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In today’s dynamic application landscape, delivering IT infrastructure that’s highly available, performant and secure is paramount for organizations of all sizes. Load balancers help achieve this by distributing client network traffic across multiple servers. They also distribute traffic across geographic locations to minimize downtime and enhance the application experience.

Since 65% of organizations say their cloud environment is multi-cloud, enterprise IT teams and decision-makers are re-evaluating their load-balancing choices more frequently. They need a versatile, secure and cost-efficient solution that aligns with modern deployment needs—one that optimises workflows and minimises downtime to enhance application performance. Understanding the essential role of load balancers, the state of load balancing in modern tech ecosystems and where application delivery sits today gives professionals a holistic perspective from which to make informed choices.

The changing load balancer landscape

Numerous industry trends and application influences shape how load balancers are used today. Enterprise IT teams and decision-makers are increasingly open to exploring and starting to use load-balancing vendors and solutions. A survey conducted by EMA revealed that 80% of enterprise organizations indicated a willingness to consider switching load-balancing vendors in the next two years.

There are numerous reasons behind the changing demands for applications. The rise of cloud-based applications, micro-service architectures and hybrid cloud deployments have increased the complexity of load-balancing requirements. Many organizations struggle to support this evolving application landscape with their current load balancers, highlighting their need for a solution that offers advanced security, robust analytics and other features that simplify management.

Ongoing support costs for their existing load balancers and additional deployments can be significant, as can adding additional nodes for new applications. This drives organizations to seek out more cost-effective alternatives that will enable them to flexibly scale their load-balancing architecture without considerable spikes in their operational costs.

Benefits of load balancing

Load balancers drive business value in various ways—far beyond enhancing the performance, availability, reliability and redundancy of IT infrastructure to maintain continuous service.

In addition to these critical roles, load balancers can also optimize resource utilization, significantly reducing costs and improving system performance. They facilitate the efficient use of server resources, reducing the risk of underutilization or overloading.

Perhaps a lesser-known but critical benefit—load balancers can enhance security by controlling traffic in a way that mitigates the risk of DDoS attacks. They can detect and block malicious traffic, helping to protect the network from potential threats. They can also play a crucial part in disaster recovery strategies by redirecting traffic to backup servers in case of a failure. This capability maintains business continuity and minimizes downtime.

Load balancing also allows organizations to easily add or remove servers based on traffic demands. This flexibility supports seamless scalability, accommodating growing user bases without service disruptions.

Considerations for choosing a load-balancing platform

When evaluating load-balancing platforms, it’s vital to find one that can flex as organizational needs change in scale and complexity. A platform offering customer-focused support and rich online resources will help an organization of any size get the maximum benefit from deployments.

It's also worth checking out the vendor’s development history. For instance, research how the vendor has been investing back in product R&D and how quickly they address bugs. Some vendors can even provide an estimate on ROI. Finally, it’s critical that licensing isn’t only Perpetual and offers flexibility that can scale to the business’s needs.

Some fundamental features to look for in a solution include:

Core load balancing: Core load-balancing functionality that’s table stakes for modern organizations includes on-premises, cloud and hybrid application deployments. It's better still to find one that offers a Global Server Load Balancing (GSLB) feature that can be used across multiple data centers, cloud providers and regions.

Cybersecurity functionality: Layered cybersecurity functionality can provide an additional security boost to an organization's existing cybersecurity practices. These include a Web Application Firewall (WAF), Edge Security Pack (ESP) including Reverse Proxy, End Point Authentication, Active Directory integration, RADIUS authentication, Single Sign On (SSO) across virtual services, RSA SecurID dual factor authentication and Persistent Logging and Reporting.

Adaptable deployment options: Load balancers can be deployed in different infrastructure setups, including dedicated hardware, virtual machines or cloud platforms, like Azure and AWS.

Flexible and competitive pricing: Specifiers should be able to choose the licensing model that fits their business needs. These include Perpetual, Subscription, Pay-as-You-Go (PAYG) and Pooled. With the right choice, organisations can achieve significant cost savings for deployment and reduce ongoing support costs.

Prioritizing security and efficiency

The load balancer landscape continues to evolve in anticipation of upcoming industry trends and influences. Therefore, a versatile, secure and efficient load-balancing solution is essential for enterprise businesses.

For organizations to optimize their current load-balancing capabilities for the best application experience, there must be in alignment with modern deployment needs, improved functionality, flexible licensing and lower cost of ownership, plus industry-leading support and online resources.

We list the best cloud firewall.

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

If you struggle with your fitness or staying active, getting out and getting those steps in can really be challenging. After all, 10,000 steps in miles is about 5 miles for the average walker, and sometimes getting that distance in can prove challenging.

Learning how to walk 10,000 steps a day efficiently means incorporating lots of little lifestyle tweaks to help you get on track. You can break up your mileage into more manageable chunks, actively try to incorporate more steps into your daily life, track it all on one of the best fitness trackers, and even buddy up with someone to make the process more enjoyable.

A couple of precise tech purchases could also massively elevate your step count and your overall fitness. With the Black Friday deals event just around the corner, I reckon that anyone struggling with motivation or the logistics of walking could seriously boost their well-being with just two key pieces of relatively cheap equipment.

In 2024, the benefits of walking 10,000 steps every day are well documented. Study after study indicates that walking 10,000 steps a day can help lower anxiety, depression, anger, fatigue, confusion, and total mood distress, can reduce the risk of cancer and cardiovascular disease, and can help significantly lower body weight, BMI, body fat, and waist circumference.

But thanks to Black Friday, you don’t need to worry about splashing out hundreds of dollars or pounds per year on a gym membership, or buying a top-of-the-line treadmill for your basement. Here’s how you can start walking 10,000 steps with nothing but a cheap walking pad and a humble fitness tracker.

Track your steps

(Image credit: Future)

Counting your steps is going to be impossible without some specialized equipment, and while your smartphone might have a step counter, even a cheap fitness tracker is going to give you much better insight into your overall activity levels and your fitness as a result.

Without spending a great deal, in the UK you can pick up a Huawei Band 9, or a Xiaomi Smart Band 9 for less than £40. The latter is our top cheap fitness tracker pick thanks to its nifty screen, accurate sensors, and comprehensive data. If you’ve got a little bit more to spend, the Google Fitbit Inspire 3 is a solid choice at around £85, but there’s no need to spend more than £50. Save your money and use it for the second gadget we’ll come to.

You won’t find Huawei in the US, but you will find Xiaomi’s Smart Band 9 for $51 on Amazon, or the older Smart Band 8 for just $45. In the US, the aforementioned Fitbit Inspire 3 is also a lot more affordable, discounted to just $69.

Of course, you could always push the boat out with an Apple Watch or a Samsung Galaxy alternative, or even a great Garmin like the Forerunner 55, but if you’re just looking for a cheap band to count steps and keep you motivated, there’s no reason to spend more than $100.

Unlock the power of the walking pad

(Image credit: Future / Jessica Downey)

As the owner and beneficiary of a great walking pad, and as TechRadar’s fitness and wearables staff writer, I’m a fervent advocate of the humble walking pad as one of the best fitness tools out there. Cheaper and smaller than treadmills, they can often be folded away for storage and provide the perfect walking platform to help you get your steps in at home. Also known as under-desk treadmills, you can use the best under-desk treadmills to do almost anything, be it attending work calls or meetings, watching Netflix, making or taking phone calls, listening to podcasts, and more.

