Technology

• Final Fantasy 14's character portrait system is getting a welcome update
• It resolves an issue that reverts portraits to default upon making changes
• A pop-up will now let players instantly update their portraits for duties

Final Fantasy 14's much-loved - but clearly somewhat unfinished - character portrait system is getting a much-needed update in the MMORPG's next patch.

Patch 7.1, Crossroads, is the first major patch for the Final Fantasy 14: Dawntrail expansion. It's launching on November 12 and bringing with it a bunch of new content to get stuck into, including new main scenario quests, a new 24-man raid based on Final Fantasy 11 and no shortage of quality-of-life additions.

One such quality-of-life change, located deep within the 7.1 patch notes, finally addresses a long-standing issue with the character portrait system first introduced in early 2023. The patch notes read:

"If the gear shown in a saved instant portrait differs from what you have equipped after updating or swapping gear sets, you can update your instant portrait via the displayed window. Adjust this setting by checking or unchecking the 'Use as Instant Portrait' option in the Edit Portrait window."

For context, Final Fantasy 14 allows players to craft bespoke portraits for their characters which show up for all players to see at the beginning of a light party, full party or alliance duty. Everything from pose and expression to background, flair and camera angle can be adjusted.

It's a lovely feature, but until now, if the player changes their character's armor in any way, the portrait reverts to a default state while in these duties. It's often begrudgingly referred to as the 'DMV portrait' by Final Fantasy 14 players, as it reverts the portrait to a default blue background with their character directly facing the camera with an expressionless face.

As of patch 7.1, a pop-up will let players instantly update their portraits after making armor or gear set changes, which saves you from having to delve into the feature's quite convoluted menu system. Sure it's more of a band aid fix than the overhaul it arguably needs, but it's an extremely welcome change that should have less players despairing over default portraits.

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• Raw support is coming to more Android apps
• Google is updating a developer library to make the change
• The raw format offers more user control and flexibility

Google is making moves to expand the number of third-party camera apps able to support the raw format on Android – something which will give serious mobile photographers more flexibility when it comes to the tools they use.

The necessary updates for supporting raw – specifically to the Jetpack CameraX library in Android – were spotted by the team at Android Authority, and are currently in testing. Before too long, they should roll out to Android proper.

Third-party apps that want access to the camera on Android have two options for getting it: the Android Camera2 API and the Jetpack CameraX library. The Android Camera2 API is the one aimed at fully-fledged camera apps, and already has raw support built in.

The Jetpack CameraX library is aimed at apps that are less focused on photography – such as social media or journaling apps, for example. Once this developer tool has been updated with raw support, the format will be available to many more apps.

What are raw photos anyway?

A RAW setting is available in the default Android Camera app (Image credit: Future)

In simple terms, the raw format just dumps everything captured from the camera lenses as-is, without any tweaking or compressing. For most users, it's far too much data – but for photo pros who want to spend more time editing and refining images, it's perfect.

You might not realize it, but every standard picture you take on your phone has some automatic tuning applied to the brightness, color, and contrast, to make it more aesthetically appealing. It'll also be compressed to a certain extent.

When you shoot in raw, that goes away. Photos may look unnaturally dull or lack detail in their original form, but there's much more flexibility in terms of making enhancements later on, so you can get a picture looking exactly the way you want.

One of the big downsides of raw photos is they take up a lot more room on a device, which is something to bear in mind. As with other aspects of the finished photo, the type and level of compression used is down to you.

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• A user in the Philippines has spotted a Google Gemini app on the App Store
• The app gives iPhone users access to Gemini Live
• No timeframe on when or if the app will roll out worldwide

You could be using Gemini Live on your iPhone very soon after a standalone Google Gemini app has appeared on the App Store.

U/lostshenanigans, based in the Philippines, found the app and shared the link via Reddit. Unfortunately, the app isn't live in the UK, US, or Australia yet, but this could be a sign that the Gemini app is about to roll out worldwide.

The Gemini app gives iPhone users access to Gemini Live, the paid AI voice bot that was previously exclusive to the best Android smartphones. Gemini Live lets you talk with Gemini rather than typing and uses Google's AI model to produce eerily realistic conversations.

