NYT Strands today — hints, answers and spangram for Wednesday, June 26 (game #115)

I was a little out of my depth for today's Strands, but hopefully you'll find it more straightforward than I did. If not, I've got some helpful hints for you below.

Want more word-based fun? Then check out my Wordle today, NYT Connections today and Quordle today pages for hints and answers for those games. 

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 #115) - hint #1 - today's theme

What is the theme of today's NYT Strands?

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Looking good

NYT Strands today (game #115) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• SPIRE
• WAIST
• FIRE
• PAPER
• RIFF
• SHIRK

NYT Strands today (game #115) - hint #3 - spangram

What is a hint for today's spangram?

• In style

NYT Strands today (game #115) - hint #4 - spangram position

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

• First: left, 6th row

• Last: right, 2nd row

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

NYT Strands today (game #115) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #115, are…

• POSH
• SNAZZY
• DAPPER
• SPIFFY
• CHIC
• SWANK
• DRIPPY
• SPANGRAM: FASHIONISTA

---

• My rating: Moderate
• My score: Perfect

---

I'm about as far from a FASHIONISTA, as it's possible for a human to be, and I have no embarrassment about that fact. That may explain why I struggled to find some of the answers today. A few were easy – for instance CHIC, DAPPER, SNAZZY stood out fairly quickly and make total sense in the context of the theme clue and the spangram. However, POSH confused me; I'd never have considered it to be related to fashion, particularly, although I guess it makes some sense.

DRIPPY also tripped me up; it was the final one I got, when the answer couldn't be anything else, and I suspect I wouldn't have solved it if not by default. But my struggles may well not be shared by anyone else, or certainly by those of you who spend more time thinking about clothes than I do.

How did you do today? Send me an email and let me know.

---

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Tuesday 25 June, game #114)

• SPARE
• SPLIT
• STRIKE
• TURKEY
• LANE
• PINS
• ALLEY
• GUTTER
• SPANGRAM: BOWLING

---

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 today — hints and answers for Wednesday, June 26 (game #381)

Another day, another Connections puzzle to complete. This was is of moderate difficulty, so read on for my hints if you need them.

What should you do once you've finished? Why, play some more word games of course. I've also got daily Wordle hints and answers, Strands hints and answers and Quordle hints and answers articles if you need help for those too.

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 #381) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• PERSONAL
• PORT
• MAJOR
• OUTLET
• PRIVATE
• DEMAND
• POP-UP
• MARKET
• AUDIENCE
• WANT
• CAPTAIN
• JACK
• GENERAL
• APPETITE
• SOCKET
• ATTACK

NYT Connections today (game #381) - hint #1 - group hints

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

• Yellow: Yes sir!
• Green: Cable goes here
• Blue: We want it
• Purple: Blank marketing

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 #381) - hint #2 - group answers

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

• YELLOW: ARMY RANKS
• GREEN: PLACE TO PLUG SOMETHING IN
• BLUE: CONSUMER DESIRE, COLLECTIVELY
• PURPLE: ___ AD

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

NYT Connections today (game #381) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #381, are…

• YELLOW: ARMY RANKS CAPTAIN, GENERAL, MAJOR, PRIVATE
• GREEN: PLACE TO PLUG SOMETHING IN JACK, OUTLET, PORT, SOCKET
• BLUE: CONSUMER DESIRE, COLLECTIVELY APPETITE AUDIENCE DEMAND MARKET
• PURPLE: ___ AD ATTACK, PERSONAL, POP-UP, WANT

---

• My rating: Moderate
• My score: Perfect

---

This was one of those games where there was a big difference in difficulty between the groups. Yellow – the army ranks one – was really simple, and the green 'ports' one was not much harder. But blue and purple were on a different level. I don't think I ever would have got purple, the __AD one, if not by default, frankly.

How did you do today? Send me an email and let me know.

---

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Tuesday, 25 June, game #380)

• YELLOW: DIVULGE, AS PRIVATE INFORMATION DISH, SPILL, TALK, TELL
• GREEN: DIVIDE BRANCH, FORK, PART, SPLIT
• BLUE: SILENT “K” DOORKNOB, KNIFE, TOPKNOT, UNKNOWN
• PURPLE: KEY TO SUCCESS, SO TO SPEAK FORMULA, RECIPE, SECRET, TICKET

---

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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Google may be making AI versions of celebrities for you to chat up in YouTube

Google is working on creating artificial intelligence-powered chatbots mimicking famous people and fictional characters, according to a report from The Information. These AI celebrities, YouTube influencers, and imaginary people will also serve as a template for users to build their own generative AI chatbots with customized personalities and appearances.

