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11 of the Best Smart Home Gifts for the Holidays 2024

CNET News - Thu, 12/12/2024 - 05:00
Getting someone a gift for their home is always thoughtful, so why not give your loved ones the gift of smart technology? Here are our favorite smart home gifts recommended by CNET's experts.
Categories: Technology

22 of the Best Gifts Under $50 for 2024

CNET News - Thu, 12/12/2024 - 05:00
There's no need to spend a lot to give a great gift. We've found the best gifts under $50 this year, from headphones and speakers to self-care items.
Categories: Technology

The Geminids meteor shower peaks at the end of the week. Here's what to expect

NPR News Headlines - Thu, 12/12/2024 - 05:00

The Geminids are one of the best and most visible annual meteor showers, when at least 120 meteors can usually be seen per hour. But 2024 will be different, thanks to the year's final full moon.

(Image credit: Yasser al-Zayyat)

Categories: News

Don't Sleep on High APYs. Today's CD Rates, Dec. 12, 2024

CNET News - Thu, 12/12/2024 - 04:30
The clock is ticking on APYs up to 4.70%.
Categories: Technology

Best Solar Panel Installation Companies in Nevada

CNET News - Thu, 12/12/2024 - 04:29
Building a solar power system is now more affordable and a smart investment for Nevada residents. Here’s how to leverage tax credits and power your home with solar.
Categories: Technology

Spirulina May Be a Superfood, but These Are the Benefits and Risks to Keep in Mind

CNET News - Thu, 12/12/2024 - 04:22
If you're interested in trying spirulina, you should know the pros, cons and dosage information before consuming the algae.
Categories: Technology

The Best Savings Rates Are Still Above 4%, but They Might Not Last. Today's Savings Rates, Dec. 12, 2024

CNET News - Thu, 12/12/2024 - 04:00
There's still time to earn high interest rates on your savings to help you reach your financial goals.
Categories: Technology

Startup Embodied Will Brick $800 Moxie Emotional Support Robot for Kids—Without Refunds

WIRED Top Stories - Thu, 12/12/2024 - 04:00
Embodied says it will try to refund recent purchases of its Moxie robot but makes no promises.
Categories: Technology

Dear Life Kit: My daughter was left out of the holiday newsletter — again!

NPR News Headlines - Thu, 12/12/2024 - 04:00

A father wonders why his father-in-law keeps neglecting to mention his daughter in his annual newsletter to family. It includes updates on the other grandchildren. Why not her?

Categories: News

These neurons in the abdomen help form the gut-brain connection

NPR News Headlines - Thu, 12/12/2024 - 04:00

Scientists have identified two types of brain cells in the abdomen that appear to control different aspects of digestion.

(Image credit: inkoly/Getty Images)

Categories: News

UHC murder suspect railed about U.S. health care. Here's what he missed

NPR News Headlines - Thu, 12/12/2024 - 04:00

The man charged in the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was critical of U.S. health care. Experts say the system's problems are complex and can't be pinned on one player or industry.

(Image credit: David Berding/Getty Images for People's Action Institute)

Categories: News

OpenAI shows us how Apple Intelligence works with ChatGPT, which then promptly crashes

TechRadar News - Thu, 12/12/2024 - 03:34
  • OpenAI demo ChatGPT integration in Apple Intelligence for day five of 12 Days of OpenAI
  • The ChatGPT service then goes down, but it's back up now
  • ChatGPT is ready to play a central role in Apple tech

OpenAI's 12 Days of OpenAI day five involved a demo of ChatGPT working with Apple Intelligence. The demo invoked the holiday season by sharing gifts with Apple and wearing holiday sweaters on the live stream. The announcement twined with Apple's release of iOS 18.2 and served to remind everyone that ChatGPT and Apple Intelligence have several deep links. OpenAI's models are making Siri smarter while powering several of the new features introduced by Apple on the same day.

