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Good morning! Let's play Connections, the NYT's clever word game that challenges you to group answers in various categories. It can be tough, so read on if you need clues.

What should you do once you've finished? Why, play some more word games of course. I've also got daily Strands hints and answers and Quordle hints and answers articles if you need help for those too, while Marc's Wordle today page covers the original viral word game.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Connections today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

NYT Connections today (game #553) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• THUMB
• KEY
• LEAF
• STYLE
• MACE
• MAR
• FLAIL
• FLIP
• SPEAR
• CLOVE
• TANK
• PEPPER
• RIFFLE
• FLOUNDER
• NUTMEG
• FLOP

NYT Connections today (game #553) - hint #1 - group hints

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

• YELLOW: Seasonings
• GREEN: Below par
• BLUE: Browsing
• PURPLE: Popular vocalists

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 #553) - hint #2 - group answers

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

• YELLOW: SPICES
• GREEN: PERFORM POORLY 
• BLUE: SKIM THROUGH, AS PAGES 
• PURPLE: POP SINGERS MINUS "S" 

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

NYT Connections today (game #553) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #553, are…

• YELLOW: SPICES CLOVE, MACE, NUTMEG, PEPPER
• GREEN: PERFORM POORLY FLAIL, FLOP, FLOUNDER, TANK
• BLUE: SKIM THROUGH, AS PAGES FLIP, LEAF, RIFFLE, THUMB
• PURPLE: POP SINGERS MINUS "S" KEY, MAR, SPEAR, STYLE

• My rating: Easy
• My score: Perfect

As someone who is known to PERFORM BADLY at Connections, it’s no surprise that I landed on the Green group first today – although I did momentarily think the connection was “Things you do when drunk”.

POP SINGERS MINUS “S” was a good one, especially as SPEAR could have been a weapon along with RIFLE and MACE.

I’m off to listen to Empire State of Mind.

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Saturday, 14 December, game #552)

• YELLOW: FISH FLUKE, MULLET, SOLE, TANG
• GREEN: WORDS IN AN AUCTION-ENDING PHRASE GOING, ONCE, SOLD, TWICE
• BLUE: GLOBAL CURRENCIES POUND, REAL, SOL, YUAN
• PURPLE: WORDS BEFORE "CUP" BUTTER, DIVA, SOLO, WORLD

What is NYT Connections?

NYT Connections is one of several increasingly popular word games made by the New York Times. It challenges you to find groups of four items that share something in common, and each group has a different difficulty level: green is easy, yellow a little harder, blue often quite tough and purple usually very difficult.

On the plus side, you don't technically need to solve the final one, as you'll be able to answer that one by a process of elimination. What's more, you can make up to four mistakes, which gives you a little bit of breathing room.

It's a little more involved than something like Wordle, however, and there are plenty of opportunities for the game to trip you up with tricks. For instance, watch out for homophones and other word games that could disguise the answers.

It's playable for free via the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.

Strands is the NYT's latest word game after the likes of Wordle, Spelling Bee and Connections – and it's great fun. It can be difficult, though, so read on for my Strands hints.

Want more word-based fun? Then check out my NYT Connections today and Quordle today pages for hints and answers for those games, and Marc's Wordle today page for the original viral word game.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Strands today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

NYT Strands today (game #287) - hint #1 - today's theme What is the theme of today's NYT Strands?

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Moonlighting

NYT Strands today (game #287) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• QUEST
• TEAR
• BEST
• RESCUE
• TAPE
• NEAR

NYT Strands today (game #287) - hint #3 - spangram What is a hint for today's spangram?

• Satellite stages

NYT Strands today (game #287) - hint #4 - spangram position What are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

First side: left, 5th row

Last side: 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 #287) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #287, are…

• FULL
• WANING
• WAXING
• GIBBOUS
• QUARTER
• CRESCENT
• SPANGRAM: LUNAR PHASE

• My rating: Easy
• My score: Perfect

Many wonderful songs mention the moon – Moon River, Fly Me to the Moon, Moondance, Bad Moon Rising – but few mention a particular LUNAR PHASE, today’s Spangram.

A couple of exceptions…

The fabulous Whole of the Moon by The Waterboys, is a tribute to someone with greater otherworldly talent than the singer, Mike Scott. “I sighed, you swooned," he croons. "I saw the crescent / You saw the whole of the Moon”.

Another favorite is Easy from Now On by Emmylou Harris, which describes running away from a bad relationship and finding yourself beneath a “Quarter moon in a ten-cent town”.

Finally, a tune about the phase of the moon when it appears bulging outward but is not yet full: the off-kilter lament Gibbous Moon by Momus: "This world is lugubrious/ Aghast beneath a gibbous moon/ Waxing and waning with the death of all feeling/ But we will be free soon.”

Thank you, Strands, for this little Spotify rabbit hole.

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

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Saturday, 14 December, game #286)

• FIRE 
• PASSION
• DRIVE 
• DEVOTION
• INTENSITY
• PURPOSE
• SPANGRAM: GO GETTER

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.

Quordle was one of the original Wordle alternatives and is still going strong now more than 1,000 games later. It offers a genuine challenge, though, so read on if you need some Quordle hints today – or scroll down further for the answers.

Enjoy playing word games? You can also check out my NYT Connections today and NYT Strands today pages for hints and answers for those puzzles, while Marc's Wordle today column covers the original viral word game.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about Quordle today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

Quordle today (game #1056) - 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 #1056) - 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 2.

Quordle today (game #1056) - 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 #1056) - 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 #1056) - hint #5 - starting letters (2) What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• D

• S

• L

• G

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

Quordle today (game #1056) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1056, are…

• DROVE
• STILT
• LINEN
• GIANT

I started with Point and Break today. There are no repeat letters, so it’s not a bad punt – and well, it’s my tribute to one of the greatest films of all time.

But where did my gamble get me? I went to the red zone as I ran out of lines for LINEN and climbed on board the last train to Loserville.

As the rain thunders down on my laptop and the waves crash, there is only one thing left to say word-surfing Quordle friends…

Vaya con Dios.