At first glance, these chatbots sound similar to the recently released Gems, a customized version of the Google Gemini language models. But Gems are designed to handle a specific task, such as coding software or designing a fitness regimen. The chatbots described in the report focus on mimicking the personalities and responses of whichever character or celebrity they are based on. 

Google appears to be imitating and attempting to surpass companies like Character.ai, an early proponent of custom chatbots based on famous and fictional people. That’s also what Meta and its Celebrity AI chatbots have pursued, with its official partnerships producing AI recreations of people like Paris Hilton and Snoop Dogg.

Where will they be?

Google may look to incorporate its generative AI chatbots through YouTube instead of using them as standalone. The obvious benefit is that it would let popular YouTube creators promote the service with their own AI personas. That’s what major YouTube star Mr. Beast already does on Meta. Presumably, Google would figure out a monetization method that would link to engagement and other YouTube metrics. 

The report doesn’t mention which celebrities Google might use, but connecting it to YouTube personalities and their popular pages may help the chatbots avoid the disinterest Meta’s celeb chatbots face. The Snoop Dogg dungeon master has only 14,600 followers on Instagram, for instance, compared with 87.5 million followers on the actual Snoop Dogg account. The same goes for Paris Hilton, who has 26.5 million followers compared to her AI detective character’s Instagram page, with just 13,300 followers.

Though there’s no confirmation from Google or an official rollout timeline yet, you can probably expect to see Google’s customizable chatbot platform on the Google Labs page if you want to be an early adopter of chatting with an AI celebrity clone or making an AI version of yourself to talk to.

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Microsoft has pulled a miracle: its Surface Copilot PCs are now the most repairable in the market

Microsoft’s Surface Pro 10 and Surface Laptop 7 Copilot+ PCs are finally launching, and, as it turns out, they are some of the most repairable laptops on the market.

According to a new breakdown of the laptops thanks to iFixit, they praised how easily technicians can service them. Shahram Mokhtari from the official YouTube channel walks through the process of detaching each component, including the motherboard, to demonstrate how straightforward it is to remove and repair them.

Under the case of each device are several labels and QR codes that feature a wrench symbol above them. Microsoft calls the labels ‘Wayfinder Markings,’ and they inform you how what kind of screws you need and how many of them to secure components in that area. Meanwhile, the QR codes bring you to Microsoft’s official service guides page for easy instructions.

(Image credit: Microsoft)

The ease of parts removal has been greatly improved, which is especially a boon for laptops. For instance, batteries in the Surface Laptop can now be removed by simply removing the bottom feet and back cover, compared to older models that required nearly every other component to be taken out first. This was especially egregious when the battery was the only serviceable part of the laptop. SSD cards are also simple to take out. Unfortunately, memory is soldered to the motherboard, making it difficult for the average user to detach and replace.

The Surface Pro is just as easy to work on, with the SSD replaceable without disassembly, and removing the display is much simpler than other tablets. However, due to the adhesive securing the screen, replacing other components like the battery can be a bit more challenging.

The Surface Pro and Surface Laptop each receive a repairability score of 8 out of 10, a massive improvement compared to Microsoft’s disastrous scoring back in 2017, when iFixit gave the original Surface Laptop a zero out of ten score for repairability. It seems that after that, Microsoft was determined to turn over a new leaf, even partnering with iFixit in 2021 to start selling Surface repair tools.

Meanwhile, MacBooks and Chromebooks are among the worst laptops for repairability, according to a report called Failing the Fix, which was compiled by the Public Interest Research Group (PIRG), a consumer advocacy organization in the U.S. Sounds like Apple and Google should be taking a page from Microsoft’s book and overhaul their own PCs to be far more user friendly. 

You might also like

• My week so far with Copilot+ PC laptops: they might be the future
• Microsoft says its new Surface Laptops beat the MacBook Air
• I asked a Copilot+ PC to make me a beach ball, it gave me what I needed

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NYT Strands today — hints, answers and spangram for Tuesday, June 25 (game #114)

Today's Strands is a nice approachable one that shouldn't cause you too many problems – but read on if you do need a few hints.