Unfortunately, while OpenAI was celebrating its Apple integration, the fifth day was a bit marred as the ChatGPT service had a sizable outage. This meant that if you've been trying to use ChatGPT, Sora, APIs, or even Dall-E, right after the OpenAI announcement then you were hit with a currently unavailable screen or encountered errors when trying to do anything. The service is back up and running now.

Complex questions

Apple pitches Apple Intelligence as a way of making its devices more creative and intuitive to use. That includes many apps and tools on your iPhone, iPad, or Mac. Most notably, ChatGPT integration with Siri changes the voice assistant in remarkable ways.

The AI helps answer complex questions for Siri to match its more natural, fluid conversations. Instead of getting short, robotic answers, you can ask detailed questions and get thoughtful, context-aware responses.

The demonstration by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, product team member Miqdad Jaffer, and engineering manager Dave Cummings showcased how Siri could use ChatGPT to review documents and answer questions about it, with the answers coming from Apple's assistant.

They also showed how you can send information right to ChatGPT to dive deeper and how Siri can now open different ChatGPT tools like Canvas and DALL-E. The presenters then had Siri review the most recent ChatGPT model card, asking the voice assistant about the model's coding abilities, and then had Siri send the response to the ChatGPT app to code a program visualizing those abilities.

(Image credit: Apple) OpenAI x Apple

For OpenAI, this collaboration is a reminder that ChatGPT is ready to play a central role in mainstream tech. Apple Intelligence is making ChatGPT part of the daily experience for Apple users. And in return, Apple also gets a better shot at keeping pace with competitors like Google Gemini and other rivals.

The festive sweaters worn by the presenters served an additional demonstration purpose, too. Using Apple Visual Intelligence, they had Siri process a photo of them in their sweaters, then had ChatGPT, via Apple Visual Intelligence, award one of them with the best sweater. Altman won.

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Categories: Technology

Humans Will Continue to Live in an Age of Incredible Food Waste

WIRED Top Stories - Thu, 12/12/2024 - 03:00
Food production has never been higher—or more costly. Yet the amount that goes uneaten remains shockingly high.
Categories: Technology

Lenovo ThinkPad X12 Detachable Gen 2 business laptop review

TechRadar Reviews - Thu, 12/12/2024 - 02:34

The Lenovo ThinkPad X12 Detachable Gen 2 is Lenovo's answer to the Microsoft Surface, perhaps even the Microsoft Surface Pro. Regardless, Lenovo has positioned this 12.3-inch detachable computer as a fantastic choice for business users who need a lightweight and durable device.

The ThinkPad line-up has been a favorite of many for years, and the X12 Detachable Gen 2 has potential to be great. But how does this sleek two-in-one compare to the best business laptops around? I put it to the test.

Lenovo ThinkPad X12 Detachable Gen 2: Price and Availability

The Lenovo ThinkPad X12 Detachable starts at $1,430 but can easily cross $2,000 once you start upgrading elements of the computer. The best place to grab this device would be through Lenovo or any other partner. However, you can frequently find them for sale at other computer retailers. One great benefit to the pricing on this model is that the keyboard and precision pen are included in the order.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future) Lenovo ThinkPad X12 Detachable Gen 2: Unboxing and First Impressions

Lenovo's ThinkPad X12 Detachable Gen 2 comes in fairly minimalist packaging, including the detachable keyboard and precision pen, packaged separately from the slab of glass that is the ThinkPad X12 Gen 2. Right off the bat, especially with the keyboard detached, the computer feels incredibly light and minimalist. At first glance, believing it's a fully-baked computer can be challenging. However, I noticed all of the iconic ThinkPad aesthetics and realized this was just a detachable ThinkPad computer.

The keyboard attaches easily, and the precision pen has a lovely home to store it when not in use. Everything feels like it intentionally goes together, though as a heavy iPad user, it feels silly not to magnetically attach the pen to the top of the device, much like I do on my iPads.