You’ll find most great walking pads are less than $400/£300, and plenty are on sale around Black Friday for less. Walking pads can help you avoid inclement weather or dark winter nights, cutting out some of the key concerns that often get in the way of our best-laid fitness plans.

In the UK, we’ve had our eye on the Kitopa walking pad. Normally £189, it’s just £129 right now and has fallen as low as £99 in recent weeks.

In the US, this Cursor Fitness pad comes in as low as $85, or this highly rated SupeRun is just $125 instead of its usual $289 list price.

Choosing your walking pad wisely matters a bit more than the fitness tracker, simply because it’s a bigger cost commitment. So if you’re shopping around, make sure you look out for important metrics like the weight of the unit itself, the weight limit, speeds, and extra features such as a remote control.

You can also find more picks in our best under-desk treadmills roundup, where our top budget pick will set you back around $150 / £150, or you can splash out for a more premium model.

Regardless, Black Friday is absolutely a great time to pick up some incredible fitness tech and give you a head start on those January fitness resolutions.

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• IT helpdesks need to evolve or face extinction in the age of AI
• Both AI and automation are expected to render them obsolete
• Helpdesks could transform into "experience desks" if they adapt

The traditional IT help desk, often the backbone of enterprise tech support, is facing a seismic shift as digital landscapes grow more complex and demanding, new research has claimed.

A report from Nexthink based on a survey of 1,000 IT workers worldwide has revealed growing concerns and excitement over the evolution of the service desk model and the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) and automation on end-user computing (EUC).

The short response to this survey is that traditional IT service desks will become “extinct” in a few years. Almost four-fifths (79%) of IT workers believe traditional service desks will be unrecognizable within three years, while just slightly less (77%) predict that new technologies will render them redundant by 2027.

The decline of traditional service desks

As companies increasingly rely on complex digital systems, the number of incidents and technical issues has grown, and IT departments are feeling the pressure to keep up with these demands.

The survey found the vast majority (87%) of IT workers believe incident response is economically unsustainable without significant proactive capabilities.

The evolution of service desks is increasingly leaning towards proactive IT solutions. Without this shift, the risk of AI and automation replacing traditional roles in service management looms large.

Almost all (96%) of IT professionals emphasize the need for enhanced proactivity in anticipating and addressing incidents. In parallel, 95% report that their departments are actively investing in strategies to become more proactive, acknowledging that this transformation is vital for boosting organizational productivity.

Many IT professionals also foresee a shift toward what they call the "experience desk." The survey reveals that 92% of respondents believe the service desk will transform into this new model, focused on enhancing the overall employee experience. The shift toward an experience-centric model will require upskilling within IT departments.

Respondents also identified three key areas for development; understanding the employee experience; generative AI skills; and the ability to deliver technological training. These competencies will become increasingly important as IT professionals work to align technical solutions with employee needs and preferences.

It isn't all doom and gloom however, with 96% of IT professionals expressing excitement about the potential of AI-driven technologies to improve end-user computing, further believing that it makes the field an attractive career route.

However, companies will face two problems - resistance from employees and training barriers. 76% of respondents believe employees will resist deploying their IT fixes, 75% predict insufficient employee training as a major barrier, and 68% fear that these technological changes could impact their career prospects.

“The ultimate value of any technology is how well it enables people to do their jobs and how it impacts overall company productivity,” said Yassine Zaied, Chief Strategy Officer, Nexthink. “Right now, businesses are spending billions on digital transformation yet seeing mixed results at best."

"Whether it’s underperforming devices, failed adoption projects, or botched migrations, business efficiency is constantly being halted by poor digital experiences. IT is going to be the nexus for all productivity enablement moving forward, and this research shows that IT workers are already looking to make that transition. The only question is whether executives will provide the resources investment needed to support them in this journey,” Zaied added.

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• Google has released a scam advisory
• 'Cloaking' is being used by threat actors
• AI is helping scammers take advantage of popular events

Google has revealed a new report outlining the most common techniques threat actors are using against victims, highlighting a practice known as ‘Cloaking’ as a way to deceive users into disclosing sensitive information.

The technique uses tools called ‘cloakers’ to show different content to different users based on identifying information such as IP addresses. Often, cloaking will involve showing one version of a landing page or website to search engines and bots, and another version to real human users.

“Cloaking is specifically designed to prevent moderation systems and teams from reviewing policy-violating content which enables them to deploy the scam directly to users”, Laurie Richardson, Vice President, Trust & Safety at Google wrote in the report.

Scareware and malware

Cloaking does have some legitimate uses, such as for advertisers who want to prevent their pages from being scraped by bots, or who want to hide their strategies from competitors. However, Google has observed scammers using cloaking tools to redirect users who click an ad to scareware sites.

This then tricks users into believing their device is infected with malware, or that their account has been blocked due to unauthorized activity - which tricks them into a false ‘customer support’ site, to which they reveal sensitive information.

“The landing pages often mimic well-known sites and create a sense of urgency to manipulate users into purchasing counterfeit products or unrealistic products.” Google says.

Other techniques outlined were the exploitation of major events. Scammers take advantage of significant events such as elections, sports fixtures, or humanitarian disasters. The well established technique is being bolstered by AI tools, which are able to quickly respond to breaking news and advertise false products and services.

Elsewhere, Google also flagged fake charity scams, which aim to defraud people looking to donate to relief efforts and set up appeals to seem legitimate, with AI tools being used to produce huge amounts of content to overwhelm users to deceive them into clicking malicious links.

"Preventing user harm from malicious scams requires effective cooperation across the online ecosystem," Richardson concluded. "Bad actors are constantly evolving their tactics and techniques...we’re sharpening our detection and enforcement techniques to meet these threats, enhancing our proactive capabilities, and ensuring we have robust and fair policies in place to protect people."

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Alex Yee, Arcane co-creator

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

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

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

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

Enjoy playing word games? You can also check out my Wordle today, NYT Connections today and NYT Strands today pages for hints and answers for those puzzles.

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

Quordle today (game #1028) - hint #1 - Vowels How many different vowels are in Quordle today?

• The number of different vowels in Quordle today is 4*.

* Note that by vowel we mean the five standard vowels (A, E, I, O, U), not Y (which is sometimes counted as a vowel too).

Quordle today (game #1028) - hint #2 - repeated letters Do any of today's Quordle answers contain repeated letters?

• The number of Quordle answers containing a repeated letter today is 1.

Quordle today (game #1028) - hint #3 - uncommon letters Do the letters Q, Z, X or J appear in Quordle today?

• No. None of Q, Z, X or J appear among today's Quordle answers.

Quordle today (game #1028) - hint #4 - starting letters (1) Do any of today's Quordle puzzles start with the same letter?

• The number of today's Quordle answers starting with the same letter is 2.

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

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

• S

• B

• S

• U

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

Quordle today (game #1028) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

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

• STATE
• BRAWN
• SWORE
• URBAN

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

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

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

Daily Sequence today (game #1028) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

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

• CLASS
• THING
• CADDY
• BADLY

Quordle answers: The past 20

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

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

What should you do once you've finished? Why, play some more word games of course. I've also got daily Wordle hints and answers, Strands hints and answers and Quordle hints and answers articles if you need help for those too.

