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Here are some hints and the answers for Connections: Sports Edition No. 28 for Oct. 21.

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for Oct. 21

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

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… We're in this together

NYT Strands today (game #232) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• TONGS
• SCOUR
• COLD
• HIDE
• POLE
• POUR

NYT Strands today (game #232) - hint #3 - spangram What is a hint for today's spangram?

• Strength in numbers

NYT Strands today (game #232) - hint #4 - spangram position What are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

First: left, 5th row

Last: right, 5th row

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

NYT Strands today (game #232) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #232, are…

• PACK
• HERD
• FLOCK
• SWARM
• SCHOOL
• PRIDE
• KNOT
• COLONY
• SPANGRAM: GROUPNAME

• My rating: Easy
• My score: Perfect

Sadly, today's Strands didn't include my favorite collective noun: a prickle of porcupines. I'm also partial to a conspiracy of lemurs. Aren't they great! But it did include a KNOT (of snakes) among the far more prosaic likes of PACK, HERD, FLOCK and SWARM.

This was a pretty simple Strands all told, but a fun one too. The most difficult part of it, as is often the case, was getting started, but once I was underway the answers all spilled out of my brain fairly quickly.

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

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Sunday, 20 October, game #231)

• OTTOMAN
• RECLINER
• TABLE
• SOFA
• FIREPLACE
• SHELF
• SPANGRAM: LIVING ROOM

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.

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 #498) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• WHIRL
• DRAW
• NAVY
• LIVER
• CAR
• KIDNEY
• HOOK
• DRIVE
• PINTO
• PULL
• NEUTRAL
• DEAD
• LOW
• MUNG
• GRAB
• REVERSE

NYT Connections today (game #498) - hint #1 - group hints

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

• Yellow: Full of 'em
• Green: Bring towards you
• Blue: No manual required
• Purple: Blank[thing you swim in]

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 #498) - hint #2 - group answers

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

• YELLOW: KINDS OF BEANS
• GREEN: ATTRACT
• BLUE: AUTOMATIC GEAR SHIFTER POSITIONS
• PURPLE: ___POOL

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

NYT Connections today (game #498) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #498, are…

• YELLOW: KINDS OF BEANS KIDNEY, MUNG, NAVY, PINTO
• GREEN: ATTRACT DRAW, GRAB, HOOK, PULL
• BLUE: AUTOMATIC GEAR SHIFTER POSITIONS DRIVE, LOW, NEUTRAL, REVERSE
• PURPLE: ___POOL CAR, DEAD, LIVER, WHIRL

• My rating: Moderate
• My score: 1 mistake

I'm not sure whether others will find this quite as difficult as I did, but I made an early mistake and was slightly worried about my streak – which is admittedly only at six, but hey you have to take what you can in this game.

The problem for me was that the easiest group, KINDS OF BEANS, contained one I didn't know, NAVY; in the UK, where I am, these are instead called haricot beans. I spotted that PINTO, KIDNEY and MUNG all clearly went together but guessed LIVER as the fourth (I think I was confused with LIMA) and when that was wrong didn't really know what to do next.

So I moved on, and found the green ATTRACT group, then the actually-fairly-easy blue AUTOMATIC GEAR SHIFTER POSITIONS group. Revisiting 'beans' with a smaller pool of words I vaguely recalled a mention of NAVY beans in some movie or other so played that and got it right. That meant I didn't need to solve the purple __POOL group, which is just as well as I had no clue about that one.

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

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Sunday, 20 October, game #497)

• GREEN: NOISY DISTURBANCE CLATTER, RACKET, ROW, RUCKUS
• YELLOW: BIT OF NEWSPAPER WRITING ARTICLE, COLUMN, FEATURE, STORY
• BLUE: TABLE TENNIS NEEDS BALL, NET, PADDLE, TABLE
• PURPLE: HOMOPHONES OF COORDINATING CONJUNCTIONS BUTT, FORE, OAR, SEW

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 #1001) - 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 #1001) - 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 #1001) - 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 #1001) - hint #4 - starting letters (1) Do any of today's Quordle puzzles start with the same letter?

• The number of today's Quordle answers starting with the same letter is 0.

If you just want to know the answers at this stage, simply scroll down. If you're not ready yet then here's one more clue to make things a lot easier:

Quordle today (game #1001) - hint #5 - starting letters (2) What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• T

• N

• G

• U

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

Quordle today (game #1001) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1001, are…

• TREAD
• NINTH
• GRIEF
• UNSET

This was another pretty straightforward Quordle, which is akin to saying another fairly tame lion; it's never really true, is it? But it was easier than some, with NINTH the only word to contain a repeated letter, no nasty Zs or Xs or Js to worry about, and no remotely obscure words.