The kickstand on the back of the computer works well. It's the same as I have seen on other and similar devices.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future) Lenovo ThinkPad X12 Detachable Gen 2: Design and Build Quality Specs

CPU: Intel Core Ultra 5/7
RAM: Up to 32GB
Storage: Up to 1TB SSD
Screen: 12.3-inch FHD+ IPS touchscreen with Gorilla Glass protection
Connectivity: Wi-Fi 6E, Bluetooth 5.3, optional LTE

The Lenovo ThinkPad X12 Detachable Gen 2 has a Magnesium-aluminum body with a sleek matte black finish across the entire device case. Lenovo has an excellent build quality with this device, and even though the keyboard may pop off easily if not magnetically holding to the screen while folded up in clamshell, the device boasts the MIL-STD 810H standard. It is an excellent piece of mind for a computer that is this easy to carry around and used to have this level of durability and rigidity.

As briefly mentioned, the ThinkPad X12 Detachable Gen 2 is a detachable computer, meaning it's a slab, much like a tablet, with a keyboard that can be magnetically attached to operate more like a computer. This keyboard features a Trackpoint and backlighting in addition to a standard trackpad.

One thing worth noting is that while this device can look and feel and even be described much like an iPad with a Magic Keyboard, an Android tablet with a Bluetooth keyboard case, or similar, this is very much a full-blown computer; it just has a different form factor than a standard laptop (or even the best ThinkPad laptops).

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future) Lenovo ThinkPad X12 Detachable Gen 2: In use

Laptops have become commonplace in our day-to-day lives. Laptops in 2024 have a near-perfect balance between impressive power and portability. However, modularity has yet to be perfected, where a device can be multiple. It's still commonplace to see people with tablets, computers, laptops, and desktops, especially in the professional world.

What the Lenovo ThinkPad X12 Detachable Gen 2 is attempting to do is to create the perfect all-in-one device. And while it's not ideal, it's heading in the right direction. I like having a laptop and a tablet separate. But this is an excellent option for those looking for that all-in-one design. I don't love the kickstand, though I understand why it's there.

Additionally, I don't love the flimsy feeling of a keyboard, but then again, I'm coming from a place where my everyday driver is a classic laptop where the screen is thin, and the bulk of the computer comes from under the keyboard; this design changes that and puts the bulk under the display.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future)

Performance-wise, the X12 Detachable Gen 2 is good but could be better. It works well for basic productivity but then struggles with intensive tasks, plus the battery is not as good as I can get in a "comparable" laptop.

I stand with this device because if you are looking for a quality device that can act as both a tablet and a laptop, Lenovo's ThinkPad X12 Detachable Gen 2 is worth considering. However, if you are looking for a productivity laptop, something other than this might fit you. And, if you're looking for a tablet, this is not what you're looking for.

(Image credit: Collin Probst // Future) Lenovo ThinkPad X12 Detachable Gen 2: Final verdict

The ThinkPad X12 Detachable Gen 2 scores high in durability and design but falters in performance and battery life. While a compelling choice for ThinkPad enthusiasts, other options may provide better value for performance-focused users. Right now, these 2-in-1 machines feel like they are a decent computer and a decent tablet rather than a great version of either of those two things.

For more workplace hardware, we've reviewed the best business computers.

Categories: Reviews

Creature Commandos episode 3 proves James Gunn won't be afraid to kill his DCU darlings – the Max show's first big death has emotionally devastated me

TechRadar News - Thu, 12/12/2024 - 02:30
  • Creature Commandos episode 3 contains the fledgling DCU's first big death
  • The character's voice actor can't say if their demise is permanent or not
  • DCU co-chief James Gunn previously said that characters can appear in animated and live-action projects

Well, that didn't take long. Creature Commandos, the first project released as part of the new-look DC Cinematic Universe (DCU), has already killed off one of its main characters, and I'm not sure if I'll emotionally recover from this devastating moment.

