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President Trump says economy is in a "period of transition" and can't predict if U.S. will fall into a recession

(Image credit: Ben Curtis/AP)

The Holy See Press Office said the pontiff has shown "a good response to the therapies." He was hospitalized on Feb. 14 for a case of bronchitis.

(Image credit: Christopher Furlong)

• The Last of Us season 2's final trailer has been released
• HBO's hugely successful TV show will return to our screens in mid-April
• Its new teaser is full of moments pulled right of the series' videogame namesake

The Last of Us season 2 is, at the time of writing, just over a month away – and HBO has more than whet our appetite for its arrival with a pulsating new trailer.

Clocking in at around two minutes, the teaser was released online after its worldwide debut at South by South West yesterday (March 8). I predicted season 2's new trailer would be revealed during the show's panel at this year's Austin, Texas-based festival, so I'm glad I was right.

Anyway, the latest footage is full of thrilling, tense, and dark moments (literally and thematically) that have been pulled right out of Naughty Dog's videogame franchise of the same name. Suffice it to say: if The Last of Us' return wasn't already one of my most anticipated new series of 2025, it certainly would be now.

There's a lot – and I mean a lot – to unpack from The Last of Us TV show's latest trailer. The most notable moment is saved for its final few seconds, though, as it confirms that Ellie (Bella Ramsey) will eventually learn about what Joel (Pedro Pascal) did in last season's finale. I'll refrain from spoiling that for anyone who's still working their way through The Last of Us season 1, but you can read all about in my guide on The Last of Us season 2 if you need a reminder or aren't fussed about spoilers.

The incident I'm referring to also sets up some big plot threads for season 2, which begs the question: will that incredibly shocking and divisive event from The Last of Us Part II be a part of this season's narrative? The short answer is: I don't know. Season 2's latest trailer didn't give us any indication that it would. Neither did The Last of Us season 2's first trailer or another teaser that was released in early January.

Of course, HBO isn't going to ruin one of the most important moments from the aforementioned game ahead of one of the best Max shows' return. My best guess? It will happen before the upcoming season ends, and might even be the basis for a cliff-hanger ending that leaves us devastated and longing for the show's in-development third season to arrive ASAP.

What is the release date for The Last of Us season 2?

Season 2 arrives in mid-April worldwide (Image credit: Liane Hentscher/HBO)

The hit show's sophomore outing will be released on Sunday, April 12 in the US. It'll launch a day later (April 13) in the UK and Australia.

As for where you can watch it, US audiences can stream it on HBO and Max – the latter being one of the world's best streaming services. UK viewers can watch it on Sky and Now TV, while Australians should tune into Binge and Foxtel.

The Last of Us season 2 cast: Bella Ramsey, Pedro Pascal, Kaitlyn Dever, and more

Kaitlyn Dever's Abby should play a massive role in season 2 (Image credit: Liane Hentscher/HBO)

Joining Ramsey and Pedro on the returning cast roster are Gabriel Luna as Tommy and Rutina Wesley as Maria.

Where newcomers are concerned, Kaitlyn Dever is the most noteworthy addition as she's playing Abby, The Last of Us Part II's deuteragonist. Due to her importance to the story, she'll likely have a co-starring role with Ramsey and Pascal throughout this season.

Other confirmed faces you can expect to see in season 2 are Isabela Merced as Dina, Young Mazino as Jesse, Ariela Barer as Mel, Tati Gabrielle as Nora, Spencer Lord as Owen, Danny Ramirez as Manny, and Jeffrey Wright as Isaac. Catherine O’Hara will play a currently unnamed therapist who interacts with Pascal's Joel, too. You can learn more about all of them in my season 2 hub, which I linked to earlier.

