The PS5 Pro is flying off (virtual) shelves at Amazon in the US
This comes off the back of Sony's announcement of a big price increase
The PS5 Pro will soon cost $150 / £90 more than it does now
Last week, Sony announced that it would be raising the price of all of its PlayStation consoles and many major accessories on April 2, 2026.
In a PlayStation Blog post that blamed the "continued pressures in the global economic landscape" for the move, the company revealed that the price of a PS5 will increase by $100 / £100 to $649.99 / £569.99 (up from $549.99 / £479.99) while the PS5 Digital Edition will cost $599.99 / £519.99 rather than $499.99 / £429.99.
One of the biggest leaps was the cost of a PS5 Pro, with Sony's already pricey console to hit $899.99 / £789.99, up from $749.99 / £699.99.
It should perhaps come as no surprise that gamers are flocking to online retailers in order to get their hands on the console at the current rate, with the PS5 Pro rising up Amazon's best seller list in the video games category in the US.
Right now, it's actually the most popular PlayStation model at the retailer, narrowly beating out the standard PS5 console and labelled as the number one best seller in PlayStation 5 consoles when added to your basket.
The most powerful console on the market is currently roughly $150 less than it will likely be in just a few days time when the price hike takes effect.View Deal
If you head over to the PlayStation subreddit, you can already see lots of new PS5 Pro owners discussing their purchases. "After hearing about the recent price increases planned for April 2nd, I went ahead and pulled the trigger," said one savvy shopper.
"I was on the fence but heavily leaning toward a purchase before GTA 6 and Sony went and forced my hand."
For our money, the PS5 Pro is one of the best gaming consoles today - but it's undeniably a specialist bit of kit designed for the most dedicated PlayStation enthusiasts.
Our PS5 Pro review highlighted its "glorious" performance and the "new level of immersion and beauty" it brings to games, though noted that these enhancements are "not hugely transformative" compared to a generational leap like that between the PS4 and PS5.
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Mullvad Browser Alpha has transitioned to the Firefox Rapid channel
The switch provides quicker access to features
The Alpha version is now available on Linux ARM devices
Mullvad Browser’s early testers will now receive updates every four weeks as the latest alpha version of the interface has transitioned to the Firefox Rapid Release channel.
This move offers a twofold benefit, giving testers quicker access to new features, whilst enabling Mullvad’s developers to smooth out the release schedule.
As it approaches its third anniversary, Mullvad browser, which features one of the best VPNs on the market, is now also available on Linux ARM devices, further boosting its user availability.
A more balanced approach
Launched in April 2023, Mullvad Browser is an alternative private browser developed in collaboration with the Tor Project team, offering the privacy and security of the Tor front-end combined with all the benefits of a Mullvad VPN.
Its features include anti-fingerprinting protection, default blocking of trackers during private browsing, and no telemetry for maximum privacy.
It is a fork of Firefox, which means that Mullvad’s developers must constantly update the browser to include all the latest security patches and features provided by Mozilla.
Until now, the browser has followed a long and slow update cycle known as ESR (Extended Support Release), which involves the release of major updates approximately once a year.
Starting with 16.0a1 alpha release, Mullvad Browser Alpha is based on the Firefox Rapid Release channel rather than the Extended Support Release (ESR). The alpha release is now available on Linux ARM.Read more here: https://t.co/ngaSJScRIeMarch 26, 2026
With the latest alpha release switching to Firefox's faster development cycle, the Firefox code updates will be sent to the Mullvad alpha team every four weeks.
The result? Mullvad’s developers will be able to update their own code faster, spreading the work steadily throughout the year rather than having to cope with a huge and stressful workload concentrated into a single major annual update.
Great for testers
The alpha cycle is the first of two interconnected cycles — alpha and beta — that the Mullvad browser is constantly engaged with. Only once the bugs in the beta version have been fixed is the code deemed ready to move on to the final stable phase.
The switch is particularly welcomed by alpha testers — those who evaluate the browser’s development in its very early stages, identifying bugs and suggesting improvements to optimise the final user experience — allowing them to test updates roughly once a month.
