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South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa has suspended the police minister and launched a sweeping inquiry into alleged sabotage at the highest levels of law enforcement..

(Image credit: Eraldo Peres)

The eventual unification should help Google-based devices run more in concert with each other

While serving a life sentence for a murder he was eventually exonerated of committing, Calvin Duncan studied law and helped many wrongfully convicted prisoners. His memoir is The Jailhouse Lawyer.

(Image credit: Zack Smith Photography)

We won’t be able to watch it until 2027, but HBO has confirmed production for the Harry Potter TV show is officially underway. It’ll be available on HBO and HBO Max, respectively, in the US – though where it will be available to stream globally is yet to be confirmed.

We might not know what Hogwarts is going to look like in 2025, but we do know that the cast is absolutely stacked. Paapa Essiedu (Snape), John Lithgow (Dumbledore), Nick Frost (Hagrid), Janet McTeer (McGonagall) and Paul Whitehouse (Filch) lead the names we’ll recognise alongside a trio of newcomers Dominic McLaughlin (Harry), Alastair Stout (Ron) and Arabella Stanton (Hermione).

The original Harry Potter movies are never going to be forgotten, but it’s fair to say that the new TV show will likely become one of the most-watched programmes of 2027. If the first-look at one lead character is anything to go by, fans are going to be thrilled with what’s to come.

Harry Potter looks like a young Daniel Radcliffe as HBO TV show starts filming

Our new Hermione, Harry and Ron. (Image credit: HBO )

Fresh from their first days on set, McLaughlin looks as though Daniel Radcliffe’s 11-year-old self has jumped forward in time from The Philosopher’s Stone to start filming for HBO. From what we can already see, we’ve got exactly the same level of detail as the Harry Potter movies, but that shouldn’t be a surprise given the budget for the entire series is allegedly between $2 billion and $8 billion.

It’s a hefty price tag, but if we’re to follow the filming timeline of the movies, our cast is locked into this project for at least a decade. This also means McLaughlin and his peers are about to grow up in front of our eyes, so we’re literally witnessing history here by seeing him at the very beginning.

As for everyone else, it remains to be seen how faithful the TV show will stay to the movies or the novel series it’s based on. Author J.K. Rowling is on board as an executive producer, having previously commented on X/Twitter that she "couldn't be happier" with the casting choices for our leading trio. If writer Francesca Gardiner’s previous projects are anything to go by – namely the most recent adaptation of the His Dark Materials trilogy – we might be getting something as dark as Deathly Hallows from the very start.

The release window of 2027 is also newly confirmed, though we don’t have an exact release date at the time of writing.

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• The Topping DX5 II has a double-DAC design with three-stage amplification
• Bluetooth 5.1 with LDAC and aptX Adaptive/HD
• $299 / £299 – available now in the US, during July 2025 in the UK

Topping's new desktop DAC is surprisingly affordable for its specification: the list price is just $299 / £299. It's a hi-res DAC, preamplifier and headphone amplifier that's designed for dual duties as either a stand-alone desktop amp or as part of a component hi-fi system.

The DX5 II is the successor to Topping's highly acclaimed DX5, and it's built around two ES9039Q2M DAC chips from ESS Technology’s 32-bit Sabre range. One chip is dedicated to the left channel and the other to the right; because the ES9039Q2M is a two-channel DAC chip, that means there can be two differential signals per channel, which Topping says means a lower noise floor, improved channel separation and better clarity.

(Image credit: Topping)Topping DX5 II: key features

The DX5 II supports PCM data to 32-bit/768kHz over USB (24-bit/192kHz via the coaxial and optical inputs) and DSD to 22.5792MHz (DSD512). It also supports DoP (DSD over PCM).

There's a new 32-bit, 16-core XMOS chip for USB data and a high-performance driver for Windows; other platforms don't require a driver. And there's Bluetooth 5.1 with LDAC and aptX Adaptive up to 24-bit/96kHz and aptX HD at up to 24-bit/48kHz. The Bluetooth module also supports Low Latency, plain aptX, AAC and SBC.

There are three hi-res digital inputs – USB, coaxial and optical – a 12V trigger in/out and three headphone outs: balanced XLR, balanced 4.4mm and single-ended 6.35mm.

And the headphones are powered by Topping's new X-Hybrid headphone amp, which is a fully balanced four-channel design that's based on Nested Feedback Composite Architecture (NFCA) with a three-stage design: input, op-amp gain stage and output.

Topping says it's powerful enough to drive even difficult planar magnetic headphones, with power output of 2x 7,600mW into 16 ohms, 2x 6,400mW into 32 ohms and 2x 990mW into 300 ohms through its balanced outputs.

