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• Arcane's creators have admitted that the animated show is rewriting League of Legends (LoL) history
• However, they "aren't troubling" themselves with what's considered to be canon
• Their response comes after some major character revelations in Arcane season 2 act 2

Full spoilers follow for Arcane season 2's first six episodes.

Ever since Arcane made its Netflix debut in November 2021, League of Legends (LoL) fans have fiercely debated whether what happens in the animated series is considered canon in Riot Games' hugely popular videogame franchise.

Three years on from the emergence of those online discussions, we have a definitive answer: yes, but only kind of. That's the verdict of the hit show's creators Christian Linke and Alex Yee who, in an exclusive TechRadar interview that took place before Arcane season 2's initial launch on November 9, they admitted that Arcane is officially rewriting elements of League's history.

However, the pair also stated they aren't concerning themselves with the definition of what's canon or not. Instead, Linke and Yee chose to describe the alterations to LoL's mythology as what "should be considered to be the truth" at this point in time.

Isha (right) is one of many new characters that Arcane has introduced to the LoL universe (Image credit: Netflix/Riot Games/Fortiche Production)

The duo's comments come as act 2, comprising episodes 4 through 6 of Arcane's second and final season, makes some massive changes to the canonicity of LoL, such as the revelation that the monstrous, wolf-like LoL champion known as Warwick was created by Singed using Vander's corpse.

Another notable admission is the reveal of Vi and Powder's mom Felicia, her ties to Vander and Silco, and how she was a key driver in the latter pair's determination to create the undercity state of Zaun to ensure it's governed independently of its aristocratic neighbor Piltover. Then there's everything surrounding the 'will they won't they' pairing affectionately dubbed 'CaitVi' by Arcane's fanbase and that huge season 2 moment involving Caitlyn and Vi that we waited years for.

By far the biggest lore alternation, though, concerns the aforementioned alchemist known only as Singed. Season 2 episode 5, titled 'Blisters and Bedrock', confirms a long-standing fan theory that Singed is not only the scientist/inventor formerly known as Doctor Corin Reveck, but also the father of another LoL champion called Orianna, aka The Lady of Clockwork. For those interested in learning more about these changes, my Arcane season 2 act 2 ending explained piece provides more information.

Felicia, the mom of Vi and Powder/Jinx, was revealed in season 2 episode 5 (Image credit: Netflix/Riot Games/Fortiche Production)

This isn't the first time Arcane, one of the best Netflix shows, has reshaped what LoL fans thought they knew about the mythos surrounding Riot's most popular game. Arcane's first season made subtle changes to the way Jayce and Viktor's friendship is depicted in LoL, revised Vi and Jinx's backstories to make them blood relatives, and introduced new champions like Ambessa and Mel who weren't part of LoL history prior to their appearances in the show. Netflix's animated adaptation of Riot's biggest game, then, hasn't been shy about modifying its established lore.

Despite these changes, Linke and Yee are unmoved about the prospect of potential fan backlash over what was previously accepted as League canon. Yes, they still hope these tweaks "feel true" to fan expectations for these characters and Runeterra – the world Arcane and LoL are set on – but they're not worried about the complexities associated with what's canon and what isn't.

We want to tell stories that feel true to the expectations of fans

Alex Yee, Arcane co-creator

"We want to tell stories that feel true to the expectations of fans," Yee replied when I asked if Arcane's events are now considered canon in LoL. "This question of canon – to me, it's like 'what is canon [as a definition] but the thing we say it is for now'? So, I guess I'm not necessarily troubling myself with it too much."

"We set out to tell the stories of these characters," Linke added. "I mean, it should be considered to be the truth. That's the most important thing."

There you have it, folks. Arcane is officially reworking what we knew about LoL, but it's not defined in the traditionally canonical sense if that makes, well, sense. Anyway, as we prepare for the arrival of Arcane season 2's final batch of episodes, read more from my chat with Linke and Yee, plus my wider season 2 coverage, below.

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Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for Nov. 17.

Here are some hints -- and the answers -- for the Nov. 17 Strands puzzle, No. 259.

Here are some hints — and the answers — for Connections No. 525 for Sunday, Nov. 17.

Here are some hints and the answer for Wordle No. 1,247 for Nov. 17.

Here are some hints — and the answers — for Connections: Sports Edition No. 55 for Nov. 17.

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 Wordle today, NYT Connections today and NYT Strands today pages for hints and answers for those puzzles.

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 #1028) - 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 #1028) - 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 #1028) - 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 #1028) - 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 2.

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 #1028) - hint #5 - starting letters (2) What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• S

• B

• S

• U

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

Quordle today (game #1028) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1028, are…

• STATE
• BRAWN
• SWORE
• URBAN

I very nearly lost my streak today, taking far longer than I should have done to solve STATE – which is a difficult word, admittedly – then needing to solve the remaining three with only one guess for each.

