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Democrats and Republicans both think they can win the state's Second Congressional District — one of the swingiest in the country — where immigration and abortion rights are dominating the debate.

(Image credit: Anna Moneymaker)

Lotus has unveiled its latest concept car, which hints at what we can expect from the company's high-performance future – including a pared-back interior that relies on robotic textiles instead of physical buttons.

As with many concept cars, there’s a lot of hypothetical thinking here, with much of the technology and performance figures providing a suggestion of what could come, rather than a true statement of intent.

Theoretically, a rather modest 70kW battery would send power to all four wheels, producing 968bhp and a 0-62mph sprint time of under 2.5 seconds. It all sounds very 'modern hyper EV' to us, but it is the tech inside the vehicle that is the most interesting.

Both designers and engineers have stripped everything back, which (much to the derision of pure Lotus fans) is not something the company has chosen to do with its current production cars, such as the large Eletre SUV and the Emeya four-door GT.

(Image credit: Lotus Cars)

Peel back the reverse opening wrap-over doors of Theory 1 and you’ll find swathes of recycled carbon fibre, with the driver’s seat positioned dead centre and two small seats for flanking passengers, very much in the Gordon Murray vein of sports car design.

Adorning these seats, as well as the yoke-style steering wheel, is what the company calls LotusWear, which consists of a soft, adaptive textile that covers key sections and touch points.

Working alongside MotorSkins, which developed the technology to create dynamic clothing that can provide on-the-fly compression, thermoregulation and haptic feedback for athletes, Lotus has seen fit to use it as an innovative human machine interface.

When driving, both driver and passengers will receive notifications through the inflatable robotic textiles during the journey. This could be through a light pulsing on the left shoulder to indicate an upcoming left-hand turn, or a tap on the lower back to indicate an incoming smartphone message.

(Image credit: Lotus Cars)

Similarly, inflatable pods on the steering wheel could indicate a blindspot hazard, or provide added grip as the pace quickens. The use-cases are vast, but the overall mission remains the same: to simplify the cockpit by ridding it of physical buttons.

As well as transparent screens, head-up displays and multi-use paddle switches, Lotus has also teamed up with technology company Carbon to produce 3D printed lattice structure headrests that can serve multiple purposes. 

The soft, supportive structures are there for comfort and safety, but they also house a binaural audio system from KEF.

The ability to fire sound directly to the occupant of each seat means Lotus can add to the sensation of speed with a bespoke soundtrack, act as a noise-cancelling system on more mundane journeys, or to simply allow each passenger to experience individual media without sound clash.

Analysis: This is Lotus is riffing on its core values

(Image credit: Lotus Cars)

A lot of the criticism leveled at Lotus since its takeover by Chinese owners Geely is that it has strayed far from Colin and Hazel Chapman’s dream of a lightweight, affordable and purely fun sports car.

The model line-up is now large, heavy and choc full of superfluous technology that fans of the original cars seemingly detest. But sales of the Elise and Evora tanked to the point that the company almost went bust, proving that there just isn’t enough demand for a 'proper' Lotus anymore. 

Instead, the company has had to do what Porsche, Bentley, Ferrari and Lamborghini have in the past, and that’s create product that doesn’t traditionally fit in the line-up but sells exceedingly well (Lotus broke sales records in 2023) to ensure we are still treated to the fun stuff. Shout out to Cayenne, Bentayga, Purosangue and Urus.

However, Theory 1 appears to be hinting that Lotus is looking to go back to its roots, while not shunning future technology. 

Stripping everything back is the very ethos upon which the company is built, but it's doing so in a way that still incorporates Lidar, camera systems, in-car entertainment and even high levels of autonomous driving capabilities.

Granted, Theory 1 isn’t going to be a simple, lightweight two-seater, but like the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N, it looks like it is tackling what it means to be a performance car in the electric age.

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Our best dash cam guide could well need a refresh in the near future: Garmin has launched four new models to give you even more choice when it comes to picking up a camera that'll record everything that happens to you and your vehicle.