The DX5 II DAC/headphone amp will be available in the UK this July in a choice of black, white or silver, and is already available online in the US.

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Eight of baseball's biggest hitters will slug it out in Atlanta this evening ahead of the All-Star Game on Tuesday.

President Trump threatened to punish Russia with heavy tariffs on countries that trade with Moscow if the Kremlin fails to reach a ceasefire deal with Ukraine, while promising Kyiv weapons.

(Image credit: Evan Vucci)

I tried popular baby monitors and these were the ones that passed the test.

The Sun Day app, just out in beta, will prompt you on how to prep for being out and about.

Are you ready for some football... headset improvements? NFL coaches are.

Viltrox AF 16mm f/1.8 FE: one-minute review

It’s not often that a lens grabs you by the scruff of the neck and demands attention, but that’s exactly what the Viltrox AF 16mm f/1.8 FE does. This unassuming lens, which doesn’t benefit from Viltrox’s Pro or LAB series labels, is one of the most impressive lenses I’ve used in a long time. It’s not the best, it’s not the most expensive, but it is unbelievably impressive for several reasons.

That’s a bold statement if ever I’ve made one; but this lens, which is perfect for landscapes and astrophotography, is incredibly well-priced, produces excellent image quality, and offers professional-level build quality and features. How Viltrox has managed to pull off creating a lens of this quality at this price point is beyond me.

The Viltrox AF 16mm f/1.8 FE costs just $464 / £533 / AU$899, which is an incredible price for such a well-built, weather-sealed lens offering professional performance and excellent image quality. Sony's own Sony FE 16mm f/1.8 G is a direct competitor, and it costs a whopping $848 / £849 / AU$1,799, so the Viltrox undoubtedly offers excellent value for money – and the Viltrox is a far superior lens in almost every way, despite being larger and heavier than the Sony.

What’s more, the Sony version relies heavily on lens corrections, while the Viltrox is optically excellent without the need for corrections. I appreciate that many modern lenses rely on lens corrections to achieve their excellent image quality (and compact size), but you simply cannot beat near-perfect images in terms of sharpness, distortion, and aberrations straight out of camera.

The Viltrox AF 16mm f/1.8 is one of the best Sony lenses designed for full-frame cameras, plus it is also available for Nikon Z mount. There's no word on future versions yet, such as for L-mount.

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(Image credit: James Abbott)Viltrox AF 16mm f/1.8 FE specsViltrox AF 16mm f/1.8 FE specs

Type:

Wide-angle prime

Mount:

Sony E / Nikon Z

Sensor:

Full-frame

Focal length:

16mm

Max aperture:

f/1.8

Minimum focus:

10.6 inches / 27cm

Filter size:

77mm

Dimensions:

3.35 x4.06 inches / 85.2 x 103mm

Weight:

19.4oz / 550g

Viltrox AF 16mm f/1.8 FE: Design

• Compact yet heavy design
• Weather sealed
• Excellent handling

We’ve already covered the price of this lens, and you’d normally expect build quality to take a hit at such a competitive price point, but that's certainly not the case here. The 16mm f/1.8 features an all-metal body and weather-sealing, giving it an undeniably premium look and feel. This is emphasized further by the color digital screen that displays lens information – more about that later.

The 16mm f/1.8 is quite a hefty beast in terms of weight due to its construction at 19.4oz / 550g, but it’s fairly compact at 3.35 x 4.06 inches / 85.2 x 103mm, and balances well with Sony full-frame and APS-C mirrorless cameras.

This is in contrast to the Sony FE 16mm f/1.8 G, which is much smaller and lighter at 2.91 x 2.95 inches / 73.8 x 75mm with a weight of 10.7oz / 304g, but it’s an optically inferior lens alongside being much more expensive.

That construction comprises 15 elements in 12 groups, including four ED glass and three aspherical lenses. The optical design aims to deliver sharpness, detail and high contrast while minimizing distortion, and it achieves this as we’ll discuss in the performance section.

The front element is standard in its design rather than bulbous, which is great, and it features an HD Nano multilayer coating including water-resistant antifouling coatings.

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The filter thread is 77mm, which is average for wide-angle lenses, which typically range from 67mm to 82mm. This means you can use both circular and square filters for astrophotography and landscape photography.

The minimum focusing distance of the lens is 10.6 inches / 27cm, which is great for landscape photographers who want to use focus stacking to achieve pin-sharp images from front to back.

