Quordle hints and answers for Tuesday, June 30 (game #1618)

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 Monday's puzzle instead then click here: Quordle hints and answers for Monday, June 29 (game #1617).

Quordle was one of the original Wordle alternatives and is still going strong now more than 1,400 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 #1618) - hint #1 - Vowels

How many different vowels are in Quordle today?

• The number of different vowels in Quordle today is 3*.

* 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 #1618) - 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 #1618) - 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 #1618) - 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 #1618) - hint #5 - starting letters (2)

What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• H

• D

• T

• M

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

Quordle today (game #1618) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1618, are…

• HALVE
• DRYER
• THERE
• MINTY

I played this game without my glasses, which added a new dimension of difficulty.

The first error this caused was my using the word “ducky” instead of my starter word “duchy” and the second was missing the letter H and wasting a guess before getting HALVE.

Somehow, I managed to keep my winning streak going.

Daily Sequence today (game #1618) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1618, are…

• VIVID
• CYCLE
• CHUNK
• PLATE

Quordle answers: The past 20

• 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
• Quordle #1613, Thursday, 25 June: SHELF, TAWNY, HYPER, SOLVE
• Quordle #1612, Wednesday, 24 June: SOBER, ECLAT, GOOSE, NINNY
• Quordle #1611, Tuesday, 23 June: ARDOR, DADDY, SERVE, SHEAR
• Quordle #1610, Monday, 22 June: WAXEN, APNEA, CHIME, WAVER
• Quordle #1609, Sunday, 21 June: ABBOT, NOTCH, DREAD, LURID
• Quordle #1608, Saturday, 20 June: SLAIN, TAMER, VIPER, FALSE
• Quordle #1607, Friday, 19 June: ALOUD, POINT, GLOBE, GROIN
• Quordle #1606, Thursday, 18 June: LATCH, BRAWL, STEEL, CRUSH
• Quordle #1605, Wednesday, 17 June: HOIST, PLUSH, GROUP, LEMUR
• Quordle #1604, Tuesday, 16 June: SLAIN, PLUCK, PINTO, SLICE
• Quordle #1603, Monday, 15 June: GAUNT, SNEAK, ROUTE, POKER
• Quordle #1602, Sunday, 14 June: WIMPY, WISPY, VIRAL, NYLON
• Quordle #1601, Saturday, 13 June: DEALT, STEED, BELIE, GULLY
• Quordle #1600, Friday, 12 June: TENTH, SHOAL, JELLY, UNIFY
• Quordle #1599, Thursday, 11 June: GAMMA, SPILL, SALVE, RURAL

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Apple may have a plan to 'ease frustration over price hikes and longer delivery times' with its Macs — but I wouldn't count on it working

• Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo has added to the prevailing pessimism around the RAM crisis
• Of RAM destined for consumer electronics in 2026, an "estimated 15 – 20% is expected to shift to data centers in 2027, and that share could grow"
• Apple is trying to maneuver to use a big Chinese chip maker to shore up its RAM supply lines, we're told

Another negative sentiment has been aired about the RAM crisis, as a prominent leaker and analyst has underlined that data centers will consume even more consumer memory supply next year – and that Apple may look to China for help shoring up its RAM stocks.

Wccftech flagged that Ming-Chi Kuo posted on X, noting: "Of the memory capacity allocated to consumer electronics in 2026, an estimated 15 – 20% is expected to shift to data centers in 2027, and that share could grow."

This is part of a picture that Kuo paints, where Apple is not just worried about the cost of memory but, more specifically, the lack of memory supply, with LPDDR5 (low-power RAM for mobiles and laptops) dwindling substantially.

Kuo notes that this is the "real reason Apple is lobbying the White House to keep CXMT off the Entity List", meaning that in order to keep enough supply flowing, Tim Cook is trying to persuade the US government to allow Apple to use RAM made by the Chinese chip manufacturing giant CXMT.

In short, this isn't about pricing as such, but about "managing DRAM supply risk" in light of whatever future shipment targets Apple has for its products, whether Macs, iPhones, iPads, or anything else.

Analysis: calling the cavalry?

