Technology

All PS Plus subscribers can play these games soon.

Elon Musk's men at HUD come from the real estate sector. They have access to vast stores of personal and financial data—and control over who can access which HUD systems.

• Morefine G1 is available from $750 to $1,600
• Dual HDMI 2.0 and DisplayPort 1.4 provide multiple output options
• Three cooling modes let users balance performance and noise

The Morefine G1 is an external GPU with three configurations including the RTX 4060 with 8GB GDDR6, the RTX 4080M with 12GB GDDR6, and the top-tier RTX 4090M with 16GB GDDR6 on a 256-bit bus.

Per AndroidPC via Minimachines (originally in Spanish and French, respectively), this eGPU measures just 14 cm wide, 10 cm deep, and 5.4 cm thick.

Thanks to its 9,728 CUDA cores and dedicated Tensor Cores, the RTX 4090M is particularly suited for creatives handling demands such as 8K video editing software, large 3D scene rendering, and AI tool workloads.

Morefine G1 eGPU: High-performance with versatile connectivity

The Morefine G1 connects via two USB Type-C ports, one supporting USB4 with a 40Gbps transfer rate. For faster data speeds, users can opt for an OCuLink 1.4i module, which boosts bandwidth to 64Gbps.

It includes dual HDMI 2.0 ports, a DisplayPort 1.4, and three USB 3.2 Type-A ports. It requires a 240W external power supply via a 20V/12A jack.

The cooling system offers three modes: Silent, Auto, and High Performance. Silent mode caps performance at 70% to reduce noise, while Auto adjusts dynamically based on temperature, allowing up to 80% efficiency - and High Performance mode enables full power at the expense of fan noise and more heat.

The Morefine G1 is currently available via AliExpress, with more online retailers expected to follow. Pricing starts at around $750 for the RTX 4060 version, $1,350 for the RTX 4080M, and $1,600 for the RTX 4090M.

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Here are some hints -- and the answers -- for the NYT Connections: Sports Edition puzzle, No. 157, for Feb. 27.

Here are hints and answers for the NYT Strands puzzle No. 361 for Feb. 27.

Hints and answers for the NYT Connections puzzle for Feb. 27, #627.

Here are hints and the answer for today's Wordle No. 1,349 for Feb. 27.

• Exo supports LLaMA, Mistral, LlaVA, Qwen, and DeepSeek
• Can run on Linux, macOS, Android, and iOS, but not Windows
• AI models needing 16GB RAM can run on two 8GB laptops

Running large language models (LLMs) typically requires expensive, high-performance hardware with substantial memory and GPU power. However, Exo software now looks to offer an alternative by enabling distributed artificial intelligence (AI) inference across a network of devices.

The company allows users to combine the computing power of multiple computers, smartphones, and even single-board computers (SBCs) like Raspberry Pis to run models that would otherwise be inaccessible.

This decentralized approach shares similarities with the SETI@home project, which distributed computing tasks across volunteer machines. By leveraging a peer-to-peer (P2P) network, Exo eliminates the need for a single, powerful system, making AI inference more accessible to individuals and organizations.

How Exo distributes AI workloads

Exo aims to challenge the dominance of large technology companies in AI development. By decentralizing inference, it seeks to give individuals and smaller organizations more control over AI models, similar to initiatives focused on expanding access to GPU resources.

"The fundamental constraint with AI is compute," argues Alex Cheema, co-founder of EXO Labs. "If you don’t have the compute, you can’t compete. But if you create this distributed network, maybe we can."

The software dynamically partitions LLMs across available devices in a network, assigning model layers based on each machine’s available memory and processing power. Supported LLMs include LLaMA, Mistral, LlaVA, Qwen, and DeepSeek.

Users can install Exo on Linux, macOS, Android, or iOS, though Windows support is not currently available. A minimum Python version of 3.12.0 is required, along with additional dependencies for systems running Linux fitted with NVIDIA GPUs.

One of Exo’s key strengths is that, unlike traditional setups that rely on high-end GPUs, it enables collaboration between different hardware configurations.

