NYT Strands hints and answers for Saturday, July 18 (game #867)

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 Friday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Friday, July 17 (game #866).

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

What is the theme of today's NYT Strands?

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… A healthy breakfast

NYT Strands today (game #867) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• COUNT
• STAY
• WOOLY
• LUNCH
• LONG
• LARGE

NYT Strands today (game #867) - hint #3 - spangram letters

How many letters are in today's spangram?

• Spangram has 13 letters

NYT Strands today (game #867) - hint #4 - spangram position

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

• First side: left, 4th 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 #867) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #867, are…

• SWEET
• OATY
• NUTTY
• CRUNCHY
• SALTY
• WHOLESOME
• SPANGRAM: BOWLOFGRANOLA

• My rating: Easy
• My score: Perfect

I go through phases with breakfasts of having the same thing for ages before getting bored and switching to something new.

In recent months I’ve been through porridge, overnight oats, fruit and yoghurt, and recently a BOWLOFGRANOLA all in pursuit of “a healthy breakfast" when in truth I would love to eat bacon and eggs every day.

I digress. After finding SWEET and OATY the search became a hunt for the obvious — although I was unaware granola could also be SALTY.

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Friday, July 17, game #866)

• ENTERTAINMENT
• NATURE
• SPORTS
• GEOGRAPHY
• SPANGRAM: TRIVIALPURSUIT

What is NYT Strands?

Strands is the NYT's not-so-new-any-more word game, following Wordle and Connections. It's now a fully fledged member of the NYT's games stable that has been running for a year and which 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 Saturday, July 18 (game #1133)

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 Friday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Connections hints and answers for Friday, July 17 (game #1132).

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 #1133) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• TRAVEL
• FLY
• QUIZ
• SCORE
• OPINION
• CARRY
• HEALTH
• TART
• CULTURE
• MIND
• TIME
• GOALTEND
• VIEW
• LIVES
• DOUBLE DRIBBLE
• ATTITUDE

NYT Connections today (game #1133) - hint #1 - group hints

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

• YELLOW: NBA fouls
• GREEN: Your convictions
• BLUE: Arcade scoring systems
• PURPLE: Begin with a musical sound

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 #1133) - hint #2 - group answers

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

• YELLOW: COMMIT A BASKETBALL VIOLATION
• GREEN: BELIEF
• BLUE: THINGS TRACKED IN VIDEO GAMES
• PURPLE: WORDS AFTER "POP"

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

NYT Connections today (game #1133) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #1133, are…

• YELLOW: COMMIT A BASKETBALL VIOLATION: CARRY, DOUBLE DRIBBLE, GOALTEND, TRAVEL
• GREEN: BELIEF: ATTITUDE, MIND, OPINION, VIEW
• BLUE: THINGS TRACKED IN VIDEO GAMES: HEALTH, LIVES, SCORE, TIME
• PURPLE: WORDS AFTER "POP": CULTURE, FLY, QUIZ, TART

• My rating: Hard
• My score: 1 mistake

I made my mistake after successfully threading ATTITUDE, MIND, OPINION and VIEW, although I was thinking about components of a debate rather than a BELIEF.

My error was, of course, confusion over basketball terminology. DOUBLE DRIBBLE and GOALTEND I knew, but instead of TRAVEL I selected SCORE. Which, on reflection, makes no sense.

Meanwhile my confidence over WORDS AFTER “POP” was fragile, but I successfully guessed FLY instead of SCORE. Before googling I thought it was an alternative to a zip fly. I now know it’s a baseball term.