(Image credit: Lance Ulanoff)

At the very start of the year, we were hearing about how much RAM supply data centers (and AI therein) are set to gobble up in 2026, and things aren't going to get any better for the consumer in 2027. Not if Kuo is right and something like 20% (or more) of the memory supply for consumer electronics is redirected to data centers next year. It's a worrying thought indeed, and represents an unwelcome notion of ever-increasing prices for anything that has memory inside it, from phones to PCs.

Apple is apparently trying to act to fend off the worst of the impact on its products, following its recent price hikes, and interestingly Kuo thinks that Tim Cook is very much the CEO for the job, and that this isn't a task that John Ternus, who will take the reins of Apple later this year, should be charged with.

Kuo observes: "Tim Cook is one of the few tech leaders who can still navigate both Washington and Beijing, so this is better handled before he steps down as CEO. Even if the effort goes nowhere, the media coverage can still leave the market with the impression that Apple tried but was constrained by U.S. policy. That may help ease frustration over price hikes and longer delivery times."

As for Apple's would-be Chinese chip-making savior, others have cautioned against relying on RAM from China to ease the current memory crisis. While Kuo points out that "CXMT states in its IPO prospectus that its capacity is far below domestic demand", meaning there's available supply to pipe through to the likes of Apple or other Western tech giants, that may not be the case in the future.

And as the VP of a firm that makes SSD controllers recently made clear, the Chinese government has a considerable amount of leverage over CXMT and other major memory chip makers in the country – and if the RAM crisis worsens, there may not be so much supply to be sold abroad (even if that'd be more profitable for the companies involved).

It's a complicated situation to navigate, of course, but as Kuo also touches on, this could be about Apple wanting to be seen to do something. Cook may fully realize that CXMT may not be the knight in shining armor coming to Apple's rescue, but even if it isn't, at least he's been seen making efforts to call for the cavalry.

Ultimately, with all the bleak predictions around of late – including Lenovo's assertion that RAM prices are 'never' coming back down and we're in a world of a 'new normal' for memory costs – it's difficult to believe that Apple has much room to maneuver in keeping a firm lid on the MSRPs of its Macs or other products going forward.

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Companion Cube case for Steam Machine is canceled by Valve after Dbrand bafflingly forgot to get permission to make the thing

• Dbrand made a Companion Cube case for the Steam Machine
• It was a tribute to the Companion Cube from Portal, and a popular idea
• Unfortunately, Dbrand went ahead and made this product without any permission from Valve, and so had to withdraw it from sale today

Dbrand has announced that its fancy case for the Steam Machine that made Valve's gaming PC look like a Companion Cube from Portal has been pulled from sale.

Why? Because, rather unfathomably, as Dbrand explained on Reddit, it didn't ask permission from Valve to make and sell this creation.

Dbrand said: "We launched around 3am on Monday, June 22nd. Overnight, it [the Companion Cube case] became the second-fastest selling product in our 15-year history, behind only the Switch 2 Killswitch."

"Shortly after, Valve's legal team reached out. They stated that the Companion Cube is Valve intellectual property, for which Dbrand does not have a license. They requested we take down the product and launch film immediately. This was entirely within their rights, and they were direct, fair, and respectful throughout."

Dbrand complied, while launching an appeal to Valve to see if there was "any way to keep the project alive: properly licensed, with their blessing, on their terms".

The short response was no, although Dbrand concedes: "Given our backwards approach of building first and asking permission later, it was a fair answer."

And that is the story of a $130 hard-shell Steam Machine case ($99 for the 'poverty' version) that was never meant to be. Refunds are being issued today, June 29, 2026, for anyone who ordered a Companion Cube case.

Analysis: permission denied

(Image credit: Shutterstock / aslysun)

This whole episode is suitably baffling considering that Dbrand apparently put over a thousand hours of engineering into making the Companion Cube, ensuring the Steam Machine fit into it perfectly, and developing 44 sets of injection-molding tools in the process. Not to mention hiring out a university campus as the set for the launch video.

Dbrand says: "By the end, we were losing money on every $99 Poverty Cube sold, but it didn't matter. This had turned into a passion project for the entire organization."

As you can imagine, there are a lot of bemused (or indeed amused) gamers on the Reddit thread calling Dbrand stupid, which the company freely admits is true. One Redditor says: "You had two jobs! Ask Valve, and make the thing."

