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Here are some hints -- and the answers -- for the Dec. 17 Strands puzzle, No. 289.

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• Pika just released the Pika 2.0 AI video creator with advanced customization tools
• You can upload and customize characters, objects, and settings with the new Scene Ingredients feature
• Pika 2.0 offers a contrast to OpenAI's Sora by aiming at individuals rather than big studios

AI video creator Pika Labs is metaphorically elbowing OpenAI and Sora for some of the limelight with a new version of its platform. Pika 2.0 comes with a suite of new features for making custom videos with AI and arrives only weeks after the company released the Pika 1.5 model with its host of new visual effects.

Pika is even taking unsubtle jabs at OpenAI by describing Pika 2.0 as "Not just for pros. For actual people. (Even Europeans!)" in reference to the enterprise focus of Sora and its limited global release that so far doesn't include European countries.

Rivalry aside, Pika 2.0 has plenty of new perks, making it fairly appealing. The most notable is Scene Ingredients. Imagine a virtual kitchen with a pantry of video elements you can pick from. You choose the characters, props, backgrounds, and other bits you want to incorporate and let Pika's AI blend and bake them.

Let’s say you want to make a clip of a surfing cat in space. Until now, you'd need to write a prompt for the video, perhaps with an image reference for the cat. With Scene Ingredients, you can upload your favorite cat's photo, a stellar background image of the sky at night, and a picture of your dream surfboard, and Pika will mash it up into a delicious, cohesive scene.

Even without images to embed in videos, Pika 2.0 better understands text prompts thanks to its upgraded text alignment. If you’ve ever typed a prompt into an AI tool and gotten something that only vaguely resembled what you wanted, you'll likely notice how Pika is less likely to mess up your idea when making the video.

If you ask for a dragon to fly over a medieval castle during sunset, the AI will be much more likely to show a video with a dragon that actually flies, a castle that looks like a castle, and a sunset that doesn’t look like a lava explosion. And with upgraded motion rendering, all the characters in the video will walk, fly, roller skate, or cartwheel without looking like they are floating or that their joints don't all connect.

Pika for all

Pika’s pitch is about giving the average person or small group control over making videos without making it too complicated. Hence, the deliberate, if oblique, mocking of OpenAI and Sora for their Hollywood-level focus projects. Pika 2.0 is aimed at those making clips for TikTok of marketing videos for side hustles.

That doesn't mean Pika has no other competition besides OpenAI, though. There are AI video platforms for all kinds of projects: Pollo, Runway, Stability AI, Hotshot, and Luma Labs' Dream Machine have something to offer the average aspiring AI filmmaker.

If you want to try out Pika 2.0, it’s available to free and paid users, with limits on the free tier. You can also switch back to earlier models if you desire to.

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Quordle was one of the original Wordle alternatives and is still going strong now more than 1,000 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 #1058) - 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 #1058) - 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 0.

Quordle today (game #1058) - hint #3 - uncommon letters Do the letters Q, Z, X or J appear in Quordle today?

• Yes. One of Q, Z, X or J appears among today's Quordle answers.

Quordle today (game #1058) - 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 #1058) - hint #5 - starting letters (2) What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• D

• E

• S

• A

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

Quordle today (game #1058) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1058, are…

• DOING
• ENJOY
• SNAKY
• AMPLE

I’m used to forgetting the titles of songs, the names of actors (the ones who were in that other thing I watched the other day), and the actual thing I went to the supermarket for, but today I forgot a letter.

The tried and trusted Quordle technique is to get all of the vowels in your first two words. I know this, but somehow today A went, erm AWOL.

Still, I managed to rescue things, despite the sneaky SNAKY and rarely seen letter J popping by for ENJOY.

How did you do today? Send me an email and let me know.

Daily Sequence today (game #1058) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1058, are…

