NYT Connections hints and answers for Thursday, February 20 (game #620)

Looking for a different day?

A new NYT Connections puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Wednesday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Connections hints and answers for Wednesday, February 19 (game #619).

Good morning! Let's play Connections, the NYT's clever word game that challenges you to group answers in various categories. It can be tough, so read on if you need Connections hints.

What should you do once you've finished? Why, play some more word games of course. I've also got daily Strands hints and answers and Quordle hints and answers articles if you need help for those too, while Marc's Wordle today page covers the original viral word game.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Connections today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

NYT Connections today (game #620) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• ROOSTER
• UMBRELLA
• SLEEP
• STAR
• SOS
• SUNRISE
• STAY
• FLARE
• CIRCLE
• BUNK
• SIGNAL
• DEW
• ALARM
• TRIANGLE
• WORM
• CRASH

NYT Connections today (game #620) - hint #1 - group hints

What are some clues for today's NYT Connections groups?

• YELLOW: Something you’d sound
• GREEN: Sleepover
• BLUE: First thing in the AM 
• PURPLE: No. 456 picked the hardest

Need more clues?

We're firmly in spoiler territory now, but read on if you want to know what the four theme answers are for today's NYT Connections puzzles…

NYT Connections today (game #620) - hint #2 - group answers

What are the answers for today's NYT Connections groups?

• YELLOW: ALERT 
• GREEN: SPEND THE NIGHT (AT) 
• BLUE: ASSOCIATED WITH EARLY MORNING 
• PURPLE: COOKIE CUTTER SHAPES IN "SQUID GAME" 

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

NYT Connections today (game #620) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #620, are…

• YELLOW: ALERT ALARM, FLARE, SIGNAL, SOS
• GREEN: SPEND THE NIGHT (AT) BUNK, CRASH, SLEEP, STAY
• BLUE: ASSOCIATED WITH EARLY MORNING DEW, ROOSTER, SUNRISE, WORM
• PURPLE: COOKIE CUTTER SHAPES IN "SQUID GAME" CIRCLE, STAR, TRIANGLE, UMBRELLA

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• My rating: Moderate
• My score: 1 mistake

---

I made one mistake today, initially thinking that there was a group that was about ways to wake up. I rashly selected ROOSTER, ALARM, SIGNAL and FLARE before coming to my senses.

Getting the Purple group – COOKIE CUTTER SHAPES IN "SQUID GAME – largely depended on whether you have seen the Netflix series or not, although I guess they're all shapes that might go together anyway. Well, other than UMBRELLA, obviously, which rather complicated things. Still, that aside this was not too tough.

How did you do today? Let me know in the comments below.

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Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Wednesday, 19 February, game #619)

• YELLOW: STRUCTURES BY THE SHORE BOARDWALK, DOCK, LIGHTHOUSE, WHARF
• GREEN: SMALL IMPERFECTION DENT, DING, NICK, SCRATCH
• BLUE: SOUNDS A CUCKOO CLOCK MAKES CHIME, CUCKOO, TICK, TOCK
• PURPLE: _ TAIL COCK, MOCK, PIG, PONY

---

What is NYT Connections?

NYT Connections is one of several increasingly popular word games made by the New York Times. It challenges you to find groups of four items that share something in common, and each group has a different difficulty level: green is easy, yellow a little harder, blue often quite tough and purple usually very difficult.

On the plus side, you don't technically need to solve the final one, as you'll be able to answer that one by a process of elimination. What's more, you can make up to four mistakes, which gives you a little bit of breathing room.

It's a little more involved than something like Wordle, however, and there are plenty of opportunities for the game to trip you up with tricks. For instance, watch out for homophones and other word games that could disguise the answers.

It's playable for free via the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.

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Meta drops dates for Meta Connect 2024 – it’s still 7 months away but here’s what I think the big announcements will be

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• Meta Connect is coming on September 17 and 18
• The first-ever LlamaCon is coming on April 29, 2025
• Meta is teasing big AI and XR announcements for these events

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Meta has announced the dates of its next two events: LamaCon and Meta Connect; in doing so it has potentially told us precisely when we’ll see its next-gen AI glasses, and maybe a sneak peek at what XR tech it has up its sleeve.

Starting with LamaCon as that’s coming up first – on April 29, 2025 – here Meta says it will share updates on its open-source AI collection Llama. This developer conference will seemingly focus more on back-end tools rather than consumer-facing products. However, these tools could be used to create some impressive AI software down the line.

Then there’s Meta Connect 2025, which is scheduled for September 17 and 18. That’s just under seven months away which is a lot more notice than we’re used to for tech events – look at Apple which gave us about a week’s notice for its February 19 event (where it announced the iPhone 16e). Connect, as always, will feature VR, MR, and AI hardware announcements – such as Meta’s Ray-Ban smart glasses – either as products we'll get our hands on soon or tech that’s coming down the line but is still at the in-development stage.

