Technology

Is Google's best phone still worth buying? Two months and an Android 15 update later, I have some thoughts.

The Pixel 9 Pro has a lot going for it, from its excellent camera to its slick design.

Apple and CD PROJEKT RED dropped a particularly potent surprise on gamers this week, with the surprise announcement that Cyberpunk 2077 will be coming to macOS in 2025. Once a much-hyped game with a disastrous launch that turned public opinion overnight, it has since become a darling among gamers again due to its excellent Cyberpunk 2077: Phantom Liberty DLC that transformed it into a brand new experience.

And now macOS is getting the shiny new version of this title next year along with advanced features like path tracing, frame generation, and built-in Spatial Audio. And since it’s launching in 2025, the Cyberpunk 2077 macOS port will be optimized for the M4 chips and the best MacBooks and Macs using them such as the iMac, Mac mini, and MacBook Pro.

While this is an incredibly promising development for Mac owners and Apple gaming as a whole, how will Cyberpunk 2077’s port affect the tech giant’s gaming initiative?

History and current situation of Mac gaming

(Image credit: Apple)

Mac gaming has almost always been in an infamously precarious spot, trapped in a vicious cycle of developers not developing for macOS due to lack of support and Apple not giving developers support and tools due to lack of games built in and ported to macOS. It’s important to note that there have been those like the EVE Online devs who’ve defended Apple, having nothing but good things to say about Apple’s support. However, that was considered a rare exception.

In recent years, Apple has ramped up the support for AAA ports, starting with the Mac version of Resident Evil Village that showcased the power of Mac devices as the game ate framerates and resolution for breakfast. Soon after that, Apple made a deal with famed gaming developer Hideo Kojima, bringing Death Stranding Director’s Cut and any other future Kojima Productions titles to the Mac.

Then there were the recent announcements from Apple regarding a host of brand-new and sometimes even exclusive games coming to macOS including Control, Assassin’s Creed Mirage, Zenless Zone Zero, Diablo Immortal, Valheim, Frostpunk 2, and Palworld. All in all, it feels like Apple has taken the points I’ve made about Mac gaming to heart and has been applying them. This is what makes this Cyberpunk 2077 news all the more exciting.

Can Macs run Cyberpunk 2077?

(Image credit: CD Projekt Red)

The most important question to ask is: are Mac devices capable of running a title as large and as ambitious as Cyberpunk 2077? The answer should be a straightforward ‘yes!’ as this port is being specifically designed for Mac devices running the M4 silicon. And I would personally say that it is but with a few reservations.

In terms of the positives, one of the biggest advantages Mac devices like the Macbook Pro and Mac mini have is that they’ve finally moved away from the 8GB of memory for the base model and doubled it. For titles that have particularly demanding hardware requirements, a certain amount of memory is absolutely necessary, and this new crop of M4-equipped PCs fit the bill.

Speaking of M4 chips, the miraculous M-series that Apple develops is perfect for tackling the most intensive and best PC games on the market. What makes the M-series so excellent is how efficiently these chips run. They’re so efficient, in fact, that most Mac devices don’t even have fans built into the chassis because it’s simply not needed. But are these M4-powered PCs able to handle a game like Cyberpunk 2077 which is not only performance intensive but is not particularly well-optimized? That’s what remains to be seen.

How AAA titles could give Mac devices the edge against PS5 Pro

(Image credit: Future/Sony/PlayStation)

If Mac devices equipped with M4 chips are perfectly able to handle Cyberpunk 2077 — not only performance-wise but graphically — then they could pose a serious threat to another updated console also planned for a November 2024 release: Sony’s PS5 Pro.

Going by the entry-level configuration of the M4 Mac mini as an example, on paper it could match or possibly outperform the PS5 Pro thanks to its specs. Then there’s the pricing, as that same baseline model starts at $599 / £599 / AU$1,199, which is cheaper than the $699.99 / £699.99 / AU$1,199 pricing of the PS5 Pro and even less expensive once you account for additional hardware needing to be purchased for the latter.

We also have the form factor between the two machines. The M4 Mac mini is objectively smaller than the PS5 Pro. While one could make a very reasonable argument that the much bulkier size of the latter makes for better cooling than the former, the efficiency of the M-series bridges the cooling gap considerably. You could also argue that optimizing a game for the PS5 Pro would be easier than for the M4 Mac mini, though Apple has also been improving macOS’s developer toolkit, making it more accessible to port and develop games for the operating system.

