NYT Strands hints and answers for Friday, May 15 (game #803)

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 Thursday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Thursday, May 14 (game #802).

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

What is the theme of today's NYT Strands?

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Weasally wascals

NYT Strands today (game #803) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• MUSE
• RATED
• WILDER
• FIELD
• MATE
• PLOT

NYT Strands today (game #803) - hint #3 - spangram letters

How many letters are in today's spangram?

• Spangram has 9 letters

NYT Strands today (game #803) - hint #4 - spangram position

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

First side: top, 3rd column

Last side: bottom, 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 #803) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #803, are…

• OTTER
• BADGER
• FERRET
• MARTEN
• POLECAT
• WOLVERINE
• SPANGRAM: MUSTELIDS

• My rating: Hard
• My score: 1 hint

This theme was confusing — was it some kind of reference to Elmer Fudd? Or were we looking for animals similar to weasels.

Unable to find anything related to either I took a hint and OTTER set me in the right direction.

I got BADGER next and realized the type of animals we were looking for, although it wasn’t until I finally got the spangram that I learned that all of today’s words belong to a family of animals called MUSTELIDS, grouped together due to their carnivorous diets and long bodies with short legs. I don’t think Elmer qualifies in either category.

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Thursday, May 14, game #802)

• ARCHERY
• DISGUISE
• FOREST
• FRIAR
• OUTLAW
• SHERIFF
• SPANGRAM: ROBINHOOD

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 Friday, May 15 (game #1069)

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, May 14 (game #1068).

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 #1069) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• SAW
• JORDAN
• CROSS
• PITT
• ELBA
• PALM
• CIAO
• FORD
• WADE
• BIRD
• WAS
• CURRY
• JAMES
• PEEK
• ABLE
• TRAVERSE

NYT Connections today (game #1069) - hint #1 - group hints

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

• YELLOW: Navigating a waterway
• GREEN: Basketball legends
• BLUE: Back to front pairs
• PURPLE: Canine soundalikes

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 #1069) - hint #2 - group answers

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

• YELLOW: NAVIGATE THROUGH, AS A RIVER
• GREEN: MULTI-TIME NBA MVPS
• BLUE: NON-PALINDROMIC WORDS IN A FAMOUS PALINDROME
• PURPLE: HOMOPHONES OF KINDS OF DOGS, FAMILIARLY

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

NYT Connections today (game #1069) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #1069, are…

• YELLOW: NAVIGATE THROUGH, AS A RIVER CROSS, FORD, TRAVERSE, WADE
• GREEN: MULTI-TIME NBA MVPS BIRD, CURRY, JAMES, JORDAN
• BLUE: NON-PALINDROMIC WORDS IN A FAMOUS PALINDROME ABLE, ELBA, SAW, WAS
• PURPLE: HOMOPHONES OF KINDS OF DOGS, FAMILIARLY CIAO, PALM, PEEK, PITT

• My rating: Hard
• My score: Perfect

I spotted five surnames of basketball legends among today’s tiles, but although my slim knowledge went that far I didn’t know which of them to eliminate, so decided to see if I could get another group and eliminate one of the five.

That happened pretty quickly, as I decided WADE was not here because of Dwyane, but because it was a word that describes crossing water or should I say NAVIGATE THROUGH, AS A RIVER.

After this triumph I was confident in picking JAMES, CURRY, BIRD and JORDAN, but I had no idea what connected the eight remaining tiles until I saw that ABLE and ELBA had the same letters and so did WAS and SAW. A good thing, as the purple group soared way over my head.

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Thursday, May 14, game #1068)

• YELLOW: PREMONITION GUT FEELING, HUNCH, INTUITION, SIXTH SENSE
• GREEN: CELLPHONE MODES DO NOT DISTURB, RING, SILENT, VIBRATE
• BLUE: BAD THINGS TO DO IN MODERN DATING BREADCRUMB, CATFISH, GHOST, LOVE BOMB
• PURPLE: PHRASES WHOSE SECOND WORDS INCLUDE THEIR FIRST WORD
• AIR CAIRO, ALL HALLOWS, ARM WARMER, THE OTHERS

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 Thursday, May 14 (game #802)

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, May 13 (game #801).