Want more word-based fun? Then check out my Wordle today, NYT Connections today and Quordle today pages for hints and answers for those games. 

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 #114) - hint #1 - today's theme

What is the theme of today's NYT Strands?

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Frame game

NYT Strands today (game #114) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• SPARSE
• PLAIT
• BORE
• LIKE
• SPIN
• NINE

NYT Strands today (game #114) - hint #3 - spangram

What is a hint for today's spangram?

• Pin pals

NYT Strands today (game #114) - hint #4 - spangram position

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

• First: left, 3rd row

• Last: right, 6th row

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

NYT Strands today (game #114) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #114, are…

• SPARE
• SPLIT
• STRIKE
• TURKEY
• LANE
• PINS
• ALLEY
• GUTTER
• SPANGRAM: BOWLING

---

• My rating: Easy
• My score: Perfect

---

I'm awful at bowling; my best score ever was about 100, I think, which would be considered a disaster for a decent player. Although that said, I am a champion at the game on Nintendo Switch / Wii, so that counts for something, right?

Anyway, my inability to knock down pins in real life didn't impact my game today, which went a lot more smoothly. I didn't spot the concept from the theme clue, which was a little obtuse, but picked up both SPARE and SPLIT by accident, and at that stage knew exactly what the remaining answers would be related to. I got the spangram next, which made the task of finding the other solutions easier still, and completed the whole thing in a lot less time than it would take to complete an actual game of bowling. 

How did you do today? Send me an email and let me know.

---

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Monday 24 June, game #113)

• TARTAN
• PAISLEY
• GINGHAM
• STRIPES
• CHEVRON
• ARGYLE
• SPANGRAM: PATTERNS

---

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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Intel’s Lunar Lake CPUs may be coming out sooner than you think — and that’s great news

A new report may have revealed the launch date of the Intel Lunar Lake chips for both desktops and laptops, which is expected to be between September 17 and 24, 2024. If this report is to be believed, it puts the launch just before the Intel Innovation event, which lands on September 24 and 25.

The report, which comes from Benchlife (reported on by Kitguru), also asserts that the Core Ultra 200K ‘Arrow Lake-S’ will be available about a month later, along with the release of the first Z890 motherboards. However, the Core Ultra 200 non-K chips should launch in early 2025 with the B860 and H810 motherboards, most likely to be revealed during CES 2025.

This report coincides with the official news from Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger’s Computex 2024 keynote that the Lunar Lake series would be released sometime in late 2024. This means we’ll get AI PCs outfitted with the new chips right around the holiday season.

The competition is heating up 

What makes these Lunar Lake and Arrow Lake launches especially interesting is that they nearly match the launches of AMD's Strix Point and Ryzen 9000 CPUs and Nvidia's next-gen GeForce graphics cards. We’ll be seeing some truly high-profile releases this year, which perfectly meshes with the advent of AI PCs.

Of course, Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Elite chips have already started launching with AI PCs, adding another competitor to the mix. Now that we have so many players coming in, I look forward to seeing them compete for market share. It’s honestly about time there was a major shakeup, and the results should mean that these tech giants continue to innovate and deliver the best products they can to us.

It already seems that Intel is confident in its imminent victory in the CPU market over Qualcomm, as it’s stated several times that the Lunar Lake will surpass Snapdragon. It claims it’ll deliver 1.4x faster AI performance than the Snapdragon X Elite while using 20% less power. It also points out that the NPU – Neural Processing Unit for AI acceleration – will hit 45 TOPS (trillions of operations per second), and the GPU will provide 60 TOPS.

While my money is on Qualcomm, as so many manufacturers have pivoted to outfitting their AI PCs with Snapdragon chips, and it’s the most promising in balancing performance with battery life, I’ll be keeping my eyes peeled to witness which one comes out on top in the end.

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ChatGPT wrote a movie and yes, it freaked people out and forced a big change to its launch plans

The Prince Charles Cinema in London canceled the world premiere of “The Last Screenwriter” after receiving complaints over the use of ChatGPT to write the film’s script.

