The Duskbloods closed network tests begin next month
Players can sign up to participate and test the game from August 21 to August 24
The Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive will allow up to eight-player multiplayer matches
FromSoftware has announced the dates for The Duskbloods' closed network test happening next month.
The Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive was announced over a year ago, and details about the renowned Elden Ring studio's next PvPvE multiplayer have been few and far between.
"To all prospective Bloodsworn, your participation in the coming Dusk Battles is eagerly awaited!" a post from Nintendo reads on X.
Fans can apply here, starting July 22 at 4PM CEST / 3PM BST until July 28 at 3:59PM CEST / 2:59PM BST.
The player selection announcement will be revealed on August 7 at 3PM CEST / 2PM BST.
The Duskbloods Closed Network Test
August 21 - 12PM to 4PM CEST / 11 AM to 3 PM BST
August 22 - 4AM to 8AM CEST / 3 AM to 7 AM BST
August 22 - 8PM to 12AM CEST / 7 PM to 11 PM BST
August 23 - 12PM to 4PM CEST / 11 AM to 3 PM BST
August 24 - 4AM to 8AM CEST / 3 AM to 7 AM BST
"A network test involves using a pre-release version of the game to test performance prior to the commencement of service. We plan to conduct large-scale network load tests to check different technical aspects of the game's online systems," FromSoftware explained on its website.
The campaign will be able to test server load, gameplay balance, and various problems that may occur when multiple people play together across different network environments.
The Duskbloods was one of the highlights of the Nintendo Switch 2 Direct last year, but unfortunately, there's still no release date.
There's also not a lot of information regarding gameplay, setting, and story; however, the studio has confirmed that the network test will feature multiplayer matches that "allows for up to eight players to participate together."
I didn't buy a Switch 2 at launch; I've been holding off on getting one for the time being - I'm keeping my fingers crossed for a limited edition The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time console - but The Duskbloods, and the upcoming closed network tests have me seriously considering finally investing in the console sooner.
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A new NYT Connections puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Wednesday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Connections hints and answers for Wednesday, July 15 (game #1130).
Good morning! Let's play Connections, the NYT's clever word game that challenges you to group answers in various categories. It can be tough, so read on if you need Connections hints.
What should you do once you've finished? Why, play some more word games of course. I've also got daily Strands hints and answers and Quordle hints and answers articles if you need help for those too, while Marc's Wordle today page covers the original viral word game.
SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Connections today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.
NYT Connections today (game #1131) - today's words
(Image credit: New York Times)
Today's NYT Connections words are…
NEEDLE
INK
JET
DOT MATRIX
TONER
POINT BREAK
LASER
CHARCOAL
PEEL
PITCH
PERIOD PIECE
BULLSEYE
SPOT REMOVER
EYE CREAM
CLOCKWORK
CLAY MASK
NYT Connections today (game #1131) - hint #1 - group hints
What are some clues for today's NYT Connections groups?
YELLOW: Cosmetics
PURPLE: Small beginnings
BLUE: Seeking perfection
GREEN: The darkness
Need more clues?
We're firmly in spoiler territory now, but read on if you want to know what the four theme answers are for today's NYT Connections puzzles…
NYT Connections today (game #1131) - hint #2 - group answers
What are the answers for today's NYT Connections groups?
YELLOW: SKINCARE PRODUCTS
PURPLE: STARTING WITH TINY MARKS
BLUE: ASSOCIATED WITH PRECISION
GREEN: SHADES OF BLACK
Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.
NYT Connections today (game #1131) - the answers
(Image credit: New York Times)
The answers to today's Connections, game #1131, are…
PURPLE: STARTING WITH TINY MARKS: DOT MATRIX, PERIOD PIECE, POINT BREAK, SPOT REMOVER
BLUE: ASSOCIATED WITH PRECISION: BULLSEYE, CLOCKWORK, LASER, NEEDLE
GREEN: SHADES OF BLACK: CHARCOAL, INK, JET, PITCH
My rating: Hard
My score: 1 mistake
Looking at today’s game after I completed it, I don’t understand why I failed to see SHADES OF BLACK as it is the only group that I could have actually got right.
The other three groups were the result of muddled game play and lucky guesses — particularly STARTING WITH TINY MARKS, which I didn’t get because I spotted dot, period, point and spot, but because all the tiles were made up of two words.
Before that, though, I made the mistake of putting together what I thought were four different types of printer. Hopefully I wasn't the only player to fall into that trap, but in truth it doesn't take much to catch me.
Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Wednesday, July 15, 2026, game #1130)
YELLOW: TERMS FOR THE LEGAL SYSTEM: BAR, BENCH, COURT, TRIBUNAL
GREEN: THINGS WITH LACES: BASEBALL GLOVE, CORSET, FOOTBALL, SHOE
BLUE: KINDS OF SPORTS: EXTREME, MOTOR, RACKET, WATER
PURPLE: WORDS BEFORE "ROOM" TO INDICATE EXTRA SPACE: BREATHING, ELBOW, HEAD, WIGGLE
What is NYT Connections?
NYT Connections is one of several increasingly popular word games made by the New York Times. It challenges you to find groups of four items that share something in common, and each group has a different difficulty level: green is easy, yellow a little harder, blue often quite tough and purple usually very difficult.
On the plus side, you don't technically need to solve the final one, as you'll be able to answer that one by a process of elimination. What's more, you can make up to four mistakes, which gives you a little bit of breathing room.
It's a little more involved than something like Wordle, however, and there are plenty of opportunities for the game to trip you up with tricks. For instance, watch out for homophones and other word games that could disguise the answers.
It's playable for free via the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.
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A new Quordle puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Wednesday's puzzle instead then click here: Quordle hints and answers for Wednesday, July 15 (game #1633).
Quordle was one of the original Wordle alternatives and is still going strong now more than 1,500 games later. It offers a genuine challenge, though, so read on if you need some Quordle hints today — or scroll down further for the answers.
Enjoy playing word games? You can also check out my NYT Connections today and NYT Strands today pages for hints and answers for those puzzles, while Marc's Wordle today column covers the original viral word game.
SPOILER WARNING: Information about Quordle today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.
Quordle today (game #1634) — hint #1 — Vowels
How many different vowels are in Quordle today?
• The number of different vowels in Quordle today is 4*.
* Note that by vowel we mean the five standard vowels (A, E, I, O, U), not Y (which is sometimes counted as a vowel too).
Quordle today (game #1634) — hint #2 — repeated letters
Do any of today's Quordle answers contain repeated letters?
• The number of Quordle answers containing a repeated letter today is 2.
Quordle today (game #1634) — hint #3 — uncommon letters
Do the letters Q, Z, X or J appear in Quordle today?
• No. None of Q, Z, X or J appear among today's Quordle answers.
A new NYT Connections puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Tuesday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Connections hints and answers for Tuesday, July 14 (game #1129).
Good morning! Let's play Connections, the NYT's clever word game that challenges you to group answers in various categories. It can be tough, so read on if you need Connections hints.
What should you do once you've finished? Why, play some more word games of course. I've also got daily Strands hints and answers and Quordle hints and answers articles if you need help for those too, while Marc's Wordle today page covers the original viral word game.
SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Connections today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.
NYT Connections today (game #1130) - today's words
(Image credit: New York Times)
Today's NYT Connections words are…
RACKET
FOOTBALL
WIGGLE
BAR
HEAD
BENCH
ELBOW
SHOE
EXTREME
BREATHING
MOTOR
COURT
CORSET
WATER
TRIBUNAL
BASEBALL
GLOVE
NYT Connections today (game #1130) - hint #1 - group hints
What are some clues for today's NYT Connections groups?
YELLOW: Tell it to the judge
GREEN: All need to be tied
BLUE: Types of competitive activity
PURPLE: Add a word that rhymes with “boom”
Need more clues?
We're firmly in spoiler territory now, but read on if you want to know what the four theme answers are for today's NYT Connections puzzles…
NYT Connections today (game #1130) - hint #2 - group answers
What are the answers for today's NYT Connections groups?
YELLOW: TERMS FOR THE LEGAL SYSTEM
GREEN: THINGS WITH LACES
BLUE: KINDS OF SPORTS
PURPLE: WORDS BEFORE "ROOM" TO INDICATE EXTRA SPACE
Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.
NYT Connections today (game #1130) - the answers
(Image credit: New York Times)
The answers to today's Connections, game #1130, are…
YELLOW: TERMS FOR THE LEGAL SYSTEM: BAR, BENCH, COURT, TRIBUNAL
GREEN: THINGS WITH LACES: BASEBALL GLOVE, CORSET, FOOTBALL, SHOE
BLUE: KINDS OF SPORTS: EXTREME, MOTOR, RACKET, WATER
PURPLE: WORDS BEFORE "ROOM" TO INDICATE EXTRA SPACE: BREATHING, ELBOW, HEAD, WIGGLE
My rating: Hard
My score: Perfect
Despite not making any mistakes I am classifying this game as tricky, because I came close to an error in collecting four unrelated sporting things.