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

What is the theme of today's NYT Strands?

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Men in tights

NYT Strands today (game #802) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• CHEER
• FROST
• TOWN
• GUIDE
• YEAR
• SHIN

NYT Strands today (game #802) - hint #3 - spangram letters

How many letters are in today's spangram?

• Spangram has 9 letters

NYT Strands today (game #802) - hint #4 - spangram position

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

First side: left, 4th row

Last side: right, 1st row

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

NYT Strands today (game #802) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #802, are…

• ARCHERY
• DISGUISE
• FOREST
• FRIAR
• OUTLAW
• SHERIFF
• SPANGRAM: ROBINHOOD

• My rating: Easy
• My score: Perfect

“Men in tights” could only mean one thing surely? Superheroes and their sidekicks. It was with confidence therefore that I tapped out “robin” — the name of Batman’s sidekick back in the tights era. Alas, it was not to be.

Fortunately I spotted “hood” on the top row and realized that the “men in tights” we were seeking were from an era far beyond the 1960s.

From here on it was just a case of remembering the significant factors of the ROBIN HOOD tale — although the only version I’m familiar with involved a fox, a tortoise and a bear who was into jazz.

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Wednesday, May 13, game #801)

• SPUNK
• PLUCK
• GRIT
• NERVE
• GUMPTION
• FIBER
• HEART
• SPANGRAM: WHATITTAKES

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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'A decade or so away, we’ll be viewing it as a more normal way to build data centers': Google and SpaceX are reportedly in talks to build data centers in orbit

• Google and SpaceX are reportedly in talks over data centers in orbit
• It's the infrastructure that many big tech companies are investing in
• However, there are concerns over how feasible the technology actually is

There's a lot of effort and money going into plans to put data centers in space — mostly to meet the growing demands of AI processing — and Google and SpaceX are now reportedly in talks to clutter up Earth's orbit even further.

As per The Wall Street Journal and "people familiar with the discussions", talks are underway between the two giant tech companies. Google would provide the data centers, and SpaceX would provide the rockets to get them where they need to be.

There's not a lot of other detail here, although the report says Google is discussing its options with "other rocket-launch companies". It's a sensitive time for SpaceX, with an IPO expected in just a few months, and deals like this would certainly do no harm as far as the company's valuation goes.

It's also worth noting that Google owns 6.1% of SpaceX. Google has made no secret of its plans to put data centers up in space: "There's no doubt to me that a decade or so away, we'll be viewing it as a more normal way to build data centers," Google CEO Sundar Pichai told Fox News in an interview last November.

But can it work?

Google has already spoken about data centers in space (Image credit: Getty Images)

Given that so many big companies are investing in this technology, you'd be forgiven for thinking that it's all ready to go — but that's not quite the case.

As it stands, the tech isn't currently available due to various engineering challenges, and people like OpenAI's Sam Altman don't think this is a feasible idea in the short-term.

On the plus side: there's a lot of room up in space (though not quite as much as there used to be), and a lot of power, thanks to the constant availability of solar energy. It wouldn't be necessary to disrupt neighborhoods or overload power grids every time a giant new data center needed to be built.

However, this is also incredibly costly and incredibly difficult from a technical perspective. Current data center technology isn't built to withstand the extremes of space, and there's also the question of how repairs can be carried out in orbit.

For those who fully believe in the future of the technology, those problems can be overcome given time, funding, and further research. However, it's going to be a while before we see this working at scale.