Heading up the new quartet of cams is the Garmin Dash Cam X310, which offers a 2.4-inch LCD screen, 4K Ultra HD video quality, built-in GPS and advanced driver awareness alerts – warning you about speed cameras in the vicinity, for example, or telling you when there's a risk of a forward collision.

For a little less money you can get hold of the Dash Cam X110 or the Dash Cam X210: they're the same as the Dash Cam X310 model, but the maximum resolution video quality only goes up to 1080p or 1440p respectively.

The final dash cam in the new series is the Garmin Dash Cam Mini 3. This ditches the screen to offer a smaller form factor – around the size of a car key – that's easier to fit into place and less of a distraction while driving. This model offers 1080p video recording.

Voice command support

The Garmin Dash Cam Mini 3 is the cheapest of the new models (Image credit: Garmin)

One of the clever features Garmin has included here is voice command support, which means you can control various functions on the cameras (like starting and stopping video recordings) without taking your eyes off the road.

There's also what Garmin is calling a Clarity polariser lens enhancement, which apparently reduces interference from windshield glare – giving you the best chance of capturing the evidence you need in the event of an accident or criminal damage.

For more features, you can get the Garmin Drive app installed on your smartphone: this lets you sync up feeds from up to four Garmin dash cams, if you've really splashed out on the surveillance tech for your vehicle.

You can pick up all four models now from the Garmin website: pricing is $149.99/£149.99 for the Dash Cam Mini 3, $199.99/£199.99 for the X110, $299.99/£259.99 for the X210, and $399.99/£349.99 for the X310.

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It’s time to pour one out for the iPhone 13, as with the launch of the iPhone 16 series, Apple has consigned its 2021 iPhone to the tech bone orchard. But I’m here to tell you to buy one while you still can. 

That’s because the iPhone 13 was, until Apple officially retired it, our pick for the best cheap iPhone. And for good reason. 

Despite now being three generations old, the iPhone 13 is still a very capable smartphone, and a good entry point into the walled garden of iOS and the Apple ecosystem. It blends a rather sleek design with the best display for size for phones – that’s 6.1 inches – and has a pair of very capable cameras, and a chipset that I doubt you’d be able to make sweat even today unless you threw the most demanding of apps or near-console-quality games at it. 

As such, it previously prompted me to write about why it’s a phone that anyone looking to move from Android to iPhone should consider, as it’s a capable but not overly expensive first Apple handset. And for people with older iPhones, say an iPhone X or iPhone 11, it’s a perfectly good phone to get if you want to avoid the hefty prices the latest iPhones command; such is the benefit of Apple cutting the prices of its older iPhones each time a new generation comes out. 

Sure there are caveats to the iPhone 13, namely its 60Hz display, which felt dated back in 2021 for a phone of its class (and feels even more dated on the new iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus), and a now-defunct Lightning port. But otherwise, I think it’s a fantastic phone, with the endurance to last another generation or two if you’re not fussed about Apple Intelligence – and I'd caution against rushing to jump in this Cupertino-tinged AI train, as I’m not wholly convinced that artificial intelligence tools, even in the best AI phones, are as up to snuff as I’d like them to be. 

So I still feel the iPhone 13 is worth it, even if you perhaps just want a spare Apple phone. 

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Of course, you'll need to move quickly before the iPhone 13 disappears altogether. I’d suggest checking out retailers like Best Buy and Currys in the US and UK respectively. Equally, you could go on the hunt for a refurbished iPhone 13 – the likes of Amazon tend to offer fairly robust refurbishments. And do check out our iPhone deals page to see if any iPhone 13 models pop up there.

I’d also suggest keeping an eye out for iPhone 13 units getting decent discounts as we approach the Amazon Big Deals Days in October and enter what I’m now calling Black Friday season – basically some six-ish weeks of deals. It's during these sales events that I suspect retailers will be looking to shift old Apple stock, and the iPhone 13 will surely feature.