You might also like

• The Last of Us season 2 will be shorter than the first – here are 3 reasons why that's exciting for the hit Max show
• 'Two more seasons after this and we’re done’: HBO says The Last of Us could be on track for four seasons on Max
• The Last of Us director Neil Druckmann speaks on the possibility of The Last of Us Part 3: 'I guess the only thing I would say is don’t bet on there being more'

• Chinese researchers are working to develop molecular hard drives with high capacity
• The drives use organometallic molecules to boost data density and efficiency
• A conductive atomic force microscope tip reads and writes molecular data

Chinese researchers are exploring the potential of organic materials to develop a new type of hard drive that could potentially store six times the amount of data compared to current mechanical models.

Traditional hard drives store data in binary form, relying on magnetized regions to represent ones and zeros, which limits storage capacity. Molecular hard drives overcome this by using self-assembled monolayers of organometallic complex molecules, such as RuXLPH, to significantly increase data density while maintaining ultra-low power consumption, measured at just 2.94 picowatts per bit.

A key component in the operation of molecular HDDs is the conductive atomic force microscope tip (C-AFM), which serves as the mechanical programming and read head. The tip applies localized voltages to the self-assembled monolayer, triggering redox reactions in the RuXLPH molecules. The tip’s nanoscale resolution allows precise control over molecular conductance states, allowing for multi-bit storage in an exceptionally small footprint.

Encryption at the molecular level

Another advantage of molecular hard drives is the enhanced security they offer. Unlike traditional drives that require separate encryption mechanisms, molecular HDDs feature in-situ XOR encryption at the molecular level. This capability allows secure data encoding and retrieval without additional hardware, reducing vulnerability to cyber threats.

The researchers demonstrated this by encoding and encrypting a 128x128 pixel image, proving the system’s ability to securely store and retrieve data.

The research was published in Nature Communications. The authors say future work will focus on improving miniaturization, increasing conductance states, and addressing environmental sensitivity.

Blocks & Files makes an interesting point however. “The working life of an atomic force microscope tip is currently measured at 50-200 hours in intermittent touch (tapping) mode versus 5-50 hours in continuous touch mode. Unless and until a long-lasting C-AFM tip can be created, this would seem to be a fatal flaw in their molecular hard drive concept. A second point is that the device has “ultralow power consumption of pW/bit range,” but this is for reading and writing, not spinning the disk, which would take more power.”

You might also like

• These are the fastest hard drives you can buy right now
• Race to 100TB HDD heats up as Seagate pulls rug under Western Digital
• Seagate smashes largest HDD world record with 36TB hard drive

AndaSeat Kaiser 3 Pro: One-minute review

Effectively an updated re-release of the initial AndaSeat Kaiser 3, despite the glamorous naming glow-up, the Pro line practically changes nothing compared to its predecessor. The only significant difference now comes in the form of the inclusion of AndaSeat's 5D armrests. These are the same controversial rests found in the Kaiser 4 line and the X-Air Pro as well. In fact, it seems the AndaSeat's pivoting that ‘Pro’ branding to be exactly that, an indication that the chair in question comes with those 5D beasties.

That said, it's not by any means a bad chair. The Kaiser 3 proved to be an exceptionally comfortable gaming throne, and the 3 Pro is no different (likely because it's identical). There's some fantastic comfort from the cold-foam padding, the leather is suitably soft (although it does lack some breathability), and the ergonomic support, including the magnetic headrest, is solid and dependable without being all-encompassing. If you're not a fan of the Kaiser 4's weird and wonderful pop-out backrest but want something a little more traditional than the X-Air series but are still curious about those wide-angled armrests, then the 3 Pro offers a good compromise between the lot of them, satisfying a hole within AndaSeat's own product lines.

Still, I've got some serious questions about just how many of these AndaSeat are shifting with the 5D option. The armrests just don't feel like quite the unique selling point that I imagine the company's hoping they'd become. Being able to flip up half the rest vertically, even at a variety of different angles, feels like a solution to a problem that we don't have. It's still one of the more comfortable gaming chairs out there today, mind you, and for the larger individual, the XL series is pretty top-tier in that regard; the bolsters aren't going to trap you in place like in some other offerings.

