I, like many of you I’m sure, love nothing more than curling up on the sofa to watch a movie. Perhaps unlike you, however, I also have an unshakeable need to watch said movies on a huge TV – ideally something from our guide to the best TVs – and with a full surround sound system to get the most enjoyment out of them. Why do things by halves?
Until recently, I was ‘making do’ with a 77-inch LG G4 OLED. It’s a phenomenal screen that made me fall in love with my movie collection all over again. But after a while, it began to look small. I needed something bigger. Something better.
To get a huge screen experience at home without spending the equivalent of a house deposit, a projector is your best bet – it’s perhaps the closest we can get to an ‘authentic’ home cinema experience.
I recently wrote our Hisense C2 Ultra review and found it to be outstanding when it came to color reproduction, sound and, perhaps most importantly, size, as I was able to project an image larger than 80 inches onto my wall. If I’d had it set up in my main room with my Sonos home theater system, I could have easily asked myself the question, “Have I achieved peak home cinema?”
The answer, as it turned out, was no. That’s because I’ve recently taken delivery of an 83-inch LG G5, one of the best OLED TVs money can currently buy. Thanks to its sheer size (I reckon I could still fit the 97-inch model in my viewing space), combined with its new, super-bright ‘four stack’ tandem RGB panel, the G5 has ruined projectors for me entirely.
Big screen, bigger brightnessHaving previously owned the G4 OLED released in 2024, I wasn’t sure how LG could improve upon what I thought was the best screen I’d personally ever seen. But when I heard the rumors that the South Korean company had produced a new type of OLED panel, comprising individual blue, red and green layers to create light, and resulting in much higher brightness, boy, was my interest piqued.
The insane brightness of the G5 OLED allows colorful movies such as Wicked to really pop. (Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)As the measurements in our LG G5 review prove, it’s the brightest OLED we’ve ever tested, measuring 2,268 nits on a 10% HDR window in Filmmaker Mode. We tested the 83-inch version of the Samsung S95F, which shares the same panel as the LG model, and recorded a slightly higher reading of 2,388 nits. However, this measurement was taken at a Samsung event rather than in our own testing facilities.
What this means in real-world speak is that the LG G5 is highly adept at displaying HDR content, and it gives TV shows and movies a much greater sense of depth, as it’s able to better distinguish between light and dark areas of a picture. My colleague James Davidson has previously written a deep dive explaining just how good the G5 handles various content. From black-and-white movies such as Oppenheimer through to eye-popping color films like Elemental, and I couldn’t agree more when he says it’s “a truly picturesque TV”.
I normally have the brightness turned up to the maximum 100 setting, but there have been times, particularly when my room is especially dark, that I’ve had to turn it down. Leaving it at 100 can sometimes be retina-searing!
The Hisense C2 Ultra projector delivers excellent colors, but needs a darkened room to really shine. (Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)Projector brightness is measured in lumens, and so it’s trickier to compare. It’s claimed to get a rough equivalent, you can multiply the number of nits by 3.426 to get the brightness figure in lumens. In the LG G5’s case, taking the 10% window figure of 2,268, that would mean a projector would need to measure 7,770 lumens to be comparable.
While projectors do exist that can reach, or surpass, this figure, they’re usually reserved for large event spaces and not intended for home use. Therefore, a home projector simply can’t match the capabilities of the LG G5, making the TV a far better option for movie buffs like me.
Defence against reflectionsAnother area where the bright panel of the LG G5 has projectors beat is dealing with ambient light. This one might not come as that much of a surprise, but it’s something worth noting when deciding on how to kit out your main room for the ultimate viewing experience.
Your opinion on screen reflections may differ from mine. You may want to banish them entirely, or you may be OK with the odd reflection on the screen if the overall picture quality makes up for it. I’m in the latter camp, and find the LG G5’s combination of brightness – which does a fine job more often than not of combating reflections – anti-reflective coating and overall picture quality to be more than satisfactory.
I'm not in any way going to say there are no reflections in the G5's screen, because there are, they just don't bother me that much.
If you need to banish reflections completely, then a TV such as the Samsung S95F will be more to your liking. It employs a second-generation Glare-Free screen to dissipate light reflections across the screen into a haze-like effect.
James Davidson has also previously compared the anti-reflective capabilities of both the Samsung S95F and LG G5 side by side, so you can more easily determine exactly how both screens fare against pesky ambient light.
Even with light coming in through the windows to the right of the screen, there's barely a reflection in sight. (Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)In my opinion, the way the Samsung TV deals with light results in too much of a grey tone across the screen. I can’t deny it does a better job overall with reflections, as I’ve never been able to see myself in the screen – something that can happen with the LG.