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Friday, July 17, 2026, game #1132)

• YELLOW: GRAND FINALE: EPILOGUE, FAREWELL, LAST DANCE, SWAN SONG
• GREEN: SEEN IN AN ARCADE: CRANE GAME, PINBALL, TICKETS, TOKENS
• BLUE: FOUR GROUPS OF FOUR: CARDINAL DIRECTIONS, CLASSICAL ELEMENTS, SEASONS, SUITS
• PURPLE: ENDING IN PARTS OF A CAR: PLOT SPOILER, ROBIN HOOD, SATIRES, TREE TRUNK

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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Nvidia RTX 5000 Super GPUs rumored to be ready — but they're on hold, and the reason why makes me nervous about pricing

• Nvidia's RTX 5000 Super models are being readied, and board makers have the chips, a new rumor reckons
• However, these graphics cards are 'on hold' due to the high price of VRAM
• The Super refreshes pack a lot of VRAM, and so that cost could have an unfortunate impact on MSRPs – and none of this sounds particularly comforting for would-be buyers

Nvidia's RTX 5000 Super refreshes are apparently being readied, but they're on hold for now – and the reason why makes me even more nervous about the pricing of these GPUs when (well, if) they finally emerge.

Of course, these RTX Super models are still rumors – albeit so persistent at this point, there must be at least some validity to them – and the latest assertion comes from VideoCardz.

The tech site has apparently spoken to a source at one of Nvidia's board-making partners who claims that their company has already received 'graphics cards', which presumably refers to GPU chips (which is what Nvidia supplies, along with VRAM, to partners that make the boards).

At any rate, while this board maker supposedly has at least some of the necessary chips, it has been told by Nvidia that the RTX 5000 Super refreshes are now 'on hold'.

Why? Apparently, the delay is down to the price of the video RAM, specifically the new 3GB GDDR7 modules that are required (as per previous rumors) for the refreshed graphics cards.

Compared to the 2GB GDDR7 modules currently in use with Nvidia RTX 5000 models, the 3GB memory chips are around three times more expensive right now. Ouch.

Analysis: Super stumble?

(Image credit: Future)

This presents an obvious stumbling block because, due to these Super variants being packed with VRAM, the total cost of materials gets expensive quite quickly.

Remember that the grapevine believes that the RTX 5080 Super and RTX 5070 Ti Super will bristle with 24GB of VRAM, and even the RTX 5070 Super will have a weighty 18GB on board. Gamers are going to love the latter as an upgrade to the lean 12GB of the vanilla version – but not if it pushes the price of the GPU through the roof.

Going by what VideoCardz tells us about pricing in US dollars as the market currently stands, in the case of the RTX 5070 Super, the greater quantity of RAM, and more expensive modules, would mean 18GB costs in the order of $360 (maybe a bit more), versus $120 for the current RTX 5070's 12GB loadout, whacking an extra $240 on the price (or the regional equivalent elsewhere).

These graphics cards were already expected to be pricey, but that kind of additional premium lumped on top, this could make them real wallet-worriers.

The good news for those hoping for new GPUs from Nvidia is that at least these RTX 5000 Super models do seem to be happening. It's just that we may have to wait some time for them yet – although another recent rumor did suggest they were due this year. The latter speculation also theorized that an RTX 5060 Super 12GB model was incoming, but that didn't make a lot of sense, and I note that it isn't mentioned in this latest rumor. As ever, don't go lightly with the seasoning on all this.

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MacBook users are filing off the sharp corners of their laptops for better wrist comfort

• MacBook users are complaining about their devices’ sharp edges
• Several have decided to file their laptops down for more comfort
• One recently outlined the process in detail on their blog

Apple is known for its keen sense of design and the exacting standards it holds its designers to, which is why it’s all the more surprising to see users of the best MacBooks filing the edges off their prized laptops. Yet that’s exactly what’s been happening over the last few months, with many arguing that it makes for a far more comfortable experience.

The latest example comes from software engineer Max Bretschneider, who posted a blog entry explaining their decision and how they went about doing it. They described their motivation this way: “A laptop will be frequently used on a lap, meaning the wrists will touch the sharp edge at an angle which is very uncomfortable.”

To file down the edge and reduce its sharpness, Bretschneider used a metal file and a block of progressive sandpaper. They taped off areas like the keyboard and trackpad, clamped the MacBook into place, then got to work.