From the screenshots shared in the Reddit thread, it looks like the Gemini Live works as a Live Activity, allowing you to chat with Gemini from your Lock Screen. This would be a huge coup for iPhone users who haven't been able to use Gemini outside of the Google app, giving an alternate option to Siri.

We're yet to hear of any reports of other users accessing the Gemini app, so either Google is currently testing this new addition to its app family or U/lostshenanigans is fooling us all (I'm leaning towards the former).

As soon as we have more updates on a standalone Gemini app for iPhone we'll be sure to give it a download. After all, Gemini Live is one of the best examples of AI we've tried so far - it's just a shame it's exclusive to Android (for now).

Gemini Live on iPhone

(Image credit: Future, Lance Ulanoff)

I've been waiting for Gemini Live to come to iPhone for a while, so this news of a potential standalone Gemini app with Live functionality is incredibly exciting. I've used Gemini Live briefly on Android but as an iPhone user I've been wanting to test it on a daily basis and I might not have long to wait to finally be able to do that.

Gemini Live's natural voice is seriously impressive and as a fan of ChatGPT's Advanced Voice mode but without a Plus membership, Live could be the voice assistant I've been waiting for - at least until Siri gets its Apple Intelligence overhaul next year.

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• iPhones in the possession of police have been mysteriously rebooting
• A report has confirmed that it’s a security feature in iOS 18.1
• It's to protect your data from thieves, hackers, and others

If your iPhone gets lost or stolen, or otherwise ends up in the wrong hands, the last thing you want is for someone to access all your private data, which might include photos, bank details, account passwords and other sensitive information – and a new feature in iOS 18.1 appears to be designed to keep your data safe.

If your iPhone has gone unused for around 96 hours (or four days) since it was last unlocked, it will automatically reboot, providing it's running iOS 18.1 or later.

What’s the purpose of this? Well, when an iPhone is rebooted, it moves from what’s called After First Unlock (AFU) mode to a Before First Unlock (BFU) status. An iPhone running in BFU mode is more secure than one in AFU, making it much harder to crack or break into. The idea seems to be that this will thwart thieves who have your device and are waiting until they're able to get an unlocking device that will enable them to access your private data.

Apple indeed added a feature called "inactivity reboot" in iOS 18.1. This is implemented in keybagd and the AppleSEPKeyStore kernel extension. It seems to have nothing to do with phone/wireless network state. Keystore is used when unlocking the device.https://t.co/ONZuU9zVt2 https://t.co/4ORUqR6P6N pic.twitter.com/O3jijuqpN0November 8, 2024

Over the past week, this new feature has caused a lot of consternation among law enforcement officials. It was first cited in a case where a police forensic lab noted that a batch of iPhones that were awaiting forensic examination had all rebooted at around the same time, leading to speculation that Apple had implemented an unannounced security feature in iOS 18. While some initially thought that this could be an iPhone 16 bug that’s been known to cause devices to restart, fresh research suggests that’s not the case.

According to experts who spoke to 404 Media, iOS 18.1 contains a new feature called “inactivity reboot” that restarts a device after around four days of dormancy. This was confirmed by Magnet Forensics’ Christopher Vance, who wrote in a law enforcement group chat that iOS 18.1 contains an inactivity timer, and that when this timer runs out, “the device reboots, moving from an AFU state to a BFU state.”

Apple has a long history of pushing back against efforts by law enforcement to compromise the security of its devices, arguing that enabling a backdoor for police and other agencies would weaken the security of millions of innocent people’s devices, making it much easier for hackers to break into these products. After all, a backdoor for the police can be accessed by anyone with the right tools.

In this case it seems more likely that Apple’s motivation is to protect its users’ data from thieves and more common mishaps. After all, it’s probably more likely that you’ll have a phone stolen than have it forensically examined by the police. Either way, Apple’s new feature should protect you in both cases.

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The Fed's latest rate cut means APYs up to 4.75% may not last much longer.

The Pentagon is pursuing every available option to keep US troops safe from the rising tide of adversary drones, including a robotic twist on its standard-issue small arms.

