Entertainment
What Inexpensive Things Make Your Life Easier in Winter?
I do like winter. There’s something oddly satisfying about the ongoing battle against the elements. Each time I don’t fall on a patch of ice while carrying four bags of groceries, it feels like a hard-won victory. And yet, sometimes I wish winter would be a LITTLE bit less of an unmitigated ass ache. In the past, we’ve shared small, inexpensive things that make our everyday lives easier. And since this February has really been February-ing, we thought we’d share the little things that make our winter lives easier. Hang in there, gang. We’ve got less than a month (?!?!) to go…
Kelly Dawson, contributing writer
Lifesaver: Palmer’s Cocoa Butter
I don’t mean to sound like Lieutenant Dan, but I’m about to sound like Lieutenant Dan: it’s important to take care of your feet, especially in the winter! Dry feet can be painful; I use this cocoa butter on mine throughout the year — but especially during the colder months. I sit on the side of my bed each night and slather it on, like a mom in a movie scene, then seal everything with socks and slippers. Don’t forget the backs of your feet!
Brooke Williams, photographer
Lifesavers: HeatTech base layers and Quince ultralight sweaters
I swear by pretty much everything in the Uniqlo HeatTech family (see: my 2017 Week of Outfits), but especially the leggings, which double as long underwear. I put them on in October and keep them on until April (I’m wearing them right now). They’re so thin that they fit under almost anything without feeling bulky, and they really work. I’ve spent a lot of time at outdoor protests this winter, so I can definitely confirm this!
My other go-to under-layer pieces are these ultralight cashmere sweaters. They’re thin and fitted, so I’ll wear one under a thicker sweater to add warmth on extra cold days when I have to shovel my car out of the snow.
Casey Elsass, food writer
Lifesavers: Onsen Saru bath soak & Acorn Original Slipper Socks
I love the emotional process of all four seasons — but the emotions I feel about winter are mostly loathing and despair. One thing that helps is spending time in the bath. I recently found this Onsen-inspired bath soak and I’m obsessed. I don’t totally understand what the Himalayan salt and magnesium flakes do, but I’ll tell you, I feel like a spaghetti noodle after. And the cedar and pine scent is absolutely divine.
I’ve always had cold feet, so my other winter go-to are Acorn Slipper Socks, which I’ve been wearing since I was a kid. The wool part is breathable, so my feet don’t get sweaty. And the suede sole has extra structure and padding, so wearing them on my apartment’s hardwood floors is actually very comfortable.
Alex Ronan, contributing writer
Lifesaver: Better spices
During a very competitive white elephant gift exchange over the holidays, I won a set of spices from a small-batch spice store in San Francisco. I’ve since learned that a) high-quality seasonings actually do make a difference (especially in the winter when good produce can be hard to come by), and b) I really need to go through my spice drawer and toss all the stale, expired ones. Even upgrading one or two can make everyday cooking feel like a fun project. We’ve been adding a pinch of this herbes de provence to salad dressing, and it absolutely makes grocery store greens taste better.
Kaitlyn Teer, newsletter editor
Lifesaver: Dr. Bronner’s hand spray
To ward off sniffles and bugs, I keep bottles of Dr. Bronner’s lavender hand-sanitizing spray stashed everywhere — the car, my belt bag, you name it. Kids touch everything, so I’m constantly passing into the back seat after we’ve wrapped up at the library or grocery store. I love that the lavender fragrance smells fresh and herby, not harsh or sterile (same goes for this Trader Joe’s version, which I also use). We go through so many this time of year!
Abigail Rasminsky, contributing writer
Lifesavers: A really good mug
I grew up in Montreal, so I know winter. It really helps to have a mug that you look forward to drinking out of in the morning, especially when it’s still dark out. I asked for this East Fork mug as a birthday gift a few months ago, and I find getting out of bed less dreadful, knowing that it’s waiting for me.
Kelsey Miller, senior editor
Lifesavers: Pocket thermos & wrist warmers
My aunt was recently visiting from London, and while we were out on a cold, wet day, she suddenly pulled a tiny, screw-top bottle out of her coat pocket. It turned out not to be a flask of liquor (as I’d briefly imagined), but a stainless steel thermos. She uses it for tea when it’s cold, or just as a water bottle. When I asked where she got it, all she said was “Japan.” With some deep-Googling, I was able to track it down here. (My husband was less patient and found a similar one on Amazon.) It doesn’t hold a huge volume of liquid, but the convenience of something you can just stick in your pocket is SUCH a relief.