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

NYT Connections today (game #525) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

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

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

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

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

Need more clues?

We're firmly in spoiler territory now, but read on if you want to know what the four theme answers are for today's NYT Connections puzzles…

NYT Connections today (game #525) - hint #2 - group answers

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

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

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

NYT Connections today (game #525) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

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

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

• My rating: Hard
• My score: 2 mistakes

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

What is NYT Connections?

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

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

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

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

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

Want more word-based fun? Then check out my Wordle today, NYT Connections today and Quordle today pages for hints and answers for those games.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

• Sightseeing favorites

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

First: right, 3rd row

Last: left, 3rd row

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

NYT Strands today (game #259) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

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

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

• My rating: Easy
• My score: Perfect

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

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

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

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

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

What is NYT Strands?

Strands is the NYT's new word game, following Wordle and Connections. It's now out of beta so is a fully fledged member of the NYT's games stable and can be played on the NYT Games site on desktop or mobile.

I've got a full guide to how to play NYT Strands, complete with tips for solving it, so check that out if you're struggling to beat it each day.

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

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

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

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

Full overclocking support

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

30,000mAh battery

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Cameras and chipsets

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

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

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

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

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

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• Another list of Galaxy S25 colors has leaked
• The shades could vary from the Galaxy S24 handsets
• Previous rumors have been contradictory

We're not far off the expected January 2025 launch of the Samsung Galaxy S25 phones, and the leaks around these three handsets continue – with the most recent giving us more of an idea about the color options that are coming.

Well-known tipster Evan Blass has gone on record as saying the standard Galaxy S25 and Galaxy S25 Plus handsets (codenamed PA1 and PA2 respectively) will be available in Blue, Mint, Navy, and Silver Shadow shades.

As for the Galaxy S25 Ultra (PA3), we can look forward to that particular phone being available in Titanium Blue, Titanium Gray, Titanium Black, and Titanium Silver when it makes its official debut next year.

As Android Headlines notes, all of those colors are likely to be the basic options, with additional colors available less widely. Sometimes the shades you can get the flagship Galaxy phones in depends on where you are in the world.

Changing color choices

We may see some new shades for the Ultra model (Image credit: Future)

For comparison, the basic colors for the Samsung Galaxy S24 and Galaxy S24 Plus are Cobalt Violet, Amber Yellow, Onyx Black, and Marble Gray, and then you've got Sapphire Blue, Jade Green, and Sandstone Orange available through Samsung's website.

When it comes to the Galaxy S24 Ultra – see our Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra review for details – the choices are Titanium Gray, Titanium Black, Titanium Violet, and Titanium Yellow, with Titanium Blue, Titanium Green, and Titanium Orange available online.

There's some variation coming next year then, and some discrepancy between the color names we heard rumored last month – though the actual colors themselves seem to line up (Mint and Sparkling Green could well be the same shade, for example).

Another leak earlier in October, from a reputable source, pointed to Black, Blue, Green, and Titanium for the Galaxy S25 Ultra, which doesn't exactly match this new leak. It's possible that Samsung is still deciding which options to go forward with.

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The biggest phones of 2024 have all now launched, but we probably won’t have to get far into 2025 before we see another major handset – in fact, three of them should land all at once, early in the year, in the form of the Samsung Galaxy S25, the Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus, and the Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra.

This trio of high-end phones are likely to be the best of Samsung’s non-foldable phones for the year, and based on past form will probably rank among the absolute best phones from any brand.

While we don’t know exactly when these handsets will launch, we can take an educated guess based on rumors and tips, and Samsung’s typical release date patterns. Below then, you’ll find the predicted announcement date, our prediction for the pre-order date, and when we think these phones will actually go on sale.

We’ll also update this article whenever we hear any credible release date news or rumors, so make sure to keep checking back.

Samsung Galaxy S25 announcement date predictions

The Samsung Galaxy S24 series (Image credit: Samsung)

We've heard two credible release date leaks so far, one of which suggests that the Samsung Galaxy S25 series will be announced on January 23 and the other points to a Galaxy S25 announcement on January 22. However, with the first leak coming from South Korea and the launch event likely happening in the US, it's very possible due to time differences that both are correct, but for our purposes then the January 22 leak would be more likely.

Beyond that, another Samsung Galaxy S25 announcement date hint comes in the form of a Vietnamese survey, shared by @pnk505 on X. This states that on January 5, respondents will get a 10% discount off the next Galaxy S models.

So you might assume January 5 would be the announcement date of these phones, but that’s a Sunday, which is not a day Samsung is likely to use. Still, the discount code needn’t necessarily be sent on the announcement date, so if the survey is genuine then we could still see these phones get announced in early to mid-January, or indeed on January 22, as mentioned above.

But we’d be surprised if we see the phones before the middle of the month, as CES 2025 runs from January 7-11 (with some announcements potentially happening ahead of the official start of the show).

That will ensure the tech world’s attentions are elsewhere on those days, and Samsung itself typically uses CES to announce TVs and smart home products, so it probably wouldn’t want to distract from them with a major phone launch.

So where does that leave us? Beyond leaks, in its quarterly earnings report for Q3 2024, Samsung confirmed that the Galaxy S25 line would land in the first half of 2025, so we can round the release date down a little at least.

But based on when Samsung typically launches new models, we can round down the likely timing further. The Samsung Galaxy S24 series was unveiled on January 17 of 2024, while the Samsung Galaxy S23 line was announced on February 1 of 2023. For the Samsung Galaxy S22, Samsung used February 9, and the Galaxy S21 was unveiled on January 14 of its release year.

So in recent years Samsung has always unveiled new Galaxy S models in either January or February, and no earlier than mid-January or later than mid-February. We’d expect the company will follow the same pattern with the Galaxy S25, so these phones will likely be unveiled somewhere roughly between January 15 and February 15.

January 22 fits comfortably into that window, so for now we'd say that's the most likely date, but any other date in that timeframe is possible too.

Samsung Galaxy S25 pre-order date predictions

The Samsung Galaxy S24 Plus (Image credit: Future)

In recent years, Samsung has opened pre-orders for new Galaxy S models the same day as they’re announced, and we have no reason to think that trend will stop with the Samsung Galaxy S25 line.

So we predict you’ll be able to pre-order the Galaxy S25, Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus, and Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, straight after they’re announced – which as detailed above will possibly be on January 22, and at the very least will probably be sometime between around January 15 and February 15.

Samsung Galaxy S25 on-sale date predictions

The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra (Image credit: Future)

The Samsung Galaxy S24 went on sale on January 31, which is two weeks after it was announced. There was a similar but not identical gap with the Galaxy S23 and Galaxy S22, each of which went on sale 16 days after their announcement, and the Galaxy S21 which went on sale 15 days after it was announced.

So we expect there will be a roughly two-week gap once again, meaning that if the Samsung Galaxy S25 is announced on January 22, it will probably go on sale sometime around February 5, give or take a couple of days, as that's two weeks later.

Of course, we're not certain of that January 22 announcement date, but assuming the Samsung Galaxy S25 line is unveiled between mid-January and mid-February anyway, you’ll be able to have one of these phones in your hand sometime between late January and early March.

What about the Samsung Galaxy S25 Slim and S25 FE?