Meta is remaining tight-lipped on specifics for either event but says it’ll be back with updates in the coming months. I’m pretty sure we already have a good idea of what Meta Connect 2025 will have in store for us based on leaks.

What we expect to see at Meta Connect 2025

(Image credit: Meta)

Meta made sure to specifically call out AI glasses in its announcement, and we’re expecting Meta Connect 2025 is where it will launch at least two new products. The first is Oakley versions of its existing Ray-Ban meta smart glasses; they’ll shift the camera from the edge to the nose bridge in the center, and they’ll reportedly be aimed at athletes and cyclists – which could include some AI-powered fitness tools.

The other launch could be next-gen Ray-Ban specs with a display. This single in-lens screen could let a wearer see phone notifications, a preview of images they capture, and other useful info, allowing the Ray-Ban smart specs to communicate with you visually rather than just relying on audio or your phone screen.

Lastly on the AI glasses front I’m predicting the arrival of Meta’s ‘smartwatch’ which is likely just a simple band that allows your specs to pick up hand gesture controls – which we’ve seen a version of for the Meta Orion AR glasses. We’ve heard rumors Meta is working on such a band and has been trying to decide if it should launch it alongside the next-gen Ray-Bans. I’m leaning towards the band dropping later this year, but I wouldn’t be shocked if it’s held back until Meta’s proper AR specs.

The old Meta Quest Pro (Image credit: Meta)

AR glasses aren’t likely – based on leaks, consumer versions of Orion aren’t expected before 2027 – however, I think we have a shot at seeing at least two XR devices.

The first is from Asus in a VR headset codenamed ‘Tarius.’ While it isn’t Meta-made it will boast Meta Horizon OS software – Meta’s operating system which currently only powers Quest devices. Meta has said Asus is working on a Horizon OS device, leaks have started to appear this year for it (hinting that a launch could be approaching), and Meta says in its Connect date announcement that the show will include “the latest and greatest Meta Horizon updates” – it doesn’t get much greater than the platform’s first-ever third-party VR headset. Not much is known about Tarius but leaks tease a high-end gaming headset with top-notch displays.

Finally, I think Meta’s ‘one more thing’ at Connect 2025 will be the Meta Quest Pro 2. But much like the original Pro I think we’ll only be getting a teaser of a device we won’t see properly until Meta Connect 2026. While the Quest Pro was ultimately a flop, and rumors have suggested its sequel has been canned twice (or, specifically, that prototypes that were intended to become the Quest Pro 2 both got scrapped) a third attempt is in the works as a showcase of high-end mixed reality glasses. If that's the case then the Quest Pro 2 could be a super intriguing and unique MR headset – but as with all leaks and predictions we won’t know what Meta has in store for Connect 2025 until its keynote (which usually takes place at the start of the first day, so September 17, 2025).

Whatever announcements Meta makes we’ll be here and ready to cover them.

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Quordle hints and answers for Thursday, February 20 (game #1123)

Looking for a different day?

A new Quordle puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Wednesday's puzzle instead then click here: Quordle hints and answers for Wednesday, February 19 (game #1122).

Quordle was one of the original Wordle alternatives and is still going strong now more than 1,100 games later. It offers a genuine challenge, though, so read on if you need some Quordle hints today – or scroll down further for the answers.

Enjoy playing word games? You can also check out my NYT Connections today and NYT Strands today pages for hints and answers for those puzzles, while Marc's Wordle today column covers the original viral word game.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about Quordle today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

Quordle today (game #1123) - hint #1 - Vowels

How many different vowels are in Quordle today?

• The number of different vowels in Quordle today is 4*.

* Note that by vowel we mean the five standard vowels (A, E, I, O, U), not Y (which is sometimes counted as a vowel too).

Quordle today (game #1123) - hint #2 - repeated letters

Do any of today's Quordle answers contain repeated letters?

• The number of Quordle answers containing a repeated letter today is 0.

Quordle today (game #1123) - hint #3 - uncommon letters

Do the letters Q, Z, X or J appear in Quordle today?

• Yes. One of Q, Z, X or J appears among today's Quordle answers.

Quordle today (game #1123) - hint #4 - starting letters (1)

Do any of today's Quordle puzzles start with the same letter?

• The number of today's Quordle answers starting with the same letter is 0.