The animated Max show's third episode, which is titled 'Cheers to the Tin Man' and aired earlier today (December 11), proved that nobody will be safe in James Gunn and Peter Safran's cinematic franchise reset. Full spoilers for episode 3 immediately follow, so go and watch it before you continue.

RIP, G.I. Robot (Image credit: DC Studios/Max)

Pore out a glass of oil, because everyone's favorite Nazi-killing android, aka G.I. Robot, is seemingly no more. The character – one of two voiced by Sean Gunn, the brother of DC Studios' co-head – was eviscerated by Circe, Creature Commandos' apparent Big Bad who's also one of three big ties to Wonder Woman ahead of her eventual DCU debut.

Frankly, G.I. Robot's death shouldn't have come as such a huge shock. For one, episode 3's title is a clear reference to the decades-old automaton, who was originally built to murder German soldiers during World War II. One of the best Max shows' latest chapter also explores G.I. Robot's tragic backstory – after the global conflict, he becomes a relic that serves little to no function in modern day society – too. Okay, that's not necessarily an indication that he'll meet his end in episode 3. But, with G.I. Robot finally being allowed to "kill Nazis" (really, he's murdered the Sons of Themyscira who attack Pokolistan, but that's not important) by Rick Flag Sr, and knowing how James Gunn likes to rip out our hearts after finally allowing a character in one of his projects to experience any form of joy, G.I's death was always on the cards.

Is G.I. Robot really dead in Creature Commandos?

Is there any way for Nina to be reunited with her bestie? (Image credit: DC Studios/Max)

That's the big question on everyone's minds. Nobody stays dead for too long in comic books and, while characters have been permanently bumped off in live-action and/or animated franchises like the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) and the DCU's predecessor, aka the DC Extended Universe (DCEU), G.I. Robot isn't human. In short: he could be repaired and be given a new lease of life in another DCU Chapter One film or TV show, or even before Creature Commandos ends.

There's previous form for this happening, too. In DC Comics, there have been no fewer than six versions of G.I. Robot – those being Joe, Mac, J.A.K.E 1, J.A.K.E 2, J.A.K.E 6 (don't ask where versions 3 to 5 are), and Lord Job. As Daft Punk famously observed, he can be made "harder, better, faster, stronger".

I really hope this isn't the last we've seen of G.I. Robot (Image credit: DC Studios/Max)

So, what are the chances of G.I. Robot making a miraculous recovery after his death at Circe's hands? Whether he's reborn or not, Sean Gunn is giving nothing away. Indeed, speaking exclusively to TechRadar ahead of Creature Commandos' launch, the former Guardians of the Galaxy star stayed tight-lipped on such a prospect.

"No, I am not", he told me with a smile when I asked if he was allowed to say whether G.I. would return. "I don't mind you asking. I always say [to journalists] that they can ask me anything they like, but I might not be able to answer everything, including that."

I guess we'll have to hang tight and hope that G.I. is alive and well in a few weeks' time, then! For now, get some clues about whether the R-rated series will go next in my spoiler-light Creature Commandos review, or read more exclusive coverage on the DCU TV show below.

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Categories: Technology

Google says its next data centers will be built alongside wind and solar farms

TechRadar News - Wed, 12/11/2024 - 23:04
  • Google partnering with energy companies to power future data centers
  • The next series of Google data centers would use solar and wind farms
  • Move is part of a $20 billion total investment

A new partnership between Google, energy firm Intersect Power, and climate solutions organization TPG Rise Climate, will look to to provide clean power for the company's future data centers.

As the demand for AI grows rapidly, tech companies are expanding their capabilities - but Google is making a positive step towards a sustainable future with on-site renewable energy sources for its data centers.

Data centers are notoriously causing energy consumptions to skyrocket, and at the current rate, are soon set to use more energy than we currently produce. This means that firms are having to weigh up the accelerated consumption and their sustainability goals.