However, these testers also face greater risks and the possibility of bugs, crashes, and a potentially lower level of privacy and security, as not all bugs have been fixed yet. New features, however, usually aim to boost security, so this does not necessarily mean that the system will, on the whole, be 'less secure.'
Nonetheless, the change could prove to be a mixed blessing. Previously, the slower release cycle meant that the same version could be used for months, allowing for a more gradual analysis and more time to scrutinise versions between updates.
Now, however, there might be a risk that new versions will be released before all existing bugs have been fixed. Mullvad noted, in fact, that a faster cadence means it may indeed take longer than four weeks between scheduled versions to implement fixes.
Meanwhile, the Stable channel — the safest, ultimate version recommended to a wider user base — will continue to be based on Firefox ESR.
This means users will wait longer for new features, but gain maximum and fully audited stability and security: a well-worth wait for a secure and enduring digital life.
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We've heard about another bargain GPU in the Walmart clearance aisle
Someone bought an RTX 5060 Ti 8GB for just $80
That takes the cake for a low-priced GPU, and it's about 20% of the asking price that this graphics card would typically sell for
The run of lucky PC owners in the US scoring massive discounts on graphics cards (or other components, for example SSDs) in the Walmart clearance aisle continues — and this time somebody managed to buy a new Nvidia Blackwell GPU for $80.
The Redditor observes: "Went to my local Walmart and found this in the cabinet. It seemed too good to be true, but it rang up for the stickered price." They added that they're upgrading from a GTX 1060, so the new GPU will be quite the step up.
Of course, you shouldn't be able to get any RTX 5000 GPU for that little cash, and this is way below the typical selling price, which is around $360 at Walmart currently. An asking price of $80 is 20% of the cost of many RTX 5060 Ti models, in fact.
How come the GPU is so very cheap? One theory aired on Reddit is that this graphics card is currently getting $80 knocked off at other stores, so an employee at this particular Walmart accidentally priced the product down at that level instead of applying it as a reduction.
Analysis: a quick clearance check could pay off handsomely
(Image credit: ForkDryer on Reddit)
Does this sound unlikely? Well, it does somewhat, and obviously we must add some seasoning with this tale, as with all these affairs — fakery does happen. That said, we've seen quite a few stories of huge bargains among Walmart's clearance discounts in recent times — although 80% off is admittedly a new high.
Not every Walmart store sells graphics cards in standalone form, but if you're in the US and your local store does, it's seemingly worth taking a detour to the clearance section every time you to pop in for a quick check on what bargains might be on offer there. The same may hold true for big bricks-and-mortar retailers in other countries, too.
There have been some bargain buys on Nvidia RTX 5070 and 5080 GPUs in Walmart of late (and RTX 5090 models too — though even with a heavy discount, the flagship is still a pricey proposition, of course).
YouTube has rolled out support for Android Auto with playback controls
The catch is that it doesn't play videos, and you can only stream audio
You also need YouTube Premium for it to work, as it's essentially background play
YouTube is finally rolling out support for Android Auto, the app that allows you to mirror your smartphone screen to your car’s dashboard — but before your excitement takes over, you should note that it comes with a slew of limitations.
The video platform has been quite silent with this launch however, and instead of formally announcing the integration, users online have come across it themselves like in this Reddit post. As it stands, Android Auto is pretty strict with what you can and can’t do while your car is in motion which, when it comes to eliminating visual distractions while driving, is a safety no-brainer. That said, YouTube on Android Auto is not the YouTube you know and love.
For starters, Android Auto removes one of YouTube’s key elements and that’s its video player, meaning you won’t be able to watch anything and can only listen to audio playback just like the best music streaming services. In theory, you can play any type of content you want, but you’ll only be able to listen to its audio — which won’t be a huge setback if you exclusively listen to podcast episodes or videos that are ideal for audio-only listening.
(Image credit: Reddit / u/IGameShit)
Though it takes away YouTube’s biggest functionality, it doesn’t come as a huge surprise and is arguably the most sensible thing to do to ensure safe driving. Not only that, it doesn’t offer full-screen viewing or the option to browse for content, and playback controls are also limited on top of that.