If you just want to know the answers at this stage, simply scroll down. If you're not ready yet then here's one more clue to make things a lot easier:

Quordle today (game #1123) - hint #5 - starting letters (2)

What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• H

• D

• F

• C

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

Quordle today (game #1123) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1123, are…

• HASTY
• DRAPE
• FICUS
• CRAZE

I don’t feel that bad about being defeated by today’s puzzle. I still got three very difficult words – one of which included Z. Plus, I got myself in a bind with a letter combination that led to several incorrect guesses I chose ahead of CRAZE.

But mainly I don't feel bad because I have never heard of the word FICUS (a genus of tropical trees, of course) and would only have got it by chancing it, like we all do sometimes in Scrabble hoping that the random letters we’ve put down are in the dictionary.

Onwards and upwards.

How did you do today? Let me know in the comments below.

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Daily Sequence today (game #1123) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1123, are…

• CUMIN
• SCENE
• GUEST
• GRAPH

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Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1122, Wednesday 19 February: ABATE, TROVE, VENUE, DRAPE
• Quordle #1121, Tuesday 18 February: TAMER, SCRUB, BRICK, DRIFT
• Quordle #1120, Monday 17 February: SADLY, WAFER, LITHE, IDIOM
• Quordle #1119, Sunday 16 February: GHOUL, AFIRE, COVEN, FIERY
• Quordle #1118, Saturday 15 February: CREEP, CONDO, GRILL, FANCY
• Quordle #1117, Friday 14 February: MEDIA, ELUDE, THUMB, WIDOW
• Quordle #1116, Thursday 13 February: SCALP, DWELL, AMPLE, TRUNK
• Quordle #1115, Wednesday 12 February: SHOOK, GRADE, POLAR, SEEDY
• Quordle #1114, Tuesday 11 February: HEAVY, CIRCA, PESKY, SCION
• Quordle #1113, Monday 10 February: TWIXT, FRESH, GUISE, TABBY
• Quordle #1112, Sunday 9 February: TAPIR, SHAKE, TOKEN, SEVEN
• Quordle #1111, Saturday 8 February: AFOOT, ALIKE, HUMUS, TOWEL
• Quordle #1110, Friday 7 February: PETAL, ABASE, AMONG, CORER
• Quordle #1109, Thursday 6 February: MADAM, SCAMP, FAUNA, TRACK
• Quordle #1108, Wednesday 5 February: SIXTH, VERVE, BLURB, CACTI
• Quordle #1107, Tuesday 4 February: BIRTH, DRAWN, MILKY, JOIST
• Quordle #1106, Monday 3 February: SLEET, TENSE, SEIZE, SCAMP
• Quordle #1105, Sunday 2 February: LOUSY, PENNE, CHUMP, SALVE
• Quordle #1104, Saturday 1 February: FACET, BLISS, FLUFF, FRANK
• Quordle #1103, Friday 31 January: PARER, SYNOD, BRAWN, BANJO

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NYT Strands hints and answers for Thursday, February 20 (game #354)

Looking for a different day?

A new NYT Strands puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Wednesday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Wednesday, February 19 (game #353).

Strands is the NYT's latest word game after the likes of Wordle, Spelling Bee and Connections – and it's great fun. It can be difficult, though, so read on for my Strands hints.

Want more word-based fun? Then check out my NYT Connections today and Quordle today pages for hints and answers for those games, and Marc's Wordle today page for the original viral word game.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Strands today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

NYT Strands today (game #354) - hint #1 - today's theme

What is the theme of today's NYT Strands?

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Together for the present

NYT Strands today (game #354) - hint #2 - clue words

Play any of these words to unlock the in-game hints system.

• FIVE
• TIED
• NEST
• THAN 
• THEN
• DONE

NYT Strands today (game #354) - hint #3 - spangram

What is a hint for today's spangram?

• Wedding date celebrations

NYT Strands today (game #354) - hint #4 - spangram position

What are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

First side: bottom, 1st column

Last side: top, 3rd column

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

NYT Strands today (game #354) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #354, are…

• DIAMOND
• GOLD
• FIRST
• PAPER
• FIFTIETH
• SIXTIETH
• SPANGRAM: ANNIVERSARY

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• My rating: Easy
• My score: Perfect

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Just to wrap up these pairs, PAPER is your FIRST ANNIVERSARY, GOLD your FIFTIETH, and DIAMOND the SIXTIETH.

With people getting married later in life, it feels as if there should be celebrations of wedding anniversaries before you toast 50 years together, especially as you’re less likely to want a party by the time you get to that stage. I propose we go big on Tin – which marks 10 years since your wedding day. It’s also a lot more affordable than getting someone a gold or diamond gift.

Come on Hallmark, let's make this happen. All in on Tin.

How did you do today? Let me know in the comments below.