Another asks: "How on Earth did you think you would be able to sell this thing without getting permission from Valve...???"

Well, yes. It's a good point. Some argue that Dbrand might have wanted to build up some publicity and show off all the pre-orders to persuade Valve to be more likely to say yes, but that theory falls apart because the company forgot to ask Valve – at all.

Amidst the (rightfully) withering criticisms are more than a few disappointed punters who are actually canceling their Steam Machine (they say) because they won't be able to put the gaming PC in Dbrand's enclosure.

Obviously that's a subjective matter, but I'm not seeing the appeal at all personally. The Companion Cube made the Steam Machine a good deal chunkier (when the idea is that it's a low-profile, unobtrusive living room PC), and while very nicely made by all accounts, it pushed the price up even further. And, despite ventilation obviously being considered in the design, I do wonder about the effect on the Steam Machine's cooling system on a hot day.

Still, those are all moot points now. Dbrand said this one is a "hard lesson to learn publicly," and, indeed, hopefully the company will take it to heart. It's not the first time that a Dbrand product has come off the rails like this, though. You might recall Sony sending a cease-and-desist letter, which canceled Dbrand's 'Darkplates' (faceplates for the PS5) because of the way they replicated a "protected product design". A Darkplates version 2.0 was launched with changes to address this, and it remains on sale today.

When the Darkplates were first revealed by Dbrand, it was with the prescient slogan 'Go ahead, sue us', so you've got to wonder whether this particular lesson taught by Valve is going to stick.

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Companion Cube case for Steam Machine is canceled by Valve after Dbrand bafflingly forgot to get permission to make the thing

• Dbrand made a Companion Cube case for the Steam Machine
• It was a tribute to the Companion Cube from Portal, and a popular idea
• Unfortunately, Dbrand went ahead and made this product without any permission from Valve, and so had to withdraw it from sale today

Dbrand has announced that its fancy case for the Steam Machine that made Valve's gaming PC look like a Companion Cube from Portal has been pulled from sale.

Why? Because, rather unfathomably, as Dbrand explained on Reddit, it didn't ask permission from Valve to make and sell this creation.

Dbrand said: "We launched around 3am on Monday, June 22nd. Overnight, it [the Companion Cube case] became the second-fastest selling product in our 15-year history, behind only the Switch 2 Killswitch."

"Shortly after, Valve's legal team reached out. They stated that the Companion Cube is Valve intellectual property, for which Dbrand does not have a license. They requested we take down the product and launch film immediately. This was entirely within their rights, and they were direct, fair, and respectful throughout."

Dbrand complied, while launching an appeal to Valve to see if there was "any way to keep the project alive: properly licensed, with their blessing, on their terms".

The short response was no, although Dbrand concedes: "Given our backwards approach of building first and asking permission later, it was a fair answer."

And that is the story of a $130 hard-shell Steam Machine case ($99 for the 'poverty' version) that was never meant to be. Refunds are being issued today, June 29, 2026, for anyone who ordered a Companion Cube case.

Analysis: permission denied

(Image credit: Shutterstock / aslysun)

This whole episode is suitably baffling considering that Dbrand apparently put over a thousand hours of engineering into making the Companion Cube, ensuring the Steam Machine fit into it perfectly, and developing 44 sets of injection-molding tools in the process. Not to mention hiring out a university campus as the set for the launch video.

Dbrand says: "By the end, we were losing money on every $99 Poverty Cube sold, but it didn't matter. This had turned into a passion project for the entire organization."

As you can imagine, there are a lot of bemused (or indeed amused) gamers on the Reddit thread calling Dbrand stupid, which the company freely admits is true. One Redditor says: "You had two jobs! Ask Valve, and make the thing."

Another asks: "How on Earth did you think you would be able to sell this thing without getting permission from Valve...???"

Well, yes. It's a good point. Some argue that Dbrand might have wanted to build up some publicity and show off all the pre-orders to persuade Valve to be more likely to say yes, but that theory falls apart because the company forgot to ask Valve – at all.

Amidst the (rightfully) withering criticisms are more than a few disappointed punters who are actually canceling their Steam Machine (they say) because they won't be able to put the gaming PC in Dbrand's enclosure.