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

Daily Sequence today (game #1056) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1056, are…

• SHARD
• CHURN
• MACRO
• PRANK

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #10545, Saturday 14 December: SPIEL, ONSET, TIGER, DITTO
• Quordle #1054, Friday 13 December: ERECT, REBAR, MOIST, IDIOM
• Quordle #1053, Thursday 12 December: MILKY, CRIER, STORK, DRIER
• Quordle #1052, Wednesday 11 December: BRIAR, NASAL, SHARD, FLUFF
• Quordle #1051, Tuesday 10 December: BEGAN, TRIAL, IDEAL, GUIDE
• Quordle #1050, Monday 9 December: TITAN, FORTE, SPEED, BRIAR
• Quordle #1049, Sunday 8 December: BUNCH, SHINY, MOULT, INTRO
• Quordle #1048, Saturday 7 December: SHAKY, CROOK, GHOUL, VERSE
• Quordle #1047, Friday 6 December: BRAWL, UNTIL, DOWRY, STING
• Quordle #1046, Thursday 5 December: AGING, BICEP, CLOVE, SPILL
• Quordle #1045, Wednesday 4 December: JUDGE, GIVER, GNASH, CLOAK
• Quordle #1044, Tuesday 3 December: FUDGE, THICK, CRANK, STASH
• Quordle #1043, Monday 2 December: TROPE, HOVER, SAUNA, SHAPE
• Quordle #1042, Sunday 1 December: NAIVE, CIRCA, STEAD, MICRO
• Quordle #1041, Saturday 30 November: MAMMA, SNUCK, CRYPT, TAROT
• Quordle #1040, Friday 29 November: JOIST, DROOL, DUSKY, GLIDE
• Quordle #1039, Thursday 28 November: GRADE, WORRY, NOISE, DAISY
• Quordle #1038, Wednesday 27 November: HEART, ROGUE, INEPT, UTILE
• Quordle #1037, Tuesday 26 November: PRIED, FAINT, HURRY, WOOER
• Quordle #1036, Monday 25 November: NUDGE, SNOOP, SHACK, DRYLY

Recent reports have revealed that high-cost southern border surveillance technology is failing to deliver on its purpose.

A leaked memo obtained by NBC News reveals that nearly one-third of the cameras on the border’s primary surveillance towers are currently offline.

The report reveals that out of the 500 cameras installed on surveillance towers along the border between the U.S. and Mexico, about 150 are currently inactive.

Overlapping agencies and fragmented responsibilities

One of the core problems with the surveillance towers lies in the complicated web of federal oversight. While the Border Patrol depends on these systems to monitor remote areas, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is responsible for maintaining the towers. This division of responsibility creates delays in repairs and maintenance, undermining the network’s effectiveness.

The Remote Video Surveillance System, where many of these cameras are installed, is only one part of the broader surveillance network. However, the entire system has been hampered by poor coordination, frequent project cancellations, and incompatible technologies developed by different vendors.

The history of surveillance technology at the border is marked by delays, budget overruns, and cancelled programs. One prominent example is the Secure Border Initiative Network (SBInet), which aimed to deploy towers across the U.S.-Mexico border. By 2010, after spending $1 billion, only 15 towers had been installed along a 53-mile stretch of Arizona’s border, covering just a fraction of the 387-mile expanse. The program was eventually scrapped in 2011 following internal reviews that criticized its performance and high costs.

There have been attempts to replace SBInet with new initiatives, such as the Arizona Border Surveillance Technology Plan and the Southwest Border Technology Plan. However, they are also struggling.

Over the past two decades, the U.S. government has spent nearly $6 billion on surveillance towers and made efforts to consolidate the various systems into the Integrated Surveillance Towers network. However, there are challenges due to incompatible components and outdated technology.

A recurring issue with the surveillance towers is the absence of meaningful performance metrics to evaluate their effectiveness. In a 2017 report, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) criticized the Border Patrol for failing to assess whether these technologies were improving security. The GAO urged the agency to develop performance metrics, but recent assessments suggest that little progress has been made.

In February 2023, the GAO noted that Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials expect operational shortfalls of up to 36% by 2025, putting more towers at risk of becoming non-functional. Without clear benchmarks for success, it remains difficult to determine how much these expensive surveillance systems contribute to national security efforts.

The outages have frustrated Border Patrol agents, who rely on the cameras to monitor vast, remote regions. There are legitimate concerns about officer safety and border security due to non-operational towers.

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Made in China: three words that are as ubiquitous as they are controversial. Pick up anything mass-produced these days – be it clothing, toys, or technology products – and there's a good chance you’ll find this phrase emblazoned on a label or plastic underside.

In the smartphone world, devices made by Chinese brands have long been seen as a curiosity – lesser-known phones with impressive specs that are often unavailable in Western markets.

However, while it’s still very difficult to get a hold of a Chinese phone in the US, companies like Xiaomi and Oppo have made strides in either entering or returning to local smartphone scenes in the UK, Australia, and mainland Europe.

Oppo, for instance, recently returned to the UK with the Oppo Find X8 Pro, a hugely impressive device that rivals the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra and iPhone 16 Pro with its dazzling screen and exceptional photography capabilities.

Xiaomi, too, offers a wide range of high-end devices; our list of the best Xiaomi phones is currently capped by the Xiaomi 14 Ultra, which lives up to its name with a ludicrous quad-camera system centered on a 1-inch sensor.

The Xiaomi 14 Ultra is among the best phones we've tested this year (Image credit: Future / Roland Moore-Colyer)

At the start of the Chinese smartphone boom, the sources of inspiration for these high-spec devices were obvious. Manufacturers including Huawei and OnePlus were once associated with producing – how to put this? – affectionate renditions of more popular flagships.

For instance, the Huawei Mate 20 Pro, released in 2018, took design and software cues from the iPhone XS, while 2020’s OnePlus 8T shared an uncanny resemblance with the Samsung Galaxy S20.

This proved to be a sustainable and lucrative business practice, as these Chinese brands were generally able to undercut the competition by fairly significant margins, offering consumers iPhone- and Samsung-rivaling products at more accessible prices. For the most part, this sentiment remains true for the mid-range models offered by these companies.

However, following the smartphone industry’s switch to tiered flagship families, there seems to be a different priority in mind for high-end Chinese mobile makers: overtaking the Western competition.

Better products, bigger prices

The Honor Magic 6 Pro costs £1,099 in the UK (Image credit: Future / Axel Metz)

The Xiaomi 14 Ultra, for example, retails for £1,299 (around $1,650) – that's even more than the most expensive globally available slab phone, the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, which starts at $1,299 / £1,249 / AU$2,199.

And while other brands aren’t pushing the envelope quite as much as Xiaomi, phones like the Oppo Find X8 Pro (£1,050 / AU$1,799) and Honor Magic 6 Pro (£1,099) still approach or exceed the price of premium flagships from Apple, Google, and Samsung.

The modus operandi for Chinese flagship challengers has changed: where previously these companies sought to offer comparable performance at cheaper prices, now they're focused on delivering better performance at bigger prices.

Keep in mind, too, that we’ve yet to see the rumored Oppo Find X8 Ultra surface, which will no doubt carry an even heavier price tag than its Pro counterpart.

Similarly, while the globally available OnePlus 12 does surpass the iPhone 16, Samsung Galaxy S24, and Google Pixel 9 on many spec fronts, it also matches them all on price at $799 / £849 – meanwhile, last year’s OnePlus 11 was notably cheaper, at $699 / £729 / AU$1,199.