If you end up missing the iPhone 13 boat, then I suspect your next-best hope for an affordable but capable iPhone will come in the form of a next-generation SE model. We’ve been referring to that as the iPhone SE 4, and while the rumors are sketchy as to its potential existence, if it does eventually appear – likely next year – we could see a phone that’s not dissimilar to the iPhone 13, and which could even channel the iPhone 14 in terms of design. Watch this space.

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The FBI received 69,000 cryptocurrency scam complaints in 2023 -- about half were related to investment fraud.

A beloved heirloom variety of New Mexico red chile commands high prices because of its scarcity. Finding farmers to continue cultivating it has become a challenge.

(Image credit: John Burnett)

Neighbors in Greensboro say Ryan Routh, the man accused of pointing a rifle at the golf course where Donald Trump was playing, wasn't someone they knew well. But he was well-known to law enforcement.

(Image credit: Tovia Smith)

For as long as I can remember, Batman has been a pivotal part of my creative life. 

Since sporting a baggy ‘Batman For President’ sweatshirt as a little kid riding on my Uncle Bruce’s Honda motorcycle, watching Adam West’s campy rendition in reruns of the vintage Batman TV show, buying the debut issue of Frank Miller and Klaus Jansons’s pioneering The Dark Knight Returns graphic novel, or attending the opening of director Tim Burton’s Batman at the Westwood Theater in Los Angeles, this pop culture treasure has remained relevant to me.

My love for the character extends to late-night gaming sessions caffeinated on gallons of Diet Coke playing Batman: Arkham Asylum, interviewing Batman: The Animated Series’ creator Bruce Timm, or sitting beside the legendary Batman artist Neal Adams for hours at comic cons, Batman’s shadowy influence, cool demeanor, and psychological complexity seem as alluring and ever-watchful as ever. 

Whether he’s known as the Dark Knight, the Caped Crusader or the main component of the Dynamic Duo with his trusty sidekick Robin the Boy Wonder, this fearless vigilante and champion of justice who first appeared in the pages of Detective Comics #27 back in May of 1939 – one of the best Dark Knight stories – is perhaps the greatest fictional character ever created. Imbued with equal parts of Zorro, Sherlock Holmes, and the pulp icon called The Shadow, Batman is the embodiment of someone who has channeled their inner pain to become a beacon of hope and righteousness.

Batman through the ages

 I've collected all the Batman comics since the 80s. (Image credit: Jeff Spry)

Cloaked in gothic black and equipped with an arsenal of 'wonderful toys', Batman is an intimidating hero for the ages, one that, due to his absence of any true superhuman powers, relies on his keen intellect, lightning reflexes, physical prowess, and preternatural powers of deduction.

Created by artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger, Batman was born in pre-World War II America during the Golden Age of comics when there were clear distinctions between good and evil. The billionaire playboy industrialist Bruce Wayne became a nocturnal crusader after his parents were shot dead in Crime Alley after a showing of The Mark of Zorro in Gotham City. He took up the emblem of a bat to instill fear in criminals and honed his mind and body to sheer perfection.

Over the decades the character would be reinvented in myriad media, appearing in the ‘40s in matinee Batman serials at the local movie house after receiving his own Batman solo comic and remaining a fixture in DC’s Detective Comics line – if you're wondering where these fit in a timeline, here's how to watch the Batman movies in order. 

Batman becomes a breakout hit in the ‘60s as a cultural sensation beside James Bond and The Beatles with his own hit TV series, plastered on lunchboxes, buttons, posters, t-shirts, toys, and bedsheets, then debuting in cartoon form as part of the 1970s Super Friends show on Saturday morning, and finally struck the limelight of Tinsel Town in Tim Burton’s 1989 Batman movie starring Michael Keaton and Jack Nicholson. 

Michael Keaton as Batman in Tim Burton's 1989 adaptation.  (Image credit: Warner Bros.)