APYs are likely to keep falling after the Fed cut rates by a quarter-percentage point last week.

You have only a few broadband provider options in Cape Coral, but residents have some great fiber, cable and fixed wireless internet providers. Here are the best ones.

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 #519) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• CRUNCH
• SUBSTANCE
• DEMI
• BIG
• THRUST
• SPORTS
• MARS
• MEAT
• EARLY
• CORE
• DOVE
• LADY
• SUE
• PUSH-UP
• PAYDAY
• WIRELESS

NYT Connections today (game #519) - hint #1 - group hints

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

• Yellow: Candy favorites
• Green: Central point
• Blue: Gives you support (possibly!)
• Purple: Blank [avian]

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 #519) - hint #2 - group answers

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

• YELLOW: CHOCOLATE BARS
• GREEN: GIST
• BLUE: KINDS OF BRAS
• PURPLE: ___ BIRD

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

NYT Connections today (game #519) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #519, are…

• YELLOW: CHOCOLATE BARS CRUNCH, DOVE, MARS, PAYDAY
• GREEN: GIST CORE, MEAT, SUBSTANCE, THRUST
• BLUE: KINDS OF BRAS DEMI, PUSH-UP, SPORTS, WIRELESS
• PURPLE: ___ BIRD BIG, EARLY, LADY, SUE

• My rating: Hard
• My score: 3 mistakes

Phew, this was a tough one! I needed all three extra guesses to solve it, and there was a large amount of guesswork involved in my answers too. I could easily have lost my streak here.

The problem was that all four groups were really tough; there appears to be no difficulty curve to it at all. Maybe yellow, supposedly the easiest of the four, is simple for some people – but not for me. I'm based in the UK, where PAYDAY, CRUNCH and DOVE are not famous CHOCOLATE BARS. Fortunately, I knew that PAYDAY and DOVE were US brands, and CRUNCH was an obvious one to go along with those two and MARS.

I also solved blue, KINDS OF BRAS, thanks to a shot-in-the-dark guess; I'm no expert (obviously), but had heard of PUSH-UP, WIRELESS and SPORTS – but not DEMI. But the latter sounded like it might fit, so in the absence of other ideas I went with it and got it right.

Purple was a monster. Eventually, I realized that LADY and BIG could both preceed BIRD, then spotted EARLY too. But I didn't have a fourth. Eventually, I guessed SUE simply because it seemed more likely than the other words I had left, MEAT, THRUST, CORE and SUBSTANCE. Apparently SUE BIRD is/was a US basketball player…

So, a very US-focused game today, and not particularly satisfying for me. But I got there in the end thanks to a lot of luck.

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

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Sunday, 10 November, game #518)

• YELLOW: BARREL-SHAPED CONTAINER CASK, CYLINDER, DRUM, TANK
• GREEN: GUIDE PILOT, SHEPHERD, STEER, USHER
• BLUE: N.F.L. TEAM MEMBER COWBOY, JET, RAM, RAVEN
• PURPLE: THINGS THAT SWING GOLFER, PENDULUM, SALOON DOORS, SWING

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.

Like almost every other industry, artificial intelligence stands poised to transform the way the built environment operates. But while generative AI tools like ChatGPT are a reasonably novel addition, other forms of the technology have been making major impacts in the construction sector for some time.

AI tools are already helping industry professionals with many use cases across the lifecycle of a project or asset – improving design, planning, safety, quality, sustainability, and productivity as a whole. The tech can handle the more monotonous tasks, allowing us to be more productive and creative with how we work.

Autodesk’s recent State of Design & Make Report found that AI is shaping business transformation across industries as trust in the technology grows, with almost two-thirds (61%) of construction leaders surveyed saying they are approaching or have achieved their goal of incorporating AI into their operations. Businesses are already using it to increase productivity and automate work, and leaders predict that generative AI will help people make critical design decisions about physical products, buildings, and digital assets in the next few years.  

AI is a key driver of digital transformation across AECO and in parallel, enables digital acceleration for companies to continually evolve and adapt to achieve their desired business outcomes.