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Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Wednesday, 19 February, game #353)

• ELDER
• STRAW
• HUCKLE
• BLUE
• RASP
• SALMON
• GOLDEN
• BLACK
• SPANGRAM: BERRIES

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What is NYT Strands?

Strands is the NYT's new word game, following Wordle and Connections. It's now out of beta so is a fully fledged member of the NYT's games stable and can be played on the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.

I've got a full guide to how to play NYT Strands, complete with tips for solving it, so check that out if you're struggling to beat it each day.

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NYT Strands hints and answers for Wednesday, February 19 (game #353)

Looking for a different day?

A new NYT Strands puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Tuesday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Tuesday, February 18 (game #352).

Strands is the NYT's latest word game after the likes of Wordle, Spelling Bee and Connections – and it's great fun. It can be difficult, though, so read on for my Strands hints.

Want more word-based fun? Then check out my NYT Connections today and Quordle today pages for hints and answers for those games, and Marc's Wordle today page for the original viral word game.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Strands today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

NYT Strands today (game #353) - hint #1 - today's theme

What is the theme of today's NYT Strands?

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Pick your own prefix

NYT Strands today (game #353) - hint #2 - clue words

Play any of these words to unlock the in-game hints system.

• LUCK
• SALE
• CLEAR
• BLUR
• SOLD
• MALE

NYT Strands today (game #353) - hint #3 - spangram

What is a hint for today's spangram?

• Small fruits

NYT Strands today (game #353) - hint #4 - spangram position

What are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

First side: left, 5th row

Last side: right, 4th row

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

NYT Strands today (game #353) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #353, are…

• ELDER
• STRAW
• HUCKLE
• BLUE
• RASP
• SALMON
• GOLDEN
• BLACK
• SPANGRAM: BERRIES

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• My rating: Moderate
• My score: 1 hint

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Interestingly, BERRIES is a linguistic invention and many languages other than English do not gather these small fruits into a single food family and instead have unique words for STRAWberry, RASPberry, etc.

The truth is they are not related at all. The word berry comes from the Latin for grape – but we don’t think of grapes as berries – and was just used to describe small fruits. Meanwhile, to add to the confusion what some people think is a HUCKLEberry, other people think of as a BLUEberry.

Like mushrooms, berries are an area you have to be careful if foraging in the wild. Many varieties, including ELDER, will give you a very upset stomach, while some, including Virginia Creeper Berries, can be fatal to humans. Perhaps it would be a good idea to not give them a name that includes the same suffix as things that are delicious.

How did you do today? Let me know in the comments below.

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Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Tuesday, 18 February, game #352)

• JELLYFISH
• SPORPION
• HORNET
• PLATYPUS
• BUMBLEBEE
• SPANGRAM: STINGERS

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What is NYT Strands?

Strands is the NYT's new word game, following Wordle and Connections. It's now out of beta so is a fully fledged member of the NYT's games stable and can be played on the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.

I've got a full guide to how to play NYT Strands, complete with tips for solving it, so check that out if you're struggling to beat it each day.

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Robot abuse is still the path to the future – even if I hate it

Humanoid robots are the hot new thing and no longer the purview of science fiction, but instead a growing fact of life. Even though most are still in the lab or a handful of factories, their skills are more human-like by the minute. These robots walk, run, assist, converse thanks to AI, hang out, dance, and sometimes suffer unfortunate levels of abuse.

One of the more remarkable humanoid bots is Unitree G1, a pint-sized "humanoid agent AI avatar" featuring dozens of joins and motors. I've seen the G1 in person at CES, and it's an impressive feat of engineering. Despite its mobility and dexterity, G1's capabilities are largely a product of remote control and canned or pre-programmed movements.

Even so, the $16,000 (to start) Unitree G1 can maintain balance and precision in the face of unforeseen obstacles. Unitree recently demonstrated this skill in a new video that shows off not only Unitree G1's remarkable dancing skills but also its perseverance in the face of – ahem – adversity. Unitree notes that the skills demonstrated in the video are new and have not yet been rolled out to all customers.

Watching the short video, it's hard not to feel for the G1 as a developer pokes, pushes, and whacks the robot with a stick. In one remarkable moment, the robot throws up its hands and appears to block a blow. Naturally, I silently cheered the robot's efforts. But I think I may be celebrating the wrong thing.

This is not a video about a poor, defenseless robot trying to protect itself. Unitree G1, even with its integrated AI, has no feelings. It literally can not even feel the blows. It's not upset that someone is hitting it. Instead, the robot's program is for dancing and staying upright.

What's impressive here is that nothing, not even these blows, stops Unitree G1; it just keeps on bopping.

Resilient robots are a crucial part of the humanoid robotics development timeline. Such bots will be of little use to us if, when we accidentally bump into them, they fall over and are then stuck on their backs, flailing their arms and legs like Kafka-esque beetles.