For example, an AI model requiring 16GB of RAM can run on two 8GB laptops working together. A more demanding model like DeepSeek R1, requiring approximately 1.3TB of RAM, could theoretically operate on a cluster of 170 Raspberry Pi 5 devices with 8GB RAM each.

Network speed and latency are critical concerns, and Exo's developers acknowledge that adding lower-performance devices may slow inference latency but insists that overall throughput improves with each device added to the network.

Security risks also arise when multiple machines share workloads, requiring safeguards to prevent data leaks and unauthorized access.

Adoption is another hurdle, as developers of AI tools currently rely on large-scale data centers. The low-cost of Exo's approach may appeal. but Exo's approach simply won’t match the speed of those high-end AI clusters.

Via CNX Software

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• Intel’s Raptor Lake Core i9-13900HK delivers 14 cores and 20 threads
• Supports four 8K displays with multiple connectivity options
• External antennas enhance Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2 connectivity

The GMKtec K10 has joined other mini PC powerhouses, such as the Geekom Mini IT13 and Beelink GTi12 Ultra, in featuring Intel Core i9 processors.

The K10, is powered by Intel’s Core i9-13900HK, a Raptor Lake chip with 14 cores - six performance and eight efficient - supporting a total of 20 threads.

Per Minimachines (originally in French), the chip operates between 4.1 GHz and 5.4 GHz, includes 24MB of cache, and integrates Intel Iris Xe graphics with 96 execution units running at 1.5 GHz.

High-performance hardware

The GMKtec K10 offers three M.2 2280 NVMe PCIe Gen4 x4 slots, supporting up to 24TB of SSD storage. For memory, it supports up to 96GB of DDR5-5200 RAM through two SODIMM slots, making it ideal for use as a small business server.

Wireless connectivity is managed by an Intel AX201 module, offering Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5.2. However, due to the metal casing potentially disrupting signal, external antennas are recommended to improve reception.

Measuring 18.86cm in width, 17.8cm in depth, and 3.89cm in thickness, the K10’s design accommodates a cooling system that consists of a passive heat sink, dual heat pipes, and metal fins at the rear.

The front panel features a 3.5mm combo audio jack, two USB 3.2 Type-A ports, a USB 3.2 Type-C port with DisplayPort output, and two USB 2.0 Type-A ports.

The rear has two more USB 3.2 Type-A and USB 2.0 Type-A ports, a dual HDMI 2.0 output, a DisplayPort 1.4, a 2.5 Gigabit Ethernet port, a COM port, and a Kensington Lock.

Those ports are plenty, especially for outputting to multiple 4k and 8K displays via the best portable SSDs.

But don't get too excited - GMKtec has announced the K10 for release in China, but has had nothing to say about international availability or pricing.

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So, it's finally here – just over 11 years since Amazon's Alexa voice assistant sparked a new (and eventually underwhelming) age of voice assistants, it's just been given a major AI brain transplant.

The new Alexa Plus is rolling out soon in the US, with international availability still unknown. But what exactly can Amazon's new voice assistant do, and will it actually be worth the monthly subscription (or signing up to Amazon Prime) to get early access?

We've broken down everything you need to know about Alexa Plus below, from pricing to new features and what this all means for classic Alexa. Strangely, Amazon didn't announce any new Echo speakers at its big reveal today, but there was more than enough Alexa news for us to chew over – so let's dive into Alexa's biggest upgrade for over a decade...

1. It's Alexa's biggest ever upgrade

Since Alexa landed in 2014, we've seen the voice assistant get dozens of upgrades –from improvements to its listening powers to an ability to an ability to recognize individual voices. But it's no overstatement to say that Alexa Plus is its biggest by far – it's really a reinvention of the voice assistant.

Powered by models from Anthropic (the maker of Claude) and Amazon's own Nova, Alexa Plus has an ability to remember personal information and context. Broadly speaking, Amazon used an orchestra conductor metaphor to explain the changes.