Obviously that's a subjective matter, but I'm not seeing the appeal at all personally. The Companion Cube made the Steam Machine a good deal chunkier (when the idea is that it's a low-profile, unobtrusive living room PC), and while very nicely made by all accounts, it pushed the price up even further. And, despite ventilation obviously being considered in the design, I do wonder about the effect on the Steam Machine's cooling system on a hot day.

Still, those are all moot points now. Dbrand said this one is a "hard lesson to learn publicly," and, indeed, hopefully the company will take it to heart. It's not the first time that a Dbrand product has come off the rails like this, though. You might recall Sony sending a cease-and-desist letter, which canceled Dbrand's 'Darkplates' (faceplates for the PS5) because of the way they replicated a "protected product design". A Darkplates version 2.0 was launched with changes to address this, and it remains on sale today.

When the Darkplates were first revealed by Dbrand, it was with the prescient slogan 'Go ahead, sue us', so you've got to wonder whether this particular lesson taught by Valve is going to stick.

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GTA 6 could take more than a day to download according to Wi-Fi experts

• Grand Theft Auto 6 could take more than a day to download for those with slow Wi-Fi speeds
• This is according to experts at comparison website Uswitch, who estimate that the game could be around 120GB
• Pre-loading will begin on November 12 for those who pre-order the game

With Grand Theft Auto 6 pre-orders officially available, many are already making plans for the November 19, 2026, launch date. Developer Rockstar Games has confirmed that those who pre-order the game will be able to begin pre-loading it on November 12, and it seems making good use of that time will be incredibly important for those eager to dive in on day one.

This is because new research by the broadband experts at comparison website Uswitch suggests that the game could take over a day to download for those with slower Wi-Fi connections.

They predict that the GTA 6 file size could be 120GB, only a little more than GTA 5. This means a download time of more than one day if you're stuck on old copper ADSL connections (which offer speeds of roughly 10Mbps), while those with the UK average 170.2Mbps download speed will have to wait an hour and 34 minutes for the game to be ready to play.

Things are much better over in the US, where the average download speed is roughly 300 Mbps, with just a 53-minute and 20-second wait according to Uswitch's download time calculator.

How long could GTA 6 take to download?

Download Speed	Estimated Download Time (120GB)
10Mbps	1d 2h 40min
30Mbps	8h 53min 20sec
50Mbps	5h 20min
100Mbps	2h 40min
170.2Mbps [National Average]	1h 34min
250Mbps	1h 4min
500Mbps	32min
1.0 Gbps (1000Mbps)	16min
1.5 Gbps (1500Mbps)	10min 40sec

You can use the table above to work out how long GTA 6 might take to download for you based on that 120GB estimate, though Uswitch notes that actual download times can vary based on real-world conditions like server demand and peak-time congestion.

Their in-house broadband expert, Max Beckett, says you can also make sure you're getting the best possible speeds with some "simple moves" like using an Ethernet cable to connect your router directly to your PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X or Series S in order to keep speeds consistent.

He also says "positioning your Wi-Fi router in a central, open area of your home can help maximise speeds" and recommends Wi-Fi extenders to ensure coverage in larger homes.

If you're still suffering from slow speeds, then he suggests shopping around for other plans: "You may find that you can get a much faster speed for very similar prices these days."

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NYT Connections hints and answers for Monday, June 29 (game #1114)

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, June 28 (game #1113).

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 #1114) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• WOOFER
• RUFFIAN
• INHALE
• GROOT
• EMBARK
• MAGNET
• SNARF
• CONE
• ROGUE
• CRUSH
• CABINET
• STRUNK
• NUDIBRANCH
• MISCREANT
• GUZZLE
• SCOUNDREL

NYT Connections today (game #1114) - hint #1 - group hints

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

• YELLOW: Hooligans of yesteryear
• GREEN: Eat quickly
• BLUE: Parts of a device for musical volume
• PURPLE: Don’t bark up the wrong one

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 #1114) - hint #2 - group answers

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

• YELLOW: OLD TIMEY TROUBLEMAKERS
• GREEN: CONSUME WITH GUSTO
• BLUE: PARTS OF A SPEAKER
• PURPLE: ENDING IN PARTS OF A TREE

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

NYT Connections today (game #1114) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #1114, are…