The Samsung Galaxy S24 FE (Image credit: Future)

As well as the Samsung Galaxy S25, Samsung Galaxy S25 Plus, and Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, we’re also expecting to see a Samsung Galaxy S25 FE and perhaps a Samsung Galaxy S25 Slim.

The FE is a slightly lower end alternative to the main Galaxy S line, and Samsung launches a new FE model most but not all years, while the Galaxy S25 Slim is a new rumored model that would be thinner than the rest of the Samsung Galaxy S25 line.

However, most leaks suggest neither of these will land alongside the main Samsung Galaxy S25 series. Typically, the FE launches well over six months later – with the Samsung Galaxy S24 FE for example only going on sale in October of 2024. One tip suggests we could see the Samsung Galaxy S25 FE in April, but that would still probably be at least two months after the main Galaxy S25 line.

The Samsung Galaxy S25 Slim is similarly said by some sources to be landing two or three months after the main Samsung Galaxy S25 series, so probably April or May. That said, one leak suggests the Galaxy S25 Slim could actually arrive alongside the rest of the S25 line, if Samsung gets it finished in time. So don't count it out just yet.

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• Cloudbrink hotspot service aims to offer alternative to VPN tools
• The service claims to improve application performance by 30 times
• Can also reportedly reduce the tethering suffered in warehouse environments

Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) have long been the standard for secure internet access in the remote and hybrid work landscape.

However, while VPNs provide essential encryption, they often also have downsides, as workers relying on tethered connections in challenging environments such as warehouses, or remote manufacturing facilities, can face a frustrating trade-off between security and speed due to relying on mobile hotspots.

Now, Cloudbrink is looking to improve hotspot performance as an alternative to VPNs, offering a solution that not only ensures security but also enhances connectivity without the typical bandwidth sacrifices.

Beyond traditional VPNs

Hotspots can often suffer from performance degradation due to the nature of their connection (combining two wireless links - one from the device to the mobile phone and another from the phone to the carrier network). This dual-link setup increases the chances of performance issues, particularly when signal strength is poor, or packet loss occurs.

While the rollout of 5G networks promises to alleviate some of the performance issues associated with mobile hotspots, widespread adoption remains a distant goal. Currently, only 32% of cellular connections in the United States are 5G, and penetration is significantly lower in many other regions. Additionally, 5G coverage tends to be concentrated in metropolitan areas, leaving many remote and hybrid workers unable to capitalize on the technology.

Cloudbrink’s service is designed as a high-performance alternative to VPNs, with independent tests conducted by Broadband Testing showing that the new service boosts application performance over WiFi, 4G/5G, and broadband connections by more than 30 times.

The company says it uses techniques such as accelerated pre-emptive packet recovery and dynamic virtual access points known as FAST Edges, which minimize latency and maximize throughput even over unreliable and congested networks.

Intelligent packet optimization allows the service to adjust performance, based on signal strength and other variables, ensuring the best possible connection at any given time, as Cloudbrink pairs these technologies with AI-enabled network.

“Cloudbrink was already faster than a VPN or other ZTNA over any remote connection by an order of magnitude," claims Manohar Reddy, head of products at Cloudbrink. "Now we’ve tuned the service to optimize mobile hotspots, we’re seeing better than twice the performance we were previously getting on tethered devices."

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The most lucrative photo contest in the world has awarded its top prize – an eye-watering $200,000 – to Liping Cao of China for his monochrome image of a distant wind farm on the shores of a freshwater lake in Australia (see below).

The judges of the HIPA Sustainability, which is now in its thirteenth year, and which this year put up a record-high $1 million prize pot to be shared among the winners, chose Quiet Power, which depicts a wind farm in 2021 on a then-dried-out Lake George in New South Wales, Australia, as the overall winner.

What's most surprising about Liping's feat is the camera he used to take his winning photo – a Canon DSLR.

The camera in question is not even one of the best DSLRs, but a 12-year-old Canon EOS 5D Mark III – a full-frame DSLR that you can pick up secondhand from around $300 from the likes of KEH in the US or around £325 from MPB in the UK, though you'll pay a little more if you want one that's in excellent condition.

(Image credit: © Liping Cao)

Liping paired the EOS 5D Mark III with the EF 24-105mm F4L IS USM, a versatile zoom lens that back in the day could be purchased with the camera as part of a kit – a combination that's easily affordable for enthusiasts.

The winning image was shot in color and then converted to black and white because it "shows more levels of detail and is more suitable for experiencing environmental impact,” said Liping.

The Canon EOS 5D Mark III with EF 24-105mm F4L IS USM lens, Liping's winning gear combination (Image credit: Future) DSLR for the win

Canon confirmed some time ago that it's no longer developing DSLR cameras, and is instead going all-in with its mirrorless cameras, but Liping's winning photo, taken with a Canon camera that's been consigned to the past, reminds us that you don't always need the latest and greatest cameras to get top results.

The full-frame EOS 5D Mark III packs a 22.9MP sensor, which practically matches Canon's modern-day mirrorless equivalents for detail, such as the EOS R6 Mark II, which shoots 24MP photos and which is much costlier.

And while I recently came to appreciate the advances in mirrorless camera tech when I used my old Nikon DSLR for the first time in years, this win for Liping shows there's still life in the old DSLR yet.

If you're interested in the best DSLR options you can check out our guide to the best DSLRs. And if you're a newcomer who's confused by the jargon, you'll want to read our mirrorless vs DSLR explainer.

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Full spoilers follow for Arcane season 2 episodes 4 to 6.

The second part of Arcane season 2 is out now – and, if you thought season 2 act 1's ending was as emotionally stunning as things were going to be, you were wrong.

I suspect that, as you come to terms with the soul-crushing events that occurred in the popular Netflix show's latest episodes, you've got lots of questions rattling around in your head. Allow me, plus Arcane's creators Alex Yee and Christian Linke, to answer – or, at the very least, try to answer – them. Full spoilers immediately follow for Arcane season 2 act 2, so turn back now if you haven't watched them yet.

Arcane season 2 act 2 ending explained: is Viktor really dead?

LoL lore suggests we might not have seen the last of Viktor (Image credit: Netflix/Riot Games/Fortiche Production)

It would appear so. After all, the teaser that wrapped up Arcane season 2 after show's first episode had fans fearing for their favorite character's life. Plus, there aren't many people who can take a Hextech gemstone-powered blast to the chest and live to tell the tale.

After a paranoid Jayce – more on what's wrong with him later – escapes the Anomaly, which apparently trapped him in an unknown dimension in episode 3, aka 'Finally Got the Name Right' he heads to Viktor's utopian camp on the outskirts of Zaun. Infiltrating said base, he almost kills one of its child inhabitants due to the impact of the Anomaly on his physical state – again, more on this soon.

Viktor is betrayed by his former friend and scientific partner (Image credit: Netflix/Riot Games/Fortiche Production)

Jayce manages to pull himself together before he gives the kid the same treatment he gave Salo (RIP, by the way) in the final scene of episode 5, titled 'Blisters and Bedrock'. I've no doubt that Jayce also remembers the kid he accidentally killed in season 1 episode 8, too, which stops him from murdering another innocent victim here.

Despite almost being gunned down, the kid takes pity on Jayce and takes him to meet the so-called Herald (the camp's messianic title for Viktor). Once there, Jayce powers up the gemstone beam alt-ability of his warped Hextech hammer and, aiming it towards a meditating Viktor, blasts him in the chest and seemingly kills him.

