Technology

I’ve always wanted to be the kind of person who uses to-do lists, but I often find that even if I make one, I'll forget to check up on it. Online calendars and other tools help, but that still requires me to write all of them down. If I want to pursue a more complicated or long-term project, then I need to break it down into smaller bits and come up with a schedule that will carry me to that goal. Things would inevitably slip through the cracks. One moment, I’d be confidently running errands, and the next, I’d realize I forgot the one ingredient, or I'd realize I'd left my toothbrush on the other side of the country.

So, I was intrigued when OpenAI debuted the Tasks feature for ChatGPT. Tasks are designed to help you build and manage those to-do lists by automating their creation and maintenance. What sets Tasks apart is that the feature can break down big projects into manageable steps while keeping everything in one organized system. Unlike my usual method of jotting down random reminders and hoping I remember to check them, Tasks ensures nothing slips through the cracks.

ChatGPT Tasks will remind you about upcoming deadlines, suggest next steps based on ongoing projects, and even learn from your planning habits to refine future recommendations. Instead of writing a static checklist, Tasks makes ChatGPT more of a proactive assistant. I've been using it a lot of late, and, to my surprise, I've been far more on top of what I have to do than ever before.

If you want to use the Tasks feature, subscribe to ChatGPT Plus or a higher tier of access, as it's still in beta. If you are subscribed, you'll find "GPT-4o with scheduled tasks" among the model options. You can then tell ChatGPT to set up a Task for whatever you want, including setting up an alert time and day. You can have it be a one-off or a recurring reminder, and you'll see it pop up on the mobile app or on a desktop or web client if you have ChatGPT open.

You also don't need to be too concrete. The AI is flexible enough that you can describe a broad goal or achievement you want to pursue and ask ChatGPT to set up appropriate Tasks and reminder schedules. The AI will do its best to break down the plan into smaller segments. You can see all of the Tasks and edit them, delete them, or pause the automated alert at any time on the ChatGPT Tasks page.

Music maestro

(Image credit: Screenshots of ChatGPT)

I’ve had a guitar for many years and I can 'play' as long as the song only needs about six chords and isn't too fast. I always tell myself I’ll buckle down and really get good at it, but distractions and vague practice plans have made the guitar case a long-time source of guilt.

But when I asked ChatGPT to use its Tasks feature to help me come up with a plan to get good at guitar over the next year, it more than delivered. ChatGPT set up recurring reminders for daily practice, breaking them down into different types of practice, and really laid out an achievable schedule of skill-building and song practice. I didn’t have to think about what to work on each day when Tasks already mapped it out for me.

Plus, it used context to come up with ideas I hadn't considered, such as finger-strengthening exercises and making recordings to show me how I've improved. I'm not Eric Clapton yet, and there are still days I haven’t felt like practicing, but the reminders keep nudging me forward. It even started recommending new songs that matched my skill level, keeping me engaged.

Party planning

(Image credit: Screenshots of ChatGPT)

I love the idea of hosting dinner parties, but I'm honest enough to admit they would be chaotic and possibly require takeout were it not for my wife's skills. But, if I want to show I can handle anything approaching her level of sophisticated hospitality, I can't have any last-minute realizations that I forgot to turn on the oven or added almonds to a dish about to be eaten by a guest who's allergic. I asked ChatGPT to use Tasks to help me and gave it a two-month lead time.

The image above only shows about half of the list it made for me in a helpful timeline. Everything is in much more manageable chunks, from sending invitations, planning the menu, shopping, prepping ingredients, and setting up decorations. The automated reminders have been a boon and they connect to the next Task in a way that I find very helpful.

ChatGPT took the initiative on plenty of the list, too, prompting me to double-check food allergies, which, as I said, I might have completely overlooked. The Tasks even threw in a reminder to test my Bluetooth speakers beforehand, ensuring I didn't have to deal with connection issues while guests were arriving.

Baby's day out

(Image credit: Screenshots of ChatGPT)

I love my son to pieces, but stepping out the door with him is an adventure, especially when it's just the two of us, and he has discovered how to unbuckle his stroller seatbelt. He's pretty laid back, but I still want to make sure he has plenty to eat and isn't kept from napping when he wants. And his messes wait for no man.

Using Tasks, I asked ChatGPT to give me a Mary Poppins plan, or at least suggestions on organizing a day out, and that's just what it did. Ahead of our day out for this experiment, the AI would remind me to make sure I did things like pack his diaper bag. The packing checklist wasn't just generic; the AI customized it based on a few details about my son. On the day itself, it helped me structure the meals, the rest times, and how to work them around our plans for a long walk in the woods.

