Technologies
This hack gives you Black Friday savings year round on Amazon. Here’s what to do
You can save money and still get free two-day shipping. We’ll show you how.

Amazon’s «Black Friday-worthy deals» are here. The deals are coming in close competition with Target’s Deal Days that will start next week. You can save on toys, electronics and more. But there’s a hack that helps you get savings like these year round on Amazon. The best part is that Prime members can still get free two-day shipping (one of the membership perks), too.
It all boils down to picking the right quality grade, being open to unfamiliar brands and the possibility of not having a warranty. Plus, you have to be careful not to be redirected to the Amazon home page while looking for deals. It’s tricky but we’re here to help.
We’ll show you the ins and outs of Amazon Warehouse Deals and how to score the best savings since Amazon’s gotten quite good at hiding stuff. Once you learn how, you’ll never want to pay full price again. And here’s the rundown of everything Amazon announced at its most recent product launch so you can keep an eye on savings for these new items, too.
Look for the Amazon Warehouse Deals page
I begin nearly all of my Amazon searches on the Amazon Warehouse Deals landing page, because it cuts out full-price listings almost entirely so you mostly just see the discounted items (I’ll explain the one exception shortly). To get there, open Amazon using either a desktop browser or the Amazon mobile app and search for «Amazon warehouse» or «warehouse deals.»
Rather than getting a list of search results like normal, you should see a screen that looks a lot like the main Amazon search page, with a search bar, categories and so on. From there you can browse categories like Computers & Tablets, Kitchen or Home Improvement (click these and other links in this story to see actual, current Warehouse Deals listings) or you can search for more specific items just like you would on the regular Amazon homepage, except the results will be discounted, sometimes heavily.
This quick and easy approach works best if you’re not in the market for something in particular — say you’re just looking for gift ideas or killing time during your lunch break. It can be a lot of fun to scroll through the various categories looking for stuff that pops out at you. If you’re shopping for something more specific, however, keep reading for pro tips on how to find it discounted using Amazon Warehouse Deals.
Why Amazon Warehouse stuff is so cheap
Just like other major retailers such as Walmart or Target, Amazon takes in a lot of customer returns, which it can no longer sell as new-in-box, regardless of why the buyer sent the item back or whether it’s even been opened.
That’s why everything Amazon Warehouse sells is listed as used, even if the product itself has never been touched. Regardless of its condition, used stuff is just worth less — sometimes a lot less. And that’s good for you.
Amazon Warehouse Deals work for almost anything
Everything I’ve shown you so far works great so long as you’re a little flexible about what you’re looking for. If, on the other hand, you’re shopping for something really specific — like, say, an Otterbox case for your iPhone 12 ($829 at Amazon) — it can be frustrating to limit your search to just Warehouse Deals listings. You might turn up nothing at all relevant.
Whenever you head to Amazon to buy an exact product, go ahead and search for it just like you would otherwise. There’s a way to check and see if a discounted Warehouse Deals version is available from any Amazon listing.
First, pull up the item you want to buy just as you normally would on Amazon, but don’t add it to your cart just yet. Scour the page, keeping your eyes peeled for words like «New & Used,» «Buy Used,» «New & Used Offers» or just plain «Used.»
Usually there’ll be a price listed, too, representing the cheapest option available (but not including tax or shipping costs). If you’re not having any luck finding the link and you’re on a computer, try using your browser’s «find» function (usually Control-F on Windows PCs and Command-F on Macs) to look for these keywords.
Once you locate the link, look for items with «Amazon Warehouse» listed as the seller and an Amazon Prime logo displayed near the price. If Amazon Warehouse has more than one of the same item in stock, there will sometimes be a separate listing for each, especially if the items are in different conditions.
Be careful of Amazon’s redirecting trick
Another thing to keep an eye on — make sure you always go back to the Amazon Warehouse Deals splash page before starting a different search. Otherwise, if you just search for another item from the search bar at the top of the page, Amazon might bounce you out of Warehouse Deals and into the full site.
Same goes for «recent searches.» If you searched for, say, «bunny slippers» across all of Amazon, then went to Warehouse Deals and searched for «banana slippers,» then decided you definitely want bunnies over bananas, don’t select «bunny slippers» from the drop-down menu that appears when you select the search bar. Those recent searches will search not just the same terms but the same Amazon sections as the original search. In other words, it’ll yank you out of Warehouse Deals and back to the land of full-price slippers. Instead, type the search in again on the Amazon Warehouse Deals main page.