Why do I say 'seemingly'? Because, as fans of Riot Games' hugely popular League of Legends (LoL) videogame franchise, which Arcane is based on and is apparently a prequel to, will tell you, Viktor's ongoing presence as a playable LoL champion suggests he might not be dead after all.

When I quizzed Yee and Linke about whether Viktor's demise, they didn't confirm he was. "I think a fair answer is yes and no," Yee teased. Fine, keep your secrets, but I'm fully convinced this isn't the last we've seen of this cybernetically-augmented individual.

Arcane season 2 act 2 ending explained: what happened to Warwick?

Arcane can't let us have nice things, can it? (Image credit: Netflix/Riot Games/Fortiche Production)

Viktor's death has a devastating impact on his disciples, including Huck, who Viktor healed of their ailments with his Hextech powers. As Viktor perises, his followers scream in agony and suddenly die, too. Given Viktor's ability to take over any of his disciple's minds and/or bodies – as evidenced by him doing so to Salo in episode 5 – it seems Viktor and his peaceful acolytes are linked in some way, be it telepathically or in a form of hive mind consciousness.

But I'm getting off track. Heartbreakingly, Warwick – the monster Singed created from Vander's corpse – is also a casualty of Viktor's demise. Viktor used his powers to try to reverse Singed's alchemical effects and turn Warwick into Vander, so Warwick is also connected to Zaun's new Herald. Long story short: Warwick is also going to die.

Wait, is this apex shimmer that's bursting out of Warwick's body? (Image credit: Netflix/Riot Games/Fortiche Production)

Unlike Viktor's human followers, though, a panicked Warwick reverts to his feral state and becomes a murderous, blood lava-esque spewing machine. Fuelled by his unquenchable rage, Warwick mauls Rictus, Ambessa's lieutenant, to death as a horrified Vi, Jinx, Isha, Caitlyn, and Ambessa watch on.

Overcome with grief, an angry Ambessa instructs her Noxian forces to attack Warwick. He manages to take some of them down, but the overwhelming odds, and the fact he's already dying, mean Warwick's time on Runeterra – the world Arcane and LoL are set on – is fast coming to an end.

Arcane season 2 act 2 ending explained: did Isha die?

You had one job, Arcane: Protect. Isha. At. All. Costs. (Image credit: Netflix/Riot Games/Fortiche Production)

Another fair question, but one Linke and Yee were unwilling to fully commit to answering. With three more episodes to come, they wouldn't be drawn on anything to do about season 2 act 3, so it's completely understandable why they wouldn't confirm or deny if Isha died.

However, I think she's all but certain to have perished. Indeed, it looks like Isha sacrifices herself to save Jinx, Vi, and Caitlyn (but mostly Jinx) by killing Warwick with Jinx's Hextech gemstone-fuelled gun.

Episode 6, titled 'The Message Hidden Within the Pattern', foreshadowed this. Early in act 2's final episode, Huck asks Vi and JInx to leave their weapons at the entrance to Viktor's camp. The pair reluctantly agree but, before she surrenders her handgun, Jinx removes its gemstone and gives it to Isha for safekeeping. Noticing that Vi didn't remove the gemstones from her Hextech gauntlets, Isha grabs that pair, albeit off-screen, too. You can see her shoving them into her belt bag as the trio enters the camp.

I'm not crying, you are! (Image credit: Netflix/Riot Games/Fortiche Production)

Given the heart-warming nature of Jinx and Isha's evolving sibling-like bond, plus the fact Arcane constantly wants to rip out our hearts, Isha's death has also been signaled since the duo crossed paths in episode 2. So, when Warwick lashes out at Jinx as she tries to subdue him, and then menacingly approaches Jinx to deliver a lethal blow, Isha springs into action.

Running into the fray, she slides and grabs Jinx's pistol, which is lying on the ground, and jumps through the air to land at Warwick's feet. After loading all three gemstones into the weapon, she salutes Jinx with a tear-jerking finger-gun motion – the same one Jinx used on Isha in episode 2 – before shooting Warwick, which unleashes a destructive Hextech blast and likely kills them both.

The big question now is: how will Isha's death affect Jinx? Vi's younger sister has surprisingly kept a lid on her psychosis so far in season 2, and it seems her friendship with Isha is a key reason for that. With Isha gone, though, we'll probably see Jinx surrender to her mental disorder and/or become a depressed recluse in episode 7. Arcane season 2's official trailer confirms she'll eventually emerge from her emotional rut, and aid Piltover and Zaun's joint fight against Ambessa and her Noxian forces. For now, though, a heart-broken Jinx will mourn Isha and Vander's loss – that duo, Viktor, and Rictus joining Arcane's growing casualty list that began with three big character deaths in the season 2 premiere.

Arcane season 2 act 2 ending explained: what's wrong with Jayce?

Good guy Jayce has gone bad (Image credit: Netflix/Riot Games/Fortiche Production)

As I mentioned, Jayce has evidently been affected by the Anomaly. The magic crystal, which was given to him by the mage who rescued Jayce and his mom when he was a child, isn't helping matters, either. It's usually bound to a wrist strap Jayce wears but, after escaping the Anomaly, it's now embedded in his wrist, which won't be good for anyone's physical, emotional, or mental wellbeing.

So, where has he been? I don't have an answer to that but, playing it coy once more, Linke told me: "You'll find out in gratuitous detail. Let's just say certain illusions have dwindled", before Yee added: "You could say his dreams [about Hextech being a force for good] have died."

This wasn't a menacing shot at all... (Image credit: Netflix/Riot Games/Fortiche Production)

There are a couple of hints in episode 6 as to why Jayce is on a mission to destroy Hextech (i.e. his life's work) and anyone associated with it. The first of those is what, at the start of the sixth episode, Viktor calls a "sophisticated conjuration". According to Viktor, this is a singularity that simultaneously self-replicates and self-annihilates itself. In layman's terms, then: whatever the Anomaly and/or the titular Arcane (remember, at the end of 'Blisters and Bedrock' Viktor tells Jayce he can see that Jayce has "been touched by the arcane") has done to Jayce, he's continuously being ripped apart and put back together by it.

That's not all. In episode 5's final scene between Jayce and Salo, and the sixth episode's sequence before Jayce almost bludgeons one of Viktor's child followers to death, he sees corrupted versions of Salo and said kid. Check out the below image for a screenshot of what they look like.

I mean, if I kept seeing evil-looking versions of people I knew, I'd probably go mad, too (Image credit: Netflix/Riot Games/Fortiche Production)

Clearly, these semi-hollow, disfigured versions of Salo and the child disciple are evil in Jayce's unstable state, hence his desire to eradicate Hextech and anything it's touched from existence. Is he being forced to do so by the Anomaly, the Arcane, the crystal stuck in his forearm, or a combination of the three? We'll find out soon.

Arcane season 2 act 2 ending explained: how will Ambessa react to Rictus' death and episode 6's wider events?

Don't anger a warlord, everyone... (Image credit: Netflix/Riot Games/Fortiche)

Not well, I suspect. Her second-in-command is dead. Caitlyn, who Ambessa was priming to be Piltover's new commander-in-chief (albeit one that Ambessa believed she could puppeteer), has also betrayed her and re-allied herself with Vi and Jinx. Singed's plan to recapture Warwick failed. Oh, and a mentally distorted Jayce not only suddenly reappeared on the scene, but was also responsible for everything that happened in episode 6's last 10 minutes after murdering Viktor.