STATE is a bit of a monster for me when it appears. My three set start words give me the STA-E pattern, but the answer could still be STAGE, STAKE, STAVE or STATE. What I really need is a word that rules out three of those in one go, but I haven't yet worked out what that could be. The best I have is something like GIVEN, which rules out two. When that happens I inevitably leave myself needing at least one more and possibly two more attempts to solve it. I'd better put in some more time to think of a better narrowing-down word.

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

Daily Sequence today (game #1028) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1028, are…

• CLASS
• THING
• CADDY
• BADLY

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1027, Saturday 16 November: NOTCH, BENCH, BUSED, FOUND
• Quordle #1026, Friday 15 November: PURER, TRUSS, TORCH, FORUM
• Quordle #1025, Thursday 14 November: EXALT, TASTE, CRONY, CLOUT
• Quordle #1024, Wednesday 13 November: YEARN, ELBOW, SURGE, PINEY
• Quordle #1023, Tuesday 12 November: CHORD, ATTIC, OLIVE, EIGHT
• Quordle #1022, Monday 11 November: COPSE, REGAL, GRUNT, GOODY
• Quordle #1021, Sunday 10 November: GROIN, FAULT, FERRY, SUITE
• Quordle #1020, Saturday 9 November: FLUME, THERE, ATOLL, SANER
• Quordle #1019, Friday 8 November: DELAY, NAVAL, MOLAR, SWARM
• Quordle #1018, Thursday 7 November: REPAY, SYNOD, LOATH, PITHY
• Quordle #1017, Wednesday 6 November: SASSY, DRUID, THREW, SLOSH
• Quordle #1016, Tuesday 5 November: BEGET, AMUSE, STONY, LOUSY
• Quordle #1015, Monday 4 November: CHILL, TACKY, GRAPH, PLAZA
• Quordle #1014, Sunday 3 November: QUIRK, HEART, ELBOW, KNOWN
• Quordle #1013, Saturday 2 November: SWUNG, FLOOR, PARER, CRUST
• Quordle #1012, Friday 1 November: FIFTY, GULCH, RECUT, TWEET
• Quordle #1011, Thursday 31 October: TWINE, RIGID, BELCH, AMEND
• Quordle #1010, Wednesday 30 October: SLOOP, BRINE, BROOD, FLUID
• Quordle #1009, Tuesday 29 October: CLIFF, BURNT, SNAKY, POLYP
• Quordle #1008, Monday 28 October: MACAW, LIEGE, GOUGE, CARGO

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 Wordle hints and answers, Strands hints and answers and Quordle hints and answers articles if you need help for those too.

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 #525) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• APOLOGY
• QUOTATION
• ASSOCIATION
• CONTRACTION
• CLINGY
• UNION
• POSSESSIVE
• SLINKY
• PROPOSAL
• SNUG
• PRAYER
• LEAGUE
• GUILD
• DUBBING
• FOOT
• SLEEK

NYT Connections today (game #525) - hint #1 - group hints

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

• Yellow: Grouping
• Green: Tight, as clothing
• Blue: Reasons to get down low
• Purple: Meanings behind a grammatical mark

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 #525) - hint #2 - group answers

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

• YELLOW: ALLIANCE
• GREEN: CLOSE-FITTING
• BLUE: OCCASIONS WHEN ONE MIGHT KNEEL
• PURPLE: WHAT AN APOSTROPHE MIGHT INDICATE

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

NYT Connections today (game #525) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #525, are…

• YELLOW: ALLIANCE ASSOCIATION, GUILD, LEAGUE, UNION
• GREEN: CLOSE-FITTING CLINGY, SLEEK, SLINKY, SNUG
• BLUE: OCCASIONS WHEN ONE MIGHT KNEEL APOLOGY, DUBBING, PRAYER, PROPOSAL
• PURPLE: WHAT AN APOSTROPHE MIGHT INDICATE CONTRACTION, FOOT, POSSESSIVE, QUOTATION

• My rating: Hard
• My score: 2 mistakes

This was a tough one. I started off well enough, with yellow (ALLIANCE) not causing me any problems. But after that I got stuck.

I could see several possible directions – for instance SLEEK and SLINKY, or CLINGY and POSSESSIVE, or indeed POSSESSIVE and CONTRACTION and QUOTATION – but no complete group. I tried a couple of wild guesses and got them wrong both times, then returned to the last of those possibles; POSSESSIVE, CONTRACTION and QUOTATION are all grammar terms, so what could the third be? And then it dawned on me – they weren't terms as such, they were all examples of WHAT AN APOSTROPHE MIGHT INDICATE, with FOOT the fourth.