• YELLOW: OLD TIMEY TROUBLEMAKERS MISCREANT, ROGUE, RUFFIAN, SCOUNDREL
• GREEN: CONSUME WITH GUSTO CRUSH, GUZZLE, INHALE, SNARF
• BLUE: PARTS OF A SPEAKER CABINET, CONE, MAGNET, WOOFER
• PURPLE: ENDING IN PARTS OF A TREE EMBARK, GROOT, NUDIBRANCH, STRUNK

• My rating: Hard
• My score: 1 mistake

I wasted some time looking at parts of words and convinced myself that there must be some canine-themed collection thanks to WOOFER and EMBARK, but ENDING IN PARTS OF A TREE passed me by.

My mistake was a stupid one. I knew that we were threading OLD TIMEY TROUBLEMAKERS, but I included GROOT instead of ROGUE based on some half-remembered slang rather than the Marvel character.

Meanwhile, did anyone else experience deja vu from the green group CONSUME WITH GUSTO? I’m sure we have had this quartet before.

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Sunday, June 28, game #1113)

• YELLOW: HIGH-QUALITY CHOICE, FINE, PRIME, SELECT
• GREEN: SIGNALS TO COMMENCE BEGIN, GO, NOW, START
• BLUE: ACCESSORIES FOR A GUITARIST CAPO, PICK, SLIDE, STRAP
• PURPLE: THEY HAVE BOARDS CHESS, CORPORATION, DARTS, SURFER

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 Monday, June 29 (game #848)

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 Sunday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Sunday, June 28 (game #847).

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

What is the theme of today's NYT Strands?

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… The mark of a good composer

NYT Strands today (game #848) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• CRAB
• TRAM
• BALD
• FELON
• ARABIC
• CRANK

NYT Strands today (game #848) - hint #3 - spangram letters

How many letters are in today's spangram?

• Spangram has 12 letters

NYT Strands today (game #848) - hint #4 - spangram position

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

First side: left, 5th row

Last side: right, 6th row

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

NYT Strands today (game #848) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #848, are…

• CLEFT
• REST
• NOTE
• BRACKET
• MEASURE
• ACCIDENTAL
• SPANGRAM: MUSICALSTAFF

• My rating: Hard
• My score: 1 hint

The theme was initially confusing — were we searching for composers like Mozart? — and even spotting the spangram MUSICSTAFF didn’t make any difference.

Musical staff? Is that a posh way to describe an orchestra? 

However, after a hint, I realized we were searching for words associated with the composer’s craft of writing music.

That said, ACCIDENTAL was a new one for me, as I did not know this was a musical term and it took me ages to connect — it is a symbol placed immediately before a note that alters its pitch, temporarily raising or lowering it.

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Sunday, June 28, game #847)

• PARADE
• RAINBOW
• DRAG
• RALLY
• FLAGS
• CELEBRATION
• SPANGRAM: PRIDEMONTH

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 Sunday, June 28 (game #1113)

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 Saturday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Connections hints and answers for Saturday, June 27 (game #1112).

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 #1113) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• PICK
• CHESS
• START
• SELECT
• CHOICE
• GO
• SLIDE
• CORPORATION
• BEGIN
• PRIME
• SURFER
• STRAP
• CAPO
• DARTS
• NOW
• FINE

NYT Connections today (game #1113) - hint #1 - group hints

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

• YELLOW: The best available
• GREEN: Ready, set…
• BLUE: A musician’s tools
• PURPLE: Something flat and dull in common

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 #1113) - hint #2 - group answers

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

• YELLOW: HIGH-QUALITY
• GREEN: SIGNALS TO COMMENCE
• BLUE: ACCESSORIES FOR A GUITARIST
• PURPLE: THEY HAVE BOARDS

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

NYT Connections today (game #1113) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #1113, are…

• YELLOW: HIGH-QUALITY CHOICE, FINE, PRIME, SELECT
• GREEN: SIGNALS TO COMMENCE BEGIN, GO, NOW, START
• BLUE: ACCESSORIES FOR A GUITARIST CAPO, PICK, SLIDE, STRAP
• PURPLE: THEY HAVE BOARDS CHESS, CORPORATION, DARTS, SURFER

• My rating: Easy
• My score: Perfect

I very nearly collected the games GO, CHESS and DARTS together, but the absence of a fourth stopped me. 