Today, Batman is DC Comics’ most popular character of all-time, currently being featured in a half-dozen different titles and graphic novels. We’ve got a new Batman feature film coming out in 2026 titled The Batman Part 2, which is a sequel to The Batman, Batman theme park rollercoasters, Batman videogames, and a fresh Batman animated series created by Bruce Timm called Batman: The Caped Crusader.

Directors Tim Burton, Joel Schumacher, Christopher Nolan and Matt Reeves have all had their time in the Bat Cave with their own interpretive visions and fans have differing opinions of which portrayal is the truest Batman to them. Myself, I’m rather partial to Robert Pattinson’s laconic 'Year Two' embodiment of the unrelenting protector of Gotham City, with Christian Bale coming in a close second. With his rogues gallery of formidable foes like The Joker, The Penguin (which has a new Max spinoff show called The Penguin), Scarecrow, Catwoman, The Riddler, Harley Quinn, Bane, Poison Ivy, Two Face, Mister Freeze, Ra’s al Ghul, and Killer Croc, Batman is one seriously busy dude keeping streets safe.

Directed by Matt Reeves, The Batman was released in March 2022.  (Image credit: Jonathan Olley/Warner Bros.)

So on this most auspicious of occasions known as Batman Day, it’s the perfect time to reflect on the origins and evolution of this mysterious crimefighter and discover the multitude of ways to watch the best Batman movies on the best streaming services as well as all immediate Bat-needs in films, animated series, and TV shows. 

To sink your soul into the bounty of Batman fare, there are boundless opportunities to figuratively (or literally if you desire) don the cowl and cape to honor him. So let’s discover where you can secure your fix of the Dark Knight during this heroic day of remembrance.

Batman, on demand

Christopher Nolan's Batman trilogy is one of the best around.  (Image credit: Warner Bros.)

A great place to start is Batman’s official streaming home on Max, the platform owned by Warner Bros. Discovery, the parent corporation of DC Comics. As a respectable sampler for those in the US, Max is currently offering five seasons of Gotham (those in the UK can find it on Prime Video) featuring younger proto-versions of Bat-universe heroes and villains. 

Moving on, you’ll find a bonanza of Hollywood’s flagship Batman feature films including 1989’s Batman, 1992’s Batman Returns, 1995’s Batman Forever, 1997’s Batman & Robin, 2005’s Batman Begins, 2008’s The Dark Knight, 2012’s The Dark Knight Rises, and 2022’s grim and gritty The Batman showcasing a standout performance by Robert Pattinson – read our picks of the 10 best performances from the Batman movies. 

Also on Max, animation aficionados can gravitate to creator Bruce Timm’s ‘90s classic Batman: The Animated Series and the futuristic Batman Beyond, as well as The Batman, and Batman: The Brave and the Bold. More adventurous types should consider 2017’s The Lego Batman Movie or the Ultimate Edition of Zack Snyder’s operatic Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Justice League, and the intriguing black-and-white cut, Justice League: Justice is Gray.

Batman: The Caped Crusader quickly became an instant hit on Prime Video.  (Image credit: HBO)

And if you’re eager for a solid recommendation from the dozens of excellent DC Animated Universe feature films Max is presenting, you cannot go wrong with the horror-tinged Batman: The Doom That Came to Gotham, which is adapted from a 2000-2001 Elseworlds comic book miniseries written by Hellboy’s Mike Mignola and Richard Price.

Over on Netflix, Batman is predictably absent except for the atrocious mess called The Flash and two decent kids animated series, Justice League and Justice League Unlimited, which don't feature among our pick of the best superhero movies. 

Finally, Amazon’s Prime Video scored a huge prize when they landed Bruce Timm’s new 1940s-set noirish animated series, Batman: The Caped Crusader, which quickly became one of the best Prime Video shows. Plus Prime Video is also the exclusive destination for a pair of Technicolored Batman gems from the 1960s: all 120 episodes of the Batman TV series that aired from 1966-1968 and 1966’s super fun Batman: The Movie.

However and wherever you dance the Batusi today, a Happy Batman Day to all!