In terms of controls, you get a nice wide manual-focusing ring, a manual aperture ring that can be set to stepped or stepless operation via the switch on one side of the lens, two customizable Fn buttons and an AF/MF switch.

There’s also a USB-C port on the lens mount so that you can connect it to the Viltrox Lens app via Bluetooth to update firmware, customize the Fn buttons, and customize the digital screen’s welcome screen.

Viltrox AF 16mm f/1.8 FE: Performance

• Fantastic image quality
• Impressive sharpness at f/1.8
• Excellent corner sharpness

This is a fast and wide prime, which means it has excellent light-gathering capabilities for astrophotography. The combination of such a wide field of view and a fast f/1.8 aperture draw in huge amounts of light.

Of course, f/1.4 would be better, but that would require the lens to be much larger and heavier. The focal length is also great for landscapes, which can benefit greatly from the image quality the 16mm f/1.8 is capable of producing.

The image quality produced by this lens is fantastic, with excellent sharpness across the frame, even in the corners, wide open at f/1.8. This aperture produces the most vignetting as you’d expect; this almost disappears as you stop down to f/2.8 and is completely gone at f/4.

There is an Adobe Lightroom Lens Profile that can deal with this and the tiny, pretty much negligible amount of barrel distortion that’s present. There’s also only minimal chromatic aberration, so this is an optically impressive lens.

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Sharpness is great wide open and increases incrementally up to the sweet spot of the lens, which is f/8. Sharpness drops slightly at f/11, and at f/16 you begin to see diffraction coming into play, and while f/16 is perfectly usable for landscape photography, diffraction is too high at f/22, so this setting is best avoided.

The color digital screen is a feature we’re seeing more on Viltrox lenses, and it’s a unique and pretty neat feature. It simply shows the focus distance, aperture setting and the active Fn control, and I find it most useful when I’ve manually focused on a point and need to replicate that focus distance quickly.

Autofocus isn’t the fastest. It takes the lens around 0.5 seconds to lock onto subjects when stopped down, and about 0.25 seconds wide open. This isn’t great, but since this is a lens that you wouldn’t typically use for action subjects, it’s not a huge issue.

Autofocus is driven by an SMT stepping motor, which is quiet but just about audible. AF is absolutely fine for landscape photography, while astrophotographers will exclusively use manual focus for precise focusing on stars.

Should you buy the Viltrox AF 16mm f/1.8 FE?Buy it if...

You’re on a budget

The professional-quality lens comes in at an enthusiast-level price, making it the perfect choice for anyone on a budget.

You shoot astrophotography

With an ultra-wide-angle field of view for capturing more of the night sky and a fast maximum aperture, this is a great lens for astrophotography.

You want excellent image quality

The image quality produced by the Viltrox AF 16mm f/1.8 FE is fantastic – arguably amazing considering the competitive price of the lens.

Don't buy it if...

You’d like a faster lens

While f/1.8 is perfectly adequate for astrophotography, there are wide-angle lenses available with faster maximum apertures.

You’d prefer more versatility

Primes are known to offer the best image quality and faster maximum apertures for astrophotography, but zoom lenses are more versatile due to their variable focal lengths.

You don’t shoot with Sony or Nikon cameras

This lens is only available in Sony E and Nikon Z mounts, so if you use any other camera system, there’s no option available for you.

How I tested the Viltrox AF 16mm f/1.8 FE

• I tested the lens over a couple of months
• I used it to capture landscapes and astrophotography
• I tested it with a Sony A7R V

I tested the Viltrox AF 16mm f/1.8 FE over several weeks attached to an unforgiving Sony A7R V, shooting landscapes and astrophotography. I took photos at a range of aperture settings to test sharpness, distortion and aberrations.

I shot most images simply to see how the lens performed in different situations, while others were shot specifically to be able to compare the results to those from other lenses.

With 30 years of photographic experience and 17 years working as a photography journalist, I’ve used many of the cameras and lenses that have been released in that time. As a working photographer, I aim to test cameras and lenses from a photographer’s point of view.

• First reviewed July 2025

• A test eSIM profile used by billions of devices carried a major flaw
• It allowed malicious actors with physical access the ability to deploy applets
• A patch is now available, so users should upgrade now

Security researchers have discovered a vulnerability in eSIM technology used in virtually all smartphones and many other internet-connected, smart devices.

In theory, the flaw could have been abused to intercept or manipulate communications, extract sensitive data, inject malicious applets, and more.

There are more than two billion eSIM-enabled devices that could be potentially impacted by this flaw, which includes smartphones, tablets, wearables, and countless IoT devices that rely on Kigen’s eUICC technology.