It's not all armrests and daisies, however. The build experience was a challenge. I had a few broken parts on my unit once it had finally shipped (although it did come to me directly from China to the UK), and a few bolt threads were seriously difficult to get secured, but that's not a huge deal, and once you've got it built, you're pretty much set. It's still far easier to piece together than the likes of the X-Air Pro.

Is it a contender for our best gaming chairs list? Perhaps, perhaps not. Yet, if you're interested in those funky armrests and don't want the pop-out lumbar that seems all the rage these days, it could still be a solid pick for your posterior to call home.

(Image credit: Future) AndaSeat Kaiser 3 Pro: Price and Availability

• List price: $550 / around £436 / around AU$866
• Available on Amazon US
• Leatherette and cloth versions

While the Kaiser 3 Pro is available in the US, unfortunately, the old Achilles heel of Andaseat strikes again in one region: availability in the UK. At the time of writing, you can only find the Andaseat Kaiser 3 Pro stateside. There's no UK availability sadly; although you can still purchase the standard Kaiser 3 and the XL version of that, you'll just be devoid of those 5D armrests (which might be a blessing depending on your perspective).

There's one major hiccup on the pricing of this thing though, particularly in the states, where the Kaiser 3 XL exists. That might sound a little ridiculous, but unfortunately, the price difference between the two is a staggering $100. That's quite a lot, for what effectively amounts to a different set of armrests.

On top of that, you can currently only get the 3 Pro in three different colorways: black, pink, or black fabric, and that's it. The standard 3 XL, with far better availability, has six leather options and one fabric option at your disposal. At least on Amazon, there is far better availability on AndaSeat's webstore directly, and even the option for an anti-stain PU leather variant too.

It's also quite a tricky one to place as the Kaiser 4 line also comes in at $570, just $20 more for arguably a more feature-rich chair with better build quality.

AndaSeat Kaiser 3 Pro: Specs AndaSeat Kaiser 3 Pro: Design and Aesthetics

• Classic bucket seat style
• Great material use
• Not particularly dramatic

Once you've finished building this thing, honestly, the Kaiser 3 Pro really does look the part. Certainly in its PVC leather edition that I have on test. I've been using, building, and reviewing chairs for longer than I care to admit, and honestly, the styling on the AndaSeats always impresses me.

It's not just following industry trends like some of the other offerings and brands do out there. Right now it feels like everyone either opts for weird and wonderful gaming-esque solutions that are overly ergonomic to the point of ridiculousness, or that old "it'll look nice in your CEO's office" vibe, or the holey grail super mesh, breathable air-fabric solutions (although AndaSeat does have one of those).

No, the Kaiser 3 Pro is just exactly that. It's a bucket seat design; it's got a touch of light orange thread running around it. It has a matte leather finish running through most of it, a pseudo carbon fiber-esque pattern leather in the bolsters, and everything just works. It's not gauche; it's not in your face; it's just a good chair like that. Odd to be complimented in such a way, good job AndaSeat the Kaiser 3 Pro is bang average (you can quote me on that), but honestly, in a world of gaming insanity, that needs praising.

(Image credit: Future) AndaSeat Kaiser 3 Pro: Comfort and adjustability

• 5D armrests are still so diabolical
• Lumbar adjustment is subtle
• Foam padding is luxurious but probably not good for you

I once had a long chat with Noblechairs' PR rep many years ago about why their chairs were so hard and so stiff compared to the competition. Their response was that, actually, it's better for your ergonomics to have a stiff-based chair so that your muscles don't atrophy and waste away. You feel more comfortable with stronger back muscles, and so forth. My argument, as a man who'd spent much of his youth gaming on a hard wooden chair, was fairly simple: "But it's not comfortable though." And it's true, it wasn't. The thing is, I do still have that Noblechair, and even after all these years, it's still remarkably good.