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This week we published all of our reviews of the new Apple tech so you can find out precisely what we think of it, were disappointed by the Apple Intelligence-less iOS 18 launch, and downloaded 40 free games for our Steam Deck through our Amazon Prime membership.

All of that and more is covered in our ICYMI round-up below.

Next week you can look forward to Meta Connect 2024 which we expect will be full of XR (a catchall for VR, AR and MR) and AI goodies. We'll be sure to catch you up to speed on everything you need to know from the event.

6. iOS 18 launched without Apple Intelligence

(Image credit: Future/Jacob Krol)

With the arrival of this year’s new iPhones, we’ve also got a new version of iOS to play around with – iOS 18. It’s coming to every iPhone launched after the iPhone XS – including the 2nd-gen SE – and introduces several new features.

There’s improved home screen customization, so you can finally move apps around to reveal more of your wallpaper. Messages has been overhauled to add text effects and RCS support, and smaller changes like your Photos app and the Control Center are getting a redesign.

Unfortunately, Apple Intelligence – iOS 18’s headline tool – isn’t quite here yet. It’ll start to roll out with US English support in update 18.1 in October. Still, other English variants aren’t coming until December, and major tools like Genmoji, Image Playground, and Siri’s on-screen awareness aren't expected to arrive until much later in iOS 18’s lifespan. A scattered introduction that has certainly put a dampener on things.

• Read more: The Apple Intelligence launch is a mess

5. We reviewed the new Apple tech

(Image credit: Future/Jacob Krol)

It’s Apple availability week, and TechRadar is the place to be for our in-depth reviews, encompassing our full thoughts on all the kits from the Cupertino-based company. Starting off, our Editor-at-Large Lance Ulanoff handled the iPhone 16 Pro Max and called it a “beautiful, intelligent beast.” Read his full review to learn more about the impact of a bigger screen – 6.5 inches to 6.7 inches – a faster processor and new cameras that make a difference.

Of course, there’s also the standard iPhone 16, which got a significant glow-up, and TechRadar’s Jacob Krol tackled the review on it, noting that it’s more Pro than ever before thanks to a zippy-quick A18 chip, the arrival of two buttons, and vibrant colors. He also reviewed the Apple Watch Series 10, noting it's “more than meets the eye from every angle,” alluding to the larger displays on both models and improved viewing angles all housed in a smaller build.

TechRadar also has full thoughts on the iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation.

• iPhone 16 review
• iPhone 16 Plus review
• iPhone 16 Pro review
• iPhone 16 Pro Max review
• Apple Watch Series 10 review
• AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation review

4. Anker felt the heat as it recalled three of its power banks

(Image credit: Anker)

It wasn’t a great week to be the owner of an Anker power bank – or at least, one of the three models the company had to recall this week due to the discovery of a potential fire risk.

If you own an Anker 334 MagGo Battery (PowerCore 10K), Anker Power Bank or Anker MagGo Power Bank, you should stop using it now and fill out Anker's recall form to get a replacement.

The cause is apparently a manufacturing defect in some models that causes overheating. Anker says it’s now changed suppliers and that owners of its other batteries have nothing to worry about. But the news was an unwelcome addition to the ‘to do’ lists of those unfortunate enough to buy one of those three batteries.

• Read more: Stop using these three Anker batteries – they’ve just been recalled due to a fire risk

3. ChatGPT started messaging first… But OpenAI fixed it

(Image credit: Shutterstock/Sir David)

For a few days, it looked like ChatGPT had been upgraded in a way no one had expected – it was messaging users first. Apparently, it could do this because it was following up on a conversation it had previously had with users who had mentioned they were starting school in a few days or were trying to discuss medical symptoms.

Some were skeptical about the situation, even suggesting ways it could have been faked, but OpenAI had the last word. It revealed that ChatGPT messaging first was a bug, not a new feature, adding that it had been fixed.