Updating the bug

The bug allowed anyone with physical access to the compromised device to install custom programs - applets - without proving they weren’t malicious.

Discovered by Security Explorations, a research lab of AG Security Research, the bug was discovered in the GSMA TS.48 Generic Test Profile (v6.0 and earlier), a standardized eSIM profile that supports device testing and certifications, especially for devices with non-removable embedded SIMs (eUICCs).

In other words, it was discovered in a test version of a SIM card, used just for checking if the device worked properly or not.

Kigen has released a patch to mitigate the issue, with the GSMA TS.48 v7.0 specification the first clean version - with the company saying the patch has already been distributed to all customers.

The silver lining here is that the bug was not that easy, or straightforward, to exploit. Besides having physical access to the device or eUICC, the attacker would also need a way to trigger test mode activation. Furthermore, the device would need to use unprotected, legacy test profiles, with RAM keys still intact.

Kigen’s patch and GSMA TS.48 v7.0 update now block RAM key access in test profiles by default, prohibit JavaCard applet installation altogether on test-mode profiles, randomize keysets for future RAM-enabled testing, and harden OS security against unauthorized remote loading. An attack should now be virtually impossible to execute.

Security Exploration was subsequently awarded $30,000 for its troubles.

Via The Hacker News

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• Several leakers have made claims about the iPhone 17’s Dynamic Island
• A new report says it will undergo a “significant evolution”
• But the claims are so vague that they actually tell us very little

If you’ve been keeping up with all the latest iPhone 17 rumors, you’ll probably have heard that Apple’s next iPhone could come with a redesigned Dynamic Island. That idea has just been bolstered by a prominent leaker, although their post is frustratingly short on solid details.

In a new interview with Spanish-language site AppleX4, leaker Majin Bu has chimed in with their thoughts on the upcoming Dynamic Island changes. There, they said the feature is set for a “significant evolution.”

They added: “Apple appears committed to making [the Dynamic Island] more functional and integrated, turning it into a key element of the user experience. This development could mark a step forward in device interaction, but for now, I’ll keep further details under wraps. Stay tuned to see how this innovation unfolds.”

This information comes after Chinese leaker Digital Chat Station commented on the Dynamic Island last week, saying that it would get a new-look design. Digital Chat Station has previously claimed that the Dynamic Island will be shrunk down to its smallest-ever size in the iPhone 17, but that contradicts the belief of Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, who argued in January that the Dynamic Island would remain “largely unchanged” in this year’s iPhones.

Is this anything new?

(Image credit: Future | Alex Walker-Todd)

While it is a somewhat divisive feature of modern iPhones, I’m a big fan of the Dynamic Island. That means I pay close attention whenever someone talks about how it might change in future Apple devices.

I’d love to see a slimmer Dynamic Island, or even one that disappears entirely until it is needed. The latter would require the use of under-screen cameras and Face ID sensors, but could combine the beauty of an uninterrupted display with the functionality of the Dynamic Island.

Unfortunately, we don’t get anything like that from Majin Bu, whose latest claims are extremely vague to the point of being basically unverifiable. They’ve not shared anything of note, other than saying that the Dynamic Island is due to change in some nebulous, important way, which feels like a safe way to say very little.

Apple, surely, would also argue that the Dynamic Island is already both “functional and integrated” and “a key element of the user experience.” While Majin Bu might have some exclusive information here, their elusiveness and refusal to share solid details could be an indication that the opposite is actually true.

Majin Bu has a mixed track record when it comes to Apple leaks. Some of their predictions have been on the money, while others have been wide of the mark. That, combined with the vagueness of their latest Dynamic Island claims, means we should treat this latest rumor with a healthy degree of skepticism until more reliable information emerges.

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• CitrixBleed 2 was discovered in mid-June 2025
• But there were quickly reports of abuse in the wild
• CISA is now urging FCEB agencies to patch immediately

The US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has added CitrixBleed 2 to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, alerting Federal Civilian Branch Agencies (FCEB), as well as other businesses, that the bug is being actively exploited in the wild.

On July 10, CISA added CVE-2025-5777 to the catalog - a critical-severity (9.3/10) insufficient input validation vulnerability that leads to memory overread. It affects Citrix NetScaler ADC and NetScaler Gateway devices, versions 14.1 and before 47.46, and from 13.1 and before 59.19.

It can be abused against vulnerable NetScaler ADC and NetScaler Gateway appliances to extract sensitive memory contents, including session tokens, credentials, and potentially other user data, without authentication. Given its similarity to a previous Citrix vulnerability called CitrixBleed, security researchers dubbed it CitrixBleed 2.

