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• Max, a Russia-developed messaging app, must be pre-installed on every new device from September 1
• The domestic RuStore app store is also to be forced onto Apple devices, after already being mandatory on Android
• Authorities are reportedly considering blocking WhatsApp, today's most popular messaging app in Russia

A Russia-developed messaging app must be pre-installed on every new smartphone and tablet sold in Russia starting from September 1, 2025 – the government confirmed on Thursday, August 21.

So-called Max, the WhatsApp rival, is also integrated with government services and has already reached 18 million registered users, according to Interfax.

Privacy experts have been raising the alarm, arguing that Max could spy on its users. Something that the Kremlin strongly denies, arguing that "it has fewer permissions to access user data than rivals WhatsApp and Telegram," Reuters reported.

As per the government announcement, on September 1, the domestic RuStore app store will also become mandatory on all Apple devices, having been forced only on Android gadgets so far.

Can people in Russia still use WhatsApp?

(Image credit: Shutterstock / Tada Images )

WhatsApp is currently the most popular messaging service across Russia, and the only Meta-owned app not blocked in the country.

This could soon change, however, as authorities have recently confirmed their intention to ban WhatsApp in Russia.

Talking to Reuters on Friday, July 18, Deputy Head of the Russian parliament's Information Technology Committee, Anton Gorelkin, said that "it's time for WhatsApp to prepare to leave the Russian market," while reminding that Meta has been designated as an extremist organization in Russia.

Two more government sources have then confirmed to Meduza, a Russian Independent media outlet, that "there’s a 99-percent chance" the WhatsApp block will happen.

Fast-forward to August 13, Interfax confirmed that authorities partially restrict calls on both Telegram and WhatsApp, allegedly as a measure to combat criminal and terrorist activities.

The looming WhatsApp ban comes as the Kremlin also recently passed a law to punish online searches for so-called 'extremist' content, while adding new penalties to those using VPN services.

This means that using one of the best VPN services to bypass a potential ban on WhatsApp, or any other app for that matter, has suddenly become ever more challenging.

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• Russia to invest over half a billion US dollars in its battle against VPN usage
• Russia disconnects several regions to test its sovereign net

• Max, a Russia-developed messaging app, must be pre-installed on every new device from September 1
• The domestic RuStore app store is also to be forced onto Apple devices, after already being mandatory on Android
• Authorities are reportedly considering blocking WhatsApp, today's most popular messaging app in Russia

A Russia-developed messaging app must be pre-installed on every new smartphone and tablet sold in Russia starting from September 1, 2025 – the government confirmed on Thursday, August 21.

So-called Max, the WhatsApp rival, is also integrated with government services and has already reached 18 million registered users, according to Interfax.

Privacy experts have been raising the alarm, arguing that Max could spy on its users. Something that the Kremlin strongly denies, arguing that "it has fewer permissions to access user data than rivals WhatsApp and Telegram," Reuters reported.

As per the government announcement, on September 1, the domestic RuStore app store will also become mandatory on all Apple devices, having been forced only on Android gadgets so far.

Can people in Russia still use WhatsApp?

(Image credit: Shutterstock / Tada Images )

WhatsApp is currently the most popular messaging service across Russia, and the only Meta-owned app not blocked in the country.

This could soon change, however, as authorities have recently confirmed their intention to ban WhatsApp in Russia.

Talking to Reuters on Friday, July 18, Deputy Head of the Russian parliament's Information Technology Committee, Anton Gorelkin, said that "it's time for WhatsApp to prepare to leave the Russian market," while reminding that Meta has been designated as an extremist organization in Russia.

Two more government sources have then confirmed to Meduza, a Russian Independent media outlet, that "there’s a 99-percent chance" the WhatsApp block will happen.

Fast-forward to August 13, Interfax confirmed that authorities partially restrict calls on both Telegram and WhatsApp, allegedly as a measure to combat criminal and terrorist activities.

The looming WhatsApp ban comes as the Kremlin also recently passed a law to punish online searches for so-called 'extremist' content, while adding new penalties to those using VPN services.

This means that using one of the best VPN services to bypass a potential ban on WhatsApp, or any other app for that matter, has suddenly become ever more challenging.

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• Russia demands over 200 VPNs are removed from the Play Store – but Google is resisting
• Russia to invest over half a billion US dollars in its battle against VPN usage
• Russia disconnects several regions to test its sovereign net

• One of Final Fantasy 14's most popular mods, Mare Synchronos, has shut down
• The plug-in's creator blamed a "legal enquiry"
• The game has since been review-bombed on Steam

Following a "legal enquiry", a popular third-party tool used for Final Fantasy 14 has shut down and now players are furious.

The tool, Mare Synchronos, was a plug-in that allowed users to sync and view other players' mods in-game, such as character customization, hair, clothing, and more, and had over 20,000 users.

Modding in Final Fantasy 14 has always been against the game's terms of service, though it is well-known in the community that it's best not to advertise the use of them if you want to avoid the ban hammer.

Unfortunately, it seems one of the most popular mods wasn't able to escape Square Enix's legal team.

The mod's creator announced the shutdown on their Discord (in a message that was posted to Reddit), saying, "See the sun set, the day is ending. With a heavy heart, I have to announce the end of Mare Synchronos as you know it. I've received a legal inquiry concerning the project. After reviewing my options with counsel, I'm winding down" (via GamesRadar).

The modder has explained that, effective immediately, registration to download the mod will be closed and bot services will be shut down, repositories for client, server, and api will be removed, and all Patreon/Ko-Fi memberships will be removed.

Since Mare was used by many players who mod the game, particularly those in the role-playing community, the announcement hasn't gone down well.

"Square Enix messing with their freaky fanbase is a bold strategy, let's see if it pays off," said one user in the Reddit thread.

"More reasons to never come back," another wrote. "People say mare was just for the ERPers, which sure lotsa people used it for that. But lemme say this... mare legit made it so I could get my character to actually present how I wanted him for my friends to see... warmer more diverse skin tones, hair editing, better hair colors, personally altering face bones and height etc and having that show up."