Given the level of excitement generated by the possibility of ChatGPT following up on its own, we wouldn’t be surprised to see the tool launch at some point for real.

• Read more: OpenAI says ChatGPT messaging first was a bug, not a new feature

2. DJI introduced us to the Osmo Action 5 Pro

(Image credit: Future | Sam Kieldsen)

DJI announced its first action camera with the 'Pro' monicker, which delivers a raft of impressive new features, including an industry-first 4nm chip, four-hour battery life – that's double that of the GoPro Hero 13 Black – 20 m waterproofing (which is again double that of its rivals), and bigger and punchier twin OLED screens.

We've already reviewed the flagship action camera, and there are many areas where it steals GoPro's crown, but it's not a one-sided battle. While the Osmo Action 5 Pro has industry-leading 4K image quality and low-light performance, it can't shoot 5.3K video like the Hero 13 Black or 8K video like the Insta 360 Ace Pro, nor does it have GoPro-style lens accessories for different looks.

However, there's plenty going for DJI's unique take on action cams that will aptly satisfy content creators with an eye for detail, and it appears that DJI is making the most headway in this space.

• Read more: DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro review

1. Amazon gave away 40 of the best Steam Deck games

(Image credit: Future / Valve)

Listen up if you’re an Amazon Prime member and a Steam Deck user. As long as you have an active membership, you can enjoy over 40 free of the best Steam Deck games – though act fast, as some are already starting to leave.

There is a caveat to note – these versions of the games aren’t directly available on Steam. Instead, you’ll need to acquire them through Epic Game Store, Amazon Games Store, or GOG. Though, you can rely on the Heroic Games Launcher and shortcuts to help you simplify the process of playing them on Steam Deck.

• Read more: Hurry and download these 40+ free games on your Steam Deck

Donating to political campaigns is a great way to get involved with candidates you like, but the barrage of messages pressing you for more can be a major nuisance.

Here are some hints — and the answers — for Connections No. 468 for Sept. 21.

Here are some hints and the answer for Wordle No. 1190 for Sept. 21.

Here are some hints, and the answers, for the Sept. 21 Strands puzzle, No. 202.

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 Wordle today, NYT Connections today and Quordle today pages for hints and answers for those games.

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

• Today's NYT Strands theme is… I've got the music in me!

NYT Strands today (game #202) - hint #2 - clue words

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

• STUD
• DUNE
• ETCH
• RATE
• TARE
• STONE

NYT Strands today (game #202) - hint #3 - spangram What is a hint for today's spangram?

• Temple of music

NYT Strands today (game #202) - hint #4 - spangram position What are two sides of the board that today's spangram touches?

First: left, 5th row

Last: right, 3rd row

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

NYT Strands today (game #202) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Strands, game #202, are…

• ARENA
• STADIUM
• NIGHTCLUB
• THEATER
• FESTIVAL
• SPANGRAM: CONCERTVENUE

• My rating: Moderate
• My score: 1 hint

I've marked this one as moderate simply because I couldn't get started without a hint; the theme clue of 'I've got the music in me!' seemed too obtuse, despite the fact that with hindsight it was really rather obvious. Once I asked for help and was given ARENA it all became much easier, and I ticked off the likes of STADIUM, NIGHTCLUB and THEATER with no issues.

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

Yesterday's NYT Strands answers (Friday 20 September, game #201)

• RHYME
• VERSE
• METER
• STANZA
• SYNTAX
• DICTION
• SCANSION
• SPANGRAM: POETRY

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.

Quordle was one of the original Wordle alternatives and is still going strong now nearly 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 Wordle today, NYT Connections today and NYT Strands today pages for hints and answers for those puzzles.

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 #971) - 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 #971) - 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 1.

Quordle today (game #971) - 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 #971) - 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 #971) - hint #5 - starting letters (2) What letters do today's Quordle answers start with?