"Significant risk"

The bug was first discovered in mid-June 2025, and by early July, there were already reports of abuse in the wild.

Citrix released a patch but apparently, the majority of instances have not yet been patched, presenting a unique opportunity for cybercriminals.

Multiple security researchers, including ReliaQuest, watchTowr, and Horizon3.ai, have warned users of ongoing exploitation campaigns. Akamai also added that it observed a “drastic increase” in scanning for potentially vulnerable NetScaler endpoints.

Now, CISA also confirmed the reports of in-the-wild attacks.

“These types of vulnerabilities are frequent attack vectors for malicious cyber actors and pose significant risks to the federal enterprise,” it said in a short security advisory.

What’s also interesting is the tight deadline it gave FCEB agencies to patch their endpoints. Usually, agencies have 21 days to apply the patch or stop using the affected software altogether. In this case, the deadline was - just 24 hours.

Citrix has not yet unequivocally stated that the bugs were being exploited. It did, however, urge everyone to apply the patch without delay.

Via TechCrunch

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Recently, a team from Hotwire sat on a roundtable, discussing an uncomfortable truth about data centers. While they are imperative for the digital society that is emerging, the industry has so far failed to build the public trust that is needed to support their necessary expansion.

Communities worldwide protest any construction close to their homes, evolving regulation requires frequent changes, and environmental scrutiny places huge pressure on operators.

We often see articles in the media that react to assertions and claims against data centers and their suppliers, but this reactionary approach to communications is rarely the best method. Instead, it is better to employ proactive communications, shaping public perception and building and scaling trust before it’s needed.

Why proactive communication matters

Research from Hotwire's Frontier Tech Confidence Tracker demonstrates the need for better, more proactive business communication by highlighting a fundamental disconnect between industry optimism and public skepticism around frontier technologies, many of which are enabled by data centers. While business leaders scored tech confidence at 77/100, the public gave it just 48/100.

This trust gulf matters enormously to data centers. They don’t just host servers; they are the driving force behind transformative technologies like artificial intelligence, cloud computing, edge technologies, and, soon, quantum computing. If the public doesn’t trust these foundational technologies, then the case for constructing, upgrading, and maintaining data centers becomes harder to justify and support.

The research also showed just 36% of the public trust companies using frontier technologies without transparency. So, is transparent communication the answer we’re looking for?

Default to transparency

To move from reactive to proactive communications, the first and most crucial step is to embrace transparency as a standard practice. This doesn’t mean disclosing intellectual property secrets or publicizing every client relationship. Rather, it involves consistently sharing clear, relevant information that fosters understanding, builds credibility, and demonstrates a genuine commitment to openness.

For example, data centers are under huge scrutiny for their carbon footprint. It’s vital to get in front of this argument by publishing regular environmental performance data, highlighting efficiency improvements and displaying sustainability initiatives. Share updates on renewable energy procurement and waste heat recovery solutions, and make these reports accessible. Remember your audience. If you’re speaking to the public, bin the jargon and use plain language alongside colorful data visualizations and summaries that bring the data to life.

Another common concern is the economic impact of data centers and their component technologies. Frontier technologies, and specifically AI tools, are regularly tied into debates about job markets and local investment. Communications teams can flip this narrative by producing content that demonstrates a facility’s contribution to the local economy, job creation, tax contributions, and community partnerships. When communities understand the value a data center brings, they are more likely to become advocates than detractors.

It’s also helpful to clear up misunderstandings about what happens inside a data center. While the public may not care about the technical details, content that explains operations and the digital services enabled by data centers, using analogies and local examples, can bolster understanding and support.

Leveraging credible voices

Returning to the confidence tracker, it revealed that 43% of the public places the greatest trust in scientists and researchers when seeking reliable and accurate information about technology. This insight should be applied when shaping how businesses craft and deliver their communications to key stakeholders.

Whether communications are handled internally or externally, there is value in collaborating with universities and research associations on studies relating to data center efficiency, environmental impact, or economic contribution. These are the societal implications that matter to the public, and peer-reviewed research carries more weight than corporate content.

Partnerships like this can also be promoted via other channels. Businesses might consider hosting forums or expert panels that educate and inform, while also demonstrating a commitment to objective analysis.

They might also consider how to elevate executive communications to promote environmental initiatives. The key is to show that leadership genuinely cares about the same issues as the wider community. Being green mustn’t be seen as just a box-ticking exercise; it should appear as a shared value.