This is to say that the modus operandi for Chinese flagship challengers has changed: where previously these companies sought to offer comparable performance at cheaper prices, now they're focused on delivering better performance at bigger prices.

Of course, the likes of Xiaomi, OnePlus, and Honor are well within their rights to shift their strategies in such a way; after all, they're producing high-quality devices. But the fact remains that from a consumer perspective, the days of nabbing a flagship-level phone for a mid-range price could be coming to an end.

So, if you’re looking for a powerful phone, don’t mind using Android, and aren’t particularly loyal to a major brand, it might be wise to pick up a high-powered Chinese phone before the de facto discounts disappear completely.

For more on the latest smartphones from all over the world – including the tri-folding Huawei Mate XT – be sure to check out our phones coverage. And for specific advice on the best Chinese phones, we’ve got you covered with our lists of the best Xiaomi phones, best Honor phones, and best OnePlus phones.

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The GPD Pocket 4 is an 8.8-inch laptop weighing just 770g, that is designed to combine portability with powerful performance.

GPD likens its aesthetic to that of an Apple MacBook, highlighting its sleek, lightweight build, which is small enough to carry like a mobile phone.

The Pocket 4 is powered by an AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 processor with Radeon 890M/880M graphics (there’s also the option for an Ryzen 7 8840U CPU with 8840U graphics). It features a high-resolution 2.5K LTPS display with a 144Hz refresh rate and 10-point touch functionality. Its proprietary T-shaped hinge allows the screen to rotate up to 180 degrees, enabling it to be used as a tablet.

Choose your own ports

The Pocket 4 comes with up to 64GB of high-speed LPDDR5x memory and up to 2TB of PCIe Gen4 NVMe SSD storage. It sports a full-function USB-C port, USB4, HDMI 2.1, and an RJ45 network port. Wireless connectivity comes in the form of Wi-Fi 6E and Bluetooth 5.3. The device includes a 5MP front-facing camera, a QWERTY backlit keyboard, and a 45Wh battery supporting 100W PD fast charging.

Pricing for the GPD Pocket 4 starts at $829 for the model with the 8840U CPU, 16GB of RAM, and 1TB of storage.

The top-tier configuration with the HX 370 CPU, 64GB of RAM, and 2TB of storage is priced at $1,335. The Pocket 4 also supports a range of additional modules, allowing you to customize it to your needs. An RS232 port is available for $14, a single-port KVM for $48, and a 4G LTE expansion module for $110. There's also a microSD card reader with UHS-I support.

Earlier in 2024, GPD introduced the Duo, a $2,000 laptop featuring the world’s fastest mobile CPU, an OCuLink connector, and dual 13.3-inch OLED displays that are able to mirror, extend, or function independently.

That product marked a departure from GPD's usual lineup of compact gaming laptops and handheld consoles, but the company is returning to its roots with its latest creation.

The Pocket 4 is currently crowdfunding on Indiegogo, and while it offers an impressive array of features and modular options, potential backers, as always, should be aware of the risks associated with crowdfunding. Delays, changes to specifications, or project cancellations are possible, although GPD does have a proven track record of delivering backed products.

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• We could get a new Titanium Whitesilver shade
• It's not the first time the color option has been mentioned
• Likely to be exclusive to the Galaxy S25 Ultra

We're getting ever closer to the expected launch date of the Samsung Galaxy S25, and the latest rumor to reach us suggests we're going to get treated to a stylish new color when it comes to the premium Ultra model.

According to well-known tipster @UniverseIce, this variant is called Titanium Whitesilver, and combines a white back with a silver middle frame. It sounds like it would be appealing, and is apparently "very beautiful".

This isn't the first time we've heard this name: as our Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra colors rumor round-up will tell you, it's appeared in a couple of previous leaks. However, it being mentioned again by another prominent leaker makes us more convinced we'll see it.

There will be four "conventional" colors to go alongside it, the tipster says, though it's not clear from this post exactly what these will be: quite possibly Titanium Blue, Titanium Gray, Titanium Black, and Titanium Silver based on information that's already leaked.

Predicted colors

100% accurate news. Among the four conventional colors of S25 Ultra, there are white, white back + silver middle frame. Official name: Titanium Whitesilver.Very beautiful！December 13, 2024

Trying to pin down the colors we'll see with the Galaxy S25 isn't quite as easy as you might think. The available colors can vary between countries and carriers, while Samsung often keeps some shades exclusive to its own website store.

Earlier this month we saw leaked images of SIM cards for the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra model, which again hinted at blue, black, and silver – and there was also what seemed to be a gold option, which may be marketed as gray.

In fact if you want to get some idea of the colors for all the incoming Galaxy S25 models, we've got you covered there too. Overall, it seems there won't be too much change from the Samsung Galaxy S24 models – though some shades might be renamed.

We won't know for sure the colors that are going to be available until Samsung actually announces them – so we'll let you know as soon as we know. Based on earlier rumors, the big day could be January 22, 2025.

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• The US Treasury has issued a final rule on Executive Order restricting investment in certain Chinese industries
• AI, semiconductors, and microeletronics are all on the list of restricted investments
• Move is the latest salvo in tech trade war between US and China

The US government has issued new rules looking to restrict outbound investments in China’s high-tech industries.

The regulations, managed by the Treasury Department, are expected to require companies to notify the government of investments in sensitive technologies.

These sensitive technologies include areas such as artificial intelligence (AI), semiconductors, microelectronics, and quantum computing, particularly when these technologies could be used to advance military capabilities.

Biden administration focuses on National Security

These new rules are not entirely new as they build upon existing restrictions. In October 2022, the US implemented export controls to block China's access to advanced semiconductor technologies, especially those essential for AI development. These export controls came alongside earlier tariff hikes on Chinese imports.

The U.S. government has been widening its efforts to curb the transfer of U.S. capital and expertise into China, addressing concerns over national security and military competition.

In 2018, the Trump administration initiated tariffs on Chinese goods and began restricting Chinese investments in US technology sectors, citing concerns over "forced technology transfer" and the potential military applications of advanced technologies.

Under the Biden administration, this did not change as the U.S. seeks to prevent technology and investments from supporting China’s military modernization, which officials worry could undermine America’s strategic interests.

The Treasury has been working on these restrictions since mid-2023, when it released initial proposals to potentially ban certain investments in China. The initial proposals drew public feedback from citizens and businesses, helping the department refine the scope of the rules.

The finalized regulations, outlined by the Department of the Treasury's Office of Investment Security are expected to strike a balance between protecting U.S. security interests and avoiding unnecessary disruption to commercial relations.

“The potential military, intelligence, surveillance, and cyber-enabled applications of these technologies and products pose risks to U.S. national security particularly when developed by a country of concern such as the PRC,” the Treasury Department notification said.