Despite describing the process as “very scary,” Bretschneider added that the modification was “far easier and approachable than it seems initially.” They were able to “achieve an even level” when filing and sanding, leaving them with a device that could “serve its primary purpose as a tool better.”

A multitude of MacBook mods

The end result.Max Bretschneider

Bretschneider's MacBook ready to be filed down.Max Bretschneider

Bretschneider is far from the only person to have recently sanded down their MacBook’s sharp edges — you’ll find an example from April 2026 featuring designer Kent Walters, for example. Going further back, users have apparently been taking a file and sandpaper to their MacBook’s edges since at least 2010.

And readers chimed in with their own thoughts, with one Hacker News user testifying that “the sharp edges have bothered me since they started with the unibody.” Another argued that sharp edges were “my number one complaint about the M-series [MacBook Pro] line.”

People have been augmenting their Apple devices in new and creative ways for many years now. We’ve seen people attempting to transform old iPhones into new ones, adding USB-C to iPhones that didn’t have it, crafting custom mechanical keyboards with built-in Touch ID, stuffing Mac minis inside old iMacs, and much more.

So, if you’ve found the edges of your MacBook to be a little too sharp for comfort, know that it’s entirely possible to sand them down for a more pleasant experience. Just make sure you’ve planned well ahead — and don’t expect Apple to look too kindly on your work.

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Quordle hints and answers for Friday, July 17 (game #1635)

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 Thursday's puzzle instead then click here: Quordle hints and answers for Thursday, July 16 (game #1634).

Quordle was one of the original Wordle alternatives and is still going strong now more than 1,500 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 #1635) — 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 #1635) — 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 1.

Quordle today (game #1635) — 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 #1635) — 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 #1635) — hint #5 — starting letters (2)

What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• C

• P

• G

• I

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

Quordle today (game #1635) — the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1635, are…

• CUMIN
• PALER
• GRASS
• INBOX

Crazy days as the rare letter X makes a second appearance of the week.

Having a B in the third letter position felt weird, then I remembered the old Quordle favorite INBOX.

That said, although it feels familiar, it hasn't appeared in the game since December last year. I think I must be playing this game too much.

Daily Sequence today (game #1635) — the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1635, are…

• SMOKY
• HANDY
• PINCH
• NAIVE

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1634, Thursday, 16 July: IGLOO, PLAIT, YEAST, AROMA
• Quordle #1633, Wednesday, 15 July: PROXY, BRICK, BROTH, SURGE
• Quordle #1632, Tuesday, 14 July: EBONY, AVOID, RODEO, CUTIE
• Quordle #1631, Monday, 13 July: VOICE, BISON, BURNT, BUILT
• Quordle #1630, Sunday, 12 July: STAIN, BINGO, LARVA, DICEY
• Quordle #1629, Saturday, 11 July: WORTH, PRONG, DINGO, DRUID
• Quordle #1628, Friday, 10 July: GREET, STEAK, DUSKY, HAUTE
• Quordle #1627, Thursday, 9 July: CRUMP, PHONE, SHINY, STONY
• Quordle #1626, Wednesday, 8 July: GHOST, TREND, EXALT, ALONG
• Quordle #1625, Tuesday, 7 July: ARRAY, SUITE, KIOSK, BOULE
• Quordle #1624, Monday, 6 July: TRAWL, SPICE, PIANO, SHARK
• Quordle #1623, Sunday, 5 July: PINEY, SWOON, TITLE, PINTO
• Quordle #1622, Saturday, 4 July: ARGUE, MOTEL, OPERA, TRUCE
• Quordle #1621, Friday, 3 July: AVERT, MOTOR, MANIC, WORDY
• Quordle #1620, Thursday, 2 July: BULKY, PARSE, BELOW, MOVIE
• Quordle #1619, Wednesday, 1 July: EASEL, OTTER, LYRIC, SHACK
• Quordle #1618, Tuesday, 30 June: HALVE, DRYER, THERE, MINTY
• Quordle #1617, Monday, 29 June: SLURP, CRACK, CRANK, PHONY
• Quordle #1616, Sunday, 28 June: RUPEE, TOPAZ, FULLY, BEING
• Quordle #1615, Saturday, 27 June: PRINT, MARRY, SADLY, BICEP

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NYT Connections hints and answers for Friday, July 17 (game #1132)

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 Thursday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Connections hints and answers for Thursday, July 16 (game #1131).