(Image credit: Amazon)

As Amazon SVP of devices and services Panos Panay said: "The new Alexa knows almost every instrument in your life, your schedule, smart home, devices, and people you're connected to, and brings them together into what is an incredible symphony."

We'll be the judges of that when we get to try it in the real world, but that won't be too long a wait (in the US, at least)...

2. It works on (nearly) every Echo device

Judging by the early Alexa Plus demos, the best experience for the AI assistant will be on Amazon's latest smart displays. That's why the early access will be coming to the Echo Show 8, 10, 15 or 21 (whether you already own one, or buy one now).

But it is fortunately also backwards compatible with most Echos from the last decade, except some of the very early ones. The only devices Alexa Plus doesn't work on are the Echo Dot 1st Gen, Echo 1st Gen, Echo Plus 1st Gen, Echo Tap, Echo Show 1st Gen, Echo Show 2nd Gen, and Echo Spot 1st Gen.

(Image credit: Amazon)

You can also test-drive Alexa Plus in a web browser, the Alexa app and compatible Fire TV devices and Fire tablets. Unfortunately, Alexa Plus isn't available on devices that are branded "Alexa Built-in" (like headphones and smartwatches), but Amazon said it's hoping to bring the assistant to more devices "in the future".

3. Alexa Plus is pricey, unless you're on Prime

Alexa Plus will get an initial rollout in the US over "next few weeks" and will cost $19.99 per month – or will be free if you have a Prime subscription. Considering Prime currently costs $14.99 a month (or $139 annually) in the US, that means there's no reason not to get Prime. Which is clearly Amazon's plan.

@techradar

♬ original sound - TechRadar

While Alexa Plus will apparently work on “almost every” Alexa device so far, the initial rollout will be on the Echo Show 8, 10, 15, and 21 from next month. If you buy one of those smart displays now, you'll get early access to Alexa Plus. Amazon sure does know how to trigger our impulse buy finger.

Sadly, there's no news yet about an international rollout for Alexa Plus, but we'll update this page as soon as we hear anything official.

4. It works with Ring cameras – and could upgrade your smart home

Amazon wants Alexa Plus to be the glue that gets you using more of its devices –particularly the ones built for your smart home.

If you have a Ring doorbell or security camera (plus a subscription), Alexa Plus can provide summaries of detected camera events and show you footage (for example, a package being delivered) on compatible Echo Show displays.

(Image credit: Amazon)

This also integrates with Ring's Smart Video Search, letting you ask natural questions like "did someone take out the garbage bins?" or "when was the last time the dog went out for a walk"? Hopefully, the answer won't be "last week".

But even if you only have an Echo Show or smart speaker, Alexa Plus promises to be a helpful (and much more conversational) voice assistant. You can move music from room to room (for example, "play the music upstairs") or create new smart home Routines by voice without delving into an app.

If you have a Fire TV device, Alexa Plus will also play nicely with Prime Video – for example, letting you quickly jump to a particular scene that you've described.

5. Alexa Plus wants to run your home life

If you're prepared to share private information with Alexa Plus, like calendars and documents, then it can also act a bit like a family assistant.

The calendar functionality certainly looks helpful – in a demo (below), Alexa was asked to recall the the dates of the presenter's daughter's soccer practices (from a previously shared document) and add the events to her calendar.

@techradar

♬ original sound - TechRadar

There's seemingly no limit to the types of things you can upload, although it isn't yet clear what the ceiling is on the amount of uploads. Amazon says you can share emails, manuals, family recipes, study materials and more.

Clearly, the more you share, the more you'll get out of Alexa Plus – and that's going to be a personal decision for many. Some examples included asking how much oil you need for your grandma’s favorite zucchini bread, or simply "do I need to bring anything to the school fundraiser?” based on some emails you've shared.

6. It's an upgrade for Kids Plus subscribers too

Amazon Echo speakers have become family favorites for many, so Amazon's used Alexa Plus to upgrade its Kids Plus subscription offerings – that costs $5.99 / £4.99 a month separately, but you'll get a one month free trial with Alexa Plus early access.