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Another year, another Game Awards trailer drop that gets people’s hackles up on Reddit. This time it’s Borderlands 4, a game that has the unenviable task of outdoing both the series’ phenomenal second installment and the highly mixed response to Borderlands 3. No, I’m not going to discuss the movie here, I wiped my memories of it with a Neuralyzer I borrowed from Will Smith.

We already knew a fourth Borderlands title was on the way thanks to a CGI reveal trailer back in August, but this new trailer gave us both some actual in-engine gameplay footage (which, unsurprisingly, looks much like the third game) and our first look at the new title’s four playable Vault Hunters. And boy, some Redditors sure aren’t happy about them.

I actually think this might be one of the better Siren designs. I like her earrings and her weird gauntlet thing. (Image credit: Gearbox)

The main concern, from reading through several lengthy comment chains about these new protagonists, is that they’re simply a bit generic. “Not one of them has the same amount of personality in their look as anything from every game but Wonderlands”, says user u/SmileJakoby, referring to the (pretty mediocre) spin-off title Tiny Tina’s Wonderlands. Another user, u/k_afka_, says: “Those vaulthunters look kinda bland to me, but hopefully they're more interesting than they appear”.

I get it, I do. These four new heroes don’t fill me with excitement purely based on their looks. Here’s the thing, though: Borderlands has basically never been good at making truly iconic player character designs.

The new Vault Hunters are cut from the same cloth as the old

I’m being serious here: the Borderlands games might feature some visually striking characters here and there, but what makes most of the larger-than-life figures you meet on Pandora and beyond interesting are their stellar voice performances and unusual abilities.

Let’s take a look at the earlier Vault Hunters, for example. Look at these four right here:

Come on, you can't tell me these four are the pinnacle of visually striking character designs. (Image credit: Gearbox)

Mordecai from the original game is basically just a skinny dude with a goatee, a sword, and a tight-fitting outfit. What made him interesting and likable was his extremely angry pet bird, low-key offbeat humor, and the extra characterization he got in the sequel as a friendly NPC. The same goes for Roland, who was essentially just ‘ex-soldier guy’ in the first game before getting a starring role in the narrative of Borderlands 2. Hell, Brick - who I love - is at first glance literally just a big muscly man in a tank top. Not exactly world-shattering character design there, Gearbox.

Sure, we’ve got some fun ones: the playable Sirens Lilith, Maya, and Amara all look fairly interesting, though again, it’s their magical abilities that make them pop from an aesthetic standpoint. And I can’t ignore Zer0 and his funky holographic faceplate, though what really makes him stick in my memory is his deadpan, exclusively-in-haiku dialogue.

The thing is, the world of Borderlands is full of characters who, in a less violent and unhinged universe, could’ve probably been pretty ordinary people. That’s part of the appeal: you’re not playing as the Chosen One, you’re just some random treasure-seeker who gets wrapped up in a world-saving adventure wearing whatever ragged-ass clothes you happened to put on that morning.

So I’m asking you, unhappy Redditors: give these newbies a chance. Sure, we’re getting those same old tropes - cool guy, beefy guy, techy girl, magic girl - but let’s at least see what cool ways they have to murder people before we pass judgment on them, yeah?

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• CISA is requiring organizations in critical sectors to update their security
• MFA, vulnerability management, and data encryption will be enforced
• These changes will help mitigate the potential theft of data by state-sponsored and nation state actors

The US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has unveiled a set of proposed security requirements aimed at reducing risks posed by unauthorized access to American data.

The move is due to concerns about the vulnerabilities exposed by recent cyberattacks, state-sponsored hacking campaigns, and the misuse of personal data by hostile nations.

The proposal aligns with Executive Order 14117, signed by President Biden earlier in 2024, which seeks to address gaps in data security that could compromise national interests.

Strengthening protections against foreign threats

The proposed requirements focus on entities that handle large-scale sensitive data, particularly in industries such as artificial intelligence, telecommunications, healthcare, finance, and defence contracting.

Companies operating in these fields are seen as critical targets due to the nature of the data they manage, with the US telecommunications industry recently being hit by a huge attack.

CISA's primary concern is that data from these organizations could fall into the hands of “countries of concern” or “covered persons” - terms used by the U.S. government to refer to foreign adversaries known for engaging in cyber espionage and data breaches.

These new security standards aim to close loopholes that could expose sensitive data to state-sponsored groups and foreign intelligence actors.

Businesses will need to keep an updated inventory of their digital assets, including IP addresses and hardware configurations, to stay prepared for potential security incidents. Companies will also be required to enforce multi-factor authentication (MFA) on all critical systems and require passwords that are at least 16 characters long to prevent unauthorized access.

Vulnerability management is another key focus, and organizations must remediate and address any known exploited vulnerabilities or critical flaws within 14 days, even if exploitation has not been confirmed. High-severity vulnerabilities must be fixed within 30 days.

The new proposal also emphasizes network transparency, and companies are required to maintain accurate network topologies to enhance their ability to identify and respond to security incidents.

Immediate revocation of access for employees following termination or changes in role is mandated to prevent insider threats. Additionally, unauthorized hardware, such as USB devices, will be prohibited from connecting to systems that handle sensitive data, further reducing the risk of data leakage.

In addition to system-level protections, CISA’s proposal introduces robust data-level measures aimed at minimizing the exposure of personal and government information. Organizations will be encouraged to collect only the data that is essential for their operations and, where possible, mask or de-identify it to prevent unauthorized access. Encryption will play a vital role in securing data during any transaction that involves a “restricted entity,” ensuring that even if data is intercepted, it cannot be easily deciphered.

A critical requirement is that encryption keys must not be stored alongside the data they protect, particularly in regions identified as countries of concern. Furthermore, organizations will also be encouraged to adopt advanced privacy-preserving techniques, such as homomorphic encryption or differential privacy, which allow data to be processed without exposing the underlying information.

CISA is seeking public feedback on the proposed requirements to refine the framework before it is finalized. Interested stakeholders, including industry leaders and cybersecurity experts, are invited to submit their comments via regulations.gov by entering CISA-2024-0029 in the search field and following the instructions to provide input.

Via BleepingComputer

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• The "product introduction phase" has started
• Design changes are predicted for the iPhone 17 Air
• Apple still exploring the idea of an iPhone Fold

It could be the most interesting model in the iPhone 17 series, and it could be the slimmest iPhone ever – and now the iPhone 17 Air (or is it the iPhone 17 Slim?) has officially entered production, according to a new report.

As per DigiTimes (via MacRumors), the iPhone 17 Air has now officially entered the "product introduction phase" at Foxconn, the Taiwanese manufacturer that puts together a lot of gadgets for Apple.

It means pilot production runs can begin, alongside design validation and prototype testing. It's a precursor to mass production on the device getting underway, which puts it on course for a debut in September next year.