I was a long way from seeing the connection THEY HAVE BOARDS between CHESS and DARTS; congratulations if you linked those with CORPORATION and SURFER.

When it came down to eight tiles left I went with the obvious — although I did think the thread between them was words supermarkets use when they want to charge you more for something slightly better.

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Saturday, June 27, game #1112)

• YELLOW: MONOPOLY SQUARES BOARDWALK, INCOME TAX, SHORT LINE, WATER WORKS
• GREEN: COMPONENTS OF A FASHION SHOW CATWALK, COLLECTION, DESIGNER, MODEL
• PURPLE: ENDING IN HORSE GAITS DECANTER, ENVELOPE, FIREWALK, FOXTROT
• BLUE: COMMONLY STRIPED THINGS BARBER POLE, BILLIARD BALL, CREDIT CARD, CROSSWALK

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 Sunday, June 28 (game #847)

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 Saturday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Saturday, June 27 (game #846).

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

What is the theme of today's NYT Strands?

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… March in June

NYT Strands today (game #847) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• MADE
• DOGS
• BRAT
• PRONE
• MINDER
• WIDEN

NYT Strands today (game #847) - hint #3 - spangram letters

How many letters are in today's spangram?

• Spangram has 10 letters

NYT Strands today (game #847) - hint #4 - spangram position

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

First side: left, 1st 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 #847) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #847, are…

• PARADE
• RAINBOW
• DRAG
• RALLY
• FLAGS
• CELEBRATION
• SPANGRAM: PRIDEMONTH

• My rating: Easy
• My score: Perfect

March in June initially threw me, as I was thinking of the month of March, then I realized that the March in question must be a parade and, of course June has become synonymous with Pride, so PRIDEMONTH and PARADE appeared as if by magic.

I got RAINBOW next, a little tricky as it involved reading backwards, before slowly making my way around the board.

Pride marches began in 1970 to mark the anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising in New York, but it was another 20 years before Bill Clinton declared June “gay and lesbian month”. 36 years on, it feels more important than ever.

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Saturday, June 27, game #846)

• PENTHOUSE
• STUDIO
• LOFT
• FLAT
• CONDO
• EFFICIENCY
• SPANGRAM: APARTMENTS

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 Strands hints and answers for Saturday, June 27 (game #846)

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, June 26 (game #845).

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

What is the theme of today's NYT Strands?

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Suite re-lease

NYT Strands today (game #846) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• TRACE
• FATAL
• DICE
• STONE
• TENT
• CONFUSE

NYT Strands today (game #846) - hint #3 - spangram letters

How many letters are in today's spangram?

• Spangram has 10 letters

NYT Strands today (game #846) - 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 #846) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #846, are…

• PENTHOUSE
• STUDIO
• LOFT
• FLAT
• CONDO
• EFFICIENCY
• SPANGRAM: APARTMENTS

• My rating: Easy
• My score: Perfect

I was able to breeze around this board after spotting PENTHOUSE almost immediately — this isn’t strictly true, I spotted “house” first then saw the “pent” attached to it.

This game also featured some nice non-game words including an alternative form of accommodation for people who cannot afford APARTMENTS.

The only place I struggled was with EFFICIENCY — a term I wasn’t familiar with, as this type of small one-person apartment is called a “bedsit” in the UK, as featured in the superb 1981 synth pop hit Bedsitter by Soft Cell, which superbly sums up the single life of Bedsit Land.

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Friday, June 26, game #845)

• PASS
• HORNS
• THREE
• BROTHERS
• TROLL
• BRIDGE
• SPANGRAM: BILLYGOATSGRUFF

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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Lenovo declares a 'new normal' for higher memory pricing in the 2030s, while Microsoft forecasts prices to double again in a year

• Lenovo has said that RAM prices will likely "never" fall back to pre-crisis levels
• The company also predicted a "new normal" for memory pricing from 2030 onwards
• Microsoft expects the cost of memory to double in just over a year

If you were hoping we might get to the weekend without any more bad news on the RAM front, that hope is about to be crushed courtesy of Lenovo and Microsoft — and there's a side serving of blame for Apple, too.

