to their lowest-ever price at Amazon — save $50 right now

Fri, 12/12/2025 - 04:22

SAVE $50: As of Dec. 12, Bose QuietComfort earbuds are on sale for $129 at Amazon. That's a 28% discount on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Bose Bose QuietComfort Earbuds $129 at Amazon
$179 Save $50   Get Deal

It's Christmas gift shopping season, and if you're looking for a great gift for the music lover in your life, why not check out this latest Amazon deal on Bose QuietComfort earbuds? As of Dec. 12, you can get these earbuds for their lowest-ever price, currently down to $129. That's a $50 saving, and according to camelcamelcamel, they've not been priced this low since January.

These are truly amazing earbuds for lots of reasons, but their biggest selling point is the strong noise cancellation. They have settings that let you block out pretty much everything or quiet annoying noises without blocking out the world entirely. You can even turn off the noise cancellation fully.

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They are also a robust pair with an IPX4 rating, so they're suitable for workouts or runs. You get three sizes of eartips and stability bands to help make sure you've got a secure fit, and Bluetooth multipoint lets you stay connected to more than one device at a time.

The battery life won't disappoint either. With these earbuds you'll get up to 8.5 hours of listening time, and with the case (which supports wireless charging) you'll get a quick 20-minute top-up for roughly two extra hours.

You can get this deal in black, petal pink, twilight blue, or white, and it’s available at Amazon now.

Hurdle hints and answers for December 12, 2025

Fri, 12/12/2025 - 00:00

If you like playing daily word games like Wordle, then Hurdle is a great game to add to your routine.

There are five rounds to the game. The first round sees you trying to guess the word, with correct, misplaced, and incorrect letters shown in each guess. If you guess the correct answer, it'll take you to the next hurdle, providing the answer to the last hurdle as your first guess. This can give you several clues or none, depending on the words. For the final hurdle, every correct answer from previous hurdles is shown, with correct and misplaced letters clearly shown.

An important note is that the number of times a letter is highlighted from previous guesses does necessarily indicate the number of times that letter appears in the final hurdle.

If you find yourself stuck at any step of today's Hurdle, don't worry! We have you covered.

SEE ALSO: Hurdle: Everything you need to know to find the answers Hurdle Word 1 hint

Not right.

SEE ALSO: Apple’s new M3 MacBook Air is $300 off at Amazon. And yes, I’m tempted. Hurdle Word 1 answer

WRONG

Hurdle Word 2 hint

An artifact.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for December 12, 2025 Hurdle Word 2 Answer

RELIC

Hurdle Word 3 hint

Words of a song.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for December 12 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for December 12, 2025 Hurdle Word 3 answer

LYRIC

Hurdle Word 4 hint

A pastry.

SEE ALSO: NYT Strands hints, answers for December 12 Hurdle Word 4 answer

TORTE

Final Hurdle hint

Pennies.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Games available on Mashable Hurdle Word 5 answer

PENCE

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

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