I’m particularly excited about the way AI can level the playing field. It has the potential to bring construction’s tech capabilities up to speed with other, more digitally native industries, and also gives smaller firms access to the same game-changing tools as their heavyweight counterparts. A world where companies of all sizes can get the benefit of AI means more competition, more innovation and ultimately better outputs.

Augmenting a stretched workforce

Construction firms are faced with an aging workforce, attrition, and a well-publicized skills gap. According to the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB), the industry recruited 200,000 new workers in the UK last year, but still experienced a net talent loss, with 210,000 leaving. The speed of digitalization is only widening this skills gap, with organizations vying for a limited pool of the best tech talent.

It’s no surprise then that 36% of industry leaders we surveyed in our report said supplementing a skills gap was a key use case for AI within their business. As workforces get leaner, businesses see AI’s potential to help manage workloads on smaller teams, free up employees for more meaningful and creative work, and plug talent shortfalls. While it doesn’t solve the core problem, AI will enable the brilliant people in our industry to achieve even more by augmenting and supporting their talents, and expertise.

When it comes to the successful implementation of AI in construction, having a skilled and knowledgeable workforce is key, so construction professionals will need to be trained on the tech, data analysis, and a multitude of systems to effectively use it on their projects. This requires a commitment to ongoing education and upskilling within the industry. The closer people are to understanding the benefits and risks of AI, the less inclined they’ll be to think that it will replace what they do, rather seeing its potential to augment and enhance our work.

A foundation of data excellence

Before adopting more complex technologies like AI, construction firms need the foundation of a solid digital and data strategy in order to produce truly actionable insights. Autodesk’s recent report with Deloitte, surveying construction leaders in 12 different countries, showed that those considered ‘data leaders’ were seven times more likely to deploy AI and machine learning solutions. The good news is that the UK has the highest share of data leaders (18%) of the five European countries analyzed, indicating the importance of data across UK construction.

But while the benefits of data leadership are clear, several challenges are hindering the widespread adoption of data-driven practices in construction. One significant barrier is data fragmentation. According to the Deloitte report, 43% of UK construction leaders reported that their organizations were storing data on too many different platforms, leading to difficulties in integrating and analyzing information. Using tools like a Common Data Environment (CDE) significantly helps businesses by providing a centralized, integrated and standardized platform for data management. This ensures project data is clean, well-organized and readily available for AI deployment.

Making AI work for the construction industry

The potential for AI to address some of construction’s most pressing challenges is enormous. We need to embrace AI and what it can offer to augment and enhance our working lives, while ensuring we don’t become overly reliant on it, which could lead to a drop in standards or quality of workmanship. This is why regulation and companies implementing guidance is crucial.

The impact of AI on the workforce is a topic of both excitement and anxiety. The risky and costly nature of most construction processes means that even the smallest of errors can have huge implications. As a result, there is often little appetite to move away from the traditionally known, tried, and tested ways of doing things, even when these innovative technologies have the potential to deliver substantial rewards.

By having a solid foundation of data leadership and management, and taking an approach to AI that puts our amazing people at the heart of it, AI can be a launchpad for the construction industry to reach new heights.

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This article was produced as part of TechRadarPro's Expert Insights channel where we feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today. The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/news/submit-your-story-to-techradar-pro

Here are some hints — and the answers — for Connections: Sports Edition No. 49 for Nov. 11.

Here are some hints — and the answers — for Connections No. 519 for Nov. 11.

Here are some hints, and the answers, for the Nov. 11 Strands puzzle, No. 253.

Here are some hints and the answer for Wordle No. 1,241 for Nov. 11.

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for Nov. 11.

Full spoilers follow for The Penguin, including its final episode.

After eight weeks of award-worthy performances and an intensely captivating story, The Penguin has ended on Max/HBO (US), Sky/Now TV (UK), and Binge (Australia). And, my oh my, did it end in typically incendiary fashion for a limited series I called an "epic Batman spin-off... that deserves to sit alongside The Sopranos in HBO's crime drama pantheon".