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 #1132) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• CRANE GAME
• SATIRES
• TICKETS
• CARDINAL DIRECTIONS
• SWAN SONG
• SUITS
• ROBIN HOOD
• PLOT SPOILER
• TREE TRUNK
• TOKENS
• SEASONS
• EPILOGUE
• LAST DANCE
• CLASSICAL ELEMENTS
• FAREWELL
• PINBALL

NYT Connections today (game #1132) - hint #1 - group hints

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

• YELLOW: Final hurrah
• GREEN: As seen at gaming center
• BLUE: Think of a number after three
• PURPLE: Vehicle bits

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 #1132) - hint #2 - group answers

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

• YELLOW: GRAND FINALE
• GREEN: SEEN IN AN ARCADE
• BLUE: FOUR GROUPS OF FOUR
• PURPLE: ENDING IN PARTS OF A CAR

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

NYT Connections today (game #1132) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #1132, are…

• YELLOW: GRAND FINALE: EPILOGUE, FAREWELL, LAST DANCE, SWAN SONG
• GREEN: SEEN IN AN ARCADE: CRANE GAME, PINBALL, TICKETS, TOKENS
• BLUE: FOUR GROUPS OF FOUR: CARDINAL DIRECTIONS, CLASSICAL ELEMENTS, SEASONS, SUITS
• PURPLE: ENDING IN PARTS OF A CAR: PLOT SPOILER, ROBIN HOOD, SATIRES, TREE TRUNK

• My rating: Easy
• My score: Perfect

Even though I didn't get a purple first I was delighted that I managed to get ENDING IN PARTS OF A CAR at all, as I know nothing about automobiles whatsoever.

This particular group needed translating fromAmerican English to UK English for me, because here a trunk is a boot and a spoiler is a bumper.

GRAND FINALE was simple, although EPILOGUE feels the odd one out of the quartet as it’s possible to have an ending to a career and then have an EPILOGUE years later — a movie star returning as a director, for example, or a boxer ill-advisedly coming out of retirement to punch a YouTuber.

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Thursday, July 16, 2026, game #1131)

• YELLOW: SKINCARE PRODUCTS: CLAY MASK, EYE CREAM, PEEL, TONER
• PURPLE: STARTING WITH TINY MARKS: DOT MATRIX, PERIOD PIECE, POINT BREAK, SPOT REMOVER
• BLUE: ASSOCIATED WITH PRECISION: BULLSEYE, CLOCKWORK, LASER, NEEDLE
• GREEN: SHADES OF BLACK: CHARCOAL, INK, JET, PITCH

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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The Duskbloods network test has finally revealed a few new details about FromSoftware's upcoming Switch 2 game, including multiplayer matches with 'up to eight players'

• The Duskbloods closed network tests begin next month
• Players can sign up to participate and test the game from August 21 to August 24
• The Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive will allow up to eight-player multiplayer matches

FromSoftware has announced the dates for The Duskbloods' closed network test happening next month.

The Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive was announced over a year ago, and details about the renowned Elden Ring studio's next PvPvE multiplayer have been few and far between.

After teasing the closed network test last month alongside a new trailer, FromSoftware has confirmed that there will be four tests over four days, between August 21 and August 24. You can check out the start dates and times below.

"To all prospective Bloodsworn, your participation in the coming Dusk Battles is eagerly awaited!" a post from Nintendo reads on X.

Fans can apply here, starting July 22 at 4PM CEST / 3PM BST until July 28 at 3:59PM CEST / 2:59PM BST.

The player selection announcement will be revealed on August 7 at 3PM CEST / 2PM BST.