Final thoughts

(Image credit: Apple)

Apple seems to have struck gold with netting Cyberpunk 2077 for macOS, as this acquisition could cement Mac gaming as a permanent force to be reckoned with. While the recent launches of M4-powered devices should be able to handle such a performance-heavy game, the ability to so do well enough to attract gamers to these platforms will be the real challenge.

If Apple can rise to the occasion, then it could even have an opportunity to match and even surpass the PS5 Pro, which would nab even more support and a larger market for future Mac devices. The M4 Mac mini in particular would be the perfect PC to challenge Sony’s planned upgrade to its console, thanks to pricing, performance, and size.

Not to mention that developing for the Mac mini would be similar to a gaming console. Thanks to Apple keeping its machines consistent in terms of hardware, developers don’t need to account for unknown spec configurations, leaving more time for game optimization during the development process. In other words, underpowered hardware that’s well-optimized can match the performance of hardware that’s superior spec-wise.

Apple has all the right setup to score some easy points but will it make the shot or miss? That’s the real question, and there's a lot riding on the answer.

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Tesla’s coming Model Y refresh may have been delayed to make it more Fido friendly, but it’s by no means the first car to be created with canines in mind.

• Apple has identified an iPhone 14 Plus issue
• It's the first iPhone service program since 2021
• You can check your eligibility online

While we gave it plenty of praise in our iPhone 14 Plus review, the iPhone 14 Plus is apparently susceptible to a certain rear camera flaw, Apple has admitted – and if it's affecting you, you can get your handset repaired free of charge.

It's been three years since we had an iPhone service program (where Apple admits an issue and will sort it out for you), but as 9to5Mac has spotted, there's now officially one for a "rear camera issue" on the iPhone 14 Plus – which Apple still sells online.

The good news is this is only going to apply to a "very small percentage" of iPhone 14 Plus models, according to Apple. Specifically, the problem is having no preview shown on screen when you're using the rear camera on the handset.

iPhone 14 Plus handsets manufactured between April 10, 2023 and April 28, 2024 are the ones that may have the glitch: Apple has provided a serial number checker so you can quickly see whether or not your iPhone is included.

What happens next

The problem is with the rear camera on the iPhone 14 Plus (Image credit: Future)

If you do have an iPhone 14 Plus that's flagged up as problematic via the serial number checker, you can take it into any Apple Store or any Apple Authorized Service Provider to get your phone repaired, free of charge.

Alternatively, you can contact Apple about sending your phone in for repair through the post. Follow this link to find the relevant page on the Apple Support website, which gives you options for scheduling an in-store repair or sending off your handset.

If Apple determines your iPhone 14 Plus is one of the devices affected, and you've already paid to have the issue fixed, you can get a refund (follow this link for that). You can make a claim up to three years after the first purchase of the iPhone.

There are some steps to follow if you're sending your iPhone in to be repaired, whether for this or any other issue. You need to make sure everything is backed up, and turn off the Find My service, as well as removing active cards in Apple Wallet.

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Preparation can create a sense of safety, security and comfort when heading into your first therapy appointment.

Plus: Cops take down a notorious infostealer, Strava leaks world leaders’ locations, and a hacking scandal is causing chaos in Italy.

If you aren't keeping track of your subscriptions, you might be surprised at how much money you're losing regularly.

The Gunners are in big need of a win at St. James' Park as they look to keep title hopes on track.

Microsoft has made Copilot the name and style of its AI assistant and other AI services for more than a year, but it seems the company might have a rebranding project underway with a transparent origin. In references shared on X from the appprivacy.adml file, it looks like AI-powered features in Windows 11 will be collected under the umbrella name "Windows Intelligence." While positioning AI centrally in the operating system is certainly not a surprise, the name is either a deliberate attempt to leverage Apple’s “Apple Intelligence” branding or the biggest coincidence since Mark Zuckerberg started a company with the same name as Harvard's digital yearbook.

Of course, you can't copyright the term Intelligence, but the possible decision to join Apple's branding choice suggests Microsoft sees it as a way to align the idea of an AI-fueled operating system in the minds of customers. Microsoft has used Windows Intelligence as a term before, but it is usually used for cybersecurity upgrades. Also, to be fair, it's not just a name. Microsoft wants AI, regardless of the name, to be built into everything it offers, including the basics of Windows like Notepad and the whole Microsoft 365 suite. In fact, Windows Intelligence could likely supersede Copilot, turning the AI assistant into a product of Windows Intelligence rather than an independent tool.