Tasks couldn’t prevent my son from throwing his sippy cup onto the forest floor a million times or keep him from being upset about having to go home, but it did make sure I was as prepared as possible without having to run through everything in my own mind over and over. I felt like I had things under control, as much as that means anything with a one-year-old.

Taskmaster

ChatGPT is not radically remaking my entire life, Tasks or not, it isn't magically turning me into Emily Post at a party, George Harrison on guitar, or Bluey's dad Bandit on my day out with my child. That said, it makes pursuing all those goals feel less haphazard and teetering on failure. Instead of juggling sticky notes and reminder alarms on my phone, I have a clear, structured system that helps me stay ahead without feeling overwhelmed.

The flexibility of the Tasks feature is the most remarkable aspect. What really makes Tasks stand out is how adaptive it is. Spotting what you've missed and suggesting where to go next in your plans is a real boon when you've got a lot on your plate. It's not going to solve all of my problems, and there are times when you just have to wing it, and Tasks would be no help. Luckily, I asked it to lay out a plan for me to be better at thinking on my feet, and in six months, I'll be ready to be successfully spontaneous.

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Enjoy some top-notch Valentine's Day counterprogramming.

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• Photonics unveils world’s largest mobile LED screen
• JUMBO162 can withstand wind speeds up to 61 km/h
• This 162-square-metre mobile LED screen can be transported by truck

Photonics has introduced the JUMBO162, the world’s largest mobile LED screen.

With a massive 17 x 9.5-metre 4K display, it surpasses the company's previous record set in 2014 with the JUMBO100.

The JUMBO162 utilizes 374 INFiLED AR3.9 panels which support a pixel pitch of 3.9mm and a peak brightness of 4,500 nits. It also incorporates INFiLED’s Infinite Colours technology, offering an extended color spectrum for enhanced visual impact.

Built for high-impact events

Standing 13 metres tall, the JUMBO162 is designed for large-scale high-impact events and can withstand wind speeds of up to 61 km/h.

Despite its massive size, it remains mobile and can be transported using a specialized truck. Crucially, it can be reconfigured into a smaller format, the JUMBO100HD, a 97.5-square-metre screen.

“INFiLED never shies away from a challenge, even when the product we need doesn’t yet exist," said Photonics owner Pieter Lambert. "Their dedication to collaboration and willingness to create custom solutions turns unique challenges into tailored innovations.”

Via Avinteractive.

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• After seemingly working with the Apple TV app for some users, Netflix says it wasn't planned
• The streaming service calls the integration that some folks saw 'inadvertent'
• Further, Netflix doesn't expect to adopt the integration in the future

One of the major benefits of the Apple TV app – on an Apple TV 4K streaming box or another platform – is that it is not only home to Apple TV Plus originals and MLS Season Pass games, but it’s also a hub for what you’ve been streaming on other services.

The catch twenty-two, if you will, though, was that since its debut several years back, Netflix – one of the best streaming services – has never been a part of it. It made the experience a bit clunky, and it’s seemingly been a sticking point for the streamer. It appeared that Netflix didn't want you to easily jump back into Squid Games or any other title from the main Apple TV app.

This morning (on February 14), though, some Apple TV app users began reporting that Netflix content was appearing in the Apple TV app, with the ability to jump right back in and continue watching. It was finally an opening of Netflix’s walled garden approach and a sign that maybe – just maybe – the tide was turning.

(Image credit: Apple)

It seemed like a strange rollout for either Netflix or Apple, as striking up this partnership would have been newsworthy. It would have been on theme for Apple as it's set to hold a launch on Feb. 19, and this week marked the launch of Powerbeats Pro 2 and the arrival of the Apple TV app on Android.

Am I dreaming? Netflix integration in the Apple TV app? pic.twitter.com/yMeWk6x2USFebruary 14, 2025

But it's what we want

Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman took to X (formerly Twitter) to add that it would be unlikely for Netflix to perform such a 180-degree on the integration and that so few users were seeing it live in the Apple TV app. He hinted that it might be a bug or an error at some point, and that’s where the bad news starts to arrive.

Now, TechRadar can confirm that, according to a Netflix spokesperson, this was an inadvertent integration that was not expected to happen and that only a small set of users saw it. Further, Netflix has since rolled everything back, and the streamer doesn't expect the integration to become a full-fledged feature in the future.