A ‘power first’ approach

To help tackle this issue, Google is hoping to connect its data centers directly to solar and wind farms, instead of the existing power grid which overwhelmingly uses fossil fuels. This would also ease the burden on the already weakened power grid, and would improve reliability for energy customers.

The first phase of this infrastructure development is expected to be operational by 2026, and amounts to a $20 billion investment in all. In future, where possible, Google will build data centers on campuses equipped with their own clean power, in ‘co-located industrial parks’.

Google hopes this will be a ‘blueprint for the future’, and allow the firm to expand its digital infrastructure in a sustainable way. It looks unlikely that AI will be any less power-intensive for the foreseeable future, so creating sustainable solutions will be key.

“To realize AI’s potential, the growth in electricity demand must be met with new, clean power sources.” said Amanda Peterson Corio, Global Head of Data Center Energy at Google.

”The scale of AI presents an opportunity to completely rethink data center development — by co-locating them where possible with the grid-connected carbon-free energy that keeps them up and running,”

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Categories: Technology

No, you can't run Windows on its tiny screen; minuscule mini PC has built-in display, fingerprint reader, OCuLink, double 2.5Gb LAN port and can drive four 8K monitors without an extra GPU

TechRadar News - Wed, 12/11/2024 - 22:02
  • New Chinese mini PC debuts with enhanced connectivity options
  • GEM12 Pro Max can drive four 8K monitors; offers OCuLink port
  • Powered by Ryzen 7 8845HS, supports upto 64GB DDR5 RAM

Chinese mini PC manufacturer Aoostar has launched its latest device, the GEM12 Pro Max.

Building on the Pro variant introduced earlier in 2024, the new device sports a couple of noteworthy improvements including a DC power port, which provides an alternative to USB-C-based power delivery used in previous models. While the Pro featured a single front-facing USB4 port, the upgraded Pro Max adds another at the rear, a welcome addition.

Like its predecessor, the Pro Max is powered by an AMD Ryzen 7 8845HS processor, offering a base clock speed of 3.8GHz, a boost clock of up to 5.1GHz, and 16MB of L3 cache. This is backed by the integrated Radeon 780M GPU. Users can adjust the TDP to a maximum of 75W, tailoring performance to specific needs.

Drives up to four 8K screens

The GEM12 Pro Max supports up to 64GB of DDR5-5600MHz memory in a single slot and features two M.2 2280 NVMe PCIe 4.0 x4 slots for high-speed storage. For users needing more hardcore graphics performance, the GEM12 Pro Max retains the OCuLink port from the Pro model, located on the front panel. This allows connection to an external GPU, like the DEG1 eGpu, for tasks such as video editing and 3D rendering without using the M.2 slots reserved for storage.

As with its predecessor, the GEM12 Pro Max features a built-in screen and fingerprint reader. Connectivity includes WiFi 6, Bluetooth 5.2, and dual 2.5G Ethernet ports located on the back. The rear panel also houses two USB2.0 ports, an HDMI 2.1 port, and a DisplayPort 1.4. On the front, there are two USB3.2 Gen2 ports, an audio jack, and the power button. The system can drive up to four 8K monitors simultaneously.

The compact device measures 13cm x 13cm x 6cm and weighs 0.66kg. It uses the Glacier 3.0 cooling system with a vapor chamber to maintain stable performance during intensive workloads.

The barebones GEM12 Pro Max is priced from CNY 2299 (approximately $317) and is currently available only in China. Given Aoostar’s history, a global release seems unlikely for now, which is a shame.