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

Daily Sequence today (game #1001) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1001, are…

• WHILE
• AFOUL
• BRIDE
• EMBED

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1000, Sunday 20 October: CORAL, WHOSE, HEIST, SOAPY
• Quordle #999, Saturday 19 October: GUSTY, BROKE, ENJOY, HAZEL
• Quordle #998, Friday 18 October: PUPIL, MOCHA, EGRET, NATAL
• Quordle #997, Thursday 17 October: BUILD, BIRTH, LURCH, SASSY
• Quordle #996, Wednesday 16 October: EERIE, SMIRK, HUNCH, EMBED
• Quordle #995, Tuesday 15 October: UMBRA, BRIEF, GRAVY, TORUS
• Quordle #994, Monday 14 October: ROGUE, STORY, EMCEE, AUNTY
• Quordle #993, Sunday 13 October: UNFIT, NYMPH, THUMB, PUREE
• Quordle #992, Saturday 12 October: SAUCY, UNDUE, EGRET, HELLO
• Quordle #991, Friday 11 October: RINSE, ANIME, PUSHY, ZEBRA
• Quordle #990, Thursday 10 October: UNTIL, MARSH, METAL, WINDY
• Quordle #989, Wednesday 9 October: TRIAL, HUSKY, DOWNY, TRADE
• Quordle #988, Tuesday 8 October: TROUT, HATER, BARGE, DOZEN
• Quordle #987, Monday 7 October: CAULK, HALVE, APING, HEATH
• Quordle #986, Sunday 6 October: FUDGE, TENOR, BEGAT, ROUSE
• Quordle #985, Saturday 5 October: ELECT, CROAK, FRISK, JAUNT
• Quordle #984, Friday 4 October: ELFIN, GRAIL, PATIO, RECAP
• Quordle #983, Thursday 3 October: TENTH, REMIT, CURVE, TOAST
• Quordle #982, Wednesday 2 October: ARGUE, CRANE, TOKEN, PRINT
• Quordle #981, Tuesday 1 October: FRILL, MADLY, GRANT, NYLON

After half a decade of sleeping on a Purple mattress, here are my thoughts on how it's held up and whether you should consider Purple for your next mattress.

Spectrum, AT&T Fiber and T-Mobile are big ISPs in Spring Hill. Here's our take on the best options.

One of the constants in computing is the need for more storage. While 8TB SSDs offer both speed and capacity, they can be a little pricey, although there are deals available if you’re prepared to shop around. If you need more storage - nearly double, in fact - purchasing a 15.36TB SSD often provides better value on a per-terabyte basis.

For example, the Intel D5-P5316 2.5-inch 15.36TB SSD is available on Amazon for $1,650. It boasts write speeds of 3200 MB/s and read rates of 7000 MB/s. If you’re after a cheaper option, the Kioxia CD6-R KCD6XLUL15T3 is priced at a more affordable $1,397.63 on ServerPartDeals. This model offers 4000 MB/s write speeds and 5500 MB/s read rates.

In contrast, Samsung's 8TB 870 QVO SATA III SSD usually sells for $849.99 on Amazon, although it’s currently selling for $639.95. On a per-terabyte basis, the Samsung SSD works out to $106 at its usual price, and $80 at its sale price. The double-capacity Intel and Kioxia models cost $107 and $91 per terabyte, respectively.

The catch

However, as is often the case, there’s a catch.

The Intel and Kioxia drives, like other 15.36TB models, use the U.3 interface, which is specifically designed for enterprise environments rather than the more common M.2 format seen in consumer devices. These drives require a system with U.3 NVMe functionality, meaning they cannot be used in standard consumer desktops or laptops, making them less accessible to the average user without the proper setup.

Despite this, their impressive performance metrics and price per terabyte make them appealing options for professional and enterprise-level storage needs. If you're looking to save even more, shopping around and exploring platforms like eBay can sometimes yield even better deals.

At the time of writing, we found the Kioxia CD6-R KCD6XLUL15T3 listed on the auction site for $1,185, which works out to a bargain $77.15 per terabyte - a price that’s hard to ignore.

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Best Buy's outlet sale ends today, but you still have a few hours to save on refurbished Ninja appliances before the event ends.

Scranton residents should choose Xfinity because of its speed and low prices. There are a few other ISPs worth considering.

Luckily for Tacoma residents, there are a few great ISP plans to choose from. Here's some more information on speeds and prices to help you decide on the best one for you.

The Titan A900 might look like an ordinary desktop PC at first glance, but it’s a powerful workstation designed for deep learning and AI applications.

The machine from Titan Computers is built around AMD’s EPYC Genoa 9004 series, featuring dual EPYC Genoa 9124 CPUs with 32 cores each, providing a total of 64 cores in the default configuration.

For users who need even more computational power you can customize the choice of processor all the way up to EPYC Genoa 9124 CPUs supporting up to 256 cores.

(Image credit: Titan Computers) It isn't cheap

The workstation’s design is housed in a Titan Chariot mid-tower case made from anodized aluminum and steel, so it’s durable and looks great too. It comes with 64GB of DDR5 ECC RAM as standard but supports upgrades up to a massive 6TB, making it highly adaptable for memory-intensive applications.