Ambessa's been looking to assume totalitarian control of Piltover since her first appearance in season 1 episode 7 through manipulating (unsuccessfully, I'll add) numerous high-ranking Piltovans. Amid episode 6's fallout, I suspect she'll now pull a Thanos and decide to "do it myself" – i.e. make a play to become Piltover's autocratic ruler. After all, we see Ambessa and her Noxian soldiers making light work of Piltover's enforcers in season 2's official trailers, so expect her to show her true colors in act 3.

Arcane season 2 act 2 ending explained: who is Felicia? And how does she know Vander and Silco?

Wait, Felicia's hair color is what happens when you mix Vi and Powder's together! (Image credit: Netflix/Riot Games/Fortiche Production)

The short answer is she's Vi and Powder/Jinx's mom. A 'Blisters and Bedrock' flashback sequence also confirmed Felicia was a close friend of Vander and Silco. Indeed, the trio – as we learn when Vi, Jinx, and Isha come across an abandoned miners' break room while searching for Warwick in Zaun's underground tunnel network – were part of said mining team.

We also find out Felicia is the one who urged Vander and Silco to finally realize their dream of securing Zaun's independence from Piltover. The reason? Felicia finds out she's pregnant with Vi, who she conceived with her husband Connol. It's Vander who comes up with the name Violet, too. Oh, and Felicia and Connol's deaths, which we glimpsed in the opening scene of Arcane's season 1 premiere, were the reason for the breakdown in Vander and Silco's friendship. That's confirmed in an apology-filled letter, which Vi and company find in the aforementioned break room, that Vander wrote but never gave to Silco.

Arcane season 2 act 2 ending explained: how does Mel survive the Black Rose's attack?

How will this Mel-centric *ahem* chain of events end? (Image credit: Netflix/Riot Games/Fortiche Production)

By using the same ability she manifested when Jinx attacked Piltover's council chamber in the season 1 finale.

After being kidnapped by the Black Rose in 'Finally Got the Name Right', Mel is put through the wringer in 'Blisters and Bedrock'. Indeed, not only does she witness Elora's death at the Black Rose's hands, but she's also imprisoned in an oculorum; a specialized chamber built by ancient forces to lock up false prophets. She also thinks she's been reunited with her apparently deceased brother Kino but, due to his apparent ability to teleport to different areas of the oculorum, and the missable Black Rose-hued flourishes that occasionally flash over him, it's clear he's nothing but an illusion.

It doesn't take the ever-perceptive Mel long to realize he's not real. Determining that appears to be to her detriment, however, with the Black Rose choosing to kill her once she works this out. Unfortunately for them, Mel's latent, seemingly light-based powers allow her to escape the Black Rose's dark magic-crafted chains.

Arcane season 2 act 2 ending explained: who is Mel's so-called sister? Is it LeBlanc?

LeBlanc confirmed? (Image credit: Netflix/Riot Games/Fortiche Production)

Nobody knows what happens to Mel after she destroys the Black Rose's supernatural shackles. We'll have to wait until episode 7, at the earliest, to learn more.

What I'm confident about, though, is Mel and Kino having another sibling. The Black Rose's Kino apparition mentions as much and, while their story initially comes across as just another one of the clandestine organization's lies, there appears to be some truth to it.

Indeed, just before Mel escapes the Black Rose's clutches, a mysterious voice calls Mel their "sister". Episode 6's end credits sequence identifies this character as 'illusionary sorceress' who's voiced by Minnie Driver.

But who is this enigmatic individual? Before season 2's debut, Arcane fans conjured up a magical theory about who the show's main villain is: LeBlanc, a prominent member of the Black Rose and millennia-old sorceress who, without getting into the weeds of her extensive LoL backstory, is essentially Noxus' shadow queen.

Armed with this hypothesis, I asked Linke and Yee if we'd see any Black Rose members, LeBlanc or otherwise, before season 2 ends. I suspect we will, based on Linke's wry smile and telling laugh, and Yee's ambiguous "are you asking 'will they be there' or 'will we see them?'". That's as good a confirmation as I've heard that we're right, everyone! Time to update my Arcane season 2 cast and character guide again...

Arcane season 2 act 2 ending explained: who is Doctor Reveck? And why is he significant?

The doctor will see you now (Image credit: Netflix/Riot Games/Fortiche Production)

As Caitlyn explains in episode 5, Doctor Corin Reveck is Singed's true identity. A revered alchemist who was kicked out of Piltover's scientific academy for committing an unknown crime, Reveck is also responsible for creating shimmer, the addictive substance that flooded Zaun's streets in the wake of Vander's death in season 1.

The revelation that Singed is Reveck has massive repercussions for LoL lore. Indeed, it doesn't just validate a long-standing fan theory that Singed and Reveck are the same person, but also confirms the identity of Singed's daughter, who we see lying in a stasis pod midway through season 2's fifth chapter.

I really hope this isn't just a throwaway Easter egg, Arcane (Image credit: Netflix/Riot Games/Fortiche Production)

Historically, Reveck had a child named Orianna who, for reasons unknown (I imagine The Gray, aka the toxin-riddled air that used to hang over Zaun, has something to do with it), develops a terminal lung condition. However, Reveck manages to keep her alive by suspending her in the previously mentioned pod while he devises a way to cure her.

Now that Reveck and Singed are canonically the same person, Singed's daughter must also be Orianna. As Singed notes, his monstrous experiments, Warwick included, have been tests to determine if there's a way to bring Orianna back to life. Considering he succeeded on the Warwick front, he's one step closer to achieving his goal of overcoming death.

Fun fact: Orianna, who's also known as The Lady of Clockwork in LoL, is one of the game franchise's many champions/playable characters. Her appearance in 'Blisters and Bedrock', then, serves as an origin story of sorts for this mechanical humanoid and, whisper it quietly, may set up a future LoL movie or TV adaptation starring Orianna.

Arcane season 2 act 2 ending explained: where are Ekko and Heimerdinger?

What's become of Heimerdinger and Ekko? (Image credit: Netflix/Riot Games/Fortiche)

We still don't know. They were trapped inside the Anomaly alongside Jayce, but they didn't return to the material realm (i.e. the physical world) with their mentally unstable scientific fellow.

As Linke and Yee confirmed, we'll find out what happened to Jayce in act 3 – here's hoping we get more details in episode 7 – so I fully expect us to learn more about Ekko and Heimerdinger's whereabouts then. We know they'll return at some point, as there are scenes involving the duo in season 2's main trailers that weren't part of episodes 1 through 6.

It's incredibly likely that one or both of them will return with superhuman powers as well. LoL diehards already know Ekko has the ability to not only rewind time but also explore the branching possibilities of reality to create the perfect outcome. This time-reversal ability was teased by the stopwatch he used in season 1, so I'd be amazed if he doesn't acquire said power due to his experiences with the Anomaly.

What's unclear is if he'll need his Zero Drive, the gadget he created in LoL lore, to stabilize his powers. Regardless, expect Ekko and Heimerdinger to play vital roles in season 2's final act. Speaking of which...

Arcane season 2 act 2 ending explained: when is episode 7 being released on Netflix?