Mare's shut down has also resulted in Final Fantasy 14 being review-bombed on Steam. As of writing, the game is now sitting at "Mixed" reviews, with plenty of angry posts relating to the mod's takedown.

"I never messed with mods, but i had no issue with people using them because people really enjoyed their character creation mod options," one player said. "Square never had a problem with it before and now suddenly they rip this away from people. wont be coming back. if square wants to burn their game to the ground then let them."

"RIP Moon [Mare Synchronos], canceled my sub I've been paying for," said another. "Without Moon, it's not worth it for me personally."

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• One of Final Fantasy 14's most popular mods, Mare Synchronos, has shut down
• The plug-in's creator blamed a "legal enquiry"
• The game has since been review-bombed on Steam

Following a "legal enquiry", a popular third-party tool used for Final Fantasy 14 has shut down and now players are furious.

The tool, Mare Synchronos, was a plug-in that allowed users to sync and view other players' mods in-game, such as character customization, hair, clothing, and more, and had over 20,000 users.

Modding in Final Fantasy 14 has always been against the game's terms of service, though it is well-known in the community that it's best not to advertise the use of them if you want to avoid the ban hammer.

Unfortunately, it seems one of the most popular mods wasn't able to escape Square Enix's legal team.

The mod's creator announced the shutdown on their Discord (in a message that was posted to Reddit), saying, "See the sun set, the day is ending. With a heavy heart, I have to announce the end of Mare Synchronos as you know it. I've received a legal inquiry concerning the project. After reviewing my options with counsel, I'm winding down" (via GamesRadar).

The modder has explained that, effective immediately, registration to download the mod will be closed and bot services will be shut down, repositories for client, server, and api will be removed, and all Patreon/Ko-Fi memberships will be removed.

Since Mare was used by many players who mod the game, particularly those in the role-playing community, the announcement hasn't gone down well.

"Square Enix messing with their freaky fanbase is a bold strategy, let's see if it pays off," said one user in the Reddit thread.

"More reasons to never come back," another wrote. "People say mare was just for the ERPers, which sure lotsa people used it for that. But lemme say this... mare legit made it so I could get my character to actually present how I wanted him for my friends to see... warmer more diverse skin tones, hair editing, better hair colors, personally altering face bones and height etc and having that show up."

Mare's shut down has also resulted in Final Fantasy 14 being review-bombed on Steam. As of writing, the game is now sitting at "Mixed" reviews, with plenty of angry posts relating to the mod's takedown.

"I never messed with mods, but i had no issue with people using them because people really enjoyed their character creation mod options," one player said. "Square never had a problem with it before and now suddenly they rip this away from people. wont be coming back. if square wants to burn their game to the ground then let them."

"RIP Moon [Mare Synchronos], canceled my sub I've been paying for," said another. "Without Moon, it's not worth it for me personally."

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Federal Reserve chairman Jerome Powell signaled a possible interest rate cut in the months to come, sending stocks sharply higher.

(Image credit: Natalie Behring)

• Australian CommBank announced 45 workers would be replaced with AI
• However the decision has now been reversed after the AI failed to live up to humans
• Workers have received an apology from CommBank

Australia’s Commonwealth Bank has provided a useful example of how not to introduce AI tools after being forced into an embarassing clim-down.

The bank had recently announced 45 customer service workers would be cut and replaced with an AI-powered 'voice bot' in an effort to reduce call volumes and automate less complex replies - leaving a small number of employees to handle the remaining more complex enquiries.

As it turns out, these bots were not capable of handling the tasks that the workers could - and now, those cut employees will now be rehired.

The ‘backflip’

The bank claimed the ‘voice-bot’ led to a reduction in calls, but Australia's Finance Sector Union disputes this claim, noting, “Members told us this was an outright lie and did not reflect the reality of what was happening in Direct Banking. Call volumes were in fact increasing and CBA was scrambling to manage the situation by offering staff overtime and directing Team Leaders to answer calls."

The bank issued an apology to the staff who were affected by the proposed job cuts and reversed the decision. A spokesperson from the bank told TechRadar Pro that it's initial assessment 'did not adequately consider all relevant business considerations and this error meant the roles were not redundant.'

"We have apologised to the employees concerned and acknowledge we should have been more thorough in our assessment of the roles required. We are currently supporting affected employees and have provided them with choice regarding continuing in their current roles, pursuing redeployment within CBA or to proceed with leaving the organisation."

That being said, CommBank is not denouncing the tech entirely, having recently announced a partnership with OpenAI to develop scam and fraud detection solutions, as well as ‘deliver more personalized services’ for its customers.

For months, concerns about job losses at the hands of AI were dismissed, with companies assuring that only the most basic and mundane admin tasks would be handled by bots, leaving workers to focus on the more creative aspects of their roles.

Those in administrative positions who handle almost exclusively mundane tasks have warned that these models, although sometimes useful, cannot replace human experience and understanding.

It’s undeniable that AI is replacing workers, with hundreds of jobs at firms like IBM and Crowdstrike disappearing as humans have been made more dispensable thanks to the tech.

But, not all of these cost-cutting decisions are working out. In the UK, over half of all businesses who replaced workers with AI already regret their decision, and are not less likely to believe that AI will replace human workers.

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• Australian CommBank announced 45 workers would be replaced with AI
• However the decision has now been reversed after the AI failed to live up to humans
• Workers have received an apology from CommBank

Australia’s Commonwealth Bank has provided a useful example of how not to introduce AI tools after being forced into an embarassing clim-down.

The bank had recently announced 45 customer service workers would be cut and replaced with an AI-powered 'voice bot' in an effort to reduce call volumes and automate less complex replies - leaving a small number of employees to handle the remaining more complex enquiries.

As it turns out, these bots were not capable of handling the tasks that the workers could - and now, those cut employees will now be rehired.