Two features called "Stories with Alexa" and "Explore with Alexa" are designed to entertain your younglings and spark their creativity. A video showed a child chatting to Alexa and asking it questions – this was already possible, but Alexa Plus takes things up a notch with generative AI visuals and more.

Naturally, it'll help if you have an Echo Show device with a screen, which is something that Amazon is using Alexa Plus to push us towards – if you buy a new Echo Show 8, 10, 15, or 21, you'll get early access to its new voice assistant.

7. Alexa Plus remembers your preferences

One of the biggest upgrades with Alexa Plus – and something that could push more people towards a Prime subscription – is its ability to remember information and personalize its responses.

For example, it'll be able to offer personalized news briefings based on your specific interests (gadgets, obviously). Its ability to understand and remember your family’s dietary preferences and allergies also sounds particularly handy if you like to use it for recipes and shopping.

@techradar

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Not everything its built around voice interactions either. If you have an Echo Show smart display, you'll also seemingly be able to track topics like deal alerts or a fresh drop of tickets for your favorite artist.

Inevitably, the more you share, the more functionality you'll unlock – so it could be a case of finding that sweet spot between helpful features and privacy.

8. It'll connect to a lot more services soon

This is clearly just the start of Amazon's Alexa Plus ambitions – and the demos showed how much the tech giant wants it to plug into third-party services to make it your one-stop, conversational voice assistant.

For starters, the connectivity will be fairly simple, like connecting to OpenTable to make a dinner reservation or booking an Uber for you while texting your friend to let them know your ETA.

(Image credit: Amazon)

But looking ahead, Amazon wants Alexa Plus to let you conversationally create and tweak grocery lists on the fly, get them automatically edited based on your dietary requirements, and integrate closely with the likes of Grubhub and Whole Foods.

In the not-too-distant future, Alexa Plus will also apparently work with specialized AI agents to help you life run smoothly in the background. We'll see how that all works in practice, but Alexa Plus could clearly become a big player in the world of AI voice assistants.

9. It won't replace classic Alexa (yet)

(Image credit: Amazon)

Not everyone wants their voice assistant to get an AI brain transplant – and if all of this sounds a bit much, then the earlier version of Alexa will still be available on your older devices (for now, at least).

Amazon would rather you upgraded to Alexa Plus, of course. It says "we're positive you'll love all that Alexa+ has to offer", but that "if you prefer using the original Alexa, it will remain available on your devices".

That's good news if you prefer its simpler functionality, but we'd say the clock is now ticking on that old-school version of Alexa...

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Fear Street: Prom Night will premiere on May 23, with Netflix confirming the news in an intriguing announcement trailer. The first three movies in the Fear Street slasher franchise really surprised me when they arrived on Netflix in 2021. I was very quickly lured into the world-building and seeing three different eras portrayed against a horror backdrop was very fun indeed.

Fear Street parts One, Two, and Three – set in 1994, 1978, and 1666 respectively – received critical acclaim, and all of them are worthy holders of spots on our best Netflix movies round-up. I was worried that the creators might rest on their laurels after a hat-trick of successes, but now they're back with another chilling tale, and based on the trailer, it’s already shaping up to be one of my best horror movies of the year.

This time around, we'll follow prom season at Shadyside High (I'm already suspicious of a name like that, to be fair), but the cut-throat (not in the literal sense) competition for the title of Prom Queen will soon be the least of the school's worries when girls start mysteriously disappearing. Surely someone wouldn't go that far for a high school title, right? I guess we'll find out…

Take a look at the teaser below.

Why was Fear Street so successful?

(Image credit: Netflix)

The Fear Street series has been celebrated for a number of reasons. Many loved the franchise's retro appeal and the inspired casting, including Stranger Things star Sadie Sink. I'm among those who sang the praises of the Fear Street franchise, and it was refreshing to see horror adaptations of this quality among some of the less good Netflix horrors. Unfortunately, the Netflix library is home to some offerings of questionable quality – looking at you, The Open House, but we can't win them all. If only Netflix hadn't canceled nine great shows last year and gotten rid of the disappointing horrors instead. But I digress.