This comes after Netflix made waves for raising prices yet again at the end of January, a trend that I, for one, wish the streaming service would buck. It also upped the cost of its plans while promising “to invest in programming and deliver more value for our members.” Integrating with the Apple TV app and making it more accessible and seamless to watch content – be it brand new or resuming – would have been just that to me and seemingly a lot of other folks.

Who knows, maybe this mistake will get Netflix to come to the table and start integrating with Apple at some point, though the cards seem stacked aginst this for the time being.

And if you're looking for something to watch on Netflix, check out TechRadar's list of the 41 best films worth watching in February 2025 on the streaming service.

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I'm not buying that Apple is deeply invested in building a humanoid robot, but if this rumor is somehow true and the Cupertino tech giant is currently juggling actuators, servos, the mismatch of bipedal robot energy needs, and the still very real technological limits of current battery life technology, I have one hope: please let them be building a robot that looks and acts like the late Steve Jobs.

Jobs, who tragically died more than a decade ago, remains an icon of the industry and a lasting symbol of Apple's brilliance and technological drive. Tim Cook is an excellent CEO and supply chain tactician, but Jobs was a legend.

I know the idea sounds outlandish, but then, perhaps, so is the idea of Apple wading into the humanoid robot space.

No room at the robot inn

Based on the number of companies competing to deliver consumer-grade humanoid robots (and some industrial ones, too), it might appear easy, but to understand the humanoid robot space is to take a long view. Modern humanoid robotic development traces back at least a quarter of a century, with the Honda Asimo being what I'd consider the breakthrough bot. It was short but smart and agile, and over the course of a decade, it learned to shake hands, dance, climb and descend stairs, and run in a circle. Honda spent years developing it and then abandoned it.

1X Neo Beta home robot (Image credit: X1)

More recently, we have companies like Unitree, Figure o1, and 1x Neo beta. Some, like Neo, make outlandish claims like they're ready to put a robot in your home. Trust me, no one is ready to put C-3PO in your home yet.

Apple has tremendous tech expertise, which is clearly evidenced by the Vision Pro and all that Apple Silicon has, but it has, unless I'm missing something, little experience in robotics.

Many companies that enter the field start or dream of building humanoid robots. iRobot, maker of the popular Roomba robot vacuum, started in the late 1990s by building and trying to sell a robot baby. It failed and pivoted to utility robots.

Almost 30 years later, the tech landscape is far different. There are better tools and technologies to ostensibly make humanoid robots work easier and the end products more palatable. But even today, there is a wide range of capabilities and robots that can do the most, think fluid parkour moves, live, as Boston Dynamics Atlas does, in the realm of research. No one talks about when that robot will arrive in the home or how much it might cost.

Apple is exploring both humanoid and non-humanoid robots for its future smart home ecosystem, and these products are still in the early proof-of-concept (POC) stage internally. While the industry debates the merits of humanoid vs. non-humanoid designs, supply chain checks…February 12, 2025

You can blame Apple oracle and analyst Ming-Chi Kuo for the latest spate of Apple robot rumors. In a recent X post, he wrote, "Apple is exploring both humanoid and non-humanoid robots for its future smart home ecosystem, and these products are still in the early proof-of-concept (POC) stage internally."

Naturally, many fixated on the "humanoid" part while ignoring the more substantive phrase, "non-humanoid robots for its future smart home ecosystem."

It is not news that Apple is reportedly working on some sort of robotic Home Hub that's a mix of a HomePad, an iPad or display, and a robotic armature. It might be a desktop or kitchen top device that can swivel to "look" at you, take Siri and Apple Home Commands, play music and movies, run apps, and basically look like it has some emotional attachment to your needs.

Sophia Robot

I have no trouble believing Apple is hoping to use robotics as a hook for its flagging smart home strategy. Apple Home has failed to catch on as the ultimate intelligent home hub, but maybe it just needs a face. I think it needs more than that, but a little robotic animation that produces an imitation of life goes a long way.

As for the humanoid robot idea, well, if Apple is truly exploring something that it could deliver before the end of this decade, I say make it their own. Apple could partner up with Sophia maker Hanson Robotics. They could "skin" Apple's humanoid with a Steve Jobs face and then dress it in his classic black turtle neck, jeans, and white Reeboks.

They could even go further and program the bot with Job's attitude or personality. Who needs a cloying robot or a desperately polite one? Jobs Bot would have opinions and ideas, and he would push you to make them happen.

That's the humanoid robot Apple should build. If it were building one. Which it is not.