More often than not, though, I’m not watching TV in a super bright room (I often find it surprising that a lot of people do watch TV with all the overhead lights on, to be honest). Sure, there’s light coming in through windows from outside during the day, but when day turns to dusk and then to night, I have a few smart lights turned on around my room, and usually they’re set to minimum brightness. In these instances, Samsung's Glare-Free tech becomes redundant, and in my mind, it allows the LG G5 to truly shine.
With a projector, you’re going to struggle quite a bit in daylight conditions, although I did find the Hisense C2 Ultra did a decent job of combating ambient light during my review. At night, the situation naturally improves, but the fact remains it still can’t quite match the super-bright levels of the LG G5.
A stronger connectionThe final reason why the LG G5 – and any TV for that matter – beats out a projector for my home cinema viewing is the fact that it allows for a neater solution when connecting external devices.
My soundbar sits below the TV with the connecting HDMI cable running through the TV's stand to the eARC port. Everything is tucked away nicely and tidily, and other external devices are hidden in the unit that the TV sits on.
If I wanted to set up a projector – let’s say, behind my sofa and viewing position – I’d have to run a long HDMI cable across my floor to reach the soundbar. No, thank you.
I love having no visible cables in my setup. (Image credit: Future / Max Langridge)This does only apply to certain projector styles, however– i.e. long-throw projectors.
I’ve previously tested the Xgimi Aura 2 ultra-short throw (UST) projector and was pretty amazed by how well it performed. A UST projector could sit on my same TV unit and project an equally large image (or larger) onto the wall. But it needs dark lighting conditions to really come to life, and it uses the inferior Android TV operating system, which didn’t give me access to some streaming apps. LG’s webOS 25 OS, meanwhile, is virtually flawless in my opinion – I’m not such a fan of the new Magic Remote, however.
I did concede that the audio performance of the Aura 2 was far more impressive than expected, delivering a powerful, detail-rich sound with effective object placement. For authentic surround sound, it can be connected to an external system, which I imagine would be just as tidy a solution as what a TV provides.
With projectors such as the Hisense C2 Ultra, however, I would’ve most likely set it up on my coffee table in the center of the room. While it can project a large image from a short distance, my unit would have been too close for it to perform to its full potential. But then, where would I put my bottle of wine at night? It’s not a compromise I’m willing to make. The TV stays!
Peak cinemaSince owning the LG G5, I have been more excited than ever to watch a wide variety of movies and TV shows. I’ve even invested in a Sony UBP-X700 4K Blu-ray player and begun building my disc collection to take full advantage of the screen’s technological wizardry.
For me, I’ve hit peak cinema… at least until the LG G6 comes along.
You might also likeTakahiro Shiraishi, known as the "Twitter killer," was sentenced to death in 2020 for the killings in 2017 of the nine victims, most of whom had posted suicidal thoughts on social media.
(Image credit: Takuya Inaba/Kyodo News)
The object was likely either a meteor or space junk, with most sightings of the streak of light and fireball coming from Georgia and South Carolina, the National Weather Service said.
(Image credit: Bryan Jennings Updyke)
On Thursday, the government delivered closing arguments in the sex trafficking trial of Combs. The rapper and executive is accused of coercing multiple women into sexual encounters with male escorts.
(Image credit: Jane Rosenberg)
Bill Moyers, the former White House press secretary who became one of television's most honored journalists, has died at 91.
(Image credit: William J. Smith)
NPR's Juana Summers speaks with Dr. Allen Frances, about his piece in the New York Times titled, "Autism Rates have Increased 60-Fold. I Played a Role in That."
A new NYT Wordle 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 Thursday's puzzle instead then click here.
It's time for your guide to today's Wordle answer, featuring my commentary on the latest puzzle, plus a selection of hints designed to help you keep your streak going.
Don't think you need any clues for Wordle today? No problem, just skip to my daily column. But remember: failure in this game is only ever six guesses away.
Want more word-based fun? TechRadar's Quordle today page contains hints and answers for that game, and you can also take a look at our NYT Strands today and NYT Connections today pages for our verdict on two of the New York Times' other brainteasers.
SPOILER WARNING: Today's Wordle answer and hints are below, so don't read on if you don't want to see them.
Wordle hints (game #1469) - clue #1 - VowelsHow many vowels does today's Wordle have?• Wordle today has vowels in two places*.
* 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).
Wordle hints (game #1469) - clue #2 - first letterWhat letter does today's Wordle begin with?• The first letter in today's Wordle answer is P.