My face when I realize I have to wait a week to see how Arcane ends (Image credit: Netflix/Riot Games/Fortiche Production)

Season 2 episode 7 will be released on Netflix, aka one of the world's best streaming services, on Saturday, November 23.

It won't be the only episode that launches on that date. As with the previous two Saturdays, three new episodes, making up season 2's third and final act, will arrive on the same day. With Arcane season 2 set to be the animated show's final installment – there were rumors that a five-season plan was originally devised, but Linke and Yee told me that was "never the plan" for Arcane – there won't be any more episodes to enjoy after they've aired. Sad faces all around.

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This week we were treated to plenty of excellent early Black Friday deals, Amazon launched a new TV, and it killed freevee.

To find out more about this and other stories you might have missed, we've gathered the 7 biggest tech news stories from TechRadar.com this past week so you can catch up in no time at all.

Once you've finished here, remember to check out our picks for the 7 new movies and TV shows to stream this weekend (November 15).

1. Black Friday deals arrived in full-force

While we're still a couple of weeks from the big day itself, Black Friday 2024 deals are starting to appear across the internet.

The PS5 Pro got a surprise price drop, as did the Meta Quest 3S, even though they both released so recently. The Apple Watch 10 crashed to a stunning price, and we've seen deals across various tech sectors like savings on tablets.

As Black Friday approaches, make sure to follow our guides for help finding the best deals throughout this sales period.

• Read more: Black Friday deals 2024, the 55+ best early offers chosen by experts

2. AI grannies wasted scammers time

One of the most original uses we’ve seen for AI so far has to be Daisy the AI grandma. Taking advantage of the fact that telephone scammers often target senior citizens and try to get them to enter their credit card details into bogus websites, Daisy is an AI designed to keep them on the phone for as long as possible with a neverending series of meandering stories that ultimately lead nowhere.

The object is simply to waste as much of the scammers' time as possible because it means that’s time they are not spending trying to trap real people in their nefarious scams. Listening to Daisy get deliberately confused and send the scammers crazy by calling them “dear” all the time has to be one of the most satisfying things we’ve ever heard.

• Read more: Daisy the AI grandma is here to answer calls from scammers and waste their time

3. Amazon shut down its Freevee TV service

(Image credit: Unsplash)

Amazon Freevee will soon cease to exist, and it's all down to Prime Video's increasingly popular ad-supported tier. News of Amazon pulling the plug on the free streaming service was first revealed in an exclusive article by Deadline on Tuesday, which detailed plans to phase out the app in “coming weeks” across the US, UK, Germany, and Austria.

To be honest, we weren’t completely surprised by this announcement. Ever since Prime Video introduced a new and cheaper ad-supported tier at the start of the year, there’s been no real point of difference between the two services, especially considering a lot of Freevee content is available on Prime Video. A full migration of its library is underway, but if you still have the app, then check out these three movies on Amazon Freevee with over 83% on Rotten Tomatoes before they go.

• Read more: Amazon Freevee is being shut down

4. Amazon also made a mini-LED TV

(Image credit: Amazon)

This week, Amazon announced that it's adding two new products to its Fire TV range: the Amazon Fire TV Omni Mini-LED series TV and the Amazon Fire TV Soundbar Plus. It also refreshed the Amazon Fire TV 4-series.

Amazon says the Omni Mini-LED series can deliver 1,400 nits of peak brightness and has 1,344 local dimming zones for improved backlight control over standard LED and QLED models in the Fire TV range. It'll also feature what Amazon calls 'Intelligent Picture Technology,' which combines AI with the new mini-LED backlight to optimize and analyze scenes on screen and adjust color and detail.

The Amazon Omni Mini-LED and Amazon Soundbar Plus are available in the US and UK, starting at $819 / £649.99 for the 55-inch TV and $249.99 / £249.99 for the new soundbar.

• Read more: Amazon unveils all-new Fire TV products, including an Omni mini-LED TV

5. Sony teased its first big camera launch of 2024

(Image credit: Sony / Future)

Sony's camera department's quietest year in memory could go out with a bang before 2025 kicks in, after it officially announced the A1 II will be its next mirrorless camera, with a live event set for November 19 at 9am EST / 2pm GMT (that's November 20 at 1am AEST) when all will be revealed. Succeeding Sony's current flagship, the Alpha A1, will be no mean task.

When it was launched in January 2021, the A1 was a true game changer, becoming the first high-resolution and high-speed camera. With 50MP photos and burst shooting up to 30fps, pros no longer needed to choose between detail and speed; they had both in one hybrid camera.

We don't know how the A1 II will upgrade the A1 yet, but expect it to be Sony's most powerful and versatile mirrorless camera ever.

• Read more: It's official, Sony's next camera will be the A1 II

6. Disney Plus dropped its 2025 teaser trailer

As we approach the end of 2024, Disney Plus dropped its 2025 teaser trailer, which gave first-look footage of some of its most anticipated shows of the next year. In its line-up of new and returning titles, Disney revealed a sneak peek of its brand new Marvel shows Daredevil: Born Again and Ironheart, while its new sci-fi series Alien: Earth points to an action-packed extension of the beloved movie franchise.

Alongside these new titles, returning shows that have proved to be fan favorites among subscribers were also featured. Most notably, The Bear season four sees Jeremy Allan White and Ayo Edebiri return to their roles in the comedy-drama – with the added comeback of Jamie Lee Curtis. Star Wars fans will also have Andor season two to look forward to, which is heavily speculated to recall the four years leading up to the discovery of The Death Star.

• Read more: Disney Plus reveals first looks at The Bear season 4, Andor season 2, and more

7. More people dumped Twitter and joined Bluesky

(Image credit: Bluesky)

Bluesky continues to add millions of new users as people and organizations flee Twitter (now known as X) in the wake of the US election on November 5. Twitter boss Elon Musk will soon take up a newly created role in Donald Trump’s incoming government, which seems to have turned a fair few users away from the social media platform he acquired in 2022.

As a decentralized platform, Bluesky isn’t entirely controlled by any person or organization; instead, it allows users and communities to set up their own ‘instances’ of the network. It’s otherwise very similar to Twitter and began life as a spin-off of the site under the leadership of former Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey. While Dorsey isn’t involved anymore, Bluesky has kept up its initial momentum, with a few unofficial tools now available to help Twitter users make the switch.

• Read more: Bluesky is the new home for millions of disillusioned Twitter users

• Google unveils predictions of the top cybersecurity threats in 2025
• AI will be used in attacks and defense, it predicts
• The 'Big Four' state actors will continue to be a threat

Artificial Intelligence has been named as one of the biggest threats to security over the next year by leading experts.

Given AI’s domination in headlines over the past year, it will come as no surprise to most people that it was at forefront of Google’s Cybersecurity Forecast 2025 as a primary threat, alongside state-sponsored threat actors, and ransomware.

State-sponsored attacks are nothing new, but as global tensions rise and the conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza continue, politically motivated attacks will continue to be levelled against critical infrastructure targets around the world - with Google naming the ‘Big Four’ geopolitical threats to western cybersecurity as Russia, China, Iran, and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea).

AI in deepfakes

Google, like many others, predicts that AI will continue to be used as a tool for cyber defense, and also in cyberattacks in the coming year. Large-scale adoption of semi-autonomous security operations will usher in a ‘second phase of AI security’, the forecast predicts.