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Here are some hints — and the answers — for Connections: Sports Edition No. 145 for Feb. 15

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Yellowjackets is back, and the third season looks set to descend deeper into the supernatural and give fans some answers.

But first, a recap. For the uninitiated, Yellowjackets is split across two timelines: the first follows the lives of a girl's high-school football team back in 1996 and their battle to survive in the Canadian wilderness after their plane goes down on the way to a football tournament. The second tracks the survivors of the ordeal in the present day and the traumas and mysteries they carry with them.

Season one was a roaring success with hints of Lord of the Flies and some sprinkling of supernatural in the vein of Lost. Season two looked to continue that momentum but arguably fell a little flat. The season picked up towards the end, with a serious event closing it out and leaving a lot of room for speculation.

And so we arrive at season three, which makes its debut today (February 14 at the time of writing) and could be the perfect foil to a sickly sweet Valentine’s Day.

I got a preview look at the first four episodes of season three, and I’m chomping at the bit for more.

(Image credit: Paramount)

While there’s a lot of bouncing around between the past and the present, Yellowjackets feels like it’s back on form so far. In the wilderness, there’s a deeper sense that there could be a supernatural element involved, and that bleeds into the present day with a greater effect.

Previously more sidelined characters Callie and Jeff get more screen time, with the former diving deeper into the Yellowjacket’s wilderness story. At the same time, Jeff is both slightly goofy yet a good guy at the center of chaos. Christina Ricci is in superb form as the somewhat unstable Misty. However, I feel the relationship between her and Elijah Wood’s Warren seems less substantial, which is a shame as I do like seeing Wood playing a strange and obsessive person.

The rest of the cast is also on point, with the younger cast in the wilderness neatly threading the line between a need to survive and high-school dynamics.

There’s a lot to like here. The building of the supernatural element keeps the mind wondering what’s real and what’s not, while there are some darkly comic moments that act as a palate cleanser.

Expect answers and some big moments

One of the prevailing questions that’s been itching away at me over the past two seasons of Yellowjackets is whether we’ll get some answers to the mystery of if there’s indeed an entirety in the wilderness that’s exerting power over the past and present-day characters, or if it’s all imagined. After all, Lost went from a survival show to one that fully embraced a supernatural element.

While I don't mind the room to guess and ponder, I do feel this season will need to give at least some answers to the bigger mysteries of the wilderness to keep Yellowjackets feeling fresh.

I got a chance to attend roundtable interviews with four of the cast members – Sarah Desjardins, who plays Callie Sadeki, Warren Kole, who plays Jeff Sadeki, Courtney Eaton, who plays the teenage version of Lottie, and Kevin Alves, who plays the teenage Travis Martin – and get some more insight into where season three is heading.

For Callie, Desjardins noted she's going on a journey. “I think Callie is in a very different place,” Desjardins said. “But there’s a complete spectrum of emotions for all of us. There’s high jinks, there’s emotional moments; I really can’t wait for everybody to see it.” So that’s left me intrigued to see where her story goes, given it feels like she’s getting a bigger focus this season.

I asked Kole where he sees Jeff going, given the patriarch of the Sadeki can seem a tad bumbling and out of the loop.

“Jeff is a lot of fun. He is gullible, he is naive, he’s provincial or insulated in how he thinks. But there’s a lot of potential in an empty vessel; you can kind of fill that with anything.” said Kole. “And he is loyal and he’s really pure in a lot of his values. So to have those challenges and to have problems that need to be solved, he has to, you would imagine, grow a little bit and mature and evolve, or he’s just gonna get run over by the women in his family.”

I rather like Jeff and feel he’s a bit of an unsung hero in the present day setting of Yellowjackets, so to see him evolve gives me another reason to press on with the series.

(Image credit: Paramount Plus)

But onto the bigger mystery, and Eaton told me: “I will say we get answers this season regarding the wilderness; whether some people decide to take that information on is another story. I think this season does a really good job of riding the line until you learn something very specific as the season goes on.”

What those specifics are, I’ve yet to glean, as the first four episodes of season three still kept me guessing. Alves added that the show still wants you to figure out for yourself what’s in a similar vein to the first two seasons: “Even though it’ll give you answers, it’ll keep you questioning where you stand with it.”

While I angled for hints on whether there’ll be a season four for Yellowjackets, the cast didn’t let that information slip out. But I inferred that season three will leave some mysteries to be solved and next steps for characters, which makes me think there’s at least another season in the future of Yellowjackets.