• SHRUG
• SCALE
• CRUMP
• WEDGE

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1057, Monday 16 December: HYDRO, CREAM, CHIDE, SLIME
• Quordle #1056, Sunday 15 December: DROVE, STILT, LINEN, GIANT
• Quordle #1055, Saturday 14 December: SPIEL, ONSET, TIGER, DITTO
• Quordle #1054, Friday 13 December: ERECT, REBAR, MOIST, IDIOM
• Quordle #1053, Thursday 12 December: MILKY, CRIER, STORK, DRIER
• Quordle #1052, Wednesday 11 December: BRIAR, NASAL, SHARD, FLUFF
• Quordle #1051, Tuesday 10 December: BEGAN, TRIAL, IDEAL, GUIDE
• Quordle #1050, Monday 9 December: TITAN, FORTE, SPEED, BRIAR
• Quordle #1049, Sunday 8 December: BUNCH, SHINY, MOULT, INTRO
• Quordle #1048, Saturday 7 December: SHAKY, CROOK, GHOUL, VERSE
• Quordle #1047, Friday 6 December: BRAWL, UNTIL, DOWRY, STING
• Quordle #1046, Thursday 5 December: AGING, BICEP, CLOVE, SPILL
• Quordle #1045, Wednesday 4 December: JUDGE, GIVER, GNASH, CLOAK
• Quordle #1044, Tuesday 3 December: FUDGE, THICK, CRANK, STASH
• Quordle #1043, Monday 2 December: TROPE, HOVER, SAUNA, SHAPE
• Quordle #1042, Sunday 1 December: NAIVE, CIRCA, STEAD, MICRO
• Quordle #1041, Saturday 30 November: MAMMA, SNUCK, CRYPT, TAROT
• Quordle #1040, Friday 29 November: JOIST, DROOL, DUSKY, GLIDE
• Quordle #1039, Thursday 28 November: GRADE, WORRY, NOISE, DAISY
• Quordle #1038, Wednesday 27 November: HEART, ROGUE, INEPT, UTILE

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 clues.

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 #555) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• TISSUE
• CARPET
• WAX
• PLUCK
• DRAG
• NERVE
• CLAY
• GRAPH
• GRASS
• ARTERY
• HARD
• HEART
• DRIVE
• GRIT
• CONSTRUCTION
• AVENUE

NYT Connections today (game #555) - hint #1 - group hints

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

• YELLOW: Spirit
• GREEN: On the… 
• BLUE: For wrapping and writing
• PURPLE: 40-15

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 #555) - hint #2 - group answers

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

• YELLOW: INTREPIDITY
• GREEN: ROAD
• BLUE: KINDS OF PAPER
• KINDS OF TENNIS COURTS

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

NYT Connections today (game #555) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #555, are…

• YELLOW: INTREPIDITY GRIT, HEART, NERVE, PLUCK
• GREEN: ROAD ARTERY, AVENUE, DRAG, DRIVE
• BLUE: KINDS OF PAPER CONSTRUCTION, GRAPH, TISSUE, WAX
• PURPLE: KINDS OF TENNIS COURTS  CARPET, CLAY, GRASS, HARD

• My rating: Hard
• My score: 2 mistakes

Perhaps if we were in the thick of the tennis season I would have got there a bit more quickly today, but having said that CARPET does not automatically spring to mind when you think of tennis surfaces. Presumably tennis carpet is different to the shag-pile material you might find in a living room – although I like the idea of Sinner and Alcaraz duking it out in their slippers.

Meanwhile, the only reason I got the Green group is because I used to have a friend who was always going on about going to the main DRAG on Saturday night. “You going down the drag?” he’d ask relentlessly.

I have to admit I was reluctant. Hitting the crowded bars and clubs in the center of town might be some people’s idea of a great night out, but I’ve always found it a bit of a drag. I’d rather watch tennis. Or play Connections.

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Monday, 16 December, game #554)

• YELLOW: TYPES OF RADIO AM, HAM, SATELLITE, WALKIE-TALKIE
• GREEN: KINDS OF PLAY FIGHTS FOOD, PILLOW, SNOWBALL, WATER BALLOON
• BLUE: SNACK CAKES DEVIL DOG, DING DONG, HOHO, YODEL
• PURPLE: CLASSIC JOKE STAPLES BAR, CHICKEN, KNOCK-KNOCK, LIGHT BULB

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.

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

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… It's lit!

NYT Strands today (game #289) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• STAIR
• LAST
• CART
• FIRST
• SWEET
• LATE

NYT Strands today (game #289) - hint #3 - spangram What is a hint for today's spangram?

• Book types

NYT Strands today (game #289) - hint #4 - spangram position What are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

First side: left, 4th row

Last side: right, 4th row

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

NYT Strands today (game #289) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #289, are…

• CRIME
• FANTASY
• ROMANCE
• WESTERN
• HISTORICAL
• SPANGRAM: FICTION GENRE

• My rating: Easy
• My score: 1 hint

According to Writer’s Digest there are 114 FICTION GENREs and sub genres – and that’s not including WESTERN (a genre of literature set in the American Old West frontier and typically set from the late eighteenth to the late nineteenth century).

Alternative genres today’s Strands could have included: Fabulist, Dark fantasy, Biopunk, Supernatural Menace, and Bangsian Fantasy (stories speculating on the afterlives of famous people). Oh, and Wuxia (fantasy tales set within the martial arts traditions and philosophies of China). I suspect if any of those had been included I might have struggled more than I did here.

