Entertainment
A Touching Surprise 85th Birthday Party
In early summer, my grandmother sent a text to our family group chat:
“SAVE THE DATE: June 14th. Tía Marta’s 85th birthday party at my house.”
Cut to the day of the party. My husband Max and I walk through my grandma’s front door, holding diaper bags and our children’s hands. We make our rounds, kissing cheeks and hugging all our family members — tías and tíos, our cousins, our parents, and the group of nieces and nephews whom our older children, Ella and Emiliano, quickly scamper off with.
When I settle onto a sofa and see my tía Mimi hastily blowing up balloons I suddenly realize, This isn’t an ordinary birthday party, it’s a surprise party.
My tía Marta married into our family almost four decades ago. She met my great tío Cris, my grandmother’s oldest brother, on a blind date while he was visiting his brother in Chicago. “I hadn’t expected our date to turn into anything,” says Marta. “He went back to California afterward, while I stayed in Chicago, and I thought we’d never speak again.”
To her surprise, Cris stayed in touch by calling her on the phone for a full year after their first date. “Our conversations were often short because he’d call in the evenings, right before my friends and I went out nightclubbing,” says Marta. “When I realized how serious he was about me, I thought, well, I guess that’s fate.”
Tío Cris saying hi to my son, Emiliano, at Cris’s 100th birthday celebration last year
Last year was especially challenging for Marta because a few months after his 100th birthday, Cris’s health declined. From spring to September, Marta did the hard work of caregiving for a sick spouse. She stayed by his side until he took his last breath.
After his death, my grandmother and tía Esther regularly checked in on Marta, inviting her to all big and small family gatherings, visiting her home multiple times a month, and helping her navigate this new stage of life. As her 85th birthday drew near, they wanted to plan a party that would make her feel extra special.
First, they filled my grandmother’s home with colorful paper fans and balloon arches. They ordered burnt almond cupcakes and a German chocolate cake from Peters’ Bakery, a staple in San Jose.
My oldest daughter, Ella
That day, as we waited for Marta’s arrival, we snacked on homemade ceviche and planned our hiding spots.
My baby, Evelynn
Once my tía Esther spotted Marta outside, right around the corner, everyone rushed to their positions with party blowers in hand. We held a collective breath as the front doorknob turned, and as soon as Marta walked in, we popped out with a hearty “SURPRISE!”
The emotion on her face, after she realized that everyone was there to celebrate her, is unbridled joy. I smile every time I watch this video! Also, how fun is the balloon drop?!
My grandma and tía Esther, over the moon that they pulled off the surprise
A few days after her party, I called Marta on the phone, curious to hear her thoughts. “I’m not one to celebrate my birthday, because it’s easier for me to give than to receive,” she told me. “But, oh, it was a very nice surprise. I hope everyone is fortunate enough to have people like my sisters-in-law in their life. I used to joke to Cris, if our marriage doesn’t work out and we split up, Esther and Loida are mine.”
Marta and her baby sister, Gloria, who had flown in from Texas
Marta with her great-nieces and nephews
Thinking back on that day, I so admire the female friendship and devotion that led to this party. I hope, dream, wish, and pray that I’ll have women in my life who will celebrate and love me that much when I’m in my eighties. It was such a gift to witness.
Have you ever planned a surprise party, or had one thrown for you? I’d love to hear about it!
P.S. 12 readers share their favorite birthday celebrations, and are you friends with any older women?
Entertainment
NYT Strands hints, answers for July 28, 2026
Today’s NYT Strands hints are easy if you’re complete.
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.
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.
NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Leave nothing out
The words are related to amounts.
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Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained
These words describe wholeness.
NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?
Today’s NYT Strands spangram is horizontal.
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NYT Strands spangram answer today
Today’s spangram is Its All There.
NYT Strands word list for July 28
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Complete
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Entire
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Its All There
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Undivided
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Total
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Whole Full
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.
Entertainment
Wordle today: Answer, hints for July 28, 2026
Today’s Wordle answer should be easy to solve if you’re a good listener.
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:
Sound navigation.
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Does today’s Wordle answer have a double letter?
There are no recurring letters.
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Today’s Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with…
Today’s Wordle starts with the letter S.
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…
SONAR
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.
Entertainment
Im watching the Hungarian GP for free this weekend — how to live stream F1 for free
TL;DR: Sign up for a 7-day free trial of Apple TV+ through Prime Video Channels to watch select F1 races for free. Watch the Hungarian GP for free with the Prime Video app.
Watch the Hungarian GP for free with a 7-day trial
Another weekend, another battle between the best drivers in the world. Seriously, what would we all do without a little bit of F1 to see us through to Monday?
This season of F1 continues to throw up interesting storylines. Mercedes is flying at the top of the standings, but there are clearly some issues between George Russell and his team. Meanwhile, Kimi Antonelli raced away from the competition to win again at the Belgian GP. He extended his lead over Lewis Hamilton, but Ferrari continues to cut the gap. Will we see another epic battle this weekend in Hungary?
If you want to watch F1 2026 for free from anywhere in the world, we’ve got all the information you need.
When is the Hungarian GP?
The Hungarian GP is the 11th race of the 2026 F1 season. Here’s the full schedule from the Hungaroring:
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Practice 1 — 7:30-8:30 a.m. ET on July 24
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Practice 1 — 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. ET on July 24
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Practice 1 — 6:30-7:30 a.m. ET on July 25
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Qualifying — 10-11 a.m. ET on July 25
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Race — 9 a.m. ET on July 26
Fans can follow all the action from this race weekend without spending anything.
How to watch the Hungarian GP for free
Most subscribers hang onto Amazon Prime for the fast shipping, Prime Day discounts, and Prime Video library. But for F1 fans in the U.S., Prime Video is a secret weapon. Because Apple TV holds exclusive U.S. broadcasting rights for F1, you can sign up for a seven-day free trial of Apple TV directly through Prime Video Channels.
That trial gives you full access to stream select races — including this weekend’s Hungarian Grand Prix — for free. While the subscription rolls over to $12.99 per month after seven days, you can cancel auto-renewal in your settings right away and still stream the entire race weekend for free.
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Of course, if you’re already paying for Amazon Prime, calling it “completely free” is open to interpretation. But if you don’t have an active membership, Amazon offers a 30-day free trial for new users. Stacking that Prime trial with the seven-day Apple TV channel trial means you are genuinely spending nothing to stream the race.
If you’ve already burned through that specific loophole earlier in the season, you still have a few solid workarounds:
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Apple TV: New standalone subscribers qualify for a direct seven-day free trial through Apple’s app.
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Apple One: If you want more than just streaming, the Apple One tier packages Apple TV alongside Apple Music, Apple Arcade, Apple Fitness+, Apple News+, and 50GB of iCloud storage — and it comes with a full one-month free trial ($19.95 per month after the promotional period).
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Apple: The most generous Apple TV offer is tied to new hardware purchases. Buying an eligible iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Apple TV grants new subscribers three months of free service. You obviously have to spend money on hardware, but if you were already planning an upgrade, it effectively unlocks a massive chunk of the F1 season for free.
How to live stream 2026 F1 for free in 2026
Best Apple TV Deal
Apple TV
7-day free trial
Best Apple One Deal
Apple One
30-day free trial
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