Entertainment
Tesla suspends Cybertruck production. Who could have predicted this?
Elon Musk is having a terrible, no good, very bad week.
First a judge struck down a stock grant that Musk persuaded Tesla shareholders to give him, in part by threatening to leave the company. That grant, originally worth around $50 billion, would now be $100 billion, thanks to a post-election rally for the company whose owner went all-in for the next president.
$100 billion: even for the world’s richest man, currently worth $333 billion, that’s real money. The grant would have doubled Musk’s lead over the world’s second-richest man, Jeff Bezos, in the all-important billionaires list.
But news that is subtly worse for Musk’s long-term prospects just leaked out of Tesla’s Austin factory: Cybertruck production appears to be ramping down. Workers on the vehicle’s assembly line have been told that there’s no need to report to work for 3 days.
According to Business Insider, which has four sources on the factory floor, this comes on the heels of several similar slowdowns in October. Not to mention an increase in cleaning and training duties to fill their hours, and a sharp decrease in overtime offers.
Tesla hasn’t yet commented on the reason for the slowdown, but this is not what you would expect to see from a carmaker with a hit on its hands. Automotive companies usually see most of their sales in the spring, when potential customers get tax refunds and driving conditions improve. So if Tesla execs were anticipating banner sales in a few months, the Cybertruck factory should be cranking right this minute.
You wanna buy a Cybertruck?
Instead, Cybertruck inventory seems to be backed up — never a good sign when your job as a business is to shift it. Especially not good if you had two million pre-orders, because it suggests nearly all of those pre-orders, bar 50,000 or so, weren’t serious. (Which, given that potential customers only had to put down a $100 deposit, seems a likely outcome.)
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Normally, you shift inventory by lowering price. Tesla has instead raised the average price of the Cybertruck (the cheapest trim vanished from its website in August), even as its 350-mile range turns out to be lower than Musk promised.
This isn’t just a detail for car nerds to care about. Because if there’s any non-Trump-related fundamental driving Tesla stock growth at the moment, it’s the uptick in Cybertruck sales (while other Tesla models have seen flat or diminishing market share). Some 28,000 of the oddly angular vehicles were sold in the first 3 quarters of 2024, according to estimates by Cox Automotive (Tesla doesn’t break out its sales figures).
Analysts, in the aggregate, expected 48,500 Cybertrucks sold this year, so that’s not a bad showing — certainly better than rival electric trucks from Rivian and Ford.
But here’s the $100 billion question: Will Tesla get anywhere close to selling 250,000 Cybertrucks a year? That’s the production capacity Musk has insisted on, and effectively bet the future of Tesla on. Given that the Cybertruck isn’t for sale outside North America — and given its trouble with regulators in Europe and China, it isn’t likely to happen any time soon — Musk’s bet is almost entirely focused on the U.S. truck market.
Two million pickups are sold every year, so it seems reasonable to assume Tesla can grab an eighth of that total. But can it? Or is reality about to overwhelm Musk’s “if you build it they will come” approach?
The Cybertruck has seen six recalls in 2024, a massive number in the car business. The most recent was just this month — thanks to a faulty part that may cause, wait for it, a loss of power to the wheels.
You have to squint really hard to see the Cybertruck as anything other than the butt of recall-related jokes. Every week seems to bring with it a new report of Cybertruck owner woes on social media, from an expensive case of leaking oil to a massive systems failure during an outing for a protein shake. This winter may bring worse news for Musk, judging by the Canadian Cybertruck owner whose vehicle died after two hours of use, while he was trying to defrost it.
At least there is one silver lining for Musk. If Cybertruck sales are falling off a cliff, and if they start to take Tesla shares down with them, at least the stock grant Musk missed out on will be worth less than $100 billion. The question is, will he?
Entertainment
Best Mothers Day gifts: Show mom some love
Mother figures are the backbone of the world. Yours may be your biological mother, or maybe she’s your mother-in-law, your best friend’s mom, or simply someone whose motherly instinct has helped you through hard times.
Moms teach you the adulting necessities, give advice even if the problem is your fault, and above all, they put up with your shit and (almost) never complain.
The game plan here isn’t just to snag the last bouquet at CVS just so you’re not the kid who forgot Mother’s Day (but definitely also get flowers). And you don’t even need to spend a lot of money. (Peep our list of Mother’s Day gifts that cost less than $50. Want even more cheap gift ideas?
Skip the generic mugs and show your appreciation with a gift picked just for her: Whether it’s something to make a part of her life easier, something she’s mentioned wanting in passing, or simply something to make her feel like a damn queen, you can’t put a price on everything she’s done for you, but heartfelt gifts certainly help.
After all, they say “No matter how hard you try, you always end up like your mother.” But is that even a bad thing?
Entertainment
Ban subscriptions and get Microsoft Office 2024 for life for just £121
TL;DR: Grab Microsoft Office 2024 Home and Business for PC or Mac for just £120.54 through June 1.
You wouldn’t keep paying for Netflix if you could own your favorite shows, right? So why are you still subscribing to Office apps you use every day? Microsoft 365’s price keeps going up, but there’s finally a way to break free — and it’ll cost you way less in the long run.
Microsoft Office 2024 is the answer you’ve been looking for. Instead of monthly payments, simply pay £120.54 once and be set for life (reg. £188.37). It’s that simple. And, yes, this lifetime download works for PC or Mac.
What’s included?
This license comes with:
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Word
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Excel
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PowerPoint
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Outlook
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OneNote
The newest version of Microsoft Office is a little different from Microsoft 365. But just because you’re switching to a lifetime license doesn’t mean you’ll miss out on some of the most recent updates. Word and Excel both still have AI integrations for text suggestions and smart data analysis, and PowerPoint still has improved tools for recorded presentations.
Once you’ve redeemed your purchase, you can install your apps on one computer. After that, they’re yours to use however you want. No more subscription fees or sudden price hikes to worry about.
Why rent when you can own?
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Get a Microsoft Office lifetime license on sale for £120.54 with no coupon needed.
StackSocial prices subject to change.
Entertainment
Wordle today: Answer, hints for May 9, 2025
Oh hey there! If you’re here, it must be time for Wordle. As always, we’re serving up our daily hints and tips to help you figure out today’s answer.
If you just want to be told today’s word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for today’s Wordle solution revealed. But if you’d rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.
Where did Wordle come from?
Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once.
Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing.
What’s the best Wordle starting word?
The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be strategic in your approach, we have a few ideas to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N.
What happened to the Wordle archive?
The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles was originally available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it, but it was later taken down, with the website’s creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times. However, the New York Times then rolled out its own Wordle Archive, available only to NYT Games subscribers.
Is Wordle getting harder?
It might feel like Wordle is getting harder, but it actually isn’t any more difficult than when it first began. You can turn on Wordle‘s Hard Mode if you’re after more of a challenge, though.
Here’s a subtle hint for today’s Wordle answer:
Gibberish.
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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 T.
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…
TRIPE.
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.
A'ja Wilson has no shortage of motivation after Aces' early exit in '24
Best Mothers Day gifts: Show mom some love