As many times as I wince when I see someone "abusing" a robot, I have to remind myself that this is the way. There can be no robot revolution without such "sacrifice'.

A dancing robot is fun. A robot that can stay upright in the face of an attack is a game-changer.

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Windows 11 24H2 hasn’t raised the bar for the operating system’s CPU requirements, Microsoft clarifies

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• Some reports mistakenly claimed Windows 11 24H2 has dropped support for Intel 8th, 9th, and 10th-gen CPUs
• Microsoft has made it clear this isn’t the case
• The confusion arose due to a support document which is correct, but aimed at PC makers, so it only applies to new, not existing, Windows 11 systems

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Windows 11 hasn’t dropped support for some older Intel processors with its latest incarnation, the (rather problematic) 24H2 update, despite some reports that are floating around claiming this is the case.

Windows Latest brings this clarification, complete with word from Microsoft that these older Intel 8th, 9th, and 10th-generation processors are still fully compatible with Windows 11 24H2, and nothing has changed in that respect.

So where did this errant idea originate? It came from an official list of supported CPUs for Windows 11, which was indeed very recently updated for the 24H2 release, whereupon the mentioned Intel chips were removed.

However, the key point is that this is a support document that lists processors that are okay to use for laptop and PC manufacturers in their new Windows 11 devices. The text clearly states: “OEMs [PC makers] may use the following CPUs for new Windows 11 devices.”

There’s a clear difference between CPUs recommended to go in new Windows 11 PCs, and chips that are in existing PCs which are supported by Windows 11. Something has changed in the former case – those mentioned Intel processors are now considered too out of date to be included with a new machine packing 24H2 (even though they’re still technically okay) – but nothing has changed in the latter case with existing devices.

In short, you’ll be fine to upgrade to Windows 11 24H2 if you’re using an Intel 8th, 9th, or 10th-gen chip, there’s no need to worry on that score.

Windows Latest received a clarification direct from Microsoft with a statement that the “requirements haven’t changed” for Windows 11 24H2, and indeed they haven’t been modified since the OS was first released.

In a separate support article elsewhere on the Windows Hardware Development portal, regarding the CPU requirements for Windows 11 which are provided, Microsoft also notes: “Changes to the processors listed do not indicate or impact a customer’s existing Windows support and are intended for OEMs to determine processors which may be used in new Windows devices.”

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(Image credit: Shutterstock)

Analysis: It’s easy to see where confusion crept in

That clears up the matter definitively, then. That said, there is something of an oddity in that the Windows 11 system requirements page – the official effort for consumers – links across to a ‘list of approved CPUs’ which is the aforementioned recommendations for OEMs, not consumers (as Tom’s Hardware flagged).

So, Microsoft could do with tidying up its support literature here, as it’s easy to see how someone might become confused. If you don’t read the full text of the article, you won’t spot the reference to OEMs (and who reads everything these days?).

What are you supposed to do, then, as a consumer wondering about the exact CPU requirements for Windows 11? Well, Microsoft evidently doesn’t want you poring over any lists of supported processors, and instead recommends you run the PC Health Check app – which admittedly is an easy and hassle-free way to see if your computer does indeed support Windows 11. (Also checking for every possible requirement, not just the processor).

I’d still recommend Microsoft cleans up the mentioned support documentation, though, to ensure that any possible confusion is kept to a minimum, because clearly, as this episode illustrates, there’s some room for befuddlement.

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I am once again alerting you to a PS5 Slim 30th Anniversary restock text message that's doing the rounds - check your phones

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• PS5 Slim 30th Anniversary stock looks to be available by invitation again
• This is the second such text from the EE Store I've received in recent weeks
• Sony and other retailers have given no word on any official restocks to come

---

For the second time in a matter of weeks, I have received another invite via SMS from the EE Store offering me PS5 Slim 30th Anniversary stock.

As a result, I'd recommend keeping your phone close if you've received messages from the store before or are (or were) an EE customer. This might be one of our last best ways to pick up one of the sought-after console bundles with no word on other retailers or official restocks for weeks now.

Even though I moved from EE to O2 last Black Friday, I'm still receiving alerts and offers from the EE Store - so it could be the same for you if you did something similar in recent months.

Today, I received a second message (the first coming a couple of weeks ago) inviting me to buy a PS5 Slim 30th Anniversary bundle. This is the same bundle that EE has sold since the pre-order phase, which consists of the Limited Edition PS5 Slim bundle, an extra Midnight Black DualSense, and a £50 EE Gamecard voucher, all for £539.

Thus, once again, I reckon it's worth keeping your phones close this week as you may get a wonderful invite to buy the rare bundle.