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Microsoft reveals another way it's making Windows 11 faster, with more performance boosts promised for the likes of File Explorer

• Microsoft is working to make WinUI 3 speedier
• This is the contemporary framework for the user interface of the OS
• With WinUI 3 being employed more widely across Windows 11, and tweaked for better performance, it's another key way in which the OS could be made faster

We've learned more about Microsoft's efforts to make Windows 11 faster, discovering another front that the company is working on to ensure the operating system becomes more performant in terms of core interface elements.

Windows Central reports that the big drive for better performance — which is part of the broader campaign to fix Windows 11 — doesn't just involve transitioning elements of the Windows 11 interface to use WinUI 3, but actually speeding up WinUI itself.

For the uninitiated, WinUI refers to the contemporary framework for the user interface (UI) of Windows. It's used by Microsoft for many of the core apps and elements of Windows 11, and can also be used by third-party software developers to make their own apps fit with the look and feel of the OS.

So, Microsoft is employing WinUI 3 in more places within Windows 11, but is also making it perform better, as software engineer Beth Pan makes clear in a post on GitHub, stating that: "Our mission is to make WinUI 3 the best native UI platform for Windows experiences and apps, and performance is at the heart of that effort."

Pan adds: "Making this a reality means delivering performance improvements at multiple levels, including within WinUI itself."

The software engineer further notes: "We've been zeroing in on launch time, using File Explorer and Notepad as our primary benchmarks, with an emphasis on improvements that broadly benefit most apps."

Pan then breaks down some of the performance boosts that have been achieved so far with File Explorer, including 41% and 63% fewer allocations and transient allocations, respectively, as well as 45% fewer function calls — and a 25% reduction in the time spent in WinUI code.

Analysis: a long-term commitment for fundamentals and quality, we're told

(Image credit: Dell)

What does that mean in reality? Well, these changes are still very much in early development, and we don't know what the mentioned improvements actually add up to in terms of making File Explorer launch faster. There's no "it'll be x seconds quicker" here (of course, launch times will naturally vary on different configurations of hardware, anyway).

However, the gist is clear — there's a good deal of optimization work going on with core elements of Windows 11 along these lines, and it's bound to help with performance. Especially given that this work isn't happening in isolation.

Remember that Microsoft also has projects on the boil to improve File Explorer performance in various ways, and one of those is 'Low Latency Profile'. This is a recently revealed CPU trick that could be instrumental in making a whole lot of apps and Windows 11 interface elements operate a good deal more responsively.

Another heartening theme evident here is one of greater collaboration within Microsoft. Pan observes in the post: "The approach here is we do what we can from [the] framework side, and [obviously] other teams in Windows also investigated and [have] been doing work to improve overall launch perf, we connect/collaborate frequently to make sure the improvements will be end-to-end. It's a long-term commitment for fundamentals and quality."

This all sounds very positive for the future, and as someone else commenting on the GitHub post, claiming to be an ex-Microsoft employee, observes, "This was by far the most frustrating thing working with you guys, every team seemed to do their own thing. I hope you guys really push to fix that."

Thus far, the scope of the Windows 11 revamp is laudably wide, so let's hope the reality lives up to the promising early work we're seeing and that Microsoft is indeed pulling together to work more effectively between its different Windows groups.

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NYT Strands hints and answers for Wednesday, May 13 (game #801)

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, May 12 (game #800).

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

What is the theme of today's NYT Strands?

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… You’ve got…

NYT Strands today (game #801) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• PRUNE
• TEAM
• BRIEF
• PURE
• RUNT
• TIME

NYT Strands today (game #801) - hint #3 - spangram letters

How many letters are in today's spangram?

• Spangram has 11 letters

NYT Strands today (game #801) - hint #4 - spangram position

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

First side: top, 3rd column

Last side: bottom, 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 #801) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #801, are…

• SPUNK
• PLUCK
• GRIT
• NERVE
• GUMPTION
• FIBER
• HEART
• SPANGRAM: WHATITTAKES

• My rating: Easy
• My score: Perfect

The theme confused me to begin with, then after finding “what” as I hunted for any words to give me a hint, the mists cleared and I completed the sentence “you’ve got…” WHATITTAKES.