The Duskbloods Closed Network Test

• August 21 - 12PM to 4PM CEST / 11 AM to 3 PM BST
• August 22 - 4AM to 8AM CEST / 3 AM to 7 AM BST
• August 22 - 8PM to 12AM CEST / 7 PM to 11 PM BST
• August 23 - 12PM to 4PM CEST / 11 AM to 3 PM BST
• August 24 - 4AM to 8AM CEST / 3 AM to 7 AM BST

"A network test involves using a pre-release version of the game to test performance prior to the commencement of service. We plan to conduct large-scale network load tests to check different technical aspects of the game's online systems," FromSoftware explained on its website.

The campaign will be able to test server load, gameplay balance, and various problems that may occur when multiple people play together across different network environments.

The Duskbloods was one of the highlights of the Nintendo Switch 2 Direct last year, but unfortunately, there's still no release date.

There's also not a lot of information regarding gameplay, setting, and story; however, the studio has confirmed that the network test will feature multiplayer matches that "allows for up to eight players to participate together."

I didn't buy a Switch 2 at launch; I've been holding off on getting one for the time being - I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a limited edition The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time console - but The Duskbloods, and the upcoming closed network tests have me seriously considering finally investing in the console sooner.

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NYT Connections hints and answers for Thursday, July 16 (game #1131)

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, July 15 (game #1130).

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 #1131) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• NEEDLE
• INK
• JET
• DOT MATRIX
• TONER
• POINT BREAK
• LASER
• CHARCOAL
• PEEL
• PITCH
• PERIOD PIECE
• BULLSEYE
• SPOT REMOVER
• EYE CREAM
• CLOCKWORK
• CLAY MASK

NYT Connections today (game #1131) - hint #1 - group hints

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

• YELLOW: Cosmetics
• PURPLE: Small beginnings
• BLUE: Seeking perfection
• GREEN: The darkness

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 #1131) - hint #2 - group answers

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

• YELLOW: SKINCARE PRODUCTS
• PURPLE: STARTING WITH TINY MARKS
• BLUE: ASSOCIATED WITH PRECISION
• GREEN: SHADES OF BLACK

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

NYT Connections today (game #1131) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #1131, are…

• YELLOW: SKINCARE PRODUCTS: CLAY MASK, EYE CREAM, PEEL, TONER
• PURPLE: STARTING WITH TINY MARKS: DOT MATRIX, PERIOD PIECE, POINT BREAK, SPOT REMOVER
• BLUE: ASSOCIATED WITH PRECISION: BULLSEYE, CLOCKWORK, LASER, NEEDLE
• GREEN: SHADES OF BLACK: CHARCOAL, INK, JET, PITCH

• My rating: Hard
• My score: 1 mistake

Looking at today’s game after I completed it, I don’t understand why I failed to see SHADES OF BLACK as it is the only group that I could have actually got right.

The other three groups were the result of muddled game play and lucky guesses — particularly STARTING WITH TINY MARKS, which I didn’t get because I spotted dot, period, point and spot, but because all the tiles were made up of two words.

Before that, though, I made the mistake of putting together what I thought were four different types of printer. Hopefully I wasn't the only player to fall into that trap, but in truth it doesn't take much to catch me.

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Wednesday, July 15, 2026, game #1130)

• YELLOW: TERMS FOR THE LEGAL SYSTEM: BAR, BENCH, COURT, TRIBUNAL
• GREEN: THINGS WITH LACES: BASEBALL GLOVE, CORSET, FOOTBALL, SHOE
• BLUE: KINDS OF SPORTS: EXTREME, MOTOR, RACKET, WATER
• PURPLE: WORDS BEFORE "ROOM" TO INDICATE EXTRA SPACE: BREATHING, ELBOW, HEAD, WIGGLE

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 hints and answers for Thursday, July 16 (game #1634)

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, July 15 (game #1633).

Quordle was one of the original Wordle alternatives and is still going strong now more than 1,500 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 #1634) — 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 #1634) — 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 #1634) — hint #3 — uncommon letters

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

• No. None of Q, Z, X or J appear among today's Quordle answers.