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Categories: Technology

NYT Connections today — my hints and answers for Thursday, December 12 (game #550)

TechRadar News - Wed, 12/11/2024 - 18:02

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

What should you do once you've finished? Why, play some more word games of course. I've also got daily 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 #550) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

  • See picture for clues! But if you want a description…
  • Ice cream
  • Bed
  • Saw
  • Tee-shirt
  • Music notes
  • Gear
  • Rodents of some kind
  • Triangle
  • Zipper
  • Nuts
  • Hot drink in a cup
  • Multiple letter Gs
  • Mouth
  • Golf tee
  • Comb
  • Building with dollar sign
NYT Connections today (game #550) - hint #1 - group hints

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

  • Yellow: The A-Team's 'Mr'
  • Green: They're not all for eating
  • Blue: How rude!
  • Purple: Watercourse elements

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 #550) - hint #2 - group answers

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

  • YELLOW: THINGS THAT SOUND LIKE "T"
  • GREEN: OBJECTS WITH TEETH
  • BLUE: MILD OATHS
  • PURPLE: PARTS OF A RIVER

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

NYT Connections today (game #550) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #550, are…

  • YELLOW: THINGS THAT SOUND LIKE "T" TEA, TEE (GOLF), TEE (SHIRT), TI (MUSICAL NOTE)
  • GREEN: OBJECTS WITH TEETH COMB, GEAR, SAW, ZIPPER
  • BLUE: MILD OATHS FUDGE, GEEZ, NUTS, RATS
  • PURPLE: PARTS OF A RIVER BANK, BED, DELTA, MOUTH
  • My rating: Impossible
  • My score: Fail

Oh come on, NYT! Seriously? This is just too hard to even remotely count as fun. Will anyone solve this today? Am I just stupid? Pictograms are fine as a concept, and yeah it's a welcome change from the normal Connections routine, shaking things up a bit – but if you're going to do this at least make it a little easier!

Or maybe I just got unlucky, because I was on the right path with a couple of today's groups. It's just that there were so many options that might have worked, I was left scrabbling around in the dark.

For instance, I spotted right away that SAW, ZIPPER, GEAR and COMB were all OBJECTS WITH TEETH, but so is a MOUTH, so I included that twice and lost a couple of guesses there. Ditto MILD OATHS; I had GEEZ (Gs), RATS and NUTS, but thought the fourth was D'OH as in Homer Simpson, based on the picture of a musical score with the word DO written on it. Trouble was, the arrow was pointing to a different note, and I don't read music so never realized that was actually a TI and instead went with a different group; the real final answer was FUDGE.

So actually yeah, let's talk about some of these pictures, because how was anyone supposed to know that bit near the top of the ice cream was FUDGE? It could be anything! It could be chocolate or strawberry sauce, it's not like this is a high-resolution photo. And as for DELTA… I mean that's a triangle.

I'm never playing this game again (until tomorrow).

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Wednesday, 11 December, game #549)
  • YELLOW: UTOPIA PARADISE, SEVENTH HEAVEN, SHANGRI-LA, XANADU
  • GREEN: THINGS YOU SHAKE HAIRSPRAY, MAGIC 8 BALL, SALAD DRESSING, SNOWGLOBE
  • BLUE: PROPER NOUN PORTMANTEAUX JAZZERCISE, PARALYMPICS, POKÉMON, WIKIPEDIA
  • PURPLE: ENDING IN SYNONYMS FOR "FRIEND" KETCHUM, PAYPAL, PRIMATE, ROSEBUD
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.

Categories: Technology

NYT Strands today — my hints, answers and spangram for Thursday, December 12 (game #284)

TechRadar News - Wed, 12/11/2024 - 18:02

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

Today's NYT Strands theme is… Shape and bake

NYT Strands today (game #284) - hint #2 - clue words

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

  • STEEL
  • STEER
  • REST
  • BELT
  • MOAN
  • DINT
NYT Strands today (game #284) - hint #3 - spangram What is a hint for today's spangram?

Kitchen template

NYT Strands today (game #284) - hint #4 - spangram position What are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

First: left, 5th row

Last: right, 5th row

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

NYT Strands today (game #284) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #284, are…

  • BUNNY
  • BELL
  • STAR
  • DIAMOND
  • HEART
  • ANGEL
  • SPANGRAM: COOKIECUTTER
  • My rating: Moderate
  • My score: 2 hints

It's a long, long time since I've baked cookies. Actually, no, I have baked cookies in the past couple of years, but they were just splodges of gooey chocolatey goodness, not perfectly shaped BELLs, STARs, DIAMONDs or HEARTs as you would get if you used a COOKIE CUTTER.

