Entertainment
How Sweet Is This Marriage Proposal?


Do you do advent calendars? Washington D.C.-based couple Patrick (left) and Mark are fans of the Bonne Maman one, which has 24 days of different jams. But one morning, the calendar revealed something surprising…
Joanna: How did you discover the jam calendar?
Patrick: In 2021, a friend of mine was doing it and posting her reviews every day. I became obsessed and watched all her videos. The following year, I bought the calendar, and on December 1, 2022, I was like, ‘Okay, Mark, we’re doing this calendar and we’re going to rate it!’ He was like, ‘Wait, we’re reviewing it every day on your Instagram Story? This is so goofy!’
Did you both review the jams?
Patrick: Yes, but on day three, Mark wasn’t very engaged with the calendar. At one point, he was walking away, and I sort of scolded, ‘Are we engaged, Mark?’ And he joked, ‘We are not yet engaged.’ Then all these people on Instagram were asking, wait, are you engaged? And I was thinking, we should be.
What was the next step?
Patrick: We’re both from the Midwest, and we were visiting my parents in Chicago. That week, I asked my mom, should I propose? And she was like, OMG YES. That same day, we went to the mall and bought the ring.
I love a mom moment! Mark, did you have any suspicions?
Mark: That morning, I was on a work call, and it was supposed to take 30 mins but it was like 2.5 hours. I was walking around in my pajamas with my AirPods, and Patrick walked by in a turtleneck, all showered. I was like, wait, why is Patrick so dressed up? Then I realized, omg the stupid calendar. [laughs]
What was your proposal plan?
Patrick: My sisters, my parents, and I were all sitting at the kitchen table. I had put the ring box in the calendar door with the daily jam. We were like, this call is never going to end!
When Mark’s call finally finished, what happened?
Patrick: I propped up my phone to record the jam review. I was like, ‘It’s day 19, it’s a special day, we haven’t gotten a 10/10 yet, so hopefully we’ll get one today…’ Mark turned to look at me, and I pulled out the ring box.
How exciting!
Mark: I was so surprised! It was very Patrick.
Patrick: He said yes!
What was the jam that day?
Mark: It was really not very good.
Patrick: It was kind of a bummer. Orange cinnamon spice.
For their wedding place settings, Patrick and Mark used mini jams with people’s names on them.
How sweet is that? What other proposal stories have you liked?
P.S. More proposals, including a bakery, a bookstore and a beach.
(Wedding photos by Sam Hurd Photography.)
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?
Mashable Deals
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.