The ‘backflip’

The bank claimed the ‘voice-bot’ led to a reduction in calls, but Australia's Finance Sector Union disputes this claim, noting, “Members told us this was an outright lie and did not reflect the reality of what was happening in Direct Banking. Call volumes were in fact increasing and CBA was scrambling to manage the situation by offering staff overtime and directing Team Leaders to answer calls."

The bank issued an apology to the staff who were affected by the proposed job cuts and reversed the decision. A spokesperson from the bank told TechRadar Pro that it's initial assessment 'did not adequately consider all relevant business considerations and this error meant the roles were not redundant.'

"We have apologised to the employees concerned and acknowledge we should have been more thorough in our assessment of the roles required. We are currently supporting affected employees and have provided them with choice regarding continuing in their current roles, pursuing redeployment within CBA or to proceed with leaving the organisation."

That being said, CommBank is not denouncing the tech entirely, having recently announced a partnership with OpenAI to develop scam and fraud detection solutions, as well as ‘deliver more personalized services’ for its customers.

For months, concerns about job losses at the hands of AI were dismissed, with companies assuring that only the most basic and mundane admin tasks would be handled by bots, leaving workers to focus on the more creative aspects of their roles.

Those in administrative positions who handle almost exclusively mundane tasks have warned that these models, although sometimes useful, cannot replace human experience and understanding.

It’s undeniable that AI is replacing workers, with hundreds of jobs at firms like IBM and Crowdstrike disappearing as humans have been made more dispensable thanks to the tech.

But, not all of these cost-cutting decisions are working out. In the UK, over half of all businesses who replaced workers with AI already regret their decision, and are not less likely to believe that AI will replace human workers.

You might also like

• Almost all GenAI pilots companies deploy are failing - so are they really worth the hype?
• Check out our choice for best endpoint protection software to keep you safe
• 70% of people are sick of talking to AI – where did all the humans go?

The Blues look to turn up the heat on Graham Potter's under-pressure Hammers.

It's been three and a half years since Peacemaker took the world by storm.

The Suicide Squad spin-off series, which saw John Cena reprise his role as the jingoistic anti-hero from that 2021 flick in the character's self-titled TV show, was a big hit. Armed with the usual trappings of a James Gunn project, the arrival of the season 1 finale in February 2022 broke the at-the-time record for the highest single day viewership of an HBO Max original episode. Not bad going for a show starring a C-list tier metahuman from DC Comics.

But Peacemaker's first season had a trick up its sleeve that supercharged its success weeks prior to the launch of its last episode: a dance number-inspired title sequence. The 80-second long intro, which saw its full cast amusingly perform a highly-polished, choreographed routine set to Wig Wam track 'Do You Wanna Taste It?', was surprising as it was delightful. Four billion views on TikTok later, and writer/director James Gunn, Cena, and company had an unexpected viral sensation on their hands.

With a second season – one set in the rebooted DC Universe (DCU) overseen by Gunn and fellow DC Studios co-CEO Peter Safran, rather than the now-defunct DC Extended Universe (DCEU) – greenlit not long after its forebear's finale, one question dominated fans' minds. Well, the one that has nothing to do with whether events from Peacemaker season 1 would be deemed canon in season 2 and the wider DCU, anyway: would the show's sophomore outing have its own similarly dance-infused intro?

The short answer is: yes. And, with the first episode of Peacemaker season 2, titled 'The Ties That Grind' out now, viewers can finally watch it in all of its glory.

What many fans won't realize and/or potentially underappreciate, though, is the amount of time, effort, and energy that went into this season's more intricate and more ambitious opener. And, after three gruelling years of putting said sequence together, Gunn and the show's ensemble are finally ready to reveal all.

'Julian, it's a hungry world...'

John Cena and company dance along to 'Oh Lord' by Foxy Shazam during this season's intro sequence (Image credit: HBO Max)

Last season's intro owed much to Gunn's uncanny knack – nay, superpower – to select the right track for any given scene or sequence in projects he writes, directs, and/or produces. A self-confessed music nerd, almost every one of Gunn's works, such as the Guardians of the Galaxy film trilogy he wrote and directed for Marvel, are full of catchy yet underrated songs who've become part of the cultural zeitgeist following their use in said productions.

The pressure to select the perfect ditty to set season 2's dance opener to, then, was certainly on. And, while Gunn tells me this season's song of choice – 'Oh Lord' by glam-rock outfit Foxy Shazam – was eventually settled on because its lyrics tie into the themes of season 2, it wasn't the only option he umm-ed and arr-ed about.

"I don't know if any other songs came close [to being chosen]," Gunn admits. "[But] there were a couple of others I considered. There was another Foxy Shazam track and I also thought about using 'Do You Wanna Taste It?' again. But, at the end of the day, I picked 'Oh Lord' because it was the best fit for this season's tone, much like 'Do You Wanna Taste It?' was the right fit for season 1."

"You think hearing the same song over and over for 10 hours straight would get old, but it never did for me," Steve Agee, who plays John Economos, reveals with a laugh. "I really like the song, and some of the guys from Foxy Shazam came over while we were shooting the actual thing, so it was a lot of fun."

Going again from the top

The show's cast spent weeks preparing to film this season's opening sequence (Image credit: HBO Max)

With its title track locked in, work soon began on the actual dance that the cast would need to perform on the day (or, as you'll learn later, days).

Just as he did for one of the best HBO Max shows' first season, Gunn teamed up with Charissa Barton to create a completely new, multi-tiered sequence. Workshopping it with her husband Alan Tudyk, who's voiced various characters in the first two DCU Chapter One projects Superman and Creature Commandos, Barton soon settled on the movements that this season's near-20-strong cast would need to master.

An incredible amount of effort was put into the opening dance sequence of #Peacemaker this season. They made everyone, even Frank Grillo, look great. pic.twitter.com/oAAdye7rTwAugust 22, 2025

"Charissa worked it out ahead of time before getting approval from James," Agee explains. "Then, she meets with us one-on-one, or in groups of two or three, because there are sections to the dance. So, we'd go in with her to rehearse it, she'd record it, and then send the file to you so you can practise at home."