Copilot by your side

Taking advantage of Apple's branding is an odd choice for competitors, but it has happened before. In fact, Apple is frequently the target, thanks to its own marketing success. Just think of all the products with "i" as the first letter or "pod" somewhere in the name.

Recent upgrades to Microsoft Copilot make it clear the possible change in branding won't mean the AI companion is being sidelined. The shift from chatbot to a more card-style system, a new Copilot Discover page that adjusts to match your interest based on conversations with the AI, and other updates cement that fact. Plus, features like Click to Do, which uses AI to offer interactive commands on your screen relevant to what you're doing, is a very helpful addition, as is the Recall tool for finding things you were looking at recently on your computer, document, webpage, video, or elsewhere. The future for Windows Intelligence and its users looks bright indeed.

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This week we announced the TechRadar Choice Awards 2024 winners, Apple launched a slew of M4 Macs, and Marvel outlined its MCU TV line-up (and boy are we excited).

To catch up on all this and more we've rounded up the top seven tech news stories from the week below, with links to the original articles if you want to find out more.

When you're done catching up why not browse our picks for the 7 new movies and TV shows to stream weekend (November 1)?

7. TechRadar Choice Awards 2024

(Image credit: Future)

The TechRadar Choice awards returned for 2024, and we've crowned our winners across over 100 categories.

Taking the Reader's Choice award (which is 100% chosen by our readers) was the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, with the Samsung S95D being crowned the best OLED TV, the Apple Watch Series 10 being declared best smart watch, Nvidia winning computing brand of the year, and Balatro winning game of the year.

• Check out the full list of TechRadar Choice Awards 2024 winners

6. TechRadar's Halloween week spooked us

(Image credit: Toho Co / Prime Video)

Halloween fell on a Thursday this year, meaning you’d be forgiven for throwing a party at the beginning of November. We’re encouraging it, in fact, thanks to TechRadar’s Halloween Week. Experts from all across the site have contributed streaming recommendations, recipes, gaming thoughts, AI tips and more, to help you enjoy the spookiest time of year to the fullest.

Don’t worry if you’re not a huge horror fan, because there’s plenty of animation, comedies, or general seasonal content if you’d rather have a more relaxed celebration. Halloween is for everyone and so is our guide, so make sure you check that out over the weekend.

• Read more: Welcome to TechRadar’s Halloween Week 2024

5. Apple Intelligence finally landed with iOS 18.1

(Image credit: Apple)

With iOS 18.1 we finally got our hands on the first wave of Apple Intelligence features including Writing Tools for proofreading and rewriting, Smart Replies to reply to messages quickly, Notification Summaries, Cleaning Photos, and a redesign of Siri. You'll also get these experiences on an iPad or Mac courtesy of iPadOS 18.1 and macOS Sequoia 15.1, which also began rolling out this week.

Unfortunately, Apple Intelligence tools such as Genmoji, Image Playground, and ChatGPT-integration for Siri, and the iPhone 16’s Visual Intelligence won’t arrive until iOS 18.2 later this year.

To use Apple Intelligence on iPhone, you need an iPhone 15 Pro, 15 Pro Max, 16, 16 Plus, 16 Pro, or 16 Pro Max, and make sure your device is set to US English. On a Mac, you'll need an M-Series chip and on iPad you'll need either the A17 Pro, M1, M2, or M4 chips to get Apple Intelligence (with the same language restriction as iPhone).

• Read more: Apple Intelligence available now in iOS 18.1 – here’s what’s new

4. The Sonos Arc Ultra arrived – and came early for some people

(Image credit: Sonos )

Sonos’ latest high-end soundbar is the Sonos Arc Ultra, and it’s now officially on-sale – but some lucky buyers received it before the street date, and took to the internet to share their experience. And it’s good news for Sonos hopefuls, with one early tester who upgraded from the Arc to Arc Ultra saying “I hoped that the Ultra [would] be better than the Arc but it is significantly better in every regard.”