THINGS WITH LACES also favors anyone familiar with FOOTBALL, as my mind went to soccer balls — which haven’t had laces since the 1960s.
I also got lucky in spotting the purple group after thinking all of the things that WIGGLE could be connected to and saying “wiggle room” to myself. I hate the idea of being in tight, crowded spots, so wiggle room is always on my mind.
Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Tuesday, July 14, 2026, game #1129)
GREEN: EDIT MENU OPTIONS: COPY, CUT, DELETE, PASTE
BLUE: KINDS OF BASKETS: EASTER, GROCERY, LAUNDRY, PICNIC
PURPLE: SYMBOLIZED WITH ARROWS: RECYCLING, SHUFFLE, THIS SIDE UP, U-TURN
What is NYT Connections?
NYT Connections is one of several increasingly popular word games made by the New York Times. It challenges you to find groups of four items that share something in common, and each group has a different difficulty level: green is easy, yellow a little harder, blue often quite tough and purple usually very difficult.
On the plus side, you don't technically need to solve the final one, as you'll be able to answer that one by a process of elimination. What's more, you can make up to four mistakes, which gives you a little bit of breathing room.
It's a little more involved than something like Wordle, however, and there are plenty of opportunities for the game to trip you up with tricks. For instance, watch out for homophones and other word games that could disguise the answers.
It's playable for free via the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.
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A new NYT Strands puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Tuesday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Tuesday, July 14 (game #863).
Strands is the NYT's latest word game after the likes of Wordle, Spelling Bee and Connections – and it's great fun. It can be difficult, though, so read on for my Strands hints.
Want more word-based fun? Then check out my NYT Connections today and Quordle today pages for hints and answers for those games, and Marc's Wordle today page for the original viral word game.
SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Strands today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.
NYT Strands today (game #864) - hint #1 - today's theme
What is the theme of today's NYT Strands?
• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Rose-colored glasses
NYT Strands today (game #864) - hint #2 - clue words
Play any of these words to unlock the in-game hints system.
QUIT
MARKET
MAIN
PLACE
PLINTH
RELICS
NYT Strands today (game #864) - hint #3 - spangram letters
How many letters are in today's spangram?
• Spangram has 11 letters
NYT Strands today (game #864) - hint #4 - spangram position
What are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?
• First side: bottom, 3rd column
• Last side: top, 4th column
Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.
NYT Strands today (game #864) - the answers
(Image credit: New York Times)
The answers to today's Strands, game #864, are…
QUIXOTIC
IDEALISTIC
ROMANTIC
IMPRACTICAL
SPANGRAM: PIEINTHESKY
My rating: Hard
My score: 1 hint
Just four long words made up today’s game, but that didn’t make the search any easier.
I am more familiar with a slight variation on today’s theme — rose-tinted spectacles — which I had viewed as meaning to look favorably on something you are biased towards (such as the fortunes of your team). But the words here leaned more towards fanaticism.
Regardless of interpretation I needed a hint to get going and was rewarded with QUIXOTIC, a word I would have failed to see otherwise. From here I found the other two words with a T-I-C ending, before the spangram helped me to locate IMPRACTICAL.
Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Tuesday, July 14, game #863)
CHAIR
ROCKER
BEANBAG
OTTOMAN
RECLINER
THRONE
SPANGRAM: HAVEASEAT
What is NYT Strands?
Strands is the NYT's not-so-new-any-more word game, following Wordle and Connections. It's now a fully fledged member of the NYT's games stable that has been running for a year and which can be played on the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.
I've got a full guide to how to play NYT Strands, complete with tips for solving it, so check that out if you're struggling to beat it each day.
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The boss of SK Hynix believes that the RAM crisis is going to get much worse
The CEO said 2027 will be the 'worst year' in the RAM industry's history, and that the crisis will likely roll on to 2030 and beyond
Analysis from the Bank of America also claims that SK Hynix's expansion of memory production capacity is going to fall well short of its target for 2028
We keep getting told that the RAM crisis is dug in as a fixture for the foreseeable future, and, whether you want them or not, here are a couple more unwelcome reminders.