"We had a lot of individual and group rehearsal," Frank Grillo, who reprises his role as Rick Flag Sr from Gunn's Superman movie and Creature Commandos season 1, adds. "We were given plenty of homework to do, and I'm glad I got to work on it at home because the idea of being on stage with so many people, and being in sync, was something I didn't think I'd be comfortable with."

I've had the time of my liiiiiife! (Image credit: HBO Max)

Peacemaker 2's opening credits are certainly more complex than its predecessor's. Indeed, more people are involved this time around and, with the first season's dance sequence being so well received, there's an inevitable demand to make it bigger, bolder, and better than what's come before.

For Jennifer Holland, the gymnast-turned-actor who returns to play Emilia Harcourt, season 2's routine provided some particularly tricky moves for her to get right. Indeed, with this season further examining Harcourt and the titular character's 'will they, won't they' dynamic, Barton felt it was crucial to lean into this aspect of the story with a Dirty Dancing-inspired lift.

"There's a piece where I get to go on wires and do this little spin in the air, which was like a little Cirque du Soleil moment," Holland tells me, "But that lift was the most challenging thing I had to do. I didn't get to rehearse that much with John because he's so busy – you never know if you'll get to practise with him from one day to the next! But, his stunt double, Spencer Thomas, was so amazing. He made sure I was prepared so, by the time I got on set with John, I knew exactly what was expected of me."

Dance like everybody's watching

Peacemaker season 2's dance routine asked a lot of some of its cast (Image credit: HBO Max)

That prep work – "we rehearsed for weeks", Sol Rodríguez, who plays Sasha Bordeaux, admits – was, as the cast alludes to, was critical when it came to shooting the actual thing.

Unlike last season's single day shoot, the cast and crew were given two full days to get the new title sequence in the can. However, even with the extra time afforded to them, everyone involved faced some sort of challenge.

"We have many more bad dancers this season," Gunn says with a laugh. "Robert Patrick [who plays Auggie Smith] was the only one we had last time, so shout out to Frank, Tim Meadows [who plays Langston Fleury], and Michael Rooker [who portrays Red St. Wild] for stepping up and doing their best!"

"I had to dance in the Captain Triumph costume," David Denman, who plays Keith Smith, reveals. "That was a big challenge, but thankfully I didn't have to do much in it, especially with the helmet on."

"Dancing in a mask is trickier than you think," Freddie Stroma, who reprises his role as Adrian Chase/Vigilante, adds. "You can't really see, so most of the time you're worried you'll bump into someone or, if you're about to head off stage where it's really dark, you're trying to figure out where the edge is so you don't fall off.

The saying goes that "practise makes perfect", though, and it certainly pays off here. Well, unless you're Rooker, Gunn says a grin. "Re-watch it enough and you'll see what I mean," he teases.

Rooker's issues with staying in sync with his fellow actors aside, there's little doubt that season 2's title sequence is as wonderfully entertaining as last season's was – indeed, I said as much in my Peacemaker season 2 review. Despite its cast having to wear serious looks on their faces as part of the routine, it's evident they all enjoyed themselves, too.

"It was my last two days on set," Stroma explains. "I didn't get to do it last season, either, so I had nothing to compare it to. But, it was really fun to drop the accent I use in the show, relax, and just have a great time dancing."

"The whole shoot was amazing," Rodríguez says. "Having the full cast and James there, and all of these big personalities who love having a laugh, filming on a big soundstage and having music blasting away – I've never experienced anything like it."

"It's a full production," Danielle Brooks, who plays Leota Adebayo, adds. "James takes it all very seriously, but we had a blast. I can't wait to see all of our fans learning it."

Peacemaker season 2 episode 1 is out now on HBO Max and more of the world's best streaming services. Read my Peacemaker season 2 release schedule guide to see when new episodes will air.

It's been three and a half years since Peacemaker took the world by storm.

The Suicide Squad spin-off series, which saw John Cena reprise his role as the jingoistic anti-hero from that 2021 flick in the character's self-titled TV show, was a big hit. Armed with the usual trappings of a James Gunn project, the arrival of the season 1 finale in February 2022 broke the at-the-time record for the highest single day viewership of an HBO Max original episode. Not bad going for a show starring a C-list tier metahuman from DC Comics.

But Peacemaker's first season had a trick up its sleeve that supercharged its success weeks prior to the launch of its last episode: a dance number-inspired title sequence. The 80-second long intro, which saw its full cast amusingly perform a highly-polished, choreographed routine set to Wig Wam track 'Do You Wanna Taste It?', was surprising as it was delightful. Four billion views on TikTok later, and writer/director James Gunn, Cena, and company had an unexpected viral sensation on their hands.

With a second season – one set in the rebooted DC Universe (DCU) overseen by Gunn and fellow DC Studios co-CEO Peter Safran, rather than the now-defunct DC Extended Universe (DCEU) – greenlit not long after its forebear's finale, one question dominated fans' minds. Well, the one that has nothing to do with whether events from Peacemaker season 1 would be deemed canon in season 2 and the wider DCU, anyway: would the show's sophomore outing have its own similarly dance-infused intro?

The short answer is: yes. And, with the first episode of Peacemaker season 2, titled 'The Ties That Grind' out now, viewers can finally watch it in all of its glory.

What many fans won't realize and/or potentially underappreciate, though, is the amount of time, effort, and energy that went into this season's more intricate and more ambitious opener. And, after three gruelling years of putting said sequence together, Gunn and the show's ensemble are finally ready to reveal all.

'Julian, it's a hungry world...'