The path forward

The data center industry is experiencing a pivotal moment in its history, marked by rapid technological advancement and growing societal expectations. To be successful, it needs to embrace its role as a responsible steward of the digital world. This requires proactively fostering public understanding and transparency.

When a business invests in proactive communications, it creates competitive advantages that build over time. Facilities with strong community relationships, for example, face fewer disruptions and more cooperative regulatory environments. They attract the best talent and find expansion easier.

The trust deficit shouldn’t be seen as a challenge but as a call to action. The data center operators and suppliers who answer with sophisticated, proactive communications strategies will define the industry’s future.

We list the best marketing roadmapping software.

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

• IO Interactive is working to fix the performance issues in Hitman World of Assassination on Nintendo Switch 2
• This was confirmed by franchise director Jonathan Lacaille
• The updates are planned for the "summer"

Developer IO Interactive has confirmed that it's working on fixes for the performance issues in Hitman World of Assassination on Nintendo Switch 2.

This was revealed in a discussion between franchise director Jonathan Lacaille and VGC. “So for Hitman, the team is working on some of those performance issues right now, and they are addressing it over the summer,” Lacaille said.

Although he falls short of providing a specific date, the fact that the fixes are planned to come out "over the summer" suggests that we should start seeing them fairly soon.

I awarded the Nintendo Switch 2 port four out of five stars in my recent Hitman World of Assassination – Signature Edition review, praising the incredible level design and sheer amount of things to do.

It's a game that can keep you occupied for thousands of hours, though I did note some choppy performance at times. While handheld mode is acceptable, some levels struggle when the console is docked.

Hopefully upcoming updates will smooth things over, and help cement it as one of the best Nintendo Switch 2 games to play right now.

Interestingly, Lacaille went on to discuss future IO Interactive projects on Nintendo Switch 2 - specifically the upcoming James Bond game 007 First Light.

He described the Nintendo Switch 2 version of Hitman as “good learning for us to bring to First Light as well – so all of this will be learnings we bring to the next title.”

“We had [previously] brought Hitman as a cloud version on the first Switch, and now, the Switch 2 is a powerful device – powerful enough for us to bring First Light to it natively," he added.

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Looking for a different day?

A new Quordle puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Monday's puzzle instead then click here: Quordle hints and answers for Monday, July 14 (game #1267).

Quordle was one of the original Wordle alternatives and is still going strong now more than 1,100 games later. It offers a genuine challenge, though, so read on if you need some Quordle hints today – or scroll down further for the answers.

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

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

Quordle today (game #1268) - hint #1 - VowelsHow 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 #1268) - hint #2 - repeated lettersDo any of today's Quordle answers contain repeated letters?

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

Quordle today (game #1268) - hint #3 - uncommon lettersDo 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 #1268) - hint #4 - starting letters (1)Do any of today's Quordle puzzles start with the same letter?

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

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

Quordle today (game #1268) - hint #5 - starting letters (2)What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• V

• F

• T

• C

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

Quordle today (game #1268) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1268, are…

• VILLA
• FLECK
• TIGER
• CRANE

There’s a thing that occasionally happens sometimes when you play Quordle a lot and you see the words instantly and type out your first thought confidently and without checking.

Today was one of those days for me. Helped massively of course by not even having to stop to think with TIGER. 

How did you do today? Let me know in the comments below.

Daily Sequence today (game #1268) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1268, are…

• ASCOT
• REBUS
• BOSSY
• SPECK

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1267, Monday, 14 July: SURGE, PIZZA, PAPER, POPPY
• Quordle #1266, Sunday, 13 July: KAYAK, DECRY, RUDDY, HATER
• Quordle #1265, Saturday, 12 July: WREAK, NANNY, CLASP, STAIN
• Quordle #1264, Friday, 11 July: LAPEL, DRAIN, FROND, GROSS
• Quordle #1263, Thursday, 10 July: CROSS, WHEEL, UNDID, PENCE
• Quordle #1262, Wednesday, 9 July: SHIRE, SIXTH, SINGE, IMAGE
• Quordle #1261, Tuesday, 8 July: PLIED, PRANK, GAWKY, OXIDE
• Quordle #1260, Monday, 7 July: DROLL, TRUCE, TWIRL, SINCE
• Quordle #1259, Sunday, 6 July: AMPLY, SPAWN, EXTOL, RIDGE
• Quordle #1258, Saturday, 5 July: HAVEN, SNAKE, DREAM, TORUS
• Quordle #1257, Friday, 4 July: FAVOR, SKUNK, GAWKY, FLUFF
• Quordle #1256, Thursday, 3 July: DANCE, EYING, GLAZE, EGRET
• Quordle #1255, Wednesday, 2 July: INANE, SCOUR, ELITE, ULCER
• Quordle #1254, Tuesday, 1 July: REBAR, YEARN, FORTH, CROWD
• Quordle #1253, Monday, 30 June: INGOT, INFER, TAPIR, CLUED
• Quordle #1252, Sunday, 29 June: MIRTH, APTLY, SCRUB, SMACK
• Quordle #1251, Saturday, 28 June: AWOKE, SMOKY, DEVIL, SWING
• Quordle #1250, Friday, 27 June: SPEAK, EAGLE, AVERT, SUING
• Quordle #1249, Thursday, 26 June: SLUMP, REBUS, GUAVA, MONEY