There were some great words in today’s search, a task which was made easier by finding the two containing the letter K in SPUNK and PLUCK and moving onwards from here.

GRIT and NERVE are still spoken about a lot particularly in sports commentaries, but GUMPTION is a word due a revival both in use and in spirit. It is also a quality unique to humans — more GUMPTION coupled with HEART makes the world a better place.

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Tuesday, May 12, game #800)

• TUXEDO
• PALAZZO
• HAREM
• GAUCHO
• TOREADOR
• SAILOR
• SPANGRAM: FANCYPANTS

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 Wednesday, May 13 (game #1067)

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, May 12 (game #1066).

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 #1067) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• BEAN
• CROP
• GRINDER
• DONUT
• GROUNDS
• ADJUST
• ROLL
• FILTERS
• SUB
• CAUSE
• BELLY
• BASIS
• HERO
• ARGUMENT
• MARKUP
• HOAGIE

NYT Connections today (game #1067) - hint #1 - group hints

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

• YELLOW: A meal of two halves
• GREEN: Reason for doing something
• BLUE: Change your images
• PURPLE: Begin with a word that rhymes like “smelly”

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 #1067) - hint #2 - group answers

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

• YELLOW: LONG SANDWICH
• GREEN: PRETEXT
• BLUE: SMARTPHONE PHOTO EDITING OPTIONS
• PURPLE: JELLY_____ 

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

NYT Connections today (game #1067) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #1067, are…

• YELLOW: LONG SANDWICH GRINDER, HERO, HOAGIE, SUB
• GREEN: PRETEXT ARGUMENT, BASIS, CAUSE, GROUNDS
• BLUE: SMARTPHONE PHOTO EDITING OPTIONS ADJUST, CROP, FILTERS, MARKUP
• PURPLE: JELLY_____ BEAN, BELLY, DONUT, ROLL

• My rating: Hard
• My score: 2 mistakes

I made two mistakes today that are typical to me — the first was falling for a very obvious trap, the second was cultural ignorance.

I really should have stopped due to the mix of plural and singular, but I found myself unable to resist linking the coffee-related tiles of BEAN, GRINDER, GROUNDS and FILTERS.

Next, I completely overlooked GRINDER, because this is not a sandwich term I am familiar with, and entered ROLL instead.

My saving grace was that I am US culture aware enough to get today’s purple group, including JELLY DONUT, something that in the UK we’d call a jam donut.

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Tuesday, May 12, game #1066)

• YELLOW: SUBSTANTIAL BOOK OPUS, TOME, VOLUME, WORK
• GREEN: "SAINT" CITIES MONICA, PAULO, PETERSBURG, SALVADOR
• BLUE: "LONG" THINGS DISTANCE, DIVISION, JOHNS, WEEKEND
• PURPLE: CURRENCIES PLUS A LETTER FRANCI, RANDO, REALM, WONK

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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Battlefield 6 developer says the team is '100% dedicated' and 'delivering extremely compelling new content' every season

• Battlefield 6 Season 3 launches today
• It introduces a massive new map and new weapons, among other major content
• A developer described the team as "100% dedicated" to improving the game

Right now, Battlefield 6 seems like it's in a bit of a rough spot. After a record-breaking launch, Steam player counts have plateaued (that's according to data by SteamDB) and, while the game remains one of the most played on the platform, its population is less than 10% of the lofty peak.

Developer Battlefield Studios (a combination of Electronic Arts' Dice, Criterion, Ripple Effect, and Motive teams) was hit with layoffs earlier this year, which many speculated to be the result of the game failing to retain players in line with expectations.

Still, the team is hard at work putting out regular updates with the latest, Season 3, launching today. It introduces a lot of what fans have been asking for: the biggest Battlefield 6 map yet, in a remake of the beloved Railway to Golmud from Battlefield 4, an assortment of new weapons, and ranked battle royale play.