• V

• F

• S

• E

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

Quordle today (game #971) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle, game #971, are…

• VITAL
• FRAIL
• SPEAR
• EERIE

There aren't many words in Wordle (and therefore Quordle) that contain three of the same letter. My analysis of every Wordle answer shows that there are a mere 20 out of the original 2,309 solutions that contain a triple letter, and of those five have a trio of Es. EERIE is one of them, and it's a hard word to solve in this game. Fortunately, FRAIL, SPEAR and VITAL are not so bad, so assuming you didn't lose too many guesses on EERIE you should have been OK here.

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

Daily Sequence today (game #971) - the answers

(Image credit: Merriam-Webster)

The answers to today's Quordle Daily Sequence, game #971, are…

• SEDAN
• BASTE
• VITAL
• CORER

Quordle answers: The past 20

• Quordle #970, Friday 20 September: ELIDE, DITTO, SHAWL, BONUS
• Quordle #969, Thursday 19 September: MARRY, OWING, DICEY, LUCKY
• Quordle #968, Wednesday 18 September: CEDAR, VENOM, MIGHT, MEDIC
• Quordle #967, Tuesday 17 September: ETHOS, COUNT, PRINT, THREE
• Quordle #966, Monday 16 September: ROUGE, SWAMP, FUGUE, UNDUE
• Quordle #965, Sunday 15 September: VILLA, SMOKE, BULKY, THRUM
• Quordle #964, Saturday 14 September: ESSAY, GENRE, WIMPY, CHUTE
• Quordle #963, Friday 13 September: LEANT, ORGAN, FILLY, PLAIT
• Quordle #962, Thursday 12 September: ARBOR, STARK, LEAVE, GOOFY
• Quordle #961, Wednesday 11 September: ROUGH, CACTI, SAVOY, ODDER
• Quordle #960, Tuesday 10 September: PLUMB, SEIZE, EARLY, ASSET
• Quordle #959, Monday 9 September: CHIRP, BEADY, THETA, MINUS
• Quordle #958, Sunday 8 September: TEASE, AGATE, PRIDE, PLATE
• Quordle #957, Saturday 7 September: LASSO, TILDE, BUNCH, PRONG
• Quordle #956, Friday 6 September: FARCE, WOOLY, LOCAL, NIGHT
• Quordle #955, Thursday 5 September: SNIDE, EGRET, AMONG, SHINY
• Quordle #954, Wednesday 4 September: POINT, WITTY, GAFFE, ABUSE
• Quordle #953, Tuesday 3 September: ATOLL, ANGER, OCEAN, SWEEP
• Quordle #952, Monday 2 September: HABIT, LODGE, PLAIN, DRIFT
• Quordle #951, Sunday 1 September: RABBI, CRAWL, GUPPY, BRAND

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 Wordle hints and answers, Strands hints and answers and Quordle hints and answers articles if you need help for those too.

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 #468) - today's words

(Image credit: New York Times)

Today's NYT Connections words are…

• REAL
• MEDIUM
• IMPRESSIVE
• EXCLUSIVE
• NICE
• RARE
• AWFUL
• MYSTIC
• WAY
• WELL DONE
• BLOODY
• LIMITED
• ORACLE
• PROPS
• COLLECTIBLE
• PSYCHIC

NYT Connections today (game #468) - hint #1 - group hints

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

• Yellow: Future-gazer
• Green: Reason to want something
• Blue: Excellent!
• Purple: Very

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 #468) - hint #2 - group answers

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

• YELLOW: CLAIRVOYANT
• GREEN: SPECIAL EDITION ADJECTIVES
• BLUE: “GREAT JOB!”
• PURPLE: EXTREMELY

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

NYT Connections today (game #468) - the answers

(Image credit: New York Times)

The answers to today's Connections, game #468, are…

• YELLOW: CLAIRVOYANT MEDIUM, MYSTIC, ORACLE, PSYCHIC
• GREEN: SPECIAL EDITION ADJECTIVES COLLECTIBLE, EXCLUSIVE, LIMITED, RARE
• BLUE: “GREAT JOB!” IMPRESSIVE, NICE, PROPS, WELL DONE
• PURPLE: EXTREMELY AWFUL, BLOODY, REAL, WAY

• My rating: Easy
• My score: 1 mistake

This was a surprisingly easy Connections puzzle even by recent examples, although I still contrived to make one mistake. That was a silly one; I'm sure the misdirection was intended by the NYT, and I walked right into the trap. I'm talking, of course, about BLOODY, RARE, WELL DONE and MEDIUM – which could have been 'Ways to cook a steak'. But no, all four words actually belonged to alternative groups.