As the dust settles on Oz Cobb and Sofia Falcone's explosive turf war, it's time to sift through the rubble and determine what actually happened. Who is Gotham City's new crime kingpin? Did anyone perish during the series' final episode? And did the Caped Crusader make a last-minute cameo? I'll answer all of these questions and more below so, if you've not seen episode 8, titled 'Great or Little Thing', watch it first as major spoilers immediately follow.

The Penguin ending explained: who won, Oz Cobb or Sofia Falcone?

Sorry Sofia, there can only be one crime kingpin in Gotham City (Image credit: Macall Polay/HBO)

As if it was ever in doubt, Oz triumphed over Sofia in the battle to control Gotham's criminal underworld. Hey, one of the best Max shows is called The Penguin, so it would've been a curious move if it ended with Oz's defeat at the hands of his rival.

Although it looks like Sofia has beaten Oz – he's captured and taken to Gotham City's airport to meet with Sofia for one final time – it's all a ploy on Oz's part. Indeed, aside from Yakuza leader Feng Zhao, the goons who take Oz hostage are actually working for him.

Just as they're about to hand him over, Link, Feng Zhao's son and second-in-command, betrays his father and shoots him in the head. The rest of Oz's gang, Vic included, kill Sofia's henchmen and seize her instead. In other locations spread throughout Gotham, the lieutenants of the city's other criminal syndicates similarly kill their bosses – Oz and Victor promising they'd be the new heirs to Gotham's criminal empire if they swear allegiance to him as its new crime kingpin.

What is interesting about the series' ending, though, is Oz doesn't kill Sofia, which is something of a rarity for the eponymous sociopath. In a scene reminiscent of his previous role as Sofia's chaffeur, Oz drives Sofia to an undisclosed location on Gotham's outskirts. After exiting the car, he holds her at gunpoint as they engage in what seems to be one final, barb-filled tête-à-tête before Oz prepares to gun her down.

However, as Sofia closes her eyes and prepares for the end, her face is suddenly lit up by a bright light. Slowly opening her eyes, she spots a police helicopter, complete with searchlight, circling overhead and, turning round, realizes Oz is gone. Numerous cop cars loom into view and, moments later, she's arrested by Gotham police chief Mackenzie Bock and his fellow law enforcers.

The Penguin ending explained: wait, so Sofia isn't dead?

It's back to Arkham Asylum for Ms Falco- I mean, Ms Gigante (Image credit: Macall Polay/HBO)

Nope. Instead, she's re-admitted to Arkham Asylum.

In the show's flashback-heavy fourth episode, titled 'Cent'Anni', Sofia was sent to Gotham's high-security prison for the criminally insane by her father – and Gotham's former crime lord – Carmine Falcone. Remember, she learned too much about his murdering of numerous women, including his own wife and Sofia's mom. In order to cover his tracks, he pinned the deaths on his own daughter who, despite constantly protesting her innocence, subsequently spent 10 years in Arkham Asylum.

Escaping with the help of her brother Alberto and therapist Doctor Julian Rush prior to the events of The Penguin, Sofia thought she'd finally seen the back of Arkham Asylum. Turns out she was wrong, eh?

The Penguin ending explained: alright, so who did die?

Rest in peace, Victor (Image credit: Macall Polay/HBO)

Feng Zhao and many of Sofia's subordinates notwithstanding, the most noteworthy death is –soul-crushingly, might I add – Victor Aguilar.

Oz's main lackey since The Penguin episode 1, fans were always concerned about Victor's welfare. Indeed, numerous viewers expressed concern for The Penguin's most lovable character just two episodes into its eight chapter run. But, as Victor took on more responsibilities for Oz, coupled with how close the pair became throughout the Batman spin-off series, audience confidence grew that Victor might actually make it out alive.

Devastatingly, that wasn't the case. As Oz and Victor celebrate a job well done by taking control of Gotham's criminal underbelly, and mourn what happened to Oz' mom Francis (more on her shortly), the tone of the scene shifts as Oz tells Victor he can't leave any loose ends with what's transpired over the last eight episodes. Grabbing Victor in a headlock, Oz murders Victor by suffocating him to death. To make things even worse from a viewing experience perspective, Oz leaves Victor's dead body lying on the floor before throwing his I.D. card into Gotham's river so no one can easily determine his identity.