Ahead of the season's launch, executive producer Philippe Ducharme told TechRadar Gaming that the team wanted to strike "the right balance" with the map that's being added.

"We've talked about the Season 3 maps. We've also hinted in the Season 4 maps, which are also very big maps," he said.

"We're looking at it as an overall portfolio, making sure that we're providing maps that fit well the different play styles and that fit well with the themes of the season. We did have a need to have larger size maps, which is something that we're filling now with Golmud and that we're going to keep iterating on for future seasons."

(Image credit: Electronic Arts)

Although their prevalence was a common complaint at launch, this doesn't mean that small maps (often called 'meat grinders' by players) are going away.

"The meat grinders are always fun. They're different, and they can be very frustrating, but they're fun and engaging maps as well," Ducharme argued. "It's about making sure that we're able to strike that right balance between what we're offering our players with every season to make them excited to come back."

He went on to add that the team is actively "engaged in making the experience better" with each new update. "Every season, we're delivering extremely compelling new content that comes in that's exciting for players, that's different," he continued. "We're also 100% dedicated to making sure that the overall experience, the foundation that we've built, keeps improving."

We'll have to wait and see whether Season 3 brings back lapsed Battlefield 6 players, or even successfully attracts new ones, but if you're interested in giving the game a go, you can buy it on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and Series S, and PC now.

Battlefield Redsec, a standalone battle royale component, is out on the same platforms for free.

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NYT Connections hints and answers for Tuesday, May 12 (game #1066)

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, May 11 (game #1065).

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 #1066) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• WEEKEND
• RANDO
• PAULO
• FRANCI
• JOHNS
• MONICA
• WORK
• WONK
• TOME
• SALVADOR
• DIVISION
• VOLUME
• DISTANCE
• OPUS
• REALM
• PETERSBURG

NYT Connections today (game #1066) - hint #1 - group hints

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

• YELLOW: Fiction that can be used as a doorstop
• GREEN: Places with a holy word in common
• BLUE: Connected by the opposite of “short”
• PURPLE: Added money

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 #1066) - hint #2 - group answers

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

• YELLOW: SUBSTANTIAL BOOK
• GREEN: "SAINT" CITIES 
• BLUE: "LONG" THINGS 
• PURPLE: CURRENCIES PLUS A LETTER

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

NYT Connections today (game #1066) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #1066, are…

• YELLOW: SUBSTANTIAL BOOK OPUS, TOME, VOLUME, WORK
• GREEN: "SAINT" CITIES MONICA, PAULO, PETERSBURG, SALVADOR
• BLUE: "LONG" THINGS DISTANCE, DIVISION, JOHNS, WEEKEND
• PURPLE: CURRENCIES PLUS A LETTER FRANCI, RANDO, REALM, WONK

• My rating: Hard
• My score: 3 mistakes

I made three stupid mistakes after getting the yellow group pretty quickly.

First, I was pretty sure I was looking for “SAINT” CITIES but instead of MONICA I submitted JOHNS. This will teach me to add tiles rashly as the St John’s I was thinking of is a district of London and not a city.

With just eight tiles left I still managed to make two more errors — first by thinking RANDO and WONK were slang for types of relationships (so I added WEEKEND and DISTANCE). Then, with no evidence other than DIVISION being part of an '80s band name, I clicked on WEEKEND, JOHNS and REALM thinking they were too.

Fortunately through sheer chance this gave me a “one away” and I finally saw that there were four “LONG” THINGS. I hope it wasn’t as hard for you.

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Monday, May 11, game #1065)

• YELLOW: MOVE STEALTHILY, WITH "IN" CREEP, SLIP, SNEAK, STEAL
• GREEN: KINDS OF SCHEMES COLOR, PONZI, PYRAMID, RHYME
• BLUE: DETECTIVE MOVIES CHINATOWN, KNIVES OUT, SEVEN, VERTIGO
• PURPLE: BODY PARTS SURROUNDED BY TWO LETTERS ELEGY, KARMA, KEYED, SHANDY

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 Tuesday, May 12 (game #800)

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, May 11 (game #799).