That said, the Kaiser 3 Pro, on the other hand, very much embraces that alternative way of thinking. Comfort is first and foremost a critical thing here, and you can tell that in the design and in the way AndaSeat advertises it. The soft padding, the seating, the bolsters, the plush, fluffy magnetic headrest—it's all designed to boost comfort above all else, and it works exceptionally well. There's just a real satisfaction about being sat in this thing for any length of time; you almost don't notice you're in it. Whether that's good for you long-term, it's hard to say, but for the moment it feels darn good.

(Image credit: Future)

AndaSeat's kitted out this particular model with its DuraXtra synthetic leather, which is apparently more abrasion-resistant, even more so than that found on the Kaiser 4. In fact, it's been tested for 5,000 abrasion cycles without breaking. An abrasion cycle simply takes a piece of material and rubs it repeatedly against an abrasive surface. Each cycle is marked as one, and the manufacturer measures how long that material will last. Interestingly, the leather on the Kaiser 4, it's a more premium option, is only rated for 2,000 cycles.

On top of that, you get a strong, sturdy steel base, solid castor wheels, plus built-in lumbar support for when you need it. It even comes with a fairly robust backrest recline and a rocking mode as well, for those who like the terror of tilting back.

Of course, I can't leave this review without discussing the wildly debatable 5D armrests on the Pro line. The entire premise of this model, in fact. In short, it can move up, down, right, left, backward, and forwards, rotate up to 70 degrees, and then split in half and fold upwards by 40 degrees if you'd like it to. That's a lot of movement, and yes, technically, that does help you get them exactly where you want them for everyone's weird and wonderful body shapes.

The problem, though? They're huge, seriously wide. The back part alone is 5.5 inches wide, tapering off to a 4-inch front, and they're 13 inches long, and honestly, it's just too much. It's incredibly difficult to get comfortable on them, particularly if you're on the shorter side of AndaSeat's recommended height range, and that's a problem, a big one because it makes it entirely difficult to recommend them for everyone.

AndaSeat Kaiser 3 Pro: Assembly

On to construction then, and honestly, it's a very simple process; there's little to write home about. Pop the castor wheels into the steel frame, insert the gas piston, attach the tilt mechanism to the base of the chair, pop on the plastic handles, slide it onto the gas lift, remove the bolts from the chair back, slide it carefully onto the brackets, and secure it in place with those same bolts. AndaSeat's tensioned backrest tilt arm even has a nifty bracket to help you slot it into place, which is a nice touch too.

The problem I had, however, was with the bolt threads themselves. Two of them in particular were incredibly difficult to secure, try as I might. I slackened them all off, tightened them all, and tried securing just the topmost bolt first, but nothing would do the job. In the end, I had to resort to pushing the entire chair base aggressively into the wall and leaning into the bolt with the included Allen key with no small amount of force to finally get it to purchase. Less than ideal, and hopefully a one-off, but a frustrating one nonetheless. Adding to my woes, the security bolt that's usually secured to the chair to stop the retention arm from snapping or moving during assembly had also come loose, so just something to watch out for if you do decide to take the plunge. Shipping can be a harsh mistress at times.

(Image credit: Future) Should You Buy The AndaSeat Kaiser 3 Pro? Buy it if...

You want to dabble in weirdly big armrests
They're long, proud, can move in every way under the sun, and might be perfect for the taller human.

You just want a classic gaming chair
All bucket seat, all the time. It's a classic design, and it looks great in any gaming setup, no weird and wonderful shapes or ergonomic surprises here.

Don't buy it if...

If you're on the shorter side
Those weird and wonderful armrests are just too long to easily get comfortable on, you're going to have better luck with the standard Kaiser 3 or 3 XL.

You're after the best value from your chair
$100 for an upgraded set of divisive armrests is a difficult pill to swallow.

Also consider...

Not your style? Just want something without fancy frills, or looking for something that's refined the design beyond all expectations? Then try out these alternatives.