That quickly became apparent, when I looked again and realized that MEDIUM, MYSTIC, ORACLE and PSYCHIC were all words for a CLAIRVOYANT (yellow) and that COLLECTIBLE, EXCLUSIVE, LIMITED, RARE all formed a green group for SPECIAL EDITION ADJECTIVES.

That left blue and purple, and this time neither was too complicated. No 'blank something' type, no clever cryptic connections – simply a couple of groups, both of which were fairly obvious.

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

Yesterday's NYT Connections answers (Friday, 20 September, game #467)

• YELLOW: PRESUME FIGURE, IMAGINE, SUSPECT, THINK
• GREEN: SOMEBODY CHARACTER, INDIVIDUAL, PARTY, PERSON
• BLUE: CHARACTERS IN “THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK," FAMILIARLY BOBA, CHEWY, EMPEROR, SOLO
• PURPLE: WORDS AFTER “KITTY” CAT, CORNER, HAWK, LITTER

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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Speaking in Atlanta Friday, Vice President Harris called tougher abortion laws “immoral” and slammed Republicans for what she called “longstanding neglect” around maternal mortality.

(Image credit: Brynn Anderson)

A new AI-powered teddy bear might be the solution to storytime with your kids or an eerie robot attempting to usurp a parenting duty, depending on your point of view. Tech toy company Skyrocket hopes you'll see Poe the AI Story Bear as the former. The plush toy employs AI models from OpenAI to compose new stories based on ideas suggested by a child, which are then told by the bear in a friendly, but synthetic voice produced with ElevenLabs' AI speech creator. 

The customized stories are put together by the AI model using a wide range of options that a child can pick from the accompanying Poe AI Bear: Story Creator app. There are hundreds of curated options for story elements, and kids can pick a wide range of themes, characters, and locations for the story, even inserting themselves into it. If they like the resulting story, they can save it to listen to again or move on and try out other options next time. 

Because of the AI used to come up with the stories, there may be similarities based on the chosen icons in the app, but each story will ultimately be different even if the same options are chosen multiple times. There's only one AI voice included with Poe, but ElevenLabs' models give it context-aware emotional tones and otherwise mimic how a human speaks. Poe can tell stories in 30 languages, the ones built into the ElevenLabs model.

"Poe the AI Story Bear empowers kids with the ability to create amazing, personalized stories that they'll love listening to again and again," Skyrocket CEO Nelo Lucich explained. "It's always been a dream to have toys that come alive and now it's possible with AI. Poe the AI Story Bear embraces the positive aspects of AI technology and makes it accessible to all types of consumers from diverse backgrounds and languages and at a budget-friendly price point."

AI Toy Story

Of course, for a child's product, safety is going to be a major concern. To assuage worries, Skyrocket has designed Poe to only pull input from the app, so there are no cameras, microphones, or direct internet access, just Bluetooth to link to the mobile device. There are also stricter than usual safeguards on the content the AI model suggests for the story. That's also why the options for themes and characters are curated, limiting the chance of anything inappropriate inadvertently coming up.

The high-tech power of Poe is surprisingly affordable at $50. Skyrocket has ambitions to develop a whole line of toys with AI-powered features, but the real question is if parents will see Poe as their child's more talkative Buzz Lightyear or a sinister latter-day Furby.

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Calling for Apple to break its silence on the ongoing war in Gaza and to rid so-called blood minerals from its supply chain, protesters stood outside over a dozen Apple Stores around the world Friday.