You’ll find the best deals if you’re not loyal to one brand
Say you’ve been thinking about getting a new cordless drill for a while. You don’t care who makes it, you just don’t want to spend a lot of money. Or a new dog leash, robot vacuum, whatever. You’re not brand-loyal, just cost-conscious. That’s the perfect time to search from inside Amazon Warehouse Deals.
Do it just like you would on the full Amazon site — type your search terms in the dialog box, then select «Search.» Searching from the Warehouse Deals main page, your results won’t be cluttered with a bunch of full-price listings.
Except for one caveat: Amazon’s «sponsored» listings. Unless you have an ad blocker that specifically removes Amazon’s paid listing results (I love the Amazon Ad Blocker Chrome extension), you’ll still see full-priced items peppered among the discounts. These undiscounted listings look almost identical to Warehouse Deals, except they’re labeled «Sponsored.» Sneaky, I know, but that’s why I’m warning you.
How Amazon Warehouse returns work
Of the dozens (if not hundreds) of Amazon Warehouse listings I’ve bought over the years, I only ever ran into problems with a handful of them — a Bluetooth adapter for my car that would randomly shut off, a wireless router that didn’t broadcast any signal, a very well-worn puppy harness with dog hair stuck to it; stuff like that.
Whenever that happens, I just return the item like I would any defective product, then order another one. Sure, it’s a bit more hassle, but considering the hundreds, if not thousands of dollars I’ve saved over the years this way, it’s worth the extra effort.
Truth is, most Amazon Warehouse items are in perfect working order — many haven’t even been so much as pulled out of their packages yet, like the Ring 2 Doorbell I got for $65 (it retailed for $139) or the Baby Trend stroller I paid $81 for instead of $110. Even for stuff that has been taken out of the box, Amazon puts everything through what the company calls a «rigorous 20-point inspection process,» after which each item is given a quality grade and priced accordingly.
Some items may have cosmetic damage or be missing parts, accessories, instructions or assembly tools, but Amazon will detail any damage to the product or packaging, as well as any missing element along with the condition, so you won’t be surprised. For example, I knew when I ordered a 100-watt Pyle amplifier for $29 that the accessories were loose and the amp would come repackaged. Who cares? I saved close to $15.
What the different Amazon grades mean
Amazon has five different grades it assigns to items it resells. Here they are with brief explanations of what Amazon means by them.
Renewed: This is the highest grade an Amazon Warehouse item can receive and is on par with what other companies might call «refurbished.» Renewed items have been closely inspected and tested and determined to look and function like new and come with a 90-day replacement or refund guarantee. The «refreshed» Roku Express Plus I ordered had never even been opened.
Used, Like New: No noticeable blemishes or marks on the item itself, although the packaging may be damaged, incomplete or missing altogether. All accessories are included, and any damage to the package will be described in the listing. The box for the Like New Evenflo locking gate I saved $6 on was a little banged up, but I’ve seen way worse on Walmart’s shelves. The gate itself was flawless.
Used, Very Good: The item has been lightly used, with minor visible indications of wear and tear, but is otherwise in good working order. Packaging might be damaged, incomplete or the item repackaged. Any missing accessories will be mentioned in the listing. I saved $4 on a Very Good Bosch Icon wiper blade that had, like, one scuff on it.
Used, Good: Item shows moderate signs of use, packaging may be damaged or the item repackaged and it could be missing accessories, instructions or assembly tools. Another Bosch Icon wiper blade I got was only in Good shape, but I saved $15 on that one, and honestly I can’t tell one from the other now that they’re on my car.
Used, Acceptable: Very well-worn, but still fully functional. Major cosmetic defects, packaging issues and/or missing parts, accessories, instructions or tools. I got an Echo Dot for $23 that was considered Acceptable. I think it has a scratch near the power port, but now it’s on my nightstand, where it does its job well, and mostly in the dark, for less than half the cost of a new one.
How to choose the right quality grade
If there are multiple listings with different grades available for the product I want to buy, I think about what I’m going to use it for. If it’s something purely functional and I couldn’t care less about its cosmetic condition, like hair clippers or a cordless drill, I’d go with the cheapest option, period.
If it’s something I’d display, like a kitchen mixer, end table or wall clock, I read the descriptions a little more closely and look for items that are rated Very Good or Like New.
But honestly, a low-nough price on just about anything can woo me into putting up with some scratches or scuffs. Not to mention that in my experience Amazon tends to err on the side of caution, marking items as Good or Acceptable that the average person would consider Very Good or Like New.