P is a very common first letter among Wordle answers. It's the fifth most common in the alphabet and begins 141 solutions in total.
Wordle hints (game #1469) - clue #3 - repeated lettersDoes today's Wordle have any repeated letters?• There are no repeated letters in today's Wordle.
Repeated letters are quite common in the game, with 748 of the 2,309 Wordle answers containing one. However, it's still more likely that a Wordle doesn't have one.
Wordle hints (game #1469) - clue #4 - ending letterWhat letter does today's Wordle end with?• The last letter in today's Wordle is N.
N is a pretty common ending letter in Wordle: it's the seventh most likely in that position and features in 130 solutions.
Wordle hints (game #1469) - clue #5 - last chanceStill looking for more Wordle hints today? Here's an extra one for game #1469.
If you just want to know today's Wordle answer now, simply scroll down – but I'd always recommend trying to solve it on your own first. We've got lots of Wordle tips and tricks to help you, including a guide to the best Wordle start words.
If you don't want to know today's answer then DO NOT SCROLL ANY FURTHER BECAUSE IT IS PRINTED BELOW. So don't say you weren't warned!
Today's Wordle answer (game #1469)(Image credit: New York Times)Today's Wordle answer (game #1469) is… PLAIN.
It's been a tricky old week in Wordle, with the six games since Saturday coming in at 4.1, 3.8, 3.9, 4.1, 4.5 and 4.3. Well, today's game is rather different.
How different? At the time of writing it has an average score of 3.2 – making it one of the easiest games all year.
Ranking
Game
Answer
Date
Average score
My score
1
1363
CHASE
Thursday, 13 March 2025
2.9
4
2
1313
REACH
Wednesday, 22 January 2025
3.0
3
3
1324
CHORE
Sunday, 2 February 2025
3.1
4
4
1361
TRACK
Tuesday, 11 March 2025
3.1
4
5
1395
CREST
Monday, 14 April 2025
3.1
4
6
1339
TRAIL
Monday, 17 February 2025
3.2
2
7
1344
CREAM
Saturday, 22 February 2025
3.2
4
8
1469
PLAIN
Friday, 27 June 2025
3.2
4
9
1294
CHEAP
Friday, 3 January 2025
3.3
4
10
1342
ROACH
Thursday, 20 February 2025
3.3
4
11
1356
ALERT
Thursday, 6 March 2025
3.3
2
12
1360
SPITE
Monday, 10 March 2025
3.3
3
13
1389
SPARE
Tuesday, 8 April 2025
3.3
4
14
1453
PLAID
Wednesday, 11 June 2025
3.3
4
15
1293
CHOSE
Thursday, 2 January 2025
3.4
4
16
1304
CLOAK
Monday, 13 January 2025
3.4
4
17
1308
PROSE
Friday, 17 January 2025
3.4
3
18
1316
CRISP
Saturday, 25 January 2025
3.4
4
19
1437
DRONE
Monday, 26 May 2025
3.4
3
As you can see, easy games in general don't always tally with easy games for me, though.
That's at least in part because I use a random start word each day, whereas people who use the best Wordle start words – such as CRANE, SLATE and STARE – will have had a direct advantage on most of these.
After all, 'easy' games in many cases would better be described as 'good games to use a popular start word for'. They usually include four or five of the most common letters – generally picked from A, E, S, T, R, L and N – in their most common positions, and with no repeats. They are not always intrinsically simpler to solve, they just align closely with the top opening picks.
CRANE, for instance, left only 12 options today, while TRAIN left five. Between them, those openers account for 4% of all Wordlers, which will have brought down the average and made the game seem easier.
That said, this is one of those cases where it should be relatively easy for everyone, regardless of what they started with. PLAIN is a very common word, and will probably have suggested itself as a narrowing-down option early on in the game.
Unfortunately for me, my first guess, NOTCH, was rather less helpful than most and left 200-plus choices. Nor did I get any good fortune with my second, SANER – which the 'Bot rated at 94 for skill but only 10 for luck.
Still, it did gave me a yellow A to add to the yellow N I already had, and left 17 options on the shortlist. Theoretically, at least – I didn't know that at the time and didn't find that many.
I did find enough to known that ALIGN was a good choice, though, because it would have pointed the way to the likes of AGING, AGAIN, ADMIN, BLAND, GLAND and FLANK, plus the eventual answer, PLAIN.
And it did the trick: the L and N turned green, the I turned yellow, and the answer duly had to be PLAIN.
How did you do today? Send me an email or let me know in the comments.