Quordle today (game #1634) — 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 #1634) — hint #5 — starting letters (2)

What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• I

• P

• Y

• A

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

Quordle today (game #1634) — the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1634, are…

• IGLOO
• PLAIT
• YEAST
• AROMA

This was a tricky game — mainly due to two words ending in vowels.

I thought I had exhausted all words ending in the letter O, before I finally got to one ending in two of them.

Daily Sequence today (game #1634) — the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1634, are…

• NEEDY
• GOOFY
• ABIDE
• VISIT

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1633, Wednesday, 15 July: PROXY, BRICK, BROTH, SURGE
• Quordle #1632, Tuesday, 14 July: EBONY, AVOID, RODEO, CUTIE
• Quordle #1631, Monday, 13 July: VOICE, BISON, BURNT, BUILT
• Quordle #1630, Sunday, 12 July: STAIN, BINGO, LARVA, DICEY
• Quordle #1629, Saturday, 11 July: WORTH, PRONG, DINGO, DRUID
• Quordle #1628, Friday, 10 July: GREET, STEAK, DUSKY, HAUTE
• Quordle #1627, Thursday, 9 July: CRUMP, PHONE, SHINY, STONY
• Quordle #1626, Wednesday, 8 July: GHOST, TREND, EXALT, ALONG
• Quordle #1625, Tuesday, 7 July: ARRAY, SUITE, KIOSK, BOULE
• Quordle #1624, Monday, 6 July: TRAWL, SPICE, PIANO, SHARK
• Quordle #1623, Sunday, 5 July: PINEY, SWOON, TITLE, PINTO
• Quordle #1622, Saturday, 4 July: ARGUE, MOTEL, OPERA, TRUCE
• Quordle #1621, Friday, 3 July: AVERT, MOTOR, MANIC, WORDY
• Quordle #1620, Thursday, 2 July: BULKY, PARSE, BELOW, MOVIE
• Quordle #1619, Wednesday, 1 July: EASEL, OTTER, LYRIC, SHACK
• Quordle #1618, Tuesday, 30 June: HALVE, DRYER, THERE, MINTY
• Quordle #1617, Monday, 29 June: SLURP, CRACK, CRANK, PHONY
• Quordle #1616, Sunday, 28 June: RUPEE, TOPAZ, FULLY, BEING
• Quordle #1615, Saturday, 27 June: PRINT, MARRY, SADLY, BICEP
• Quordle #1614, Friday, 26 June: JUICE, ARRAY, BONEY, SKIFF

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NYT Connections hints and answers for Wednesday, July 15 (game #1130)

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 Tuesday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Connections hints and answers for Tuesday, July 14 (game #1129).

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 #1130) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• RACKET
• FOOTBALL
• WIGGLE
• BAR
• HEAD
• BENCH
• ELBOW
• SHOE
• EXTREME
• BREATHING
• MOTOR
• COURT
• CORSET
• WATER
• TRIBUNAL
• BASEBALL
• GLOVE

NYT Connections today (game #1130) - hint #1 - group hints

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

• YELLOW: Tell it to the judge
• GREEN: All need to be tied
• BLUE: Types of competitive activity
• PURPLE: Add a word that rhymes with “boom”

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 #1130) - hint #2 - group answers

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

• YELLOW: TERMS FOR THE LEGAL SYSTEM
• GREEN: THINGS WITH LACES
• BLUE: KINDS OF SPORTS
• PURPLE: WORDS BEFORE "ROOM" TO INDICATE EXTRA SPACE

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

NYT Connections today (game #1130) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #1130, are…

• YELLOW: TERMS FOR THE LEGAL SYSTEM: BAR, BENCH, COURT, TRIBUNAL
• GREEN: THINGS WITH LACES: BASEBALL GLOVE, CORSET, FOOTBALL, SHOE
• BLUE: KINDS OF SPORTS: EXTREME, MOTOR, RACKET, WATER
• PURPLE: WORDS BEFORE "ROOM" TO INDICATE EXTRA SPACE: BREATHING, ELBOW, HEAD, WIGGLE

• My rating: Hard
• My score: Perfect

Despite not making any mistakes I am classifying this game as tricky, because I came close to an error in collecting four unrelated sporting things.