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

What is the theme of today's NYT Strands?

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Quite the pair

NYT Strands today (game #800) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• CURE
• POEM
• CATS
• RAIL
• YEARS
• STOP

NYT Strands today (game #800) - hint #3 - spangram letters

How many letters are in today's spangram?

• Spangram has 10 letters

NYT Strands today (game #800) - 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 #800) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #800, are…

• TUXEDO
• PALAZZO
• HAREM
• GAUCHO
• TOREADOR
• SAILOR
• SPANGRAM: FANCYPANTS

• My rating: Hard
• My score: 2 hints

Rare letters are always a good place to start a Strands search, but TUXEDO left me a little baffled as I associate it with shirts and the theme “quite the pair” didn’t seem to go with that.

The other rare letters on the board — a double-Z, no less — were the key to finally getting me going. Not that I am exotic enough to know anyone who owns a pair of them, but I now knew after getting PALAZZO that we were looking for types of pants; or, to be precise (as I soon discovered via the spangram), FANCYPANTS.

My fancy pant knowledge is not the best, so I opted for hints to get me the next couple of trousers and from here on in I was able to shimmy my way to a conclusion.

Can the world, I wonder, be divided between those who own and those who would never be seen dead in FANCYPANTS? Quite possibly.

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Monday, May 11, game #799)

• JUMBLE
• HODGEPODGE
• VARIETY
• MISHMASH
• RAGBAG
• SPANGRAM: ODDSANDENDS

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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'All modern operating systems do this, including macOS and Linux': Microsoft exec fires back at critics accusing it of 'cheating' with Windows 11 speed boost feature

• Microsoft is bringing in a new feature to boost the CPU briefly, in order to make Windows 11 apps and menus more responsive
• Critics have fired flak at Microsoft for 'cheating' and this being a general fudge of a fix
• A Microsoft exec has made it clear that this isn't some kind of cheat, and that other major operating systems do the same thing

Microsoft is going to boost Windows 11 performance by using a trick that briefly speeds up the CPU when opening apps or menus, and an executive has defended this concept after it came under some fire from online commenters.

Windows Latest spotted that Scott Hanselman, a VP, member of technical staff at Microsoft, and a key part of the team tasked with fixing Windows 11 this year, took to X in order to fight back at critics who've called Microsoft lazy for this particular idea, which goes under the label of 'Low Latency Profile'.

There's a general feeling among some that Microsoft is taking shortcuts and fudging a fix for performance here.

To recap on what the Low Latency Profile actually does, it boosts the processor speed for around one to three seconds or so, giving a brief bit of extra pep for when opening an app, or the likes of the Start menu, to ensure this happens a good deal more snappily. And based on early testing, it does indeed do the job in terms of making Windows 11 feel more responsive in these scenarios.

The accusations leveled are that Microsoft is 'cheating' by calling on the CPU in this way, but Hanselman points out that this is nothing new for modern operating systems.

Hanselman responded to one thread (among others) on X, which began: "What a disgrace MicroSlop boosting the processor performance right on time and briefly just to make apps open faster. No other company would dare to do the same." (Note that this is translated from Spanish.)

Hanselman replied that: "All modern operating systems do this, including macOS and Linux. It's not 'cheating'; this is how modern systems make apps feel fast: they temporarily boost the CPU speed and prioritize interactive tasks to reduce latency."

Elsewhere, Hanselman further observes: "Apple does this and y'all love it."

Another complainant talks about mobiles, saying "imagine your smartphone boosting max CPU every time you touch something to be responsive", and Hanselman reminds them: "Your smartphone already does this. Constantly. Every touch wakes cores, boosts clocks, renders a frame, then drops back to idle milliseconds later. You've discovered dynamic frequency scaling. Welcome to modern computer science. Come on in! The water changes temperature often."