The star is the bass, driven by an innovative new Sound Motion speaker – it’s way beyond what the previous model is capable of, and actually is beyond what almost any other sub-less soundbar can do. We’re in the middle of testing the Arc Ultra for our review, and can say this part is a big for Sonos, for sure.

People don’t seem to be having any problems with setting it up in the Sonos app either, which is a good sign given what a tough few months the company’s had when it comes to software.

• Read more: Some people got Sonos Arc Ultra early, here's what they think

3. Marvel teased a massive 2025 for the MCU

Every week is a busy week for Marvel, but the past seven days have been particularly packed for the comic book giant – and not just because Agatha All Along’s two-part finale spooked us all on Disney Plus (read more about it in our Agatha All Along ending explained article).

Indeed, whether it was the official announcement that Spider-Man 4 is not only in development, but also has a confirmed release date, or Marvel revealing its full TV line-up for late 2024 and beyond, the Disney subsidiary has got plenty more content to show us over the next 14 months. So much for releasing fewer movies and shows post-Infinity Saga, eh, Marvel?

• Read more: Marvel reveals the first footage for its 2025 TV line-up

2. Apple dropped a trio of M4 Macs

(Image credit: Apple)

It’s been a bumper week for Apple, with a slew of new M4 Mac product reveals that kicked off with the new M4 iMac on Monday. The new iMac has an updated processor, new color options, and a lower starting price than the M3 version – all good things.

The second (and perhaps best) reveal was the new Mac mini with M4 and M4 Pro – a powerhouse computer crammed into an absolutely tiny five-by-five-inch chassis. The redesign didn’t just make the Mac mini smaller and faster, it also brought audio and USB-C ports to the front of the chassis, a much-needed addition.

We also saw new versions of the 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro featuring the M4, M4 Pro, and M4 Max chips, plus updated Magic Mouse, Magic Keyboard, and Magic Trackpad peripherals for Mac users. Finally, 16GB is now the standard base configuration for all Mac products – thank heavens – which retroactively includes the M2 and M3 MacBook Air.

• Read more: Apple launches new iMac with M4 chips

1. ChatGPT search went live

(Image credit: OpenAI)

OpenAI’s ChatGPT chatbot has taken the world by storm, introducing millions of people to AI for the first time, but now it’s striking out beyond its chatbot origins and competing directly with Google in search.

Searching the web in ChatGPT isn’t like using Google. Instead of pages of web links in response to a query, you get a nicely considered series of AI text responses, with the option to click through to a web page if you like.

ChatGPT search is great for asking questions, but it can also deliver answers to local searches like “What is the best pizza restaurant near me?“, and can show results on a map. From our initial testing it looks like ChatGPT search is a very efficient way to search the web.

• Read more: ChatGPT search is now live

I am more excited about the Samsung Galaxy Ring than any other recent new product from a big tech company. Surpassing my interest in the Apple Vision Pro as a product that people will actually find a purpose for, the Galaxy Ring has found a place in my daily routine for one very simple reason: I don’t like wearing a watch all the time.

Samsung is onto something here with a device that fits into its health and wearables ecosystem in a very interesting way. Down to the core, the Galaxy Ring takes the health smarts of the company’s great range of smartwatches and crams them into a tiny ring. There are some health features the Ring can’t provide that the Galaxy Watch can, but it covers the bases; heart rate, body temperature monitoring, sleep and steps. For me, the best feature is its sleep tracking, particularly because it’s much more comfortable to have a ring on my finger in bed instead of a smart watch.

But it’s not a complete device and though it matches the feature set of the Oura Ring 4, it is very distinctively first generation. Though I’m enjoying my time with it (and it’s successfully made me care about my health and fitness) and I agree with TechRadar’s Samsung Galaxy Ring review, we’re talking about what is quite an expensive device without much practical functionality. It’s tempting to say that the reason for its high price and low feature set is because it’s niche by design, but I think there are changes that could be introduced to make it more palatable and ultimately a more attractive device altogether.

Let’s put it down to three points.

Why does it look like this?

(Image credit: Zachariah Kelly / TechRadar)

Smart devices, inclusive of phones, are largely fashion statements in the right contexts. Of course, some people are more interested in good functionality, but you can’t discount the style points and aesthetics of any product you have to wear. The Samsung Galaxy Ring is, pointedly, a fashionable piece of technology, much more so than any other Samsung device preceding it… So why does it look so basic?