The movies are based on R. L. Stine's novels, and revolve around teens who must break a curse that’s been haunting their town for hundreds of years. And they’re every bit as nerve-jangling as his iconic series Goosebumps, which now has two seasons on Disney+. So, the Stine horror adaptations are really killing it, and I couldn't be happier about that.

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• Lonestar plans to offer disaster recovery services from the Moon
• It successfully tested a lunar software-defined data center in 2024
• Its next mission, launching soon, will test a physical data center (kind of)

We all know how important it is to back up our personal data in case of a disaster - I certainly learned that lesson the hard way years ago when a hard drive malfunctioned and fried my desktop PC. As devastating as that was for me personally, for businesses, the loss of data can be catastrophic, as while files and folders can be backed up in many ways, including to the cloud, offsite data centers, tape storage, and NAS, some solutions take the idea to the extreme.

One such example is the Arctic World Archive (AWA), which stores data-filled containers inside a sealed chamber within a decommissioned coal mine in Svalbard, between mainland Norway and the North Pole. If that isn’t safe and remote enough for you, well, there’s always space.

Florida-based Lonestar Data Holdings was founded by Chris Stott in 2021 to provide data services such as Disaster Recovery and Resilience-as-a-Service from Earth’s ultimate backup location - the Moon.

A RISC-V venture

Lonestar successfully tested the world’s first software-defined data center on the International Space Station (ISS) in 2021 and 2022, then conducted a full data storage test from the Moon's surface last year.

Working with its lunar access provider, Intuitive Machines, Lonestar completed its first mission to the Moon (called "Independence") with a proof-of-concept demonstration after the IM-1 Odysseus Nova-C lander touched down on the lunar south pole last February. It wasn’t a complete success, as the vehicle ended up on its side.

Lonestar’s next mission, again with Intuitive Machines (this one called "Freedom"), will be a test of its first physical “data center” (a RISC-V processor with a Phison SSD running Ubuntu) sent off-planet. That mission is set to launch on February 26.

Writing about Lonestar, Blocks and Files says, “The Freedom IT unit has a 3D-printed casing designed by BiG, an architecture and design group led by Danish architect Bjarke Ingels. The exterior is said to ‘reflect the silhouettes of NASA astronauts Charlie Duke (Apollo Moonwalker) and Nicole Stott (Space Station Space Walker).’

It is somewhat unexpected that a small computer system in a lunar landing vehicle would have resources devoted to a casing that, once enclosed in the Athena vehicle and loaded into the SpaceX launch rocket, will never be seen again. Presumably, Lonestar wants to capture people’s imagination with the idea.” As far as marketing stunts go, it’s a good one.

Assuming everything goes to plan, Lonestar hopes to begin continuous commercial services in 2026.

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The Red Devils host the Tractor Boys, who sit 5 points adrift of safety at the bottom of the EPL.

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Looking for a different day?

A new Quordle puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Wednesday's puzzle instead then click here: Quordle hints and answers for Wednesday, February 26 (game #1129).

Quordle was one of the original Wordle alternatives and is still going strong now more than 1,100 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 #1130) - 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 #1130) - hint #2 - repeated letters Do any of today's Quordle answers contain repeated letters?

• The number of Quordle answers containing a repeated letter today is 1.

Quordle today (game #1130) - 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 #1130) - 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 #1130) - hint #5 - starting letters (2) What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• T

• C

• E

• G

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

Quordle today (game #1130) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

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

• THIEF
• CHAIR
• ETHER
• GRIME

My start words gave me the ideal situation of a column with all five letters. Perhaps the real dream situation would be having them all green, but then you wouldn’t have the joy of a quick untangle to find the correct word – in this case GRIME.

For my second correct guess, I already had the letters I-H-R-A, which made sense forming H-A-I-R and there is only one letter that could fit at the front.

How did you do today? Let me know in the comments below.