As reported by 9to5Google, you won’t be able to skip forward within a video, and the current skip button will take you straight to the next video in the queue. You can still pause and play audio from the player screen, but you won’t have access to YouTube’s complete slew of playback tools.
Until now, users have been relying on workarounds to get YouTube working on Android Auto, so I can see this integration being widely welcomed. But it wouldn’t be classic YouTube if there weren’t a YouTube Premium catch.
A secret YouTube Premium persuasion strategy
Did you think you could get away with streaming YouTube through Android Auto for free? I hate to break it to you, but you’re going to need a YouTube Premium subscription in order to do so.
In typical YouTube style, Android Auto integration is another functionality that’s being paywalled behind Premium and it’s all because of background play, which is required for streaming through Android Auto. As this is a tool only available to paying subscribers, only those with a membership will be able to stream YouTube on a car dashboard, and the way I look at it is this is yet another strategy YouTube is using to get more people signing up to Premium.
The cheapest way to do this is through YouTube Premium Lite which costs $7.99 / £7.99 / AU$8.99 a month, a relatively new tier that was launched last year. Background viewing and offline downloads were added just a few months back, but while it offers majority ad-supported viewing, this doesn’t apply to music and other music-related content. If you’re like me and use YouTube for all things music and live performances, the standard Premium plan is your best option.
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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, March 29 (game #756).
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 #757) - hint #1 - today's theme
What is the theme of today's NYT Strands?
• Today's NYT Strands theme is… For a rainy day
NYT Strands today (game #757) - hint #2 - clue words
Play any of these words to unlock the in-game hints system.
SPAN
CLAM
TRAM
TRAIN
TONER
SPACY
NYT Strands today (game #757) - hint #3 - spangram letters
How many letters are in today's spangram?
• Spangram has 12 letters
NYT Strands today (game #757) - hint #4 - spangram position
What are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?
First side: bottom, 3rd column
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 #757) - the answers
(Image credit: New York Times)
The answers to today's Strands, game #757, are…
SHAFT
CANOPY
PANEL
VENT
BUTTON
HANDLE
RIBS
SPANGRAM: UMBRELLATERM
My rating: Easy
My score: Perfect
“For a rainy day” immediately set me off in search of coats, hats and of course umbrella, but it took me a while to add 'term' to complete today’s parasol-shaped spangram, indicating a search for the many parts that make up a brolly. There are more of them than I realized.
Not initially seeing any relevant words after spotting the spangram, I went in search of non-game words in order to get a hint — but in the process accidentally found SHAFT and CANOPY, which set me on my voyage of discovery.
I’m not a fan of umbrellas in the urban environment. They’re okay in the countryside or on a golf course, but navigating an array of pointy umbrellas on a crowded street is loaded with peril.
Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Sunday, March 29, game #756)
BUGS
SUET
FRUIT
MILLET
BERRIES
NECTAR
SEEDS
SPANGRAM: FORTHEBIRDS
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 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 Sunday's puzzle instead then click here: Quordle hints and answers for Sunday, March 29 (game #1525).
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 #1526) - hint #1 - Vowels
How many different vowels are in Quordle today?
• The number of different vowels in Quordle today is 4*.
* Note that by vowel we mean the five standard vowels (A, E, I, O, U), not Y (which is sometimes counted as a vowel too).
Quordle today (game #1526) - 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 3.
Quordle today (game #1526) - 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.
What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?
• C
• A
• S
• D
Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.
Quordle today (game #1526) - the answers
(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)
The answers to today's Quordle, game #1526, are…
CHESS
ALLOT
SCONE
DITTY
I have a problem. Whenever I roar through Quordle really quickly and all my guesses are correct after minimal thinking time I cannot help myself from saying “boom” and punching the air.
Today was such a day, with my only moment of hesitation deciding if ALLOT had two Ls or two Ts.
Daily Sequence today (game #1526) - the answers
(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)
The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1526, are…
STRAP
WHIRL
ELIDE
SIEVE
Quordle answers: The past 20
Quordle #1525, Sunday, 29 March: DELAY, STONY, MONTH, PARTY
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, March 29 (game #1022).