That gave me purple, with two guesses remaining. My best lead was on PROPOSAL, PRAYER and APOLOGY, which I figured were all examples of something you might offer up – but I didn't know what the fourth was. So I looked at the other words and realized that CLINGY, SLEEK, SLINKY and SNUG were all examples of things that were CLOSE-FITTING; I really should have got that sooner.

That left blue by default, where the answer was apparently OCCASIONS WHEN ONE MIGHT KNEEL, with DUBBING being the fourth. And I have no idea whatsoever about why, because I don't know of any context that fits. If you can enlighten me, please do!

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

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Saturday, 16 November, game #524)

• YELLOW: THINGS THAT PREVENT LEAKS CAP, COVER, PLUG, SEAL
• GREEN: KINDS OF HATS BERET, DERBY, PILLBOX, SNAPBACK
• BLUE: COLLEGE FOOTBALL TEAM MEMBERS GATOR, SOONER, VOLUNTEER, WOLVERINE
• PURPLE: GO ___ BANANAS, COMMANDO, FIGURE, ROGUE

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 Wordle today, NYT Connections today and Quordle today pages for hints and answers for those games.

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

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Would you look at that?

NYT Strands today (game #259) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• STACK
• LEAP
• PALE
• MACE
• PACE
• MEND

NYT Strands today (game #259) - hint #3 - spangram What is a hint for today's spangram?

• Sightseeing favorites

NYT Strands today (game #259) - hint #4 - spangram position What are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

First: right, 3rd row

Last: left, 3rd row

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

NYT Strands today (game #259) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #259, are…

• TOWER
• CASTLE
• BRIDGE
• FORT
• PALACE
• MONUMENT
• ARCH
• SPANGRAM: LANDMARKS

• My rating: Easy
• My score: Perfect

Cameras at the ready? Then off you go in search of LANDMARKS. These days you'll need to take a selfie in front of them, thus proving to the world that you were there, because that's the important thing, right? And do make sure you share it with everyone too, rather than enjoying the CASTLE, PALACE or MONUMENT for its own aesthetic value.

I'm not sure why this Strands triggered me to this extent – probably I'm just grumpy this morning – but I have no such problems with the puzzle itself, which is just fine. Not very difficult, admittedly, once I'd got started. But that was itself a simple task, given that TOWER sat prominently on the left side of the grid. An easy day.

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

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Saturday, 16 November, game #258)

• DROLL
• LAUGHABLE
• AMUSING
• WITTY
• COMIC
• RIOTOUS
• SPANGRAM: THATSFUNNY

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.

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• Reviews claim AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D excels across productivity, creative, and gaming tasks
• Innovative cache design improves cooling and multi-threaded efficiency
• Eight cores, 16 threads, and 96MB L3 cache for $480

AMD’s latest Ryzen 7 9800X3D processor has impressed tech reviewers across the board, with media outlets highlighting its adeptness in handling productivity and creative workloads, as well as gaming.

Price at $480, the Ryzen 7 9800X3D offers eight Zen 5 cores, 16 threads, and an expanded 96MB L3 cache. Its design achieves better thermal handling by placing the cache beneath the compute die, allowing for higher sustained clock speeds. This approach not only keeps the processor cooler but also optimizes data flow, making it more efficient for multi-threaded applications.

Notebookcheck noted the processor’s increased IPC performance makes it, “a good basis for creative tasks,” adding, “Compared to its predecessor, the AMD Ryzen 7 9800X3D delivers up to 25 percent more performance depending on the scenario - without an increase in its power consumption.”

Full overclocking support

In its review, TechPowerUp said, “While general application performance isn't the main focus of the 9800X3D, it's still something that's important to test. Many creators don't just game, but they also run compute-intensive applications, which was a bit of a weakness of the X3D family, because Intel's Raptor Lake offered better application performance and close-enough gaming perf. With the 9800X3D, AMD has successfully addressed that. The 9800X3D is 18% faster than its predecessor, which is a significant improvement. In some applications, the gains are even more substantial.”

The reviewer added, “In certain compute-heavy tasks, we're seeing improvements of 25 to 30% - very impressive. Compared to the 9700X, the 9800X3D is 6% faster, and it's just 12% behind the 9900X.”

Tom’s Hardware sounded a note of caution, however, saying, “The Core i9-14900K is a closer competitor for the 9800X3D due to its lower $440 price tag, and it does provide better performance in productivity workloads at its price point than the 9800X3D, beating it by 41% and 10% in multi- and single-threaded workloads, respectively. If you’re more interested in productivity work in this price range, the 14900K is a solid contender, albeit one that typically draws more power (except at idle).”

The Ryzen 7 9800X3D provides full overclocking support, with AMD’s Precision Boost Overdrive feature offering an accessible route to extract even more performance.

Users can fine-tune core and memory speeds, maximizing the CPU’s potential for both gaming and creative work. This flexibility in performance tuning fits well with AMD’s strategy of offering processors that suit a range of demanding tasks.