John Cena and company dance along to 'Oh Lord' by Foxy Shazam during this season's intro sequence (Image credit: HBO Max)

Last season's intro owed much to Gunn's uncanny knack – nay, superpower – to select the right track for any given scene or sequence in projects he writes, directs, and/or produces. A self-confessed music nerd, almost every one of Gunn's works, such as the Guardians of the Galaxy film trilogy he wrote and directed for Marvel, are full of catchy yet underrated songs who've become part of the cultural zeitgeist following their use in said productions.

The pressure to select the perfect ditty to set season 2's dance opener to, then, was certainly on. And, while Gunn tells me this season's song of choice – 'Oh Lord' by glam-rock outfit Foxy Shazam – was eventually settled on because its lyrics tie into the themes of season 2, it wasn't the only option he umm-ed and arr-ed about.

"I don't know if any other songs came close [to being chosen]," Gunn admits. "[But] there were a couple of others I considered. There was another Foxy Shazam track and I also thought about using 'Do You Wanna Taste It?' again. But, at the end of the day, I picked 'Oh Lord' because it was the best fit for this season's tone, much like 'Do You Wanna Taste It?' was the right fit for season 1."

"You think hearing the same song over and over for 10 hours straight would get old, but it never did for me," Steve Agee, who plays John Economos, reveals with a laugh. "I really like the song, and some of the guys from Foxy Shazam came over while we were shooting the actual thing, so it was a lot of fun."

Going again from the top

The show's cast spent weeks preparing to film this season's opening sequence (Image credit: HBO Max)

With its title track locked in, work soon began on the actual dance that the cast would need to perform on the day (or, as you'll learn later, days).

Just as he did for one of the best HBO Max shows' first season, Gunn teamed up with Charissa Barton to create a completely new, multi-tiered sequence. Workshopping it with her husband Alan Tudyk, who's voiced various characters in the first two DCU Chapter One projects Superman and Creature Commandos, Barton soon settled on the movements that this season's near-20-strong cast would need to master.

An incredible amount of effort was put into the opening dance sequence of #Peacemaker this season. They made everyone, even Frank Grillo, look great. pic.twitter.com/oAAdye7rTwAugust 22, 2025

"Charissa worked it out ahead of time before getting approval from James," Agee explains. "Then, she meets with us one-on-one, or in groups of two or three, because there are sections to the dance. So, we'd go in with her to rehearse it, she'd record it, and then send the file to you so you can practise at home."

"We had a lot of individual and group rehearsal," Frank Grillo, who reprises his role as Rick Flag Sr from Gunn's Superman movie and Creature Commandos season 1, adds. "We were given plenty of homework to do, and I'm glad I got to work on it at home because the idea of being on stage with so many people, and being in sync, was something I didn't think I'd be comfortable with."

I've had the time of my liiiiiife! (Image credit: HBO Max)

Peacemaker 2's opening credits are certainly more complex than its predecessor's. Indeed, more people are involved this time around and, with the first season's dance sequence being so well received, there's an inevitable demand to make it bigger, bolder, and better than what's come before.

For Jennifer Holland, the gymnast-turned-actor who returns to play Emilia Harcourt, season 2's routine provided some particularly tricky moves for her to get right. Indeed, with this season further examining Harcourt and the titular character's 'will they, won't they' dynamic, Barton felt it was crucial to lean into this aspect of the story with a Dirty Dancing-inspired lift.

"There's a piece where I get to go on wires and do this little spin in the air, which was like a little Cirque du Soleil moment," Holland tells me, "But that lift was the most challenging thing I had to do. I didn't get to rehearse that much with John because he's so busy – you never know if you'll get to practise with him from one day to the next! But, his stunt double, Spencer Thomas, was so amazing. He made sure I was prepared so, by the time I got on set with John, I knew exactly what was expected of me."

Dance like everybody's watching

Peacemaker season 2's dance routine asked a lot of some of its cast (Image credit: HBO Max)

That prep work – "we rehearsed for weeks", Sol Rodríguez, who plays Sasha Bordeaux, admits – was, as the cast alludes to, was critical when it came to shooting the actual thing.

Unlike last season's single day shoot, the cast and crew were given two full days to get the new title sequence in the can. However, even with the extra time afforded to them, everyone involved faced some sort of challenge.

"We have many more bad dancers this season," Gunn says with a laugh. "Robert Patrick [who plays Auggie Smith] was the only one we had last time, so shout out to Frank, Tim Meadows [who plays Langston Fleury], and Michael Rooker [who portrays Red St. Wild] for stepping up and doing their best!"

"I had to dance in the Captain Triumph costume," David Denman, who plays Keith Smith, reveals. "That was a big challenge, but thankfully I didn't have to do much in it, especially with the helmet on."

"Dancing in a mask is trickier than you think," Freddie Stroma, who reprises his role as Adrian Chase/Vigilante, adds. "You can't really see, so most of the time you're worried you'll bump into someone or, if you're about to head off stage where it's really dark, you're trying to figure out where the edge is so you don't fall off.

The saying goes that "practise makes perfect", though, and it certainly pays off here. Well, unless you're Rooker, Gunn says a grin. "Re-watch it enough and you'll see what I mean," he teases.

Rooker's issues with staying in sync with his fellow actors aside, there's little doubt that season 2's title sequence is as wonderfully entertaining as last season's was – indeed, I said as much in my Peacemaker season 2 review. Despite its cast having to wear serious looks on their faces as part of the routine, it's evident they all enjoyed themselves, too.

"It was my last two days on set," Stroma explains. "I didn't get to do it last season, either, so I had nothing to compare it to. But, it was really fun to drop the accent I use in the show, relax, and just have a great time dancing."

"The whole shoot was amazing," Rodríguez says. "Having the full cast and James there, and all of these big personalities who love having a laugh, filming on a big soundstage and having music blasting away – I've never experienced anything like it."

"It's a full production," Danielle Brooks, who plays Leota Adebayo, adds. "James takes it all very seriously, but we had a blast. I can't wait to see all of our fans learning it."

Peacemaker season 2 episode 1 is out now on HBO Max and more of the world's best streaming services. Read my Peacemaker season 2 release schedule guide to see when new episodes will air.