Analysis: feelings running hot

(Image credit: TechRadar)

It's clear that Hanselman feels compelled to put some folks in their place here, and fair enough, these are valid points he's making, and there is a general vibe towards shooting down whatever Microsoft's trying to do, which is unfair.

However, I think the Microsoft executive needs to be somewhat mindful of where much of this flak is coming from – namely, many years of Windows 11, where people have felt they haven't been listened to, with Microsoft botching a number of fixes for the OS.

I've written many times about how faith and trust in Microsoft have been eroded over the past couple of years (well, going back way before that, really, but this has been especially true in recent times). And this kind of reaction is a symptom of that.

But yes, granted, it can't feel good to have many of the ideas that you have for fixing Windows 11 being shot down in a general atmosphere of 'let's see Microsoft mess this one up'.

On a broader level, some critics aren't directly criticizing Low Latency Profile, but rather they're saying that it's more of a band-aid that doesn't address bigger issues with the likes of core Windows 11 apps (notably the web-based efforts) running sluggishly. Or indeed issues around general resource mismanagement in Windows 11 – although overarching performance improvements are something that's on Microsoft's fix list, of course.

In short, there is a lot of fixing to be done with Windows 11, and Microsoft has to start somewhere. From where I'm sitting, the general attitude so far from Microsoft has been impressive, though, in terms of implementing some important fixes quickly and engaging with the community.

I feel the critics do need to give Microsoft more time and a chance, but at the same time, I realize how some frustrations run pretty deep with Windows 11 – and Windows 10 before it, for that matter – and Microsoft only has itself to blame for that.

One key question for me, though, is simple: why didn't Microsoft include this CPU trick in Windows 11 in the first place? Or at least start developing it as a performance fix at an earlier date, given that all other contemporary desktop platforms make good use of similar features.

The answer is likely bound up in solving power-efficiency and battery life issues – and that remains a concern about this feature now. Sources inside Microsoft have already said that any battery longevity impact will be minimal, mind, and it's likely that with the huge battery life levels we're seeing with some modern laptops, this gives Windows 11 more room to breathe anyway.

Interestingly, another observation Hanselman makes is that Low Latency Profile is going to work particularly well with Windows 11 laptops that have Arm-based (Snapdragon) chips, which are better suited to shifting power states swiftly than AMD and Intel CPUs.

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And so it begins — Sony has pledged to AI use for PlayStation, claiming it will 'unleash the creativity of our studios', and this is what I've been worried about

• Sony CEO, Hideaki Nishino, shows commitment to using AI for PlayStation game development
• Nishino intends to use AI to improve game development and 'unleash the creativity of our studios'
• This comes amid the controversy behind AI's impact on the gaming market, and its use in Nvidia's DLSS 5

AI is causing significant issues within the PC and game console markets, with exceedingly high RAM prices and shortages — and now, there's another reason gamers should be worried about its presence in gaming.

As reported by VGC, Sony's CEO, Hideaki Nishino, recently highlighted a new plan that includes using AI on PlayStation to improve productivity in game development.

This comes amid controversy over AI not only driving prices up across the board due to increased memory demand, but also through Nvidia's DLSS 5 (planned for late 2026), which many have likened to a generative AI filter for games.

DLSS 5's introduction has already served as a worrying sign of what game development may eventually become, and it's not even here yet — and while it will be optional for players, many developers have already backed the tool and plan to utilize it once available.

That's exactly what makes Nishino's pledge to use AI concerning, as he stated: "At PlayStation, our goal is always to be the best place to play and the best to publish. We see AI as a powerful tool to help us in this mission."

(Image credit: Shutterstock / Rokas Tenys)

The latter statement effectively mimics what was said about DLSS 5 by Nvidia itself and some game developers and publishers, suggesting that AI will only be used as a 'tool' and not a centerpiece of games, but it's not that simple.