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 #1023) - today's words
(Image credit: New York Times)
Today's NYT Connections words are…
ERSATZ
FRITZ
TINKER
TOY
YUTZ
FUTZ
DOLLAR
DUMMY
HERTZ
PLAYS
MOCK
MESS
FAUX
BUDGET
TRUFFLES
AVIS
NYT Connections today (game #1023) - hint #1 - group hints
What are some clues for today's NYT Connections groups?
YELLOW: False
GREEN: Fool around
BLUE: Hire vehicle from these
PURPLE: Extra food
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 #1023) - hint #2 - group answers
What are the answers for today's NYT Connections groups?
YELLOW: IMITATION
GREEN: PLAY AROUND (WITH)
BLUE: CAR RENTAL COMPANIES
PURPLE: SNACK BRANDS PLUS STARTING LETTER
Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.
NYT Connections today (game #1023) - the answers
(Image credit: New York Times)
The answers to today's Connections, game #1023, are…
YELLOW: IMITATION DUMMY, ERSATZ, FAUX, MOCK
GREEN: PLAY AROUND (WITH) FUTZ, MESS, TINKER, TOY
BLUE: CAR RENTAL COMPANIES AVIS, BUDGET, DOLLAR, HERTZ
PURPLE: SNACK BRANDS PLUS STARTING LETTER FRITZ, PLAYS, TRUFFLES, YUTZ
My rating: Hard
My score: 1 mistake
All the TZ tiles were very tempting to stick into a group together, but the fact that HERTZ appears alongside some other CAR RENTAL COMPANIES (BUDGET, DOLLAR, AVIS) put me off that connection.
With that out of the way I remembered that ERSATZ was a term a critic friend of mine used to use when he really wanted to call a band or piece of music phoney and derivative, and that definition seemed to fit with DUMMY, MOCK and FAUX.
With just eight tiles left I could not really see much in the way of links, beyond a couple of good names for a small dog, but gambled on four words that sounded like they were about fooling around.
It took me a couple of goes as I had PLAYS instead of FUTZ, but I eventually connected PLAY AROUND (WITH).
Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Sunday, March 29, game #1022)
YELLOW: IMAGES SEEN ON THE STREET GRAFFITI, MURAL, POSTER, STENCIL
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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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, March 28 (game #1021).
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 #1022) - today's words
(Image credit: New York Times)
Today's NYT Connections words are…
GRAFFITI
RECEIPT
STRETCH
HUSTLE
PSYCHO
ROBOT
BEAUTY
STENCIL
POSTER
CORPS
TWIST
QUESTION
CHECK
MASHED POTATO
MURAL
COUP
NYT Connections today (game #1022) - hint #1 - group hints
What are some clues for today's NYT Connections groups?
YELLOW: Urban art formats
GREEN: Boogie back in the day
BLUE: Perfect silence
PURPLE: Add Zuckerberg’s first name
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 #1022) - hint #2 - group answers
What are the answers for today's NYT Connections groups?
YELLOW: IMAGES SEEN ON THE STREET
GREEN: RETRO DANCE CRAZES
BLUE: SILENT "p"
PURPLE: ___ MARK
Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.
NYT Connections today (game #1022) - the answers
(Image credit: New York Times)
The answers to today's Connections, game #1022, are…
YELLOW: IMAGES SEEN ON THE STREET GRAFFITI, MURAL, POSTER, STENCIL
This was a very rare game for me in that I saw all the groups at once.
That said, I did have a small question mark over the dance crazes — I knew HUSTLE, MASHED POTATO and TWIST of course, but I thought ROBOT might be a trick as that seemed to belong in the 21st century, whereas the others were popular back in the 1960 and 1970s. The PSYCHO sounded like a possibility.
Instead, I put that to one side and submitted the two groups I was certain of. I was convinced that one of them would be the purple group, but alas I picked SILENT “p” over ____ MARK. It feels like a missed opportunity to bag another “purple first”.
Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Saturday, March 28, game #1021)
YELLOW: STEP ONTO, AS A VEHICLE BOARD, EMBARK, ENTER, MOUNT
GREEN: QUANTITIES IN MECHANICS ACCELERATION, FORCE, MASS, MOMENTUM
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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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, March 27 (game #754).
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 #755) - hint #1 - today's theme
What is the theme of today's NYT Strands?
• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Just write
NYT Strands today (game #755) - hint #2 - clue words
Play any of these words to unlock the in-game hints system.
VESTED
STOP
CREED
REMOTE
TRIM
ROAM
NYT Strands today (game #755) - hint #3 - spangram letters
How many letters are in today's spangram?
• Spangram has 14 letters
NYT Strands today (game #755) - hint #4 - spangram position
What are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?
First side: left, 3rd row
Last side: left, 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 #755) - the answers
(Image credit: New York Times)
The answers to today's Strands, game #755, are…
EMAIL
TEXT
MISSIVE
LETTER
MEMO
POSTCARD
SPANGRAM: CORRESPONDENCE
My rating: Hard
My score: Perfect
It took me a while to get going today, which is why I’m classifying this game as tricky.
After spotting EMAIL and understanding the theme I managed to crack through a search containing modern and traditional CORRESPONDENCE formats.
Personally I am a big fan of a POSTCARD — in many ways a forerunner to the limited space allowed by many social media communications.
One of the pleasures of thrift store shopping in the UK, where postcards were a major element of going on vacation in the pre digital era, is discovering an old postcard sent to a neighbour, which will inevitably describe the weather and description of a minor injury that has befallen the sender. Postcard from the Past is a good podcast and website on the topic.
Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Friday, March 27, game #754)
PERFECT
EXACT
FITTING
IDEAL
SEEMLY
SUITABLE
SPANGRAM: TAILORMADE
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 new NYT Connections puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Friday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Connections hints and answers for Friday, March 27 (game #1020).
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 #1021) - today's words
(Image credit: New York Times)
Today's NYT Connections words are…
PITCHER
BOARD
FIGURE
FACE
FORCE
PLATE
POWER
PICTURE
MOUNT
MASS
ENTER
MOMENTUM
ILLUSTRATION
ACCELERATION
EMBARK
ROBERT
NYT Connections today (game #1021) - hint #1 - group hints
What are some clues for today's NYT Connections groups?
YELLOW: Getting on transportation
GREEN: Mechanical terms
BLUE: Visual display formats
PURPLE: Add a word that contains “ant”
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 #1021) - hint #2 - group answers
What are the answers for today's NYT Connections groups?
YELLOW: STEP ONTO, AS A VEHICLE
GREEN: QUANTITIES IN MECHANICS
BLUE: TEXTBOOK IMAGES
PURPLE: _____ PLANT
Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.
NYT Connections today (game #1021) - the answers
(Image credit: New York Times)
The answers to today's Connections, game #1021, are…
YELLOW: STEP ONTO, AS A VEHICLE BOARD, EMBARK, ENTER, MOUNT
GREEN: QUANTITIES IN MECHANICS ACCELERATION, FORCE, MASS, MOMENTUM
I saw no threads when I began today’s game, but slowly the mists of confusion parted and I eventually completed it — but not before making a couple of mistakes
My first error was thinking that PLATE and PICTURE indicated a group linked by baseball; with low knowledge on this topic I added MOUNT and BOARD.
Switching focus I made another error adding ENTER instead of FORCE to what was to become QUANTITIES IN MECHANICS, the 'one away' helping me see the true connection.
From here it was plain sailing, although I’m ashamed that I did not spot ___ PLANT. Kudos if you did, but the musical surname I connect with ROBERT is Smith, not the fella from Led Zeppelin.
Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Friday, March 27, game #1020)
YELLOW: WHAT IT ALL BOILS DOWN TO BASIC FACTS, BOTTOM LINE, BRASS TACKS, NITTY-GRITTY
GREEN: FEATURES OF AN AIRPORT TERMINAL BAGGAGE CLAIM, DUTY-FREE, FOOD COURT, TICKET COUNTER
BLUE: THINGS THAT ARE ORANGE GOLDFISH CRACKER, MONARCH BUTTERFLY, THE LORAX, TRAFFIC CONE
PURPLE: ENDING IN WORDS FOR CELLULAR CONNECTIVITY LIP SERVICE, MONKEY BARS, TURN SIGNAL, WEDDING RECEPTION
What is NYT Connections?