Swiss director Peter Luisi employed the generative artificial intelligence chatbot to write the film and gave the AI the screenwriting credit. Aptly enough for a script composed by an AI, “The Last Screenwriter” is about a famous screenwriter dealing with an AI scriptwriter named “ChatGPT 4.0,” outperforming him and somehow understanding humanity better than the actual human.

Luisi produced the screenplay through a series of prompts to ChatGPT, starting by asking it to “write a plot to a feature-length film where a screenwriter realizes he is less good than artificial intelligence in writing.” He followed up with the AI by asking it to compose outlines and scenes, as well as name the movie’s characters. With some editing, the script was complete. 

The movie’s press kit even includes a statement from ‘the screenwriter,’ who comes off as very proud of the screenplay.

“As the screenwriter of 'The Last Screenwriter,' I am excited to bring this thought-provoking story to life on the page,” ChatGPT is quoted as stating. “At its core, the film explores the intersection between technology and human creativity, and asks the question: can machines truly replace the human experience when it comes to art and storytelling?”

That almost sounds too human.

Fade to black

However, just before the premiere, the cinema canceled the event, citing a deluge of audience complaints. While trying to avoid this specific controversy, the theater did make a point about the question of AI in entertainment being a larger issue than just this one film and one theater’s policy. 

“The feedback we received over the last 24hrs once we advertised the film has highlighted the strong concern held by many of our audience on the use of AI in place of a writer which speaks to a wider issue within the industry,” the Prince Charles wrote in its statement. 

Proponents of AI in entertainment say it can offer innovative solutions and new perspectives. However, many worry about what it might mean for creative employment and even the future of storytelling.

Generative AI and its uses were at the core of the recent writer and screen actor union strikes, and both settlements addressed how companies should approach the technology. Even so, it’s not likely to be a settled issue when the technology itself is evolving so rapidly.

Don't cry for ChatGPT. Director Luisi still held a family and friends screens. Plus, there are plans to release the movie for free online on June 27 and post the screenplay and how it was created by ChatGPT.

• Pro comedians tried using ChatGPT and Google Gemini to write their jokes – these were the hilariously unfunny results 
• OpenAI announces new Safety and Security Committee as the AI race hots up and concerns grow around ethics
• ChatGPT’s big, free update with GPT-4o is rolling out now – here’s how to get it

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Rumored Apple and Meta collaboration might make the iPhone 16 a better AI phone

Apple may be augmenting its new Apple Intelligence Artificial Intelligence (AI) features with models built by Meta, according to a Wall Street Journal report. The two tech giants are supposedly discussing incorporating Meta's generative AI services into iOS 18 and the next generation of iPhone models. 

The WSJ report cites conversations Apple has begun with most of the big names in AI, including Google (Gemini), Anthropic (Claude), and OpenAI (ChatGPT). Plans for Apple Intelligence to include free ChatGPT access and GPT-4o integration were mentioned among the deluge of Apple Intelligence news at WWDC this year. That is clearly a non-exclusive arrangement if a Meta collaboration is underway. 

Apple's interest in Meta's Llama 2 and Llama 3 large language models makes sense on both ends of any deal. Meta would get to bring its AI to the massive global network of iPhone users, while Apple could cite Meta's AI features as another selling point for the iPhone. And while both Meta and Apple have some deals with OpenAI and its main funder, Microsoft, an alliance between the two might help build a competitive alternative even as OpenAI and ChatGPT may be what people first point to as generative AI. 

Mutually beneficial

For Apple as a hardware platform, it's especially good to widen the available AI model choices. That way, Apple can pitch iPhones as an AI hub, switching among models depending on what people want the AI to do. Apple explicitly pointed toward that goal at WWDC this year when announcing the deal with OpenAI to provide ChatGPT on Apple products.

“We wanted to start with the best, and we think ChatGPT from OpenAI and their new 4o model represents the best choice for our users today,” Apple's senior vice president of Software Engineering Craig Federighi explained at the event. “We think ultimately, people are going to have a preference perhaps for certain models that they want to use – maybe one that great’s for creative writing, or one they prefer for coding, and so we want to enable users ultimately to bring the model of their choice and we’re going to look forward to doing integrations with models, like Google Gemini for instance, in the future."