First off, as German tech site ComputerBase reports (via Wccftech), over at ISC 2026 — the high-performance computing, AI, and quantum conference in Germany — Lenovo said that RAM prices will likely "never" fall back to the pre-crisis levels of a year ago, even after the bolstering of chip production output that's coming (from 2028 onwards).

Lenovo seemingly said "never," accompanied by some on-stage laughter, according to ComputerBase, and the tech site (bearing in mind translation nuances) clarifies that this is really referring to the next five years (or maybe a bit more) for the RAM industry, and not an 'absolute' future.

However, the report then goes on to mention that Lenovo sees a "new normal" from 2030 onwards with significantly higher prices than pre-crisis levels — even given increased production.

On top of that, Microsoft just announced hefty price increases for Xbox consoles driven by the RAM crisis. The firm stated, "Unfortunately, console storage and memory prices have increased by more than 2.5x, and we expect another doubling by the fall of 2027."

Ouch. Microsoft underlined that the memory price hikes are especially painful for console makers, as these devices are typically sold at a (slight) loss, as the revenue is made up in game sales (and subscriptions).

Lastly, Wccftech also spotted that Micron has fired some flak at Apple, although the memory chip maker didn't name Tim Cook's firm specifically, but it's clear enough where the shot was aimed. As Rolfe Winkler, who reports for the Wall Street Journal, explains in a post on X: "Tim Cook says the memory guys are at fault for Apple raising prices. A Micron executive I interviewed last night pointed the finger right back."

Sumit Sadana, who is Chief Business Officer at Micron, informed Winkler, "We told a couple of the customers who were being very aggressive with pricing at that time that this is not constructive." The argument here might be that partners (presumably Apple) pressing Micron on the price of their RAM hurt Micron's bottom line and ability to invest in more production capacity.

Analysis: double, double toil and trouble

(Image credit: fizkes / Shutterstock)

Although it's difficult to weigh up the exact meaning of Lenovo's comments on the RAM crisis at ISC, it's clear enough that the PC giant believes the future looks very rocky. At best, pricing looks like it's in trouble until the early 2030s, and there's likely to be a 'new normal' coming into play here for that next decade.

While there appears to be some joking around prices "never" coming back down to the levels they were before the crisis, I think there's a fair chance that they actually won't. When the cost of a product goes up to such an extent as we've seen with RAM (and storage), it's feasible that it won't ever quite normalize. Okay, so maybe we'll see some curveballs that throw things out of whack — like the AI bubble bursting, or at least deflating a good deal — but I'm increasingly doubtful about the prospect of any relief.

Microsoft predicting a further doubling of memory pricing in not much more than a year is a painful prediction to hear, too.

I'm not going to dive full-tilt into the gloom here, though, because as I've said before, at least in the consumer space, RAM prices can only go so high before a ceiling is hit, which means most people will simply refuse to pay the asking prices. And thankfully, there have also been a couple of glimmers of hope this week: Asus predicted that its products won't be hiked by as much in the second half of 2026 (but they'll still go up), and there was a rumor aired that memory chip giant SK Hynix may switch production away from AI-targeted RAM (HBM) to conventional RAM sticks, at least to an extent.

I wouldn't get swept away with any optimism just yet, though, because for now, as these latest developments in the memory crisis underline, the pervading sentiment around the future remains largely negative.

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NAIC confirms data breach with ShinyHunters claiming 3.1TB of data stolen in Oracle zero-day attack

• NAIC confirmed a cyberattack exploiting an Oracle PeopleSoft zero‑day, with ShinyHunters claiming theft of 3.1TB of data
• Stolen cache allegedly includes insurer filings, credit rating files, AWS logs, configs, and PII; NAIC says only financial reports and technical data were taken
• Incident spotted June 11, disclosed June 17; files leaked online suggest NAIC did not pay ransom, as ShinyHunters continues exploiting the zero‑day across 100+ organizations

The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) confirmed suffering a cyberattack that resulted in the stolen data being leaked on the dark web. While the company did not name the group responsible, or mentioned the size of the stolen cache, the infamous ShinyHunters claimed responsibility and stated they snatched around 3.1TB of information.