We don't get too much more information about the iPhone 17 Air from this report, but DigiTimes again draws a link to a potential folding iPhone. If Apple can successfully produce a super-thin iPhone, it will help in the development of a folding model too.

Squeezing space

Like this, but significantly thinner (Image credit: Future)

The iPhone 17 Air is rumored to be a mere 6mm thick, which makes it substantially slimmer than the iPhone 16 Plus that it's supposedly replacing – that phone measures a relatively chunky 7.8mm from front to back.

Sources have suggested that the phone is going to come with a single rear camera, placed in the center at the top. The handset might also be too slim to fit a SIM card slot in, so it'll rely entirely on eSIM technology.

There are obvious challenges with making a super-skinny iPhone, such as managing to fit all the necessary circuitry in there without it overheating. No doubt the experience of manufacturing the various iPads will stand Apple in good stead here.

Whatever Apple has got planned for the iPhone 17 Air, it should make an appearance alongside three other iPhone 17 models sometime in September 2025. Before then, we should get the launch of the iPhone SE 4.

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• EU citizens share opinions on the use of AI in everyday lies
• Younger citizens are happy to include it in democratic procedures
• Older citizens are more fearful, and wouldn't trust its use in elections

A new report from IE University in Madrid suggests a decent level of support for the implementation of AI in security and surveillance, with many Europeans favoring the use of technologies like facial recognition and biometric data.

However, concerns about AI’s role in elections and public decision-making highlight the complex relationship between trust in AI and fears of manipulation.

According to the study, 75% of respondents support the use of AI technologies by police and military forces. Given Europe’s stringent data privacy laws, such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the fear of authorities or AI misusing data is far lower than it would be in the US. GDPR imposes severe penalties for non-compliance, with fines reaching up to 4% of a company’s annual revenue or 20 million euros, whichever is higher.

Fear of manipulation persists

While many Europeans are comfortable with AI’s use in public administration and security, they express significant concern about its impact on elections. The report found that 67% of respondents fear that AI could manipulate democratic processes, particularly by spreading misinformation.

Moreover, nearly a third (31%) of Europeans believe AI has already played a role in shaping their voting decisions, underscoring the growing influence of these technologies in political campaigns.

The public enthusiasm for AI use in some areas like traffic management is high with 79% of respondents supporting its use in optimizing transportation systems. However, opinions shift when AI is applied to more sensitive tasks, such as deciding parole outcomes, with 64% opposing its involvement in judicial matters.

The younger generation, aged 18 to 34, is more open to the idea of delegating political decisions to AI and about 34% of respondents in this age group said they would trust an AI-powered app to vote on their behalf.

Only 29% of individuals aged 35 to 44 would consider using AI to cast their votes. The skepticism becomes even more pronounced among older adults, with just 9% of people aged 65 and above willing to trust AI in the voting process.

Via CNBC

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Hugging Face has introduced its latest offering, Hugging Face Generative AI Services (HUGS), aimed at simplifying the deployment and scaling of generative AI applications using open-source models.

Built on Hugging Face technologies such as Transformers and Text Generation Inference (TGI), HUGS promises optimized performance across various hardware accelerators.

For developers using AWS or Google Cloud, the service is available at $1 per hour per container, with a five-day free trial on AWS to help users get started.

Streamlining AI with zero-configuration inference

HUGS offers developers a solution to run AI models on their own infrastructure without the need for manual configuration. One of the primary challenges when deploying large language models (LLMs) is optimizing them for specific hardware environments. Each accelerator, whether it is an NVIDIA GPU or an AMD GPU, requires fine-tuning to extract maximum performance.

With HUGS, these optimizations are managed automatically, delivering high throughput out of the box. In addition to NVIDIA and AMD GPUs, the company promises that its support will soon extend to AWS Inferentia and Google TPUs.

Hugging Face aims to ease the transition from black-box APIs to open, self-hosted solutions with support for a wide array of models, including well-known LLMs like Llama and Gemma, with plans to introduce multimodal models such as Idefics and Llava soon. In the future, the company says it will include embedding models like BGE and Jina, giving developers even more options to customize their AI applications.

This service uses standardized APIs compatible with OpenAI’s model interfaces, therefore, developers can migrate their own code.

For startups in particular, HUGS provides an opportunity to build AI applications without incurring the high costs associated with proprietary platforms. The availability of one-click deployments on DigitalOcean makes it even easier for small teams to experiment with generative AI technologies.

Meanwhile, larger enterprises can leverage HUGS to scale their applications without being locked into a single cloud provider or proprietary API. On DigitalOcean, HUGS is included at no extra charge beyond the standard cost of GPU Droplets. Hugging Face also offers custom deployment solutions for enterprises through its Enterprise Hub.

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The Samsung Galaxy S25 series has been extensively tipped and rumored at this point, so we have a good idea of what the key features of these phones will be.

By ‘features’ we refer here to the major upgrades and new things relative to the Samsung Galaxy S24 series – so in other words the main things that might make you consider buying a Samsung Galaxy S25 over a Galaxy S24.

You’ll find all of these claimed features and upgrades below, and note that we’re looking at the whole Samsung Galaxy S25 line here – so the Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus and Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra as well as the base model.

MagSafe-like charging

The Samsung Galaxy S24 (Image credit: Future)

One interesting addition that has only recently got tipped is the possible presence of a MagSafe-like system on the Samsung Galaxy S25 line, though exactly how it will work is uncertain.

One rumor suggested the Samsung Galaxy S25 series would all support Qi2 wireless charging, which is a very similar tech to MagSafe, with magnets in the phone that let you magnetically attach wireless chargers and accessories, such as battery packs and tripods.

However, another suggested that instead Samsung might simply sell some magnetic cases, which you could then attach magnetic accessories to.

We’re inclined to say that both of these rumors are probably true – that the phones will support Qi2 charging, but also that Samsung might release a range of magnetic cases, perhaps so that you can still firmly attach magnetic accessories when there’s a case on the phone.

A new ultra-wide camera

The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra (Image credit: Future / Lance Ulanoff)

Several sources have suggested that the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra could have a new ultra-camera, with the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra’s fairly modest 12MP ultra-wide being replaced with a more pixel-packed 50MP sensor.

This should allow for more detailed photos, and will hopefully lead to an overall quality increase, bringing ultra-wide shots more in line with photos taken with the main camera.

However, this upgrade is reportedly just for the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, with the other models likely sticking with the same cameras as their predecessors.

A super-powered chipset

The Snapdragon 8 Elite powering an unnamed phone (Image credit: Qualcomm)

Perhaps the most noticeable upgrade in day-to-day use could be a new chipset, with every Samsung Galaxy S25 model sure to have a faster chipset than their predecessors.

There’s been some debate about which chipset or chipsets will be used, but the consensus seems to be that the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra at least will have a Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset, which based on benchmarks should deliver a huge boost in power.