• Gamescom congress broke its attendance record this year
• The conference featured over 1000 guests and over 180 expert speakers
• This year's event focused on three topics: Games and WellBeing, The Next Level of Immersion, and Games and Responsibility

Gamescom congress, Europe's leading conference on the potential of computer and video games for society and the economy, has broken its attendance record this year.

Gamescom 2025 is almost at an end and was filled with plenty of new game announcements, trailers, and updates. Meanwhile, the annual Gamescom congress conference has broken record attendance with over 1,000 guests and featuring over 180 experts in business, science, politics, and media who gave talks and panel discussions on how games promote social and technological progress.

This year's conference focused on three topics: Games and WellBeing, The Next Level of Immersion, and Games and Responsibility. To highlight these subjects, Gamescom congress 2025 offered a diverse program of talks and panel discussions on the role of games across the entire social spectrum.

Renowned names such as the founder and former CEO of Unity and climate activist David Helgason, CEO of ThrivePal Y-Lan Boureau, Celia Hodent, PhD in game UX, Soihtu DTx CEO Jukka Laakso, and others revealed the potential of computer and video games in a wide variety of areas, such as serving as technological and economic drivers, educating people about migration and democracy, enhancing well-being, and promoting environmental and climate protection.

"Games are perfect entertainment, and it is precisely thanks to this unique power that they also have a positive impact in numerous other areas – whether in political education, medicine, industry, or science," said Felix Falk, managing director of game – the German games industry association, co-organizer of the Gamescom congress.

"With record participation among speakers and visitors, as well as numerous high-profile keynotes and panels, the Gamescom congress once again impressively highlighted the strength of games with international appeal."

In addition, a panel called "Get ready, get set, go! How Germany wants to compete at the top worldwide" was also held in an effort to debate how Germany can benefit from games.

"The Gamescom congress definitely demonstrated how diverse and socially relevant the debates surrounding games are," said Gerald Böse, CEO of Koelnmesse GmbH. "It brings together players from a wide variety of fields and makes Cologne an international meeting place for forward-looking ideas in computer and video games. The congress has once again proven its role as a bridge between industry, business, and society."

You might also like...

• Here are the three biggest things we learned from the Hollow Knight: Silksong release date trailer
• Everything announced at Gamescom Opening Night Live 2025 from the Sekiro anime to the new Ghost of Yotei mode
• New Resident Evil Requiem gameplay teaser solidifies it as my most anticipated game of 2026 so far

• Gamescom congress broke its attendance record this year
• The conference featured over 1000 guests and over 180 expert speakers
• This year's event focused on three topics: Games and WellBeing, The Next Level of Immersion, and Games and Responsibility

Gamescom congress, Europe's leading conference on the potential of computer and video games for society and the economy, has broken its attendance record this year.

Gamescom 2025 is almost at an end and was filled with plenty of new game announcements, trailers, and updates. Meanwhile, the annual Gamescom congress conference has broken record attendance with over 1,000 guests and featuring over 180 experts in business, science, politics, and media who gave talks and panel discussions on how games promote social and technological progress.

This year's conference focused on three topics: Games and WellBeing, The Next Level of Immersion, and Games and Responsibility. To highlight these subjects, Gamescom congress 2025 offered a diverse program of talks and panel discussions on the role of games across the entire social spectrum.

Renowned names such as the founder and former CEO of Unity and climate activist David Helgason, CEO of ThrivePal Y-Lan Boureau, Celia Hodent, PhD in game UX, Soihtu DTx CEO Jukka Laakso, and others revealed the potential of computer and video games in a wide variety of areas, such as serving as technological and economic drivers, educating people about migration and democracy, enhancing well-being, and promoting environmental and climate protection.

"Games are perfect entertainment, and it is precisely thanks to this unique power that they also have a positive impact in numerous other areas – whether in political education, medicine, industry, or science," said Felix Falk, managing director of game – the German games industry association, co-organizer of the Gamescom congress.

"With record participation among speakers and visitors, as well as numerous high-profile keynotes and panels, the Gamescom congress once again impressively highlighted the strength of games with international appeal."

In addition, a panel called "Get ready, get set, go! How Germany wants to compete at the top worldwide" was also held in an effort to debate how Germany can benefit from games.

"The Gamescom congress definitely demonstrated how diverse and socially relevant the debates surrounding games are," said Gerald Böse, CEO of Koelnmesse GmbH. "It brings together players from a wide variety of fields and makes Cologne an international meeting place for forward-looking ideas in computer and video games. The congress has once again proven its role as a bridge between industry, business, and society."

You might also like...

• Here are the three biggest things we learned from the Hollow Knight: Silksong release date trailer
• Everything announced at Gamescom Opening Night Live 2025 from the Sekiro anime to the new Ghost of Yotei mode
• New Resident Evil Requiem gameplay teaser solidifies it as my most anticipated game of 2026 so far

• Post-launch DLC is planned for Hollow Knight: Silksong
• Now that Silksong has a release date, Team Cherry said it's planning on adding new content, some of which is "ambitious"
• Silksong releases on September 4 this year

Team Cherry has confirmed it has plans to add new content to Hollow Knight: Silksong post-launch.

Speaking in an interview with Bloomberg following the long-awaited release date announcement, studio co-founders Ari Gibson and William Pellen teased plans to release downloadable content (DLC) in the months and years ahead.

"Launching it is obviously quite exciting," said Pellen. "What comes after for us is equally as exciting."

Gibson added, "The most interesting thing now is what can we add to it next. We got a plan. Admittedly, some of the plans for that stuff are kind of ambitious as well, but hopefully we can achieve some of it."

The first Hollow Knight also received a number of post-launch updates in the form of four free DLC packs, Hidden Dreams, The Grimm Troupe, Lifeblood, and Godmaster, so hopefully, Silksong is in for the same treatment.