Any speculation on how Apple Intelligence will change thanks to Meta is premature, but the fact it's happening at all might surprise some. Meta's advertising income took a beating after Apple changed its policies to give users more control over their data in 2021. Requiring user permission before tracking data across other apps and websites cost Meta billions of dollars and prompted Meta to release a method for advertisers to avoid Apple's service fee for boosting ad posts. The stakes of those business battles are apparently no match for Apple and Meta's anticipated AI earnings, and both now seem happy to let bygones be bygones. 

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• Apple Intelligence isn't just a way to force you into an early iPhone upgrade, Apple claims
• Meta rolls out new Meta AI website, and it might just bury Microsoft and Google's AI dreams
• What is Apple Intelligence? The new AI powers coming to your iPhone, iPad and Mac explained

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Want Wi-Fi 7 on Windows 10? Forget it, Microsoft has confirmed it’s for Copilot+ PCs only

Microsoft has confirmed that the superfast wireless speeds that have arrived courtesy of Wi-Fi 7 – for devices and routers with support – will only be coming to the very latest version of Windows 11.

That’d be Windows 11 24H2, of course, and as you might know, this version is only currently available for Copilot+ PCs, but the big update for 2024 will roll out to all Windows 11 users later this year (maybe in September).

For now, though, the new Wi-Fi support is for Copilot+ PCs only, as Windows Latest spotted a Microsoft support document that confirmed this.

In the document on the latest wireless technology in Windows, Microsoft states: “Wi-Fi 7 is available starting with Windows 11, version 24H2.”

Now, that doesn’t mean that Wi-Fi 7 will always be limited to that specific incarnation of Windows 11 – 24H2 (or later) – just that Microsoft is kicking off availability with this version. It might be the case that it’s added to earlier versions of Windows 11 (well, 23H2) before too long.

However, it looks like Windows 10 users are out of luck though, as there’s no mention of the OS – as was the case with Wi-Fi 6E, the advancement on Wi-Fi 6 that previously came through.

---

Analysis: Wi-Fi 6E misstep unlikely to happen again

So, it seems like Wi-Fi 7 won’t debut for Windows 10, but that isn’t really a massive surprise. Firstly, Windows 10 runs out of support in not that much more than a year now, so it’s going to be limited in terms of new features being introduced anyway (though there will be some new additions into the mix, we know that much – enough to prompt Microsoft to resurrect the Beta testing channel for the OS).

And secondly, Windows 10 didn’t get Wi-Fi 6E as noted above, so it seems unlikely that it’d receive Wi-Fi 7 support. We can’t completely rule it out, of course – as it’s not explicitly stated that Windows 10 won’t – but that seems to be the heavy hint Microsoft is dropping by only mentioning Windows 11 versions.

Now, there is a slight twist here, in that Windows 10 did receive Wi-Fi 6E in what seemed to be a mistake with a single Intel driver that erroneously added support (somehow) – but that driver is reportedly buggy and not to be used (if you can find it at all). So, you could hope this might happen with Wi-Fi 7, but we’re betting it won’t – and Intel has learned from this mistake.

In short, don’t expect speedy Wi-Fi 7 for Windows 10, and of course remember that even on Windows 11, you need a router and PC that supports the new wireless standard to benefit from Wi-Fi 7.

You might also like...

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NYT Strands today — hints, answers and spangram for Monday, June 24 (game #113)

A new week means a new opportunity to solve Strands. But then again, every day brings that opportunity, so I'm just talking nonsense. My hints are more useful than this intro, honest!

Want more word-based fun? Then check out my Wordle today, NYT Connections today and Quordle today pages for hints and answers for those games. 

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 #113) - hint #1 - today's theme

What is the theme of today's NYT Strands?

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Fine print

NYT Strands today (game #113) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• THING
• STRIP
• GEARS
• LETTER
• GREAT
• HANG

NYT Strands today (game #113) - hint #3 - spangram

What is a hint for today's spangram?

• Repeating design

NYT Strands today (game #113) - hint #4 - spangram position

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

• First: left, 5th row

• Last: 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 #113) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #113, are…

• TARTAN
• PAISLEY
• GINGHAM
• STRIPES
• CHEVRON
• ARGYLE
• SPANGRAM: PATTERNS

---

• My rating: Easy
• My score: Perfect

---

I liked this Strands puzzle. It's challenging enough to keep your brain working, but without some of the rather silly elements that sometimes frustrate about this game. For instance, it all makes logical sense – the spangram is PATTERNS, and the answers are all… patterns! Genius!