NYT Connections is one of several increasingly popular word games made by the New York Times. It challenges you to find groups of four items that share something in common, and each group has a different difficulty level: green is easy, yellow a little harder, blue often quite tough and purple usually very difficult.
On the plus side, you don't technically need to solve the final one, as you'll be able to answer that one by a process of elimination. What's more, you can make up to four mistakes, which gives you a little bit of breathing room.
It's a little more involved than something like Wordle, however, and there are plenty of opportunities for the game to trip you up with tricks. For instance, watch out for homophones and other word games that could disguise the answers.
It's playable for free via the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.
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The PS5 and Xbox Series X editions will run at 120 frames per second
The new versions will arrive alongside new "bonus content and quality of life improvements"
Supergiant Games has announced that its award-winning roguelike, Hades 2, will finally launch on PlayStation and Xbox next month.
The news comes from the Xbox Partner Preview on March 26, where the studio confirmed that the Hades sequel will be released on PS5 and Xbox Series X and Series S on April 14. It will also be available via Xbox Game Pass.
The PS5 and Xbox launch follows the game's official version 1.0 release last year, which arrived on PC, Nintendo Switch and Switch 2.
The developer confirmed that the PS5 and Xbox Series X versions will run at "an ultrafast 120 frames per second" and launch alongside brand new "bonus content and quality of life improvements."
"If you already have the game, expect these in a patch releasing that the same day, and we'll have full patch notes then," it said in an official post.
The contents of the bonus content patch remain a mystery, but in the new, gorgeously animated trailer, which sees the main character Melinoë gearing up for battle, there are a few hints as to what players can expect.
For instance, it looks like there will be a new scene featuring Heracles at the hot spring, a place where players can further their relationship with several other romance options.
Hades 2 made its way into TechRadar Gaming's Game of the Year 2025 list thanks to its thrilling combat and gameplay loop, striking visual art style, and electric soundtrack, making it a worthy successor to one of the best roguelike games of all time.
"Roguelikes are usually a hit or miss for me, but like the first game, Hades 2 has managed to hold my attention and keep me coming back even after hours of battling through the underworld," I wrote.
"Its unique characters and compelling narrative, inspired by the great Greek myths, and dynamic gameplay accompanied by a diverse replayability structure and challenging boss fights, will keep you on your toes and reward you for your efforts."
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Windows 11's taskbar repositioning is a top priority fix for Microsoft
An exec has also been frank about progress with dark mode
This new openness and transparency from Microsoft, and the way more execs are engaging with users, is promising for the future of Windows 11
We appear to have moved into a very different space with Windows 11, as Microsoft executives are busily engaged in dealing with feedback on social media regarding what needs fixing. And as more revelations about what's happening behind the scenes pour forth, I'm becoming increasingly hopeful about the future of the OS.
As Windows Central informs us, one of the big changes being made to Windows 11, namely work on repositioning the taskbar, has been made a top priority at Microsoft according to inside sources.
This is about being able to move the taskbar away from the bottom of the screen — where it's been firmly anchored since the release of Windows 11 — and other customization elements, such as having a more compact bar (which is useful for smaller screens).
These features will work pretty much as they do in Windows 10 (unsurprisingly), although moving the taskbar will be implemented slightly differently (it won't be directly draggable, you'll have a selection of choices within Settings).
Windows Central informs us that repositioning the taskbar is a 'priority 0' task, which is the most urgent level, with resizing the bar a slightly lesser but still important 'priority 1' affair.
So, we should soon be able to to move the taskbar land in Windows 11, unless Microsoft runs into a bunch of problems executing this smoothly enough.
Elsewhere Windows Central also reports that Marcus Ash, Microsoft's head of Windows Design and Research, has provided an update on dark mode in Windows 11.
In case you weren't aware, introducing dark mode has been a glacially slow process for Windows 11, taking what's seemed forever to gradually creep across more areas of the interface. And still there are numerous jarring sections that remain stubbornly white, when they should be a dark, eye-friendly shade with the mode enabled.
In response to a query on X about getting dark mode into 'Regedit' (the Registry editor), Ash said: "We are pushing to get our tools/techniques to the point where we can get dark theme into more areas across Windows. No timelines to commit to yet for Regedit. As we make progress in various legacy system panels/dialogs, we will keep improving consistency."