Beware, you may not have a warranty with your Warehouse Deal
One of the benefits of purchases made through Amazon Warehouse is that Amazon’s standard 30-day replacement or refund return policy applies, which comes in handy if you wind up with a lemon. Amazon does caution that because these products are considered used they don’t come with the manufacturer’s original warranty.
That said, if the product hasn’t already been registered in someone else’s name, there’s a decent chance any issues you run into past Amazon’s 30-day window can be resolved with a call to the manufacturer.
Amazon Prime members still get free shipping
Subscribing to Amazon Prime won’t get you a bigger discount on Amazon Warehouse Deals, but you’ll get free shipping just as you would for any other Prime-eligible item, which is why I still pay for Prime even though most of my purchases come from Amazon Warehouse.
Most of the stuff I’ve bought through Amazon Warehouse ships and arrives within the same one- to two-day window I get with new items, although some orders do take longer to fulfill. If that’s the case, the extra handling time is usually indicated on the listing, so I know what to expect.
Quick tips about buying from third-party sellers
While wading around in the listings looking for Amazon Warehouse Deals you may have discovered even more discounted listings not sold by Amazon. What you’ve stumbled upon are items sold by third-party retailers whose only relationship with Amazon is that their items are for sale on Amazon’s marketplace, much like eBay.
Amazon’s buyer protections lag considerably behind eBay’s, however. eBay guarantees customers their money back in the event of a dispute, and although Amazon will ultimately do the same, its process is a bit more convoluted, so proceed with caution. Generally, if I can’t find a good enough deal on Amazon Warehouse, I’ll tab over to eBay and look for the item there instead. eBay is a little more transparent about both its vendors and the merchandise they sell. If I’m going to buy garage-sale used as opposed to Amazon’s never-opened used, I prefer eBay.
Technologies
Bishop Takes Rook: You’ll Be Able to Learn Chess on Duolingo Soon
The course is in beta now but will be available to everyone in a few months.

«Hola, ajedrez» means «Hello, chess» in Spanish. You’ve always been able to learn Spanish on Duolingo. And you’ll be able to learn and practice chess on the language learning app soon. Duolingo announced on April 22 that beta testers can practice the centuries-old board game in Duolingo now, and others will be able to learn the game on the app in a few months.
Chess will be the first new Duolingo course since the app began offering math and music lessons in 2023. And Duolingo hopes that to bring the classic board game to more people of all experience levels.
Duolingo chess lessons aim to be friendly to beginners
I spoke with a Duolingo rep about the upcoming lessons. He said the company wants to continue expanding what people can learn through the app, and chess was an early contender.
Chess is «one of those things that … any age group can learn … but then also something that takes the 10,000-hour theory to really master,» Edwin Bodge, a senior product manager with Duolingo, said. «We thought it would fit with the Duolingo medium really well.»
When I asked why people would use Duolingo over other chess learning sites and tools, Bodge said a lot of other chess content is geared toward advanced users, not newcomers. «We really saw a great opportunity to try and cater to more of a beginner, medium (player) and try and increase access to the game,» he said.
The chess lessons are slightly different from others you might find on Duolingo, like Spanish and math, but the progression system is similar. And from what Duolingo showed me, the lessons really do start at square one, or A1 on a chessboard.
Chess lessons feel similar to other Duolingo lessons
When you start, Duolingo asks how much you already know about chess, like in other lessons on the app. Duolingo will then adjust the lessons according to your response. If you say you’re brand-new to chess and have no knowledge of the game, early lessons will focus on how each piece moves before moving on to capturing other pieces and checking the king. Other lessons are similar to mini-puzzles where you might be asked to capture different pieces using a single piece, like your knight or rook, in four moves or fewer.
You can access hints for each lesson, but if you get something wrong, your opponent will react to show you you’ve left a piece open for capture, like in a real match. And if you keep getting something incorrect, Duolingo will show you what to do. «If you get it wrong multiple times, eventually we’ll show you an arrow that shows you exactly where to move,» Sammi Siegel, a software engineer with Duolingo, said.
If you are subscribed to Duolingo Max and make a mistake in a language lesson, the app can explain the mistake — and what the right solution is — with a feature called Explain My Answer. However, that feature won’t be available with the chess lessons for now. It’s not always easy to explain why something is right or wrong in chess because there are so many millions of different moves.