I’m not disputing the style of the ring; the thick shape is necessary for its smart features, and the concave design is a smart way of avoiding scratches, but the black and silver colorways look like plastic. The ring itself is made of titanium and coated in a similar paint to that of the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra (with comfortable and partially transparent plastics on the inside), but while the Ultra looks especially premium with its epic colors, the Galaxy Ring looks almost cheap in Titanium Black and Titanium Silver.

The Titanium Gold colorway looks fine; it has a lovely polish to it. The Silver and Black look almost like pieces of a Hasbro toy lightsaber. It’s likely a non-issue for many, but we’re talking about a new product that takes strides into the jewelry space. It needs to look the part.

It wasn’t going to take long before we got into this, but the Oura Ring 4, the closest competitor to the Galaxy Ring, looks especially premium. Silver, Black, Gold and Rose Gold colorways are available at the checkout, along with a matte black color dubbed Stealth and a raw-looking Brushed Silver color. The variety is greater, albeit with some options priced higher than others, and they’ve aced the assignment; the Oura Ring 4 looks premium. It looks like jewelry.

Why is it priced like that?

(Image credit: Zachariah Kelly / TechRadar)

This criticism applies equally to the Oura Ring 4, and admittedly it goes in tandem with my third criticism that we’ll get into below, but it can’t be skipped over. The Samsung Galaxy Ring is a $399 / £399 / AU$699 device, which positions it on par with (or slightly above) the Galaxy Watch 7 44mm LTE in most markets, above cheaper Watch options, and above the lowest price Oura Ring 4 ($349 / £349 / not available in AU).

Samsung justifies the higher price over this competitor by not having a subscription service, while Oura charges its customers a $5.99 per month bill for all features and health insights in its app (charged in USD in all regions irrespective of local currency), but we can head these pricing strategies off at the pass; the unique form factor and intent of these smart rings allow them to charge a significant amount. Development costs would have also been considerable, and ultimately there’s just not strong competition in this tiny market. If Apple, OnePlus, Oppo and Google got in at the same time, things would likely be a bit different.

For a dedicated user obsessed with health tracking, this device can be justified, but at this price, against accessories like earbuds and smart watches, it’s too niche for a casual user to be this expensive. Perhaps if, as written above, it was somewhat more attractive or had the ability to add engravings or markings it’d be a different story.

Why doesn’t it do much?

(Image credit: Zachariah Kelly / TechRadar)

When I’m talking to people about the Samsung Galaxy Ring, they’re obviously immediately interested in what it actually does – and perhaps unsurprisingly, as much as I can gas the Galaxy Ring up, the takeaway they’re typically left with is “not much”.

Make no mistake, Samsung’s health tracking tech is brilliant and it’s had a positive impact on the way I see my own wellbeing; step tracking, sleep tracking and heart rate monitoring are all things the Galaxy Ring is capable of. I have no trouble recommending it as a device that can positively impact your health, but consumers will also likely want to consider the competition.

The Oura Ring 4 has all the same features and health trackers, minus the deep integration with Samsung's Health suite, though it is compatible with iOS – the Galaxy Ring only works with Android devices.

But as far as a casual user goes when it comes to big tech products, health features are expected in tandem with… Normal features.

The Galaxy Ring does have gestures, which are awesome – pinch your thumb and your ring finger, and you’ll stop alarms or trigger the camera to take a shot. At the time of writing, those are the only two gesture options. No answering calls, media controls or integration with any specific apps, just those two things. It doesn’t help that gestures are exclusive to Galaxy smartphone users, and were also a celebrated feature of the Galaxy Watch 7 and Watch Ultra which launched at the same time as the Galaxy Ring, making it even more of a tough sell for watch owners.

And that’s kind of it! Before the Galaxy Ring launched I joked about being able to use different finger gestures to control my home smart lighting like waving a magic finger, expecting the feature set to be somewhat more fleshed out, but there’s not much going on here. I’m not sure why, but I’ve also picked up an extremely strange habit of checking my ring for the time as if it were a watch – there’s no clock on it, but perhaps a digital readout would be helpful for some. Other features a future iteration could sport include NFC for payments, automatic phone unlocking based on proximity, capacitive buttons for quick functions, and hell, how about an RGB light strip (though perhaps that last one we’ll leave to ASUS with its ROG range).

But this grates so heavily against my other two points; if you cram any more features into this gadget, you risk making it thicker and much less attractive. Any more neat tricks, and you invite price bumps.

