Technologies

Microsoft Office Is 91% Off, and You’d Be Nuts to Miss Out

Just $30 for lifetime access to Word, Excel and more is an incredible deal.

Just about everyone has heard of or used Microsoft Office at some point in their life, but not everyone may own a copy of it on their own computer. There are some alternatives that work online and while that can help in a pinch, it’s not a great long-term solution. If you find yourself spending more time creating documents, sending emails and fixing up PowerPoints, you’re going to want to check this out.

You can ditch the subscription (with recurring charges) and snag a lifetime license of access to Microsoft’s Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams, OneNote, Publisher and Access for just $30 instead. That’s back at the lowest price we’ve ever seen, and a whopping 91% off the usual price of $349. However, this deal expires in just a few days, so be sure to get your order in soon.

The offer, from StackSocial, applies to both the Windows and Mac version of the software.

Now, you can always opt to use the free online version of Microsoft Office (which has far fewer features). But compared to the online Microsoft 365 subscription suite that costs $10 per month or $100 per year, this downloadable version is a phenomenal bargain.

While the price almost seems too good to be true, we tried it ourselves, and it worked like a charm. (The two big caveats: You get a single key — which only works on a single computer — and there’s no Microsoft OneDrive Cloud Storage included.) In fact, Stack has been offering a version of this deal since the beginning of 2022. But this lowest-ever price won’t last, so take the plunge while you can.

Ready for the next premium app?

Check for promo codes with our CNET Shopping extension before installing the app on your phone.

Technologies

Our Favorite Gaming Keyboard Is Down to Its Lowest Price Ever This Amazon Spring Sale

This Amazon Spring Sale deal slashes a whopping 36% off our favorite gaming keyboard.

If you’re in the market for a gaming keyboard, I know it can get pretty daunting. Between the sheer number of options and varying price points, picking one out is far from easy, especially if you’re looking for a budget-minded option. However, right now, SteelSeries’ popular Apex 3 TKL model is discounted to just $32 as part of the Amazon Spring Sale, a solid 36% drop from its usual $50 price, which makes it one of the most accessible upgrades you can make.

The SteelSeries Apex 3 TKL is easy to recommend, considering how well it balances the basics. It’s a tenkeyless design, which means you’re losing the number pad but gaining more desk space. That can make a big difference if you’re running a compact desk setup.

The typing experience leans towards quiet and comfortable thanks to the whisper quiet switches used here. That makes the keyboard accessible for everyday work as well as gaming. It also bring in features you wouldn’t really expect at this budget price point. You get customizable RGB lighting, dedicated media controls and even IP32 water resistance to protect the keyboard against accidental beverage spills.

The keyboard is our pick for the best gaming keyboard for 2026, which reflects how it performs in real-world use. If you want a full-size layout, the standard Apex 3 is also on sale though the discount runs a bit slimmer. The regular Apex 3 with a full-size number pad can be had for $50, down from its usual $55 price.

CHEAP GAMING LAPTOP DEALS OF THE WEEK

Alienware 16 Aurora AC16250 Intel 7 RTX 5060 512GB SSD 16GB RAM 16-inch 120Hz Laptop:

$1,000 (save $350)
Lenovo LOQ Intel i5 13th Gen RTX 5050 1TB SSD 16GB RAM 15.6-inch Laptop:

$750 (save $295)
HP Omen Slim Intel Ultra 5 RTX 5050 512GB SSD 16GB RAM 16-inch Laptop:

$800 (save $650)
Alienware 16 Aurora AC16250 Intel 7 RTX 5050 512GB SSD 16GB RAM 16-inch 120Hz Laptop:

$850 (save $350)
Acer Nitro V Intel i5 13th Gen RTX 4050 512GB SSD 8GB RAM 15.6-inch Laptop:

$709 (save $41)

Deals are selected by the CNET Group commerce team, and may be unrelated to this article.

Why this deal matters

Priced at $32, the SteelSeries Apex 3 TKL delivers an excellent balance of performance, useful features and a compact design at a price that’s hard to argue with. That $18 discount makes it one of the easiest gaming peripheral upgrades to recommend.

Technologies

Today’s Wordle Hints, Answer and Help for March 29, #1744

Here are hints and the answer for today’s Wordle for March 29, No. 1,744.

Looking for the most recent Wordle answer? Click here for today’s Wordle hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands puzzles.

Today’s Wordle puzzle is kind of a funny word, with some unusual letters I don’t often guess. If you need a new starter word, check out our list of which letters show up the most in English words. If you need hints and the answer, read on.

Today’s Wordle hints

Before we show you today’s Wordle answer, we’ll give you some hints. If you don’t want a spoiler, look away now.

Wordle hint No. 1: Repeats

Today’s Wordle answer has no repeated letters.

Wordle hint No. 2: Vowels

Today’s Wordle answer has one vowel.

Wordle hint No. 3: First letter

Today’s Wordle answer begins with C.

Wordle hint No. 4: Last letter

Today’s Wordle answer ends with P.

Wordle hint No. 5: Meaning

Today’s Wordle answer can refer to a foolish, easily tricked person.

TODAY’S WORDLE ANSWER

Today’s Wordle answer is CHUMP.

Yesterday’s Wordle answer

Yesterday’s Wordle answer, March 28, No. 1743, was AFOOT.

Recent Wordle answers

March 24, No. 1739: BROOD

March 25, No. 1740: WISER

March 26, No. 1741: BEFIT

March 27, No. 1742: IVORY

What’s the best Wordle starting word?

Don’t be afraid to use our tip sheet ranking all the letters in the alphabet by frequency of uses. In short, you want starter words that lean heavy on E, A and R, and don’t contain Z, J and Q.

Some solid starter words to try:

ADIEU

TRAIN

STARE

NOISE

Technologies

Today’s NYT Connections: Sports Edition Hints and Answers for March 29, #552

Here are hints and the answers for the NYT Connections: Sports Edition puzzle for March 29 No. 552.

Looking for the most recent regular Connections answers? Click here for today’s Connections hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Mini Crossword, Wordle and Strands puzzles.

I immediately spotted the yellow group answers, but thought, no, that’s too easy. Spoiler: It was just that easy. If you’re struggling with today’s Connections: Sports Edition, read on for hints and the answers.

Connections: Sports Edition is published by The Athletic, the subscription-based sports journalism site owned by The Times. It doesn’t appear in the NYT Games app, but it does in The Athletic’s own app. Or you can play it for free online.

Read more: NYT Connections: Sports Edition Puzzle Comes Out of Beta

Hints for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups

Here are four hints for the groupings in today’s Connections: Sports Edition puzzle, ranked from the easiest yellow group to the tough (and sometimes bizarre) purple group.

Yellow group hint: Hitting.

Green group hint: Texas teams.

Blue group hint: Goal!

Purple group hint: Play ball!