How did you do today? Send me an email and let me know.

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Monday, 16 December, game #288)

• SMOG
• SPORT
• BRUNCH
• ZORSE
• ATHLEISURE
• ANKLET
• SPANGRAM: PORTMANTEAUX

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.

• You won't need to search for another app to make an EOY recap for Instagram
• The app is rolling out a new Collage type for Stories to create your own
• There are new secret effects for DMs and more 'Add Yours' stickers

Between Spotify Wrapped and Apple Music Replay, it’s a reminder that 2024 is coming to a close, and that might have you thinking about making end-of-year recaps for Instagram. But, rather than searching for the best collage apps to download, like Top 9 or whatever the latest craze is – maybe a new CapCut template? – Instagram’s going to do some of the heavy lifting this year.

That’s right – Instagram is rolling out a new Collage style for Stories, which will let you recap your year with the right style. It’s an “EOY-themed Collage” and will be an easy way to share your top moments with friends, family, and the rest of your followers.

Judging from the example photos shared of the new Collage, you should be able to freely place several images on one Story slide and choose from themed fronts. For instance, there’s a neon “How 2024 Started” that can be paired with “How 2024 Ended” and a smaller, just as spicy “HNY.” There is even a countdown sticker type, which looks similar to the reminder functionality currently available in Instagram Stories.

(Image credit: Instagram)

To encourage others to share their favorite moments of the year, Instagram will debut four new “Add Yours” stickers. You can also theme your DMs for New Year's Eve with lasers, but there are more festive ones, including a Mariah Carey Christmas.

(Image credit: Instagram)

You also might want to try sending “Happy New Year” or “Hello 2025” in an individual DM or a group chat, as it will cause a new special effect on-screen.

As with most Instagram updates, these are a gradual rollout – so that’s beginning today and it’s wise to make sure your app is up to date and keep checking back, as it should hit most users by the end of the week and will stick around until the beginning of January 2024.

Of course, while Instagram is hoping you won't be reaching for another app – and since I have a crowded home screen – if these end-of-year collages don't fit the bill, rest assured there will be alternatives off the app. We'll just need to wait and see.

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Day eight of the 12 Days of OpenAI was shorter than the previous days by several minutes, but the brevity fits with the ChatGPT Search news OpenAI CPO Kevin Weil and his team unveiled. Unlike the Projects feature unveiled on Friday, most people using the Internet understand the concept of searching for things online.

Still, it wasn't without some exciting news for ChatGPT users, especially those not paying for a subscription. Only ChatGPT Plus subscribers had access to the search feature when it launched as a beta a few months ago, but now it's universally accessible if you log in to your account.

(Image credit: Future)

And it's not just the same ChatGPT Search that subscribers have played with until now. OpenAI claims the search performs better and more accurately than before. And, when you ask a question, the AI will decide if it needs to pull fresh data from the web or answer based on what it already knows. You get results with web previews, images, and even videos that play right in the chat, which might put an end to tab-hopping.

ChatGPT mobile app users will also notice that the search feature integrates more smoothly into Android and iOS. The iOS version even links with Apple Maps to provide directions. Furthermore, ChatGPT Search now works with voice mode on the mobile app, so you can get the AI to search online without typing.

(Image credit: Future) Search AI

Say, for instance, you’re in the mood for sushi. You can use ChatGPT as your local guide and ask, “Where’s a good sushi spot nearby?” ChatGPT will give you options, complete with photos, links, and directions, linking to Apple Maps on iOS. Because ChatGPT looks up recent information online, it can even work for seasonal outlets.

Ask, “What time does the Christmas market close?” and ChatGPT will fetch up-to-date hours and details so you’re not left out in the cold. Or if you're wrapped in a blanket on the couch, you can ask, “What’s a good comedy movie on Netflix?” and even watch the trailer directly in the chat.

Thanks to the voice mode connection, the search can be done hands-free. So, if you’re hands-deep in a cooking project and need a quick recipe or measurement conversion, just ask ChatGPT out loud. It’ll give you answers while you stir the pot.

ChatGPT Search may not immediately replace the classic search engines, but its conversational style brings something fresh. Of course, OpenAI isn't the only one pursuing AI-powered search. That's the main use of tools like Perplexity, which Claude and, naturally, Google Gemini have variations on as well.

Still, ChatGPT Search is a solid addition to the 12 Days of OpenAI, which promises a more developer-focused announcement tomorrow. We will see if the company can search for anything more exciting to close out the rest of the event this week.

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