So, with that all in mind, it feels that this season of Yellowjackets could go places, and there’s at least one big moment in the early episodes that commanded my attention and saw some excellent performances, all of which would be well worth a Paramount+ with Showtime subscription

I hope this season can stick the landing and give me a taste of the theory crafting I enjoyed in the early 2000s with Lost; a series I think is still worth your time today.

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• Netflix has unveiled a trailer for its new romantic western series Ransom Canyon
• It's been described as "Virgin River meets Yellowstone" with its romance and escapist setting
• Ransom Canyon follows the intersecting lives of three ranching families in Texas

If you're missing the romance of Virgin River and the escapist drama of Yellowstone, then Netflix's new western series Ransom Canyon might be exactly what you're looking for.

Much like one of the best Netflix shows Virgin River, Ransom Canyon is a book-to-screen adaptation, in this case based on a series of romance novels by author Jodi Thomas. Described as "a romance-fueled family drama and contemporary Western saga" by Netflix, Ransom Canyon follows the intersecting lives of three ranching families in the rugged Texas Hill Country and will premiere on April 17.

In the trailer (see below) love, loss, and loyalty collide in the sprawling Lone Star State’s countryside, with Josh Duhamel (Transformers) playing Double K Ranch owner Staten Kirkland and Minka Kelly (Euphoria) as Quinn O'Grady, who returns to Ransom Canyon from New York to forge a new career path.

What is Ransom Canyon about?

The official logline for Ransom Canyon reads: “With three ranching family dynasties locked in a contest for control of the land, their lives and legacies are threatened by outside forces intent on destroying their way of life. At the center of it all is stoic rancher Staten Kirkland (Duhamel), who is healing from heartbreaking loss and on a quest for vengeance.

"Staten’s only glimmer of hope rests in the eyes and heart of Quinn O’Grady (Kelly), longtime family friend and owner of the local dancehall. But as the battle to save Ransom wages on, a mysterious cowboy drifts into town, dredging up secrets from the past. Vise tightening, Staten fights to protect the land he calls home, and the only love that can pull him back from the demons that haunt him.”

Ransom Canyon was first mentioned by Netflix's head of drama Jinny Howe in an interview with Deadline, where she likened the series to Virgin River and Paramount Plus' smash hit Yellowstone.

She said: "It’s a multi-generational family show set on a ranch, and we say it’s Virgin River meets Yellowstone. We think that it’s going to deliver on all the romance and again it will be a really beautiful vista and setting, very escapist."

It's no surprise that the best streaming service is trying to replicate the success of Virgin River, with the recent sixth season receiving more than 9 million views worldwide and staying in the streamer's top 10 for two weeks. With Netflix streaming Yellowstone and now its prequel series 1883 in mid-March (excluding the US), the platform is quickly competing with Paramount Plus to become the home of neo-Western dramas.

While Duhamel and Kelly lead the cast, they are joined by James Brolin, Eoin Macken, Lizzy Greene, Marianly Tejada, Jack Schumacher, Garrett Wareing, Andrew Liner and more.

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• A researcher has discovered a worrying YouTube security vulnerability
• The flaw allowed outsiders to gain access to all YouTube account emails
• This has since been patched, so users should update as soon as possible

Experts have warned that any email from a YouTube account could be pulled from Google with a ‘relatively simple exploit’

A researcher who goes by Brutecat managed to leverage several vulnerabilities across Google products to access the email address of any YouTube user, CyberNews reports.

Google has now patched the flaw, but this does represent a serious risk to the privacy of users, and could put them in danger of phishing attacks. Around 1 billion hours of YouTube is watched daily, with almost 2.5 billion users and 51 million channels - so privacy is important, here’s what we know.

Bounty hunters

The vulnerabilities were discovered because the researcher was "digging through the Internal People API (staging)" and noticed "something interesting". They found that by blocking if you block someone on YouTube, you can leak their Google account identifier.

To continue, the researcher discovered that by clicking the three dot context menu, the GAIA ID was included in the server response, so there was no need to block the channel - meaning this could be escalated to every YouTube account - all four billion of them.

Then, by looking into old Google products, they discovered that the Pixel Recorder contained a bug that would allow them to convert the exposed GAIA ID to an email address. At first, when they did this, the victim would receive an email notification - which lowers the impact of the vulnerability quite significantly. However, they discovered a work around;

“That's when we realized - if it's including our recording title in the email subject, perhaps it wouldn't be able to send an email if our recording title was too long.”