In case you missed it, Hollow Knight: Silksong will officially launch on September 4, 2025, for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X and Series S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC, the Asus ROG Xbox Ally, and ROG Xbox Ally X.

The announcement was made during a special broadcast where Team Cherry also released a full-length gameplay trailer showcasing all-new features, like a crafting system, and confirmed that the game will have over 40 legendary boss encounters.

You might also like...

• Here are the three biggest things we learned from the Hollow Knight: Silksong release date trailer
• Everything announced at Gamescom Opening Night Live 2025 from the Sekiro anime to the new Ghost of Yotei mode
• New Resident Evil Requiem gameplay teaser solidifies it as my most anticipated game of 2026 so far

• Post-launch DLC is planned for Hollow Knight: Silksong
• Now that Silksong has a release date, Team Cherry said it's planning on adding new content, some of which is "ambitious"
• Silksong releases on September 4 this year

Team Cherry has confirmed it has plans to add new content to Hollow Knight: Silksong post-launch.

Speaking in an interview with Bloomberg following the long-awaited release date announcement, studio co-founders Ari Gibson and William Pellen teased plans to release downloadable content (DLC) in the months and years ahead.

"Launching it is obviously quite exciting," said Pellen. "What comes after for us is equally as exciting."

Gibson added, "The most interesting thing now is what can we add to it next. We got a plan. Admittedly, some of the plans for that stuff are kind of ambitious as well, but hopefully we can achieve some of it."

The first Hollow Knight also received a number of post-launch updates in the form of four free DLC packs, Hidden Dreams, The Grimm Troupe, Lifeblood, and Godmaster, so hopefully, Silksong is in for the same treatment.

In case you missed it, Hollow Knight: Silksong will officially launch on September 4, 2025, for PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X and Series S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PC, the Asus ROG Xbox Ally, and ROG Xbox Ally X.

The announcement was made during a special broadcast where Team Cherry also released a full-length gameplay trailer showcasing all-new features, like a crafting system, and confirmed that the game will have over 40 legendary boss encounters.

You might also like...

• Here are the three biggest things we learned from the Hollow Knight: Silksong release date trailer
• Everything announced at Gamescom Opening Night Live 2025 from the Sekiro anime to the new Ghost of Yotei mode
• New Resident Evil Requiem gameplay teaser solidifies it as my most anticipated game of 2026 so far

According to Bloomberg, Meta will pay at least $10 billion over six years to use Google Cloud servers and storage to expand its AI capabilities.

Raiding retirement savings. Pondering job changes or even marriage. People who buy their own health insurance are strategizing ahead of major price hikes in 2026. Open enrollment starts Nov. 1.

(Image credit: Ellen Allen)

• Noah Urban was arrested in January 2024, and pleaded guilty in April 2025
• He is believed to be a key member of Scattered Spider
• Urban was sentenced to 120 months in prison

For the first time, a member of the notorious Scattered Spider cybercrime gang was sentenced to prison for wire fraud, aggravated identity theft, and more.

Noah Michael Urban will be spending the next 10 years behind bars, the US Department of Justice (DoJ) has said.

Urban, known in the cybercriminal underworld as King Bob, Sosa, Elijah, or Gustavo Fring, will also have to forfeit roughly $4.8 million in assets such as cryptocurrency and other property, and pay $13 million in restitution to victims.

More Scattered Spider attacks

Urban was arrested in January 2024, and pleaded guilty on April 4, 2025. As per court documents, between August 2022 and March 2023 he stole cryptocurrency from at least 59 victims across the States employing, among other things, SIM-swap attacks to obtain personal information. He then used that information to access his victims’ wallets and transfer out the funds.

Urban is believed to be a “key figure” in the infamous Scattered Spider organization, CyberInsider reports.

His sentencing, the publication argues, is just one of many moves law enforcement has made against the group in recent times, including charging four other members for similar crimes: Ahmed Hossam Eldin Elbadawy (TX), Evans Onyeaka Osiebo (TX), Joel Martin Evans (NC), and Tyler Robert Buchanan (UK).

Unlike most hacking collectives, which are tightly knit and well-organized, Scattered Spider is a rather “loose” organization, researchers are saying. Still, the group managed to even draw the attention of the FBI, after wreaking havoc among different industries, from retail, to airline, to critical infrastructure.

Less than a month ago (while the five suspects were already in custody), the FBI issued a warning that Scattered Spider was only getting warmed up with its cyberattacks, urging businesses to be on their guard.

Together with the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), and a handful of other security agencies in Canada, the UK, and Australia, the FBI warned Scattered Spider evolved to use more advanced social engineering - mostly impersonating employees to trick IT help desks into resetting passwords and transferring MFA tokens to attacker-controlled devices.

The hackers have also added new malware such as RattyRAT for stealthy access and DragonForce ransomware to encrypt systems and demand payment - especially targeting VMware ESXi servers.

Via BleepingComputer

You might also like

• FBI, CISA warn of more Scattered Spider attacks to come
• Take a look at our guide to the best authenticator app
• We've rounded up the best password managers

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 Friday's puzzle instead then click here: Quordle hints and answers for Friday, August 22 (game #1306).

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 #1307) - 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 #1307) - 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 #1307) - 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 #1307) - 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 #1307) - hint #5 - starting letters (2)What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• D

• G

• F

• S

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

Quordle today (game #1307) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1307, are…

• DEMON
• GRATE
• FLYER
• SHEEP

I returned to my three-starter-word game plan today, and while it speeded up the play I still fell foul of some bad luck, guessing great instead of GRATE.

I can’t be too peeved, though, as my other quick guesses came good – including FLYER, which I could have taken a punt at, guessing plyer earlier in the game.