As for the other models, they may well use the Snapdragon 8 Elite too, but there’s a chance that in some regions they could use an Exynos 2500 instead. This is a chipset that Samsung itself makes, and based on past form it probably won’t be quite as powerful as the Snapdragon 8 Elite – but it should still be a big upgrade on the Galaxy S24’s chipset.

A new ‘Slim’ model

The Samsung Galaxy S24 (Image credit: Future | Roland Moore-Colyer)

Not a feature as such, but the biggest ‘new’ thing in the Samsung Galaxy S25 line might be a completely new model, which for now we’re referring to as the Samsung Galaxy S25 Slim.

This – as that name suggests – could be a much thinner alternative to the other Galaxy S25 models, and we’ve heard that the Galaxy S25 Slim could even have an ‘Ultra’-level camera.

However, to keep it slim there may be compromises elsewhere, such as in the number of lenses or the size of the battery.

Extra RAM

Using AI to create a wallpaper on the Samsung Galaxy S24 (Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)

Going by rumors, it’s looking very likely that both the base Samsung Galaxy S25 and the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra will have more RAM than their predecessors. The former could ship with 12GB (up from 8GB in the Samsung Galaxy S24), and the latter with up to 16GB (up from 12GB in the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra).

However, one tip suggests that the Galaxy S25 Ultra’s starting configuration will still have 12GB of RAM, with only higher storage variants getting 16GB.

In any case, a boost in RAM could be desirable, especially for AI tasks, which can be very dependent on RAM. Notably though there’s no sign of the Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus being boosted from the 12GB of its predecessor.

A larger screen

The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra (Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)

Finally, the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra specifically might have a bigger screen than its predecessor, with reports suggesting it could have a 6.86-inch display, which would likely be marketed as 6.9 inches. That’s up slightly from 6.8 inches on the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra.

So this probably won’t make a drastic difference, but it will bring the phone more in line with the 6.9-inch iPhone 16 Pro Max.

However, the Samsung Galaxy S25 and Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus will probably have the same screen sizes as their predecessors, at 6.2 inches and 6.7 inches respectively.

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Welcome, folks, to a week that has included some of the biggest announcements we might see before CES 2025, in what was an uncharacteristically busy few days so close to the holidays.

Samsung dropped a buzzer-beating announcement to keep its promise we’d find out about its XR tech “this year,” Apple Intelligence finally dropped its most-hyped features, and the Nintendo Switch 2 possibly broke cover. Phew!

To help you get all caught up, scroll down for our picks of the seven biggest tech news stories of the week. Once you’ve recapped the news, why not check out our picks for the seven new movies and TV shows to watch this weekend (December 13).

7. Sony’s PlayStation Wrap-Up broke day one

(Image credit: Sony)

It’s the end of the year and that means Spotify Wrapped clones for everything – not just your music. PlayStation got in on the action with its own gaming Wrap-Up, but either because it was too popular or due to some glitch it was down for a while after launch.

Thankfully it’s back up now, so you can finally head to the official PlayStation Wrap-Up 2024 page to see your stats – I apparently played nearly 200 hours of Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth in my hunt for the Platinum Trophy, and over 50 hours just of Balatro, TechRadar’s Game of the Year.

• Read more: PlayStation Wrap-Up broke immediately at launch

6. We celebrated the lighter side of (wild) life

Smooching owlets, Sarthak Ranganadhan (Image credit: © Milko Marchetti)

From more than 9,000 images 45 finalists were shortlisted for this year’s Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards 2024, with Italian photographer Milko Marchetti scooping the top award for a hilarious image of a squirrel looking like it’s stuck head-first in a tree.

Every image is an inspiring look at what artists can achieve with the best cameras on the market, and some creativity.

A free exhibition is happening from 11-15 December in the Gallery@Oxo in London, but if you can’t make it, all of 2024's finalists can be seen on the Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards website.

• Read more: Nikon Comedy Wildlife Awards 2024 winners announced

5. We saw the Switch 2, maybe

(Image credit: Shutterstock/Kyli Petersen)

The Nintendo Switch 2 is one of tech most poorly kept secrets. The follow up to the hugely popular Nintendo console has been the subject of multiple leaks over the past few months, and we might now have our first glimpse of it thanks to a now-deleted trailer from third-party accessory manufacturer Satisfye.

The video was for the Zengrip 2 specifically, and the trailer for the add-on seemingly showed us a blurry Nintendo Switch 2 model which highlighted a similar overall design to the original but with the rumored extra button which has been teased.

There are questions around whether this leak is legitimate or merely a way to stoke up hype for a Nintendo Switch grip, but with a release date announcement for the Switch 2 possible before the end of 2024, even, we might not have long to wait before we see the console for real.

• Read more: Nintendo Switch 2 leak may have revealed the first look at the new handheld

4. Apple crowned the 17 best App Store apps

(Image credit: Kino)

Following Google’s recent announcement of the best Android apps of 2024, Apple has revealed the 17 apps it thinks are the best its App Store had to offer us this year.

iPhone App of the Year Kino will help you capture better videos, Mac App of the Year Adobe Lightroom will help you edit those videos and other snaps, while Apple Arcade Game of the Year Balatro+ will help you lose a lot of hours from the working day (I’m definitely not speaking from experience on that one. Not at all).

There are a lot of good picks among them, so you’ll want to see what the winners have to offer users across iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch, Apple TV, and Apple Vision Pro.

• Read more: Apple names the 17 apps you should download now

3. Sora video generation looks scarily good

(Image credit: Future)

OpenAI has been busy of late, giving us a slew of big new reveals as part of its 12 Days of OpenAI event.

This week, it finally gave us access to Sora, its new AI video-generation platform that lets you generate shockingly realistic-looking videos. We’ve been giving it a test and even in our brief hands-on it’s clear that the tech will bring about a video creation revolution – though maybe not in a great way.

You can give it a try at Sora.com once you log into your ChatGPT Plus account; you need at least that level of access to start creating up to 50 generations a month, while Pro gets you unlimited. However, while it is kinda fun to play around with the software to create fun clips, their realistic look can’t help but set off fears that this technology could be abused.

The tech isn’t perfect right now, with our own tests generating dogs with tails that grow and disappear at random, for example – but it is something to be wary of as you browse the web. It's all very impressive, sure, but it's about to become a lot harder to tell what is and isn’t real online.

• Read more: I just used Sora for the first time and it blew my mind

2. iOS 18.2 took Apple Intelligence up a notch

(Image credit: Apple / Kino / NYT / Moises)

Apple Intelligence has, to put it mildly, been feeling a little lacking. That was until this week, when iOS 18.2 rolled out with some much-needed updates to Apple's AI.

These include Genmoji and Image Playground for generating custom emoji and images using text prompts, ChatGPT integration into Siri for more in-depth answers, and the rollout of Apple Intelligence to non-US English – meaning you can access it in the UK and Australia without changing your phone’s language settings.