It took me a while to get started, but once I came up with TARTAN the theme was obvious, although the clue of 'fine print' was not particularly helpful in retrospect. Some of the answers were straightforward – I'm looking at you, STRIPES and PAISLEY – but the likes of ARGYLE and GINGHAM were a lot less so. Enjoyable.

How did you do today? Send me an email and let me know.

---

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Sunday 23 June, game #112)

• CHILIS
• SIZZLER
• CHECKERS
• SUBWAY
• OUTBACK
• SONIC
• SPANGRAM: CHAINLINK

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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 today — hints and answers for Monday, June 24 (game #379)

A new week brings a new set of Connections puzzles to complete. You'll find some hints below if you need them – and my commentary if you don't.

What should you do once you've finished? Why, play some more word games of course. I've also got daily Wordle hints and answers, Strands hints and answers and Quordle hints and answers articles if you need help for those too.

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 #379) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• BARE
• CARPET
• RAW
• MEAT
• NEW
• DELICATE
• DELICIOUS
• MOUSSE
• DEAR
• DESSERT
• SENSITIVE
• SIDE
• STARTER
• TAPE
• MAIN
• TENDER

NYT Connections today (game #379) - hint #1 - group hints

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

• Yellow: Ouch!
• Green: Feeling hungry?
• Blue: Sounds like an animal
• Purple: Color blank

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 #379) - hint #2 - group answers

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

• YELLOW: SORE TO THE TOUCH
• GREEN: RESTAURANT COURSES
• BLUE: ANIMAL HOMOPHONES
• PURPLE: RED ___

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

NYT Connections today (game #379) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #379, are…

• GREEN: RESTAURANT COURSES DESSERT, MAIN, SIDE, STARTER
• YELLOW: SORE TO THE TOUCH DELICATE, RAW, SENSITIVE, TENDER
• BLUE: ANIMAL HOMOPHONES BARE, DEAR, MOUSSE, NEW
• PURPLE: RED ___ CARPET, DELICIOUS, MEAT, TAPE

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• My rating: Moderate
• My score: Perfect

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No major concerns today; Connections seems to have calmed down a little after last week's rather difficult puzzles. Blue is a fun one. I always like homophones, and today's was animal-based, with BARE/BEAR, DEAR/DEER, MOUSSE/MOOSE and (presumably) NEW/GNU. It took me a while to work out what that last one was, honestly.

I'm not sure I would have solved purple if it wasn't by default, but green and yellow were both straightforward, so I didn't need to worry about the final one anyway.

How did you do today? Send me an email and let me know.

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Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Sunday, 23 June, game #378)

• YELLOW: “SETTLE DOWN!” EASY, ENOUGH, QUIET, RELAX
• GREEN: MINOR AILMENTS BUG, CHILL, COLD, COUGH
• BLUE: WHAT HUMPBACK WHALES DO BREACH, DIVE, SING, SPOUT
• PURPLE: ___ CITY NICKNAMES MAGIC, MOTOR, SIN, WINDY

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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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Quordle today – hints and answers for Sunday, June 23 (game #881)

Today's Quordle is a potentially difficult one, with several complications lurking within its four grids. There are hints below if you need them.

Enjoy playing word games? You can also check out my Wordle today, NYT Connections today and NYT Strands today pages for hints and answers for those puzzles.  

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 #881) - hint #1 - Vowels

How many different vowels are in Quordle today?

• The number of different vowels in Quordle today is 5*.

* 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 #881) - 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 2.

Quordle today (game #881) - 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 #881) - 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 #881) - hint #5 - starting letters (2)

What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• S

• D

• A

• P

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

Quordle today (game #881) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #881, are…

• SPIED
• DIZZY
• ABUSE
• POPPY

There's potential for trouble in today's Quordle. The double-Z in DIZZY might well catch you out, and if it doesn't then you'll need to be careful with the thrice-repeated P in POPPY, and if you avoid that trap then there's the fact that ABUSE only differs from AMUSE by one letter. And if you're anything like me, you will play that incorrect M rather than the correct B, because that's the way luck goes sometimes.

How did you do today? Send me an email and let me know.