This worked - and when the recording title was lengthened to 2.5 million letters, "bingo! No notification email".

For the disclosure of the flaw, the researcher was awarded a $10,633 bounty. There’s a long standing tradition of software service providers offering bug bounties for security researchers, with Google handing out $10 million in bounties in 2023.

The report was sent on September15 2024 - and in November, the first award of $3,133 was given, with the rationale: "Exploitation likelihood is medium. Issue qualified as an abuse-related methodology with high impact."

By December, a further $7,500 was given, this time because "exploitation likelihood is high. Issue qualified as an abuse-related methodology with high impact" - thanks to an updated report from the product team.

The risk to users

Clearly, Google has identified a risk for the abuse of this flaw - but what is the risk for users? Well, since login credentials, passwords, or other personally identifiable information is not a part of this attack - that just leaves social engineering attacks via email.

We say ‘just’, but phishing attacks are a serious concern, and they claim millions of victims each year - and can lead to much more serious crimes like identity theft or fraud.

If a cybercriminal does email you, there are big red flags you can look out for. The first of all, is their email address - if it's G00gle or M1crosoft instead of their legitimate addresses, don’t open it. Or, if you get a completely unexpected email from a ‘friend’ from an account you don’t recognize - especially one that urges action (i.e. asks you to click a link, send over money, buy a gift card, etc) - then be very very suspicious.

If you’re automatically suspicious of the emails you receive, you’ll be in a better position.

To be safe, you should create strong and secure passwords for each account - and make sure to change them as often as you can remember to.

The final thing to look for is attachments - if the account who sent the account is unknown and the email contains images, links, or documents - this is suspicious. QR codes can be malicious, so don’t scan anything you’re not certain is safe.

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Looking for a different day?

A new NYT Connections puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Friday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Connections hints and answers for Friday, February 14 (game #614).

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 #615) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• POPULAR
• EMOTIONAL
• CHEESE
• DISH
• PAN
• RETURN
• SPILL
• CUP
• TELL
• COMMAND
• ALTERNATIVE
• OPTION
• SHORT
• PROGRESSIVE
• CONTROL
• BLAB

NYT Connections today (game #615) - hint #1 - group hints

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

• YELLOW: Gossip
• GREEN: MacBook keys 
• BLUE: Types of music 
• PURPLE: Add a word that rhymes with “bake”

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 #615) - hint #2 - group answers

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

• YELLOW: DIVULGE 
• GREEN: WORDS ON A MAC KEYBOARD 
• BLUE: WORDS SHORTENED IN ROCK GENRES 
• PURPLE: __CAKE 

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

NYT Connections today (game #615) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #615, are…

• YELLOW: DIVULGE BLAB, DISH, SPILL, TELL
• GREEN: WORDS ON A MAC KEYBOARD COMMAND, CONTROL, OPTION, RETURN
• BLUE: WORDS SHORTENED IN ROCK GENRES ALTERNATIVE, EMOTIONAL, POPULAR, PROGRESSIVE
• PURPLE: __CAKE CHEESE, CUP, PAN, SHORT

• My rating: Easy
• My score: Perfect

I wonder if I found today’s puzzle so easy because I am a) a former music journalist (WORDS SHORTENED IN ROCK GENRES), b) addicted to CHEESECAKE, c) a lifelong Mac user (WORDS ON A MAC KEYBOARD), and d) used to write a gossip column for a pop magazine (DIVULGE).

My gossip column got me into lots of trouble back in the day. Mainly because I used to make everything up. I didn’t like going out or schmoozing (both of which are fairly essential to the gossip trade) and at this point there was no social media to steal from, so I would just use my imagination.

My theory was that if I made the gossip very tame – Madonna spotted buying peanut butter, Elton John likes to wash his underwear on a Tuesday, etc – then no one would complain. Sadly they did, a lot, not because my gossip was untrue but because it made them seem too boring.

Alas, my career giving the DISH on celebrity eating habits ended before it really began.

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

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Friday, 14 February, game #614)

• YELLOW: MOLLYCODDLE BABY, HUMOR, INDULGE, PAMPER
• GREEN: THINGS A RATTLESNAKE DOES HISS, RATTLE, SHED, SLITHER
• BLUE: WORDS SAID TO AN UNSUSPECTING PERSON BOO, GOTCHA, GUESS WHO, SURPRISE
• PURPLE: HOMOPHONES OF BODIES OF WATER BAE, CREAK, SEE, STRAIGHT

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.