Tom’s Hardware concluded its glowing review with a nod to the processor’s versatility, saying, “The Ryzen 7 9800X3D is the fastest gaming chip on the market by a large margin, easily beating Intel's competing processors. AMD has significantly improved performance in productivity workloads, too, helping to eliminate some of the trade-offs of selecting a gaming-optimized X3D chip.”

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• Active 10 Pro from Blackview is a durable tablet for extreme environments
• Equipped with a 30,000mAh battery and 55W fast charging
• Features include 108MP camera, glove mode, and camping light

You may not be too familiar with Blackview, but this Hong Kong-based technology brand has been producing rugged smartphones and tablets for over 11 years. The company’s BV9900 Pro is one of our favorite rugged smartphones, notable for its FLIR thermal imaging camera, among other features.

Now, Blackview’s new Active 10 Pro rugged tablet is (on paper at least) an equally impressive piece of tech, designed specifically for demanding environments.

The Active 10 Pro is available in black and orange and weighs 1214g. With dimensions of 267.6 x 179 x 19.5 mm, it’s a solidly built device rated IP68, IP69K, and MIL-STD-810H, ensuring it can withstand harsh conditions.

30,000mAh battery

Running on DokeOS_P 4.0 based on Android 14, the tablet features a 10.95-inch FHD+ IPS display with a 1920x1200 resolution and Corning Gorilla Glass 5 , along with a 90Hz dynamic refresh rate for smooth visuals.

The Active 10 Pro is powered by an octa-core MediaTek Dimensity 7300 processor, reaching speeds up to 2.5GHz. It offers 12GB of LPDDR5 RAM and 512GB of UFS 3.1 storage, expandable up to 2TB via TF card.

The Active 10 Pro boasts a substantial 30,000mAh battery with 55W fast charging, far surpassing most tablets, including Apple’s iPad lineup. For example, the iPad Pro 13-inch model, Apple’s most advanced tablet, has a 10,340mAh battery - significantly smaller than the Active 10 Pro's.

The tablet’s camera setup includes a 50MP Samsung JN1 front camera and a 108MP Samsung HM6 rear camera, plus an additional 20MP Sony night vision camera, promising high-quality imaging in various lighting conditions.

Audio is provided by dual Harman Kardon stereo speakers, and for connectivity it supports dual SIM cards and covers a wide range of network bands, from 2G to 5G. The device also offers NFC, Wi-Fi 6, Bluetooth 5.4, and compatibility with GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, and Beidou navigation systems.

The tablet includes an upgraded glove mode with 30% higher sensitivity, making it easier to use in harsh environments (the tablet can operate in temperatures from -40°C to +60°C). Additionally, it’s equipped with a 400lx super-bright camping light, providing illumination in low-light or outdoor situations.

There's no word on cost or availability for the Active 10 Pro yet, but Blackview's rugged products do tend to be competitively priced, offering good value for those seeking durability, functionality, and a really big battery.

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• We've got more rumored details on the Pixel Tablet 2
• A keyboard accessory is planned this time
• Upgrades to the chipset and camera are also expected

The original Google Pixel Tablet was announced in May 2022 and went on sale in June 2023, so you could argue a successor is now overdue – and we've now got a new rumor about what's coming with the Google Pixel Tablet 2.

According to an insider source speaking to Android Authority, Google is indeed working on a successor to the first Pixel Tablet. However, the slate is still believed to be "many months" away from being announced.

When it does arrive, it could well come with a keyboard cover. Although it wasn't mentioned in our Google Pixel Tablet review, the lack of an official keyboard accessory made the device a little less useful than it might otherwise have been.

The second-generation model is being prototyped with a keyboard cover, the Google source says, with pogo pins used to attach the cover to the tablet. It also doubles up as a stand to keep the tablet standing up, as we've seen with many other tablets.

Cameras and chipsets

The first Pixel Tablet was shown off with the option of a stand or a dock (Image credit: Future / Michelle Rae Uy)

It sounds as though the keyboard won't be the only change. The tablet is also being tipped to come with a newer camera, improving on the 8MP snapper in the 2023 model – though there are no details on the spec of the updated camera.

We can also look forward to an improved chipset inside the tablet too, which isn't a surprise. The original slate has a Tensor G2 fitted inside, and the updated model may feature the Tensor G4 (like the Pixel 9 series) or the as-yet-announced Tensor G5.

Apparently, the Pixel Tablet 3 is also in the pipeline and penciled in for a 2027 launch, so a 2025 appearance for the Pixel Tablet 2 would make most sense. A two-year refresh cycle is about right for an Android tablet like this.

As far as the design goes, it sounds as though there will only be a few tweaks in this department, so the Pixel Tablet 2 will look a lot like the first Pixel Tablet. No doubt we'll hear more in the way of leaks and rumors in the coming months.

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