THINGS WITH LACES also favors anyone familiar with FOOTBALL, as my mind went to soccer balls — which haven’t had laces since the 1960s.

I also got lucky in spotting the purple group after thinking all of the things that WIGGLE could be connected to and saying “wiggle room” to myself. I hate the idea of being in tight, crowded spots, so wiggle room is always on my mind.

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Tuesday, July 14, 2026, game #1129)

• YELLOW: CONTRACT: AGREEMENT, BARGAIN, DEAL, UNDERSTANDING
• GREEN: EDIT MENU OPTIONS: COPY, CUT, DELETE, PASTE
• BLUE: KINDS OF BASKETS: EASTER, GROCERY, LAUNDRY, PICNIC
• PURPLE: SYMBOLIZED WITH ARROWS: RECYCLING, SHUFFLE, THIS SIDE UP, U-TURN

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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NYT Strands hints and answers for Wednesday, July 15 (game #864)

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, July 14 (game #863).

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

What is the theme of today's NYT Strands?

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Rose-colored glasses

NYT Strands today (game #864) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• QUIT
• MARKET
• MAIN
• PLACE
• PLINTH
• RELICS

NYT Strands today (game #864) - hint #3 - spangram letters

How many letters are in today's spangram?

• Spangram has 11 letters

NYT Strands today (game #864) - hint #4 - spangram position

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

• First side: bottom, 3rd column

• Last side: top, 4th column

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

NYT Strands today (game #864) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #864, are…

• QUIXOTIC
• IDEALISTIC
• ROMANTIC
• IMPRACTICAL
• SPANGRAM: PIEINTHESKY

• My rating: Hard
• My score: 1 hint

Just four long words made up today’s game, but that didn’t make the search any easier.

I am more familiar with a slight variation on today’s theme — rose-tinted spectacles — which I had viewed as meaning to look favorably on something you are biased towards (such as the fortunes of your team). But the words here leaned more towards fanaticism.

Regardless of interpretation I needed a hint to get going and was rewarded with QUIXOTIC, a word I would have failed to see otherwise. From here I found the other two words with a T-I-C ending, before the spangram helped me to locate IMPRACTICAL.

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Tuesday, July 14, game #863)

• CHAIR
• ROCKER
• BEANBAG
• OTTOMAN
• RECLINER
• THRONE
• SPANGRAM: HAVEASEAT

What is NYT Strands?

Strands is the NYT's not-so-new-any-more word game, following Wordle and Connections. It's now a fully fledged member of the NYT's games stable that has been running for a year and which 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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CEO of big memory chip maker says 2027 could be the 'worst year in the industry's history' — and other RAM crisis rumblings back up that dire prediction

• The boss of SK Hynix believes that the RAM crisis is going to get much worse
• The CEO said 2027 will be the 'worst year' in the RAM industry's history, and that the crisis will likely roll on to 2030 and beyond
• Analysis from the Bank of America also claims that SK Hynix's expansion of memory production capacity is going to fall well short of its target for 2028

We keep getting told that the RAM crisis is dug in as a fixture for the foreseeable future, and, whether you want them or not, here are a couple more unwelcome reminders.

First, Android Headline flagged a Reuters interview with Kwak Noh-jung, the CEO of SK Hynix, one of the big memory chip makers. The chief executive didn't have comforting words about the prospect of RAM pricing in 2027, observing, "We forecast that ‌next year will be the worst year in the [memory] industry's history from the supply perspective."

So, seemingly next year will see RAM hit peak pricing, with no relief likely until 2030 (as previously forecast by the chairman of parent company SK Group) according to the CEO — and even then, he suggested that demand will continue to outweigh supply as the next decade rolls on beyond 2030.