Daily Sequence today (game #1130) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1130, are…

• BREAK
• SUING
• SALTY
• PETTY

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1129, Wednesday 26 February: LOVER, SPIED, VAPOR, METER
• Quordle #1128, Tuesday 25 February: TWIST, TWEAK, MEANT, CLEAR
• Quordle #1127, Monday 24 February: LEASH, LEVER, TOTEM, CREME
• Quordle #1126, Sunday 23 February: RABID, RELIC, SCRAM, BASIS
• Quordle #1125, Saturday 22 February: ETHER, SONIC, VAUNT, ROUSE
• Quordle #1124, Friday 21 February: STIFF, PRIZE, SCOWL, DONUT
• Quordle #1123, Thursday 20 February: HASTY, DRAPE, FICUS, CRAZE
• Quordle #1122, Wednesday 19 February: ABATE, TROVE, VENUE, DRAPE
• Quordle #1121, Tuesday 18 February: TAMER, SCRUB, BRICK, DRIFT
• Quordle #1120, Monday 17 February: SADLY, WAFER, LITHE, IDIOM
• Quordle #1119, Sunday 16 February: GHOUL, AFIRE, COVEN, FIERY
• Quordle #1118, Saturday 15 February: CREEP, CONDO, GRILL, FANCY
• Quordle #1117, Friday 14 February: MEDIA, ELUDE, THUMB, WIDOW
• Quordle #1116, Thursday 13 February: SCALP, DWELL, AMPLE, TRUNK
• Quordle #1115, Wednesday 12 February: SHOOK, GRADE, POLAR, SEEDY
• Quordle #1114, Tuesday 11 February: HEAVY, CIRCA, PESKY, SCION
• Quordle #1113, Monday 10 February: TWIXT, FRESH, GUISE, TABBY
• Quordle #1112, Sunday 9 February: TAPIR, SHAKE, TOKEN, SEVEN
• Quordle #1111, Saturday 8 February: AFOOT, ALIKE, HUMUS, TOWEL
• Quordle #1110, Friday 7 February: PETAL, ABASE, AMONG, CORER

Looking for a different day?

A new NYT Strands puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Wednesday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Wednesday, February 26 (game #360).

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 #361) - hint #1 - today's theme What is the theme of today's NYT Strands?

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Living large

NYT Strands today (game #361) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• GUSH
• RUSH
• NEST
• SUGAR
• BRIDE
• BLAG

NYT Strands today (game #361) - hint #3 - spangram What is a hint for today's spangram?

• Great things

NYT Strands today (game #361) - hint #4 - spangram position What are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

First side: bottom, 4th column

Last side: top, 3rd column

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

NYT Strands today (game #361) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #361, are…

• FOOT
• BIRD
• BREAK
• SPENDER
• CHEESE
• LEAGUES
• PICTURE
• SPANGRAM: BIG STUFF

• My rating: Moderate
• My score: 1 hint

I had a Connections-like experience of not exactly knowing what I was looking for with today’s puzzle. The answer only came into focus after I got SPENDER and, of course, Shirley Bassey’s classic Hey Big Spender came to mind.

My favorite of all the BIG STUFF is CHEESE – and not just because cheese is one of humanity’s greatest culinary creations. Big Cheese is also a lovely way to describe a boss. It’s disarming and charming, but also complimentary (you’re not just a cheese, you’re a big cheese). Had this been an actual job title I may have been more ambitious during my career – being a manager always sounded like hard work and dull, being a big cheese sounds fun and aspirational and maybe you could get there just by being fabulously cheesy rather than stomping on all the little cheese on your way to the top.

Anyway, I digress… apologies. A lovely puzzle, big thanks to the big cheeses at the big Strands office for making it happen.

How did you do today? Let me know in the comments below.

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Wednesday, 26 February, game #360)

• CHALLENGE
• JURY
• MERGE
• REWARD
• ALLIANCE
• IMMUNITY
• SPANGRAM: SURVIVOR

What is NYT Strands?

Strands is the NYT's new word game, following Wordle and Connections. It's now out of beta so is a fully fledged member of the NYT's games stable and 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.