Secretlab Titan Evo 2022
It's still our number one gaming chair of choice. It's even the same price as the Kaiser 3 Pro XL, remarkably, and has similar dimensions too, without being an XL design. If you fit in the weight and height categories, it could be a good pick. With top-tier quality, materials, and features, it's one of the comfiest chairs on the market and our favorite of the lot, with good reason.

For more information, check out our full Secretlab Titan Evo 2022 review

AndaSeat Kaiser 3 XL
No seriously, if you just can't get past those armrests or you don't want to take the risk, then the Kaiser 3 XL is the next best thing. $100 cheaper, it's equally one of our favorite gaming chairs of all time, making the top list for its comfort, quality, and generally cheaper price tag than similar alternatives.

For more information, check out our full AndaSeat Kaiser 3 XL review

How I tested the AndaSeat Kaiser 3 Pro

• Sat in it for more than two weeks in total
• Tested in multiple positions and compared to other chairs
• Used through all manner of tasks

I spent over two weeks working with the Kaiser 3 Pro using it as my regular office chair while analyzing its performance. I kept a detailed document open when using it, noticing any bugbears, and kept detailed records of my time building it, along with first impressions and more.

Similarly, I've had a lot of experience with both AndaSeat's 4D and 5D armrest systems and tested the Kaiser 3 XL as well, giving me particularly good insight into this lineup.

Read more about how we test

First reviewed February 2025

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 Sunday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Strands hints and answers for Sunday, March 9 (game #371).

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

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… You're pushing my buttons

NYT Strands today (game #372) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• VOTE
• MORE
• BIDE
• LEAN
• ROGUE
• POEM

NYT Strands today (game #372) - hint #3 - spangram What is a hint for today's spangram?

• Works your TV

NYT Strands today (game #372) - hint #4 - spangram position What are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

First side: bottom, 4th column

Last side: top, 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 #372) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #372, are…

• VOLUME
• BACK
• POWER
• HOME
• MUTE
• GUIDE
• CHANNEL
• SPANGRAM: REMOTE CONTROL

• My rating: Easy
• My score: 1 hint

Losing a REMOTE CONTROL is really frustrating. As a scatterbrained person it's something I do a lot. It's almost a superpower – well if superpowers were useless and annoying.

Losing a remote is a great example of how powerless we are without technology – with the TV remaining on (or off) and stuck until the blessed “zapper” is located.

I've found ours in the fridge before and I once took it to work, leaving my wife at home having to watch National Geographic all day (there are worse channels it could have been stuck on) or pull the plug.

The worst remotes are the tiny ones. I’ve gone through three for my Amazon TV Fire Stick, all possibly eaten by the couch (or a cat) but vanished forever after lengthy hours-long searches. I could tape an AirTag to it, but this seems an extreme measure considering how it's a housebound object.

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

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Sunday, 9 March, game #371)

• PURR
• HISS
• SNUGGLE
• STRETCH
• SWAT
• BLINK
• POUNCE
• SPANGRAM: CAT BEHAVIOR

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.

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 Sunday's puzzle instead then click here: Quordle hints and answers for Sunday, March 9 (game #1140).

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 #1141) - hint #1 - Vowels How many different vowels are in Quordle today?

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

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

Quordle today (game #1141) - hint #2 - repeated letters Do any of today's Quordle answers contain repeated letters?

• The number of Quordle answers containing a repeated letter today is 4.

Quordle today (game #1141) - hint #3 - uncommon letters Do the letters Q, Z, X or J appear in Quordle today?

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

Quordle today (game #1141) - hint #4 - starting letters (1) Do any of today's Quordle puzzles start with the same letter?

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

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

Quordle today (game #1141) - hint #5 - starting letters (2) What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• A

• T

• T

• G

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

Quordle today (game #1141) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1141, are…

• AVAIL
• THESE
• TITAN
• GAUGE

You know when there’s a really obvious word but you go for some random one instead? Well I did that today, completely missing THESE and putting, er, TESTE instead. What a balls up.