For what it's worth, the link in the SMS is special and can't be replicated on a regular browser, either on mobile or desktop, with the below message popping up.

(Image credit: EE)

The message is headed "You can't get there, from here." and goes on to say "If you're looking for the Sony PS5 Digital 30th Anniversary Limited Edition Bundle, you need to access via a special link we've issued to customers."

If you're looking for an alternative and have also had an eye on the 30th Anniversary Edition DualSense controller, then EE can also help you out with another bundle. The store has been one of the few places where the controller has been readily available - though it has almost always been in bundles like the one below. Still, it is worth a look if you're up for a PS5 Slim by coincidence too.

Scroll down to the bundle section on this PS5 Slim listing page and you'll soon see the 30th Anniversary DualSense bundle that EE claims can save you £19.99.View Deal

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NYT Strands hints and answers for Tuesday, February 18 (game #352)

Looking for a different day?

A new NYT Strands puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Monday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Monday, February 17 (game #351).

Strands is the NYT's latest word game after the likes of Wordle, Spelling Bee and Connections – and it's great fun. It can be difficult, though, so read on for my Strands hints.

Want more word-based fun? Then check out my NYT Connections today and Quordle today pages for hints and answers for those games, and Marc's Wordle today page for the original viral word game.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Strands today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

NYT Strands today (game #352) - hint #1 - today's theme

What is the theme of today's NYT Strands?

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Ouch!

NYT Strands today (game #352) - hint #2 - clue words

Play any of these words to unlock the in-game hints system.

• SCORE
• BLEEP
• CONE
• CORNER
• SOIL
• SELL

NYT Strands today (game #352) - hint #3 - spangram

What is a hint for today's spangram?

• Deliver venom

NYT Strands today (game #352) - hint #4 - spangram position

What are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

First side: right, 3rd row

Last side: left, 7th row

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

NYT Strands today (game #352) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #352, are…

• JELLYFISH
• SPORPION
• HORNET
• PLATYPUS
• BUMBLEBEE
• SPANGRAM: STINGERS

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• My rating: Easy
• My score: Perfect

---

Strands really is an education.

I knew that the PLATYPUS is a strange mammal with a duck’s bill, otter-like body and beaver-type tail. And I knew that they are unique to Australia. But I had no idea they had STINGERS too (well, the male of the species do at least).

It turns out being venomous is just one of the many remarkable features of this incredible creature – they’ve got two layers of fur, they lay eggs, they glow in the dark, they hunt using electroreception, the plural of platypus is platypus. They can complete Strands in 45 seconds without any hints. They are brilliant.

How did you do today? Let me know in the comments below.

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Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Monday, 17 February, game #351)

• LEMON
• CANARY
• GOLDENROD
• MUSTARD
• SAFFRON
• DAFFODIL
• SPANGRAM: YELLOW

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What is NYT Strands?

Strands is the NYT's new word game, following Wordle and Connections. It's now out of beta so is a fully fledged member of the NYT's games stable and can be played on the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.

I've got a full guide to how to play NYT Strands, complete with tips for solving it, so check that out if you're struggling to beat it each day.

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NYT Connections hints and answers for Tuesday, February 18 (game #618)

Looking for a different day?

A new NYT Connections puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Monday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Connections hints and answers for Monday, February 17 (game #617).

Good morning! Let's play Connections, the NYT's clever word game that challenges you to group answers in various categories. It can be tough, so read on if you need Connections hints.

What should you do once you've finished? Why, play some more word games of course. I've also got daily Strands hints and answers and Quordle hints and answers articles if you need help for those too, while Marc's Wordle today page covers the original viral word game.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Connections today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

NYT Connections today (game #618) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• HEARTY
• READY
• HANDY
• SQUARE
• AVAILABLE
• BUTTY
• CAVITY
• FILLING
• FOOTY
• HOLE
• SOLID
• CHIPPY
• HOLLOW
• TELLY
• NEARBY
• PIT

NYT Connections today (game #618) - hint #1 - group hints

What are some clues for today's NYT Connections groups?

• YELLOW: Big and hollow 
• GREEN: Easy to get 
• BLUE: Large portion 
• PURPLE: UK speak

Need more clues?

We're firmly in spoiler territory now, but read on if you want to know what the four theme answers are for today's NYT Connections puzzles…

NYT Connections today (game #618) - hint #2 - group answers

What are the answers for today's NYT Connections groups?

• YELLOW: CRATER 
• GREEN: ACCESSIBLE 
• BLUE: SUBSTANTIAL, AS A MEAL 
• PURPLE: BRITISHISMS 

Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.