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Daily Sequence today (game #881) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #881, are…

• COVEN
• SHYLY
• WRONG
• GLARE

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Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #880, Saturday 22 June: GROIN, STOVE, SHRUB, HARSH
• Quordle #879, Friday 21 June: INDEX, CLUED, ORBIT, LOSER
• Quordle #878, Thursday 20 June: DELVE, BEZEL, MAMMA, AZURE
• Quordle #877, Wednesday 19 June: CELLO, PRIVY, HUMOR, PAPER
• Quordle #876, Tuesday 18 June: ABYSS, OCTET, BEEFY, PUPAL
• Quordle #875, Monday 17 June: AWAIT, SHADY, SWEET, DRAPE
• Quordle #874, Sunday 16 June: URBAN, MOIST, SPOOL, BELIE
• Quordle #873, Saturday 15 June: LOGIC, SOOTY, WAGON, BRIDE
• Quordle #872, Friday 14 June: MERIT, RASPY, THOSE, WATER
• Quordle #871, Thursday 13 June: NORTH, MOUND, PEACE, RETRY
• Quordle #870, Wednesday 12 June: QUILT, PARTY, SPARK, SINCE
• Quordle #869, Tuesday 11 June: CLANK, GONER, LIEGE, TIARA
• Quordle #868, Monday 10 June: ANGST, SUAVE, MAYBE, PLUMP
• Quordle #867, Sunday 9 June: ABIDE, TERRA, THUMP, CLUNG
• Quordle #866, Saturday 8 June: STOIC, LURCH, FLESH, FURRY
• Quordle #865, Friday 7 June: CRAVE, CRATE, ADULT, NYLON
• Quordle #864, Thursday 6 June: BROOD, PENAL, SANDY, RELAY
• Quordle #863, Wednesday 5 June: QUITE, LAPSE, LYMPH, SIGMA
• Quordle #862, Tuesday 4 June: SCORN, REIGN, EPOCH, FIGHT
• Quordle #861, Monday 3 June: BUILT, FRIED, LEERY, JAZZY

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NYT Strands today — hints, answers and spangram for Sunday, June 23 (game #112)

Sunday is always a good day to play Strands, because in my house at least there's more of a lazy, do-nothing feel to things. If only all days could be like that, eh? Unfortunately, I didn't enjoy today's instalment very much. Hopefully your experience is different.

Want more word-based fun? Then check out my Wordle today, NYT Connections today and Quordle today pages for hints and answers for those games. 

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 #112) - hint #1 - today's theme

What is the theme of today's NYT Strands?

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Fine diners

NYT Strands today (game #112) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• CHEEK
• LINK
• SOCK
• BATON
• CHAIR
• TOUCH

NYT Strands today (game #112) - hint #3 - spangram

What is a hint for today's spangram?

• Fast franchise

NYT Strands today (game #112) - hint #4 - spangram position

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

• First: left, 3rd row

• Last: right, 5th row

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

NYT Strands today (game #112) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #112, are…

• CHILIS
• SIZZLER
• CHECKERS
• SUBWAY
• OUTBACK
• SONIC
• SPANGRAM: CHAINLINK

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• My rating: Frustrating
• My score: Perfect

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The American-centric nature of Strands can be a little frustrating sometimes. Yes, the game appears in a New York newspaper, so I understand that there's going to be a bias that way, but a puzzle like today's is just no fun for people outside of the US.

The theme – I think – is chain restaurants, although that being the case I have no idea why the spangram is CHAINLINK. What's the 'link' bit refer to? And why is SUBWAY in there, when it's a sandwich shop, not a restaurant? Maybe they're all just chain eateries, rather than restaurants… And are SONIC and SIZZLER and OUTBACK and CHECKERS that well known? Maybe they are in the States – but they're not exactly Burger King. CHILIS was the only one I'd heard of, SUBWAY aside, and that was only thanks to The Office.

Anyway, I solved it all, by trial and error, but had zero fun in doing so. Maybe I'm expecting too much, but it's a shame Strands is not more inclusive in the way that Wordle usually is.

How did you do today? Send me an email and let me know.

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Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Saturday 22 June, game #111)

• OPOSSUM
• SKUNK
• COYOTE
• AARDVARK
• LEOPARD
• WOMBAT
• SPANGRAM: NOCTURNAL

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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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