Google sees AI as a key tool in combatting threats in the future, but affirms that Information Operations (IO) threat actors will continue to leverage Generative AI tools in their attacks.

The use of LLMs to create content such as deepfakes and vishing, phishing, and other social engineering attacks will lead to an increased struggle for cybersecurity teams against more frequent and effective incidents.

Ransomware and data theft extortion are also likely to continue to plague organizations around the world in 2025. The frequency and severity of ransomware has soared to new highs in 2024, and custom malware attacks are set to continue.

“Without question, multifaceted extortion and ransomware will continue in 2025, likely with an increase outside the US,” said Charles Carmakal. Mandiant CTO, Google Cloud

Infostealer campaigns were observed as a rising threat in 2024, and Google anticipates seeing more of the same next year, since relatively low-skilled threat actors can use these tools to infiltrate prominent organizations.

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People often praise poets for their soulful turns of phrase and how they can evoke deep emotions in ways that feel uniquely human. It turns out AI might be even better at tugging at our heartstrings, according to a newly published study in Scientific Reports. Not only do people struggle to tell the difference between AI-generated and human-written poetry, but many prefer AI-crafted poems to those produced by human effort, at least until they discover the silicon soul behind the words.

The University of Pittsburgh researchers tested how well readers could identify when a poem was written by OpenAI’s ChatGPT-3.5 AI model or by Shakespeare, Emily Dickinson, T.S. Eliot, and others in the pantheon of English-language poetry. Over 1,600 participants read a random mix of ten poems, half by humans and half by the AI model. Not only did many think humans wrote the AI poems, but the poems written by people were least likely to be marked as such.

Apparently, the complexity of human poetry was mistaken for confusing AI rambling. By avoiding the complexity often found in the work of classic poets, AI poetry can feel more relatable and less intimidating – qualities that readers unconsciously attribute to human creativity.

"We found that AI-generated poems were rated more favorably in qualities such as rhythm and beauty, and that this contributed to their mistaken identification as human-authored," the researchers wrote. "Our findings suggest that participants employed shared yet flawed heuristics to differentiate AI from human poetry: the simplicity of AI-generated poems may be easier for non-experts to understand, leading them to prefer AI-generated poetry and misinterpret the complexity of human poems as incoherence generated by AI."

Poetic AI

The inability of many people to tell when a peom is written by AI is surprising, as is the preference for poetry written by AI until the author is revealed. But it's more a sign that poetry isn't always easy to parse, especially when it's not contemporary. And it means AI is slanted toward appealing to the most people possible today, just like it's other output.

We often assume that human creativity is inherently superior or that we can intuitively recognize the work of a fellow human being. Yet, as AI tools improve, those assumptions are increasingly put to the test. This isn’t just an academic exercise, either. It has real implications for art, education, and how we value creative work in a world where machines are now serious contenders.

The findings also suggest that as AI becomes an increasingly sophisticated creative tool, we may need to rethink traditional definitions of artistry. It’s not necessarily about whether an AI can "feel" or "imagine" but about how its output resonates with the audience.

But, perhaps it's best to leave the last word about being human and poetry to a poet who wrote a lot about both. Here's "I Am a Parcel of Vain Strivings Tied" by Henry David Thoreau:

I am a parcel of vain strivings tied

By a chance bond together,

Dangling this way and that, their links

Were made so loose and wide,

Methinks,

For milder weather.

A bunch of violets without their roots,

And sorrel intermixed,

Encircled by a wisp of straw

Once coiled about their shoots,

The law

By which I'm fixed.

A nosegay which Time clutched from out

Those fair Elysian fields,

With weeds and broken stems, in haste,

Doth make the rabble rout

That waste

The day he yields.

And here I bloom for a short hour unseen,

Drinking my juices up,

With no root in the land

To keep my branches green,

But stand

In a bare cup.

Some tender buds were left upon my stem

In mimicry of life,

But ah! the children will not know,

Till time has withered them,

The woe

With which they're rife.

But now I see I was not plucked for naught,

And after in life's vase

Of glass set while I might survive,

But by a kind hand brought

Alive

To a strange place.

That stock thus thinned will soon redeem its hours,

And by another year,

Such as God knows, with freer air,

More fruits and fairer flowers

Will bear,

While I droop here.

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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 #1027) - 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 #1027) - 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 0.

Quordle today (game #1027) - 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 #1027) - hint #4 - starting letters (1) Do any of today's Quordle puzzles start with the same letter?

• The number of today's Quordle answers starting with the same letter is 2.

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

Quordle today (game #1027) - hint #5 - starting letters (2) What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• N

• B

• B

• F

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

Quordle today (game #1027) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1027, are…

• NOTCH
• BENCH
• BUSED
• FOUND

You'll need to have been careful with one word in particular in today's Quordle – because FOUND is potentially a streak-ender. It may look innocent enough at first glance, with no uncommon or repeated letters, but that -OUND format is one of the most common in the game, with eight possible solutions: WOUND, ROUND, POUND, HOUND, FOUND, SOUND, MOUND and BOUND. Narrowing them down was therefore the key to solving this game – and you'll need to have done it strategically rather than simply by guessing options, for that first letter, because there are simply too many of them.

At least the other three words were not too bad in comparison, so this probably counts as a moderately difficult Quordle, rather than an impossible one. Small victories, eh?

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

Daily Sequence today (game #1027) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1027, are…

• HUMAN
• TULIP
• TALLY
• QUEST

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1026, Friday 15 November: PURER, TRUSS, TORCH, FORUM
• Quordle #1025, Thursday 14 November: EXALT, TASTE, CRONY, CLOUT
• Quordle #1024, Wednesday 13 November: YEARN, ELBOW, SURGE, PINEY
• Quordle #1023, Tuesday 12 November: CHORD, ATTIC, OLIVE, EIGHT
• Quordle #1022, Monday 11 November: COPSE, REGAL, GRUNT, GOODY
• Quordle #1021, Sunday 10 November: GROIN, FAULT, FERRY, SUITE
• Quordle #1020, Saturday 9 November: FLUME, THERE, ATOLL, SANER
• Quordle #1019, Friday 8 November: DELAY, NAVAL, MOLAR, SWARM
• Quordle #1018, Thursday 7 November: REPAY, SYNOD, LOATH, PITHY
• Quordle #1017, Wednesday 6 November: SASSY, DRUID, THREW, SLOSH
• Quordle #1016, Tuesday 5 November: BEGET, AMUSE, STONY, LOUSY
• Quordle #1015, Monday 4 November: CHILL, TACKY, GRAPH, PLAZA
• Quordle #1014, Sunday 3 November: QUIRK, HEART, ELBOW, KNOWN
• Quordle #1013, Saturday 2 November: SWUNG, FLOOR, PARER, CRUST
• Quordle #1012, Friday 1 November: FIFTY, GULCH, RECUT, TWEET
• Quordle #1011, Thursday 31 October: TWINE, RIGID, BELCH, AMEND
• Quordle #1010, Wednesday 30 October: SLOOP, BRINE, BROOD, FLUID
• Quordle #1009, Tuesday 29 October: CLIFF, BURNT, SNAKY, POLYP
• Quordle #1008, Monday 28 October: MACAW, LIEGE, GOUGE, CARGO
• Quordle #1007, Sunday 27 October: STUNG, CLOUT, SOWER, BASIS