Yesterday's Wordle hints (game #1468)In a different time zone where it's still Thursday? Don't worry – I can give you some clues for Wordle #1468, too.
* 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).
Vowels are generally less common than you'd expect at the start of a word, and O is only the 17th most likely letter to begin a Wordle answer.
Repeated letters are quite common in the game, with 748 of the 2,309 Wordle answers containing one. However, it's still more likely that a Wordle doesn't have one.
R is a very common letter to end a Wordle answer – it's actually the 4th most common there, behind E, Y and T.
Still looking for more Wordle hints? Here's an extra one for game #1468.
Yesterday's Wordle answer (game #1468) was… OFFER.
What a difference a day makes, eh? If Wednesday was potentially my worst ever game, yesterday's… well, it was as easy as pie.
The silly thing is that OFFER is another pretty tough game, with an average score of 4.3, which is only slightly lower than the 4.5 for COMFY. Quite why it took me six guesses on Wednesday to do what it took me two attempts yesterday is beyond me.
As I said, OFFER is theoretically difficult, and that's because it's both an ER game and a repeated-letter game.
ER games have been in short supply of late, to the extent that this is only the third one in the past 100 Wordles. Given that there are 141 of them among the 2,309 original solutions, you'd expect them every 16 games – so there really should have been six in that time.
Not that I'm complaining, because they are usually difficult, and the repeated F here adds another complication. WordleBot certainly found it tough – it needed five guesses to solve it.
In my case, though, my opening TOWER left only seven possible solutions. I didn't find that many, because several of those on the 'Bot's list are not realistic answers in my view: OGLER, OILER and OCHER.
I did find the other four, though: OLDER, ORDER, ODDER and OFFER. I had a hunch that OLDER and ORDER had been past Wordle answers, and this time I did check, because frankly I was so annoyed about my six the previous day that I couldn't face another disaster.
That showed that both had been solutions – in September 2023 and June 2024 – so I had a straight 50/50 between ODDER and OFFER. The latter seemed more likely to be an answer, so I went with that and guessed correctly.
Wordle answers: The past 50I've been playing Wordle every day for more than three years now and have tracked all of the previous answers so I can help you improve your game. Here are the last 50 solutions starting with yesterday's answer, or check out my past Wordle answers page for the full list.
If you're on this page then you almost certainly know what Wordle is already, and indeed have probably been playing it for a while. And even if you've not been playing it, you must surely have heard of it by now, because it's the viral word game phenomenon that took the world by storm last year and is still going strong in 2025.
We've got a full guide to the game in our What is Wordle page, but if you just want a refresher then here are the basics.
What is Wordle?Wordle challenges you to guess a new five-letter word each day. You get six guesses, with each one revealing a little more information. If one of the letters in your guess is in the answer and in the right place, it turns green. If it's in the answer but in the wrong place, it turns yellow. And if it's not in the answer at all it turns gray. Simple, eh?
It's played online via the Wordle website or the New York Times' Games app (iOS / Android), and is entirely free.
Crucially, the answer is the same for everyone each day, meaning that you're competing against the rest of the world, rather than just against yourself or the game. The puzzle then resets each day at midnight in your local time, giving you a new challenge, and the chance to extend your streak.
What are the Wordle rules?The rules of Wordle are pretty straightforward, but with a couple of curveballs thrown in for good measure.
1. Letters that are in the answer and in the right place turn green.
2. Letters that are in the answer but in the wrong place turn yellow.
3. Letters that are not in the answer turn gray.
4. Answers are never plural.
5. Letters can appear more than once. So if your guess includes two of one letter, they may both turn yellow, both turn green, or one could be yellow and the other green.
6. Each guess must be a valid word in Wordle's dictionary. You can't guess ABCDE, for instance.
7. You do not have to include correct letters in subsequent guesses unless you play on Hard mode.
8. You have six guesses to solve the Wordle.
9. You must complete the daily Wordle before midnight in your timezone.
10. All answers are drawn from Wordle's list of 2,309 solutions. However…
11. Wordle will accept a wider pool of words as guesses – some 10,000 of them. For instance, you can guess a plural such as WORDS. It definitely won't be right (see point 4 above), but Wordle will accept it as a guess.
12. The NYT has added in some of its own words, that weren't in that list of 2,309 solutions. More will undoubtedly come over the next few years.
Iran's nuclear program has been dealt a blow, here's an overview of the current state of its facilities.
(Image credit: Maxar Technologies)
If you're a veteran who has been charged a fee to get help on your application for a VA disability rating or other benefits, NPR wants to hear from you!