Looking for a different day?

A new NYT Connections puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Monday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Connections hints and answers for Monday, July 14 (game #764).

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 Connections hints.

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

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

NYT Connections today (game #765) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• PEARL
• POWER
• BOOT
• PLAY
• VAULT
• BOUNCE
• SHOE
• BARS
• SMILE
• BEAM
• EJECT
• SCREAM
• RINGS
• FEATHERS
• NOPE
• REMOVE

NYT Connections today (game #765) - hint #1 - group hints

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

• YELLOW: Simone Biles’s equipment
• GREEN: Pushed out
• BLUE: Films from three years ago
• PURPLE: Precede with a racing animal

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 #765) - hint #2 - group answers

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

• YELLOW: GYMNASTICS APPARATUS
• GREEN: FORCE TO LEAVE
• BLUE: HORROR MOVIES FROM 2022
• PURPLE: HORSE__ 

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

NYT Connections today (game #765) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #765, are…

• YELLOW: GYMNASTICS APPARATUS BARS, BEAM, RINGS, VAULT
• GREEN: FORCE TO LEAVE BOOT, BOUNCE, EJECT, REMOVE
• BLUE: HORROR MOVIES FROM 2022 NOPE, PEARL, SCREAM, SMILE
• PURPLE: HORSE__ FEATHERS, PLAY, POWER, SHOE

• My rating: Hard
• My score: 2 mistakes

I made both mistakes today trying to put together HORROR MOVIES FROM 2022. 

This was a classic case of knowing three connections but being clueless about the fourth and even though there were only eight words left I still struggled. NOPE, SCREAM, and SMILE were all familiar, but I tried POWER and FEATHERS before finally guessing PEARL.

It had all been going so well too after breezing through the yellow and green groups. Then came the horror show.

How did you do today? Let me know in the comments below.

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Monday, July 14, game #764)

• YELLOW: SHADES OF BLUE BABY, ICE, POWDER, SKY
• GREEN: ADJECTIVES FOR A SPORTS CAR COMPACT, FAST, SLEEK, SPORTY
• BLUE: WORDS BEFORE "ROGER/S" GINGER, JOLLY, MISTER, ROY
• PURPLE: DISNEY ANIMATED CHARACTERS PLUS A LETTER ABUT, BELLED, FLOUNDERS, SCARY

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.

Looking for a different day?

A new NYT Strands puzzle appears at midnight each day for your time zone – which means that some people are always playing 'today's game' while others are playing 'yesterday's'. If you're looking for Monday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Monday, July 14 (game #498).

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

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

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

NYT Strands today (game #499) - hint #1 - today's themeWhat is the theme of today's NYT Strands?

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Come one, come all!

NYT Strands today (game #499) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• DRONE
• SEEN
• FUSS
• VOTE
• VOICES
• STUN

NYT Strands today (game #499) - hint #3 - spangram lettersHow many letters are in today's spangram?

• Spangram has 11 letters

NYT Strands today (game #499) - hint #4 - spangram positionWhat are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

First side: top, 3rd column

Last side: bottom, 4th column

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

NYT Strands today (game #499) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #499, are…

• GAMES
  MUSIC
• RIDES
• LIVESTOCK
• VENDORS
• PRIZES
• SPANGRAM: COUNTY FAIRS

• My rating: Hard
• My score: 2 hints

The phrase “come one, come all” is not one I am familiar with at all. It sounds like the sort of thing people would whisper to each other in Handmaid’s Tale – but I can see how it would work as a rallying cry for COUNTY FAIRS.

Not knowing what I was looking for and finding only non-game words it took two hints before I started making headway – GAMES and MUSIC didn't narrow things down, but RIDES confirmed that we were looking for some kind of fair.

Getting the top to bottom LIVESTOCK revealed the spangram and from here on I was virtually home. No PRIZES for me today, hope you deserve a rosette at least.