Storage is a default 1TB M.2 NVMe SSD delivering fast read/write speeds and a 4TB Seagate Enterprise HDD for additional storage needs. You can expand the total storage capacity even further if required, with 8TB SSDs and a 20TB HDDs on offer.

In terms of graphics, the default configuration includes an Nvidia Quadro T400 4GB GDDR6 workstation video card, suitable for general-purpose applications. However – you guessed it – the Titan A900 can be customized with a range of more powerful GPUs, including liquid-cooled options.

Efficient cooling is obviously crucial for the level of performance we're looking at here, and the A900 features dual SilverStone Technology CPU coolers, Antec Nano Diamond Thermal Compound, and five high-performance silent fans. Again, you can customize the set up as required.

The A900 comes with dual RJ45 10GbE LAN ports, four USB ports, and a front-facing USB 3.2 Gen2x2 Type-C port, but you can add loads more ports if you wish. Wireless connectivity is provided by Intel 802.11ax Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3.

The default set up will cost you just under $8,000, but if you want the top of the range CPUs and RAM that price rockets up to $120,000 and extra features, including a copy of Windows 11 Pro for Workstation, will push the total even higher. You can customize your dream setup here.

More from TechRadar Pro

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Want to watch Kansas City play San Francisco? Here's everything you need to stream Sunday's 1:25 p.m. PT game on Fox.

The NFC East leaders host struggling Carolina at Northwest Stadium.

The Raiders begin life without WR Davante Adams.

The league leading Blaugrana face an improving opponent in Catalonia.

If you’re at a breaking point with your sleep quality because of your partner, try using the Scandinavian sleep method to save your relationship.

Sony's camera department has had an unusually quiet year. For the entirety of 2024, we've seen just one new Sony mirrorless camera. And, as impressive as the Sony ZV-E10 II is with its 26MP APS-C sensor and 4K video features, the sub $1,000 beginner video camera – that's an iterative update – isn't much for Sony fans to get excited about.

As TechRadar's Cameras Editor, I can't remember Sony ever being so quiet, In fact, I had started to pen a piece about Sony's inactivity – surely it couldn't just be related to reported global supply chain issues, could it? Turns out, I may have to stand down, at least if the latest rumors are true.

According to Sony Alpha Rumors, Sony will announce its first full-frame camera of the year, as soon as the end of November. That wouldn't be long to wait, but which camera could it be and how plausible is this rumor?

Sony's likely candidates

Sony Alpha Rumors listed the most likely candidates for what it says will be a November launch, speculating that there could be two new cameras and an exciting new lens in the next six months or so. It has also poured cold water over other potential camera updates from Sony's existing line up.

I should make it clear that rumors from this source have been circulating for a little while and potential launch dates for certain would-be cameras have come and passed. This time the focus is on two cameras and a lens, all of which would be super exciting for Sony fans if they come to pass.

The first and most likely camera is a successor to the Sony Alpha A1 (pictured above), Sony's flagship mirrorless camera, which would like be called the Sony A1 II. Another potential is the so-called Sony A7 V, which would upgrade the Sony A7 IV, which topped our list of best mirrorless cameras for quite some time, but recently lost its spot to the new Nikon Z6 III.

The A1 was launched in March 2021 and the A7 IV in December 2021, and so both of those cameras are due an update. However, Sony is more innovative than most, and it's not unknown to quietly discontinue a series of cameras to explore new avenues. Neither successor is guaranteed.

The A9 III, Sony's last full-frame camera, is a niche high-end high-speed camera launched roughly one year ago, in November 2023. (Image credit: Future)

For example, Sony's last full-frame camera was the Sony A9 III (above), a bold and truly innovative camera that surpassed the A1 as Sony's fastest camera for pro photographers working in sports and wildlife. I'm struggling to see how an A1 II, if it was to materialize, could improve on the A1 and be distinguished from the A9 III, without exceeding the A9 III in every way and rendering it surplus. Can Sony realistically keep the A1 and A9 series going?

On the other hand, a potential A7V would be a win. It would continue Sony's original and popular all-rounder series of full-frame mirrorless cameras. Its A7 IV was the best all-rounder for a couple of years, but now the Nikon Z6 III and Canon EOS R6 Mark II have bettered it in most regards. Sony needs to strike back, and I'd expect great things from a A7V because Sony is a true innovator. That's the model that I think most Sony fans are hoping for.

There's also word of Sony FE 24-70mm F2 GM pro lens. That would be some serious glass, a world-first 24-70mm lens with constant F2 aperture. Canon has the beastly RF 28-70mm F2L USM lens, but Sony would be going one better than Canon with that wider perspective.

There's a chance that both cameras and the lens will materialize. But which of the two cameras could come in November? Sony Alpha Rumors thinks the A1 II. If that's true, I'm eager to see what upgrades there are, and how it fits alongside the A9 III.

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