A new survey from SecurityScorecard reveals that cybersecurity leaders are faced with serious supply chain and third party risks. The survey outlines that CISOs and security professionals all around the globe are struggling to keep up with the pace of expanding threats.
The software supply chain has become a worrying weak link for firms of all sizes, as smaller software providers are difficult to assess and often don’t have the cybersecurity capabilities large organizations can afford - with cybercriminals choosing smaller software companies as a point of intrusion to gain access to larger firms.
A staggering 88% of respondents were either ‘very concerned’ or ‘somewhat concerned’ about supply chain cybersecurity risks, and with good reason too, since 70% say they have experienced one or more ‘material third-party cybersecurity incidents’, with 5% suffering 10 or more in the past year.
Persistent threatsRecent research suggests third party involvement in threats has doubled from 15% to 30% in recent months, and a growing dependence on digital technologies also means a growing dependence on third party software for all industries.
As such, organizations are tasked with stringent cybersecurity practices to keep themselves secure. But, not everyone is confident in their ability to do so, with only 26% of organizations incorporating supply chain security into their cybersecurity programs - most rely on ‘point-in-time, vendor-supplied assessments or cyber insurance.’
Cybersecurity can be overwhelming even for firms with powerful capabilities, and nearly 40% of respondents reported that data overload and issues with prioritizing threats are their biggest challenge.
“Supply chain cyberattacks are no longer isolated incidents; they’re a daily reality,” said Ryan Sherstobitoff, Field Chief Threat Intelligence Officer at SecurityScorecard
“Yet breaches persist because third-party risk management remains largely passive, focused on assessments and compliance checklists rather than action. This outdated approach fails to operationalize the insights it gathers. What’s needed is a shift to active defense: supply chain incident response capabilities that close the gap between third-party risk teams and security operations centers, turning continuous monitoring and threat intelligence into real-time action. Static checks won’t stop dynamic threats—only integrated detection and response will.”
You might also likeVogue magazine in the U.S. will soon have a new editorial head. Anna Wintour announced that, after nearly 40 years in the position, she will be focus on her wider roles at Vogue and Condé Nast.
(Image credit: CJ Rivera)
A new cyber campaign using fake Zoom applications is targeting organizations across North America, Europe, and the Asia-Pacific, experts have warned.
This cyber campaign, linked to North Korean hackers, is attributed to the BlueNoroff Group, a known affiliate of the infamous Lazarus Group, and spoofs legitimate video conferencing services from Zoom to fool victims.
Primarily focused on the gaming, entertainment, and fintech sectors, this operation appears carefully coordinated and aims to compromise cryptocurrency wallets and other sensitive financial data.
Get Keeper's Personal Password Manager plan for just $1.67/month
Keeper is a password manager with top-notch security. It's fast, full-featured, and offers a robust web interface. The Personal Plan gets you unlimited password storage across all your devices, auto-login & autofill to save time, secure password sharing with trusted contacts, biometric login & 2FA for added security.View Deal
The operation begins with a deceptive AppleScript, designed to look like it is performing routine Zoom SDK maintenance.
Analysts have found the script padded with around 10,000 blank lines to hide the malicious commands buried deep within.
These commands, found on lines 10,017 and 10,018, use a curl request to silently download malware from a spoofed domain: zoom-tech[.]us.
Once installed, the malware embeds itself into the system using LaunchDaemon configurations that execute the malicious payload at startup with elevated privileges.
Additional components are then retrieved from compromised infrastructure and disguised as normal macOS tools such as “icloud_helper” and “Wi-Fi Updater.”
These components erase traces of temporary files and staging folders, using anti-forensics methods to avoid detection while maintaining backdoor access for remote commands and data theft.
This method takes advantage of the common work-from-home scenario where technical glitches are resolved quickly and often with minimal scrutiny.
The malware goes beyond simple credential theft. It actively looks for cryptocurrency wallet extensions, browser logins, and authentication keys, confirming BlueNoroff’s ongoing focus on financial gain.
In one documented case, a Canadian online gambling company was targeted on May 28, when attackers used fake Zoom troubleshooting scripts to plant the malware.
To stay safe, verify Zoom meeting participants independently, block suspicious domains, and use endpoint protection because attackers now use trusted platforms and familiar workflows to slip past basic protection.
It is also important to choose the best antivirus and ransomware protection software, especially for organizations with digital assets or crypto holdings.
Businesses should adopt identity theft protection to monitor exposed data and credentials, train staff on social engineering risks, and secure cryptocurrency tools with hardware wallets.
You might also like