«We want to get better at fuller explanations,» Siegel said. «There is some mix of AI and model training that we’re hoping to use to better explain why a certain move is wrong.» Because there are so many moves in chess, it’s possible to make moves that could be correct but aren’t the best options. In such instances, Duolingo will show a banner that lets you know that a move isn’t wrong but isn’t necessarily the best move.
Duolingo also said each section represents a range on the Elo rating system, the method by which a chess player’s skills are calculated. As you progress, your lessons will be tougher and more challenging. This is similar to the CEFR language proficiency levels attached to the different language sections in the app.
You’ll also have the opportunity to have «mini-matches» or full-on games against Duolingo’s chess coach, Oscar. These matches will scale in difficulty to challenge you as well, so you aren’t facing a grandmaster-level chess player after your first week of playing the game. But that doesn’t mean you can slack off and play sloppily. If you make a mistake, like leaving your queen open to capture, Oscar will take advantage and leave you scrambling to recover.
While playing against Oscar is good practice, you won’t be able to face off against other players when these chess lessons launch. But Duolingo said matches against other people are something they are looking into, so you might be able to play against a friend over the app in the future. «One of the big reasons why we’re doing this is we think we can get a whole generation of people interested in chess,» Bodge said.
Duolingo’s new chess lessons are now available in the beta version now and will start rolling out on iOS in English in May. Duolingo said it is working to bring these lessons to Android devices and more languages in the coming months.
For more on Duolingo, check out how well the free version prepared me for a trip to Italy and our review of the language learning app. You can also check out our best language learning apps.
Technologies
Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Sunday, April 27
Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for April 27.

Looking for the most recent Mini Crossword answer? Click here for today’s Mini Crossword hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Wordle, Strands, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.
Today’s NYT Mini Crossword isn’t too much of a stumper. A lot of words contain A and E, for some reason. Need some help with today’s Mini Crossword? Read on. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.
The Mini Crossword is just one of many games in the Times’ games collection. If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.
Read more: Tips and Tricks for Solving The New York Times Mini Crossword
Let’s get at those Mini Crossword clues and answers.
Mini across clues and answers
1A clue: Outdoor spot to people-watch, maybe
Answer: STOOP
6A clue: Big name in health insurance
Answer: AETNA
7A clue: Broadway theater helper
Answer: USHER
8A clue: Easy to understand
Answer: CLEAR
9A clue: When many show up to a job interview
Answer: EARLY
Mini down clues and answers
1D clue: What «salsa» literally means
Answer: SAUCE
2D clue: Electric car maker since 2003
Answer: TESLA
3D clue: «… in one ear and out the ___»
Answer: OTHER
4D clue: Tatum ___, youngest-ever Oscar winner (at age 10, for Best Supporting Actress)
Answer: ONEAL
5D clue: Defensive maneuver in fencing
Answer: PARRY
How to play more Mini Crosswords
The New York Times Games section offers a large number of online games, but only some of them are free for all to play. You can play the current day’s Mini Crossword for free, but you’ll need a subscription to the Times Games section to play older puzzles from the archives.
Technologies
Today’s NYT Connections: Sports Edition Hints and Answers for April 27, #216
Hints and answers for the NYT Connections: Sports Edition puzzle, No. 216, for April 27.

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.
Connections: Sports Edition might be a breeze, as long as you know your sports-league commissioners. Read on for hints and the answers.
Connections: Sports Edition is out of beta now, making its debut on Super Bowl Sunday, Feb. 9. That’s a sign that the game has earned enough loyal players that The Athletic, the subscription-based sports journalism site owned by the Times, will continue to publish it. It doesn’t show up in the NYT Games app but now appears in The Athletic’s own app. Or you can continue to play it 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: Dunk it.
Green group hint: Get it moving.
Blue group hint: They run the leagues.
Purple group hint: Like house, kind of.
Answers for today’s Connections: Sports Edition groups
Yellow group: Parts of a basketball hoop.
Green group: Propel a ball.
Blue group: League commissioners.
Purple group: Home ____.
Read more: Wordle Cheat Sheet: Here Are the Most Popular Letters Used in English Words
What are today’s Connections: Sports Edition answers?
The yellow words in today’s Connections
The theme is parts of a basketball hoop. The four answers are base, glass, net and rim.
The green words in today’s Connections
The theme is propel a ball. The four answers are bowl, fling, hurl and roll.
The blue words in today’s Connections
The theme is league commissioners.. The four answers are Bettman, Goodell, Manfred and Silver.
The purple words in today’s Connections
The theme is home ____. The four answers are field, plate, run and team.
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