My other winter must are wrist warmers — aka, fingerless mittens. It doesn’t matter how high I crank the heat; some days, you can’t avoid a cold draft. I used to get distracted while working at my laptop, because my wrists would get uncomfortably cold after typing for hours (does anyone else’s desk surface get cold too?). The only thing that helps is fingerless mittens. Yes, I feel like a Dickensian character, working away in my little wrist woolens, but it’s amazing what a difference it makes in my day.
Now you go! What little things do you rely on to get through winter?
P.S. More inexpensive things that make life better, and a very low-key winter checklist.
(Photo from The Shining.)
Entertainment
Meta avoids another trial over social media harms as teen plaintiff drops lawsuit
Meta has skirted another jury over claims its platforms are facilitating a youth mental health crisis.
The company was set to go to trial in the Superior Court of California for the County of Los Angeles next week, but the 15-year-old plaintiff, referred to as R.K.C, has now dropped the lawsuit.
“In light of the overall successful result of the litigation and his concerns about enduring a grueling weeks-long trial, he has elected to withdraw his claims against Meta. He’s ready to close this chapter and focus on his recovery and engage in therapy as he aspires to have a normal life,” attorneys for R.K.C. said in a statement.
Lawsuit says AI tool disproportionately places Black prisoners in maximum security in Ontario
According to the lawsuit, R.K.C. said he became addicted to social media over the last seven years, and linked his anxiety and depression to extensive time online. Snapchat, TikTok, and YouTube were also named in the initial lawsuit, but the companies reached settlement deals with R.K.C prior to going in front of the jury.
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“Days after settling with other social media companies, the plaintiff dropped his case against Meta, the only remaining defendant, without receiving any payment,” a Meta spokesperson said following the news. “The claims never held up, and this outcome makes clear that we will not back away from defending ourselves against baseless lawsuits.”
Meta’s spokesperson said the facts of the case could not prove that the company’s platforms caused R.K.C.’s mental health struggles. Meta previously called attention to the fact that R.K.C. had not spent significant amounts of time on Meta platforms, like Facebook and Instagram, in a Motion for Summary Judgment. The company also said they could not verify that R.K.C. had a long-standing account history on Meta platforms.
In March, Meta and YouTube were ordered to pay $6 million to another teen plaintiff who accused multiple social media companies of knowingly investing in design features that would hook users, despite knowing of their potential harm. The jury found the two companies liable for mental health-related harms caused by negligent design features and “social media addiction.” It was the first time a jury found social media companies responsible for the psychological effects of their platforms on teens.
At the time, Meta said it was appealing the decision. The company has faced multiple lawsuits brought forth by teens, parents, school districts, and state leaders. “Teen mental health is profoundly complex and cannot be linked to a single app,” a Meta spokesperson said following the March verdict. “We will continue to defend ourselves vigorously as every case is different, and we remain confident in our record of protecting teens online.”
Entertainment
NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for July 23, 2026
The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult if you’re a frequent flyer.
Connections is the one of the most popular New York Times word games that’s captured the public’s attention. 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 today’s Connections solution. But if you’d rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.
What is Connections?
The NYT‘s latest daily word game has become a social media hit. The Times credits associate puzzle editor Wyna Liu with helping to create the new word game and bringing it to the publications’ Games section. 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.
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Here’s a hint for today’s Connections categories
Want a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:
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Yellow: Rounded
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Green: Nervous Nancy
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Blue: Catch a flight
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Purple: Math words
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Here are today’s Connections categories
Need a little extra help? Today’s connections fall into the following categories:
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Yellow: Spherical things
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Green: In an anxious state
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Blue: Parts of an airport
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Purple: Ending in geometry terms
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 #1138 is…
What is the answer to Connections today
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Spherical things: BASEBALL, GLOBE,
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In an anxious state: EXCITED, FEBRILE, FRENETIC, INTENSE
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Parts of an airport: PINS, SNAPS, TWEETS, VINES
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Ending in geometry terms: APPOINT, DEPLANE, FELINE, JANGLE
Are you also playing NYT Strands? Get all the Strands hints you need for today’s puzzle.
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.
Entertainment
NYT Strands hints, answers for July 23, 2026
Today’s NYT Strands hints are easy if you’re a veteran.
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: Hail to the chief petty officer
The words are related to the military.
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Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained
These words describe military titles.
NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?
Today’s NYT Strands spangram is vertical.
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NYT Strands spangram answer today
Today’s spangram is Navy Ranks.
NYT Strands word list for July 23
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Recruit
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Admiral
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Ensign
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Navy Ranks
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Lieutenant
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Commander
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.
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