Oz's mom isn't dead, but she may as well be (Image credit: Macall Polay/HBO)

As for Francis, she doesn't join Victor on the dead character pile, but she might as well have. After suffering a serious stroke during the first half of 'Great or Little Thing', Francis is left in an assisted vegetative state.

Unwilling to let his mom die, Oz breaks the promise he made to Francis in episode 5 – a chapter where he agreed to help her to end her life if her Lewy Body Dementia illness severely diminished her quality of life. Discharging her from hospital, Oz takes a permanently bed-bound Francis to his new penthouse suite in the dilapidated La Couronne hotel he now owns. There, he positions his incapacitated mom in front of a window looking out onto the Gotham City skyline. At least Oz successfully kept one pledge to always look after her and give her a good life...

The Penguin ending explained: does Batman make a cameo?

Bruce Wayne or his vigilante alter-ego don't make a surprise appearance in The Penguin (Image credit: Warner Bros.)

Nope. Neither Robert Pattinson's Bruce Wayne or his masked vigilante alter-ego make an appearance in The Penguin's finale.

That's to be expected, really. Ever since The Penguin's first episode debuted on some of the world's best streaming services, showrunner Lauren LeFranc and executive producer Matt Reeves, the latter of whom is the creative overlord of 'The Batman Epic Crime Saga', which The Penguin is a part of, have consistently said that the Dark Knight wouldn't show up. True to form, the duo weren't pulling our collective leg in a bid to misdirect us.

That said, The Penguin doesn't end without referencing the so-called Big Bad Bat. As Oz and Eve dance the night away in his penthouse, the Bat-Signal can be seen in the distance, with an unknown individual turning it on to catch Batman's attention. The smart money says Jeffrey Wright's Commissioner Jim Gordon is responsible for illuminating Gotham's skyline with the iconic symbol – he's got previous form for doing so, after all. Does The Penguin's final chapter, then, lead directly into The Batman Part II, aka the next project in development for 'The Batman Epic Crime Saga'? Potentially, but I'll delve into that in more detail later.

The Penguin ending explained: are there any other Batman-adjacent character appearances?

Julian Rush shows up in The Penguin's finale, but do any Batman-adjacent characters also show up? (Image credit: Macall Polay/HBO)

They do! After Oz's courtroom chat with crooked senator Sebastien, the show's titular character heads for the exit. As he does so, he spots Bella Real, Gotham's newly installed major who played a minor role in The Batman, heading into her office with her secretary and security team.

As mentioned earlier, Mackenzie Bock is also part of proceedings, with Gotham's police chief making his second appearance in 'Great and Little Thing' following his cameo in episode 5, aka 'Homecoming'.

Lastly, although she doesn't show up, Zoë Kravitz's Selina Kyle is referenced in episode 8. Following Sofia's re-incarceration in Arkham Asylum, Julian Rush brings Sofia a letter, penned by Selina, which reminds us (and informs Sofia) that they're half-sisters. Remember, Carmine Falcone was revealed to be Selina's dad in The Batman, so this revelation didn't come as a shock to me, nor should it have to you, either.

The Penguin ending explained: is there a mid-credits or post-credits scene?

"Whaddya mean my show doesn't have an end credits scene, Victor!?" (Image credit: Macall Polay/HBO)

No. Well, there wasn't one attached to my advanced press screener for episode 8. Unless a mid- or end-credits scene was added to the publicly released version, then, there isn't one to stick around for once the show's final credits sequence has rolled.

The Penguin ending explained: will there be a season 2?

Don't bet on a second season of The Penguin, everyone (Image credit: HBO)

Nobody knows but, at the time of writing, it's highly unlikely. Work will begin on The Batman Part II (I'm getting to it, don't worry) in early 2025, so that's the next project that Reeves and company will be focusing on. With rumors that other The Batman spin-offs are also in development (per The Direct and The Wrap), one of which may be a Joker series starring Barry Keoghan (according to industry insider Jeff Sneider, as reported by ScreenTime), there might not be room to squeeze a second season of The Penguin into the schedule.