First, Android Headline flagged a Reuters interview with Kwak Noh-jung, the CEO of SK Hynix, one of the big memory chip makers. The chief executive didn't have comforting words about the prospect of RAM pricing in 2027, observing, "We forecast that next year will be the worst year in the [memory] industry's history from the supply perspective."
So, seemingly next year will see RAM hit peak pricing, with no relief likely until 2030 (as previously forecast by the chairman of parent company SK Group) according to the CEO — and even then, he suggested that demand will continue to outweigh supply as the next decade rolls on beyond 2030.
The second RAM-related blow comes from analysis by the Bank of America highlighted by the Commercial Times in Taiwan (via Wccftech), which pours doubt on the South Korean president's recent boasts about the major expansion of the country's overall memory chip production by 2030.
Part of this analysis is a claim from a memory industry insider over in Taiwan that SK Hynix might only add just a sixth of its originally planned production capacity increase by 2028. Obviously that assertion needs to be liberally seasoned, but it's such a large potential shortfall that it's bound to raise some eyebrows.
The Commercial Times notes that while huge new chip manufacturing plants are being built by SK Hynix and Samsung in South Korea, they will take a lot longer than 2030 to come fully online — and this process is more likely to take a full decade. The report contends that a realistic level of memory wafer capacity expansion for South Korea is around 10% (or slightly less) per year, which will leave the country falling well short of the president's claims for production in 2030.
Analysis: diverging RAM timelines
(Image credit: Unsplash / Liam Briese)
It's grim news from the CEO of SK Hynix, then, although of course, the skeptics will quickly point out that it's the chief exec's job to talk up the company's value — in terms of a booming market and the struggle to meet demand — coming off the back of its debut on the Nasdaq. Stock prices around the big memory chip makers have been turbulent of late, it should be noted, as investors start to worry about whether these companies are currently overvalued — and indeed whether the AI boom might start to run out of momentum.
So, that's a consideration, but there's no denying that SK Hynix's boss isn't the only person making gloomy predictions along these lines. Nvidia's CEO Jensen Huang said that he expects the RAM crisis to last "quite a few years", indicating that we'll be stuck in pricing hell until 2030 or thereabouts, although others don't see it that way. In the opposing camp we notably have the likes of an AMD exec, the ex-chief of Samsung's semiconductor division, and Jefferies, an investment banking firm, who all believe RAM pricing will start to ease in 2028.
However, the sting in the tail there is that Jefferies is also predicting big memory price hikes over the rest of this year, and in 2027 too, backing up the CEO of SK Hynix in that respect. When you consider the estimated massive shortfall of SK Hynix's production capacity boost based on the rumor mill, everything feels distinctly shakier in the nearer-term for RAM pricing.
I also can't help but recall the blow Microsoft recently delivered when talking about Xbox price rises, when the company informed us that it expects another doubling in the cost of RAM in just over a year (by the fall of 2027).
While there's a mixed bag in terms of longer-term predictions, then, the outlook for this year and next remains worryingly negative on the RAM front.
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A new NYT Strands puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Monday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Monday, July 13 (game #862).
Strands is the NYT's latest word game after the likes of Wordle, Spelling Bee and Connections – and it's great fun. It can be difficult, though, so read on for my Strands hints.
Want more word-based fun? Then check out my NYT Connections today and Quordle today pages for hints and answers for those games, and Marc's Wordle today page for the original viral word game.
SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Strands today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.
NYT Strands today (game #863) - hint #1 - today's theme
What is the theme of today's NYT Strands?
• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Make yourself comfortable
NYT Strands today (game #863) - hint #2 - clue words
Play any of these words to unlock the in-game hints system.
RELIC
SOCK
BREAK
ERASE
HORN
RAVE
NYT Strands today (game #863) - hint #3 - spangram letters
How many letters are in today's spangram?
• Spangram has 9 letters
NYT Strands today (game #863) - hint #4 - spangram position
What are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?
• First side: left, 2nd row
• Last side: right, 5th row
Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.
NYT Strands today (game #863) - the answers
(Image credit: New York Times)
The answers to today's Strands, game #863, are…
CHAIR
ROCKER
BEANBAG
OTTOMAN
RECLINER
THRONE
SPANGRAM: HAVEASEAT
My rating: Easy
My score: Perfect
Today’s search takes from the high-born of the seating world (THRONE), to the lowest (BEANBAG).