It wasn’t just for iPhones either; Apple Intelligence updates came to Apple’s full suite of products via iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2, and macOS Sequoia 15.2 updates.

• Read more: The biggest Apple Intelligence upgrade yet for iPhone, iPad, and Mac is here

1. Samsung’s Project Moohan broke cover

(Image credit: Google)

The worst-kept secret in tech – even more so than the Switch 2 – finally got unveiled this week, with Samsung and Google showcasing Project Moohan, the pair’s mixed-reality headset. And yes, it does look a lot like an Apple Vision Pro.

Powered by the Android XR platform, Moohan will launch sometime in 2025, with the developer kit rolling our right now to app creators so they can make software ahead of the headset’s release.

Details are light on the ground with regards to cost, a precise release date, and even battery life and weight – but we do know that Samsung has a pair of AR glasses up its sleeve, too. Once again, though, we’ll have to wait a while before we hear more about them, and even longer until we can try the specs out for ourselves.

• Read more: Google and Samsung reveal Project Moohan mixed-reality headset and Android XR

Good morning! Let's play Connections, the NYT's clever word game that challenges you to group answers in various categories. It can be tough, so read on if you need clues.

What should you do once you've finished? Why, play some more word games of course. I've also got daily Strands hints and answers and Quordle hints and answers articles if you need help for those too, while Marc's Wordle today page covers the original viral word game.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Connections today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

NYT Connections today (game #552) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• GOING
• SOLE
• REAL
• BUTTER
• FLUKE
• SOLD
• DIVA
• SOL
• ONCE
• SOLO
• TANG
• YUAN
• POUND
• TWICE
• WORLD
• MULLET

NYT Connections today (game #552) - hint #1 - group hints

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

• YELLOW: Things with fins
• GREEN: The bids are in 
• BLUE: Spending power
• PURPLE: No mugs

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 #552) - hint #2 - group answers

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

• YELLOW: FISH 
• GREEN: WORDS IN AN AUCTION-ENDING PHRASE 
• BLUE: GLOBAL CURRENCIES 
• PURPLE: WORDS BEFORE "CUP"

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

NYT Connections today (game #552) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #552, are…

• YELLOW: FISH FLUKE, MULLET, SOLE, TANG
• GREEN: WORDS IN AN AUCTION-ENDING PHRASE GOING, ONCE, SOLD, TWICE
• BLUE: GLOBAL CURRENCIES POUND, REAL, SOL, YUAN
• PURPLE: WORDS BEFORE "CUP" BUTTER, DIVA, SOLO, WORLD

• My rating: Moderate
• My score: Perfect

There was one head-scratcher in every group today – making it one of those strangely satisfying games.

WORDS BEFORE “CUP” definitely warranted its Purple status, but even the Yellow group had a FISH that could just as easily have been one of the GLOBAL CURRENCIES.

How much is the fish?

25 Tang to you.

You could say it was a FLUKE, but I made it home without a hitch.

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Friday, 13 December, game #551)

• YELLOW: FANTASY CREATURES DRAGON, GIANT, PIXIE, TROLL
• GREEN: EMAIL FOLDERS DRAFTS, SENT, SPAM, TRASH
• BLUE: CITRUS SODAS CRUSH, SPRITE, SQUIRT, STARRY
• PURPLE: ANIMAL HOMOPHONES BORE, LINKS, PHISH, TOWED

What is NYT Connections?

NYT Connections is one of several increasingly popular word games made by the New York Times. It challenges you to find groups of four items that share something in common, and each group has a different difficulty level: green is easy, yellow a little harder, blue often quite tough and purple usually very difficult.

On the plus side, you don't technically need to solve the final one, as you'll be able to answer that one by a process of elimination. What's more, you can make up to four mistakes, which gives you a little bit of breathing room.

It's a little more involved than something like Wordle, however, and there are plenty of opportunities for the game to trip you up with tricks. For instance, watch out for homophones and other word games that could disguise the answers.

It's playable for free via the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.

Strands is the NYT's latest word game after the likes of Wordle, Spelling Bee and Connections – and it's great fun. It can be difficult, though, so read on for my Strands hints.

Want more word-based fun? Then check out my NYT Connections today and Quordle today pages for hints and answers for those games, and Marc's Wordle today page for the original viral word game.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about NYT Strands today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

NYT Strands today (game #286) - hint #1 - today's theme What is the theme of today's NYT Strands?

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Nothing can stop me!

NYT Strands today (game #286) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• STONE
• DEAR 
• SENT
• TESTED
• PART
• NOTE

NYT Strands today (game #286) - hint #3 - spangram What is a hint for today's spangram?

• Seize the day types

NYT Strands today (game #286) - hint #4 - spangram position What are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

First side: left, 5th row

Last side: 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 #286) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #286, are…

• FIRE 
• PASSION
• DRIVE 
• DEVOTION
• INTENSITY
• PURPOSE
• SPANGRAM: GO GETTER

• My rating: Easy
• My score: 1 hint

Being the CEO of my organization (employees: one, me), I like to think that I bring passion, drive, and a sense of purpose to the production of the daily Strands hints and answers page. I am passionate about completing these puzzles one day at a time with methodical professionalism and focused intensity.

It is with a great source of pride that I completed today’s Strands in record time (well, less than 20 minutes) to achieve the stretch goal of returning to bed for a snooze. Being a GO GETTER is sooo exhausting.

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

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Friday, 13 December, game #285)

• LOVER
• EVERMORE
• FEARLESS
• FOLKLORE
• MIDNIGHTS
• SPANGRAM: ALBUMTITLE

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.

Quordle was one of the original Wordle alternatives and is still going strong now more than 1,000 games later. It offers a genuine challenge, though, so read on if you need some Quordle hints today – or scroll down further for the answers.

Enjoy playing word games? You can also check out my NYT Connections today and NYT Strands today pages for hints and answers for those puzzles, while Marc's Wordle today column covers the original viral word game.

SPOILER WARNING: Information about Quordle today is below, so don't read on if you don't want to know the answers.

Quordle today (game #1055) - hint #1 - Vowels How many different vowels are in Quordle today?

• The number of different vowels in Quordle today is 3*.

* 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 #1055) - 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 #1055) - 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 #1055) - 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 #1055) - hint #5 - starting letters (2) What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• S

• O

• T

• D

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

Quordle today (game #1055) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1055, are…

• SPIEL
• ONSET
• TIGER
• DITTO

I love you Quordle… I’ve always loved you…

DITTO

I was at it from the ONSET today determined to tame the four-word beast. But no.

I’m beginning to think that the only way to complete Quordle is to take it to the edge and hope you get lucky on the final go.

Fortunately, that final scene in Ghost sprang to mind, and with a tear rolling down my cheek I was able to bring this particular baby (wrong movie alert) home.