It had been going very well, with my Quordle muscle memory kicking in to land TITAN and AVAIL.

Oh well, at least I didn’t crash out.

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

Daily Sequence today (game #1141) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1141, are…

• STRAW
• SNIDE
• MUDDY
• TRACK

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #1140, Sunday 9 March: SKILL, IDEAL, WHERE, REHAB
• Quordle #1139, Saturday 8 March: WATCH, LAPSE, WREST, HEFTY
• Quordle #1138, Friday 7 March: GLEAN, SHINY, DECRY, MANGA
• Quordle #1137, Thursday 6 March: TRICE, EIGHT, BELCH, RIPER
• Quordle #1136, Wednesday 5 March: PLEAD, TWANG, MAJOR, RISKY
• Quordle #1135, Tuesday 4 March: FLOWN, ETUDE, TOPAZ, JOKER
• Quordle #1134, Monday 3 March: FRILL, KAYAK, REBAR, WORDY
• Quordle #1133, Sunday 2 March: TUNIC, GLOSS, DEBUG, LARGE
• Quordle #1132, Saturday 1 March: DENSE, BONEY, KITTY, SMEAR
• Quordle #1131, Friday 28 February: PASTA, RAZOR, PLUMB, DROOL
• Quordle #1130, Thursday 27 February: THIEF, CHAIR, ETHER, GRIME
• Quordle #1129, Wednesday 26 February: LOVER, SPIED, VAPOR, METER
• Quordle #1128, Tuesday 25 February: TWIST, TWEAK, MEANT, CLEAR
• Quordle #1127, Monday 24 February: LEASH, LEVER, TOTEM, CREME
• Quordle #1126, Sunday 23 February: RABID, RELIC, SCRAM, BASIS
• Quordle #1125, Saturday 22 February: ETHER, SONIC, VAUNT, ROUSE
• Quordle #1124, Friday 21 February: STIFF, PRIZE, SCOWL, DONUT
• Quordle #1123, Thursday 20 February: HASTY, DRAPE, FICUS, CRAZE
• Quordle #1122, Wednesday 19 February: ABATE, TROVE, VENUE, DRAPE
• Quordle #1121, Tuesday 18 February: TAMER, SCRUB, BRICK, DRIFT

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 Sunday's puzzle instead then click here: NYT Connections hints and answers for Sunday, March 9 (game #637).

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 #638) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• MONA LISA
• STATUE OF LIBERTY
• BOWLING
• SPHYNX
• VENUS DE MILO
• JOKER
• RUSSIAN BLUE
• RUG
• WHITE RUSSIAN 
• LIBERTY BELL
• COMEDY MASK
• TURKISH ANGORA
• RAGAMUFFIN
• CHESHIRE CAT
• BATHROBE
• TOWER OF PISA

NYT Connections today (game #638) - hint #1 - group hints

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

• YELLOW: Types of kitty
• PURPLE: Coen Brothers classic
• BLUE: Altered tourist attractions
• GREEN: All-star grins

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 #638) - hint #2 - group answers

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

• YELLOW: CAT BREEDS 
• PURPLE: ASSOCIATED WITH "THE DUDE" LEBOWSKI 
• BLUE: ATTRACTIONS ICONICALLY DIFFERENT FROM THEIR ORIGINAL
• FORMS 
• GREEN: FAMOUS SMILES 

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

NYT Connections today (game #638) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #638, are…

• YELLOW: CAT BREEDS RAGAMUFFIN, RUSSIAN BLUE, SPHYNX, TURKISH ANGORA
• GREEN: FAMOUS SMILES CHESHIRE CAT, COMEDY MASK, JOKER, MONA LISA
• BLUE: ATTRACTIONS ICONICALLY DIFFERENT FROM THEIR ORIGINAL FORMS LIBERTY BELL, STATUE OF LIBERTY, TOWER OF PISA, VENUS DE MILO
• PURPLE: ASSOCIATED WITH "THE DUDE" LEBOWSKI BATHROBE, BOWLING, RUG, WHITE RUSSIAN