In a security notice published on the NAIC website, it was explained that the attackers managed to exploit a zero-day vulnerability in Oracle PeopleSoft. This is an enterprise resource planning (ERP) software suite, designed to help businesses manage employees, finances, supply chains, and more. Citing Google Mandiant, Cybernews says ShinyHunters first started exploiting the zero-day on May 27, and managed to compromise more than 100 organizations and 300 individuals, before Oracle finally pushed an emergency update on June 10.

Among the victims, as we now know, is NAIC, whose PeopleSoft environment was compromised, and used to obtain credentials and move laterally to internal data storage locations.

ShinyHunters step forward

Based on NAIC’s investigation, the stolen information includes publicly available statutory financial reports, insurer investment credit rating data, and some technical information such as outdated logs and configuration files. There is no evidence that personal information, banking information, or payment data was accessed, it said.

NAIC spotted the attack on June 11 and immediately launched its incident response protocol, which includes notifying law enforcement, blocking malicious actors, and bringing in third-party security experts. The Commission disclosed the incident on June 17, a day before ShinyHunters went public.

The notorious ransomware gang claims to have taken more than 264,000 insurer regulatory filing documents, 2,000 customer and bulk orders containing personally identifiable information, some 45,000 files from major credit rating agencies, statutory annual and quarterly financial statements submitted by insurers, production AWS infrastructure logs, cloud configuration files, and workload automation data, and SQL scripts.

Since the files were seemingly leaked online, it’s safe to assume that NAIC did not (want to) pay the ransom demand.

Via Cybernews

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Quordle hints and answers for Friday, June 26 (game #1614)

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, June 25 (game #1613).

Quordle was one of the original Wordle alternatives and is still going strong now more than 1,400 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 #1614) - hint #1 - Vowels

How many different vowels are in Quordle today?

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

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

Quordle today (game #1614) - 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 #1614) - 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 #1614) - 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 #1614) - hint #5 - starting letters (2)

What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• J

• A

• B

• S

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

Quordle today (game #1614) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1614, are…

• JUICE
• ARRAY
• BONEY
• SKIFF

Is Quordle getting harder? It certainly feels like it has in the past couple of weeks.

Today was another tricky game, with the appearance of the rarest of letters, J, five vowels and a very difficult to get word in SKIFF.

Daily Sequence today (game #1614) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1614, are…

• MOODY
• VIRAL
• TOKEN
• DIARY

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1613, Thursday, 25 June: SHELF, TAWNY, HYPER, SOLVE
• Quordle #1612, Wednesday, 24 June: SOBER, ECLAT, GOOSE, NINNY
• Quordle #1611, Tuesday, 23 June: ARDOR, DADDY, SERVE, SHEAR
• Quordle #1610, Monday, 22 June: WAXEN, APNEA, CHIME, WAVER
• Quordle #1609, Sunday, 21 June: ABBOT, NOTCH, DREAD, LURID
• Quordle #1608, Saturday, 20 June: SLAIN, TAMER, VIPER, FALSE
• Quordle #1607, Friday, 19 June: ALOUD, POINT, GLOBE, GROIN
• Quordle #1606, Thursday, 18 June: LATCH, BRAWL, STEEL, CRUSH
• Quordle #1605, Wednesday, 17 June: HOIST, PLUSH, GROUP, LEMUR
• Quordle #1604, Tuesday, 16 June: SLAIN, PLUCK, PINTO, SLICE
• Quordle #1603, Monday, 15 June: GAUNT, SNEAK, ROUTE, POKER
• Quordle #1602, Sunday, 14 June: WIMPY, WISPY, VIRAL, NYLON
• Quordle #1601, Saturday, 13 June: DEALT, STEED, BELIE, GULLY
• Quordle #1600, Friday, 12 June: TENTH, SHOAL, JELLY, UNIFY
• Quordle #1599, Thursday, 11 June: GAMMA, SPILL, SALVE, RURAL
• Quordle #1598, Wednesday, 10 June: BELIE, TEACH, GUEST, NOOSE
• Quordle #1597, Tuesday, 9 June: VENOM, UNITE, SHIRT, ANGER
• Quordle #1596, Monday, 8 June: CURSE, DROVE, SNOWY, DEBUG
• Quordle #1595, Sunday, 7 June: QUERY, AXION, LILAC, SWORD

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