None of this takes Colin Farrell's thoughts into the equation, either. The A-lister, who portrayed Oz Cobb in this show and The Batman, told GamesRadar that he doesn't know whether a sequel season will be greenlit. Even if one is, he admits he needs time to decompress from the role, adding: "Lauren said 'Look, if I could find a way that makes sense [to put on the prosthetics and suit again], would you talk about it?' And I said 'Absolutely.' And, maybe in a year I would. But when I finished I was like, 'I never want to put that f*****g suit and that f*****g head on again.'"

Still, with The Penguin's premiere pulling in over five million viewers on Max and HBO alone, the critical and commercial acclaim it's been met with, and calls for Farrell and Cristin Milioti, who plays Sofia, to earn multiple nominations ahead of next year's awards circuit, I'd be amazed if HBO and DC Studios executives aren't already clamoring for another installment. Keep an eye on TechRadar for more news when I have it.

The Penguin ending explained: how does the HBO show set up The Batman Part II?

The Batman Part II should pick up some of The Penguin's loose plot threads (Image credit: Warner Bros.)

The short answer is: I don't know. Nobody outside of Reeves, his co-writer Mattson Tomlin, or Reeves' fellow producer Dylan Clark know about The Batman Part II's story and how The Penguin's events will influence it. Indeed, speaking to Collider, Farrell revealed he had no idea about how the plot may unfold.

There are some storytelling aspects that we can infer about Pattinson's next big-screen outing, though. Based on events depicted in The Penguin episode 8, Oz might find himself hanging out with Gotham's political elite and various socialites in the forthcoming DC film. That was the main request he made to Sebastien if Oz helped the corrupt councillor to bring an end to the gang war that was infecting Gotham's streets. If Sebastien also cleaned up Crown Point and shut down production of Bliss, the new drug that – ironically - Oz helped to flood the streets with, he'd be adored by Gotham's populace, too, and give himself the best opportunity to ride to the top politically.

Will Selina Kyle ally herself with the Dark Knight again in The Batman Part II? (Image credit: Jonathan Olley/Warner Bros.)

Sebastien agrees to help Oz but, with Mayor Real preparing to form an anti-corruption task force, Oz would need to ensure none of this, Sebastien's newfound relationship with Oz included, can come back to bite them, which Oz concurs with.

If Oz begins to mingle with Gotham's rich folk, The Batman Part II could see him come face-to-face with Bruce Wayne. Of course, Oz doesn't know Wayne is Batman – Oz met the Caped Crusader, but not Wayne, in The Batman, so he won't know they're one and the same person – but it'll be fascinating to see Wayne interact with Oz and try not to give away the fact that he's Gotham's number one crimefighter.

Elsewhere, it'll be intriguing to see if Sofia makes an appearance, no matter how brief, in the sequel flick. Pattinson's Wayne and Zoë Kravitz's Selina Kyle grew close in The Batman and, while they went their separate ways during its final scene, there's always the potential for Kravitz to reprise her role. If she does, The Batman Part II could pick up the loose plot thread about Selina and Sofia being half-sisters. That would certainly add some extra spice to proceedings, especially if Sofia uses Selina to get an audience with Batman in a bid to seek some form of retribution against Oz.

There's been plenty more discussion about The Batman Part II, including who Reeves and Pattinson would like its main villain to be. Until production officially begins, though, your guess is as good as mine about how The Penguin sets up its plot and character roster. Hopefully, we'll learn more once principal photography gets underway.

You might also like

• Here's how to watch The Batman movies in order
• Alternatively, see if you agree with our ranking of the best Batman movies
• Or learn more about the Dark Knight's first adventure in James Gunn's DCU via our DCU Chapter One guide

Don't let the cloudy weather hold you back. We found the best companies that install solar panels in Washington.