How did you do today? Let me know in the comments below.

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Monday, July 14, game #498)

• TEACHER
• MAYOR
• JANITOR
• LIBRARIAN
• FIREFIGHTER
• SPANGRAM: COMMUNITY

What is NYT Strands?

Strands is the NYT's not-so-new-any-more word game, following Wordle and Connections. It's now a fully fledged member of the NYT's games stable that has been running for a year and which 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.

Poor Elmo. The adorable, perpetually 3-year-old Sesame Street character loves us, but someone clearly does not love the furry red guy back. Hackers took over his popular X (formerly Twitter) account on Sunday and posted some decidedly un-Elmo-like content. It's surprising for a character and platform that are focused on teaching us likely missed a basic rule of social media: always set up Two-Factor Authentication.

All the deeply offensive posts have since been removed from Elmo's account, which has over 684,000 followers, and while Sesame Street has publicly commented on the hack, Elmo's account has been silent for the last 48 hours.

To think, this probably all could've been avoided if Sesame Workshop, which runs the account, had learned one simple lesson.

T is for Two-Factor Authentication.

If you have a Blue check (or any color official check) on your X account, you're likely a target. Elmo's account is verified, though we think it should be a red check. For a time, it was hard to identify verified accounts because X CEO Elon Musk removed them in 2023, demanding that anyone who wanted one pay $8 a month. He relented a year later, and accounts like Elmo's got their checks back. It was good news, except for the fact that hackers instantly knew again exactly who to target.

Tied up in verification was Two Factor Authentication, or rather, how you could verify. X ended SMS (text-based) verification for non-paying members and instead favors codes and security keys.

But I digress. It helps to explain two-factor authentication (also known as 2-factor-auth and 2FA) in a way that Elmo can understand.

Elmo likes to learn

Elmo. Elmo, look at me. Please stop playing with that puppy and look at me.

Yes, yes, I know, "Elmo loves me." Please, listen.

You know that X account that you love using so much, the one where you offer hugs and ask us all to come outside and play?

I know, right, it used to be called "Twitter." No, I do not know why they changed the name.

Let's focus.

Your X account has your name, and you use it by signing in, right?

Yes, Elmo, you've done a very good job with that. I see you on the account every day, so you clearly know how to sign in. That's very good, Elmo.

But, Elmo, your account is missing something.

No, wait, Elmo, do not go running off to look for it. It's not something you dropped.

You need to make it harder to log in. You need to add something called "Two-factor authentication."

Harder is sometimes a scary word, but not this time, and, yes, "authentication" is a big word. I can help.

The ABCs of security

It's simple, Elmo, when you sign into your account, you will also need your phone with you to generate a code.

Yes, Elmo, I do see your phone. It's very nice. I know you don't use it all the time. You're good about that.

Two-factor authentication simply means, Elmo, that when you sign in, there is a second step (or factor) you need to accomplish before you can use your account again.

First, you should enable Two Factor Authentication on your X account. This does mean you'll need the email you used to create the account. Ask the adults at Sesame Workshop to find it. They will also need to enter the password and then verify the use of a secondary login method.

Now, Elmo, here's where it gets a little complicated. Once this is set up, after you sign in – Elmo, stop playing with Tango for a second and look at me – Twitter will ask you for a code.

I use, and I think you could too, Google's Authenticator
App. Once this is set up, after you try to log in (you or a trusted adult, Elmo), you'll be asked for a code. You simply open the Google Authenticator app and grab the code that is shown for X, and then enter it in X.

After that, Elmo, you're done.

Yes, yes, Elmo, it is exciting. No, I don't think it's fun, but it's fine if you do.

Give 2FA a hug

Okay, I think Elmo gets it.

Hopefully you do. The technology here is simple: a hacker can't sign into your account without that secondary verification system. They need that code, which is only coming to the app and the phone in your hand.

I promise that hackers will try, and you may get emails about their attempts, but they will likely fail because hackers do not have that code and cannot complete the login. Also, 2FA isn't just for X; it's a valuable security tool for any online account, including email, banking, and work accounts.

One more thing for you and, oh, Elmo, come back here for a second. Everyone should change their passwords every six months. This makes it difficult for hackers who have hoovered up your information in a data breach to use old passwords to access your accounts.

I know, Elmo, you love us. We love you, too.

You might also like

• Twitter makes SMS two-factor authentication exclusive to Twitter Blue users
• Netflix is picking up Sesame Street and doing something HBO should've done all along
• Your Netflix home page is getting its biggest update ever, and yes, it includes generative AI