If I am going to make myself comfortable then I would pick the BEANBAG any day. Although it does depend on how long you’ve owned it; a baggy bean bag is nobody’s friend. Having said that, I’ve not sat in many thrones. Or indeed any, but judging by House of the Dragon, they’re not particularly ergonomic.
Anyway, it was hard not to whizz around today’s game, with even the longest and most obscure word, OTTOMAN, being easy to spot thanks to the double T.
Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Monday, July 13, game #862)
PLEASANT
DELIGHTFUL
ENJOYABLE
SATISFYING
SPANGRAM: HITSTHESPOT
What is NYT Strands?
Strands is the NYT's not-so-new-any-more word game, following Wordle and Connections. It's now a fully fledged member of the NYT's games stable that has been running for a year and which can be played on the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.
I've got a full guide to how to play NYT Strands, complete with tips for solving it, so check that out if you're struggling to beat it each day.
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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, July 13 (game #1128).
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 #1129) - today's words
(Image credit: New York Times)
Today's NYT Connections words are…
U-TURN
PICNIC
CUT
SHUFFLE
LAUNDRY
RECYCLING
DEAL
COPY
BARGAIN
GROCERY
UNDERSTANDING
THIS SIDE UP
PASTE
AGREEMENT
EASTER
DELETE
NYT Connections today (game #1129) - hint #1 - group hints
What are some clues for today's NYT Connections groups?
YELLOW: A treaty or pact
GREEN: Choices for changing text
BLUE: Like a bucket, but with holes
PURPLE: Graphics with a point
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 #1129) - hint #2 - group answers
What are the answers for today's NYT Connections groups?
YELLOW: CONTRACT
GREEN: EDIT MENU OPTIONS
BLUE: KINDS OF BASKETS
PURPLE: SYMBOLIZED WITH ARROWS
Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.
NYT Connections today (game #1129) - the answers
(Image credit: New York Times)
The answers to today's Connections, game #1129, are…
GREEN: EDIT MENU OPTIONS: COPY, CUT, DELETE, PASTE
BLUE: KINDS OF BASKETS: EASTER, GROCERY, LAUNDRY, PICNIC
PURPLE: SYMBOLIZED WITH ARROWS: RECYCLING, SHUFFLE, THIS SIDE UP, U-TURN
My rating: Hard
My score: 1 mistake
With PICNIC, LAUNDRY and GROCERY locked in I made the mistake of selecting BARGAIN instead of EASTER.
There was logic to my error. My parents used to run a grocery store and they would put items that were close to their sell-by date or damaged in a basket that became known as the BARGAIN basket. I thought it was a universal thing, but maybe not.
The next two groups came pretty easily, especially the four tiles that made up the yellow CONTRACT group, as they are words that seem to be constantly in the news in regards to negotiations surrounding the Strait of Hormuz.
Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Monday, July 13, 2026, game #1128)
GREEN: THINGS WITH HANDLES: BUCKET, DRAWER, MUG, UMBRELLA
BLUE: FICTIONAL CATS: FIGARO, PUSS, SALEM, TOM
PURPLE: STARTING WITH SMOOCHES: BUSSIN, KISSER, PECKISH, SMACKDOWN
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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Microsoft has blocked Secure Boot updates on some devices
There have been issues with some devices updating from the 2011 certificate to the latest 2023 certificate
Some older devices or those not supported by their OEM may be restricted in downloading the latest Secure Boot certificates
Microsoft has blocked some Windows 11 PCs from installing Secure Boot updates due to known issues with certificate updates.
The company is currently rolling out an update for Secure Boot on devices using certificates issued in 2011, which are now expired. The new 2023 certificate is being applied through Windows Update, but issues on devices with faulty firmware have forced Microsoft to halt the rollout.
“Devices in this group are affected by a known issue. To reduce risk, Secure Boot certificate updates are temporarily paused while Microsoft and partners work toward a supported resolution,” Microsoft said.
Secure Boot issues
Secure Boot has long been a device-saving feature when it comes to removing malicious files, as it allows the device to verify and load only authentic software before booting to Windows. However if the device cannot receive certificate updates it can fall victim to threats at the boot-level before Windows is loaded.
Microsoft is currently working with manufacturers to issue a patch that will allow affected devices to install the new Secure Boot 2023 certificate, with HP issuing a BIOS update to allow the installation of the latest certificate.