So can we hit the right balance?

(Image credit: Zachariah Kelly / TechRadar)

I’ve been wearing the Samsung Galaxy Ring every day since I first received it and it’s really complementing my suite of Samsung devices. At the same time, I just wish it did a little more. Samsung knocked it out of the park all throughout 2024 with its newly released gadgets and the Galaxy Ring is definitely the most exciting, but when the Watch already does so many of the same things, why would even a health-minded Samsung user pick it up?

It’s a situation that no doubt many companies encounter when entering a new product category. The Apple Vision Pro for instance received a significant amount of criticism for its limited VR app support, and if the last year of crummy AI hardware has taught us anything, it’s that sometimes a new product isn’t any better than just having an app.

But Samsung’s on the right track with the Galaxy Ring. I’m very much looking forward to what the company has next in store with this device.

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Get up to $5,000 off refurbished cameras and tech + free shipping in November 2024. Browse the latest Canon promo codes and deals from WIRED.

Here are some hints — and the answers — for Connections No. 510 for Nov. 2.

Here are some hints -- and the answers -- for Connections: Sports Edition No. 40 for Nov. 2

Here are some hints and the answer for Wordle No. 1,232 for Nov. 2.

Here are some hints, and the answers, for the Nov. 2 Strands puzzle, No. 244.

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for Nov. 2.

Bring the taste of your favorite coffee shop drinks directly into your home with the best espresso machines.

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 #510) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• BOARD
• DROP
• PLANK
• SINK
• RANGE
• PANEL
• STUD
• BOAT
• CHANDELIER
• COUNTER
• CABINET
• CRUNCH
• COUNCIL
• MOUNTAIN CLIMBER
• FRIDGE
• HOOP

NYT Connections today (game #510) - hint #1 - group hints

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

• Yellow: Maybe dishwasher too
• Green: Decision makers, collectively
• Blue: Work those abs
• Purple: Body decoration types

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 #510) - hint #2 - group answers

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

• YELLOW: SEEN IN A KITCHEN
• GREEN: GROUP OF ADVISORS
• BLUE: CORE EXERCISES
• PURPLE: KINDS OF EARRINGS

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

NYT Connections today (game #510) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #510, are…

• YELLOW: SEEN IN A KITCHEN COUNTER, FRIDGE, RANGE, SINK
• GREEN: GROUP OF ADVISORS BOARD, CABINET, COUNCIL, PANEL
• BLUE: CORE EXERCISES BOAT, CRUNCH, MOUNTAIN CLIMBER, PLANK
• PURPLE: KINDS OF EARRINGS CHANDELIER, DROP, HOOP, STUD

• My rating: Moderate
• My score: Perfect

This was another day where I solved purple relatively early – and it's just as well that I did, as the chance of my completing blue was only slightly above zero. That's because blue was CORE EXERCISES, featuring BOAT, CRUNCH, MOUNTAIN CLIMBER and PLANK, a subject about which I have almost no knowledge and absolutely no interest. I do know what a CRUNCH and a PLANK are, and did consider that one answer might involves those exercises, but had no idea what the other two would be, and even once I saw them I was still none the wiser as to what a BOAT or a MOUNTAIN CLIMBER actually involves.

With the latter I instead initially thought it might go with CHANDELIER as part of a 'things that hang' group, but I was on the wrong track there. Instead, CHANDELIER went with HOOP, DROP and STUD to form the purple KINDS OF EARRINGS group, which I was pleased to solve.

Yellow and green were theoretically easier, as you'd expect them to be, but it took me a while to separate them. I figured that SEEN IN A KITCHEN would be one, but as well as COUNTER, FRIDGE, RANGE, SINK – the eventual answers – I could have included CABINET, so waited until I'd solved a few more before tackling it. My patience paid off and I completed today's Connections with no mistakes (for once).

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

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Friday, 1 November, game #509)

• YELLOW: PROGRESS SLOWLY CRAWL, CREEP, DRAG, INCH
• GREEN: WAYS TO ORDER A BEER BOTTLE, CAN, DRAFT, TAP
• BLUE: CHEESY CORN SNACK UNIT BALL, CURL, DOODLE, PUFF
• PURPLE: ___ EFFECT BUTTERFLY, DOMINO, HALO, PLACEBO

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.