Maybe that's a failing on my part, but they all taste the same, right – so why risk losing some mixture by creating shapes? Then again, I'm not five years old, and my kids are older teens, so pretty shapes are not going to be appreciated in the same way as they would be by a pre-schooler.

My unfamiliarity with the form definitely hurt my Strands game today; I needed a couple of hints to get going, and it was only once I spotted the spangram that things got easier. Maybe I'll bake myself a cookie to cheer myself up.

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

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Wednesday, 11 December, game #283)
  • VISE
  • DRILL
  • LATHE
  • PLANE
  • CHISEL
  • JIGSAW
  • SANDER
  • SPANGRAM: WOODWORKING
What is NYT Strands?

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

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

Categories: Technology

Quordle today – my hints and answers for Thursday, December 12 (game #1053)

TechRadar News - Wed, 12/11/2024 - 18:02

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

Enjoy playing word games? You can also check out my 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 #1053) - 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 #1053) - 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 2.

Quordle today (game #1053) - 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 #1053) - 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 #1053) - hint #5 - starting letters (2) What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• M

• C

• S

• D

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

Quordle today (game #1053) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #1053, are…

  • MILKY
  • CRIER
  • STORK
  • DRIER

Still no real strategy for me, but I got lucky with the Quordle gods today, who helpfully provided two words with the same letters except the first one, CRIER and DRIER. Solve one, get one almost free!

They were probably the two toughest words here, but overall it was a pretty easy one today. Makes a change, eh?

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

Daily Sequence today (game #1053) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #1053, are…

  • TRITE
  • PLANK
  • FORGE
  • CLAMP
Quordle answers: The past 20
  • Quordle #1052, Wednesday 11 December: BRIAR, NASAL, SHARD, FLUFF
  • Quordle #1051, Tuesday 10 December: BEGAN, TRIAL, IDEAL, GUIDE
  • Quordle #1050, Monday 9 December: TITAN, FORTE, SPEED, BRIAR
  • Quordle #1049, Sunday 8 December: BUNCH, SHINY, MOULT, INTRO
  • Quordle #1048, Saturday 7 December: SHAKY, CROOK, GHOUL, VERSE
  • Quordle #1047, Friday 6 December: BRAWL, UNTIL, DOWRY, STING
  • Quordle #1046, Thursday 5 December: AGING, BICEP, CLOVE, SPILL
  • Quordle #1045, Wednesday 4 December: JUDGE, GIVER, GNASH, CLOAK
  • Quordle #1044, Tuesday 3 December: FUDGE, THICK, CRANK, STASH
  • Quordle #1043, Monday 2 December: TROPE, HOVER, SAUNA, SHAPE
  • Quordle #1042, Sunday 1 December: NAIVE, CIRCA, STEAD, MICRO
  • Quordle #1041, Saturday 30 November: MAMMA, SNUCK, CRYPT, TAROT
  • Quordle #1040, Friday 29 November: JOIST, DROOL, DUSKY, GLIDE
  • Quordle #1039, Thursday 28 November: GRADE, WORRY, NOISE, DAISY
  • Quordle #1038, Wednesday 27 November: HEART, ROGUE, INEPT, UTILE
  • Quordle #1037, Tuesday 26 November: PRIED, FAINT, HURRY, WOOER
  • Quordle #1036, Monday 25 November: NUDGE, SNOOP, SHACK, DRYLY
  • Quordle #1035, Sunday 24 November: CLOTH, CLAMP, PETTY, CHEST
  • Quordle #1034, Saturday 23 November: AVOID, PLANT, FILET, TWIRL
  • Quordle #1033, Friday 22 November: CUTIE, ALOOF, ETUDE, SILLY
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