What this means in practice is that some older devices, or devices that no longer receive updates via their Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM), will not be able to apply Secure Boot and Boot Manager protections. Microsoft clarified that, “this results in a gradual reduction in long-term security—not an immediate risk or system failure. Continue to follow standard security practices, including staying current with Windows updates.”
So even if your device is blocked from installing the latest Secure Boot certificate, it will continue to work properly, other Windows updates will continue to work, and your Secure Boot version will continue to protect against known vulnerabilities. It’s just future vulnerabilities that users affected by this issue will need to be aware of.
Many users may not be aware of issues until they need to use Secure Boot, so the silver lining in Microsoft’s warning is that now is the perfect time to check if your Secure Boot is working properly.
How to check Secure Boot is up to date
To check if you are using the latest Secure Boot certificate, take the following steps:
Open the Windows Security app using the search bar
Navigate to the Device Security dashboard using the menu on the right hand side
Look at the Secure Boot section, and check for the following messages:
“Devices in this group are affected by a known issue.”
Devices with this message will likely be able to install the latest certificates once a firmware update has been issued by your OEM. Check your OEM update channel for availability.
(Image credit: Microsoft)
“Secure Boot is on, but your device does not support the automated Secure Boot certificate update due to hardware or firmware limitations.”
Devices with this message may no longer be supported by your OEM, or the OEM might no longer be able to provide the firmware updates needed. Microsoft recommends checking your OEM’s Secure Boot support page to confirm whether your device is out of support.
Lidl confirms cyberattack at third-party IT service provider that exposed customer data including names, phone numbers, emails, dates of birth, and customer numbers
Passwords, payment details, and addresses were not affected, but the company warns of phishing risks and urges vigilance against identity fraud attempts
Incident was contained quickly, reported to authorities, and investigated by forensic experts; Lidl operates ~12,900 stores across 32 countries
Lidl is warning its customers of a cyberattack which may have affected some of their personal information stored with the company.
In a data breach notification published on its Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany websites, the German discount supermarket chain said an IT security incident at one of its IT service providers affected some of the data stored by Lidl Online Shop customers.
“We were informed of this incident at the beginning of the week,” a machine-translated notification reads. “Despite high IT security standards, unknown persons briefly gained access to a separately stored file with customer data and part of the data was stolen from it. The system of the online shop itself is not affected.”
Unknown impact
Lidl said that the unnamed miscreants walked away with people’s full names, phone numbers, email addresses, dates of birth, and customer numbers. Passwords, billing and delivery addresses, bank details, and other payment information, was allegedly not stolen. Customer accounts remained unaffected, as well.
However, the company is urging its customers to remain vigilant, since there is a high chance the crooks will use the data to send personalized phishing emails.
“Although we currently have no concrete evidence of misuse of data, we warn you about possible phishing attempts or identity fraud as a precaution,” Lidl said.
The company did not say which IT service provider was targeted, or how many people are affected. It merely stated that the company “responded immediately” and “took necessary steps” to restore the full security of the affected systems. The company also filed a report with the relevant authorities, and called in IT forensic experts to investigate the incident.
Local authorities, such as the Dutch Data Protection Authority, or the Belgian “competent supervisory authority for data protection” were notified, as well.
Lidl operates around 12,900 stores across 32 countries in Europe and the United States.
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, July 12 (game #861).
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 #862) - hint #1 - today's theme
What is the theme of today's NYT Strands?
• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Just what I needed
NYT Strands today (game #862) - hint #2 - clue words
Play any of these words to unlock the in-game hints system.
LEAN
TASTE
THESPIAN
HUNT
JEST
HIDES
NYT Strands today (game #862) - hint #3 - spangram letters
How many letters are in today's spangram?
• Spangram has 11 letters
NYT Strands today (game #862) - 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 #862) - the answers
(Image credit: New York Times)
The answers to today's Strands, game #862, are…
PLEASANT
DELIGHTFUL
ENJOYABLE
SATISFYING
SPANGRAM: HITSTHESPOT
My rating: Hard
My score: 1 hint
Only four words to spot but my goodness were they difficult to see.
Fortunately, the board was brimming with non-game words, including a couple of uncommonly long ones, so I took a hint.
However, even after getting PLEASANT I still didn’t understand the search and labored over the remaining three words and the Woodhousean spangram.
I hope it was all more DELIGHTFUL and SATISFYING for you.
Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Sunday, July 12, game #861)
STOOP
BOROUGH
BODEGA
SUBWAY
TAXI
BAGEL
DELI
SPANGRAM: EMPIRESTATE
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 Sunday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Connections hints and answers for Sunday, July 12 (game #1127).