NYT Connections today (game #618) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #618, are…

• YELLOW: CRATER CAVITY, HOLE, HOLLOW, PIT
• GREEN: ACCESSIBLE AVAILABLE, HANDY, NEARBY, READY
• BLUE: SUBSTANTIAL, AS A MEAL FILLING, HEARTY, SOLID, SQUARE
• PURPLE: BRITISHISMS BUTTY, CHIPPY, FOOTY, TELLY

---

• My rating: Easy
• My score: Perfect

---

Finally, Connections gives me a Purple group I can solve easily and acknowledges the vast army of UK players to boot.

In case you are unaware, a BUTTY is a sandwich made of one slice of bread folded over – invariably filled with chips that you’d buy from a CHIPPY (fish and chip shop) sprinkled with salt and vinegar and red sauce (ketchup), that you eat while watching the FOOTY (soccer) on your TELLY – a delicacy that is more of a snack than SUBSTANTIAL, AS A MEAL.

And now I'm hungry. Thank you, Connections.

How did you do today? Let me know in the comments below.

---

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Monday, 17 February, game #617)

• YELLOW: TIME OFF BREAK, LEAVE, REST, VACATION
• GREEN: FOLLOW A MEANDERING COURSE CURVE, SNAKE, WEAVE, WIND
• BLUE: BOWLING RESULTS DOUBLE, SPARE, STRIKE, TURKEY
• PURPLE: -__FISH BLOW, CAT, GOLD, SWORD

---

What is NYT Connections?

NYT Connections is one of several increasingly popular word games made by the New York Times. It challenges you to find groups of four items that share something in common, and each group has a different difficulty level: green is easy, yellow a little harder, blue often quite tough and purple usually very difficult.

On the plus side, you don't technically need to solve the final one, as you'll be able to answer that one by a process of elimination. What's more, you can make up to four mistakes, which gives you a little bit of breathing room.

It's a little more involved than something like Wordle, however, and there are plenty of opportunities for the game to trip you up with tricks. For instance, watch out for homophones and other word games that could disguise the answers.

It's playable for free via the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.

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Alexa’s big AI revamp might have been delayed again, and I’m losing faith Amazon's new assistant will be all that smart

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• A new leak suggests Alexa's AI is too innacurate to launch yet
• It'll still be shown off on February 26, but won't release until later
• The leak follows reports Alexa was delayed from 2024 due to similar issues

---

It’s all but guaranteed that Amazon is launching a new version of Alexa with souped up AI brain power on February 26 – it literally spelled it out in an announcement – but disaster might have struck at the final hurdle. Alexa AI is reportedly delayed, again.

That’s per an anonymous source who spoke with The Washington Post (the report is behind a paywall) claiming that the new Alexa has been making too many mistakes when asked test questions. As a result Alexa is being delayed to improve its accuracy – with the current launch date now put back 'til March 31.

Amazon is still expected to unveil the all-new Alexa at the New York event on February 26 as it originally planned, however, we expect access to the AI (and the questions it’ll answer in demos) might be restricted so as not to reveal its potentially less-than-perfect side.

As with all rumored information, we should still take all of this with a pinch of salt, though if The Washington Post is correct, this wouldn’t be the first time Alexa has been delayed. Multiple sources had teased a 2024 launch date, with accuracy issues once again cited as the reason Alexa was held back.

(Image credit: Amazon)

Beyond causing a delay, these issues could also prove a blow to Amazon’s rumored plan to charge users for Alexa's help. It’s been said the revamped Alexa could cost paying customers $5-$10 a month to use (around £5-£10 / AU$8-AU$16). If Alexa is unreliable – or has a reputation for being unreliable beyond what’s expected from a current-gen AI – we imagine there won’t be many users keen to pay for the service.

At least the current-version of Alexa is said to be sticking around as a permanently free and generally reliable option.

If Amazon can solve Alexa’s accuracy problems, the new AI does sound rather useful. Alexa AI is said to be smarter so it can handle multiple prompts at once, rather than requiring its user to give distinct commands one after the other, and to perform as an AI agent – read: taking actions without direct user requests.

Admittedly that last point sounds a little scary, given that Alexa AI would have our credit card info and direct access to the world’s largest online store (Amazon), especially if Alexa is prone to mistakes (I know I'd be nervous about using it). But if Amazon can prove its agent is genuinely helpful, Alexa might finally start living up to the futuristic home assistant many imagined it would be when it first launched.

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Marvel Rivals director gives hope to the idea of a Nintendo Switch 2 port

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• It seems that Marvel Rivals could come to Nintendo Switch 2
• The game's producer states NetEase Games is "open" to a Switch 2 version
• It's not available on the original Nintendo Switch hardware

---

Here's some potentially good news, webslingers, as multiplayer game of the hour Marvel Rivals could well make its way to Nintendo Switch 2 with the game's producer open to the idea of a port.

