Entertainment
What Deep Questions Have the Kids in Your Life Asked?
“Does the universe end? Like, is there a wall?” my son Anton asked me when he was five. Author Sarah Manguso and cartoonist Liana Finck found themselves drawn to this type of childlike curiosity, so they gathered thousands of questions from kids (including their own) and illustrated their favorites in a beautiful book, Questions Without Answers. Here are a few pages, plus a Q&A with the authors…
Joanna: Was it hard to narrow down the list of questions for the book? I remember my sons asking so many, like, ‘Do you have to pay the bank to get money?’ and ‘Why can’t I see my eyes?!’
Sarah: Certain juxtapositions make individual questions seem goofier or more bittersweet. A kid will ask you if clowns pee blue, right after they ask you when you’re going to die. My favorites in our book include, ‘Was mom a baby once, too? Did I play with her?’
Liana: Here are the latest from the list I keep on my phone of questions my three-year-old has asked: Do you get a lollipop when you get out of jail? Who put the mustache on your face? What color is it inside you? Why do squirrels usually not talk? Do older babies drink apple juice out of their mommies? There are so many more. I’m refraining.
I loved the book’s introduction about how kids are brilliant observers. Sarah, you wrote, ‘I learned that children are dizzyingly fast-learning engines of art and experiment. I watched my child make sense of the world not as a simple-minded cherub but as a measuring, remembering machine.’ What helped you come to this realization?
Sarah: I liked articulating why these questions fascinate me — in a nutshell, it’s that kids are hardworking empiricists. When he was four, my son asked me three questions all at once: When I was in your body, did you know me? Was I excited to meet you? Did I make the world? All three made it into the book, in order.
Liana: Sarah’s intro is like a strong blue shadow behind the questions in the book.
I teared up while reading the book, especially at the question, ‘When you die, can I come with you?’
Sarah: Many of the questions move me deeply. For me, a reliable tearjerker is, ‘After they bury you, when do they come back and dig you out again?’
I remember at my grandmother’s funeral, the vicar said, ‘Now your grandmother will be with your grandfather in the graveyard, or wherever they are in the great mystery.’ I loved that phrasing — so much of life is mysterious, no matter how old we are.
Sarah: That vicar understood that kids don’t need to be protected from the great mystery. I remember asking my mother where babies came from, but all I remember of her answer is: You have to have a special kind of egg. For years, I wondered what sort of egg I’d have to eat and if I might eat it by accident.
Liana: All I can remember today is that rather than making me less afraid of monsters, the Sesame Street characters all morphed into truly terrifying monsters in my imagination.
What are some other children’s books you like?
Liana: The ones I grew up with, by William Steig, Maurice Sendak, Ruth Krauss, and Maira Kalman, because they are (1) mind-blowing and (2) so deep in there for me. Two new discoveries, both cosmic, are: Time is a Flower by Julie Morstad, and Here We Are by Oliver Jeffers.
Sarah: I love Syd Hoff’s book The Horse in Harry’s Room. Harry tells the class about his imaginary horse during show-and-tell, and the other kids laugh at him. Then the teacher says, ‘Sometimes thinking about a thing is the same as having it.’ For smaller kids, I love Margaret Wise Brown’s book I Like Stars, which isn’t nearly as popular as her blockbusters Goodnight Moon and The Runaway Bunny. Reading this book — especially if you’re sleep deprived, as most new parents are — is a psychedelic experience.
Thank you, Sarah and Liana! Questions Without Answers is beautiful.
P.S. Sex-positive parenting for prudes and five children’s books on grief.
(Photo by Alfred Eisenstaedt, 1963, taken at a Parisian puppet theatre at the moment that St. George slays the dragon.)
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.
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Best Mothers Day gifts: Show mom some love