Daily Sequence today (game #1307) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1307, are…

• BRUSH
• CAIRN
• COUCH
• SALVE

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1306, Friday, 22 August: TROOP, SCOPE, TORSO, BRINY
• Quordle #1305, Thursday, 21 August: QUEST, SPARK, WHITE, ACUTE
• Quordle #1304, Wednesday, 20 August: DOLLY, MERRY, BUGLE, WORST
• Quordle #1303, Tuesday, 19 August: KNAVE, SMART, CARRY, MAMMA
• Quordle #1302, Monday, 18 August: FIBER, TRADE, RAYON, TEASE
• Quordle #1301, Sunday, 17 August: FUNGI, AMITY, DRIER, CHECK
• Quordle #1300, Saturday, 16 August: OWING, QUAKE, SLIDE, ELITE
• Quordle #1299, Friday, 15 August: WHALE, PRISM, DRAKE, TEPEE
• Quordle #1298, Thursday, 14 August: LAPEL, IDIOM, RENEW, LIVER
• Quordle #1297, Wednesday, 13 August: CACTI, HOMER, EMAIL, ALBUM
• Quordle #1296, Tuesday, 12 August: SPOOL, TITLE, JAUNT, OVINE
• Quordle #1295, Monday, 11 August: ADULT, BROOM, PURER, CRUEL
• Quordle #1294, Sunday, 10 August: SCRUM, PIPER, TROLL, SPORE
• Quordle #1293, Saturday, 9 August: NOOSE, INLET, ELEGY, VIRUS
• Quordle #1292, Friday, 8 August: KNEEL, KINKY, RALPH, BOOZY
• Quordle #1291, Thursday, 7 August: PLUNK, PROXY, CURVY, PEARL
• Quordle #1290, Wednesday, 6 August: RISKY, APART, FAUNA, HANDY
• Quordle #1289, Tuesday, 5 August: ROAST, SLICK, AUDIT, BILLY
• Quordle #1288, Monday, 4 August: MACAW, SINCE, COLON, CHIRP
• Quordle #1287, Sunday, 3 August: MOTIF, LEERY, LOFTY, BURST

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 Friday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Connections hints and answers for Friday, August 22 (game #803).

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 #804) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• SMARTWATCH
• BOWL
• OIL
• CHICANERY
• COOLANT
• PODCAST
• HIPPODROME
• VAPE
• LEGERDEMAIN
• CRYPTO
• DECEIT
• FUEL
• COLISEUM
• SUBTERFUGE
• BRAKE FLUID
• STADIUM

NYT Connections today (game #804) - hint #1 - group hints

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

• YELLOW: Open up the hood to add
• GREEN: Large venues
• BLUE: Shenanigans
• PURPLE: 21st century stuff

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 #804) - hint #2 - group answers

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

• YELLOW: LIQUIDS YOU PUT INTO CARS
• GREEN: ARENA
• BLUE: SKULDUGGERY
• PURPLE: MODERN INVENTIONS

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

NYT Connections today (game #804) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #804, are…

• YELLOW: LIQUIDS YOU PUT INTO CARS BRAKE FLUID, COOLANT, FUEL, OIL
• GREEN: ARENA BOWL, COLISEUM, HIPPODROME, STADIUM
• BLUE: SKULDUGGERY CHICANERY, DECEIT, LEGERDEMAIN, SUBTERFUGE
• PURPLE: MODERN INVENTIONS CRYPTO, PODCAST, SMARTWATCH, VAPE

• My rating: Easy
• My score: Perfect

I imagine the category MODERN INVENTIONS will get some heat.

It’s a vague link, as there are countless modern inventions and other than them being "modern" there is nothing else that connects them.

Also, the word modern is subjective – the beginnings of CRYPTO, VAPE and PODCAST were around 20 years ago, while there were types of SMARTWATCH in the 1990s.

This quibble aside, the purple group was easy to get, as they are indeed all current preoccupations and distinct from the other 12 tiles.

Noticeably, this was a day without SUBTERFUGE or CHICANERY, which has me thinking that there are two possible reasons for this. Either Connections is going easy on us because it’s a Saturday, or they have something terrible planned for us tomorrow. I predict the latter.

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Friday, August 22, game #803)

• YELLOW: U.S. PRESIDENTS ADAMS, FORD, GRANT, WASHINGTON
• GREEN: ACTORS WHOSE LAST NAMES ARE ALSO VERBS CHEVY CHASE, CHRISTOPH WALTZ, GEOFFREY RUSH, TOM CRUISE
• BLUE: KINDS OF POKER DRAW, OMAHA, STRIP, STUD
• PURPLE: PROPER NOUNS AFTER GERUNDS IN '90S MOVIE TITLES AMY, JOHN MALKOVICH, LAS VEGAS, PRIVATE RYAN

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 Friday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Friday, August 22 (game #537).

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

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… Rub it in, why don't you?

NYT Strands today (game #538) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• CLEAR
• SLUM
• VEST
• MULE
• STREAM
• RIVET

NYT Strands today (game #538) - hint #3 - spangram lettersHow many letters are in today's spangram?

• Spangram has 12 letters

NYT Strands today (game #538) - hint #4 - spangram positionWhat are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

First side: left, 5th row

Last side: right, 7th row

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

NYT Strands today (game #538) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #538, are…

• LOTION
• BALM
• CREAM
• BUTTER
• JELLY
• SERUM
• SALVE
• SPANGRAM: MOISTURIZERS

• My rating: Easy
• My score: Perfect

I didn’t really think about it until this edition of Strands, but it’s interesting how many of the things we rub on our faces sound like food – CREAM, BUTTER, JELLY, milk. Or maybe it should be that it's incredible how many foods sound like things we rub on our faces?

Anyway, I digress, today was a search for the many different formats of MOISTURIZERS – a spangram I got after initially spotting the word “moist” and realizing there was more to it.

I got LOTION first and from there went round the board in an anti-clockwise direction without a struggle or snag, unlike when i rub BALM into my beard; that’s a whole load of struggle and snag.

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Friday, August 22, game #537)

• DETECTIVE
• STRANGER
• LOVER
• RIVAL
• SPOUSE
• HEIR
• SPANGRAM: ITS A MYSTERY

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.