Speaking to GameSpot at the DICE Summit, Marvel Rivals producer Weicong Wu responded to a question regarding Marvel Rivals' potential arrival on Nintendo Switch 2.

The producer said: "We're already in contact with Nintendo and working on some development kits. And whenever we find that we could provide great performance for our game on Switch 2, we're open to that. The reason why we didn't launch it onto the Switch, it was the first generation of that device they cannot provide a great experience for our gameplay. So if it could achieve that goal, we're open to that."

While this doesn't set anything in stone, it's quite clear that developer NetEase Game is at least eager to expand its playerbase by offering Marvel Rivals on another console. And why not? The multiplayer hero shooter has enjoyed an enviable amount of success across PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X, and Xbox Series S.

Plus, it's easy to imagine Fortnite, Overwatch 2 and other popular multiplayer titles making the jump to Nintendo Switch 2, especially if the upcoming console offers a significant jump in performance over the original model.

Currently, Marvel Rivals is going strong with its first season well underway. Since launch, the Fantastic Four's Mr. Fantastic and the Invisible Woman being added to the game. It also promises a new hero to be added to the roster every six weeks.

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Finally, some good news about Nvidia’s new GPUs: RTX 5090 stock levels rumored to surge in a month or so

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• Nvidia’s RTX 5090 is vanishingly thin for stock levels now, but that could soon change
• Rumor has it that board makers are getting a major influx of chips for their RTX 5090 graphics cards
• It might only take a month or so for this apparent surge in stock to manifest on shelves

---

Nvidia’s RTX 5090 may be extremely thin on the ground right now – you’d be lucky to find one still (note that our guide on where to buy the GPU could help in that quest) – but maybe you should wait anyway, because if a new rumor pans out, this won’t be the case for much longer.

The supply of RTX5090 will be stupidly high soon. Scalpers will cry so hard😂February 15, 2025

MEGAsizeGPU is a regular contributor to the hardware rumor scene on X and claims to have knowledge of Nvidia’s GB202 supply.

Those are the chips used in the RTX 5090, and apparently graphics card makers are getting “tons” of supply of GB202 (complemented with the necessary VRAM, so there’s no chance waiting for GDDR7 video memory is going to hold up production, either).

That’ll mean they will be able to make a lot more RTX 5090 graphics cards, of course, to sell into retail channels.

This apparent surge in supply – add your own seasoning – won’t come through to shelves immediately, though, because as noted, the boards still need to be manufactured and distributed.

Therefore, MEGAsizeGPU guesses that we will start to see a lot more RTX 5090 GPUs available to buy in “about one month” or so, and this is caveated as a guess, I should stress.

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(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler)

Analysis: Scalpers could be in serious trouble

A month sounds on the optimistic side, but if this is true, there’ll be an increase in supply soon enough, and it won’t be too long before the shelves are potentially stuffed with RTX 5090 GPUs.

I say that they’ll be stuffed because what we must remember about the Blackwell flagship is that it’s a very niche proposition. Indeed, given the price hike with the MSRP over the RTX 4090, the RTX 5090 is even more of an out-of-reach enthusiast graphics card, so the audience for this particular GPU is pretty narrow, frankly. A sudden surge in supply as predicted will probably mean that there are RTX 5090 models sat at shelves, finally, and hopefully prices will therefore normalize more, back towards the MSRP.

So, if you were at all tempted to buy an RTX 5090 at the higher prices some retailers are charging, or indeed a resold GPU on an auction site, the clear advice here is: sit tight. It certainly seems worth waiting, as we should see the results of this apparent move from Nvidia coming through soon enough (and I’m betting more rumors will soon flag this as being correct, if it really is true).

As MEGAsizeGPU points out, the “scalpers will cry so hard” and that might teach folks a lesson that price gouging new hardware, especially seriously expensive goods, may not be a wise course of action, and it doesn’t come without risks.

On a broader note, this is the first glint of an optimistic forecast for Nvidia’s Blackwell GPUs that we’ve had since they were launched (it’s been a whole lot of doom and gloom otherwise).

Nothing is mentioned about the RTX 5080 by the leaker, but still, we can hope that if GB202 supply is getting better, perhaps other chips (GB203, and GB205, the latter being the engine of the RTX 5070) are perhaps due for an uptick too, and maybe more of Nvidia’s RTX 5000 graphics cards will see healthier stock levels.

That said, VideoCardz, which noticed the above post on X, also points out that what some retailers appear to be doing is heavily favoring pre-built PCs with new Blackwell GPUs, rather than selling them as standalone products. Regardless, if a lot of RTX 5090 stock is coming through, there should not be an availability problem before too long.

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