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 #1128) - today's words
(Image credit: New York Times)
Today's NYT Connections words are…
UMBRELLA
SALEM
BUCKET
QUESTION
PUSS
GRILL
PUMP
KISSER
MUG
FIGARO
SMACKDOWN
DRAWER
EXAMINE
BUSSIN
TOM
PECKISH
NYT Connections today (game #1128) - hint #1 - group hints
What are some clues for today's NYT Connections groups?
YELLOW: Quiz a suspect
GREEN: You can handle it
BLUE: Feline characters
PURPLE: Loved up
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 #1128) - hint #2 - group answers
What are the answers for today's NYT Connections groups?
YELLOW: INTERROGATE
GREEN: THINGS WITH HANDLES
BLUE: FICTIONAL CATS
PURPLE: STARTING WITH SMOOCHES
Right, the answers are below, so DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER IF YOU DON'T WANT TO SEE THEM.
NYT Connections today (game #1128) - the answers
(Image credit: New York Times)
The answers to today's Connections, game #1128, are…
GREEN: THINGS WITH HANDLES: BUCKET, DRAWER, MUG, UMBRELLA
BLUE: FICTIONAL CATS: FIGARO, PUSS, SALEM, TOM
PURPLE: STARTING WITH SMOOCHES: BUSSIN, KISSER, PECKISH, SMACKDOWN
My rating: Hard
My score: 3 mistakes
Without a clue with the final eight tiles I made three mistakes before finally getting the FICTIONAL CATS foursome.
I was mystified as I played this game but I now know that buss — as featured at the start of BUSSIN — is a very old word for kiss that fell out of favor in the 1600s. Due for a comeback, then.
Meanwhile, I had no idea what the connection for BUCKET, DRAWER, MUG and UMBRELLA was, beyond vaguely thinking you could carry water in all of them (not that you see many people carrying water in a drawer).
Not my finest game.
Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Sunday, July 12, 2026, game #1127)
YELLOW: REPRODUCTIVE PART OF FRUIT: PIP, PIT, SEED, STONE
GREEN: BIT OF FRUIT FLAVORED CANDY: DOT, NERD, RUNT, SPREE
BLUE: VERBS IN A COLLEGE LIFE SLOGAN: PARTY, REPEAT, SLEEP, STUDY
PURPLE: STARTS OF U.S. CAPITALS: DEN, MAD, PHO, SAC
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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Warframe's upcoming Tau update was showcased today at TennoCon in London, Ontario
The update will take the game in a bold new direction, introducing a noir detective story
A smaller Fall update is scheduled before Tau lands later this year
So, it's finally happening: Warframe is going to the Tau system later this year, in a hotly anticipated major update that has been repeatedly teased for years.
Having just watched the reveal live at TennoCon 2026, I have to say... any predictions I had about this update could not have been more wrong.
Last year's The Old Peace update gave us a glimpse of Tau's distant past, showing glittering orbital academies and futuristic humans living in harmony with the robotic Sentient race. As it turns out, the 'present-day' Tau is absolutely nothing like that.
The undercity of Fornax is a grim, addiction-wracked settting. (Image credit: Digital Extremes)
Instead, today's event introduced us to a grimy neo-noir dystopia, a Sentient city named Fornax inside a gigantic ring-shaped superstructure orbiting one of Tau's dead worlds. The live demo at TennoCon is seen through the eyes of a new upcoming warframe, Brysko, who is so obviously a frameified version of Blade Runner protagonist Rick Deckard that it almost borders on parody, right down to his long jacket and beefy signature pistol. Oh, and did I mention that he's voiced by Matt Mercer?
Dark city
The narrative of the new update leaps between plotlines at a breakneck pace (as has become common for Warframe's frankly wild storytelling), first showing us flashbacks featuring the Lotus and the player characters finally figuring out how to get to Tau. Meanwhile, sometimes-hero-sometimes-villain Albrecht Entrati is already in Tau, sending Brysko on an investigation into Fornax's seedy underworld in a story that clearly draws heavy inspiration from 40s noir detective films.
Fornax is not a great place to live. It evokes Blade Runner's rain-soaked Los Angeles or Cyberpunk 2077's Night City, blended with the crumbling architecture and utter hopelessness of Warhammer 40,000's multi-layered hive cities. "Addiction is the theme of this update," said Warframe Creative Director Rebecca Ford at the press preview event I attended on Thursday night, and that's immediately evident in the city's inhabitants.