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

Daily Sequence today (game #1055) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1055, are…

• TALON
• SNOWY
• CONIC
• CLACK

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1054, Friday 13 December: ERECT, REBAR, MOIST, IDIOM
• Quordle #1053, Thursday 12 December: MILKY, CRIER, STORK, DRIER
• Quordle #1052, Wednesday 11 December: BRIAR, NASAL, SHARD, FLUFF
• Quordle #1051, Tuesday 10 December: BEGAN, TRIAL, IDEAL, GUIDE
• Quordle #1050, Monday 9 December: TITAN, FORTE, SPEED, BRIAR
• Quordle #1049, Sunday 8 December: BUNCH, SHINY, MOULT, INTRO
• Quordle #1048, Saturday 7 December: SHAKY, CROOK, GHOUL, VERSE
• Quordle #1047, Friday 6 December: BRAWL, UNTIL, DOWRY, STING
• Quordle #1046, Thursday 5 December: AGING, BICEP, CLOVE, SPILL
• Quordle #1045, Wednesday 4 December: JUDGE, GIVER, GNASH, CLOAK
• Quordle #1044, Tuesday 3 December: FUDGE, THICK, CRANK, STASH
• Quordle #1043, Monday 2 December: TROPE, HOVER, SAUNA, SHAPE
• Quordle #1042, Sunday 1 December: NAIVE, CIRCA, STEAD, MICRO
• Quordle #1041, Saturday 30 November: MAMMA, SNUCK, CRYPT, TAROT
• Quordle #1040, Friday 29 November: JOIST, DROOL, DUSKY, GLIDE
• Quordle #1039, Thursday 28 November: GRADE, WORRY, NOISE, DAISY
• Quordle #1038, Wednesday 27 November: HEART, ROGUE, INEPT, UTILE
• Quordle #1037, Tuesday 26 November: PRIED, FAINT, HURRY, WOOER
• Quordle #1036, Monday 25 November: NUDGE, SNOOP, SHACK, DRYLY
• Quordle #1035, Sunday 24 November: CLOTH, CLAMP, PETTY, CHEST

Character.AI has a new set of features aimed at making interactions with the virtual personalities it hosts safer, especially for teenagers. The company just debuted a new version of its AI model specifically designed for its younger users, as well as a set of parental controls to manage their time on the website. The updates follow earlier safety changes to the platform in the wake of accusations that the AI chatbots were negatively impacting the mental health of children.

These safety changes have been accompanied by other efforts to tighten the reins on Character.AI's content. The company recently began a purge, albeit an incomplete one, of any AI imitations of copyrighted and trademarked characters.

For teen users, the most noticeable change will likely be the division between the adult and teen versions of the AI model. You have to be 13 to sign up for Character.AI, but users under 18 will be directed to a model with narrower guardrails specifically built to prevent romantic or suggestive interactions.

The model also has better filters for what the user writes and is better at noting when a user attempts to bypass those limits. That includes a new restriction on editing responses from the chatbot to sneak around the suggestive content restriction. The company is keen on keeping any conversations between teenagers and its AI personalities PG. In addition, if a conversation touches on topics like self-harm or suicide, the platform will pop up a link to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline to help guide teens to professional resources.

Character.AI is also working to keep parents in the loop about what their teenagers are doing on the website, with controls set to come out early next year. The new parental controls will give parents insight into how much time their kids spend on the platform and which bots they’re chatting with the most. To make sure these changes hit the right notes, Character.AI is working with several teen online safety experts.

Disclaimer AI

It's not just teenagers that Character.AI is looking to help maintain a sense of reality. They’re also tackling concerns about screen time addiction, with all users getting a reminder after they've been talking to a chatbot for an hour. The reminder nudges them to take a break.

The existing disclaimers about the AI origins of the characters are also getting a boost. Instead of just a small note, you'll see a longer explanation about them being AI. That's especially true if any of the chatbots are described as doctors, therapists, or other experts. A new extra warning makes it crystal clear that the AI isn’t a licensed professional and shouldn’t replace real advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Imagine a big yellow sign saying, “Hey, this is fun and all, but maybe don’t ask me for life-changing advice.”

"At Character.AI, we are committed to fostering a safe environment for all our users. To meet that commitment we recognize that our approach to safety must evolve alongside the technology that drives our product – creating a platform where creativity and exploration can thrive without compromising safety," Character.AI explained in a post about the changes. "To get this right, safety must be infused in all we do here at Character.AI. This suite of changes is part of our long-term commitment to continuously improve our policies and our product."

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• Marvell partnership extension builds on long-term deal for AWS
• Marvell plans to accelerate silicon design and manufacturing
• AWS continues data center compute upgrades

AWS has announced an expansion to its partnership with Marvell Technology in a bid to boost collaboration on silicon design.

The five-year agreement will see the two firms collaborate on development of several AWS products alongside work designing data center infrastructure hardware.

Through its existing partnership with Marvell, AWS said it has rapidly advanced data center compute, networking, and storage capabilities, delivering efficiency improvements and cost savings both internally and for customers.

Marvell eyes silicon efficiency gains

In a statement, Marvell Technology said the deal will include distribution of custom AI products, optical digital signal processors (DSPs), PCIe retimers, Ethernet switching silicon solutions, and more.

“Building a cost and power efficient cloud at the scale that only AWS can deliver begins with leading-edge semiconductors designed to meet the demanding infrastructure needs of our customers,” said AWS chief executive Matt Garman.

“Our expanded collaboration with Marvell enables us to deploy our comprehensive semiconductor portfolio and specialized networking hardware to advance our mission to provide the industry’s most robust and scalable cloud and AI services to our customers.”

Looking ahead, Marvell said the relationship will enable it to accelerate silicon design, with AWS compute infrastructure supporting future design activities and helping to ramp up time-to-market for product lines.

The company has already embraced a ‘cloud-first’ approach, harnessing AWS’ event-driven architecture (EDA) to improve performance and reduce costs.

“Strengthening our partnership with AWS marks a significant milestone for Marvell, deepening our long-standing relationship in cloud computing and data center semiconductors,” said Matt Murphy, Chairman and CEO at Marvell.

“AWS’s EDA solutions will help Marvell rapidly and securely scale our silicon design process and capabilities to deliver industry-leading accelerated infrastructure with best-in-class time to market.”

AWS isn’t the only major tech company Marvell has partnered with on silicon design lately.

At the OCP Global Summit in early 2024, the firm revealed its collaboration with Meta had developed a new network chip, dubbed FBNIC, aimed at enhancing the tech giant’s internal networking capabilities.

This partnership saw the creation of a Network Interface Controller (NIC) built using a 5nm process that combined custom firmware, software, and hardware.

All told, Meta said the chip had delivered significant network performance improvements.

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