While that isn't a firm promise, it's good to get a response — and it is an open and frank reply.
Analysis: precious hope for the future
(Image credit: Microsoft)
It's great to see that more Microsoft execs are now communicating with Windows 11 users in a refreshingly frank, and largely positive, way. This comes on top of a lot of responses that have been made on X and other social media outlets recently, from the likes of Pavan Davuluri (who heads up Windows) to Scott Hanselman (a VP who's been the most active of all, and is clearly an integral part of the 'fix Windows 11 in 2026' campaign).
The inability to move the taskbar to the sides or top of the Windows 11 desktop has long been a bugbear, so it's great to see this is one of the highest priorities for Microsoft. It may not be a feature everyone needs, but those who do want it have been very vocal about its absence for years.
However, the way Microsoft execs are conducting themselves now gives me hope that this is a whole new attitude from the company, as it realizes the serious threats to its desktop OS dominance – such as macOS being pushed by the new and very well-received MacBook Neo.
We'll know soon enough how serious Microsoft is about curing everything that's wrong with Windows 11 — which pretty much appears to be the end goal — as fixes have been promised on a monthly basis, starting immediately. Therefore, we should see that taskbar work coming through into testing soon enough, barring any unfortunate complications as noted.
The other point skeptics will no doubt pick up on is that if Microsoft is going to move fast here, can it avoid also breaking things? Because in the past, even when Microsoft has moved slowly, features have somehow ended up broken. This is one of the biggest potential hurdles of all, and Microsoft must invest enough resources to ensure that it doesn't go this way.
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Google Search Live is now available globally in 200 countries and 98 languages
Search Live uses the new Gemini 3.1 Flash Live audio and voice model to enable a “more natural” conversational search
Audio responses have links to the information source
Google has rolled out its AI-powered conversational search tool, Search Live, globally to more than 200 countries and territories, and is available in 98 languages. First launched in the US in September 2025, Search Live lets you point your phone or tablet’s camera at something and ask the AI tool about it out loud, such as what model washing machine you have and how to use it.
The AI then responds with an audio answer that’s also, handily, captioned, and will continue listening for any clarifications and follow-up questions to emulate a natural conversation.
You can access Search Live through the Google app on Android or iOS by tapping the “Live” button under the search bar, placed between the AI Mode and Nano Banana buttons. It can also be accessed through Google Lens and the dedicated Gemini app.
Google has said the expansion has been made possible thanks to the launch of a new audio and voice model called Gemini 3.1 Flash Live, which it says is “inherently multilingual”. The company also claims the model also responds to queries faster, and aims to deliver “more natural and intuitive conversations”.
Analysis: Good but not perfect
Search Live uses query fan-out — an information retrieval technique that broadens the search by looking at related answers beyond a specific question — to provide a more comprehensive response and double down on the conversational aspect.
We tried Search Live in June last year, and noted how the tool continues to work in the background to use query fan-out, and my colleague Eric Hal Schwartz said the answers “didn’t feel boxed into a single form of response, even on relatively straightforward queries”.
I took it for a spin myself, testing it on my bike. While Search Live was good at identifying the specific model, year of release and why it had a specific paint job, it failed to recognize that I had swapped out the stock wheelset for a third-party set and thought that it still had the integrated handlebars that it originally came with. It also failed to correctly identify the accessories on the bike, like my rear light, water bottle and the bottle cages.
(Image credit: Future | Nico Arboleda)
In a similar test, it failed to identify the Nothing Phone 4a Pro that was on my desk, calling it the Nothing Phone 2a instead. I compared the results with the same question on Gemini Live, and I received identical answers.
It’s understandable why some of the results were incorrect as the AI assistant was drawing from existing sources online and new products won’t necessarily have information for the model to learn from but, as it stands, it can handle a fair few general queries.
According to Google, over 1.5 billion people were using Google Lens to identify objects around them as of June 2025 and there are about 750 million Gemini Live users, so it would be interesting to see what the uptake of Search Live will be globally and if this becomes the default way to search for information online.
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