Nisihino continued saying: "The vision, the design, and the emotional impact of our games will always come from the talent of our studios and performers. AI is meant to augment their abilities, not replace them," further insinuating AI will be strictly used for game development.

"We believe AI will unleash the creativity of our studios, power a more curated platform, and enhance the PlayStation experience for both players and creators."

On paper, PlayStation's commitment to keeping AI use strictly within game development without replacing human artists isn't necessarily bad (not a popular move either), but it's what it could eventually lead to that's very concerning.

(Image credit: Nvidia / Capcom)

With DLSS 5, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang told gamers they were 'completely wrong' about DLSS 5 being generative AI in games, as it was 'content-controlled generative AI'. However, those were seen as buzzwords to stop gamers from seeing DLSS 5 for what it actually is, as it clearly changes character and environmental details, straying from the artist's design choices.

PlayStation doesn't have a DLSS 5 equivalent case (thankfully), but AI's very presence in game development for the company to begin with means there's a chance its use could spread even further, perhaps with gen AI assets showing up in games.

It's not much of a stretch to suggest the latter could happen when Activision is actively using AI in its Call of Duty games, which hasn't gone down well with players. The only hope that remains is that backlash from consumers keeps PlayStation and its first-party studios at bay, and if DLSS 5 is anything to go by, it's a decent start.

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NYT Connections hints and answers for Monday, May 11 (game #1065)

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 Sunday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Connections hints and answers for Sunday, May 10 (game #1064).

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 #1065) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• COLOR
• CREEP
• SHANDY
• KARMA
• KNIVES OUT
• SLIP
• PYRAMID
• RHYME
• STEAL
• CHINATOWN
• KEYED
• SNEAK
• SEVEN
• PONZI
• ELEGY
• VERTIGO

NYT Connections today (game #1065) - hint #1 - group hints

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

• BLUE: Crime films
• GREEN: Types of plan
• YELLOW: Move slowly without being seen
• PURPLE: Hidden anatomy

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 #1065) - hint #2 - group answers

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

• BLUE: DETECTIVE MOVIES
• GREEN: KINDS OF SCHEMES
• YELLOW: MOVE STEALTHILY, WITH "IN"
• PURPLE: BODY PARTS SURROUNDED BY TWO LETTERS

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

NYT Connections today (game #1065) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #1065, are…

• YELLOW: MOVE STEALTHILY, WITH "IN" CREEP, SLIP, SNEAK, STEAL
• GREEN: KINDS OF SCHEMES COLOR, PONZI, PYRAMID, RHYME
• BLUE: DETECTIVE MOVIES CHINATOWN, KNIVES OUT, SEVEN, VERTIGO
• PURPLE: BODY PARTS SURROUNDED BY TWO LETTERS ELEGY, KARMA, KEYED, SHANDY

• My rating: Easy
• My score: Perfect

Today’s purple group looks a lot more gettable than normal and I’m annoyed at myself for not taking more time over today’s game. Congratulations if you saw the four BODY PARTS SURROUNDED BY TWO LETTERS.

Instead, I rushed in spotting the four DETECTIVE MOVIES — not that I saw the link at first, just that they are all great films.

Next, PONZI could only be here for one thing, although I did hesitate over the fourth tile, getting caught up in thinking SLIP scheme could be something as well as SLIP stream.

With just eight tiles left CREEP, SLIP, SNEAK, and STEAL were impossible to resist. 

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Sunday, May 10, game #1064)

• YELLOW: MUSIC PLAYER BUTTONS PLAY, REPEAT, SHUFFLE, SKIP
• GREEN: DESTINED BOUND, CERTAIN, FATED, SURE
• BLUE: VERBS IN MAKING A MOJITO GARNISH, MUDDLE, POUR, STIR
• PURPLE: WHAT "SPRING" MIGHT REFER TO COIL, FOUNTAIN, LEAP, SEASON

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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