The second RAM-related blow comes from analysis by the Bank of America highlighted by the Commercial Times in Taiwan (via Wccftech), which pours doubt on the South Korean president's recent boasts about the major expansion of the country's overall memory chip production by 2030.

Part of this analysis is a claim from a memory industry insider over in Taiwan that SK Hynix might only add just a sixth of its originally planned production capacity increase by 2028. Obviously that assertion needs to be liberally seasoned, but it's such a large potential shortfall that it's bound to raise some eyebrows.

The Commercial Times notes that while huge new chip manufacturing plants are being built by SK Hynix and Samsung in South Korea, they will take a lot longer than 2030 to come fully online — and this process is more likely to take a full decade. The report contends that a realistic level of memory wafer capacity expansion for South Korea is around 10% (or slightly less) per year, which will leave the country falling well short of the president's claims for production in 2030.

Analysis: diverging RAM timelines

(Image credit: Unsplash / Liam Briese)

It's grim news from the CEO of SK Hynix, then, although of course, the skeptics will quickly point out that it's the chief exec's job to talk up the company's value — in terms of a booming market and the struggle to meet demand — coming off the back of its debut on the Nasdaq. Stock prices around the big memory chip makers have been turbulent of late, it should be noted, as investors start to worry about whether these companies are currently overvalued — and indeed whether the AI boom might start to run out of momentum.

So, that's a consideration, but there's no denying that SK Hynix's boss isn't the only person making gloomy predictions along these lines. Nvidia's CEO Jensen Huang said that he expects the RAM crisis to last "quite a few years", indicating that we'll be stuck in pricing hell until 2030 or thereabouts, although others don't see it that way. In the opposing camp we notably have the likes of an AMD exec, the ex-chief of Samsung's semiconductor division, and Jefferies, an investment banking firm, who all believe RAM pricing will start to ease in 2028.

However, the sting in the tail there is that Jefferies is also predicting big memory price hikes over the rest of this year, and in 2027 too, backing up the CEO of SK Hynix in that respect. When you consider the estimated massive shortfall of SK Hynix's production capacity boost based on the rumor mill, everything feels distinctly shakier in the nearer-term for RAM pricing.

I also can't help but recall the blow Microsoft recently delivered when talking about Xbox price rises, when the company informed us that it expects another doubling in the cost of RAM in just over a year (by the fall of 2027).

While there's a mixed bag in terms of longer-term predictions, then, the outlook for this year and next remains worryingly negative on the RAM front.

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NYT Strands hints and answers for Tuesday, July 14 (game #863)

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, July 13 (game #862).

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

What is the theme of today's NYT Strands?

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Make yourself comfortable

NYT Strands today (game #863) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• RELIC
• SOCK
• BREAK
• ERASE
• HORN
• RAVE

NYT Strands today (game #863) - hint #3 - spangram letters

How many letters are in today's spangram?

• Spangram has 9 letters

NYT Strands today (game #863) - hint #4 - spangram position

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

• First side: left, 2nd row

• Last side: 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 #863) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #863, are…

• CHAIR
• ROCKER
• BEANBAG
• OTTOMAN
• RECLINER
• THRONE
• SPANGRAM: HAVEASEAT

• My rating: Easy
• My score: Perfect

Today’s search takes from the high-born of the seating world (THRONE), to the lowest (BEANBAG).

If I am going to make myself comfortable then I would pick the BEANBAG any day. Although it does depend on how long you’ve owned it; a baggy bean bag is nobody’s friend. Having said that, I’ve not sat in many thrones. Or indeed any, but judging by House of the Dragon, they’re not particularly ergonomic.

Anyway, it was hard not to whizz around today’s game, with even the longest and most obscure word, OTTOMAN, being easy to spot thanks to the double T.

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Monday, July 13, game #862)

• PLEASANT
• DELIGHTFUL
• ENJOYABLE
• SATISFYING
• SPANGRAM: HITSTHESPOT

What is NYT Strands?

Strands is the NYT's not-so-new-any-more word game, following Wordle and Connections. It's now a fully fledged member of the NYT's games stable that has been running for a year and which 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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