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 #519) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• LIGHT
• SCORE
• LAND
• SEA
• HOST
• BOW
• WIN
• YANG
• ANCHOR
• MASCULINE
• FLOCK
• DECK
• EXPANSIVE
• BRIDGE
• EARN
• CROWD

NYT Connections today (game #519) - hint #1 - group hints

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

• Yellow: Get
• Green: Lots of people
• Blue: STERN could be another
• Purple: Confucius would have got this one

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 #519) - hint #2 - group answers

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

• YELLOW: ATTAIN
• BLUE: PARTS OF A SHIP
• GREEN: LARGE GROUP
• PURPLE: ASSOCIATED PRINCIPLES IN CHINESE PHILOSOPHY

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

NYT Connections today (game #519) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #519, are…

• YELLOW: ATTAIN EARN, LAND, SCORE, WIN
• GREEN: LARGE GROUP CROWD, FLOCK, HOST, SEA
• BLUE: PARTS OF A SHIP ANCHOR, BOW, BRIDGE, DECK
• PURPLE: ASSOCIATED PRINCIPLES IN CHINESE PHILOSOPHY EXPANSIVE, LIGHT, MASCULINE, YANG

• My rating: Moderate
• My score: 1 mistake

Does it matter how you beat Connections, so long as you do? Probably not, but it is more satisfying when you get the answer right because you know what it is, rather than because you got lucky. That happened to me today with the purple group, ASSOCIATED PRINCIPLES IN CHINESE PHILOSOPHY, and it's just as well that it did.

I'd solved blue (PARTS OF A SHIP), which was remarkably easy for that color, and yellow (ATTAIN), but had already wasted one guess on what turned out to be the green group, LARGE GROUP. For some reason I'd placed DECK with CROWD, FLOCK and HOST, when the final answer was SEA, and hadn't yet realized what the connection was here beyond 'groups with lots of things', and was thinking that DECK was in there as in 'deck of cards'. Anyway, DECK was now out of the running due to it appearing in blue, so I should really have spotted the green connection and moved on.

Instead, once burned, I looked at the other words and decided that maybe they were part of some 'opposites' connection: YANG (and yin), MASCULINE (and feminine), LIGHT (and dark). I wasn't sure what EXPANSIVE was the opposite of (narrow, maybe?) but decided to include it anyway and it revealed the purple group. Great! Except obviously I'd got the connection sort of wrong. I guess they all count, though…

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

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Sunday, 10 November, game #518)

• YELLOW: BARREL-SHAPED CONTAINER CASK, CYLINDER, DRUM, TANK
• GREEN: GUIDE PILOT, SHEPHERD, STEER, USHER
• BLUE: N.F.L. TEAM MEMBER COWBOY, JET, RAM, RAVEN
• PURPLE: THINGS THAT SWING GOLFER, PENDULUM, SALOON DOORS, SWING

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.

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 #1022) - 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 #1022) - 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 #1022) - 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 #1022) - 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 #1022) - hint #5 - starting letters (2) What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• C

• R

• G

• G

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

Quordle today (game #1022) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1022, are…

• COPSE
• REGAL
• GRUNT
• GOODY

G is not a letter that features among my three set start words (STARE, DOILY and PUNCH), which makes days when Gs appear more difficult for me. Today was a prime example, with three of them spread across the four answers. On the plus side, two of them were at the start of solutions (GRUNT and GOODY), meaning that once I'd uncovered one I had a huge advantage in solving the other.

My G travails aside, this is a standard Quordle. Only one repeated letter to worry about, a couple of less common words in COPSE and GOODY, and one word that has multiple solutions (GRUNT – which could also be BRUNT). Not too hard, not too easy, classic Quordle fare.

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

Daily Sequence today (game #1022) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1022, are…

• SPLAT
• FLAIR
• PAYER
• PLANK

Quordle answers: The past 20

• 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
• Quordle #1007, Sunday 27 October: STUNG, CLOUT, SOWER, BASIS
• Quordle #1006, Saturday 26 October: DUCHY, CANNY, BLOCK, SMART
• Quordle #1005, Friday 25 October: PRANK, EXIST, RUDDY, PICKY
• Quordle #1004, Thursday 24 October: DAIRY, RALLY, CURLY, LABEL
• Quordle #1003, Wednesday 23 October: DROSS, ANNEX, GRAVE, BROKE
• Quordle #1002, Tuesday 22 October: ADORE, SMITH, AFOOT, LUCID