Tau introduces a whole new cast of characters in Brysko's detective storyline. (Image credit: Digital Extremes)
Brysko himself chain-smokes cigars, the undercity slums are filled with drug-addled Sentients begging for scraps and pissing in the streets (yes, these robots can urinate... no, developer Digital Extremes did not explain how or why), and a large part of the live demo focuses on a casino seemingly run by presumed-dead Sentient character Adis, all grown up and now a cold, calculating mob boss named 'the Hunra'.
The neo-noir stylings extend here, too. Unlike most of the playable warframes in game (or the mutated human protoframes), Brysko is what Ford calls a "chimeraframe" - in other words, a frame who retains his own personality and individuality. He narrates his investigation in classic jaded detective fashion, and seemingly has an ongoing romance with a Sentient blues singer who performs in the Hunra's club.
A twisting tale
In true Warframe fashion, it's a staggeringly unusual twist for the overarching story. This is a game where you don't reach the character creation screen until after at least a dozen hours of gameplay; the plot dances between genres, a space opera one minute and a 1990s time-travel adventure the next. It's dipped its toes into cosmic horror, military shooters, and tales of anticapitalist rebellion.
Yes, we're getting playable Lotus before GTA 6. (Image credit: Digital Extremes)
Swordfights, gunfights, ghost pirates, hoverboards, cats, mechs, and worlds to explore inside children's fantasy storybooks. Perhaps it was inevitable that Digital Extremes might eventually settle on a dark detective thriller in its writing team's roving adventure through the annals of genre fiction. But I certainly didn't see it coming, and I'd be amazed if anyone else did too.
A small slice of the TennoCon live demo showed the arrival of one of the Vessels: titanic bio-mechanical humanoids built for the coming war against Warframe's big bad, but until now left inert in the old labs beneath the surface of Deimos. We briefly saw a customization screen that let you choose a body type and tweak the colors of the Vessel, implying that we'll probably be playing as one directly in the near future, but the context for this has largely been left unanswered thus far.
New stars, new worlds
Setting aside the bizarre new narrative direction for a moment, let's break down what we can actually expect from the Tau update when it drops in late 2026.
As many fans have hoped, it looks like the Tau system will contain its own new star chart to navigate (essentially the 'world map' of Warframe), separate from the Origin System chart that currently forms the basis for the game's setting. Ford confirmed that players will be able to move between the two systems at will once Tau is unlocked, adding: "This is just growth - we're not replacing anything." I have to wonder if this particular statement was prompted by a certain other sci-fi live-service game and its controversial habit of routinely hacking out older content...
The Tau system brings multiple new worlds to explore, but only two regions will be available this year. (Image credit: Digital Extremes)
At launch, Tau will feature two explorable planets, with the megacity of Fornax being one of them. Fornax itself will be broken into three 'hubs', the first of which is the casino setting shown in the live demo. From there, Digital Extremes has plans to further flesh out the system in future updates; one part of the demo shows at least three other planets in orbit around Tau's binary suns, one of which appears to have been shattered by some ancient conflict.
Different challenges
Gameplay-wise, it's largely the same fast-paced parkour-combat Warframe fans have come to love, just expanded. The demo showcases multiple new Sentient enemy types, new guns, a grappling hook mechanic, and a boss fight against a fantastically designed pair of Sentient twins who can amalgamate their bodies into a single large monster.
There are some spins on the usual formula coming too, though, specifically to reflect the wildly different setting of Tau. Gone is the Steel Path, Warframe's 'hard mode' overseen by mentor character Teshin - instead, a new endgame difficulty will be implemented for missions in Tau, with the Steel Path's Acolyte minibosses also replaced by something Digital Extremes was not yet ready to reveal.
Tau makes liberal use of Warframe's Mature rating, with more swearing and the introduction of gambling minigames. (Image credit: Digital Extremes)
Ford also teased at least one new mode with "a twist on the core Warframe mission structure, to make it feel more fresh." Oh, and you can gamble via a selection of minigames in the Hunra's club, with Ford immediately comparing it to Final Fantasy VII's beloved Gold Saucer amusement park.
And that's about everything we know so far. The Tau update is slated for late 2026 (most likely December, from the cadence of major updates), with a smaller content drop - named 'Iceblade of Narin' - coming in the Fall. I'll wrap it up here, but needless to say, I'm very excited now.
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