• My rating: Hard
• My score: 2 mistakes

Even though I guessed there was a CAT BREEDS category from my first look at the grid, I still made hard work of it. I thoughtlessly put WHITE RUSSIAN instead of RAGAMUFFIN. It was the realization that it was The Dude’s beverage of choice that set me on the right path.

My errors didn’t end there, though. Despite deducing Tourist Attractions was a link I tried to make a group containing MONA LISA rather than LIBERTY BELL, confusion which I can’t help but suspect was part of today’s cunning plan to baffle players.

Mona Lisa and CHESHIRE CAT aside, FAMOUS SMILES was quite the stretch. The JOKER maybe makes the cut, but COMEDY MASK?

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

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Sunday, 9 March, game #637)

• YELLOW: COMPUTER INPUT DEVICES MICROPHONE, MOUSE, SCANNER, TABLET
• GREEN: BUILDING MATERIALS BRICK, CONCRETE, METAL, STONE
• BLUE: HELPFUL DEED FAVOR, KINDNESS, SERVICE, SOLID
• PURPLE: #1 SONGS FROM 1982 ABRACADABRA, CENTERFOLD, MICKEY, PHYSICAL

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.

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• iPhone 17 Air screen size and camera specs leak
• The handset could start at 128GB of storage
• It's set to be slightly smaller than the iPhone 17 Pro Max

It seems likely that the iPhone 16 Plus is going to make way for the iPhone 17 Air this year – and a new leak gives us a better idea of the specs the new phone will bring with it, and how it is set to stack up against the iPhone 17 Pro Max.

These specs come from tipster @OreXda (via Notebookcheck), and suggest the iPhone 17 Air is going to come with a 6.7-inch screen running at a resolution of 2796 x 1290 pixels. A main camera resolution of 48MP and a selfie camera resolution of 12MP are also mentioned, as well as 128GB of storage (with other options probably available too).

That compares to a 6.9-inch screen for the iPhone 17 Pro Max, running at a resolution of 2868 x 1320 pixels. The same camera resolutions are listed – though the iPhone 17 Pro Max will probably have another couple of rear cameras too – and for this phone the internal storage apparently starts at 256GB.

If all that is accurate, then the iPhone 17 Air would be sitting between the 6.3-inch display of the iPhone 17 Pro and the 6.9-inch display of the iPhone 17 Pro Max, in terms of screen size – so there'll be plenty of choice on offer.

Thinner and thinner

pic.twitter.com/JL27Do53HXMarch 8, 2025

None of the specs listed here are designed to make the iPhone 17 Air stand out – instead it's going to be the super-slim frame that will carry the most appeal. The rumors are that the handset will measure just 5.59 mm front to back.

And 2025 could well be the year of the ultra-thin phone. We've already seen the launch of the thinnest foldable to date, the Oppo Find N5, and we're getting ready for the full reveal of the Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge – a phone we've only had a brief look at so far, and which will be going head-to-head against the iPhone 17 Air.

Based on unofficial renderings that have already popped up online, the iPhone 17 Air is going to come with a single rear camera, housed in a raised camera bar that extends all the way across the top of the back casing. It looks likely that the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max will have raised camera modules too.

The usual chipset upgrades are to be expected, but it'll be interesting to see how Apple prices the iPhone 17 Air, which marks a new series within the iPhone family. Last month, Apple debuted the iPhone 16e, which starts at $599 / £599 / AU$999.

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• The iPhone 17 is rumored to go big on video recording
• iPhone 17 Air leak suggests it'll get next-gen battery
• Leaked iPhone 17 schematics show a speaker redesign

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